“Don’t take too long, you’ll miss all the good stuff,” he said as he kissed her on the cheek.
My mother giggled—something I was still getting used to hearing from her. My father smiled at her as though to say he was still very much in love with her. I enjoyed seeing my parents act that way, after hearing nothing but fighting between them only a few months before.
****
As our game of charades neared its end, Daniel Zook rushed in through the side door trying to speak, though he was out of breath. My father initially became a little annoyed with him, thinking he’d come to play with Cameron.
“Aunt Naomi needs you quick,” he managed to say to my mother. “The babies are coming too fast, and she’s asking for you, Mrs. Reeves.”
Nadine gestured for the two of us to go—she would put the younger children to bed. Normally I would jump at any opportunity to be at Elijah’s house, but the thought of being in the same house with someone who was giving birth made me feel uneasy.
We each grabbed a sweater before walking out into the cool, night air. I held my mother’s arm as we walked as swiftly as she was able across the property. Daniel pushed down the broken boards of the fence so my mother and I could cross over safely.
“I’ll have to remember to thank Abraham for not repairing the fence right away,” my mother said lightly. “I don’t think this baby I’m carrying would have allowed me to get all the way down our driveway and back up theirs without having to use the outhouse.”
“Uncle Abe told me that having a gate right here was overdue,” Daniel said.
“Well that sounds like a fine idea,” My mother agreed.
I had to admit, I wasn’t looking forward to an evening of running to the Zook’s outhouse myself. As far as I was concerned, hopping over the fence to use our toilet was just as quick as using the outhouse at the back of the Zook’s yard.
The closer we got to their farm, the more clearly we could hear the cries that were coming from inside the house. When we entered the Zook’s kitchen, Abraham was pacing the floors with a look of deep anguish on his face. I could see the distress in the lines of his face as he beckoned my mother into the room where Naomi was moaning.
“Rebekah is in there with her. Elijah and Samuel went for the midwife,” he said.
He then ushered my mother toward the bedroom that was on the main level of the house, off to the side of the kitchen. I offered to walk Rachel over to my house to be with Lucy so she would be out of earshot of her mother’s moaning and groaning. Mr. Zook agreed.
****
Back over the fence I went, this time with Rachel in tow. I was grateful for the walk back to my house so I’d be able to use the bathroom before returning to the Zook’s, since the chilly air was making me feel uncomfortable.
As we walked the length of the property, the drying grass crunched somewhat under our feet. Neither of us said a word, but our footsteps drowned out the faint, cringing sounds that were still audible even at this distance.
Did Mamma go through that every time she gave birth to each of us? Maybe I don’t want any kids after all, if it hurts that much.
Once inside my own home, I used the modern bathroom and hurried back over to the Zook’s. I entered their yard in time to see Elijah and Samuel ride up to the house with Mary Beiler, the midwife. She rode a much smaller horse, but being a woman, I thought that it suited her.
Elijah spotted me and jumped off Eli, allowing Samuel to take him into the barn. He led the other two horses with him by their reigns. Elijah walked over to me and took both my hands in his.
“I’m so glad you’re here for this wonderful miracle,” he said
I shook at the thought of returning to the Zook’s kitchen and being within earshot of Naomi’s cries, even though I hadn’t heard any for several minutes. Elijah seemed to sense my reluctance and my fear, for he drew me close to him and held me gently in his arms.
“Did Mam’s screams worry you?” he asked.
It was a fair question, and certainly one that deserved an answer, but I wasn’t able to think clearly at the moment. I was too afraid that if I spoke, he would let go of his grasp on me. In the stillness of the evening, I could hear my own heart beating to the gentle rhythm of the cricket’s song. I rested my head on his broad shoulder, allowing him to comfort me.
Without warning, Samuel came running from the barn and startled me enough to make me back away from Elijah. I didn’t look at Samuel or Elijah due to the worry I felt from getting caught in a position that I knew I shouldn’t be in.
After Samuel ran into the house, Elijah put his hands on my shoulders but I couldn’t face him.
“Don’t worry about Samuel, he won’t tell anyone what he saw. Brothers are loyal to one another,” Elijah whispered quietly in my ear.
“I’m sure he won’t, but that could have been my daddy seeing us,” I whispered.
I wanted to be back in his arms, but I knew I shouldn’t. I somehow gained enough strength to turn around and usher Elijah back into the house. I was glad we did because Abraham walked out onto the porch as we approached it, and I feared he could have caught us holding one another if we hadn’t walked toward the house when we did.
Elijah and I sat at the long table inside the kitchen, while Abraham remained out on the porch in plain view. I quickly scanned the room, making sure we were alone before speaking to Elijah about what was suddenly weighing heavily on my mind.
“Why doesn’t your papa stay in the room with your mam? And why do they use a midwife instead of Doctor Beiler? ” I asked quietly. Though we were alone, I still felt it best to whisper.
“That’s just his way,” he whispered just as I had. “The midwife is Doc Beiler’s wife and she’s been there for the birth of each of us children.”
I didn’t understand, given the fact that my parents had always been together at a hospital during each of our births. My father had never left my mamma’s side when each of us children was born—not even for a minute. I wondered if she would use the midwife for the birth of the baby she was carrying now since we came to live in this community. My thoughts were draining and I was eager to leave the Zook’s home.
Suddenly, my distressing thoughts were interrupted by the sharp cry of a baby, coming from the room where Naomi was giving birth. Elijah and I looked at each other with excitement, then, listened for the other baby to cry, but it didn’t. The color drained from my face as I heard a shrill cry from Naomi. Elijah held my hand tight as we held our breath in anticipation for the other cry to come, but still, it didn’t. I couldn’t take being within earshot of Naomi’s cries anymore. In my fear, I stood to leave the house, when I finally heard a second cry.
“Was that the other baby? Please, Elijah tell me it was,” I whispered, through quivering lips.
Before he could answer, Rebekah opened the door with a weary look on her face. She beckoned us in and called for Abraham before going back in the room. Elijah pushed open the screen-door to alert his father it was time to come in the house. I stood aside to let Abraham and Elijah go first, then, I craned my head around the door of the dimly lit room, unsure of what I would find on the other side. At the foot of the bed, my mother and Rebekah were each washing a baby girl as the midwife tended to Mrs. Zook, urging her to drink some hot cider. The flickering of the lanterns cast shadows on Mrs. Zook, enhancing her Plain beauty.
Seeing the twins and hearing their cries caused my heart to flutter. Elijah reached over and squeezed my hand, while I allowed tears to fall unchecked from my eyes at the beautiful sight before me. Abraham led us in a prayer of thanks as we bowed our heads in reverence for such a joyous miracle. At my mother’s signal, Elijah and I left the room. I was fully prepared to wait for her to finish so I could escort her home. Elijah and I decided to get Rachel from my house in the meantime, so she could meet her new baby sisters. She didn’t need to be convinced, for she ran ahead of us in her excitement. Neither of us cared to keep up with her, so we lingered between the two pro
perties, waiting for my mother to exit the Zook’s back door.
“I have to admit I was a little scared back there before we saw both babies in the room,” he said with a sigh.
I faced him, looking into his blue eyes, and wondering about his deep compassion for his family. “Have you and your family always been so close?” I asked with hesitation.
I knew I was opening the door to a conversation I wasn’t sure I was ready to trust Elijah with yet, but I knew he cared enough about me not to judge my past.
“We were raised to be supportive of one another. Weren’t you?”
“Up until a couple of months back, our family was a mess, but it’s been getting better every day since,” I explained.
“I’m sorry that you had such a tough time, but what’s important is that you have your family now.”
His smile enticed an equal one from me. It was easy to smile in his presence because he made me feel so accepted. His friendship was truly unconditional, and I longed to be able to return the same to him, but unconditional love didn’t come as naturally to me as it seemed to for him.
“Will you tell me about your childhood—someday when you’re ready?” he asked slowly.
“Someday,” I said.
I only said it to humor him, but somehow, deep down, he seemed like the one that I might someday trust to share my entire life story with. Not any time soon, though, I was certain.
We stood hand in hand, relaying unspoken messages through our deep gaze into each other’s eyes. “What shall we do for our birthday? A picnic on the creek bank, maybe?” he asked, changing the subject.
“A picnic would be wonderful but I’m afraid I don’t have a gift for you,” I said with dismay.
“You don’t need to give me anything; your company is enough to make it a happy birthday for me.”
He smiled enough to show his dimples, and I smiled out of the love that rested in my heart for him.
The squeak of the screen door brought me back to reality as my mother walked out onto the back porch of the Zook’s home.
“I’m over here,” I called to her. I held up a hand and waved her toward where Elijah and I had been standing for some time. Elijah and I assisted the worn out woman back to her own porch, then embraced each other briefly after she went in. His cheek brushed against mine as he whispered in my ear to have a gut night. The sensation of his lips against my ear nearly made me lose my train of thought. I wanted so much to have his lips touch mine, but I was glad he didn’t attempt such a thing just yet because I was sure I wasn’t quite ready to handle it as a proper lady should.
I walked into the house feeling as though I were truly in love. Common sense reminded me that I’d only known him for a short time, and it was too soon to tell if it was really love. My heart, however, raced with excitement over the thought of this boy who would soon be a man—perhaps the man I might want to marry—someday.
FIVE
A TIME TO COURT
Early the next morning, I was up and ready for church before anyone else in the house. Our rooster crowed a little earlier than usual, relieving me from my restlessness. After the excitement of the twins’ birth last night, I was eager to see Elijah again.
A knock at the side door startled me just as I finished ironing the wrinkles from the white apron for my Sunday dress. I wasn’t surprised to see Elijah when I went to the door, but I momentarily panicked, thinking something may be wrong.
“Is everything okay with your mam and the twins?”
“They were up for the better part of the night, but they are resting now.”
“Whew!” I said, wiping the back of my hand across my forehead dramatically. “You had me worried there for a minute.”
“Will you come outside and talk to me for a minute? I have something to ask you.”
Elijah turned off the generator that temporarily powered the laundry room as I walked out the side door while tying my apron.
“I sure will be glad when the windmill gets put up so I won’t have to use that generator any more—it’s so loud. I know my father has his heart set on getting electricity to this old farmhouse.”
“You don’t have any idea how pleased my papa was by his decision to use the windmill instead of having the county hook up modern electricity. Not to mention the money your papa saved by doing it this way.”
“I suppose you're right—I just need to learn more patience, I guess. So, what did you wanna talk to me about, Elijah?”
“I know it’s early, but I had to see you. Do you think you could get permission to go to the Singing tonight?”
“There is no way that my daddy is gonna let me go. This’ll be Nadine’s first time. He wouldn’t even let her go ‘till she had her birthday,” I said around the lump that was forming in my throat.
“Couldn’t you just go with Hannah and Nadine?”
“Hannah is going?”
I sounded whiney and desperate like Nadine.
“Don’t be upset because she’s going.”
I tried calming down, but found myself tapping my foot and pursing my lips in anger instead.
“Hannah has gone a few times,” he finally said. “Benjamin told me that she would go with you tonight if it would help convince your papa.”
“I don’t think I even want to ask. When he says ‘no’, I’ll get even more upset.”
I meant what I said, and he didn’t press any further. He lingered impatiently, holding my hand. I couldn’t look up at him for fear that tears might spill from my watery eyes. He kissed the back of my hand softly and I knew it was his subtle way of preparing for his exit.
“Well, I should get back to my chores or I’ll never be ready for church.”
He kissed my cheek and walked off toward his barn, leaving me with feelings of excitement over the kiss, mixed with anguish over not being able to attend the Singing. It was already starting to feel like a very long day and the sun was just beginning to make its way over the rolling hills that seemed to stretch across unending miles of earth.
****
Inside the church, the Mennonite families sat together, as did our family. Many of the Amish families, however, sat in Old Order fashion, with the men on one side and the women on the other. Most of the Amish families that attended, used the last rows in the church, which I thought made it seem almost segregated, but my father said they did it out of respect to the Mennonites since it was their church. The minister offered words of wisdom to the congregation, but my mind was not on his teaching—it was cluttered with worries of my earlier conversation with Elijah. I knew it was wrong to think such selfish thoughts in church, but no matter how much I tried, I just couldn’t keep from thinking about Elijah. I periodically looked back at him where he sat with his brother and cousins.
After church services, I overheard Mamma offering to take a meal over to the Zook’s so Naomi could get her much-needed bed rest. Rebekah assured her that she could keep things under control until her mam was on her feet again. She did, however, graciously accept the apple pies that my mother had baked the day before.
When we reached home, I was asked to take the pies over to them and I gladly agreed. I hadn’t had the opportunity to speak with Elijah since the morning, even though we spent a fair amount of time in church eyeing one another. I had a hard time enjoying the game of eye contact with him since Nadine nudged me a few times and warned me I was going straight to Hell if I didn’t watch what I was thinking in church since God was able to read my thoughts. Her comments angered me, but I had to wonder if there was some truth to the seemingly logical statements.
After church, I was anxious to talk to Elijah to find out whether he was planning on attending the Sunday Singing, but I dreaded the thought that his answer would not be in my favor. Rachel opened the door when I knocked, took the pies and informed me that Elijah was in the barn, “In a bad mood,” she said.
I walked slowly, trying to gather my thoughts before approaching him.
I hope he’s not in a
bad mood because of me. Maybe I should sneak out and go with Hannah. She’s the same age as I am, and it ain’t fair that she’s going’ and I can’t. It’s not fair. It just isn’t fair.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and before I knew it, I came face to face with Elijah.
“What’s the matter, Jane?”
Elijah embraced me lightly but I pushed him away. “Don’t be mad at me, please don’t be mad at me,” I begged him. “I’ll sneak out of the house if you want me to go to the Singing that bad.”
I was practically crying by this time.
“Whoa, who said I was mad at you?”
“Rachel said that you were in a bad mood.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m mad at you,” he said softly. “I’m just disappointed that we can’t go to the Singing, but I would never go without you. And I would never ask you to sneak out and defy your papa like that. That wouldn’t be such a gut thing. Then I’d never get the chance to court you proper-like.”
Little Wild Flower, Amish Romance/Amish Fiction/Christian Romance Page 7
