“Jah, it is. And it’s gut to have you back here,” the bishop said.
Anita nodded and took a sip of tea, pretending she liked the taste. It wasn’t too bad, it was fairly weak so was just like sipping on hot water.
“What are your plans?” the bishop asked.
Anita took a deep breath. She hadn’t really made plans for herself, she was too weak to think and had just gone along with whatever Amos had suggested. “When Joshua went to be with Gott, Amos insisted I come back here and live with him. I leased out my house, and came back here. It seemed like the best thing to do. Amos is the only familye I have now that all my other brothers have left the community.”
“We’re all your familye,” the bishop’s wife said.
Anita smiled at her.
The bishop asked, “You’re going to stay on, then, after the boppli arrives?”
“I guess so.” Anita’s eyes were drawn to the cake; it looked too good to resist. Anita dug the fork in , broke off a portion, and placed it into her mouth. It was moist and the chocolate flavor was strong.
Just then, someone knocked on the door and Fran got up to answer it.
“Do you think it’s a gut idea for me to stay?” Anita asked the bishop when she’d swallowed.
The bishop nodded. “Jah, I do.”
Fran came back wringing her hands. “It’s Lydia son, Paul. Lydia’s sick again and wants prayer.”
The bishop jumped to his feet. “Anita, we’ll have to cut the visit short.”
Anita pushed herself to her feet. “Of course.”
“Nee, you stay, Anita,” Fran insisted.
The bishop glanced at his wife and then said, “Jah, sure, stay and talk to Fran.”
Anita sat, pleased she’d be able to finish off the chocolate cake and perhaps get the recipe. She wasted no time sticking her fork into the cake again for another mouthful. When she’d swallowed, she asked, “Is that Lydia Hostetler who’s ill?”
“Jah, she’s not been too good.”
Anita remembered Lydia; she’d been an elderly woman back before Anita had left for Ohio. “She’d be quite old now, wouldn’t she?”
“She’s nearly ninety.”
Anita nodded, and thought she should take another sip of tea. “Are you having cake?” she asked Fran.
“I’ve already had some today.”
“It’s delicious. Do you think I might be able to have the recipe?”
“Jah. It’s made with real chocolate, not just the powdered cocoa. It’s a bother to make, but it’s worth it.”
“Well, I hope Mrs. Hostetler feels better.”
“Now, let’s talk about you.”
Anita looked over at Fran to see her staring intently at her.
“What about me?” Anita gave a little laugh.
Fran stood up. “I’ve written out a list for you. I’ll go and get it.”
Anita filled her mouth with more chocolate cake while she waited. When Fran returned, she took a sip of tea, and then took the piece of paper from her.
“It’s a list of names,” Fran said.
“Oh wunderbaar. That’s so thoughtful of you. I haven’t even given any thought to names.” Anita looked down the list, and then looked up at Fran. “What if it’s a girl? Have you a list of girls’ names?”
Fran giggled, and put her hands up to her face. “Nee, Anita. This is a list of suitable menner in the community for you.”
Anita gulped.
“They’re all single, or widowed. I’ve underlined all the widowers and not all of them are old.”
Anita looked down at the list again. She’d thought they were baby names. “There certainly are a lot of them.”
“Jah. There are a lot to choose from. Women are scarce, men are plentiful, so gut for you.”
While Anita wondered if she should inform Fran that finding another man was the last thing on her mind, she took a sip of tea, which had turned lukewarm. She set the tea back down on the table in front of her. Somehow she didn’t like to disappoint Fran by telling her how she truly felt. “It was very nice of you to go to all this trouble, Fran.” She would much rather the cake recipe had been written. She knew it was no use explaining how she felt to people who’d never been in the same situation.
“We don’t want the devil to get a foothold, do we?”
“A foothold?”
“Let every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband.”
Anita knew the quote was from Corinthians. Fran clearly thought everyone should marry so they weren’t tempted by sins of the flesh.
Anita patted her stomach. “I think I’ve got a distraction from all of that.”
“It’s not going to be gut if you stay in your bruder’s haus forever. I’m sure you’ll feel you’re a burden on them before long.”
Anita didn’t like having to rely on anyone. She didn’t tell Fran she already felt like an intruder in her brother’s life. “It won’t be forever.”
“And neither should it be. Not when there are so many men who could give you and the boppli a home.”
“Denke so much for the visit. I think I need to go now. I’m suddenly feeling a little tired.” Anita stood up, and Fran stood too.
“Take this with you.” Fran picked up the list of bachelors and widowers, took hold of Anita’s hand, and closed her fingers over it.
“Denke.” Anita couldn’t leave the house fast enough. She threw the list on the buggy seat next to her, took hold of the reins and clicked the horse forward. She looked back to see Fran standing outside the house waving, looking pleased with herself.
Chapter 7
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2
* * *
When she was nearly back at the house, she saw a wagon by the roadside. She looked closer and saw that Simon was nearby. She pulled up the buggy behind his wagon.
He turned to see her and waved. “Hello.”
She got down from the buggy and walked toward him. “What are you doing out this way?”
“Mending some of my fences.”
“This is your land too?”
“Jah, I bought this land before I bought the haus. It joins mine. The land where the old Millers’ haus is.”
When she got even closer, she noticed his hand was bleeding. “What happened?”
“I was careless. Some wire sprang back and cut me.”
“That’s awful. Give me a look.”
He held his hand back. “It’s not that bad.” She stepped closer to take his hand, and he stepped away further. “Don’t get any on your white apron.”
“Hold it out and show me, then.”
“Bossy like your bruder, are you?” He smiled as he held his hand out.
She looked into his eyes. “No one could be as bossy as that.” They both laughed. She took hold of the part of his hand that wasn’t bleeding. “It looks deep; you’ll have to put something on it.”
“Okay, if you think so.”
“Come back with me to Amos’ haus and I’ll fix it for you.”
“Nee, I’m not exactly a person he wants to see right now.”
Anita frowned and wondered why, but didn’t ask. She didn’t want to be drawn into any disagreements.
“My place is closer,” he said.
“Okay. I’ll follow you there. Are you all right to drive the wagon?”
“I only need one hand.” He held up his good hand.
When they reached Simon’s haus, Anita stepped down from the buggy. “We’ll need some iodine, and a bandage or some clean rags.”
“I’ve got all that in the kitchen.”
He opened the door and she followed him through to his kitchen. She held his hand over the sink as she cleaned the wound the best she could. Then she poured iodine over it.
“I don’t think you’ll need stitche
s,” she said.
“Not if you bind it tightly. The body heals itself.”
She wound a bandage around his hand as firmly as she could while being careful not to bind it too tightly.
“You’ve done this kind of thing before?”
She smiled and nodded. “Joshua always found ways to cut and injure himself.” She ripped the end of the bandage and tied it together. “There, all done.”
“Denke. Now, I should offer you something. Kaffe?”
Coffee sounded great. “Jah, please! You sit, Simon, I’ll get it.”
“Nee, I can do it. I only need one hand. You sit.” He laughed.
She pulled a seat out from under the kitchen table and sat down wondering what Fran would say if she saw her in a bachelor’s house straight after her warning about the devil getting a foothold. “I’ve just been to visit the bishop.”
He looked over his shoulder, from filling up the pot with water. “How did that go?”
“He was called away because Lydia Hostetler needed prayer.”
“Jah, she’s not been too good for some time.” He placed the pot on the stove and fetched two mugs.
“Are you sure you can do it by yourself.”
“Jah. You didn’t happen to have any of Fran’s chocolate cake did you?”
“Isn’t that the best? It’s the finest cake I’ve ever tasted. She said she’d give me the recipe, but I left in a hurry and forgot to get it.”
He sat down at the table with her. “She really said she’d give it to you?”
“Jah. Why?”
“She never gives out her recipes. You shouldn’t have left without it.”
Anita gave a little giggle. “I don’t normally like cake, but her chocolate cake is so moist. She said she makes it with real chocolate.”
“Ah, I’ll have to try that next time,” Simon said.
“You bake?”
“I’ve been known to.”
“You live on your own, so I guess you cook for yourself?”
“I am over at my schweschder’s place a lot, if you hadn’t noticed.”
“I have.” Anita smiled. She always had reason to smile when Simon was around. He had such a relaxed nature.
Simon got up to pour the coffee. “How do you have it?”
“I have it black.”
“Me too, but only because I’m always running out of milk.”
He placed a coffee mug on the table in front of her. She brought it to her lips and took a sip. “Mmm, that’s nice.”
He took a sip too. “I should offer you something to eat.” He sprang to his feet.
“Nee, I’m fine. I’ve just had chocolate cake.”
He sat back down.
“You’re not at work today?” Anita asked.
“It’s a public holiday today, which means I’ve got to give my workers a day off, or pay them an obscene amount of money. They’re happy to take a day off. Now that I’ve got Englischers working for me I have to take notice of things like holidays and the like.”
“Jah, I suppose you would.”
“How are you settling in?”
“Everything’s going fine.” Anita looked away from him and stared down into her coffee. “It’s just different from what I thought things would be like.”
“I guess you never expected to be in the situation you’re in now.”
Anita nodded. “Exactly. Amos has been good to me, and Hannah is lovely. The two boys are precious. It’ll be good for my child to grow up with them and they’ll be like siblings.”
Simon had a mouthful of coffee.
Anita saw some blood coming through his bandage. “Oh, look!”
He looked down at it, and said, “It’ll be okay. I’m tough.”
“Maybe you should go and get it looked at.”
“I might later. I’ll see how it goes.” He looked at her face and laughed. “Don’t worry. I suppose you miss your friends?”
“I miss them terribly. I’ll write to them and call them, but it’s not the same as seeing them.”
“It’ll take a while for you to make a life here, but everything will come right for you in time.”
“It will?” He seemed to be so confident and self-assured. Anita wished she had his confidence that the future would be bright.
“I know it will.”
After ten more minutes talking to Simon, she was certain she’d found a friend. He was kind, intelligent, and funny. “I guess someone will be wondering where I’ve gotten to.”
“Someone whose name is Amos?”
Anita giggled and rose to her feet. “Do you need help with anything before I go? You can’t do too much with that hand of yours.”
“I’ll be fine. Come on, I’ll walk you out.”
When they were close to the buggy, a gust of wind blew Fran’s list off the buggy seat and it flew into the air. Simon jumped up and caught it. “What’s this?” He looked down at the list of names, and then back at her.
Anita put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. “Fran gave me a list of names and I thought they were suggestions for baby names. Turns out, they were names of men for me to consider.”
Simon raised his eyebrows. “For marriage?”
Anita nodded.
Simon’s eyes grew wide as he smiled. “Really?” He took another look at the list. “My name’s not on here. I’ll have to have a word with Fran.”
Anita laughed. “Well don’t tell her you’ve seen the list. It might be a secret list, or something.”
“Maybe she wants you to close your eyes and stick a pin into the list and marry the man whose name you stick with the pin.”
They both laughed.
Suddenly Simon stopped laughing as he looked at something by the road. Anita turned to see what he was looking at. It was Amos driving toward his house.
“Here’s trouble,” Simon said.
“I’d better go.” Anita climbed into the buggy. She’d only just turned the buggy around, when Amos drew level. Anita could tell by his eyes that he was fuming.
“Home now, Anita,” Amos yelled.
“Simon hurt his hand,” she said.
“I said, now!”
Anita drove the horse forward and traveled the small distance to Amos’ house. She wondered what the two men would say to each other.
When she got home, she told Hannah what had happened so Hannah would know to expect Amos to come home in a bad mood.
“Should I take Ben and Sam outside when he comes home?” Hannah asked.
“It might be a gut idea. I think he was fairly angry with me.” Anita heard his buggy. “Sounds like that’s him now.”
Hannah ushered the boys outside.
Anita sat in the living room and waited for him to come inside. She considered it would be a good sign if he unhitched the buggy first before he came in. If he were really mad, he’d leave the buggy and come straight in to talk to her. She heard his footsteps pounding toward the house and knew he was thoroughly upset with her.
He took off his boots at the door, and when he stepped through, Anita watched him hang his hat on the peg behind the door. He walked over and sat in front of her. “What were you doing at Simon’s haus; alone with him?”
“I told you. He cut his hand and I was helping him.”
“Why not bring him here?”
Anita couldn’t tell him it was because of his objectionable personality that Simon didn’t want to come there. “His home was closer.”
“Our place is only next door to his; only another two minutes by buggy.”
She had no answer so looked down. Why did people always think the worst of situations?
“He’s no good for you, Anita. And, I’m surprised at you.”
Anita shook her head. “There’s nothing to be surprised about. I was just helping him with his hand. Didn’t he tell you that? Or didn’t you let him speak?”
“I talked to him.”
Talked ‘at him’ more like it. “Anyway, what’s wrong with h
im?”
“If you hadn’t noticed, he’s far too young for you. He’s a bad choice.”
Anita giggled at the silliness of the situation and at her brother’s worried face.
He shook his head at her. “I’m only trying to look after you, Anita.”
Anita stopped laughing when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. “Denke, Amos. You are looking after me, and looking after me very well. The thing you have to know is that I’m not a sixteen-year-old girl and you’re not my vadder.”
His lips twitched at the corners and Anita saw that as his way of smiling. Anita pushed herself up from the couch. “Now stop worrying about me little bruder. I’m not interested in any man. I’m just concerning myself with my boppli.”
Amos stood up and all six foot four of him loomed over her. “I’ll try and remember that.”
“See that you do.”
“I better go and tend to the horse.”
Anita nodded. When he left the house, Anita went into the garden to find Hannah and tell her that they’d resolved their problem – for now.
Chapter 8
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:4
* * *
As Anita was setting the dinner table for dinner, Hannah said, “Simon always comes over for dinner every second night.”
“Okay.” Anita knew he was there a lot, but didn’t realize it was as often as every second night. She set an extra place for him.
When the evening meal was ready, Hannah said, “I wonder what’s keeping Simon. He’s not usually late.”
“He’s not coming tonight.”
Both women turned around to see Amos in the doorway of the kitchen.
“Why’s that? Is he unwell?” Hannah asked.
“His hand’s not worse, is it?” Anita asked.
Amos raised his hands. “He wasn’t able to make it tonight.”
“When did he tell you that?” Hannah asked.
“I saw him earlier today. I didn’t think to tell you because you always cook too much food. One less mouth at the table wouldn’t have made a difference.”
Amish Widow's Hope Page 4
