Annie's Recipe

by Lisa Jones Baker

  Catching a surprised breath, he ran out into the hall and shouted, “Uncle Marlin! The barn’s on fire!” Levi’s heart pumped like a runner’s at the finish line, and he bolted down the stairs.

  Jake ran barefoot to the door. Uncle Marlin and Aunt Abigail were putting on their shoes. Levi’s emergency training kicked in. He hollered, “Call for help! I’ll start putting out the fire!”

  His uncle rushed out of the house to the phone shanty. At the same time, the cattle were causing a commotion escaping the barn and migrating to the far side of the pasture, mooing frantically.

  Levi ran to the well, connected the hose from the nearby shed, and dragged it to the base of the barn. But the size of the fire immediately told him it wouldn’t be nearly enough. He prayed for help to come quickly. Because fire moved fast. And a blaze of this magnitude could easily spread to the house and shed in no time at all. He was fully aware that there were flammable liquids inside the barn.

  He heard the siren. The moment the bright red truck pulled up, he motioned toward the blaze. “Lightning struck. Flammable liquids inside.”

  His uncle and the neighbors who’d shown up already were fighting the wicked fire with well water. Unfortunately, the rain had become nothing more than a light sprinkle. Levi wished it would pour again to help extinguish the flames.

  The blaze was so bright, Levi forgot it was nighttime. The cows’ loud protests echoed through the cool, wet air in the pasture. The sharp sound of glass breaking prompted Levi to look up. He wasn’t wearing protective gear. It wasn’t long before gray smoke filled the air. The heavy, deadly clouds made it difficult to see.

  Firemen made their way up two ladders and aimed their yellow attack lines at the base of the fire. Spectators gathered. Levi shouted, “Stay back!” He motioned with strong hands. “Keep away!” His lungs struggled to pump air. It was difficult to breathe without compressed air over his face, but he would do whatever he could to stop the fire from taking little Jake’s house.

  Despite the working crew that had assembled in a matter of minutes, the blaze continued to grow. A huge sense of urgency filled Levi’s soul as he climbed to the top of a ladder, helping to carry a heavy hose. Water oozed onto the flames, but the fire wouldn’t die. He retraced his steps back down to the ground for an additional hose. For one blissful moment, the flames disappeared. At the same time, the spectators breathed in. An eerie silence loomed. The only sound was of water spraying. But Levi doubted the threat was over. Experience had taught him to expect a rebound fire.

  Before he could start back up the ladder, an explosion broke the silence and smoke oozed in dark clouds. Screams filled the air as the crew continued spraying. Levi’s eyes burned. The heat was so intense, he looked down to make sure he hadn’t caught fire himself. His lungs pumped hard, and it was becoming almost impossible to breathe. Time seemed to stand still as he struggled. Finally, Levi sighed in relief when the orange monster began to succumb. He and the other volunteers continued to douse the flames.

  Even though a sense of relief and calm had set in, Levi still worried that the fire would reignite. Fighting a blaze involving flammable liquids was a tricky, unpredictable job. Deadly smoke now filled his lungs until he started to feel light-headed.

  As he stepped away for air, a nauseating odor surrounded him. Everyone watched as wooden slabs broke free from the barn. Boards dropped from the structure, reminding Levi of a slingshot he’d had as a kid. In seconds, the rest of the building came undone. The worst nightmare had come true. Everything inside of the barn was being destroyed. Hundreds of bales of hay for the livestock. Oats. Barley. Tools. Ladders. Gasoline and kerosene.

  The all-too-familiar, sickening odor of death made Levi’s stomach churn. The knot in his throat nearly choked him, but he swallowed it and squared his shoulders.

  He glimpsed Jake running toward him as a sudden, enormous crack prompted everyone to look up. A huge piece of the barn flew like an arrow in the direction of the little boy. In a heartbeat, Levi jumped toward Jake, shoved him out of the way, and took the hit on the back of his head. His world went black.

  * * *

  Levi blinked. Hushed voices whispered nearby. He couldn’t make out the words, but he didn’t really care. Not sure where he was, Levi opened his eyes.

  This time he noticed his uncle and aunt standing next to him. He was on his back with his head propped up on pillows. A plastic tube dangled from his arm. Uncle Marlin looked Levi in the eye. His eyes reflected a combination of worry and relief. “Son, you’re in the hospital.”

  The statement sank in as Levi took in his feet sticking out of white cotton covers. The room was sparse, with two chairs and medical paraphernalia.

  Levi raised his free hand to touch the bandage on the side of his neck. “Ouch.”

  A nurse stepped into the room and gently pulled his fingers away. Her voice was soft yet firm as she shook her head. “Try not to touch it. The cut’s pretty bad. Any deeper and you wouldn’t be here right now. You’re lucky to be alive. God was watching out for you.”

  He tried to stay awake so he could figure out what she meant. His eyes closed, and when he opened them again, the three people in the room gazed at him with uncertainty.

  He wanted to speak, but agonizing pain in his neck stopped him. Finally, words came out in a barely audible tone. “What happened?” He coughed. It felt like something was stuck in his throat.

  The nurse patted his arm as if he were a child. Then she put her finger to her lips. “Shh. Don’t say anything. Just rest and know that Dr. Morris is confident you’re going to be fine.”

  Levi tried to verbalize the questions that flitted through his mind, but he couldn’t process his thoughts. His uncle’s words came in a very low, emotional tone: “The barn burned. There’s nothing left.”

  Several moments later, the statement sank in. Levi gave a slow nod of recognition.

  “The siding snapped off; a big piece flew toward little Jake, but you jumped in front of him to save his life.” There was a long hesitation as Uncle Marlin caught an emotional breath. When he continued, his voice cracked. “It would have killed him, Levi. It nearly got you.” His uncle wrapped his arm around his wife and they both hugged and cried.

  The news slowly sank in until Levi finally recognized what they were talking about. Lightning. Fire.

  When they finally regained their composure, Uncle Marlin touched Levi’s arm with gentleness and love. “Your folks are on their way. Levi, you’re a hero. We’re indebted to you. How can we ever repay you?”

  His words stopped while they wept again. As Levi tried to digest what he’d just said, his head pounded with great ferocity. He closed his eyes and commanded the terrible pain to stop. He was still struggling to remember what had happened. In what seemed to be a dream, he could see the barn burst into flames in vivid detail. Fire suddenly erupted where the bolt of lightning struck. He’d called for help. The building had come apart with foggy gray smoke. Difficulty breathing. Volunteers fighting the fire. Firemen.

  Levi’s heart picked up to an antagonizing speed as he envisioned uncontrollable boards flying off the building like slingshots. But he had no recollection of stepping in front of little Jake. Frustrated, Levi squeezed his eyes closed and struggled to recall the action that had spared his cousin’s life.

  The sound of footsteps prompted him to open his eyes and look at the door. A nurse entered the room with a syringe between her fingers. While she spoke, she injected something into Levi’s IV. He was out.

  * * *

  Later, Levi continued to try to recall the moment that had landed him in the hospital. A man—Dr. Morris?—knocked on the door and entered the room before Levi could open his eyes. When he did, he was surprised and happy to see his folks at his bedside.

  The physician touched Levi’s hand in reassurance. “You look better. You gave us all a scare.” While he checked the papers in his hand, Levi tried to smile at his parents.

  The expression in his mother’s ha
zel eyes was a combination of relief and devastation. Her hair was cut shorter than usual. With great care not to disturb his tubes, she bent to kiss his cheek. Gently running her fingers through his hair, she whispered, “Sweetheart, you’re going to be okay.” The moment those words were spoken, her eyes flooded with moisture.

  Automatically, Levi’s gaze shifted to the deep concern on his dad’s face. The unreadable expression brought unexpected emotion to Levi’s throat. He tried to swallow the thickness there.

  Dr. Morris broke the silence. “Tomorrow we’ll take him off the oxygen.” He turned back to Levi. “How’s the headache?”

  If Levi could have managed a laugh without pain, he would have let one out. But he found he couldn’t even smile without causing a fierce pounding in his head. He yearned to chuckle at the way the doctor had said headache. The agony in his head was hardly that. It felt more like an entire block of concrete had been dropped on top of him.

  When he realized the doctor expected a response, he focused. Levi took pride in being strong. No matter how much he hurt, he didn’t complain. His parents were already worried; he needed to convince them he was all right. “I’m okay.”

  The doctor’s smile was a combination of doubt and satisfaction. “That’s music to my ears. We’ve got as much Toradol in your IV as we can give you to curb the pain. There’s no magic bullet to get you out of here, son. We’ll just have to be patient and let the healing process begin. I’ll check in later to see how you’re doing.”

  When the doctor turned to leave, Levi lifted a hand to stop him. Words came out of his mouth, though he could barely hear them. Thankfully, Dr. Morris leaned closer. “Doctor, I don’t remember pushing my cousin out of the way. I try . . .” He closed his heavy lids in agony. “The last thing I remember seeing is the board flying off the barn.”

  Dr. Morris nodded in understanding and pressed his lips together, as if trying for the best response. “You suffered a severe concussion. I’ve dealt with numerous trauma victims in the past; unfortunately, I can’t predict what will happen because there’s no clear-cut pattern for head injuries. Everyone reacts differently. But . . .” He ran his hand over the top of his head. “There’s no rushing the brain, but I think it’s safe to say that most of my patients eventually regain full memory. I can’t promise if or when you’ll have full recollection of what happened. All I can suggest is to focus on getting plenty of rest and in time, hopefully, you’ll have full recall.”

  Levi gave a slow nod of understanding as his eyes closed again. His last thought before he dozed off was of Annie.

  Chapter Nine

  The moment Levi awakened, he thought he was in heaven. An unusual expression that was a combination of relief and worry filled Annie’s eyes. Her creamy complexion looked so perfect, it was difficult to believe she didn’t use makeup. As usual, her thick mass of hair was tucked neatly under her kapp.

  She smiled. “Don’t talk,” she ordered in a sympathetic tone. “The doctor said the laceration on your neck took twenty-one stitches. They’ll take a while to heal, you know.”

  “Stitches?”

  She nodded. “That panel hit you so hard, it could have killed you. And little Jake . . .” Annie drew her hands up to her chest and she breathed in a deep sigh of appreciation. “He’s alive because of you.” She wiggled her hands in the air. “Everyone’s talking about it. And your parents . . .” She sighed and strummed her fingers against the metal bed rail. “They just left to get something to eat.”

  He remembered seeing them. His uncle must have contacted them about the accident. Unfortunately, even though something as devastating as his accident should bring the family closer together, he knew the shunning would continue forever. He agreed with Annie about liking happy endings.

  Levi squinted as a ray of sunshine slipped into the dull-looking room.

  “I’ll close the blinds.”

  Before Annie could move, he reached out and squeezed her hand to stop her.

  She frowned. “You want them open?”

  He nodded.

  Levi glimpsed the clock on the wall. Then the window. The blinds were open and the sun was high in the sky. He wondered how long he’d been asleep but didn’t think too long because of the fierce pounding in his temples.

  Annie’s voice was soft and understanding. It was as comforting as a blanket must be to a newborn. “Are you . . . better?”

  He considered the question and finally moved his head a little. He wasn’t great; that was for certain. However, the pain had subsided a little.

  She squeezed his hand with strong affection. “Gut. The doctor says you’ll be just fine.” She eyed the chair in the corner. “I brought you some snacks,” she said, motioning to a small basket.

  The corners of his lips lifted a little. To his delight, he felt well enough to tease her. “Sponge cakes?”

  She laid a gentle hand on his arm. “You really shouldn’t try to talk much. Jah. Sponge cakes.” She put her other hand on his. “And other treats, too.” She paused. “It will be nice when you’re better. But there’s plenty of time to talk about that. Right now, just rest. You’ve been through a lot.”

  He nodded and wondered why his throat hurt so much if it was his neck that was injured.

  As if reading his mind, Annie went on. “The nurse said you breathed in a lot of smoke. Not only that but the siding hit you pretty bad.”

  She caressed his fingers in a gentle, reassuring manner. She didn’t worry about breaking a rule. There was no way she could look at him like this and not touch him. Her voice cracked when she spoke. “Levi, I can’t believe this happened. If only you’d left before the fire . . .”

  “We would have lost little Jake.”

  Tears filled her eyes and she quickly looked away. “I wish I could have helped.”

  His heart nearly melted.

  “I’m so glad you’re alive!”

  Levi closed his eyes while she tightened her grip on his hand. In a silent prayer, he thanked the Lord for Annie. For helping him to save little Jake. And for being alive. He couldn’t begin to imagine the devastation such a huge loss would cause their family. An ache pinched his chest, and he immediately blocked that awful thought from his mind.

  The reassuring warmth of Annie’s fingers penetrated his own and miraculously made its way through his entire body, settling in his toes. For long blissful moments, he enjoyed the comforting sensation. Perhaps this would heal him faster than the medicine in the IV.

  The throbbing in his head subsided for a few moments and he opened his eyes. Breathing a sigh of relief, Annie returned his warm gesture. While he studied her face, he marveled at her lovely features. Of course everything about her was already etched into his mind. But right now, as he studied her intently, he appreciated what was right in front of him even more. Her girlish grin had turned into a killer smile. She was totally unaware of her innocent allure. He silently chastised himself for finding her so attractive. In the Amish faith, they didn’t focus on outer beauty but rather what lay inside. Of course he wasn’t Amish.

  Obviously Annie had both. And the boys his age within the community? He was sure they must notice her knockout appearance. After all, they were human. And they weren’t blind. They just knew better than to voice their opinions. But Annie’s strongest point, in his opinion, wasn’t what was on the outside. It was rare for an individual to possess such a nurturing quality. And such kindness and sincerity. She would make a good nurse.

  Even as he lay there in his narrow hospital bed, just looking at the sincerity in her eyes and listening to the compassion in her voice made him feel better than the Toradol ever could.

  Annie continued to hold his hand as he closed his eyes and drifted back to over a decade before, when they’d tossed pebbles into the clear, shallow water of the creek.

  He remembered when he had gotten a splinter in his hand while helping his dad build a house for two newlyweds. At the time, Annie had been inside with the young wife, putting dishes aw
ay. She had been quick to attend to his injury, kindly ordering him to hold still while she removed with great care the small piece of wood with a pair of tweezers. She was meticulous. She had finished the job by applying peroxide to the injured area.

  Then he recalled another occasion when he’d been at school with a head cold. The following day, Annie had brought vitamin C and a tea bag in her lunch pail. She had made him a cup of the hot drink with her own herbs. He wondered if she still grew them.

  He pressed his lips together thoughtfully and mentally compared her to English girls. Levi had admitted to her that he wasn’t fond of the Amish faith. And for good reason. After all, how could he justify a religion that had ousted someone just because he broke one rule. At the same time, that very faith had made Annie who she was. And for that he was truly thankful. He respected her for her strength. She had always been loyal to her beliefs. To the Ordnung. And he commended her for it. Because being in her shoes wasn’t easy. Before the shunning, Levi had never realized the toughness the Plain Faith required. Like hitching a horse to a buggy when he needed a ride. Now, all he did was step into his car and turn the ignition.

  Levi began to relax and closed his eyes. There was one thing that stayed with him as he drifted off to sleep. Something Uncle Marlin had said. That they were indebted to him, and if there was anything they could do . . .

  * * *

  The gas heater was on, but Annie’s bedroom was on the cool side. Even though it was only the last part of October, it felt like December as she stretched her hands above her head and stood on tiptoe to let out a long, happy sigh. Levi was going to be okay.

  Thankfully, God had protected everyone from the devastating fire. She was sure her Savior had brought Levi back to the wedding to save little Jake. Now, that was clear.

  The pleasant smell of homemade butter filled the house. Annie closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the comforting aroma. Something about Mamma’s cooking always made her feel protected and loved.