The Wonder of Your Love - By Beth Wiseman Page 0,13
Not even Martha.”
“Can’t blame you there. Martha would camp out at your house, and I wouldn’t put it past her to follow through and take that—that woman—to the woodshed for a gut licking!”
They were both quiet for a moment as Jonas squirmed, but he quickly grew still, sleeping soundly.
“Anyway, it’s just bothering me. I don’t want Lucy coming here, but I’m so curious about why she’d even want to.”
“It’s bound to be driving you crazy.”
Katie Ann sniffed. “Lillian, is something burning?”
“Ach! Mei cookies!” She jumped up, and Katie Ann waited while she pulled a fresh batch of cookies from the oven and set them on a cooling rack. “There, that was the last batch,” she said as she sat back down. “Wow. You have a lot to think about. First the letter from Lucy, and now your date tonight.”
“Lillian, what did I say?” Katie Ann shook her head. “I’m sorry to disappoint everyone, but nothing is going to develop between me and Eli.”
“We shall see.”
Katie Ann loved to be around Lillian. Her sister-in-law was always cheerful and happy. She recalled what Martha had said about Eli. “He smiles a lot, Katie Ann. He’s happy.”
Well, good for Eli Detweiler. I’m happy too.
“Do you think you could watch Jonas for a few minutes?” Katie Ann leaned over her baby, who was still sleeping soundly. “I want to carry a few logs to the haus.”
Lillian put her hands on her hips. “I’m always ready to watch my little nephew, but you should let Samuel haul that wood for you.”
Katie Ann waved a hand at Lillian. “Nee, I will do it. I can use the exercise, and besides, Samuel probably feels like he has two fraas half the time, the way he’s always doing extra chores for me.”
“He loves you, Katie Ann. He doesn’t mind at all.”
“He’s a gut man, but I need to stretch my legs.” She kissed Jonas on the forehead as she stood up. “I’ll be back shortly. I just want to make sure we have plenty of logs tonight.”
“Ya, for sure.” Lillian winked. “For your date.”
Katie Ann playfully swatted Lillian before she left the room through the door in the kitchen.
Pulling the barn door open, she was surprised to see that Samuel had split even more wood since the last time she was out here, and her brother-in-law made sure the logs were small enough that both she and Lillian could carry them inside. Katie Ann liked to keep several in her rack by the fireplace and a few more in her small mudroom at the back of the house. She lifted two logs, cradling them in front of her, and turned to leave, but was startled by a movement to her left. The three horses didn’t seem bothered, nor did the laying hens or four pigs farther down the way. She stood perfectly still and silently prayed that it wasn’t a skunk.
She was getting ready to head out when she heard a tiny cry from the far corner of the barn, back behind where the shovels leaned in the corner. She eased the logs onto Samuel’s workbench, then headed toward the pitiful meow.
“Hello,” she said softly as she reached her hand out toward a small black cat. The little fellow cowered back even farther against the wall, his fur standing on end and his ears pulled back as if taped to his head. “It’s all right.” She squatted down until she was at eye level with the animal. Poor thing was shivering.
She stood up, picked up her logs, and went toward the house. When she returned, she brought an old blanket. She laid it in the far corner on the other side of the workbench atop a pile of hay. “There. You have your own bed now.”
Ivan had never liked cats, said all they were good for was keeping mice away. Barn cats, he called them. So Katie Ann had never had one for a pet. But Ivan wasn’t here anymore.
Katie Ann jumped when the cat dashed out from behind the shovel, then ran across the barn like its tail was on fire. She’d barely focused on the animal when it took off again down the aisle, horses on one side, pigs on the other. One of the hogs let out a snort, but otherwise, the cat went unnoticed. Katie Ann tiptoed down the aisle, but the cat had either gone out a stall window or was hiding. Either way, she decided, she was going to name her cat