response. His child’s empty stare cut through his heart. He wished he knew what hid behind those big brown eyes of hers.
Simon heaped a spoonful of potatoes onto his plate and passed the bowl to Josiah. “What is she doing outside anyway?”
Josiah shrugged, then forked a chunk of meat and lowered it onto Hannah’s plate.
“It seems as though mealtime would be important to your fraa .”
Josiah stood. “Let me get you some kaffi .” He didn’t want to discuss this now, especially not in front of his daughter. She could read lips. Although she hadn’t shown any interest in joiningconversations lately. Even though she was born deaf, she could talk some. But she had chosen not to since her mother died.
With his back turned from them, Josiah explained, “I haven’t told Hannah that Lindie and I are married.”
“The child’s bound to suspect something. The woman is living under your roof.”
Josiah jerked around. He blew out a breath; she hadn’t been watching her grandfather’s lips. Josiah raised his brow in an effort to remind Simon this was something he didn’t wish to discuss. Not now.
Simon wasn’t one to take advice from others, especially not his son-in-law. “The child’s already troubled in the mind.”
His father-in-law wasn’t saying anything new. Hannah required the same level of supervision as a toddler. And that was something Lindie was supposed to do.
Josiah squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and then reached inside the cabinet for cups. He had enough problems. To top it off, Lindie didn’t seem to have enough sense to come in from the cold, or eat for two. She was certainly putting him in an awkward position in front of his father-in-law. The woman was homesick and he was miserable. He needed to pray now that his decision didn’t cause Hannah to retreat further. He’d lost his wife. Was it too much to ask God to give him back his little girl?
Simon cleared his throat.
Josiah looked over his shoulder as Lindie wandered into the kitchen. Her red button nose and rosy cheeks masked her pasty complexion and gave her a nice winter’s glow. Josiah averted his eyes. She was nice to look at. And under a normal covenant of this sort, a striking wife was a welcome distraction. But he couldn’t allow himself that luxury. He needed her to partner with him in making this arrangement work.
“Have a seat,” he said, picking up the coffee cups. “I’ll bring yours to the table.”
“Denki.” Her answer was faint. Perhaps Simon’s scowl had intimidated her.
They were silent the remainder of the meal. Simon was the first to clean his plate and leave the table, mumbling something about turning in early.
Lindie poked at her food.
The only one who didn’t seem affected by the tension in the room was Hannah. But that was about to change.
Chapter Six
L indie had no more than showed Hannah the brush when the girl flung her arms wildly and raced off to her bedroom. Lindie didn’t feel cut out to be a mother. She had to try another approach to reach the child.
Her stomach roiled and she darted out to the porch. Was she going to be sick every morning? She wished Margaret lived close by so she could ask her sister-in-law if this was normal. It didn’t feel right. But nothing did. She guessed her insides were rebelling so much today because of all the crying she’d done during the night. How do you stop thinking about home? Even Josiah seemed beside himself not knowing how to help her. The situation wasn’t going to change. She needed to accept her new life.
Jesus, I’m so lonely . She lifted her face toward the sun and closed her eyes. Is all this a mistake? Hannah refuses to communicate, Josiah is tolerant, and Simon hasn’t uttered a word to me since our introduction. He’s made it clear he doesn’t like that Josiah married me .
Lindie had no clear purpose. Josiah was self-sufficient. Hannah hid in her bedroom most of the time, and when they were in the same room, she ignored
Simon heaped a spoonful of potatoes onto his plate and passed the bowl to Josiah. “What is she doing outside anyway?”
Josiah shrugged, then forked a chunk of meat and lowered it onto Hannah’s plate.
“It seems as though mealtime would be important to your fraa .”
Josiah stood. “Let me get you some kaffi .” He didn’t want to discuss this now, especially not in front of his daughter. She could read lips. Although she hadn’t shown any interest in joiningconversations lately. Even though she was born deaf, she could talk some. But she had chosen not to since her mother died.
With his back turned from them, Josiah explained, “I haven’t told Hannah that Lindie and I are married.”
“The child’s bound to suspect something. The woman is living under your roof.”
Josiah jerked around. He blew out a breath; she hadn’t been watching her grandfather’s lips. Josiah raised his brow in an effort to remind Simon this was something he didn’t wish to discuss. Not now.
Simon wasn’t one to take advice from others, especially not his son-in-law. “The child’s already troubled in the mind.”
His father-in-law wasn’t saying anything new. Hannah required the same level of supervision as a toddler. And that was something Lindie was supposed to do.
Josiah squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and then reached inside the cabinet for cups. He had enough problems. To top it off, Lindie didn’t seem to have enough sense to come in from the cold, or eat for two. She was certainly putting him in an awkward position in front of his father-in-law. The woman was homesick and he was miserable. He needed to pray now that his decision didn’t cause Hannah to retreat further. He’d lost his wife. Was it too much to ask God to give him back his little girl?
Simon cleared his throat.
Josiah looked over his shoulder as Lindie wandered into the kitchen. Her red button nose and rosy cheeks masked her pasty complexion and gave her a nice winter’s glow. Josiah averted his eyes. She was nice to look at. And under a normal covenant of this sort, a striking wife was a welcome distraction. But he couldn’t allow himself that luxury. He needed her to partner with him in making this arrangement work.
“Have a seat,” he said, picking up the coffee cups. “I’ll bring yours to the table.”
“Denki.” Her answer was faint. Perhaps Simon’s scowl had intimidated her.
They were silent the remainder of the meal. Simon was the first to clean his plate and leave the table, mumbling something about turning in early.
Lindie poked at her food.
The only one who didn’t seem affected by the tension in the room was Hannah. But that was about to change.
Chapter Six
L indie had no more than showed Hannah the brush when the girl flung her arms wildly and raced off to her bedroom. Lindie didn’t feel cut out to be a mother. She had to try another approach to reach the child.
Her stomach roiled and she darted out to the porch. Was she going to be sick every morning? She wished Margaret lived close by so she could ask her sister-in-law if this was normal. It didn’t feel right. But nothing did. She guessed her insides were rebelling so much today because of all the crying she’d done during the night. How do you stop thinking about home? Even Josiah seemed beside himself not knowing how to help her. The situation wasn’t going to change. She needed to accept her new life.
Jesus, I’m so lonely . She lifted her face toward the sun and closed her eyes. Is all this a mistake? Hannah refuses to communicate, Josiah is tolerant, and Simon hasn’t uttered a word to me since our introduction. He’s made it clear he doesn’t like that Josiah married me .
Lindie had no clear purpose. Josiah was self-sufficient. Hannah hid in her bedroom most of the time, and when they were in the same room, she ignored
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