A Cousin's Promise

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Mom nodded. Then she turned to look at Wayne. “I’ll take care of getting the details from Mr. McKenna. You’d better get out of those wet clothes before you end up sick like your daed.”

  Wayne didn’t argue with her. His teeth had already begun to chatter.

  ***

  When Wayne returned to the kitchen, the man was gone, and Pop was sitting at the table holding a cup of tea.

  “What’d the doctor say about your sore throat?” Wayne asked as he took a seat beside his dad.

  Pop grimaced. “Said it’s strep.”

  “Ach, no!”

  “He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, but I was feeling so rough, I didn’t even go to the pharmacy; just came straight home.”

  Mom reached over and touched Pop’s forehead. “You’re running a fever, Crist, and you don’t look well at all! I insist that you go right to bed. I’ll head to town and get the medicine for you.”

  “My horse is in the pasture, and the buggy’s put away, so you’ll have to get them both out again.”

  Mom shook her head. “That’ll take me too much time. I’ll just ride my bike to the pharmacy. It shouldn’t take long at all.”

  ***

  As Loraine sifted flour into a bowl and added some sugar, her thoughts carried her back to the auction on Saturday. Even though they hadn’t been able to resume the auction after the fire was put out, she’d learned that they’d taken in a pretty good sum of money that morning, and it had been decided that another auction wouldn’t be necessary at this time. Loraine was glad for that, because she didn’t think she could go to another auction any time soon and watch Wayne at a distance, feeling that she couldn’t even speak to him. It was ridiculous for him to think they couldn’t be together just because he’d lost his leg. And him saying he didn’t love her anymore made no sense at all. How could a person love someone one day and not the next?

  Loraine stirred the cookie batter so hard that her fingers began to ache. Why, God, why? Why did Wayne have to lose his leg? Why can’t he accept the fact that I still love him and want to be his wife?

  An image of Jake flashed into her mind. She had wanted to be his wife once, too. Had she loved him more than she did Wayne? Could she let herself love Jake again?

  “You’d better let me take that job over for you,” Mom said when she stepped into the kitchen. “It’s almost time for you to go to work, and if you don’t leave now, you’ll probably be late.”

  Loraine glanced at the clock on the far wall. She’d been asked to work the afternoon shift today, and it was nearly one o’clock. She did need to get going.

  She handed Mom the wooden spoon she’d been using and removed the apron she wore to do her household chores. “I guess I should have started the cookies sooner,” she said. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “It’s all right; I’ll do them. You run along and have a good day at work.”

  “Danki, I’ll try.” Loraine slipped into her jacket and outer head covering and headed out the door. When she stepped outside, the cold, damp air sent a shiver through her body. She pulled her jacket tightly around her neck, hurried to the barn, and took out her horse.

  A short time later, she was headed down the road toward Shipshewana. She’d only gone a short ways when she spotted Ada Lambright pedaling her bicycle along the shoulder of the road. Suddenly, Ada’s bike started to wobble. It looked like she had hit a patch of loose gravel. Loraine shrieked when the bike toppled over and Ada fell to the ground.

  “Whoa!” She halted the horse and clambered out of the buggy. Then she raced over to Ada.

  A thin, wordless cry tore from the poor woman’s lips as she looked up at Loraine.

  Loraine dropped down beside her. “Are you hurt, Ada?”

  “I think my leg’s broken. I’ve never had such horrible pain.” Ada’s voice sounded muffled, as if she were trying to talk under water.

  That’s when Loraine noticed that Ada’s left leg was bent at a very odd angle.

  She knew she needed to make Ada as comfortable as possible, and the hard ground was anything but comfortable.

  “I’m going to my buggy to get some blankets,” Loraine said. “Just hold real still and I’ll be right back.” She hurried off, and returned with two blankets. She folded one and put it under Ada’s head and draped the other one over Ada’s shivering body.

  “Can you hang on here while I’ll go to the nearest phone shed and make a call for help?” Loraine asked, touching Ada’s shoulder.

  Ada nodded, as tears seeped out from under her lashes. “Guess I don’t have much choice.”

  “I’ll be back as quick as I can.” Loraine hurried to her buggy and tore off down the road.

  CHAPTER 26

  Loraine paced from the row of chairs in the hospital waiting room over to the window and back again. It wasn’t that long ago that she’d been in another hospital waiting room, waiting to hear how Wayne and the others were doing after their accident. Now she waited impatiently for some news on Ada’s condition.

  Loraine had called the paramedics from Sandy and Glen Pritchard’s house, then left a message on the answering machine in the Lambrights’ phone shed. The Pritchards had dropped Loraine off to wait with Ada until the ambulance came and had taken Loraine’s buggy home to their house, where she would pick it up later. If she hadn’t been in such a hurry to get back to Ada, she might have stopped at the Lambrights’, but the Pritchards’ place was a lot closer, and Loraine knew she needed to get back to Ada as quickly as possible.

  During the time Loraine and Ada had waited for the ambulance to arrive, Ada had told her that Crist was in bed with a bad sore throat and that Wayne had been having trouble with his prosthesis. Loraine figured it wasn’t likely that either Wayne or Crist would check for phone messages today, so they’d have to be told about Ada when Loraine brought her home.

  After they’d arrived at the hospital emergency room in Goshen, Loraine had called her boss and explained what had happened, asking if she could be excused from work today. She was pleased that Esther had said yes and had seemed so understanding. Then she’d called Marge Nelson and alerted her to the fact that they would need a ride home once Ada’s leg had been taken care of.

  If things had gone as Wayne and I had originally planned, we’d be married now, Loraine thought painfully. I’d be here at the hospital waiting for news on my mother-in-law, not my ex-fiancé’s mother, who didn’t even tell me thanks for seeing that she got help today.

  Tears sprang to Loraine’s eyes. I shouldn’t expect any thanks for what I’ve done. It’s my Christian duty to help others, whether they thank me or not.

  “You look tired,” Marge said, when she entered the room. “Have you had any news on Ada yet?”

  “No, and I’m beginning to worry. It’s been over an hour since they took her back to be examined.” Loraine sighed and flopped into a chair. “I wonder what could be taking so long. I hope it’s not a bad sign.”

  “I’m sure everything will be fine,” Marge said in her usual positive tone. “You just need to sit there and relax.”

  Loraine plucked a magazine off the table and pretended to read it. She wasn’t just worried about Ada; she was worried about Wayne and how he would manage with both of his parents laid up.

  “Maybe I should have gone over to the Lambrights’ and told them about Ada instead of coming here,” Loraine said. “I’m sure Wayne and his dad are wondering why she hasn’t returned home, and I doubt that either of them has checked their answering machine.”

  Marge opened her purse and removed her cell phone. “I’ll give my husband a call and ask him to stop by their place on his way home from work and explain things to them.”

  “Thanks. That’s a real good idea.”

  Marge punched in a few numbers and lifted the cell phone to her ear. Several seconds went by before she clicked off the phone and dropped it back in her purse. “I should have remembered.”

  “Remembered what?”


  “Brian didn’t answer because he left his cell phone at home this morning, so it wouldn’t make any sense for me to leave a message on his voice mail.”

  “I’m Dr. Gaylord,” a middle-aged man announced as he stepped into the room. “Are you a relative of Ada Lambright?” he asked Loraine.

  She shook her head. “I’m just a friend of the family, and I’m waiting to take Ada home.”

  “I’m afraid she won’t be going home until sometime tomorrow,” the doctor said. “She’s suffered a bad break in her leg, and we’re going to have to do some surgery before we can set it.”

  “I’m real sorry to hear that. Her family has no idea she’s here, so I think we should let them know right away.” She looked over at Marge.

  Marge nodded. “I’ll drive you there now if you like.”

  “I appreciate that, but I’d like to see Ada first and let her know that I picked up Crist’s prescription and will stop by the house and let her family know what’s happened to her.”

  “Mrs. Lambright’s being prepared for surgery right now,” the doctor said, “but I’ll see that she gets your message.”

  “Thank you.” Loraine stood and moved toward the door. Marge joined her.

  “With Ada being laid up for the next several weeks, she’s going to need a lot of help,” Loraine said as she and Marge headed down the hall toward the exit.

  “I’m sure the women in your community will chip in and do whatever they can.”

  Loraine nodded. “I’ll help out as much as possible, too.”

  ***

  Wayne glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and frowned. Mom had been gone several hours already. It shouldn’t have taken her this long to pick up Pop’s prescription.

  Maybe she stopped off to visit one of her friends, he thought as he peered out the window. Maybe I should go to the phone shed andcheck the answering machine. If she did stop somewhere, she might have called and left a message.

  He slipped into his jacket, grabbed his crutches for support, and headed out the door.

  ***

  As Loraine neared the Lambrights’ house, her heartbeat picked up speed. She had wanted to see Wayne again, just not under these circumstances.

  She clucked to her horse and guided him off the road and onto the Lambrights’ driveway. Smoke curled from the chimney of the house, so she figured either Wayne or his dad must be tending the fire.

  She spotted Wayne on the porch, with a pair of crutches under his arms. He stood motionless until she pulled her rig up to the hitching rail, and then he headed her way. By the time he reached her, she was out of the buggy and had tied the horse to the rail.

  Deep wrinkles formed in Wayne’s forehead when he stepped up to her. “What are you doing here? I thought I told you—”

  “I came to let you know that your mamm’s been in an accident. She’s in the hospital in Goshen with a broken leg.”

  Wayne’s eyebrows shot up. “What happened?”

  Loraine quickly explained the details of how she’d seen Ada fall off her bike and had then gone to call for help. “When Marge and I left the hospital, I asked her to drop me off at my house so I could tell my folks what was going on and let them know I was coming over here. I figured you’d be worried about your mamm.”

  “Jah, I sure was.”

  “I also came over to fix you some supper,” she said.

  “You’re here to fix supper?” His mouth gaped open.

  She nodded. “Your mamm told me about your daed being sick, so I figured since you—”

  “I may be handicapped, but I’m not an invalid! I’m perfectly capable of fixing Pop and me something to eat.”

  Loraine cringed, and the pressure behind her eyes signaled that tears were forthcoming. Until the accident had occurred, Wayne had never been so sharp with her. Now, he always seemed to be full of anger and resentment.

  With a sigh of resignation, Loraine turned toward her buggy. “If you don’t want me to fix supper, then I’ll just take the chicken and potatoes I was planning to prepare and head for home.”

  Wayne stepped in front of her, and she noticed that his expression had softened a bit. “Did you say, ‘baked chicken’?”

  Loraine nodded. She knew baked chicken was one of Wayne’s favorite dishes, so hopefully, he might change his mind.

  She wasn’t disappointed when he gave her a bird dog look and said, “I’ve ... uh ... changed my mind. If you’re still willing, then I’d appreciate having you fix my supper.”

  “I’m more than willing.” Loraine reached into the buggy and pulled out a cardboard box.

  “I’d help you with that, but I don’t think I could manage it and hold onto my crutches, too,” he said.

  “It’s not heavy. I’ll do fine on my own.”

  Wayne started moving toward the house, and she walked beside him. They were halfway there when he halted and drew in a quick breath.

  “Are you okay?” she asked with concern.

  “I’ve been wearing my prosthesis most of the day, and the stump of my leg is really sore.”

  “Do you need my help, because if you do, then I’ll just—”

  “I can manage fine on my own!”

  Loraine bristled. “Why must you always be so defensive?”

  “I just don’t need you treating me like a boppli. I get enough of that from my mamm.”

  “I’m not your mamm.”

  “Never said you were. Just said you were treating me the way she does.”

  Loraine kept walking. There was no use arguing with him; it wouldn’t solve a thing.

  When she stepped into Ada’s kitchen, she was surprised to see that the dishes were done and the room looked clean and orderly. Of course, she reasoned, Ada probably cleaned it this morning. It’s not likely that Wayne cleaned the kitchen—not with his leg hurting.

  “I’m going to let Pop know about Mom, and see if he feels up to eating anything for supper,” Wayne said.

  Loraine reached into the box and withdrew the container of cut-up chicken. “I can fix him some soup if his throat’s too sore to deal with baked chicken.”

  “Okay, I’ll tell him that.” Wayne hobbled out of the room, and Loraine set right to work in Ada’s kitchen.

  Wayne didn’t return until the chicken was almost done. This time he was in his wheelchair. “Pop’s throat still hurts real bad, so he’ll just have some soup,” he said.

  “That’s fine. Oh, I almost forgot.” Loraine reached into the cardboard box and pulled out a paper sack. “At your mamm’s request, I picked up your daed’s prescription. If you’d like to take it to him, I’ll bring in the soup as soon as it’s ready.”

  Loraine’s fingers brushed Wayne’s as she handed him the bottle of pills. The innocent contact brought warmth to her cheeks.

  Apparently unaffected by her touch, Wayne placed the bottle of antibiotics in his pocket and rolled out of the room, mumbling something under his breath that she couldn’t understand.

  Oh, how Loraine wished things could be as they once were. The tension she felt between her and Wayne and the anger and despondency she heard in his voice made it difficult not to be snappish with him in return. It grieved her to realize that, unless God brought a miracle, things would never be the same between her and Wayne.

  CHAPTER 27

  Rivulets of sweat poured off Wayne’s forehead as he tossed and turned in his rumpled sheets. It would be time to get up soon, and if he didn’t get a few more hours’ sleep, he wouldn’t be worth anything all day. He’d had trouble falling asleep, thinking about Loraine and how wonderful the supper she’d fixed had tasted. He hated to admit it, but he’d enjoyed being with her. As they’d shared a meal at the table, it was a taste of what it would be like if they were husband and wife. Wayne had been careful to keep his distance, however, and spoke only when she’d asked a question. No point in letting her think there was even a chance of them getting back together.

  If only I felt capable of supporting her and being able to
meet all of her needs, he thought with regret. That fall I took in the water trough only confirms that I’m not able to care for myself, much less look after a wife and children.

  He punched his pillow and rolled onto his side. I love Loraine too much to let her spend the rest of her life taking care of a cripple. She needs a whole man—one she can count on to always be there for her. She needs to get back with Jake. He gave his pillow another good punch. I need to keep after Jake and make sure that it happens.

  ***

  “You’re up earlier than usual this morning,” Priscilla said when she stepped into the kitchen and found Loraine in front of the sink.

  “I want to stop by the Lambrights’ and check on Wayne and his daed before I head to work, so I need to get an early start on my day.” Loraine placed the last of her dishes in the dishpan and dried her hands on a clean towel. “I’ve already eaten, so unless you need my help fixing breakfast for you and Dad, I’ll be on my way.”

  Priscilla shook her head. “I don’t need your help with breakfast, but I don’t see why you have to go over to the Lambrights’ again this morning.”

  Loraine’s forehead creased. “With Ada being laid up with a broken leg, Crist having strep throat, and Wayne dealing with the loss of his leg, they need someone to help out over there.”

  “I realize that, but does that someone have to be you?”

  “Maybe not, but since they have no other family members living nearby, I thought—”

  “There are others in our community who I’m sure will help.” Priscilla pulled the pot of coffee off the stove and poured herself a cup. “I’m wondering if the real reason you’re going over there isn’t just so you can spend more time with Wayne. Are you hoping you can get him to change his mind about marrying you?”

  Loraine’s face flamed. “I do want to be with him, and I’m hoping that he will change his mind about marrying me, but that’s not the reason I said I would help.”

  “Are you hoping Ada will become friendlier toward you if you do all her chores? Is that the reason you’re overextending yourself?”