The Amish Nanny's Sweetheart

by Jan Drexler

  “But you’re not talking.” She stood, ready to go home. “Something happened this afternoon, didn’t it?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Why were you afraid to talk to David?”

  “I’m not afraid.”

  “But you didn’t talk to him. You didn’t ask him to forgive you.”

  “Forget it. Just forget it.”

  Judith stared at him. When he had left Matthew’s this afternoon, it had seemed like everything was going to be all right. She had thought she’d convinced him to mend the fences he had broken on Saturday and reconcile with David. But now he seemed like a stranger, the outsider he always said he was.

  “What are you keeping from me, Guy?”

  No answer. He picked up another stone.

  She turned her back on him and started down the lane toward home, waiting for him to call after her. Waiting for him to follow her. But there was nothing except the sound of the peeping frogs.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Guy jerked to wakefulness with the rooster’s crow early Saturday morning. He had fallen asleep on a pile of clean straw in the barn after Judith left the night before, not wanting to go into the house until David and Verna were asleep. But he had dozed off while waiting.

  As he sat up, a quilt fell from his shoulders. He fingered it, recognizing the black-and-purple pattern of the quilt Verna had made for him years ago. She must have brought it to the barn last night and covered him with it. He could imagine the look on her face when she found him sleeping in the straw.

  But he didn’t care. Standing, Guy folded the quilt and left it on the straw pile. It didn’t matter how Verna cared for him, because Pa was back now, and everything had changed.

  Yesterday afternoon he had been exhausted, and Pa had taken him by surprise. He had actually believed that whole story about the car and Pa stealing it. Guy chuckled to himself as he headed down to the dairy to milk the cows. Pa had always been a great one for tall tales, and this had to be one of his biggest.

  This morning, he and Pa would make their plans. Real plans, with none of this fooling around and Pa’s stories. With the car, they could head west to where there were jobs. He and Pa working together could make a good life for themselves. By the time he finished with the milking and the other barn chores, Verna was calling him for breakfast. He met her at the back porch and handed the quilt to her.

  “You can bring my breakfast out here and I’ll eat in the barn.”

  Verna crossed her arms over the quilt, holding the screen door open with her hip.

  “You aren’t some hobo coming around for a handout, Guy Hoover. You come right on in here and sit at the table.” Her face was stern. “If you don’t want my company, I’ll eat in the front room with David. I want to be in there with him, anyway.”

  Guilt thrummed, but Guy ignored it. “It isn’t that I don’t want to eat with you. I just have so much to do and I don’t want to take the time to clean up enough to come inside.”

  It was true, Guy thought, even if it wasn’t his real reason for staying in the barn. Going inside meant he wouldn’t have any excuse to avoid talking to David, and he wasn’t in any mood for a lecture. Besides, Pa was waiting for him.

  Verna disappeared inside the house, letting the screen door close with a slam behind her. She appeared a few minutes later with his breakfast on a platter. A mountain of fried potatoes, eggs and biscuits steamed in the cool morning air. Guy’s mouth watered.

  “Denki.” He took the platter from her. “I’ll set the plate on the porch when I’m done.”

  “Go on with you,” Verna said, waving him away. “Get done what you need to get done.” She handed him a bag. “Here are some more biscuits for your midmorning. They’ll keep you going with whatever you need to do.”

  As he grasped the bag, she held it for a second, until he met her eyes.

  “Don’t forget, Guy.” Her voice quavered. “We do love you.”

  He dropped his gaze, his throat swelling. “I know.”

  She went back into the house and he brought the filled platter up to his nose. The aroma made his stomach growl, but Pa was waiting. With a last glance at the house, still trying to silence his guilt’s rising tug, he started down the trail toward the river.

  The mint still was in a little shed on a small rise along the low acres next to the river. In the old days, David had said, he’d extracted the mint oil himself and sold it for a cash crop each year. But that had been twenty years ago. These days, the mint was distilled at a big plant near Fort Wayne, and all David had to do was mow the field in the late summer and take his mint to the plant.

  But the old still remained in the shed, and it had made a good overnight shelter for Pa. Everything was quiet as Guy approached and knocked.

  There was no answer right away, but then the door opened. Pa leaned against the doorframe, yawning.

  “What do you want, boy?”

  “I brought some breakfast.” Guy held up the platter with the rapidly cooling food.

  Pa grabbed a potato between his thumb and forefinger and inspected it, then smelled it. “It isn’t morning already, is it?” He popped the potato into his mouth and sat on an upturned log along the path in front of the shed.

  “The sun’s been up for hours.” Guy set the platter on another log and squatted next to it. “Here’s a fork, and there’s enough for two.”

  Pa took the plate onto his lap and shoveled a fork-load of potatoes into his mouth. “You make this?” His words slipped around the potatoes.

  “Ne.” The Deitsch word slipped out before he thought. “Um, no. Verna did.”

  Pa downed a biscuit in one bite and half turned from Guy, shielding the plate while Guy’s stomach growled again. Since it didn’t seem Pa was going to share the food, Guy reached into the paper bag Verna had given him. A biscuit would have to tide him over.

  “Now that you’re here,” Guy said, swallowing the buttery bite, “where are we going to go? Do you have an idea for a job?”

  “That’s why I came for you.” Pa tilted the plate up and let the last of the crumbs fall into his open mouth, then handed the empty plate to Guy. “A fellow I met in Chicago has a job in Cleveland for us.” He pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket, shook one out and lit it. “It’s a two-man-and-a-boy gig, and I told him you’d be perfect.” He looked at Guy sideways. “You’ve grown a bit more than I was expecting though. Not quite a boy anymore, are you?”

  Guy cleared his throat. “I’m almost nineteen, Pa. I haven’t been a boy for years.”

  Pa took a drag on his cigarette and looked out over the river that wound gently past the green mint field. Guy stood to stretch his stiff legs then sat on the log next to Pa.

  “What kind of job is it? It seems that I can do more work now than I could as a boy.”

  When Pa didn’t answer, Guy scooted closer to him.

  “I thought we could go west, out to California. I’ve heard there’s plenty of work there.”

  “Work? Picking vegetables and fruit? Boy, that isn’t work. That’s slavery.” Pa waved his cigarette vaguely in the air. “I’m talkin’ real money. Cash money.” He leaned close to Guy, blowing smoke into his face, making Guy’s eyes water. “Money is easy to get for a fellow who knows the ropes.”

  An uncomfortable turning started in Guy’s stomach. “What do you mean?”

  Pa shrugged, taking another draw on his cigarette before grinding it under the toe of his shoe. “You find a sap and play him. It’s a game. No one gets hurt, and we get the dough.”

  Guy rubbed his sweaty palms on the knees of his trousers. He had heard all about confidence men from one of the fellows at the Home, and what Pa was describing sounded just like what they did. It sounded like Pa’s story of being on the run might not be a tall tale, after all.

  “I can’t do anything illegal, Pa. I won’t.
”

  A grin split Pa’s face, his teeth showing white against his unshaven cheeks. “Who said anything about it being illegal? We’re just taking cash that’s...extra. Some poor fools have more money than brains, and all we do is teach them a little lesson in how to be careful.” He narrowed his eyes, inspecting Guy. “That job in Cleveland might work. We’ll head over to Ohio after the heat is off.”

  “After the heat is off?”

  Pa crossed his legs at the ankle. “The Feds. They’ll give up looking for small potatoes like me and go chasing someone else. Once they’ve given up, we’ll head to Cleveland.” He punched Guy in the arm. “Just you and me, kid. How does that sound?”

  Guy swallowed and stared at the river to keep Pa from seeing what he really felt. He didn’t want to go to Cleveland. He wanted his pa back. His boyhood dreams mocked him. This wasn’t the father he had longed for as he shivered in his cot at the Home on those long winter nights.

  But even though this man wasn’t the pa he had been waiting for, he’d stick with him. He wouldn’t turn his back on his own. After all, to go with Pa and work with him was what he had been hoping for. It was what Pa had promised. Maybe somehow things would still work out. Maybe they could still be a family.

  And he wasn’t going to run out on Pa the way Pa had run out on him.

  * * *

  On Sunday morning, Judith ran up the stairs after breakfast. A trip home! That’s what Matthew had proposed for this non-church day, and she and Annie had beamed at each other across the table.

  “I’m ready to get out to see someone other than you two,” Annie had said with a teasing grin.

  “The twins are old enough to go visiting now, and I knew you’d enjoy the drive on such a fine spring morning.” Matthew had smiled back at his wife, giving Judith the feeling she was intruding on a special moment between them.

  As soon as Eli was ready to go, she sent him downstairs to help Matthew with the buggy while she took a few minutes to put on a fresh apron for the visit to see the folks at home. As she tied the apron strings, she went into Eli’s room to fetch an extra pair of trousers for him, and the view of the Masts’ farm through the window caught her eye. She leaned against the windowsill, scanning the lane and barnyard, but there was no sign of Guy.

  She hadn’t seen him since Friday evening, even though she had hoped he would walk over. But no. No word. No visit. Not even a trip across the road to talk to Matthew. It was as if he had forgotten she existed. Once again, the idea that something was wrong probed at her mind, but there was nothing she could do about it if he wouldn’t talk to her.

  The trip to Shipshewana seemed longer than she had ever experienced before. She shifted in her seat again, trying to make herself comfortable with Eli on her lap.

  “You must be in a hurry,” Annie said, looking over her shoulder at Judith and Eli in the backseat. “I thought Eli would be restless on such a long ride, but you’re worse than he is.”

  Judith set Eli on the seat next to her, letting him stand to watch the horse through the windshield of the buggy while she held his hand to help him keep his balance. “You’re right. I didn’t know I’d be so anxious to get there.”

  “I know you miss Esther.” Annie jiggled Viola gently as the baby fussed.

  “I do. I’ve never been away from her this long. Even though we got to see each other at the quilting, it wasn’t enough.”

  “I think you even miss Samuel.”

  The thought of their older brother brought a smile to Judith’s face. “Even Samuel. It’s nice to be with you all the time, and close to Bram in Eden Township, but I miss the Shipshewana folks.”

  Judith concentrated on sitting still for the rest of the trip while Annie and Matthew visited in the front of the buggy. Eli was content watching Summer, the buggy horse, even though he couldn’t see more than her back and her two ears pointed forward.

  When Matthew turned Summer into Samuel and Mary’s farm, Judith could hardly wait until the buggy came to a stop at the new house that rose clean and white next to the lane before she was climbing out of the buggy. Mary came out of the kitchen door to greet them.

  “What a wonderful surprise!” She took Viola from Annie and cooed to the baby as Annie jumped down.

  Annie took Rose from Matthew’s arms, then helped Eli out of the buggy. “I hope you don’t mind a visit. I just had to come see you and Samuel today.”

  “Not at all.” Mary stroked Viola’s cheek with a finger. “Samuel and I had thought about coming to see you this afternoon, but we weren’t sure if you’d be up to it.”

  “A visit with the family was the only thing I wanted to do today,” said Annie. “I have to admit, I’m getting a bit of cabin fever staying at home.”

  “We’ll have a nice long visit, then.” Mary made a silly face at Viola. “Samuel is in the barn, Matthew. And Judith, I’m sure you’ll want to go visit with Esther for a while. I’ll give Annie a hand with Eli and the babies. Tell Ida Mae and Esther to bring Aunt Sadie over for dinner.”

  Judith didn’t need any more encouragement, but started down the path toward Sadie’s farm. The way was familiar; she had walked this path since she had been a child. Sadie had been their next-door neighbor all of Judith’s life and had tried to help her and Esther with various things after Mamm passed away. She hadn’t made much headway until Mary and her sister, Ida Mae, moved here from Ohio to help take care of Sadie last year. Not only had the two sisters become her good friends, but Mary even became her sister-in-law. Now Esther was living with Ida Mae and Sadie, helping to provide the care Sadie needed as she grew more forgetful with time.

  Sadie’s little house appeared through the trees. Judith heard voices as she approached, and when she came around the hedge she found the three women sitting in the spring sunshine.

  Esther was the first one to see her coming. “Judith!” She ran to meet her, welcoming her with a hug. “How did you get here? It’s so good to see you! Is Annie with you? Did you bring Eli and the twins? How long can you stay?”

  Judith tightened her hug, drinking in the familiar feel of her sister’s arms around her.

  “Don’t ask so many questions at once,” Ida Mae said, joining them.

  Judith gave Ida Mae a quick hug, then went over to kiss Sadie on the cheek.

  “It’s so good to see you,” Sadie said. She put her hands on either side of Judith’s face and looked into her eyes. “So good.”

  “It’s good to be here,” Judith said. She hadn’t seen Sadie for a month, and she could notice the changes. Sadie looked older. Tired. Judith kissed the elderly woman’s cheek again, then sat in the chair that Esther brought out from the house and set next to Sadie. “And to answer your questions, Esther, Matthew and Annie are at Samuel’s, and I’m supposed to bring you all over there. Mary says we’re to have a nice long visit.”

  “I can’t wait to see the twins again,” Ida Mae said. “Have they grown much?”

  Judith nodded. “I can’t believe how quickly they’re changing. They are smiling more every day and taking an interest in everything that is going on around them. And Eli is so much fun.”

  “It sounds like you still enjoy being nanny for Matthew and Annie.” Esther sat down next to Judith. “And how is everything else going? How is that boy who asked you to the Singing?”

  “Guy?” Judith pressed the seam of her skirt between her fingers, the uneasiness still probing at her mind. “He’s doing well.” She cleared her throat, wanting to move the conversation away from her relationship with her neighbor.

  “Didn’t we hear that David Mast had a bad accident? And isn’t that who Guy is working for?”

  Judith nodded. “David is recovering at home, but isn’t able to get out of bed yet.” Judith’s eyes grew moist at the thought. “We had a work day last week and the men got his fields plowed and harrowed, and planted the buckwheat.”


  “That’s good. Is Guy able to keep up with the rest of the farm work on his own?” Esther leaned forward, interested in Judith’s reply.

  As she thought of how to answer Esther’s question, Judith’s throat grew dry. She twisted her fingers together, not knowing what to say.

  “He seemed to be doing fine the day of the work frolic.”

  “What is wrong?”

  Ida Mae’s quiet voice broke into Judith’s thoughts. She looked from one face to another. Sadie reached out to take her hand.

  “I’m not sure. Guy had a fight with Luke Kaufman during the frolic, but I thought that was resolved.”

  “Until?” Esther laid a hand on her arm, prodding gently with her question.

  “I don’t know what happened, but suddenly he’s different. Like a stranger.” Judith sniffed. She wouldn’t start crying. She wouldn’t.

  “Men worry about different things than we do,” Ida Mae said. “Perhaps taking on the responsibility of the Masts’ farm is too much for him.”

  Shaking her head, Judith thought back to the events of the past few days. “After he came to see me, he was going to talk to David and set things right. But for some reason...” Judith’s mind went over the path Guy would have taken from Matthew’s to the Masts’. The only thing that would have changed his mind about talking to David was if he had met someone on the road who talked him out of it. Or pulled his attention elsewhere.

  “When I talked to him the other night, he seemed distracted by something.” Judith wiped her cheek with the heel of her hand, concentrating. “He wasn’t in the barn, like Verna thought. He was walking toward the barn from the direction of the river...”

  “What are you talking about?” Esther asked. “You’re rambling and making no sense.”

  “Never mind.” Judith put a smile on her face, determined to think through this problem later. “Let’s go over to Samuel’s. I brought some ham salad to have for lunch, and Annie brought some fresh spinach from the garden.”

  As they gathered up the chairs to put them back inside the house, Judith’s mind raced. Somehow, she would find out what Guy had been doing at the river.