he got up and threw another log on it, he thought about the fires he’d tended at Katie Ann’s house and the time they’d spent talking while sitting on her couch. He shook his head and knew that he was going to have to clear his mind. It was fine to think about her. Just not all the time.
When he got cozy in his chair again, he thought about the next trip he’d be taking after Christmas. But he clearly needed to focus on something else besides Katie Ann.
ON TUESDAY MORNING Katie Ann helped Martha pack her suitcase to take to the hospital the next day. She worried her friend wouldn’t bring what she needed, plus she was hoping Martha would take the quilt she’d brought back for her from Alamosa. She recalled her trip with Eli to the neighboring town, and she wondered what he was doing today. She hadn’t talked to him since he called on Thanksgiving Day. Not that she expected to.
“Martha, I don’t think you’re going to need all those hair accessories at the hospital.” Katie Ann watched as Martha loaded up a huge blow dryer, large pink curlers, several kinds of hair product, and of course . . . the butterfly clip.
“That’s easy for you to say. It doesn’t matter how your hair looks because it’s always covered up by that prayer kapp.” Martha grabbed Katie Ann’s arm and pulled her to the bed. She eased her down on the pink and white comforter that Katie Ann had gotten her for her birthday last year. “Now, honey. Listen to me. I know you’re scared about my trip to the hospital, but you’ve shown me the way to the Lord.” She sat taller and raised her chin. “I’m not afraid to go.”
As Martha dabbed at her eyes, Katie Ann knew that wasn’t true, so she took a deep breath and tried to be strong for her friend. “You’re not going anywhere yet. Everything is going to go fine, and you’ll be home recovering in no time.”
“I don’t think so.”
Martha lowered her head, but Katie Ann saw a tear trickle down her cheek. She looked up and swiped at the tear.
“I’ve never been knocked out. I know that’s hard to believe at my age, but I just know I’m not going to wake up.”
“Of course you’ll wake up.” Katie Ann was surprised to learn that this was Martha’s biggest fear. Katie Ann was much more concerned about the surgery itself, and she planned to talk to the doctors as soon as she and Martha arrived at the hospital, something she should have already done. Had she not been so preoccupied with Eli . . .
“Where’s that quilt you gave me, that lovely spread with the Lord’s Word all over it?”
Katie Ann pointed to a chair across the room. “There it is.”
Martha walked to the chair and picked up the small quilt. “We’ll just carry it in, since it won’t fit in my suitcase.”
Katie Ann was thinking it might fit if there weren’t so many hair supplies, but she didn’t say anything. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Arnold would be arriving later in the afternoon.
Martha pushed the quilt toward Katie Ann. “You make sure I’m covered in this when they wheel me into surgery.”
Katie Ann remembered when David had his kidney transplant. She was pretty sure they wouldn’t allow the quilt to go into surgery with Martha, but she didn’t say anything. At least Martha could sleep beneath it before and after.
“Let’s pray for a while.” Martha slowly eased down onto her knees and propped her elbows on the bed, folding her hands in front of her. Katie Ann slid down beside her. “And let’s don’t do it silently like you people usually do. Can you please pray aloud?”
Katie Ann blinked back tears. “Of course.”
“Don’t cry.” Martha reached over and grabbed onto Katie Ann’s hand. “Have I told you how much I love you?” Martha smiled. “Like you are my own daughter.”
And no matter how hard she tried, Katie Ann couldn’t keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks as she answered. “And I couldn’t love you any more if you were my own mother.”
KATIE ANN GRABBED her mail from the box at the end of her driveway on her way home from Martha’s. She tucked it into her apron and went to Lillian’s to pick up Jonas, who was sleeping soundly in a playpen in the living room. It wasn’t until after she was