The Amish Letters Collection by Kathleen Fuller

Author:Kathleen Fuller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2018-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Although Barbara was tired and Daniel had warned her to rest, she wanted to help clear dishes from the tables. “I’m just going to carry them in,” she whispered to Daniel when he gave her a disapproving look. “I promise.”

“Then after you do, we’re leaving,” he said, getting up from the table. “I’ll find Roman.”

“Last time I saw him he was talking to Leanna.” She picked up several plates and stacked them, putting silverware on top. She’d been a little surprised to see the two of them walking from Patience’s prayer garden, especially when she remembered how they’d barely been civil to each other when Roman lived in Birch Creek before.

She went into the Glick kitchen and put the dishes near the sink and the silverware in a basin on the counter. She’d wanted to clear the table and come into the kitchen for another reason, too—she needed to ask Patience to be her midwife. This was the longest Barbara had carried a baby, and she felt it was time to enlist Patience’s services. Right now Patience was emptying glasses into the sink while her friend Sadie helped. Barbara held back. She’d wait a few minutes for Patience to be free.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Barbara turned around to see Leanna standing there, her hands clasped together, looking like a mix of contriteness and embarrassment. Instantly Barbara understood why. She knows. Pain lanced at Barbara’s heart for her friend. “Of course,” she said. She lowered her voice. “Did you want to talk privately?” At Leanna’s meek nod—and there was usually nothing meek about Leanna—she led her into the living room. Fortunately it was empty.

“Should we sit down?” Barbara said, gesturing to a worn but comfortable-looking couch.

“I’d rather stand.” Leanna licked her lips. “I’m . . .”

Barbara had never known Leanna to be at a loss for words, or confidence. She moved closer to her friend. “It’s only gossip,” she said quietly.

“Oh nee. You know?”

“Ya.” She reached out and gave Leanna’s hand a quick squeeze. “But I’m paying it nee mind, and you shouldn’t either.”

“I’m so sorry, Barbara.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. It isn’t yer fault those women have a wandering imagination and a running mouth.”

“I know.” She licked her lips again and didn’t meet Barbara’s gaze. “But I can see why they might come to the conclusion. Daniel and I were working together alone. We shouldn’t have done that.”

“Leanna, except when Roman was here, you worked alone with Daniel for over a year before someone started talking about this.”

“Are you sure? Nee one’s said anything about it before?”

Barbara paused. “I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. I just wish Daniel had handled it differently.”

“He handled it fine. He needed to let me geh. If he’d told me about the gossip, it would have upset me.” She looked down at Barbara, shame evident again. “I’m upset anyway. I promise, Barbara. Nix happened between us.”

“It never crossed mei mind.” Except it did, but she wasn’t going to tell Leanna about her own personal faults in letting her imagination run wild when she shouldn’t have.

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