An Amish Reunion

by Amy Clipston

  Get it together, Marlene! You’re stronger than this!

  The little voice in her mind took her by surprise. Squaring her shoulders, she started down the flooded sidewalk, her shoes squeaking with every step.

  She turned down another road and had to step into the slippery mud to avoid an oncoming car. In her peripheral vision, she noted an oncoming horse and buggy but kept walking. With her head down, she might avoid seeing someone she might know. The thought of a community member seeing her like this sent a swell of humiliation over her.

  “Marlene!”

  She cringed at the sound of her name. Who had recognized her? Could this day get any worse?

  “Marlene! Marlene, it’s me, Rudy!”

  She cut her eyes to the side and suppressed a groan when she found Rudy calling to her from his buggy. Her cheeks heated with her rising embarrassment. Why did he have to come along when she was such a wreck?

  “Marlene.” He halted the horse. “Get in the buggy.”

  Closing the umbrella, she climbed into the buggy beside him and shivered.

  “Why didn’t you say you needed a ride?” He pulled a quilt from the back of the buggy and handed it to her. “I never would have let you walk home in this rain.”

  She patted her face dry with the quilt and wrapped it around herself.

  “I can pick you up in the morning and then bring you home after work,” he offered, guiding the horse down the road. “You only live a couple of blocks from me.”

  “It’s okay. Mei dat drops me off in the morning on his way to work. He works later than I do, so that’s why I walk home.”

  “Well, I can take you home. It’s not a problem.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, but her words were trapped in her throat. A new round of tears overcame her—and though she held her breath to stymie them, her tears broke free.

  “Ach, Marlene.”

  As the tears fell, she held the quilt over her face to shield her grief from Rudy.

  The buggy came to a stop. Then she felt Rudy shift closer to her.

  “Marlene. Talk to me.” Rudy’s breath was warm and close to her ear, sending a shiver of awareness cascading up her spine. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

  She took deep breaths in order to calm her frayed nerves. She wiped at her eyes but kept her gaze trained on her lap.

  “I’m humiliated that I had to walk home in the rain. I hate that you have to see me soaked like this.” She heard the tremble in her voice but pushed on as she hugged the quilt closer to her chest.

  “I’m happy to give you a ride, Marlene.” His thigh brushed against hers, and her pulse skittered. “You don’t have to walk home in the rain anymore.”

  “Danki.” She looked out the window to avoid his eyes as fat raindrops pelted the glass.

  “Is that all that’s upsetting you?”

  Beneath the shelter of the buggy, she felt the urge to share what was burdening her heart. “No. It’s just that I felt terrible when mei dat lost his job, but I was excited when he said we were coming back here. But I also feel guilty because I almost didn’t come with mei dat and Anna. I considered staying behind in Indiana.”

  “Where were you going to stay?”

  “Right before we left, my boyfriend proposed to me. I almost said yes to him. If I had married Colin, then I’d still be in Indiana, which means I wouldn’t have to feel the heartache of leaving Bird-in-Hand for a second time.”

  She closed her eyes against the nagging guilt. She was a dreadful person for even considering leaving her father and sister behind. She was a sinner who didn’t deserve Rudy’s friendship or her family’s kindness.

  “Did you love Colin?”

  Marlene turned to face Rudy, then shook her head. “Not the way a fraa should love her husband.”

  Something that looked like understanding flashed across his face. How could Rudy possibly understand her complicated feelings for her ex-boyfriend?

  “I’m a horrible person,” she whispered. “Colin would have been an easy way out.”

  “You’re not horrible.” Rudy reached out his hand as if he might touch her arm, but then he pulled it back.

  “You’re wrong.” Her voice quaked. “I am horrible. If I had said yes to Colin, then I would be stuck in a loveless marriage. Only a bad person would consider doing that instead of working hard to help her family.”

  Rudy leaned back on the door behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. “I almost did the same thing four years ago.”

  “What do you mean?” She pivoted her body toward him.

  His expression warmed as he held fast to the bench seat. “I dated Laura Lambert for four years. Well, she was Laura Riehl back then.”

  “You did?” Curiosity nipped at her. Was that why he seemed surprised when she’d asked about Laura?

  “Ya.” He ran his finger over the back of the seat as he spoke. “It was fun in the beginning. We had a great time with our freinden at youth group. We went on picnics, spent days at the lake, played games late into the night, and laughed a lot. We were carefree and life was gut. But then she lost her mamm and everything changed. It was as if we couldn’t relate to each other at all. We started growing apart.”

  His lips twisted into a frown and he looked down at his lap as if to shield himself from her gaze. “I wasn’t much of a boyfriend to her when she needed me most. I was too selfish and immature to realize I was putting my own wants and needs before hers. It’s really my fault that we grew apart. Then she lost Savilla, and she pulled even further away from me. I became even more selfish and thoughtless, instead of asking Laura what she needed from me. Savilla’s mamm was hurt in an accident, and Laura started helping Savilla’s widower, Allen, take care of his dochder. They grieved together and fell in love along the way. Then they got married.”

  He paused, shaking his head. “I’m not envious of their relationship, but looking back, I see the mistakes I made. Still, it’s obvious that she and Allen belong together. From what I can tell, they’re really froh and have a gut, solid marriage.”

  Her eyes met his, and she was almost certain she saw regret there. “Mei mamm had pressured me for years to marry Laura, and I had considered it for all of the wrong reasons. I knew deep in my heart Laura wasn’t the one for me. Mei mamm wanted grandchildren so badly, but I couldn’t ask Laura to marry me if it didn’t feel right.”

  Marlene nodded slowly. “You’re right. I’m thinking about the stability Colin could have given me, but that’s not enough to make a marriage work.”

  Rudy held a finger up. “Exactly.”

  They both grew silent, and something unspoken passed between them. It was as if Rudy truly understood her, more than her family members ever had. Did he feel that connection, too, or was she imagining it?

  “Don’t feel guilty for considering what would have happened if you had stayed behind in Indiana.” His words were soft and warm, like the quilt she held tight around her body. “You’re allowed to wonder what could have been. We’re human and we all wonder about decisions we didn’t make.”

  He leaned toward her. “But you shouldn’t worry about what you left behind in Indiana. You have freinden here, and we’re all froh that you’re back.” He pointed to his chest. “You have me. Come out with mei freinden on Sunday. I know they’d love to meet you.” He grinned sheepishly. “Mei freinden really aren’t that bad.”

  “I never said they were.”

  “I know.” He gave her shoulder a little shove, and she laughed. Then he grabbed the reins. “I’d better get you home before your family starts to worry about you.”

  Marlene stared out the window as the raindrops subsided. By the time Rudy guided the horse up her aunt’s driveway, the rain was gone and the sunshine had begun to peek through the clouds.

  “Danki for the ride,” she told him when he halted the horse.

  “Gern gschehne.”

  She pulled off the quilt and held it up. “I can wash this for you and bring it to work
.”

  “No need.” He took the damp quilt and tossed it into the back of the buggy. “I’ll ask mei mamm to wash it.”

  She pushed the door open and then hesitated. “Would you like to stay for supper?”

  “Mei mamm is expecting me. Maybe some other time?”

  “All right. Gut nacht.” She climbed out of the buggy and shut the door.

  As his horse and buggy made its way down the driveway, she considered that maybe Rudy was right. She needed to take him up on his offer to meet his friends. With Rudy’s help, maybe she would make even more friends within the Bird-in-Hand community.

  But what if Rudy’s friends didn’t like her?

  “So you gave her a ride home in the rain?” Mamm’s eyes were wide as they ate the pot roast she had made.

  Rudy swallowed an aggravated puff of air. “Ya, I did. She was soaked.”

  Mamm clicked her tongue. “You should have accepted her offer to stay for supper.”

  “Is that right?” Rudy set his glass of water on the table. “I thought you’d be upset since you made a point of telling Dat and me that you were making pot roast tonight and that we’d better be home on time.”

  “Well,” Mamm hesitated. “I would have understood if you were having supper with Marlene. After all, she’s a lovely maedel, and neither of you is getting any younger. You have to seize every opportunity to get to know her before another young man wins her heart and marries her.”

  “Mamm.” Rudy squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I’m not looking for a relationship right now.”

  “You should be.” She pointed her fork at him. “You’re almost thirty, and I want grandchildren before I’m too old to play with them.”

  Rudy turned to his father and offered his best pleading expression.

  “I appreciate that you and Marlene got all of that new stock out onto the floor today,” Dat said without missing a beat. “That was a big project done.”

  As Dat continued to discuss the store, Rudy replayed his conversation with Marlene in his mind. The emotion in her voice had taken him aback, and when her tears began to fall, he’d longed to pull her into his arms and console her.

  Where had this sudden urge to protect her come from?

  He really didn’t know her very well, and he had no right to even consider touching her. Still, he felt her tugging at his heartstrings.

  Talking to her was so easy. He’d never shared with anyone his innermost feelings about his breakup with Laura. When his friends had asked about it, he’d only said that they’d grown apart. But when he’d opened up to Marlene, he had spoken the honest truth using words he’d never before been brave enough to utter. To no one else had he admitted his regret for not being the boyfriend Laura had needed and deserved when she’d lost her mother and best friend.

  Rudy pushed his peas around his plate with his fork as he remembered Marlene’s beautiful face as she listened to him. In the moment he’d felt as if Marlene understood him better than any of his friends. Perhaps he needed Marlene’s friendship as much as she’d needed his today.

  His chest filled with warmth at the idea of knowing her better. He’d have to insist she join him on Sunday when he went to see his friends. He just hoped that her father would soon realize that moving back to Bird-in-Hand was a blessing and not a burden—and that Marlene’s reunion with the community would become permanent.

  CHAPTER 5

  Rudy came around the counter at the front of the store as Marlene rang up another customer, bagged his items, and handed the Amish man his receipt.

  “Danki for coming in today, Wilbur.” Her pretty face lit up with a smile as she held out his bag. “I hope you’ll come see us again soon.”

  “Danki.” Wilbur took his bag and nodded before heading to the door.

  “You are officially an expert,” Rudy said as he approached her.

  “Well, I sure hope I am after two weeks of working here.” Marlene closed the cash register drawer, then looked around the store. “Is everyone gone?”

  “Yup.” Rudy hopped up on a stool and faced her. “It’s actually time to close up.”

  “Wow.” She looked up at the clock. “Today flew by.”

  “I told you Saturdays were busy.” He rested his right ankle on his left knee.

  “You weren’t kidding.” She pushed a couple of buttons on the register, and it popped open. “I guess I’ll start closing.”

  “No, I’ll do it.” He leaned forward and pushed the drawer closed. “I have a question for you.”

  “Oh. What’s your question?” Her green eyes rounded as she looked over at him.

  She’d been pleasant to him all day, but they hadn’t had much time to talk since the store never slowed down. In fact, they had taken their lunches in shifts, which was disappointing. Rudy enjoyed eating with her on the quieter days during lunch the last two weeks, but today their constant stream of customers had other plans.

  “What are you doing after church tomorrow?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?” She pushed the ribbons on her prayer covering behind her slight shoulders.

  “I’m wondering if you’re actually going to come with me to visit mei freinden tomorrow after the service. You said you were interested, but you turned me down last time. Will you come with me tomorrow?” He held his breath, praying she’d agree to join him at his friend’s house.

  “Oh.” She fingered the counter and swallowed. “I guess so.”

  He narrowed his eyes and studied what appeared to be her jitters. “Are you naerfich?”

  She chewed her lower lip and gave him a half shrug. “Maybe.”

  “Why are you nervous?” He couldn’t stop his smile. She was so cute.

  “What if your freinden don’t like me?”

  He clicked his tongue as he stood. “You can’t possibly be serious.”

  “What do you mean?” She took a step toward him.

  “How could they not like you?” He gestured toward her. “Marlene, you’re sweet, funny, and schee. They’re going to love you.” In fact, I’m a little concerned about how much they’ll like you. He grinned at Marlene and headed toward the front door, hoping to leave his errant thought behind him at the counter.

  “I’ll lock up so that no more customers decide to come in.” Rudy locked the door and flipped the sign to Closed before turning back toward the counter. Marlene still stood there motionless, her eyes wide once again.

  “So, what do you say?” he asked.

  “Ya, I will.” She nodded, but her expression still seemed surprised.

  “Great.” He felt some of the tension in his shoulders release. She’d finally agreed to meet his friends.

  If only he could figure out why he was so determined to convince her to like his friends.

  After church the following afternoon, Rudy smiled up at Marlene as she filled his coffee cup. “Are we still on for this afternoon?”

  “Ya.” Marlene gave a little smile and then reached across the table for Neil’s cup.

  Neil divided a look between Marlene and Rudy as his dark eyebrows rose. “What’s this about?”

  “Marlene is coming with me today,” Rudy explained.

  “Really?” Neil took his filled cup from Marlene. “You’re going to join us at Paul’s haus?”

  “Ya.” She lifted the carafe. “I’ll see you after lunch.”

  “I look forward to it,” Rudy called after her as she moved on to the next table. She looked so pretty today clad in a yellow dress that reminded him of butter. Her eyes seemed greener and her smile genuine when she saw him across the barn during the sermon.

  Neil leaned forward and lowered his voice. “You finally did it. You asked her out!”

  Rudy’s smile faded as he looked across the table at his cousin. “It’s not a date.”

  “Ya, it is.” Neil pointed at him. “It’s a date, and it’s about time.” He tapped the table. “Gut for you. You’ve been single too long. You haven’t dated anyone since you broke up with L
aura, and that was almost four years ago.”

  Rudy groaned. “You sound like mei mamm.”

  “Maybe that’s because she’s right. It’s time for you to move on.”

  Rudy looked over to where Marlene filled another man’s cup, and he found himself contemplating what it would be like to date her. They were good friends already. She seemed to open up to him, and he certainly didn’t have any trouble talking to her.

  But he wasn’t looking for a relationship, and neither was she. And if he were looking for one, he wouldn’t want to ruin their special friendship by dating her. What if they broke up? Working with her would become awkward, and their friendship would dissolve—just as his friendship with Laura was destroyed by their breakup.

  “Admit it,” Neil began, breaking through Rudy’s thoughts. “You like her—a lot.”

  “Ya, I like her as a freind and nothing more.” Rudy tried to stress his words.

  “You’re narrisch.”

  “Why am I crazy?”

  “Because a maedel like her won’t stay single for long.” Neil gestured toward Marlene. “You should act now. If not, then you’ll be bellyaching when someone else asks her out.”

  “Once again, you sound like mei mamm,” Rudy groused.

  “Maybe that’s because your mamm is right yet again.”

  As Neil took a long drink of coffee, Rudy let Neil’s words filter through his mind. No matter what his friend said, Rudy couldn’t convince himself to risk his friendship with Marlene, because she had somehow become important to him—and he couldn’t risk losing her now.

  “I’m going with Rudy to visit some freinden this afternoon,” Marlene told Anna and Dat as they stood by Dat’s buggy after lunch.

  “And I’m going to youth group with Betsy,” Anna chimed in.

  “Okay.” Dat opened the buggy door. “You both be safe.”