by Sarah Price
After gathering her few things, Mary Ruth quietly escaped the kitchen and followed Suzanna down the stairs and outside to where Menno was standing next to the buggy. She hesitated, just for a brief moment, when she saw him waiting for her. His expression was soft and kind, not impatient or annoyed that he had to wait for her. She felt that same thrilling sensation when their eyes met.
He dipped his head and reached for her hand, helping her climb up into the buggy. Suzanna jumped in and sat at Mary Ruth’s feet, leaning her small head against Mary Ruth’s knee. Smiling at the gesture, a gesture that bespoke much of the child’s comfort with her, Mary Ruth laid her hand on the girl’s shoulder.
“Ready?” Menno said as he sat down on the seat next to Mary Ruth. He cast a quick glance in her direction but didn’t make eye contact. With a click-click of his tongue and a slap of the reins on the horse’s back, Menno drove the buggy onto the road and headed toward home.
For the first mile, no one spoke. Mary Ruth could hear the two smaller girls giggling in the back of the buggy and Melvin attempting his best to keep them quiet. Mary Ruth smiled, trying to listen to what they were saying but all she could discern was something about their daed.
“Sure is a nice autumn day,” Mary Ruth finally said, breaking the silence.
Menno nodded. “Sure is.”
Mary Ruth glanced out the open door of the buggy. There was a cool breeze blowing in as the horse trotted down the road. “Might be a nice day for a picnic, don’t say?” she heard herself ask. No one responded. She turned to look at Menno. “Don’t you think?”
She thought she saw his eyes flicker at her but he continued to stare ahead. “I reckon so,” he said solemnly.
A frown crossed her face as she realized that Menno was not taking the bait. So, instead of playing any more word games, she turned to look at Melvin and his two sisters in the back of the buggy. “What do you say, Melvin? Girls? Mayhaps I could make a batch of nice chocolate chip cookies and lemonade for a fun little rest by the stream?”
A cheer erupted from the back of the buggy and Suzanna clapped her hands. Melvin grinned at her, his smile big and telling that he knew something wonderful was happening and he liked what he suspected it was. Mary Ruth tried to hide her own smile and turned back around, looking out the window. It was going to be a wonderful day, she thought. And when she felt Menno’s leg lightly brush against hers, her heart fluttered but she did not recoil, as she knew that she was where she belonged…where God wanted her to be.
The Fisher family was gathered under the large oak tree near the house. There were two large tables set up with place settings for over twenty-six people. Lizzie, Sylvia, and James had brought their families over to spend an autumn afternoon visiting with Miriam and Elias before the weather would turn cold and make long distance travel a bit more difficult.
The only ones missing were Rachel, Leah, and Mary Ruth. Anna and Lovina were in the kitchen, preparing an early evening supper for the family while Miriam and Sylvia were carrying the bowls of chow-chow, pickled cabbage and pitchers of ice water outside to the tables.
The men were outside, sitting on folding chairs near the front porch under the shade of the house while the kinner ran back and forth, throwing a ball for the dog to catch. John David and Steve were playing with the kinner, chasing some of the younger ones while Abraham, Isaac, Elias and James were discussing the latest news that they had heard from church service that morning.
“Heard that weddings will be announced next week,” James said. He glanced over his shoulder at his two younger brothers. “I heard a whisper that John David and Ella will be announced.”
Elias laughed. “Not a whisper you hearing, son. A right known fact, I reckon.”
“Ja?”
Isaac leaned forward and winked at his brother as he teasingly said, “You need to listen closer, James. That whisper grew mighty loud a few months ago. She was even included in the circle letter that Mamm sent out. Didn’t Lovina tell you?”
James raised an eyebrow. “Nee, she didn’t.” He frowned, a dark shadow crossing over his face. His silence spoke of something deeper than Lovina not sharing such news with him. Isaac noticed it at once.
“What troubles you, Bruder?”
James shrugged and looked away. His blue eyes sought the horizon, watching the sun as it began its slow descent over the backfields. Soon the fields would be plowed and manure spread over them, an annual preparation for the following year’s spring planting. “Heard Eleanor Haile’s been around, ain’t so?” he finally said.
Both Isaac and Elias looked at each other, a silent communication passing between them.
“That she has, ja,” Isaac admitted. “Little Katie is taking care of one of Eleanor’s ponies at the Miller farm by Rachel and Leah’s. We reckon that we’ll bring the pony here for the winter, seeing that it will be too dark in the winter after school to take her there to tend to it.”
A simple nod of James’s head said it all. His eyes seemed to mist over as he reflected on something. Neither Isaac nor Elias had to guess very hard as to what it was he thought. It may have been years ago but the entire family remembered that James had been sweet on Eleanor Haile, prior to his taking the kneeling vow.
“Lovina seems a bit disturbed by that,” James finally admitted.
“These women…” Abraham scoffed. “What crazy notions they get!”
Isaac frowned. “That was a long time ago,” he said. “During your rumschpringe.”
“I know that.” James turned his face away from the setting sun and looked at his brother. “Seems to think I won’t honor my marriage vow, especially since we haven’t been able to…” He let his words drift, his sentence unfinished and hanging in the air.
Elias sighed. He certainly didn’t like seeing his son in turmoil. Still, he didn’t quite know what to say. The problem with James and Lovina had been apparent for a while, a stress from the lack of children in their marriage. “Seems some women need to have children to feel fulfilled, James. You should speak to her about adopting or doing that foster care that Jonas and Irma Miller from Paradise have done.”
He waved his hand at his father. “That don’t bother me none,” James said. “It’s the fact that she thinks such a thought. It doesn’t speak well of her trust in my character.” He paused and took a deep breath. “But I’ve said more than I should, I reckon. It’s a private matter.”
For a moment, none of the men spoke. No one knew what to say. Issues within the marriage remained strictly between the husband and wife. It was their way of life. If James had mentioned problems, it was surely because they were heavy and troublesome on his shoulders.
Steve walked over and joined the other men. He was out of breath but smiling. “Those kinner are more work than the cows,” he laughed. “Easier to work in the fields!”
James looked away again.
“Think I might take a buggy ride after supper,” he said casually.
Thankful for the change of subject, Isaac raised an eyebrow at his brother. “Buggy ride, ja?”
Abraham caught the teasing tone in Isaac’s voice. “You don’t say,” he said, tugging at his graying beard. “Heard you got yourself a new buggy. Word has it that you aren’t always alone in that there buggy, either!”
“You know what they say about that Amish grapevine,” Steve tossed back. “Sometimes it grows sour grapes.” But he laughed anyway.
The kitchen door opened and the women came out with the rest of the prepared food. Without being called, the men got up and walked to the table. The kinner noticed and hurried over, taking their place at the smaller of the two tables. When everyone was seated, they bowed their heads and said a silent blessing over their food.
Within minutes, plates were being passed, water glasses were being filled, and conversation started to flow. Miriam smiled as she looked at her family gathered around the tables. It wasn’t often that so many of them came together for fellowship. Even on the holidays, trying to find a day
for a Christmas dinner was hard to schedule. Inevitably, someone was always missing.
“Sure wish the other girls could have been here,” Anna said.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Miriam laughed.
Lizzie looked up. “Any word on when Mary Ruth will be returning? That Menno Yoder shouldn’t be needing her much longer.”
Miriam sighed. “Ja, it’s about that time. She needs to get back here before the weather turns. Leah sure doesn’t need her help anymore, I’m sure.” Her mind drifted. If anyone needed help, it was Rachel. She often wondered if Mary Ruth shouldn’t just spend the winter there, helping Rachel during Elijah’s illness. Yet, Miriam also knew that it wasn’t fair to Mary Ruth who needed to get on with her own life. “Mayhaps I’ll write a letter to Mary Ruth and have Steve drop it off. It’s time.”
Steve looked up at the mention of his name. “You need me to drop something off for Mary Ruth? I can head over there after supper,” he volunteered a bit too eagerly. Isaac and Abraham chuckled while Anna smiled to herself.
“That Mimi Hostetler lives over that way too, ain’t so?” Isaac teased.
Steve ignored him.
Anna laughed at the puzzled look on Lizzie and Lovina’s faces. It was apparent that they had not heard about Steve courting anyone.
“Mayhaps I could ride along?”
The small voice that interrupted the conversation surprised everyone. It was Katie, sitting at the other table. She had overheard that Steve was going to ride over to Leah’s to drop off a letter. Now, she stared at her mamm with wide eyes, eyes full of hope that her mamm would permit her this treat.
With a quick glance at Isaac who merely shrugged his shoulders, Anna nodded. “If Steve doesn’t mind the company, that would be right nice, Katie. You could stop in to see Butterscotch but no grooming or riding today.”
Katie’s face lit up. “Oh danke, Mamm!”
For Katie and Steve, supper couldn’t end fast enough.
“What do you mean she’s not here?” Steve said, a frown on his face. “Where is she?”
Leah was holding the baby, Jacob, while her older daughters, Edna and Emma, put away the washed dishes from supper. “I mean she’s not here! She didn’t come home after church service,” Leah responded sharply. “Mayhaps she’s over at Rachel’s.”
Clutching the letter in his hand, he hurried back to his buggy in order to drive across the road to Rachel’s farm. The longer this took, the less time to spend with Mimi, he told himself. Plus, he had to take Katie over to the Miller’s farm and pick her up again later. He hadn’t counted on Katie wanting to go with him. Still, the look of joy on her face softened his heart. Clearly, Katie wanted to see her pony as much as Steve wanted to see Mimi.
Rachel was walking down the stairs when Steve entered the house. He glanced around, noticing that the kinner were not in the house. Elijah was seated in his chair, a blanket pulled up to his chin. His face was pale and gaunt. For a moment, Steve couldn’t help but stare. He hadn’t seen Elijah since that church service at Leah’s. In that short period of time, his health had truly deteriorated.
“This is a surprise,” Rachel said, walking between Steve and Elijah.
He shook his head, his focus on Elijah broken, and turned to look at Rachel. “I’m looking for Mary Ruth. Mamm sent a letter.”
“Wrong farm,” she said lightly. “She’s staying at Leah’s. You know that.”
“Ja, right, but the thing is that she’s not there,” he retorted, irritated that Mary Ruth wasn’t there. Each minute looking for his youngest sister was keeping him separated from Mimi. “Didn’t come home after service, Leah said.”
Rachel paused, setting her hands on her hips. Where could Mary Ruth have disappeared? “That is rather odd,” she said. “I saw her at church but I didn’t stay for fellowship. I wanted to get back here for Elijah.” She glanced at her husband. He was sleeping, oblivious to the conversation.
He handed the letter to Rachel. “Any chance you might…?” His words trailed off, a pleading look in his eyes.
“You sure are in a hurry, ain’t so?” she asked suspiciously. Then, with a sigh, she reached out and took the letter. She waved it at him. “I’ll get it to her.”
With a big grin, Steve thanked her and hurried back outside to the buggy.
After dropping off Katie at the Miller’s farm, he drove over to the Hostetler home. His mind was in a whirl. He barely paid any attention to where he was going. Luckily, the horse seemed to know his way to Mimi’s house. Steve was too distracted, the scene replaying his mind of what he had just witnessed on the way to the Miller’s farm.
They had turned left at the end of Rachel’s lane and were headed down the road. When they turned the corner by the Yoder’s farm, Katie had waved franticly from the buggy at a group of six people walking down the road with a picnic basket. Steve blinked and tried to focus on the people. When he finally realized that he recognized the woman as his sister, he pulled back on the reins and stopped the buggy. “Whoa,” he said to the horse, his voice soothing but his mind still not comprehending that his sister was walking with the Yoder’s down the street.
“Mary Ruth!” he called out.
She turned around, startled that her brother had called her from the buggy that just passed them. “Steve?” She glanced at the man next to her, the man that Steve recognized as Menno Yoder. He nodded at Mary Ruth before she left his side and hurried to the buggy. “Whatever are you doing here?”
He frowned and glanced over her shoulder at the happy little family standing there, waiting for Mary Ruth to rejoin them. “I might be asking you the same thing,” he murmured so that no one but Mary Ruth could hear. “No one could find you.”
“Vell,” she said, her tone short and clipped. “I am an adult.”
Steve ignored her remark. “Mamm sent a letter. I left it with Rachel.”
Mary Ruth raised an eyebrow. “Everything all right at home then?”
“Ja,” he said slowly. “But Mamm says it’s time for you to come home.” Steve glanced over her shoulder at Menno, surprised that he was watching them so intently. Even the children were crowded around Menno, waiting. “He seems to be doing better.”
It was the look on Mary Ruth’s face that told Steve what he had suspected when he first recognized her walking alongside Menno Yoder. She didn’t say anything but the color drained from her face. Her silence spoke volumes. And he knew: Mary Ruth wasn’t going to be returning home.
“Steve?”
He snapped out of his thoughts and saw Mimi staring at him. For a moment, he was dazed and had to look around himself. He barely remembered driving down her lane and he certainly didn’t remember stopping his horse and buggy by the hitching rail in front of the barn.
“You sick?” she asked, concern written across her face.
“Nee, nee,” he said and jumped out of the buggy. “I just saw something…” he started to say but his voice trailed off as he walked alongside Mimi toward the house. “I can’t even describe it.”
“Ja vell, you sure look like you saw something,” she said, frowning. “You look like you saw a specter!”
He shook his head. “Nothing like that. But it was just as odd. I saw my sister walking with Menno Yoder down the lane,” he said.
At this, Mimi looked equally as surprised. “Menno Yoder?”
“You don’t think that…” He couldn’t complete the sentence. How could he suspect that his sister, so young and vibrant, would be courting not just an older man but a widower with four children at that!
“So soon? I mean Menno was crazy about Martha. I don’t think he’d be showing interest in someone so quickly,” Mimi whispered. The thought horrified her. Could Menno truly replace his love for Martha that fast? “But then again…” This time, Mimi couldn’t finish her sentence.
“What?”
“Vell,” she began. “He has been looking less forlorn at church service these past few weeks. And the kinner adore your sister
. It will be tough for Menno to raise them alone, especially the girls. They need a mamm.”
A silence fell between them, leaving them to their inner thoughts. Men needed wives. Women needed husbands. It was a plain fact. Yet, it was discomforting to think that it could happen so quickly. Steve wanted to tell Mimi that he would never do such a thing. Without Mimi, he’d be lost. But the words wouldn’t form on his lips. He couldn’t make a promise that he didn’t know if he could keep. What if something dreadful happened to Mimi? What if he one day found he was left alone with four young ones and a farm to tend?
“It’s awful quick, ain’t so?” Steve asked.
At that statement, Mimi laughed and playfully touched his arm. “No more so than us, ja?”
There was truth in her statement and he couldn’t help himself from smiling. It had been just right before Martha Yoder’s accident when he had first met Mimi Hostetler and they had started courting shortly thereafter.
They were inside the kitchen, enjoying a cold drink and fresh apple crisp when the door opened and Mimi’s daed walked inside.
“Might want to come see this, Steve,” he said, his eyes twinkling.
Outside, Steve immediately noticed that something was missing. Mimi followed close behind, grabbing her shawl from the peg on the wall as the evening air was beginning to get cool. She, too, noticed that something was wrong.
“Where’s my buggy?” Steve exclaimed, realizing that the horse was gone.
Jonas laughed. “Oh, don’t you fret none. It’s coming back.”
Steve frowned, wondering if Mimi’s daed was getting ferhoodled. “Coming back? From where? I left it right there!” he said, pointing toward the hitching rail.
As he said it, he could hear the noise of horse hooves on the road and the rattling of the buggy wheels. Mimi looked down the road, squinting as she tried to make out who was coming up the driveway but the setting sun was too bright to make out the driver.