“Look who I found downstairs!” Ellie exclaimed.
“It’s the young man who came to see if you were all right yesterday,” Nancy said.
Meg immediately thought of Peter, until Reuben stepped out of the elevator behind Ellie. Looking handsome despite the bruises on his cheek and forehead, he approached.
“I heard you were going home today.” His blue eyes warmed as he studied her. “I wanted to see you before you left. I hope you don’t mind.”
“We’re glad you came,” Mam assured him, and Meg could hear warmth in her mother’s voice.
Reuben chatted as he accompanied them to the ground floor and then to the car. Meg vaguely heard what he said. For some reason, all she could think about was Peter’s visit to her hospital room yesterday. Had he really come because he was concerned? What had he heard that made him travel all this way just to see her?
Whatever his reason, she was surprised and a little pleased that he’d taken the time to visit her. Ellie had urged her to figure out a way for them to get along. From what he’d said, Peter wanted the same thing. If not for Reuben, she would have died from the accident. Life is too short to hold a grudge. Surely she could put the past where it belonged, and forgive and forget what he’d said.
After he walked them to Rick’s car, Reuben left, after promising to visit her later in the week. Once home, her father thanked Rick for driving them, then helped Meg into a chair in their great room and then grabbed a cushioned stool to rest her leg on.
“Danki.” She sat back and closed her eyes...and soon drifted to sleep.
Meg woke sometime later. She didn’t think she’d slept long, judging by the sunlight shining through the great room windows. Her leg hurt, and she shifted in the chair to find a better position just as her youngest sister, Charlie, entered the room.
“Meg!” she exclaimed. “You’re awake. I’ve been wanting to talk with you. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to the hospital before you came home.”
Her sister’s boundless energy was evident in her sparkling green eyes. Charlie pulled a chair close and studied Meg.
“Charlotte May,” her mother said as she entered the room. “Did you wake up your sister?”
“Nay, Mam. She was already awake.”
“She needs her rest. Run along and finish your chores.” As Charlie left, Mam turned to her. “Do you think you’ll feel well enough to come on visiting Sunday? We’ll be going to Aunt Katie’s.”
Meg hesitated. Would she be able to manage a day’s outing? Learning to use the crutches had exhausted her. She could find a chair and stay seated, she supposed. And she certainly wouldn’t mind seeing her Lapp cousins and church community friends.
“Your vadder is borrowing a wheelchair for you to use while you recover,” Mam said. “You might find it easier to move about.”
Meg nodded. “That’s thoughtful of him.”
Her mother looked relieved. Meg realized her family would stay home if she wasn’t up to visiting, and she became more determined than ever to show them that she was strong despite her recent hospital stay.
“There is something I need to discuss with you.” Mam glanced briefly toward the kitchen once they were alone.
Meg eyed her with concern. “Are you oll recht?”
Her mother gazed at her with warmth. “I’m fine.” She grabbed a wooden chair and set it to face her daughter’s.
“Mam?”
“There is something I need you to do for me, Meg. You know that your dat’s birthday will be here soon.”
“Ja, on Christmas.”
“Ja.” She shifted her chair closer, indicating she wanted to speak in private. “I’d like to surprise him with a birthday party,” she said quietly. “I’ve had a conversation with Horseshoe Joe. Did you know that Miriam’s birthday is the same day as Dat’s?”
“Nay, I didn’t.” Meg got a funny feeling inside.
“Joe wants to give Miriam a party, too. We’ve decided that we’d like you and Peter to plan one together.”
Meg found it difficult to breathe. “You want me...and Peter to work together?”
“Ja, and before you say a word, Meg, I’d like to remind you that you have a broken leg and can’t do chores. This celebration is important to me and to Horseshoe Joe. The best people for this task are you and Peter. You’ll work with him, ja?”
Meg, in fact, had been ready to object to the arrangement, but she wisely kept silent. Her mother was right. She couldn’t do chores while her leg was healing. Working with Peter so her father and his mother could have a surprise birthday celebration was something she could do to be useful. “I’ll be happy to work with Peter to plan the party.”
“Wunderbor!” Mam rose and put her chair back where it belonged. “You mustn’t tell a soul. Not even your sisters. Do you understand?”
Meg nodded.
“Gut.” Her mother looked pleased. “Lunch will be ready in a minute. Do you need help getting to the kitchen?”
Meg shook her head. “Nay. I’ll be there in a minute.” Her mother left her alone with her thoughts. She sat a moment and contemplated working secretly with Peter Zook. How would she manage? How would he react to the news?
Yesterday she’d told Peter that the accident caused her to put things in perspective in her life. She sighed. She had to find a way to work with him without her painful past interfering with their working relationship.
She stood, grabbed her crutches and hobbled toward the kitchen. Did Peter already know of their parents’ arrangement? Her stomach burned with anxiety. She’d see him tomorrow at her aunt and uncle’s. Would he mention the party? Refuse to work with her?
* * *
Sunday morning, after a decent night’s sleep provided by her pain medication, Meg rose from the bed in the first-floor sewing room. Her sisters, Leah, Ellie and Charlie, were working in the kitchen. Leah was at the stove, cooking eggs. Ellie was setting the table, and Charlie was putting out jars of jams and jellies. Meg had usually been up by six at the latest before the accident, and was shocked that she’d slept until eight thirty. “I’m sorry I slept so late.”
“You needed the rest,” Leah said with a smile. “Come and eat.” She pulled out a chair and helped Meg get situated at the table. “Eggs and toast? Or muffins with jam?”
“A muffin will be fine. Without jam,” Meg said, as she reached for a chocolate chip muffin. “Where’s Mam and Dat?”
“Dat’s outside getting the buggy ready. Mam’s upstairs.”
Meg broke open the muffin and took a bite. “Did Dat borrow a wheelchair?”
Ellie set down two cups of tea, one in front of Meg, before she sat across the table from her. “He did. He’s already put it in our buggy.”
Leah took the chair next to Meg and proceeded to fix her own cup of tea. “Does it bother you? The idea of being in a wheelchair again?”
Meg shook her head. “Nay. ’Tis not the same as before.” She’d spent several weeks in a wheelchair after she’d been discharged from the hospital, when a ruptured appendix had nearly killed her. A broken leg and a few bruises would heal much faster than severe complications from appendicitis.
After breakfast, her family headed to the Samuel Lapp farm, where Meg saw people she knew gathered around as her father steered their horse into the barnyard. Dat parked next to