Hope Chest by Wanda E. Brunstetter

that right, sister?”
    Before Rachel could answer Elizabeth’s question, Perry put in his two cents’ worth. “Aw, Rachel’s probably got a bee in her kapp ’cause she don’t have a steady boyfriend yet. She’s most likely jealous of Anna gettin’ to ride home with Silas.” He gave Rachel an impish smile. “That’s it, huh? You’re green with envy, right?”
    “Leave Rachel alone,” Mom called from her seat at the front of the buggy. “If she wants to talk about whatever’s bothering her, she will. Now, let’s see how quiet we can make the rest of this ride home.”
***
    As Anna pressed her body against Silas’s buggy, she felt like a mouse cornered in the barn by a hungry cat. Couldn’t Silas just accept the fact that she didn’t love him? Why did he keep going after her like this? If only she felt free to tell him what was on her mind. If she could just reveal her secret...
    “So, what do you have to say, Anna? Can I give you a ride home so we can talk some things through?”
    Silas’s pleading voice pulled Anna’s thoughts aside, and she gritted her teeth. “Danki for the offer, but I think I’ll just walk home today.”
    His eyes widened. “On a hot day like this, you want to walk all the way home when I’m offering you a ride in my open buggy?”
    She nodded. “There’s really nothing more for us to say, so I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me alone.”
    Silas pulled back as if he’d been slapped, and his face turned bright red.
    Anna hated being rude, but Silas obviously didn’t want to take no for answer, and speaking so bluntly seemed to be the only way she could get through to him. “I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, Silas, but it wouldn’t be right for me to lead you along when I know we can’t have a future together.”
    “We could have if you’d give it half a chance.”
    “Sorry, but I can’t do that.”
    “Why’d you accept a ride home in my buggy after the last singing then?”
    Anna swallowed hard. How could she offer an answer to that without revealing her secret? “I probably shouldn’t have accepted that ride, and I’m sorry if you got the impression that it meant anything more than just a friendly ride home.” Anna stepped away from Silas’s buggy and darted off before he had a chance to respond. She had to get away now before she ended up telling him the truth.

CHAPTER 5
    The following day, Rachel felt more fretful than ever. She’d hardly said more than two words to anyone all morning and was sorely tempted to tell Anna that she had overheard some of her conversation with Silas yesterday. In fact, she was working up her courage and praying for the right words as she hung a batch of laundry on the line.
    When Anna came out of the greenhouse and headed in Rachel’s direction, she decided this was as good a time as any. Rachel waved and called for her sister to come on over. Anna merely gave a little nod and kept walking toward the barn. A short time later, she emerged with one of the driving horses, then began to hitch the mare to the buggy parked nearby.
    Rachel dropped one of Perry’s shirts into the wicker basket, but before she could move to intercept Anna, their mother called, “Where are you going?”
    “I’ve got to run some errands in town,” Anna explained. “Then I may stop by and see Martha Rose for a bit.”
    “You be careful now,” Mom called. She sat on the front porch in her wheelchair, shelling peas into a large ceramic bowl sitting in her lap.
    “I will,” Anna hollered, as she stepped into the buggy.
    “And don’t be out too late, neither. There was a bad accident last week along the main highway. It was getting dark, and the driver of the car didn’t see the Amish carriage in time.”
    “I’ll be careful, Mom.” Anna flicked the reins, and the horse and buggy were soon out of sight.
    Rachel walked back to the wicker basket, bent down, and snatched a pair of Dad’s trousers. “Guess I’ll have to catch Anna later