A Simple Autumn: A Seasons of Lancaster Novel

by Rosalind Lauer

  Hope surged through Annie as she gathered her dear friend’s hands and squeezed them. “Denki, Mary. You’ve given me the courage I need to talk to him.”

  Mary smiled. “Really? I can’t imagine you in need of prodding to talk.”

  “I know. Hard to believe, isn’t it?” As Annie gave her best friend a hug, she realized that love changed some things. Being in love had softened her impulsiveness. She wasn’t so quick to let comments fly from her mouth unchecked.

  Folks were starting to head out of the barn for the bonfire in a nearby field. Five came over to accompany Mary, and as Annie chatted with the two of them she kept checking on Jonah, who was still talking with the schoolteacher. How wonderful it would be to sit beside him at the big bonfire, chatting and sharing little jokes while more singing went on. And if she grew cold, maybe he would offer her his jacket, or put an arm around her shoulders to keep her warm.…

  As Jonah and Emma walked out of the barn together, Annie realized that her plan wasn’t very realistic—at least not for today. Jonah was going to maintain a respectful distance, as long as he thought that was what she wanted.

  Outside, as everyone gathered around the big fire, Annie found a place beside some other single girls and let her gaze wander the circle of faces lit by firelight. Mary and Five were together, as were Remy and Adam. Hannah’s face glowed with happiness as Ben King leaned close to whisper something into her ear.

  And where were Jonah and Emma?

  She flinched, noticing that Emma was standing nearby, in the same group of girls without beaus. And across the fire, Jonah and his brother Gabe joined a group of young men.

  As Annie let her gaze rest on Jonah’s face, flickering with firelight, she wished she could talk to him right now.

  Someday, Gott willing, we’ll be sitting beside each other, watching the dancing flames together.

  Later that night, after Annie finished unhitching Dapple from the family carriage, she patted the horse vigorously before she brought him into the stables. Excitement bubbled inside her, and though she could barely wait until morning to talk with Jonah, a part of her savored this special time. Like a bird about to take flight, hope pulsed inside her, excited and strong and eager to soar.

  The night was growing cold, with temperatures dipping into the forties, and as she wandered through the barn, Sunny followed her restlessly.

  “What’s the matter, girl?” She bent down to stroke the dog behind her ears, but she was too excited to stay still for long. “What are you trying to tell me?”

  Since they weren’t a dairy farm, they only had a handful of milk cows. When she went to check on them, she found that one was missing—Buttercup, the pregnant Dexter.

  “That’s it,” she said as she went to the barn door, Sunny sticking to her side.

  “Buttercup, where are you?” she asked aloud, looking out over the dark fields. She frowned as Sunny barked a call into the darkness. Their Dexter was ready to deliver any day now. Although Dat had repaired the calving shed, Annie knew that there was a good chance that once again, the cow had chosen another spot on the farm to fresh.

  Returning to the horse stables, she saddled up Dapple, working quickly. The horse responded, prancing excitedly when she first got out of the stables. For safety’s sake she kept Dapple on the path between the fields, but she let the horse trot freely as they searched for the errant cow. She prayed that she would find Buttercup safe and sound; it wouldn’t help Dat’s condition for him to be getting bad news now.

  A pale half-moon cast a silvery glow over the cold landscape, lighting the path and the bulk of reddish cow perched on the ground up ahead.

  “Buttercup,” Annie said aloud as her horse closed the distance between them. She climbed down from the horse and walked alongside the cow that lay in a sprawling heap on the ground.

  The Dexter cow was breathing heavily. Her eyes were wild, and as Annie watched she moaned and pushed her legs up in the air.

  Buttercup was giving birth. From what Annie could see, she figured the cow was still in the first stage of labor. They had some time.

  “You poor dear. We need to get you help.” Although Annie had lived on a farm all her life, she’d never been in charge when any of the animals gave birth. There was no way she could disturb Dat, and Mamm didn’t have any more experience with this than Annie did. Daniel would be willing to help, but he had been raised a harness-maker.

  There was only one person who’d be ready and able to help Buttercup.

  Jonah.

  “I’m going to get help for you. You stay right there,” Annie told the prone cow. As she climbed onto Dapple, she realized that wouldn’t be a problem. In her condition, Buttercup wasn’t going to wander off.

  She called to her horse, and they galloped off along the silver landscape.

  As it turned out, Annie didn’t have to ride all the way out to the Kings’ farm to get Jonah. Before she even reached the main road she came upon Ben King and Hannah, saying good night at the end of the lane. When she explained that the cow was freshing out near a ditch, Ben reassured her that it sometimes happened that way.

  “Chances are, you won’t have to do anything to help her along,” he said. “But I’ll go get Jonah, just in case. He’s an old hand at this.”

  Hannah hopped down from the carriage and he took off, the red triangle on the back of the carriage quickly growing smaller as he sped down the road.

  “Isn’t he wonderful, helping us like that?” Hannah stared wistfully after him.

  “Ya, he is,” Annie said, thinking that Jonah did ten times as many favors for their family. Still, she was glad that Hannah had found someone who filled her heart with love. A person couldn’t ask for a more precious gift than Gott’s gift of love.

  By the time Jonah arrived, it was nearly midnight. Annie had changed into her everyday dress and assembled blankets and a few other supplies she thought they might need.

  As he drove down the lane, his horse moving at a quick trot, she felt her heart swell with relief to have him here. Jonah would know how to handle this. When he was around, everything turned out fine; she had learned that over these past few weeks, and now she was hanging on to the hope that Jonah would be in her life forever.

  The sight of him jumping down from the carriage made her heart leap for joy. He’d changed out of his Sunday clothes and now wore a heavy black jacket and hat. “What’s all this excitement you’ve got going on?”

  “Buttercup sure knows how to choose her moments—and her spots. She’s out there on the edge of one of the creek beds. And right now, with all this rain, there’s a few feet of water in it.”

  “And how far out is she?”

  “Probably a five-minute ride. I hitched a cart to Tully, thinking we can use him. And I packed some flashlights, a lantern, blankets, and a thermos of hot tea.”

  “And you’re bringing tea for Buttercup?” he teased.

  “For us. Aren’t we going to be waiting around for a few hours?”

  He nodded. “It will take a while, but Dexters are easy calvers. She might deliver in two to three hours, depending on how far along she is.”

  “Do we need anything else for her?”

  He rubbed his chin. “Let me get a few things from the barn. She’ll probably deliver fine on her own, but it wouldn’t hurt to pack some iodine and rope. Some hay, too.”

  With a few other items in the cart, he swung up into the driver’s seat. “Let’s go check on her.”

  She climbed up beside him and lifted the big lantern into her lap. It was tight with two on the little seat, but she didn’t mind sitting close to him. Even through his jacket, she could feel the warmth of his body against her shoulder, a shield against the cool wind that whipped along the open fields now and again. She should have thought to bring a warming brick or a plastic bottle of hot water, just to keep their feet warm, but as it was still autumn she wasn’t really thinking of warding off the cold yet.

  “Which field is she in?” Jon
ah asked.

  “Down east.” She pointed the way.

  What a thrill this was, riding out in the night with Jonah to take care of a laboring animal. It was more proof that they made a good team.

  “Did you tell your dat that the cow is in labor?” he asked.

  “I didn’t want to wake him. When I went into the house to heat up water, both he and Mamm were asleep.”

  “You did the right thing,” he said. “Knowing your dat, he wouldn’t have been able to stay in bed.”

  “That’s what I was thinking, and I didn’t want him up pacing the floor all night, or worse, coming out to the field to have a look. The doctor says he’s getting stable. The medicine is working. If he keeps following the rules and resting, Doc Trueherz thinks he’ll be able to go to the big wedding at your place next month.”

  “That’s very good news. I know it’s been hard for Aaron to sit still.”

  “Ya, but he’s grateful to have you here, Jonah.” When she turned to him, she couldn’t help but notice how the lantern light outlined the planes of his face—his chin, forehead, and cheekbones. “We’re all grateful, Jonah. Especially me.”

  He shot her a quick, curious look. This was not a speech he expected. “I’m glad I was able to help.” Quickly, he turned his attention back to the path, where the cow was now up and staggering unsteadily on the edge of the embankment.

  “Whoa!”

  “She looks like she’s trying to walk away,” Annie said. “Is that normal?”

  “The mother cow usually gets up between contractions.” Jonah halted their horse a few yards away from the laboring cow. “We’ll give her a little space.” Buttercup didn’t seem to notice them as she collapsed onto the ground, her legs kicking at the air.

  Annie hopped down to the ground but stood back a bit as Jonah took the lantern and went over to check the cow.

  “There’s nothing coming out yet,” he called over to her. “Looks like she’s still in the early part of her labor. Right now we have to let nature take its course. But we can put some hay on the ground. A clean bed would be better for mother and calf.” They made quick work of spreading hay from the cart around the moaning cow, who was back on her feet again, plodding around.

  “Just stay away from that ditch,” Jonah told the cow.

  “She’s too upset to answer you,” Annie teased.

  “It’s a funny thing,” he said, looking up at the sky. “So many cows give birth in the middle of the night. Why do you think that is?”

  Annie shrugged. “They like the moooonlight?” she mooed.

  They both laughed.

  “Now we wait.” He glanced back toward the cart. “How about some of that hot tea you brought?”

  “Sure.” As they climbed back into the cart and Annie poured the hot tea into a cup, a sense of calm washed over her. Here they were in the middle of one of Gott’s miracles—a new calf about to be born. And amid all the excitement, Gott had given them this little quiet time together.

  She handed Jonah the thermos cup. “We’ll have to share. I only brought one cup.”

  “Fine with me.” He took a cautious sip. “Still hot. That’s good on a night like this.” He took a deeper drink, then gave it to her.

  “Is there anything we can do for Buttercup?” She took a sip, grateful for the warmth of the sweet tea.

  “Not unless something goes wrong. Sometimes if the calf is in the wrong position—breech or maybe the head turned back—you have to position the calf before it comes out. That’s not easy.”

  “Have you ever done that before?”

  He nodded. “But most times, the mother just pushes it out, all on her own.”

  “It’s amazing, when you think about it.” She handed him the empty cup and reached for the thermos. “Gott takes care of most everything and a new life comes into the world.”

  “Gott takes care of everything,” he said, watching as she poured. “Even the things that don’t go our way. They’re all part of Gott’s plan. We just don’t understand why.”

  She capped the thermos, staring at his eyes, so full of wisdom and gentleness. “Jonah, I’m sorry I was such a disappointment to you.”

  He squinted. “What was that?”

  “Before … when you told me you wanted to court me and I said no. I know I hurt you and I’m sorry for that. It was foolish of me to—”

  “Don’t apologize,” he said, interrupting. “You were just telling the truth.”

  “Maybe I was, but I was wrong. I was a fool not to see you—the real you. All I could see was that you were Adam’s brother, that you looked a little bit like him, and that was reason enough to keep away.”

  His eyes studied her as he took a careful sip of the tea. “But it’s been hard to keep your distance, with me working here.”

  She nodded. “Ya, and that was a good thing. With you here every day, I got to know you. We became friends.” She paused, licking her dry lips. This was not an easy thing to say. “My thoughts and feelings have been jumbled for a long, long time, but now I see it all, clear as the sky above us, and I’ve just got to tell you that I’ve come to favor you, Jonah. I think we belong together.”

  His eyes opened wide. “Did I hear that right?”

  She nodded, not wanting to stop before she spilled the whole truth. “I admire your patience and skill. I enjoy your sense of humor. I feel so alive when I’m with you, and when you’re not around there’s such emptiness inside that my heart aches.”

  “Annie.” He looked at the mug in his hand, tossed the tea out onto the field, and then dropped the empty mug onto the seat to take her hands. “I know how you feel, because I’ve been there for the past few years.”

  He lifted their hands to her cheek. “Your mouth goes dry. Reasonable thoughts fly from your brain.”

  He let his hand slide to the crook of her neck, the trail of his fingertips sending shivers through her. “And the heart … it pounds in the chest like a galloping horse.”

  She nodded, her throat growing tight with emotion. “That’s just how it is, Jonah. And I have to ask you if you … do you still feel the same way about me?” She was wound up so tight that her voice cracked during the most important question.

  “I do.” His dark eyes, just inches from hers, were solemn and yet filled with the light of hope. “I tried and tried to shake it off. I tried to get over you, but every time I turned around, there you were, sneaking into my dreams and laughing behind me at a singing. So eventually, I just came to accept that there would always be a place for you in my heart. Always.”

  “You waited for me to come to my senses.” Tears stung her eyes. “You’re so wonderful.”

  He lifted her chin, smiling. “I’m nothing so grand, Annie. But I will always love you.” He leaned closer and their lips touched, gently at first.

  With a burst of emotion Annie reached for Jonah’s shoulders and swayed into his arms.

  He caught her and held her close and deepened the kiss until all she could think of was Jonah and her under the great black sky, the moon and stars. Two people in love … so much in love.

  FORTY-FIVE

  Jonah kissed her, loving the soft feel of her cheek, the smell of her skin, the taste of her. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.

  Was this really happening? Annie so soft in his arms, saying the words he had longed to hear for so many years …

  He ended the kiss and lifted his head with a sigh. Her lips, red and plump from kissing, held his gaze until her eyes slowly opened and he was lost in that beautiful blue of a summer sky.

  His racing heart was no joke. Annie was really in his arms.

  “I can’t believe this,” he said softly. “I keep thinking that, in a minute, I’m going to wake up from this dream, because it is a dream come true.”

  Annie’s smile filled his heart. “But it is true. It took me long enough to sort it all out. I know. I’ve been a fool, thinking that my feelings for you were just friendship. Thinking that I had to go off to New
York to find a husband, when the answer to my prayers was right here. My heart could just burst with joy when I think of it.”

  He felt one side of his mouth twitch into a grin. “Let’s not have anything bursting now,” he said, gently rubbing her smooth cheek. “Besides, we can’t forget poor Buttercup calving at the edge of the creek.”

  “Buttercup!” Annie’s hand flew to her mouth as she looked over at the heifer, which chose that moment to flop on the ground again for another contraction.

  Jonah jumped down from the cart and went over to check the cow. Sure enough, there was a white sac beginning to push out of the cow’s hind end. Good old Buttercup kept pushing, and a minute later, he could make out a small black hoof inside the sac.

  “Attagirl,” he said, reassuring her.

  “The calf is coming, right?” Annie joined him. “Is there anything we should do?”

  “I like to think that it helps to talk her through it, but what do I know?”

  She laughed. “Well, I guess it’s worked for you before. How are you doing, Buttercup?”

  As if in answer, the heifer got to her feet, her tail distended over the two hooves that were poking out of her.

  “Are those hooves?” Annie asked.

  Jonah nodded. “And they’re pointed in the right direction. That’s a good sign. We can leave her be. It shouldn’t be long now.”

  The cow dropped to the ground, moaning softly and sucking in air.

  “Did you hear that, Buttercup?” Annie said, going toward the cow’s head to look her in the eye. “Not too much longer.”

  Meanwhile, Jonah watched the rear to be sure the calf was in the right position. Just about thirty minutes after the hooves had emerged, he caught sight of the head.

  “I see the calf’s nose coming out … and its tongue.” He laughed. “A lot of very pink tongue.”

  “That’s good?”

  “It’s in the right position. A few pushes and it’ll be out.”