The Stranger

by Linda Maran

  “Vell, we can speak to Bishop Ebersol about that. Maybe he can arrange for you to go to an Englisch neighbor to use a computer, or you can use one at the public library in town. We cannot have one in our home. It’s verboden.”

  “Ver−what?”

  “Verboden. Forbidden.”

  “But I have...” one in my suitcase. “Never mind.” Unreal. How could she be happy living here? She probably had a hundred notifications on Facebook already. Maybe this was all a dream, and Mom would wake her from the sofa when she turned off the TV on her way to bed. In air conditioning. After Kristen’s nightly swim in the ocean…with Derick.

  ~*~

  A gentle nudge on the shoulder gave Kristen pause as to where she was. “Mom? OK, I’ll go up to bed.”

  She received another nudge. This time she sat up and looked over at the source of the gentle push.

  A small girl with honey-blonde braids stood there, wearing a sheer white head covering and a blue dress and apron. A miniature version of Aunt Elizabeth, except that her hair wasn’t tucked into a bun, and her dress was a lighter shade of blue.

  Oh, no! This wasn’t a dream.

  “Hi, I’m Anna. And you’re Kristen, my Englisch cousin. Mamm said to wake you from your nap for supper.”

  The little girl’s eyes shone with excitement and wonder.

  “You have a pretty smile, Anna.” Kristen felt a pull on her heart. No one ever made a big deal about her before. She wouldn’t take her mood out on her sweet, young cousin.

  The girl blushed, took Kristen’s hand and tugged. “Let’s go downstairs. We’ll be eating soon, and I helped prepare the meal. Mamma said we can sit next to each other. Do you like fried chicken?”

  “Um, I’m sure it’ll be good.” No need to explain her eating habits. She had no intention of staying long enough for them to question her choices. At least at Cindy’s house, she was still able to see Derick. She’d text him later. He’d rescue her from all of this. He had to.

  2

  As Kristen and Anna entered the kitchen, two strapping men pulled out chairs and sat themselves at the table. Both wore blue shirts with the sleeves rolled up, darker blue overalls, and black work shoes.

  Kristen looked toward the door and saw their straw hats hung on the pegs.

  Aunt Elizabeth gave both the older and younger man wet cloths to wipe their faces and hands and then motioned for Kristen to sit across from them.

  “Velkum, Kristen Esh, Emily’s dochter. I am your Onkle Jonas, and this here is your cousin, Daniel.”

  Kristen nodded, not too comfortable having Uncle Jonas and her cousin looking her over as if she were some kind of oddity. Not to mention Aunt Miriam’s ongoing glances of disapproval.

  “Forgive the staring, niece, but we never had an Englisch relative that we know of. Your Mamm left these parts many years ago, when she was just a couple years older than yourself. We never heard from her after that.”

  “So, why would she want me to live here if she didn’t stay?”

  “Better left unsaid,” Aunt Miriam muttered.

  Aunt Elizabeth paid no mind to the remark, not even looking Aunt Miriam’s way to acknowledge it. She simply said, “Because we are your relatives, and your mamma knew we’d still be in Stone Arabia since our familye has been here for three generations now.”

  Kristen shrugged, her question still not answered.

  “Did your vadder have any relatives?”

  Aunt Miriam got up and walked toward the pantry, shaking her head back and forth as Aunt Elizabeth waited on Kristen’s reply.

  “I don’t know anything about him. Mom told me he left before I was born, and they were married only for a short time. One day I might look into finding out who he is.” She’d thought they’d know something. Guess her dad wasn’t Amish. What a relief.

  “Vell, no matter,” Aunt Elizabeth was quick to say. “You’ve been through a rough patch, and it’s time to get you on the mend. A gut meal is a start, jah?”

  Kristen nodded.

  John walked in.

  Butterflies swarmed Kristen’s stomach at the sight of him. Odd.

  “Sorry I’m late. I lost track of time finishing the mending of the fence behind the barn.” His blue eyes momentarily locked on to Kristen’s gaze.

  “It’s gut that the rain held off. Did you bring the tools back then?” Uncle Jonas gave John a lopsided frown as if he knew the answer.

  “Nee. I have to get back out there right after supper to gather them up. I won’t let them rust if it rains, Daed.” Uncle Jonas nodded and unfolded his napkin, apparently a signal for them to bow their heads and say grace.

  As Kristen bowed her head with the rest of them, she found herself wishing her father hadn’t left them so she could have witnessed similar displays of family gatherings at her home. She remembered how she’d even hoped that Ross and her mom would fall in love, and how sad she’d been that it hadn’t happened that way. What had she expected? He was the employer, and her mom was the live-in help. Nothing more to it, other than a friendship of sorts.

  Someone cleared their throat and broke Kristen’s reverie.

  Then Aunt Elizabeth began passing the food.

  Anna offered the platter of chicken to Kristen. She took it and held it for a long moment.

  John looked over at her. No hint of teasing this time. “Kristen is a vegetarian.”

  Everyone looked over at him and then at Kristen.

  “She told me at lunch today,” he explained. “She traded her ham for my cheese. It worked out gut.”

  “Vell then, you’ll enjoy the creamed potatoes and stewed zucchini.” Aunt Elizabeth didn’t seem affected by the news one way or another.

  Kristen passed the platter back to Anna.

  “Seems to me that the gut Lord gave us animals for our food. Why do you not eat them, Kristen?” Unlike her aunt, Onkle Jonas looked at her with both curiosity and what seemed like disapproval.

  “I think if less people ate meat, we would have more land to grow other foods and be able to feed hungry people in the world that way. Cows and sheep take up a lot of land for grazing and to grow the food they’re fed if they’re factory farmed.”

  “Jah, in the Englisch world, but not these chickens,” John told her. The teasing returned.

  “And I coated all the pieces,” Anna chimed in.

  A twinge of guilt coursed through Kristen for disappointing Anna. She hadn’t been a vegetarian ’til Derick urged her to join the Green Team at school.

  “OK. Being that it’s different with these chickens, maybe I’ll taste one piece.”

  Anna was quick to hand the platter back to her.

  “The Englisch do factory farming. The Amish here do not. Our animals graze and roam freely on our farmland. We only use what we need,” Uncle Jonas informed her as she took a piece of the fried chicken.

  Anna’s face brightened.

  Kristen had to admit that it tasted very good. Crisp and tender. Still, it unsettled her eating one of the chickens that obviously met its demise that day at this very place. So, this was what farm life was like.

  “The strawberry pie is a special dessert I made for you,” Aunt Elizabeth said. “I made two and already set aside a piece for Mary. This is her nacht for helping with the inventory at the diner where she works.”

  “Jah, otherwise she won’t get a morsel. Maybe we should see if we have other Englisch cousins needing a place to stay so you can make more of your special desserts.” John’s blue eyes sparkled with humor as he looked at Kristen.

  Her pulse quickened and she looked away. John’s good looks unnerved her, while his easy-going manner did just the opposite.

  “Ach, go on now, John. We only got Kristen, far as I know.” Aunt Elizabeth set the pie on the table.

  Aunt Miriam went and brought back whipped cream. She sat at the opposite end from where Kristen was.

  Why did this woman not like her? She didn’t even know her.

  “I better just have a small
piece,” Kristen said from habit.

  “Ach! I made this dessert special for you. Go on. Take yourself a nice big slice. And if it’s calories you’re thinking about, like our Mary does sometimes, you’ll be working them off around here in no time. Ain’t so, Jonas?”

  “Jah, that’s for sure and for certain. Better eat yourself full. Your aenti will have you mighty hungry each day from all the chores she’ll have you doing.”

  They all nodded. No one smiled.

  He wasn’t joking.

  Finishing off her hearty slice of warm, sweet strawberry pie, with the creamiest cream she’d ever had piled high atop it, was no sacrifice for Kristen.

  “Did your mamma make whipped cream to go with pie?” Anna peered up at Kristen with curious pale blue eyes.

  But no answer came.

  Instead, tears stung her eyes. The question brought the realization…all over again…that her mom and Ross were really gone. First, when she’d moved in with Cindy’s family, and now, being with totally unknown relatives, honoring her mom’s last wishes. The truth was too much to grasp. She couldn’t bear to think what she’d do if Derick didn’t pull through for her.

  “Kristen, I’ll put on some herb tea. It’ll do you gut.” Aunt Elizabeth stood and went to the cupboard. She returned with a cup and saucer. There was a momentary silence.

  “Sorry. I just can’t believe that my mom and Ross were killed in a boating accident like that. And how things are so different now.”

  “The Lord will heal you in His own time. You’ll be making new friends here, and we’ll keep you plenty busy. I grieve the loss of your mamm, too. Even though I haven’t seen her in a long row of years, she was my baby sister. There’s no need to be apologizing, ain’t so, Jonas?”

  “Jah, that’s for sure, niece. You had to have a cry. Now that it’s over, just take each day as it comes. We must remember the Lord saw fit to call your mamm from this earth, and we need to abide by His will.”

  Somehow Kristen didn’t think being killed in a boating accident was the Lord’s will. She attempted a weak smile while Anna patted her hand.

  Aunt Elizabeth poured hot golden-colored water into her cup and stirred in a teaspoon of honey. It smelled like flowers.

  “Go ahead. Take a sip. It’s chamomile and tastes gut,” little Anna encouraged.

  John was quiet, but he looked at her with serious eyes.

  Kristen blew on the hot tea and took a small sip.

  Apparently satisfied, Anna flashed her a full-faced smile then happily resumed eating her pie, as did the rest of the family.

  John looked up from his dessert once more as if to make certain Kristen was OK. She smiled more wholeheartedly to assure him. His expression relaxed. These people actually acted as if they cared about her. Of course, she knew they didn’t. How could they? She was as much a stranger to them as they were to her.

  Soon cups were filled with coffee and tea and conversation broke out again about chores and the latest news of various neighbors. The subject of her mom closed.

  Kristen sighed and smiled at the same time. She thought of her dinners at fast food places or by herself with the TV on due to her mom’s and Ross’s work schedules. Tonight, it was kind of nice sitting at the table with other people. Not by herself. With…family? Almost a foreign word to her. An Amish family no less.

  Once alone in her room, Kristen got her chance to text Derick while some battery life was left in her cell phone.

  Hey, Derick. My phone might be dead by the time you get this. I’m in a totally backward place called Stone Arabia in Palatine, NY with the Wagler family on Dillen something Road. They’re my mom’s Amish relatives. Unreal, right? I need you to come take me back to stay at Cindy’s. ASAP. Like, tomorrow by dawn. If you’re not here then, I’ll find a place to charge my phone so I can get your message and we can talk. I miss you like crazy.

  A knock on the bedroom door pierced the almost too quiet room.

  “Kristen? It’s Aentie Elizabeth. Thought we’d chat for a short bit.”

  “OK. Come in.”

  “Voss iss diess?” Aunt Elizabeth’s gaze immediately went to Kristen’s pink phone lying on the bed. She didn’t look too happy.

  “Ah, my cell phone. I needed to contact a friend.”

  Aunt Elizabeth still held her frown.

  “No electricity and no phone use either?”

  “Jah, we have a phone shack over by the Byler farm. We mainly use it for emergencies or to contact far off relatives. Even those carrying phones are allowed by some now, especially for business. But not for idle talk.”

  “What exactly is idle talk to you guys?”

  “Talk about this and that. A phone in the haus leads a person away from familye time.”

  “I wasn’t even talking to anyone. I just left a text message for a friend to let him know where I am. Do I have to sneak around with this then?”

  “Best you not use it in the haus for idle talk, is all I’m saying. Contacting your friend is fine, I s’pose.”

  Kristen rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She was an inmate in a prison that happened to serve good food.

  “We don’t mean to upset you, Kristen, but this is the way of the Plain people. In time, if you’re not taking to things here, you’ll soon be old enough to go your own way. But your mamm wanted you to be with familye, and I’m happy to have you for as long as you wish to stay. Gut nacht, child.”

  “Good night.” Kristen sighed. Her response held more annoyance than she’d intended. Tomorrow was another day. But not here. Derick would take her away from this backward place.

  3

  A knocking sound awoke Kristen. Groggy, she turned over, but the knocking continued.

  She grabbed her cell phone to look at the time, but it’d gone dead. She glanced toward the window. A glimmer of dawn overhung the darkness. Derick! Was he here?

  “Time to get up, Kristen. We got breakfast to tend to.”

  Aunt Elizabeth sounded her usual cheery self and as wide awake as if it were noon. She made no mention of Derick. He hadn’t come.

  Kristen held back tears and forced herself out of bed. Not yet unpacked, she retrieved her suitcase from under the bed and took out her toothbrush, hairbrush, denim skirt, to abide by the no pants rule, and a striped polo. She slipped into the robe she’d laid out on the chair the night before and trotted off to the washroom downstairs next to the kitchen. The small area with a few hooks on the wall consisted of a water pump, a large rubber mat, a medium size basin, a chunk of the colorless soap, and some clean towels. No mirror. She’d never brushed her hair without looking at her reflection.

  When she walked into the kitchen, washed and dressed, Aunt Elizabeth handed her an apron.

  “You know how to scramble eggs, jah?”

  “Yes, I’ve scrambled eggs for myself lots of times.”

  “Gut. Please use this bowl to crack the eggs into. Two dozen will be fine.”

  “Two dozen! That’s a lot.”

  “Nee, not for seven people with the men taking seconds. While you do that, I’ll fry up the bacon.”

  Kristen cracked the eggs and scrambled them with milk that Aunt Elizabeth had ready for her to add. She then went to the stove and poured the mixed eggs into two frying pans, careful to stir them around slowly, working side by side with her aunt. She hadn’t cooked with another person since her pre-school days in Ross’s kitchen with her mom.

  A tall, pretty older girl walked in with a cheerful Geode Mariye. Her glance settled on Kristen. She gave her a warm smile

  “Hullo, I’m Mary. Sorry I missed your velkum supper last nacht. It’s nice to have another maidle in the kitchen to help get breakfast on the table. Can you please set out some jams and budder from the ice box?” Mary started to set the table.

  Kristen glanced out the kitchen window. No Derick. She forced a smile back at Mary then went to the pantry where the chest was kept and retrieved three jars of different jams and a small tub of butter. She couldn’t h
elp but notice how full the ice box was, much like her mom had kept their fridge at home, before she began working a second job at the hotel. Then leftover pizza and Chinese food became the more common items found there. Scrambled eggs made for a quick home cooked dinner, when one of them remembered to buy eggs.

  “Goede Mariye, Cousin Kristen,” Anna said, bounding into the kitchen, all smiles and bright eyed as she headed toward the counter.

  “Can I help make the kaffee again, Mamma?”

  “Jah, you know where the pot is and how much kaffee to put into the basket. No need to be asking me each time. You can do it from now on.”

  Kristen marveled. One would think that Anna just won a million dollars at being given this chore the way she hurried off toward the stove.

  A wonderful scent filled Kristen’s nostrils. “Is something baking?”

  Aunt Elizabeth nodded. “Ach, just a couple of oatmeal pies. Later, we’ll make cherry pies. I need to bring one to a quilting bee tomorrow. The leftover strawberry pie will go in everyone’s lunch pails. Pies around here disappear faster than dust in the wind.”

  “I love pie.” She was glad, at least, about the pie situation.

  “Pizza pie, too?”

  Kristen turned toward the voice and saw John walking toward the table. A slow smile claimed his handsome face. Her cousin. John. Who really wasn’t her cousin at all. He was good looking enough all right. His blue large eyes, honey-blond hair and tanned skin were hard to ignore.

  “Yes, I like pizza, too. I sometimes eat it cold right out of the fridge.” Why did she tell him that? Well, he didn’t have to know that it served as breakfast on those mornings that mom’s hours were switched.

  “How about warm pizza?”

  “That’s my first choice.”

  “The reason I’m asking is that I thought you might like to go into town tomorrow after chores, it being Saturday and all. We could have some pizza there.”

  The room went quiet. The only sound Kristen heard was that of Mary opening the oven to take out the pies. Had John said something wrong?

  As if on cue to her question, Uncle Jonas walked in.