An Unexpected Amish Harvest

by Carrie Lighte

  “Why? Does he eat as much as Conrad and Jacob?”

  “He eats more.”

  “That’s impossible.”

  “It’s true,” Peter insisted.

  “I’ll believe it when I see it,” Susannah said in a saucy voice.

  Peter didn’t know how even the most casual conversation with her could make him feel so punchy, but if he didn’t stop bantering with her like this, his butterflies would come back. And the food smelled too delectable for him to miss out on this meal.

  Hannes returned to the room and a few minutes later, so did Eva and their mother. Dorothy looked much more tired than she’d appeared this morning. Or maybe it was just that her hair was mussed and her dress was wrinkled from lying down in it. They all sat down—Susannah was seated across from Peter—and he was about to say grace when he noticed his mother wasn’t wearing her prayer kapp. He didn’t want to embarrass her by drawing attention to her forgetfulness, but he knew she’d be upset if she realized she wasn’t wearing it while they prayed.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Susannah tug her own kapp strings, discreetly signaling Dorothy’s oversight. It was such a small, simple gesture, but the amount of quiet dignity she extended to Peter’s mother doubled his respect for Susannah.

  “Ach, I forgot my kapp,” Dorothy said, so Eva darted into her room to get it for her. When she had pinned it securely in her hair, Peter said grace. Then they passed around the platters of honey Dijon garlic chicken breasts, roasted vegetables and baked potato wedges that Susannah again referred to as French fries. Unlike during lunchtime at Marshall’s house, this afternoon they ate slowly, simultaneously enjoying both the food and the pleasant conversation. Eventually, everyone but Hannes finished their meal. Peter caught Susannah’s eye and gestured toward his brother with his chin, as if to say “See? I told you.”

  She glanced at the teenager. “I assume you liked the meal, Hannes?”

  “Jah.” His mouth was too full for him to say anything else.

  “Didn’t I tell you what a gut cook Susannah is?” Peter asked proudly, not caring if anyone picked up on his obvious appreciation for her.

  “Denki, Peter...but I didn’t make this meal. Eva did.”

  Hannes momentarily stopped eating. “Really?”

  “Well, Susannah told me how to do everything,” Eva quickly informed them.

  “Neh, I just gave you the recipe. I couldn’t have made this any better myself,” Susannah said. “And, actually, if I had made it, the fries would have been burned to a crisp.”

  Peter chuckled and then the two of them recounted the story about the meal she’d ruined, how Benuel was going to eat the charred chicken, anyway, and what Peter had said to him about sanding it down. Everyone cracked up, especially Dorothy. She may look tired, but she sure seems to be in a lively mood, he noticed.

  “Who wants dessert?” Eva asked.

  “I do.” Hannes popped the last potato wedge into his mouth.

  Their mother’s appetite was strong today and she said, “Me, too.”

  “Just a tiny sliver,” Susannah told Eva.

  “How about you, Peter?” his sister asked.

  No, he didn’t want dessert. Because that would mean their meal with Susannah was almost over. But since everyone was waiting for his answer he said, “Jah, please. Whatever it is, make mine a big piece.”

  * * *

  After lunch, Dorothy offered to dry the dishes. Susannah could see how weak she was, but she didn’t want to insult her by suggesting that she should go rest instead, so she gratefully accepted her help. However, as soon as they’d put away the last utensil, Dorothy admitted she needed to sit down in a comfortable chair in the living room. Close to tears, she said, “I want to help you meed cook, but I just feel drained.”

  “That must be frustrating,” Susannah said, empathizing with the older woman. “But we did most of the prep work before lunch, so we don’t have much left to do, anyway.”

  When Eva had stopped by the house with Hannes on Thursday, Susannah had given her some of the recipe cards she’d brought with her from Delaware so the young girl could purchase the ingredients they’d need ahead of time. Susannah had planned to help Eva make supper for their evening meal, which could be eaten again as leftovers on the Sabbath. She also wanted them to prepare a couple of dishes to refrigerate or freeze for later in the week.

  As they worked together, it became clear to Susannah that, like most Amish girls her age, Eva was familiar with the basics of cooking. She just needed a few hints about the preparation and timing involved in making homemade meals, since she lacked experience cooking from scratch. The two of them had several pans sizzling on the stove when they discovered Eva had only bought half of the amount of ground turkey required for one of their recipes.

  The Lambrights lived as far away from the main grocery store as Marshall and Lydia did, but there was a smaller, more expensive market nearby. Although it wasn’t frequented by the Amish, Susannah suggested she could jog over there and pick up the turkey they needed.

  “Neh, I’ll go,” Eva objected. “I’m the one who forgot to get it and it’s raining.”

  From the other room, Dorothy called, “I’d go, but I’m too tired. Susannah, you should use our buggy and Eva can stay here and I’ll help her keep an eye on the cooking. Take the black gaul. His name is Pepper.”

  Susannah agreed that was the best idea so she charged off to the barn. Pepper seemed a bit agitated and he had bits of bedding or dirt on his shoulders and flanks. Knowing that the harness could rub against the debris and give the animal a sore, Susannah decided to brush him off first. She spoke soothingly to him as she worked and he seemed more settled by the time she put on the harness.

  As she was fastening the straps on the breast collar, Peter came into the barn, water dripping from the brim of his hat. He stopped short, as if surprised to see her. “Wh-where are you going? Is everything okay with Mamm?” he asked. There was a distinctly panicked tone to his voice and it occurred to Susannah that he must have been carrying an abiding concern about his mother’s condition.

  “Your mamm is fine.” Having fastened the harness collar, Susannah paused to smile reassuringly at Peter. “We need something from the market over on Pine Street, so she told me I could take the buggy.”

  “Oh.” He came closer and rubbed the horse’s neck for a moment, then suggested, “Pepper can be a little skittish sometimes. The roads are slick and the Englischers drive pretty fast around here. Maybe I should go with you?”

  Peter knew full well Susannah could handle the horse and buggy on her own. But he wasn’t asking whether she needed help; he was asking whether she wanted his company. It reminded her of when he’d first asked if he could court her. The response she gave him now was the same as the one she’d given him then. “I’d like that. Denki.” Then she added, “As long as it doesn’t interfere with your work.”

  “Neh. Hannes ate three desserts. He has enough energy for both of us. I’ve just got to bring him that spare sawhorse over there and then I’ll be right back.”

  Since the workshop was a good quarter of a mile away from the house and barn, Susannah had the horse and buggy hitched and was ready to go by the time Peter returned. After they got into the carriage and headed toward the small market, Susannah remarked, “It’s been very pleasant spending time with your mamm and schweschder today. I’m sorry Dorothy hasn’t been well, though.”

  “Denki.”

  Susannah didn’t know whether his answer was so succinct because he was concentrating on the road ahead or because he didn’t want to talk about his mother’s condition. She’d gathered that their family was guarded about his mother’s health and Susannah wasn’t going to pry. But she did want him to know she cared, so she said, “I worried a lot when my daed was ill. But it helped me to know a lot of people were praying for him. I’ll be prayin
g privately about your mamm, too.”

  “I appreciate that, Susannah.” Peter glanced over at her, his eyes more gray than blue in this light. His voice was husky when he added, “I—I’m sorry I wasn’t a source of support for you when your daed was hospitalized. That must have been a very difficult time.”

  “Jah, it was,” she admitted. It was a difficult time because of my daed’s health and it was a difficult time because you’d broken up with me. Sensing this might be a good opportunity to find out why Peter had called off their courtship, Susannah considered bringing up the subject. Asking him about it outright.

  But she was torn. What if she found out her weight gain really was the reason? Or what if he still adamantly refused to say why he’d broken up with her one way or the other? It would put a damper on the delightful time she’d spent with him and his family. So as they slowed down, nearing an intersection, she just added, “But Gott is gut and His grace was—and is—sufficient for us.”

  “Jah,” Peter solemnly agreed. They halted at the stop sign, opposite an Englisch vehicle, and waited for their turn to pull forward. As they started up, they passed another buggy headed in the opposite direction. Peter craned his head in a backward glance. “Was that your groossdaadi?”

  His voice sounded almost as alarmed as it had sounded when he’d asked her if his mother was okay. It occurred to Susannah that Peter might be worried that whoever was in the other buggy had seen them together and assumed they were courting. And it was fully possible that Marshall had been traveling down this street on his way back from dropping off Lydia at Almeda’s haus. However, Susannah tried to reassure Peter, and said, “I didn’t notice who it was. But if my groossdaadi mentions he saw us out today, I’ll just explain the situation and he won’t give it a second thought.”

  From the grim expression on Peter’s profile, Susannah could tell he was unconvinced. What’s he so worried about? she wondered as they pulled into the grocery-store parking lot. We’re not courting, so we don’t have anything to hide. And even if we were courting and Groossdaadi saw us out together, what’s the worst that could happen? It’s not as if he’d try to prevent us from seeing each other.

  Chapter Ten

  “The turkey meatballs we made for last night’s supper turned out appenditlich,” Eva told Susannah after church on Sunday as they were heading toward the staircase to go and help the other women prepare and serve lunch. “There was only one slight problem.”

  “What was that?” Susannah asked.

  “Hannes and Peter liked them so much they didn’t leave any for leftovers for today’s supper!”

  “Ach. I should have warned you. My familye enjoys those meatballs so much that I always set some aside ahead of time so there will be enough for a second meal,” Susannah replied, chuckling. “Did your mamm go downstairs already?”

  Susannah wanted to say hello to Dorothy, and to Peter. She also wanted to let him know that Marshall hadn’t mentioned anything about seeing them on the road yesterday. Peter had been so uptight on the way home from the market, he’d hardly spoken two words to her, so she’d hoped to find a way to chat with him in private and put his concern to rest.

  “Neh. She was tired so Peter brought her home as soon as the sermon ended. But Hannes came in a separate buggy, so I get to stay for lunch for once.”

  “I’m hallich you get to stay, but I hope your mamm is okay.”

  Smiling, Eva assured her, “She’ll be fine once she has a nap. And she told us last night that after speaking with you, she decided she’s going to go see a nutritionist. She thinks her problem might be related to her diet—not that she’s depressed.” Eva clapped her hand over her mouth. Her voice was muffled as she said, “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone that.”

  “It’s okay. I promise not to mention a word about it to anyone.” Susannah was aware that some—but not all—Amish people she knew believed depression was akin to laziness, or that it was an indication that someone wasn’t praying enough or was too self-focused. She even suspected that’s why Marshall had claimed that Dorothy wasn’t actually ill. Attitudes like that were probably why the Lambright family had been so secretive about Dorothy’s condition, too. Susannah touched her young friend’s arm. “It’s gut that your mamm is going to consult a nutritionist, but no matter what her condition is, the important thing is that she receives help and starts to feel better. I’ll be praying about that.”

  “Denki.”

  “For today, let’s make sure the weibsleit send some of the lunch leftovers home with you. Just don’t let your brieder see the food until suppertime,” Susannah suggested, restoring the smile to Eva’s face.

  “Jah. Especially since I heard that some of the weibsleit made apple-butter pie for dessert today!”

  A few minutes later, as Susannah was carrying a tray of bread, church peanut butter, cheese and homemade bologna from the basement to the gathering room, she passed Dorcas in the stairwell. To her dismay, her friend uttered a greeting, but barely glanced her way. However, when lunch was over and the last serving trays and dishes had been washed and put away, Susannah felt a tap on her shoulder.

  “Can I speak to you?” Dorcas asked, still not meeting Susannah’s eyes. “I thought we could walk to my haus together and I can give you a ride home.”

  Susannah was tickled that Dorcas wanted to spend the afternoon with her. “Jah. Of course. I just need to go tell Groossdaadi and Lydia they can leave without me.” She raced outside and let them know, then circled back to where Dorcas was waiting for her beneath a large maple tree that was just starting to change from green to crimson.

  Susannah thought she was seeing the reflection of its color on Dorcas’s cheeks, but as her friend began speaking, she realized she was red-faced from embarrassment. “Oh, Susannah, I’m so sorry,” she blurted out, as soon as they began walking. “My behavior toward you the past couple of times we’ve seen each other has been hurtful and unkind and I hope you’ll forgive me.”

  “Of course I’ll forgive you,” Susannah told her. “And I’d like you to forgive me, too...except I’m not quite sure what I’ve done to offend you.”

  “You haven’t really done anything. Nothing worth my getting so upset about, anyway.”

  “Even so, I’d like to know what’s been troubling you.”

  “Well, I guess I was... I was annoyed because the day I came to the bauerei, I’d been on my feet at work all morning and then I walked all the way to your groossdaadi’s haus. Even though I was tired, I was so hallich to see you that I didn’t mind taking another walk because you’d said you’d been cooped up in the haus for days. But then when it started to rain, it seemed as if you didn’t even care if I got wet. All you cared about was getting exercise.”

  Now Susannah felt her cheeks turning as crimson as the maple tree’s leaves. “Ach. That was so selfish of me. No wonder you were upset. I’m very sorry, Dorcas.”

  “It’s okay. I should have said something at the time instead of holding it against you. I think I was also a little upset because, well, because when we first saw each other I was so hallich for you about your weight loss. But you didn’t even notice that I’ve lost weight, too.” She touched her stomach. “I still have a long way to go, but I’m trying really hard. I understand that you don’t like anyone to talk about your weight loss, but I need encouragement.”

  She pulled her friend to a stop and looked into her eyes. “I’d be hallich to encourage you however I can, Dorcas. But to be honest, that day you came to the bauerei, the only thing I noticed was how wunderbaar it felt to finally see my friend’s pretty face in person again after exchanging so many letters.”

  “That’s really sweet, but you don’t have to say that just because I’ve been feeling insecure about my outward appearance. Deep down, I know what we look like to each other isn’t nearly as important as what our hearts look like to Gott.”

  “I know you
know that. But I’m not complimenting you for any reason other than I’m telling you the truth about how I see you,” Susannah asserted adamantly, peering into her eyes.

  “Denki.” Dorcas nodded, accepting the compliment. As the two women continued walking, she remarked, “I shouldn’t have given you such a hard time about riding in the buggy with Benuel. I know you’re not interested in him.”

  “It’s all right. I’ve had to readjust to some of the customs and beliefs here in New Hope. In my district, it doesn’t necessarily mean a weibsmensch is interested in being courted by a mann just because she accepts a ride with him.” Susannah took a deep breath before asking the question she wasn’t sure she wanted her friend to answer. “Speaking of accepting a ride with a mann... Are you interested in having Peter for your suitor?”

  When Dorcas went silent and Susannah noticed she was blushing, she felt like weeping—a response that showed Susannah just how much she’d been wishing she could have Peter for her suitor again. She held her breath until Dorcas replied, “Neh. I’m not. I just rode with him out of envy. It was as if I was trying to prove that you may have lost weight, but I had a more attractive personality.” She covered her face with her arm. “It was so childish of me...and I’m really sorry.”

  Susannah burst out laughing. “It’s fine. And you do have a more attractive personality than I’ve had lately. Which is one of the many reasons I know you’ll have a suitor like you’ve been hoping for very soon.”

  “Um. Maybe sooner than you think.” Dorcas shyly dipped her head. “Samuel Wittmer, Isaiah’s bruder, is courting me.”

  “Dorcas!” Susannah yelped toward the sunny sky. “That’s wunderbaar! Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because he just asked me on Dinnschdaag. He said he wanted to ask me sooner but he heard a rumor that Peter was my suitor. Which serves me right for asking for rides from him, I guess.” Both women chuckled and then Dorcas remarked, “The idea of Peter courting me is unimaginable.”