He was disturbed. Deeply disturbed.
“Zach?” she whispered.
Again, he ignored her. She sighed heavily and turned to go. Without looking back, she knew his eyes were on her, watching her every move as she left the field to go back to the house.
Approaching Marcy on the front porch, she smiled. “Would you like some cool lemonade?”
“That’d be right nice,” Marcy said, tossing her shiny brown hair over her shoulder.
“Gut. Children, I’ll get each of you a glass, too.” The two children, both as attractive as their mother, grinned. “And after your drink, you can play in the tire swing if you like.”
“Can we, Mom?” asked Daisy, her eyes dancing.
“Of course,” Marcy agreed.
Naomi went inside and poured lemonade into four glasses. She decided that she’d sit a spell with Marcy, get to know her a bit. Going back outside, she served the three of them and then took a glass for herself, sitting in a free rocker. The two children gulped down their drinks and raced off toward the tire swing.
Naomi smiled at Marcy. “I hope you enjoy your stay in Hollybrook,” she said.
Marcy put both hands around her glass, as if absorbing its coolness. “I’m sure we will. I’ve been here before, you know.”
“Oh?”
“You’re new, aren’t you?”
“I’ve been here over a year.”
“I used to live in Hollybrook myself.” Marcy blinked, and her smile was sad. “I was a right mess. We had to leave sudden-like.” She gazed out at the yard, her eyes lost in her memories. “I made the biggest mistakes of my life here.” She gave a quick laugh. “Oh, most folks would say that having my children was my biggest mistake. Or my biggest sin. But look at them.” She glanced over her shoulder toward the playing children. “They’re beautiful. They’re something I did right.”
Naomi was shocked that this woman would talk so freely to her. They didn’t know each other.
“I was engaged once. I let him go.”
Naomi stiffened. She wondered how anyone could let Zachariah King go. He was such a fine man, and she knew he had been equally as fine all those years ago. Men like Zachariah didn’t change. They remained steadfast and true.
“Perhaps you know him,” Marcy said, her expression eager. “Zach King.”
Naomi inhaled deeply. “Mr. King leases my land.”
Marcy gave such a start, she nearly dropped her glass. The lemonade sloshed and some dribbled down the side of the glass. “What?”
“He’s in the fields right now.” Naomi wondered whether she should have divulged such information, but she could hardly stay quiet about it, could she? That would look like she was hiding something.
“Zachariah?” Marcy said with a gasp. “He’s here? Right now?”
Naomi nodded, and her stomach felt as if a crate of cement blocks had been placed on it. There was no mistaking the look of love and joy on Marcy’s face.
Marcy set down her glass and jolted up from her chair. “Where?”
Naomi rose and gestured for Marcy to follow her. She led her to the edge of the field and pointed. Marcy gave Naomi’s arm a quick squeeze and ran off through the fields. Naomi couldn’t bear to watch her. She turned and moved back to the porch, just in time to see her friend Mary come up the drive in her pony cart.
“Naomi!” she cried as she neared her. “Naomi!”
Naomi raised her hand in greeting and worked to keep her tears from falling. “Hello, Mary.”
Mary reined in her horse and climbed out of the cart. “What’s this I hear?”
Naomi looked into the dear face of her friend and burst into tears.
“Ach! Naomi! So, it’s true! You are leaving!” She grabbed Naomi’s arm and led her up the stairs to the porch. “Sit down. Tell me.”
Naomi sank into a rocker and buried her face in her hands. Everything was wrong. She’d thought that nothing could ever happen that was worse than the accident. In that, she’d been right. But she’d never thought that horrible things would continue to happen to her, continue to darken her path. Just when she’d gathered hope that maybe life could be good again, Marvin had to come and dash all her dreams. And now, Marcy’s presence was killing any hope she had with Zach.
The hard truth was that Naomi would never be able to see anything through at the farm. She’d never be able to see if there could be a good life for her there in Hollybrook.
And she would lose Zach.
And her friend, Mary.
Mary crooned over her, patting her back. “Tell me about it. You’re really leaving then? My Jack said he met your brother at the Feed and Supply. They got to talking, and your brother said you’re going back to Pennsylvania. Why, Naomi? I thought you liked it here.”
“I do,” Naomi cried. “I don’t want to go.” She wiped her tears and looked up at Mary. “Marvin is insisting. And he’s right, you know. Back in Pennsylvania, I’d have help with the children. I wouldn’t have to worry about making money every minute of the day.”
Mary grimaced and plopped into the rocker beside Naomi. “What’s changed? It’s been this way since your husband died. What’s changed now?”
Naomi pressed her lips together, not wanting to consider Mary’s question, because nothing had really changed. She was still tired. She was still weary of worrying about money. But she had the Bed and Breakfast now. And she had Zach. She gave a sharp intake of breath. No, she didn’t. She didn’t have Zach at all. Marcy did.
Mary looked at the car in the drive. “You have guests?”
“Marcy Blackenship and her two kids.”
Mary’s mouth dropped open, and she grabbed Naomi’s shoulder. “Marcy? She’s here?”
Naomi nodded miserably. “She’s in the fields with Zach.”
“What?”
“She went racing out there as soon as I told her where he was.”
“Nee!” Mary’s eyes stretched wide, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
“He didn’t know she was coming. But when I told him she was here, I saw his reaction. He’s not over her, Mary.”
Mary studied her face. “And that bothers you?”
Naomi looked away and didn’t answer.
“Naomi!” Mary said. “Look at me.”
With reluctance, Naomi turned back to her friend.
“You love him.”
Did she? Did she love him? It didn’t matter.
“He doesn’t love me.” Naomi wanted to sink into the earth and disappear forever. She chided herself. What a ridiculous thing to wish for. She was a mother, after all, and she had wonderful people in her life. Forgive me, dear Father in Heaven.
“Naomi Byler, haven’t I been telling you for weeks that Zach has feelings for you? Haven’t I? I’ve known that man since we were both knee-high to a grasshopper. He has feelings for you, for sure and for certain.”
Naomi shook her head over and over.
Mary put her hand on Naomi’s lap. “He’s shy is all.”
“Doesn’t matter anymore, anyway.” Naomi blinked away her tears. “Marcy’s here now.”
Mary twisted around. “Those her kids?”
“Jah. They’re lovely, aren’t they?”
Mary shrugged. “So are yours.”
“Oh, Mary. This isn’t a competition. And if it was, Marcy would be the victor. Who knows what’s going on right now in the field?”
“Pretty brazen for her to rush off like that, chasing a man.”
Naomi’s cheeks went hot. Hadn’t she run off to the field to see Zach herself? And more than once.
“I don’t want you to move.” Mary puckered her lips into a pout. “You’ve become my closest friend, Naomi Byler. Just writing each other won’t be the same.”
“Nee, it won’t.”
Mary stood up and shook out her apron. “Shame on me. The Lord God is in control. It isn’t up to us to question His ways. He knows what’s what.”
Naomi smiled. Only Mary would phrase it like
that.
“I’ll come again tomorrow,” she said crisply. “You’ll need help with your packing.”
“Thank you, Mary.”
She waved away Naomi’s gratitude. “I’ll be here after the noon meal.” And with that, she climbed back into her pony cart, gave a snap to the reins, and was off.
Naomi closed her eyes and breathed in the moist summer air. She would miss her friend. Mary had helped her recover from her grief. Mary had given her moments of laughter when she’d thought she would never laugh again. Mary had made life bearable and time after time had assured her that all would be well.
Daisy ran up the steps of the porch, startling Naomi out of her thoughts.
“Where’s my mom?” she asked.
“She’s on a walk in the fields. She’ll be back soon,” Naomi said.
She heard Marcy’s voice coming around the corner of the house. And Zach’s voice. Naomi shot out of her chair and faced them. Marcy’s face was red and glistening with perspiration. Naomi wondered at that as it wasn’t terribly hot. When he saw Naomi, Zach clammed up completely, closing his lips into a tight line. Naomi tried to read the look in his eyes, but all she saw was turmoil.
She bit her lip until it throbbed like her pulse. There could be only one reason for such turmoil in Zach’s eyes. He still loved Marcy. Her anguish grew until she had to fight to keep her composure.
“Naomi, I didn’t know you were still out here,” Marcy said, blinking and wiping the top of her lip.
Daisy pulled on her mother’s arm. “Mom, John and I are hungry. Can we eat some of our snacks?”
Marcy flinched as if she’d forgotten she even had a daughter. “What? Oh. Yes, of course. Go ahead.”
“Come on, John!” hollered Daisy. “She said yes!”
The two scampered around to the daadi haus.
Zach’s face had gone dark, and Naomi could see that she was in the way. “I have work to do,” she mumbled and fairly ran into the house.
The screen slammed behind her, and she shut the door, too, leaning against it and breathing hard. What were they saying out there? Did Marcy want to become Amish again? To ask forgiveness, to obey whatever the bishop decreed, and be welcomed back? And how would Daisy and John like that? Were they willing to embrace their mother’s roots?
She sank down to the floor and rested her chin on her knees. She closed her eyes. Don’t do it, Zach. Don’t do it. With a start, she realized what she was chanting, and she shivered. It wasn’t her concern. How wrong of her to impose herself into Zach’s business. Into God’s business.
She put her arms around her legs and tried to talk herself into getting up and getting about her work. If they were to move in a few days, she needed to begin packing. Most importantly, she needed to go through all their things, decide what she had room to take and what had to be left.
Would Zach buy the farm? He hadn’t really responded to her.
She hoped he would. He loved the farm. That was evident in the way he cared for it, always puttering around after his work in the fields, fixing things and watching over things that had nothing to do with leasing the land.
She rose and couldn’t help but glance out her window. Zach and Marcy were standing close, talking, their faces intent, as if no one else in the world existed. Naomi sighed and felt a sense of loss—an emotion that sat on her with unwanted familiarity. She quivered, and tried to shrug it off, but it had sunk its fingers into her once again.
She squared her shoulders and walked to the kitchen. Mamm’s favorite dishes would have to be packed. They comforted Naomi; their pattern of small yellow flowers around the edge brought her cheer even on her darkest days. Using them was like having her mother still with her, and she couldn’t help but think Mamm would be pleased. Someday, Naomi would hand the dishes down to Katy, who would use them with equal pleasure.
Yes, the dishes had to come. And what about Dat’s tools? They should be kept for Ben. Perhaps not all of the tools, for they would fill boxes and boxes. The special tools. Naomi smiled to herself. What made a tool special? Maybe she should let Ben choose.
There was a knock at the door, and Naomi’s attention was jerked back to Zach and Marcy. She hurried to answer it, wondering which one of them would be there. It was Zach. He gave her a guarded look and for a moment said nothing.
“Jah?” Naomi asked, hardly daring to breathe. When he didn’t say anything, she grew worried and aggravated. He was the one who knocked on the door. Did he expect her to start the conversation?
“Naomi?” He licked his lips. “You all right?”
What an absurd question. Of course, she was all right. She frowned and wondered what he was getting at.
“Marcy’s leaving.”
“What?” Relief roared through her.
“Marcy’s leaving.”
“Why are you the one telling me?”
“She asked me to.”
“So she’s not even staying the night?”
“Nee.”
The relief multiplied and expanded and filled her every cell. If Marcy was leaving, didn’t that mean… Zach stepped back from the door and pushed his straw hat back onto his head. He gave her a curt nod and turned away.
“Wait,” she burst out.
He stopped but didn’t look back at her.
“Are you all right?”
He didn’t answer. He raised his hand in a backward wave and tromped down the steps and back toward the field. Naomi’s eyebrows rose. What had happened between him and Marcy?
Within minutes, Daisy and John came around the house, lugging their bags. Daisy dropped hers with a thud and opened the trunk. They both threw their bags inside, but Daisy wasn’t tall enough to grab it shut again. Naomi went down the steps toward them.
“Need some help?”
“I can’t reach it. You just gotta slam it.”
Naomi easily reached the trunk and slammed it shut. She shook her head, realizing it was the first time in her life that she’d shut the trunk of a car. Whenever she rode in a van, the driver handled such things. Vans didn’t have trunks, anyway. Considering the emotion of the moment, Naomi marveled that she could be pondering such mundane things as car trunks.
Marcy walked toward the van, and Naomi could see her eyes were red and swollen. Even after a crying jag, the girl looked beautiful. A tinge of jealousy threaded through Naomi. She hurried toward Marcy and took her bag from her.
“Let me,” she said.
Marcy blew out her breath. “I’m sorry for the change of plans.”
“That’s fine.”
“I can pay you for the time we were here.”
Naomi shook her head. “Don’t be silly. It was nothing. Can I get you a snack for your journey? Would the children like some cookies?”
John jumped out of the backseat. “Can we, Mom?”
Daisy planted herself in the passenger seat in front and folded her arms across her chest. Her lips pressed into a tight pucker, and she didn’t look willing to budge.
“I suppose so,” Marcy said, her voice trailing. Then she looked at John. “I’ll go get them. You get back in the car.”
Naomi handed Marcy’s bag to John. Then she took Marcy into the house. She heard her sniffing behind her as they entered the kitchen. Naomi got out a paper bag and a couple paper napkins. She lined the sack and then began placing cookies inside. By then, Marcy had begun to weep, and Naomi couldn’t simply pretend that she wasn’t. She set the sack on the counter and led Marcy to her kitchen bench.
“Sit down for a minute,” she said. “Would you like some water? Or tea?”
Marcy shook her head and put her hands to her face. “I’m sorry,” she muttered through her fingers. “I’m a mess.”
Naomi sat beside her.
“Zach said…” A fresh bout of tears began. “Zach said that he…” Marcy couldn’t continue. She merely sobbed into her hands.
Naomi waited, feeling awful for her pain.
After a minute or two, Marcy got ahold o
f herself. “I’m sorry.” She removed her hands from her face. Naomi handed her a napkin, and Marcy dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose. “I left the Amish.” She gazed at Naomi with wide eyes.
Naomi nodded. “I know.”
“I don’t really regret it.” She looked at Naomi as if gauging her reaction. “Too many rules for me. No freedom at all.”
Naomi bristled at her words but chose to let it go.
“I was a wild teen. Didn’t want to listen to anyone. Least of all my parents or the bishop. Heaven forbid that I listen to him!” She gave a wry laugh. “I was insufferable. Finally, in total humiliation, my parents left the area, and I went with them. Sort of. I ran around a lot.” She dropped her hands to her lap and got a faraway look in her eyes.
“Zach was my beau. He loved me.” She glanced at Naomi. “He loved me with his whole heart. He tried to talk sense into me, but I wouldn’t listen to him either. Even though I knew how much he loved me, I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be the proper little Amish girl. I’d tasted my freedom by then, and oh, how sweet it was.”
Naomi watched the emotions play over her face. She watched her delicate brow furrow, her rosy lips part. She saw Marcy as Zach might have seen her, and she understood his broken heart.
“Things in my life lately … uh, things have been difficult.” Her eyes teared up again. “My parents are both gone, and I wanted a family again.” She bit her lips. “I stupidly thought I might be able to come home to Hollybrook. But I couldn’t. I thought that Zach—”
She stopped abruptly and gasped, grabbing Naomi’s hand. Her eyes grew huge as she stared at Naomi. “Oh! I’m so blind!” She shook her head, and her lips parted. “I’m such a fool, sitting here going on and on about Zach and me. I didn’t even think. I didn’t realize…”
Naomi felt Marcy’s grip on her hand tighten. She wanted to pull away from this beautiful girl. She wasn’t accustomed to such familiarity with a stranger. But she didn’t know how to extricate herself without causing a scene.
Marcy stared at her. “It’s you, isn’t it?”
Naomi blanched. “Me? I’m sorry. I don’t know what—”
“He’s fallen for you!”
Naomi did pull her hand away then. She got up and went back to the cookies, putting two more into the sack with shaking hands. “You’re cookies are ready,” she said, turning and offering the bag to Marcy.
Amish Romance Box Set: Finding Home Page 35
