over.
She didn’t trust Jonas to speak the truth either. He hadn’t seen her yet with the bandages off, although he’d stopped by again thisweek. She was glad he felt responsible for her—enough to make sure that the hospital bills were paid and to drop by. She refused to see him though. The Beachy family had seen to it that she was given the best of medical care. She had an appointment with a plastic surgeon next week, but there was only so much that could be done. She was scarred now and would always be. There was no reason to pretend otherwise. And Jonas would never care for her like he had before. It wasn’t possible. The truth was plain enough in his eyes. And she didn’t blame him one bit. From the beginning she’d been drawn to his money and he’d loved her beauty.
Shirley rattled the pots and pans in the lower cupboard as she pulled out the one she wanted. Naomi would be in soon to help with the vegetables. Shirley would rather have worked alone, which wasn’t possible if she wanted to have supper on the table in time.
As she banged the pot down on the counter, Shirley thought of this coming Sunday. She would have to attend the church service. Daett would make sure of that. And then all those people who knew her so well would see her face and say more empty words. “It’s not that bad, Shirley, cheer up.” “The Lord must have been looking out for you, Shirley.” To that she’d want to reply, “Really? Why didn’t He protect my face then?” The unspoken reply would be because she was being punished for her rebellion.
Well, she decided, she wouldn’t go to the services. No matter what Daett said. He couldn’t make her go. What could he do? Carry her out to the buggy like she was a bobbli ? Shirley gave a wild laugh at the thought. What a sight that would be.
Naomi cleared her throat at the kitchen doorway. “Are you okay, Shirley?”
“ Yah .” The lie slipped out of her mouth easily.
“You sounded…weird.” Naomi came in slowly. “All that banging and slamming…and that laugh.”
“I’m fine.” Shirley set her face into neutral lines. “I’m perfectly fine. I was just thinking of going out tonight.”
“With Jonas?” Incredulity filled Naomi’s voice. “Will he have you again?”
“I see you know the truth. No, I’m sure he won’t.” Shirley grabbed the potato masher with vigor.
“Well, whether it’s Jonas or someone else, I hope someone says the right thing to you. You snap at everyone. You just aren’t yourself anymore. Frankly, you’ve become a terror to the whole family.”
Shirley mashed the boiled potatoes with both hands on the masher. “Like I could care. I have to live with these awful scars, and you have to live with me. Get used to it.”
Naomi turned to look out the window at the sound of a car approaching on the gravel driveway. “There’s Jonas now. Maybe he can say the right thing.”
“Jonas?” Shirley froze. “Send him away, Naomi.”
“I’ll do no such thing.” Naomi didn’t move. “I’m having nothing further to do with this. Someone else can answer the door.”
Tears stung in Shirley’s eyes as she made a dash for the upstairs door. One of her siblings could deal with Jonas. Maybe Daett would if he noticed Jonas’s presence from where he was finishing chores in the barn. Mamm was in the basement, so she wouldn’t even notice Jonas’s arrival.
From her room upstairs, Shirley peeked past the dark drapes. Jonas came up the sidewalk with his head bowed. He looked burdened about something. She couldn’t imagine what. He still had everything going for him. Why Jonas kept up his visits was beyond her.
Shirley glanced downward as the cellar door opened to the outside, and Mamm came out to meet Jonas. So Mamm had noticed his arrival. She had a warm smile on her face as she shook Jonas’s hand.
Mamm motioned toward the house and Jonas nodded. Moments later Mamm disappeared under the porch roof while Jonas still stood in the
She didn’t trust Jonas to speak the truth either. He hadn’t seen her yet with the bandages off, although he’d stopped by again thisweek. She was glad he felt responsible for her—enough to make sure that the hospital bills were paid and to drop by. She refused to see him though. The Beachy family had seen to it that she was given the best of medical care. She had an appointment with a plastic surgeon next week, but there was only so much that could be done. She was scarred now and would always be. There was no reason to pretend otherwise. And Jonas would never care for her like he had before. It wasn’t possible. The truth was plain enough in his eyes. And she didn’t blame him one bit. From the beginning she’d been drawn to his money and he’d loved her beauty.
Shirley rattled the pots and pans in the lower cupboard as she pulled out the one she wanted. Naomi would be in soon to help with the vegetables. Shirley would rather have worked alone, which wasn’t possible if she wanted to have supper on the table in time.
As she banged the pot down on the counter, Shirley thought of this coming Sunday. She would have to attend the church service. Daett would make sure of that. And then all those people who knew her so well would see her face and say more empty words. “It’s not that bad, Shirley, cheer up.” “The Lord must have been looking out for you, Shirley.” To that she’d want to reply, “Really? Why didn’t He protect my face then?” The unspoken reply would be because she was being punished for her rebellion.
Well, she decided, she wouldn’t go to the services. No matter what Daett said. He couldn’t make her go. What could he do? Carry her out to the buggy like she was a bobbli ? Shirley gave a wild laugh at the thought. What a sight that would be.
Naomi cleared her throat at the kitchen doorway. “Are you okay, Shirley?”
“ Yah .” The lie slipped out of her mouth easily.
“You sounded…weird.” Naomi came in slowly. “All that banging and slamming…and that laugh.”
“I’m fine.” Shirley set her face into neutral lines. “I’m perfectly fine. I was just thinking of going out tonight.”
“With Jonas?” Incredulity filled Naomi’s voice. “Will he have you again?”
“I see you know the truth. No, I’m sure he won’t.” Shirley grabbed the potato masher with vigor.
“Well, whether it’s Jonas or someone else, I hope someone says the right thing to you. You snap at everyone. You just aren’t yourself anymore. Frankly, you’ve become a terror to the whole family.”
Shirley mashed the boiled potatoes with both hands on the masher. “Like I could care. I have to live with these awful scars, and you have to live with me. Get used to it.”
Naomi turned to look out the window at the sound of a car approaching on the gravel driveway. “There’s Jonas now. Maybe he can say the right thing.”
“Jonas?” Shirley froze. “Send him away, Naomi.”
“I’ll do no such thing.” Naomi didn’t move. “I’m having nothing further to do with this. Someone else can answer the door.”
Tears stung in Shirley’s eyes as she made a dash for the upstairs door. One of her siblings could deal with Jonas. Maybe Daett would if he noticed Jonas’s presence from where he was finishing chores in the barn. Mamm was in the basement, so she wouldn’t even notice Jonas’s arrival.
From her room upstairs, Shirley peeked past the dark drapes. Jonas came up the sidewalk with his head bowed. He looked burdened about something. She couldn’t imagine what. He still had everything going for him. Why Jonas kept up his visits was beyond her.
Shirley glanced downward as the cellar door opened to the outside, and Mamm came out to meet Jonas. So Mamm had noticed his arrival. She had a warm smile on her face as she shook Jonas’s hand.
Mamm motioned toward the house and Jonas nodded. Moments later Mamm disappeared under the porch roof while Jonas still stood in the
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