The Stranger

by Linda Maran

  6

  Kristen went up to her room. She couldn’t hear any more talk of the notes and the mystery of the car. And for the life of her, she couldn’t imagine why her mother would send her here if she’d be in any kind of danger. Too much sorrow was in her heart all at once. She thought she might burst.

  “Kristen? Do you want to talk, dear?” Aunt Elizabeth was outside her door.

  “No, thanks, Aunt Elizabeth. I just want to go to sleep. I’m OK now.”

  “All right. You have a gut rest and don’t be worrying about things. We’ll get to the bottom of it all. Gut nacht.”

  Kristen changed into one of the long nightgowns left by her aunt and pulled the sheet over her, leaving the quilt aside. It was too hot to sleep with even a lightweight one.

  A low knock sounded on her door in what seemed like only minutes later. She looked at the time on her cell phone. It was 11:00 PM. She must have fallen right to sleep three hours ago.

  “Who’s there?”

  “John. I want to talk with you for a few minutes. Can you meet me by the barn?”

  “Now? It’s so late.”

  “Jah, I know, but I’ll be going to Lowville on Monday and want to talk to you before I go. Won’t have a chance after tonacht.”

  “OK. Give me a few minutes to get dressed.” She tossed the sheet off and got out of bed. What could he want? She didn’t relish any more pity or concern over the notes, although John’s calming effect was always welcome.

  “Gut. See you outside.”

  Why was John going to Lowville? And why did she feel slightly panicked at the thought of him not being here?

  Ten minutes later, after slipping on her denim skirt and a t-shirt, she gave a quick brush of her teeth, and went quietly out the door into pitch black. She wanted to go back and grab one of the flashlights she’d seen around the house. But the screened door squeaked, and she didn’t want to risk waking anyone up at this hour and having to explain that she was meeting John.

  She let her eyes adjust to the dark and walked slowly toward the barn. She could now decipher the trees and the outline of the structure up ahead.

  “Pssst. Kristen. Over here.” John shined a flashlight her way.

  She walked over to him and was glad he turned it off as she approached so he couldn’t see her blush as she drew nearer to him. She wouldn’t be able to explain it because she didn’t understand it either. Blood relative or not, John was her cousin as far as the family was concerned. That little reminder gave her some respite.

  “I’m sorry I woke you. Daniel and I are going to Lowville on Monday to buy some new tools and supplies at Jacob Mast’s hardware store. Thought you might like to come, too. Mary and Sadie enjoy going to the Wal-Mart there.”

  “Mary and Sadie are going also?”

  “Just Mary. Sadie has to work this Monday. I’ll be spending most of the day with her tomorrow. So, this is my only time to talk with you about Lowville.”

  She tampered down the twinge of jealousy about John’s plans for the following day.

  “I already asked Mamm and Daed and they said it might be gut for you to have a day out.”

  “Even with the mysterious notes?”

  “Jah. Seems whoever it is writing them wants you out of Stone Arabia. Doesn’t seem likely that a trip to Lowville would put you in harm’s way. Mamm and Daed will talk more to you about it tomorrow. If you rather not go…”

  “No. I’d like to go.” She instantly regretted her quick enthusiastic tone. Calming her voice she then asked, “Is it a long trip?”

  “Nee, it takes about two hours. We’ll be back by nachtfall. The same driver, Angela, who drove you here, will be taking us. The three of you can shop, and then we’ll all have dinner at Jacob’s haus.”

  “What time are we leaving?”

  “Angela will come by the haus at seven thirty. We’ll be through with breakfast by then, and Daniel and I will have time to do the milking and a few chores before that.”

  “I bet Anna will be looking to help at the crack of dawn.” Kristen smiled, thinking of Anna’s enthusiasm for chores.

  “You’re starting to know this familye gut, cousin.”

  John was so close she could feel his warm breath on her face, but the dark night didn’t allow her to look into his eyes clearly. She took a step back, not trusting the sudden surge of emotions that overtook her.

  “I’m trying.”

  The realization then hit her that she was, indeed, trying to fit into her Amish family. But why? She had no plans on becoming Amish and living there forever. As soon as she turned eighteen, she’d get her affairs settled with the attorney handling her mom’s will and Ross’s estate. She’d go back to the Jersey Shore. To her home town. To the ocean. To Der…no, not to Derick. And no, not to her lifelong friend, Cindy. How could she? They’d betrayed her. Her other friends from school probably didn’t call because of that whole situation. Yes, she’d have a place and things to go back to, but not a soul in the world. Even when all was well with them, she knew deep inside that she’d always felt a sense of aloneness in her life.

  “You OK, Kristen?” John’s voice was gentle and full of concern.

  “Sorry. I was thinking of Derick and Cindy.”

  “Did you ever get to talk with them?” The same concern held steady in his voice.

  “I spoke to Cindy. She was crying and begging me to forgive her.” Kristen stopped, afraid her voice would crack.

  “Crying? Why? What happened?”

  “She and Derick. They got together the minute I left Bradley Beach to come here. She told me that even though she loves me like a sister, she couldn’t help falling for Derick.”

  “Ach! What a shocker that must be for you. I’m sorry, Kristen. No wonder you were so upset when you finished your phone call.”

  “Seems like this is my year for shockers. I’m afraid of what else might be in store for me.”

  “We’ll pray that the Lord will have only gut things in store for you from now on.”

  How could she tell him she’d never prayed? At least not until she came here. And that was just at meal time.

  “I think that you’re one of the good things, John. You’ve been a wonderful friend.”

  “I’m glad to be a friend to you, Kristen.” His voice was nearly a whisper. But the words rang louder than a tolling bell in Kristen’s heart.

  ~*~

  When John arrived at Sadie’s, she was on the front porch setting out glasses on a little table between two white wooden rockers. He waved as he rode past her in his buggy to the hitch rail at the side of the house and then walked Rusty to their barn. It would be an all day visit.

  “I have some sweet lemonade made here. It’s so hot out already.” Sadie handed John a frosty glass of it as he took a seat in one of the rockers.

  “Denki. You make a gut lemonade, Sadie.”

  Her pleased smile set the stage for him to tell her of his news. News that he and his familye had decided not to tell until they were sure they were able to rent the soon to be vacated general store on Main Street. John had all to do not to mention it to both Sadie and Kristen while they were there yesterday. When he got home his daed said it was all confirmed. The landlord left a message at the phone shanty. He hoped Sadie would be as excited as he was about this new business venture.

  “Sadie, I have some news.”

  “News? I hope it’s gut.”

  “I think it is gut. I hope you will think so, too.”

  Sadie nodded for him to continue. Her eyes set on his mouth for the words to spill forth.

  “Our familye decided to take over the general store on Main Street. We will each contribute our Gott-given talents, and it will be a variety store for Amish folks. Course, the Englisch can shop there, too, but it will have items that we Amish need all in the one place. Besides Mamm’s jams and pies, and Mary’s hand sewn items, Daed will set up some hardware and seeds, too, and we’ll have a section for staples such as flour, sugar, vanilla, and s
pices sold in bulk, unlike the Englisch stores. And a small candy section that Anna is excited to take charge of.”

  Sadie’s face held an unreadable expression.

  John waited for her response.

  “What will your part be in this venture?”

  “I’ll tend to the stock and the books and keep the place maintained as needed. I still have the field work at home. If the store does vell, then we will have less worry about the weather and our crops in such a short growing season.”

  “Why did you not mention this to me sooner? We were just there yesterday.”

  “We weren’t sure we’d get the store for the rent that my daed proposed to Jack Strean, the landlord. We agreed not to mention it ’til we were certain. I didn’t mean to be keeping any secrets from you.””

  “I know that, John. I guess we should have talked sooner about our plans for after we are married. I know you want us to live in your grossdawdi’s haus for a time, so you can easily tend to the fields with your daed and Daniel, but something has come up.”

  “What is it, Sadie? Is everything all right?”

  “Ach! Now I don’t know, John. My onkle Samuel, in Lancaster, has asked if we could live with him in his haus after we marry so we can tend his farm. His frau is gone, and they never had any kinner. His two nephews, my cousins, Matthew and Zack, helped him keep the place up. The three of them made a nice living. But then each of the nephews married and moved away. He depends on help from neighboring farmers.

  “Onkle Samuel is getting on in years and cannot manage the farm on his own. John, he is offering his haus and farm to us if you are willing to help him tend his crops and his cows. He would live in the dawdi haus. It hasn’t been used in many years and he just painted it fresh and got some furniture and a new bed for it. My daed is going to tell you all of this at dinner. It was s’pose to be a surprise. I would not have said anything if you hadn’t told me of your new venture. I don’t want you to be in an uncomfortable position when the subject comes up.”

  “Seems I’m in an uncomfortable position any way you look at it. If I accept this generous offer from your onkle, it would mean we would have to move to Lancaster, and I could not be of any help to my daed with his crops and the store. I don’t know if I am able to do that. If I don’t accept the offer, then your onkle will be disappointed and in a tough spot. Is there no one else who can help him with his farm?”

  Sadie lowered her head along with her voice.

  “Jah, there is my cousin, Ruth, who will be married after us. Her beau, Micah, has three brudders working their daed’s farm, so he would be able to easily leave to tend to Onkle Samuel’s farm.”

  “So why the talk at dinner later and all the fuss about us moving to your onkle’s farm? There is no problem if Micah is interested.”

  Sadie’s face fell. “I think it is a fine opportunity to have a haus of our own and a farm to go with it. And I would have liked to be the one to help Onkle Samuel because he and my aenti Leah have been very kind to me and my familye when we were going through some rough times. He is like a second vadder to me. His offer is to us first, then to Ruth and Micah.”

  “You want us to do this, don’t you?”

  Without looking up, she whispered, “Jah, I do.”

  “Sadie, I would like very much to be able to do this for you and your onkle, but I can’t see how my daed would manage. Plus, you know that I want to get away from farming to something more reliable. I want to farm just enough for the needs of our familye: some chickens, cows and vegetables. No more crops for selling and trying to make a living that way. It’s getting harder and harder with the weather—”

  “Jah, in Montgomery County it is,” she interrupted. “It’s warmer in Lancaster than it is here in Upstate New York.”

  “Not by much, Sadie. And lots of Amish folks there are selling and moving to New York and other states, like Wisconsin and Kentucky, where there is more land, less traffic and crowds, and not as much competition from other farmers trying to sell their produce. I don’t think moving there is a gut idea in the long run. We will build our own haus one day, Sadie. And if the store does gut, you can help tend to the customers and bring your quilts to sell. It will be easier work, but not in the least way any less worthy.”

  Sadie lifted her head and looked at John. The warmth that shone in her blue eyes just minutes earlier was gone. She gave him a steely gray stare.

  “I see that you have your mind set on this store venture and staying in Stone Arabia, John Wagler.”

  “Just as you have your mind set on moving to your onkle’s haus and a life of farming in Lancaster, Sadie Krantz.”

  ~*~

  Kristen found the ride to Lowville to be pleasant while Angela kept up a lively conversation about her travels before she’d settled in Stone Arabia.

  Mary sat up front and Kristen, John, and Daniel sat in the back. Whenever they drove over a bump in the road, John’s leg touched hers. She scolded herself for wishing for more bumps and maybe even a pothole.

  When they arrived at Jacob Mast’s house, Mary went to the trunk of the car for the basket of zucchini bread and sweet rolls Aunt Elizabeth had sent along with a shoofly pie. Kristen took the pie from her and together they walked up the porch to the door, the others soon behind them.

  They were welcomed and ushered inside by a jolly robust lady with rosy red cheeks. After greeting them, she turned her friendly green eyes to Kristen.

  Mary stepped aside so Kristen could move forward and said, “Margaret, this is our cousin, Kristen.”

  “Hi, Margaret. Thanks for having me.”

  “Ach! It’s a pleasure to have guests, especially any familye or friends of the Waglers. Here, let me take that pie from you. Mary, dear, can you please place the basket on the table? It all sure smells gut!”

  “Is Jacob at the hardware store?” Daniel looked a bit antsy.

  “Jah. He and my Eli. I’m sure they’re waiting for you boys. Go on now. I’ll be expecting you back here for the afternoon meal.”

  “Jah, we’ll be here,” John said, as he ambled toward the door.

  “Would you like Kristen and me to stay and help prepare the meal while Angela drives my brudders to the hardware store?” Mary offered.

  “Nee. I want you, Angela, and Kristen to have a nice time at Wal-Mart. I know they don’t have one in your area.” With a wide smile, Mary took Kristen’s arm, and they headed back outside.

  Angela drove them to the hardware store. She parked the car so Mary and Kristen could go inside with John and Daniel and say a quick hello to Jacob.

  As they scrambled into the store, a bearded Amish man came forward and froze in place right before Kristen.

  “Jacob, this is Kristen Esh, the cousin I told you about last time we were here. Kristen, this is Jacob Mast, Margaret’s cousin and a gut friend of our familye.”

  “Uh, nice to meet you, Jacob. I heard a lot about your hardware store.” She didn’t know what else to say. His stare was so intense, she felt as if it might burn right through her.

  “Ach! You are surely the image of your mamm You look exactly like she did when she was your age. I thought it was Emily herself walked into the store.” Jacob kept his eyes fixed on her as he spoke the words. Then he stepped back and introduced her to Margaret’s son, Eli.

  “And this is Eli, my second cousin. He works with me here now.”

  “Nice to meet you, Eli.” Eli was closer to her age and wore an easy smile. His eyes did not penetrate her as Jacob’s had.

  Jacob came toward her once again. “’Tis a marvel how much you look like your mamm.”

  “Yes, everyone who knew her says the same thing. Had I worn Plain clothes, you might have thought I was a ghost.” She laughed, but Jacob Mast did not.

  7

  Angela drove up to the Wagler house at 8:00 PM. Kristen was glad to find Aunt Elizabeth setting a large platter of cold meats and fresh baked wheat bread on the table. She was famished, hardly able to eat her meal earli
er with Jacob Mast staring at her the whole time.

  “Sorry we missed supper, Mamm. Margaret set out the afternoon meal a bit later than usual to give us more time at Wal-Mart, and then we encountered traffic at the midway point back,” Mary said, as she opened the ice chest and retrieved relishes to go with the sandwiches.

  “Jah, but after such a big meal, I don’t think we would have been hungry two hours ago for supper,” John commented as he took a seat beside Kristen at the table.

  When Daniel joined them, they all bowed their heads in a silent prayer. Then John and Daniel forked out slices of meat onto their hunks of bread. Mary passed the platter of meats to Kristen. It felt great to be able to eat without anyone staring at her.

  “What did Margaret serve?” Aunt Elizabeth sat with them even though she wasn’t eating.

  “Meatloaf with gravy, potatoes, peas, bread and budder, pickled beets, and the sweet rolls, zucchini bread, and pie you sent over.” Daniel patted his stomach and laughed. “I’m hungry all over again.”

  “How did you enjoy your visit to Lowville, Kristen?” Aunt Elizabeth faced her with a curious smile.

  “It was fine.” Except for Jacob Mast and his dark staring eyes. Had anyone else noticed him staring at her?

  “Jah? You seem preoccupied, dear.” Aunt Elizabeth never missed a thing.

  “What’s the problem?” Uncle Jonas stood at the doorway that led from the living room to the kitchen. He must have overheard on his way in.

  “There’s no problem, Uncle Jonas, it’s just that…well…nothing.”

  “Jacob Mast could not keep his eyes off of her. That’s the problem.” John made no effort to hide his disapproval.

  “Ach! He probably hadn’t seen an Englischer in a long time.” Aunt Elizabeth waved her hand to dismiss John’s annoyance.

  “Can’t be that. Englischers go into the hardware store, too. He needs to get himself a frau soon. Whatever his reason, I will not have such outright disrespect done to anyone in our familye like that again.”