The Wonder of Your Love - By Beth Wiseman Page 0,30
as the young woman put his pancakes in front of him. “She said that it took too long to dry and that long hair was hot in the summertime.”
“But surely she knew that it is not our way to cut our hair.”
“Ya. She knew.” He shook his head. “But that’s my Frieda. Always thinking practical.”
Katie Ann bit her bottom lip.
“Go ahead and laugh. I know it’s a bit funny.” Eli took a big bite of his pancakes. “Did I mention that she cut it about fifteen minutes before church service?”
Katie Ann put a hand to her chest, but a giggle escaped just the same. “Oh no.”
“Ach, I’ve got about a thousand more stories I could share, but I don’t want to bore you.”
“I can’t imagine getting bored hearing stories about your kinner.” She glanced down at Jonas, who was sleeping soundly. “I’m sure Jonas will fill me with surprises. I can’t wait.”
“He will grow to be a fine boy.”
Katie Ann circled the rim of her coffee cup with her finger. “I hope I’ll be a gut mudder.”
“You already are.” Eli’s voice was gentle, his eyes soft. “Jonas is blessed to have you.”
As she added a pat of butter to her muffin, Katie Ann struggled to ignore the other thoughts fighting for space in her mind. Was it possible that Ivan had been coming back to her on the day he died, as Lucy thought? Would they have been a family again?
“You look a million miles away,” Eli said after a few moments. “And I bet I know why.”
Katie Ann picked at her muffin but didn’t say anything. He reached across the table and put his hand on hers. She was too stunned to move.
“I know this isn’t how you thought your life would unfold, but I know God has big plans for you. You’re going to do just fine.” He pulled back his hand, but Katie Ann could still feel his touch long afterward.
“I hope so,” she finally whispered. Fearing the conversation was drifting to a place she didn’t want to go, she decided to change the subject. “So tell me more about your plans to travel.”
“I will still work hard. I won’t be traveling all the time.”
Katie Ann waited while he finished off his last bite of pancakes.
“I have cousins in Indiana, and I know folks who have traveled to Florida, so I think I’ll start with those two places.” He shrugged. “I haven’t decided where else.”
“Lots of folks in Lancaster County travel to Florida to vacation. They love spending time at the beach.”
“Did you always live in Lancaster County before you moved here?” Eli laid his fork across his plate.
“Ya. But my folks aren’t alive anymore. I don’t really have family there, but I have Ivan’s . . .” She glanced up at Eli. “. . . Ivan’s family there. His sisters, Rebecca and Mary Ellen, live there with their families. And Ivan’s brother Noah and his family live there.”
“You don’t have any bruders or sisters?”
She thought about Annie. “No.”
“What made you move to Colorado?”
So many questions. She wasn’t sure how much to share. “I guess you could say it was a fresh start for me and Ivan.” She paused but avoided eye contact. “A fresh start that didn’t work out.” She finally looked up at him. “Did Vera or Elam tell you what happened?”
“Ya.” For the first time since they’d been at the diner, Eli frowned. “I can’t imagine an Amish man shirking his duties.”
She knew she should be embarrassed, but something about the warmth in his tone coaxed her to just accept the compliment. “Danki for saying that.”
They were quiet for a few moments, then Katie Ann said, “The woman you saw at my house, Lucy, she is the one who . . .” She lowered her chin, surprised at how easily she revealed the information, but caught off guard by it too.
Eli folded his arms across the black coat he was still wearing. “Does she live here in Colorado?”
“No. She traveled from Paradise, Pennsylvania, to see me.”
Eli’s brows lifted, and Katie Ann surprised herself even more by telling Eli about most of her conversation with Lucy, except for the part about giving Lucy money.
“I see.” Eli nodded. “And she’s pregnant?”
“With Ivan’s child.”
“I think the woman had a lot of nerve to seek you out to ask about a haus.” Eli accepted the bill when the waitress returned, and he quickly pulled cash from his pocket and placed it on the table. “Today it is my