Huckleberry Hill

by Jennifer Beckstrand

  “Jah, all well, but it’s a burden when their mother is so sick.”

  Lia reached into the fridge and pulled out a delectable-looking pie. She showed it to Anna. “Is it all right?”

  Anna nodded.

  Lia glanced apologetically at Moses and handed the pie to Isaac. “Take this for your family. Pie is such a comfort when things are out of sorts.”

  Isaac smiled. “Denki, Lia. They will really enjoy it.”

  Mammi handed Isaac a plastic bag full of raspberry leaves plus a pink dishrag from her knitting closet. “Here. These will make her feel better.”

  Isaac smiled and took his treasures. Moses watched out the window as his pie disappeared down the hill. He slumped his shoulders and groaned as if his heart would break.

  “Sorry, Moses,” said Lia. “I will bake you a pie next week.”

  Moses flashed Lia a mischievous grin. “That is a piecrust promise. Easily made, easily broken.”

  Lia propped her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know, piecrusts are not easily made.”

  “All I know is that Lia Shetler’s pies are as rare as hen’s teeth.”

  Owen Shetler ate two big pieces of meatloaf and three helpings of corn all the while praising Rachel for the meal she might have cooked if Lia had only given her a turn. He cleaned his plate and held his fork at the ready. “I’m ready for pie.”

  Moses didn’t mourn for the pie quite so badly when he saw Owen Shetler’s disappointment that there would be none. Lia’s dad would be going to bed without dessert.

  It was precisely what he deserved.

  Dat’s driver pulled up the lane promptly at six. Dat laid his napkin over his plate and scooted from the table. “That was delicious.” He shook his finger at Rachel. “Next time I come, I want to see you do the cooking.”

  Rachel tilted her head playfully. “Of course.”

  Moses, his grandparents, and the Shetlers stood in unison, and Lia and Moses began clearing the dishes from the table.

  “Come again, Owen,” said Felty, shaking Dat’s hand. “And bring Eliza next time. Tell her your girls are getting along right as rain.”

  “I will.” Dat motioned to the door. “Moses, can you come out and point my driver in the direction of your cheese factory? I’d like to go by and see the place before heading home.”

  Moses laid a stack of dirty silverware on the counter and flashed an apologetic look at Lia before following Dat out the door. Butterflies fluttered around Lia’s insides when Moses flashed his teeth at her. He had a way of making her feel more important than she was.

  Dat closed the door behind them, and Anna gave Rachel’s arm a motherly pat. “Well, dear, I’m sure your dat was satisfied with what he saw.”

  Rachel stared out the window. “I guess so. He probably wants to make things clear to Moses. One more time. Maybe.” Her voice trailed off as she watched Moses and Dat, no doubt wishing she could hear the conversation.

  Felty winked in Lia’s direction. “It’s good Lia is here to make things easier for you.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Anna carried a stack of cups to the counter. “Rachel, would you go down to the cellar and fetch a bottle of peaches? They would taste so gute for dessert.”

  Rachel turned from the window. “Lia, you go. I want to wave to Dat one more time.”

  Lia pressed her lips together and dried her hands. It was easier to do it herself than to talk Rachel into anything. She tromped down the thick wooden steps to the long shelf full of colorful bottles of fruits and vegetables. She studied the labels and picked a bottle of peaches that had been canned last year. Best use the oldest fruit first.

  She didn’t realize the small cellar window stood open until she heard heavy footsteps on the porch above her. The window sat below and to the side of the porch, and when it was open, Lia could hear everything that went on up there. Moses was probably coming back into the house.

  The clomping stopped on the porch, and Lia heard the voices of both Moses and her dat.

  “It’s no trouble for me to come back,” she heard Dat say. “The phone shack is but a ten-minute walk from the house. Here’s the number. I check messages almost every day. Make no bones about calling me if Lia gets in the way.”

  “I think it’s better if Lia stays here and does the choring so Rachel will have more free time to be with me.”

  Lia held her breath and moved away from the window. Had Moses changed his mind about Rachel? Maybe Dat’s praise of Rachel at supper had been more convincing than Lia had believed. Two hours ago, Moses had positively assured Lia that he wasn’t interested.

  No. He had said, I don’t mind spending time with Rachel. She is really a very pleasant girl.

  Lia cradled two bottles of peaches in her arms and made her way up the steps.

  Moses’s comment probably didn’t mean anything but a way to placate Dat.

  It probably didn’t mean anything at all.

  “Rachel, wake up,” Lia whispered.

  The only thing that moved on the lump under the covers was Rachel’s mouth. “What time is it?”

  “Two thirty. Moses is waiting outside. Diane Nelson’s baby is on the way.”

  Rachel groaned and rolled onto her back. “Go without me.”

  “Dat said I can’t leave the house without you.”

  “He didn’t mean in the middle of the night.”

  “It doesn’t matter what you think he meant. Get up. Moses is waiting.”

  Rachel sat up slowly and then sank back into her pillow. “What am I to do with Moses at two in the morning? I’m not going.”

  Lia felt guilty about her swelling sense of satisfaction. Rachel really was delicate and really did need her sleep, but being yanked out of bed at two in the morning was her just desserts. Lia grasped Rachel’s arm and pulled hard. “You’re going. This is what you said you wanted, and I won’t go against Dat.”

  Rachel tried to swat Lia away. Lia doubled her efforts, and Rachel would have ended up in a heap on the floor if she had not caught herself and stood up. “You’re only making me go because you’re mad I told Dat.”

  “He won’t fault me for strictly obeying his directions.”

  “Jah, he will. You’ll see.”

  Lia pulled Rachel’s nightgown up over Rachel’s head and quickly helped her into her dress. She didn’t bother with the bertha. Rachel smoothed her hands over her hair. “I look a mess. I’m not going. What will Moses think?”

  “I don’t care what Moses thinks.”

  “Is he in his buggy?”

  “Jah,” said Lia, “and it will take us almost an hour to get there.”

  Rachel glared at Lia. “Your hair is nicely in place. I bet you spent twenty minutes getting ready before you woke me.”

  Lia handed Rachel a scarf to cover her head. No time to spare for a kapp. Even by the dim kerosene lantern, Lia could see the darts Rachel shot with her eyes.

  “Put on your shoes and stockings. I will wait for you outside.”

  Lia retrieved her bag from her bedroom and walked out into the pleasant summer night. The chirp of crickets amplified the stillness. Moses fed Sammy a few oats from the palm of his hand.

  “Is she coming?” he said, taking Lia’s bag.

  “Any minute.”

  “I don’t think this is her idea of a fun outing.”

  Lia tried not to grin.

  Clutching her scarf just below her chin, Rachel stumbled out of the house as if her feet weighed a hundred pounds each.

  Moses was especially chipper and ignored her resistance. “It’s so gute to see you, Rachel. I’m glad your dat insisted you come.”

  Lia tried to suppress the nagging feeling that Moses actually meant what he said. Surely he just wanted to humor Rachel.

  Rachel perked up a bit when she saw him. “I wanted to come.”

  Moses slid the buggy door open. “Rachel, you’ll want the backseat so you can sleep.”

  Rachel looked as if she would protest. The front seat
next to Moses was a prime spot. Instead, she opened her mouth wide for a tremendous yawn and nodded. “I need my sleep. I told Lia I need my sleep. She wouldn’t listen.”

  Moses actually winked at Lia. She thought her heart would leap out of her chest. “You have a delicate constitution. This must be hard for you.”

  “I try not to complain.”

  Rachel curled up in the backseat as Moses helped Lia into the front. He squeezed her hand. “This will be fun.”

  “Denki for giving up your sleep for me.”

  “Don’t mention it. I want you to have the experience.”

  They descended the lane and pulled out onto the main road. Not a car in sight. Moses prompted the horse into a trot. “I don’t want you to miss the whole thing.”

  “What time did Sarah call you?”

  “About thirty minutes ago. This time we are going halfway to Marion. I am glad for my new buggy. The lights make it safer on the dark roads.” Moses pointed to the floor at Lia’s feet. “I brought something for you.”

  Lia leaned over and felt around the floor until her fingers encountered a thick book with lots of papers sticking out the top. She lifted it onto her lap. “The midwife book. Does Sarah want me to read it again?”

  Moses glanced at Lia and curled his lips. “Nae. I saw how reluctant you were to part with that book. I bought Sarah a new copy, and she says you can keep this one.”

  “Oh, Moses, you shouldn’t have.” Lia sighed, hugging the book to her like an old friend. A cheery fire glowed inside her even as she knew she couldn’t keep the book. “I can’t accept this. I wanted to order my own until I found out how much it cost, and I refuse to let you put out your hard-earned money just so I can have my own book.”

  “I like it when you’re happy. You must keep that book or I will be in the depths of despair.”

  “You’ll get over it. Take the book back and bring me a tub of shortening, and that will be gift enough.”

  Moses chuckled. “You’re the easiest girl to please I’ve ever met. Barbara used to . . .” He stopped laughing and twisted his lips into a slight frown, but the momentary chill didn’t last long. “Shortening is not on my list of good gifts.”

  “Good enough for me.”

  “Keep the book. It’s too much trouble to lug back to the bookstore.”

  “You will manage.”

  Moses’s feathers didn’t seem to be ruffled at all. “Why are we talking about this in the middle of the night when you are clearly not thinking straight? We’ll discuss it in the morning when I have more energy to persuade you of my point of view.”

  Lia pursed her lips and gave him the look she would have given a naughty schoolboy. “You won’t persuade me. I’m stubborn when I want to be.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Only when you want to be? That trait seems pretty consistent to me.”

  Lia flashed a sickly-sweet smile, nibbled on a fingernail, and batted her eyes at Moses. The gesture only made him laugh. With that, the debate was decidedly over, but Lia couldn’t figure out who had won.

  The road stretched on before them, and Lia didn’t resist the rhythmic clip-clop of Sammy’s hooves against the blacktop. The sound lulled her into a sleepy daze where dreams and reality jumbled together in her head.

  The buggy lurched to a halt, and Lia awoke with her cheek resting quite comfortably into Moses’s shoulder. She snapped her head up as Moses secured the reins. He looked into her eyes with a guarded expression. Was he annoyed or simply tired?

  Clearing his throat, he appeared very interested in the knobs on his dashboard. “We’re here.”

  Lia smoothed an imaginary piece of hair from her face and scooted a few inches away from his warmth. Why hadn’t he nudged her away earlier?

  She studied his face in the dim light. Had she made him feel uncomfortable sleeping so peacefully like that? He was definitely uncomfortable about something.

  “What shall we do with Rachel?”

  “She’ll have to go in with you,” Moses said, “even if Sarah resists. I’m going to unhitch Sammy and sleep out here in the buggy.”

  Lia reached back and shook Rachel’s shoulder. “Rachel, wake up. We’re here.”

  Rachel sat up with a start. “What time is it?”

  “Cum. Let’s go.”

  Lia climbed out of the buggy and helped a groggy Rachel to the ground. Moses carried the bag to the front porch of the two-story red-brick house where a light burned in an upstairs window. Lia knocked softly as Rachel trudged up the steps behind her. No answer. She cracked the door open. If everyone in the house was busy bringing the baby into the world, there would be no one available to answer the door.

  Rachel turned to Moses and mustered a little enthusiasm. “What shall we do while Lia’s in there?”

  Moses took off his hat. “You should get some rest. I am going to catch some sleep in the buggy.”

  “Lia shouldn’t have woke me up.”

  Moses smiled at Rachel as if she were a toddler who had just taken her first step. “I’m glad Lia woke you so you could be with us.”

  Moses was certainly being considerate of Rachel’s mood. Lia pursed her lips and ignored the prick in her heart. It was too early in the morning to make any sense of what Moses did or did not mean by his kindness. He always treated others kindly. Why should Lia feel threatened by that?

  Lia took Rachel’s arm. “Come in the house. We will find you a place to lie down.”

  “Wake me if you need anything,” Moses said.

  Lia peeked inside the house. All quiet downstairs. The front door opened to a spacious family room with two sofas facing each other. The rhythmic ticking of a grandfather clock punctuated the silence.

  Lia pointed to one of the sofas. “You can sleep here while I am upstairs.” Lord willing, Sarah would not discover Rachel until it was time to leave.

  “I need a blanket.”

  Lia felt around in the shadows until she found an afghan sitting in a basket next to the end table. Rachel made herself comfortable on the sofa, and Lia spread the afghan over her. “Sleep well.”

  “I won’t be able to sleep a wink.”

  Lia followed the faint light up the stairs and down a long hallway. She passed three closed doors where the family most likely slept. Light seeped from under the fourth door. Lia tapped lightly and cracked the door open. A propane floor lantern hissed as it cast its white light around the room. Sarah bent over the expectant mother, who sat in a straight-backed chair next to the bed.

  Two open windows met at one corner of the room and a cool breeze teased the curtains back and forth.

  Sarah wiped her hands on a towel and nodded to Lia. “Gute. You are here. Close the door. The time is almost come. Did Moses have trouble finding the place?”

  Lia shook her head and felt her face get warm. She wasn’t entirely sure how they got there. She had slept very comfortably on Moses’s shoulder most of the trip.

  Sarah pointed to the soon-to-be mother, who must have been between contractions. She breathed heavily but looked relatively comfortable. “This is Diane.”

  “Sarah says you have skill at getting women through their pain,” Diane said.

  Lia smiled. “I’m glad I can help. I am sorry I couldn’t be here sooner.”

  “This is Diane’s sixth,” Sarah said.

  “You sit up for labor?” Lia asked.

  “Jah. Let gravity do the work.”

  Sarah rubbed her hand up and down Diane’s arm. “I’ve been here two hours yet, and she’s almost ready to push.”

  “I try not to make too much noise,” Diane said, panting as new pain seized her. “The kinner are fast asleep, and Elijah is in the barn getting a head start on his chores.”

  “You’re in transition,” Sarah said. “Now the hard work begins.”

  An hour later, Diane held a bouncing baby boy in her arms while Sarah and Lia cleaned up the linens. Sarah, who could guess any baby’s weight within an ounce, declared him to be a nine pounder, a healthy
baby, with a full head of curly brown hair and a double chin.

  Lia felt completely drained of energy but couldn’t have been more satisfied. Sarah had let her catch the baby this time. “Don’t drop it,” she had whispered before the head popped out. New babies were slippery.

  The sun peeked over the horizon as Lia and Sarah finished tidying the room. Sarah slipped a tiny knitted hat onto the baby’s head. “I’ll go fetch Elijah.”

  Diane smiled as only a relieved mother after delivery can smile. “Denki. That one wasn’t as hard as the last.”

  “You did a wonderful-gute job. It comes natural to some.” Sarah gathered up the soiled sheets. “Would you like me to stay until your sister comes?”

  “Nae, she will be here soon. Both of you go home and get some sleep. You did good work.”

  “Nae, you did good work,” Sarah said.

  Lia took up her bag and trudged down the stairs. Sarah followed close behind with her armload of laundry. She caught sight of Rachel snoring softly on the sofa and pursed her lips.

  “It’s a long story,” Lia said.

  “Write me a letter. I’m too weary for explanations.” Sarah turned down the hallway to the washroom. “I will get Elijah. Tell Moses he is to come to dinner on Wednesday. We will have pot roast.”

  Lia nudged Rachel several times without a response. She resorted to poking her sister in the ribs. Rachel finally stirred and opened her eyes. “Where’s Moses?”

  “Come on, before the whole house wakes up.”

  Rachel sat up and cradled her head in her hands. “Oy anyhow, what a headache.”

  Lia and Rachel walked outside where Moses’s horse was already hitched to the buggy and waiting patiently for them. Rachel peered in the buggy window. “I don’t see Moses.”

  As if conjured by Rachel’s voice, Moses appeared around the side of the house with a sack of flour slung over his back. Lia could see the straining muscles of his shoulders and arms. That bag couldn’t weigh less than a hundred pounds.

  His countenance put the sunrise to shame. “Sarah says you’re ready to go.”

  Rachel sighed and massaged her neck. “Ach, please take us home. I hurt all over from sleeping on that lumpy sofa.”