by Jan Drexler
“Are you sure?”
As Mary nodded her head, the sound of peeping came from the back room. Mr. Holdeman thumbed over his shoulder.
“We just got in some baby chicks, and I have a dozen that aren’t spoken for yet.”
The peeping continued and Mary looked past the grinning man to a cardboard box on a table. Little beaks poked through the holes.
“Besides, if you use all your income to pay back the loan, you won’t be able to continue growing your business until it’s paid off.”
He got the box and set it on the counter next to Mary’s dimes. He opened the lid and Mary couldn’t help herself. She reached into the pile of chicks.
“They’re so little.” She picked up one of the fuzzy black-and-yellow balls. Plymouth Rock chicks.
“Just a day old. All they need is warmth, food and water. In six months, they’ll be laying for you. An extra dozen eggs a day for a nickel’s investment now.”
“Five cents?” Mary ran a finger along the fuzzy back.
“Five cents for the chicks. Another nickel for the starter feed I sell. Enough to keep them going until they can be put in with the older chickens.” He picked up another one of the chicks. “Don’t forget, they need to be kept warm, so keep them in a box by your stove for the first couple weeks.”
She couldn’t help smiling at the tiny things. Returning the chick to the box, she said, “All right. Take the thirty cents to start paying the debt, and the last dime for these wee things.”
“You carry the box of chicks and I’ll get your bag of starter feed.”
He followed her out to the buggy and put a heavy bag in the back seat. Mary frowned at Mr. Holdeman. It had to weigh at least fifty pounds the way he had hefted it.
“Are you sure that big sack of feed is only five cents?”
“Well, you caught me on that.” He held up a hand as she started to protest. “Take it as a gift from me. You and your sister remind me of my own daughters. Think of it as an investment in your business.”
“Denki, then. And I’ll be back on Friday with more eggs.”
He waved as she turned Chester toward the street again. The chicks peeped louder as the buggy lurched onto the road and Mary felt a giggle tickling her throat. She smiled at the frantic peeping that settled down as soon as Chester was on the pavement of the city street.
As she stopped at the corner of State Road 5, a familiar wagon on the opposite side of the intersection turned to the right, heading toward the sale barn.
“Hello!” Samuel waved as his horse made the turn. “What are you doing here?”
Mary wasn’t about to shout across the intersection to answer him—the other drivers were already laughing at Samuel—so she turned Chester to follow Samuel’s wagon down the road and into the driveway leading to the auction. She pulled up to the hitching rail next to the other buggies like she had last week, then headed toward the livestock area behind the barn where Samuel had disappeared.
As soon as she started through the line of wagons waiting to turn into the lot behind the sale barn, she was sorry. The men were all farmers, and none of them spoke to her, but she could feel them staring as she strained to see Samuel’s wagon among the others.
She was ready to turn back to her buggy when she saw him standing on the seat of his wagon, looking through the crowds. She waved to get his attention, and he jumped to the ground and started toward her. When he reached her side and took her elbow, she nearly grasped his hand, she was so relieved to see him. He led her back to his wagon and helped her onto the high seat.
“Wait here while I unload the hogs.”
She smiled her answer and settled herself, looking around. A few other women sat with their wagons like she was doing, while their husbands or brothers unloaded the stock they were hoping to sell at today’s auction. The noise made calling from one wagon to another impossible, so she nodded to the ones who waved to her, and waited.
Samuel had a wagon full of hogs. In a crate by himself was his boar. The rest of the wagon bed was packed with the animals standing head to flank, pressed against each other so they wouldn’t fall during the trip. Mary counted them as Samuel backed the wagon to a chute leading into the larger pens outside the barn. Twenty-three pigs. His entire stock, including the sows.
She grabbed his sleeve as the wagon halted. “Are you selling all of your hogs?”
His smile was grim. “That’s right. No more hogs for me.”
“Then what will you do?”
“I’m buying weaned steer calves.” He gestured to another wagon that was unloading into a pen across the way. “Like those. Half grown, ready for pasture.”
He went around the wagon and opened the back gate. As he guided the hogs down the chute and into the pen, Mary noticed the difference in his features. With every hog that clambered down the chute, Samuel looked a little bit happier. A little more relaxed. When the wagon was unloaded, including the crate with the boar, Samuel drove out of the livestock yard and back to the field where she had left the buggy.
As he pulled the horse to a halt, he turned to her. “You still haven’t answered my question. What are you doing in town today? Buying more chickens?”
“I came to sell eggs to Mr. Holdeman, and I did end up buying some chicks.”
“You’re really going into this egg business, aren’t you?” He jumped down from the wagon and gave her his hand to steady her climb down. “I saw the new chicken coop the other day.”
“Ida Mae and I are enjoying the work. The new chicken coop just makes things easier.”
He leaned against the wagon, more relaxed than she had ever seen him. She smiled at how much he reminded her of her brothers. But he was more than a brother, he was a friend. A good friend.
“I guess we’re both starting new projects.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “Since we’re both here, and I have some time before the hog sale starts—” he ran his thumb up and down his suspender “—I don’t suppose you’d like to have lunch with me at the café.”
At the thought of lunch, her stomach rumbled, turning the twitch into a full grin. “I think I had better take you up on the offer before I faint from hunger.”
He offered her his arm and she took it. A friendly gesture demanding nothing in return.
She smiled up at him as they walked across the grass toward the café, her hand safe in the crook of his elbow. She hadn’t been this relaxed with a man in months. If only every day could be like this.
Chapter Eight
No-church Sundays were the best days of the month. Samuel leaned on the gate enclosing the twenty-acre pasture holding the young steers. A day with no work, no trip to a church meeting, no demands.
He leaned down to pluck a grass stem and chewed on the sweet end. The young steers had settled into their new home easily enough. After he bought them at the auction, Samuel had spent last week strengthening the existing fence and using the old hog fencing to divide the pasture from the corn field. Dale had planted the seed corn on Wednesday, and now all he had to do was wait for rain.
The pasture had everything the cattle needed except water. He had a well near the barn, but had to pump the trough full three times a day. He could use a larger watering trough, but until he sold the cattle there was no cash to pay for it. So, he pumped. He threw the grass stem away and plucked another. Maybe he should try fixing the old windmill.
“Samuel! Dinner is ready.”
Esther’s call was faint, drifting from the house to the barn. He could see her in his imagination, standing on her tiptoes to get as close to the kitchen window as she could, and calling to him. Mamm had called to Daed the same way, every dinnertime that he could remember.
When he reached the front of the barn he saw Sadie’s horse and buggy tied to the hitching rail by the back door. The surprise woul
d have sent him into a bad mood a few months ago, but now... What had changed? He quickened his pace toward the house. The difference was simple. He looked forward to seeing Mary.
Mary, her sister and Sadie had brought a big bowl of potato salad and some cold ham. Esther had set the table for the six of them, and they crowded together in the kitchen. Another reminder of the past, when all his sisters and Bram lived at home. He squeezed into his seat against the wall and pushed away the prickly memories.
Sadie sat next to him, then fussed. “This chair is too short for me, Mary. Will you trade places?”
“I’ll give you mine, Sadie,” Esther said, jumping up and picking up her chair to move it around the table.
But the older woman waved her away as Mary moved from one seat to the other. “That’s all right. This will work fine.” She sat down with a smile and a slight wink in Samuel’s direction.
Mary leaned over. “She’s up to her tricks again,” she said, keeping her voice low.
Samuel shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t mind if you don’t.”
That brought a smile as she turned away and concentrated on straightening her silverware.
After dinner, Samuel took the chairs out into the shady part of the yard while the girls cleaned up the dishes.
“There is something different around here,” Sadie said as she made her way through the rough grass toward him. “What have you changed?”
Samuel nodded in the direction of the bare dirt patches next to the barn. “I sold the hogs.”
“That’s it.” She nodded, satisfied. “That change certainly improves the place.” She gestured, taking in the farmyard and the fields beyond. “With the hogs gone and cattle in the pasture out there, the farm looks more like it did when Abe was alive.”
Samuel had sat on a chair near hers, leaning on his knees, but when she mentioned his grandfather he had to ask, “Why was Daed so different from Grossdawdi?”
Sadie didn’t answer right away. She watched the cattle make their way to the shady corner of the pasture, then turned to him. “Sometimes folks make decisions that take them down wrong paths.” She waved at a fly that had landed on her apron. “Your daed was full of rebellion as a young man. Hated the farm and everything about it. But when Abe became ill, he seemed to settle down. Came back to the farm. Married a fine girl. Started a family.” She patted his hand. “Your mamm was a good woman, you know that?”
He nodded and waited for her to go on.
“But that rebellion seemed to continue under the surface, and then the drinking started.” Her smile dimmed and her eyes became moist. “But I don’t need to tell you this. You remember what he was like.”
Samuel reached into the grass to pick a dandelion and twirled it between his fingers. “Do you think I’m like him?”
“In some ways.” Sadie’s head tilted as she watched him. “You look a lot like him. But you act more like Abe. You remind me more of your grandfather every year.”
A buggy turned into the driveway, followed by a second, larger one. As they pulled up, Judith and Esther ran out of the house.
“Annie!” Esther said. “It’s wonderful-gut to see you.”
Samuel rose from his seat and helped Sadie to her feet. Another surprise. His stomach turned as he saw Bram’s family climbing down from the second buggy. A truce with his brother was one thing, but was he ready to spend the afternoon visiting with these folks from Eden Township?
“Samuel, good to see you.” Annie’s husband walked toward him, hand outstretched, and Samuel had no choice but to welcome him with a firm handshake.
“Glad you stopped by—” Samuel paused, trying to remember his name.
“Matthew.” The shorter man grinned, his brown eyes bright and his brown beard bobbing as he nodded his head. “When you stopped by to see Annie a couple weeks ago, you made her so happy. She’s been bubbling with joy ever since.”
Samuel looked from Matthew to Annie. She and her sisters stood in a circle with Mary and Ida Mae, fussing over the little boy Esther held in her arms. They both seemed to have forgotten the day Samuel had thrown them out of the house.
Bram’s wife joined the group and Bram headed toward him and Matthew, carrying a young boy and trailed by a girl and the boy Samuel had seen when he stopped by their farm. Would he ever remember their names?
Bram nodded at Matthew and Samuel as he came close. “We hoped you would be at home this afternoon. Ellie and Annie wanted to visit.”
His brother’s voice held a note of caution.
“Ja, sure, we’re glad you came.” Samuel worked up a smile. “Look at the girls over there. Who would they have talked to if you hadn’t come?”
The little girl pulled at Bram’s sleeve and he stooped down, setting the small boy on his feet.
“May we see the cows?” She pointed toward the pasture.
“That is up to Uncle Samuel. They’re his cows.”
Samuel swallowed as the girl’s big brown eyes turned toward him. Uncle. He was an uncle to these children. Four of them, and from the looks of Annie and Bram’s wife, there would soon be two more.
“You can look at them from the fence, but don’t go into the pasture. These are young steers, and not very friendly.”
“Johnny, will you take Susan to see the cattle? But listen to Uncle Samuel.”
As the children ran toward the barn, Bram grinned. “You sold the hogs?”
“How could you tell?”
Bram took a deep breath. “The whole place is different. The hogs were—”
“Dirty? Smelly? Stinking?”
His brother nodded. “All three. What made you change?”
His stomach turned again, facing Bram’s questioning. Why couldn’t he just leave it alone? Nobody invited him to come by and poke his nose in where he wasn’t wanted. Then he looked past the men at the circle of women, still standing at the edge of the drive, talking up a storm. He would be polite and make the best of things for their sakes. He could do that.
“It just seemed like a good thing to do.” He started toward the house as the girls drifted their way. “I’ll get some more chairs so we can visit.”
Bram started after him. “I’ll help.”
Samuel turned on him, his stomach clenching. “I can do it.” He felt the growl creeping into his voice. “Stay here with the others.”
His brother took a step back, a troubled frown on his face. “Sure, Samuel. If that’s what you want.”
He stalked into the house. He didn’t need Bram’s help. He didn’t need Bram telling him what to do. He didn’t need Bram in his life at all.
Stomping up the stairs to fetch a couple chairs from the girls’ rooms, he glanced out the window toward the group on the lawn. Judith and Esther were smiling. Annie laughed at something Ellie had said. Even Mary looked at ease and happy.
Why did he have this anger surging inside him?
Samuel sat on one of the chairs and buried his face in his hands.
There was a wall between him and his brother. Something about the man set his nerves on edge. Always had. But it seemed that Bram didn’t feel the same way, laughing and joking with the others. Leaving him out.
Samuel rubbed his hands over his face again. Sadie was wrong. He was too much like Daed and not at all like Grossdawdi Abe.
* * *
Mary kept a close eye on Sadie as the afternoon wore on, but she seemed to keep her energy, participating in the conversations and even walking with Ellie’s youngest, Danny, to see the cows in the pasture.
They hadn’t had another bad day like the Tuesday they had all gone into Shipshewana together, but she and Ida Mae had been vigilant about keeping their aunt rested, and they hadn’t tried an outing like that one since.
As the Eden Township folks prepared to head home la
ter in the afternoon, Annie took Mary aside.
“I was glad to see you visiting the family this afternoon.”
Mary had to return Annie’s infectious smile. “My sister and I have gotten to be friends with Judith and Esther.”
“That’s good.” Annie smoothed her apron over her rounded stomach. “When I was at home, we didn’t see people from outside the family very much. Once Mamm passed away, we didn’t go anywhere except to church.” She gave Mary’s hand a squeeze. “I’m so happy they have friends close to their own ages.”
“They’ve been good friends for us, too.” Mary glanced at Ida Mae as she and Sadie chatted with Ellie. “It’s difficult to move to a new area.”
Annie nodded. “For sure, it is.”
As the families got into their buggies, Annie gave Mary a quick hug. “Denki. And whatever you’re doing for Samuel, it’s working.”
“I’m not doing anything for him. We’re just getting to know each other.”
Annie laughed. “As long as I’ve known him, he has never sat and visited with folks the way he did today.” She looked around and took a deep breath. “And the farm is so pleasant. I’ve never seen it looking so...so...right.” She beamed when she found the word she wanted, then climbed into the buggy with Matthew.
After the buggies had disappeared down the road, Mary looked for Samuel, but he had disappeared.
“He went to get Chester for you,” Judith said. “Unless you aren’t ready to go home yet.”
“We had better get Sadie home before she gets too tired.” Across the yard Sadie struggled to pull a chair toward the house, but Ida Mae stepped in to help her. “We should stay and help you straighten up, though.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Judith said. “We had a good visit, and you’re right. Sadie needs a rest. If she stays here, we won’t be able to stop her from helping.”
Samuel came from the direction of the barn with Chester and hitched him to the buggy. When he was done, he headed back toward the barn without saying a word. Mary seemed to be the only one who noticed, though, as Sadie and Ida Mae were saying their goodbyes. Samuel disappeared into the barn, but Mary could see him lingering near the doorway, as if he was watching them. Back to his old grumpy self.
