The Twin (Lindy's Story Book 1) Page 5

  Robert’s cheeks colored. He hesitated and then said, “Jah. In case he won’t come.”

  Without thinking, Lindy grabbed Robert’s arm. “But why wouldn’t he? Surely, Otto can spare him.”

  Robert gazed at her, and Lindy got an odd feeling again that he was holding something back. But then, she realized she was gripping his arm, and she dropped her hand quickly.

  “What should I tell Berta about why you’re not here?” she asked.

  “Tell her I’ve gone to do some errands. I’m sorry. I don’t want you to lie. I’m leaving in about ten minutes and hope to be back this evening. If, for some reason, I don’t make it back, can you spend the night?”

  “Of course,” she said. “Anything you need.”

  He looked so sad and upset that her heart squeezed painfully. He picked up his felt hat from the kitchen table and put it on. He hesitated, looking as if he wanted to say something further. She waited and the air turned thick between them. He swallowed and then gave her a tremulous smile.

  “Thank you,” he murmured.

  She blinked. “Of course,” she said. “I’m here.”

  And then he reached out and squeezed her hand. She looked down at his strong fingers, fingers that looked exactly like Reuben’s, and held her breath. And then, he was gone. Out the door and out of the house. A white van had pulled into the driveway and up to the porch. She watched as Robert looked quickly back at the house and then climbed into the van.

  Lindy continued to watch until the van was out of sight.

  Please come home, Reuben. Please come.

  She straightened her shoulders and went into the front room to check on Berta. She was still sleeping, which wasn’t too surprising, considering her difficult night. Lindy picked up the empty cup and saucer from the bedside table and carried them back into the kitchen. She would scramble two eggs for Berta that morning. Maybe, with some luck, Berta would be able to eat them both. That would make a nice report for Robert.

  Ach, but it would be good to have both twins home. Berta would be absolutely thrilled. If anything would perk her up, that was it. And to see Reuben again. Lindy smiled. Everything was going to be all right. Rueben would come home with Robert, and when he saw his mother’s condition, he wouldn’t return to Ohio. Otto would just have to do without his help. Reuben would be back where he belonged—helping Robert on this farm.

  And then Rachel wouldn’t be the only one taking buggy rides in the evening.

  She smiled again and took two eggs from the bowl. The bowl was full which meant Robert had already gone out to gather eggs earlier that morning. That was just like him. Lindy could have easily done it, but he did it anyway. She broke the eggs into a bowl and whipped them. She glanced out the window. By the end of the day, the van would return with both boys.

  She could hardly wait.

  Humming now, she turned on the cook stove and set the heavy skillet on the burner. She plopped in a tablespoon of bacon fat and waited until it sizzled. Then she poured in the eggs and stirred them gently. Within minutes, they were ready.

  She put them on a plate and grabbed a fork and went back to the front room. It was then she realized that she hadn’t made any eggs for herself, and she was becoming quite hungry. No matter. She’d feed Berta first.

  Berta was awake, lying painfully still, only her eyes tracking Lindy’s movements. It was almost creepy.

  “Gut morning, Berta,” Lindy said with forced cheer. “I’ve made you some eggs. Let’s get you sitting upright a bit so you can eat comfortably.”

  Berta eyed the eggs, and her brow furrowed. “Not too hungry today, Lindy.”

  “Well, perhaps just a bite or two then.”

  “Perhaps…”

  Lindy set down the plate and then helped Berta to a semi-sitting position. She fluffed the pillows behind Berta’s back.

  “I’ll just hold the plate for you, all right?” she offered.

  “All right.” Berta seemed winded from just that bit of movement. She was staring at the eggs with what looked like dread.

  “Just a bite or two…” Lindy murmured, filling the fork.

  Berta opened her mouth, and Lindy fed her. Lindy wanted to weep. It was only on the very worst of days that Berta wouldn’t even hold a utensil—the night must have really taken a toll. She was able to feed Berta three bites before Berta clamped her mouth closed.

  “Just one more bite?” Lindy asked.

  Berta shook her head. “I want to lie down again.”

  Lindy got up at once, setting the plate down. She took away two of the pillows and eased Berta back down.

  “It wouldn’t hurt to take a pain pill,” Lindy said softly. “Just one, and just for now. You want to sleep anyway. It will help you.”

  Berta’s eyes filled with tears. “The pain ain’t so bad.”

  “But it is,” Lindy said. “I’m going to go get a glass of water. Just a minute, and I’ll be right back.”

  Without waiting for Berta’s certain protests, she quickly left the room and came back with a glass of water. She set it on the table and took out one of the pain pills.

  “Would you like to take it now? Or a bit later?”

  Berta stared at the pill in Lindy’s hand as if it were alive and going to attack her.

  “Please, Berta. You’ll rest better.”

  Berta bit the corner of her lip and didn’t take her eyes from the pill. Lindy picked up the glass of water and handed Berta the tablet. Lindy nearly burst into tears when Berta took it and put it in her mouth.

  “Here. Take a drink.” She tipped the glass to Berta’s mouth, and the older woman swallowed.

  “Ach,” Berta said. “I shouldn’t have taken it. It’s Englisch medicine, Lindy.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with Englisch medicine sometimes, Berta. Even the Bishop has been known to use it.”

  Berta looked dubious, but she lay back and closed her eyes.

  On an impulse, Lindy leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Berta didn’t stir, but the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

  “Sleep well,” Lindy whispered. “I’ll be back shortly to check on you.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Usually when Robert took a van trip, he was mesmerized by the scenery whipping past him. But not that day. He was staring out the window all right, but his thoughts were completely consumed by his mother, by Reuben, by Rachel, by Lindy.

  And his stomach pained him. It felt like he’d eaten a ball of wax. He sighed for the hundredth time and noticed his driver, Ed Miller, gazing at him from the corner of his eye.

  “You need to stop?” he asked.

  “Nee,” Robert said quickly. “I’m fine. I want to get there as soon as possible. And thanks for agreeing to wait for me. It shouldn’t take long.”

  Ed nodded and resumed his focus out the front window.

  Robert prayed he’d find Reuben at home. He hadn’t called him. Though he didn’t want to admit it, Robert was afraid Reuben would intentionally not be home if he knew Robert was coming. What had gotten into his twin lately? Robert wondered. This wasn’t like him. Not really.

  In the beginning, Reuben had gone to Ohio to help Otto with his farm. Otto had suffered a broken leg during the late winter, and he wasn’t really back to normal yet. That had been the reason, and a valid one. Robert was glad to have him go, but he’d had no idea Reuben was going to be gone so long. He’d figured a week or two at most.

  Didn’t Otto realize that he needed Reuben’s help, too? Why didn’t Otto just get a teenage boy in his district to help in the first place? It seemed pretty selfish to Robert, though he kept that opinion to himself.

  But then, something had gotten into Reuben. Now, neither Otto nor he had Reuben’s help. Robert’s fists clenched, and he told himself to calm down. He wasn’t there to pick a fight. He was there to bring his brother home.

  The two-and-a-half-hour trip passed in that manner—Robert’s thoughts circling round and round making him more and more agitated. By the
time Ed pulled over to the curb on Elm Street, Robert was exhausted.

  “Here you are,” Ed told him.

  Robert gazed out the window at a dilapidated old building that looked to have three floors, unless there was a basement. The sidewalk leading up to the building was cracked and uneven, and there were old faded planter boxes on each side of the door. The planters were empty but for what looked to be a few scraggly weeds. The lawn in front of the place was brown and dry. Reuben’s address was #314, so Robert assumed he was on the third floor.

  He sucked in a huge breath and opened the van door, climbing out. He turned back to Ed. “I don’t know exactly how long—”

  Ed shook his head. “Don’t worry. I’ll park over there under that tree to get out of the sun, though.”

  “Of course.”

  Robert faced the building. This was it. He walked up to the door and prayed it wasn’t locked. It wasn’t. He went inside and tried to adjust to the immediate darkness after being in the bright sunlight. He blinked a few times and hesitated. In front of him was a row of mail cubbies. He spotted #314. Through the tiny smeared glass window, he saw that his brother’s mailbox was empty.

  The staircase was right in front of him and it looked surprisingly heavy and sturdy. When Robert started up the stairs, they didn’t even creak, which was shocking considering how old the place looked. He wound around the staircase until he got to the third floor. There weren’t that many apartments up there, and it only took a moment to locate Reuben’s.

  Robert paused and listened carefully, but he could hear nothing coming from inside. Was Reuben there? Please, Gott, let him be there.

  He squared his shoulders and knocked. He waited and heard a rustling sound inside and then footsteps. The door opened and Reuben stood there, his mouth dropping open in surprise.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Wh-what are you doing here?” Reuben asked.

  Robert pushed past him into the apartment. He glanced around. It was dismal. The couch looked as if it was ready to surrender and die. The kitchen table was scratched, and the two chairs shoved under it appeared to be wobbly. There were food wrappers strewn across the floor.

  Rueben followed is gaze and then scurried to pick up the wrappers.

  “What are you doing here?” he repeated.

  Robert sat on the couch and sank a good five inches. “I wanted to see where you were living,” he said.

  “Now, you have,” Reuben replied, stuffing the garbage into a rubber trash bin under the kitchen sink.

  “Jah. Now, I have.”

  At that moment, a phone rang. Robert stared at Reuben as he dug into his jeans pocket and fished out his cell.

  “This isn’t a gut time,” Reuben said into the phone. A pause. “I understand that. I’ll call you later.” He hung up.

  “Mamm is wanting to see you,” Robert started right in.

  Reuben walked over and sat on the other end of the couch. “I know. Lindy wrote me.”

  “Did she?” Which, of course, Robert already knew.

  “Is Mamm worse?”

  Robert bit back an angry retort. He took a slow breath. “She is. That’s what I’ve been telling you, Reuben. She’s been asking for you.”

  “I plan to talk to my boss real soon,” he said. “I’m trying to get a couple days off.”

  “You haven’t spoken to him yet?”

  “Spoken to her. And nee, I haven’t.”

  “I don’t understand. What are you waiting for?” Robert’s voice had amped up a notch, and he worked to keep breathing.

  “I haven’t had the job very long, yet. Didn’t I already explain this to you? I don’t want to lose it. Get fired.”

  “And didn’t I already explain to you how sick Mamm is?”

  “I get it,” Reuben snapped. His nostrils flared. “I’m sorry. I’ll talk to her soon. I promise.”

  “When is soon, brother?”

  “Soon.” He glared at Robert. “This week sometime, all right? And then I might be able to come see her next week.”

  “Next week?”

  “Isn’t that gut enough for you?” Reuben shook his head. “It’s the best I can do.”

  “Is it?” Robert stifled an urge to punch his brother.

  Reuben jumped up and started pacing. “It is. You came all this way just to harass me?”

  “I came all this way to bring you home.”

  “Well, I’m not coming home.”

  Robert’s stomach clenched. “Ever?”

  Reuben shrugged. “I don’t know. I like my life here.”

  The image of Lindy’s hopeful face and her dancing eyes hovered in Robert’s mind. She was counting on him to bring Reuben home. She was praying he would bring Reuben home.

  “And Lindy?” Robert asked, his voice low.

  Reuben flinched. “What about her?”

  “She thinks you’re coming home.”

  “You told her you were coming to get me? Did you tell her I’d come back with you?”

  Robert could see he was angry, and he wasn’t sure why. “I had to tell her where I was going today—”

  “Why? Why did you have to tell her?”

  “Did you forget she’s working for us? She’s taking care of Mamm. I think she’d notice if I wasn’t around all day.”

  “You could have lied.” Reuben’s expression tightened as he heard his own words hang in the air between them.

  “Lie?” Robert asked, his brow raised. “Jah. I suppose that’s what you would do.”

  “Nee. Nee. I didn’t mean it that way.”

  “What other way is there to mean it?”

  Reuben licked his lips. “How is Lindy?”

  “Lindy is fine. In fact, she’s great. She takes care of Mamm as if she were Mamm’s own daughter.” Robert wanted to say more, but he stopped himself. He didn’t need to sing Lindy’s praises to his brother. Surely, Reuben already knew how wonderful Lindy was.

  Reuben was staring at him.

  “What?” Robert asked.

  “Do you like her?”

  Robert’s jaw flexed. “Of course, I like her. She’s been amazing with Mamm, and—”

  “Nee. I mean like her.”

  Robert’s chest tightened. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m courting Rachel, and you know it.”

  “You seem awful fond of Lindy.”

  “And you seem awful not fond of Lindy. She wants to see you, Reuben. And you need to tell her the truth. She thinks you’re still working with Otto. I’m not going to keep lying for you.”

  “You don’t have to lie for me. You don’t have to say anything.”

  “That’s not so easy. She’s there every day, Reuben. Every day.”

  “Jah, I’m getting the picture quite clearly, thanks.”

  Both brothers went silent. Robert looked down at his hands. This wasn’t going well. It wasn’t going well at all. How was he supposed to get his brother to agree to come home if all they did was fight?

  Robert stood. “I’m sorry, Reuben. What I mean to say is, we miss you. We all miss you. We wish you’d come home.”

  “I-I can’t right now. But I will. Soon. I promise. Within a few weeks or so for sure.”

  “A few weeks now?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  The problem was Robert had no confidence in Reuben’s best. What had happened between them? Why wouldn’t Reuben just come home?

  “I know you don’t understand,” Reuben said, as if reading Robert’s mind. “This is just something I have to do. I’m happy here. Happy with this life.”

  “And you weren’t happy at home?”

  He gave a heavy sigh. “I was. But I didn’t know what I was missing, and now I do.”

  “And Lindy?”

  “Let me worry about Lindy, will you? Why don’t you just concentrate on Rachel?”

  Robert looked toward what was obviously the bedroom. “Then give me your shirt.”

  “What?”

  “Give me your shirt. That ligh
t blue one you always used to wear.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “Just give it to me. When you return to Hollybrook, you can have it back.”

  Reuben left the room and came back with his shirt. “Here.”

  “Thanks.”

  Reuben narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t…”

  “Wouldn’t what?” Robert asked, but he knew Reuben had already guessed at his plan.

  “Mamm won’t be fooled.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Reuben stepped close, his face right into Robert’s. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  Robert shrugged. “Nee. I don’t.”

  “Now, who’s lying?” Reuben said.

  Robert sighed. “Let me know when you’re coming, all right? I assume it will be by bus. I’ll pick you up in the buggy.”

  Reuben stepped back and let the air seep from his lungs. “I’ll let you know.”

  “Will you tell Lindy what’s going on?”

  Reuben groaned. “Will you lay off? I already told you that I’ll take care of Lindy.”

  “I’ll see you soon then. If I leave now, I’ll still have the afternoon to do some work.”

  “I wouldn’t want to keep you.”

  Robert heard the sarcasm in his brother’s voice and cringed. “Gut-bye, then, Reuben.”

  “See ya.”

  Robert turned and left the apartment, his stomach churning. He didn’t even know his brother anymore, because that person back there couldn’t be Reuben. Couldn’t be. Rueben was a good guy, kind and considerate. Reuben loved his family.

  And that guy—that guy back there—clearly didn’t. He was only concerned with himself. Robert’s throat hurt, and he fought the tears that burned in his eyes. He clasped Reuben’s shirt to his side and emerged from the building. The van was waiting under a tree up the road, just like Ed had told him. Robert walked to it and opened the door.

  Ed, who’d been leaning back in the seat with his eyes closed, jolted upright. “You done already?” he asked.

  “I’m done.” Robert climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door.

  “All right. Let’s head for home.” Ed put on his seatbelt and started the car. “You hungry. Want to stop somewhere first?”