Lancaster Crossroads - 0.50 - A Simple Crossroads: A Lancaster Crossroads Novella

by Rosalind Lauer

  Lizzy’s mind flashed to her brother Elam and Becky, a lovely Amish girl from a settlement in New York. She couldn’t imagine Becky’s distress, with her mother and sisters hundreds of miles away. And who would look after little Rosie, who’d just celebrated her first birthday, and Paul, the rambunctious boy who liked to ride Joe’s knee whenever they visited?

  “I’m to take you directly to Lancaster County General as soon as I drop off the other passengers,” George said. “Your mother’s orders. She’s been scrambling to get people to cover the bakery, but she thought you’d want to be at the hospital.”

  “We do.” Joe took Lizzy’s hand in his and gave it a squeeze. Oh, how blessed she was to have Joe by her side!

  ***

  Later that night, the four of them snuggled together in the wide backseat of George’s van. Lizzy leaned her head against Joe’s shoulder, lulled into a gentle sleep by the steady breath of Rosie. For the first few minutes of the trip, the little girl had curled in her arms, staring up into her eyes as she repeatedly wound the string of Lizzy’s kapp around her tiny finger.

  Paul had lasted longer, buckled into the seat beside Joe. He had talked about the big seats of George’s van and how crickets chirp, as he fought sleep. But now his weary head sank against Joe’s chest.

  Something in the engine shifted and Lizzy stirred out of sleep. How long had it been? She could tell by the passing landmarks that they were still a good ten minutes from home.

  “Hey, sleepyhead,” Joe said quietly, so as not to wake the children. “Where are we going to put these little ones to sleep?”

  They discussed the possibilities and decided to borrow a playpen from their Amish neighbor Fanny Lapp for Rosie. Paul would sleep in a Budda Nesht, a nest of blankets on the floor of the second bedroom.

  “Just like camping,” Joe said. “This boy’s going to love it.”

  “Then camping it is,” Lizzy said, stroking Rosie’s pale curls away from her forehead. When plans were made earlier at the hospital, it had become clear to Lizzy that she needed to step in and care for Elam and Becky’s children. Her mamm and sisters had their hands full with their own children and the bakery. Lizzy could be spared at the market as long as Joe had his helper from the King family, and recently young Ben King had expressed an interest in helping out on a regular basis.

  “This is something I have to do,” Lizzy told Joe, a little surprised by her own conviction. Only a few months ago, she had avoided Becky and Elam because the sight of their young, happy family had reminded her of the family she did not have.

  But now it was time to rise above her sorrow and take care of these children. Time to chase away the dark disappointment and jealousy and make way for the light of Gott’s love.

  That night, with Rosie curled up under a blanket in her playpen and Paul’s little face peering out from the budda nesht, Lizzy couldn’t help but linger in the room. There was such comfort in their every breath, in the gentle rise and fall of their chests. Such peace on their little faces!

  There was a soft tug on the braid down her back. “Coming to bed?” Joe asked.

  “In a minute. I’m just praying that Gott will watch over these little angels, and their mamm in the hospital.”

  “Me, too.”

  He wrapped his arms around her, and she sighed back against the familiar contours of his strong body. This was how she had imagined their family to be. The flurry of supper and quick baths and pajamas, and then the quiet of sleeping children under their roof.

  That hope was still alive in her heart, but discontent had pushed it away—far back into a dark corner. Well, maybe it was time to dust it off once again.

  Chapter 10

  October

  When Juanita learned that Lizzy would be staying back in Lancaster County to help see her family through an illness, she decided to keep her friend informed through written correspondence. By October, they had exchanged more than a dozen letters, personally delivered by Joe.

  Today Juanita leaned over the counter separating Papito’s from the King Family Cheese stand and handed Joe an envelope.

  “Another letter for Lizzy?” Joe asked. “What are you doing there, writing a book?”

  “The story of my life,” Juanita teased, thinking of that old joke: tack on a happy ending and call it a romance. These days, her letters did include a lot of sighs and joy and exclamation points. Now that she was free to see Chris, the happiness he brought her had begun to spill over to every part of her life. Last night she had met his parents for dinner, and this weekend they were going to church together. To know that he loved God and was committed to his faith, to be able to worship by his side—that answered a longing she’d always harbored deep in her heart.

  “And Lizzy sent these for you.” Joe held up a brown paper bag. “Some squash from the garden.”

  “Yummy. Thanks. How is your sister-in-law doing?”

  “Better. Lizzy still goes over there every day to help out.”

  “I’m glad Becky is on the mend. Tell Lizzy I miss her. When is she coming back to work?”

  Joe wasn’t sure, and he had to turn away to tend to a customer.

  Stashing the bag of squash under the counter, Juanita recalled her friend’s advice the day she had been under so much pressure. What was that adage about the teapot? When you’re up to your neck in hot water, sing! Well, she had sung her heart out, and God had heard her.

  Not that it had been an easy battle.

  Her father found it hard to let go of the dream that his youngest daughter would marry his protégé.

  “Do you understand that this throws everything I’ve worked for into jeopardy?” Anton had pointed out to his daughter the night after last month’s big blowup at the market. The kitchen had been the site of their heated discussion. The butcher-block island between them seemed to stand as a dividing line between Anton’s dreams of the past and the new reality that Juanita desperately clung to.

  “What’s in jeopardy?” Sofia didn’t even look up from the pot she was scrubbing in the sink. “The tour will go on as planned. You and Pablo will both teach salsa to students. You will continue to own and run the studio together. I don’t see how anything is hurt by Nita’s decision.”

  Nita’s decision … She liked the sound of that.

  Poppy pressed one palm to his forehead. He was always so dramatic. “I don’t know how to break this to Pablo. He will be heartbroken.”

  Not exactly, Juanita thought as she began to dry a sauté pan. “I’m flattered that you think I’m such a prize,” she told her father. “But I can assure you that Pablo is not into me.”

  Remembering her promise to the young dancer, she stopped herself before she spilled the truth about Shanna.

  “Pablo is a grown man. He, too, can make his own decisions,” her mother said firmly. “Really, Anton. You baby the young people and expect them to follow your orders like obedient children.”

  Yay, Mommy! Juanita watched with satisfaction as her mother expressed her opinions. Although she had seen her parents argue before, this was the first time she had seen her mother defend her. That felt good. For Juanita, it reaffirmed that she was doing the right thing, standing her ground. As Lizzy had told her, sometimes the right path is the one that’s uphill all the way.

  She had to keep climbing.

  A large order of quesadillas jolted her back to the present, and as she set handmade tortillas onto the griddle, she thought of her most recent letter to Lizzy. “There’s a bit of news that might put a major wrinkle in my plans with Chris,” she’d written. “His family is opening a new Schwab’s Deli in New York City, at the South Street Seaport, and they want Chris to set it all up and manage the shop.”

  A sour taste curdled the back of her tongue at the way Chris’s blue eyes had sparkled when he’d explained the job offer to her. “It’s a great opportunity to learn, setting up an operation from top to bottom, and then managing it. I have to admit, it’s hard to resist.”

  “Bu
t you would have to relocate, wouldn’t you?”

  “I can commute by Amtrak for a while, but yeah. Eventually, I’ll need to be there to oversee it, twenty-four/seven. But starting in January, I would just take the train up each day.”

  Juanita slid the quesadillas onto plates. Ironic, wasn’t it? She was finally free to see the man she loved, and he was moving away.

  “Nita!” The shout came from across the market.

  She looked up and saw Chris waving from the deli counter. He pointed to his watch. “Dinner at six?” he called.

  She gave him a thumbs-up, and he saluted her.

  Oh, Chris. Can’t you see that you’re breaking my heart?

  He kept telling her that he hadn’t decided on the job offer yet, but from the way he talked about it, she knew it was a done deal.

  In a matter of weeks, she would look across at the deli in vain. Chris would be gone, and as much as she loved him, she couldn’t hold him back. If she really loved him, she had to let him pursue his dreams.

  And she did love him.

  Come January, it would be a long, lonely winter.

  Chapter 11

  At the end of a busy day in the market, Joe enjoyed coming home to a warm house full of good cooking smells, happy children, and Lizzy.

  Quick to smile and just as quick to laugh, his wife had found a new place for herself here in Halfway. When she wasn’t helping Becky with the children, she was quilting or baking or helping her sisters put up pears or make applesauce or cider. Hearing Lizzy’s stories at the end of each day, Joe was reminded of the many chores his mamm used to juggle when he was a boy. With so much of her time taken up at the marketplace, Lizzy had never been one to attend quilting bees. But these days, each time he came home she surprised him with a story of how she and Becky had turned lavender into soap, or how little Rosie had pulled herself up on the sofa and toddled a few steps into the kitchen.

  The sky over Halfway was streaked with gold and orange when George dropped him in front of their building. A chill wind whipped up dry leaves as he climbed the back stairs. That was October in the air. Next month began the holiday season for Englishers. He wondered if Lizzy would return to the market for their busy season. He would have to let Ben King know if they would need his help over the next few months.

  In some ways Joe missed having Lizzy by his side throughout the day, but he found new joy in coming home to her every night.

  The savory smell of a stew warmed the air as he stepped in the door. “Something smells good,” he called.

  “Chicken stew.” Lizzy smiled up from the table, where she and Becky sat mending clothes. “Becky and Elam are eating with us, just as soon as Elam gets back from the bulk store.” Lizzy’s brother Elam worked at the Sweet ’N’ Simple Bakery, the family business.

  Little Rosie was busy stacking plastic measuring cups on the living room floor. Her brother lay on his belly, maneuvering a small toy buggy under the sofa.

  “I’m a lucky man, getting a hot supper every day,” Joe teased. “Sometimes I think I came home to the wrong house.”

  The two women chuckled.

  “You’ve got the right place,” Lizzy assured him. “How’s the market?”

  “Good. I have a letter for you. Special delivery.” He placed Juanita’s letter on the counter.

  “I can’t wait to read it.”

  As he poured a glass of milk in the kitchen, he noticed a handwritten menu. “Three hundred pounds of fried chicken?” He scratched the dark hair on his chin. “What’s this?”

  “The menu for the big double wedding. I told Remy and Mary that I would supervise the baking for them. Ninety pies and three hundred nothings.”

  “Nothings” was the name for the deep-fried pastries that were traditionally served at Amish weddings. “That’s a lot of baking. Are you starting tonight?”

  “Not just yet.” Lizzy’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “The wedding isn’t until next month. And you know I’m not doing all the baking myself. Plenty of friends and family will chip in. Mamm said I can use the ovens in the bakery if I need them.”

  “That will be a big help to the brides and grooms,” Becky said. “I hear it’s a little tight, with Remy being an Englisher. There’s no one on her side of the family who can help with the cooking.”

  “She’s not an Englisher anymore,” Joe reminded them. “She’s baptized now, a member of the church.” Joe had had his doubts about the Englisher at first, but now it was good to see how nicely she had meshed with his cousins and the rest of the family. “I’m glad you’re helping out, Lizzy.”

  Joe suspected that meant Lizzy would not return to her job in the market until after the wedding in November. That was fine with him, and he knew Lizzy was happy with it. Sitting and chatting with Becky, she seemed to glow with joy. The pink tint on her cheeks made her look happy and young—like the teen he had fallen in love with ten years ago.

  Funny how love grew and changed, like a tall elm reaching to the sky. Taking a sip of milk, he thanked Gott for the many blessings in his life. Thanked Gott for Lizzy.

  Chapter 12

  For the past week, the home of Esther and Dave Fisher had been the hub of activity. The house was getting a cleaning from top to bottom so that the Fishers would be ready to host church tomorrow. Lizzy was happy to pitch in with about two dozen other neighbors and family members who made her parents’ house spick-and-span, inside and out. The furniture had been hauled off to the storage shed, and the collapsible walls had been removed to create a space big enough for the congregation. All walls were washed and some were given a fresh coat of paint. Kitchen cabinets were emptied and scrubbed down to the bone. Windows were cleaned until they fairly sparkled. Today, Lizzy and her sisters Susan and Kate had stripped the wax from the floors and put on a shiny new coat.

  Now, as Lizzy rinsed the mop in the mud sink, the boys and men unloaded the bench wagon. One by one, the benches were hauled inside to be set up throughout the ground floor of the house. Joe was not among the group fixing up the house, as he ran the cheese stand at the market Saturdays.

  You would be there now, too, missing all this, if it weren’t for Becky’s appendicitis. Funny how the past two months had been such a crooked path for Lizzy. Being here among her family, she’d been reminded of the Amish way of pooling resources, helping each other, and working closer to the land. Granted, Lizzy’s family did not live off the land, but there was something to be said for baking your own bread and harvesting vegetables from your own garden and sewing a quilt with your own hands.

  “I can’t stand to watch all those boots tromping on the clean floor.” Susan set her bucket down at Lizzy’s feet. “We waxed that floor into a shine, and now a flock of men are marching through.”

  “But floors are built for footsteps, honey girl,” Lizzy reminded her sister with a smile. “If it gets dirty, we’ll clean it again.”

  Susan sighed. “That’s what I’m afraid of. I’m tired of scrubbing.”

  Lizzy felt tired, too, but it was a satisfying feeling. Most of the work was done, and she wanted to put the kettle on so everyone could have tea. “How about a nice cup of tea? That’ll cheer you up.”

  Susan tipped her bucket into the sink, then peered at her sister.

  “What?” Lizzy laughed. “What are you staring at?”

  “You. I’ve missed having you around. Can’t you tell Market Joe that you don’t want to go back and work in the city?”

  “Joe doesn’t make me work there. I’ve always wanted to do it. You and I grew up working in the bakery. Working a shop seemed like the right thing for me.”

  “But a shop so far from home?” Susan pushed away the string of her prayer kapp with the back of one hand. “I was beginning to think we’d lost you to the Englishers.”

  Lizzy laughed out loud. “That’s not going to happen.” She propped her mop against the wall of the mud room and headed into the kitchen. “Come inside for that tea when you’re done.”

  On the
way into the kitchen, she shook her head at her sister’s comment. How could Susan think she would ever leave the Plain way of living? Her family, her community, her faith … her Amish home in Halfway was where she belonged.

  Maybe she had talked too much about her Englisher friend, Juanita. Dear Nita, so in love with Chris. At last Juanita had gained the freedom to court the man she loved, and now it looked like he was moving away to New York, leaving her behind. Lately, following Juanita’s letters had been like reading a romance novel—the heartbreaking kind that sisters passed to each other, then on through the cousins.

  Inside the kitchen, she chatted with her mother and sister Kate as she filled the kettle and put it on the gas burner. She had set out paper cups and tea bags when the wall calendar caught her eye.

  Where had October gone? She counted the days between now and the double wedding of Adam and Remy, Mary and Five. The weddings that would require ninety pies. November was starting at the end of this week.

  But wait … what about her time? The last was back in September. She checked the dates again and counted the days.

  That was it!

  A smile filled her heart as the kettle began to sing. She was late. Praise Gott in heaven, she was two weeks late! She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and said a prayer of thanks to Gott.

  She was pregnant.

  ***

  That night back at their house, Lizzy shared the good news the minute Joe came in the door.

  He pressed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and gaped at her. “A baby?”

  She nodded, emotion thick in her throat.

  He took her hands and pulled her to him. “It’s an answer to our prayers, Lizzy.”

  In the comfort of his arms, she studied the man she loved. “When I first figured it out, I was so excited I wanted to climb on Mamm’s kitchen table and shout it from Halfway to Paradise.”

  “I know the feeling. I would shout it to the moon and stars, but that might seem like pride. Too much Hochmut.”