A Blessing for Miriam (34 page)

Miriam pulled into her driveway and drove past the empty space where the greenhouse had been. The few sections still
standing would be pulled down. Uncle William thought that was the best plan, and the other workers had agreed. The whole building would be rebuilt soon—once most of the immediately needed cleanups in the area had been addressed.

Miriam stopped by the barn and climbed out of the buggy. She unhitched as another thought raced through her mind. Uncle William would have to raise the money for his greenhouse by some other means if she didn’t contribute what he needed. He probably hadn’t even considered that she had money available. He was too decent a man to let his personal needs influence her financial decisions. She pushed open the barn door and led Sally inside. With a groan, Miriam pulled off the harness and put it on its hooks. She placed Sally in her stall. A quick glance around showed her that Uncle William had left the outside door open where fresh grass was available. Uncle William didn’t want the horses fed oats, he’d told her again this week. There were nutrients enough in the open fields. Sally, though, waited by the grain box and nickered.

Miriam reached in to pat her neck. “You’ll be okay. Just go outside to eat.”

Sally tossed her head and looked out the open door, as if she understood.

With a final pat, Miriam left the horse and walked to the house. Aunt Fannie and
Mamm
had most of the supper dishes on the table. They greeted Miriam with smiles tinged with sorrow.

“Working late, I see,” Aunt Fannie said.

“
Yah
, but I’m here now.” Miriam returned their smiles. “What can I do to help?”

“We’re almost finished.”
Mamm
glanced out of the kitchen window. “And here come the men now. Sit down and fill us in on school news.”

Miriam did so and straightened the edge of the tablecloth with one hand. “I can do something and talk at the same time. Besides
there’s not much news—just the same stuff under more difficult circumstances. You both know how things are in school. Katie goes out of her way to make everyone feel welcome. I’m very thankful for her help. She even had her husband get Sally hitched-up for me tonight.”

“Everyone is trying to help,” Aunt Fannie agreed. She placed the last dish on the table and sat down.

Mamm
joined them. “Something’s troubling you, Miriam,”
Mamm
said matter-of-factly. “Are you still thinking of Wayne?”

“
Yah
.” Miriam produced a crooked smile. “But I also need to speak with
Daett
and you about something important tonight. I need to confess to something I should have brought up a long time ago.”

Aunt Fannie sighed but nodded approvingly.

Mamm
looked at Miriam with alarm. “What is it, Miriam?”

“I want to wait until
Daett
is here so I only have to explain once. I’ve done something wrong,” Miriam said.

“I wouldn’t say it quite like that.” Aunt Fannie reached over to squeeze Miriam’s arm. “It’s not life-threatening, you know. I do agree you need to let your
mamm
and
daett
know.”

There was a rattle at the washroom door and then came the sounds the men made as they cleaned up. Miriam took the next few moments to ponder how best to tell her parents. She still hadn’t decided when the men came in and sat at the table. They looked weary.

“So much damage,” Uncle William admitted. “But the Lord has given us the strength to work, and we are grateful for that.”

“I agree,”
Daett
added. “We have much we can be thankful for, even when tragedy strikes.”

“Let us pray now.” Uncle William bowed his head and led out in prayer.

When the “Amen” came, everyone raised their heads. Silence settled over the table as the food was passed around. Even Aunt
Fannie, who usually had something to say, was quiet. Aunt Fannie nodded to Miriam.

She took a deep breath. Now was the time to speak up. With food in front of him, perhaps
Daett’
s reaction might be less severe. And the presence of Uncle William and Aunt Fannie wouldn’t hurt either. Miriam passed the mashed potatoes and took another deep breath. “I have something I want to speak with you about,
Daett
and
Mamm
.”

“Oh?”
Daett
said without looking up.

Miriam spoke quickly. “
Yah
. It’s something I should have told you a long time ago.” She paused. That was an understatement, but she had to begin her confession somewhere.

Daett
dipped out two big scoops of mashed potatoes onto his plate. “You have done something wrong?”

“Not really,” Aunt Fannie interjected. She fell silent after
Daett
’s quick glance toward her.

Miriam forced the words out. “I’m afraid I didn’t tell you everything back when Mr. Bland died and left me the farm. He also left me money. Lots of it, in fact. I really should have told you both sooner, but it seemed like…like…” Her voice trailed off.

Daett
’s gaze was stern. “Mr. Bland left you the farm
and
money?”

Miriam nodded.

“A few thousand dollars or what?”
Daett
asked, his spoonful of food suspended mid-air.

“Two million dollars,” Miriam said, relieved that secret keeping was over.

“Two million!”
Daett
’s spoon clattered to his plate. “I don’t believe this!” He stared at his daughter.

“It’s true,” Uncle William confirmed. “Miriam told us about it soon after she came out here.”

“But I was not told?” A stunned, hurt look spread across
Daett
’s face.

Miriam’s words came out in a burst. “I wasn’t trying to do
wrong by you,
Daett
. I really wasn’t. It all happened so fast, and you’ve always said money can ruin people. It seemed best to break the news to people a bit at a time. After all, inheriting the farm itself was a huge thing in the community. And then Ivan Mast made enough problems for me just knowing about the farm. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if he and everyone else found out about the money too.”

Daett
shook his head. “You possess two million dollars? My daughter has that much money?”

“
Yah
, I do.” Miriam reached across the table to grasp his arm. “In fact, with the interest it’s earning, the amount is probably quite a bit more. I still think of it as ‘the two million’ though. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you and
Mamm
sooner. It’s been a horrible burden for me to bear because I know how you feel about money. Will you forgive me? I’m so sorry I waited so long. I really am.”

“You have sinned with this money?”
Daett
asked as he studied her face closely.

“No!” Miriam gasped. “No! I haven’t done anything with it. It’s sitting in the bank.”

“She wants to give some of the money away,” Aunt Fannie put in.

Daett
was still facing Miriam. “Did Wayne know about the money? Is that why he was marrying you?”

“Of course not,” Miriam said at once. “He did know, but he didn’t care. He loved me before he knew about it.”

“I think we’d better finish supper and let the news sink in,” Uncle William interrupted. “We can talk about this later in the living room.”

Daett
thought about that for a moment before picking up his spoon. “I think those are wise words.”

Silence fell as they ate. Miriam kept her gaze on the table and took deep breaths several times to keep back the tears. She knew her parents were in shock, and it was her fault. She should have told them from the beginning. Knowing how
Daett
felt about money
had made it difficult. And now he was thinking the worst about Wayne. How could she have messed things up like this?

“Let us give thanks for the food,” Uncle William finally said when everyone was finished. They all bowed their heads. With the prayer finished, Miriam stood and went with everyone into the living room. She sank onto the couch between
Mamm
and Aunt Fannie.

“You’ve not done wrong with this money,”
Mamm
whispered into Miriam’s ear. “
Daett
knows that, and I know that.”

Miriam held still as
Daett
cleared his throat. “To say this is a great shock to me is an understatement. I cannot believe this kind of deception was going on right under my nose. My daughter is given two million dollars. She moves to Oklahoma and tells my sister-in-law and brother-in-law about it. Then she becomes engaged to a man whom she tells also. All this, and still I am not told.”

“I’m so sorry,” Miriam said again. “I should have told you, but my heart was much troubled. I knew how you felt about money, and I knew how Ivan had reacted to the news about just the farm. When I came out here, I met Wayne…Wayne loved
me
,
Daett
. I’m sure of that.”

Daett
didn’t appear convinced, but he nodded. “I wouldn’t wish to speak ill of the man. I never met him, after all. We will leave that for now. What the Lord has done cannot be undone. The future lies before us, and in it we must make the right choices. So Fannie said you want to give some of this money away now that Wayne is gone?”

“Wayne and I talked about what to do with it. And after the tornado I immediately thought of helping people rebuild. I didn’t have time to tell Wayne before I found out he’d been killed.” Miriam paused. “With Wayne gone, I’d like your help in deciding what to do. I wasn’t sure before, but now I know what I’d like to do.”

“Then let us decide now, and turn this potential evil into a
gut
thing.”
Daett
leaned forward. “What is your idea?”

“I want to give the money to the community to rebuild after the tornado,” Miriam said.

Daett
sat back and considered the proposal.

Miriam continued. “Perhaps this was the very reason the Lord allowed this to happen. As Mordecai said to Esther, ‘Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ ”

“All of the money or just some?”
Daett
asked.

“All of it, I think. If that’s what you suggest.”

“Then you will be rid of the money,”
Daett
said. “And there will be no more secrets?”

“No more secrets,” Miriam assured him.

Uncle William spoke up. “We can drive over right now and speak with Deacon Phillips.”

“This can wait,”
Mamm
protested. “Miriam is tired and heartsick…”

Miriam kept her voice steady. “I’ll go. It needs to be done. And
Daett
and you are here to go with me. That will make things much easier.”

Mamm
didn’t appear convinced, but
Daett
gave her a sharp nod.

Any further words from
Mamm
died in her mouth.

Miriam forced herself to stand up. Her legs wobbled a bit. “I’ll change then. My dress collar is wet from my tears, I’m sure.”

Daett
shook his head. “That’s not necessary. A few tear stains in this situation are nothing to be ashamed of. Deacon Phillips will understand after we explain.”

The thought of the coming conversation made the tears come again, but Miriam held them back. Deacon Phillips’s
frau
would be there. Katie would bring comfort.

Aunt Fannie had risen to her feet and now spoke up. “We should also go with them, William. They are our guests. I don’t want Miriam and her parents to drive over there alone at night.”

Uncle William didn’t object to his
frau
’s suggestion. “If that’s all right with everyone?” He looked at Miriam and her parents.
When they gave their agreement, he continued. “I’ll get Sally harnessed to the spring wagon so we can all ride together. There will be room enough.”

Daett
nodded and followed Uncle William out the door. Aunt Fannie pulled Miriam tightly against her body. She let go when baby Jonathon wailed from the bedroom. She smiled. “He’s awakened from his nap just in time to go along.”

“All this fuss woke him.” Miriam groaned. “I’m sorry to cause such a disturbance.”

Aunt Fannie silenced Miriam with a quick look. “Let’s not hear any more of that talk. You have plenty of reasons to cry, and that was quite a serious discussion. I’d be bawling my eyes out myself if I were in your shoes.”

Miriam held back the tears as Aunt Fannie left for the bedroom. Her aunt returned in moments with a diaper bag in one hand and the sleepy-eyed baby nestled in her arm.

“I’ll take him!” Miriam said. She reached for him, and he immediately snuggled against her shoulder.

Aunt Fannie steered everyone out the front door. Uncle William had Sally hitched to the large spring wagon when they arrived.
Daett
was already in the front seat. Miriam waited until Aunt Fannie had climbed into the back before she handed baby Jonathon up to her.
Mamm
climbed up next. With a glance at
Daett
’s sober face, Miriam pulled herself up and sat on a wagon seat that faced Aunt Fannie and
Mamm
.