Meg stood on her good leg as her dat went for her wheelchair. She reached to grab the buggy as she teetered there, then struggled for a better handhold. An arm immediately slipped about her waist in support, and she sighed with relief, glad for her sister’s help. But the clean, fresh scent of soap and man made her realize that the arm was masculine, strong, and most definitely belonged to Peter Zook. Her heart started to pound as she met his gaze.
“I’m steady now,” she assured him, eager for him to move away. Her world tilted, but then righted itself as he released her and stepped back. He turned to leave.
“Peter.” He halted and faced her. “Danki,” she said softly. Her throat constricted, and she felt her face heat.
Peter eyed her intently and nodded. Then he caught up with his mother and father as they approached the house. Meg watched him go with emotion akin to regret that he hadn’t stayed to chat—because she’d chased him away.
Her father moved the wheelchair close to where she stood. “Hold on, and I’ll help you.”
She felt drained and weak, and was glad to sit. As Dat pushed her toward the farmhouse, she started to believe that coming today had been a mistake. She felt tired, shaky...and unsettled by the memory of the warmth and strength of Peter’s arm as he’d steadied her.
* * *
Peter entered the Lapp house, his thoughts filled with Meg. He’d been fighting the emotion overwhelming him ever since he’d held her in his arms as he’d pulled her from the water.
He spied Agnes across the great room and immediately headed in her direction. His feelings about Meg would surely settle down if he spent time with his friend. “Hallo, you,” he said, greeting her with a smile.
“Hallo back,” she quipped with a crooked grin.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.” But he was glad she was, if only to take his mind off the sweet scent of Meg’s hair and the warmth of her beneath his arm as he’d kept her from falling.
Agnes shrugged. “Katie invited us. She saw my mudder at the store.”
The Joshua Beilers lived in another church district. Occasionally, they came to church service in the Zooks’ community, but not often. Peter had met Agnes after a service last year and they’d become instant friends. Agnes was easy to talk with, and her obvious delight in the world was refreshing. She was the complete opposite of Meg, in looks as well as temperament.
Familiar voices in Katie Lapp’s kitchen told him that the Stoltzfus family had entered through the back door of the house.
“Is that Meg?” Agnes asked. “I heard about the accident. How is she?”
He shrugged, pretending indifference. “Fine.”
“Let’s go see.”
“Maybe we should let her get settled in first.”
Agnes met his gaze. “I heard she broke her leg.”
Peter inclined his head. “Ja. She’s on crutches.” He couldn’t forget how she’d looked lying in her hospital bed, bruised, pale and vulnerable.
His brother came into the room, and Peter stared. “Josiah, you came! I haven’t seen you in months.”
Josiah grinned. He had married Nancy King of the Amos Kings, who lived across the road from Samuel and Katie Lapp. The couple had moved after their marriage, and Peter rarely got to see the two of them. “We came in last night. We’re staying with my in-laws. I wanted to surprise Mam and Dat.”
“Have they seen you?”
His brother nodded. “Ja.” He grinned, as if delighted by their parents’ reaction. Josiah’s gaze went to Agnes, who stood silently beside him.
“Sorry,” Peter said to both of them. “Agnes, this is my older brother, Josiah. Josiah, meet Agnes Beiler.”
The two greeted each other warmly. As Agnes turned to have a word with her twin sister, Josiah shot a pointed glance toward her before raising his eyebrows at Peter.
“We’re friends,” Peter said, before he could ask.
Josiah nodded. “I saw Meg Stoltzfus.” He glanced toward the kitchen with concern. “She was in an accident.”
“Ja, Reuben Miller was taking her home from last week’s singing when a car hit his buggy and forced it from the road.”
“Anything serious?” his brother inquired. “I didn’t want to ask.”
“Worst of it is a broken leg.”
“You two getting along yet?”
“We’re...polite.” Peter had told his brother about Meg overhearing their conversation. His brother had understood and been sympathetic. “She’s with Reuben Miller now.”
“And you have Agnes?”
Peter shrugged. “If all goes well.”
“There you are,” a warm female voice said. His brother smiled as his wife, Nancy, approached. “Hallo, Peter.”
“Hallo, Nancy,” he replied with a grin.
“You knew I wouldn’t be far.” Josiah regarded his wife with affection. “Weather’s too chilly to be outside today.”
His brother was lucky to have found a woman to spend his life with, Peter thought.
Elijah, Jedidiah and Jacob Lapp entered the room. “How about a game of baseball?” Elijah suggested. “’Tis cold out, but we’ll be warm soon enough.”
Martha overheard her husband. “You’re going to play baseball outside?” Beside her, his sister Annie pushed Meg’s wheelchair.
“They’d better not play inside,” Annie retorted.
“Why not?” Jed said. “’Tis not raining.”
Elijah’s expression softened as he eyed his pregnant wife. “You’ll stay inside, ja?”
“Why?”
Elijah opened his mouth as if to say something, but quickly shut it again.
“Why should any of us stay inside? We’ll watch from the porch.” Martha addressed Meg. “What do you say? Are you feeling up to watching your cousins smack a baseball around?”
It was clear that Eli didn’t like his wife’s decision. Martha was far along with child, and he was clearly concerned about her. “Martha...”
“I’ll be fine, husband,” she assured him. “Meg?”
“’Tis not like I can stand and watch them,” she said with good humor.
Peter studied her with concern. Meg had only recently been released from the hospital. The doctor was treating her with antibiotics to help her lungs stay clear. Would the cold air be bad for her? Wouldn’t it be better if she remained inside?
His brother-in-law, Jacob, frowned as he studied his cousin. “Meg, I’ll get a blanket for you.” He glanced at the other women. “I think you all should have blankets.”
“Gut thinking.” Annie beamed at her husband. “And I’ll make us some hot tea.”
“Peter?” Jedidiah smiled. “You playing?”
Peter glanced at Agnes, who returned his gaze. “I’ll play for a while.”
“I can’t play long,” Noah Lapp, another brother, said as he entered the room. “Food’s almost ready.”
The men avoided the kitchen entrance and left via the front door of the farmhouse. As they stepped outside, Peter caught sight of the younger Lapp brothers, Isaac, Daniel and Joseph, on the front lawn. Joseph held a ball and bat. Joshua and John King, neighboring boys from across the road, grinned