The Amish Matchmakers by Beth Wiseman

Author:Beth Wiseman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2023-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

12

Esther awoke to Lizzie sitting on her bed and shaking her. “Esther, wake up.”

Her foggy mind hadn’t engaged, but she halfway sat up and rubbed her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s something going on at the cottage. I was reading, and I heard car tires squealing to a stop, and when I looked out the window, Ben’s granddaughter was running toward the cottage.”

Esther fumbled for matches and lit the lantern on the bedside table. “I guess we better go see what’s wrong.”

“The maedel has a key. I let her keep the one I used last time since we have another one.” Lizzie stood, already dressed.

Esther put some drops in her eyes, dressed quickly, and wrapped a scarf around her head since she didn’t want to take the time to pin up her hair and top it off with a prayer covering.

By the time they reached the cottage, Esther’s knees felt like putty, like they might give out any second. She’d made the mistake of keeping up with Lizzie, but her worry had prompted her to stay in step with her sister.

“I hope he didn’t just not answer the phone again and get his granddaughter all worked up.” Lizzie shuffled her teeth around so much that Esther heard her grinding them. Shifting her dentures seemed worse when she was upset or nervous, and Esther had to admit that she was also worried about what they might find.

“If something happened to him, I’m going to feel terrible that we just cut him out of our lives a week ago.” Esther trudged up the porch steps where Lizzie waited with her chin slightly raised.

“Let me know if everything is okay.” Lizzie stood perfectly still, her prayer covering lopsided.

Esther scowled. “Nee, Lizzie. You are coming in with me.”

“But what about Gus’s ghost? I’m sure Ben is fine.” Lizzie pouted.

Esther grabbed her sister by the arm, opened the door, and dragged her over the threshold. “I better not hear one more word about Gus and this cottage being haunted.” She paused, slowing her steps when she realized Mindy must be in the bedroom. “Mindy! Ben!”

“Help me, please!” the girl shrieked.

Esther couldn’t remember moving as fast as she was now, but Lizzie had sprinted past her. Inside the bedroom Mindy was leaning over her grandfather. At least a dozen pill bottles were strewn across the bed, some of the bottles open, and quite a few pills on the floor.

“I would have called an ambulance, but he told me not to when he called me. I just called for one. He doesn’t know what he took.” She held up two of the bottles as her bottom lip quivered.

“Ben, can you hear me?” Lizzie yelled much too loud, but when Ben nodded, a wave of relief washed over Esther. “Can you breathe okay?”

He shook his head, and Esther watched the slow rise and fall of his chest. It reminded her of the last labored breaths her husband had taken toward the end.

“Let’s see if we can prop him up, see if that helps him breathe better.

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