Promised to Another

by Laura Hilton

  Chapter 20

  You should go back to bed,” the male nurse urged Joshua.

  Once he’d complied, climbing back into the hospital bed, the nurse snapped up the side rails, then called for another nurse, who wheeled him out the door, down the hall, and into another room. It was dark, but the other patient was watching television. The volume was turned down low, but Joshua could see the eerie blue light flashing on the other side of the curtain. Evidently, his new roommate wasn’t quite ready to sleep.

  But then, neither was Joshua, remembering how gray-blue David had looked. Was he dying? They’d just reconciled; the past was forgotten; a new friendship was forming. It seemed so wrong for him to lose a friend just when he’d made one. Joshua closed his eyes. Lord, please spare David, if it is Your will. Guide the hands of the doctors and nurses. Help them to know what to do. David is a gut man, Lord. Take care of him….

  The volume of his roommate’s television increased. Joshua opened his eyes and glanced up. The ten o’clock news. He was never up this late. Amish went to bed much earlier, so that they were well rested enough to get up around five or so. What time did they wake patients in the hospital?

  Pictures of the accident flashed across the screen, while a male reporter recounted the event in an emotionless monotone. He said that two Amish men remained in the hospital in critical condition. Hmm. Joshua didn’t think he was so critical. But David might be.

  No “might” about it.

  So much had changed for Joshua this Lord’s Day. He’d kissed Annie—her very first kiss. Resolved a longtime feud with David. Gotten in a buggy wreck. And then found himself an engaged man. Certainly not the way he’d planned to spend the day. Well, maybe the first two. The fourth, in his wildest dreams. The third? It had been his worst nightmare come true.

  Annie. If everything went according to the bishop’s plan, tomorrow would be their first night as a married couple. And under such a situation…she must feel so ashamed. Yet it was his fault for asking her to come to him. Begging her to ask him to kiss her.

  He groaned. If only he could be back at the Beilers’ farmhaus, in bed. If only this were nothing more than a dream.

  For a moment, he considered the possibility of this being a temporary illusion. He’d heard of drug-induced hallucinations. Casting a wary glance at the fluid bag hanging from his IV pole, he thought that perhaps the whole wedding thing had been a figment of his overactive imagination, fueled by his overtired body. Not that he minded marrying Annie. But he wanted to woo her. Win her. He didn’t want her handed off to him in this manner.

  He rolled over, turning his back on the television and his thoughts. He closed his eyes again. Lord, please be with David.

  ***

  Annie tiptoed to the door of Cathy’s room, opened it slightly, and peeked inside to see whether she was awake. She figured she ought to give her an update on David and his injuries. But when Annie touched her hand and whispered her name, she didn’t budge. Mamm had said they’d given her some strong pain pills. She supposed she could tell her in the morning. So, she left the room, quietly shut the door behind her, and padded down the hall to her own bedroom.

  Her old bedroom. She stopped and looked around at her dresses, hanging in the closet. Her ancient dresser, badly in need of refinishing, which housed her personal items. Her hope chest…she’d have the husband, unwilling though he may be, but not her own home. At least, not yet.

  It crushed her spirit to think about how Joshua must resent her. The news was probably already spreading like wildfire around the community. The Amish grapevine was an efficient machine. Annie Beiler had been fired, and she and Joshua Esh were being forced to marry.

  She wasn’t sure which piece of news pained her more.

  As soon as possible, she would go to the schoolhaus to collect her personal items. Would the students assemble for class tomorrow? Or would their education be put on hold until a new schoolteacher had been selected? Annie had already started preparations for the Christmas program the students performed, but the new teacher wouldn’t know that. She’d have to pass along her notes, so that she’d know what had been done.

  She opened a dresser drawer, lifted out her nightgown, and tossed it on the bed. Then, she pulled off her kapp and unpinned her hair, letting it fall to her waist. Reaching for her hairbrush, she sat down on the edge of the bed and began running the brush the length of it. One hundred strokes.

  Would Joshua enjoy watching this ritual? Maybe he’d offer to do it for her.

  Her face heated at the thought of marriage, and at the realization of the intimacy it would bring. Her stomach fluttered as she remembered the feel of Joshua’s fingers trailing gently across her face, down her neck.

  Beyond that, she had no experience. She would be found wanting. Was this fear normal? None of her close friends was married yet, though both Becky Troyer and Shanna Stoltzfus would be in December. Were they scared, too?

  She would try to visit Becky sometime tomorrow, before Tony took Daed to the hospital to pick up Joshua. Surely, Becky would be able to offer some consolation—once she’d gotten past the shock at Annie’s announcement.

  Or maybe Annie would be expected to go along to obtain the marriage license. Did she have to be there?

  Tomorrow would be her wedding night, which meant that tonight would be her last evening spent alone. Soon, she’d be the frau of a man who’d been forced to marry her. She picked up her nightgown, clutched it to her chest, and then curled up in a ball on her bed to cry.

  She must have fallen asleep, because the next time she checked the battery-operated clock on her bedside table, it read six o’clock. She’d overslept! The aroma of koffee wafted up from the kitchen, along with muted tones of conversation.

  Her wrist was stiff, but she gritted her teeth and eased her way out of yesterday’s clothes. After she’d put on a fresh dress and washed up, she hurried downstairs. Aaron sat at the kitchen table, holding a spoonful of oatmeal halfway to his mouth. When he saw Annie, he lowered his spoon and jumped up to enfold her in a hug. “Annie! Are you all right? Let me see.” He gently raised her splinted wrist to study it. “Is it broken?”

  “Nein. A moderately bad sprain, they said.”

  “Cathy is still in bed. I can’t believe she broke her arm! I took her breakfast upstairs, as she won’t even try to get out of bed. It’s a miracle the four of you lived, and that the worst of the injuries were broken bones. Sorry about Penny. I’ll keep an eye out for a gut horse for you. I’ve got one in mind, actually.”

  “Danki.” Annie lowered her eyes. “But did they tell you the rest?”

  Aaron cleared his throat nervously. “Jah. Never would have dreamed this one up. A forced marriage for kissing? Most of the teens in the district…well, some, at the very least…uh, never mind. Bishop Sol is outside with Daed right now, hopefully explaining things. Daed said he was going to talk with him about postponing the wedding.” He paused. “I did your chores and Cathy’s this morgen.”

  “Danki, Aaron.”

  “You just hurry up and get well.”

  “I want to run down to Becky’s as soon as I’ve eaten breakfast.” Annie picked up a clean bowl and dished herself some oatmeal. She topped it with a lump of brown sugar and a splash of cream, then sat down at the table. “But I expect Mamm will need me, with Cathy out of commission. There’s laundry, and so much else to do….” And she had all the time in the world, now that she no longer had a classroom of scholars to teach.

  Aaron shrugged. “I doubt if you’ll need to go to Becky’s. When Bishop Sol first arrived, he told Mamm that the women would help for a few days, so Becky will probably kum here. With Mamm’s injuries, and now yours and Cathy’s…I expect we’ll be babied for a while.”

  Annie couldn’t remember Aaron ever talking so much. He was a regular wealth of information this morning. She bowed her head for silent prayer, but her mind was still so jumbled, she couldn’t formulate an articulate thought. Hopefully, God could decipher
her groans, instead.

  ***

  Joshua was dressed and fidgeting impatiently by the time Isaac strode into his room. The doctor had already been in to release him, but he hadn’t been told a word about David’s status, due to some patient privacy act.

  Bishop Sol might know, or maybe David’s host parents, but Joshua wasn’t sure how that would work. Would they have to wait in ignorance until David’s parents arrived from Pennsylvania? He walked down the hall to his old room, thankfully without the IV pole this time, but no one was there. Just two empty beds, waiting for a couple of new patients.

  That didn’t look good.

  Isaac came into his room around seven thirty, carrying a clean change of clothes. He set them on the bed beside Joshua, then surveyed him, pulling at his beard. “So, the other room wasn’t gut enough? You and David had to be separated?”

  “David had trouble breathing. He passed out, and his skin turned a grayish color. A nurse moved me out. They won’t tell me anything more.”

  “Hmm. Bishop Sol went to see where they moved David. But it isn’t likely he’ll be released today. My frau had to stay here awhile after her accident.” He grunted. “Well, you ought to change clothes and get ready to go.”

  Joshua nodded. He wouldn’t bring up the nightmare he’d had about being forced to marry Annie. If it had really happened, Isaac would have said something about it. And there was no point in embarrassing himself by talking about something that couldn’t possibly be true. He was just glad to be off of whatever drug they’d pumped into him through the IV feed. Glad to be finished with those hallucinations. He shook his head, and the movement caused his head to ache even more. He lifted his hands and rubbed his temples.

  “Still in a lot of pain?” Isaac sounded sympathetic.

  “Jah. Moving doesn’t help.”

  “It probably won’t feel too gut riding in the van over the bumpy dirt roads.”

  Joshua sucked in a breath. It wouldn’t. But he didn’t have a choice. Nor could he choose another place to lay his head tonight, unless he opted for the porch just to avoid having to take the stairs.

  His body hurt just thinking about them.

  “I’ll go get changed.” Joshua gathered up the clothes Isaac had brought and headed for the bathroom.

  Isaac nodded. “Annie is waiting in the car. The bishop will be going with us to the courthaus to apply for a marriage license. And, Joshua? You won’t hurt Annie by refusing this.”

  Joshua froze in his tracks, then turned to look at Isaac. Met his steady gaze. Studied him in silence for a minute. So, it hadn’t been a nightmare. Annie was in the car, ready to go get the marriage license that would seal their union. “I wouldn’t dream of hurting her,” he said, as reality continued to sink in. “But I thought I’d talk to Bishop Sol about waiting the usual two weeks.”

  Isaac shook his head. “I tried. He’s insisting it be done immediately. Everyone’s been notified…the word is out.” He frowned and tugged at his beard. “I don’t know.”

  Joshua cleared his throat and looked Isaac in the eyes again. “Well, then. I’d hoped to marry her, anyway.”

  Isaac crossed the room, grasped Joshua’s hand, and squeezed it. “Tell her that. You must tell her that.” He released him.

  Joshua nodded. Then, he went into the bathroom, shut the door, and changed clothes before coming out again. “I’m ready to go.” He took a step toward the hallway, then hesitated and looked back at Isaac. “How does Annie feel about this marriage? Did they force her to kum, or did she kum willingly?” He needed to know. Because, if she’d been forced, if she didn’t want this, then he would back out.

  Isaac sighed. “She came willingly. No one forced her. Maybe she feels hopeful. Probably scared. Confused. I know she desperately needs your reassurance.”

  Hopeful about what? He couldn’t ask that. The scared part, he could relate to. “Terrified” was probably a more accurate description of his feelings. He’d do his best to reassure her.

  When Joshua motioned toward the door, Isaac held up a hand. “Hospital policy. You have to be wheeled out in a chair.”

  Joshua huffed. “I can walk.”

  “The nurse is bringing a wheelchair. We’ll wait.” Isaac gestured toward the bed. “Have a seat.”

  Accustomed to obeying his elders without question, Joshua went back to the bed and perched on the edge. “I hope the nurse doesn’t take long. I’m ready to get back to work. Back to real food.”

  Isaac chuckled. “With jalapeños?”

  Joshua grinned. “Without, but danki.”

  “I talked to your daed last nacht.” Isaac studied his fingernails. “He and your mamm are planning to kum out for Thanksgiving.”

  “Did you tell them about the accident?”

  Isaac shrugged. “Jah. They needed to know. You may be a man, but they are still your parents. They are getting word to David’s folks. Everyone is very concerned.”

  It looked like Isaac wanted to say more, but Bishop Sol came into the room. “Getting information from this place is like pulling teeth. I had to show a medical power of attorney for David to have a surgery on his arm yesterday because the injury wasn’t life threatening. Gut thing I thought to ask the buwe in the swap to bring that. But then, I had to wait for them to verify they had a copy to get information about David. What’s the holdup in here?”

  “Waiting on a wheelchair,” Isaac replied. “Hospital policy.”

  The bishop grunted.

  “How is David? What was wrong?” Joshua got to his feet again.

  “I forget the exact medical term, but there was an unexpected blood clot that started in his shattered arm and ended up in his heart or near it. Could have killed him. Actually, the doctor said he did die, technically, but they were able to revive him. Gut thing you were there paying attention to him, Joshua.”

  A nurse came into the room, wheeling a chair. “Here we go. Sorry that took so long. I thought we had one down at the end of the hall, but someone else must have used it. I had to hunt awhile.” She pushed the footrests out of the way and smiled at Joshua. “Hop in and make yourself comfortable.”

  “Is this really necessary?” Joshua eyed the chair. “I can walk.”

  “Hospital policy,” she chirped.

  With a sigh, Joshua complied.

  The nurse adjusted the footrests, then produced a white plastic bag and plopped it in his lap. “Gifts to remember your visit by.”

  Joshua peeked inside. A small box of Kleenex, the toothbrush and toothpaste they’d provided for him to use, a bottle of hand lotion, and a few other items. “Thank you.”

  As she wheeled him out of the room, Joshua looked over his shoulder. “Can I stop to see David real quick?”

  Bishop Sol shook his head. “He was moved down to a more critical care section, where the nurses will pay closer attention to him until he’s out of danger. When he’s moved back to a regular room, you can kum visit.”

  ***

  Annie returned home in shock. They’d obtained a marriage license. Now, all that was left was the marriage. And the ceremony would be over by noon. There’d be a big meal to get through, and then people would linger for most of the day, singing and visiting.

  It’d been hard enough facing Joshua at the hospital. But then, going with him into the courthaus, applying for the license, her mind numb with resolve…he’d barely looked at her. Hadn’t touched her. Hadn’t spoken, except for a whispered “We must talk later.” So different from what she’d imagined whenever she’d thought of applying for marriage. Instead of the joyful event it was supposed to be, it had been entirely somber. The wedding was supposed to be joyful, too. Of course, she hadn’t been to many, seeing how they were held during school hours, and she’d always had to be with her scholars.

  She shook her head. That wasn’t an issue any longer.

  How ever would she face Joshua when the time came to wed?

  Then, she thought of Luke. Had he heard? There was at least one blessing to
come from this: she wouldn’t have to deal with his unwelcome attention anymore.

  Aaron hadn’t lied. The women of the district had descended upon the haus in droves. They carried casseroles, cakes, cookies, cold meats, canned goods, and cleaning supplies. Some of them openly studied Annie’s waistline, making her cringe. She wouldn’t be the first to marry due to the suspicion of pregnancy.

  But she would probably be the first to marry in brown.

  Becky was there, thank goodness. She put her eleven-month-old boppli, Emma, in a playpen in the kitchen. Then, she snagged a basket filled with cleaning supplies, along with a yellow plastic bag, and gently pulled Annie toward the stairs. “We need to talk.”