The Wonder of Your Love - By Beth Wiseman Page 0,45
Ann felt a warm glow flow through her.
“I love Alamosa. I don’t get there as often as I’d like since it’s quite a haul by buggy, but I keep up with the Amish folks there by reading The Budget.” Katie Ann sat down next to Eli on the couch.
“Then it’s a date.”
“Gut.” She smiled and pretended not to notice his choice of the word.
Eli lifted the heels of his feet up and down, bouncing Jonas slightly in his lap. She noticed he was without his shoes, and his left sock had a tiny hole near the toe.
Then Eli stood, smiled, and handed Jonas back to Katie Ann. “I’ll go to the barn and call Wayne, see if he can take us tomorrow. But either way, I’ll make arrangements. Eight o’clock all right?”
“Perfect.” Katie Ann bundled Jonas in his blanket and tucked his wool cap tight around his ears. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Eli walked her to the door. “Looking forward to it.”
She nodded as butterflies played in her stomach. She wished she were looking forward to it a little less.
THE NEXT MORNING Eli watched the sun rise above the mountains as he crossed the snow-covered yard to get in the car with Wayne.
“Glad you were free today,” he said as he climbed into the front seat.
Wayne looked up through the windshield. “You’ve got a great day for travel. No snow predicted, and lots of sunshine . . . if not a bit chilly.” The elderly man smiled. “Are we picking up Katie Ann and the child again?”
“Ya. She doesn’t have an opportunity to go by car much, so . . .” Eli shrugged, wondering if Wayne could sense his excitement.
Wayne nodded, but he didn’t say anything.
A few minutes later Eli walked up the path to Katie Ann’s porch. By the time he climbed the stairs, she had opened the door and was ready and waiting, Jonas in a carrier at her side.
“Guder mariye.” He picked up the carrier and put a gentle hand on her arm as he carried Jonas down the steps. “Careful.”
“Guder mariye to you too.”
Eli tried to calm his racing heart as he helped her and Jonas into the backseat. He’d been like a kid the night before, barely able to sleep. Just the thought of spending the day with her sent his adrenaline pumping. And the thought of leaving them tomorrow caused him a bit of grief. But he wasn’t going to think about that today. He was going to make sure she had another wonderful outing.
During the short drive to Alamosa, the three of them chatted, and Eli was surprised to learn that Katie Ann’s favorite flower was an orchid. Like Maureen’s. Katie Ann also shared a little about their move from Lancaster County to Colorado, and how difficult it was. In addition to the repairs that had to be done on the property and houses, she said she had missed Lancaster County for a long time, especially after her husband left to go back.
“Do you think you’ll ever move back there?” Eli twisted in his seat to face her.
“I don’t know. I have more friends and extended family there.” She shrugged. “Sometimes I’d like to go back, but I’ve made a home here in Canaan, and I’d miss Lillian, Samuel, Emily, David, and of course Vera and Elam and their family.”
She paused with a sigh. “And then there’s Martha. I don’t know if I could ever leave Martha. At least not anytime soon. She’s having surgery next week. She has a tumor in her stomach.” Katie Ann’s forehead creased as she bit her bottom lip.
“That sounds serious. I’ll pray that she makes a full recovery.”
“Danki.”
Wayne slowed the car as they stopped at a light. “This is it. Alamosa. What would you like to do first?”
Katie Ann’s face lit up as she spotted an Amish furniture store to their right, so Eli suggested they have a look.
“I’ve been in this store, and it’s very nice, run by Amish folks.”
Eli couldn’t take his eyes from her, and he really didn’t care what they did today. Just being in her presence made him content. More alarms rang in his head, but he was leaving tomorrow.
Today was a day to spend with Katie Ann. And Eli planned to enjoy every minute.
Ten
LUCY SAT DOWN AT HER KITCHEN TABLE WITH ALL of her bills in front of her. For the first time since Ivan’s death, she wasn’t afraid to sort through them, and she knew she would have enough money