The Stranger

by Linda Maran

  She forced a small smile for him. “I’m not sure what Amish people need. Sorry.”

  Uncle Jonas turned his gaze to Kristen and pulled on his beard as he always did when contemplating something. “What about Englisch folks? They’ll be coming to the store, too.”

  “Maybe some stationery items, like envelopes, writing paper, and computer paper. Some glue, scotch tape, pencils and pens, too,” Kristen suggested.

  “And crayons!” Anna said. Uncle Jonas looked at her and smiled. “Jah, Anna, crayons, too.”

  “We’ll be selling a lot of things in bulk, such as flour, sugar, and nuts. And large jars of honey, molasses, and maple syrup,” Uncle Jonas added. “Staples that are used at the haus for baking and making church budder and such.”

  “First thing we need to do is put in a hitch rail in the parking area. When any of us shop there, we have to tie our horse to the chain-link fence. It works OK, but the fence is all warped now,” John said.

  “You, Daniel, and Kristen go to the store tomorrow morgen after breakfast for a couple of hours and make notes on what needs to be done before we start ordering our goods.”

  “OK, Daed. We’ll go right after I milk the cows.” John stood, glanced briefly at Kristen, and then walked outside.

  “It’s still light out, so I’m going to sit on the porch. I like to see the fields turn orange just before the sun disappears behind the mountains. The day after tomorrow I get the stitches out of my hand, so I can help with the dishes again.” Kristen directed her words to Aunt Elizabeth.

  “No need to worry about that. It’ll be gut to see your hand all healed up.”

  Kristen nodded and headed for the door. The sunset was a good excuse to catch John for a minute. He’d looked at her in a strange way before he left.

  ~*~

  John went to gather a few mops, buckets, and wood cleaner from the shed next to the barn. He wanted everything ready to bring to the store in the morgen. He intended to make Kristen feel useful there, even though she couldn’t help with the cleaning. He’d bring a pad and pencil and have her take notes on where things would be placed when they were delivered in a couple weeks.

  Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t shake Kristen’s forlorn look from his mind. Why hadn’t he thought of mentioning the store to her? Why had he thought it didn’t matter one way or another? It did. And the reason became as clear as day to him when he’d looked into her doleful dark eyes at the table earlier. For her it affirmed that she was not one of them. There’d been chances to tell her, and she knew it.

  He could have…should have…told her the day she’d questioned him about the FOR RENT sign in the store window. Or the nacht he woke her about Lowville. Daed had gotten the thumbs-up go-ahead on renting it earlier that evening. But John didn’t tell her then. Although the very next day he’d told Sadie. Sure, Sadie was his intended at the time. But Kristen was familye, as Sadie would have been if things had worked out. They all knew about the store, even little Anna. He’d read the hurt on Kristen’s face. And he felt it in his heart.

  John set the cleaning items at the front of the shed and closed it for the nacht. He heard the sound of a throat clearing, turned, and found Kristen standing there.

  “I hoped I’d find you here.”

  He should apologize. Right now. “Listen…”

  Kristen put her hand on his arm. “You seemed upset with me when you left the table before.”

  “Nee, I wasn’t upset with you. I was upset with myself.”

  “But why?”

  “For not telling you about the store. You’re familye now, and it’s a familye business. One of us should have at least mentioned it to you.”

  “But you said yourself that I wasn’t here yet when the family decided to pursue the business. And you wanted to be sure it was definite before you said anything. Plus, with all the chaos I’ve caused here…”

  “Chaos?” John interrupted. “What are you saying, Kristen?”

  “Taking me in to honor my mother’s wishes has caused this family nothing but trouble. The mysterious notes and that car coming around, scaring Anna, is not something any one of you need here. And my being Englisch as you call it, obviously makes me different, drawing unwanted attention. Jacob Mast being one example.”

  “Kristen, my mamm is happier than you know about being able to have you here with us. You are her youngest sister’s only dochter. Even if there wasn’t a will that stated your mother’s wishes for you, Mamm would have wanted you here. The car and those notes are not your fault.”

  “I can’t even cut a loaf of bread right.” Kristen held up her bandaged hand.

  “Ach, the same thing happened to Mamm and to Aenti Miriam, and don’t tell anyone I told you, but to Daed, too.” John saw a glimmer of a smile flick into Kristen’s eyes. But then it faded so quickly he thought he might have imagined it.

  “John, I have to leave here eventually. I’ll be fine with my inheritance, assuming I get one. Then come October when I turn eighteen, I can go.”

  John’s stomach soured. “That should be soon, Jah?” Not too soon, he hoped.

  “When I took in the mail the other day there was a letter from my mom’s attorney, Riley Gallagher. He was a good friend to both her and Ross. He’ll call when everything is in order, and then drive up with the details. He didn’t say how long it would take.”

  “Vell, we best be going on that picnic we planned. This Sunday is an off Sunday from Preaching. Wouldn’t want you leaving here without some gut memories.”

  “John, I’m sorry if I made it sound as if everything is terrible here. It’s not. I’m glad my mom wanted me to come.”

  He never thought he’d hear those words. His heart raced. “Me, too.” More than she’d ever know.

  “I hear a buggy coming down the road.” Kristen looked past John.

  “Maybe it’s Aunt Miriam.”

  “No. Whoever it is isn’t stopping.”

  Or greeting us. John thought that was odd. All the folks around here greeted one another as they passed by. The Amish tipped their hat or nodded, and the Englisch gave a quick wave of the hand. The driver of this buggy did none of those.

  “Oh, look, the fields are turning orange. The last light of the day. My favorite time.” Kristen waved her arm out as if revealing the sight before them.

  John liked her love of Gott’s splendor. “Want to walk some?”

  “Sure. Then I think I’ll have a piece of your mom’s strawberry pie.”

  “Jah, me, too. On second thought. How about we skip the walk and go right for the pie? It’ll be dark soon.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Kristen laughed as they walked back to the house, but no sooner had her laughter begun, it suddenly ended.

  She stopped in her tracks and pointed to a white bulged envelope in the grass next to the path leading up to the house.

  11

  John pulled out a chair for Kristen at the kitchen table, envelope in hand. He could hear Anna from the living room asking Daniel to play one more game of checkers. Everyone had gathered there to relax after dinner as they often did once nightfall came. By 9:00 PM, they’d all be in bed.

  Should he call them into the kitchen about the note? He didn’t like upsetting news before bedtime and figured as much for the rest of his familye. He’d wait until morgen.

  He sat next to Kristen, opened the letter, removed a rock that was obviously used to weight it down, and together they silently read the words: Please have the young lady leave Stone Arabia. It’s only out of concern for her happiness and peace that I ask this.

  “It doesn’t sound like a warning note this time, does it?” Kristen’s eyes bored into his with her question. Their lovely soft brown and the long lashes that graced them were even more obvious when she wore her hair the Plain way, pushed back from her face under the kapp, as she’d been doing since Preaching. She was trying very hard to fit into this familye, and he wished he could end these regular assaults on her life here. The notes had
to stop. He’d get to the bottom of it all.

  “Nee. Sounds more like someone who is worried for you. But who? And why? Do you feel that staying here would ruin your happiness or take away your peace?” He was being quite bold in asking this of her outright, but he needed to know before he could pursue the matter any further. At least that’s the reason he’d told himself.

  “John, there wasn’t a whole lot of happiness I came here with. And I don’t know much about inner peace, unless you count sitting at the shore and feeling a sense of calm once in a while. Sure, I loved being near the ocean, but that’s a different kind of happiness. I’ve had peaceful, happy moments here many times. I guess I just never said so. It’s the notes that are ruining whatever happiness and peace I have here. Not this place or any of you.”

  John nodded, grateful that some goodness had entered her soul here.

  “And I think some of your mom’s strawberry pie might add to my happiness,” Kristen said, getting up to open the ice box. She placed the half-full wrapped pie pan on the table and shrugged. “Might as well keep a sense of humor about it all. This particular note doesn’t make me feel afraid.”

  Daed stepped into the kitchen. While he eyed the pie on the table, John quickly shoved the note and envelope into his pocket.

  “Looks like we have the same liking to aebeer,” Daed said, getting three plates from the cupboard.

  “Jah, strawberry is my favorite berry.” John sliced three pieces. He tried his best to appear perfectly normal. The evening began to darken the kitchen, and Kristen seemed lost in thought as she ate. John got up to light a lantern.

  When they’d all finished their pie, Kristen carried the dishes to the sink and began to pump water on them with her good hand.

  “Mind if we step outside, John?” Daed must have seen him tuck the note into his pocket. Eyes like an eagle, for sure.

  Once on the porch, Daed faced him and held out his hand. “Give me the note, John.”

  John pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over. “I planned to tell everyone tomorrow morgen. Figured it’s no use upsetting anyone before bed.”

  Daed read it and handed it back to John. “Sounds like this is someone who knows Kristen. Maybe your Aenti Miriam was right about it being one of Kristen’s friends in New Jersey.”

  “Nee. I don’t think so, Daed. Her boyfriend there went off with her best friend, and none of her other friends ever called her. Seems strange to me that her best friend’s mamm didn’t call to see how Kristen is doing. Kristen spent a lot of time there for many years, not to mention living with them right after the accident before she came to us.”

  “How do you know all about her boyfriend and the friends not calling?”

  “Kristen told me. We’ve had some talks.”

  Daed pulled on his beard thoughtfully. “The two of you are fond of one another. Sadie can get the wrong idea.”

  “Sadie is gone. She moved to Lancaster to help her onkle with his farm. If she marries a man willing to work the farm, it will be theirs. Our plans for a future are very different.”

  Daed looked at him quietly for a few moments. “I see.” Then he glanced toward the haus. “Right now Kristen is all verhaddelt. Seems that she needs to find herself. That’s probably why her mamm wanted her to come here.”

  “Mixed up? What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that Kristen comes from a different world. Now she is trying to be Plain and be part of a familye. It might not turn out that way in the long run. I think it best if you leave Kristen be for the time being. Give her a chance to work things out in her own self. Soon, she’ll have to make some decisions.”

  “Me and Kristen are gut friends. Nothing more than that can come of it. She’s Englisch, and I’m not jumping the fence. She’d have to be baptized and then…vell, no sense talking about it. Only Gott knows what will be.”

  “Jah, seems that way to me, too. And don’t go forgetting that she’s not yet eighteen. In the Plain world, a maidle is ready for marriage at that age, but in the Englisch world, eighteen is considered too young. Kristen might not be ready for such a commitment until way later.”

  John couldn’t help give the dry earth a hard kick. Dust rose up as if to emphasize his frustration.

  Daed stepped ahead of him and led the way back to the haus.

  So much for taking Kristen to the singing.

  ~*~

  Morning came much too quick for Kristen. She hardly slept thinking of the latest mystery note. She wished she could turn over and go back to sleep, but she’d promised John she’d go with him and Daniel to the vacated store.

  Kristen began to wear the Plain dresses every day now. It seemed easier than trying to choose something appropriate to wear from what she’d brought. Jeans were out. Short sleeves were out. Skirts or dresses above the knee were out. Besides her denim skirt, nothing else she had would do.

  She was glad that Mary, true to her word, had given her several dresses that closed with hooks and eyes. It made dressing much easier to deal with than the pins, especially using one hand. She slipped on a dark purple dress and went to the wash room to freshen up at the water pump, careful not to wet her bandages.

  When Kristen entered the kitchen, she smelled the familiar scent of bacon, eggs, and baked biscuits.

  “Good morning, Aenti. Can I help with anything?” She walked over to the stove and waited.

  “Ah, Geode Mariye, Kristen. Please take the biscuits from the pan and place them on a plate. How is your hand feeling?”

  “Fine. I’m sure it’s all healed, or the stitches wouldn’t be coming out tomorrow.”

  “Still. I don’t want you carrying or lifting anything heavy at the store later. “

  “OK. I promise.”

  Aunt Elizabeth nodded her approval then looked over at the table. “Everything is just about ready. Did I put the budder out?”

  “Jah, the budder is there,” John said, causing Kristen to swirl around. She met the familiar blue eyes, and he gave her an instant smile. But something about it was different. It wasn’t his usual full smile. Maybe it was because he was about to reveal the latest note to the family this morning. More anxiety and trouble for everyone just because she was here.

  When they were all seated and finished their silent prayer, John wasted no time in placing the white envelope on the table.

  “Ach! Another note?” Mary gasped.

  “Jah, last nacht as we were coming into the haus Kristen spotted it on the ground. We saw no car this time, just a buggy going by,” John explained as Kristen sat there with her eyes cast down. She said an extra prayer that this topic would end soon.

  “Should I read it aloud?” Mary asked, as she reached for the envelope.

  “Jah, please do,” Uncle Jonas said while Aunt Elizabeth nodded.

  “Please have the young lady leave Stone Arabia. It’s only out of concern for her happiness and peace that I ask this.” Mary then folded the note and placed it back inside the envelope.

  No one said anything for a while.

  Hearing it again, Kristen felt more certain that the writer’s words of concern rang true. But who was it? She knew no one in this area, except for her newfound family.

  Daniel turned to his father. “Daed, I know how you feel about going on the outside for help, but this has to stop. The sheriff might assist us to make it happen sooner. Jah? Plus the bishop knows of the situation now.”

  “Jah, Daniel. First I will visit with the bishop and ask him about it. If he gives his approval, I will make a call to the sheriff.” Uncle Jonas paused as if to allow anyone else their say, but no one said anything. “Vell, let’s eat our breakfast. We have a busy day ahead.” Uncle Jonas reached for the biscuits and everyone began to fill their plates. Business as usual.

  Kristen liked their forge-ahead attitude. No getting stuck in the mud for this family. She breathed a sigh of relief as she accepted the platter of scrambled eggs from Anna who wore a comforting smile on her rosy child’s fac
e. Kristen was glad the news of this latest note didn’t seem to frighten her.

  Maybe even Anna sensed that this particular note held a tone of care; concern from someone out there who was a complete stranger to her.

  ~*~

  The general store looked very different vacated of all its merchandise. John knew they had a lot of work ahead of them before the deliveries started coming in.

  Everything appeared old and dusty now. The mahogany woodwork that framed the counter by the cash register needed a good polishing. The Formica countertop where sodas and pretzels were served was worn and stained.

  “Here’s a job for you, Daniel.” John knew his brudder could easily replace the Formica, being so gifted with woodworking and remodeling a room.

  “Ach, that’s not a problem. I’m thinking about the wooden sign I want to make out front. Should we have it on the building or posted in the ground?”

  “So long as folks could see it, either way seems gut. What do you think, Kristen?” John was not about to have her feeling left out of their decisions this time.

  She turned from her inspection of the shelves to face them. A strand of dark hair came loose from her kapp, and she tossed her head to clear it from her eyes.

  John found her lovelier with each passing day, and he wished he could tell her so. Daed’s warning for him not to deepen their friendship shone like neon lights in his mind. For the time being. Now, he’d focus on finding the writer of the notes. Once all of the mystery was cleared up, his attempt to further their friendship would not seem like another thing she had to deal with. But instead, something that would bring her the happiness and peace that the writer of that note felt would be lacking if she stayed. Not if she stayed with him. He’d see to that for sure and for certain.

  “What do I think about what?” Kristen asked, her eyes darting from John to Daniel.

  “About the sign we need to put up that will read, Wagler’s General Store. Should we put it on the building or on a post in the ground?”