A Seat by the Hearth

by Amy Clipston

  “Oh my goodness!” Laura laughed. “I do remember that. That was so fun. Mark was so angry with me when I got home. He said I should have called and told him we were going to be late.” She rolled her eyes. “He always worries about me.”

  “That’s nice, though.” Priscilla drained her tea as envy gripped her. What would it have been like if she’d had a brother to worry about her? “How about that time we went to Savilla’s haus to bake kichlin, and we were so wrapped up in our discussion about the cute buwe in our youth group that we nearly set the kitchen on fire?”

  Laura gave a bark of laughter. “Ya!” She wiped her eyes. “Her mamm was so upset with us. The kitchen was clogged with smoke!”

  They shared more memories of their time with Savilla, and after a while the screen door opened. Cindy stepped onto the porch with Mollie close behind her, holding a tray of cookies.

  “We brought you snacks.” Mollie held up the tray.

  “Ya, you’re missing all the refreshments,” Cindy added. “May we join you?”

  “Of course.” Laura patted the chair beside the glider, and Mollie hopped onto it. “We were just getting caught up. Danki for the snacks, mei liewe.”

  As Cindy sat down beside Priscilla, Priscilla smiled. She was thankful for her wonderful friends who had welcomed her home despite her past mistakes.

  Mark stepped out of the barn as the blue van parked in front of Yonnie’s house. He hurried over just as Edna and Priscilla were climbing out of it. Ever since they’d been to the fabric store, he’d tried to talk to Priscilla, but all his attempts to draw her into a conversation had fallen flat. She gave him only one-word answers to any of his questions, and she still showed no interest in being his friend. It was driving him to the brink of madness.

  While Edna paid the driver, Priscilla balanced a large bag containing a quilt, a sewing basket, and a plate of cookies as she walked toward the porch steps.

  “Do you need any help?” he asked as he quickened his steps.

  “No, danki. I’m fine.” She teetered, and he grabbed the plate as it slipped from her hands.

  “No, huh?” He grinned as he held up the plate.

  “Danki.” She reached to take it from him.

  “Uh-uh.” He shook his head. “Allow me.” He made a sweeping gesture toward the porch.

  She didn’t protest.

  “Hello, Mark.” Edna carried two bags as she moved past them on the steps.

  “Hi, Edna.”

  Edna disappeared into the house, and Priscilla turned toward the row of barns.

  “Where’s Ethan?” she asked.

  “He and your dat are talking to a customer in the pasture. I’ve been working in the barn.”

  “Oh.” She turned toward him, and for the first time in more than a week, she stood still as if she wanted to talk to him.

  Relief flooded him. “How was the quilting bee?”

  “It was nice. I enjoyed talking with your schweschdere.” She eyed him with what looked like suspicion. “How was your date with Franey last Thursday night? Did you enjoy her strawberry pie?”

  “The pie was appeditlich, but it wasn’t a date.”

  “Really?” Her dark eyebrows rose. “The way you were flirting with her, it sure seemed like it would be.”

  “Wait a minute.” He held up his free hand. “I wasn’t flirting with her.”

  “Ha.” She started up the steps. “You’re unbelievable.”

  “What does that mean?” He charged forward, following her through the front door and into the kitchen. “I only did that so you could have your material.”

  “Oh really.” She set her bag and sewing basket on the kitchen table and spun toward him. “So you used Franey, then?”

  “Well, no.” He stopped in the doorway and stared at her, speechless. No one had ever accused him of being a user. The word stung him as if it were an angry wasp.

  “Mark, I’ve seen you in action.” She stepped closer to him and wagged a finger just millimeters from his nose. “All you have to do is smile and you have most of the maed in our community eating from your hands. You know exactly how much power you have over them.” She lifted her chin. “Just admit it. You love the attention, and you use the maed to make yourself feel powerful.”

  “Powerful?” He blinked. “Why would I want to feel powerful?”

  “Never mind.” She took the plate from his hand. “Danki for your help.” She set it on the counter before retrieving her bag and sewing basket.

  When she walked back to the doorway, he stayed planted where he was.

  “Excuse me.” When he didn’t move, she sighed as she looked up at him. “I have work to do. I need to finish this quilt. I promised the customer she’d have it today.”

  “Are you angry with me?” He held his breath as he awaited her answer.

  “No.” Her forehead puckered. “I have no reason to be angry with you.” She nodded toward the doorway. “I really need to finish this quilt, though. Please let me through.”

  He gave her his best smile, certain it would inspire her to stay and talk to him. After all, she was right. That was how he garnered most of the attention from the young ladies in their church district. Surely Priscilla couldn’t resist his charms.

  But her serious expression didn’t melt into a smile. “Mark, I really do have work to do.”

  Rejection stabbed at his self-esteem. Was she immune to him completely? Or had he lost his touch?

  Defeated, he took a step back, and she hurried up the stairs. Her accusations echoed in his mind. Was he a user? The word made him cringe. Had it been wrong for him to ask Franey to get together with him? He had only wanted to help Priscilla and stop her humiliation. But maybe Priscilla was right. Maybe he had made a mistake.

  Even though Priscilla insisted she wasn’t angry with him, Mark was certain she didn’t approve of him. And for some inexplicable reason, he wanted her approval more than ever. He had to find a way to prove to Priscilla that he was worthy of her friendship.

  “I had so much fun at the quilting bee today,” Kayla said as she sat beside Jamie in the glider that evening.

  Jamie nodded as he rocked a sleeping Calvin in his arms.

  “That’s nice.” Mark glanced out across the pasture toward Jamie’s house as he sat on a rocker beside his brother. Someday soon his own house would stand beside it. He couldn’t wait to walk through his front door after a long day at work and eat supper in his kitchen.

  “It was great to see Priscilla again,” Kayla continued. “I finally got to talk to her after meeting her at church last week. She’s really sweet.”

  Mark’s gaze swung to Kayla at the mention of Priscilla’s name. “What did she talk about?”

  “She didn’t say too much to me.” Kayla rubbed Calvin’s back. “We mostly talked about sewing. She’s really talented. She showed me how she was repairing a quilt for a customer. She sewed for a while, and then she and Laura came out here to talk. I think they wanted to get caught up in private. I didn’t want to intrude, so I stayed inside.”

  Mark tried to hide his disappointment at Kayla’s lack of information. He wanted to know more about Priscilla’s life in Baltimore, but it wasn’t his business.

  Kayla stood. “We should get Calvin home. I’m going to go say good night to everyone.” She disappeared into the house, and the screen door clicked shut behind her.

  Jamie looked down at his son. “I can’t believe Cal is going to be a big bruder soon.”

  Mark smiled. “Ya, you’re going to have two kinner. Can you believe that? We thought you’d never find anyone to marry you.”

  “At least I had enough sense to settle down.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You could have any maedel you want in this community, but you’re still a bachelor.” Jamie turned toward him. “What are you waiting for?”

  “You know what I want.” Mark gestured toward Jamie’s house. “I want my own place, and that’s my priority right now.”

  �
��Why?” Jamie asked. “You have your own room here. Besides, there’s more to life than building a haus.”

  “That’s easy for you to say.” Mark pointed across the meadow. “You have a schee three-bedroom haus right there.”

  “You’ll have one someday. Get married first, and then build your haus.”

  “No.” Mark shook his head. “I’m not ready to get married.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because . . . well . . . I’m just not.”

  “You know, Mark, it wasn’t too long ago that you were giving me a hard time about being almost thirty and not married. You’re twenty-six now. What are you waiting for?”

  Mark paused and considered the question. “Maybe I haven’t found the right maedel.”

  Laughter burst from Jamie’s lips, and Calvin moaned and wiggled in his sleep before settling down again.

  “What’s so funny?” Mark deadpanned.

  “You haven’t found the right maedel? If that’s true, then I don’t think she exists. You’ve gained the attention of nearly every maedel in Lancaster County.”

  Priscilla’s words from earlier in the day rang through his mind.

  All you have to do is smile and you have most of the maed in our community eating from your hands. You know exactly how much power you have over them. Just admit it. You love the attention, and you use the maed to make yourself feel powerful.

  Did his older brother think he was a user too?

  Mark stood. “I’m going to bed.” He touched Calvin’s back. “Gut nacht, Cal.”

  “Did I say something wrong?” Jamie asked as Mark turned to go.

  “Why would you say that?” Mark opened the screen door.

  “Because you didn’t give me a biting remark in response.”

  Mark tilted his head. “Look, Jamie, when I’m ready to get married, you’ll be the first to know.”

  Jamie shook his head. “I’ll be more like the third. First you’ll ask your future fraa, and then you’ll tell your twin.”

  “Fine. You’ll be the third.” Mark tapped the doorframe. “Gut nacht.”

  As he stepped into the family room, a question filled his mind. Would he ever feel the urge to be married? If not, he might spend the rest of his life living alone in the house he built on his father’s farm. Was that what he wanted?

  NINE

  “HOW DID YOUR CLASS GO?” LAURA ASKED AFTER the service on Sunday.

  “It went well.” Priscilla shrugged. “You remember how the classes went before we were baptized. They’re about the history of our beliefs. Just a refresher.” She glanced around the barn as the men began to set up the tables for lunch.

  “You have one more class, and then you’ll be accepted back into the church.” Laura’s smile widened.

  “Ya, I know.” Although Priscilla should be relieved that her shunning was almost over, a niggle of worry started at the base of her neck. Was she ready to become a member of the church? Did she even deserve to be a member?

  “I’m hungry,” Ethan whined as he rubbed his abdomen. “Can’t we stay for lunch today?”

  “I’m hungry too,” Mollie agreed as she stood beside him.

  “No, Ethan, you know we can’t stay,” Priscilla said, trying to keep her temper at bay. “We’ve discussed this.”

  Laura bent down and smiled at Ethan. “You’ll be able to stay and eat with us soon.” Then she stood up straight and touched Priscilla’s arm. “I hate that you have to leave.”

  “Like you said, I’ll be helping you serve the noon meal in a couple of weeks.” Priscilla’s heart seemed to turn over at her friend’s words. She looked across the barn and spotted Franey and Ruthann standing with Mark, smiling and gazing up at him as if he were the most interesting person in the room.

  “Will he ever pick just one maedel?” The question burst from Priscilla’s mouth without any forethought. Why did she even care that Mark flirted with more than one young woman—or any women? It wasn’t her business. When Mark met her gaze and smiled, Priscilla felt a strange zing of electricity flowing through her veins, taking her by surprise. She quickly turned away, focusing on Laura again.

  Laura frowned. “I keep praying he’ll choose one and settle down.”

  “I doubt that will ever happen. Mark has always loved being the center of attention.”

  Laura chuckled. “That’s the truth.”

  “Priscilla,” Dat said when he appeared at her side. “You know you can’t stay to eat with the rest of the congregation. You need to go.”

  “Ya, I know.” Priscilla’s mood deflated at her father’s stern eyes and curt warning. After he walked away she turned back to Laura. “I’d better go. Take care.”

  Laura’s expression seemed filled with sympathy. She gave Priscilla a quick hug and then touched Ethan’s head. “I’ll see you both soon.”

  New humiliation mixed with anger pricked Priscilla’s skin as she took Ethan’s hand and steered him out of the barn. Why did Dat feel the need to remind her she wasn’t welcome to stay for lunch? Priscilla didn’t need to be reminded that she was shunned and unwelcome at her community’s table. He seemed to enjoy shoving her state of affairs down her throat any chance he could. Each night he reminded her to sit at the separate table for supper as if she hadn’t eaten her meals there for more than two weeks.

  Priscilla swallowed a sigh. She’d always dreamt of having a loving father. So many times she’d witnessed Laura’s father hugging her and encouraging her. She even recalled Savilla’s father consoling her after she’d fallen and skinned her knee. But Priscilla had no memories of her father showing her affection or telling her that he loved her. She just wanted his love, his emotional support. Why did some fathers dole out love and affection in abundance and others offer only dribs and drabs?

  She bit her trembling lower lip as they approached the waiting horse and buggy.

  Ethan looked up at her, his eyebrows pinched together. “Are you okay, Mamm?”

  Priscilla felt her face relax as she took in her son’s innocent face. She touched his nose and then smoothed his thick, dark hair. “Ya, I’m fine. I was just thinking about all the chores I need to do tomorrow.”

  “Oh.” He smiled. “Can we have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch?”

  She stopped and cupped his cheek. “That sounds appeditlich.”

  “Apple what?” he asked, his nose scrunched as if he smelled something foul.

  She laughed at his adorable expression. “Appeditlich,” she repeated. “It means delicious. We need to work on your Dutch.”

  “Teach me more words,” he said.

  “Okay.” As they climbed into the buggy, Priscilla did her best to dismiss her frustration about her father. All that mattered was that she and Ethan had each other. She’d never let Ethan wonder if she loved him. She’d be sure to show him every day.

  “Ethan?”

  “What?” He looked at her.

  “Ich liebe dich, mei liewe.”

  He grinned. “I love you too, Mamm.”

  Her heart swelled with affection for her son. He was the only man she needed in her life.

  Mark’s eyes lingered on Priscilla as Franey talked about how busy her father’s fabric store had been. When Priscilla met his gaze, her cheeks reddened. Then she quickly looked at his twin. Why would she avert her eyes so quickly?

  “Did you hear a word I said?”

  “Huh?” Mark turned to Franey’s narrowed eyes, and he fixed his best grin on his face. “I’m sorry. Go ahead.”

  “I asked you if you’d like to have supper at meihaus this week.” Franey jammed her hand on one small hip.

  “Oh.” Mark rubbed his chin. “I’ll have to check my schedule.”

  “Your schedule?” Ruthann’s brow furrowed. “I thought you said you had time for each of us this week.”

  “Right.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll let you know.” He turned back toward Priscilla just as her father said something to her. When her shoulders hunched, alarm su
rged through Mark. What was her father saying to make her so upset? The urge to protect her flooded his veins, taking him by surprise. Why would he want to take care of someone who had no interest in even being his friend?

  After her father walked away, Priscilla said something to Laura, who hugged her. Then Priscilla and Ethan headed out through the barn doors.

  Mark turned his attention back to Ruthann and Franey, but their words were only background noise to his swirling thoughts.

  “Mark?” Ruthann asked after a few moments. “Is something wrong?”

  “Ya. I mean, no.” He divided a smile between them. “I really need to start moving the benches, and you should get started serving the meal. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

  “Oh,” Franey said before sharing a confused look with Ruthann.

  “Okay,” Ruthann added.

  “Let me know about supper, okay?” Franey asked.

  Without responding, Mark headed over to Laura. She and Mollie and Cindy were heading toward the barn exit.

  “Sis,” Mark called, quickening his steps as he approached them. “Laura! Wait a second.”

  “Hey, Mark!” Roy called from the other side of the barn. “Are you going to help with the benches? Or are you going to chat all afternoon?”

  Mark held up his index finger toward his younger brother. “One minute.”

  Roy shook his head and then said something to Jamie beside him.

  Laura and Cindy had spun to face Mark, and Mollie yanked on Laura’s hand.

  “We need to go serve the meal,” Laura said. “What do you need?”

  “I want to talk to you.”

  “I’m hungry!” Mollie whined.

  Cindy took Mollie’s hand. “I’ll take her to the kitchen and feed her.”

  “Danki,” Laura said with a sigh. “I’ll be right there.” As Cindy and Mollie walked away, she pivoted back to Mark. “What’s this about?”

  Mark gestured for Laura to follow him to a corner.

  “What did you and Priscilla discuss before she left?”