Chapter 12 #2
“Yeah.” He turned to her again. “When you didn’t answer mei last letter, I wasn’t sure what to think.”
“I answered all yer letters I could, Jalon.”
“Yes, but you couldn’t answer the most important one.”
The one Aunt Bertha ripped up. “What was in the letter that was so important?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. I shouldn’t have written it. I was jumping the gun. Assuming things I shouldn’t have assumed.”
“Oh.” She unclasped her hands and stared at the pond, which didn’t seem as magical as it had a moment before.
“It’s a gut thing you didn’t read it,” he added.
“Jalon, I wanted to read it. I was devastated when she ripped it up.” She might be revealing too much, but at this point what did it matter? “Getting yer letters ... writing to you. Besides Malachi, that was what I lived for.”
He turned to her. Tilted his head slightly to the side, which made him look boyishly adorable. “Me too.” He took her hand, running his work-roughened thumb over her knuckles. “I want to start over. With us, I mean.” He looked at her. “But before I can do that, I have to be honest with you.”
She frowned. Had he been keeping secrets too?
“I lost mei job. Got laid off, actually. I haven’t been going to work every day, just pretending to. I’ve been trying to find a job, but I haven’t had any luck. It’s been frustrating.”
She looked at their hands clasped together, then up at him again. So that’s why he was upset.
“ Mamm! ”
She turned around in time to see Malachi and Judah burst through the woods. Jalon let go of her hand and shot up from the bench. Her son had the worst timing.
“How did you find us?” Jalon asked, his voice tight.
“I guessed.” Judah rocked back and forth on his heels. He was a rugged kid, with wild hair and piercing green eyes.
“And he was right.” Malachi launched himself into Phoebe’s lap. Then as if he remembered Judah was nearby, he scrambled back down. He went near the edge of the pond. “Are there fish in here?”
“ Ya. ” Judah came up close to him. “ Mei brothers and I fish here a lot when it’s warm out.”
“Don’t get too close to the edge.” Phoebe moved closer in case Malachi ignored her and fell in through the ice.
Fortunately, he listened to her and stepped back. He picked up a rock that was nearly the size of his hand and threw it into the pond. It was a larger stone than Jalon had thrown, and it broke through the ice with ease.
“Hey now.” Jalon squatted next to him. “You don’t want to disturb the fish.”
“What does disturb mean?”
“Bother them. They’re sleeping.”
“Fish sleep?”
“ Ya. ”
“Do they close their eyes? I’ve never seen a fish with closed eyes.”
“You haven’t seen that many fish,” Phoebe added.
“I have to geh back home,” Judah interjected. “ Mamm wants me to help with supper.” He made a sour look. “That’s girl’s work but Ivy’s not home tonight.”
“Cooking is a good skill to have.” Jalon stood, then glanced at Phoebe. “Some people are truly gifted in the kitchen.”
“Race you back to the haus , Malachi.” Judah sprinted off as he said the words, and Malachi bolted after him.
“I remember being that age.” Jalon moved to stand next to her. “Not a care in the world.”
“Freedom,” Phoebe added.
“ Ya. Plenty of freedom, although at the time I didn’t realize it.
” He turned to her, his expression intense.
“I’m serious about what I said before, Phoebe.
I know we’ve had a rocky start since you got here, and I want to change that.
I want to take you on a date, without Karen and Malachi looking over our shoulders.
” He suddenly looked a little uncertain.
“But if you don’t feel the same way”—he released a long breath—“I’ll understand. ”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He was interested in her, not as a friend, not as an obligation. But romantically interested. Her dream of being with Jalon lit up again, warming her heart.
“Phoebe?” More uncertainty clouded his eyes.
Blinking, she realized she hadn’t answered him. “Oh! I do. Feel the same way, that is.” She beamed, unable to hide her smile.
Relief washed over his expression, and he was grinning too. Which made her swoon a little bit. Okay, a lot.
“You don’t know how glad I am to hear that. How about tomorrow afternoon? I’ll take you for a drive, show you around Birch Creek.”
She nodded, her plan to make arrangements to leave forgotten. She and Jalon were going on a date. It took everything she had not to squeal with joy. Forcing her practical side to take over, she said, “We better get back. We don’t want Karen to think we’re up to something.”
“Trust me,” he said, his eyebrows wagging a little, “she wouldn’t be surprised.”
When they were a few feet from the house, Jalon pulled up short.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, looking up at him.
He turned and gazed at her for a long moment, and all the attraction she’d wanted to see in his eyes for so long was there and vulnerable. He brushed his fingertip against the lower part of her cheek, making her smile.
“That’s what I like to see.” His voice was low and a tiny bit husky. He ran his finger over her dimple before stepping away.
Her toes curled in her shoes, and she savored the private moment. Once they were in the house, he couldn’t touch her, or look at her the way he was doing now. This was something special, just between them.
Karen was sitting at the table reading a magazine when they walked into the kitchen. Her gaze went from Jalon to Phoebe, then back to Jalon again. “You two have a good afternoon?” she asked, her voice sweet and innocent but her expression knowing.
“It was ... nice.” Jalon’s wink was barely detectable, but Phoebe saw it. “I’ve got work to do on the dawdi haus ,” he said, looking at Phoebe but talking to both her and Karen. “I’ll see you later.”
“Oh, Phoebe,” Karen said. “There’s a letter for you on the counter. It’s from Ashtabula.”
Jalon froze halfway out the doorway as Karen pointed to Phoebe’s letter on the counter.
He’d been elated when Phoebe said she felt the same way he did.
Suddenly everything that had been weighing him down became lighter.
For a few bright moments he’d felt the clouds begin to lift, and he couldn’t wait for their date tomorrow afternoon.
Then in one moment his good mood swiftly disintegrated.
Jalon tensed as Phoebe picked up the letter. She looked at the envelope. Then her eyes shifted to Jalon. She was thinking the same thing he was. Whatever was in that letter would change everything.
She sat down at the table and opened the envelope, her expression inscrutable. Then she took out the letter and read out loud:
Dear Phoebe,
It was nice to hear from you. Andy and I went to Pinecraft for the winter.
The kids are grown and we like to go there a lot.
I didn’t get your letter until yesterday.
I wrote to you right away because I know you want an answer.
You and Malachi are welcome to come here anytime.
I’ll make up the spare bedroom for you, and it will be waiting when you get here.
Sylvia
Phoebe put down the letter, and Jalon felt his chest constrict.
Karen closed the magazine. Jalon noticed she didn’t look too happy either. “Sounds like gut news,” she said with little enthusiasm.
“ Ya. ” But Phoebe didn’t sound convinced. She also didn’t look excited, and he had to admit that made him feel a little better. “I should write her back. Let her know we’re coming.” She said the words to Karen, but her eyes stayed on Jalon.
“Do you have to leave right away?” Karen asked. “You haven’t met Leanna yet. And I know Ivy has been meaning to come over here. She’s been busy with some genealogy project of Daed ’s when she hasn’t been working. Mamm ’s also determined to have you over for supper.”
Phoebe nodded, still looking at Jalon. “I suppose we could stay a little while longer.”
He nearly sank against the doorjamb in relief.
She’d always been in such a hurry to leave, and now that she had the opportunity, she chose to stay.
He tempered his excitement in front of Karen and shrugged with a nonchalance he didn’t feel.
“It’s up to you.” And it was. It always had been. He’d never force her to stay.
“Then we’ll stay.” Her lips curved into a small smile, her dimple appearing in her cheek. “After all, I have plans tomorrow afternoon. It would be a shame to cancel them.”
It took all he had not to break into a huge grin. “ Ya. It would.”
“Then it’s settled.” Karen stood back up. “I’ll let Mamm know we need to make supper plans sooner than later.” She put her arm around Phoebe and squeezed. “I’m glad you and Malachi will be in Birch Creek for a little while longer.”
Never taking her eyes off Jalon, Phoebe’s smile grew. This time he smiled back at her.
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.