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I T HAD BEEN TWO AND a half weeks since the part for Anthony’s car had been ordered, and it still had not come in.

Although his ankle was somewhat better, he’d awakened during the night with a fever and sore throat.

Rosa had kindly given up her bed and slept on the thin piece of foam she’d placed on the floor next to the bed.

Anthony had argued with her when she’d first insisted on him taking the bed, but feeling so weak and miserable, he’d finally given in to Rosa’s request. As he sucked on a piece of ice to help soothe his throat, he was thankful for the comfort of the soft mattress beneath his aching body, nearly drenched in sweat.

Anthony had never been a sickly person, and he hated lying around and doing nothing but sleeping or staring at the ceiling.

But at this moment, if he’d been a praying man, he would have asked God for a miracle healing so he could carry through with his plans to have a falling-out with Rosa and be on his way back to New York.

Anthony had come to the conclusion that he needed to accept the fact that he was stuck in Mifflin County, whether he liked it or not.

Trouble was, he actually liked a few things about being here with Rosa and her family.

Maybe more than a few things, but he’d never admit that to himself or Rosa.

Anthony didn’t want her to think he might be willing to marry her and settle down here.

Giving up his hopes and dreams of opening his own restaurant in New York would be ridiculous.

Mingling with the Plain people or even becoming one of them was even more absurd.

Anthony wasn’t cut out for the simple life in such a rural part of Pennsylvania.

Becoming a father to a child who wasn’t his or marrying a woman he didn’t feel committed to would make no sense at all.

Anthony closed his eyes and tried to block out the vision of Rosa that seemed to be stuck in his head.

What was it about the young woman that made him feel like a better person when he was with her?

Why did the touch of her hand on his hot forehead feel so good?

And how come the conversations they’d shared since coming here made Anthony feel like Rosa was his best friend?

He wondered but hadn’t asked if she felt it too.

Anthony rolled over onto his side, trying to find a more comfortable position. I wonder if my fever is making me delirious and unable to think clearly. Yep, that’s probably all it is.

Although Rosa hadn’t said anything, she was fairly certain Anthony’s symptoms were an indication that he’d come down with a case of the chicken pox.

The poor guy was miserable, and Rosa was glad she’d convinced him to take the bed where he could rest a lot better than if he’d been sleeping on the floor.

She turned on the warm water to fill the plastic tub in the kitchen sink, added liquid detergent, and then swirled it around the dirty breakfast dishes she had volunteered to do while Mom went to the shoe store with Tena.

Although Alvin was doing better, he still had some skin eruptions that hadn’t crusted yet, so he, along with Anthony, had been served his breakfast in bed again this morning.

Rosa was glad she’d had the chicken pox when she was a young girl. It wouldn’t be good to come down with them while she was pregnant.

She paused from her work and glanced down at her stomach. She felt love for the unborn baby, even though he or she had been conceived in the wrong way and with the wrong man.

How could I have been so foolish? she asked herself for the umpteenth time. I’ve made so many stupid decisions, even before I left my family and ran away from home. Sure wish I could go back and do things over, making wiser decisions instead of trying to prove something to myself and everyone else.

Rosa knew that all the guilt and sorrow she felt for her mistakes could not undo the past, and she needed to look toward the future rather than looking back and blaming herself for everything.

The biggest issue, however, was she wasn’t sure what the future would bring, or what direction to take, especially concerning the situation she’d created by allowing Anthony to pose as her husband.

When he returned to New York, Rosa would have two choices.

She could either continue with the lie, and allow her family to believe that she and Anthony had gotten a divorce, or come clean and admit that they’d never gotten married at all.

That would also mean admitting that Anthony was not the baby’s biological father and telling her folks that she’d had an affair with a married man who was not going to leave his wife in order to marry Rosa.

It’s a catch-22, she reminded herself. I will lose either way in my father’s eyes, and maybe in Mom’s too.

They’ll be disappointed in me and think I’m a sinful person, and it’s true.

They could very well kick me out of their house, and then when the baby comes, I’ll have no other place to go.

I can’t return to New York when Anthony leaves.

Even if I could get my job back at the restaurant, I wouldn’t make enough money to support myself and the baby, let alone pay someone to watch the child while I’m at work.

Rosa swallowed against the pressure building up in her throat as she pulled the wet, soapy sponge across one of the soiled dishes.

If I stick with the story that Anthony and I are married but have decided to get a divorce, I will not be allowed to join the Amish church.

If I admit that we never got married and have been pretending, that won’t go over well either.

Dad has made it clear many times over the years that lying is a sin and he will not let any of his children get away with telling untruths.

Rosa grabbed one of the glasses and scrubbed the inside with the sponge.

On second thought, maybe when Anthony gets his car back and is feeling better, I could ask him to take me with him when he returns to New York and see if I can get my job back at his father’s restaurant.

I could at least try to find a cheap place to rent and make do until the baby comes.

After that, I don’t know what I would do, other than pray for a miracle.

Tears slipped from Rosa’s eyes and dribbled down her cheeks.

She needed to remain here where she had the help and support of her family, but in order to do that, she would have to own up to the truth and beg their forgiveness.

She needed to decide at what point she should confess and hope that it didn’t backfire on her.

Would it be better to wait until Anthony headed back to New York or make the confession soon, while he was still here and could help her explain why they had lied to her parents?

Up and down, back and forth, Rosa couldn’t seem to make up her mind about anything at all.

Even if I decided to go that route , Rosa thought, with Christmas just a few days away, I should probably wait until the holiday is over, because there’s no point in ruining everyone’s special day.