Naomi's Hope

by Jan Drexler

  Cap’s mind flew ahead to Naomi. If he hadn’t had her strength to lean on in the days after the Hinklemanns took Davey away, he might have sunk into a mire of despair. But her faith had become even stronger while his had faltered. That was one aspect of marriage that he had missed since Martha died. A partner who could share the events of life with him. Even the most disastrous events. Sharing the grief with Naomi . . . sharing his life with Naomi . . .

  He straightened up on the wagon seat, startling Jacob out of his reverie.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Cap shook his head. “Nothing. In fact, I think things are going to be right.” He looked ahead, over the horse’s ears. “That’s the ford over the river up there, right?”

  “Ja, for sure.”

  He couldn’t sit still any longer. “I’m going on ahead.” He jumped off the wagon seat onto the ground.

  Jacob called after him. “We’ll be home in just a few minutes. You can still ride with us.”

  Cap waved as he trotted toward the river. “You’re too slow!”

  The river was low and he splashed through the shallow water. Then he ran up the slope toward the Schrocks’ farm. It was nearly suppertime, but he could still take Naomi off to the side to speak to her.

  He pushed himself to run faster. Or he could invite her to his house, where they could talk without being disturbed.

  His footsteps pounded on the back porch when he reached the house, and both Naomi and Lydia jumped.

  Naomi’s eyes widened. “Cap, what are you doing?”

  Now that he was here, and she was standing right in front of him, Cap had second thoughts. His breath came in gasps.

  “Hello, Naomi.” He took another breath and let it out, then nodded in her mamm’s direction. “Lydia.”

  “Have you run all the way home from Clinton Township? Where is Daed?” Naomi set the stack of plates she was holding on the kitchen table and started toward him. “There isn’t anything wrong, is there?”

  He shook his head, still trying to get his breath back. “Nothing is wrong. I just wanted to . . . to ask you to come to my house for supper.” He took another deep breath and let it out. “Would you?”

  Her face had a pretty, puzzled frown on it. “Ja, for sure. I would like to.”

  A sudden thought crossed Cap’s mind. He had some leftover corn cake from breakfast, but that was all the food he had in his larder. The greens Lydia was cooking in bacon grease smelled wonderful.

  “Maybe you could bring some greens, and maybe a couple early potatoes?”

  Naomi smiled. “I’ll pack a picnic for us. Does that sound good?”

  He nodded and grinned at her. Lydia’s shoulders shook as if she was laughing at them.

  “Come in.” Naomi stood back so he could take a seat at the table while he waited for her. “I’ll get some things together, and then you can carry the basket.”

  Lydia poured a glass of water for him while Naomi packed a basket with a loaf of bread, some lettuce from the garden, and a piece of cold ham. He took the basket as she gave Lydia a hug goodbye and they left the house.

  Jacob waved to him from the wagon as he pulled up in the road to let Eli off before going on home, but Cap paid him no mind. He and Naomi walked along the path between the farms arm in arm. The summer evening was golden as the sun lowered toward the treetops, and the locusts buzzed in the trees.

  Cap set the basket on the bench on the east side of his cabin, in the shade but catching the slight northerly breeze that had risen.

  “It’s so much nicer this evening. This afternoon was hot,” Naomi said, taking the bread out of the basket.

  They ate the simple meal, talking about sheep and gardens, but Cap’s mind wasn’t on their conversation. He watched Naomi as she talked. The sharpness of her grief had passed, but it still shadowed her eyes. He would be with her to watch time ease those shadows.

  “Cap, did you hear what I said?” Naomi had packed the leftovers from their meal back in the basket and had stood to go.

  He took the basket from her and pulled at her hand until she was sitting next to him again. “What did you say?”

  “It’s getting late. I should be getting home.”

  Cap looked at the dusky sky above them. “It isn’t dark yet.”

  “It’s midsummer. The sky doesn’t get dark until long after my bedtime, and that’s getting close.”

  “I want to ask you something.”

  As she turned her attention toward him, her beauty made his mouth go dry.

  “I never thought I’d find you.” Her face took on that puzzled frown again and he cleared his throat. “I mean, I never thought I’d find a woman to love like I love you.”

  She lowered her gaze and he took her hand.

  “Naomi, I want to build a life with you. The two of us together. I want us to have a family. Davey, when I find him and bring him home, and then more children.”

  A smile started and she raised her eyes to his. “I would like that, Cap.”

  “You’ll wait for me? I don’t know when I’ll find him, but you’ll wait? You won’t marry anyone else?”

  She didn’t say anything, but leaned over and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss. Now he was home.

  Davey had spent the night under a shrub by the side of the road, but his sleep had been short. His stomach pinched.

  Uncle Wilhelm had ridden by him last night, when it was almost dark, but Davey had hidden behind a tree when he saw the horse coming. Uncle Wilhelm’s fat face had looked happy. He must have sold the farm like he wanted to. Then Uncle Wilhelm had ridden on to the east, and Davey went west until it was too dark and he was too tired. When he couldn’t walk any farther, he found a bush and curled up to sleep.

  In the gray light of the morning, he crawled out from under the bush and stood by the side of the dusty road. The chilly air made him want his jacket, but he could only hug himself to try to stay warm as he walked.

  The light grew stronger and Davey looked for food. Crow Flies had taught him what plants were good to eat, but he couldn’t find the cattails or dandelion greens along the road. He found some berries, though. They looked just like the currants that grew behind the house. Grossmutti made jelly out of them. They were sour, but good. Davey stood by the bush and ate all of them.

  He was beginning to get hungry again when he came to a road leading south. The road he was on continued in a straight brown ribbon under the trees, but this one was filled with tree stumps, just like the road at home. He took a step down it, then another. Had Uncle Wilhelm come this way? He couldn’t tell, but the road looked right. Davey went on south.

  There were no berries on this road. The trees crowded in on either side and everything was in shadow. Davey stumbled, and then fell once. But he got up again. He was thirsty and his stomach ached. Bad. If he was at home, Memmi would give him medicine for his stomachache.

  One foot in front of the other. The road narrowed until it was only a trail winding through the trees. He caught his toe on a root lying in the dust and fell again, but he didn’t get up. Sitting in the dirt of the trail, he watched the darkness under the trees grow. He tried to swallow, but his throat was too dry.

  He wanted Memmi. He tried to imagine her arms holding him. She would bring him a cup of water and tuck him into his bed. She would cover him with the smooth, cool sheet as he laid his head on the soft pillow. Uncle Henry would come to bed later, and with him sleeping in the second bed in the loft, Davey was never scared. Never alone.

  He looked up at the branches hanging over the road. A screech owl’s call made him jump. It was almost dark, but he could walk a little farther. He wanted to get home. He pushed himself to his feet.

  Davey hadn’t walked for very long when he heard hoofbeats behind him. The noise was loud, and as it came closer, he could hear saddle leather creaking. The horses were trotting, even though the road was rough. The man riding the first horse pulled up when he saw Davey.

  �
��What do we have here?” The man spoke English, like Crow Flies.

  Another rider pulled his horse to a stop next to the first one. “A boy?” The man said a word Davey didn’t know. “We can’t stop for a boy.”

  The first man turned his horse in a circle as the rest of the riders crowded up, surrounding them. “What’s a boy doing out here alone?” He glared at Davey. His hat was black and pulled low over his face, almost to his nose. “Where are your folks, boy? Nobody lives along this trail.”

  Davey’s knees shook. None of the faces were friendly. “I want to go home, but I can’t find the way.”

  One of the other men spit into the bushes at the side of the road. “He’s just a lost kid. Forget him. We can’t stick around here.”

  The first man looked back down the way they had come, as if he was expecting to see someone. “Yeah. We need to keep moving. Forget the boy.”

  He reined his horse around and started down the road again, and the riders followed him. Davey had to jump back to keep from being bumped by the horses.

  The last rider stopped next to Davey. He looked at Davey, and then down the trail at the riders disappearing in the twilight.

  “You really alone, boy?”

  Davey nodded.

  The rider reached a hand down and Davey grabbed it. He lifted him up and on his saddle quicker than Davey could think.

  “We can’t leave you here to tell the posse where we’ve gone. You can ride with me.”

  The horse started off at a gallop when the man leaned forward, dodging the trees and twisting back and forth until they reached the rest of the horses. The horse slowed to a trot. Davey sat in front of the man on his saddle, encircled by strong arms. The man smelled like sweat and smoke, but the smell from the horse was pleasant. Like the horses at home.

  “You got any folks, boy?”

  Davey nodded. “I don’t know where they are. I thought this road would go there, but it didn’t.”

  “You a runaway?”

  “I didn’t run away. Uncle Wilhelm wanted to take me with them. He said I could be his son, but then they didn’t want me. They only wanted Pa’s farm.” Davey sniffed. If he cried, maybe the man would hit him the way Uncle Wilhelm did.

  “So you’re lost.” The man rode without saying anything more as the darkness grew thicker. Even when it was so black that Davey couldn’t see the riders in front of them, they kept traveling down the trail.

  Davey’s head waggled on his neck until it fell back against the man’s chest. He was held tight in the saddle as the horse slowed to a walk. The rhythm of the horse’s steps was like sitting with Memmi in the rocking chair. He could almost hear her voice singing to him.

  When Davey awoke, the sun shone through the leaves above with a green light. All of the riders were lying with their heads on their saddles or sitting on a fallen log. Some of them were eating pieces of dried beef.

  “You’re awake. I thought you was gonna sleep until nightfall.” The man who he had ridden with held out a piece of beef and Davey took it. In the daylight, he looked a little like Uncle Henry.

  “Are we home?”

  “I don’t know where home is, boy. You got any idea?”

  Davey looked around. All of the trees looked the same. “We live by the Yoders. Do you know where their farm is?”

  The man looked around. When he saw that none of the others were watching them, he scooted closer to Davey. “Yoder? Bischt du Amish?” He looked around again, and then asked in English, “Are you Amish?”

  Davey nodded. “Are you?”

  The man plucked a blade of grass. “I used to be. But I ran away.” He looked around at the other riders again. “I think I know how we can get you home.”

  Davey rose up on his knees and threw his arm around the man’s neck. “Memmi will be so glad to see me.”

  “What is your name?”

  “Davey Schrock.”

  “I’m Hans Borntreger. It’s good to meet you.” He shook hands with Davey, just like they were both grown-ups. “The men in the gang call me Johnny, so you had better too.”

  Davey nodded.

  Johnny gripped his shoulder, then stood. “Eat your breakfast, and stay here. Don’t go wandering around. I’m going to talk to Bill.”

  Davey took a bite of his beef. It was tough and dry, so he chewed slowly. Johnny picked his way around the riders until he got to the one with the black hat. He said something to the man, but the black hat wagged back and forth. One fist hit his other hand. The black hat wagged again. Johnny pulled something out of his pocket, and then the black hat bobbed up and down. Davey tore off another bite of the dried beef.

  “It’s all right. He’ll let me take you home.” He rolled up the blanket Davey had been curled up in and tied it on his saddle. “I’m going to saddle up, then we’ll ride for the Amish settlement north of the Haw Patch.

  “The Haw Patch, ja. That’s where we live.”

  Johnny tousled his hair. “Good. Then let’s ride.”

  By the time Davey was sitting in front of Johnny in the saddle again, most of the other men were awake. They watched Johnny ride out of the camp, but no one said anything. When they reached the trail, Johnny leaned forward and the horse started trotting.

  “We need to be quiet. There might be men in these woods looking for us.”

  Davey peered in between the trees as they rode through the forest. “For me?”

  “Naw. For me and the rest of the gang. No talking, you hear?”

  Davey leaned against Johnny’s chest and watched the trees go by. Maybe when he got home, Memmi would let him have a pony. He dozed in the safety of Johnny’s arms.

  “Wake up, Davey. We’re here.”

  When Davey opened his eyes, the sun had set again. But in the summer twilight, he saw Jonas Plank’s house. “Ja, ja, ja. I know where we are.”

  Johnny lowered Davey to the ground, and then dismounted. He knelt so they could see each other eye to eye.

  “Listen to me, Davey, and listen good.”

  Davey nodded.

  “I made a bad decision when I ran away from home. And a worse one when I got mixed up with this bunch. Once you get home, you stay there, you hear?”

  Davey nodded. “You could come with me.”

  Johnny stared at the Planks’ house. Lanterns were lit inside, and through the window Davey could see the family at their evening prayers. Johnny stared for a long time. “I don’t know if I could. I’ve done some pretty bad things.”

  “Doesn’t God forgive you if you’re sorry? That’s what Memmi says.”

  Johnny looked at him. “Your memmi’s right, but . . .” He looked back at the soft light filtering through the window.

  “But what? You can take me home and meet my grossdatti. He’ll let you stay with us. He lets lots of people stay with us.” Even Uncle Wilhelm.

  Davey’s nose itched. All he wanted was to go home.

  “Please, Johnny? Please take me home.”

  Naomi rested in Cap’s arms. His kisses had been tender, but with the promise of a lifetime of love.

  The evening breeze had picked up just enough to keep the mosquitoes at bay, and they had sat together, talking of the future, until darkness fell.

  “I’ll be leaving in the morning,” Cap said, tightening his hold on her.

  “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know which way the Hinklemanns have gone, so I might have to try several directions before I find their trail. I’ll find Davey as soon as I can.”

  “But you don’t know when that will be.”

  Cap sighed and pulled her closer to kiss the top of her head. “I don’t want to go. I want to marry you as soon as possible. But until our boy is back with us, we can’t make any plans.”

  A stream of cold water passed through Naomi and she gripped Cap’s hand. “What if . . .” She swallowed. She didn’t want to give a voice to the possibility. “What if you don’t find him? What if he’s gone fore
ver?”

  Cap groaned. “I’ve thought of that. But we need to trust God. We need to trust that he is watching out for Davey and will bring him home.”

  Cap stilled as the sound of hoofbeats echoed from the road.

  “Someone is coming. Only one rider.” He stood and Naomi rose with him. “Ne, stay here.”

  She sank back down on the bench as Cap walked toward the road. The moon hadn’t risen yet, and the open space in front of the cabin glowed in the starlight. But the road was dark under the shelter of the trees.

  “Hallo the house.” The voice was a man’s, speaking Deitsch.

  “Ja,” Cap answered. “Who is there?”

  “It’s Johnny Borntreger. We’ve met before.”

  “Come on in. We have a bit of supper left.”

  The man and horse turned off the road and moved toward Cap. “Good. Because I have one hungry boy here.” The rider stopped and dismounted, then reached up for a bundle on the saddle.

  “Cap?”

  It was Davey’s voice. Naomi stood, then paused. Could it really be her boy, or was she only imagining it?

  Cap took a step toward the boy, now standing on the ground. “Davey, is that you?”

  Naomi flew past Cap and grabbed Davey in her arms, paying no attention to the horse or the stranger.

  She pulled back and turned his face up toward the starlight. His dirty, grinning face.

  “Hallo, Memmi.”

  Cap gathered them both in his arms as Naomi laughed, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Davey, ach, Davey, you’re home.”

  “Memmi, you’re squeezing too tight. I can’t breathe!”

  Naomi loosened her grip but didn’t let him go. “Are you all right?” She brushed the hair back from his face.

  “I’m hungry, and I’m tired. Awful tired.”

  Cap lifted Davey in his arms, then turned to the stranger. “Denki. You don’t know how much this means to us.”

  The man took a step back. “Ja, well, when I found out Davey was Amish, I thought you might know where he belonged. I didn’t know he belonged here.”

  “He belongs at the neighbors’.” Cap glanced at Naomi. “And here.”