The Mending Page 3
* * *
“Malinda, supper is about ready!”
Malinda bolted upright, heart pounding. She must have drifted off to sleep yet again. She slid off the bed and straightened the quilt. She ran her hands down her dress to try to smooth out at least a few of the wrinkles. She tucked loose strands of hair back into her bun where they belonged and pushed her cockeyed kapp back into its proper position.
She rushed into the kitchen. “I’m sorry, Mamm. I meant to kumm right back down to help. I sat on the bed for a minute and, well . . .”
“That’s all right. I told you everything was nearly ready.” Saloma pulled a bubbling beef noodle casserole, one of Malinda’s favorite dishes, from the oven and set it on the quilted hot pad on the counter next to the stove. “There will be time enough to get back to chores tomorrow or whenever you feel up to it.”
Malinda nodded. She needed to get back into her familiar routine, but she knew from past experience she couldn’t push herself too hard too fast. “Here. I can at least set the table.” She took the stack of dinner plates from Saloma’s hands and carried them to the long walnut table Rufus had made for Saloma when they’d gotten married over twenty years ago. Scuffling sounds and voices from the mudroom alerted her to the arrival of her daed and bruders.
“Malinda’s home!” Aden raced into the kitchen to give Malinda a hug. At barely eight years old, he still liked to hug and be hugged, and he was particularly fond of his big schweschder.
“Did you miss me?” Malinda hugged the dear little bu whose very dark brown hair and big chocolate eyes were so like her own. He even had a smattering of tiny light brown freckles across his nose, just like she had.
“Jah!”
“I missed you too, Aden.”
“You have to see my frogs.” The little boy let go of Malinda’s too-slim waist and tugged at her hand.
“Whoa! You can show me after supper. It will still be plenty light enough.”
Aden’s lower lip poked out, but then he brightened. “Okay. If it starts to get dark, we can catch lightning bugs.”
“Young man, did you wash up?” Saloma gave her youngest a stern look.
“Not yet, Mamm, but I’m going right now.”
“See that you do.”
“Scoot!” Malinda gave him a gentle push in the right direction.
“Wilkom home, Dochder,” Rufus’s voice boomed. His six-foot stature and broad shoulders belied his gentle nature—gentle, but firm. None of his kinner shirked their responsibilities or dared to cross him, but any chiding or correcting was done with love.
Sam, Atlee, and Roman, all clones of their daed with light brown hair and green eyes, stomped into the room behind Rufus. They nodded at Malinda and smiled. She knew they were happy to see her but all considered themselves too old to offer any hugs. Ray stomped into the kitchen after his older bruders, but not before he told Aden to hurry up before he gnawed his own arm off in his hunger. At thirteen, he was well on his way to his daed’s and bruders’ height, but he was still gangly. He was the only Stauffer sibling who looked a true mixture of his parents. He had his daed’s light brown hair and his mamm’s dark brown eyes. His temperament combined his parents’ personalities as well.
Malinda could tell Ray wanted to give her a hug but didn’t want to be teased by his bruders. He settled for mumbling a greeting of welcome.
“Danki, Ray.” Malinda squeezed his arm, the closest thing to a hug she dared offer.
“I’m ready!” Aden burst into the kitchen holding his hands up for inspection. “We can eat.”
“Well, danki for your permission.” Rufus ruffled the boy’s bowl-cut hair.
When all had taken their places at the table, Rufus gave the signal for their silent prayer. Silence only reigned in the Stauffer household during prayer time and when everyone was sound asleep. At the conclusion of prayer time, Saloma picked up one bowl after another and passed them first to Rufus, who would then send them around the table. The cacophony of voices began.
How unlike Aenti Mary’s house, where the two of them ate mostly in silence. It hadn’t been an unpleasant or uncomfortable silence, but Malinda preferred the sharing and teasing that went on at the Stauffer supper table.
“How’s the furniture business?” Atlee elbowed Sam, barely choking back a laugh.
“Gut.”
“And the Swareys are gut, too?”
“As far as I know.” Sam studied his plate, as if coaxing noodles onto his fork was the most important thing in the world.
“Even Emma Swarey?”
Sam coughed and swiped his white paper napkin across his mouth. “As far as I know,” he mumbled into the napkin.
“Say, was that a big crop of celery I saw growing in their field when I drove by? Could they be thinking of all the celery dishes they’ll need at a fall wedding?”
Malinda feared Sam’s blood red face would actually burst into flame, and that someone would need to pound his back to stop his coughing fit.
“That’s enough, Atlee.” Rufus attempted to be stern, but a smile tugged at his lips.
“You know, the Swareys have several girls of marriageable age,” Saloma said.
“Emma’s the oldest, ain’t so?” Atlee feigned innocence.
“How is the fair Lizzie Beachy, Cheese Man?” Sam poked Atlee turning the tables on him.
Now Atlee’s face glowed. “I wouldn’t know.” He elbowed Sam so hard the table shook.
“Let’s find another topic of conversation.” Saloma’s lips twitched in a half smile.
“It sounds like I’ve missed some things.” Malinda pushed fresh string beans from the garden around on her plate. “Mamm, you, Mary, and Phoebe didn’t include any of these recent, uh, developments in your letters. Maybe I can meet up with Emma and Lizzie soon.”
“Are you going to play with your food, or eat it?” Atlee snapped.
“I’m working on eating it.”
“You’d better work on it a little harder. If we get a windstorm or even a strong puff of wind, you’re going to blow away.
“Ha! Ha! You’re so funny, Atlee.”
“It’s so gut to have all our loving kinner sitting around our table, ain’t so, Saloma?” Rufus looked across the table at his fraa.
“I’m glad to be home,” Malinda declared. “It was hard getting used to the quiet at Aenti Mary’s house.” She speared a single green bean and raised it to her mouth, determined to eat something even though her stomach still felt queasy. She wrinkled up her nose at Atlee as if to say, So there!
“It’s never quiet here, that’s for sure and for certain.” Roman looked from one older bruder to the other.
“I’m interested in the cheese factory, Atlee.” She resisted teasing him by calling him “the Cheese Man.” “I think it’s great they’re up and running. How is business?”
“Great.” Atlee sat up straighter. Excitement lit his eyes. “It’s actually getting better all the time. We have a lot of Plain and Englisch customers.”
“Do you like working there?”
“I’m learning how to do a lot—”
“I like cheese,” Aden interrupted. “Maybe I can work there when I get older.”
“We don’t eat the cheese,” Atlee stressed.
“But maybe you could if they had extra or if you bought it,” Aden insisted.
“Sure.” Atlee turned his attention back to his second helping of casserole.
“How did they treat you at that big hospital?” Rufus brushed bread crumbs from his long, brown beard.
“F-Fine. Just fine.” Malinda didn’t dare mention any of the disturbing things Dr. McWilliams had said to her or his almost-too-familiar demeanor. Daed would hire the first driver he could find to transport him nonstop to the doctor’s doorstep in Ohio. She didn’t know what her daed would do once he arrived there, though. Since the Amish believed in nonviolence, he definitely could not punch the doctor in the nose, but he would undoubtedly give the man a piece of his mind.
At least Malinda wouldn’t ever have to see Todd McWilliams again or hear his declaration of some special feeling between them or feel his hand grasp hers. She wouldn’t ever have to see Nurse Trudy’s piercing stare as if accusing Malinda of some inappropriate behavior. Malinda barely suppressed a little shiver.
“Are you feeling better, then?”
Daed’s voice broke into her thoughts, calling her back to the Stauffer supper table. “Jah, not quite back to normal, but definitely better.” Malinda had practically forgotten what normal was, but maybe she’d know again one day. That didn’t seem too likely, but she could always hope.
“We need to fatten her up, ain’t so, Saloma?” Rufus passed Malinda the bowl of green beans cooked in bacon drippings.
“I still have some, Daed.” Malinda set the bowl down in front of Ray. The thirteen-year-old was an eating machine. Malinda believed he could gobble up her share of food as well as his own. She wished her family understood her insides didn’t feel like being bombarded with food. She knew they meant well, and she truly didn’t want to be so scrawny, but she often didn’t feel like eating during or soon after a flare-up of the evil Crohn’s disease.
* * *
Malinda cleared the supper table when everyone had had their fill of casserole, green beans, pickled beets, crusty homemade bread, and peach pie. Saloma tried to shoo her out of the kitchen to rest, but Malinda was determined to prove she felt stronger than she really did. She insisted on carrying out her usual duties. Aden hopped up and down from one foot to the other, waiting for Malinda to check out the frogs with him.
“Aden, I am going to put you to work if you keep pestering us,” Saloma told him. “Your jumping about is not going to make Malinda and me work any faster.”
“I’ll help. What do you want me to do?” Aden stopped fidgeting and turned big hopeful eyes from Mamm to Malinda.
“Gee, he really wants me to see those frogs,” Malinda whispered.
“Jah. Then he’d better turn them loose.”
“Maaamm!” Aden dragged the word out in a whine. “Do I have to?”
“You do. Gott did not intend for frogs to live in captivity. Here, now you can put these pans away for us in the bottom cabinet.”
Eager to help, or more likely to get outside, Aden snatched up the pans, shoved them into the cabinet, and slammed the door. “There.”
“We’ll have to remember to stand back next time we open that door or we’ll get clobbered,” Malinda muttered.
Saloma turned a stern look on her youngest. “Young man, you put those away properly or no one will see the frogs. I’ll have Ray turn them loose now.”
Aden’s shoulders slumped and his lower lip protruded, but he didn’t utter a word. He dropped to his knees and yanked open the cabinet door. “Aaahh!” He threw his hands up as metal pans crashed around him.
“See, Aden.” Saloma shook a finger at him. “You made more work for yourself. Now put them away neatly. No one wants to be attacked by pans.”
When the kitchen had finally been restored to its normal pristine condition and Malinda had hung up the red-and-white-checked dish towel, she grabbed Aden’s hand. “Okay. Let’s go see those frogs. Where in the world are they that they can’t hop away?”
“I’ll show you.” Aden tugged her toward the door.
“You make sure he lets those critters go!” Saloma called after them.
“You heard Mamm, right?” Malinda nudged Aden.
“I heard.” The little voice sounded totally dejected.
“Cheer up, Aden. I’m sure the frogs will be glad to be free again. You’ll be doing them a favor.” Malinda gently squeezed his hand and trotted along beside him.
“Here. Look in here.” Aden stopped beside an old metal washtub behind the shed. A discarded window screen served as a lid. Aden let go of Malinda’s hand and whisked the screen aside.
“Nee! Wait!” Malinda’s cry came too late. A huge, ugly toad, seeing its chance at freedom, leaped high enough to clear the side of the tub and slammed into Malinda’s neck. She grabbed at the slimy creature, but it slipped through her hands. Brown globs of mud dotted her blue dress.
“You let him go!” Aden wailed. He shoved the screen back over the tub.
“You let him go. You lifted the screen. The poor thing probably got tired of being confined to the tub. There’s one free one.” Malinda peeked through the screen. “Four more to go.”
“What do you think of them?”
“I think they are toads, not frogs, and I think you are a very clever bu to have caught five of them.”
Instantly Aden retracted his pout and puffed out his chest. “Jah, I guess I am.”
“And you’ve kept them alive for how long?”
“Three days. I wanted to show them to you.”
“Well, I’m quite impressed. You’ve done a fine job of taking care of them. Now don’t you think the others would like to be free like the first one?”
“I suppose so.”
“Just let me stand back this time.” Malinda shuffled backward, keeping her eyes fastened on the screen Aden was preparing to shove aside until she slammed into a brick wall. “Ach!” She stumbled until strong arms steadied her. She whipped her head around, kapp strings swinging across her face. Her eyes connected with the big, sky blue eyes of the tall young man whose strong arms held her upright. She jumped back with a little shriek as if the man had a hissing snake wrapped around his neck. “I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t know you were there.”
Chapter Four
Not sure what to do with his hands after Malinda pulled free of them, Timothy Brenneman slapped one against his thigh and used the other to fiddle with the straw hat on his head. “I-I came by to talk to Sam.” Now, why was he nervous? “W-Wilkom home.”
“Danki, Tim.”
Malinda swiped at the spatters of mud on her dress, smearing them even worse than they were. A crimson color swept up her pretty face, probably matching the color Tim knew was flooding his own face. What was wrong with him? He was a grown man of twenty-two, and he’d known Malinda all her life.
“See ya.” Malinda dashed over to Aden’s side. “You’d better rinse out this tub and scrub the mud off yourself before Mamm sees you. I’ll help you with the tub.” Malinda grabbed one side as Aden grabbed the other. Tim started to offer to carry the tub for them but instead stood rooted to the spot.
“What about lightning bugs?” Tim heard Aden ask.
“We’ll have plenty of evenings to catch them,” Malinda told him.
Tim yanked off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. Now, why had Malinda rushed off like she couldn’t wait to get away from him? A firm hand clamped down on his shoulder, halting his rambling thoughts.
“Was ist letz?”
“Huh?” Timothy turned to look at the young man who, though older by one year, stood an inch shorter. “Hello, Samuel. Nothing is the matter.”
“Did you kumm to see me?”
“Uh, jah.” Timothy’s made-up reason to visit Sam had fled without a trace. He couldn’t tell Sam he’d heard Malinda had arrived home and he wanted to see her with his own eyes. For the life of him, though, he couldn’t remember the excuse he’d concocted.
“Was it something about work?”
“Uh, jah. Work.” Timothy and Sam both worked at Swarey’s Furniture Shop. His flimsy excuse did have something to do with work. His mind raced, searching for something halfway logical to latch onto. “I have to deliver that new bedroom suite over to the Kurtz place tomorrow. Would you be able to help me?” Dumb excuse. He could easily have waited until the next morning to discuss this with Sam. He shifted from one foot to the other like a scholar called before the teacher. His eyes darted to Malinda, who was trying to help Aden wash off mud at the outside pump, and then slid back to Sam’s face. He willed his cheeks not to turn as red as a sun-ripened tomato.
“Sure, I’ll help you. By the way, she just got home a little while ago.”
“Huh? Who?”
Now Tim was absolutely convinced his cheeks looked like two bright tomatoes ready for picking. He shrugged as nonchalantly as he could manage. “I’m glad she made it home okay. She looks a little peaked.”
“She’s scrawnier than ever, for sure, but she’ll perk up now that she’s home.”
“Scrawny” was not a word Timothy would use to describe Malinda Stauffer. Beautiful, kind, caring—those were better words to describe her. Sure, she looked mighty thin and frail at the moment, but she would get better. “I’m sure she will,” he managed to mumble.
Sam punched Timothy’s upper arm. “Do you want to kumm inside and visit?”
“Another time, maybe. I’m sure everyone is tired tonight.” Malinda certainly looked about done in. Maybe she’d feel up to attending the next young folks’ singing.
“Any time.”
“I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” Timothy gave a final glance in Malinda’s direction just in time to see her usher Aden inside. She turned his way for the briefest of moments and offered a hint of a smile. He couldn’t be sure if that smile was meant for him or for Aden, but it gave him a flicker of hope. He’d been waiting for years for her to grow up.
* * *
“Let’s finish cleaning up and get you ready for bed,” Malinda told Aden. She supposed Timothy had dropped by to see Sam about something. Even though Sam was a bit older, the two had been freinden for a long time. Why had Tim been watching her? Was it pity she saw etched on his face? She did not want to be pitied by anyone, especially Timothy Brenneman. Would all of her freinden—and all the young men—look at her the same way? Poor, sickly Malinda Stauffer. Be nice to her but keep your distance. She’s too fragile and weak to make anyone a gut fraa. Would those be the words whispered behind her back?
“Here, I’ll take this one off your hands.” Saloma grasped Aden’s arm to lead him in the right direction. “You’ve had a long day and probably need some rest. He is going to require some serious scrubbing.”