The Promise of Easter, page 18
She let that trail off at the startled look on his face.
“She said she didn’t have any. That’s why she sent me to the drugstore in town. She said—” He stopped, clearly realizing what must have happened.
“You’re the husband?” The senior of the paramedics reached them by then, bearing the head of the stretcher.
Carl nodded, but all his attention was on his wife. He bent over her, murmuring brokenly as he touched her face.
Matt and Ella joined them. “He is Carl Burkhardt, and his wife’s name is Elizabeth. Will he be able to ride with you? If not, I’ll call for a driver.”
“That’s okay. Once we get her into the rig, he can ride with us. You’ll notify anyone else who needs to know?”
Matt nodded, then helped as they lifted the stretcher into place. He grasped Carl’s arm as he stumbled, not wanting to let go of his wife’s hand.
“They’ll take you in with them. In the meantime, we’ll take care of the kinder and everything here.”
“God be with you,” Anna murmured, and hugged Rebecca tightly as the doors closed and the ambulance moved off. Ella put her arm around Thomas’s shoulders, and he didn’t pull back.
Anna discovered she was trembling in the aftermath of events. She’d been pushing forward on adrenaline, she guessed, and it seemed to have run out. The others probably felt the same. Best to find something for all of them to do.
“Now,” she said, assuming her teacher’s voice, “we should call the bishop. He’ll want to go to the hospital or send someone if he can’t.”
Ella nodded, clearly glad to have a plan. “Let’s go over to my place, and we’ll get some food on. Or at least something to drink, yah? Matt?”
“Thomas and I will check on the animals and take care of things here. Then we’ll join you.” He looked at Anna. “You’ll take care of calling the bishop?”
“Yah.” She understood. No doubt he still felt awkward around the bishop. She looked at Thomas. “Try not to worry. I’m sure either your father or Bishop Paul will let us know what’s happening soon.”
Thomas managed a nod and then went quickly to the buggy his father had abandoned. Probably like all of them, he yearned for something to do.
“Keep him busy,” she murmured to Matt.
He nodded, reaching out to pat Rebecca’s back. His hand brushed Anna’s and lingered for an extra moment. “You’ll help Aunt Ella and Teacher Anna, yah, Rebecca?”
Rebecca felt the child’s head move as she nodded, and her arm tightened a little around Anna’s neck.
“We’ll be all right,” she murmured, and her gaze locked with Matt’s, feeling relief that she wasn’t alone. Whatever her tangle of feelings about Matthew, at this moment she was glad she had him to share this burden.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
An hour later Anna left the phone shanty at Ella’s and walked back to the kitchen door. Bishop Paul had sounded concerned, that was certain sure, but he seemed fairly confident, too. Now all she had to do was persuade the children of that confidence. Taking a deep breath, she put a smile on her face and walked into the kitchen.
The four people in the room froze in what they were doing, all staring at her with a mix of hope and apprehension. She could only hope her smile was convincing.
“We’re just getting supper on,” Ella said, putting a heavy dish of chicken potpie on the table. “Komm, eat, while you tell us what the bishop had to say.”
Rebecca jumped down from the stool where she’d been helping Ella with the dishing up. She tugged at Anna’s skirt, looking up at her with wide eyes. “Mammi?”
“Mammi is doing much better. Bishop Paul says so.” She hugged the child and then sat her on a chair at the table.
“What was wrong?” Thomas sounded as if he needed much more detail to comfort him.
“It looks like your mammi forgot how many pills she had taken. Maybe she thought she hadn’t had any, so she took another dose. That’s happened to a lot of people. So the extra medicine made her sleep so soundly that we couldn’t wake her.” She focused on Thomas, longing to reassure him that he wasn’t to blame.
“You said she was better. How did they make her better?” It seemed he wouldn’t be satisfied with just a little of the story. His face wore its sullen, stubborn look.
“Bishop Paul said they gave her something to wash the medicine out of her system.” She certainly hoped he didn’t want details. “Then she was awake and talking to your daadi, and she felt more like herself.”
“What did she say?” Rebecca piped up. Apparently she’d followed more of that than Anna had hoped.
Anna patted the child’s cheek. “She said you should be good and eat all your supper. She’s going to have some soup and pudding in a little bit.”
Rebecca considered that. Finally she nodded. “And then she’ll come home, ain’t so? She needs to put me to bed.”
Anna’s gaze met Matt’s, and he looked as baffled as she felt.
“Not yet, sweetheart. She’s going to stay there overnight, and your daadi will stay with her.”
Rebecca shook her head at the words. “No. She can’t.” Her eyes filled with tears.
Anna knelt next to her. “Now listen. She has to do what the doctor tells her, because he’s the boss. He wants her to stay overnight so that he can be sure she’s doing okay. You wouldn’t want her to come home too early, now would you?”
A couple of tears spilled over onto Rebecca’s cheek, but she managed to nod. “Okay,” she whispered. “But where am I going to sleep?”
“You’ll come home with me,” Anna said. “You know my brother and sisters, ain’t so? And they all want you to come. Then we can all go to school together tomorrow.”
“What about Thomas?”
Thomas looked as if he was about to say that nothing would persuade him to sleep at the teacher’s house, so she hurried into speech again.
“Your daadi says that Thomas should stay here so he can take care of the animals.”
“That’s right,” Ella said at once. “He’ll stay here at our house, and Matthew will help him take care of everything at home.”
Thomas’s mouth set in stubborn lines. “I’ll be fine in my own house. And I don’t need any help.”
Anna wasn’t sure how to handle that, but Ella seemed to have no doubts. She put her hand on Thomas’s shoulder and held him lightly.
“We’re neighbors,” she said. “Neighbors do things like that for each other. Like your daad helping get my garden ready for planting. We share the good days and help each other on the bad days. You understand?” She cupped his chin in her hand and made sure he looked at her.
Thomas blushed, but he nodded. “Yah. Denke,” he muttered.
Anna exchanged glances with Matt. He didn’t seem surprised at his aunt’s handling of a difficult teenage boy. Maybe she’d practiced on him, but if so, Anna hadn’t realized it at the time.
It would have been difficult, she thought. Ella was related to Matt’s mother, not his father, and from what she knew of that family, his father had ruled with an iron hand. He wasn’t the type who’d have accepted advice from his wife’s aunt, no matter how good.
“I’m sure your daad will be home tomorrow,” Anna said, hoping that would encourage the children. She suspected that it would be a while before Elizabeth came home, from what the bishop had let drop.
It would be getting dark soon, and she wanted to get the buggy home before then, so she’d best start moving. She held out her hand to Rebecca.
“Let’s go over and pack a few things for tonight. You’ll need a nightgown, and whatever you’re wearing to school tomorrow, and . . .”
“And my dolly,” Rebecca added, sliding off her chair. “She always sleeps with me.”
“Good idea.”
“I’ll bring your buggy over to the Burkhardt house while you’re packing.” Matt got up quickly. “You’ll want to leave as soon as you can, or you’ll be driving by moonlight.”
“Right.” Taking Rebecca’s hand, Anna hurried out, starting across to the other house.
Matt was being helpful, of course, but she suspected he was also looking for a moment alone with her to learn what she’d left out of Bishop Paul’s account.
She couldn’t blame him for that. It seemed their interest in the children had led them into more responsibility than they’d bargained for. She wasn’t backing down. Since she was a teacher, such involvement was part of her life.
But what about Matt’s plans to go back to his job soon? Had he made any decisions about it? She realized suddenly how long it had been since he’d mentioned anything about his new life out there in the world. She had stopped thinking about it, too, as she got used to having him around. Still, that didn’t mean he’d forgotten it, or changed his mind.
They’d barely started on packing Rebecca’s things in a small bag when she heard the clop of Daisy’s hooves. Then Matt was calling up to her.
“Anna, can you come down for a minute? There are a couple of things I forgot to ask about.”
“Yah, right away.” She smiled at Rebecca. “You put everything in this bag that you want to take to my house, okay? I’ll run back up and help after I talk to Matt.”
Rebecca nodded, seeming more interested in which nightgown to take than in what Matt might have to say, so Anna felt fine about leaving her to it.
Anna found Matt outside by the buggy, and she plunged into speech before he could ask the question that was clearly on his lips, eager to get the information out while the children couldn’t hear.
“According to what the bishop said, the doctors fear it was a suicide attempt and not just an accident. The depression she had after her last baby died was severe. She had so much trouble that she was in the hospital for weeks.”
Matt winced at hearing it, much as she had. “I wish Carl had trusted someone here with the information. People would have helped. But I guess I understand.”
“Too many people still have an odd attitude about any sort of mental or emotional illness. I’m afraid some communities might lag behind the outside world.” Anna rubbed her forehead. It looked as if her headache was back. “With just moving here, it would be hard for them to know who to trust.”
“I see how that could happen. If they’d only been more open with my aunt . . .” Matt let that trail off. “You know how Aunt Ella is. She might have a sharp tongue, but there’s no one better to have on your side when there’s trouble.”
Anna nodded. “Now that Bishop Paul is on the job, I’m sure everything will be done that can be done.”
She left unsaid the fact that there would be difficult days ahead, even with Elizabeth getting the care she needed. Poor little family.
“What about Thomas?” Matt frowned down at her. “He’s probably going to ask me questions. Once his daad is here, he’ll take over, but in the meantime, I’m on the spot.”
In her opinion, there wasn’t anyone better suited. Matt knew what it was to have trouble with your parents.
“You’ll do fine. At least he knows you well enough to have some confidence in what you tell him. Just try to be hopeful without telling any stories.”
“Yah.” A smile lit his eyes for an instant. “Like you quoting what their mother said, you mean?”
Anna felt her cheeks grow hot. “Maybe she didn’t actually say that, but if she’d been herself, she would have.” She’d had to say something encouraging to the children.
Matt squeezed her hand. “I suspect the good Lord would forgive that one. And the bishop, too.”
His grip was comforting, and it reassured her to feel they were in this together.
“I’d best help Rebecca finish up.” But she clung to his hand for another moment before turning and hurrying back to Rebecca.
* * *
* * *
Matt was up the next morning just as the sky was lightening, but early as he was, he found Thomas ahead of him. Aunt Ella was in the kitchen putting coffee on with a bowl of eggs on the counter next to her, looking prepared to feed any number of people breakfast.
“Coffee before you go out?” She lifted the pot in Matt’s direction.
He glanced at Thomas, who shook his head. “We’ll milk the cows first and then come in.”
“Come back hungry, then,” she said.
They stepped out into a chilly early morning. “Maybe do yours first, then I can see to Aunt Ella’s stock,” he suggested.
Thomas just nodded. He wished he knew what the boy was thinking, but he hated to ask. Thomas was young to have this trouble as well as this responsibility thrust on him.
He tried to think what he’d been like at the boy’s age. Troubled, no longer trusting, but still longing for someone he could trust. That ought to give him insight, but he still couldn’t think of anything to say.
They reached the cowshed and set to work almost automatically. As far as Matt was concerned, having work to be done was a good antidote for worrying. Should he say something like that to Thomas, or keep his mouth shut?
“My daad . . . we’ll hear from him this morning, yah?” It seemed Thomas’s words came out almost against his will.
“Yah, I’m certain sure. Either he’ll call or come.” He paused, wishing Anna were here to say the right thing. “Until then, we’ll just carry on with the work.”
Thomas started to speak but then looked back at a sound from the door.
Aaron Miller, whose farm adjoined the Burkhardts’ on the west side, stood hesitating for a moment, then came in, followed by his eldest boy, Jasper. He stood speechless for a moment, then cleared his throat and spoke to Thomas.
“Sorry for your trouble, Thomas. We’ll do this or whatever you need.” He nodded to Matt, seeming unsurprised to find him there.
Thomas flushed a bit at the attention, but he stood tall as he glanced toward Matt, seemingly for guidance.
“How about if Aaron and I finish milking. You can take Jasper and feed the rest of the stock, okay?” It might be good for the boy to be with someone his own age.
Given the way Thomas relaxed, that seemed to be the right response. He and Jasper went out, not talking.
Aaron took his place. “Any news from the hospital yet?”
“Not since the bishop called last night. Elizabeth was doing better then.” Hard to tell what sort of talk was going around, but he certain sure didn’t want to add to it.
At least Aaron wasn’t the chatty type. He set to work quickly, and they had the few cows finished in short order. Once they’d cleaned up, they stepped outside. The sun had cleared the top of the ridge, warming them even though the air was chilly. The two boys came toward them from the chicken coop. They weren’t talking much, either, but they looked comfortable together.
“Aunt Ella’s got breakfast on. She’d be glad to have you and Jasper,” Matt began.
Aaron shook his head. “The wife’s expecting us. She says to tell your aunt she’ll bring food over later. Jasper, you stop here on your way home from school and help.”
“Yah, Daad.” He looked at Thomas. “Will you be in school?”
Matt understood Thomas’s look of uncertainty. “Not sure,” the boy mumbled.
“Okay. See you later.” At a nod from his father, Jasper headed off. Aaron paused for another word.
“Gut to see you, Matt. Seems like you got home just when you were needed, ain’t so?” He walked away before Matt could find an answer.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Thomas spoke. “I can’t leave until I hear something about Mammi.”
He looked ready for an argument, but Matt certainly wasn’t going to give him one.
“Sounds right to me. Let’s get some breakfast.”
They’d no sooner started on their food than a car pulled up. At the sight of his father getting out, Thomas bolted from his chair and raced out to him.
“Best let them have a few minutes together.” Aunt Ella moved back to the stove. “Then tell Carl to come in and eat. You can’t meet trouble on an empty stomach.”
Matt glanced out the window and saw the two of them, heads close together, Carl’s arm around his son’s shoulder. He looked away. That was too intimate for anyone else to watch.
After a few more minutes, he risked a look and saw that they were coming toward the door, so he went to open it. “Breakfast’s on,” he said.
“Denke.” Carl moved up the steps slowly, as if he’d aged since yesterday. It would have been a long night, he guessed.
Once they were all in the kitchen, Aunt Ella started putting food on the table as if they all must be starving.
“Eat, eat. Everything’s better when you’ve had something to eat.” She looked sharply at Carl. “And then some sleep for you.”
Carl rubbed his hand over his haggard face. “Yah, I’ll take a rest before I go back to the hospital.” He hesitated, maybe wondering how much to say to them. “Elizabeth’s better this morning. No more problems from the pills.”
Aunt Ella whispered something that was probably a prayer of thanks.
“Way I understand it, the doctors think they can put her on some medicine that will help her. Stabilize, that’s what they said.” He paused, looking at his son. “They’re needing to keep her in the hospital while they try out the new medicine. The doctor says that’s important.”
It seemed to take an effort for Thomas to form the words. “How long?” he managed to say.
“About a week. Maybe not so long.” Carl gulped a huge swallow of coffee and then shook his head. “She’s upset, wanting to be with you and your sister.”
“For sure she would be.” Aunt Ella put a hand on Carl’s shoulder. “But you make sure she does what’s best for her, yah?”
