Mother's Promise Read online

  “You keep saying that,” he said and met her eyes for the first time since they’d come out to wait for the bus. Her heart broke as she read in his expression his desperate need to believe her mingled with his doubt that she could ever deliver on her promise.

  He turned away and boarded the bus ahead of her, flashing the driver the pass she had bought for him. Several other employees from the hospital stepped around her and boarded so that Rachel was the last to show her pass and look for a seat as the bus pulled away.

  Justin was sitting near the back, his backpack between his feet, his head bowed. A man near the front stood and offered Rachel his seat and she accepted.

  It was moments like these when she missed James’s strength. He would never have allowed their son to show such disrespect for his mother. But what was she going to do? Cause a scene?

  She glanced around, and a woman smiled at her over the top of the book she was reading. Next to her sat a young girl, reading a textbook that Rachel recognized as one she had seen Justin studying at the hospital. Perhaps the girl attended the same school, was even in his class. She closed her eyes and prayed silently that in time Justin would find friends at his new school.

  As the bus approached the stop for the Shepherd house Rachel sat forward on the edge of her seat and glanced back at Justin who was not looking at her. Because someone was waiting for the bus, she didn’t see the need to signal her desire to get off. Instead when the bus stopped, she got up and moved to the rear exit. “This is our stop,” she said when she reached Justin, but she did not wait to see if he would follow her.

  Instead she got off the bus and started walking the half block to the Shepherds’ driveway. And what if Justin didn’t follow her? She had no idea what she would do if the bus continued on its way with Justin still on board.

  As she hesitated, she heard Justin running to catch up. “I’m sorry, Mom,” he murmured as he fell into step with her. “It’s just so … hard.”

  She could point out that it was also hard for her, but she knew that it would be little comfort. “And what did your father teach us about weathering hard times?” she asked, forcing her voice to a lighthearted tone that she did not really feel. She was rewarded by the hint of a grin lifting the corners of Justin’s mouth.

  “As Thomas Jefferson once said,”—Justin intoned, mimicking his father’s deep voice as in unison they chanted the saying that had been a favorite of Justin’s father—“ ‘I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.’ ”

  And by the time they started up the service drive that led to the guesthouse, they were both laughing.

  Ben was standing at the window in Malcolm’s study when he saw the chaplain and her son pass the main house on their way to the guesthouse. They were laughing, and then the boy caught sight of the pool and stopped to take a closer look. Rachel Kaufmann waited on the path and when her son turned back to her, everything about his body language gave voice to his excitement. Rachel smiled, and then she led the way through the garden, gesturing to the plants as they walked.

  He remembered how her eyes had finally lost their sadness her first day at the hospital when she had seen the atrium, and he remembered thinking how refreshing it was to see a woman who had no need to rely upon cosmetics or fashion for her loveliness. There was beauty in the simple serenity of Rachel Kaufmann’s smile.

  “Oh, is that Rachel?” his sister asked as she set down a tray that held glasses, a pitcher of water, and a decanter of wine along with an assortment of cheese and crackers.

  “Yeah.” Ben turned away from the window and poured himself a glass of wine. “Have they moved in already?”

  “Saturday. But I gave her a key and told her to stop by whenever she liked.” She sank into one of two overstuffed chairs and propped her bare feet on an ottoman. “I’ll go down there in a minute and invite them to supper, but first tell me about this terrible accident today. Were you at Memorial when they brought those children in?”

  Ben nodded and took the chair opposite hers. “I don’t know a lot—I heard that the one girl died in surgery.”

  “Well, it’s all over the news, and it’s why Malcolm is going to be late. He went out to the co-op after leaving his office today so he could make sure everything was locked up for the night. Hester and John are close friends with the families of both girls, and even if they weren’t, you know how everyone in Pinecraft comes together whenever anything like this happens.”

  “They’re going to need all the support they can get,” Ben said, and then he realized that Sharon was crying. “Hey, what’s this?”

  She swiped at her tears. “Oh, don’t mind me. Ever since … well, you know … since Sally …”

  “This is different,” Ben said, moving to sit on the ottoman to be closer to her.

  “That girl was their only child,” she whispered.

  “I know, but she’s not Sally.” Ben spread cheese on a cracker and handed it to her before preparing another for himself. “Where is Sally, anyway?”

  “She had a meeting of the student council—she’s the secretary this year and then she and a couple of friends were going to the mall. If she’d known you were going to stop by I’m sure you would have been her first choice.”

  “Over shopping? I doubt that very much,” Ben said.

  They turned at the sound of a car on the driveway, followed by the slam of the front door.

  “Mom? I’m home,” Sally called, her voice filling the large house with the sheer exuberance of youth. “I got a new hat.”

  “In here,” Sharon called.

  They heard the rattle of a plastic shopping bag, and a moment later Sally appeared in the doorway dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and the silliest little hat Ben had ever seen. “What is that thing on your head?” Ben asked, not sure whether to laugh or not. When it came to women’s taste in fashion he was often mystified.

  “It’s called a ‘fascinator.’ It’s all the rage right now ever since the wedding.”

  Ben must have had a blank expression because Sally placed her hands on her hips and added, “The royal wedding—Kate and Will?” Then she rolled her eyes as if he were hopeless. “Of course, it would help if I had a little more hair to anchor it to,” she continued.

  “How did you anchor it?” Sharon asked.

  “Chewing gum,” Sally said and giggled as she pulled the ridiculous hat away from her scalp, exposing the strings of pink gum with which she’d attached it to her forehead and temples.

  “Sally!”

  Ben made no attempt to cover his laughter.

  “It’s not funny,” his sister fumed as she leaped up and began examining Sally’s head, picking out bits of gum.

  “Actually, Mom, it kind of is,” Sally said and then grimaced as Sharon worked a blob of the gum free.

  “What were you thinking?”

  Sally shrugged. “It was a rough day at school. I needed a smile.”

  Sharon’s touch gentled to a tender caress. “What happened?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle, but it’s hard sometimes. Like I’m some kind of freak or something.” She picked at the remnants of gum left on the hat then looked up, her eyes bright with excitement. “The new kid started today and guess what? His locker is right next to mine.” She pulled away from her mother and flung herself into the chair that Sharon had vacated. “I think he’s shy—he’s very quiet.” Again her eyes widened as an idea occurred to her. “I’ll bet he was afraid I would let the other kids know that he’s Mennonite. That explains why he took off after school the way he did.”

  “Wouldn’t the other kids know anyway—I mean the dress and all?” Sharon asked.

  “Apparently the kids have more freedom when it comes to that,” Sally told her. “I looked it up. Kids don’t officially get baptized or join the church until they’re like practically grown up. That’s when they put on the uniform. I’m getting some juice.” Sally was up and moving to the kitchen as she continued to talk. “W
hen they move in, we should take them some cookies or something,” she called as they heard the slam of the refrigerator door.

  “I made some today,” Sharon called after her. “The boy and his mother are at the guesthouse now. Your dad is going to be late, so why don’t you go invite them to stay for supper?”

  “I’ll go with you,” Ben volunteered. Restless after the long and emotionally draining day he’d had, he too was anxious to be up and moving.

  The truth was that in the wake of the accident that morning, he’d realized that he had some regrets about leaving Memorial for good. His time there had shaped the doctor he’d become, and he was grateful for that. In some ways he and Rachel Kaufmann were both starting out fresh at the new hospital. Of course, his was by choice while hers had been the result of a change in her life over which she’d had no control. Perhaps it would do him good to be around someone who might understand that sometimes change—even change by choice—could be hard.

  Rachel heard voices from outside. She glanced out the open front door of the guesthouse to see Ben Booker and his niece, Sally, coming through the garden. The girl was carrying a platter of cookies. “We’ve got company,” she called to Justin.

  The minute she’d shown him the small bedroom he was to occupy, Justin had busied himself exploring the space, commenting on changes he’d like to make. “Can I take that picture down?” he’d asked, pointing to a painting of three girls looking for seashells at the beach.

  “Ja. The Shepherds have given permission for us to arrange things to suit our ways. But you must wrap it carefully and store it in the closet, and when we move it must be put back as it is now.”

  “I’d like to move the desk over there,” Justin said, more to himself than to her. She had left him to think about how best to make the room his while she started making a list of things she would need to purchase and bring with her on Saturday. As she had suspected, her list was short. Sharon Shepherd had truly anticipated their needs.

  “It’s Dr. Booker and his niece, Sally. Come say hello,” she instructed as she nervously adjusted her prayer covering and pressed her hands over her skirt. She wasn’t sure why she got so nervous around the doctor. Darcy Meekins was far more intimidating. Like everyone else that Rachel had met at the hospital, Ben Booker was friendly and had made her feel most welcomed.

  “I met Sally at school,” Justin said. “And Dr. Booker …”

  “They are our guests,” Rachel said firmly.

  Justin frowned and then grinned. “Guests in the guesthouse?”

  Relieved to see a glimpse of the more easygoing boy her son had been before his father’s death, Rachel smiled. “Come,” she said at the exact moment that she heard a knock on the screen door.

  “Hi, Mrs. Kaufmann.”

  “Come in, Sally. Dr. Booker.”

  “It’s Ben, remember?” he said as he followed Sally into the tiny living room.

  Sally presented her with the cookies.

  “Danke,” she said. “Did you make these, Sally?”

  “Mom did. Does don-ka mean ‘thank you’?”

  “It does, and you must forgive me. Sometimes I forget and slip into the ways of our people.”

  “I like learning about other people and their ways,” Sally said. “Maybe after you and Justin move in I can learn more words?”

  Rachel saw Justin hanging back in the shadows of the hallway that led to the two small bedrooms. “Justin can teach you,” Rachel offered. She ignored the way her son’s body stiffened in protest. “I understand that the two of you met at school today?”

  “Yes ma’am. His locker is next to mine. Hi, Justin,” she said with a self-conscious wave.

  “Hi,” he replied, his voice barely audible.

  “Please come and sit,” Rachel invited, indicating the small couch that dominated the room. “Perhaps a glass of water? It’s so warm today.”

  “We came to say hi, bring the cookies, and invite you to come up to our house for supper,” Sally said. “Mom’s grilling chicken, and we’ll eat as soon as Dad gets home from the co-op.”

  “Oh, thank you, Sally—and thank your mother for the kind invitation. Justin and I just stopped by to make a shopping list. The Steiners will be expecting us for supper.”

  Ben looked at her strangely. “I expect Hester and John may have had to make other plans,” he said. “There was an accident this morning. Two of the victims were Mennonite. I saw Hester and John at the hospital with the parents.”

  Of course, Hester would have gone to the hospital to be with the parents—even if she only knew them slightly. In time Rachel knew that she and Justin would be part of the community of those who would gather for events both joyous and tragic in the lives of their neighbors. It was their way, and it was one of the traditions of their faith that Rachel held most dear. There were no strangers in a Mennonite community.

  “You have to eat,” Sally reasoned. “And my uncle can take you home, right? It’s on your way, sort of.”

  Ben smiled. “Sort of is,” he replied, his eyes on Rachel. “Come on—grilled chicken, potato salad, and the best pie you’ve ever tasted? You can’t turn that down.”

  “All right.”

  “Don-ka,” Sally said. “Hey Justin, want to catch for me? I’ve got an extra glove, and I need to practice before tomorrow’s game.”

  Justin gave Rachel a pleading look that she decided to take for him asking her permission to stay for supper and play the game with Sally. “Go ahead,” she said.

  It was the expression of horror that crossed her son’s face that let her know she had said the exact opposite of what he’d wanted. But she’d made her decision. “Go,” she said, and Justin reluctantly followed Sally out the door.

  “I didn’t want to say anything in front of the kids,” Ben told her, “but you should know that one of the three teens injured in that accident died earlier today. I treated the other girl—her cousin—and from what I was able to gather, she played a part in causing the accident. It looks like she’ll be arrested and charged as soon as she’s released from the hospital.”

  “Oh Ben, no,” Rachel said. “Arrested on top of everything those poor families have already suffered?”

  “I made arrangements for her to be kept overnight at the hospital, but I’m pretty sure the powers that be will discharge her tomorrow. Poor kid.”

  “I need to call Hester,” Rachel said, picking up her cell phone. “Maybe there’s something I can do to help.”

  “But you’ll stay for supper?”

  “Ja—yes.”

  Ben grinned. “Sehr gut,” he said as he left her to make her call.

  Chapter 9

  Saturday dawned sunny and felt far less tropical than it had been over the last several days. “A perfect day for moving,” Hester announced as she dished up breakfast. “Are you all packed?” she asked Justin, ignoring his failure to show any excitement at all as she placed three large pancakes on his plate.

  “Not much to pack,” he replied and reached for the pitcher of maple syrup.

  Rachel cleared her throat and bowed her head as Hester sat down and John led them in prayer. She couldn’t help but wonder if Justin remembered to say grace before eating his lunch at school. Probably not, she thought. Silently she vowed for what seemed like the thousandth time since they’d arrived in Sarasota that she would find them a home in Pinecraft as soon as her probationary period ended. At least in Pinecraft, Justin would be surrounded by others of their faith and tradition.

  “Everything’s loaded into the van,” John said, glancing at Rachel and then Justin. “Zeke should be here soon. He’s volunteered to drive you over and help with the heavy lifting.”

  “I’m sorry we can’t help.” Hester’s eyes filled with tears as they had ever since her friends had lost their daughter in the accident.

  “Zeke will be a great help,” Rachel assured her, “and besides, there’s not that much to be moved.”

  Malcolm Shepherd’s younger brother could
not be more different than Ben. The one thing they had in common was that they were both devoted to Sally.

  “Yoo-hoo,” a raspy female voice called from the back porch.

  “Come on in, Margery,” John called. “Have some breakfast.”

  “Already ate,” Margery Barker announced. “But I could use a refill on my coffee.” She helped herself, filling her travel mug from the pot Hester had left warming on the stove. Like Rachel, Margery was a widow, although she was at least a couple of decades older than Rachel and several more years down the path of her grief. She ran a marina and charter boat business not far from the co-op, and Hester said she stopped by often to visit. She loved to tease John and tell stories of the time when his property had been completely destroyed by a hurricane named Hester.

  “And then he came face-to-face with the real deal,” she would say as she patted Hester’s hand, “and bingo-bongo his life was changed.”

  Being around Margery gave Rachel hope that one day she and Justin would find their place in a world without James.

  “Busy week for you two.” Margery pulled a chair closer to the table, next to Justin who was picking at his food. “You gonna eat those pancakes or let them drown in all that syrup?”

  Rachel saw Justin flash Margery a hint of a smile as he stuffed a large piece of pancake into his mouth. She could see that he liked Margery, probably because she reminded him of his grandmother. James’s mother, like Margery, was a no-nonsense woman with a soft side that she could bring out whenever the occasion seemed to warrant it. But she had little patience for what she called wallowing, and she’d made that clear to Justin the day they’d first met.

  “Is Zeke here?” Justin asked, knowing that Zeke often caught a ride with Margery on the boat she used to ferry herself and the homeless people working at the co-op back and forth.

  “He’s around here somewhere. I saw his guitar leaning up against the porch, and you know Zeke, he and that guitar of his are joined at the hip most times.” She took a sip of her coffee and turned her attention to Hester. “I was sorry to hear about the Messner girl.” She shook her head. “How’s Jeannie holding up?”