"I hope it never happens to you, too."
Willow looked at the shirt he was wearing. "Does your mudder sew your clothes?"
He looked down at them, and when he looked back up at her, he asked, "What's wrong with them?"
She giggled. "I didn't say there was anything wrong with them. I just asked if she made them."
He lifted up the collar and looked down at it. "Jah, she does. Do you think I should buy some new clothes from a store?"
"Nee, they look fine. I was just asking, that's all. Why would your parents want you married? Don’t they want you to stay around?"
He shrugged. "They’ve probably had enough of me by now. I'm well and truly too big for the nest and they’re pushing me out to make more room for themselves."
Willow laughed. “Like two birds in the nest. You've gotten bigger than both of your parents and they need you gone.”
He smiled. "That's right."
He was indeed physically bigger than both of his parents. At around six feet four inches tall, he towered over both of them. "Considering how tall you are, are you really sure you're not adopted?" she asked with a laugh.
"Jah, I'm sure I'm not. Have you ever wondered if you were adopted?"
"Jah. Don't you wonder if that's what all children think about? My mother wanted more children, too, because her sister had six and she only had the two of us. Just between you and me, my mother always wants to do everything like her sister. But if she ever heard me say that, she wouldn't be too happy."
"Her schweschder is Nerida—no, wait, that's your mudder. Her sister is Nancy Yoder?"
"That's right. Nancy Yoder. I really like Ant Nancy and Onkel Hezekiah. They’re two of my most favorite people in the world, apart from my own family, of course." Willow sighed. "I don't know what I'll do when Violet gets married. We are very close. Well, a bit less close now since she's been spending most of her time with Nathan.”
"Things in life are always changing. We have to adapt."
Willow slowly nodded. "I guess so."
"One thing I like about you, Willow, is that you're always bubbling over with happiness and always talking. You're a very cheerful person to be around."
Willow smiled at another compliment, and she was certain again that it was genuine.
* * *
After a nice dinner and two desserts, which they shared, Samuel drove Willow home. She decided she definitely liked him more now that she knew him better. Perhaps she could fall in love with him and that would make everyone happy—perhaps even herself.
When they stopped outside her house, she got out quickly so there wouldn't be an awkward moment where he might try to say something romantic, try to hold her hand, or lean in for a kiss on the cheek.
"Denke, Samuel. I had a lovely time."
"Perhaps we could do it again soon?"
"I'd like that." She turned and hurried into the house. As soon as she got inside, she realized she had left her shawl in his buggy. She opened the door to go back and get it, but he was already halfway down the driveway. After she closed the door behind her, she headed toward her bedroom.
"Willow."
She whipped her head around at the sound of her sister's voice from the living room.
"What are you doing up so late?" Willow asked.
"Waiting for you, silly. How did your date go?"
"It was my very first date."
"I know. That's why I'm waiting, so you can tell me how it went." Violet pushed her glasses further up her nose.
Willow sat down and told her all about her time with Samuel and what they had talked about.
"It doesn't sound like a very interesting conversation," Violet said.
"It was, though. We kind of talked a little bit about everything—even silly things. I think I like him."
"'Like' as in like, or ‘like’ as in you might see a future with him?"
"The last thing you said."
Violet’s face lit up. "That's good. I can see the two of you together."
"Really?"
Violet nodded.
"Well, this is the first time I'm hearing that."
"I thought he was too old at first, but maybe that's a good thing for you."
Willow frowned at her sister. "Does everyone think I'm immature, or something? Even you?"
"Nee. It's not that. It’s just that you're very chirpy and he is quiet, in a dependable way."
Willow thought for a moment about what Violet said. "I feel I could trust him, and he is very reliable. And that's a good thing in a man, I’d reckon."
“Have you had any more thoughts about Mamm? Do you really think she is dying?"
"I haven't found anyone to tell me she is. Aunt Nancy didn't seem to know anything about it. Why haven’t Mamm and Dat said anything?” Willow asked.
"They wouldn't. They wouldn't want to worry us."
"What do we do?"
"We just have to live our lives and keep our eyes open," Violet said.
"I don't even want to think about what would happen if she wasn't here anymore." Tears flowed out of Willow's eyes. "If something happened to her, I don't think I would want to live anymore."
“Shhh. They’ll hear you. We'd have to, Willow. We’d have to carry on without her," Violet whispered.
Willow sniffed. “She can't be dying too soon because she's planning the wedding."
"So that means she's got weeks and maybe months. Perhaps a whole year," Violet said. “Anyway, we need sleep. It’s Sunday tomorrow, there’s no meeting, and we should both enjoy the day of rest with Mamm and make the most of it.”
Willow agreed and both sisters headed upstairs to bed.
* * *
When there was no meeting, on every other Sunday, those Sundays were very much days of rest. They couldn't do anything that resembled work or chores, so Willow's family normally slept late and then had a simple brunch, a breakfast and lunch combined, at mid-morning. In the afternoons, her parents normally went visiting while Violet and Willow visited their friends. Since Violet had become engaged to Nathan Beiler and went with him on Sundays, Willow went her own way and visited her own friends.
This Sunday, Willow and Violet had decided to spend time with their mother. While their parents were still asleep, they discussed how they would keep their parents at home that afternoon.
"What shall we do?" Willow asked as she shook cereal into a bowl.
“Tell them we want them to stay home today.”
"They’ll ask why."
"You could pretend you're sick. That's what you used to do for extra attention when you were younger."
Willow pouted. "I did not. I was really sick all those times."
Violet giggled. “I'm only teasing.”
"It's no time to joke. We’ve gotta figure out how to get Mamm to stay home."
"We could just ask her."
"That's a good idea. I don't know why I didn't think of that. You can say because you'll be married soon you just want to spend the day with her, and Dat too, I suppose."
"I hope they haven't already arranged with someone that they’re going to be stopping by."
"I don't think they would've."
Their mother walked into the kitchen. "Guder mariye, girls."
Willow turned to see that her mother looked ghostly pale. "Are you all right, Mamm?"
"I didn't get much sleep. Your vadder isn’t feeling too well and he tossed and turned all night."
"Dat's never been sick."
"Well, he's not feeling too well today. I'm going to take him up some breakfast and a hot cup of tea." She looked between the two of them. "What do you girls have planned for the day?"
"Willow and I were just talking about that. We just wanted to have a quiet day sitting at home with you."
Their mother's face lit up. "With me?"
Violet nodded.
"That would be lovely. I can't think of anything nicer.”
"I'll put the kettle on the stove, Mamm."
"Denke, Wi
llow."
"What do you think is wrong with Dat?"
"He feels a bit hot. It's probably just some kind of a virus. I don't think it's anything to worry about. You girls better not go near him, though. I don't want you to catch anything. Particularly you, Violet, with the wedding coming up."
"But what about you, Mamm? You shouldn't be near Dat if he's got a virus, should you?"
"Someone has to look after him."
The girls helped their mother make a tray of breakfast to take up to their father.
When their mother left the kitchen, Willow said, "That turned out well."
"Except the part about Dat being sick."
"Yeah, that's not good."
The girls prepared breakfast for their mother, and she soon came downstairs with an empty tray.
"That's a good sign; he was able to eat it."
"I think he’s feeling a bit better."
Their mother sat down and ate her breakfast of cereal. They never had a cooked breakfast on a Sunday, and it wasn't a day for any fancy cooking. The Sunday meals were either simple, or they’d been prepared the day before and could be easily reheated.
The girls spent the rest of the morning with their mother. They heard many interesting stories about when Nancy and she were younger. Nerida also told them that when she was a girl, all the clothes were washed by hand and wrung out through a hand wringer by turning a handle. There were no gas-powered washing machines. And all the clothes were hand sewn or sewn with a treadle sewing machine and very few people had the machines.
"It's so interesting to hear about the olden days," Willow said.
Nerida pulled a face. "They weren’t the olden days. When my grandparents were young, those were the olden days."
"I didn't mean you were old, Mamm. You're quite a young mudder compared to some. Some mothers in the community are very old."
"There are no really old mudders; at a certain point, a woman can no longer have a child.”
“Jah, we know all about biology, Mamm,” Violet said.
Their mother continued, “Age is something that has never bothered me. You'll know when you grow older. You get more sensible as you see and hear a lot more things that happen around you, and you learn from that. Then there will come a point in time when you realize that what your parents told you was right. I never listened to my parents either. But now when I look back, I know that they were right in what they said about things.”
Willow knew her mother was talking about her. Her parents always thought Violet was the sensible one and she was just a brat. "I know you think I don't pay you and Dat any mind, but I do. I said I was sorry for my behavior the other night, and I even apologized to Mrs. Troyer and Samuel."
"I didn't mean anything by what I said, Willow. It was just a general statement."
"Ah, good.”
“It must be well into the afternoon already. Aren't you going to see Nathan today, Violet?"
"Nee. He might come here later, but Willow and I want to spend the day with you."
Their mother smiled.
"I'll see him all the time once we're married," Violet said.
Willow added, "And that's not too far away."
"You don't have to remind me about that," their mother said. “There’s so much to organize.”
"I hope Dat will be all right," Violet said.
Their mother said, "I should go and check on him."
"Do you want another hot tea, Mamm?" Willow asked.
"You girls are spoiling me today."
"It's about time we spoiled you," Violet said.
When their mother was halfway up the stairs, Willow and Violet headed to the kitchen.
"Shall we ask her if she sick?" Violet said.
"We could, but what if she doesn't want us to know?"
"What if Dat's the one who’s sick?"
Willow gasped. "What if we lose them both?"
"Nee, that couldn't happen. That couldn't happen at all."
“Dat still goes to work so it couldn't be him. Mamm's the one who sleeps all the time and looks pale."
Violet nodded. "That's true. I suppose you're right. We can't say anything." When they heard a buggy, Violet ran to the window. "That will be Nathan. Oh! It's not him. It's Samuel."
Willow joined her at the window. "Samuel?"
“Jah, Samuel. He must be here to see you."
"I didn't know he was coming." Willow was pleased to see him, and adjusted her dress and smoothed her hair back to make herself look attractive.
"You seem pleased that he's here," Violet said as Willow walked to the door.
"Not especially," Willow said, realizing just how happy she was that he’d stopped by. "Well, jah, I guess I am," she said when Violet gave her a pointed look. When Willow opened the door, she saw another buggy coming up the driveway. "Violet, here comes Nathan, too."
Violet quickly joined Willow at the door and the two of them waited for Nathan and Samuel. Willow glanced over when she heard her mother coming down the stairs.
"I'll put the tea on," their mother said.
"Nee, you're having a rest today, Mamm. We’ll do everything."
"I should disappear upstairs so you girls can talk to your men by yourselves."
"Nee, Mamm, stay there."
The two men secured their horses and then headed to the house together. Violet went halfway to meet Nathan and Samuel continued to Willow.
"I hope you don't mind me stopping by, Willow."
"I'm glad you did. We were just having a quiet day at home." Willow leaned in and whispered, "It was getting a bit boring. I'm so glad you came."
A smile lit up Samuel's face.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with the two couples and Nerida talking over tea and cookies. Willow was pleased how well Samuel got along with everybody.
Chapter 8
Willow was just about to go on her lunch break on Monday when she looked out the window of her office and saw Samuel’s horse and buggy pulling into the lot. She wondered, What is he doing here? She’d only just seen him the day before. Then she realized that his business was making pergolas and of course he would’ve bought the wood from his uncle's lumberyard.
She was about to go ask if she could take her lunch early when the phone rang. The person on the line wanted to speak to Mr. Hostetler, so she was busy taking a message when she saw Liam walking outside. Now if only she could find one of the workers and have her answer the phone calls while she went to lunch … Otherwise she would have to eat lunch at her desk today. When she finished taking the message she paged one of the girls, but there was no response.
In the next moment, Samuel stood in the doorway of her office with her black shawl in his hands.
She stood. "You brought my shawl? I forgot all about it yesterday. I left it in the buggy on Saturday.”
"I'm sorry, I didn't see it until this morning, otherwise I would've given it to you yesterday.”
"Can I help you with anything, Samuel?" Willow heard Liam ask.
Samuel turned to face Liam. “Jah. I'm chasing up my order. Is it ready yet?"
"Your vadder said you didn't need that until the end of the week."
"That's right. Since I was stopping here, I thought I'd ask just in case it was ready early. Will it be ready then?"
Liam scratched his head. “It will be ready."
There was an awkward moment of silence while the two men looked at each other and then both looked at Willow.
"Do you get time for lunch, Willow?"
"Normally she does, but today the person who watches the phones during her lunch is not here. Is there anything else you want?" Liam asked.
"Do you mind if I have a quiet word with Willow?"
Liam's lips turned down at the corners.
"Make it fast." Liam disappeared, leaving the two of them alone.
"In a bad mood today, is he?" Samuel asked, moving further into the office.
"I don't know. This is the first time I've seen him toda
y. Mr. Hostetler is away and I thought Liam was with him." Willow waved a hand in the air. "Don't mind him. He just gets bossy sometimes."
"Jah, I remember that from family gatherings. I just wanted to tell you I had a lovely time on Saturday night."
"I did too. Denke for bringing my shawl.”
He passed it to her.
“I need it now that the days are getting cooler."
"Since you can't go out to lunch, do you want me to bring something back for you? There's take-out up the road."
"Denke, but I bring my lunch every day. We could have had something to eat together in the park, only I can't get away." Willow would've liked to talk to him again.
"I shouldn't hold you up. I'll see you again."
"Okay, bye."
He walked toward the door and turned around. "What about tomorrow night? Can I pick you up from your haus after work?"
"Um, tomorrow night? I think that will be fine." Willow smiled at him.
A bright smile appeared on his face, and his blue eyes twinkled. He gave her a wave and then walked out of the office.
As soon as Samuel’s buggy headed away from the lot, Liam bounced into her office. "I heard that! Don't tell me you're interested in him?"
"Jah, I am. Why were you eavesdropping on us? That's bad manners. I like Samuel. I like him a lot. And I might even marry him."
Liam took a few steps closer and slid into the chair opposite her desk. "Willow, you can't be serious. He's old and stodgy. No one else's wanted to marry him and that's why he's still single. Don't you get that?"
"You’re single too. Perhaps he’s like a precious jewel that just needs polishing, like a diamond, and that's why no one's recognized his true value."
"You can spin it any way you want, but have you ever heard of trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear?"
Willow frowned at him. "That's a bit rude. He's your cousin." She pulled a sandwich out of her bag.
"Exactly, and that's why I can say those things, because I know him really well. Better than you will ever know him."
She unwrapped her sandwich and then looked up at him. “Are you going to sit there and stare at me while I eat?”
Amish Willow Page 6
