by Leigh Bale
Crossing the lawn, he headed toward the backyard. As he rounded the corner of the house, he came up short. Abby was bent at the waist, digging in the garden. He would have slipped away to the barn, but she stood straight at that moment, saw him and waved. Her graceful fingers were caked with mud from pulling and cleaning radishes. With swift proficiency, she laid several of the red roots in one of the muck buckets she used for collecting vegetables. A basket sat nearby, filled with fresh lettuce and beet greens. As he drew near, a stray wisp of golden hair framed her flushed face and an endearing smear of dirt marred her delicate chin. Like the day when she’d planted the corn, she didn’t seem to mind the dirt. In fact, she seemed perfectly at ease working with the earth.
Pulling several more radishes, she smiled up at him. “Since this is my first time growing a garden in Colorado, I’m not sure if it’s doing well or not. There are so many vegetables I could grow in Ohio, but Naomi said they won’t do well here.”
“Ne, we have a much shorter growing season. We don’t have as much water and we’re at a higher elevation, so we get the frost sooner.”
He glanced at the long rows filled with verdant green plants burgeoning in the fertile soil. Naomi had basically turned the garden completely over to Abby. Not a weed was in sight, and she’d been diligent about watering regularly, too. Again, he thought that she would make a perfect farmer’s wife. Even her tomato plants were loaded with round, green fruit, attesting to the bountiful harvest they’d soon have...if they didn’t get an early freeze. No one could fault her efforts.
“In spite of the growing difficulties we face here, your garden is doing very well,” he said.
Her garden. It wasn’t Susan’s garden anymore. And somehow that no longer bothered him.
Using the back of her hand, she brushed the stray hair away from her face, then tossed a perplexed frown at the row of celery she’d tried to grow. Because the plants required lots of water, the stalks were dry and small. But Jakob knew that wasn’t Abby’s fault.
“Everything is doing well except for that.” She gestured with disgust at the plants. “Naomi warned me not to try to grow celery here, but I wouldn’t listen. I thought if I gave it lots of water and attention, I could make it work, but this soil doesn’t seem to hold the water very well.”
The Amish loved celery, using it in many of their food dishes. It was a sign of prosperity, and they grew extra for the wedding season. He knew it must be a disappointment to Abby that it wouldn’t flourish here in Colorado.
She tilted her head, an accepting sigh escaping her full lips. “I guess I’ll just have to get used to the difference. I miss the gardens I could grow in Ohio, but I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than the tall Rocky Mountains and the wide Arkansas River.”
She gazed toward the East where the Sangre de Cristo Mountains stood like a great sentinel guarding the valley. With the lush green and purple mountains as a backdrop, she looked beautiful and lonely standing there. A plain woman with no makeup and frills, yet Jakob thought he’d never seen a more beautiful woman in all his life. A powerful urge swept over him to take her into his arms and hold her close against his heart.
“Don’t worry. We can buy whatever celery you might need at the store in town,” he said.
“I suppose so, but it’s not quite the same as growing your own,” she said.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He stared at her sweet profile, suddenly yearning to make her happy, to see her smile and hear her laughter again.
“Maybe next year, we can plant some celery along Grape Creek. Wild asparagus grows well along the creek banks, so why not celery?” he asked.
That thought gave him pause. Next year, if she was still here.
She rested one hand at her waist and gazed at him in awe. When she spoke, her voice was filled with wonder and delight. “Do you really think so? It would be wundervoll if I could make celery grow here. I don’t mind going out to the fields to tend it if it means we can grow our own.”
A surge of admiration swept over him. Nothing seemed to intimidate Abby. So hardworking and energetic. So eager to try new things.
“All we can do is try,” he said, a hard lump suddenly clogging his throat.
“Ach, I may not be here next year, but if I am, we’ll give it a try,” she said.
He hated to hear his own sad thoughts spoken aloud, but he couldn’t fight the truth. If Martin Hostetler had his way, she’d marry him and be living at his farm next year. And Jakob didn’t want that. No, not at all. Which brought him to what was really troubling him this afternoon.
“Abby, I overheard part of your conversation with Reuben a little while ago.” He made the confession before he could change his mind. And once again, he thought how easy it was to confide in her.
Her eyebrows drew together in a doubtful frown. “You did?”
“Ja, I had come upstairs when I heard him yelling, but then I didn’t want to interfere. I realized it was a big moment for the two of you.”
“Ja, it was,” she said, smiling with satisfaction.
“I just wanted to say that I appreciate what you did for my son. I’ve spoken to him many times about his mudder, but nothing I’ve ever said has sunk in. You’ve been kind, and I’m grateful. Maybe he can finally start to heal now.”
And maybe he could heal, too.
“You’re willkomm. I just hope I really helped him see that he doesn’t have to forget his mudder. She’ll always be a part of each of you,” she said, her voice very quiet.
“I know it hasn’t been easy for you either, moving to a strange land, expecting to marry and all.”
He paused, waiting for her to speak. Wishing she would say something to make this easier on him. But she didn’t say a word. Just gazed at him with those dazzling blue eyes and an indulgent, noncommittal expression on her face.
“If...if I can have a little more time, I think perhaps I might be able to...” A yell cut him off before he could finish his thought.
“Jakob! Abby! Kumme inwennich.”
They both turned and saw Dawdi Zeke waving urgently from the back porch, asking them to come inside.
“What is it?” Jakob called, taking a step toward his grandfather.
“Bishop Yoder is here. He says it is urgent that he speak with both of you.”
The bishop was here? Not an odd occurrence on any given day. Bishop Yoder frequently called on the familye in the early evening for no apparent reason. Jakob knew the man did the same with other members of their congregation. It was the bishop’s way of watching over his flock, seeing to their needs and ensuring they were living their faith. But what could be so urgent that the bishop would show up here in the middle of the workday?
As he and Abby walked toward the house, Jakob wondered what could be so important that Bishop Yoder had to speak with both him and Abby right now. A bad feeling settled in the pit of Jakob’s stomach. Deep down, he knew that the bishop’s visit did not bode well for either him or Abby.
Chapter Thirteen
Dawdi Zeke held the door open for her as Abby stepped inside the kitchen. The fragrant aroma of fresh-baked bread enveloped her. Six loaves sat cooling on the table and would feed the familye for the week.
Setting her basket of vegetables on the counter beside the sink, she waggled her dirty fingers at Zeke. “I’ll just wash up first, if that’s all right.”
“Of course. Come in when you’re ready.” The elderly man nodded and disappeared into the other room.
Picking up a bar of homemade soap scented with vanilla, she washed her hands. A heavy weight settled across her chest. What could Bishop Yoder want to see both her and Jakob about? Whatever it was, she didn’t think it could be good. She found herself wishing that people would just forget about her and leave her alone. She was happy here at the Fishers’ farm and longed for the time and freedom to thrive. But som
e innate sense warned her that the bishop was about to upset her life once more. She didn’t know why or how, but she knew her life was about to make another drastic change.
She spent extra time cleaning the dirt out from under her short fingernails. As she lathered her skin, she was highly conscious of Jakob standing nearby, waiting for her to finish. She longed to confide her fears to him, but didn’t dare. She had told him enough already and didn’t want to get any closer to him.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice sounding subdued. Maybe he also sensed that something was about to change.
“Ja.”
But no, she wasn’t. Not really. Ah, she was being silly. The bishop had probably come for a routine visit. He’d probably summoned her and Jakob simply because they were part of the same household and he wanted to visit with the entire familye. She was worrying about nothing.
Finally, she rinsed and Jakob handed her a towel to dry her hands, then accompanied her into the living room. He startled her when he rested his hand against her left shoulder blade for just a second, waiting for her to precede him into the room. His touch was gentle and warm, increasing her awareness of him. But it also brought her some small comfort. His presence made her feel safe somehow.
Bishop Yoder sat on the sofa, his straw hat in his hands. Naomi sat across from him in her rocking chair, nervously twisting her black apron strings around her fingers. Dawdi Zeke sat in his battered recliner. But where were the children? If this was a routine visit, Ruby and Reuben would be here, too. Since they were absent, that meant this was not routine at all.
“Ach, here they are,” Naomi said. She patted her kapp and showed a nervous smile.
“Hallo, Jakob. Vee gehts?” The bishop stood and greeted him with a handshake.
“Gut, we are all well. Danke,” Jakob said.
“And you, Abby? Vee gehts?” The bishop took both of her hands in his, looking deeply into her eyes.
Abby saw a mixture of sympathy and concern in the man’s gray eyes...a combination that once again put her on edge. What was going on?
She showed a half smile. “I am well, danke.”
“Gut. Gut.”
With the niceties over, they all sat and the bishop took a deep inhale, as though resigning himself. Then, he reached into his hat and pulled out what appeared to be an envelope.
“I received a letter from Abby’s brother this morning,” he told them.
Abby’s thoughts scattered. She sat up straighter, her pulse beating madly against her temples. Although she’d written to him several times, Simon had not replied once in all the weeks she’d been here.
“Wh...what did Simon have to say?” she asked, her voice wobbling. She clenched her hands together in her lap to keep them from trembling. She didn’t understand why she should be upset by this meeting. Simon was far, far away and could no longer hurt her. Right?
Bishop Yoder cleared his throat, looking intense and uncomfortable. “He has demanded that you return to Ohio at once.”
Naomi gasped. “What? But why?”
The bishop met Abby’s gaze. “He claims that he didn’t know where you had run off to, and as the patriarch of your familye, he feels responsible for your well-being. He is appalled that you are staying here in Jakob’s home without benefit of marriage, and he demands your immediate return.”
“But...but that’s not true. Simon knew where I was going, otherwise how would he have known where to write to you?” she said, feeling outraged that her brother would lie about such a thing.
“He claims that a member of our district wrote to tell him that you were here and that you were unmarried,” Bishop Yoder said.
“That might be true, but I’ve also written to Simon several times. Although he’s never written back. He has known very well where I have been,” she said.
The bishop studied her face, as though searching for the truth there. “He said that you had run away in the middle of the night. He is eager for your return.”
Dawdi Zeke harrumphed at the implication. Naomi’s eyes widened in outrage. Abby understood the allegation full well. With his letter, Simon was claiming that she’d betrayed him and her familye by leaving home in secrecy. That she had lied to the bishop and the Fisher familye when she’d told them that her brother knew where she was.
“Ne, it isn’t true. He knew everything. I have never lied to him, nor to you. Not once,” Abby said, the heat of outrage and embarrassment flowing over her entire body. How dare her brother discredit her like this to Bishop Yoder and the Fisher familye. It was offensive, cruel, shameful and...
Evil.
“May I see the letter?” Jakob asked humbly, holding out his hand.
The bishop passed the envelope to him. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as he opened and scanned the pages. His face remained passive, but Abby noticed that his shoulders had tensed. As he read, his jaw hardened like granite and his eyes narrowed. While other people might miss the signs, she knew him well enough to realize that he was upset by what he read, but endeavored to maintain his self-control. Finally, he tucked the papers back inside the envelope and returned it to the bishop.
“It states that, since Abby is not married, she must return to Ohio,” Jakob said.
The bishop nodded. “Ja, that is correct.”
“Ach, that alone tells me that he knew Abby’s purpose in coming here. He knew that she planned to marry me.”
Bishop Yoder looked at Abby. “I understand that Martin Hostetler has been courting you quite seriously.”
Abby almost snorted. Not once had she gone out with Martin, and she found it almost comical that his few visits to the farm and their conversations at church could be called a serious courtship. Martin might be interested in her, but she wasn’t interested in him. And that was that.
She shook her head. “I’m afraid that is rather one-sided, but I still want to remain here. Please don’t make me go back. Please.”
Okay, she’d resorted to begging again. But at this point, she’d do anything not to return to the harsh life awaiting her in her brother’s home.
“I’m sorry, Abby,” Bishop Yoder said. “But your bruder is the head of your familye now that your vadder is gone. If you were married, things would be different. But as a single woman, you must respect Simon as the patriarch of your home. You must obey him and return to Ohio.”
No, no! She didn’t want to obey her brother. She longed to make choices for herself, to escape the domination of any man. Surely Gott did not condone the abuse she had suffered. Surely it was wrong. But even as she thought these things, she knew it was no use. She did not believe that Gott approved of her brother’s actions, but neither did He approve of her disobedience. He would want her to bear her burdens humbly and meekly, with long-suffering and no murmuring.
Blinking back tears of disappointment, she bowed her head in submission. In her heart, she was willing to suffer anything as long as she could retain her relationship with Gott. If she had to return to Ohio, then the Lord must have something else in mind for her. She had to believe that. She must! Because nothing was more important to her than her faith. She must wait upon Gott’s will.
“What if Abby were to marry right now?” Jakob asked.
Abby lifted her head and stared at the man, wondering what he was saying. If he suggested she marry Martin Hostetler just to keep from going back to Ohio, she couldn’t do it. Not only was she not interested, but Martin also deserved to wed a woman who truly loved him.
Bishop Yoder shrugged. “Then her first duty would be to remain with her husband. Do you have a proposal in mind?”
A long silence followed, weighed down by a morose confusion. Abby held her breath, wondering what Jakob would say. She didn’t know what to think at this point. Nor did she dare hold out any hope. She loved Jakob. She always had, since they were children. She loved him, but he didn’t love
her. It was that simple. He had made it clear on numerous occasions that he still longed for his dead wife. That his heart was too full of memories of Susan to make any room for another. Loving Abby was an impossibility. Nothing could save her now. Not even Jakob. She had no choice but to return to Simon in Ohio.
* * *
“I will marry Abby.” Jakob said the words before he could change his mind.
Her low cry of surprise sounded like a shout in the quiet room. He knew his proposal startled her, but he wouldn’t take it back. Not when he knew the abuse she would be subjected to if she returned to her brother. His conscience wouldn’t allow him to do that. Not when he knew that he could prevent it. Even if they had a marriage in name only, it would be better than sending her away. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t.
“Oh, Jakob! How wundervoll.” Naomi clasped her hands together in an exclamation of joy.
Dawdi Zeke grinned and nodded with approval, his spectacles sliding down his nose. “Ja, it’s the right thing to do. I wholeheartedly approve.”
Even Bishop Yoder smiled. And now that Abby had made friends with Reuben, Jakob believed his two children would be delighted, too. Marrying Abby would fix everyone’s problems. It would bring stability to his home. She’d already become a member of the familye. They should make it permanent and official. She could stay here and she’d be safe. It was the right thing to do. Wasn’t it?
“May I speak with Jakob in private, please?”
Jakob turned to see Abby sitting primly with her hands folded in her lap. Her back was stiff, her neck straight, a calm yet resolute expression on her face.
She stood and turned toward the door without waiting for anyone to speak. In automatic response, Jakob followed her outside, wondering what she was thinking. What if she refused his proposal? Surely she wouldn’t do such a thing. Not when she knew the alternative.