A Time for Peace Read Online Free Page B

blurred. "Can't read."
    Frowning, the nurse took the card. "I forgot about your double vision. It's taking some time to go away but it will, honey, it will." She patted Jenny's hand. "Here, I'll read it for you."
    The words inside had been simple and direct: "Come. Heal." It had been signed "Your grossmudder, Phoebe."
    So she came back here as soon as she could, the moment she was released from the hospital. She'd come here and the first morning she was back this man beside her had come over to see Phoebe, his next-door neighbor, and through the maze that her poor hurt brain had become, the memory of being in love with him had emerged.
    She'd never thought she'd walk again or talk normally and never, ever, in her wildest dreams, had she thought that Matthew could see past her battered body and failure to believe in herself or God or anything and want to marry her.
    But here she was, married to this big, blond, gentle giant of a man. As if he felt her thinking about him, he stirred in his sleep and gathered her closer, cupping her head and pressing it against his chest, so that she finally fell asleep listening the slow, steady beat of his heart.
    Someone was patting her arm. She opened her eyes and saw that Annie was standing beside the bed.
    "Time to get up," she said brightly.
    "Wha—what time is it?" Jenny asked. She glanced at the clock beside the bed and groaned. "Oh, Annie, go back to bed.
    It's too early to get up."
    Annie gave her a winsome smile, one that showed two missing teeth. "Let's go get Phoebe before I go to schul."
    Jenny pulled the quilt up over her head. It was too early to be up, even for the Amish. She nudged Matthew with her elbow. "Matthew? Tell our daughter to go back to bed."
    "Annie, go back to bed," he mumbled and rolled over.
    There was a tug on the quilt. Jenny lowered it. Annie still stood beside the bed but this time, Jenny saw the tears in her eyes.
    She moved a little closer to Matthew then lifted the covers so that Annie could climb into bed.
    "Ssh," she whispered when Annie started to speak. "Go back to sleep and we'll talk later."
    To her surprise, Annie did so and after a few minutes, Jenny fell asleep again. She woke when Matthew climbed out of bed and dressed for the day.
    Leaving Annie to sleep a little while longer, Jenny slipped out of bed and dressed, then headed downstairs to fix breakfast.
    Matthew was standing at the stove, watching the percolator sitting atop it, his cup in his hand. She smiled. He could wait for breakfast until after chores, but he had to have that first cup of coffee before he went to work.
    She walked up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and laid her cheek against his back. "Love you."
    "Love you, too."
    "But you're looking at the coffee, not at me."
    He turned and grinned at her as he slipped his arms around her waist. "Sorry. That doesn't mean I love it more."
    "Sure," she said. "Sure."
    Bending, he kissed her. "I didn't have my arms around coffee last night."
    She returned his grin. "You're right."
    "And I'm making you tea," he said as the teapot began whistling.
    Reaching around him, she moved it and the whistling wound down to a sputter. "Thanks. Now, if we're quiet, we might get to have a few minutes before the children come down."
    They sat at the table and enjoyed their jolt of caffeine, a morning routine for them.
    Halfway through her tea, Jenny pressed her hand to her abdomen and winced. Getting up from the table, she rummaged in a kitchen cupboard for some Midol and washed it down with her tea.
    When she sat down again, Matthew took her hand and squeezed it, giving comfort without words.
    Another month without getting pregnant, she couldn't help thinking.
    Feet hit the floor overhead and then moved around. Mary was up. Then the same thing happened in a different area of the upstairs. Joshua was up, too. No footsteps came from Jenny and Matthew's room. Annie had yet to wake.
    Jenny chided herself for feeling a little depressed that she