The Bridesmaid

by Beverly Lewis

  “Ach, don’t know ’bout that.”

  “Well, I do!” Cousin Lena squelched a giggle, then dug into her purse and handed some bills to Joanna. “Here’s Geld for your dress fabric, before I forget.”

  Joanna thanked her as she accepted the money. Lena began to describe all of the extra-special treats her mother and many aunts had planned for the wedding feast at Lena’s parents’ home. Joanna wished she and Cora Jane could talk so easily like this again. What had happened to make Cora Jane so tetchy? Was it truly just about Joanna’s being a bridesmaid?

  When they rounded the barn for the second time, Joanna noticed Cora Jane walking with Cousin Ruthann, who was also scheduled to wed this week. It was clear the pair were having a confidential chat, so Joanna and Lena hurried back to the house, both of them offering to help Cousin Malinda even though neither had been assigned to kitchen duty.

  “Next time,” Malinda said, thanking them. “Now go waerme—warm up.” She pointed to the heater stove, and Joanna willingly obliged.

  Eventually, Lena wandered away to talk with her grandmother, who was enjoying the light meal, and Joanna headed to the glassed-in porch to visit with some younger cousins. She imagined how each girl she talked to might take the news of her Indiana beau. What might she say? But, of course, Joanna’s parents were wiser than to tell it around, undoubtedly wanting to see how things went with the actual visit.

  Will they like Eben?

  She observed Cora Jane across the yard, still talking with Cousin Ruthann. Sighing, Joanna wondered whether her sister would mind her manners when Eben arrived. Or would Cora Jane just be Cora Jane and spoil things but gut?

  Monday morning washday—Weschdaag—Joanna, Mamma, and Cora Jane worked together with Mammi Sadie in the cold yet sunny air to hang out all of the wet clothes by seven-thirty.

  Once the chore was accomplished, Joanna hurried indoors to check on her bread dough. She planned to bake enough to share with her grandparents and Cousin Malinda, too. She ran tepid water over her nearly frostbitten hands to restore the feeling. The wet clothes would surely dry stiff as boards on such a day.

  Once the bread was in the oven, Joanna began to pin her dress pattern to the plum-colored fabric on the kitchen table. She couldn’t remember when she’d owned such a lovely dress. Despite the last-minute invitation, being one of Lena’s bridesmaids was going to be right nice.

  At that moment, Cora Jane wandered down the steps and offered to help cut out the pattern, surprising her. “I know you’re in a hurry, jah?” she said.

  Pleased as pie, Joanna smiled. “So nice of you. Denki.” She glanced up at her sister. Is now a good time to talk?

  “An unusual color for the bride and the attendants, ain’t?” Cora Jane said, running her hand over the fabric.

  “Cousin Lena wanted something different than most brides round here.”

  “I see that.”

  “She’ll be a perty bride, I say.”

  “A nice color for you, too,” Cora Jane replied. “With your blond hair and all.”

  Glad to work alongside her sister once again, Joanna pinned the seams, eager to sew them up on the treadle sewing machine. The neck facing wouldn’t take long, nor would the hem. Lena had offered to help her mark the latter sometime this evening.

  Cora Jane began pinning the tucks into the sleeves by hand, humming a hymn as she worked. Her sister’s apparent cheerfulness gave Joanna the courage she required.

  “I’ve been wanting to tell ya something,” she began.

  Cora Jane’s head bobbed up. “Oh?”

  “I’ve met someone.”

  “You’ve seemed awful preoccupied, so I wondered.”

  “He’s not from round here, though.”

  Cora Jane frowned. “Isn’t that risky?”

  “Not really.”

  “Okay, then . . . tell me more.”

  Joanna smiled. “Well, he’s from Indiana.”

  “Ach, so far away!”

  “And he’s comin’ to visit this Friday.”

  “Honestly, now!”

  “His name is Eben Troyer . . . and he wants to meet Dat and Mamma.”

  “And what about the rest of the family?” Cora Jane asked.

  “No doubt he’ll be happy to meet whoever is around that day.”

  Cora Jane fell silent. “You aren’t thinkin’ of going out there to live, are ya . . . if you marry?”

  “I daresay he’ll come here to court me, when the time comes.”

  “Well, I should hope so,” Cora Jane said emphatically. Her forehead pinched up.

  “Please, ya mustn’t worry ’bout my promise to the Hickory Hollow church, if that’s what you’re thinkin’.”

  “Still, what if he wants you to go there, like some fellas in other districts? What then?” There was an edge of panic to her voice.

  Joanna didn’t want to get into this. Not when she and Eben hadn’t really discussed it. “I’ll take things as they come.” She sighed. “I just wanted you to know before he arrives.” She didn’t dare say, “So you’ll behave yourself.”

  Cora Jane moved slowly to the windows and looked out. “Where’d ya meet this fella?”

  “At the funeral last summer.”

  “Way back at Virginia Beach?”

  “Jah.”

  Cora Jane turned to face her. “Where we’d planned to spend lots of time together.”

  “Please, Cora Jane . . .”

  “I’d looked forward to it, ya know . . . but you kept disappearing.” Cora Jane’s expression turned accusing, her lips curved down. For the longest time, Cora Jane just stared at her. She looked almost stricken. Then her eyes became moist, which surprised Joanna no end. “Well, I’m not goin’ to stick around and watch this fella steal you away.”

  Joanna was flabbergasted. “I never meant to upset you.”

  Cora Jane reached for the needle, thread, and sleeve once again. “I hope you know what you’re doin’ is all. I’ve seen the postcards from your fancy friend, traveling through Europe.”

  “Amelia has nothin’ to do with my long-distance beau,” Joanna assured her.

  “It just wonders me if you’re itchin’ to move away from here. Maybe she’s given ya a taste for the world.”

  Joanna didn’t offer more to ease her sister’s concerns—surely Cora Jane knew her better than that! Nor did she wish, worried and forlorn as Cora Jane looked, to say how wonderful it had been to receive Eben’s letters for nearly five months now.

  An uncomfortable silence fell between them. “So what’s this fella look like?” Cora Jane finally prodded.

  Eben was precious to Joanna. She couldn’t bear to have her sister criticize anything about him. “I’m really not up to sharing much right now, if ya don’t mind. If you stick around, you’ll see him for yourself.”

  “Is he writing to you?”

  Joanna said he was.

  “But ya never breathed a word of it to me.” Cora Jane grimaced. “This is nothin’ like the way things used to be. I really don’t know what to say.”

  “Why not just say you’re happy for me?” Joanna’s stomach was tied up in knots. “Weren’t you afraid I’d never be more than a bridesmaid?”

  “I am happy. How’s that?”

  Could’ve fooled me! Joanna looked at her. “What’s happened to us, sister?” Her lower lip trembled.

  “You tell me!” Cora Jane tossed the sleeve with the needle and thread stuck in it across the table, then abruptly exited the room.

  Joanna could hardly believe her eyes. Will my own sister interfere with my chance for love and marriage?

  Chapter 6

  Today’s the day, thought Eben, planning to talk with his parents during the noon meal. Surely they suspect something’s up . . . all the letters back and forth.

  He strode across the snowy yard toward the side door that led into the kitchen. Undoubtedly his father would enter the house by way of the utility room door, first stopping to take off his work boots so as not to di
rty Mamm’s spotless kitchen. Eben was careful to scrutinize his boots, as well, before heading indoors, though today he did not dally long, eager for some black Kaffi. Eben removed his work gloves and pulled off his boots on the back porch, leaving them near the door. The appealing aroma of washday stew hit him and, stocking footed, he made a beeline into the warm and inviting kitchen.

  The kettle was shrilling as he washed his hands and dried them on the old towel Mamm left out for him and Daed to use. He caught her smiling softly, as if she suspected his reason for taking the shortcut into the kitchen. Mamm nodded and poured boiling water into a coffee cup, then carried it to the table. Eben had never made a fuss over brewed coffee or instant—it made no difference to him. He was just glad for the hot pick-me-up on such a cold morning.

  Once Daed appeared, Eben found his tongue. It was long past time to forge ahead and tell them about his sweetheart residing in Lancaster County. Pretty Joanna Kurtz was the dearest girl he’d ever known.

  Daed eyed his chair at the head of the table and ambled over to sit down. Eben could hear his father’s stomach growling even as they waited for dinner to be served. His mouth watered at the thought of the thick morsels of beef blended with potatoes, corn, and beans. Still, he sat with his hands folded under the table there in his younger brother’s spot just to the left of their father. The wooden bench next to him had been scooted beneath the table, dutifully waiting for a larger family gathering. It had been Mamm’s idea to offer Eben the solid chair, similar to Daed’s own.

  After Leroy left for the world.

  Eben still recalled the emotional devastation his brother’s rebellion had inflicted upon the entire family. And because Leroy’s decision to leave remained mighty painful, Eben had waited this long to communicate his interest in Joanna of Hickory Hollow to his parents. Of course, it wouldn’t be anywhere close to the same sort of leaving as Leroy had done. Despite that, Daed and Mamm would be greatly affected by Eben’s announcement today.

  ———

  “A girl in Pennsylvania, ya say?” his father replied, nearly sputtering as he set down his spoon.

  Eben explained where and how they’d met. “Seemed providential.”

  Daed’s brown eyes were suddenly serious. “I expect you’ll want to bring her here to live, after you wed.” He paused. “If ya do.”

  “Not sure how Joanna would feel about that.” Eben had never brought up the idea to her, knowing how hard it had been on one of his girl cousins to move clear to Wisconsin a few years back. And it was plain from her letters, as well, that Joanna was quite attached to Hickory Hollow.

  “We look forward to meeting her,” Mamm said, and Daed agreed with a jerky bob of the head.

  “You’ll meet Joanna before we marry,” he assured them, realizing his father’s grave look of concern had everything to do with Eben’s being his temporary partner in running the farm. “Of course, I’m prayin’ Leroy will come back first.”

  “Jah, we’re all still holding out hope for that,” Daed said.

  Daed gave Mamm a hard frown, then turned back to Eben. “I’m sure ya know, you and your bride will have to live here if Leroy doesn’t return home. Your Mamm and I are dependin’ on ya, son.”

  The very thing that kept Eben up at night returned to plague him anew, and he said no more as he pondered his father’s declaration.

  Joanna worked alongside Mammi Sadie to get the wash indoors and folded that afternoon. She also managed to finish the plum-colored dress, all but the hemming. Because of the latter, she wasn’t available to help Mamma get an early start on supper like she usually did. Tonight’s meal was an oven casserole of turkey, buttery egg noodles, and mushroom soup—one of her father and Cora Jane’s favorites.

  Grateful to have a short break in her routine, Joanna thought of running over to Rachel Stoltzfus’s before returning to set the table for Mamma.

  “Looks like Cora Jane’s flown the coop,” Mamma remarked with a peculiar look at Joanna when she came down to the kitchen after putting away the dress.

  “Most likely upset with me.”

  “What now?”

  “I told her ’bout Eben’s visit.”

  Joanna knew by the glint of recognition on Mamma’s face that Dat had filled her in.

  “Well, I should think she’d be downright pleased for ya.”

  Joanna nodded. “If ya don’t mind, I’m going to check with Rachel about Eben staying with them for one night. All right?”

  “Gut a place as any, I ’spect.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Joanna said, going to put on her boots and coat for the trek across the snow-covered field.

  “If ya see Cora Jane anywhere, tell her to come on home,” Mamma said as she followed Joanna into the utility room. “She knows better than to throw a fit like this.”

  Mamma’s fed up, too! Joanna thought as she picked her way over the windblown snow. She wrapped her scarf more tightly to protect her face from the fierce cold. “How long before word gets out about Eben and me?” she whispered. Her precious secret had been safe for this long. She shuddered at the thought of most all the People knowing her business; the cocoon their love had grown in was dear to her. Yet that was the price of moving forward with a real-life romance. Nothing story-like about it! Of course, hard as it was to surrender their relationship to others’ scrutiny, Joanna was thankful Eben was apparently ready to start seriously courting. Just as I am . . .

  Blue patches of sky appeared through the high clouds, and she wished Eben were coming to see her when it was warmer. Certainly, there were still interesting things to do in November. Why, with all the cold they’d been having, they might even be able to go ice-skating on Samuel Lapp’s pond.

  She spotted the Stoltzfus farmhouse and hurried toward the driveway. Then, thinking it might be best if she didn’t appear too eager when she greeted Rachel, Joanna quickly flattened her smile. No sense in Rachel’s guessing right away who Eben was to her. She made her way around to the side door, turning her head away from the wind, and knocked.

  “Well, goodness me! Hullo there,” Rachel greeted her. “Won’t ya come in?”

  “Hullo, Rachel.” Joanna followed her into the balmy kitchen, replete with a delicious aroma.

  “What brings you out in this weather?” Rachel’s face was cherry red from cooking over her woodstove. She was one of only a handful of women in the area who still cooked the old way.

  “Sorry to barge in so close to supper,” Joanna said. “Just wanted to ask a favor.”

  “Why, sure . . . anything a’tall.”

  “We’re havin’ out-of-town company this Friday . . . and, well, I wondered if you’d mind keepin’ him overnight.”

  Rachel fixed her gaze on Joanna, a hint of a smile in the corners of her mouth. “Why sure, we’ll put your guest up for ya, Joanna.”

  “Denki ever so much.”

  Rachel’s curiosity was evident in the arch of her eyebrows. “Is this anyone we know?”

  Joanna guessed she wouldn’t be getting out of this without filling in a few details. So she did her best to satisfy Rachel and yet not come right out and say that Eben Troyer was her beau.

  “Rest assured, we’ll treat Eben real gut,” Rachel said with a nod of her head.

  “He’ll take his meals with us, of course. You won’t have to bother with that.”

  “Oh, ’tis no trouble—but as you wish.” A smile spread across Rachel’s face. “We’ll look forward to meetin’ your friend, for sure.”

  She saw right through it! Joanna thought as she turned to leave. Just as everyone else will. Even so, it was her job to trust that all would go well.

  Still feeling hesitant, Joanna tightly pulled her old wool jacket around her and hurried back to her father’s house.

  Chapter 7

  After supper, Cousin Lena arrived to mark the hem of the bridesmaid dress as she’d promised. Joanna stood like a statuette on a stool in the middle of the kitchen as Mamma observed merrily from the head of the ta
ble, where she rarely sat.

  Meanwhile, Lena chattered nonstop about the many relatives coming to town for the wedding—some from the Somerset area, and others from upstate New York, near the Finger Lakes. All were first or second cousins of either Lena’s mother or father and had received written invitations.

  “It’ll be nice to see some of my own second cousins, then, too,” Mamma mentioned, putting the family tree in better perspective for Joanna.

  “Which makes them Lena’s second cousins once removed?”

  Mamma agreed. “And yours, too.”

  Once the hem was precisely marked by many pins, Lena insisted on sewing it up at home for Joanna, asking to take the dress with her. “I’ll press it up real nice for ya, too.” Her eyes twinkled gaily.

  Joanna thought Lena might be overdoing it. “It’s your wedding, for goodness’ sake!”

  Yet after a few more exchanges, Joanna realized she wasn’t going to get Lena to change her mind; there was nothing to do but let her have her way. Joanna went into the bathroom to step carefully out of her new dress, then folded it neatly. She put on her work dress again and took the lovely plum one out to the kitchen, where she watched Lena tuck it into her wicker basket. “I’ll come and pick it up Wednesday afternoon, then. All right with you?”

  “Sure,” Lena said before marching to the wooden pegs in the utility room, where she’d hung her coat and scarf. Then, just that quickly, she was ready to go. “Denki ever so much, Joanna!” And she was out the back door to the waiting horse and carriage.

  “Well, I did my best to persuade her to let me finish the hem,” Joanna said, joining Mamma at the table.

  “That’s one strong-willed bride, I’ll say.” Mamma laughed softly and glanced at Cora Jane, whose back was to theirs now, where she stood near the counter. “Such traits tend to run in the family.”

  Joanna caught her meaning and rolled her eyes.

  “How’d it go over at Abe and Rachel’s?” Mamma changed the subject.

  “Everything’s all set.”

  “Sure’s nice of Rachel,” Mamma said rather cryptically.