A Time to Heal(12)

"I teach people how to make them at a shop in town," Hannah said. "It's just part-time."

"Is this one you made?"

She nodded. "There are a lot of places you can buy one. I'll tell you where to go."

"Great."

"Well, I guess I'll go then. Sleep well."

"You too."

She felt a blush stealing into her cheeks. Nodding, she turned and instead of exiting through the connecting door hurried out the entrance of the dawdi haus, wanting a moment to herself but not sure why.

Stars twinkled overhead as she walked back to the front of the house. The air was indeed turning cool, but she welcomed the change from the heat of the summer and all the work that was involved in harvesting and canning.

When she walked into the kitchen, the dishes had been done and Phoebe and Jenny were chatting as they sat at the table.

"Perfect timing," Hannah joked.

"Our guest all settled?" Jenny asked her.

"Ya."

"He was very kind to me in the hospital. I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't come to my rescue during that anxiety attack."

Hannah nodded. "You told us that."

"Just thought I'd remind you. It seemed like you were a little distant with him at supper."

"She glared at him," Phoebe said, and she and Jenny laughed.

"I guess I did," Hannah admitted with a grin. "He told me I was suspicious of him."

"Well, well. He was direct."

Hannah laughed. "Oh yes, very direct. But so was I."

Obviously curious, they sat and waited for her to go on.

"You might as well know that I accused him of coming here to steal you away from Matthew."

Jenny and Phoebe looked at each other and then Jenny laughed. "That's pretty outspoken even for you."

"Yes, well." She glanced at the floor and then up at them."You can't blame me. Good-looking guy comes here unannounced wanting to see my sister-in-law . . . what would you think?"

Jenny's eyebrows rose. "Hmm. Good-looking, huh? You noticed?"

"Is that why you were gone so long?" Phoebe asked, her eyes alight with mischief.

Hannah threw up her hands. "Oh, never mind. I'm going home."





4





Chris lay staring at the ceiling, his arms folded under his head on the pillow. He didn't know where Hannah had gotten the idea that he'd come here with romantic fantasies about Jenny, but he sure hoped Matthew didn't think the same thing. He had enough problems without having his host think that was why he'd come to see her.

Jenny appeared so different from the way she'd looked last time he'd seen her. Then, she'd been pale, in pain, sitting in a wheelchair, and hyperventilating as she waited for the results of her medical tests. He'd been able to relate since he'd gone through the same thing.

Now she glowed with health, moved about easily, and looked so happy with her husband and her ready-made family.He felt a moment's envy that she'd found someone who loved her. Found a home. Found family. Found a community

He had a home back on the farm. Had family—his dad and brothers. He'd gone there after his release from the hospital, but it didn't feel right. He wasn't ready to settle there again. He didn't know when he would be.

Sleep eluded him. The burns on his chest still stung like crazy, but he felt so tired after the unaccustomed exertion of the day that he should have slept. Instead, his mind kept replaying the incident in the hayloft with Hannah.

He couldn't help but remember Hannah staring at him in shock, then disappearing from sight as she slipped from the ladder. His stomach clenched as he recalled jumping up and reaching for her, wondering if he'd be able to grab her hand or whether he would witness her fall to the ground below.

Then, when he pulled her up and she lay gasping for breath, he'd had an opportunity to look at her, really look at her. He thought she was one of the prettiest women he'd ever seen— with her clear ivory skin, wide blue eyes, and full rose-colored lips that bore no trace of cosmetics. Lips that had spoken such hard words of distrust just a short time ago.

No shy, meek Amish miss. Jenny had asked Hannah to show him around the area tomorrow. No doubt Hannah would be polite, as she had been this evening. But she'd watched him at supper, watched his interactions with her family, and now he knew why.

Well, she could believe what she wanted, but he wasn't interested in romancing her sister-in-law. He hadn't come here for that reason at all. And he didn't intend to tell her his reason for coming, either.

He wondered what the next day would bring. After so many months cooped up in a hospital, his injuries holding him hostage in a wheelchair, he wanted to live, not just exist. He hadn't fought all that pain and the surgeries and the depression and despair just to waltz through the rest of his life. He'd survived when others he knew hadn't.