Her Restless Heart Part 22

"Because you need to."

"You just b.u.t.toned me into my coat like I'm a little girl."

She stared at her mother for a long moment, and then she laughed. "I did, didn't I?" She hugged her. "I'm just glad that you're better. It was a scary time when you got sick."

Miriam patted her back. "I'm fine. I intend on being around for a long time."

"Good."

"Your dat, too."

Mary Katherine shivered. "Come on, let's go tell Jacob what you think of his gift."

Miriam oohed and aahed over the bushes as she walked around the porch. She pointed out that the pots of daffodils would look pretty nearer the door, and then she went inside, saying she'd make coffee.

"You lie down!" Mary Katherine called after her. She turned and found Jacob grinning at her. "What?"

"You don't think she's going to listen to you, do you?"

"Probably not," she grumbled.

"I see where you got your stubbornness."

"I'm nothing like her."

"No?"

"No," she said with conviction. "We're nothing alike. She won't speak up to my father about anything."

He looked at her for a long moment.

"What?"

He just continued to look at her.

"Go ahead and say it."

"Say what?"

"You obviously want to say something, and you won't." She folded her arms across her chest as much from feeling defensive as to keep warm.

Jacob stopped. "Look, I understand that you want to keep the peace while you're here so you don't upset your mother. And I'm all for being respectful of your parents. But that night I had supper with the three of you . . ." he trailed off, then he looked directly at her. "It wasn't right the way he was treating you, that's all. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to feel sorry for me," she told him stiffly, feeling her cheeks redden with embarra.s.sment.

"I didn't say I felt sorry for you," he said, his tone sharp. "I was sorry that I didn't tell your father that it was wrong to treat you that way. I didn't want to upset your mother or make things worse. But it was wrong of me not to speak up. When we witness such an action, we have a responsibility to speak up."

Mary Katherine sat down on the stairs and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Mamm never spoke up," she said, staring at the ground. She lifted her gaze. "I know she loves me, but she never spoke up when he was treating me badly."

He came to sit on the stair beside her. "Did he ever hit you?"

She shook her head.

"But sometimes words hurt more than hands," he said quietly.

"I remember when I was a girl I thought you had the most wonderful parents." Realizing what she'd blurted out, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure her mother wasn't behind her, listening. "I've grown closer to Mamm since I've been here, and I'm grateful for that. But I wish things had been different."

"Then maybe things might have been different for us as well."

Surprised, she jerked her head up to stare at him. "How?"

"Think about it, Mary Katherine. Think about it."

He got up to walk to his buggy, leaving her to stare after him.

"Is she sleeping?"

"Shh!"

"Don't shush me."

"Well, be quiet then!"

"I'm awake," Mary Katherine said without opening her eyes.

"You were snoring."

She opened her eyes and glared at Anna. "I don't snore."

Anna giggled. "You do."

"Don't tease," Naomi said.

"Stop acting like the older sister, Naomi."

"Stop acting like the younger one, Anna."

Mary Katherine groaned. "Stop acting like-like bickering kinner." She yawned and stretched. "Thanks for letting me sleep, you two." She frowned when she saw the time. "But you shouldn't have let me sleep so long."

"The shop was quiet." Naomi opened the refrigerator, took out a plastic container, and opened it to reveal sandwiches. She set it on the table. "You looked tired."

"I tried to get everything done so Grossmudder wouldn't have much to do today. Mamm's getting better, but she still needs a lot of help."

"I brought in a ca.s.serole so you could take it home with you," Naomi told her as she carried a pitcher of iced tea to the table. "It's in the refrigerator."

"Danki, it'll be nice not to cook tonight."

Someone knocked on the front door.

"Did you put the 'Closed' sign on the door?"

"Yes. People don't read. Maybe if we ignore them, they'll go away."

But the knocking not only continued, it became more insistent.

Naomi started to rise, but Anna stopped her. "I'll go."

Mary Katherine chose a sandwich and placed it on her plate. "Thanks for bringing this in."

"It's the least I can do." She bit into an egg salad sandwich. "When do you think you'll be back for good?"

"Next week, I hope. After Mamm goes to see the doctor."

Anna returned, frowning. A young man followed her into the room.

"Who was-oh, it's you! What are you doing here?"

Mary Katherine watched Naomi's face light up. This must be John, she realized.

"Brought you a little gift," he said, bringing a bouquet of roses from behind his back with a great flourish.

"Oh, you shouldn't have," Naomi said, burying her face in the blooms. "But they smell wonderful." She gazed at him adoringly.

Anna cleared her throat, and Naomi blinked and shook her head.

"Oh, sorry," she said to Mary Katherine, and she blushed. "This is John. He used to live over in Franklin County. John, this is my cousin, Mary Katherine."

"h.e.l.lo." He immediately turned back to Naomi.

Naomi found a vase in a cupboard, filled it with water, and arranged the roses in it.

Mary Katherine surrept.i.tiously studied John. He was handsome, but she didn't think that he seemed as warm as Jacob.

"Would you like a sandwich?" Naomi asked him. She held out the plastic box to him.

"Thanks," he said, and took two.

She placed a plate before him and got up to get another for herself.

Anna picked up the box and handed it to Mary Katherine. "Quick, get yours before he gets his hands on it," she whispered.

Mary Katherine elbowed her, but there was no need to worry-Naomi and John appeared engrossed in each other. "You want tuna or peanut b.u.t.ter and jelly?"

"I know you love PB & J. You take it."

They took their sandwiches and began eating.

"So, John, what do you do?"

"Do?" He pulled his attention away from Naomi.

"For a living."

"Oh, I'm a carpenter."

"What are you doing in town today?" Naomi asked him.

"We finished the job early," he said, swallowing the last bite of his sandwich. He looked into the plastic box and appeared disappointed when he found it empty.

Naomi placed half of her sandwich on his plate, and he took it eagerly.

"I thought I'd see if you could take the afternoon off," he said, reaching over to pick up her gla.s.s and take a drink of her tea.

"Oh, sorry, I should have gotten a gla.s.s for you," she said.

"This one's fine," he said, taking another sip.

Anna glanced at Mary Katherine. She gave her a warning glance. It was obvious that Anna didn't like John, but she needed to be polite. Later, they could talk about whatever was Anna's problem with the man.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I can't do that," Naomi told him.

"Why not? You said last night it's been slow the last few days."

"Yes, but-"

"You don't mind, do you?" he asked Anna and Mary Katherine.

"It's not up to us," Anna told him. "It's up to our grandmother."

"So ask her," he said, wiping his mouth on a paper napkin. "Got anything else to eat?"

"Some cookies." Naomi brought the cookie jar to the table and spread some on a plate. "Grandmother's not here today. She's helping Aenti Miriam."

"Well, an hour can't hurt." He took a handful of cookies and stood, grasping Naomi's hand and drawing her to her feet. "You two can hold down the fort, can't you?"

"Sure," Anna said sarcastically. "You two just go on."

"You're sure?" Naomi hesitated.

Mary Katherine glanced at Anna, and then she nodded. "We're sure."

John was already pulling Naomi out of the room, she laughing and protesting that she needed her jacket. She managed to grab it, and a few seconds later, they heard the sound of the bell over the front door as they left.

"Okay, so why don't you like him?"

Anna poured them more cold tea. "It's not that I don't like him. It's just that he's moving so fast and . . ." she hesitated. "I don't know, he's moving so fast and coming on so strong."

Anna sighed. "Naomi really likes him. She's not the type to be flighty or make bad decisions . . ." she trailed off. "I guess we'll see."