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Synopsis
In the picturesque Amish community of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, life's detours may prove the path to true happiness . . .
After a buggy accident when she was a teenager, Anna Flaud was told she would never walk again. Unwilling to be an object of pity, she put aside her dreams of marriage and found purpose as an assistant at a Community Care Center. Now she has a chance to fulfill her dearest wish—motherhood—and adopt three siblings with special needs. Yet the opportunity comes with a condition Anna isn't sure she can meet: finding a husband.
Levi King began working at the center as penance after a careless mistake led to tragedy. Though he's dealing with his own heartbreak, he's drawn to Anna, cheering her on as she strives to regain her mobility. Her quiet determination, her generous heart—these are qualities to cherish in a wife. Still, Anna's plans give him pause. Given his past, Levi hardly trusts himself to care for one child, let alone three. Yet together, perhaps they could forge a family made sturdier by all they've overcome . . .
After a buggy accident when she was a teenager, Anna Flaud was told she would never walk again. Unwilling to be an object of pity, she put aside her dreams of marriage and found purpose as an assistant at a Community Care Center. Now she has a chance to fulfill her dearest wish—motherhood—and adopt three siblings with special needs. Yet the opportunity comes with a condition Anna isn't sure she can meet: finding a husband.
Levi King began working at the center as penance after a careless mistake led to tragedy. Though he's dealing with his own heartbreak, he's drawn to Anna, cheering her on as she strives to regain her mobility. Her quiet determination, her generous heart—these are qualities to cherish in a wife. Still, Anna's plans give him pause. Given his past, Levi hardly trusts himself to care for one child, let alone three. Yet together, perhaps they could forge a family made sturdier by all they've overcome . . .
Release date: December 1, 2020
Publisher: Zebra Books
Print pages: 294
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His Accidental Amish Family
Rachel J. Good
Anna Flaud wheeled herself down the ramp and to the mailbox out front. The spring sunshine warmed her body but not her heart. Purple crocuses and yellow jonquils lined the walkway. In the flower beds, small green shoots fought for room beside spindly tendrils of onion grass. On days like this, Mamm would be tending her plants, but now weeds sprouted everywhere. The garden missed Mamm’s loving attention as much as Anna did.
She still couldn’t believe Mamm was gone. Each day of the past three months had been harder than the one before.
Blinking back the moisture blurring her vision, Anna tugged the mailbox open. A pale blue envelope peeked out from between bills and circulars. Anna pulled out the mail, set the blue envelope on top of the others, and shut the box. Her cousin Emily used that color stationery, and the return address of Ronks, PA, confirmed she’d sent this one. Anna hoped Emily’s newsy letter would cheer her.
Anna rolled herself back to the lonely house. How she missed Mamm humming as she stirred soup on the stove. After fixing a ham and cheese sandwich, Anna pulled herself up to her spot at the table. If she avoided looking at the empty chair, she could pretend Mamm had joined her. Mamm loved hearing Emily’s updates on the family.
This letter wasn’t Emily’s usual circle letter. The relatives all took turns adding a new page or two before sending the thick envelope on to the next recipient. When Emily came for Mamm’s funeral, Anna had asked her to keep an eye on one special person in her town. Would Emily’s report be good or bad?
With trembling fingers, Anna opened the letter and withdrew the single sheet of paper inside.
Anna wasn’t ready to live in her onkel’s busy household. They always had several foster children in addition to Emily’s three younger siblings. Although the house here seemed much too silent without Mamm, Anna preferred peace and quiet. If she were honest, she had a different reason for wanting to avoid her onkel’s home.
Emily’s older sisters had new babies, and Anna’s aenti often fostered infants. Being around them reminded Anna that she’d never have children of her own. The accident that had landed her in the wheelchair had taken that from her.
An ache blossomed inside. To force her mind away from her grief, Anna returned to the letter.
Anna leaned back in her chair. She’d have some privacy in the dawdi haus, but she’d also have family nearby when she grew lonely. And the one-story house had been adapted for Mammi after rheumatoid arthritis confined her to a wheelchair. But staying there would also remind Anna of the grandmother she’d lost several months before her mamm.
It might also bring her closer to her dream, depending on what her cousin had discovered. Emily had a friend in the nearby Bird-in Hand g’may who’d promised to report on Anna’s questions. She braced herself in case the information dashed her dreams.
Did that mean he truly did intend to keep his promise? She’d worried that after all this time, he’d have forgotten her and found someone else. If she moved to Ronks, she’d be near him.
Anna pushed aside the doubts that often plagued her. All that time and he was still faithful? Could it be he was God’s will for her future?
Emily continued:
Only her cousin knew of Anna’s secret promise—the reason why she’d been working so hard at rehab the past seven years. Why she needed to continue her rehab.
Emily’s closing lines tugged at Anna’s heart.
Being around her cousin would be fun. Anna wasn’t so sure about the rest. For all these years, she tried not to dream because he could fall for someone else. Someone who could help him on the farm. Someone who could give him children.
He’d agreed to wait for her answer. It seemed as if he was still waiting. If so, she needed to let him know soon. And she could only do that when she could walk.
Anna sorted the rest of the mail, tossing the Englisch circulars and ads into the trash and gathering the bills into a tidy pile to pay. She placed those and the Die Botschaft on the desk in the kitchen. If only she could go through the mail now, but she had a little redding up to do before Nancy arrived. She’d already cleaned earlier today, but she wanted the house spotless.
Although Nancy had been her best friend since their buddy bunch days, when they’d taken baptismal classes together, Anna dreaded seeing her. On Sunday, though, Nancy had said she had news to share. Anna couldn’t refuse her request to get together.
She’d finished her cleaning and was pulling a pan of brownies from the oven when Nancy knocked. Stomach in knots, Anna wheeled herself to the door to find her friend standing on the porch with a baby in her arms and a three-year-old clinging to her apron.
Nancy shifted the baby to one arm and bent to give Anna a one-armed hug and a poor-you smile. “Vi bisht du?” The pitch of her voice when she asked how Anna was sounded like an adult talking to a toddler.
Anna struggled to keep from mimicking Nancy’s tone. “Come into the kitchen. I just made some brownies.” She led the way and headed over to cut the brownies on the low counter her daed had installed.
Nancy plopped Katie on the bench and scurried over. “Ach, let me help you with that.”
Anna waved her away. “I can do it.”
Nancy shifted from one foot to the other as if wishing she could snatch the knife from Anna’s hands. “Are you sure?”
Rather than pointing out that she’d managed to cut most of it already, she tipped her head toward the table. “Maybe you should check Katie.” Nancy’s daughter had wriggled partway off the seat and dangled over the edge.
While Nancy rushed over to rescue Katie, Anna padded her lap with a thick dish towel, set the brownies on it, and wheeled over to the table. She’d set plates and silverware out earlier, so Nancy wouldn’t feel obligated to help.
“You said you had some exciting news?” Anna said as she passed around the brownies.
“You’re the first one to know, except for John, of course.”
“Of course.” Anna certainly wouldn’t have expected to know before Nancy’s husband.
Leaning closer so Katie couldn’t hear, Nancy whispered, “I’m having another baby. Being so soon after this one”—Nancy jiggled her four-month-old son in her arms—“it was a surprise, but we’re both delighted.”
“Th—that’s wunderbar.” Anna tried to infuse cheer into her voice, but her eyes stung.
“Ach, Anna. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just that I can’t tell many people, and you’re my best friend. . . .”
Anna had never told anyone, except her parents, she couldn’t have children, so Nancy had no idea of the pain she’d inflicted.
Nancy set a hand on Anna’s arm. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about you not being able to marry and have—”
Anna waved to interrupt before Nancy said children, a word that would pierce Anna’s heart. “Actually, I have news too. I’m moving to the Bird-in-Hand area because I’m planning to get married.” If he even remembers me. If he still plans to honor his promise. If he . . . She pushed away her doubts. Emily had given her hope. She needed to cling to that.
“Oh, Anna, I’m so happy for you.” Nancy leaned over again to envelop her in another brief hug. Then she pulled back and fixed Anna with a searching gaze. “Wait. Bird-in-Hand? Near Lancaster? Isn’t that where—?”
“Jah, it is.” Anna tried not to squirm under Nancy’s scrutiny. She didn’t want her friend to know how tenuous her plans were. “I’ll be sure to invite you to the wedding.” If there is one. No more ifs. She needed to take her future into her own hands.
The sooner she got to Bird-in-Hand, the faster she could do that, and the happier she’d be.
Levi King took his brother’s hand and helped Jonah into the Community Care Center on Saturday morning. They stopped by the wall charts hanging in the hall to review his activities for the day.
“Can you show me which is your chart?” Levi asked.
His twelve-year-old brother ran a finger over the names at the top of each chart. He slid right past his own name.
Levi stopped him. “Wait a minute. Did you see ‘Jonah’ in that row?”
His face creased in puzzlement, Jonah turned in his slow, ponderous way to look at Levi. “Jonah is here.” After pointing to his chest, he glanced behind him. “Not in a row.”
Suppressing a sigh as well as his guilt, Levi waved a hand toward the papers on the wall. He should have phrased his question more precisely. Jonah took everything literally. “Do you see your name on any papers on this wall?”
Jonah squinted at the section Levi indicated. “Nooo . . .”
“How about here?”
His brother’s face lit up. “Yes.”
“Let’s read your activities for the day.” Levi slid a finger along under each word as he read aloud, hoping Jonah might recognize some of them.
When Levi pointed to the words in the first box for the morning, Jonah brightened. “Craft room,” he echoed after Levi said it twice.
Jonah bounced on his toes but stretched out a hand and pressed his palm to the wall to maintain his balance. Levi’s stomach clenched as it did whenever he watched his brother struggle. This was all his fault. If he hadn’t . . .
Cutting off those thoughts, he concentrated on the daily plan. He read the other blocks in order. Not that Jonah would remember, but an aide would keep him on track throughout the day while Levi worked. In fact, he needed to get his brother settled so he could attend to his own schedule.
“Let’s go to the craft room now,” Levi suggested, and Jonah shuffled down the hall beside him, mumbling “craft room” in a low, excited voice.
Once Jonah had greeted the aide, he lowered himself onto a chair, and the Mennonite volunteer explained they were tearing newspaper into strips to stuff into waterproof tarps stitched together to make mattresses for the homeless.
Levi had volunteered to deliver the completed mattresses to the Tabitha Truck, a mobile mission that fed and assisted the homeless. He loved that his brother was part of this project to help others. Levi tamped down the thought that if it hadn’t been for his mistakes, his brother could be doing so much more to assist the community.
After Jonah began awkwardly, but enthusiastically, tearing pages, Levi smiled at the aide, patted Jonah’s shoulder, and headed for his own list of appointments.
Saturdays were usually busy. Not much time to fit in all those who needed exercise plans. Hmm, a new name on his list. Anna Flaud. She’d be coming at one o’clock. Right after Jonah’s lunch. With his packed schedule, Levi barely had time to breathe, let alone find out more about the new girl on his list.
At lunchtime, he joined his brother to help him with small motor tasks. Levi peeled up a small corner of foil on the yogurt container and then encouraged Jonah to pull it off. Levi kept a firm hand on the bottom to prevent Jonah’s hard, clumsy tugs from sending yogurt splashing across the table. When he succeeded in opening it, Jonah beamed up at him.
“Good job,” Levi said with a genuine smile, but inside he railed, Why, God? Why does Jonah have to pay for my carelessness? Although both of his parents had accepted the accident as God’s will for their son, Levi never stopped questioning. Mainly because he’d been responsible.
He concentrated on wiping the yogurt smeared on his brother’s face and mopping up spills. Questioning God was not the Amish way. Everyone else around him seemed to take the changes and challenges in stride, but shame and self-reproach festered inside Levi, burning a hole in his gut. No matter how hard he tried to compensate for his childhood mistake, he could never erase the consequences.
Concentrate on your brother instead of wallowing in your guilt, a small voice whispered. And Levi jerked his attention back to Jonah.
Despite hurrying his brother along, by the time they finished lunch and Jonah went off with his aide, Levi was a minute late for his one o’clock appointment. He rushed into the room to find a pretty, dark-haired young woman facing the door and skidded to a stop.
Readjusting his mental picture of a small girl, he tried to sound professional rather than breathless. “Anna? I’m Levi King. Sorry I’m late.”
Her tinkling laughter did strange things to his insides.
She gestured to the battery-powered clock over the doorway. “One minute? I wouldn’t consider that late.”
“I usually try to arrive before the children do. I mean, you’re not a child, but . . .” Heat rose from under his collar and splashed onto his face.
A pretty shade of pink colored her cheeks. “Is the center only for children? I thought my cousin said—”
“No, no,” he hastened to assure her. “We welcome both adults and children.” Adults usually came during the weekdays, though, when the children were in school.
Her slow exhale sounded uncertain. “You’re sure?”
“Jah. We help all ages.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know why, but when I read your name on the schedule, I pictured a six-year-old. But you’re definitely not six. I mean—” Levi stopped before he blurted out she’d been a pleasant surprise.
Her bell-like laughter interrupted the awkward pause. “I can act like I’m six if you want.”
“Neh, neh. I’m happy to have you act your age.” Get a grip, Levi. You’re making a fool of yourself.
Dimples peeked out from her cheeks. “You expect me to act twenty-four? I’m not sure that’s possible. Mamm always said . . .”
A glimmer of tears drew his attention to her brown eyes. “Are you all right?”
“It’s just that Mamm passed four months ago. I still miss her.”
“Of course.” His mother had been gone for several years, but the pain remained fresh. “Maybe we should get started.”
Blinking back the moisture in her eyes, she nodded.
Forcing his attention to the equipment instead of her lovely face, Levi gestured toward the corner of the room. “If you back your wheelchair between those bars so you’re facing me, we can work on upper-body strength.”
“Neh, I want to learn to walk.”
“Walk?” Levi stood there stunned.
“In rehab, I managed to stand at my last session. I want to keep going. I have to move ahead because, well”—she pressed her lips together—“just because.”
The steel in her voice revealed she had a strong motive. One she didn’t feel comfortable sharing.
“The doctors told my parents I’d be bedridden all my life.” Anna waved a hand toward her wheelchair. “I’ve already proved them wrong. They never believed I could walk, but I will. I have to.” Desperation underlay her final words.
Levi wanted to ask why, but they’d already frittered away five minutes of her session. “To walk, you’ll need upper-body strength to support you on crutches.” At least he assumed she planned to use them. “Why don’t we do some of those exercises first, then we’ll work on standing?”
“Not standing. Walking.”
“All in good time. It’s a large transition. We can take it slowly.”
Besides, he wasn’t a trained therapist. Being Amish, he couldn’t be licensed. Jah, he’d worked as a physical therapy volunteer in a hospital for five years after he turned sixteen. He wasn’t allowed to have hands-on contact with the patients, but he observed everything they did. And he still read and studied techniques. He also asked the licensed Mennonite therapists who worked here for suggestions.
“You don’t understand. I need to walk now,” Anna said in a firm voice. “Right away.”
The last thing Levi wanted to do was discourage her, but he needed to be realistic. No sense in contradicting her, though. He pinched his mouth shut. She’d discover the truth soon enough.
Anna didn’t want to act disagreeable at her first appointment, but she needed him to understand how important walking was to her. When he turned his charming smile her way, some of her fight dissipated.
She’d start the session doing things his way, so he didn’t think she was uncooperative. Or a troublesome six-year-old. A smile played around her lips, and she almost shared her thoughts with Levi.
He waited while she crossed the floor. “Let’s see what you can do without my help.”
She’d already done a lot of upper-body exercises. Once she’d finished those, she’d get him to discuss walking rather than standing.
To show him she was used to the equipment, she rolled over and wheeled around quickly. Clang! Her handle bumped into a metal bar.
“It’s all right,” he soothed.
Anna’s cheeks burned. So much for impressing him with her competence. “Ach, I thought I had more room.” Did that sound like she was making excuses?
“You’ll get used to the layout.”
She hoped so. Maneuvering more carefully, she completed the turn and backed into place.
Levi’s smile broadened. “See, you did it.”
Of course, she had. Getting into position hadn’t been that difficult. Maybe he was used to encouraging children. Actually, if she hadn’t been concentrating so much on him and on showing off, she’d never have misjudged the space she had to turn.
Levi gestured toward the metal bar just overhead. “Why don’t you start by pushing this bar up and down?”
Anna bit back her impatience. She’d done exercises like this before. She wanted to move ahead as rapidly as possible. She did as he asked and also lifted the additional weights he added. Then she did armchair push-ups. She waited until ten minutes into the session before saying, “Can we work on walking now?”
Levi’s brows drew together. “I’m not sure . . .”
“I am.” He might not be ready, but Anna definitely was. “The whole reason I’m coming here is to get back on my feet.”
“I understand.”
His attempt to placate her only increased Anna’s frustration. She had to get him to realize the urgency. “You promised we could devote some of the session to walking.” He hadn’t said that exactly.
“You’re really determined, aren’t you?”
“Very determined,” she replied.
Was that a gleam of admiration in his eyes or only a trick of the light? Anna couldn’t be certain.
A small hiss that might have been frustration vibrated his lips.
She hadn’t come all this way, moved from her childhood home, and scheduled these rehab sessions to be deterred from her goal. “Please?”
His resigned look signaled she’d won this skirmish. “You stood at your last session?”
“Jah.” Only for a shaky second, but surely that counted.
“Why don’t you show me?” He bent, flipped up the footrests on her wheelchair, and stepped back.
All the cockiness drained from her, and a wave of fear flashed through her. What if she couldn’t do it again?
She gripped the chair arms. Her muscles, exhausted from exercise, refused to work.
“Take your time.” Levi’s calm voice penetrated her panic. “It’s a huge step. Let go of the chair for a minute and flex your fingers.”
Anna uncurled her hands. Wriggling her fingers eased some of the tension.
His voice light and teasing, Levi suggested, “You might also try breathing.”
Laughter bubbled up and burst from Anna’s throat. Then she inhaled a deep breath and glanced up. A big mistake.
His eyes expressed approval, and his smile radiated encouragement. Anna ducked her head and pretended to study the floor in front of her. Never before had she had such an odd reaction.
“You might also want to shake out your arms. Release some stiffness in your muscles.”
Anna obeyed.
“How about some head circles?”
Until he said it, she hadn’t realized her neck had cramped. So had her jaw. Levi seemed to know every spot in her body that held anxiety. Well, except for her insides.
“Ready now?” he asked.
Not really. A lot of her courage had leaked out as she released her tension.
“Take your time,” he advised.
Once again, she curled her fingers over the arm of the wheelchair. She clutched hard and pressed upward to lift her body from the seat. Inch by inch, she raised herself, arm muscles quivering.
“That’s it. You’re doing fine.”
Levi’s reassurance increased her determination.
Anna pushed harder. Almost upright. She struggled to lift herself a little higher. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed her body to cooperate. Once her legs dangled in position, she lowered herself a few inches on wobbly arms until her feet touched the floor.
Concern flashed across Levi’s face. He held his arms out to catch her if she pitched forward, but he didn’t touch her. She appreciated him being there after her arm muscles gave out. Rather than falling into his arms, though, she collapsed back into the chair, her forehead and the nape of her neck damp.
“That was amazing.” Levi’s proud smile warmed her, but it couldn’t take away the sting of her failure.
How long would it take to stand, to take steps, to walk, to reach her goal? How much longer would Gabe wait for an answer?
It took all of Levi’s willpower to remain in place while Anna struggled to stand on her own. He could reach out to support her, help her to her feet, hold her up. But she needed to do it on her own. He wished he understood the driving force behind her insistence. He admired her persistence, though.
Anna slumped in the wheelchair as if most of her confidence and energy had seeped away.
“Getting to a standing position is difficult. And you did it.” Levi wanted to cheer her up. “It’s natural to feel tired.”
With a grimace, she pushed herself upright. “I’m not tired. Well, maybe a little.” She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “I’m ready.”
“For what?”
“To do it again.”
Evidently, nothing would stop her from succeeding.
“Why don’t you rest awhile first?”
“I can do it.” Anna’s tone brooked no argument.
Even though Levi had given in a few minutes ago, he was supposed to decide the timing and exercises. Anna had a strong personality, and she might not like it, but he needed to take the lead in their sessions.
“I don’t want you to overtax your muscles. They need a chance to recover.”
Anna shot him a glare, then softened it. Her eyes sparkled, making her even more attractive. The overhead lights glinted on the glossy brown hair exposed by her kapp, and Levi had an unexpected urge to reach out and brush back the two damp curls on her forehead. He thrust his hands in his pockets. Time to concentrate on exercises. “Let’s do a few cooldowns.”
“I don’t want to cool down. I want to stand again.”
“Do you want to be stiff and sore tomorrow?”
“Neh, but if I don’t keep going, I’ll be in worse pain.”
“What?” That didn’t make sense.
“It’s just that I . . . Never mind.” Anna turned her head away. “I didn’t mean physical pain.”
Were those tears in her eyes? What kind of pain was she talking about? And why did she so desperately want—or need—to walk? This seemed much more than the usual desire to recover. He wished he could ask, but they were still strangers. Perhaps once she got to know him, she’d confide her secret.
Anna wanted to power through another try, but with her muscles tight and strained, her nerves taut and shaky, her arms heavy and useless, she struggled to prepare herself. This shouldn’t be so difficult. During the day, she lifted herself into bed and onto chairs. She had to push herself up much higher to stand. Yet, the minute she decided to push herself up, her body rebelled, her muscles weakened, and her brain refused to cooperate.
Maybe if she rested a bit as Levi had suggested, she could try again. Stand longer. Show him she was ready to walk.
First, she had to gather more strength. She let Levi talk her through the cooldown, and the gentle stretching relieved some of the stiffness and aching. But the more she was around him, the more he drew her interest. If only he had cooldown exercises for her nerves.
They finished five minutes before her session ended. Enough time for one more try. She planned to make one more attempt. Even if she failed.
With a smile, Levi asked, “Would you like to—”
Before he could suggest more cooldown exercises, Anna burst out, “I want to stand one more time.” As soon as she said the words, her stomach fluttered as doubts surfaced. What if she collapsed again?
“We didn’t set up your future sessions yet.”
Was he trying to distract her? If so, he was doing a good job of it with his caring eyes and sincere smile.
With the exception of the members of her g’may, who’d known her for years, few stra. . .
She still couldn’t believe Mamm was gone. Each day of the past three months had been harder than the one before.
Blinking back the moisture blurring her vision, Anna tugged the mailbox open. A pale blue envelope peeked out from between bills and circulars. Anna pulled out the mail, set the blue envelope on top of the others, and shut the box. Her cousin Emily used that color stationery, and the return address of Ronks, PA, confirmed she’d sent this one. Anna hoped Emily’s newsy letter would cheer her.
Anna rolled herself back to the lonely house. How she missed Mamm humming as she stirred soup on the stove. After fixing a ham and cheese sandwich, Anna pulled herself up to her spot at the table. If she avoided looking at the empty chair, she could pretend Mamm had joined her. Mamm loved hearing Emily’s updates on the family.
This letter wasn’t Emily’s usual circle letter. The relatives all took turns adding a new page or two before sending the thick envelope on to the next recipient. When Emily came for Mamm’s funeral, Anna had asked her to keep an eye on one special person in her town. Would Emily’s report be good or bad?
With trembling fingers, Anna opened the letter and withdrew the single sheet of paper inside.
Anna wasn’t ready to live in her onkel’s busy household. They always had several foster children in addition to Emily’s three younger siblings. Although the house here seemed much too silent without Mamm, Anna preferred peace and quiet. If she were honest, she had a different reason for wanting to avoid her onkel’s home.
Emily’s older sisters had new babies, and Anna’s aenti often fostered infants. Being around them reminded Anna that she’d never have children of her own. The accident that had landed her in the wheelchair had taken that from her.
An ache blossomed inside. To force her mind away from her grief, Anna returned to the letter.
Anna leaned back in her chair. She’d have some privacy in the dawdi haus, but she’d also have family nearby when she grew lonely. And the one-story house had been adapted for Mammi after rheumatoid arthritis confined her to a wheelchair. But staying there would also remind Anna of the grandmother she’d lost several months before her mamm.
It might also bring her closer to her dream, depending on what her cousin had discovered. Emily had a friend in the nearby Bird-in Hand g’may who’d promised to report on Anna’s questions. She braced herself in case the information dashed her dreams.
Did that mean he truly did intend to keep his promise? She’d worried that after all this time, he’d have forgotten her and found someone else. If she moved to Ronks, she’d be near him.
Anna pushed aside the doubts that often plagued her. All that time and he was still faithful? Could it be he was God’s will for her future?
Emily continued:
Only her cousin knew of Anna’s secret promise—the reason why she’d been working so hard at rehab the past seven years. Why she needed to continue her rehab.
Emily’s closing lines tugged at Anna’s heart.
Being around her cousin would be fun. Anna wasn’t so sure about the rest. For all these years, she tried not to dream because he could fall for someone else. Someone who could help him on the farm. Someone who could give him children.
He’d agreed to wait for her answer. It seemed as if he was still waiting. If so, she needed to let him know soon. And she could only do that when she could walk.
Anna sorted the rest of the mail, tossing the Englisch circulars and ads into the trash and gathering the bills into a tidy pile to pay. She placed those and the Die Botschaft on the desk in the kitchen. If only she could go through the mail now, but she had a little redding up to do before Nancy arrived. She’d already cleaned earlier today, but she wanted the house spotless.
Although Nancy had been her best friend since their buddy bunch days, when they’d taken baptismal classes together, Anna dreaded seeing her. On Sunday, though, Nancy had said she had news to share. Anna couldn’t refuse her request to get together.
She’d finished her cleaning and was pulling a pan of brownies from the oven when Nancy knocked. Stomach in knots, Anna wheeled herself to the door to find her friend standing on the porch with a baby in her arms and a three-year-old clinging to her apron.
Nancy shifted the baby to one arm and bent to give Anna a one-armed hug and a poor-you smile. “Vi bisht du?” The pitch of her voice when she asked how Anna was sounded like an adult talking to a toddler.
Anna struggled to keep from mimicking Nancy’s tone. “Come into the kitchen. I just made some brownies.” She led the way and headed over to cut the brownies on the low counter her daed had installed.
Nancy plopped Katie on the bench and scurried over. “Ach, let me help you with that.”
Anna waved her away. “I can do it.”
Nancy shifted from one foot to the other as if wishing she could snatch the knife from Anna’s hands. “Are you sure?”
Rather than pointing out that she’d managed to cut most of it already, she tipped her head toward the table. “Maybe you should check Katie.” Nancy’s daughter had wriggled partway off the seat and dangled over the edge.
While Nancy rushed over to rescue Katie, Anna padded her lap with a thick dish towel, set the brownies on it, and wheeled over to the table. She’d set plates and silverware out earlier, so Nancy wouldn’t feel obligated to help.
“You said you had some exciting news?” Anna said as she passed around the brownies.
“You’re the first one to know, except for John, of course.”
“Of course.” Anna certainly wouldn’t have expected to know before Nancy’s husband.
Leaning closer so Katie couldn’t hear, Nancy whispered, “I’m having another baby. Being so soon after this one”—Nancy jiggled her four-month-old son in her arms—“it was a surprise, but we’re both delighted.”
“Th—that’s wunderbar.” Anna tried to infuse cheer into her voice, but her eyes stung.
“Ach, Anna. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just that I can’t tell many people, and you’re my best friend. . . .”
Anna had never told anyone, except her parents, she couldn’t have children, so Nancy had no idea of the pain she’d inflicted.
Nancy set a hand on Anna’s arm. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about you not being able to marry and have—”
Anna waved to interrupt before Nancy said children, a word that would pierce Anna’s heart. “Actually, I have news too. I’m moving to the Bird-in-Hand area because I’m planning to get married.” If he even remembers me. If he still plans to honor his promise. If he . . . She pushed away her doubts. Emily had given her hope. She needed to cling to that.
“Oh, Anna, I’m so happy for you.” Nancy leaned over again to envelop her in another brief hug. Then she pulled back and fixed Anna with a searching gaze. “Wait. Bird-in-Hand? Near Lancaster? Isn’t that where—?”
“Jah, it is.” Anna tried not to squirm under Nancy’s scrutiny. She didn’t want her friend to know how tenuous her plans were. “I’ll be sure to invite you to the wedding.” If there is one. No more ifs. She needed to take her future into her own hands.
The sooner she got to Bird-in-Hand, the faster she could do that, and the happier she’d be.
Levi King took his brother’s hand and helped Jonah into the Community Care Center on Saturday morning. They stopped by the wall charts hanging in the hall to review his activities for the day.
“Can you show me which is your chart?” Levi asked.
His twelve-year-old brother ran a finger over the names at the top of each chart. He slid right past his own name.
Levi stopped him. “Wait a minute. Did you see ‘Jonah’ in that row?”
His face creased in puzzlement, Jonah turned in his slow, ponderous way to look at Levi. “Jonah is here.” After pointing to his chest, he glanced behind him. “Not in a row.”
Suppressing a sigh as well as his guilt, Levi waved a hand toward the papers on the wall. He should have phrased his question more precisely. Jonah took everything literally. “Do you see your name on any papers on this wall?”
Jonah squinted at the section Levi indicated. “Nooo . . .”
“How about here?”
His brother’s face lit up. “Yes.”
“Let’s read your activities for the day.” Levi slid a finger along under each word as he read aloud, hoping Jonah might recognize some of them.
When Levi pointed to the words in the first box for the morning, Jonah brightened. “Craft room,” he echoed after Levi said it twice.
Jonah bounced on his toes but stretched out a hand and pressed his palm to the wall to maintain his balance. Levi’s stomach clenched as it did whenever he watched his brother struggle. This was all his fault. If he hadn’t . . .
Cutting off those thoughts, he concentrated on the daily plan. He read the other blocks in order. Not that Jonah would remember, but an aide would keep him on track throughout the day while Levi worked. In fact, he needed to get his brother settled so he could attend to his own schedule.
“Let’s go to the craft room now,” Levi suggested, and Jonah shuffled down the hall beside him, mumbling “craft room” in a low, excited voice.
Once Jonah had greeted the aide, he lowered himself onto a chair, and the Mennonite volunteer explained they were tearing newspaper into strips to stuff into waterproof tarps stitched together to make mattresses for the homeless.
Levi had volunteered to deliver the completed mattresses to the Tabitha Truck, a mobile mission that fed and assisted the homeless. He loved that his brother was part of this project to help others. Levi tamped down the thought that if it hadn’t been for his mistakes, his brother could be doing so much more to assist the community.
After Jonah began awkwardly, but enthusiastically, tearing pages, Levi smiled at the aide, patted Jonah’s shoulder, and headed for his own list of appointments.
Saturdays were usually busy. Not much time to fit in all those who needed exercise plans. Hmm, a new name on his list. Anna Flaud. She’d be coming at one o’clock. Right after Jonah’s lunch. With his packed schedule, Levi barely had time to breathe, let alone find out more about the new girl on his list.
At lunchtime, he joined his brother to help him with small motor tasks. Levi peeled up a small corner of foil on the yogurt container and then encouraged Jonah to pull it off. Levi kept a firm hand on the bottom to prevent Jonah’s hard, clumsy tugs from sending yogurt splashing across the table. When he succeeded in opening it, Jonah beamed up at him.
“Good job,” Levi said with a genuine smile, but inside he railed, Why, God? Why does Jonah have to pay for my carelessness? Although both of his parents had accepted the accident as God’s will for their son, Levi never stopped questioning. Mainly because he’d been responsible.
He concentrated on wiping the yogurt smeared on his brother’s face and mopping up spills. Questioning God was not the Amish way. Everyone else around him seemed to take the changes and challenges in stride, but shame and self-reproach festered inside Levi, burning a hole in his gut. No matter how hard he tried to compensate for his childhood mistake, he could never erase the consequences.
Concentrate on your brother instead of wallowing in your guilt, a small voice whispered. And Levi jerked his attention back to Jonah.
Despite hurrying his brother along, by the time they finished lunch and Jonah went off with his aide, Levi was a minute late for his one o’clock appointment. He rushed into the room to find a pretty, dark-haired young woman facing the door and skidded to a stop.
Readjusting his mental picture of a small girl, he tried to sound professional rather than breathless. “Anna? I’m Levi King. Sorry I’m late.”
Her tinkling laughter did strange things to his insides.
She gestured to the battery-powered clock over the doorway. “One minute? I wouldn’t consider that late.”
“I usually try to arrive before the children do. I mean, you’re not a child, but . . .” Heat rose from under his collar and splashed onto his face.
A pretty shade of pink colored her cheeks. “Is the center only for children? I thought my cousin said—”
“No, no,” he hastened to assure her. “We welcome both adults and children.” Adults usually came during the weekdays, though, when the children were in school.
Her slow exhale sounded uncertain. “You’re sure?”
“Jah. We help all ages.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know why, but when I read your name on the schedule, I pictured a six-year-old. But you’re definitely not six. I mean—” Levi stopped before he blurted out she’d been a pleasant surprise.
Her bell-like laughter interrupted the awkward pause. “I can act like I’m six if you want.”
“Neh, neh. I’m happy to have you act your age.” Get a grip, Levi. You’re making a fool of yourself.
Dimples peeked out from her cheeks. “You expect me to act twenty-four? I’m not sure that’s possible. Mamm always said . . .”
A glimmer of tears drew his attention to her brown eyes. “Are you all right?”
“It’s just that Mamm passed four months ago. I still miss her.”
“Of course.” His mother had been gone for several years, but the pain remained fresh. “Maybe we should get started.”
Blinking back the moisture in her eyes, she nodded.
Forcing his attention to the equipment instead of her lovely face, Levi gestured toward the corner of the room. “If you back your wheelchair between those bars so you’re facing me, we can work on upper-body strength.”
“Neh, I want to learn to walk.”
“Walk?” Levi stood there stunned.
“In rehab, I managed to stand at my last session. I want to keep going. I have to move ahead because, well”—she pressed her lips together—“just because.”
The steel in her voice revealed she had a strong motive. One she didn’t feel comfortable sharing.
“The doctors told my parents I’d be bedridden all my life.” Anna waved a hand toward her wheelchair. “I’ve already proved them wrong. They never believed I could walk, but I will. I have to.” Desperation underlay her final words.
Levi wanted to ask why, but they’d already frittered away five minutes of her session. “To walk, you’ll need upper-body strength to support you on crutches.” At least he assumed she planned to use them. “Why don’t we do some of those exercises first, then we’ll work on standing?”
“Not standing. Walking.”
“All in good time. It’s a large transition. We can take it slowly.”
Besides, he wasn’t a trained therapist. Being Amish, he couldn’t be licensed. Jah, he’d worked as a physical therapy volunteer in a hospital for five years after he turned sixteen. He wasn’t allowed to have hands-on contact with the patients, but he observed everything they did. And he still read and studied techniques. He also asked the licensed Mennonite therapists who worked here for suggestions.
“You don’t understand. I need to walk now,” Anna said in a firm voice. “Right away.”
The last thing Levi wanted to do was discourage her, but he needed to be realistic. No sense in contradicting her, though. He pinched his mouth shut. She’d discover the truth soon enough.
Anna didn’t want to act disagreeable at her first appointment, but she needed him to understand how important walking was to her. When he turned his charming smile her way, some of her fight dissipated.
She’d start the session doing things his way, so he didn’t think she was uncooperative. Or a troublesome six-year-old. A smile played around her lips, and she almost shared her thoughts with Levi.
He waited while she crossed the floor. “Let’s see what you can do without my help.”
She’d already done a lot of upper-body exercises. Once she’d finished those, she’d get him to discuss walking rather than standing.
To show him she was used to the equipment, she rolled over and wheeled around quickly. Clang! Her handle bumped into a metal bar.
“It’s all right,” he soothed.
Anna’s cheeks burned. So much for impressing him with her competence. “Ach, I thought I had more room.” Did that sound like she was making excuses?
“You’ll get used to the layout.”
She hoped so. Maneuvering more carefully, she completed the turn and backed into place.
Levi’s smile broadened. “See, you did it.”
Of course, she had. Getting into position hadn’t been that difficult. Maybe he was used to encouraging children. Actually, if she hadn’t been concentrating so much on him and on showing off, she’d never have misjudged the space she had to turn.
Levi gestured toward the metal bar just overhead. “Why don’t you start by pushing this bar up and down?”
Anna bit back her impatience. She’d done exercises like this before. She wanted to move ahead as rapidly as possible. She did as he asked and also lifted the additional weights he added. Then she did armchair push-ups. She waited until ten minutes into the session before saying, “Can we work on walking now?”
Levi’s brows drew together. “I’m not sure . . .”
“I am.” He might not be ready, but Anna definitely was. “The whole reason I’m coming here is to get back on my feet.”
“I understand.”
His attempt to placate her only increased Anna’s frustration. She had to get him to realize the urgency. “You promised we could devote some of the session to walking.” He hadn’t said that exactly.
“You’re really determined, aren’t you?”
“Very determined,” she replied.
Was that a gleam of admiration in his eyes or only a trick of the light? Anna couldn’t be certain.
A small hiss that might have been frustration vibrated his lips.
She hadn’t come all this way, moved from her childhood home, and scheduled these rehab sessions to be deterred from her goal. “Please?”
His resigned look signaled she’d won this skirmish. “You stood at your last session?”
“Jah.” Only for a shaky second, but surely that counted.
“Why don’t you show me?” He bent, flipped up the footrests on her wheelchair, and stepped back.
All the cockiness drained from her, and a wave of fear flashed through her. What if she couldn’t do it again?
She gripped the chair arms. Her muscles, exhausted from exercise, refused to work.
“Take your time.” Levi’s calm voice penetrated her panic. “It’s a huge step. Let go of the chair for a minute and flex your fingers.”
Anna uncurled her hands. Wriggling her fingers eased some of the tension.
His voice light and teasing, Levi suggested, “You might also try breathing.”
Laughter bubbled up and burst from Anna’s throat. Then she inhaled a deep breath and glanced up. A big mistake.
His eyes expressed approval, and his smile radiated encouragement. Anna ducked her head and pretended to study the floor in front of her. Never before had she had such an odd reaction.
“You might also want to shake out your arms. Release some stiffness in your muscles.”
Anna obeyed.
“How about some head circles?”
Until he said it, she hadn’t realized her neck had cramped. So had her jaw. Levi seemed to know every spot in her body that held anxiety. Well, except for her insides.
“Ready now?” he asked.
Not really. A lot of her courage had leaked out as she released her tension.
“Take your time,” he advised.
Once again, she curled her fingers over the arm of the wheelchair. She clutched hard and pressed upward to lift her body from the seat. Inch by inch, she raised herself, arm muscles quivering.
“That’s it. You’re doing fine.”
Levi’s reassurance increased her determination.
Anna pushed harder. Almost upright. She struggled to lift herself a little higher. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed her body to cooperate. Once her legs dangled in position, she lowered herself a few inches on wobbly arms until her feet touched the floor.
Concern flashed across Levi’s face. He held his arms out to catch her if she pitched forward, but he didn’t touch her. She appreciated him being there after her arm muscles gave out. Rather than falling into his arms, though, she collapsed back into the chair, her forehead and the nape of her neck damp.
“That was amazing.” Levi’s proud smile warmed her, but it couldn’t take away the sting of her failure.
How long would it take to stand, to take steps, to walk, to reach her goal? How much longer would Gabe wait for an answer?
It took all of Levi’s willpower to remain in place while Anna struggled to stand on her own. He could reach out to support her, help her to her feet, hold her up. But she needed to do it on her own. He wished he understood the driving force behind her insistence. He admired her persistence, though.
Anna slumped in the wheelchair as if most of her confidence and energy had seeped away.
“Getting to a standing position is difficult. And you did it.” Levi wanted to cheer her up. “It’s natural to feel tired.”
With a grimace, she pushed herself upright. “I’m not tired. Well, maybe a little.” She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “I’m ready.”
“For what?”
“To do it again.”
Evidently, nothing would stop her from succeeding.
“Why don’t you rest awhile first?”
“I can do it.” Anna’s tone brooked no argument.
Even though Levi had given in a few minutes ago, he was supposed to decide the timing and exercises. Anna had a strong personality, and she might not like it, but he needed to take the lead in their sessions.
“I don’t want you to overtax your muscles. They need a chance to recover.”
Anna shot him a glare, then softened it. Her eyes sparkled, making her even more attractive. The overhead lights glinted on the glossy brown hair exposed by her kapp, and Levi had an unexpected urge to reach out and brush back the two damp curls on her forehead. He thrust his hands in his pockets. Time to concentrate on exercises. “Let’s do a few cooldowns.”
“I don’t want to cool down. I want to stand again.”
“Do you want to be stiff and sore tomorrow?”
“Neh, but if I don’t keep going, I’ll be in worse pain.”
“What?” That didn’t make sense.
“It’s just that I . . . Never mind.” Anna turned her head away. “I didn’t mean physical pain.”
Were those tears in her eyes? What kind of pain was she talking about? And why did she so desperately want—or need—to walk? This seemed much more than the usual desire to recover. He wished he could ask, but they were still strangers. Perhaps once she got to know him, she’d confide her secret.
Anna wanted to power through another try, but with her muscles tight and strained, her nerves taut and shaky, her arms heavy and useless, she struggled to prepare herself. This shouldn’t be so difficult. During the day, she lifted herself into bed and onto chairs. She had to push herself up much higher to stand. Yet, the minute she decided to push herself up, her body rebelled, her muscles weakened, and her brain refused to cooperate.
Maybe if she rested a bit as Levi had suggested, she could try again. Stand longer. Show him she was ready to walk.
First, she had to gather more strength. She let Levi talk her through the cooldown, and the gentle stretching relieved some of the stiffness and aching. But the more she was around him, the more he drew her interest. If only he had cooldown exercises for her nerves.
They finished five minutes before her session ended. Enough time for one more try. She planned to make one more attempt. Even if she failed.
With a smile, Levi asked, “Would you like to—”
Before he could suggest more cooldown exercises, Anna burst out, “I want to stand one more time.” As soon as she said the words, her stomach fluttered as doubts surfaced. What if she collapsed again?
“We didn’t set up your future sessions yet.”
Was he trying to distract her? If so, he was doing a good job of it with his caring eyes and sincere smile.
With the exception of the members of her g’may, who’d known her for years, few stra. . .
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His Accidental Amish Family
Rachel J. Good
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