Always Close to Home

by Jerry S. Eicher

  “And I like you.” He looked down at her with a pleased expression. “Then a hayride it will be. How’s the moon tonight? Do you remember?”

  Lydia’s mind raced. “I think it’s been cloudy the past few nights, but I wasn’t really paying attention.”

  Milton glanced at the sky, where a lone star twinkled in the east above the horizon. “It’ll be cold, but the moon’s coming up around nine or so. I think it’ll be clear.”

  “You pay attention to such things?” Lydia asked.

  “I do when you’re around,” he said.

  Lydia tried to ignore the compliment. “This hayride is such a great idea. Right up there with passing out candy for trick or treat. I don’t understand where your great ideas come from.”

  “From right here.” He tapped his chest. “You do wunderbah things for me, Lydia.”

  Lydia looked away as heat rose into her face. Thankfully Uncle Henry appeared in the barn door and she didn’t have to answer.

  “Sold everything today?” Uncle Henry asked with a quick look at the empty wagon.

  “I tried,” Lydia said. “But no, we put the unsold things in the storage bin as always.”

  “The heat from the barn animals should keep things from freezing,” Milton added.

  “So what are your plans for tonight?” Uncle Henry asked. “I see the horses still have their harnesses on.”

  “Oh, Uncle Henry,” Lydia gushed. “Milton has come up with a wunderbah idea. He’s taking me and the children for a hayride tonight, and the neighborhood children as well. Whoever lives on this road who wants to.”

  “If you’ll let me use the team?” Milton hastened to ask.

  Uncle Henry smiled. “You have hit on a perfect idea, Milton. We should do things like that more often. Lydia, you might want to go in and help Millie with supper. That’ll move things along so you kids can get started.”

  “Yah, of course!” Lydia hurried off toward the house with great joy. The Lord was continuing to send signs her way that His blessing was on their love. Uncle Henry approved fully. She was sure of that, and now there was Nancy and Daett. How many more signs of assurance did she need?

  Aunt Millie looked up from the stove when Lydia rushed into the kitchen with a smile on her face. “What’s the hurry?”

  “Milton’s taking me and the neighborhood children for a hayride tonight,” Lydia said. “Uncle Henry said I should help with supper.”

  “Goot thing I’m on time then,” Aunt Millie said. “This will be a great joy for the children.”

  “And for me!” Lydia said, wondering if she had just admitted too much.

  Aunt Millie laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with being in love, dear. We all go through it.”

  Lydia busied herself setting the table and didn’t respond.

  “Why Milton doesn’t clinch the deal with you is beyond me,” Aunt Millie said quietly. “His sister’s straightened up her act now, and there should be no reason for any hesitation on Milton’s part. He’s such a nice man.”

  “Yah, he is very nice,” Lydia whispered, but Aunt Millie didn’t hear. She had gone to call the children down from upstairs. Lydia didn’t repeat herself when Aunt Millie returned with two of the school-age children in tow.

  Aunt Millie looked down at her two children and announced, “Lydia has some wunderbah news for you.”

  “We’re going on a hayride tonight with Milton!” Lydia responded on cue.

  Astonished looks turned into glee. “Really? Tonight? A hayride?”

  “Right after supper,” Millie said.

  All the food was on the table when Uncle Henry and Milton appeared fifteen minutes later. The last of the children came downstairs, and everyone took their places at the table.

  Uncle Henry bowed his head in a prayer of thanks, and Lydia did likewise—but not before she snuck a quick look at Milton. He grinned back and mouthed the words, “You’re sweet.” Or so it appeared. She couldn’t tell for sure, but a warmth filled her.

  Lydia forced herself to focus on Uncle Henry’s prayer. “Now unto the God of our fathers, we give thanks for this evening. We give thanks for Milton and his goot idea, and for Lydia who has come to help out with the roadside stand. Bless them both, Lord, and protect everyone on the road. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  Lydia snuck another look at Milton as she passed the food, and he smiled back broadly. Clearly he was enjoying himself, and not just because of the food. He was looking forward to spending the evening with her. Lydia’s throat tightened at the thought. She filled her own plate and somehow chewed and swallowed.

  “Eat plenty,” Uncle Henry hollered out, as if they needed encouragement. “Brisk evenings outside burn up lots of energy.”

  “We should all go along,” Aunt Millie said, apparently caught up in the excitement.

  Uncle Henry seemed to ponder the idea. “Maybe we should. If Milton and Lydia don’t object.”

  “That would be great,” Milton said. “After all, it’s your team of horses we’re using.”

  “We’ll sit in the back with the children,” Uncle Henry decided, a twinkle in his eye. “Milton and Lydia will be undisturbed up front on the wagon seat.”

  “Then let’s give thanks and be on our way,” Millie said. “This is getting better all the time.”

  Uncle Henry bowed his head again and moments later announced the amen. Lydia jumped to her feet and began to clear the table.

  Aunt Millie tried to stop her. “This can wait until later.”

  “I’ll work on it while you get the children ready,” Lydia said.

  “I’ll help her,” Milton added.

  “Well!” Aunt Millie exclaimed. “Then I will hurry.”

  She disappeared into the living room with the children in tow. Uncle Henry left by the washroom door to bring the wagon up to the house.

  “This is so sweet of you,” Lydia whispered in Milton’s direction. He began to move the plates to the counter and seemed to know where things went.

  “Not as sweet as you are,” he whispered back, a wicked grin on his face.

  She wanted to hug him and hold him tight right there. This was what Laura must have felt for John. No wonder her sister was so determined to marry the man.

  Aunt Millie reappeared in the kitchen doorway. “Time to go!”

  “That was fast,” Milton said. He tugged on Lydia’s arm as she tried to clean another dish. “Time to go, your aunt said.”

  Lydia thought she saw him mouth the word sweetheart to her, right there in front of everyone. Only Milton would dare such a thing, even at a whisper.

  “You have some nerve,” she told him on the way out, but with a smile.

  His grin was all the confirmation she needed. Milton had called her his sweetheart.

  Lydia clung to his arm as they approached the wagon, only letting go to climb into the front seat. Uncle Henry, Aunt Millie, and their children climbed onto the seats in the back, which Milton and Uncle Henry had set up while Lydia helped Aunt Millie in the kitchen before supper.

  Milton took the reins and hollered, “Getup!”

  As the wagon bounced out the lane, Uncle Henry began to sing a hymn and the others joined in. The music hung under the trees along the lane and wafted into the open air toward the stars as they approached Highway 184. Lydia leaned against Milton’s shoulder. Milton sang along with the hymn, but she couldn’t make the slightest sound come from her throat at the moment.

  They went north to Kokomo Corner and then turned left to stop at the first Amish house. Uncle Henry jumped down to pound on the front door. “Anyone up to a hayride tonight?”

  Astonished faces appeared, followed by a rush for winter coats and a scramble of legs and arms as children climbed up on the bales of hay. The parents joined Uncle Henry and Aunt Millie in the back on the next stop. By the third home, they were full and heading south on West Road, singing hymns until the moon lifted its smiling face above the horizon.

  “I told you the moon would be up,” M
ilton crowed above the singing.

  Lydia didn’t answer. She buried her face in his coat until her tears had dried.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Early on Thanksgiving morning, the sun sent streams of light over the distant horizon and shrouded Milton’s buggy in a soft glow. Lydia nestled herself under the buggy blanket with Milton beside her. His horse, Red, blew great breaths of steam into the brisk air. They had been on the road for half an hour already, headed home toward the Masts’ place for Thanksgiving Day. Lydia hadn’t said much so far, and neither had Milton. The wonder of his presence beside her was enough. From all appearances the Lord had given Milton’s love to her.

  Lydia leaned her head against Milton’s shoulder and thought of the wunderbah hayride they had been on last week. Today would prove just as blessed, she was sure. Milton was with her, and he loved her. What else could she want? Lydia snuggled deeper into the buggy blanket and searched for Milton’s arm.

  Milton turned his head to smile down at her. “A little chilly, isn’t it?”

  Not with you in the buggy, she wanted to say, but she wasn’t quite bold enough. Not yet. Instead she smiled up at him. “Thanks for taking me home today.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” Milton said with a smile.

  The warmth under the buggy blanket crept through her, and increased the beat of her heart. Some morning she would believe that Milton had fully made up his mind not to jump the fence. She would also believe that Milton planned to join the baptismal class in the spring. He had never said so, but surely that was on his list of must-do things if he planned to wed her. Wasn’t that where love eventually led, and wouldn’t that be the natural result of the goot times they had spent together?

  After a few moments Lydia dared to glance up at Milton again, but he seemed distracted as he watched the passing trees. “Does Laura still have her mind set on marrying John?” Milton asked.

  “Yah.” Lydia struggled to sit up straight under the buggy blanket. “As far as I know.”

  “Maybe you can speak to her today and persuade her otherwise,” Milton said. “John’s parents have made their wishes clear enough, even if John has managed to sit up in bed a few times and move his legs. They still won’t let her marry a blind man. She really needs to accept Wendell Kaufman’s offer of a date. All the man wants is a chance to see if the relationship will work.”

  Lydia forced a laugh. “That’s not quite my impression of the man. He’s no meek and mild fellow like John. And I know that’s what Laura wants.”

  Milton shrugged. “I’m just saying. Your sister shouldn’t marry a blind man. On that I agree.”

  Lydia gasped. “Why are you suddenly so interested in the subject?”

  “I’m not.” Milton said. “I don’t know Wendell that well. I just want what’s best for you and your family.”

  “I’m standing with Laura on this,” Lydia said. “If John is sitting up in bed and moving his legs, he’ll walk eventually. She’s already been given one miracle. Who’s to say that she won’t be given another one?”

  “You think John will see someday?”

  “I don’t know about that,” Lydia admitted. “But why can’t they find a way to love each other and make it in spite of his blindness?”

  “It would be very hard to make it work,” Milton said, jiggling the reins. “I guess this is a touchy subject, isn’t it?”

  Lydia nodded, and they rode the rest of the way in silence until Daett’s farm came into view ahead of them.

  “Still looks the same.” Milton grinned.

  “Yah…home,” she managed.

  Daett must have heard them coming and was outside waiting. He called out, “Goot morning, Lydia! If it isn’t my long-lost daughter herself!”

  Lydia hopped down to fly into Daett’s arms. “It’s so goot to see you,” she said.

  Milton chuckled. “You have a lovely daughter, Yost. She’s doing an excellent job at the roadside stand. I declare we wouldn’t have moved half the things we did, if Lydia hadn’t been out there with her smile and friendly greeting.”

  Daett grinned. “I’m sure you’re right. Here, let me help you unhitch while Lydia heads on into the house. Nelson and Lester are upstairs relaxing after the chores, but I’m sure Laura can use help in the kitchen. The poor girl has been aflutter all morning.”

  “Of course!” Lydia exclaimed. She gave Milton a quick glance, but he was already busy unhitching.

  Lydia hurried up the sidewalk. What a joy it would be to see Laura again. Now that she was here, the longing to see her sister swept over her. How she had missed her twin.

  Lydia entered the familiar front door, and Laura appeared from the kitchen draped in a white apron, her face stress-filled. Lydia rushed toward her to wrap her in a tight hug.

  “You’ve come!” Laura said, as if she couldn’t breathe.

  Lydia let go to study her sister at arm’s length. “You look awful, Laura. What’s been going on?”

  “I’ll be okay.” A tear trickled down Laura’s cheek. “It’s just everything, I guess, but at least you’re here now.”

  “But just for the day.” Lydia studied her twin again. “Maybe I should come back home to stay, and take care of the house and Daett. Is that what the problem is?”

  Laura shook her head and managed to smile. “You know work has never bothered me. It’s John, I guess, and the fact that no one seems to understand us. But let’s not talk about that right now. We have dinner to prepare, and—”

  “We will talk about it!” Lydia declared. “We’ve always been able to work and talk at the same time.”

  A hint of a smile appeared on Laura’s face and they entered the kitchen together. “It’s so goot to have you home, Lydia. You have no idea how much. And you understand, don’t you? About John? Daett tries, but he’s wrapped up in his own world. Not that I blame him with Mamm gone and…”

  “I want what is best for you,” Lydia replied. “As I told Milton this morning, now that John is sitting up and moving his legs, he will surely walk again, and then you will have received one miracle that no one thought would happen. Why couldn’t you receive another one and have things work out somehow?”

  Laura’s face glowed for a moment. “You say the sweetest things, Lydia. How can you have such faith when no one else does?” Laura’s countenance darkened. “But I don’t want to blame anyone. I’d probably say the same thing if I was in their place.”

  Lydia shook her head. “No, you wouldn’t. You’ve helped me tremendously with my own faith. Milton has…” Lydia paused. Now was not the time for goot news when Laura was so down. “So what are you going to do about Wendell?” Lydia asked instead. “Milton said on the way over that…” Lydia stopped again. Laura didn’t need to be burdened with further outside opinions either.

  “What can I do?” Laura said. “I can’t marry John if no one will marry us. John’s parents have forbidden me from coming over again. You know what happens if I disobey. Bishop Ezra will take that as a mark against my character and won’t marry us for sure, and John wouldn’t want me to…” Laura’s voice drifted off. She measured flour into a bowl as if the concentration took all the energy she had.

  Lydia reached over to pull her sister close. “The Lord will give you your first miracle and maybe your second one. We have to believe that it will happen.”

  “We don’t always get what we want,” Laura said, measuring out another cup with great care.

  Lydia took a deep breath. “The Lord has been giving me Milton’s love of late. Isn’t that a miracle? If that can happen, why can’t your miracle happen?”

  Laura brightened. “You and Milton? I knew you cared for him, but I figured he brought you this morning because you both were working at Uncle Henry’s place, and because his sister will be here today.”

  Lydia smiled. “It’s more than that. We’ve been having some wunderbah times together. Milton comes up with these ideas, and he’s…”

  “Has he mentioned joining the baptis
mal class?” Laura asked.

  Lydia looked away and didn’t answer.

  Laura’s voice was gentle. “I believe the Lord gives us great miracles. I guess I also believe in impossible things at times.”

  “It’s hard, isn’t it?”

  “Yah, I don’t know what you should do,” Laura continued. “But I’m afraid there is only one course open for me. I can’t rebel, and maybe once Wendell sees that I can never love him, he’ll come to his senses. Surely he won’t want a frau who doesn’t love him. He’s not that kind of man. Maybe after that…” Laura stopped and stirred the bowl with quick strokes.

  “What are you saying? You wouldn’t…”

  “Yah.” Laura bit her lower lip. “I guess I’m giving in. At least for a little bit in the hopes that—”

  “But there must be some other way,” Lydia tried again. “You could pray and you could—”

  Laura stopped her with a raised spoon. “Just comfort me today, Lydia. Don’t tell me of sweet things, or of wunderbah times you shared with Milton. I’m trying hard enough to forget those moments with John. The thought of Wendell, and of him kissing me someday…” Laura turned pale. “Only the Lord can give me the strength to bear such a thing, or to escape that fate. That’s all the miracle I can hope for right now.”

  “Then you hope Wendell won’t marry you once he knows that you don’t love him?”

  Laura nodded. Lydia wrapped her arms around her twin, and they clung together until a knock at the front door pulled them apart.

  Laura wiped her eyes. “Who could that be? Daett and Milton wouldn’t knock.”

  “Maybe Nancy,” Lydia suggested.

  Laura leaned over the kitchen sink to peer out the window. “It’s her buggy,” she said in a whisper. “And here we are all tearstained.”

  “Well, she might as well get to know the family!” Lydia declared. She left Laura to answer the front door. At least Daett had the right touch in love. After all these years of Daett being married to Mamm, Nancy was apparently taking him back. Love had returned quickly between Nancy and Daett.

  Lydia pasted on a smile as she opened the front door. “Goot morning,” she said in greeting.