A Heart Once Broken Read Online Free Page A

wrong?” Sandra reached down to hold his arm.
    He attempted to smile. “I’d best be going home. I don’t feel well.”
    But this is unthinkable, Sandra almost said, but caught herself.
    Daett must have read her thoughts. “I know,” he said. He dropped his fork and groaned. “The meal isn’t done, but I must go home.”
    Several other men must have overheard the conversation and now turned toward Daett with concerned looks. Daett groaned again and held onto the edge of the table with both hands. Sandra left them to hurry over to the women’s table. Mamm was in the middle of a conversation with Lena, Bishop Henry’s frau.
    Sandra interrupted. “ Mamm , you must come. Daett is ill.”
    Alarm filled Mamm ’s face. “ Acht! ” she exclaimed. “We should have stayed home today. Emil hasn’t been feeling well all morning.”
    â€œIs it something serious?” Lena glanced back across the room toward the men’s table, where at least five men had gathered around Daett . “You had best go, Edna.” Lena prodded Mamm with her hand.
    Mamm stood and hurried toward Daett with Sandra following, but Mamm was quickly swallowed from sight amongst the gathered circle of men. As Sandra waited a hand came around her shoulder, and Lydia’s voice whispered in Sandra’s ear. “What’s going on?”
    â€œ Daett is sick. We need to go home,” Sandra said.
    â€œWe should pray,” Lydia said firmly.
    Sandra lowered her head and listened to Lydia’s whispered prayer. She couldn’t understand the words, but thankfulness and peace crept over her. They might be rivals in everything from schoolwork to boyfriends, but when trouble showed up, they were still cousins who lived on the same road and stood by each other.
    Sandra slipped her hand around Lydia’s shoulder and pulled her close. Lydia finished her prayer and met Sandra’s glance with a soft smile. “My daett has some problems too. The deacon stopped by to talk with him last night about financial things, but they wouldn’t tell me the details.”
    Sandra nodded. They understood each other well. This was how it always had been. She leaned over to whisper, “You have a nice dress on this morning. It looks goot .”
    â€œAnd so do you,” Lydia whispered back.
    Sandra smiled but the smile faded seconds later. The circle of men around Daett had parted to reveal his form lying on the bench, supported on each side by three of the men. Mamm was on her knees in front of him, with Daett ’s head cupped in both of her hands.
    â€œMove back, everyone,” someone ordered. “Emil needs air.”
    Bishop Henry hurried to the front door and swung it open. He grabbed a hat off the floor and fanned the room. The other men lifted Daett , and the bench was pulled out from under him.
    â€œSomeone bring a blanket,” the same voice ordered. A blanket appeared at once from the bedroom and was slid under Daett . The men lowered him to the floor.
    Sandra stared. Daett was more than a little ill. This was serious. Lydia’s hand tightened on Sandra’s arm, which only made things worse. Lydia had come to the same conclusion.
    â€œSomeone should call for the Englisha doctor,” the authoritative man’s voice spoke again.
    Bishop Henry hesitated only a moment before he motioned to one of the younger men. Mose Graber hurried out the open front door and ran once he was in the yard.
    Sandra tried to move closer, but Lydia held her back. “You can’t do anything.”
    â€œBut I want to see,” Sandra protested.
    Lydia hesitated, before they both moved closer. Daett lay still on the blanket with Mamm weeping beside him. Sandra and Lydia knelt down to join them. Tears stung Sandra’s eyes as she clung to Mamm ’s arm.
    â€œI’m afraid he’s gone,” Mamm sobbed.
    â€œGone!” Sandra tried to get her mind