The Wonder of Your Love - By Beth Wiseman Page 0,89
her a lot, no?”
“I guess,” Martha said with a pout. “But I wouldn’t want to have three or four more just like her.”
“Tell me about the wedding. Is everything ready?” Katie Ann sat down beside her.
“Everything is ready except for confirmation from Bishop Esh. I visit him regularly, even though I’m not Amish. I figure he can bless our union and stand right up there next to Father Jim, who I also visit often, even though I’m not a Catholic.”
Katie Ann grinned every time she pictured Bishop Esh standing next to the priest from Arnold’s church—both presiding over a wedding that was neither Amish nor Catholic. She didn’t think their bishop from Lancaster County, Bishop Ebersol, ever would have done such a thing, but Bishop Esh was a bit more liberal.
Katie Ann used to think that maybe Martha was considering conversion to their faith, but Arnold was a devout Catholic, so that seemed unlikely now. Martha had a good relationship with both the bishop and the priest. She said it didn’t matter what religion you were as long as you were fully committed to the Lord.
“Someone’s here,” Martha said as she sat taller. “It’s a buggy. I can hear it coming up the driveway.”
“It’s Vera.” Katie Ann peered out the window, surprised that Vera was coming so close to the supper hour.
A few minutes later Vera walked into Katie Ann’s living room. Her expression was strained, and she didn’t even bother with polite small talk or come more than a few feet into the room. “I’m sorry to come this time of the evening, Katie Ann, but I got a phone call from Eli awhile ago.”
“What is it, Vera?” Martha asked.
“It’s his daughter Hannah, his oldest girl. She had the cancer awhile back, and they just found out it’s back.” She hung her head, then looked back up. “I thought you’d want to know, Katie Ann.”
“Ya, ya. Danki, Vera.” Katie Ann touched her on the arm. “Do you want to stay?”
“No. I have to get home and feed everyone, but I just wanted you to know.”
Katie Ann swallowed back the lump in her throat. She forced a smile.
Vera wasn’t even around the corner in her buggy when Martha reached into her purse and handed Katie Ann her cell phone. She took it, walked outside, and sat down on the porch step. She dialed his number, and he answered on the first ring.
“Eli?” She hoped she had dialed correctly. It had been so long since she’d heard his voice, she wasn’t sure it was Eli who answered.
“Katie Ann?”
“Ya, it’s me. I—I just wanted to call and tell you how sorry I am to hear about Hannah. I’m so very sorry.” She struggled not to cry, knowing how hard this must be for him.
“Danki, Katie Ann. The doctor said they caught it early, so we are very hopeful. How are you? It’s gut to hear your voice.”
It took everything in her power not to break down and tell him how much she missed him, but now was not the time. “It’s gut to hear your voice too.” She sat taller and took a deep breath. “Please tell me if there is anything that I can do for you or your family. I will be praying for all of you.”
“I pray for you and Jonas every night. I miss you, Katie Ann.” His voice was soft and sounded so sad.
She felt a tear roll down her cheek. “I pray for you too.” She covered her eyes with one hand.
“Do you miss me?”
“I—I don’t think this is—is the time to be . . .” Her voice cracked as she trailed off.
“It is the time, Katie Ann. I need . . . I need my friend more than ever right now.”
A faucet of tears trailed down her cheeks. “I will always be your friend, Eli. Always.”
“Really? Because it hasn’t felt like that.”
She could hear the anger in his voice, and while part of her wanted to lash out at him for breaking her heart in the first place, she knew his pain was great, and she wasn’t going to do anything to add to it. “I’m sorry, Eli. It was just—just getting too hard.”
There was silence, and Katie Ann assumed that Eli knew exactly what she was talking about. “Long-distance relationships.” He let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Hard work, no?”
She was glad to hear his voice a bit brighter. “Ya. Hard work.”
They stayed on the phone for another thirty minutes, not saying much, but not