dropped the wooden spoon and whirled around. “They did? Are they okay? Abigail didn’t mention it. But come to think of it, she hasn’t written in a while since she’s busy with the new baby. What happened?”
David hesitated, his body almost vibrating as he tried to find the words. It was as though he could hear the sirens right there in the kitchen.
Isaac spoke up. “Snow came all of a sudden, and the car didn’t see them in time. Mary got thrown, but she landed in a snowbank and she was mostly okay. It was a miracle they said. But David’s mother broke her leg very badly. We weren’t sure at first if… But she had surgery and she’s healing now. She’s in a wheelchair, but she should walk again soon.”
Aaron clenched his jaw. “Maybe if Zebulon would use orange triangles on buggies, it wouldn’t have happened. It’s ridiculous. Other Amish use them, but Swartzentrubers have to be so damn stubborn.”
“I don’t know if it would have made a difference in that weather, but I don’t understand it either,” Isaac said.
Jen touched David’s shoulder lightly. “I’m sorry that happened. It must have made it even harder to leave.”
Head down, David nodded.
“I’m sure Eli Helmuth is over there every day,” Isaac added quickly. “They’ll probably be married soon, and then you don’t have to worry.”
The thought of not worrying made David want to laugh humorlessly, and he pressed his lips together. He couldn’t imagine the day would ever come.
“Your father died a few years ago, right?” Aaron asked. The sauce bubbled, and he picked up the spoon again. “I was sorry to hear it. I know how hard it must have been for you, being the only man left in your family. Especially after Joshua…”
David blew out a long breath. “I really tried. I wanted to stay for them, but I just couldn’t .” I failed them. Failed Father .
“There’s never a good time to leave. Trust me.” Aaron smiled softly. “But I’m so glad you did. Both of you. A lot of people are really happy in the plain life, but some of us just aren’t made for it.”
“You know what I think we need with dinner?” Jen asked with a slap on the counter. “Wine.” She hopped off her stool. “Bordeaux always goes well with your sauce, right, babe?”
Aaron chuckled. “It does, but we’d better go easy on them. You guys don’t have to drink anything if you don’t want to.”
Jen held up her hands. “Right. Don’t let me peer pressure you. You probably don’t know what that means. Let me rephrase: don’t let me pressure you into doing anything you’re not comfortable with. And Isaac, you’re only eighteen, but I think a glass of wine at home is okay.”
David smiled. “I don’t think a glass will hurt.” He raised an eyebrow at Isaac.
“Sure.” Isaac shrugged. “Jen’s a doctor, after all.”
“ Exactly . Doctor’s orders.” She whispered loudly to Aaron, “I like them already. They listen to me.”
Laughing, Aaron said, “ Bahaef dich .”
“Hey!” Hands on her hips, Jen glared at him, although she was still smiling. “No secret Amish German. Uh, not that I want to stifle your heritage. But no making rude comments about me. I demand all rude comments be in English so I can respond appropriately.”
“I just said to behave yourself. And does that mean your family will stop speaking Tagalog in front of me?” Aaron asked. “That’s what a lot of people from the Philippines speak,” he added to Isaac and David.
Jen raised an eyebrow. “Touché.”
Isaac whispered, “Huh?”
David could only shrug.
“It means…good point. Basically that the other person is right,” Aaron said.
“I think it’s a strong statement to say that you were right . We need more debate before we make a determination. Let me get the wine. Wine will help.” Jen went through a door just off the kitchen and down into what appeared to be a cellar.
David had slipped in and out of German and English so easily
David hesitated, his body almost vibrating as he tried to find the words. It was as though he could hear the sirens right there in the kitchen.
Isaac spoke up. “Snow came all of a sudden, and the car didn’t see them in time. Mary got thrown, but she landed in a snowbank and she was mostly okay. It was a miracle they said. But David’s mother broke her leg very badly. We weren’t sure at first if… But she had surgery and she’s healing now. She’s in a wheelchair, but she should walk again soon.”
Aaron clenched his jaw. “Maybe if Zebulon would use orange triangles on buggies, it wouldn’t have happened. It’s ridiculous. Other Amish use them, but Swartzentrubers have to be so damn stubborn.”
“I don’t know if it would have made a difference in that weather, but I don’t understand it either,” Isaac said.
Jen touched David’s shoulder lightly. “I’m sorry that happened. It must have made it even harder to leave.”
Head down, David nodded.
“I’m sure Eli Helmuth is over there every day,” Isaac added quickly. “They’ll probably be married soon, and then you don’t have to worry.”
The thought of not worrying made David want to laugh humorlessly, and he pressed his lips together. He couldn’t imagine the day would ever come.
“Your father died a few years ago, right?” Aaron asked. The sauce bubbled, and he picked up the spoon again. “I was sorry to hear it. I know how hard it must have been for you, being the only man left in your family. Especially after Joshua…”
David blew out a long breath. “I really tried. I wanted to stay for them, but I just couldn’t .” I failed them. Failed Father .
“There’s never a good time to leave. Trust me.” Aaron smiled softly. “But I’m so glad you did. Both of you. A lot of people are really happy in the plain life, but some of us just aren’t made for it.”
“You know what I think we need with dinner?” Jen asked with a slap on the counter. “Wine.” She hopped off her stool. “Bordeaux always goes well with your sauce, right, babe?”
Aaron chuckled. “It does, but we’d better go easy on them. You guys don’t have to drink anything if you don’t want to.”
Jen held up her hands. “Right. Don’t let me peer pressure you. You probably don’t know what that means. Let me rephrase: don’t let me pressure you into doing anything you’re not comfortable with. And Isaac, you’re only eighteen, but I think a glass of wine at home is okay.”
David smiled. “I don’t think a glass will hurt.” He raised an eyebrow at Isaac.
“Sure.” Isaac shrugged. “Jen’s a doctor, after all.”
“ Exactly . Doctor’s orders.” She whispered loudly to Aaron, “I like them already. They listen to me.”
Laughing, Aaron said, “ Bahaef dich .”
“Hey!” Hands on her hips, Jen glared at him, although she was still smiling. “No secret Amish German. Uh, not that I want to stifle your heritage. But no making rude comments about me. I demand all rude comments be in English so I can respond appropriately.”
“I just said to behave yourself. And does that mean your family will stop speaking Tagalog in front of me?” Aaron asked. “That’s what a lot of people from the Philippines speak,” he added to Isaac and David.
Jen raised an eyebrow. “Touché.”
Isaac whispered, “Huh?”
David could only shrug.
“It means…good point. Basically that the other person is right,” Aaron said.
“I think it’s a strong statement to say that you were right . We need more debate before we make a determination. Let me get the wine. Wine will help.” Jen went through a door just off the kitchen and down into what appeared to be a cellar.
David had slipped in and out of German and English so easily
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