style="font-size:15px;"> Jake shrugged. “As I said, I don’t know how badly he needs the money. And it is possible for the person with the power of attorney to sell property. In fact, it might become necessary for other reasons.”
Lainey glared at him, not liking the way this conversation was going. “Stop trying to break it to me gently. Just tell me.”
“I wasn’t.” His grin startled her. “But you’d be surprised how few people can keep up when a lawyer starts explaining things.”
“They teach you that in law school, do they?” That smile of his seemed to touch something inside her.
“Actually, I picked that up from my dad.”
The only thing she’d picked up from a long line of stepdads was that she was superfluous. And the assurance that they wouldn’t be around for long.
“So why might it be necessary to sell property?” She could feel the weight of responsibility getting heavier.
“I don’t know how much you remember about Amish beliefs, but they don’t have insurance. Decisions may have to be made about how to pay for Rebecca’s care. As long as her assets are tied up in land, it’s not going to be easy to come up with funds.”
She stared at him blankly for a few seconds. “But surely, Medicare...”
He was already shaking his head. “The Amish don’t pay into Medicare and Social Security, and they don’t accept the benefits. In the case of someone needing hospital care, the family pays out of pocket, and when necessary, the church district takes up an offering to make up the difference.”
She tried to wrap her mind around it. So in addition to fending off angry relatives and making decisions about Aunt Rebecca’s care that she felt very ill-equipped to make, she was also probably going to be landed with a cartload of bills she couldn’t pay. She pressed her fingers to her temples.
“Is that all of it? You don’t have any more surprises for me?”
“That’s it.” She thought she read sympathy in his clear green eyes. “Sorry about hitting you with all of this, but you wanted to know.”
“I did.” Lainey took a deep breath. It didn’t help. “Well, thanks for being honest with me.”
“It’s not an easy situation. To continue being honest, I advised her against choosing you for this responsibility.”
“Prejudiced without seeing me?” she asked sweetly.
“It’s not that.” His tanned face flushed. “I just thought it made more sense to name someone here, someone who’d have a better understanding of Rebecca’s situation.”
“Like my great-uncle Zeb?” The momentary connection she’d felt at his sympathy vanished.
“No, certainly not Zeb.” His voice was crisp. “Not anyone who has something to gain or lose by the decisions that might be made. But that list still includes other people who...” He let that trail off.
But she could finish it for him. “...who are more qualified than I am? Annoying as that is, you may be right.”
Jake’s jaw set, and he seemed to censor the words that sprang to his lips. “As I mentioned, you don’t have to accept. We could make a recommendation that another person be chosen because you’re unable to perform the duties. After all, you have a home and a life elsewhere. No one could blame you for saying no.”
Home was something she’d never had, unless she counted one long-ago summer. And her life was such a mess that she wasn’t especially eager to return to it.
But neither of those was a good reason for turning down the responsibility Aunt Rebecca had thrust upon her.
“I’ll think about it,” she said, rising. “I’ll let you know what I decide.”
Jake stood, too, looking down at her for a long moment, his face giving nothing away. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you.” He glanced at his watch. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to the office.” Without waiting for a response, he walked quickly out of the chapel.
Lainey followed more slowly. Heading down the hall toward her aunt’s room, she tried to marshal her thoughts, but they refused to be collected.
She was aware of one overwhelming urge. Escape. That was what she always did, wasn’t it? When things got difficult, when relationships grew sticky, she escaped. At least, unlike her mother, she didn’t marry her mistakes.
At the moment, her stomach churned with anxiety, with the urge to keep going right past that hospital room where Aunt Rebecca lay, to get on the elevator, to get in her rental car, and get out of town.
She didn’t. She turned and walked back into her aunt’s room. If she was going to back out of this situation, at least she wouldn’t run.
* * *
LAINEY GLANCED AT the clock over the refrigerator. Jake had told Zeb he’d stop by to see him this evening. He might be there now. What was he telling the man?
Odd, wasn’t it? She’d never heard of an attorney who made house calls, and on someone who wasn’t a client, no less. Maybe Jake was just a really nice guy. Or maybe there was more involved in this situation than she realized. In any event, she’d better curb her well-known gift for acting impulsively and consider all the options before making such a big decision.
She dried the plate she’d used for her supper, looking out the window over the sink. The sun was sliding over the ridge, its slanting rays turning the trees in the woods to gold. Beyond the patch of woods, where the land sloped gently upward, she could see cows moving toward a barn, prompted by a small Amish boy whose straw hat didn’t even reach the cows’ backs.
She’d forgotten how peaceful the valley was. And how beautiful. Of course, it was possible that as a child she hadn’t noticed it. She’d been too busy running around all day with those two girls...she blanked out, unable to remember their names for a moment. Then it came back to her, swimming up from the depths of memory. Rachel and Meredith.
Rachel had been the Amish girl from the farm on the other side of the creek, and Meredith the one who lived in the house next door. Apparently she still did, from what Lainey remembered of her great-aunt’s letters. It was hard to imagine someone as bright and energetic as Meredith had been settling down in a place like Deer Run.
People did, she supposed. Her thoughts went back to Jake. He had, obviously. Maybe he liked being the big fish in the small pond.
What was he saying to Zeb Stoltzfus? She couldn’t help feeling a sliver of uneasiness, despite Jake’s assurances. Jake had claimed he didn’t support the idea of Zeb controlling Rebecca’s assets or her care, but what if he liked the idea of Lainey doing it even less? Despite those few moments when they’d seemed to click, he’d clearly thought Rebecca had made a mistake in naming her.
Lainey’s cell phone rang, and her nerves seemed to jangle in tune with it. She’d given the hospital her cell number. Dropping the dish towel, she snatched up the phone.
“Hello?”
For a moment there was nothing.
