“This is fun. And much cooler with the wind in my face!”
Hope wondered if it was unseemly to be riding at such speed. If someone were to see her, she’d be calling bushels of attention her way. Her legs slowed, and she dropped behind.
Sally turned to look and then decreased her speed to match Hope’s. “Too fast for you?” she asked, smiling.
“Jah,” Hope said. “We’re almost there anyway.”
Ahead of them stretched the old Miller place. The land hadn’t been worked for years and it was full of dry weeds as high as Hope. The barn stood tall and sturdy north of the house. There was a smattering of sheds dotting the property to the side and back of the barn, but it was the house that caught Hope’s eye.
My home, she thought. Mine and Abram’s.
The girls came to a stop in a cloud of dust before the porch. A few boards had come loose and were slightly curled at one end. They had been white once, but now the paint was blotchy with large patches completely devoid of any color.
“This place is a wreck,” Sally observed. “Why are we here?”
But Hope didn’t hear her; she moved as if in a daze. She slipped off her bike and leaned it against the hitching post. Sally followed suit.
“Hope? Earth to Hope…” Sally waved her palm in front of Hope’s face.
Hope gave her an absentminded smile. The porch stairs creaked under her slight weight. She put her hand on the front door knob, gave a gentle turn, and wasn’t surprised when the door gave way, as most Amish in their community didn’t use locks.
“Wait!” Sally cried, scurrying up to join her. “Are you going in? That’s called breaking and entering where I come from!”
Hope stepped into the old house. The linoleum in the entry way was cracked and yellowed. She half-expected cobwebs to entangle her, but there were none. The house stood empty as a cave and nearly as dark.
Sally sashayed around Hope over to the living room windows and tugged on one of the shades. With a snap and a roar, it flipped and rolled up, scattering dust. She coughed and waved at the flying dirt.
Glowing evening light settled into the room. Hope smiled and pivoted slowly, taking it all in.
“Where are we?” Sally asked in a whisper.
“My new home,” Hope said, a smile of pure joy spreading across her face.
Sally’s eyes widened. “What? You’re moving out of your parents’ house?”
Hope stepped to Sally and took her forearm with both hands. “Nee, not yet. But this is going to be my home.”
“You’re getting married,” Sally said bluntly. “You’re marrying Abram just like I thought. I’m right, aren’t I?”
Hope blushed and brushed by Sally to continue her tour.
Sally scrambled to catch up. “Do your mom and dad know? How come no one’s talking about it?”
“No one knows.” In the kitchen, Hope tenderly ran her hand over the cupboards, feeling the well-worn wood that had served others on so many long-ago days. One of the doors jostled and swayed off its hinge. Hope laughed and righted it again.
Sally stood in the middle of the shadowy room and stared at Hope. “I’m the only one who knows you’re getting married?”
Hope paused and smiled in contentment at her cousin, hoping with all her heart that Sally was trustworthy. “You’re the only one who’s guessed. You’ll keep my secret?”
Sally’s forehead crinkled, and then she smiled back. “I don’t get why it’s such a big secret, but sure, I’ll keep it.”
“Thank you, Sally.” Hope peered outside through the smudged window over the sink. “It’s nearly dark, so we only have a few minutes. Want to take a quick look upstairs before we go?”
Three
That night, the long white curtains fluttered as a cool breeze blew through the bedroom window. Hope lay still and wide awake listening to Mary’s gentle breathing beside her. It had to be well past midnight, but Hope couldn’t sleep. Her heart beat too quickly with every thought of her new home. It was dirty and needed work, as Abram had said. But she could tell that he’d already been through it and done some cleaning, because there would have been more evidence of critters.
Work he’d done before his broken leg. Was that how time would be divided now: before his broken leg and after?
She remembered his determined expression when he announced they’d have to wait a year to marry. But now that she’d seen the house, now that her heart already lived there, she was certain they could figure it out. Abram had to believe it was possible.
She closed her eyes and prayed.
****
Directly after morning chores, Hope was in the kitchen, flour flying. She’d had her brainstorm during the wee hours of the morning and felt certain she could help raise money to fix up the old farm house.
Mamm stood in the kitchen doorway, watching. “I see we’re having sugar cream pie tonight. How many are you making? It’s only two more mouths we have around her, daughter.”
“I’m going to sell them to the restaurants in town. People say my sugar cream is the best they’ve tasted.” Hope looked down at the lumps of pie crust, hoping her words hadn’t seemed too boastful.
Mamm’s eyes narrowed, and she studied Hope. “Why the sudden need for money? Are you lacking something?”
“I’m nearly twenty. I thought it time.”
Mamm’s expression reflected her curiosity. “You do your share around here. That’s plenty help.”
“I know, Mamm. But please, let me do this.” Hope wiped her forehead, leaving a streak of flour across her face.
Mamm offered a half-smile. “I’ll speak with your dat, but I’m thinking he’ll raise no objection as long as you get your chores done.” She sighed and shifted topics. “Hope, I thank you for spending so much time with Sally. I’m worried about young Jack, though.”
Hope glanced beyond her mother to make sure no one else was around. She’d been hoping for a bit of time alone with Mamm, for questions about Priscilla still burned in her heart.
“Mamm, what really happened?”
Mamm pursed her lips, and the wrinkles around her mouth deepened. Obviously, she knew what Hope meant. Mamm leaned against the doorframe, and her whole body seemed to shrink.
Hope hurried to her side and held her mother’s arm. “I know it hurt you, Mamm. But what happened? Can’t I know about mei aenti?”
Indecision flashed across Mamm’s face. Hope waited, praying her mamm would share with her, would trust her.
“It’s not necessary to know.” Mamm’s voice was hesitant.
Hope pulled her to the kitchen table and helped her to a chair. Tears filled Mamm’s eyes. “I know Mary was angry with you about Josiah. You know, when he came for supper a while back,” she said.
Hope sank into the chair beside her. “You mean when Josiah gave me the attention Mary wanted?”
“Jah. I could see what was happening.”
“But I didn’t want Josiah, Mamm. I didn’t ask for his favor.”
Mamm nodded slowly. “Sometimes, we get what we don’t want, and then we want it.”
Hope stared at her mother and knew Mamm was no longer talking about either Josiah or Mary.
“You and Priscilla?” she asked softly.
Mamm studied her folded hands on the table. One thumb rubbed vigorously over the other. “Me and Priscilla,” she repeated.
“So, it was over Dat?”
“Priscilla secretly loved him. She was frantic when our dat announced that I was to marry him.” Mamm blinked and shifted in her chair. “Priscilla went to Ruth and poured out her heart. I don’t know what she was thinking. Maybe that Ruth would come between us. Or Ruth would tell Benjamin? But by then, I was smitten. Your dat was so … Ruth decided to keep it to herself. She never told me—never told Benjamin. She told no one. And of course, Priscilla never said a word. And then it was too late.”
Hope could see Mamm was no longer in their kitchen—she was far away, reliving it all over again. A shadow pas
sed over Mamm’s face, and a small gasp escaped her lips. “Priscilla couldn’t, she just couldn’t stay and watch. And I didn’t know.”
“I’m sorry, Mamm.” From the absent look in Mamm’s eyes, Hope wasn’t sure she’d even heard her.
“Our dat refused to look for her … for Priscilla.” Mamm’s mouth tightened, and she inhaled sharply. “Refused.”
Hope’s mind flew to her grossdaadi. She’d only known him as an angry old man who ranted on about everything wrong with the world. And he would never have anything to do with the Englisch. Wouldn’t go to their doctors, or their stores, or their businesses. Ever.
So there was more to his anger than she knew. She’d always thought it was just his unforgiving heart and his natural bad temperament. Remorse for her judgment swept through her.
“I’m sorry, Mamm,” she repeated. She inhaled slowly. “Mamm, someday please, won’t you tell Sally and Jack their mother’s story? I think it might help Sally.”
With a quick movement, Mamm stood and placed her empty chair firmly back under the table. “Enough talk. Will you need the buggy, then?”
Mamm was back to all business, and Hope knew she would hear no more. She nodded. “Jah, Mamm. Late this morning.”
“All right, then. I’ll speak to your dat.”
Mamm turned and left the room.
****
Sally went with Hope into Hollybrook. Hope knew of four restaurants that could be interested in her pies. As Chocolate trotted toward town, Sally talked about the coming school year and what it might be like to go to high school in Hollybrook, but Hope had trouble concentrating on her chatter. All she could think of was her grossdaadi and how hurt he had to have been when Priscilla disappeared. And it must have been so hard for Priscilla. Where had she escaped to at first? Who had she known? How had she survived in the Englisch world? But Priscilla had survived, for her daughter sat right beside her.
Hope guided Chocolate to Amy’s Eats just inside the town limits. “Wait here, Sally.” Hope picked up one of the fresh pies and disappeared into the restaurant. Within three minutes, she was back. She climbed into the buggy and handed the pie to Sally without a word.
“Well?” asked Sally. “How’d it go?”
“It didn’t,” Hope answered, crestfallen.
“I should have guessed. You’re limping again,” Sally observed.
Hope groaned. Since her childhood accident involving a field horse, her weak ankle always gave away her stress.
“But I was sure the restaurant would jump at the chance to buy the pies,” she said.
How wrong she was. They’d had a supplier for years and were quite happy with him. Hope clucked her tongue at Chocolate, and they started toward their next target.
In just under an hour, Hope was no closer to earning money than when she’d started out. Actually further away because she’d used a fair amount of ingredients on the six pies sitting in the buggy. As they rolled over the rutted road, she scolded herself for her pride. The scripture said, “Pride goeth before a fall,” and she’d surely proven that today.
They were nearly to the edge of town when Sally tugged on her sleeve. “How about there?” she pointed to a gas station with a small market. “Look how many people are stopping.”
The lot was indeed full of various vehicles. People emerged from the store sipping on bucket-sized drinks and unwrapping packaged snacks.
“That’s not a real restaurant, Sally.” Hope snapped the reins gently on Chocolate’s back.
“Stop,” Sally said with increased fervor. “You’ve got six pies in here that need sold. If you won’t ask them, I will.”
Hope pulled on the reins. “You really think they’ll want to sell my pies?”
“Can’t hurt to try.”
Hope guided the buggy to the side of the parking lot. Pairs of eyes goggled them, surely wondering why they’d be stopping at a gas station. Hope was accustomed to being gawked at, but considering the nerve she needed to go inside, she felt particularly self-conscious.
“Want me to go with you? Or instead of you?” Sally asked.
“Nee,” Hope answered. “I need to do this, but thank you. I’ll be right back.”
Five minutes later, Hope rushed back to the buggy, a victorious smile covering her face. “Sally, you’re wonderful! They want them. All six!”
She reached behind Sally for the pies. “They said a lot of travelers stop for gas here without going into town, so they think there will be a market for Amish pies.”
Sally jumped down and grabbed two of them. Hope balanced the others on her arms, and they headed for the store. A few minutes later, they returned to the buggy, and Hope tucked the money she’d received snugly into her purse.
“They’re going to sell them for double what they paid you,” Sally said as she climbed back onto her seat.
“I know that. But it’s still well worth my time.” Hope gathered up the reins. “I’m to check back tomorrow to see if they will become a regular customer. Wait till I tell Abram!”
She clucked her tongue, and they were underway.
“There’s probably another gas station on the other side of town, you know,” Sally said.
Hope grinned. “Let’s see how this one goes. Then we’ll check it out.”
Chocolate trotted down the road where hundreds of buggy wheels had worn grooves into the asphalt. Rows of corn lined the road, tall and unmoving in the still muggy air. Hope’s heart warmed with the thought that soon—the following year in fact—with God’s blessing, she and Abram would have their own first crop of corn.
A small frown wrinkled her brow. Abram’s leg simply had to heal. Farming was grueling enough when fully mobile. Her mind went back to the old Miller house. She yearned to give it a good scrubbing. The windows were filthy and the bathroom … she shuddered. Closing her eyes, Hope visualized it all tidy and neat, with wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen, and the patter of little boppli feet trundling down the stairs.
“What are you grinning about?” Sally asked.
“My future,” Hope said and breathed a prayer.
****
By the end of the week, Hope had not only secured a permanent pie supplying position at one gas mart, but three. She baked fifteen pies daily—a big order considering she had to fit it around her regular chores. But her greater purpose kept her eager and willing. She developed a system and could whip out the crusts in just over an hour. The different fillings took longer, but she trimmed time off the task every day.
Mamm and Ruth struggled to squeeze in their kitchen work around Hope’s baking schedule.
“How long are you going to do this?” Ruth asked, edging sideways between Hope and the counter.
“Hopefully, for quite some time,” Hope answered, beating more than a dozen eggs in a large glass bowl.
Mamm gazed at her with raised eyebrows. Hope knew Mamm suspected all of the baking had something to do with Abram, but it wasn’t their way to push too hard into personal business. And it wasn’t as if Abram was coming around regularly taking Hope for rides in a courting buggy.
These days, Abram saved his energy to tend the animals, hobbling between the barn and the grazing field on his crutches.
“Mamm, I need to run an errand after supper. Do you need me for anything?” Hope asked, pouring fresh milk into the beaten eggs.
“I want you to check the coop fence. Your dat is too busy in the fields right now, and it looked suspicious when I last gathered eggs. Seems like something’s been digging.”
“All right, Mamm. And after that?”
“I imagine it would be all right.”
Four
Mamm was right. Animals had been digging at the west end of the coop. Hope thought it might be raccoons. Something had pulled and flipped the sod into a jumble. Hope shoveled dirt into the hole, stamped down the sod, and set a wooden plank on top of the area. There, that should do for now, she said to herself as she carried the shovel back to the shed.
; Ann and Jack emerged from the open door, packing hoes over their shoulders.
“We checked on Chocolate earlier,” Ann told Hope. “I showed Jack how to brush her down.”
Hope studied Jack’s face. Some of the dark shadows had cleared, and he looked almost content. Hope wanted to gather Ann in a hug of gratitude. All day, every day, Ann towed Jack and Apple around, and it seemed to be the best thing for all concerned. Hope had never known any person or animal who wasn’t won over by Ann’s infectious giggle and exuberant happiness.
Hope hurried to the barn to extract Mamm’s bicycle and rode off toward the Lambrights. She felt a bit guilty for not taking Sally, but she and Abram weren’t meeting at his house. They planned to meet at the edge of the Lambright’s property, where there was a small stand of oak trees. Hope had been doubtful about Abram going so far on his leg, but he’d assured her it was fine.
As she pedaled nearer the trees, she saw a flash of blue. Her heart quickened and she increased her speed. She rolled over the lumpy dirt into the shade of the trees. Abram was leaning against the trunk of the biggest oak, and an easy smile played at the corners of his mouth.
She jumped off the bike and balanced it against a stump. She turned to him, her eyes alight. “Abram! You made it!”
He set his crutches aside and held out his hands to her. She stepped close and put her hands into his. They gazed into each other’s eyes, and every cell in Hope’s body tingled with excitement.
“How is your leg today?” she asked.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek. His kiss sent the pit of her stomach into a wild swirl. His face was so close that his breath fluttered over her mouth, and she breathed him in. His lips whispered against her cheek once more, and then he moved ever so slightly to her mouth. Her heart beat hard and without thought, her lips moved under his. She heard a low sound in the back of his throat, and he pulled her roughly into his embrace. She snuggled her head against his broad chest, and their breath came in soft gasps. He pressed his cheek on the top of her kapp, and they continued to stand for a long moment, until he gently pushed her from him.
Amish Romance BOXED SET: Amish Days: Hope's Story Page 8