“We’re celebrating my bruder Michael’s birthday at his home tomorrow. Monday would be better.”
“Then Monday it will be. But Phoebe, remember this. Of course you have a duty to respect and honor your eldre, but you are a young woman of twenty-one with a gut head on your shoulders, and you can make decisions for yourself.” And before Phoebe could argue the point with her, Edna hung up.
Phoebe slowly lowered the handset of the phone, her mind whirling with thoughts of Edna’s unexpected request. Should she do it?
“Is Edna well?”
Daed’s question interrupted her thoughts. “Jah.” Then she caught herself. “I mean, nee. She hurt her arm yesterday. But she said it’s not serious.”
“And for that she had to make a phone call to you?”
“Actually, she asked me to help her with something. But I’d like to talk to both you and Mamm about it together.”
Daed’s brow drew down in question, but he merely nodded. “Then we will speak of it at the lunch table today.” And with that he went back to work.
Phoebe appreciated that he didn’t press her. She donned her coat and left the work shed, but didn’t return to the house immediately. Instead she headed down the drive to fetch the mail, one of her regular tasks. As she walked, she felt a little spark of excitement. The thought of being part of a new household where no one knew her or her history stirred a sense of adventure within her. Should she do it? Could she do it?
She’d reached the mailbox by then and gathered up what appeared to be two sales flyers, a magazine of some sort, and four white envelopes. Without bothering to study the pieces closer she turned and headed back toward the house.
What would her eldre think about her accepting a job so far away?
Phoebe scooped up a small portion of mashed potatoes and then passed the bowl to Paul, seated on her left. The knot in her stomach had pulled too tight for her to be able to eat much.
Unbidden, a memory from her childhood returned to her. At the end of her first-grade year she’d been frustrated and upset seeing her classmates begin to read and yet the words on the page made no sense to her. When this continued into second grade Mamm had insisted that she was such a clever girl, all she needed to do was focus. She’d worked with her every evening, but the more Mamm worked with her and the more she’d desperately tried to please Mamm, the more the words and letters twisted and danced on the page, mocking her efforts to make sense of them. She could still recall with absolute clarity the moment her mamm’s demeanor had changed from determination to defeat, from teacher to acceptance that her dochder would likely never be able to read. When Mamm had told her they didn’t need to work on her reading any longer, that instead she would focus on teaching her how to be a gut homemaker, Phoebe had understood just what that meant. She’d cried herself to sleep that nacht.
Daed spoke again, pulling her thoughts back to the present. “So dochder, what did Edna ask of you that you need to discuss with me and your mamm?”
Phoebe took a deep breath. “A few weeks ago Edna took on the job of housekeeper for some relatives, a group of young men, the six Beiler brieder who apparently need a lot of help.”
“Ach, I knew Edna couldn’t just sit back and visit for very long.” Mamm had an indulgent smile on her face.
Phoebe smiled back, then continued. “Edna hurt her arm yesterday and won’t be able to keep house for them very well for the next several weeks.”
“Ach, poor dear. I hope she’s not in much pain.”
“She says she feels fine, she just can’t do much with only her left hand. Which is where I come in.” Again, Phoebe breathed deeply. “She’d like me to go to Sweetbrier Creek and help out until she’s able to resume her work.”
Mamm paused with her fork halfway to her lips, her brow raised almost to her hairline. “What? That’s ridiculous. You told her you couldn’t go, didn’t you?”
Why was it ridiculous? “I told her I’d need to think about it and also talk to you both before I decide.”
Mamm’s unbending posture softened ever so slightly. Was that an element of concern beneath her stern refusal? Would Mamm ever see her as a capable adult rather than a child to be cosseted?
“A wise response.” Daed’s words brought her attention back to him. “What is it you want to do?” His tone and expression were measured, giving little of his thoughts away.
“Turn her down, of course,” was Mamm’s quick, predictable response. There was no doubt about the concern in her expression now.
“Actually, I think I’d like to go. Edna needs the help or she wouldn’t have asked.” She shot a quick look Mamm’s way. “And she’ll be there so it’s not as if I’d be entirely on my own.”
“And where would you live while you’re there?” Daed had set his utensils down and was stroking his beard, something he did when he was thinking through a problem of some sort.
“Edna lives in the Beilers’ dawdi haus and she says there’s room for me to move in there with her. It would only be for five or six weeks.”
“But that means you’d be gone over Christmas.” Mamm’s lips remained set in a stubborn line but again Phoebe thought she detected a note of pleading underlying her tone. “I think it best you tell Edna to find someone else.”
Was that really the reason? Or did Mamm think she couldn’t handle such a responsibility? “I can always make it a condition that I come back home for a couple of days at Christmas.”
“But—”
“I think that’s a reasonable compromise.”
At the interruption, Mamm’s gaze turned to meet Daed’s and Phoebe watched as something unspoken passed between them. Then Mamm sat back and focused on her plate, her expression unreadable. Paul and Rhoda wisely kept silent but they also exchanged glances.
Daed turned back to her. “Tell me about these six brieder.”
Did that mean he wasn’t going to try to talk her out of it? “The two youngest are still in school. The oldest has been trying to care for all of them himself.” She lifted her chin. “I don’t know much more but I trust Edna when she says I can do what is needed to help them.”
Phoebe focused on her daed, but from the corner of her eye she saw Mamm’s hand tighten on her fork.
To her relief, Daed nodded. “Edna has a sensible head on her shoulders.”
Afraid to get her hopes up just yet, Phoebe turned to her mamm and braced herself.
But to her surprise Mamm nodded. “If this is really something you want to do, then of course you should give it a try.” Then she met Phoebe’s gaze. “But remember, if you feel the need to return home before the time is up, then I’m sure Edna will understand.”
Daed cleared his throat, reclaiming Phoebe’s attention. “If you feel called to help this familye of brieder, then you may go with our blessings.” He pointed his spoon at her. “And this could be a wunderbaar opportunity for you. A chance to see if you’re ready for a home of your own.”
