Chapter 14
Rose knew from the warm glow coming from the living room that everyone had gone to bed. There was a sole lamp burning, which had been left on so she would have enough light when she got home. Once she was inside, she closed the front door behind her, and turned off the lamp before she carefully made her way up the now darkened wooden stairs to tell Tulip all about her night.
She leaned over Tulip’s bed. “Are you awake?”
Tulip sat up. “Jah, I’ve been waiting up for you.”
Rose told Tulip everything that was said between her and Jacob, leaving out the fact that she kissed Jacob not once but twice.
“I’m glad you’re happy, but I don’t like it how he asked you to sneak out,” Tulip said. “It seems a little dishonest or something.”
“That’s because he’s so in love with me that he wants to see me all the time. Anyway, I’d forgotten he said that. He only mentioned it the once. You’ve got a good memory.”
“I remember everything you tell me and I still think it’s wrong that he asked you to do something he knew Mamm and Dat would be against.”
“You’ll understand when you’re in love. Anyway, you shouldn’t be so judgmental.”
“Why’s he moving so fast?” Tulip asked.
“We’re in love and he’s only got a few weeks before he has to go home. Unless I can persuade him to stay on for longer.”
“Just be careful. You don’t really know him.”
“He’s in the community, so he must be okay. He’s coming for dinner tomorrow night.”
“Okay. Then we’ll see what Mamm thinks of him.”
“Will you do something for me, Tulip?”
“What is it?”
“Will you work instead of me for a couple of hours tomorrow in the middle of the day? I want to surprise Jacob at the buggy workshop. It’s not far from the markets.”
“Okay. I’ll go in with you in the morning.”
“Denke, Tulip. I knew I could rely on you.”
The next day, just before lunchtime, Rose left Tulip to mind the stall while she went to surprise Jacob. She kept it quiet from Mark that she was surprising his cousin with a visit.
The taxi took Rose to the front of the buggy workshop and she walked into the office, which was in a large trailer. At one end, there was a large desk and filing cabinets and behind that desk was Marta Bontrager.
“Hello, Marta,” Rose said as she walked forward, glancing at two Amish women, who were sitting on chairs at the opposite end of the office.
“Hi, Rose. What can I do for you?”
“You have Jacob Schumacher working here and I was hoping I might have a word with him.” Rose was secretly hoping that Jacob would be able to have lunch with her. Even if he couldn’t, he’d love it that she’d thought to surprise him.
“Okay. Have a seat. I’ll see if I can find him. He’s popular today. I think he’s due for a break soon.”
Rose sat down while Marta left the trailer. With a sideways glance, Rose saw that one of the Amish women was young and the other was much older. They weren’t from her community.
The young woman lurched forward. “Excuse me. I heard you were asking about Jacob?”
“Jah, do you know him?”
“Very well.”
Rose studied the girl, wondering if she might be Jacob’s sister.
“How long have you known him for?” the girl asked.
“Only since he’s been here. Are you a relation of his?”
The old woman sitting next to the girl spoke. “Jessica is Jacob’s girlfriend. He said he was going to marry her and then he just up and disappeared. Now we found out he’s here. And that’s why we’ve come.”
“Please don’t!” Jessica said to the older woman.
“Well, that’s how it is,” the woman replied with a scowl.
Rose’s heart sank. It didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be true. “You’re his girlfriend?”
“I thought that’s what I was until he disappeared. Now, I don’t know what I am. That’s what I’ve come here to find out.”
Rose sat there dumbfounded. Now it was all clear. Jacob had wanted to see if there was another woman out there better suited to him before he made his commitment to marry Jessica.
Rose stood up. “It was very nice to meet you both.” She rushed out of the small office before they could see the tears that had formed in her eyes. She’d allowed this man to kiss her. Now she felt violated by him. He’d cruelly used her.
The first person she wanted to rush to was Tulip, but that would mean she’d also have to see Mark and she wasn’t ready for that.
I’m such a fool!
She decided to leave Tulip there for the rest of the day and Mrs. Walker could drive her home. Tulip wouldn’t mind a bit when she explained what had happened.
Nancy Yoder was in the midst of sewing her daughters some new prayer kapps when Rose walked into the house, slamming the front door behind her.
“Rose! I didn’t expect you home so soon. Did you leave Tulip at the markets?” She looked around and Rose was nowhere to be seen, but she heard her footsteps trudging up the wooden steps.
After giving Rose a little time alone, she made a cup of hot tea and took it up to her. Nancy gently knocked on the door, opened it, and saw her daughter in bed with tears flooding down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” She knew in her heart Rose was crying over Jacob.
“Nothing!”
Nancy moved forward and placed the cup and saucer down on the nightstand. She sat on the end of the bed. “I can see there is something wrong.”
“I’ll not talk about it, Mamm.”
“Is it about Jacob?”
Rose sat higher in the bed, licked her lips, and then brought her knees up to hug them. “He’s got a girlfriend.”
Nancy couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her lips. “Nee!”
“Jah! And she’s here! She followed him over here and she’s with an older lady who might be her mudder. It was all such a shock.”
“How did you find out?”
“I met them. I went to surprise Jacob where he worked and Jessica, that’s his girlfriend, and the older lady were sitting there waiting for him, too.”
“Nee! That’s a horrible thing.”
“She said they were to be married and he just walked out on her and came here. I think he was looking around to make sure he was making the right decision. Like a boat setting sail out on the water. He wanted to make sure he was sailing in the right direction.”
“Your vadder’s been talking to you about sailing again?”
“How did you know?”
“It sounds like something he would say. He often talks about sailing and boats when he’s trying to explain things.”
Rose grabbed her mother’s arm. “What do I do now, Mamm?”
“Not everyone marries the first girl they go out with, Rose. Maybe he just didn’t feel the girl was suited to him and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Maybe so, but I don’t like that he was keeping the relationship going on while looking around for somebody else. He should’ve ended things with her first. From what she said, he just left her not knowing.”
“He wanted to have his cake and eat it too.”
“Exactly right.” Rose nodded. “But I don’t like being the cake.”
Chapter 15
Nancy hated to see her daughter in so much pain and torment. She sat on the edge of Rose’s bed, looking into her green eyes in silence for a few moments before she spoke again. “Jacob needs to give you an explanation.”
Rose held her head. “I don’t know.”
“Jah, you do. There are two sides to every story. Maybe this girl only told you half of what had gone on. Maybe Jacob had ended things with her and she hadn’t accepted it. You’ve got to give him a chance to explain. That’s what adults do.”
Rose shook her head. “I suppose you’re right, but I can’t see that the girl was making any of
this up.”
“Your grossdaddi always used to say that there are two sides to every story and the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Jacob sees things from his point of view and she sees things from her point of view and they’re not the same.”
Rose sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Dat says a person should stick to their word. If you say you’re going to do something then you should do it. Jacob said he was going to marry her and then walked out on her just like that.”
“Maybe she misunderstood what he said about their relationship. If you really like Jacob, you should listen to what he says about it when you ask him.”
Rose stared at her mother. “Maybe the girl misunderstood and maybe she’s one of those girls who thought she was in a relationship and she really wasn’t.”
“Jah. Maybe. Do you think so? It could be that Jacob wasn’t at fault.” Nancy smiled, trying to be encouraging until the truth was discovered. “It’s quite possible. Talk to him and see what he says. He’s still coming to dinner tonight, isn’t he, and then you’re going on a buggy ride?”
“Jah, if that’s still on, and he’s not spending tonight with his girlfriend.”
“Don’t be like that. If he comes here tonight, talk to him after dinner about what this young lady said, and see what he’s got to say.”
“Okay, I will.”
“And don’t be too hard on yourself, or on him. We all make mistakes.”
“But shouldn’t I be harsh on him? I don’t want to make any mistakes choosing my husband.”
“Nobody is perfect, Rose. Remember that.”
“I know that. I’m not expecting my husband to be perfect, but I do need a man who sticks to his word. That’s important to me. I need someone I can feel safe with.”
“Drink your tea and then you’ll feel better.”
Rose looked down at the tea beside her. “Denke, Mamm. Maybe you’re right and Jessica did misunderstand him. I’ll wait to hear what he says.”
“That would be a gut idea.”
Nancy walked downstairs and out of the house, determined to get to the bottom of things. She went into the barn and made a couple of calls, intending to find the truth. She knew a couple of families who lived in Oakes County. Her first call was to Jean Davis, a woman she was sure knew everyone in Jacob’s community.
Once Nancy opened her address book, she dialed Jean’s number. The call was answered almost immediately.
“Hello, Jean. It’s Nancy Yoder.”
“Nancy! Is anything wrong?”
“Nee. I’ve called to ask you a couple of quick questions if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all. What is it?”
Nancy said, “There’s a young man who’s arrived here who comes from your community. He’s staying with his relations who are friends of ours. Rumor has it that he’s got a girlfriend back there and I was wondering—”
“Jacob Schumacher?”
“Jah, how did you know?”
“I’m afraid it’s true, Nancy. The poor girl’s devastated. I know her mudder well and she told me just yesterday. They were keeping their relationship quiet and Jessica thought things were going well and they’d even spoken of marriage and he disappeared without saying a word.”
‘Spoken of marriage’ is quite different from being engaged. “I’m sorry to hear that,” Nancy said.
Jean continued, “And, Jessica had to find out where he’d gone from Jacob’s parents. It had to be embarrassing for her.”
“There’s no doubt it would’ve been.”
“Why are you asking, Nancy?”
Nancy swallowed hard. She didn’t want to lie and neither did she want to gossip. If poor Jessica found out that her daughter and Jacob had been dating, that could quite possibly escalate a storm. That’s not what she wanted to do.
“Some people had some questions, that’s all. Then, Jessica’s here with another lady, and I just wondered. I hope you don’t mind me asking you those questions.”
“Nee, not at all. The lady she’s with would most likely be her aunt, Becca.”
“Denke.” Nancy talked a little bit more about other things before she hung up. She’d told her daughter to give Jacob the benefit of the doubt, but now she knew that he’d walked out on that poor girl without an explanation. That wasn’t the kind of man she wanted her daughter to marry. She wanted Rose to marry someone true to his word, just like Rose’s father.
As Nancy walked toward the house, she made up her mind that she’d allow Rose to figure things out for herself. She hoped that Rose would tell Jacob that she didn’t want to see him anymore. Rose had to grow up sometime and this adult decision would help turn her into a woman.
Chapter 16
Rose made sure she was right there at the front gate to meet Tulip when Mrs. Walker dropped her at home. When Tulip got out of the buggy, Rose rushed forward to explain to Mrs. Walker that she had been unwell and had gone home. Then she walked with Tulip to the house and told her everything that had happened during the day.
“So what’s your opinion?” Rose asked.
“I feel sorry for Jessica, but if he’d changed his mind about her, what was he to do? You can’t marry someone just because you feel sorry for them. He made a mistake, and now he likes you. That’s how it seems to me.”
“Jah, but didn’t he—I mean, shouldn’t he have told her how he felt before he just up and left? She was left to wonder what was going on and now she must be so embarrassed.”
“Sometimes we do things without thinking. You shouldn’t be so harsh on him, but at the same time you have to be careful.”
“Do you think I’m being harsh?” What would Tulip think if she told her how he’d forced her to kiss him? Rose couldn’t bring herself to tell her sister that!
“You’re a perfectionist, Rose, but sometimes life and people aren’t how you want them to be.”
“I’m not expecting Jacob to be perfect, but there are a few principles that I want the man I’m going to marry to have.”
“And who’s to say that he doesn’t have all of those? You’ve only known him for a little over a week. You should wait at least a few months before you start assessing him.”
“Do you think so? I thought you’d decide you didn’t like him, and would tell me not to see him anymore.”
“I don’t think it’s about that. I think you’ve built up an image of what you want in a man—this whole perfect man, and you’ve made that man too idealistic. Real people have flaws and if you want a real husband rather than one who only lives in your mind, you’ll have to accept a few imperfections.”
“Jah, the man I will marry will be everything I want him to be, or I just won’t get married. If he wasn’t perfect, why would I marry him?”
Tulip giggled. “Don’t say that around Mamm or she’ll have a heart attack.”
Rose laughed a little. “I’m glad I can talk with you. You might be right; he could have a reasonable explanation for everything.”
“Exactly. This girl could’ve thought the relationship was serious, more so than it was. They might have only been on one date together and she expected him to marry her.”
“You could be right. But the woman with her agreed with everything she said.”
“It’s possible that the woman has only heard Jessica’s side of things.”
Rose nodded. Her sister and her mother were saying the same kind of things.
“Let’s go and help Mamm with the dinner,” Tulip said. “But you didn’t ask me how work was today.”
“How was it?” Rose asked.
“It was good. It got really busy around lunchtime and then toward the end of the day it was quiet.”
“That’s how it usually is.”
“I think Mark’s in love with you,” Tulip said with a grin.
“Do you think so? I knew he liked me a bit. Love is a strong word.”
“He talked of little else in between customers.”
Rose knew it was true. His teasing and jokes
about them getting married one day had an element of truth in them, from his side. That’s what he wanted—for them to marry.
“So?” Tulip stared at her.
“You know I don’t like him in that way. I’m in love with Jacob.”
“I know, but Mark is so nice.”
“You marry him, then.” Rose giggled.
“You wouldn’t mind?” Tulip asked. “I mean, truly wouldn’t mind?”
Rose glanced at her sister’s face as they walked up the driveway to their house. “Go ahead. You’d make a nice couple.” Rose suddenly had a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. It would be weird if her sister married her good friend. She’d grown used to him and his company. Things wouldn’t be the same in their friendship if Mark were dating Tulip.
“Jacob is coming for dinner tonight, isn’t he?”
“Jah, he’s coming here and then we’re going on a buggy ride after dinner. I’m going to make dessert and show him what a good cook I am.”
“That would be a good idea. When do you think you might get married?”
“He’s here for a few weeks, and then I guess we’ll write to each other. After that, he might ask me to come and visit him.”
Tulip giggled. “You’ve got it all worked out.”
“I have. I hope he’ll want to come back here to live, though. I don’t want to live in a strange place where I don’t know anyone.”
“You’ll make friends and besides, it’s not that far away.”
“Maybe he’ll propose to me in a letter. That would be romantic, and then I’ll have it to keep forever, and one day I could show our kinner. That is, if he gives me a good explanation tonight about Jessica.”
Rose paced up and down, waiting for Jacob to arrive for dinner. Then, when she heard the clip-clopping of horse’s hooves and saw that it was him heading toward the house, she opened the front door and went outside to meet him.
He gave her a wave and then brought the horse closer to the house. When he got out of the buggy, she saw he looked upset. Maybe he’d had a talk with Jessica and sorted things out. She hoped that Jessica wasn’t too upset and that he’d let her down gently.
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