* * *
The next morning, Rose couldn’t wait to tell Mark that her parents were sending her to talk to the bishop and his wife. Mark had overprotective parents as well, and he’d have a good chuckle about it with her.
When Rose got to her stall, Mark was nowhere to be seen and he always arrived before she did. Instead of Mark, she saw his younger brother, Matthew.
“Matthew, what are you doing here?”
“I thought Mark would’ve told you. I’m taking over the store from him.”
“What? Why?”
“He got an offer to learn the trade from Onkel Harry. He’s going to be making buggies.”
Rose frowned. Just when she really needed Mark, he’d left her. “Isn’t that what Jacob was doing?”
“Jah, but Jacob has gone and … so it goes.”
“Jacob and Jessica have gone now?”
“They left yesterday. Didn’t you know?”
“I did. I was just making sure. Jacob told me they were leaving. I was just checking that they’d actually left.”
“No one had heard about Jessica until she showed up here.” Matthew laughed. “Jacob will be under the thumb soon if he doesn’t watch himself.”
“What?” Rose frowned. “What do you mean?”
“She snaps her fingers and then he goes running back home. He was supposed to be here for a few months.” Matthew shook his head as though disgusted. “I don’t know what happened there.”
Rose kept silent and set about readying the stall for the day’s trade. She tried to make the display as attractive as possible.
She glanced over at Matthew and knew it wouldn’t be as much fun working there without Mark; she knew that right away.
Rose had been right—the day dragged by without her friend.
She wondered if Mark was angry with her. “Matthew, why does Mark want to work with your onkel?”
“I dunno. He doesn’t have a lot of choices. He doesn’t like to work in the dairy. That’s why he chose to work here, and now he’s gonna make buggies.”
“I know he doesn’t like to work in the dairy, but he never said a thing about wanting to make buggies.”
Matthew shrugged his shoulders. “Like I said, I dunno. Maybe that’s not his ideal thing, but we’ve all gotta work.”
“I suppose that’s right—it is a job. And what were you doing before you came here?”
“Working the dairy.”
It was Rose’s worst fear that Mark and she would grow apart. Now she would only see him at the young peoples’ ‘singings,’ the fortnightly Sunday meetings, and the various social events. “When did he decide to work with Harry?”
“You sure ask a lot of questions about my bruder.”
Matthew smiled at Rose and she knew he thought that she liked Mark. She did, but not in the way that Matthew might have thought.
He finally answered, “When he heard Jacob was leaving was when he said he’d work with Harry. Harry had been asking him for some time.”
“Do you think you’ll like this job?” Rose only asked because she had to talk about something other than Mark.
“Anything that will get me away from the dairy is good. The dairy is hard work. Not that I mind the work; it’s just nice to have a change.”
Mark and Matthew were fortunate to be the youngest of the Schumacher boys. The older ones had all worked in the dairy at some point. Rose considered that Mr. Schumacher must be pleased to have had so many boys to help with everything.
Toward the end of the day, Rose remembered that there was a volleyball game on that night. Normally she wouldn’t attend, but tonight she’d go and hope that Mark would be there. Seeing his friendly face would make her feel better.
Chapter 19
The volleyball game was already under way when Rose arrived with Tulip and the twins in tow. Before Rose brought the family buggy to a complete stop, the twins leaped out and ran off to join their friends.
“They’d be in trouble now if Mamm or Dat were here,” Tulip said, watching her younger sisters disappear into the crowd.
“Don’t worry about them. Can you see Mark anywhere? I can’t wait to talk with him.”
Tulip craned her neck as she looked at the group of people. “Jah, I can see him now. He just got up to play.” Tulip turned to look at Rose. “What do you want to talk with him about?”
“I want to know why he didn’t tell me he was changing jobs.”
“I don’t know, but maybe you can ask him tonight.”
Rose stepped out of the buggy. “I intend to.” She looped the reins over the fence and secured the horse. Then together she and Tulip headed to join the onlookers.
Throughout the night, Rose avoided looking directly at Mark. She could see him turning around, trying to catch her eye, but she deliberately didn’t look back.
As soon as the games were over, Mark walked over to her just like she had wanted. “I hoped you’d come tonight, Rosie.”
“I’m here.”
He chuckled quietly. “I can see that. I’m glad.”
“Well, did you win?”
“Volleyball?”
“Yeah.”
“We won two games.”
“Is that good?”
He laughed. “Nee. We played ten games and the team I was playing on only won two.”
Rose couldn’t wait to talk about his new job. “You didn’t tell me you were leaving the market stall.”
“I didn’t have time. It was a sudden last-minute thing when Jacob left.”
“Do you like making buggies?”
“I guess so. It’s too soon to tell for certain. I’ve always wanted to have some kind of trade for myself. If I’m going to raise a familye one day, I’ll need to have money to feed all those little mouths.” Mark chuckled.
“It wasn’t much fun today without you there.”
“Yeah, I can imagine that. My bruder’s a little dull.” Mark stared at her when she didn’t laugh. “Can I get you some soda?”
Rose nodded and together they walked to the refreshments table. For the first time ever, Rose wondered whether she liked Mark as more than a friend. Or was it just that she’d missed him as one would miss the companionship of any good friend?
He picked up a jug, poured her a glass, and then handed it to her.
“Denke.”
When he poured one for himself and took a sip, Rose wondered if he felt just as awkward as she did.
“I missed you today,” he said.
“Me too. I missed talking with you, too.”
“We had a lot of fun. Well, not really fun, but having you there helped pass the time when things got quiet.”
Had? Was their time together over just like that? She nodded and then looked down at the ground, wondering what to say.
“I’m sorry about the Jacob thing,” he said.
“I’m over it now. There’s no need to say anything. Things always turn out for the best.”
“That’s exactly right; they do.” He nodded.
She smiled at the way he said his last words with such enthusiasm.
“I hear your parents are forcing you to go to the bishop tomorrow night.”
“What? How in the world did you hear that?” Rose asked.
“My aunt just happened to be at Bishop John’s haus and overheard a conversation between him and his fraa about you going there.”
Rose slapped a hand to her forehead while she tried not to spill the drink in her other hand. “Ach, that’s so embarrassing. Did they say what it was about?”
“Nee. Don’t you know?”
“My mudder thinks I’m in some kind of a depression. Only because I said that I won’t get married.”
“Well there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Rose smiled at him. Finally someone understood her. “Do you think so?”
“I think it’s a good decision.”
“I’m glad you think so. I hope you’re not the only one in the whole community who thinks that. An
d why do other people think it’s any of their business?”
“Mmm, I don’t think they do.”
Rose was half waiting for him to say that she shouldn’t marry anyone but him. That’s what he always said, but today, he said no more. Right then, she wanted to go away somewhere where she knew no one. If she had a complete break, that might clear her head. Maybe she could go to Pinecraft and be near the water.
“What are you thinking, Rosie?”
“I’m thinking of going somewhere warm, near the water.”
“On a vacation?”
“Jah, I think I need one, away by myself somewhere.”
“Why don’t you ask the bishop if he can arrange for you to stay with someone somewhere? He knows lots of people.”
“You know, I just might.”
They were interrupted by a group of people who wanted Mark’s opinion on something. Rose wasn’t included in the conversation so she gradually backed away.
Several minutes later, she was talking to the twins, telling them they had to leave soon, when Mark asked to speak with her again.
The twins giggled as their older sister walked away with Mark.
“What is it?” Rose asked when they were far enough away not to be overheard.
“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. I’m just nervous about going to the bishop’s haus tomorrow. I mean, what do I say?”
“Just smile a lot and nod. Agree to pray about everything and ask the bishop some questions about the bible. He loves to answer questions.”
“Does he?”
“Jah, he’ll forget about the reason you’re there and start talking about the Scriptures.”
“Really?”
Mark nodded. “Have a couple of questions ready.”
Rose giggled. “I’ll do that. Denke.”
Chapter 20
When Rose was comfortably seated in the bishop’s living room, Olga sat down beside Bishop John, and then he began, “Rose, you’re here because your parents are concerned. There was a situation with Jacob Schumacher.”
Rose looked at the bishop and then Olga, wondering how much they’d heard. “Oh, that’s all been resolved.”
“They said you took it hard when he left with Jessica,” the bishop said.
“Do you know Jessica?” Rose asked, trying to deflect the comment.
Olga interrupted, “We met Jessica and her aunt when they came here about Jacob and the dreadful, sinful situation they were in.”
Rose wondered what Olga was talking about and then noticed that the bishop shot a look of disapproval toward his wife, as though she’d revealed information that was confidential. Sin? Had Jacob done something wrong?
Olga glanced at her husband who was still staring at her, and said, “I’ll get us some hot tea.”
“I’ll help you,” the bishop said. “I’ll be back in a moment, Rose.” Before he left the room, he turned back to Rose, and explained, “The pot is too heavy for Olga to lift once it’s full.”
“Okay.”
Once Bishop John and Olga were in the kitchen, Rose decided she wanted coffee instead. She jumped up and walked to the kitchen door and found it closed. Then she didn’t want to go in, in case they were talking about something private. She listened while she decided whether she should walk in or not.
She heard the bishop say, “Olga, you’ve got to keep things quiet about Jessica and Jacob. If anyone finds out that Jessica is expecting a boppli out of wedlock, things will be uncomfortable for them. Once they’re married, no one needs be any the wiser.”
Rose clapped her hand over her mouth in shock. That’s why things had been so sudden. That’s why the old lady with Jessica was so cross, and that explained why Jacob had gone back to Jessica.
Rose shook her head, feeling a little faint. She’d had a close call. If Jacob hadn’t been taken away from her so quickly, she could’ve fallen victim to him just like Jessica had. He’d forced her to kiss him, and then he’d even hinted that more than kissing would be okay. It was odd, but Rose was relieved and grateful for the experience, as awful as it was. Jacob wasn’t the man for her—not at all. But if she’d been wrong about Jacob, how could she trust her feelings again? He had made it all sound so right.
She heard the bishop’s hushed voice once more. “Just be careful what you say,” he said to Olga.
Rose scurried back to the couch and had just reached it when the kitchen door opened.
“Sorry to leave you alone like that, Rose.”
“That’s okay.”
“Now, where were we?” the bishop asked.
Remembering what Mark told her, Rose asked, “I forget quite honestly, but I have a question about Moses.”
He smiled and with a slight raise of his bushy black eyebrows, asked, “What is it?”
“How did he divide the Red Sea? I’ve always wondered. Did it really happen literally?”
“Ah, I’m glad you asked. It was a miracle. You see …”
Rose settled back in the couch and listened to the bishop talk about Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea on dry land.
While she watched the bishop’s mouth open and close above his long bushy beard, she thought about Mark. He wasn’t tall, and he wasn’t over-confident, but he was someone she could trust. Without a doubt, she knew she could trust him with everything she held dear. She didn’t love Mark with her heart the way she’d loved Jacob, but then and there she decided she would open her mind and her heart to the possibility of love with Mark. If, of course, he still felt the same way about her after she’d paid him no mind for years.
Olga brought the tea out on a large tray and set it down on a table in front of Rose. “Here you go, dear.”
“Denke.” Rose leaned forward and picked up a teacup.
“Did I answer the question sufficiently, Rose? Do you understand all I said about Moses?”
“Jah. It was really interesting. I’ve wondered about all that for some time.”
An hour later, Rose left the bishop’s house and got into the buggy with her father.
“Did his talk help you?” he asked.
“It really did. You and Mamm were right to have me talk with him and Olga. I found out some things.” Rose smiled. She found out some things because she’d overheard the truth about Jacob.
“Gut! Then, let’s go home and tell your mudder you’re feeling better.”
Rose nodded.
With Mark’s change of vocation, Rose had to wait until the next Sunday meeting before she saw him again. When she sat with Tulip at the back of the room, she watched Mark enter the house and sit down with his younger brother.
There was a different feeling when she saw him, she was certain about it. She probably just missed seeing him every day.
Tulip leaned over closer to her, and whispered, “Just because things ended badly with Jacob, don’t rebound onto Mark. I’ve noticed people do things like that and it’s not good. Be sure about who you want first.”
Rose stared at Tulip. Tulip must’ve seen her looking at Mark, and somehow guessed that Rose was thinking of him as a possible boyfriend. Was she rebounding, though? She’d never considered Mark as a serious marriage partner before this, so why now? “I’m not sure how I feel.”
“That’s why you should wait. Don’t rush into things. You gave your heart too early to Jacob and look how that ended. There’s plenty of time. It’s not a race.”
Rose nodded. Tulip had a good point. She should keep her distance from Mark and then wait to see what happened. She leaned over to her sister. “Mamm’s the one who doesn’t want me to wait. She’s putting pressure on me to marry, saying she’ll give me a year.”
“I think she feels different now, since things happened the way they did with Jacob.”
Rose was relieved and only hoped that was true. “Are you sure?”
“Jah, she was talking about it yesterday.”
“Not in front of the twins, I hope.”
“Nee,
just with me,” Tulip said.
“What did she say exactly?”
“Just that she blames herself for the whole Jacob thing.”
Rose frowned. “It’s not her fault.”
“I tried to tell her that. It was Jacob’s fault.”
The deacon, Rose’s father, stood before the congregation and said a prayer. Rose and Tulip could no longer whisper in the back row or he’d see them. It saddened Rose to learn that her mother blamed herself for what had happened.
* * *
After the meeting, Rose sat alone by a tree, feeling sorry for herself. She hadn’t even noticed anyone approach.
“Why so gloomy?”
She looked up to see Mark, and then she forced a laugh. “I don’t know. I’m just thinking about some things.”
He stood next to her. “Mind if I sit?”
“Would it matter?”
“It would.”
She nodded. “You can sit down.”
“Mighty nice of you.” He sat beside her on the wooden log seat.
Rose smiled and gazed into the distance.
“Does this gloominess have anything to do with Jacob?”
She nodded. “I made a fool of myself.”
“You didn’t.”
“I feel like I have and everyone probably knows about it by now. News travels fast.”
“It’s plain to see that you were … fond of him, I’ll say that.”
She shook her head and shuddered. “That was a big mistake.”
“The mistake was his and he made it before he met you, Rosie.”
She whipped her head around to look at him. “You know?”
“There’s not much that escapes me. I might act dopey, but it’s just an act. I’m actually a genius. Too many people would become jealous if they knew the truth about the power of my brain.” He looked from side to side as though he was worried that someone might be listening.
Rose couldn’t help but laugh at him. He always made her feel better. If only she could still see him every day.
“What I’m hoping is that I can take advantage of someone else’s mistake,” Mark said.
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