Second Chances (16 page)

“Refreshing walk, then?” She glanced at Benjamin, her eyes lighting up when she noticed
the change in her son's demeanor.

Without being asked, Anna went to Rebecca's side to help her wash the dishes.

“
Danke
, Anna.” Rebecca wiped her hands on her black apron. “Thought I'd send some
cookies over for your
aendi
,” she added, directing this to Hannah and Leah.
“Haven't
seen her in a while and I would so love to go visit. Unfortunately, I'm already committed
to help our neighbors with making applesauce.” While her words spoke of regret,
Rebecca did not look completely remorseful in Anna's opinion. And she suspected she
knew why.

“
Mayhaps
Anna might accompany you?”

The suggestion surprised her just as much as the person who offered it: Freman.

“Oh?” Rebecca raised an eyebrow and looked at her. She too seemed surprised by Freman's
words. However, from the sparkle in her eyes, so dark and warm, the idea was not
unpleasant to her. “That would be lovely.” She paused, a quick glance cast in Mary's
direction before she added, “Would you like to go along, then? I'm sure you may enjoy
it.” As if an afterthought, she quickly added, “That is, unless you'd prefer to visit
with the Blanks.”

Words escaped her. For what seemed like an eternity to Anna, she stood there, too
aware that everyone watched her and waited for her response. While she wanted to
speak, her mind was focused, not on what she wanted to say, but on the fact that
Freman had obviously suggested an alternative in order to ensure her enjoyment of
the day.

“I . . . ” Her eyes flickered from Rebecca, who waited expectantly, to Freman, who
merely lifted one eyebrow as he watched her. The expression on his face, so serene
and calm as if he had not just said anything at all, made her catch her breath. Had
she just imagined that he spoke? Yet, when she returned her attention to Rebecca,
she knew that she had heard correctly. “I . . . should like that very much,” she
managed to say at last.

No one appeared to notice that anything was amiss. Rebecca seemed delighted, and
since plans were now
arranged for Friday, everyone else began to discuss their plans for Saturday. The
men discussed the potential of attending a horse auction in a nearby town. Mary quickly
stated that she too would like to go. Before anyone could object, both of the Musser
sisters readily voiced their enthusiasm for the idea.

Anna, however, was left standing by the sink, dumbfounded as she pondered the meaning
behind Freman's words.

Hours later, under the cover of darkness, her mind still raced. She lay on a twin
mattress in the bedroom that she shared with Leah and Hannah, listening to their
soft breathing as they slept. She, however, couldn't stop thinking about his words
and remembering the expression on his face. Under the cover of darkness, she still
could not make sense of it.

Clearly his behavior conflicted sharply with his words. Since his reappearance in
Sugarcreek several weeks ago, he had barely paid any attention to her. Even that
very day, despite traveling for hours in the same van, he directed no questions toward
her. And, just moments before, when the group had been outside for their walk, he
seemed to purposefully focus his attention on conversing with Benjamin or Leah.
However, when he made the suggestion that she accompany Rebecca to the neighbors,
it was clear that this was not a random proposition; he had obviously given thought
to this matter before he spoke.

This left her with a burning question: what had driven Freman to propose such a thing?

Chapter Nine

W
HEN SHE HEARD
Leah and Hannah whispering, their voices low and hushed so as not
to wake her, Anna's eyes fluttered open. At first, she couldn't quite place where
she was. Sunlight streamed through the window near the foot of her bed. The brightness
in the room felt warm and welcoming, unlike the darkness that usually greeted her
when she awoke at Mary and Cris's home. Focusing on the slanted ceiling hanging quite
low over her head, she frowned: everything felt unfamiliar, including the sounds
of other people in the room.

And then she remembered where she was.

“Did we wake you, then?”

Anna looked across the room at Leah. She was already dressed and leaning against
the door, a pretty picture with her hair pinned back and her blue dress matching
the color of her eyes. Having arisen earlier than her sister, Leah waited patiently
while Hannah sat on the edge of the double bed that they had shared, brushing her
long hair as it hung over her shoulder. She too was already dressed.

“Oh, help!” Anna cried softly as she quickly pushed back the sheet and quilt to get
up. “Have I slept
that
late?”

Leah laughed at her concern. “
Nee
, Anna,” she offered as a reply. “It's just a quarter
to seven. You've plenty of time to dress.”

Quarter to seven? Anna blushed, embarrassed that she had slept so late. That was
certainly not like her.

She turned around and slipped the white nightgown over her head and quickly changed
into the same dress that she had worn the previous day. Unlike Leah, she had only
packed two extra dresses: one for work and one for worship. Since her burgundy dress,
the one that she wore yesterday, had not gotten soiled, she saw no reason to dirty
another one.

Downstairs, the enticing smell of freshly baked bread and fried potatoes greeted
the three young women. With the table already covered with a green and white checkered
tablecloth and set with dishes, the kitchen seemed to welcome them.

Rebecca smiled when she heard their soft footsteps on the stairs. “Did you all sleep
well, then?” she asked as she sliced a loaf of bread on a wooden cutting board.

“
Ja
,
danke
, some of us even better than others,” Leah replied, eliciting a smile
from Hannah and a slight blush on Anna's face even though Rebecca's back was turned
to them.

“Let me help you,” Anna offered as she hurried to the counter. Her unfamiliarity
with the Eshes' kitchen did not counter her familiarity with morning routines. Momentarily
the men would come inside, having finished morning chores. With a long day ahead
of everyone, they'd be hungry for a hearty breakfast.

Rebecca pointed to the top of the refrigerator at a plastic blue pitcher. “Just the
water.”

The other two women made themselves busy, even though there was truly not much for
them to do.

“It's such a pleasure having people around the house,” Rebecca said as she placed
the basket with still-warm bread onto the table. “With everyone married and living
elsewhere, it gets awful quiet here sometimes.” Placing her hand on the counter,
she gazed out the window, staring without seeing at the fields.

Anna wondered what she was thinking about, whether it was her own grown children
having moved away or the broken dream of Benjamin's marriage and the sound of grandchildren
that now would not be running through the house. Either way, she felt a tug at her
heartstrings and wished she had words of solace for the kind woman now hosting them
in her home.

The silence in the kitchen ended when the door opened and three of the men entered,
stomping their feet to kick off any dirt that remained on the soles of their boots.
Each man removed his hat and hung it on the wall near the door before approaching
the table. Anna noticed that Benjamin, once again, seemed morose and withdrawn, with
the dullness to his eyes that she had first observed upon her arrival. After their
walk the previous evening, some life had returned to these eyes, only to disappear
once again after what she hoped had been a good night's sleep.

“I dare say there's a chill to the air this morning!” Jonas announced, a smile on
his face as he rubbed his hands over his arms. “Shall I put on the heater, Rebecca?”

“For me?” Rebecca laughed, making a light sound as she shook her head. “Heavens,
no! I'm just fine, Jonas.”

“
Mayhaps
the other women, then?” He peered at them, anticipating their answer.

When Anna realized that neither Leah nor Hannah would respond, she stepped forward
and thanked him. “That's very kind of you,” she said. “But we shall all be leaving
soon. I don't think a little cool air will harm anyone. It would be a shame to waste
the propane.”

“How considerate!” Rebecca smiled her appreciation while Jonas nodded his head in
approval.

Not used to compliments, Anna averted her eyes and, staring at the breakfast table,
noticed that it was set for seven, not nine. “Oh! Is there a missing place setting?”

Everyone's attention turned to the table and Rebecca quickly counted, “ . . . five
. . . six . . . seven. That's right, seven.”

“But Mary and Cris . . . ”

Freman made a move to sit at the table, Benjamin following, as he explained, “Cris
has gone walking. He wanted to assess the streams behind the pond for fish. As for
Mary,” he said, pausing to clear his throat. “She's not well this morning, apparently.”

Anna looked up. “She's ill?” She started to make her way to the stairs in order to
check on her sister.

“Anna,” Freman called after her. At the sound of his voice saying her name, she froze
and turned around. “She's fine. You should sit and have breakfast with the rest of
us.” He gestured toward the table.

Stunned once again at his thoughtfulness, Anna stood there, her feet unable to move
while he looked at her. She couldn't read any emotion in his eyes, yet his kindness
was more than apparent.

He swept his arm, once again, toward the other side of the table where he was seated.

Without further invitation, Leah and Hannah pulled out the bench opposite the men
and sat down, Leah making certain that she positioned herself across from Freman.
She kept her hands folded in her lap but smiled when she caught his attention. Quietly,
Anna slid onto the bench beside Hannah, feeling uncomfortable and awkward sharing
a morning meal at the same table as Freman. She tried not to look at him and kept
her attention focused on her plate. Leah, however, was quite content to be the
focal point of his vision.

Once everyone was seated, Jonas bent his head and the others quickly did the same.
Anna prayed silently over her food, thanking God for His many blessings and asking
that He help her sister feel better. When she lifted her head, she noticed that she
was the last to do so.

Hands reached across the table, picking up serving bowls and dishing hot, steaming
food onto their plates. The sound of spoons hitting against the side of porcelain
replaced words while everyone served themselves.

“I'm sure you are looking forward to meeting your
maem
's cousin,” Rebecca said as
she passed the butter plate to her left where Benjamin sat. Her statement, however,
was directed to Leah and Hannah.

“
Maem
insisted that we visit with her,” Hannah volunteered. “They haven't seen each
other in years!”

“Not since her
dochders
were younger,” Leah added. “I do wonder what our cousins
are like, don't you, Hannah? I barely recall having met them so many years ago. It
was a wedding, I believe.”

“You were only ten or eleven at the time,” Hannah reminded her. “I recall the younger
dochder
, Mary, was rather bookish.”

“Bookish?” Leah gasped and turned to Anna. “Such a shame you won't be going. You
love to read! You'd get on quite well with her, I reckon.”

Hannah laughed. “No doubt! Anna gets on well with everyone, after all.”

Both of the young women radiated happiness, excited to meet their
maem
's extended
family. But, from across the table, a look passed between Rebecca and Jonas. Anna
recognized the look and thought she saw a hint of a smile on Rebecca's lips. Remembering
Rachel's comments about the Blanks, Anna suspected that the mother's reputation for
inane and senseless behavior was just as well known in Leola as it was in Sugarcreek.