Silvia's Rose

by Jerry S. Eicher

  “I’d welcome that, Isaiah. And I’ll be listening closely to your sermon today.”

  “I’ll make sure it’s a very special one, then,” he said with a wink over his shoulder as he led Biscuit toward the barn.

  She almost had a date with the man on her first Sunday in the community. Most women would probably have pounding hearts about now, but she felt only thanks for the Lord’s goodness. Lonnie’s loss had not been easy, but Isaiah’s interest and kindness would help her heal.

  Esther took Diana’s hand as they crossed the lawn to enter the mudroom. She left their shawls there and entered the kitchen. Beth Willis was the first to greet her with a kiss on the cheek, followed by the other women. Esther took her place in the line of married women and waited until the time came for the service to begin. She found a seat on the bench, and Diana nestled in beside her.

  The first song was given out and led by a man with a strong voice. Esther relaxed and joined in the joyous music. She lifted her eyes from the page to watch as the ministers left for their morning meeting upstairs. Isaiah had his head properly bowed in the line of men who moved up the steps. This was so like home in Lancaster County. The singing, the congregation, the feel of the black leather songbook in her hands. These people were her people.

  Esther sang with all her heart until the ministers returned and the sermons began. Isaiah stood first, which was what she had hoped. Not that she planned to judge the man, but she needed to hear a goot sermon like the ones Lonnie used to give. Isaiah would give one, she was sure.

  Esther closed her eyes as Isaiah began to speak, and the sound brought tears to her eyes. This wasn’t Lonnie’s voice, but in other ways they were so similar.

  “The Lord God is our God,” Isaiah said. “He reigns among His people this morning. The Lord is high above the earth. He lives in the heavens, and looks down upon His people. We are like the dust under our own feet to the Lord, yet He has compassion and mercy upon such feeble creatures. Are we not frail and given to great weakness? We cry when we feel pain. We sorrow and wonder what the Lord is about. Yet His ways are higher than our ways. As the heavens are high above the earth, so is the Lord’s thoughts above our thoughts and His path above ours. Let us take courage this morning and seek the Lord while He may be found. Trouble lies everywhere in this world, both on the left hand and on the right. Tribulation is always near to both the sinner and the saint, yet there is also laughter in our mouths and joy in our hearts. Much more so to the people of God than to those who follow their own way. I say, blessed be the name of Lord, and blessed be the work of His hands.”

  “Yah, blessed be the work of His hands,” Esther whispered. She opened her eyes.

  Isaiah was standing near the far wall of the living room, his gaze fixed on the congregation as he spoke. The man didn’t thunder or preach doom and gloom. He didn’t pace about the way some preachers did. Isaiah said each word as if he meant it. There was no great profundity—unless simplicity was profound. Isaiah’s every gesture spoke of his stability, of his commonness, of his faithfulness in the smallest manner to the Lord. This was what she wanted, what she was.

  She had come home.

  FIVE

  On Monday morning, Isaiah Mast pushed his straw hat back on his forehead as he tracked the smooth flight of the small plane coming in to land on the airfield behind his farm. A hand waved from the cramped cabin window, and Isaiah lifted his own hand in greeting. The plane banked and disappeared from sight behind the line of trees, its wheels a mere hundred feet from the ground.

  “Someone’s out joyriding,” Isaiah muttered, though a smile played on his face. He turned and entered his barn to begin his after-breakfast chores.

  His smile continued as he thought of Esther Stoltzfus’s face yesterday at the Sunday service. How like this Englisha plane she was. She had flown in from Lancaster County with her daughter and had landed smoothly in the community. But that was where the similarities ended. Esther was a woman of the Lord. She followed His ways in such a practical and down-to-earth manner. Never had he thought to find a woman to replace Mandy, but here she was right in front of him. Esther was exactly what he needed in a frau.

  Isaiah’s smile flickered. His interest in Esther during their rumspringa had been brief, mostly because she wasn’t in his district and Mandy had been. It had been easier to find a frau close by, so he had done so without regret. Mandy was the right woman for him back then, just as he suspected Esther was the woman for him now.

  Isaiah grabbed a fork from its hook on the wall and attacked the muck in the first horse stall. Truth was, he needed a frau in the house again, a fact he hadn’t been ready to face until recently. But here Esther was, and the door was as open as the need was apparent. His marriage to Esther would fulfill not only the needs of his heart, but also those of the community. A minister without a frau was a question mark in many ways. Stability came from marriage and the care a man could give his family.

  Mandy had given him no kinner, while Esther had borne Lonnie a child. They would begin life together as a family. He wouldn’t have thought to visit Lancaster County in search of her, so it was goot that Esther had moved to the valley—likely in pursuit of him. He didn’t hold that against her. The move simply demonstrated her fine spirit. Esther must have remembered their encounters and connection from their rumspringa days and believed he would be a suitable husband for her now.

  He didn’t think she was wrong in that assumption. He was a good match for her, and she was a good match for him. The other single woman in the community at present was Dorrine King’s cousin Arlene, and she only had eyes for Joseph Zook—which was just as well. Isaiah had no interest in Arlene. From the looks of things, Joseph hardly knew Arlene existed, yet it was obvious that Arlene was in pursuit. Isaiah couldn’t imagine Esther being that way. One hint from him that the path was blocked, and Esther would turn around. That was why he had gone out of his way to show her that she was both welcome in the community and that her interest in him was not in vain.

  Esther was no dreamer, and neither was he. Women who had stars in their eyes caused men headaches with their romantic notions. This younger generation of girls seemed to pick up more Englisha ideas all the time, but not much could be done about such problems. He could warn of the dangers in his sermons, but the subject was a touchy one. How did one, for example, persuade Arlene that her cause was hopeless? Even a gentle rebuke could produce waves of tears and bring widespread recriminations from other single women. Whispers would abound, all about ministers who were hard-hearted and cruel when it came to young girls’ dreams.

  Better to allow the young women to entertain their hopes. They would learn soon enough that life was more than romance. Love was best expressed in duty, in hardship, and in faithfulness to the Lord’s will. Farm life wasn’t easy, and that hadn’t changed much over the years. The Englisha thought they could circumvent the Lord’s ways with all their fancy schemes and equipment, but in the end a man must still earn his living by the sweat of his brow. When a man’s frau stood beside him, that was love. That was what he wanted.

  Isaiah threw the last of the muck into the wheelbarrow and headed for the back of the barn, where his manure spreader was parked. He ran the wheel up a narrow plank and tipped the contents into the spreader. Once he had accumulated a full load, he would run the spreader over his hayfields. Some farmers piled the daily muck on the ground and later loaded the pile onto the spreader when they had free time during the winter months, but he was not of that mind. The extra effort expended to load the manure twice was senseless. With the spreader full, all it took was a quick trip after lunchtime when the team was already harnessed. Before long, the job was done.

  Isaiah returned to the next stall and continued his work. Perhaps when he was finished he should find a reason to call on Esther. But for what? If he had been faster on his feet, he would have asked her yesterday if she had anything that needed repair around her place, but one didn’t speak of such things on the Lord’
s day. Better a trip made on the grounds that there was always work that could be done. That’s how a practical mind worked, and Esther was, above all, practical. She would appreciate the gesture, and their relationship would continue to grow.

  He could ask her for a formal date this coming Sunday evening. It wasn’t too soon to do so. Their relationship was already on a fast track. They were treating each other as if they were old friends, but even more, it seemed presumed that they belonged together—which they did. She had accepted his confirmation of her interest in him with stoic grace. In a similar situation, a young, romantically inclined woman would have fluttered her eyelashes and exclaimed over every interest he expressed in her—as if the world had never seen the courtship of a man and a woman before.

  Isaiah grinned. He could just see Arlene’s reaction if Joseph ever asked her home from the hymn singing. Likely the woman would pass out on the spot and need cold water splashed on her face to revive. Isaiah laughed out loud as he finished mucking the stall. He emptied the wheelbarrow and returned to spread straw liberally on the clean floor.

  With the strings hung on the barn wall, Isaiah whistled for his driving horse, Echo. The horse lifted his head in the barnyard and trotted over. Isaiah led Echo inside and tossed on the harness. He fastened the straps and had Echo outside and hitched to the buggy minutes later. Isaiah glanced toward the empty house before he climbed into the buggy.

  Isaiah glanced toward the heavens. “You have indeed blessed me with the prospect of a goot frau again. Thank You.”

  He settled on the buggy seat, and Echo trotted out of the lane to turn north toward Highway 5. From here, the main road ran above the valley floor between Little Falls and Fort Plain. The small airport lay on the right near the stop sign on Highway 5. As he passed, he noticed the airplane he saw earlier parked near a hangar with its engines idling. Isaiah clucked to Echo, his gaze fixed on the plane’s sleek outline for a few more seconds. An Englisha airplane was a fancy thing, but so was simplicity itself. Esther was like that. She was a beautiful woman who displayed her grace as the Lord intended. Simplicity brought its own reward if one had the patience. Look how much grief he had saved himself since Mandy had passed. He could have worn himself out in a search for a frau, driving from community to community. He could have agonized over his loss or dreamed of stars in the sky. Instead, he had trusted in the Lord, and the Lord had provided.

  Isaiah held tight to the reins as Echo trotted west on Highway 5. The traffic wasn’t heavy this morning, but the tourists who frequented the area weren’t used to seeing buggies on the road. One must always keep a sharp eye out for trouble, but a simple life gave one that time. Amid the rush of modern life, the virtue of carefulness could often be lost.

  He would be careful in his relationship with Esther in the months ahead. He already knew Esther’s past, and she knew his. They had neither hidden secrets nor troubled families. All was calm on the surface, as all was calm beneath the waves. If trouble arrived it would most likely appear from the outside, as the death of their spouses had encroached upon both of their lives. Hopefully neither of them would have to suffer through that valley again. The Lord gave and the Lord took, but the Lord didn’t place burdens too heavy to bear on one’s shoulders. Unless Isaiah was wrong, he and Esther would be blessed for many years to come. They would grow old together with their kinner gathered around them.

  “Whoa there,” Isaiah called out to Echo. They pulled left at Fords Bush Road and into Esther’s driveway.

  The front door burst open, and little Diana raced out to meet him. Isaiah hopped down from the buggy as Esther appeared in the doorway.

  “Goot morning,” he hollered to Esther. He bent down on one knee to greet Diana, who came to a panting halt in front of him.

  “Are you Isaiah?” she asked as she peered up at him.

  “That I am. And you are Diana.”

  “Yep. So why are you here?”

  Isaiah laughed. “I need to talk with your mamm about some things.”

  “There she is.” Diana waved toward the house, as if Isaiah needed directions.

  He got up from his knee and smiled down at her. “I’ll tie up my horse. His name is Echo. Then I’ll be right in.”

  “I’ll wait for you. I like the name Echo.”

  “You do? Well, I’m glad.”

  “Do you know anything about roses?” she asked, pointing toward the fence.

  “Ah,” he said. “Let’s see. Roses are red, and violets are blue. Sugar is sweet, and so are you.”

  Diana giggled. “You’re funny, but Joseph told me all about roses. They are supposed to bloom this week. Don’t you think so?”

  “I guess we’ll have to wait and see,” he allowed as he secured Echo to the hitching post.

  “Come on.” She tugged on his hand. “Let’s see if you can smell them before they bloom. Joseph said these roses will give off the sweetest scent.”

  Isaiah waved toward Esther, who was still on the front porch, as he allowed Diana to lead him. The little one could prattle away. There was no question about that. “When was Joseph here?” he asked.

  “Saturday afternoon, when he brought Mamm a bag of tomatoes. Mamm doesn’t have a garden yet. Dorrine was also here.” Diana smiled up at him. “Joseph told me all about roses and praying mantises.”

  “Really? I guess I’m not surprised. Joseph is a smart man.”

  “Oh, he is,” Diana agreed. She knelt in front of the still-closed rose blossom and motioned with her hand. “Come closer and smell. I think Joseph will be right.”

  Isaiah glanced toward the front porch again before he got on his knees. Esther gave him a shrug of her shoulders and an I’m-sorry-about-this sort of look. He managed to smile. Esther didn’t need to feel bad. Diana was obviously an energetic child who needed a daett. She would calm down with proper training.

  “Sniff,” Diana ordered.

  Isaiah complied.

  “Smells goot, right?”

  Isaiah winked at her. “I’m sure all roses smell wunderbah once they blossom.” Then, turning to look at Esther on the porch, he told her, “And now, little one, I must speak to your mamm.”

  Diana jumped to her feet and led the way to the front door.

  “Goot morning,” Esther cooed. “What a pleasant surprise.”

  Isaiah stepped up on the porch before he answered. “Diana was just showing me the roses that are supposed to bloom soon.”

  “Ach, that’s all she thinks about since Joseph told her it would happen this week. Do you have time to come in?” Esther’s face was aglow.

  “Yah, I do,” he replied. “If you have some work I can tackle. I wouldn’t want to keep you otherwise.”

  “Ah…let’s see,” Esther mused. “The sink in the small bathroom is stopped up. I planned to address the problem myself, but if you’re here and willing, so am I. I’m sure you can do a much faster and better job than I can.”

  “That’s what I’m here for,” Isaiah said with a smile. “I didn’t bring my plumbing tools, though.”

  “I have a little toolbox I use.” She winced. “Not a manly sort of thing, but it has what you’ll need to open drains, I’m thinking.”

  “I suppose that will work,” Isaiah allowed as Esther held the door open wide.

  She hurried off but returned with her toolbox. He followed her down the hall and into the small bathroom.

  “Here it is.” She set down the toolbox and moved aside.

  Isaiah positioned himself in front of the small vanity and placed pressure on the trap fitting, which moved easily enough. “Shouldn’t be anything to it,” he told her. “Maybe a small bucket to catch the water from the pipe.”

  She handed him the wastebasket, which was clean once she removed the plastic bag. He smiled up at her, and Esther lowered her head. Her meekness was the Lord’s blessing—shown again so clearly, as if he needed any further confirmation.

  “Yah, you could have done this yourself easily enough,” he told her as he em
ptied the contents of the plugged trap into the wastebasket.

  “I suppose so, but it’s a joy to have a man around the house for a few hours. Would you like to stay for lunch? It’s a little early, but you can sweep the upstairs if you feel the need to occupy your hands.”

  They laughed together as he fastened the trap again. “Maybe I’ll pass on the sweeping and the lunch, much as I hate to. I should be in the fields back home. I’m the only one there to tend to things. May I take a rain check?”

  “You’re welcome anytime, Isaiah. I can even make supper for you once or twice a week if you wish. I’m sure bachelor cooking has grown old by now.”

  “Yah, it has,” he agreed. “I like that idea a lot, so I’ll take you up on the offer. Maybe on Friday night, then? Shall I come over after chores?”

  “That would please me greatly,” she said, following him to the front door.

  He tipped his hat, and she stayed on the front porch as he climbed in the buggy and drove out of the lane with a quick goodbye wave over his shoulder.

  SIX

  That afternoon, Joseph placed the pot with a single rose on a shelf before he drew a long breath over the blossom. The fragrance held a tangy smell of orange, mellowed by the scent of wild meadows with a hint of the deep, dark night. Truly, this was the rose of his dreams, the one he had worked toward creating with Silvia while she was alive. The small greenhouse behind the cabin where they had lived had been filled with seeds and roses. Silvia had worked beside him constantly after their wedding. Their joy had known no bounds once Ben was born and their family was complete.

  Joseph brushed the backs of his fingers over the explosion of tender rose petals, the colors flowing into a deeper orange toward the center. This rose was the closest he had ever come to anything on this earth that reminded him of Silvia. It somehow caught the essence of her smile and the beauty of her soul. She had left this tribute to the love she had given him so freely.

  There would never be another Silvia—no hand so tender, no laugh so dear, no woman who could move him so deeply. This simply was a fact, and nothing could be done about it. He didn’t mourn anymore what the Lord had taken. He was thankful that Silvia had been allowed to share the remaining years of her life with him—three short years after their wedding. He, the crippled Joseph Zook, had known more happiness than he had ever dared hope for. And Silvia had left him a son, a handsome son, who would never walk lame through life as Joseph did.