“No, of course not!” Shirley half rose from the hospital bed.
Mamm reached over and gently pressed down on her shoulder. “Don’t move, Shirley.” She turned to Glen with a soft smile. “So you’re Glen. Shirley has mentioned you.” Mamm stood. “Please take my chair. I’m stepping outside so you two can chat.”
“Thank you.” Glen sat down and fidgeted for a moment.
Mamm gave them both another quick glance from the doorway before she left.
Shirley took a deep breath, and gently put her hands on her bandages again. “I can’t smile at you, or I’d give you a big one, Glen. It’s so nice of you to come. I hadn’t expected you to.”
Glen grinned. “I got off from work and came right up. I know we’re not…well, you know, we’re not seeing each other. But I wanted to stop by and encourage you.”
“Thank you. I need a strengthening of my spirits. I’m feeling pretty blue. How did you know?”
“I didn’t.” He looked sympathetically at her. “But I know operations are difficult, and the pain medication afterward doesn’t always make a person feel too well. I know it was pretty rough for me when I had my appendix out a few years ago.”
“You did? I didn’t know that.”
Glen shrugged. “Mamm caught it in time, even when I thought I could outlast the stomachache.”
“Men!” Shirley scolded. “It could have burst, and then…”
“I know, but it didn’t, so all’s well that ends well,” he said, gently interrupting her.
Shirley touched her bandages again. “I hope this ends well, and that my vanity doesn’t get the best of me. What if the Lord decides to make me even uglier than I was?”
Glen scolded, “You know better than that, Shirley.”
“I wish I did, but…”
“You’ll feel better soon.” He reached over to squeeze her hand. “Has that Beachy boy been by yet to see you?”
Shirley giggled. “Now you’re being jealous.”
“I would be jealous…” Glen faked a glare, “…but I take it he hasn’t been here.”
“No. I’m glad you came.”
Glen wrinkled his brow. “Will you go home tomorrow?”
“I guess that’s what one of the nurses told Mamm.”
A grin filled his face. “See? The operation went fine. They wouldn’t let you go so soon if it hadn’t.”
“You’re so full of cheer and goodwill.”
“I try to be.”
Silence hung between them for a moment. Glen was no Jonas Beachy when it came to having money, Shirley told herself. But he was here for her. That counted for a lot—maybe more than having money. Maybe that was the lesson the Lord wanted to teach her through the accident. She certainly hadn’t learned any other way.
Glen cleared his throat. “There’s something else I want to ask you, Shirley, before the bandages are taken off.”
“Yah?” Shirley turned her head to face him.
“Would you be interested in us seeing each other more often? Once you’re well, of course. Maybe even dating me? I hesitate to ask that right now, but I wanted to say something before you know the results of the surgery. I want to make sure you know that I’d ask the same question even if you’d never had this last operation. I’m hoping you know that.”
Shirley drew in a sharp breath. “Glen…really? You’re so sweet. You’re going to make me cry.”
His face lit up. “Then you’d consider it?”
“Maybe.” She reached out for his hand. “Would you really have asked even without this…?” She pointed toward her bandaged face.
He nodded solemnly. “Even then. I would have asked before, but we hadn’t known each other that long. You are so…so…”
She interrupted him. “Don’t say it, Glen. I’m not that good of a catch. Daett is a poor farmer. We make do because of Miriam’s farm, and that’s about the only reason.”
Glen ignored the comment. “At least you said you’d consider it.”
She didn’t answer for a while. “Are you sure you want to date me? I mean, is it really fair to you? You could probably have any girl you want.”
“I’m sure,” he said, a tease in his voice. “But I’d like to know if you still have feelings for…for that Beachy boy. Jonas, wasn’t it?”
Shirley looked away. “Maybe a little. But like you said, he hasn’t been here today or this evening.”
“He paid for your operation.”
“That’s because it was his responsibility,” Shirley said at once. “Plus he probably had insurance for car accidents.”
Glen let out a faint groan. “Yah, but even then I could never have arranged for this kind of care. I don’t have that kind of money.”
She reached over and took his hand. “Glen, you’ve become a gut friend. More than I deserve. But you don’t know me very well. I’m not very gut with promises. And I always seem to do things I shouldn’t.”
“Like seeing Jonas Beachy.” Glen gave Shirley a sideways glance.
Shirley looked away. “Yah, that for one. But you’re here to see me and he isn’t. That says a lot. I do appreciate our friendship. Can we keep it like that for now?”
Glen was silent for a moment. “That’s gut enough for me, Shirley. And if you never want to be more than just friends, I’ll consider it a privilege to know you.”
“Glen,” Shirley moaned under her breath, “you need to have your sights raised when it comes to dating women.”
“You have more to offer a man than you think,” Glen said, looking at her intently.
“I’m going to turn the color of a beet if you don’t quit,” Shirley said.
“It’s the truth,” he insisted. “And don’t you dare think otherwise.”
Shirley took a deep breath. “Your wish is my command.”
He chuckled. “Enough of that. So tell me about Oklahoma. Have you had a letter from your sister lately?”
Shirley shook her head. “We had one last week from Aunt Fannie. She said everything is going well. Miriam is awful busy with the schoolwork, and they’ve been having plenty of storms this spring. Nothing unusual for Oklahoma, Aunt Fannie assured us, but it still makes me glad I’m here and not there.”
“I want to travel someday.” Longing showed in Glen’s face.
“Maybe you can visit Oklahoma someday—when you can afford to take off from work.” Shirley reached over to pat his arm.
“Perhaps you should go visit Miriam when you’re up to it.”
Shirley sighed. “It would be gut to see Miriam again…but Oklahoma? I’m afraid I have too many failures out there to face up to.”
Glen shifted on his seat to face Shirley. “You must be mistaken about your failures wherever you say they happened.”
Shirley snorted. “I’m afraid not. I tried to straighten up my life while I was out there, but I failed miserably. I wouldn’t be in this mess today if I’d behaved myself and taken the medicine the Lord had given me.”
Glen looked away for a moment. “Regret is a strange thing. We see so clearly looking back—or think we do. It might not have been that way at all.”
Shirley reached out to touch his arm. “You say such kind things, Glen. Thank you. But life is what it is.”
“You must have faith,” he said.
Shirley’s laugh was curt before she said, “That’s another area where I seem to be lacking.”
Glen stood. “I doubt that. But now I really should be going or your Mamm will chase me out. You need to rest.”
Shirley nodded.
Glen retreated with a quick goodbye wave at the door.
Mamm appeared moments later. “Are you up to more visitors?”
“Who is it?”
“Lee and Mark.” Mamm beamed. “They even brought Naomi along.”
“Oh,” Shirley cooed as the three came in, “you came to visit your wicked sister.”
The three laughed as Mamm reprimanded her. “That’s not necessary, Shirley. Words mean things.”<
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“Don’t scold her,” Lee objected. “We all knew she was teasing.”
“Maybe so,” Mamm allowed. “I still don’t like it. I don’t want her to believe such a thing.”
“Are you coming home tomorrow?” Mark asked.
Shirley nodded. “If the plans hold.”
“Will your face be all fixed up?” Naomi asked.
Before Shirley could answer, there was a soft knock at the door. They all turned and Shirley had to stifle a gasp at seeing Jonas in the doorway.
“Anybody home?” he asked.
Before Shirley could find her voice, Mamm jumped up and held out her hand. “Welcome, Jonas. Have my seat.”
Jonas shook Mamm’s hand, solemn-faced now. “I came to see how Shirley is doing. I just spoke with the doctor, and he has high hopes this operation repaired a lot of the damage.” Jonas’s face softened as he approached the bed. “You’re looking good, bandages and all.”
She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time, but still no words came. Jonas seemed to understand.
“I thought I’d stop by and say, hi. I see you have plenty of company, so I won’t stay long.”
No one said anything. As Jonas turned to leave, Shirley finally managed to say, “Wait.”
He paused, turned, and looked at her with a smile.
“Thank you for coming, Jonas. I really mean it,” Shirley said.
“Sure thing,” he said.
Mamm followed him out the door, and the murmur of their voices could be heard in the hall for a few minutes.
“That is one handsome dude!” Naomi whispered. “I’ve never seen him up close before.”
“Don’t be getting any ideas,” Lee teased.
“That goes for Shirley too,” Mark added with a direct look at his bandaged sister.
“I know,” Shirley agreed. “He’s just being nice by stopping by. It’s his duty.”
Before her brothers could add anything, Mamm reappeared. Words rushed out of her. “We’re thankful for what the Beachy family is doing, Shirley. And Jonas is being very nice to you, but I hope you won’t read more into this than what you should. Glen is the man you should be setting your affections on. He’s one of us, Shirley, in so many ways. And your daett approves of him, remember that.”
“I wish you wouldn’t say that,” Shirley said, resistance rising inside of her.
Alarm showed in Mamm’s face. “Surely you don’t plan to…”
Shirley shook her head. “No, Mamm, it’s just that…” The words stuck in her mouth again, and she decided it wouldn’t be good for Naomi to hear her twisted logic anyway.
After a moment’s awkward silence, Lee began to chat about their work on the farm, and Mark joined in.
She would stay on the straight and narrow, Shirley told herself. This time she would heed her lesson. Besides, she’d always have the scars on her face to help her remember. Maybe that was the Lord’s grace, hard as the idea was to accept. And Glen wanted to date her no matter what she looked like. He was such a decent man, and she should be very thankful.
Chapter Thirty
The following Wednesday evening, Miriam glanced out the kitchen window as she set the last of the supper dishes on the table. Storm clouds were gathering again. She shivered. She knew she should be used to these Oklahoma spring cloudbursts by now, but she wasn’t. Even Aunt Fannie held baby Jonathon a little tighter tonight as the wind picked up to a dull roar that came through the walls.
Miriam forced herself to think about Mamm’s letter today from Possum Valley:
Shirley had her bandages taken off at the doctor’s office today. I expected the worst and insisted I stay in the room as comfort for Shirley. Thank the Lord, the scars are only little red traces across her face now. Even those will eventually fade from sight, the doctor assured us. Shirley must learn to place less weight on her looks, but we are still thankful the Lord saw fit to make things easier on her rather than harder. This is the grace of the Lord we all need, I am sure.
So Shirley’s operation had been a success. Mamm was happy about something else too. That was evident from the tone throughout the letter, although Mamm hadn’t explained further. Shirley’s recovery must be going well in more than the physical realm. Maybe other gut things were also happening in Shirley’s life. But what? “Thank You, dear Lord, anyway,” Miriam whispered. Then her thoughts returned to the sounds of the storm drawing closer.
Aunt Fannie stood up to glance into the living room. “It sounds awful, I know, but it’s not unusual for this time of the year.”
Her aunt was trying once more to settle her nerves, Miriam realized. This was, after all, her first spring in Oklahoma. Miriam tried to trust that all would be well. Her last look out the living-room window had revealed banks of clouds rolling ever closer in from the southwest. Uncle William still hadn’t come in from the greenhouse, so he must be busy preparing for the storm. She would comfort herself with that thought. And in the Lord’s goodness, He would surely not allow anything to happen that did not meet with His approval.
“Just sit down,” Aunt Fannie said. “If you’ll hold baby Jonathon, I’ll go see where William is and if he needs help.”
Miriam glanced at the look on her aunt’s face. She was clearly more worried than she wanted to admit.
Before Aunt Fannie could move, a loud bang at the washroom door announced Uncle William’s presence. From the violence of the sound, the wind must have knocked the door against the side of the house.
Aunt Fannie fastened her gaze on Uncle William as he walked in from the utility room, a wild gust of wind following behind him. The blast was strong enough to blow part of the tablecloth over the food dishes. She gasped and shooed Uncle William in and hurriedly closed the door behind him. Miriam leaped to her feet to rescue the food. A washrag was needed, and she retrieved one from the kitchen sink. Carefully Miriam pulled the edge of the tablecloth away from the gravy and cleaned the mess as best she could. When she glanced up, both Aunt Fannie and Uncle William had disappeared into the living room. She laid the rag on the kitchen table and peeked in. They stood in front of the living-room window watching the approaching storm.
Uncle William had baby Jonathon in his arms. He turned around first. “I think we’d better take shelter in the basement. That’s no ordinary storm. That’s a tornado!”
Aunt Fannie gasped and grabbed Uncle William’s arm.
“What about the food?” Miriam asked.
Uncle William shook his head and led them toward the basement door. “There are more important things right now than supper. We have to pray for protection—for us and our neighbors. Only the Lord can still the wrath of tornadoes. I’ve not seen such a dark funnel build up in a long time. Miriam, make sure you bolt the door behind us.”
Miriam glanced at the heated dishes on the kitchen table before she followed Aunt Fannie. It seemed a shame to leave all the food, even if fear was gripping her heart. The danger must be great for Uncle William and Aunt Fannie to flee to the basement so quickly. They knew what actions to take and when. They were used to life on the prairie.
Uncle William was already on his knees near the washtub when Miriam arrived at the bottom of the stairs. He cradled baby Jonathon in his arms and had his eyes closed. Aunt Fannie knelt beside him, and Miriam joined them. Uncle William led out in prayer:
Dear Lord in heaven, be with us. If it be Your will, protect us and our neighbors this evening. We ask not for the things of this world that pass away, but for our loved ones that they would be safe. Comfort the hearts of the children tonight as this tornado rages around us. Let no memory of its terror linger long in their hearts. Let the sweet presence of Your Spirit dwell over us, and let Your grace encamp around us. Give us humble hearts to accept Your will—whatever that might be tonight. Let not our hearts blame You for the wrath that is released upon this world of sin. It’s only by the mercy of Your great hand that we are not all-consumed even this very day. Help us…
Miriam listened as the so
unds of the winds increased and intruded through the basement walls. Uncle William continued to pray, and Miriam heard a deep rumble that seemed to shake the very air. She sensed it was coming from the direction of Clarita. Her schoolhouse was near there. Would the building stand up to this wind? What if she arrived tomorrow and found the roof gone or the windows blown out? They couldn’t have classes with the schoolhouse in such a condition. Surely the Lord would protect the community from such extreme trouble! Miriam brought her thoughts to the present when Uncle William rose to his feet.
He listened intently, and then motioned with his hand. “We should go to the other side of the basement. The storm is coming this way.”
Miriam followed her trembling aunt, wishing she had Wayne’s arm to cling to just as Aunt Fannie was clinging to Uncle William. Instead, all she could do was pray as the roar outside increased. No wonder Uncle William had left supper to grow cold. In just minutes the storm had intensified. She pictured the food taking flight in the wind. Then she imagined the entire house being lifted. Surely that wouldn’t happen! Uncle William and Aunt Fannie couldn’t lose their house. Miriam had thought the weather looked threatening this afternoon, but this was more than a threat. This was actual danger.
They sat down as close together as possible.
Aunt Fannie whimpered as booms and crashes sounded above them and around them.
“It’s the greenhouse,” Uncle William said matter-of-factly. “We can build it again.”
Aunt Fannie’s eyes were wide as they stared at the far wall.
“The Lord gives grace even when He chooses to take away,” Uncle William said with a steady voice.
“Our dear Lord in heaven,” Aunt Fannie whispered, “forgive us our sins. Forgive me for where I’ve not been the wife, or the mother, or the aunt I should have been. I know I fail You so many times.”
“It’s okay.” Uncle William wrapped the arm not holding baby Jonathon around Aunt Fannie’s shoulders and pulled her close.
Miriam leaned against Aunt Fannie, and they huddled together as the sounds of wrath continued outside. If the house should suddenly lift off, she wouldn’t be able to breathe from the terror, Miriam told herself. The house disappearing into the night seemed totally possible with the sounds the storm was making. She must trust the Lord!
A Blessing for Miriam Page 19
