Emma raised her eyebrows and knew that she should be the one to deliver the sad news; after all she was the one who found the letters and wanted to get them back to their owner. “You see, it was your friend, the one who went missing, it was she who told him that you died. The woman called Josephine Cutter.”
Dorothy pushed herself back into the couch and was silent for a while. “How would you know that for sure?”
“Harold said so. I’m afraid that she went on to marry Harold.”
Dorothy’s mouth fell open, and her eyebrows rose. “Where’s Harold now?”
“Lives close to Lancaster County. He’s keen to see you if you want to see him,” Maureen said.
“He knows I’m alive now?”
Maureen nodded. “He certainly does.”
“You said that his wife had died. Does that mean that Josephine is dead?”
Maureen nodded. “I’m afraid Josephine died not too long ago.”
Dorothy’s eyes looked into the distance. “I always thought that Josephine liked Harold. Harold told me once that she made a play for him. I laughed at him and told him that he must have imagined it. Now, it falls into place, but I never thought she would be capable of doing what she did.”
“Do you want to see him?” Emma asked.
“Yes, of course, I do. The past must be as water under the bridge. I’ve little time left for this world, and I’ll not bear a grudge for the rest of it.”
Emma and Maureen nodded.
“He’s not able to travel; he’s got a bad heart. You could come back on the train with us if you’d like to see him,” Maureen offered.
“Of course I’d like to see him. When are you going back?”
Emma said, “We planned to go tomorrow, but we could stay a little longer if you won’t be ready tomorrow.”
“Thank you. I’ll be ready for tomorrow. I’ve waited for this for many years.” Dorothy gave a little laugh and clapped her hands together. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Dorothy leaned forward and took both Emma and Maureen’s hand. “You two ladies are angels. God has sent you to make an old lady happy. I thank you from the depths of my heart for bringing my Harold back to me. If I just see his face before I die, that will make me a happy woman.”
Early the next morning they called for Dorothy in a taxi and took her to the train station.
Once they settled into their train seats, Emma noticed that Maureen was looking around nervously. “Don’t worry, it’s hardly likely that he’ll be on the train this time.”
Maureen laughed and looked down into her hands.
“What’s the matter, Maureen?” Dorothy asked.
Before Maureen could answer, Emma leaned over toward Dorothy who was sitting opposite. “When we were travelling on the train to see you, Maureen spotted an old beau on the train. We had to hide from him and couldn’t even eat our meal that we had already paid for. It was when Maureen was younger; she cancelled her wedding just two weeks before marrying him.”
Dorothy looked startled and turned to Maureen who was sitting next to her. “I thought you Amish would have arranged marriages.”
Maureen drew her body away from her. “No, never.”
Emma giggled. “We have our own choice who we marry.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. So, you’re not married, Maureen?”
“I was married, but unfortunately he became very ill for quite a few years before he died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that Maureen.” She looked across at Emma. “What about you, Emma?”
“I was married too and he died about a year ago.”
“Emma’s engaged to someone now, though,” Maureen said with a smile.
“That’s lovely,” Dorothy said, “Did I tell you that I was once married?”
Emma and Maureen shot each other a look.
“No, we didn’t know,” Maureen said.
“Yes, it was five years after the war. I knew Harold wasn’t coming home, and I met someone I thought was a nice man, but he turned out to be too fond of the whiskey and the women. We only lasted six months together before I filed for a divorce.” Dorothy looked out the train window. “I never should’ve married him; I hoped that by marrying someone else it would take the pain of my Harold away.”
Emma joined Dorothy in looking out the window and wondered whether she was trying to block the pain of losing Levi by marrying Wil.
The old lady looked back to Emma. “Tell me about your fiancé, what’s he like?”
Emma smiled. “He makes me happy. He’s carefree and makes me feel that I’m young again. He’s always so full of energy.”
“Goodness me, Emma, you are young, compared to me anyway. Is your man handsome?”
Emma nodded. “Yes, he is tall and quite handsome.”
Maureen nodded in agreement.
Dorothy turned to Maureen. “Have you found yourself another man?”
“There is someone I like, but he’s very quiet; maybe, a little too quiet. Sometimes I don’t know what he’s thinking, and it unnerves me.”
“In what way?” Dorothy asked.
“It’s just that I can’t work out if we have things in common or if we think the same way on things because he never comments.”
Dorothy took hold of Maureen’s arm. “Take the advice of an old lady, don’t be in a rush.” She looked over to Emma. “You too, Emma. You can’t date someone else, or have a relationship with someone else when you are still in love with someone else, even if they are dead – or missing in action - assumed dead.”
Emma shot a look at Maureen, and they both smiled at each other. Emma was always willing to listen to her elders. When Emma was younger she thought she knew it all, but as she matured she was grateful to listen to advice. Even though Dorothy was not Amish it did not mean that her advice was of no consequence.
“Were you talking about Bob Pluver just now, Maureen?”
Maureen nodded. Emma did not think that Bob was a suitable match for Maureen, and she hoped that Maureen would listen to Dorothy’s advice about not rushing in.
“Tell me, Dorothy,” Maureen said with a laugh in her voice, “Did you ever run into that man you married after you divorced?”
Dorothy laughed and put a hand to her mouth. “Heavens, no. I don’t know where he’s moved. I heard he moved away when I told him to leave the house for the last time. I would cross the other side of the street if I ever saw him walking toward me.”
“So you’re divorced now?” Emma asked.
Dorothy nodded. “You can’t divorce in your religion, can you?”
Both Maureen and Emma shook their heads.
“It always seems that you Amish have an ideal lifestyle. Many of my neighbors were Amish, and they were always so nice and friendly. The children were always so polite. I’d see the children walk by to school as I worked in the garden of a morning.”
Emma pictured the small front yard of Dorothy’s house. It did have a nice garden or would have been nice around six months ago before Dorothy moved.
“How do you like living in Florida?” Emma asked.
“I like the weather; it was far too cold in Lancaster County. Now it’s warm and sunny all year round. At its coldest, I just need wear a light cardigan, and that’s all.” After a pause, Dorothy said, “Did I mention I have a son?”
The ladies shook their heads.
“A year after I married I had a son, I called him Harold. He’s still living near my old house, where he grew up.”
“It must’ve been hard to leave him when you moved to Florida,” Maureen said.
She shook her head. “He’s busy now, with his own family. He’ll visit me though. I’ve got a spare bedroom and the children, my two grandchildren, can sleep in the fold-out in the living room.”
“Would you like to stay overnight at my place when we get to Lancaster? We can go and see Harold first thing in the morning,” Emma said.
“Thank you, that would be lovely. You ladies have been so kind.”
“I have to wo
rk tomorrow so I’ll have to leave you in Emma’s hands.” Maureen said.
* * *
Ettie and Elsa-May were excited for Harold and Dorothy to meet, so they had invited themselves to Harold’s haus for the reunion.
Emma helped Dorothy out of the taxi. As they walked toward Harold’s front door, Dorothy said, “I feel as though I’m going to burst. I hope he’s not disappointed to see how old I’ve gotten.”
Emma laughed. “Nonsense, everyone gets old, he’s older too and you look lovely.”
When they were nearly two yards away from the front door, it swung open, and Harold stood in the doorway with a huge smile covering his face.
Dorothy walked toward him with outstretched arms. He touched her hands and then they looked into each other’s eyes before they hugged.
Emma looked past Harold to see Elsa-May and Ettie just inside the house. Ettie wiped a tear away from her eye, and Elsa-May smiled sweetly.
Once Harold and Dorothy finished their embrace they looked into each other’s eyes once more as their arms locked together.
“I can’t believe it; I just can’t believe it,” Dorothy said.
“I don’t know what to say, Dorothy.”
Dorothy looked him up and down. “You don’t need to say anything, it’s so good to see you.”
“Come inside,” Harold said.
Elsa-May and Ettie disappeared back into the house while Emma and Maureen followed.
Harold briefly introduced Ettie and Elsa-May and Dorothy introduced Harold to Emma and Maureen.
“Thank you, ladies, for doing what you’ve done. I’m so grateful; you’ve got no idea what this means to me,” Harold said with his arm around Dorothy.
Elsa-May grunted and said, “You two catch up with each other, and we’ll make the tea.”
Emma helped the three ladies in the kitchen.
“I found out that Dorothy was married briefly and has a son. She called her son Harold and he lives somewhere around these parts. She divorced his father a long time ago,” Maureen told Elsa-May and Ettie.
“She most likely never got over Harold,” Ettie said.
“I’ve been thinking that maybe he, the son, can drive her back to Florida when she’s ready, or take her back on the train. She’s a bit frail to travel by herself,” Maureen said.
“I wonder how long she’ll stay.” Elsa-May put two teacups onto a tray.
“How did she take the news that her friend lied then married Harold herself?” Ettie poured the boiling water into the teapot.
“She seemed shocked, but she got over it quickly. Surprisingly fast,” Emma said. “I’ve told Dorothy that she can stay at my place as long as she wants. I’m guessing she might stay a few days.”
Elsa-May made her way to the living room with a tray of tea and teacups. Ettie and Emma followed with a plate of cookies and some of Elsa-May’s jam tartlets.
Harold and Dorothy sat on the lounge holding hands. Harold looked up at the ladies when they walked in the room. “Dorothy’s agreed to marry me.”
“Oh, that’s delightful news,” Emma said as she placed the plate on the coffee table.
“We’re going to live in my new home at the village. There’s room for two,” Dorothy said.
“Lovely,” Elsa-May said.
“We’re so happy for you.” Emma was going to ask if she was going to see her son while she was here, but she did not know if Dorothy had mentioned her son to Harold yet.
“You ladies have been so good to both of us. I don’t know how we can ever repay you for your kindness, but we will find a way, won’t we, Harold?”
“Most definitely. We’ll find a way,” Harold said.
Emma shook her head. “We’re happy that you two have found each other again. That’s all we need.”
“We should leave you two alone to catch up,” Elsa-May said.
“Shall I call for you this afternoon, Dorothy? Around five?” Emma asked.
“No, dear. I’ll get a taxi to your house. You can’t be running around after me; you’ve done enough.”
The widows said goodbye to Dorothy and Harold and they all left the house at the same time.
Chapter 9.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
and put your trust in the Lord.
Psalm 4:5
Later that day, Emma met Silvie at the bakery/café where she worked. Silvie had just finished her shift and was able to sit and talk.
“You should have seen them, Silvie. It was as though they’d never been apart. They just took right back up where they’d left off, and now they’re going to get married.”
“It’s so nice to be in love. It’s funny how you can be instantly drawn to another person.”
“Did you feel an instant attraction to Bailey?”
Silvie nodded. “I did.”
“Harold is going back to live in her retirement home with her,” Emma said.
“That was so horrible what her friend did to her. Elsa-May told me what happened.” Silvie wrapped her hands around her kaffe mug.
Emma nodded and took a sip of her hot drink. “It was awful alright.”
“I wonder how things would’ve turned out if her friend had still been alive when she found Harold, I mean, still married to Harold.”
“That’s a point. That would’ve been awkward for everyone involved with the lies that Josephine had told.”
“It’s odd how those letters sent you on a big adventure. Especially since the purchase of your haus didn’t go ahead in the end. It was as if Gott arranged for you to see the letters and get the two of them back together.”
“I didn’t think of it like that. I wonder.” Emma wondered if more than that Gott was teaching her about love. There was Maureen’s ex-fiancé as well, which caused Emma to look at her relationship with Wil in a new light. There were also Dorothy’s warnings not to rush into marriage with another man when you’re in love with another, as Dorothy herself, had done.
“What are you thinking about, Emma?”
“Ach, sorry. Just thinking on the journey and how life takes different and unexpected turns.” Emma ripped open a sachet of sugar and poured it into her kaffe. As she stirred her hot drink, she looked around the café. “Must be nice to get out and meet people like you do.”
“You mean when I’m working here?” Silvie asked.
“Jah. I’ve been thinking I should get a part-time job, or do something.” Emma had thought of opening a small business, but that was before she gave her nest egg to Wil for the house renovations.
“It is gut to get out and meet people. I’ve made a lot of friends from working here. Did you know many of the people come in every day?”
Emma nodded. “I’m going to think about a job. I’ve plenty of time on my hands. I could sew quilts like some of the ladies do, but I prefer to do something where I’m amongst people.”
Silvie spread butter onto her hot banana bread. “You know that Sabrina’s got a job now, don’t you?”
“I believe you mentioned it; where’s she working again?”
When Silvie finished her mouthful of banana bread, she said, “She’s had two jobs, she didn’t like either of them, but now she’s working at the auction place. She says she likes it.”
“That’s gut that’ll keep her out of trouble.”
“I’m hoping it will.” Silvie laughed.
An hour later Emma opened the front door of her haus. She had no idea what time Dorothy would arrive back and assumed she might be back around dinnertime that night. She looked into the cold box to see what she could make for dinner.
She turned when she heard Growler behind her. “Hello, Kitty. What have you done today?” When she looked closer at Growler, she could see that his paw was bleeding. She looked behind him and saw that blood had trailed all over the kitchen floor. She bent down. “Let me see your paw.” Growler would not let her anywhere near his paw.
“You home, Emma?”
“I’m in the kitchen,” Emma sa
id recognizing Wil’s voice. “Wil, it’s Growler, he’s hurt his paw.”
Wil raced to the kitchen and bent down to take a look. Growler was no more interested in letting Wil pick up his paw than he was to let Emma pick it up. Wil sat on the floor and held Growler against his body and parted the long fur on his leg to see where the bleeding was coming from. “It’s not too deep a cut. I’ll just put some aloe vera on it, and it’ll be fine. Do you still have that aloe vera plant?”
“Jah, shall I squeeze out the gel?”
“Jah, squeeze out about as much as you can cover on two fingers, make it a gut dollop.”
Emma rushed out to the garden and pulled some aloe vera leaves and squeezed out the gel and hurried back to Wil.
Wil took the gel with his two fingers, while still holding onto Growler. “Good boy, Growler.” Wil talked to Growler in soothing tones while he pasted the gel on his cut.
Growler growled a long, slow growl then leaped away from Wil. “Looks like he’s been in a cat fight.”
Emma watched Growler walk towards the living room. “Are you sure he’s okay or should I take him to the vet?”
“Jah, he’ll be alright.”
“I’ll have to keep him inside for a while. At least until he heals.”
Wil nodded. “I’ll wash my hands outside.”
Emma was pleased that Wil came just when he had. She was no good in a crisis. She wondered how she would be with kinner when they got hurt if she panicked when her cat was bleeding.
Wil came back in the back door wiping his hands on an old towel. “Emma, I came to talk to you about something quite serious.”
“What is it?” Emma asked. This was the first time they had come face to face after finding out that the sale of the house Wil tried to buy had not gone through.
“I feel terrible about what happened with the house and you losing money. I will pay it all back to you.”
Emma breathed out slowly and nodded, pleased that she would have the money to go ahead with a small business.
“I could still buy the house if I borrow against my farm.”
“Nee, Wil, don’t do that.”
“I will if you want me to. If you love the haus.”
Emma shook her head. “It’s a nice haus, but I feel as though we are best to wait until after we’re married before we make a final decision. Didn’t you say you had inherited money?” Emma did not like to talk about money, but he had mentioned that he had inherited money. Surely he would not have made that up.
Amish House of Secrets Page 6