A Simple Prayer

by Amy Clipston

  “I’ll go too,” Reuben said. “I need to go to the pharmacy for my medicines.”

  “Oh.” She looked at him over her shoulder. “You want to see Ruth?”

  “Ya.” He shrugged. “Why not?”

  “Okay. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”

  “Fine.”

  Linda frowned. She’d wanted to spend time with Ruth, but she also wanted to see Aaron. Her uncle had made it apparent that he didn’t approve of her friendship with Aaron, so she would certainly feel self-conscious when he was there with her. She knew she shouldn’t be disappointed that Reuben wanted to go with her. After all, it was thoughtful of him to want to visit Ruth. She only hoped she’d get a chance to at least talk to Aaron without her uncle hovering around them.

  When the cookies and soup were ready, Linda packed up the food and climbed into the buggy with her uncle. She set the container of soup on the floor between her feet and held the box of cookies on her lap. She spent the ride thinking of Aaron and hoping he’d be there working in his mother’s house. She couldn’t wait to see him.

  “We don’t have much time to visit,” Reuben said while guiding the horse down the road. “I have to get to the pharmacy to get my medication.”

  “I wanted to help Becky do some chores around the haus,” Linda said. “I know even with help from some of the other women in the community, she and her daughters still have too much to do with Ruth not well.”

  “You’ll have to go back another day to help with chores,” Reuben said, keeping his face focused on the road. “Today isn’t a gut day for you to stay. We have things to do, and Becky will understand. We all have households to run. The floor hasn’t been mopped in the kitchen this week. It’s in desperate need of attention.”

  Linda couldn’t mask her disappointment. She felt her body wilt as she stared at the box of cookies in her hands. She had been looking forward to helping Becky and possibly spending time with Aaron. Now her plans were ruined. Onkel Reuben wanted to keep her chained to the house. Was he afraid of losing her? Didn’t he know how unhappy and lonely she was? She’d told Aaron she was satisfied with her life, but that wasn’t true.

  “Don’t look so forlorn,” Reuben snapped. “I told you about the sticky spot in the kitchen earlier this week, and you still haven’t taken care of it. Chores need to be done, Linda. That’s just how life is. We all have things we must do, whether we like it or not.”

  “Ya, Onkel,” she said softly. “I understand.”

  While they rode the rest of the way to Ruth’s house, Linda wondered if she should’ve had her driver take her straight to Ruth’s house after work. Bypassing her uncle altogether would’ve prevented him from ruining her afternoon. She could’ve stopped at the store or the bakery for something to take to Ruth.

  Reuben guided the horse into the driveway, and Linda immediately spotted Aaron’s pickup truck. Her heart turned over in her chest, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to spend any time with him. Most likely, Reuben would allow her to say hello to Ruth and then they would have to leave. It would be sweet torture to only be able to look at Aaron from afar and not enjoy his company.

  Linda breathed a deep sigh as Reuben halted the horse. She should be happy that she would even get the pleasure of saying hello to Aaron today. Seeing his attractive face and tender smile would bring her joy, and it would have to be enough for now.

  “So, we’ll put the shower here.” Aaron pointed to the corner of the bathroom. “I found a unit I liked with the features we need at the bathroom supply store. I want to take my dat down there before supper and see what he thinks. I’d like you to come too.”

  Manny nodded. “Ya, I’d love to come.”

  “Once we agree on a shower unit, I can find a plumber, and we’ll get started installing it.”

  “Gut, gut,” Manny said.

  “Great.” Aaron took a couple more measurements and then heard a familiar voice coming from the kitchen. Was that Linda’s voice or was he imagining it? He’d been thinking of her nonstop since their ice-skating outing. He longed to spend more time with her beyond saying hello at the bed-and-breakfast.

  “That was so nice of you to make soup and kichlin.” Becky’s voice sounded from the kitchen. “And it’s so gut to see you, Reuben. How have you been?”

  “Reuben?” Aaron stood.

  “Was iss letz?” Manny asked.

  “Nothing.” Aaron handed him the measuring tape. “Would you finish measuring this for me?”

  “Ya.”

  Aaron stepped to the doorway leading to the kitchen and saw Linda standing with her uncle. They must have come in the back way. Reuben was detailing his aches and pains for Becky. Instead of seeing Linda’s beautiful smile and sparkling eyes, Aaron was shocked to find her frowning without any light in her eyes at all. Her shoulders were slightly hunched, and she fiddled with her coat while her uncle spoke. The change in her demeanor worried him. Was she okay? Was she ill? What had happened to the carefree woman who had giggled while ice skating with him last week?

  “Ruth will be delighted to see you both,” Becky continued. “Let’s go see her.”

  Reuben and Linda followed Becky toward the hallway. When they passed him, Reuben gave Aaron a stiff nod. Linda kept her gaze trained on the floor, and her left leg seemed to favor the right one, giving her a slight limp he’d never noticed before. Had she been injured in the last few days? Surely she wasn’t still sore from ice skating.

  “Linda?” he said her name, and her gaze snapped up to him.

  Reuben stopped walking and looked at Aaron, giving him a scowl.

  Linda looked at her uncle and then at Aaron, and her expression was tentative and almost nervous.

  “Hi, Aaron,” she said, her voice soft and meek, reminding him of a mouse.

  “Are you okay?” He reached for her arm and then stopped, realizing it would be inappropriate to touch her, especially in front of her uncle.

  “Ya.” She gave him a forced smile that resembled a grimace. “We’re going to visit your mamm.”

  “Kumm, Linda,” Reuben grumbled. “I need to get to the pharmacy to get my pills.” He started toward the family room again, his footsteps heavy and loud.

  “Linda.” Aaron moved into the kitchen. “Wait.”

  She looked up at him and whispered. “I can’t talk now.”

  “But Linda—” he began.

  “I need to go,” she said, interrupting him. “I’ll talk to you soon.” She pointed toward her uncle.

  He watched her follow him to the family room, and his heart sank. Why was Linda behaving so differently? Did her uncle cause this change in her demeanor? He’d never seen Reuben smile, not today and not last week when he picked her up to go ice skating. Was it his influence that transformed her from a sweet, affable friend to a nervous, awkward person who seemed more like a stranger to him?

  The thought caused irritation to boil within him. Linda was a beautiful, thoughtful woman, and she deserved to be happy. He couldn’t stand the thought of Reuben suffocating Linda’s sweet spirit.

  Linda sat on the sofa beside her uncle while they visited with Ruth. Onkel Reuben didn’t even want her to take off her coat. Although she was happy to see Ruth, she longed to run back and talk to Aaron. She could tell by the expression on his face that he was confused, maybe even hurt, when she said she couldn’t talk. But she knew Onkel Reuben would be annoyed if she talked to Aaron. He had made it clear they would not stay long, but she wanted to defy him. She wanted to tell him she was staying at Ruth’s house and Aaron would take her home later. Yet she knew she couldn’t go against his wishes. She had to be obedient and behave like a proper lady or he would berate her even more than usual.

  Linda looked toward the doorway to the kitchen while Reuben complained to Ruth about how much his back had been hurting him lately—as if his ailments were worse than what Ruth was going through. She wondered if Aaron would come out too. Maybe he would sit down and visit with the three of them.

&n
bsp; “Well, it was gut seeing you, Ruth.” Reuben stood. “We need to go to the pharmacy. I can’t go without my medications.”

  Ruth gave him a lopsided smile. “D-danki.”

  Reuben gestured toward Linda. “Linda made you some soup and kichlin.”

  “D-danki,” Ruth repeated.

  “I hope you like them,” Linda said while fiddling with the edges of her coat. “I used my favorite recipe for the soup. And Aaron really likes the kichlin. I made them at the bed-and-breakfast, and he finished them.”

  Ruth chuckled. “Aaron al-always l-loved k-kichlin. Oat-m-meal r-raisin?”

  “Ya,” Linda said with a smile. “They were.” She knew her uncle was watching her, and her smile faded. “I hope you’re feeling better soon. You look better.”

  Ruth nodded and pointed toward a nearby walker. “I w-walk-ed y-yes-ter-d-day.”

  “Oh, gut!” Linda clapped her hands together. “That is wunderbaar.”

  “We better go.” Reuben tapped Linda’s arm. “Take care, Ruth.” He started for the front door. Obviously, he wanted to avoid seeing Aaron again.

  Linda squeezed Ruth’s hand. “I’ll visit again soon. I promise.”

  Ruth smiled. “D-danki.”

  Linda deliberately lagged behind her uncle and walked slowly toward the foyer. Reuben made his way out and stopped on the front porch talking to Jonas. She slowed her steps even more and hoped Aaron was still in the house.

  “Linda.” Aaron came up behind her. “Are you all right?”

  “Ya.” She turned and looked into his eyes, wishing she could stay and visit longer. “I made those kichlin in the kitchen for you.”

  “Thank you.” He seemed confused as he studied her.

  She glanced toward the front door and saw her uncle shaking Jonas’s hand. “I have to go.”

  “I want to talk to you.” Aaron’s expression pleaded with her.

  “I can’t talk now. I’m sorry, but I have to go. Good-bye.” She rushed out the door, hoping she’d see him again soon.

  Aaron watched Linda climb into the buggy. He wanted to run after her and bring her back into the house. He couldn’t stand seeing her leave in such a rush. He longed to ask Reuben why he treated her so badly. There seemed to be something amiss there.

  Once the buggy was gone from his sight, Aaron let Manny know he could knock off for the day and made his way into the kitchen. He filled a plate with cookies and went to the back porch, where Becky said she’d just taken his mother.

  “Did you have a nice visit with Linda and Reuben?” Aaron asked as he held out a cookie to her.

  “Ya.” Mamm took the cookie and bit into it. “Gut. I see why th-these are y-your f-favorites.”

  Aaron tilted his head. “How did you know these were my favorites?”

  “L-Linda s-said.” Mamm smiled.

  “She told you that?” Aaron broke a cookie in half.

  “Ya.” Mamm ate another piece.

  He was impressed and also touched that Linda remembered his favorite cookies.

  “Dat and I are going to look at shower stalls for you before supper,” Aaron explained between bites. “Then I’m going to find a plumber. We’ll have your bathroom all set up for you in no time. I think you’re going to like it.”

  “D-danki.” Mamm placed her hand on his. “Will y-you g-go to ch-church with m-me? First t-time f-for me s-since stroke.” Her eyes were full of hope.

  Aaron took another bite of the cookie while his mother continued to gaze at him. He didn’t know what to say. A part of him longed to return to the Amish way of worshiping. Yet he also battled with his fear of rejection. Did the community truly want him back?

  “I’ll think about it,” he finally told her, and she nodded, seemingly satisfied with that response. “So let me tell you what else we’re going to do around here. You’re going to love it.” He took her hand in his and shared all his plans to make the house easier for her to navigate.

  Becky found Solomon reading his Bible in their family room later that evening. She sat in a chair across from him while thinking about all the wonderful things his brother had been doing since he’d returned. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Ruthie Joy had said about Aaron. Becky was beginning to feel her heart soften toward her brother-in-law, and she couldn’t stop thinking that her daughter had been right about him. Maybe God had sent Aaron here to help Ruth heal and also to bring their family back together. Ruthie Joy was right; they needed to forgive Aaron for the hurt he’d caused in the past. All that mattered was their family and getting Ruth well.

  She longed to find a way to help Solomon accept Aaron back into the family. She’d spent all afternoon wondering what she could do to encourage Solomon to help Aaron with his home projects, thinking that was one way to bring them together. She’d decided to hit the subject head-on, even if it upset Solomon. She couldn’t stand his silence any longer. She felt in her heart that she had to help him accept his brother back into the family for her in-laws’ sake.

  “Your mamm is doing well,” Becky said, hoping to pull him into a conversation by starting with the improvement in his mother’s condition. “She seemed very upbeat today, and Jocelyn said she’s doing well with her physical therapy. She even walked a little bit with the help of a walker, which is a tremendous improvement.”

  Solomon looked up from the Bible and nodded. “Ya, I noticed she looked well this afternoon. She reminded me of how strong she used to be.”

  “Ya, I thought so too.” Becky ran her fingers over the chair arm. “I think having Aaron here has really helped with your mother’s recovery.”

  Solomon’s eyes widened with surprise. “You think so?”

  “Ya, I do.” Becky nodded, encouraged that he was listening. “I’ve been thinking about what Ruthie Joy said to us about Aaron, and I think she’s right. Your mamm is so froh to have him back. She told me that she invited him to church today. She’s hoping he’ll go and even consider staying and joining the church.”

  She continued speaking despite the frown that had appeared on her husband’s face. “She was so excited when she told me about it. He said he’d think about going to church, which sounds positive.”

  “Becky, are you listening to yourself? You know he’s going to break her heart again.”

  “Why are you so convinced that will happen?” Becky challenged him.

  “Because I’ve seen it before. Don’t you remember how Mamm sobbed for months when Aaron left?” Solomon placed the Bible on the end table and pointed his finger at her. “You even said to me that Aaron had shattered her heart and should come back and apologize to her. But he never did either of those things.”

  “He’s back now,” Becky said, raising her chin. “And Ruthie Joy was right when she said we need to welcome him back into the family.”

  Solomon’s scowl deepened. “This is between mei bruder and me.”

  “Have you seen what Aaron and Manny are doing in your parents’ haus?” she asked, ignoring his statement. “They went with your dat to pick out a shower stall today. They showed me a picture of it, and it’s schee. You should really ask to see it. I think your dat has the picture. Maybe you could help them work on the bathroom. Manny is enjoying helping Aaron, and I would imagine they would appreciate your help too.”

  Solomon ran his hands down his face, and his cheeks turned bright red.

  “I think Ruthie Joy was right when she said it’s a miracle from God that he came back,” Becky continued. “You should embrace this. This is gut for our family, Solomon. It’s especially gut for your mamm. And our kinner love him. Katie keeps talking about how much Aaron’s hair is like hers. Manny is thrilled with all he’s learning about construction and renovation. You must see how gut this is.”

  Solomon stood and started for the stairs. “I’m going to bed.”

  Irritation surged through her as she stared after him. “Why are you dismissing me, Solomon? You know what I’m saying is true, but you’re too stubborn to admit it. Look at
me, Solomon. Why won’t you talk about this?”

  He turned to face her, and his eyes were narrow with frustration. “I’m tired of hearing how wunderbaar it is that my long-lost bruder came back!” His voice boomed through the downstairs of their house.

  “Solomon! Don’t raise your voice like that,” she warned him. “The kinner are sleeping.”

  “No, you started this,” he seethed. “Now you’re going to hear what I have to say.” He pointed to his chest. “Everyone is so froh that Aaron came back, but they forget that I’m the one who stayed. I’m the one who helped mei dat run the farm and helped my parents. I was the one who had to give up my dreams to take care of the mess Aaron left behind. You know I never wanted to run this farm with Dat. All they see is that Aaron came back, but they don’t see the work I had to do in his absence.”

  Becky gasped. “Solomon, how could you say that? We have a good life here. You’re still holding on to the past. That’s not what Jesus teaches us in the Bible.”

  “It’s the truth. Aaron came back, but he hasn’t fixed any of the problems he caused when he left.”

  Becky shook her head. “That’s not true. Your family is back together. You should be thankful. You should be praising God for bringing your bruder back to you safely.”

  Solomon started up the stairs. “I’m going to bed,” he said again.

  Becky folded her arms over her middle. She’d hoped she could convince Solomon to welcome his brother back to the family. She couldn’t do this on her own. She needed God to show her the way.

  FOURTEEN

  Aaron stood in the lobby of the Lancaster Grand Hotel Tuesday morning. The large and ornate lobby boasted a sparkling chandelier, elaborate woodworking on the fireplace, and impressive paintings on the walls.

  He hoped Linda was working today. He’d been thinking about her ever since he saw her last week, but he hadn’t run into her at the bed-and-breakfast. Once he’d asked where she was, and Trey said she’d gone to the market with Hannah. He wondered if Linda had been avoiding him. He couldn’t stop worrying that he had said something wrong that caused her not to speak to him at his parents’ house and then avoid him at the bed-and-breakfast. He couldn’t stand the worry any longer, so he drove to the hotel that morning in the hopes of asking her if she was upset with him.