Chapter 15
O ut on the front porch, Adam leaned back in his wheelchair and watched Leanna and Malachi playing with Blue in the front yard.
He let out a sigh. He’d missed this place.
He hadn’t realized how much until right now.
Everything was the same as he remembered it, as if time had stood still over the past twelve years.
He was glad he gave in to Leanna and came to visit.
Although he might not say that when Jalon showed up.
The thought punctured his good mood. He and Jalon would definitely have a talk.
It might end up being more of a showdown, but Adam was prepared.
He’d spent enough time away from his cousin.
Enough time letting him unnecessarily stew in his guilt.
Adam would put an end to that, or at least he’d try.
Jalon could be as stubborn as Leanna sometimes.
He rubbed his left thigh. Despite putting up an argument for sleeping on the couch, he was glad he’d have the bed. He’d be more comfortable there, not that his comfort was an issue. He was never truly comfortable, not since the accident.
That was the last time he had seen his cousin.
“Hello?”
A sweet female voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned and saw a woman who looked to be close to his age standing at the bottom of the porch steps. Leanna, Malachi, and Blue were nowhere in sight. He’d been so caught up in his memories that he hadn’t noticed them leaving.
“Hi.” He leaned forward in his chair.
“Are you ... ?” She paused. “Is yer name Adam?”
“That’s me. Do we know each other?”
“It’s been a long time.” She came up the porch steps. “ Mei name’s Karen Yoder. I live next door. I’ve been friends with Jalon and Leanna for years.”
Now he remembered her. Although she hadn’t looked so .
.. grown up back then. Dark, russet-colored hair poked out beneath her white kapp .
Her fair skin was covered with delicate freckles, her nose sloped and rounded at the end.
Her eyes were a silvery gray, and right now they were fixed solely on him.
“I didn’t realize you were coming for a visit,” she said.
“It’s a surprise. Leanna and I arrived a little while ago.”
“Oh.” She looked a little uncertain.
“Is something wrong?”
“ Nee. It’s just ... well, I’ve been staying here until Leanna got back, and now I need to geh back home since she’s here.”
“Well, if I have any say in it, I vote you stay.” Did he really just say that?
She chuckled. “At least that’s one vote.”
“Karen!” Leanna appeared in the front yard, Malachi and Blue not far behind. She skipped up the steps. “ Danki for staying here while I was gone.”
“You’re welcome. It was nice to get to know Phoebe and Malachi.”
Adam watched the exchange between the two women.
Leanna had left a few things out when she’d invited him here for a visit—like the fact that Jalon had a friend and her son staying here, along with Karen, who was clearly a chaperone.
That kind of thing was unusual enough that Leanna should have said something.
If he’d known Jalon already had company, he wouldn’t have come.
Then again, maybe that’s why she hadn’t said anything.
The women continued to talk as Blue and Malachi came up behind them. Malachi sat on the top step and Blue crawled into his lap.
“That’s a fine-looking cat,” Adam said.
Malachi ran his fingers over Blue’s back. “I need to brush him again. He’s got knots.”
“I imagine they’re hard to get out since his fur is so long.”
Leanna must have heard the conversation, because she turned to Malachi and said, “You’ve done a great job keeping him looking nice. I can show you the best way to get the knots out.” She gestured for him to go inside. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
Malachi picked up Blue and tottered his way to the door. Blue wasn’t helping by going limp in the little boy’s arms, but Malachi stayed the course. Leanna opened the door and they went inside. She poked her head out and looked at Karen. “You’re staying for supper, right?”
Karen nodded. “Right.”
With a firm nod, Leanna disappeared inside.
Silence stretched between Karen and Adam. Finally, she said, “I should see if Phoebe needs some help with supper.”
Adam gave her a half-smile. “Better you than Leanna.”
Karen smirked. “For all you know I could be as bad a cook as Leanna.”
“ Nee one is as bad a cook as Leanna.”
“True.” Karen laughed. “Can I get you anything? A glass of tea, or some water?”
Adam shook his head. “I’m fine. Just going to sit out here a little while.”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment. Was it his imagination, or was she staring at him? Not out of shock or pity but out of ... interest? No, that couldn’t be possible. They only just met—re-met, to be precise, but still. Instant attraction wasn’t something he was used to receiving.
He also wasn’t used to feeling it for someone else ... but he was definitely feeling it now.
“All right,” she finally said. “I’ll see you in a bit, then.”
The cold air was invigorating, and Adam felt an unexpected sense of peace, as though he was meant to be here.
Which didn’t make any sense. Jalon had been avoiding him all this time .
.. but hadn’t he done the same thing? He could have returned here, more than once.
He hadn’t, and now that he thought about it, he didn’t have a valid excuse.
Adam had always known he and Jalon had a lot in common. He hadn’t realized how much until now.
Jalon practically dragged himself home late that afternoon.
After asking a local farrier if he knew of any jobs available, he’d been sent to an English horse farm a few miles outside Birch Creek.
He’d spent hours mucking stables. Not his favorite job by far, but the man seemed pleased when he paid him.
“Wish I could hire you on,” he’d said, peeling back bills from a thick stack of cash.
“The guy who normally does this job will be back next week. Wife just had a baby.”
Despite being desperate for a job, Jalon wouldn’t take one from someone who had a young family.
He paused as he looked out the window of the taxi that drove him home.
Didn’t he have a young family to support?
Phoebe, Malachi ... and Leanna too. His sister had her own job, but it was only part-time.
He’d never worried about that because his income would have supported them both.
But now he’d gone from basically being only concerned about himself to having three people depending on him, one of them a child.
The pressure he felt, however, wasn’t because Phoebe and Malachi depended on him as well as Leanna, who should be back sometime today.
In fact, he was getting used to the idea.
Too used to it, which could be a problem.
Seemed like his problems were lining up lately.
Yet there were the bright spots, too, and he saw one of them as the taxi pulled into the driveway.
Malachi was outside playing with the wood-cup game Karen had brought over the day before.
Jalon was surprised not to see Blue nearby.
Maybe the cat had decided he could be without Malachi for a few minutes.
Jalon paid the driver and started to walk up the driveway.
He slowed his steps and watched Malachi, whose concentration was intense as he tried to capture the ball on a string in the cup.
Jalon smiled. He looked exactly like Phoebe did when she was focused on cooking.
Malachi looked up, then ran toward Jalon.
There was something about seeing the unabashed joy on his face as he barreled toward Jalon—as if he’d been waiting all day to see him and now that Jalon was here, his day was complete.
Without thinking, Jalon crouched down and held out his arms, then scooped Malachi up and hugged him tight. Yes. Definitely a bright spot.
“You stink.” Malachi pulled away, wrinkling his nose. “Like horse patties.”
“Pretty much. Think I need a shower?”
“ Ya! ”
“Malachi!”
They both looked up as Phoebe stepped onto the front porch.
The skirt of her light blue dress fluttered a bit around her legs, which made him pull his gaze away.
He didn’t need to be staring—and appreciating—her legs.
He lifted his gaze and met her radiant blue eyes, seeing the welcoming happiness there.
And just like that, his problems disappeared.
“Supper’s almost ready,” she said, her dimple deepening with her soft smile.
“Then I’m home just in time.” He set Malachi down and the boy dashed into the house.
Phoebe looked down at her feet. Despite the cold, she was barefoot. Jalon followed her gaze and saw her toes curl under. She even had cute feet. “What’s for supper?” he said, steering the conversation and his thoughts to something safer.
“Meat loaf.” She looked up at him. “Not as exciting as Hunan beef.”
“But just as good, I’m sure.”
“I hope so.” She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that smell?”
He laughed, then explained about the job. “I’ll keep looking for something full-time on Monday, but it was nice to have the work.” He walked past her. “Don’t worry, I’m heading for the shower.”
“Jalon—”
But he was already inside when he heard her say his name. He halted his steps, and realized why she was trying to get his attention. The last person he wanted to see was sitting in the living room.
What was Adam doing here?