The Crow’s Call: Amish Greenhouse Mystery Book 1
Page 8
“Do you have some time to talk?” her friend asked, stepping up to Amy.
“Maybe a few minutes. Mom’s at the house checking on Sylvia and the kinner, so I’m by myself until she comes back—which won’t be till she’s fixed herself a bite to eat.”
“There’s only one person browsing around right now, and I doubt she’s here to buy anything. I think I saw her walking along the road toward town about a week ago.” Lydia gestured to the stringy-haired elderly English woman wearing a tattered dress and a faded pair of sneakers that looked like they should have been thrown away months ago. “I believe she resides in that abandoned old shack about a mile from here.”
“It’s so sad. That poor woman comes in here at least once a week,” Amy whispered. “She never buys anything—just looks at all the pretty flowers and sometimes comments on how nice they smell.” Her voice lowered even more. “I think she might not have a real home of her own and maybe no family either.”
“That’s a shame.” Lydia turned her head as though unable to look at the woman anymore. “I can’t imagine how it must be for people who have no place to go or money to buy things.”
Amy nodded. She too felt sorry for the woman who had never given them her last name. Just said one time when they’d asked that her name was Maude. “Mom sometimes brings out a sandwich or some apple slices and cheese to share with the poor lady.”
“That’s very kind of her; it’s the charitable thing to do. I have a few extra dollars on me. Maybe I’ll buy a couple of those flowers from the table she’s looking at and give them to her.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?”
“Your mamm has been nice to her, and I’d like to do the same.” Lydia handed Amy the money and headed over to the table where the woman looked intently at the petunias.
Amy watched as the bedraggled lady brushed aside a strand of gray hair and then touching the red flower, she glanced at Lydia.
“These are sure pretty, aren’t they?”
“Yeah.” The old woman moved on but didn’t look at the plants anymore before she ambled toward the exit.
Amy saw Lydia pick out two of the red petunias and walk up behind the elderly woman. “Ma’am, I want you to have these.”
The woman’s brows furrowed. “Are … are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ve already paid for them.”
A faint smile formed on the woman’s face. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Have a good day,” Lydia called as the lady ambled out the door with the flowers.
“She looked happy. That was a nice act of kindness.” Amy moved to the other side of the counter and motioned for Lydia to join her. “Did you come by for anything specific or just to chat?”
“I came here to see how you all are doing, and—”
“It’s difficult, but we’re getting by and keeping plenty busy.”
“Is Sylvia doing any better?”
Amy shook her head. “She’s still too distraught to work in the greenhouse. It’s all she can do to take care of Allen and the boppli.”
“That’s too bad. If she could help out here, it might take her mind off her situation and help relieve some of the depression she feels.”
Amy nodded. “Keeping busy has helped my mamm and me from falling apart. By the time we’re done for the day, we are both so tired, we just fall into bed at night in dire need of sleep.” Amy’s forehead wrinkled as she slumped on the stool. “Of course, we still have plenty of moments when we give in to our tears.”
Lydia gave Amy’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. “I heard about you breaking up with Jared.”
Wouldn’t you know it? Amy’s muscles tightened as she sat up straight on the stool. “Who told you?”
“He did. Came by my house the other day and asked if I would talk to you.”
“Really?”
“Jah. He wanted me to speak on his behalf and try to convince you to let him continue courting you.”
Amy’s jaw clenched as she picked up a pencil and tapped it against the counter. “He had no right to do that.”
“Jared loves you, Amy.”
“I care about him too, but it’s not going to work out for us.” She made a sweeping gesture with her hand. “I am responsible for a good many things here and will be for a very long time.”
“Is there any reason Jared can’t share in your responsibilities?”
“Jah, he has his own business to run, and I could never ask him to give up what he enjoys doing to help run the greenhouse.” Amy shook her head. “I don’t have time for courting anymore. So, when you see Jared again, please tell him for me that he may as well accept the fact that our relationship is over.”
Lydia looked at Amy with a pinched, tension-filled expression. “I’ll give him your message, but I think you’ll end up regretting that decision.”
“I probably will, but I have no choice in the matter.” Amy turned her attention to the door when a group of English people entered the greenhouse. “Please excuse me, Lydia, but I need to see if my customers need any assistance.”
“Of course. Take care, my dear friend. I hope to see you again soon.” Lydia hurried out of the building, and Amy set her mind on business and hopefully making at least one sale.
Two more weeks went by, and soon it was the last Monday of June. Every day seemed to blend into the next. Amy had gotten into the routine and did her best to keep things running smoothly. She’d been happy a week ago when Mom talked Sylvia into helping them out. Amy had hoped her sister would come to the greenhouse to fill the hanging baskets, but Sylvia had been adamant about not having to speak to the public or be around too many people at once. Mom had been considerate and asked Henry and Amy to bring the baskets and needed supplies over to the house, where Sylvia could arrange them.
With Michelle’s baby due in three weeks, Amy hoped Sylvia would be up to helping in the greenhouse so Mom could go to Ezekiel and Michelle’s home in New York to help for a few weeks. Ezekiel had been so busy, and Michelle’s back bothered her, so they hadn’t made a trip to Strasburg since their stay after the funerals. They both called often though to see how everyone was doing. Mom always returned their calls, and Amy was sure nothing was ever said to give Ezekiel the impression that things weren’t going well. She knew without question that her mother wanted to be independent and did not want Ezekiel to give up his new life and ministry in Clymer.
As Amy headed down the driveway to get the mail Monday morning, she saw a moving van parked in the driveway at the home across the road. Apparently, someone had bought the house. It would be nice to have new neighbors. The home had been sitting empty too long.
She kept watching as a middle-aged English couple got out of the older-model car parked behind the moving van. Amy was pretty sure the tall man was the same person she’d seen with the Realtor a few weeks ago. The woman appeared to be at least a foot shorter than he was. Her red hair was styled in a short cut, and she walked with a slight limp. They stood on the overgrown lawn, talking with the two men who’d gotten out of the van, and then they all went inside the house.
Amy glanced at the area out front, where the FOR SALE sign used to be, and noticed that it had been taken down. I wonder if it’s just the two of them moving into the house, or if there are other family members joining them. They looked too old to have young children, but she supposed they could still have teenagers or college-age children who might live at home.
Well, it’s none of my business, and I need to get back to the greenhouse before customers start coming in.
Remembering the reason she’d walked down the driveway, Amy opened the mailbox and removed a stack of envelopes. Thumbing through them quickly, she saw that most were advertisements, with just a few bills.
“That’s good,” Amy said aloud as she headed back up the driveway. The bill from the plumber they’d hired to fix the broken pipe had been high enough, and they didn’t need any other large bills to pay right now.
“Are you su
re you can handle things while I’m gone?” Belinda asked Amy at two o’clock. “My dental appointment is in half an hour, and afterward I want to go to the bank and stop by the grocery store. My driver should be here soon, but I wanted to make sure you’re okay with me being gone that long.”
“It’s fine, Mom.” Amy, although she looked tired, offered Belinda a smile. “I’ve already alerted Henry to the fact that I’ll most likely need his help in here.”
Belinda gave her daughter’s arm a tender squeeze. Henry had become so moody, and Sylvia was still despondent. It was a comfort to be able to count on Amy.
The crunch of gravel could be heard outside the greenhouse, followed by the tooting of a horn.
“That must be my driver, Sandy.” Belinda gave Amy a hug. “I’ll see you in a few hours and will be praying that all goes well here for the remaining hours you are open.”
“Danki, Mom. I’m sure everything will go fine, and I hope things go well at your dental appointment.”
Belinda gave a nod, grabbed her purse from behind the counter, and hurried out the door.
Things became busy that afternoon, and Amy felt thankful for Henry’s help, even though he walked around with a scowl on his face. Hopefully, none of their customers had noticed.
Amy looked toward the door when some English people came in and headed over to the area where a few gift items were located. It wasn’t uncommon for tourists to check out the items for sale in the Amish-run greenhouse. Before Amy’s father died, her parents had decided to carry some lawn decor, such as solar-lighted animal figurines, garden signs, wind chimes, and a few small fountains and birdbaths. All those things helped bring in more income.
While the place became busier, Amy found herself needing to leave the register more often to assist a couple patrons, but she didn’t feel right doing that. A gray-haired man approached her and reached into his pocket to retrieve a slip of paper. Then he asked Amy for some help finding a certain plant. Amy assumed he must be hard of hearing because she had to repeat herself a lot. She glanced back at the checkout counter and saw a line of people beginning to form. Seeing her brother on one side of the greenhouse, she called: “Henry, could you please come over here?”
He took his sweet time and sauntered up to her with a disgruntled expression. “What do ya need?”
“This gentleman here needs some help, and as you can see, I should be up at the register where customers are waiting for assistance.”
Henry looked around. “Where’s Mom? Why isn’t she helping people up there?”
“She went to the dentist, remember?”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right.” Henry motioned for the man to follow him down the aisle, while Amy made her way back to the counter. She hoped her brother wouldn’t be too upset with her when he discovered that the man she’d asked him to wait on had trouble hearing.
Pulling her attention back to the immediate need, Amy smiled at the woman who’d picked out two sets of wind chimes. She wrapped each one in bubble wrap and placed them in a box. Amy hadn’t expected things to be so busy while Mom was away, but at least with Henry’s help, they’d managed so far.
She’d finished waiting on the woman when a tall, beardless Amish man entered the greenhouse and approached the counter. She didn’t recognize him and figured he must be from a neighboring community.
He smiled and removed his straw hat, revealing a thick crop of brown hair with a few touches of gray here and there. “Hello.” He extended his hand. “My name is Monroe Esh, and I was told that Belinda King owns this greenhouse.”
Amy reached out a hand tentatively and shook his large hand. “Jah, Belinda is my mamm.” She hoped he wasn’t here to try and sell them something.
“Is she here?” Monroe glanced around as though expecting Amy to point out her mother among some of the Amish women looking at the plants.
“No, she’s in town right now.”
“Aw, I see. Do you know what time she’ll be back? I’d like to talk to her.”
“No, I don’t. She probably won’t return for a while yet.”
“I see.” His lips pressed tight into a grimace.
“Can I give my mother a message, or is there something I can help you with?”
“No message.” He looked at Amy with a strange expression. “You remind me of Belinda when she was about your age—same color hair, same pretty face.”
Amy’s cheeks warmed as she looked up at him. “Did you know my mamm when she was my age?”
He gave a quick nod. “I not only knew her, but we were a courting couple. At least we were up until Vernon King came along and stole her from me.” His brown eyes darkened further, and a muscle on the side of his neck quivered. “She ended up marrying him, and when that happened, I quit my job and left the area.”
Unsure of what to say and unable to hold the man’s steady gaze, Amy lowered her head to look at the floor.
“I heard about Vernon’s passing, and I’d like to offer my condolences. Would you please tell Belinda I came by and that I’ll return in a few days to see how she’s doing?”
Amy lifted her head. “I will give her your message.”
“Danki.” He plopped his hat back on his head and strolled out the door.
Amy sank to the stool as an uncomfortable feeling settled over her. The fact that Monroe was clean-shaven meant he was obviously not married. She hoped he didn’t have any ideas about getting back with her mother. It was way too soon for Mom to even be thinking of remarriage, and for that matter, Amy felt sure her mother would never get married again. The love she had for Amy’s father went deep, and Amy felt certain that Mom would never love another man the way she had Dad.
Jared had only been home from work a short time when a horse and open buggy pulled into the yard. He walked out to the hitching rail as Lydia pulled up to it, and then he secured her chestnut-colored horse.
“I spoke to Amy on your behalf, and I’m sorry for not coming by sooner, but my parents and I had to go out of town due to a death in my dad’s family.”
“Sorry to hear that. Was it someone you were close to?” Jared asked.
“It was my great-aunt Matilda. She lived in Tennessee, but I didn’t know her well. Even so, I wanted to attend the funeral in support of my daed.”
“I understand.” Jared waited until Lydia stepped down from the buggy. “So, what did Amy have to say when you spoke to her?”
Lydia slowly shook her head. “I’m sorry, Jared, but she wouldn’t change her mind about the two of you courting.”
He bent his head forward, releasing a heavy sigh. This was not the news he had hoped for. If Lydia couldn’t get through to Amy, then what chance did he have?
“Danki for trying,” Jared mumbled. “Guess I’ll have to accept Amy’s decision—at least for now.”
Lydia patted his arm. “Maybe in a few months she will change her mind.”
Jared wanted to believe Amy’s friend, but he had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. As much as he hated to admit it, no matter how many times he went over and tried to talk Amy into letting him court her, her answer might always be no.
That evening, while Amy and Belinda fixed supper, Amy brought up a subject that sent a ripple of shock through Belinda.
“A man named Monroe Esh came by to see you this afternoon, Mom. He seemed disappointed that you weren’t here and said he’d be back in a few days to talk to you.”
A flush of heat erupted on Belinda’s cheeks as she touched her parted lips. “I … I heard he was moving back here, but I had no idea he’d come to our place to see me. Did he say what he wanted to talk to me about?”
“Said he’d heard about Dad’s passing and wanted to offer his condolences.” Amy reached into the refrigerator for a slab of bacon. Tonight they’d decided to keep supper simple by fixing BLTs. “Monroe seemed eager to see you, and he looked disappointed when I told him you weren’t here.”
“I see.”
“Monroe also mentioned that he used to c
ourt you. Is that true, Mom?”
Belinda nodded slowly, and her thoughts wandered as she leaned against the counter. She hadn’t thought about it for a long time, but hearing that Monroe had been here took her mind back to the day she’d broken things off with him. She could still visualize his look of rejection when she’d informed him that she thought of him only as a friend and had agreed to be courted by Vernon. Monroe’s eyes had appeared so dark and serious, and there’d been a grim twist to his mouth. “If you felt no love for me, Belinda, it was wrong to lead me on,” he’d muttered.
Did I lead Monroe on? Belinda asked herself now. During the brief time he’d courted me, did I give the impression that I’d fallen in love with him? If so, I hadn’t meant to. I just assumed Monroe knew I wasn’t serious about him.
Pushing her memories aside, Belinda took out a loaf of bread and removed the plastic wrapping around it. What will I say to Monroe if he does come back to the greenhouse to speak to me? I hope he’s not harboring ill feelings.
When Virginia Martin woke up the following day, her whole body ached. She wished she knew of a good massage therapist in the area and could get in with them today. Virginia had overdone it by trying to move some of the boxes the movers had set in the wrong spots. Earl had caught her trying to move one of them and took it to the place she wanted in the dining room. With the exception of a quick trip to the grocery store yesterday before the movers arrived, she and Earl had spent most of the day unpacking boxes and putting things away. By the time they were ready for bed last night, she’d barely had the strength to put sheets on the bed. Fortunately, her husband didn’t have to start his new job until tomorrow, which gave them today to do more unpacking. Virginia couldn’t wait to be settled in—it sure was a draining process. She wanted to have everything where it needed to be.
Right now though, as Virginia sat on the front porch with a cup of coffee in her hand, all she wanted to do was relax. Her gaze trailed to the overgrown yard of their new residence, desperately in need of being cut. She could see that the previous owners had fallen behind on a good many things around the place. Either that or the place had sat empty too long.