Return to Paradise. Barbara Cameron
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bite her tongue.
Waneta smiled sadly. “Just David and Samuel and John.”
Lavina searched for a way to comfort. “It’s just been a day,” she said finally. “Give David some time.”
“I don’t know how much time . . .” Waneta trailed off.
“The doctors aren’t saying he has that little time?”
“Nee,” she said with a sigh. “It’s just that a bad day can weigh so heavy on the heart. It hurts so much not to be able to help him feel better.”
“I’m sure he’s grateful for all you’re doing.”
“Ach, you’re such a sweet kind. Amos has always been a very proud man. He doesn’t like relying on me right now.”
Her words reminded Lavina of David. He was much like his dat.
Sometimes she wondered if proud wasn’t just another word for stubborn.
***
Lavina paused in stitching her quilt. She and her sisters and their mudder sat quietly, sewing and chatting before a crackling fire, their toes toasty and warm while rain pattered against the windows. The scent of a big pot of beef stew simmering on the stove in the kitchen filled the house.
She couldn’t help remembering how Waneta’s house had been dark when she’d visited the night before, how Waneta had been so tired from caring for her husband that she hadn’t started supper and talked about warming up some soup and making sandwiches. She’d apologized for not having cookies to serve with the cup of tea she offered Lavina.
The community always rallied around one in need but Lavina suspected that the news hadn’t gotten out yet that Waneta needed help. She and Amos hadn’t attended church the past month . . .
“Mamm? Would you mind if I made some food to take to Waneta’s?” She explained what she’d found when she visited and her mother frowned.
“Of course. I’ll talk to some of my friends tomorrow, and we’ll see what we can do to help.”
Lavina set down the quilt and jumped to her feet. “Danki, Mamm.”
Mary Elizabeth set her work aside. “Can I help?”
“Schur.”
They walked into the kitchen and Lavina found a big bowl and the canister of flour. “I’m going to make some bread.” She eyed the stew simmering for their supper. “I wonder if we have the makings for some more stew . . .”
She found a package of stew meat in the freezer and carrots, celery and onion in the refrigerator and pantry. “I’ll start it and see if Mamm will let us take what she’s made. The new pot should still be ready for our supper, but this way we can take the food over to Waneta before it gets dark.”
“Ya. And maybe we can make up a basket of jars of canned vegetables and fruit. Amos needs to eat nutritious food while he’s on chemotherapy, right? We don’t know if Waneta was able to can before Amos got sick. Besides, even if she has plenty the canned goods will last on the shelf for some time.”
“Gut idea. Ask Mamm.”
Lavina sifted flour and dry ingredients in the big bowl and soon the yeasty scent of bread rising filled the air. After she covered it with a towel, she turned to getting a big soup pot out. After flouring the meat she began browning it in the pot with some vegetable oil. She chopped onions and added them.
Mary Elizabeth glanced over. “You’re crying!”
She grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter. “It’s the onions.”
“You’re schur?”
Lavina nodded. It made her feel sad that David’s parents were going through such a difficult time and the family wasn’t together. Whether Amos healed from his cancer, she hoped the family would heal and be together.
For now, she and Mary Elizabeth could take some hot food and caring. And who knows, maybe at this very moment David was thinking of coming back.
Lavina shaped the loaves of bread into pans and set them aside to rise. She sighed. It was no good daydreaming about David coming back. She’d spent so much time doing that this past year . . .
She found an oven-safe dish and set it aside. As soon as the bread came out and cooled a little they could go. She raided the cookie jar and packed up the dozen or so peanut butter cookies. Later she’d bake some more and replace them.
“Rain’s stopped,” Mary Elizabeth said as she came into the kitchen.
“Gut. We can walk.”
“Walk?”
“Don’t whine. It’s only a few blocks.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s far enough. We’ll be carrying stuff.”
“I’ll carry the stew. You can carry the bread and cookies.”
A little while later they set out. The rain had cooled the air so it was a little nippy, but Lavina didn’t mind. Mary Elizabeth chattered as she carried the warm loaves of bread in her arms.
A truck drove past them. Lavina frowned. A red truck that looked familiar somehow. It stopped then backed up. The passenger side window rolled down. “Need a ride?” the driver asked.
It was David.
Chapter 3
3
David had been driving up and down the road of his old house for half an hour.
He just couldn’t make himself stop, let alone get out of his truck and walk up and knock on the door. He was a coward. No question about it.
Then he saw two women in Amish clothing walking on the side of the road. As he passed them he saw that they carried something in their arms. One woman glanced over as he rode by. It was Lavina. He saw the flash of recognition in her eyes as their gazes met.
He stomped on the brakes, then put the truck in reverse and backed up. As he touched the button to roll down the passenger-side window, he realized that there could be no avoiding stopping at his parents’ house tonight.
“Hi.”
She nodded. “Hi, David.”
His gaze went to her schweschder. “Mary Elizabeth.”
“Hi, David. How are you?”
“Allrecht. Get in, I’ll give you a ride.”
“We’re almost there,” Lavina pointed out.
“And that casserole dish has to be getting heavy,” Mary Elizabeth said. She opened the door and climbed in to sit on the bench in the back seat.
Lavina slid into the front seat and set the insulated carrier between her and David before she shut the door.
“So you decided to come back. I’m glad.”
He put the truck in gear. “We’ll see if I am.” He knew he sounded grim, but that’s the way he felt. Neither of them could ignore what had happened to make him leave just because his dat was sick.
Whatever Lavina had in the insulated carrier smelled like heaven. He realized he hadn’t eaten for hours and was hungry.
The house came into view. David pulled into the drive, shut off the engine, and sat there for a long time staring straight ahead. Lavina and Mary Elizabeth got out.
“Are you coming?” Lavina asked him.
With a heavy sigh he pulled the keys from the ignition and left the vehicle. He followed them up the stairs and watched as the front door opened before Mary Elizabeth could knock. His mother smiled as she saw the two women and she invited them inside.
And then her gaze traveled past them and she saw David. The color fled from her