Free A Blessing for Miriam by Jerry S. Eicher Page A

delicious, but she hadn’t dared taste one. She noticed Wayne’s gaze drift toward the waiting pies too.
    “I hope they’re gut .” Miriam wrinkled up her nose. “I had to rush.”
    “I know they’ll be gut !” Uncle William declared without hesitation.
    “You can be sure of that,” Wayne echoed William’s sentiment.
    Miriam stared at the line of pies. “Looks can be deceiving, you know.”
    “They weren’t with you,” Wayne teased.
    Miriam gave Wayne a grateful smile. She’d written Mamm this week about the proposed wedding in October. She was sure Mamm wouldn’t turn her down, so the matter was settled. She was Wayne’s promised one, and she would soon be a married woman. She took a deep breath and thought of Wayne’s kiss the other Friday night. Wayne wasn’t plentiful with his kisses, but he would be once they were married. She was sure of that.
    Wayne nudged Miriam under the table. “What are you thinking?”
    Heat rushed into Miriam’s face.
    Thankfully Aunt Fannie saved the moment when she reappeared at the kitchen doorway. “It’s for you, Miriam, and it sounds serious. You’re to call home at once.”
    Miriam jumped to her feet. The flaming in her face turning icy cold. “Why? Is something wrong?”
    “I don’t know.” Aunt Fannie appeared worried. “Young Leroy found the message down at the phone shack that had been left early this morning. There weren’t any details.”
    “This morning?” Uncle William sounded puzzled. “And no one found it before now?”
    Aunt Fannie gave him a sharp glance. “Well, it’s not like the community’s hopping with activity on a Saturday morning.” Aunt Fannie wrung her hands for a moment. “Go call back, Miriam, and leave a message if no one answers the phone in Possum Valley.”
    “I’ll do that.” Miriam was at the kitchen doorway. “And don’t wait for me on the pecan pie.”
    “Should someone go with Miriam?” Aunt Fannie suggested.
    “I’ll go.” Wayne was already on his feet.
    Miriam spoke over her shoulder. “You don’t have to. I’ll go alone.”
    Before Wayne could protest, she’d rushed out the door. Leroy lingered on the steps and greeted her with a warm smile.
    “Hi, Leroy.” Miriam smiled back. “Thanks for bringing the message up.”
    “You’re welcome.” He trailed after her on the walk down the road. When she gave him a quick glance, he shrugged.
    “I’m going that way,” he explained.
    That was true, Miriam figured, but she noticed he waited outside the phone shack while she stood inside and dialed the number.News from Possum Valley was a big deal, and Leroy didn’t intend to return home until he was up-to-date. She couldn’t blame him. He was a normal, curious boy.
    Miriam tensed as the rings sounded in the receiver. The answering machine was set for six rings, the same as the one by the Bylers’ in Oklahoma. That gave anyone who was near time for a dash to the phone. The shack was a quarter mile down the road from her parents’ place, but someone else might hear.
    “Come on answer!” Miriam whispered as ring four passed. She was ready to hang up when the phone clicked.
    “Hello,” a female voice sounded hesitant.
    The words came out in a rush. “This is Miriam Yoder. I’m calling from Oklahoma.”
    “Oh, yah , Miriam. This is Betsy Mast. I was walking past and didn’t know whether I should answer.”
    “I’m glad you did.” Miriam took a deep breath. “Do you know why my parents would want to contact me?”
    There was a long pause. “Maybe about your sister Shirley’s accident last night.”
    “What accident?” A chill ran down Miriam’s back.
    Betsy cleared her throat. “We haven’t heard much, but the man who was driving her hit a deer.”
    “Jonas, no doubt.” Miriam tried to breathe. “How bad is it?”
    “I don’t know.” Betsy hesitated. “They took her to the hospital. That’s all I know.”
    Miriam thought for a moment. “Would it be too much to ask if you’d go up