by Amy Clipston
She considered that and then smiled. “I bet you make your dat very proud.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You do?”
She nodded. “Surely your dat is satisfied with your work ethic.”
A smile played at his lips. “Thanks, Marlene.” He glanced at the clock and then back at her. “But we’d better finish up and get out front before he fires us both.”
“Okay.” As Marlene stole another chip, she felt her shoulders relax again. After all of these years, she might actually become friends with Rudy Swarey.
“How did Marlene do at the store today?” Mamm asked as she sat across from Rudy at supper later that evening.
“She did well.” Rudy glanced over at Dat, who nodded. “She caught on quickly and was very courteous with the customers.”
“She has experience working at a market, so she knows how busy a store can be,” Dat chimed in as he cut his piece of steak.
Mamm scooped a pile of green beans on her plate and then passed the bowl to Rudy. “What brought her family back to Bird-in-Hand?”
“Her dat lost his job at a factory, so they came back to live with her aenti and onkel.” Rudy recalled how quiet she’d been when she’d first arrived at the store this morning, but by the end of the day, she seemed happier. Maybe he’d managed to encourage her when they ate lunch together.
“That’s bedauerlich.” Mamm clicked her tongue. “Their family went through so much when Rosa Lynn died of cancer all of those years ago. I’m surprised Elias didn’t remarry when they moved to Indiana. Maybe he’ll meet someone here and start a new life. It would be hard for anyone to measure up to Rosa Lynn though. They were so in love.”
Rudy nodded as he bit into his steak. His thoughts meandered back to lunch and how Marlene had laughed with him as they discussed their romantic lives—or lack thereof. She had such a pretty smile and a sweet laugh. Why hadn’t he noticed her when they were in youth group together? Could they possibly become good friends? Or maybe even more?
He forced his mind to change course. He had no business even considering having a relationship with Marlene—or anyone else, for that matter. He’d learned his lesson nearly four years ago when his relationship with Laura Riehl had fallen apart and she’d fallen in love with Allen Lambert. After dating for four years, Rudy and Laura had grown apart, and their breakup had turned his world upside down.
Although Rudy had been guilty of allowing their relationship to deteriorate, he still wasn’t ready to face another painful breakup. He had no interest in risking his heart again, no matter how much his mother pressured him to settled down and bless her with grandchildren. Maybe he was better off alone. Besides, his father’s store demanded nearly all of his focus.
“Did you hear me, Rudy?”
“What?” His attention snapped to his mother’s curious brown eyes.
“I asked if you were going to introduce Marlene around the community again.” Mamm’s lips curled with a smile. “It’s been a long time since she’s seen everyone, so she needs a freind.”
Rudy frowned. Mamm clearly had designs on him and Marlene that went beyond friendship.
“I’m sure Marlene will find her way in the community just fine,” Rudy quipped.
Mamm’s smile broadened. “Ya, but you two have a history. You went to school together, and you’re the same age.” Her eyes rounded. “Maybe Marlene will be the one, Rudy! You’ll finally settle down, and I’ll get some grandchildren.”
Rudy swallowed a groan and glanced at his father, who stared at his plate and continued to cut up his steak. Please save me, Dat. Say something—anything—to change the subject!
“I suppose we’ll see Marlene, her schweschder, and her dat at church tomorrow since her aenti and onkel are members of our church district. I remember Marlene was always a schee maedel,” Mamm continued. “She looked like her mamm with her pretty green eyes and that bright blond hair. I’ll make sure I talk to her and introduce her to some of her mamm’s old freinden.”
Then she snapped her fingers as if an idea had captured her. “You should ask her out now since I’m certain the other young men in our community will be froh to see her back.”
“I think Marlene is more concerned with finding her way in the community than landing a boyfriend,” Rudy said through gritted teeth. “She said it’s awkward coming back after ten years.”
“I suppose I can see that.” Mamm tapped her chin, and her eyes brightened once again. “So, I saw Lydia Smucker the other day. She told me that her eldest dochder just got engaged.”
As Mamm recounted the goings-on of other friends in the community, Rudy’s thoughts once again returned to Marlene’s pretty smile. While he’d never admit it to his mother, Rudy did want to be Marlene’s friend. In fact, he hoped he could make her feel welcome in the community and have the pleasure of seeing her smile often.
CHAPTER 3
Marlene walked up the path toward the Glick family’s farmhouse with Anna, Betsy, and Aenti Feenie the following morning. She smoothed her hands down her white apron and pink dress and turned toward the barn, where she spotted her father and uncle talking to a group of men all dressed in matching crisp white shirts, black vests, and trousers.
The Glick family was hosting the Sunday service today, and Marlene glanced around the crowd near the barn in search of faces she recognized. A few of the men looked familiar, but their names had escaped her.
Marlene felt the breath tightening her lungs as she followed her sister, cousin, and aunt up the porch steps and toward the back door. Voices sounded from the kitchen, and as she made her way through the mudroom and into the large kitchen, the women were gathered in a circle to visit before the church service began in the barn.
Marlene closed her eyes and tried to gather her wits. As her sister, aunt, and cousin walked together toward the far side of the room to greet friends, Marlene remained in the doorway, cemented in place by her swirling anxiousness.
She scanned the kitchen hoping to see someone she knew, but she only saw vaguely familiar but nameless faces. How could she assimilate back into the community when she couldn’t recall the names of any of her friends?
She bit her lower lip and considered walking back out the door, then going out to the barn to look for Rudy since Aenti Feenie had mentioned he was a member of their church district. But what would the other members say if they saw Marlene talking with Rudy instead of the women before the service? She didn’t want to encourage rumors before reacquainting herself with the members of the community.
“Marlene!” Aenti Feenie approached and reached for her arm. “Come meet everyone.”
Marlene smiled as her aunt introduced her to old acquaintances. Her heart warmed when people she hadn’t seen in years offered her bright smiles and warm handshakes. All of her worry evaporated, and the muscles in her shoulders loosened. Oh, it was so good to be back in Bird-in-Hand!
“Marlene! There you are!” Ada Swarey appeared beside her and shook her hand. “I heard you’re doing a great job at the store.”
“Danki.” Marlene’s smile widened. “I’m so grateful for the job.”
“It’s so gut to see you.” Ada gave her hand another gentle squeeze, and Marlene enjoyed the sweet gesture.
“Marlene? Is that you?”
Marlene spun and came face-to-face with Laura Riehl Lambert. “Laura?”
“Hi!” Laura opened her arms and pulled Marlene into a hug. “How long has it been?”
“Ten years.” Marlene took in her friend’s pretty face. Although they were ten years older now, Laura looked the same as Marlene remembered with her beautiful dark brown hair and striking, bright blue eyes. “You look fantastic.”
“You do too.” Laura clicked her tongue. “I had no idea you were back.”
“Mei dat, Anna, and I just came back this week.”
“Are you back to stay?”
“I hope so.” Marlene looked down at a little blond girl standing next to Laura, twirling her finger around the
tie to her tiny prayer covering. “This must be your dochder.”
“Ya, it is.” Laura’s smile was wide as she looked down at the girl. “This is Mollie. Her mutter was Savilla. I married her dat, Allen, a little over three years ago.”
Marlene’s smile faded and she touched Laura’s hand. “Rudy told me that you lost your mamm and Savilla. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Danki.” Laura cocked her head, looking closely at Marlene. “When did you see Rudy?”
“I’m working at his dat’s store part-time. I just started yesterday.”
“Oh.” Laura touched Mollie’s arm. “Mollie, this is mei freind Marlene. Can you say hello?”
“Hi.” Mollie waved at her.
“She’s beautiful.” Marlene smiled at the girl, taking in her babyblue eyes. She recalled Savilla’s chocolate-colored eyes and surmised that Mollie’s father must have blue eyes.
“How are the rest of your siblings?” Marlene asked.
“They’re doing well.” Laura nodded.
Marlene smiled as Laura filled her in on what her older brother, twin brother, and younger sister were doing. She also mentioned that her father had remarried, so now she had three stepsiblings.
When the clock struck nine, the women began filing out of the kitchen on their way to the barn for the service.
“I’m so glad you’re back.” Laura gave Marlene’s shoulder a squeeze.
“I am too,” Marlene said.
“I’ll see you after the service,” Laura said before disappearing into the crowd.
Marlene found her sister and Betsy and then walked with them into the barn, where Anna sat between them on the backless benches in the unmarried women’s section of the space.
As Betsy and Anna whispered, Marlene looked around the barn for more familiar faces. She spotted Laura sitting between a middle-aged woman and a pretty blond, whom Marlene assumed was Laura’s stepmother and her older brother’s wife. Marlene breathed sighs of relief when she found a few more people she recognized as former friends.
When her eyes moved to the unmarried men’s section, she also saw Laura’s twin, Mark, who looked almost exactly as she’d remembered. Finally she found Rudy sitting a few spots away from him.
Rudy looked handsome dressed in his Sunday suit. His dark eyes were bright and cheerful as he spoke to the young man sitting beside him who looked to be about their age. Could the man be one of his cousins he had mentioned to Marlene?
The man said something to Rudy, who laughed before turning toward Marlene. When his gaze tangled with hers, his smile widened, and he lifted his hand in a wave. She returned the gesture with a nod.
“Who is that?”
“Hmm?” Marlene faced her sister.
“That man.” Anna angled her head toward Rudy.
“Stop nodding toward him.” Marlene heard the hint of embarrassment in her voice. “That’s Rudy.”
“Oh.” Anna sang the word. “Now I see why you wanted to work at the hardware store.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marlene whispered, trying to quiet the chatter between them.
“He’s handsome.” Anna grinned as humiliation threatened to set Marlene’s cheeks aflame.
“Who’s handsome?” Betsy leaned over Anna to join the conversation.
Marlene wanted to bury her face in her hands. Could this get any more embarrassing? If Rudy witnessed this conversation, he’d certainly notice the commotion. She only wanted to be his friend, but surely he’d think she had a crush on him!
“Rudy Swarey.” Anna lifted her chin toward the unmarried men’s section of the barn.
“Oh, ya,” Betsy said. “He’s very handsome.”
Marlene stared down at her lap and hoped the service would start soon. If not, then she’d have to crawl under the bench to escape this exasperating display by her sister and cousin.
She breathed a deep sigh of relief when the song leader for the service began to sing. The young man sitting on the other side of the barn sang the first syllable of each line, and the rest of the congregation joined him to finish each line.
Opening her hymnal, Marlene turned her thoughts toward the hymn. She opened her heart to hear God’s Word for the first time in a decade amid the company of her former church district. It was so good to be back home!
“So Marlene did a gut job at the store yesterday?” Neil asked, sitting across from Rudy at the long lunch table after the service.
“Ya, she did.” Rudy swiped a pretzel from his cousin’s plate and popped it into his mouth. “She worked hard and wasn’t frazzled when the store got busy.”
Neil lifted his eyebrows. “Am I out of a job?”
“Not unless you quit.” Rudy glanced toward the other side of the long table created out of the benches, where Marlene filled coffee cups and smiled at the men seated along the table. She looked pretty in her pink dress, and her cheeks blushed as she said something to another man.
His interest had been piqued when he watched her interact with her younger sister and cousin in an animated conversation before the service began. He’d longed to sneak across the barn and eavesdrop as Marlene had blushed and looked down at her lap. If only he could know what they’d been discussing. Maybe he would ask her tomorrow at work.
“Are you going over to Paul’s later today?”
“Ya.” Rudy looked over at his favorite cousin. “Don’t we always go to Paul’s after church?”
“Ya, I guess we do.” Neil shook his head. “Who would’ve thought we’d still be in a singles group at our age?”
Rudy snickered. “Funny you should say that. I had a similar conversation with Marlene yesterday.”
“Oh ya?” Neil leaned forward on his elbows. “What else did you discuss with her?”
Rudy shrugged. “Not much. We talked about the community and freinden. No big deal.”
“Huh.” Neil raised his eyebrows. Then his brown eyes darted to something behind Rudy and then back again.
“What?” Rudy asked.
“Kaffi?”
Rudy craned his neck over his shoulder as Marlene appeared holding a carafe. Her green eyes focused on him, and he was almost certain his pulse ticked up a little.
“Would you like some kaffi?” she repeated.
“Ya, danki.” Rudy handed her his cup, and she filled it. Then he pointed to Neil. “Marlene, this is my cousin Neil Byler. He works part-time in the store too.”
“Hi.” Marlene nodded at him. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Neil gave Rudy a sideways look, and Rudy did his best not to glare at him.
“Would you like some kaffi too?” she offered.
“Ya, please.” Neil handed Marlene his cup. “Danki.”
“Gern gschehne.” She lifted the carafe, then met Rudy’s gaze again. “I guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there,” Rudy said.
After she served coffee to the men surrounding him, Rudy turned to watch her move down the line. When he realized he’d been watching her too long, he swiveled around and picked up his coffee cup. He glanced over at Neil and found him grinning.
As he sipped his coffee, Rudy braced himself, waiting for Neil to make a sarcastic comment. Instead, his cousin remained silent.
“What?” Rudy finally demanded.
Neil wagged a finger at him. “I can see why you told your dat to hire her.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“She’s really schee and sweet.” Neil rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “Maybe I should change my hours so I can work with her too.”
Rudy rolled his eyes. “Are you done teasing me?”
Neil looked toward Marlene as she worked. “You should invite her to come to Paul’s with us.”
“I’m sure she has plans with her schweschder and cousin.”
“They can come too,” Neil offered.
Rudy took another sip as he considered the idea. If h
e invited Marlene to Paul’s, would she consider going? Sundays were for visiting family and friends, and he already considered Marlene a friend. But he would also see her at work tomorrow. Would it appear forward if he expected her to spend time with him at work and also on the weekends?
“If you don’t invite her, then I will,” Neil said.
“I don’t think it’s a gut idea,” Rudy warned.
Neil’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”
“Because I’m going to see her at work tomorrow.” Rudy picked up another pretzel.
“So?”
“I don’t want her to think I’m pushy.” Rudy looked over at Marlene as she said something to her sister before walking toward the barn door.
“If you aren’t pushy, another guy will be,” Neil said. “I don’t think she’ll be single for long.”
“I’m not looking for a relationship,” Rudy said.
Neil snorted. “I wouldn’t let an opportunity pass me by.”
As Marlene disappeared through the barn door, Rudy couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever be interested in him as more than a friend.
Marlene stepped out on the back porch later that afternoon and sank down onto the rocking chair beside Dat’s. Her stomach coiled into a knot as she turned toward him and took in his stoic expression. As he stared out toward Onkel Leonard’s pasture, she wondered what was on his mind.
“Where’s Anna?” Dat asked without meeting her stare.
“She and Betsy went out with the youth group.” Marlene settled back in the rocker and pushed it into motion with her toe.
“Why didn’t you go?”
“I’m older than they are. I doubt they’d want me there.”
Dat kept his eyes focused straight ahead, and the silence stretched between them like a chasm. Marlene struggled to think of something more to say to encourage conversation with her father.
“It was nice to be back at our old church district,” she offered.
He nodded.
“Did you talk to some of your old freinden?” she asked.