Loving Isaac

скачать книгу бесплатно


As he drove their wagon home, Isaac thought of the money he’d earned today, which was his, free and clear. Until this week, everything he’d made since the Whittier’s Store incident, he’d given to Bob Whittier to pay for the damages. The paint that had been splattered over the back of the building had ruined the siding. Since there was no match for the old color, all of it had been removed from the building and replaced. And Isaac had paid for it all—the material and the labor to install it—even though he wasn’t the one who had been responsible for the damage.

I may as well have been, he thought. Because he’d lied when he’d taken the blame. Nancy had begged him not to tell. Her brother, Brad, had instigated the act, and she’d pleaded with him. Isaac had arrived on the scene after the deed had been done, and as he’d stared at the damage with a sick feeling of dread, the police had pulled up to the building in their cruiser and everyone had scattered into the wind, except for Isaac. Sergeant Thomas Martin, the police officer who’d questioned him, was Rick Martin’s brother. Rick was a friend and neighbor, and because of Rick’s connection, the officer had called Bob Whittier rather than taking him to the station immediately. Bob had refused to press charges. The officer could have pressed charges himself, but he’d let Bob handle the situation himself. Bob Whittier had said that he’d forget about the incident if Isaac would pay for the damages. So for the next couple of years, Isaac had worked hard and paid Bob Whittier every cent he’d earned until the debt was paid. He’d given Bob the last payment owed with his last paycheck.

“Isaac,” Daniel said, pulling Isaac from his dark thoughts. “I did all right today, ja?”

Isaac nodded. “You did fine, Bruder.”

His brother appeared relieved. “Danki for getting me the job.”

He ran a weary hand across the back of his neck before he turned toward his brother. “You’re a gut worker. Matt asked if I knew anyone and I did—you. Jed agreed that you were the man for the job.”

Daniel looked pleased that both brothers had approved of him. “I appreciate it.”

Isaac studied him. Daniel wore a blue shirt, triblend denim pants and heavy work boots, just like he did. His straw hat sat crookedly on his head. There was a smudge of dirt across one cheek and sawdust on the shirtfront, but he looked happy and content and that was all that mattered. He wondered what his mother would say when she saw them. “We’d better clean up outside before we head into the house. Mam is bound to take one look at us and cry out. But you can’t work and stay clean, too, ja?”

“Ja,” Daniel agreed with a grin.

They headed toward the back of the house. As they passed an open window, Isaac heard his mother’s voice. “Isaac, Daniel—that you?”

“Ja, Mam,” they both answered.

“Just stopping to wash up at the pump.”

“Hannah,” he heard Mam call. “Get your bruders some soap and towels. They’re outside.”

Isaac heard his little sister murmur her assent as he pumped the handle that set forth a gush of water. “You first,” he told Daniel.

His younger brother reached in and cupped his hands full of cold water, then splashed his face and neck.”

Hannah appeared and handed him soap. Isaac stood by watching as Daniel lathered up his face, neck, arms and hands while Hannah hovered nearby, waiting with a towel. Meeting his little sister’s gaze, Isaac grinned at her.

Daniel finished up, and then Isaac took his turn. He washed up while his brother worked the pump and his sister looked on.

“You boys done yet?” Mam called out. “I need you to do something for me.”

“Coming,” Isaac replied.

As the three siblings approached the back door that led to the kitchen, Isaac put a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “Did you have a gut day, Hannah?”

“Ja, I got to play with Susanna. Joseph helped with EJ.” She beamed up at him. “Annie came to Mam’s quilting bee today.”

Isaac nodded as he reached to open the door and waited for Daniel and Hannah to precede him. Hannah hung back as Daniel went in first. She seemed eager to talk about the day. “Ja, and Mae, Nancy and Charlotte came—so did Josie and Ellen,” she went on. “And Elizabeth and her mudder, too.”

“That’s nice,” he said. Isaac felt his belly warm at the mention of Ellen. Since her accident, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind. Or was it because he was bothered that she’d seemed to go out of her way to avoid him since?

Mam was at the kitchen sink, washing dishes. She turned as they entered. “Gut.” She eyed him and Daniel, assessing their appearance. “You look clean enough,” she decided.

Isaac glanced at her with raised eyebrows. “You need us for something?”

She dried her hands on a tea towel and laid it to dry over the end of the dish rack. “Ja. I’d like you to carry my quilt frame upstairs. Martha may stop by at any time, and I don’t want her to see the baby quilt before it’s done and we’re ready to give it to her.”