"I doubt it," Rose said. It was all pretty blurry.

The technician kept rubbing the wand around. "There's the head," she said.

Rose's heart quickened. "Oh, goodness."

Eve stood.

"And there are the legs." The technician chuckled. "Good thing you don't want to know the s.e.x. This one isn't cooperating." She continued with the test, saying the machine would take some measurements. After a few more minutes, she said, "I'll go get the doctor."

When she left, Rose turned to Eve. "So nothing's wrong, right? Or she would have said something."

"Not necessarily," Eve said. "The doctor explains the results."

"Oh," Rose said, and then, "How do you know?"

"I had one a few years ago."

"You were pregnant?"

Eve nodded. "I miscarried."

"I'm sorry." Rose wasn't sure what else to say.

"Thank you. It was a couple of years after we married." Eve smiled a little. "I'm so thankful we get to have Jackson in our lives now."

Rose nodded. Jackson was a sweetheart. She enjoyed caring for him, and being at Eve and Charlie's had been really good for her. At home it had been easy to rely on Lila and then Beth. At Eve's house, it was up to her to care for Jackson during the day and make sure all of the household ch.o.r.es got done. And nearly every evening, both Eve and Charlie said that her caring for Jackson in their home had helped make him a happier baby.

Finally the doctor arrived, carrying the laptop with her. She placed it on the tray, flipped it open, and then scanned the screen. "The baby's small for its gestational age." She turned toward Rose. "We often don't know the reason right away but in your case we do. You have placenta previa."

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"The placenta attached low in your uterus. It happens sometimes. Have you had any bleeding?"

Rose shook her head.

"Good. Sometimes, as the uterus expands, it will pull the placenta upward, but in your case it's really low, over the cervix. You're going to have to take it easy, as in bed rest. And no lifting."

"But I do childcare-for my aunt's baby." Rose nodded toward Eve.

The doctor shook her head. "You'll have to stop. This is a very serious condition. You'll have to have a C-section and your baby may come early." She went on to explain that if Rose started to spot at all, no matter what time of day or night, to call the office number. "Whoever is on call will get right back to you."

She'd need to move back home. There wouldn't be any reason for her to stay at Eve and Charlie's-she couldn't expect them to care for her.

"If you start bleeding, anything more than a spot here and there, call 9-1-1," the doctor said. "Any questions?"

Rose looked at Eve, a wave of panic rushing through her. "Can you think of anything to ask?"

"Besides bed rest, is there anything else that can be done?"

The doctor paused a moment. "Well, the usual. Take your prenatal vitamins." Rose had been-Beth had bought them for her early on. "Make sure you get plenty to eat, around 2,200 calories a day. Hopefully with the bed rest and if you eat well, you'll start gaining more weight. The bed rest really is essential though. If you don't take it seriously, you could have the baby far too early. If you do go into premature labor, we'll try to stop it. Also, do you have books about pregnancy you can read?"

"I have some," Eve said. "And we'll get more."

Both Rose and Eve stayed silent on the way home. Rose half watched the countryside zip by. A colt ran across a field. A teenage boy drove a team of workhorses. Daffodils bloomed in the flowerbeds of farmhouses, green shoots emerged out of newly planted gardens, and red geraniums bloomed from window boxes along the way.

As they turned off the highway, Eve said, "We'll figure things out. I'll talk to Charlie, but I'm thinking I'll go ahead and resign from my job. You can decide if you'd rather stay at our place or go home."

Rose inhaled sharply. "I'll think about it." She wasn't ready for her time at Eve and Charlie's to come to an end, but there really was no reason to stay.

As they neared the house, Rose noticed a buggy and horse hitched to the post by the garage. "I think it's Lila."

Once Eve had the car parked, Rose got out slowly-she was going to be fearful about everything now-and walked toward the house. Lila met her at the door with a half hug. "I'm picking up Trudy today. Beth had to go to Ohio to finish up some business." She leaned against her cane. "How are you?"

"Not good," Eve said, coming up behind her. "Lie down on the sofa for now. We can talk with Lila about what to do next."

Eve hurried down the hall, and Rose soon heard her speaking with Charlie in the baby's room. Rose eased herself down on the sofa as Lila asked, "What's going on?"

"Placenta previa," Rose answered. "The doctor said I need to be on bed rest." She explained what else the doctor had said, adding, "So I can't watch Jackson anymore."

"Oh, no." Lila leaned her cane against the wall and sat in the rocking chair.

"Do you think you could watch him?"

Lila nodded toward her cane. "It wouldn't be safe."

"Jah, I guess you're right. He's getting pretty big." It wouldn't do for Lila to be hobbling around, carrying nearly fifteen pounds.

Charlie stepped into the living room carrying the baby. "We're going to go down to the station for a little bit, and leave you ladies alone."

The baby lunged toward Rose, laughing as he did. She waved, and he waved back but began to whimper as Charlie headed out the door.

"What are you going to do?" Lila asked.

Rose shrugged. "Eve said I could stay here."

Eve stepped into the living room. "Yes," she said. "I just told Charlie I'm going to go ahead and resign. But I'll need to give them some notice. You wouldn't be able to stay here until I'm home for good. I'll put Jackson back in daycare until then."

Rose thanked her aunt and turned toward Lila. "I guess that means I'm coming home. I might as well go now." Lila would have to help take care of her after all. Even though she had resolved not to call Trevor until the baby was born, she decided he deserved to know what was going on.

While Eve and Lila went down the hall to her room to pack her things, Rose got up off the sofa and headed to the kitchen. She dialed quickly and let it ring until it went into voicemail. Not surprising. He most likely recognized Eve and Charlie's number. She quickly explained what was going on and then said, "I've been staying at Eve and Charlie's but I'm going back home. Bye."

As much as she felt she should give up on Trevor, she couldn't help but remember Lila's pain in not ever knowing her biological father. Perhaps G.o.d still had a plan concerning Trevor.

"No, I was completely wrong," Lila said. "I didn't know what I was talking about."

Rose reclined on the sofa at home, covered with the quilt from her bed. Dat had hustled Trudy out to help with the milking as soon as he saw Rose was home. She placed her hand on her abdomen. Jah, she was definitely showing now.

Lila had started the conversation in the buggy, telling her about meeting her half brother and what her birth father had been like-until they picked up Trudy. Now Trudy was out helping Dat with the milking, and Lila was at it again.

Lila shook her finger at Rose. "Are you listening to me?"

"Jah, I hear you. You were wrong." Rose turned and grinned at her sister. "I just want you to say it a couple of more times."

Lila wiggled the pillow out from under her arm in Dat's chair and threw it at Rose, hitting her in the chest.

"Ouch," she said, grabbing it and throwing it back. "Don't hurt me."

Lila caught the pillow and held it to her stomach. "It's going to be a long four months."

"Jah," Rose replied.

Lila pushed herself to her feet and grabbed her cane.

"Unless the Bobbli comes early."

Lila shuffled out of the room.

"Come back," Rose said.

"Why? You won't talk-not seriously, anyway."

"No, I will. Just come back." For as much as she used to want to sit around, she couldn't bear the thought of bed rest for the next four months. She'd never liked being by herself. "Please, Lila."

Lila stopped in the kitchen doorway and turned around. "I heard you leaving a message for Trevor today. I should have told you all of this before."

"Told her what?" It was Dat's voice from the kitchen.

Lila turned slowly, away from Rose and toward Dat. "What I discovered from meeting Butch Wilson Jr.," Lila said. "There's something I should have told you too."

"You'll have to tell me later," Dat said. "I just came in to fill my coffee cup." Beth had bought him a travel mug, which was quite a luxury for Dat. Rose could hear his footsteps across the linoleum as he called out, "We can talk later."

Lila turned back toward Rose.

"Wasn't it January when you saw Butch Jr.?"

Lila nodded.

"How come it's taken you this long to talk to me?"

"I don't know," Lila said. "I guess I was still thinking it all through. Plus, you know how much I hate conflict."

"You're acting the way you did when you loved Zane but were courting Reuben. Stop sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. When are you going to talk to Dat? Stop being so pa.s.sive."

Lila stared at Rose for a few long seconds, and then retorted, "Says the unmarried pregnant girl on bed rest."

Rose felt hurt for a moment. Jah, she was on bed rest. But she wasn't being pa.s.sive, at least she didn't think so. She sighed, knowing Lila had her own hurts and worries, and maybe she thought lashing out at Rose would help. Then again, maybe Rose hadn't been very understanding.

As Lila turned around and headed into the kitchen, her cane b.u.mping along the floor, Rose called out, "I'm sorry."

The thump of the cane stopped. "What?"

"Jah, you heard me. I'm sorry."

The thumping started again but grew closer. Lila reappeared in the doorway.

Rose smiled. "Did you want me to say it a third time?"

Lila shook her head. "I just wanted to see your face."

"I'm sincere," Rose said, pushing herself up a little. "I was too harsh with you. You've gone through a lot."

"Denki," Lila said.

"And I'm sorry your birth father pa.s.sed away."

Lila nodded, her eyes welling.

"And glad you have a half brother. I look forward to meeting him someday."

"Jah," Lila said. "That would be nice. I'd like that. I believe you will . . . someday." She turned again and went back into the kitchen. A cupboard opened, and there was a clatter, as if a couple of pans fell to the floor. Rose wished she could go help her sister. Instead, she pulled the quilt up to her chin and listened to the Fogles outside the living room window. She guessed a pair of robins were building a nest.

She was still on the sofa that evening, after Trudy had gone to bed. Dat and Lila sat at the kitchen table. If Rose listened carefully she could make out bits and pieces of what they were saying.

"I was wrong," Lila said. "I'd idealized the kind of man I thought my father was."

"So by default, I'm the better father now?"

Lila didn't answer for a long moment. Finally she said, "I guess that's the way it sounds."

Rose couldn't hear what was said next.

But then in a louder voice, Lila said, "I'm very thankful for your care."

Dat's voice was a little rough. "I know I was hard on you and Daniel. I didn't know how to show you that I loved you. But I did love you. I do love you."

"Denki," Lila said. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear that." Her voice trembled a little. "I love you too."

Rose wasn't sure what happened next. Both were silent. She thought maybe they hugged, but she couldn't be sure. Neither was very affectionate-and yet they both just had been, at least with their words.

Rose's hand went to her belly, which had just grown taut. The Bobbli kicked against it. Her eyes filled with tears. She was going to be a parent. A mother. The highest calling she could think of, but she was sure the job was much harder than she'd ever imagined.

24.