by Jan Drexler
Judith grinned at this girl who had become a friend so quickly. “I’ll tell you right after I tell my sisters.”
Waneta laughed. “That’s fair enough.”
They worked in silence for a few minutes, then Waneta asked another question.
“Are you still teaching Deitsch to Guy Hoover? You were pretty upset with him the other day. Are you two friends again?”
Judith studied Waneta’s face, but there wasn’t any hint of teasing or that she thought Guy might be a special friend.
“He appreciates the community helping out with David’s farm work today. He mentioned it several times when Annie and I were visiting David and Verna yesterday.”
Waneta pulled some potatoes closer to her from the dwindling pile. “He’s always been so standoffish. But since you’ve been teaching him, he hangs around with the other fellows more.”
“I think he feels more comfortable with them now that he can speak our language better.” Judith took another potato and changed the subject. “Is there anything new going on in your family?”
“Can you keep a secret?”
Judith laughed at Waneta’s eager face. “Is it a secret you can tell?”
“It isn’t that kind of secret, and everyone is going to know soon, anyway.”
“I think I can guess. There’s going to be a new baby at your house.”
“How did you know?”
“It was something Ruthy did while we were at Deacon Beachey’s the other day. She put her hand on her back, like she felt a twinge there. I’ve seen my sister-in-law Ellie do that same thing many times.” Judith smiled, remembering the soft look on Ruthy’s face when she did it, as if she was carrying a treasure only she knew about.
“I need to be careful around you,” Waneta said. “You’ll discover all my secrets even before I know about them.” She grinned. “My brothers want the next baby to be a boy, but I hope Grace can have a sister that’s close to her in age.”
Waneta’s youngest sister, Grace, was the prettiest baby Judith had ever seen, with curly black hair and dark blue eyes. “Grace doesn’t look anything like the rest of you, does she?”
“That’s because Grace had a different mother and father than we do. Her mother was Mamm’s best friend, but she passed away when Grace was born. So we adopted her.”
“Even though there were already ten children in your family?”
Waneta nodded. “Like Daed says, there’s always enough love for one more.”
Always enough love for one more. That sounded like something Verna would say. How different would Guy’s life have been if they had been able to adopt him?
How different would her life be if Guy had grown up in the church, like Benjamin Stoltzfus or Nathan Zook?
No questions. No wondering about the future. She glanced sideways at Waneta reaching for another potato. As sure of Guy as Waneta was of Reuben.
Her life would be perfect. No less than perfect.
Chapter Eleven
“It’s a fine day, isn’t it?” Verna set a plate piled with hotcakes in front of Guy. “The folks should be showing up soon, so eat your fill. You need your strength.”
“How many do you think will be here?” Guy poured maple syrup over the stack of steaming cakes.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole church came.” Verna poured coffee into a mug she had set on a tray for David. “That’s the usual way of things. When someone is in need, the community steps in to help.”
As Verna scrambled eggs at the stove, Guy cut into his stack of hotcakes and took the first bite. Light. Fluffy. Sweet. Just the way he liked them.
“Several of the women will be coming, too.”
Guy took another bite, enjoying the warm feeling brought by the anticipation of seeing Judith soon.
Verna went on, speaking over the sizzle of bacon frying and the scrape of her spatula in the frying pan. “We’ll be working on the noon meal all morning long, so don’t think you can come in here to grab a snack anytime you want.”
He grunted a response, his mouth full of hotcakes and his mind lingering on Judith. Would she smile at him in front of everyone? Or would she ignore him, insisting that they were no more than friends? Tradition dictated that no one should know he was sweet on her, but Guy wasn’t one to stick to tradition.
“We’ll be making donuts for a snack for you men, so you won’t go hungry.”
She brought two plates of eggs and bacon to the table. Setting one in front of Guy, she put the second on the tray. Next came two dishes of stewed prunes: one for the table and a second for the tray.
“When you’re finished with your breakfast, will you take David’s tray in to him?” Verna patted his shoulder as she took his empty hotcake plate. “He said he wanted to talk to you before the men arrived this morning.”
Guy swallowed the last of the sweet prunes and set his plate of eggs on the tray next to David’s.
“Denki, Verna. Breakfast was good,” he said as he carried the tray into the front room.
David was sitting up in bed, leaning against the support Guy had made for him. He was dressed from the waist up, and Verna had helped him with his morning routine of combing his hair and shaving his upper lip, leaving his beard growing long and full as the Amish did. Guy laid the tray on David’s lap, then sat in Verna’s chair with his plate.
“It smells good,” David said, taking a deep breath that ended in a cough.
Guy frowned while David bowed his head in a silent prayer. The doctor had warned them to watch for a cough that could easily turn to pneumonia in a bedridden patient.
“Do you need me to prop you up further? Will it help to be more upright?”
The older man shook his head, waving him away. “I’m fine like this.” He picked up his fork and took a small bite of the eggs. “Do you have a plan of what work you’ll be doing today?”
Guy shrugged. “Matthew and Bram have it pretty well laid out. I thought I’d just do what they tell me.”
David picked up his coffee, blowing across the steaming liquid before taking a sip. “This is our farm, Guy. The others will be here to help, not to do the work for you. You need to be the one to organize the men and plan the day.”
Setting his fork on his plate, Guy looked at David. “Me? I’m just the hired help. I don’t know what needs to be done, or when, or how. All of the others have a lot more experience than I do.”
“But they don’t know the fields the way you do. And you—” Another cough interrupted David’s words. “And you’re more than just hired help. You’re acting for me today.”
Guy ate a slice of bacon in three bites, then finished his eggs. Step into David’s shoes? Him? There must be another way.
“Maybe we could move your bed outside so you could supervise. You could be there to answer everyone’s questions...” His words trailed off as David shook his head.
“I’m not up to that, and you know it.” He shifted slightly in his bed and grimaced with pain. “I’m tired.” He leaned his head back against the pillow. “So tired.”
His eyes closed and Guy stood up to leave him alone.
As he lifted the forgotten tray from David’s lap, the older man’s eyelids fluttered. “I’m counting on you, Guy.” He laid a cool, dry hand on Guy’s. “I can’t be out there, but you can. And you can do this, son. I know you can.”
As David drifted off to sleep, Guy carried the tray back to the kitchen. Verna shook her head, clucking her tongue as she scraped David’s uneaten breakfast into the slop pail.
“He’ll be all right.” Guy ducked his head to kiss her on the cheek. “He just needs to rest and recover.”
He swallowed as he thought of that cough. David was going to get well. He had to.
Grabbing his hat from the hook, he stepped out into the barnyard and looked up at the sky. The same as Da
vid would do first thing every morning.
Guy ran his thumbs along his suspenders. Okay, so he hadn’t checked the sky earlier, when he had come out to do the milking. But he’d get in the habit eventually.
He tilted his head up again, this time taking a good look. A gentle breeze blew from the northwest, and the light, wispy clouds didn’t seem to move at all. A quiet morning with the sun shining in a blue sky. A dry day ahead, and cool weather. Perfect for getting the work done that they needed to do. He went into the barn, checking the plow and harrow. He ran his hands along the harnesses, feeling for sticky spots that would betray a dirty harness or weak places in the leather. Everything was ready.
Going through one of the big box stalls, Guy opened the back door and whistled for the draft horses. He would hitch up all six of them today to plow the south front field. One of the other fellows could follow him with their team and a harrow. Meanwhile, another pair of men could do the same with the north field. The day’s plans ordered themselves in his head as he mentally assigned men and teams to the various fields and different tasks. If all went well, they might even be able to get the buckwheat planted in the back field behind the house. Planting the sorghum and corn would have to wait a few weeks, until the soil was warmer.
The horses came into their stalls, eager for their oats and the work they knew was waiting for them. As they ate, Guy groomed each one, paying special attention to their shoulders and backs, where the weight of the harness would press. He checked their feet for any stones that might have gotten lodged in their hooves while they were out in the pasture, then fastened a lead rope to each halter. After they had eaten, he’d lead them to the trough for some water, then back into the barn to harness them up.
As he fastened the lead rope to Penny’s halter, she lifted her nose from her empty feed box and nudged him, looking for another treat. He laughed and gave her a piece of carrot, just as he had the other horses. She munched the carrot slowly, watching him with one eye. Then she winked, as if to say, “We know you can do this work. You’re not alone.”
Guy laughed at his fanciful thoughts, then smiled as he heard the first team coming toward the barn along the lane. Penny was right. He had the whole community to help him work today. Confidence flowed through him as he headed out to the barnyard to greet the visitors.
* * *
By the time Judith and Waneta finished peeling the potatoes, Eli was awake and the day started in earnest.
Breakfast was quick, with fried potatoes, ham and scrambled eggs. Waneta ate with the family, helping Annie care for the babies while Judith dealt with a fussy Eli.
“The children know things are different this morning, with the work day and all.” Annie sighed, holding baby Rose to her shoulder and patting her back.
Matthew finished his breakfast and rose from table. “I need to hitch our team, then I’ll be heading over to the Masts’.”
“Da,” shouted Eli, dumping his plate onto the floor with a crash. “I go with Da!” He squirmed in his chair, pushing at Judith’s hands as she tried to keep him from falling, and Viola joined in the mayhem with a screaming cry.
Waneta’s face grew red as she tried to suppress her laughter while comforting Viola. “Now this sounds like home when Grace is out of sorts!”
“Eli, stop that crying right now!” Judith kept her voice firm and the little boy stopped his wiggling. He leaned back in his chair, tears rolling down his cheeks.
“I go with Da.” He reached his hands out toward Matthew, his voice pitifully sad.
“Not right now, Eli.” Matthew picked up his son, holding the sobbing boy in his arms. “You’ll come later, with Judith and Waneta. Until then, you help take care of your sisters.” Eli cried louder, but Matthew set him on the floor next to Judith. “Do as I say now. I will see you later.”
When Matthew shut the door behind him, Eli ran to it. “Da! Da!”
Judith went to him, lifting him in her arms. “You need to obey your daed, and crying won’t change anything.” She got a towel and wiped his face. “But you can help me with the potatoes, and we’ll go hitch up the buggy in a little while.”
“Horse?” Eli’s tears stopped at Judith’s promise of the work that lay ahead of them.
“Ja, you can help me with the horse.” Judith grinned at him until he smiled back, then set him down, satisfied that he was over his tantrum. He loved Summer, the buggy horse, more than any other animal on the farm.
Meanwhile, the twins were quieting down as Annie and Waneta fed them, changed their diapers and put them down for their morning naps. Judith washed the breakfast dishes, then she and Waneta loaded the potatoes and noodles into the buggy. Eli sat on the buggy seat with Waneta while Judith hitched up Summer. While she worked, Eli sang a little song to the horse.
Waneta jiggled him on her lap as Judith climbed into the buggy and picked up the reins.
“I don’t know what song he was singing, but he was enjoying himself.”
Judith laughed. “Eli sings the same song to Summer whenever he’s around her, and she seems to like it. She’s always calm and gentle with him.”
“They have a special friendship, then.” Waneta smiled as Judith drove across the road and up the Masts’ lane. “Much like you and...” Her voice trailed off, waiting for Judith to fill in the blank.
“You aren’t going to tease me into telling you anything, so you may as well give up trying.”
Waneta giggled and leaned down to speak in Eli’s ear. “You can tell me, can’t you? Who is Judith’s special friend?”
Right then, Eli spotted Guy standing in the middle of the Masts’ barnyard with Matthew, Bram and a few other men. Judith’s stomach flipped at the sight of him, then fell when Eli bounced on Waneta’s lap and pointed.
“Guy!” He looked at Waneta, then back at the men. “Guy! Da!”
“Ja, Eli. There’s your daed.” Judith ignored Waneta’s pointed looks as she guided the buggy to the hitching rail by the back door of the house.
Verna’s kitchen was fragrant with frying dough as Judith and Waneta brought in the basket of noodles and big pot of potatoes. The kitchen was crowded and noisy, with women talking as quickly as their fingers flew. Three women sat at the table, boning cooked chickens, while two others worked with Verna at the stove, frying donuts. Judith pumped a pail of water at the sink and poured it into her pot, then set the potatoes on the back of the stove to start cooking.
“Here,” said Verna, dusting a tray of fresh donuts with cinnamon and sugar. “You girls can take these out to the men.” She handed one tray to Judith, another to Waneta and another to Hannah Kaufman. “I’ll take care of Eli.” She handed the little boy a donut and settled him on a chair.
“Hannah, it’s good to see you,” Judith said, as she started out the door with her donuts. “I didn’t know you were planning to be here.”
“Daed said we had to come.” Hannah’s pretty face was marred by a pouting expression. “I’d rather stay home and sew on my new dress.”
“What color is it?” Waneta asked, walking next to Hannah toward the barn.
Judith followed them, not listening to their conversation as she searched the groups of men for another glimpse of Guy. But if Hannah was here, that meant Luke had come, too.
“Just what I was waiting for.” Luke’s voice came from her right, where he was lounging against some straw bales with a few other boys.
Putting a smile on her face, trying to be friendly, Judith held the tray of donuts toward them. “Would you like some donuts? They’re fresh.”
The boys didn’t hesitate, but took three or four each. Luke waited until they cleared away, then grabbed a few for himself.
“They’re fresh, are they?” He grinned at her. “Just like you?”
Judith turned away, meaning to take the rest of the donuts to the barn, where she could see her brother Bram through the o
pen door.
“Wait a minute.” Luke grabbed her arm. She spun toward him to keep her balance. “Maybe I want some more of those.”
“You have plenty. I’m going to take these to the men in the barn.”
“If you stand here, I’ll save you that trip.”
Judith looked at the half-filled tray in her hands. “You don’t mean you’re going to eat all of these, do you?”
In reply, he picked up four more donuts and handed them to one of his friends. “We will, but mostly I want to talk to you.”
“We don’t have anything to talk about.”
“I still have a bruise from where you kicked me.”
“I wouldn’t have kicked you if you hadn’t—” Judith suddenly remembered their audience and lowered her voice to a whisper. “If you hadn’t done what you did.”
Luke backed away, holding his hand to his chest with a dramatic gesture. “You wound me. I didn’t do anything to you.”
Judith felt her cheeks burning. “I’m not going to argue with you about it. Take the donuts if you want them so I can go back to the house for more.”
“Is anything wrong here?”
At the sound of Guy’s voice behind her, Judith’s knees went weak. He couldn’t think she was talking to Luke because she chose to, could he?
Luke’s mouth twisted as he took a step toward Guy. “What’s going on here is none of your business, Englischer.”
He made the term sound like something you’d find on the barn floor.
Guy’s face reddened, but his voice was steady when he turned to her. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, and turned to continue into the barn. “I just gave Luke and his friends some donuts. I’ll take the rest to the men inside.”
Judith had only taken a few steps when she heard the sickening sound of a fist hitting flesh.
One of Luke’s friends yelled, “Fight! There’s a fight!” Turning around she saw Luke on the ground with Guy on top of him, pressing his head into the gravel with one hand.