“Junia!”
For the second time since her sister had bolted out of Wendy’s office, Ella shouted her name, and once again she was being ignored. The building had four floors and Wendy’s office was at the top—she’d been too late to reach Junia before she got on the elevator and went downstairs. Ella had no choice but to run down four flights of stairs, something she’d never done before in her life, and hoped she’d never have to do again.
She was breathless when she burst out through the stairwell door, just in time to see Junia dash outside. She chased after her into the back parking lot, thankful they weren’t running on the front sidewalk in front of passersby. Somehow Ella managed to pick up speed and followed Junia, finally catching up to her in the neighborhood next to Main Street.
“Leave me alone!” Junia yelled, then doubled over, gasping for air.
Ella staggered toward her, legs and lungs aching. She hadn’t run like that since she was a kid. She didn’t want to run like that again soon either. Or ever. She glanced at their surroundings. They were standing on the sidewalk of a residential street, and except for two cars that quickly passed by, they seemed to be alone. She moved closer to Junia, also gulping down air. “Why did . . . you run?”
Still bent at the waist, she looked up at Ella, then shook her head. “You wouldn’t . . . understand.”
“Try me.”
Junia stood up and staggered back a step. “Nee. I said all I’m going to say.”
Ella wasn’t sure what to do next. Drag her sister back to Wendy’s office? She just might have to if Junia didn’t agree to return on her own accord. Her sister wasn’t just being obstinate—she was being embarrassingly immature. “Are you coming back or not?”
She paused. Her shoulders drooped. “I made a promise.”
“To Daed,” Ella said with a nod.
“And to Malachi.”
“You told him about this?” Ella gasped.
“Of course. We don’t keep secrets from each other.”
“You don’t have to tell him every single thing about your life.” Ella shook her head. “Even I know that.”
Junia shrugged, her chest still heaving. “It’s not like he’s going to tell anyone. And I need someone to talk to, since no one else listens to me.”
For someone who claimed to have said all she had to say, she sure was talking a lot. “We need to geh back. We’re wasting Daed’s and Wendy’s time.”
“I’m not walking with you.”
Ella’s blood started to boil. She didn’t have time for Junia’s petulance. Or the energy for it since she’d just used up almost every ounce of it chasing after her. She opened her mouth, ready to unleash her fury, when she remembered the promise she’d made to God and herself just this morning. She was going to control her temper. What was one of the scriptures she’d read from the list Wendy had given them? “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.” Proverbs. Her lungs still burning from her run, she inhaled and started to count, while Junia shoved her hands in her coat and glared at her in silent challenge.
And then it hit her. Her sister was goading her, trying to make her upset. And if Ella hadn’t remembered her promise, she would have played right into her sister’s hands. Why Junia was so eager to trip Ella’s temper was another thing altogether, and Ella didn’t particularly care what her sister’s motivation was. Lord, please give me peace. She closed her eyes and repeated the phrase again.
“What are you doing?” Junia asked.
Ella opened her eyes. “Fulfilling a promise.” She turned on her heel and headed back to Wendy’s office, ignoring the temptation to look over her shoulder and see if Junia was following. It didn’t matter if she was or not. All Ella was responsible for in this moment was her own behavior. Her own reaction. And with God’s help, she was choosing not to react.
When she walked back into the office, she saw her father and Wendy talking, several sheets of paper in front of them, a pen in Daed’s hand. They both looked up as she moved toward them and sat down in her seat as if she’d just taken a restroom break instead of chasing her sister into the next neighborhood.
“Is everything all right?” Daed asked, hope in his eyes.
Ella paused. After years of her father ignoring the situation between her and Junia, he was doing his best to rectify things. She wished she could tell him they’d worked things out. Instead, she shook her head.
His hope disappeared. “Where’s Junia?”
“She still needs some time.” Ella turned to Wendy. Their session might not have solved their family conflict, but she had found some of it helpful. “Do you have any advice for how to control my temper? I, um, have a problem with that.”
“I do have a tip sheet,” she said, looking through her papers. “But if you ever find the secret, let me know.” She handed her the paper. “Everyone can use help with their anger.”
Ella looked at Daed. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem too upset and went back to writing on the sheet of paper in front of him.
A few minutes later, Junia entered. She sat down at the table without looking at anyone. Ella was reading one of the suggestions called “Taking a Time-Out.” She’d been doing that on her own with her walks, and now she had a place to go if she needed one—Nelson’s. And despite making a promise that she wouldn’t avail herself of his offer, being able to manage her temper was more important than her ego. If she needed a place to go for a time-out, she would go to the warehouse.
She expected Wendy to say something to Junia, but instead she started writing on a yellow legal pad, sitting back in her chair and using her knees as leverage. Ella suspected she was writing down some notes she didn’t want them to see. Daed also continued writing, and Ella moved on to another paper Wendy had given them. “Ten Steps for Resolving Conflict.” Junia was shifting in her chair, but Ella resisted the urge to look at her.
“Our hour is up,” Wendy said, setting the legal pad face down on the table. “I’ve given you some resources and tasks to work on at home. If you want to schedule another meeting in the future, let me know. My door is always open.” She turned to Junia. “And if you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
Junia glanced away, but Wendy didn’t seem offended.
After they left her office, the taxi was already waiting for them in front of the building. The ride home was silent, but Ella didn’t mind. She had a lot to think about. And pray about. Because even if Junia continued her quest to make her angry, she had to figure out a way not to give in to her temper. Right now the best thing to do would be to ignore her altogether. Daed probably wouldn’t like that, but if he wanted peace, it was how it had to be for the near future.
Then she remembered she would be chaperoning Junia and Malachi, and her newfound resolve would soon be tested. Although, her sister hadn’t said anything to her about any upcoming dates or outings. Did Junia dislike the idea of Ella accompanying her and Malachi so much that she’d prefer to have a long-distance relationship with him? I hope so.
When they arrived home, Ella was emotionally exhausted. Although she hadn’t been happy about losing a day’s worth of business, now that she didn’t have to go back to work, she wanted to take a nap. Junia must have had the same idea, because as soon as they walked through the door, she ran upstairs to her room.
She turned to Daed. “Do you need anything?”
He shook his head, weariness in his eyes. “Just some rest. After today we can all use some of that.”
Ella nodded, but she couldn’t resist saying, “If you need anything later, let me know.”
Daed smiled. “I can fend for myself for one night, Ella. Junia can too.” He touched her arm as he walked to the staircase.
She watched him walk upstairs. He seemed tired, but there was also a little lightness in his step as he made his way to his bedroom. Their meeting had to be hard on him too, but like her, maybe he had some hope that things would work out. She was about to follow him when she heard a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it,” she said. It was probably someone wanting to know why the store was closed.
But when she opened the door, she wasn’t looking at a disappointed customer. It was Nelson Bontrager.
* * *
Nelson sat in the Yoders’ living room across from Ella, who was perched on the couch. A cumbersome silence had stretched between them. When he arrived, they exchanged pleasantries, and she had offered him tea or coffee, which he refused. Then she told him to sit in her father’s chair. Now they were both staring at the floor, not saying a word. That was his fault, though. He was the one making things awkward.
Last night and most of the morning he’d wrestled with himself about helping Ella chaperone Malachi and Junia. There were so many reasons he shouldn’t—he had a house to build, a warehouse to renovate into a business, and Ella to avoid, although he wasn’t as gung ho about evading her as much as he used to be. He realized that his vow to stay away from all women was not only excessive, but it was also impossible. They were officially neighbors now. He was renting stable space from her father, and his nephew and her sister were romantically involved. He didn’t need to flee from her or any other woman. It was romance he had to shun, not females.
And since he wasn’t romantically interested in Ella Yoder, there was no reason why he couldn’t do his part to watch over Malachi and Junia, although it would plunk him right in the middle of romance. At least it won’t be mine. He’d also told Phoebe he would keep an eye on Malachi, and he never went back on his word.
“Nelson?”
He looked at her, noticing her drooping shoulders. He was surprised the store was closed today, and he’d been so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn’t considered that maybe something was wrong. “Are you okay?”
She straightened a little. “I’m fine.”
He didn’t quite believe her, but she didn’t seem upset right now. More like tired—the way she’d been at supper a few Saturdays ago.
“Was there something you needed?” she asked, tilting her head at him. “Did you want to talk to Daed?”
“Nee. I want to talk to you.”
“Why?”
He couldn’t help but smile a little. She was so direct, and he was discovering he liked that about her. Miriam and Norene had been evasive with him—
Wait. He had to stop thinking about them and comparing them to Ella. It wasn’t fair to her. “I’ll help you chaperone Malachi and Junia.” There. Now he was committed. No turning back now.
“You don’t have to,” she said. But her stiff shoulders relaxed a little.
“I do. And before you say that you can handle them yourself—”
“How did you know I was going to say that?”
This time he couldn’t hide his chuckle. “Was I right?”
“Ya, but—”
“I know you can do the job yourself. But you don’t have to. Malachi’s mei nephew, and I’ll take responsibility for him.” He shook his head. “He’s not going to like it.”
“Junia sure doesn’t. But it’s for their own gut.”
“Agreed.” He rubbed his hand over the arm of Barnabas’s comfortable chair. “If you don’t mind me asking, why is the store closed?”
She stilled and looked away, making him wish he hadn’t been nosy. He’d made it more than clear he didn’t like her prying questions, and here he was doing the same thing. He was about to apologize when she said, “We had a family meeting.”
“Ah. I know all about those. We had a lot of familye meetings while I was growing up.”
“Not like this one,” she mumbled. Then she sat back against the couch. “We met with a lawyer.”
That surprised him. “Wow.”
“For conflict mediation.” She tugged on one of her kapp strings. “Between me and Junia. Daed too, but we don’t argue with him. He gets the brunt of our fights, unfortunately.” She let out a long sigh. “Believe it or not, we used to get along.”
“All siblings argue,” Nelson said. “I’ve had some knock-down, drag-out fights with mei bruders. I’ve got this scar on my knuckle from when Jesse and I had it out a few years ago. Zeke’s got one on his foot. He and my oldest bruder, Devon, used to get into it a lot when they were younger.”
She looked at him. “How do you get along now?”
“Gut,” he said, trying to remember the last time he’d gotten into a huge argument with one of his siblings, and realized it had been with Jesse again when he first moved to Marigold. When Nelson discovered Jesse was the one who put the bride advertisement in the papers as a joke, he’d been furious. But after Jesse apologized and admitted his wrongdoing, they made up. In the end, he and his family members always did.
Ella crossed her arms—not defiantly but in a protective gesture. “Junia said she talked to Malachi about our problems, and I was mad that she did. Now, for some reason I’m telling you about them, even when I know you don’t care.”
Her words hit him hard because they were his words. And when they first met, he didn’t care. Inexplicably, now he did. Because we’ll probably be family in the future. Surely that was the only reason.
She jumped up from the couch. “I said too much. Again.”
He stood and went to her. “Does it make you feel better to talk about it?”
After a long pause, she nodded. “Some.”
“Then I’m glad you told me. We all need a little help sometimes.”
“You don’t seem to. When it comes to your business anyway.”
She had no idea how lost he was, and he couldn’t admit it to her. Although they weren’t sniping at each other anymore, he didn’t forget how she’d wanted to be partners before he even bought the warehouse because it would benefit her business. He also didn’t forget that his initial reaction was to think she was plotting against him. But despite her apologizing for it, he didn’t want to give her any ideas that they could collaborate on anything other than chaperoning. Eager to change topics, he asked, “So when do our besotted relatives have their next date?”
“Besotted?” She grinned. “That’s a word I’ve never heard before.”
Oh, that smile again. It really did make her look completely different. In a good way. A very good way. “I’ve read a book or two.”
“I’m impressed with your vocabulary.”
He laughed. “Don’t be. That’s the only fancy word I know.”
“Hmm. You keep surprising me, Nelson Bontrager.” Instead of yanking her kapp string, she was now twirling it, the action much more natural . . . and, he had to admit, cute. “But to answer your question, I don’t know. Junia hasn’t said anything about future dates with Malachi.”
He frowned a little. “Don’t you think that’s strange?”
“Very. But then again, I’ve never been in love, so what do I know?” She released the string. “Other than when she’s fighting with me and getting mad at Daed, Junia seems happy. Happier than before she met Malachi.”
“He’s happy too.” Nelson had experienced some happiness with his exes. That didn’t mean that what Malachi and Junia had was true love, or that they were meant to be together. Only God knew.
“I’ll let you know if Junia says anything,” she said.
“And I’ll do the same with Malachi.”
“Danki, Nelson.”
“For what?”
“Being you.” She yawned.
Yeah, she was tired, and he needed to leave. Mission accomplished, and there was no reason for him to stay. Not a single one.
She smiled.
His heartbeat skipped again. “I’ve got to geh,” he said quickly, annoyed with his pulse. Maybe he needed to get his ticker checked.
“Okay, bye—”
He hurried out the door and scrambled down the porch. It wasn’t until he ran inside the warehouse that he slowed down. Apparently he wasn’t totally done with running away from women. He was also young and healthier than a horse. His quick heart rate had nothing to do with being sick. I’m still a sucker for a pretty smile. Eventually Ella’s grin would become a common sight to him. Until then he would keep his guard up.