Chapter Seven
Somehow Mariana talked Reuben into letting her stay at least through the meal. She wouldn’t serve the meal, and simply rested with the other infirm and elderly. But she wanted to stay out as much as possible. She knew Reuben had wanted to agree, otherwise he wouldn’t have given in to her pleas for normalcy.
She supposed she was worried that it wouldn’t be long before she was right back where she was last week, completely confined to the bed once again without a once-a-week outing to break it up. She wanted this to last as long as possible.
“Did I see you arrive with Reuben Weisel?” Linda Miller Stoltzfoos came up to her from behind.
“Jah,” Mariana said before she could think the answer through. Linda was sister to Leroy and Jonah’s dad, Eli. Unfortunately, Linda had about as much approval for Mariana as Gertie did. She wasn’t sure what she had done to earn these women’s scorn, but it was there all the same. Oh, they were nice enough to her on the outside, but she was constantly left out of sister days and other such activities, and she had been for years. Once Leroy got sick, their excuses not to invite her became valid and inarguable. Not that she cared. She would rather hang around the quilting circle gang than anyone else. They might all be part of the same community, but that didn’t mean they all needed to be friends.
“Interesting,” Linda said. “Seeing as how Leroy has only been gone a short time.”
“Leroy’s been gone a lot longer than that,” Mariana said. She wanted to continue with, “If you had visited more, then you would realize that.” But she managed to keep those words out of her mouth.
“Jah, well, I just think it’s odd for you to be taking up with a man when you’re pregnant.” Linda’s pale blue eyes flashed with something that Mariana didn’t recognize. “You are pregnant? Right?”
Of all the things to be worried about. “I am. The babies are due in September.”
“I’m still not sure how my brother could father a child in his condition.”
Mariana stiffened her spine and her resolve. She would never win with this woman, and she should never try. “A lot of times when people are terminally ill, they have a stretch of really good days. The doctor told us it’s like God giving them a second chance to say good-bye and love all things they love. To enjoy life for just a little bit longer. Leroy had one of those times. And that’s all I’m willing to say about it.”
Linda nodded, but Mariana could see the disbelief in her gaze. Let them think what they want.
“Well, it seems I’m the biggest sensation today, even over Titus Lambert coming back to town, jah?”
“Titus doesn’t concern me as much as you do. Those are my brother’s children you are carrying. Or some say.”
“Linda!” Verna Yutzy picked that time to come up behind the woman.
Linda whirled around to face the older woman. Verna might be little, but she packed an awful lot of power and gumption in her small frame. “You need to keep your ugly thoughts to yourself. I don’t want to have to say something to the bishop.”
Linda’s gaze scraped over Mariana, then landed on Verna. “I’m sorry if I offended anyone.”
Mariana seriously questioned the sincerity of her words.
Without a good-bye, Linda turned on one heel and sauntered away.
“Thank you,” Mariana said, looping one arm through Verna’s.
Verna shook her head. “That woman. She’s just jealous, you know. Since she could never have kids either.”
Mariana had forgotten about that. Linda had been in the childless couple buddy bunch with Mariana and Eileen. Now Eileen was adopting and Mariana was pregnant. That left only three members to that group. And it seemed as if it was getting the better of Linda Stoltzfoos.
“Oh well,” Mariana said. “I guess there goes my invitation to the family reunion.”
Verna smiled. “You’re welcome at mine any time.”
* * *
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Mariana asked as they drove home from church. Her weeks of being inactive had left her a little weak. She was tired and so ready to be back at home, though she had enjoyed her time out.
“I told you we shouldn’t have gone,” Reuben said. He cast a concerned look in her direction.
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Mariana said. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for the two of us to get married?”
He frowned. “Why would I think otherwise?”
“It just seems like some people are less than enthusiastic about the idea.”
Reuben gave her another look and pulled the horse and buggy into the nearest turnoff. It led to an Englisch man’s house. Mariana wasn’t exactly sure who lived there, though she thought he owned some type of sporting goods store just this side of Taylor Creek.
Reuben set the brake and turned to face her. “You can’t let those people get to you. This is your life, your babies, and I want to do everything in my power to help you. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I know, but it just seems like—”
Reuben placed a hand on either side of her face, holding her gaze steady as he looked into her eyes. “I don’t care what anyone else says. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I just know that I care for you. I love you, and I want nothing more than to help you raise these children. I think Leroy would be okay with that. Don’t you?”
Mariana stared into his soft green eyes, absorbing his words like a balm to her soul. He cared about her. He loved her. She wasn’t in this alone. She had felt so abandoned, being pregnant and burying Leroy. But Reuben had given her a new hope and a new start, a new chance, a new life after the one she had with Leroy had been destroyed. Was it wrong to want that?
“No,” Reuben answered.
Had she asked the question out loud?
“Mariana . . . I’m going to kiss you now.” He said the words softly and slowly, as if he was giving her time to change her mind. Time for her to tell him no. But Mariana could do neither.
“Okay,” she said. Her gaze still locked with his, their eyes steady. A breath of anticipation hung suspended between them as he moved slowly toward her. Did she need time to change her mind? Should she change her mind? No. She was marrying this man, and one day they would pledge their lives to each other. Just like all the other promises that she had made once upon a time to another. These vows would be different. Somehow she just knew.
Mariana’s eyes fluttered shut as Reuben’s breath brushed across her lips. Then his mouth touched hers, softly, gently, sweetly.
His lips were warm and coaxing. It only took an instant for her to realize that she had never kissed anyone but Leroy Miller. And even then it had been nothing like this. Any doubts she had melted, her concerns evaporated, and all that was left was the honesty and truth of their decision.
His lips moved across hers. Tiny, teasing kisses, then deeper until her breath was stolen from her lungs.
He lifted his head, his green eyes dark with some emotion she couldn’t name, but she hoped and prayed it was the love he’d spoken about.
“Have no doubts, my sweet Mariana. In our marriage, there will be no room for doubt.”
“No doubt,” she said. “Jah. No doubt.”