Amish Trust

by Ruth Hartzler

  Rachel and Miriam exchanged glances, a fact which did not escape the bishop’s notice.

  “Have you met Isaac already?” he asked.

  “Jah, we have,” Miriam said. “He was quite angry with us.”

  The bishop nodded. “Pay him no mind. He has had a very difficult time. I’m sure he will come around sooner on later, all in Gott’s timing. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. That is from Ecclesiastes, chapter eight, and verse six.”

  “We should probably be going,” Lydia said, standing up abruptly and smiling. “Thank you both for allowing us into your home. I can’t wait to see what this place will look like when it’s restored and open for business.”

  The bishop followed her lead and rose to his feet. “Yes, thank you both. It’s very rare that we see new faces. It’s uncommon for us to welcome new members to our community. Again, if you need anything at all, please don’t worry about asking. We’re all familye around here.” The bishop turned and followed his fraa to the front door as Rachel and Miriam trailed behind to say their final goodbyes.

  As he reached the bishop door, he paused and turned back to Miriam and Rachel. “Please do not be concerned about any looters. They’re not criminals, just adventurers looking to find some historical artifacts or gold or whatever is said to be in Eden’s treasure. Grossmammi Clara lived here for a long time and never had any real problems with them. Once they realize that the haus is no longer vacant, they will stop coming.” He rubbed his baard. “Perhaps, with your permission, I will have some signs made and have them posted around the land just in case.”

  Miriam thanked him once again, and he hurried to catch up with his fraa.

  Miriam closed the door and looked at her daughter. “Oh no, we have more things to worry about now.”

  “I suppose that explains all the holes in the walls,” Rachel said.

  Miriam wiped away a tear. “We’ll have this place restored and ready to open in no time. We can’t let a local legend and some treasure hunters ruin what can be a good thing.” Miriam smiled, but Rachel could see that she was concerned.

  “Don’t worry, Mamm. The bishop said that the treasure hunters aren’t criminals. Once they know that the place is no longer vacant, they’ll leave us alone.”

  Chapter 6

  “This house is just a mess,” Rachel mumbled to herself as she swept the floor for the umpteenth time. No matter how many times she swept it, it still seemed as if there was just as much dirt to clean up as when she had started.

  The sweeping had given Rachel plenty of time to think. The house was supposed to be a fresh start for both Rachel and her mudder. They had simply expected to do some minor renovating, and then open the haus as a B&B. Yet the house was in appalling condition, and Rachel felt that they had made a mistake in moving there.

  Now all their time was consumed with doing all the repairs that they could handle. Once done with those, they would have to hire someone to do the rest. Hopefully an affordable price could be reached for expert help. Until then, it was just the two of them, and the work was tedious as well as hard. Rachel’s mother’s dream of starting a B&B was now a crazy home improvement affair for which neither woman was prepared. Miriam had band-aids on all her fingers from splinters, and Rachel actually worried that cutting herself on a nail in this place would give her tetanus.

  “Why would Grossmammi leave the house in shambles?” Rachel asked, as Miriam came into the room with mop and bucket.

  “I don’t know,” Miriam responded, “but we have a place free and clear. No reason to look a gift horse in the mouth just because it needs a little elbow grease. We’re not afraid of hard work. Alle Daag rumhersitze macht em faul.” Sitting all day makes one lazy.

  Rachel yawned widely.

  “Why don’t you get some air?” Miriam said. “Perhaps you could go for a walk through the fields.”

  “I can’t leave you to do the work, Mamm.”

  Miriam waved her hands at Rachel. “Nonsense - off you go! You’ve been working so hard; you need a break. I’ll have to town anyway, so we might as well both stop working for a while.”

  Rachel walked outside, and then down the little track beside the creek. It was peaceful, but lonely at the same time. Still, she marveled at the beauty of Gott’s creation, the dozens of wildflowers, the red and yellow bell-shaped flowers of the columbine contrasting with the purple asters.

  Rachel wondered if her mudder had the best place to start a business, but at least they did own the building free and clear. Rachel sighed. The house did need extensive renovations simply to quality as a haus, let alone a proper B&B. Rachel missed her friends back in Ohio, and as yet, had met no one in the community here – apart from the bishop and his fraa. She was a little nervous about the coming church meeting.

  Rachel wandered, lost in thought, when she saw an Amish mann working on a fence in the distance. As she approached, she saw it was Isaac. I should’ve turned back, she silently scolded herself. I’d forgotten he was our closest neighbor. Rachel hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to hurry home or to continue her walk. Suddenly, righteous indignation overcame her and she stomped forward. Why should I let him intimate me? she asked herself. I fear no man, only Gott!

  By the time she reached Isaac, Rachel was ready to give him a piece of her mind. Isaac turned around, and his face paled as he faced Rachel’s approach. She did not give him the opportunity to speak. “Listen, you have the wrong idea about my familye, and it’s time for you to get over all that hatred you have for us. We are gut people,” Rachel said in a commanding and stern voice.

  “I don’t hate your familye, Rachel,” Isaac said softly. “I just don’t like the way your mudder treated Clara.”

  Rachel folded her arms across her chest. “You have no idea what it was like for my father growing up. Grossmammi Clara was very harsh toward him.”

  “I know you’re right, Rachel, and I’m sorry. Clara often said that she regretted the strict way she had behaved to your vadder. I must apologize for the way I lashed out at you.” His tone was soft.

  Rachel had been expecting an argument, and was shocked by the apology. Isaac had been so mean to her that she had no idea he was capable of displaying any form of sensitivity. She could not help but blush at the way he said her name and the softness in his voice.

  Rachel took a faltering step to him, trying to figure out how to respond to his words, when she stumbled in a hole and fell hard. The pain in her right ankle was intense, and it felt as if it were being impaled with sharp rods.

  “Are you all right?” Isaac dropped what he was doing and ran over.

  “I wasn’t watching what I was doing,” Rachel said, and then took offense when the corners of his mouth twitched. “I meant I was busy watching you.” When Rachel realized how that sounded, she added, “I mean that I was hurrying to you to tell you off for what you said.” Rachel felt her cheeks flush hot and she was sure they were beet red.

  “Well, right now we need to get you sorted,” Isaac said. He offered Rachel his hand. “Let me help you.”

  As he pulled Rachel to her feet, she let out a little cry of pain. “I twisted it.”

  “My haus is nearby,” Isaac said. “If you will let me help you get there, I can put some ice on it and I’ll see if you’ll need to go to the doktor.”

  Rachel was mortified. “Fine, but we’re walking. You’re not carrying me.”

  Isaac chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Lean on my arm.”

  By the time they reached Isaac’s haus, Rachel was on the verge of tears. Isaac wasted no time in taking off her boot. The ankle was swollen. “Nee, it’s not broken,” he said, and then hurried out of the room, returning soon after with an icepack and some aspirin. A grateful Rachel accepted both. The pain started to subside as soon as the icepack was on the ankle.

  “So, what exactly were you going to tell me off about?” Isaac asked.

  “Well, you did apologize,”
Rachel said, “but you accused me of abandoning my grossmammi. I didn’t even know about Clara until after she died. My mudder never told me.”

  “Oh,” Isaac said. “I didn’t know about that.” Isaac crossed to the window to look out. “Now if you can think you can walk a little, I’ll get the buggy and drive you home.”

  * * *

  Isaac was uncomfortable with a woman in his haus, and an attractive woman at that. The only woman who had been in his house since Olivia was the bishop’s wife.

  After Olivia left him, Isaac figured it was in Gott’s plan for him to live alone for the rest of his life. He was not attracted to any of the Amish women in the community. Who would have thought an Amish woman would arrive from another community, and at that, an Amish woman with whom he had undeniable chemistry?

  Isaac thought of the Scripture in the book of Isaiah, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

  What did Gott have in store for him? Isaac thought he’d had his whole life planned, but perhaps Gott had other ideas.

  Chapter 7

  “Are you all right?” Miriam asked, as she and Rachel carefully made their way across the fields.

  “I’m all right.” Rachel gave her mudder a smile of reassurance as she balanced the cake pan in her hands. She was fine, or at least she would be fine until she got there. Then it would remain to be seen. Rachel did not know what to make of her neighbor. First he was completely hostile, and then almost sweet, and then he was again cold and distant. She had no idea if they would be meeting the nice mann or the angry hermit when they got there.

  Granted, Rachel had said harsh words the previous day, but what was she supposed to do? Pretend that treating her like he had was okay? Come to think of it, what was wrong with her? Amish did not confront people. They did not complain when they were wronged. If the cashier had a bad attitude, Rachel would simply thank them for her change and then go on about her life. If someone made it personal, she tried to avoid them. She did not go running down to a field to give them a piece of her mind. What was it about Isaac Petersheim that got under her skin like this?

  “Are you sure you’re up to this?” her mudder asked again. “If your ankle is still hurting, I’m sure Mr. Petersheim will understand if you stayed home.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Rachel said in response, hoping her voice did not sound too desperate. When she had told her mudder about how Isaac had helped her, she seemed so happy. Miriam had been thrilled that the mann was warming up to them and had helped her dochder.

  Rachel listened to her mudder’s plans for the week the rest of the way to Isaac’s haus. Despite everything that had happened yesterday, Rachel still had managed to take in the appearance of the place. It was remarkably well kept, especially for a lonely bachelor. There was not a weed to be seen, and the wooden porch looked as if it had been given a fresh coat of wood stain recently. The back field had some cattle plodding lazily along in a huge pasture, and Rachel had heard the faint sound of chickens somewhere nearby. Even the barn looked neat and clean, at least from the outside.

  In fact, Isaac’s haus was neat and trim, and surprisingly inviting for a place owned by an angry hermit. And this man had delivered her home, to a haus complete with weeds and loose shingles. Rachel had been mortified, even at Isaac’s comment that it needed a little work. That was an understatement, and a nice thing for him to say. She just couldn’t figure out this mann.

  When Miriam knocked on the door, they were greeted with the sound of enthusiastic barking. Did Rachel notice a dog yesterday? She frowned and tried to remember but just then, Isaac opened his door. His expression did not exactly scream, “Hello, neighbors.” At least he wasn’t chasing them off right that second. Right by his heel was the smallest border collie Rachel had ever seen. The little animal was a lot more welcoming than his owner, wagging his tail. He barked at them so enthusiastically that his front paws flew off the hardwood floor. He was so cute, that Rachel could not help smiling, despite Isaac’s expression.

  “Hiya, Mr. Petersheim.” If Miriam noticed his distaste for their company, then Rachel thought she was very good at hiding it. “We just wanted to thank you for yesterday. I heard from Rachel how you came to her rescue when she twisted her ankle.”

  “That so?” Isaac gave them a dubious look.

  Rachel forced herself to give a thin, wary smile as she nodded in agreement. No matter how low his opinion of them was, or how skillfully he could drive her to distraction, he had come to her assistance. Of course any Amish person would’ve come to her assistance. It’s not as if he did anything out of the ordinary. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.

  “Well, c’mon inside,” he said gruffly, as he opened the screen door to allow them in. “Please call me Isaac.” The dog promptly ran out to circle their ankles in a quick inspection before running back inside.

  The inside was very clean and utilitarian. The table was clean, but lacked a cloth or centerpiece. There were no rugs on the floors. In the living room, Rachel saw the quilt that had caught her eye yesterday. It was so warm and colorful that it clashed with the rest of the room.

  “Your place is lovely, Isaac,” Miriam said as she took a seat.

  Isaac nodded his thanks as he offered to take the cake from Rachel and waved her to a chair.

  Despite his reluctance to invite them in, he was a good host. They were served hot meadow tea and the cake, before he settled into a chair of his own.

  Isaac turned to Rachel. “How’s your ankle?”

  Rachel felt herself jolt at the abruptness of the question, and she turned a little red. Was he Mean Isaac or Nice Isaac? It was so hard to tell. “Oh, gut. It’s fine. Denki. For the ice I mean.”

  Isaac turned his mug of tea over in his hands. “Gut,” he said. “I’m glad your ankle is doing all right.”

  “What’s your dog’s name?” Miriam asked as she leaned down to pat the dog, which had not left their feet the whole time. Rachel was surprised to see the dog cringe away with a whine and scuttle to lean up against Isaac’s ankle. He stumbled a little on one hind leg, holding it up as he scrambled to the safety of the big man’s leg.

  Isaac reached down and gently scratched the dog behind the ears, his rough hands looking surprisingly gentle as he handled the spooked, little animal. “Spot doesn’t care too much for people. He likes them from a distance, but it takes him a while to warm up to people.”

  Like dog, like owner, Rachel thought.

  “Spot here showed up some months back with a smashed hip,” Isaac continued. “It took near a day to get him out from under the porch. And then he had to spend a night at the veterinary clinic.”

  Miriam stood up. “Isaac, may I use the phone in your barn, please? We still don’t have the phone connected at Eden.”

  “Jah, of course,” Isaac said politely. “Please feel free to come and use my phone at any time.”

  “Denki,” Miriam said. “I need to call a contractor who has a bush hog.”

  “You’re calling a contractor?” Isaac furrowed his brow. “They get pricey this far out.”

  “I know. But we have a lot of cleaning up to do,” Miriam said, as she made her way toward the door.

  Rachel was alarmed. She was left alone in the room with the mann who was both rescuer and most outspoken critic all at once. An awkward silence settled between them once again as Isaac seemed to fall back deep into thought.

  “Um.” Rachel cleared her throat, feeling her stomach clench when he trained his eyes on her. “Did Grossmammi and Spot get along?”

  Isaac nodded as he patted the dog in his lap. “She named him. Your grossmammi loved dogs.”

  “She sounds amazing.” Rachel looked down at her hands. She found herself wishing she had known her grossmammi. Whatever her faults, she was her grandmother, after all.

  “She would wait too, you know,” he said quietly, keeping his attention carefully on the little dog.

  Rachel tensed in reflex,
waiting for another battle to start. “Pardon?” she said, watching him seem to struggle with his thoughts.

  “For you,” he said. “She figured you wouldn’t be allowed to come. But she thought that when you grew up, you’d want to see her once.”

  “I never knew,” Rachel said, blinking back the mist forming in her eyes. She bit her lip and blinked until her vision cleared. She was already babbling, and she wasn’t going to add blubbering into the mix. “I never would have left her alone if I knew.”

  “She wasn’t alone.” His tone was so reassuring that it caught her off guard.

  Rachel had a thousand questions about her grossmammi – what she was like, if she liked quilting, if she read in the evenings until she fell asleep. However, before she could find the words to ask, her mudder returned. “The contractor was all booked up,” Miriam said. When she saw Rachel’s upset face, her eyes at once darted to Isaac.

  “I have to apologize to you both,” Isaac said as he rose to his feet, meeting Miriam’s gaze. “I was trying to bury the hatchet, and ended up making it a mess.” He gave an uncomfortable cough. “I realized that I haven’t done right by Grossmammi Clara, leaving her familye to fend for themselves. Being neighbors now, there’s just no excuse for it.”

  Miriam and Rachel exchanged glances. Rachel was taken aback. Did Isaac intend to help them at Eden? She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

  “Anyway, I’m ahead in my work,” Isaac continued. “Let me come by tomorrow with my bush hog and start on that field. I can re-shingle the worst of that roof too while I’m at it. I can help with some repairs.”

  “Oh, Mr. Petersheim, we can’t ask you to do that.”

  “Isaac, please,” he said to Miriam with a smile. “And that’s why I’m offering. There’s no need to ask.”

  Rachel’s face flushed hot as Isaac turned his gaze on her. How could someone so cold and distant be so kind and generous too? She really didn’t know what to make of Isaac Petersheim. Nevertheless, it seemed as if they were now in an unspoken truce. That at least, had lifted a giant weight off her.