Chapter 27
— chapter twenty-seven
So many things were going wrong, Jenna didn’t think she could count them all.
First of all, neither Violet nor Anne showed up at her house until four o’clock.
Two hours before everyone was due to arrive.
Both apologized but didn’t seem too flustered.
“There’s always a storm before the meeting starts,” Anne said with a grin.
“Don’t worry, everything will get done.”
Unfortunately, some of their good spirits faded when they admitted that they hadn’t known they were supposed to bring card tables. Anne had only the lists of members and a small tray of snacks. Violet had brought a bag of paper cups, napkins, and plates. That was it.
“You don’t have a set of lawn furniture to put everything on?” Violet asked.
“Not a one.”
“Hmm. This is going to be a problem, I fear.”
Jenna thought so too. Desperate, she hurried to her kitchen phone and called Nelson. After explaining the situation to him, she said, “I know it’s a lot to ask, but do you have any folding tables I could borrow?”
“It’s not too much to ask. I’ll get some guys to help me load up two long tables and twenty-five chairs.”
Asking for tables was one thing, asking for an additional twenty-five chairs seemed like too much. “Chairs aren’t necessary.”
“Jenna, I know you don’t want to be a bother, but I think we both know all the ladies that are coming would prefer to sit in chairs.”
“I guess you’re right. They are supposed to bring their own, but . . .”
“I know I’m right. And this isn’t a bother. If I couldn’t help you this afternoon, I would tell you.”
“All right.”
“I’ll be there within forty minutes.”
“Danke.”
After she explained to the ladies what was going on, Anne suggested they go inside and get the drinks organized. Luckily, Jenna did have two pitchers ready to go, as well as five ice-cube trays.
“All we have to do now is make kaffi,” Violet said with a smile.
That smile faltered a bit when Katie joined them in the kitchen with Blue in her arms.
“I want to help too,” she chirped.
Violet immediately sneezed and then her eyes started watering. “I’m sorry, I’m allergic to cats.”
“Oh. I didn’t even think.” Jenna leaned down. “Katie, go put Blue in your room.”
Her daughter’s smile vanished in a heartbeat. “But he likes being out here with me and you too.”
“He’s going to have to make do with being in your room.” Noticing that her usually eager-to-please daughter was frowning, Jenna kept her voice firm. “Katie, do as I say. He’ll be all right. Plus, Mammi Mary will be here soon to pick you up.”
“Nee! I don’t want to go over to Mammi Mary’s haus. I want to stay with you and go to the party.”
Anne, who had been unpackaging the paper goods, frowned at Katie.
Jenna prayed for patience. “I’ll be right back,” she called out to Anne and Violet as she guided Katie out of the kitchen. When they were in the living room, Jenna said, “Katie, what is going on with you?”
“I don’t want to leave. I want to be with Blue and you.”
“But this is a party for grown-ups. Not little girls.”
“Nee. I want to stay!”
Just then, there was a knock at the door. “That’s probably Mary now.”
Katie turned her back to the door. Frustrated, Jenna hurried to open it. “Mary, I’m sorry—Oh! Nelson!” She took a breath. “I didn’t expect you to get here so fast.”
“Curtis was free, so we decided to run all this out to you before an emergency popped up.”
“They always do, ain’t so?” Curtis murmured.
She’d known Curtis a long time. Jimmy had worked for him for years. “I suppose that’s true. Thanks for coming out here. You two have saved the day. Would you take it all to the backyard? You can go around the side of the house.”
“We’re on it.”
“Thank you again. I’ll go tell—”
“Hi, Nelson!” Katie said. “Look at Blue.”
Nelson stopped mid-stride and turned to Katie. “My, he’s getting bigger.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Sorry, but I can’t stop to chat now, Kitty. Curtis and I have to carry some tables and chairs to your backyard.”
“Blue and I will help ya with the chairs.”
Jenna had had enough of her daughter’s antics. “Nee, Katie,” she said in a firm tone. “You will only get in the way. Go put the cat in your room and stay there until Mammi Mary arrives.”
“Nee!” Katie was staring at Nelson as if she were never going to see him again.
“Katie, do as I say. Now.”
“What is he doing here?” a new voice asked.
Jenna’s insides knotted as she turned around. And, sure enough, there was her mother-in-law. Mary seemed to be glaring at Curtis, Nelson, Katie, and her all at the same time.
Could things get any worse?
Knowing there wasn’t a thing she could do, she cleared her throat. “Hi, Mary, I didn’t see you there. Won’t you come in? I think Katie is almost ready.”
Of course, that was an obvious lie. Katie was standing in the middle of the room, on the verge of having a full-blown temper tantrum.
Mary didn’t return Jenna’s half-hearted smile, and she didn’t even reach out to give Katie a hug like she usually did.
Instead, she remained at the front door and glared at Jenna. “I can’t believe that you’ve continued to ignore my wishes about that man. You should be staying as far away from Nelson Harper as possible.”
“Mary, stop,” she whispered.
“I will not stop. Jenna, he’s responsible for your husband’s death!”
From the back of the room, Violet gasped. Nelson froze, and even Curtis was staring at Mary in shock.
She had no idea how to fix the situation, but she had to try. “No, Mary, Nelson is not.” Aware that Katie was listening intently, Jenna lowered her voice. “Now is not the time or the place. You must stop saying such things.”
“I will not.”
“Please. You’re upsetting Katie.”
It was as if Mary didn’t even realize that she had an audience. “What is going on with you and Nelson, Jenna? You are always so quick to defend him. To be with him.” She narrowed her eyes. “Are you having an affair?”
“What? Nee!”
“It sure looks like it. I’ve tried to excuse your unseemly behavior because of your age, but now I must admit that nothing can excuse it. You’ve obviously fallen for this man.”
Nelson, who’d been standing off to the side with Curtis, strode forward. “Jenna, let me speak to her.”
“Nelson, do something,” Katie said with a cry as she pushed her way past Jenna, past Mary, and ran into Nelson’s arms.
Nelson immediately knelt down and picked her up. Katie still held Blue and was crying noisily in his arms. Clinging to him. He was whispering to her.
Jenna felt everything inside her shift. Almost every emotion she was currently feeling—embarrassment, confusion, anger, dismay—shuffled. And then, at last, she could see everything more clearly. The way her in-laws really were, not the way she was hoping they could one day be.
She knew she had a choice, but as she met Nelson’s expression, she realized that there was no choice to make. “You are right, Mary. I have fallen for this man. I’ve fallen in love with him.”
“Nee. You love Jimmy.”
“I did. I loved Jimmy with my whole heart. But he is gone now. He’s been gone for some time.” Taking a deep breath, she added, “I didn’t plan for it to happen, but I’ve fallen in love with Nelson. And . . . as you can see, Katie loves him too.”
Still holding Katie in his arms, Nelson met her gaze. “Jenna?”
She was sure she’d stunned him. Maybe almost as much as she’d shocked Jimmy’s mother. “It’s true,” she whispered.
“Nee,” Mary said. “No.”
“I love you too, Nelson,” Katie announced as she buried her face in his neck.
Watching him whisper words of reassurance to Katie, Jenna knew that the timing might have been terrible, but the choice had been made.
After that? Well, everything seemed to move at lightning speed. Mary turned around without another word and got into her buggy.
Nelson said something to Curtis. As he started to carry chairs to the backyard, Nelson strode to her side.
Then, with Katie still cradled against him, he wrapped his free arm around Jenna. “I love you too. I love you both.”
Tears pricked her eyes. His expression was so sweet. The moment was so sweet. “I’m sorry that I blurted it,” she said in a rush. “I don’t know what came over me . . .”
“I’m not sorry. I wouldn’t take a second of what just happened back.”
“Ah, excuse me. Jenna?”
Violet and Anne! Pulling away from Nelson’s arms, Jenna hurried over to Violet. “I’m so sorry.” Inwardly, she cringed. How many times was she going to apologize that afternoon?
“Um, no apology needed,” Violet whispered with a smile. “I just wanted to remind you that everyone will be arriving in thirty minutes.” She winked. “Even though I’m pretty sure you aren’t going to be an Amish widow too much longer, we have a lot to get done for tonight.”
Jenna was sure her face was beet red. “Yes. Of course, you’re right. Let’s get to work.”
Nelson put Katie down. “I heard,” he said with a smile. “Listen, I’m going to help Curtis set up the tables and chairs and then get out of here. How about you call me when your meeting is over? I’ll come back, and we can talk.”
She chuckled. “Yes. Yes, I’ll do that.” Turning to Katie, she held out her hand. “Katie, we need to keep Blue in your room for now. Do you think you could help Violet and Anne and me set up for the party?” There was no way she was going to make Katie stay in her room now.
Katie nodded, her face full of hope.
“Then, come on. We’ve got a lot to do.” She hurried to the kitchen, picked up a tray of brownies that she’d made earlier in the day, and went out the back door.
To her amazement, even though all her plans had just fallen apart and her personal life was in complete disarray, she couldn’t have been happier.
She couldn’t have been happier about a lot of things.