On her third day, just as she’d put on a kettle for tea, her mother came to visit. As soon as she opened the door and saw her, holding a large basket full of supplies, she burst into tears. “Oh, Mamm. I’m so glad to see you.”
“Ach. Are things that bad?” she asked, curving a reassuring arm around Katie.
“Yes. No. Oh, I don’t know.” She stepped aside so her mother could enter, then followed her to the kitchen, where only half the dishes were cleaned.
Her mother looked at her in surprise. “Katie?”
“Things are so different here. Even though I’m by myself, I’m having a heap of trouble keeping up with everything.” She pointed to the barn. “The animals. The chickens. That goat.”
Her mother chuckled. “That goat always was a nuisance. No one could ever get it to mind, even before we sold it to the Lundys. It gives good milk, though.”
Katie shook her head in wonder. Obviously some things never changed. Leave it to her mother to mention that fact. “It’s not just that. I can’t seem to get everything done.”
“You never had any problems at home.”
“At home I always had you and Rebekeh.”
Her mother almost smiled. “Careful, Katie, or you are going to sound as if you almost miss Rebekeh’s bossy ways.”
“I almost do.” She held up a hand when her mother threatened to give into laughter. “Almost. Anyway, I guess I’m having trouble getting used to doing everything myself. Even working with Anna was a blessing.”
“Many hands make quick work. But even the most industrious can not be expected to do the work of many, Katie. Perhaps you are being too hard on yourself.”
“It’s not the work. Well, not everything. Mamm, the hours drag by.”
Understanding dawned. “You are lonely.”
“I am. I’m sorry. I know that’s not something I should complain about.”
“I would find this solitude difficult, too, Katie.”
“Really? You would?”
“Indeed I would.” With a thoughtful smile, her mother murmured, “My goodness, the Lord knew what He was doing when he guided your father and me to open our house as an inn. I have a lot of joy in our constant stream of guests.”
Katie’s shoulders slumped. “I think I had joy there, too.”
“Well, no matter. Soon enough you will be back.”
“I suppose.”
“You suppose? What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m destined to be a single woman, helping out at the inn. But what if that’s not my future? What if things improve between Jonathan and me? What if one day he is interested in having another wife…and I find that I’ve fallen in love with him? What would I do then?”
“Ah. Those are tough questions.” To Katie’s surprise, her mother calmly considered the questions instead of just offering quick advice. “Katie, have you been praying?”
“I don’t have time.”
“That, my daughter, is the problem, don’tcha think?”
Katie didn’t think so at all. At the moment, taking time out to say a prayer merely felt like one more thing to do. But she couldn’t admit that. “Mamm—”
Her mamm hushed her, then took her hand and walked her to the only clean room in the house. The sitzschtupp, the living room, the good room that so far no one ever used. After sitting down beside her, her mother gently said, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.”
They fell into silence, each praying with the Lord in her own way. A sense of peace filled Katie as she took time to give thanks for family and good health, for good neighbors and sunny fall days. As she relaxed and reminded herself that her life was in the Lord’s hands, not her own, she felt all the stress from the past few days fall from her shoulders.
Her mother saw the difference instantly. “See now, dear? Nothing is so hard that it can not be shouldered with God’s help.”
“I do see. Will you stay for a while?”
“For a little bit. I brought you some things for the girls.”
Katie was interested. “Such as?”
“I brought you your sewing and some new fabric. I thought you could help them work on a quilt.”
Katie struggled to conceal her dismay. “Mamm, I just don’t know—they haven’t shown much interest in sewing.”
“They will if you encourage it. Those girls will look to you for guidance, Katie.”
“But what if they don’t?”
“You won’t know unless you try. And it will do all three of you some good, to keep those little girls busy. They’ll see your love for quilting and want to give it a try. I promise.”