Amish Rose

by Samantha Price

  “Mrs. Walker said that she’s glad you’re okay and they’re heading into the markets to see what’s left of their stall.”

  “Denke, for calling her, Tulip,” Rose said. “Their stall’s okay. It wasn’t in the badly damaged area.”

  They sat in the kitchen, the four girls and their mother, while Rose told them all about the horrible event she had witnessed. “And you should have seen the way Mark took charge before the paramedics and emergency team got there. It was as though he was somebody else.”

  “I wonder if that will be in the papers tomorrow,” Daisy said.

  “Of course it would be,” their mother said. “Things like that are always in the papers.”

  Lily said, “I wonder if they will have something about Mark in the paper if he was such a hero like Rose said.”

  “Are you doubting what Rose said, really?” Tulip asked.

  “Nee, not so much. It’s just that she likes Mark, so she thinks anything he does is spectacular. I was wondering what other people thought, that’s all.”

  Their mother shook her head. “I’m sure Rose wasn’t making anything up.”

  “I didn’t say she was, Mamm.” Lily heaved a sigh. “Why does this always happen? Everyone in this family always takes everything I say the wrong way.”

  “I don’t,” said Daisy.

  “I didn’t mean you. Everyone except you turns everything around to make me look like I’m the bad one.”

  “I know what you mean,” Daisy said, nodding.

  “You two always stick up for each other,” Tulip said. “Anyway, I don’t know why everything has to turn into an argument. Mark did a good thing in helping people and what does it matter if no one else noticed that apart from Rose?”

  Rose remained silent as she hugged her warm teacup with both hands.

  “Rose is in love with Mark,” Lily said.

  “Everyone knows that,” Daisy added with a high-pitched giggle.

  “Come on, girls, Rose doesn’t need this right now. Up to your rooms the both of you.”

  The twins looked at each other with pouting faces.

  Daisy asked, “Can we go to the same room?”

  Their mother sighed. “Jah, do what you want as long as it’s upstairs and you leave Rose alone for the rest of the night.”

  “How long do we have to stay in our rooms?” Lily asked.

  “Until morning.”

  “Come on, Lily, there’s no use arguing. They don’t think we’re adults.” Daisy stood up and grabbed Lily’s arm.

  Their mother narrowed her eyes. “When you behave like adults, I’ll treat you like adults.”

  The twins left the room and Rose took another sip of tea.

  Her mother put a hand on Rose’s arm. “I’m so glad you’re unharmed.”

  “Me too,” Tulip added.

  “It was so dreadful. I don’t know how it happened. I’m just glad no one was killed. I hope no one was killed. Unless they found someone after I left.” Rose put her teacup on the table and covered her face with both hands. “It was awful. And it was horrible to see Mark lying in the hospital.”

  “How is he?” Tulip asked.

  “Broken leg and concussion. They said I can go see him tomorrow morning and he might be able to talk. He barely said two words to me and what he said didn’t make much sense.”

  “Lie down on the couch and have a rest, Rose.”

  “Okay.” The couch in the living room was where the girls went when they didn’t feel well but weren’t really ill. It was comforting to sit by the fire on the soft couch, looking out the large window at the trees and the distant fields.

  * * *

  That night, Rose lay in bed worrying. Had she missed her chance with Mark by foolishly choosing his cousin a year ago? It was an embarrassing mistake, which thankfully not many people knew about. Her door opened slightly and she saw Tulip’s silhouette at the door. “Come in.”

  “I didn’t know whether you’d still be awake.” Tulip came further into her room and sat down on her bed while Rose pushed herself up into a seated position.

  “I have so many things going around in my head.”

  “I thought you would. You still like Mark, don’t you?”

  “I do, but it’s a different thing that I feel. I don’t want to be without Mark in my life and I want to see him every day. I didn’t think he gave me butterflies, but when I saw him yesterday, I felt something in my tummy.”

  “Was that before or after he was saving everybody?”

  Rose smiled. “That was before. Helping everyone like that showed what type of man he is.”

  “He’s a brave man and a man of action.”

  Rose nodded. “Jah, he’s a real man and that’s what I want.”

  “Mmm. That’s very attractive in a man.”

  “Tulip, what if he had died yesterday? I mean today. It’s still today, isn’t it?”

  “Jah, it’s still today. It’s only about eleven o’clock.”

  “He could’ve died and then I would’ve regretted things. He was always asking me to marry him but what about now? Does he still want me after all this time?”

  “That’s something you’ll have to find out from him.”

  Rose put a hand over her stomach. “I hope I haven’t left things too late.”

  “I don’t think you have. He’s always liked you.”

  Rose nibbled on the end of her fingernail. “I’ll have to call the Walkers tomorrow to see what’s happening with the stall. I guess I won’t be working again for a while. I don’t know what will happen.”

  “I guess so. They’ll probably shut the markets down for repair.”

  “I’ll go to the hospital first thing and see him,” Rose said.

  “Good idea.”

  The next morning, knowing that he would be out of the emergency room, Rose found out from the reception desk that Mark was in room 209. She hurried to the second floor and when she walked into his room, she saw four occupied beds and then she saw two Amish women talking to the person in the far bed.

  Taking a step closer, she recognized the backs of the young women. They were Lucy Stoltzfuz and Becky Miller. Rose had grown up with them and so too had Mark.The two young women turned around and greeted her. She gave a quick nod and then focused her attention on Mark, who looked pale, but was smiling.

  “Rose, you came back.”

  “You remember I was here yesterday?”

  “Of course I do.”

  Lucy said, “It’s all over the papers what happened at the markets and they’re calling Mark a local hero.”

  “Really? I wondered if it was going to be in the papers.”

  “Did you really save all those people?” Becky asked him.

  “Nee. I didn’t save anyone. That’s what the paramedics did. I didn’t do much at all.”

  “That’s not what everyone’s saying.” Lucy’s face beamed.

  Mark gave a low chuckle. “I can’t help what others say.”

  “Has the doctor been to see you this morning?” Rose asked.

  “Not yet, but no doubt I’ll see him sometime today.”

  “How did you hear about Mark being in the hospital?” Rose asked the two young women.

  “My mother heard it from someone,” Lucy said. “They said that the roof in the farmers market had collapsed, Mark and Matthew were injured, and Mark was in the hospital. We had to come and see how he was.”

  “You can see I’m perfectly fine. No need for anybody to worry.”

  Becky sat on his bed and grabbed hold of his hand. “Oh, Mark, I don’t know what I would’ve done if something bad had happened to you.”

  “Me either,” Lucy said.

  Rose could tell that Mark was lapping up all the attention. She never realized that Lucy or Becky were that close to him and that was because she hadn’t had much to do with him over the past year. Perhaps the article in the paper made them look at him in a different light. It was uncomfortable watching the two women throw th
emselves at him.

  Rose waited for a break in the conversation, and then said, “I might come back a little later.”

  “You could come back at visiting hours, Rose,” Becky said.

  “Jah, we just sneaked in,” Lucy said.

  Becky added, “Because visiting hours aren’t until later. Ten to twelve in the morning and then between one and three in the afternoon.”

  Rose nodded. “I’ll be back soon, Mark.” She smiled at Mark and said goodbye to the two women before she left the room. Mark hadn’t even urged her to stay and she took that as a bad sign. She was only going to wait half an hour or so in the hospital cafeteria until they left so she could talk to Mark alone, but he hadn’t known that.

  He seemed happy enough with the company of the two women. For all he knew, she could’ve been heading home and not coming back until the next day.

  When Rose found the cafeteria, she slumped into one of the chairs at one of the several round tables. There she wondered what to do. Then she decided if Mark wanted one of those women over her, there was nothing she could do about it. She was the one who didn’t know what she had until she’d lost it and she couldn’t blame Mark for that. He’d waited for her for a long time without her giving him an ounce of encouragement. And how would he have felt several months ago when he found out she’d liked Jacob? She put her elbows on the table and held her head in both hands.

  “Are you alright, dear?” An old lady had sat down beside her and she hadn’t even noticed.

  “Oh, yes, I’m okay.”

  “Do you have a loved one in the hospital?”

  She stared into the old woman’s face and noticed how her beady blue eyes studied her. “I do, but he’s not seriously ill. He’s got a concussion and a broken leg, so he’ll live.”

  “That is good news.”

  Rose took her elbows off the table and straightened her back. “Yes, it is. You’re right. It is good news.”

  “I thought you had lost somebody.”

  Rose smiled at the kindly woman. “I haven’t. Not yet.”

  The old lady smiled back and then turned her attention to her teacup, ripped open a packet of sugar, and poured it into her tea.

  Rose went to the counter and ordered a coffee. Once she finished drinking her coffee, she planned to go back to Mark. Hopefully by then, his admirers would’ve left.

  * * *

  Rose put her head around Mark’s door and saw that Lucy and Becky had gone. She was instantly relieved and was just about to walk into the room when she heard a voice behind her.

  “I’m sorry, but it’s not visiting hours yet.”

  Rose swung around and in front of her was one of the blue uniformed hospital staff. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know there were particular visiting hours until I got here. Can I just say a quick hello?”

  The female worker frowned at her.

  “Please? I won’t be long and then I’ll go.”

  The worker gave a curt nod and walked away.

  Rose wasted no time in hurrying to see Mark. His face lit up when he noticed her walking toward him. “Rosie, you’re back.”

  She liked him calling her Rosie; it was just like old times.

  “There were too many people here before, so I thought I’d wait until they were gone.”

  “Denke for coming.”

  “Why wouldn’t I visit you?”

  “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m glad that you did, that’s all. Come closer and sit on the bed.”

  She glanced over her shoulder, and then said, “I just got into trouble for being here out of visiting hours, so I can’t stay long.”

  “Just a moment longer.”

  She sat on the edge of his bed, pleased that he was so happy to see her.“You’re looking good today. I was worried about you yesterday.”

  “I’m feeling a lot better. The nurse said I’d feel tingling or itching on my leg as the drugs wear off.”

  “How long do they think you’ll be in here?”

  “I guess that’s up to the doctor whenever he gets here.”

  “I didn’t know you were particularly close friends with Becky and Lucy.”

  “A lot has changed in the last year, Rosie.”

  Rose would’ve asked more questions but considering the state of his health they were questions best left for another day. “Can I bring you anything while you’re in here?”

  “Nee denke. There’s nothing I need except to see your friendly face. You’ll come back and see me again, won’t you?”

  Those words pleased her immensely. “I will. I’ll be back to see you every day. Have your parents been here yet?”

  “They were here last night and they said they were coming back this afternoon. Matthew just had cuts and bruises; nothing serious.”

  “That’s good. I was wondering about that.” She looked over her shoulder at the door, hoping that the person who told her about the visiting hours wasn’t going to come back and check on her. It was then that she noticed the people in the other beds. Two of them were old men who were asleep, the other one was a young man watching the television with earphones in his ears. “I should go before they kick me out.”

  “You’ll come back tomorrow?” he asked again.

  “I will. I don’t think that the Walkers can have their flower stall at the markets now. I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Either way, I’ll get here and see you tomorrow.”

  His eyes started closing. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Rosie.”

  She got off the bed. “Bye, Mark.”

  “Bye, Rosie.”

  She turned and headed out the door. Before she got to the end of the corridor, Mark’s doctor stepped out of the last door. They made eye contact and the doctor stopped and smiled at her. “Mark’s fiancée?”

  “Yes. You have a good memory.”

  He chuckled. “We don’t get that many Amish people in here.”

  “I’ve just been to see him. He seems a lot better. When do you think he’ll be able to go home?”

  “Perhaps tomorrow or the day after.”

  “That soon?”

  “Most likely the day after. It depends on his progress.”

  “I see. Thank you, doctor.” Rose hurried away, glad that nobody heard him calling her Mark’s fiancée. She probably shouldn’t have told him that, but she couldn’t go back in time and change things.

  Rose took a taxi directly to Mrs. Walker’s house to find out what was going on with the flower stall. The damage caused from the collapse of the roof would take weeks and maybe even months to repair.

  The Walkers had made the decision to set up a roadside stall. The market stall was only a small part of their business and their only retail outlet of their large wholesale flower business. They wouldn’t suffer too much financially from what had happened, but that wasn’t the case for the Schumachers. The bulk of their goats’ milk products were sold through the market stall and they would need to find another outlet to sell their goods.

  * * *

  Rose walked home from the Walkers’. Even though they lived on the next-door property, they weren’t close enough to be able to see the Walkers’ home from their house. Only the rows of temperature-controlled greenhouses could be seen.

  As soon as Rose opened her front door, her mother rushed toward her, followed closely by the twins, and then Tulip.

  “How is he?” her mother asked.

  “He’s fine and he’ll need to stay in for a couple more days. That’s what the doctor said.”

  “That’s good, and have you heard how Matthew is?”

  “Just scrapes and some bruises. He’s fine. Mark was in the papers and they called him a hero.”

  “Who was in the papers?” Daisy asked. “Mark was in the papers?”

  “Jah, he was.”

  “I said he was going to be,” Lily said.

  Daisy stuck her chin out. “Nee, I said it.”

  “Quiet, girls,” their mother said. “It doesn’t matter who said it.” She lo
oked at Rose. “Did you get one of the newspapers?”

  “I didn’t think to get it.”

  “Why not?”

  “Dat doesn’t like the Englisch papers.” Rose hoped her mother wouldn’t send her back out to get a paper. She was too tired to go anywhere.

  “It wouldn’t hurt to just get one to see what they said about Mark.”

  “Rose, why don’t you and I go out and get one now?”

  Rose looked at Tulip. Even though she was weary, getting out of the house and being with Tulip sounded like a good idea. “Jah, why don’t we do that? Is that okay with you, Mamm?”

  “Jah, go on.”

  “Let’s go, Rose.” Tulip stepped forward and grabbed Rose’s arm and pulled her back toward the front door.

  The two girls set about hitching the buggy.

  “What happened at the hospital? It’s like something’s bothering you.”

  “You can tell?” Rose asked.

  “It’s written all over your face. I’m surprised Mamm couldn’t tell.”

  Rose rubbed her forehead. “When I got there, to Mark’s hospital room, Lucy and Becky were there.”

  “Do you think one of them likes him?”

  Rose nodded. “Or both of them do because that’s how they were acting. They were telling Mark how brave he was and what a hero he was, and all that. And then one of them grabbed his hand. I can’t remember which one it was. At that point, I left. I went and had a cup of coffee and waited for them to leave. Then I went back again.”

  “Had they left when you went back?”

  “Jah, but I couldn’t stay long because it wasn’t visiting hours.”

  “Do you think Mark likes one of them?”

  “It’s hard to say. He didn’t look upset to have them there, put it that way.”

  “He couldn’t, though, because that would’ve been rude. He would’ve liked to have visitors no matter who they were. Besides that, he probably sees them as just friends.”

  Rose nibbled on a fingernail. “Do you think that’s it? Do you think they’re just friends?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t noticed them talking to him at the meetings or anything. How would we find out?”

  “I suppose we could ask around, but that would be a little nosey and I wouldn’t like to do that.”