LATER THAT EVENING HANNAH WATCHED HER DAED gingerly lower himself into the chair at the head of the table. As he sank down, his right arm bobbed lifelessly at his side, and Hannah swallowed a sigh. Although his debilitating stroke had claimed the use of the arm and slurred his speech nearly a year ago, Hannah still found herself startled by his disabilities.
Her father lowered his head, and Hannah and her mamm followed suit. Hannah silently asked God to bless her family as well as the Englisch couple and Stephen. She also asked God to heal the sadness she saw in Stephen. When she heard her father shift in his chair, she knew prayer time was over and it was time to eat.
“What have you found out about Stephen Esh?” Her mother slapped a mound of mashed potatoes on her daed’s plate.
Hannah picked up the platter of roast beef and served herself a slice. “During supper he said he didn’t know how long he’ll be here. He said the Lord will guide him.”
Mamm shook her head as she cut up Daed’s roast beef. “I don’t like that a single Amish man is staying at the inn for an extended period of time.” She pointed the knife at Hannah. “I’ll ask your brother to stop by and introduce himself.” She smiled as if satisfied with her idea. “Maybe Andrew should stay at the inn to make sure Stephen is behaving appropriately.”
Hannah shook her head. “That’s narrisch, Mamm. Andrew has more important things to do than chaperone me. Stephen doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable.” Except when he smiles and I blush like a schoolgirl. “He’s been a gentleman. He even helped with the dishes tonight.”
Her mamm furrowed her eyebrows. “Why would he offer to help with the dishes?” She glanced at Hannah’s father. “This young man doesn’t sound normal. Don’t you think we should be concerned about Hannah’s safety?”
Daed shrugged and scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Even before the stroke, he’d rarely taken her mother’s worries seriously. Although her father’s personality had changed in many ways after the illness, he still didn’t get upset or excited by her mother’s accusations.
Hannah bit back her rebuttal. She had done just fine this past year. Dozens of guests had come and gone without any complaints or problems.
“What does he plan to do while he’s here?” Her mamm filled her own plate with food.
“He wants to go to town tomorrow. I’m certain he’ll find a job and soon earn enough to get his own place. Once he’s gone, you won’t have to worry anymore.”
“I worry about you all the time, Hannah. I always worry about my kinner and my grandkinner. A mudder never stops worrying.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Hannah spotted her father shaking his head. He may have suffered a stroke, but he still had his sense of humor.
“What kind of work does Stephen do?”
“He said he worked for his uncle’s plumbing company.” Hannah ran her index finger along the side of her glass. “He seems handy. He’s already fixed the sink and offered to do more jobs around the inn. I keep telling him that Andrew can do it. I don’t want to have to pay him, and we certainly need the money he’s paying to stay at the inn.”
She glanced at her daed and remembered how he once took care of the farm and the inn. Like Andrew, her father used to be able to keep a farm going and fix everything from the faucet to the floorboards. Now he could barely walk from the family room to the kitchen without stumbling.
“You’re right. We need his money more than his help.” Her mamm frowned. “Ask him to stop with the repairs the next time you see him.”
“I already did. He insists.”
Her mother sniffed. “I’ll have Andrew speak with him.”
The message was clear. Whatever Hannah couldn’t handle, her brother would.
Her mother went on to talk about how she had run into Eve Bender at the market earlier when she went to pick up a new pack of needles. She prattled on about how tall Eve’s fifteen-year-old sons, Elias and Amos, were getting and how polite they were to carry her groceries to the buggy.
“Hannah,” her mother said, her expression lifting. “I ran into Sarah Glick at the market too.”
“Oh?” Hannah wondered why that was so exciting.
“Her son Jason was asking about you.” Mamm’s grin widened. “I wonder if he’s going to invite you to a singing.”
“Jason’s nice.” She’d had a crush on Jason Glick when she was twelve, but he’d never shown any interest in her.
“He’s handsome too.”
Hannah wished her mother would stop playing matchmaker. She listened to her mamm talk about other members of the community during the rest of the meal.
When the meal was over, Hannah helped clear the table. She heard the scrape of a chair on the linoleum and noticed her daed struggling to stand. She dropped a dish into the warm soapy water and rushed over to him.
“Let me help you.” She took his left arm, but he pulled it away.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled. “Just want to go to the schtupp and read The Budget.”
Although she was determined to help him, Hannah nodded. “Call me if you need me.”
“Ya,” he said, his voice gravelly.
This was her father’s nightly routine. However, she hadn’t seen him struggle as much as he did tonight. He moved slowly, and his frown illustrated the effort each step took as he shuffled toward the small family room. She watched until he was safely in his favorite chair in front of a small table.
Hannah gathered up more dishes and moved to the sink beside her mamm. “Daed is having a hard time, ya?”
“Ya.” Her mother focused on scrubbing a pot. “I need to talk to Fern Zook about him. I’ve heard she has some gut herbal remedies for strength and balance.”
Fern lived with her grandmother, a homeopathic healer, and many sought her out before going to an Englisch doctor. But Hannah suspected her father needed more than an herbal remedy.
“There could be another reason why he’s getting weaker, Mamm.” Hannah brought the glasses to the counter. “The doctor said Daed may have had some mini-strokes.”
“No, no.” Her mother shook her head. “He just needs some new herbs. I’ll go to Fern soon.”
Hannah could see her daed staring down at the paper on the end table. She was always amazed that he found ways to do his favorite things despite his disability. Although he was losing his bodily strength, he still harbored a great spirit. “I’m worried about him.”
“You fret too much.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows at the irony of that statement. “He may need a wheelchair.”
Her mamm grimaced. “Your daed would never agree to a wheelchair. He’s determined to remain independent. Stop talking narrisch.”
“But his safety is more important than his independence.” Hannah tapped her fingers on the counter for emphasis. “We need to tell him we’re worried about him. He’s a reasonable man.”
“No. Fern will know how to help him. A wheelchair would break his spirit, and I couldn’t live with that.” Her mother rinsed the last of the utensils. “Don’t be so negative, Hannah Mary. Your daed will be just fine. Remember the verse from our devotions the other night? ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.’”
“Ya, Mamm. You’re right.” Hannah forced a smile, but she would ask God for direction on this. While the Scripture verse offered comfort, it didn’t address the issue at hand, which was her father’s safety. Yet Hannah knew that once her mother had her mind made up, there was no use arguing.
Later that evening Hannah curled up in bed with her Bible to continue reading 1 Kings. Her eyes moved over chapter 7, which was today’s chapter.
The reading was about a widow who provided a room for Elijah. The widow fed him and took care of him, and in exchange, Elijah saved her sick son from death. The story spoke to her. What was God trying to tell her?
Then a thought hit her: Had God sent Stephen to Hannah, like He’d sent Elijah to the widow?
A shiver danced up her back. Closing the Bible, Hannah dismissed the thought. Why would God send Stephen to her? What could Hannah offer this stranger? The idea was preposterous. She was content—no, more than content, she was happy—to run the inn and help support her parents. Right? She had never dreamed of living her life any other way.
Hannah snuggled under the sheet and quilt while the meaning of the Bible story swirled in her head. Then she remembered the prayer she’d said for Stephen before supper. Did God want her to help Stephen overcome his sadness? Her pulse leapt at the thought. She was open to doing God’s will, but He’d have to tell her exactly what to do. And what is making Stephen so sad, Lord?