Amish Circle Letters - the Complete Series

by Sarah Price

  A smile broke onto Mary Ruth’s face. She hadn’t seen Sylvia in a long time. “Oh Eleanor!” she gushed. “That would be right gut. I don’t know when I saw her last and she missed the church service at Leah’s last weekend!”

  “I thought as much,” Eleanor said. She turned back to look at the children. Katie was showing Melvin how to use all of her grooming tools and, together, they were rubbing down Butterscotch’s coat.

  When Eleanor pulled her truck into Rachel’s farm, Mary Ruth immediately felt a strange chill going through her spine. Something was wrong, she thought. She could sense it. The farm was quiet. Too quiet. Yet there were four buggies parked in the driveway, the horses unhitched and tied to the posts by the barn.

  Mary Ruth frowned and turned back to Eleanor. “This isn’t right,” she said. “No one is outside.”

  At Rachel’s house, there were always children running around outside. Her farm was one that was always full of life and activity. Even if the children were playing out of sight, Elijah would be in the fields or barnyard with his older sons. After all, school hadn’t started yet for the younger kinner.

  Leaving Eleanor with Katie and Melvin, Mary Ruth hurried toward the front porch. She stepped over a scooter that was carelessly left lying on its side, blocking the sidewalk. There was laundry in a basket on the front porch, still wet and in need of hanging. Just another sign that something wasn’t right, she thought.

  “Hullo?”

  She opened the side door and stepped into the mudroom. She could barely see inside the kitchen until she walked through the second doorway. There, seated around the table, Mary Ruth saw her sisters Rachel, Sylvia, and Leah as well as her mamm and Anna. For a moment, she was confused. She hadn’t heard that her mamm and Anna were coming over, too.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, moving quickly to the table and placing her hand on her mother’s shoulder. “Mamm?”

  It was clear that they had been talking about something serious. Their faces were drawn and pale. It was Anna who spoke on Rachel’s behalf. “It’s Elijah,” she said softly. “The doctors think he has cancer.”

  “Oh no,” Mary Ruth whispered. She felt as if the wind was knocked out of her. Elijah? How could something like this happen to such a wonderful, gut man? Cancer was serious, regardless of what kind. Cancer meant treatments and treatments meant he would be laid up and that meant fields and animals wouldn’t be tended. That spelled disaster for the entire family.

  Mamm shook her head. “Just doesn’t seem right,” she said, taking the words out of Mary Ruth’s mouth.

  Rachel wiped at her eyes. She had been crying. That was something that Mary Ruth hadn’t seen too often with her oldest and strongest sister. Tears? “Well,” Rachel said. “No use sitting here crying, I reckon.” She started to stand up but her knees buckled. Steadying herself by holding the back of the chair, she looked around the room. “We have a lot of applesauce to make, ja? Best get started. The apples won’t get peeled by sitting here worrying about what God has already determined and there is not anything we can do about it.”

  Everyone glanced up when the door opened again and Eleanor walked in, followed by Katie and Melvin. She smiled brightly at everyone until she saw everyone’s expressions. Quickly, she realized that something had happened and the smile faded from her face.

  “Everything OK?” she asked, her voice hesitating slightly.

  Anna glanced at the kinner then looked back at Eleanor. “Ja, ja,” she said, standing up. “Right as rain. Even better now that you are here to help peel apples.” She tried to sound chipper and upbeat so that the kinner wouldn’t get scared. A sick parent for one always created fear in the others.

  Within minutes, Anna had taken charge of the applesauce making, putting Melvin, Katie, and Eleanor to work peeling the apples while she poured water into the large black cauldron that Rachel had already placed on the brick cooking stove. Anna gave them each a task and fussed over the children, keeping them busy so that the emotions in the kitchen could be isolated from their young hearts.

  While the four of them worked together in the laundry room over the wash sink and wood stove, the other women stayed in the kitchen, sharing the grief and dread that Rachel felt over the upcoming visit to the oncologist. When it was clear that the children were distracted, the women bowed their heads and said a silent prayer, each praying for a healthy prognosis at that doctor’s meeting next week. It would be a long wait until that prognosis was made, that was for sure and certain.

  Chapter 7: Lovina’s Letter

  Dear Family,

  It has been a beautiful summer. What blessings we have received from the Lord with the weather. The kinner are happy, enjoying their days off from school although the older boys have been busy helping their daed in the fields. Harvey is right glad for the help. Sure makes his hay cutting days easier.

  Church was at Silas Troyer’s last Sunday and we had lots of visitors as Elsie Smucker turned 85 last weekend. Lots of nephews and nieces attended the service and we had a lovely cake for her after church. Having just moved in with her nephew, Menno, she seemed in great spirits. A lovely addition to our church district.

  The youth had a volleyball game and snacks at our farm on Saturday before church. It was nice to have so many young people at the farm. They grow so fast. The boys were helpful in setting up for the event and I appreciated the young girls who helped clean up. Was barely any work for me at all.

  Our own John is getting busy involved with his church instruction this summer and it appears that he will be taking his kneeling vow this fall. We are looking forward to his baptism just as we are looking forward to John David’s wedding to Ella. I was surprised to see her name on the circle letter as I wasn’t certain if the wedding was public knowledge yet. However, I can see that we will have a new sister to welcome to the family in just another two months.

  Will be headed to Rachel’s this Friday for a meeting of the sisters. Looking forward to a visiting day to catch up on everyone in person.

  May God bless each of you.

  Lovina, Harvey and the kinner

  “Someone’s here, Mamm!”

  Benjamin stomped up the stairs that led to the porch, throwing the door open before racing inside. His face was flushed and his eyes bright.

  “Catch your breath, please!” Anna said, laughing at the joy on her son’s face.

  He gulped some air and took a few breaths. “It’s a big truck. A horse truck!”

  Anna frowned and wiped her hands on her apron. “A what?”

  “A big truck with horses in it!”

  Horses? She wondered if it was someone who had lost his way. It was easy to do on the back roads, especially if the driver had made one wrong turn. It wouldn’t be the first time that someone would pull into the driveway, seeking directions. “Let’s have a look-see, ja?” She placed her hand atop Benjamin’s head as she passed him, heading toward the door that he had just burst through.

  Sure enough, as she stood on the porch, she saw a large truck stopping at the top of the lane by the barn. It was too large to pull any further around the bend so the driver shut the engine and opened the door of the truck.

  “What in the world…?” she said softly, curious as to why the truck was there. The man didn’t seem to pay any attention to Anna as he walked around to the back of the horse trailer and began to open the large, metal door.

  “Hullo there!”

  She heard Isaac before she saw him emerge from the barn. Immediately, she felt more comfortable walking down the porch stairs and across the grass toward the truck. She didn’t need to turn around to know that she had several shadows behind her. The children kept their distance but their curiosity certainly wasn’t going to keep them away from the excitement in the barnyard.

  “What’s this, Isaac?” she asked softly as she approached her husband.

  “Can’t say,” he responded, just as puzzled as Anna was. He took off his straw hat and wiped the sweat from his brow. His
hair was pressed against his head from where his hat had rested, the ends curling up. “Hullo there! You have the right address then?”

  A large man wearing a red baseball hat poked his head around the back of the horse trailer. “The Fisher farm?”

  Isaac slid his hat back onto his head and approached the man. “Ja, that’s us but we didn’t order no horse,” he said lightly. “Think I’d remember that.”

  The man stepped down from the back of the trailer, a long, brown lead rope in his hand. At the other end of the rope was a large, brown horse that jumped down from the back of the truck. Its hooves clicked against the driveway as it followed the man who approach Isaac and Anna. “Then this here is your horse,” he said and handed the rope to Isaac. “Just sign this paperwork,” he added, thrusting a piece of crumpled yellow paper at him.

  “I’ll take that!”

  The three of them turned their heads at the same time as Steve jogged around the back of the truck. He was smiling as he approached them and reached for the paper. There was something giddy about his expression that caused Anna to frown, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Steve? Smiling? Buying a horse?

  “Danke,” he said as he scribbled his name on the paper and handed it back to the man.

  “Anytime,” the man said, shoving the paper into his front pocket and tipping his hat at Anna. “Good day then,” he added and hurried back to the cab of his truck.

  For a long moment, no one spoke as the man backed the truck out of the driveway. Steve stood there, holding the lead rope in one hand as he stroked the neck of the horse with another. When the truck finally disappeared, he glanced over at his brother and Anna.

  “What in the world?” Anna asked, breaking the silence.

  “It’s a horse,” Steve said simply.

  She laughed. “Well, I can see that! But why on earth would you buy a horse?”

  He gestured over his shoulder. “For my new buggy,” he replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  Sure enough, around the backside of the barn, closer to the road, was a brand new black buggy with a grey top. The wheels and shafts were shiny black, having been freshly painted. Through the window, the navy blue seats could be seen. Indeed, it was a brand new buggy that must have arrived earlier that day for no one had seen it during the morning milking.

  Without waiting for a response, Steve started walking toward the horse barn, leading the new horse past the gaping expressions of Isaac and Anna who stood there, mouths open, watching him. He didn’t have to turn around to see that they glanced at each other before following him.

  “Steve Fisher !” Anna started.

  He ignored her but kept smiling as he led the horse into an empty stall.

  The kinner were laughing quietly, standing behind their mamm who stared at their uncle, her hands on her hips. “I want to know what her name is!” Anna finally demanded.

  “Anna!”

  She looked at Isaac who was clearly horrified at his wife’s blunt question. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? We can all tip-toe around wondering but I sure would like to know who I’m going to be welcoming into our family!”

  Steve burst out laughed as he shut the stall door behind him. “Oh Anna,” he teased. “Now I’m going to make certain you are the last to know!”

  “I knew it!” Anna clapped her hands together in delight. “I just knew it! I prayed that it was true!”

  He held up his hands in front of himself, still laughing. “But I’m not saying a word, Anna, not until I hear it from her directly,” he said.

  “I don’t believe it!” Isaac said, joining in the laughter. “I suspected something was up but I didn’t realize…”

  “Now, now,” Steve interrupted. “Let’s not jump to conclusions too quickly.”

  “It’s that glass girl who called, ain’t so?”

  Anna stared at her husband. “Glass girl?”

  He waved his hand, trying to place the name. “The girl from Hostetler’s Store.”

  Anna gasped. Of course. The young woman who had been at Leah’s church service. The young woman who had paused and smiled at Steve when she poured his water. No wonder Steve had wanted to attend that church service at his sister’s district when she was hosting it. “Mimi Hostetler?”

  Isaac snapped his fingers. “That’s her name,” he said, pleased with himself. “She’s a fine woman with a wunderbaar reputation. A right gut choice, Steve.”

  “You are all getting way ahead of yourselves,” he countered, trying to look serious. “Can’t a feller just want his own buggy?”

  “She’s a lovely woman,” Anna agreed. “I’m so happy for you.”

  Steve shook his head and walked past them. “Incorrigible,” he mumbled.

  Ignoring Steve, Anna turned to Isaac. “I wonder if I need to start planning for a November wedding? I didn’t plant enough celery, that’s for certain!”

  “I heard that!”

  He shook his head, trying to wipe the smile from his face. The teasing from his brother and Anna didn’t bother him. In fact, it warmed his insides. He had never thought that he’d be in such a position. He had given up hope of ever settling down and getting married. But the reality was that he had finally found a woman that intrigued him enough to considering sharing the rest of his life with her. If only, he thought with a flutter of his heart, he was certain she felt the same way…

  Mary Ruth finished folding the last of the clothes from the line when she saw the children walking down the lane toward the house. Melvin was practically racing, excited that it was Friday. Tomorrow would be the day that Katie came visiting the Millers and he had talked all week about how he would meet her there and help her groom that pony.

  Setting the folded black pants onto the top of the basket of clothing, she smiled as she watched the two girls try to keep up with Melvin. It was impossible. His legs were much longer and he wasn’t about to slow down in order to accompany them.

  “What’s the hurry?” she asked as Melvin bounded up the steps.

  “It’s the weekend!”

  “Same amount of chores tomorrow as today,” she reminded him. But she smiled at his enthusiasm and cheerfulness.

  After seven weeks of being around the children, she had seen a remarkable improvement in their demeanor. While they still spoke about their mamm, often as if she would walk through the door at anytime, Mary Ruth could see that, indeed, they were adapting to their new life, one that didn’t include their mother. It wasn’t because they missed her any less. Nee, Mary Ruth realized. They were just accepting the fact that she was no longer with them.

  With a big sigh, Mary Ruth glanced across the barnyard toward the fields. She could see Menno behind the mules as they pulled the cutter. It had taken him a while to mention that it was time to cut the hay again. Mary Ruth had been certain to send the children on a made-up errand so that they wouldn’t be home when their father was cutting the field where their mamm had been killed.

  She was looking forward to Sunday, a quiet day of church and no work. She needed a day to relax and reflect, that was for sure and certain. The routine of tending the Yoder kinner wasn’t very taxing but she was also looking forward to the following week for the children would be returning to school and her life would start returning to normal.

  In the meantime, she glanced up at the sky and realized that it was almost dinnertime. It didn’t look like Menno was going to stop cutting hay so she decided she’d pack a basket and walk it out to him. Such hard work under the midday sun required a break and some food to replenish his energy. He’d certainly want to finish cutting that field by nightfall so that the hay had enough time to dry properly before baling. With no rain in the forecast, the weekend was going to cooperate with his plans.

  “Girls,” she said as they finally caught up to Melvin. “I have the table set for dinner but I think I’ll take some food to your daed. He’s awful busy and may not want to stop. Did your mamm have a basket? I’ll take it to him after we
eat, ja?”

  Rachel sat before the doctor, trying to understand what he was saying to them. Small cell lung cancer. Spread to his bones and liver. Immediate need for treatment. Two months to live. The words sounded like a foreign language. She blinked as she stared at the balding man on the other side of the dark wood desk. He wore a black suit with a fancy tie and looked like he knew what he was saying. But the words didn’t make sense to Rachel.

  “I’m sorry,” she interrupted him, leaning forward so she could hear better. “Are you reading the results for my husband? Elijah?”

  The doctor paused, folding his hands on the single folder that was on the desk. Besides a tall desk lamp and three wooden photo frames, there was nothing else on the desk. “Yes, Mrs. Zook.”

  “Rachel,” she prompted.

  He took a sharp breath of air. “Rachel, these results are from the tests that we conducted on Elijah. The PETscan clearly showed that the growth has spread…”

  “Elijah Zook?” she interrupted again, pointing to her husband who was silently seated next to her. “Lung cancer?”

  Neither man spoke. They both stared at her, their silence telling her what she didn’t want to hear.

  “That’s impossible,” she said, dismissively. “He can’t have lung cancer! He’s Amish! He’s never smoked. We don’t smoke! Only people who smoke get lung cancer.”

  “Rachel,” Elijah said gently, his voice shaking. “During my rumschpringe…”

  “Oh nonsense,” she scoffed. “That was years ago!”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Zook,” the doctor said softly. His expression was serious and indicated that this was not the first time that he had faced such opposition to horrific news. It was the part of his job that, clearly, he despised the most. “I can assure you that lung cancer is not always caused by smoking. Arguing over the how and the why isn’t going to help at this point. It’s a very fast moving cancer.”