"Damaris, let's go so we can talk," Dominic said quietly, picking up the food tray. He looked back at Adriana and smiled. "I'll be right back."
Fine with me, Adriana thought. She needed a minute to think.
***
Reluctantly, Dominic left the room.
"Snow is injured, Damaris. She will be staying with us a while longer," he said quietly as they made their way to the kitchen.
"Seriously? You’re calling her Snow?”
“That’s the name she picked, and I like it.”
“Isn't she supposed to stay till she heals and then leave immediately?"
"Oh, come on, Damaris. You were raised better than that. We have been brought up to love our neighbors as ourselves, so why such hatred towards her?" Dominic set the tray on the counter. “She was just in an accident. She needs more time to heal."
"She is not a neighbor. She is a complete stranger. And I don't hate her, but if she had not been here, you would have come to the Singing with me two days ago," Damaris retorted.
"Now that is where you are wrong, Damaris. I already told you that I was not going to court Margaret, so I probably wouldn’t have gone to the Singing anyway. Secondly, she might be a stranger, but were we all not put on this earth by the Lord?"
At that, his sister had nothing to say. She crossed her arms.
"When she gets better, she will leave. She didn’t want us to take her to the hospital because she was afraid someone would find her. Her life could be in danger."
“Then she is endangering all of us!” Damaris cried, throwing her hands up.
“She is staying here. Maam and I have already decided.”
Damaris let out a growl and stomped out of the room. Dominic sighed and returned to Snow’s room.
His eyes widened when he didn’t see her there. Where had she gone to? He panicked.
"Hi."
He heard a voice, and he swerved around to find her leaning against the door, pain written all over her face. He hurried over and helped her into the bed. "I needed to use the bathroom."
"Why didn’t you call for help? Damaris could have helped."
She smiled at him and said, "Thanks. But I’m fine. I’m feeling much better, thank you.”
“Would you like to meet my younger brothers and sisters?” Dominic asked.
“Oh, yes, I’d love to.” Snow grinned.
“Let me go get them.” Dominic left the room, and a moment later, he returned with all his other siblings.
“Oh, my!” Snow said, eyebrows raised. “You have six younger brothers and sisters, counting Damaris? There are seven of you?”
“Yes. There are seven of us, and I’m the oldest,” Dominic said. “Damaris is the next oldest. This is Delphine, Danny, Dean, Daisy, and Desmond, oldest to youngest.”
All of them stared at her.
“Are you sick?” Dean asked, then sneezed loudly.
“God bless you,” Snow said.
“He has a lot of allergies. Are we adopting you?” Daisy asked, bouncing on her toes and teetering off balance. “Forever and ever and ever?”
“Oh, come on. We are not adopting her,” Danny said gruffly, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. “She’s an adult.”
Desmond asked something in another language, rubbing his eyes.
“What did he say?” Snow asked Dominic.
“He hasn’t learned much English yet,” Dominic said. “The children learn Pennsylvania Dutch first, then English. He asked if you always sleep so much, and he said he likes to sleep too.”
“Oh,” Snow said with a laugh. “No, I don’t always sleep this much. It is only because I got hurt.”
Delphine just smiled at her, hiding behind Dominic’s leg.
“She’s a bit shy sometimes,” Dominic said to Snow.
Snow laughed, and Dominic was grateful she didn’t seem overwhelmed. “I’m not sick,” she explained to the children. “I just bumped my head. Dominic rescued me and is taking good care of me. Once I figure out who my family is, I’ll have to go home.”
“Well, kids, why don’t you go play so we can let Snow rest?” Dominic said, ushering them out the door.
“It was nice to meet you all!” Snow called.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Daisy said, grinning at her. “I’m happy you’re here.”
“Why, thank you, Daisy,” Snow said. She looked to Dominic as the children left the room. “I don’t need rest, Dominic. I’ve been sleeping for what seems like weeks.”
“Well, how about a game of cards instead?” Dominic asked, mischief in his eyes.
“That sounds wonderful.”
“I could teach you how to play Solitaire, but it’s a game for one person. I also know a more fun, fast-paced card game called Dutch Blitz. Would you rather have a slow-paced game or a more fast-paced game?”
“Dutch Blitz sounds more fun. And I could use a little fun. Might help ease my mind.”
As he taught her how to play, they took a break between rounds.
“You weren’t kidding. That is fast-paced,” she said, laughing. “My brain needs a minute to catch up.” Snow looked at him thoughtfully. “Where did you get that scar on your forehead? Were you in an accident too?”
Dominic’s hand subconsciously went to cover the scar. Visions of bright headlights racing toward his car at an unimaginable speed filled his mind.
“Yes,” he murmured. “I was in a car accident, too, like you. That was when I left the Amish for a few years, but I came back after that.”
“You’re blessed. You survived. God protected you.”
Although he knew the words were supposed to comfort him, they angered him, just like every other time he’d heard them from his friends.
In his mind, he saw the drunk driver’s truck heading right toward his wife’s side of the car, who’d been driving. He’d screamed her name to try to warn her, but it had all happened so fast.
She’d been killed instantly.
What if he’d been driving? Could he have moved them out of the way in time? Or would he have died instead of her?
Sometimes, he wished that.
Why had God protected him, but not Eliza? He knew he wasn’t supposed to wonder that, but he couldn’t help it.
“What’s wrong?” Snow asked quietly. “I’m sorry if I upset you.”
“It’s not your fault,” Dominic said, not able to look up at her as he busied himself with shuffling the cards and setting them up for the next round. “I know God has a plan and loves us all, and we are not supposed to question why terrible things happen to good people. That is something I will never understand.”
CHAPTER SIX
A few days later, now that she could finally stand and walk without passing out, Adriana stood in front of the house, staring out at the fields and the animals that were grazing. All she could see for miles were fields of snow and other Amish homes ranging in color from maroon to gray or white.
Adriana pulled the borrowed black winter coat even more tightly around her, thankful the Amish here used buttons and zippers, unlike some more traditional communities. Damaris and Constance had been lending her clothing, which made Adriana feel guilty, but she wouldn’t be here much longer.