Part 38 (1/2)
Zane sat with Gideon and Lila, a piece of Monika's chocolate chess pie in front of him, in the Bylers' kitchen. It was the first Sat.u.r.day in April, and the afternoon sun streamed through the windows. Zane and Lila had met with the lawyer the day before, and the meeting had been disturbing. The insurance company hadn't finalized their investigation yet, but Mr. Addison claimed he planned to sue Lila.
”All of this is hard to believe,” Gideon said. The second police report faulted Mr. Addison, and Brad had found out from the man's cell phone company that he had been texting at the time of the accident, or at least right before it.
But Mr. Addison continued to claim that Lila had pulled out in front of him. Brad had explained the man had a right to sue and surmised Mr. Addison felt a jury of his peers, meaning Englischers, would sympathize with him.
”It goes against our beliefs, doesn't it? To go to court?” Lila's blue eyes lit up as she spoke. ”It's the way of the world, not our way.”
Gideon nodded. ”That's what we believe. Has anyone suggested mediation?”
Lila wrapped her hands around her coffee cup and shook her head. Zane doubted she'd want to be in the same room with the man who'd hit her to try to mediate the conflict. But if Mr. Addison took her to court, she'd have to go, unless it could be settled beforehand.
Gideon tugged on his beard. ”I never would have guessed this from the few minutes I spent with Donald Addison after the accident. He seemed pretty upset.”
Zane's neck tightened. ”The man called 9-1-1 and gave them false information.”
”Perhaps it's what he believed though,” Gideon said.
”Or what he convinced himself to believe.” Zane tried to relax. ”But how can he argue against the investigation? Or his cell phone record?”
Lila twisted her mouth in that endearing way she had. ”I think he might live down that lane right before the school.”
”On Derry Road?”
Lila nodded. ”Rose and I saw a vehicle that looked like his turn down that way. We followed it to a house, but the driver had already gone inside.”
”Jah, his address online indicates that he lives there now,” Zane said. ”Before that he lived in Ephrata.”
”Perhaps he had just moved,” Gideon said. ”Or was looking at the house. We can't know for sure he was getting ready to turn, so we should expect the best of him, jah?”
Zane hesitated, not sure if he should speak up or not.
Lila gave him one of her looks.
Gideon sighed and said, ”Go ahead, Zane. Tell me what you think.”
Zane inhaled, sure they thought him too aggressive. ”It's just that I don't know that we should think the best of this man. What if he's taking advantage of Lila because he doesn't think she'll pursue justice? These medical bills are a lot of money. And now that Rose is having complications, it could put even more stress on the mutual aid fund.”
”I hope you don't think any of us expect you to be responsible for Lila's medical bills,” Gideon said. ”Because we don't. If we can't cover it, we'll hold fundraisers. And other districts will contribute too.”
”Denki,” Zane said, relieved. He knew the district would do what they could, but he'd feared he and Lila would be responsible for the rest. ”But this man's insurance should cover Lila's expenses-there's no way she, or the district, should have to pay for the repairs to his SUV.”
Gideon tugged on his beard. ”You know as well as I do that life isn't fair. That's why we leave justice to the Lord.”
”I know that.” Zane sighed. ”I'll leave this up to Lila, with your advice.”
”How about if I talk to this lawyer you know?” Gideon asked. ”Would you be all right with that? And we'll pray that his insurance company's investigation agrees with the police report.”
Lila nodded.
Zane tried to relax. He didn't want his anxiety to make things worse for Lila, but he did want justice. However, he might have to learn how to give up that desire, to take one more step to truly becoming Amish.
”We should talk about when you two plan to marry,” Gideon said.
Zane searched Lila's face, but she wouldn't look at him.
”I'd rather not talk about that yet,” Lila said.
”Why not?” Gideon asked.
Lila's face grew red.
Gideon leaned across the table. ”What is it?”
Lila didn't answer, but finally she looked at Zane.
He shrugged but said, ”Lila wants to wait until after Rose has her baby.” He was beginning to feel that was just an excuse though.
”Lila?” Gideon asked. ”Is that why you don't want to set a date?”
Her eyes welled with tears, and she glanced at her cane propped against the table. ”Jah.”
Gideon took another sip of coffee and then asked quietly, ”Would you feel more comfortable talking to Monika?”
She shook her head. ”There's really not anything to talk about.”
When Gideon didn't respond, Lila said, ”I'm working at healing. I'm done with the physical therapist, but I'm still doing all of my exercises. I am getting stronger.” She sighed. ”I feel as if everyone's trying to rush me. I love Zane. I want to marry him. But if I need a few more months to make sure Rose and the baby are settled and to be certain I'm healthier-well, then, that's what I need.”
”I see.” Gideon glanced at Zane.
Zane kept his eyes on Lila, not wanting to make her feel as if he were disagreeing with her by making eye contact with Gideon. She was right to say what she needed, and he shouldn't take it as a rejection. Even though he felt it was.
”How is Rose doing?” Gideon asked.
Lila sat up a little straighter. ”She's feeling fine. She says she thinks the doctor made the whole bed rest thing up.” Lila smiled a little. ”The Bobbli's moving quite a bit. Thankfully Rose is gaining more weight.”
”I see,” Gideon said again, but Zane wasn't sure what he meant. Perhaps he was understanding what Lila didn't want to discuss.
On the way home, in the buggy, Zane stayed quiet. He wasn't going to force Lila to talk about anything else-or force her to take action she wasn't ready to. He'd been reading 1 Corinthians 13 over and over, not in the King James Version, which their district sometimes used instead of the High German Scripture, but in his old Bible, the New International Version from when he was a boy. ”Love is patient, love is kind . . . It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking . . . It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
That was the way he wanted to love Lila. He wouldn't fail her. He'd give her the time she needed.
On Monday, Zane's ride dropped him off at the intersection of Juneberry Lane and the highway in the early evening. He was thankful work hadn't slowed down much in the winter-although it hadn't picked up the way he'd hoped this spring either. His boss was waiting on a new contract while they did the finis.h.i.+ng work on the last project.
As Zane walked the rest of the way home, he looked down the Lehman driveway just as he did every time he pa.s.sed, just as he had since he was twelve. Searching for Lila. Always, searching for Lila. He wouldn't stop by today. He'd give her s.p.a.ce. Although he would head to the barn after he put his things away and help Tim with the milking.
The trees along the lane practically glowed with new growth, all in tender shades of green that made the world seem as if it had just been reborn. Zane couldn't help but feel a sense of hope regardless of the ongoing uncertainty with Lila.
At the cedar tree he angled through the field, heading in a straight line for the little house. As he walked along briskly, Tim came up from the creek, a fence pole digger in his hand. Zane knew he'd been expanding the fence in the far field. Tim waved.