by Leslie Gould
“What’s next, boss?” Martin called out, a few steps behind.
“We finish the other rows,” I answered. It didn’t take us long, and then we hauled the buckets of flowers out to the loading dock, adding more water as the truck turned up the driveway. Mervin and Martin did the lifting while I talked to the driver.
It felt good to be back on the farm, filling my competent and confident role, where people did what I asked them to and everything ran like clockwork. After the driver left, I sent Mervin and Martin to irrigate the shrubs and ventured back into the house. Edna had joined Mamm and Beatrice at the table, but Ivan was nowhere in sight.
“He’s back in the office,” Mamm said, without my even asking where he’d gone. I hadn’t thought to check when I was by the greenhouse.
I headed that way, but Ivan wasn’t in the office. Instead he was standing at the doorway to the barn, peering inside.
“What do you need?” I asked as I approached.
He turned toward me. “Why do you always make me feel as if I’m trespassing?” He pushed his glasses up on his nose.
“Goodness, I was just wondering if you were looking for something, if I could help you find whatever it is.”
He shook his head. “I don’t need anything. I’m just taking in the view.”
I crossed my arms. “Why are you still going through Dat’s accounts?”
“Just curious . . .”
“But I thought you did that last time you were here,” I said.
He shook his head. “Just the last few years. Now I’m looking at how things were before the building boom stopped.”
I took a deep breath, hoping Bob Miller would still come through with recommendations for us that could turn things around, but what I said to Ivan was, “Well, you must have determined by now it’s not a very good investment.”
“Oh, I’m not looking for an investment,” he said and then chuckled. “More likely a tax write-off.”
“So you might keep it if you buy it from Mamm?”
He wrinkled his nose. “Probably not.”
The next morning, after cutting flowers and herbs for a couple of hours, Mervin, Martin, and I stopped by the house for a cup of coffee before the market opened.
“See how hard she works,” Mamm said to Ivan as I entered. “You’d think we could turn things around. If we only had more land.” She gave Mervin a pleading look.
I ignored her comment, grabbing three mugs at once from the cupboard, setting them down on the counter with a bit of a clatter.
I poured the coffee and motioned for Mervin and Martin to come get their cups. Then I pried three sticky buns from the pan, put them one by one on paper napkins, and motioned to the boys to get those too. As they did, I glanced at Mamm. “Don’t come down today,” I said, nodding at the cane. “I’ll come up and check on you when I get a chance.”
“We’ll be fine,” Beatrice said.
“I’m sticking around for the day too,” Ivan said, putting down the paper and picking up his coffee cup.
“Let’s go,” I said to Mervin and Martin after we’d finished our snack.
Love followed along. I told the twins to transfer the planters from the greenhouse onto the wagon while I went to get Daisy.
They loaded the wagon, and I hitched the horse. “You two can take the wagon down,” I said, grabbing a bucket and heading to the lavender. Once I had it filled, I headed down the hill. The twins had parked the wagon, arranging the pots of flowers and herbs in a pleasing display. One of them must have taken Daisy back up the hill.
Nell had already arrived, and instead of setting up next to me, she had once again spread her potholders out on a table under Joseph Koller’s canopy. I don’t know why I didn’t expect it—but then I took a deep breath, chastising myself. Who was I to begrudge a middle-aged woman love after all these years?
Nell stepped around from Joseph’s table. “Hannah’s going to share your space again today.”
“Oh?” That surprised me.
“Jah. She put up quite a bit of strawberries yesterday—said she might as well sell jam today.”
I smiled, trying to appear cheerful about the arrangement but wishing Hannah had called me. I patted my apron pocket. I hadn’t been checking my messages very often since we’d returned from camping—plus I had the ringer off because I knew Ivan didn’t approve of my having a cell, especially not in the house.
I had five messages. My heart raced, hoping at least one was from Leon. Two from Hannah, left yesterday afternoon. And three from other vendors, left yesterday evening—all who wouldn’t be able to make it today for one reason or the other. That would cut into my profits.
I listened to Hannah’s messages last. The second was all about her coming to sell her jam, how she’d already talked to Nell and knew the other half of my table would be available. The first one simply said, “Call me.”
There was nothing from Leon.
Hannah showed up late, a little frazzled. Mervin must have spotted her buggy because he came down the slope and helped her unload her jars while I waited on customers.
One bought all of the potted geraniums in the wagon. “Bring down more,” I said to Mervin.
He practically had to tear himself away from Hannah. She looked at me, but that was all. I was fine with avoiding the conversation we still needed to have. For all I knew she and Leon were now courting.
The next customer bought all of my rosemary and half of the thyme. After I’d finished the transaction, I said, “Hannah, would you keep an eye on things? I’ll be right back.”
I hurried up the hill to grab what the twins had cut and ask them to cut more. Beatrice stood at the clothesline, taking down the wash. I didn’t bother to ask her to stop.
The twins came out of the greenhouse, each carrying two pots of geraniums. “Are there more herbs?” I asked.
Mervin nodded toward a bucket by the garden. I hurried over and grabbed it. Mervin had just finished cutting another bucket of rosemary. “Keep going,” I said, grabbing one bucket and then the other. “They’re selling like hot cakes.” My stomach growled at the thought. The sticky roll wasn’t going to be enough to tide me over until lunch. When I reached the back of the house, I put the buckets down and hurried through the door into the kitchen, leaving it open.
Mamm wasn’t at the table, but Ivan was, still reading his newspaper. “How’s it going down there?” he asked without looking up.
“Great,” I answered. “The twins can hardly keep up with replacing what we’re selling.” I opened the refrigerator. I took out a hunk of cheese and sliced a few pieces off, and then grabbed a loaf of bread from the box, cutting off the heel and taking it.
As I turned around, Ivan folded the newspaper. “You’ll never turn the farm around with the market.”
I nodded. “I know. I have other plans.”
Ivan chuckled. “I bet you do.”
I knew he was teasing, but I felt too sensitive about what was going on to join in any kind of banter. I headed to the door and Ivan followed me onto the stoop. Martin came around the corner of the house just as Ivan said, “Has your friend from Montana shown up today?”
I grabbed the two buckets by the handles, pretending I didn’t hear him.
“I didn’t think so,” Ivan said, his back to Martin. “If Mervin is set on Hannah, then it looks like you’ll have to get the second twin to marry you if you want to save the farm. Otherwise I’ll go ahead and make an offer.”
I don’t think he had any idea how he sounded. He thought he was making fun, but his words cut deep. I put down the buckets. “Stop. We haven’t even missed a payment yet. There’s lots of other things we’ll try first.”
Ivan shrugged and headed back into the house.
Martin stood frozen a few feet from me. “Don’t mind him,” I said, sure my face was as red as the geraniums in the pot in his hands. “Let’s head on down.”
“Listen . . .” Martin said, following me, his breathing funny.
/> “Are you all right?” I asked.
He nodded. “Just nervous.”
“Martin,” I said, “Ivan was just being stupid.” I ducked under the arbor.
“You don’t have to cover for him,” he said. “My Dat told me your family’s finances are bad. I just want you to know, I’d marry you in a heartbeat—especially if it meant saving your farm.” Now his face was red too.
“Martin, that’s no—”
“That’s not the only reason,” he said. “I’ve always admired you. I’ve always thought you’d make a good wife.” He glanced over his shoulder, up at our house. “And joining our two properties is all the more reason.”
“Denki,” I said. “Really.” I was touched by his willingness. “But you don’t love me.”
“I could. I’m certain of it,” he answered, as sincerely as could be.
I shook my head gently. “Something will work out. For all of us.” I stopped then.
Martin bumped into me. “Sorry,” he said.
“No, I’m sorry. I haven’t been trusting God—not at all—since Dat died. I’ve been frantic and controlling. And I’ve made everyone else uptight too.” I smiled at him. “He has a plan for all of us. The right one.”
He exhaled, seemingly relieved. I laughed. “I appreciate your offer, Martin, but promise me you’ll only marry for love.”
He nodded.
“Come on,” I said, leading the way down the trail. I preferred that Leon would reach out to me to work things out. But if he didn’t, I’d find out a way to go to him.
I loved him.
Once Martin put the geraniums on the wagon, he hurried back up the hill for more, and I headed toward my booth. I lowered the bucket of rosemary to adjust my grip, and as I rose back up, the clippity-clop of a horse’s hooves on the pavement, unaccompanied by the whir of wheels, caught my attention.
I stepped to where I could see through the booths to the highway, and sure enough, Leon was trotting Lightning down the pavement toward us.
Chapter
20
When I reached our booth, Hannah was wrapping the last of the lilies for a customer. I busied myself arranging the new flowers, doing my best to ignore Leon as he tethered Lightning between the first row of stalls and the buggies and wagons the vendors drove to the market.
My stomach lurched. Then it flipped. He hadn’t called or tried to contact me since the trip. I didn’t want to appear too eager, but I wasn’t ready to give up on him either.
As Leon approached our booth, he tipped his hat to Hannah first and then to me.
“Hello,” I said, as calmly as I could.
He picked up one of Hannah’s jars of jam.
She laughed. “You don’t need to buy that. There’s plenty at the house.”
“Jah, I’m not shopping for myself. I was thinking about putting a box together for my Mamm. Her birthday’s coming up.” He pointed to my bucket of lilies and lavender. “Wish I could send her flowers.”
“You could send her one of your drawings,” Hannah said.
I took a deep breath, imagining him showing Hannah his book.
“Ach,” he said, blushing a little. “She has plenty of my drawings, I’m afraid.”
“My Aenti Nell is selling potholders. Your Mamm might like one of those. And they’d pack well.” Hannah stepped away from the table and then without looking at me said, “Molly, would you keep an eye on things for me. I’m going to introduce Leon to Nell and Joseph.”
As the two strolled away from me, Hannah said, “Nell and Joseph are courting. Isn’t that sweet? After so many years of being single, she’s finally found someone to love her.”
My stomach lurched again, this time sending a wave of nausea through me. I had thought I’d found someone to love me too. Maybe I’d end up being old and alone someday after all.
“And someone for her to love?” Leon said.
“Of course,” Hannah responded. “That’s how it works, jah?”
Leon nodded. “Most of the time.”
My face grew even warmer than it had been from running up and down the hill. Did he think I hadn’t acted in a loving way to him?
A few minutes later, Mervin delivered two more buckets of flowers. He paused when he saw Hannah and Leon chatting with Nell and Joseph. Then he wandered over and joined in on the conversation, but as soon as he did, Hannah hightailed it back to our booth.
A group of customers congregated around, and we kept busy taking care of all of them, but once Mervin realized where Hannah had gone, he came back over too.
“More lavender,” I said to him. “And rosemary.” He left, a little reluctantly it seemed.
“Denki,” Hannah said. “I don’t want him following me around.”
“Oh look, lilies!” an Englisch woman about my age exclaimed, turning to the older woman beside her. “They’re the right color. What do you think?”
I quoted the price for a bouquet as Leon drifted back toward my booth.
“Oh, we’re not looking to buy today,” the older woman said. “We’re looking for flowers for a wedding. For next Friday.”
“Really?” I didn’t know the Englisch planned weddings in such a short time.
“The florist we’d ordered our flowers through just went out of business,” the younger woman said. “So we decided to do it ourselves. We were going to go to a wholesaler . . .”
“We can do it,” I said. “We have more lilies coming on. We can have them ready for you on Friday morning. At seven.”
“Perfect,” the older woman said, as Leon continued on to the next booth.
As we talked out the details, I thought through the logistics. Bob and Nan’s wedding was Friday morning. Even though the wedding would begin at nine, I’d have plenty of time to cut the flowers early that morning.
The bride, whose name I learned was Jennifer, ordered lavender and baby’s breath in addition to the lilies.
After they left, I scanned the market for Leon. He’d stopped at a produce booth. I waited on more customers, including Kristine from the bed-and-breakfast I’d visited. “I wanted more of your herbs,” she said.
We chatted as I wrapped rosemary, thyme, and basil for her. “You have a wonderful place here,” she said, pointing up toward the house.
“It’s a little shabby,” I said.
“No, not at all. It’s authentic. People would love to stay here.”
I told her I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to open up that sort of business or not.
“Well,” she said, “I’m sure whatever you decide to do, you’ll succeed at it.” She took the herbs from me. “But if you do decide to take in guests, I’d love to be a resource for you.”
“Denki,” I said.
She glanced around. “Where’s that handsome boyfriend of yours?”
My face grew warmer. “That’s not going as planned either.”
“Give it time,” she said as she walked away, giving me a wave as she did. “You two make such a sweet couple.”
Thankfully, Hannah was busy with her own customer and didn’t overhear my conversation—at least I didn’t think she did.
When Mervin returned to our booth, Hannah scurried over to Nell’s side. “Why does she do that?” Mervin asked me. “Why can’t she believe that I love her?”
I shrugged, and Mervin took off after her. Hannah darted back over to me, and Mervin followed after her.
“Leave me alone,” she hissed.
“Hannah—”
“Stop it,” she said. “You’ve humiliated me enough.”
Nell hurried over. “Hannah,” she cooed.
Hannah’s face had grown disturbed. “I’m going home,” she said, bending down to grab her box.
“No, wait.” Mervin grabbed her arm, but she yanked it away.
Leon appeared, asking, “What’s the problem?”
“Stay out of it,” Mervin said. “You’ve done enough already.”
“Mervin, go get more herbs,” I said. “Th
e bed-and-breakfast lady nearly cleared us out.”
He glared at me and then at Leon but turned toward the hillside and walked away.
As Hannah put the last of her jars in the box, Leon stepped forward and picked up her box. “I’ll ride alongside you,” he said.
Then he turned to me and said, as politely as could be, “Good-bye, Miss Molly.”
“Bye,” I managed to chirp, my heart contracting again. Was that it? A final good-bye. Was this how it was all going to end?
I swallowed hard, willing myself not to cry. I needed to talk with him but I couldn’t now. Not with Hannah in the state she was in.
“Hannah, wait,” I said. She turned. “I’m worried about you. Have you thought about seeing your counselor again?”
Tears filled her big brown eyes. “Do you think I should?”
I nodded, walking beside her.
“I have been feeling stressed.” She took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. “I’ll think about it.”
When I returned, Nell had moved her potholders over to my booth. I sent Mervin home to eat, and then whispered to Nell, “What’s going on?”
She pursed her lips, her round face bunching up, and said, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
“What happened?”
She turned to face the hill, and I followed her example. “Joseph just told me he started courting someone else this week,” she said, speaking in a normal tone. “A widow his oldest daughter introduced him to. A little older than me. She has ten kids of her own. He said he has more in common with her. It took him all morning to work up the nerve to tell me.” Nell lowered her voice a little. “I think he’s afraid if he married me, we might have a baby. The old fool.” She sounded tough, but I could tell by her voice she was hurt.
I put my arm around her. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not,” she answered. She took a raggedy breath. “Not about Joseph. Obviously he’s not the right one. But I am sorry for me. That I got my hopes up again . . .” She swiped at her eyes.
I took a good look at her out of the corner of my eye. She wasn’t that old, probably around the age Mamm was when Beatrice was born. Nell probably could have a baby. And she had a sweet face with her dark hair and clear brown eyes. The truth was she looked a lot like Hannah. I could easily imagine how beautiful Nell had been when she was a girl.