An Unexpected Amish Courtship

by Rachel J. Good

  After one last check of the unfamiliar kapp and dress in the bathroom mirror, Sovilla flicked out the light and eased open the door. She tiptoed downstairs and out onto the front porch so she could catch Leanne before the buggy pulled into the driveway.

  Several horses clip-clopped by before Leann arrived. She stopped out front, and a buggy full of young men swerved off the road behind her. Sovilla didn’t glance their way in case Wilma was staring out the window. If only that buggy had traveled on.

  Why had they stopped too? Were they following their girlfriends? Or maybe those were Leanne’s brothers. The bishop had mentioned several boys. Either way, if Wilma saw a buggy of boys chasing after Sovilla, she’d be furious.

  Conscious of all the eyes on her, Sovilla stared at the ground so she wouldn’t have to see everyone examining her. She walked stiffly up the driveway and rounded the buggy, watching for oncoming cars zooming past. She breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the passenger side.

  When Sovilla slid open the door, Leanne brightened. “That color does look pretty on you.” She seemed pleased to see Sovilla in her dress. “It fits all right?”

  Sovilla nodded. “I took up the hem so it’s the right length.”

  “Great.” Leanne’s cheery disposition poured sunshine over Sovilla after the thunderstorms of negativity she’d endured over the past few weeks. “You can sit beside me.” Leanne waved behind her. “These are my sisters.”

  Three teen girls sat squished together in the cramped space. One of them would normally be sitting in the seat Sovilla occupied. “I’m sorry. I can sit back there so one of you can come up front.”

  They shook their heads in unison. “You stay up there,” one said.

  Leanne introduced them, but the names jumbled in Sovilla’s head. She’d be bombarded with names and faces soon. How would she remember them all?

  “Some of my older brothers are behind us. My parents are bringing the younger five.”

  Sovilla hoped Leanne wouldn’t tell her all of their names too.

  But Leanne glanced over at Sovilla’s dress and kapp. “Does it feel funny to wear different clothes?” Leanne asked as she flicked the reins to get the horse to move onto the road.

  “Jah.” Sovilla patted the kapp. “This is so light, I keep checking to be sure I put it on.”

  “I guess after the larger and stiffer ones you’re used to wearing, it would be strange. Looks like you got it on right.”

  “Danke. Your instructions helped a lot.”

  “I’m glad.” Leanne urged the horse to move faster. “If you’re joining the church, that means you’ll be staying with Wilma permanently?”

  Sovilla’s stomach churned. “I guess so.” She needed to write to Mamm to find out the plans, but she dreaded hearing the answer.

  “I suppose it’s not easy staying with Wilma.”

  Leanne’s sympathetic glance made Sovilla feel bad. Her reluctance to answer made it seem as if she agreed with the comment about her aenti. “I’m sure God has me here for a purpose. I miss my mamm and sisters, though.”

  The horse stopped for a red light, and Leanne questioned Sovilla about life in Sugarcreek. Talking about everything she’d left behind caused both pain and pleasure.

  When Leanne asked why Sovilla had come to Lancaster, she sidestepped Mamm’s concerns about her onkel and cousins. “I’m here to help Wilma after her operation.”

  “I heard she’s getting hip replacements,” one of the girls in the back seat said. “But that won’t take long until she recovers. Will you go back home after that?”

  “I don’t know.” Sovilla wished she did. To change the subject, she waved at the cornfields they passed. “I always love seeing the corn shooting up.”

  “Me too,” Leanne said. She took Sovilla’s cue to stop talking about her life and started pointing out landmarks and crossroads that led to other towns.

  Places Sovilla would probably never see. Wilma rarely drove anywhere except the farmers market, the bulk foods store, and the grocery store. Most of the time, she didn’t invite Sovilla to accompany her. The only other places Sovilla would visit were the library and the hospital. Going to church on Sundays would be her only chance to see more of the area.

  Leanne pulled into a wide driveway. “This is the Fishers’ house. Why don’t you four get out here, and I’ll take the horse out back?”

  Sovilla smoothed down her borrowed white church apron and tried to calm her roiling stomach. The buggy of boys halted behind them, and several hopped out. She avoided looking in that direction as she climbed down and pulled the seat forward so Leanne’s sisters could squeeze out.

  “Hey, Sovilla,” one of the boys called.

  Her head jerked up. Who here knew her name?

  She turned her head in the direction of the greeting. Andrew had jumped from the buggy behind them.

  Sovilla stood there stunned. He was Leanne’s brother? That meant Isaac was too. Her gaze moved up to the driver of the buggy.

  * * *

  Isaac had been more excited than usual about attending church, and his pulse raced as Sovilla climbed into Leanne’s buggy. The pink dress looked as lovely on Sovilla as he’d imagined. And now that she wore familiar clothing, she seemed even more desirable.

  After Leanne picked up Sovilla, Isaac could hardly wait to get to church. He rutsched with impatience at every stop sign and light until they finally pulled into the Fishers’ driveway. When Sovilla stepped out of the buggy, Isaac stopped breathing. Then their eyes met, and he was lost, drowning in a flood of emotions.

  He might have sat there frozen if Zeke hadn’t hooted with laughter.

  “You planning to sit here all day and stare at her?”

  Isaac pulled his gaze away. Leanne had already driven down into the yard, and several buggies had lined up behind him. He flicked the reins to move their horse down the driveway.

  Had everyone seen how besotted he’d been?

  Isaac’s face was still burning after he’d taken care of the buggy and horse. As he and Snickers strode toward the group of men gathered to chat before the service, he greeted everyone by rote. But his mind stayed fixed on a pretty brunette in a rose-colored dress.

  After what seemed like hours, although only ten minutes had passed, the men filtered into the house and settled on the benches. When the girls filed in, Leanne must have ushered Sovilla ahead of her. She sat with Mamm and his younger sisters. Isaac took a seat directly across from them. After he’d settled in his seat, Leanne smiled and raised a conspiratorial eyebrow as if to confirm she’d done a good job.

  Isaac tried to control his grin, but he had a feeling his attempt wasn’t successful. His sister covered her mouth, the way she did when she giggled. He hoped Sovilla didn’t realize why his sister was laughing. So far, Sovilla had been so busy staring around and getting situated, she hadn’t glanced at the men’s side of the room.

  A sharp elbow dug into Isaac’s side.

  “Stop staring,” Andrew said loudly enough for everyone around them to hear.

  Zeke snorted. “Will you listen to any of the sermons today?” He kept his voice lower than Andrew’s. “In case you’ve forgotten, the preacher stands in the middle, not in the women’s section.”

  Isaac lowered his eyes until the singing began. Although he held a hymnal, he didn’t need to read the words in the Ausbund. He knew the songs by heart. During the second hymn, Isaac chanced a quick look across the room and couldn’t look away.

  Mamm had passed two-year-old Rose to Sovilla, who cuddled his baby sister close and bent to whisper something in her ear. Then Sovilla resumed singing. She reminded him of an angel. His little sister stared up at Sovilla with adoration. Isaac worried his expression might be the same, but Sovilla mesmerized him.

  Some Sundays, Isaac railed inwardly at the length and draggy pace of Das Loblied. Today, they finished much too fast.

  All during the sermons, he had to keep tugging his attention back to the message. If only Sovilla didn
’t look so sweet with Rose asleep in her arms and her cheek resting on his sister’s short blond curls.

  His brothers, who sat one on each side, frequently poked him. Snickers lay by his feet. Each time, Isaac returned to the sermon, only to find himself drawn back to the lovely picture directly in front of him.

  “Are you dreaming of being a preacher?”

  Andrew’s whispered comment jerked Isaac from a daydream. Sovilla had been holding their daughter, an adorable girl with tiny brunette braids, who resembled her beautiful mother.

  “Wh-what?” Isaac said, a bit too loud.

  Several people turned to stare. Heat rose from his neck to his hairline. That, plus the warm day and closely packed room, dotted his forehead with beads of sweat.

  Andrew’s unkind comment focused Isaac’s concentration on the sermon. Each time he was tempted to stray, his brother’s remark flitted through his mind, reminding Isaac he had no chance with Sovilla.

  * * *

  Sovilla cradled the baby close. It had been so long since her sisters were this small. She missed holding them. An ache started in her chest and grew until she had to swallow back a lump in her throat.

  Being separated from her family, wearing unfamiliar clothing, worshipping in a strange home, surrounded by people she didn’t know ... She forced herself to listen to the sermon and sing the well-known hymns, but that only increased her loneliness.

  Whenever she could, she stole glances at Isaac. Often, he seemed to be staring at her, but more likely, he was checking on his little sister. She excused her frequent looks in that direction, because seeing a face she recognized in this crowd of strangers comforted her. Yet, for some reason, she never found her attention straying to Andrew.

  Usually, Sovilla loved being at church, but relief flooded through her when the service ended. Now she just needed to get through the meal. Still holding Rose, Sovilla followed Leanne to the kitchen.

  “Could you carry Rose to the back bedroom upstairs?” Isaac’s mamm asked. “She can nap up there while we set out the meal.”

  “Of course.” Sovilla searched for the stairs and found her way to the bedroom.

  In Sugarcreek, she never stumbled around like this. She knew the layout of everyone’s homes. Staying here in Lancaster meant learning all new houses, faces, and names. The whole idea left Sovilla overwhelmed.

  For a few minutes after she lowered Rose onto the bed, Sovilla rested a hand on Rose’s soft curls. The small girl didn’t yet have enough hair for braids or a bob. Sovilla wrapped a tiny ringlet around her finger and watched Rose’s chest rise and fall with gentle, rhythmic breaths.

  Sovilla preferred to remain upstairs and avoid the meal. Maybe if she stayed here, no one would notice her missing.

  Footsteps tapped up the stairs, and Sovilla wished she’d closed the bedroom door. She hoped the person planned to use the bathroom down the hall. Her heart sank when the footfalls neared.

  Leanne poked her head into the room. “There you are. We wondered if you’d gotten lost.”

  Sovilla untangled her finger from Rose’s curl. “She’s so darling, it’s hard to leave her.”

  “I know. Mamm never expected to have another baby after most of us were grown. My youngest brother is nine. But God sent Rose as a special gift.” Leanne gazed fondly at her sleeping sister.

  Tears burned behind Sovilla’s eyes. She’d been overjoyed when her sisters had been born. When would she ever see them again?

  Leanne smoothed down her apron. “We’d better get downstairs to help with the food.”

  Suppressing a sigh, Sovilla rose and accompanied Leanne to the kitchen, where meal preparation swirled into a blur of introductions. Isaac’s mamm stayed close by, mothering Sovilla like a hen protecting a chick.

  After the men finished, Leanne beckoned to Sovilla to sit on a nearby bench. Isaac’s mamm settled beside them.

  She slipped an arm around Sovilla’s shoulders and gave her a brief hug. “I’m so glad God gave us the privilege of bringing you to church.”

  Sovilla had believed she was a burden. Her eyes filled with tears to be considered a blessing. And the warmth of the hug made her long to be with Mamm.

  Before they bowed their heads for prayer, Isaac’s mamm patted Sovilla’s hand. “Danke for taking such good care of Rose. You’ll be a wunderbar mother someday.”

  That praise reminded Sovilla of Henry. She’d always thought they’d marry and start a family. Now, as each day passed, that hope grew more distant. Did he care for her? Think of her? Would he ever write? Although she’d sat down several times to a compose a letter, she’d been unable to find the words to ask her questions. Tomorrow, though, she’d do it. She couldn’t live with this uncertainty.

  When Sovilla lifted her head after the silent prayer, all the women around her peppered her with questions.

  “Wilma Mast is your aunt?”

  When Sovilla nodded, the woman persisted. “Is she your real aunt?”

  As opposed to a fake one? But Sovilla answered politely, “Jah, she’s real.”

  “She’s Mennonite, isn’t she?” someone else butted in. “She doesn’t talk like any Mennonites I know. They don’t swear or scream at people.”

  Sovilla often cringed at Wilma’s salty language. “She’s not Mennonite.”

  “Well, thank the good Lord for that. She’d give Mennonites a bad reputation.”

  “Isn’t it hard living with her?” another woman asked.

  “I’m not used to her Englisch ways, if that’s what you meant.” Although Sovilla had no doubt that had not been what the woman wanted to know, Sovilla refused to disparage Wilma.

  “Not exactly,” the woman admitted.

  Isaac’s mamm intervened. “Better not to invite gossip.”

  Sovilla hissed out a quick breath and stuffed a slice of bread and peanut butter spread into her mouth. The stickiness would give her an excuse for not talking for a while.

  An older lady at the table behind them tapped Isaac’s mamm on the shoulder and held out a newspaper article. “I thought your son should read this. It sounds as if this group is getting dangerous.”

  “Is that about the protestors?” another woman asked. “My brother said they picketed at two kennels in Ephrata.”

  “Jah, the article mentioned that. They also destroyed a kennel in Bird-in-Hand. It says they’re rabid. They label all Amish kennels as puppy mills.”

  “It’s a shame they can’t tell the difference between well-run kennels and puppy mills,” someone else chimed in.

  “We’ll be careful,” Leanne promised. “So far, no one’s bothered us. I wish these groups would stop labeling all Amish dog breeders as puppy mills. They should come and see how well-run Isaac’s kennel is. He loves and cares for his puppies.”

  “Instead of picketing and damaging businesses, why don’t they report the badly run kennels?” A woman feeding her baby milk bread looked indignant. “They could ask someone to come out to investigate. The government will close the bad ones.”

  A teenage girl across the table leaned toward Leanne. “Tell Isaac to be careful.”

  “I will, Ruthie.”

  “Gut, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to him.”

  Sovilla took a bite of her pie. Ruthie seemed awfully concerned. Was she Isaac’s girlfriend? A twinge of irritation shot through Sovilla.

  Why do I care? Isaac’s only a friend. And I have Henry. At least, she hoped she did.

  To avoid these bothersome thoughts, she tapped a fork on her plate to get Leanne’s attention. “What kind of pie is this?”

  Ruthie stared at her, but Leanne answered in a matter-of-fact voice. “It’s schnitz pie. We make it from dried apples.”

  In a snooty tone, Ruthie asked, “You’ve never had schnitz pie before?”

  Before Sovilla could answer, Leanne explained, “Sovilla’s from Ohio. I’m guessing they have different desserts.”

  “Rhubarb, peach, blueberry, and pecan pies are more popular where I live.”
Or lived. A heavy ache in her chest made her want to cry. She blinked to hold back tears.

  “I see.” Ruthie made it sound as if those pies weren’t acceptable. “We always have schnitz pie.”

  “I can see why. It’s delicious.” Sovilla tried to be friendly.

  “You’ve probably never tried some of our other specialties,” Leanne said. “You’ll have to try shoofly pie and Lebanon bologna.”

  “I wonder if that tastes anything like Trail bologna.” Mentioning it made Sovilla miss home and the delicious baby Swiss cheese and Trail bologna sandwiches Mamm made. She could almost taste them.

  “You’ll have to find out.” Leanne laughed. “Too bad you didn’t bring any with you. We could have a bologna-tasting contest.”

  Isaac’s mamm smiled at Sovilla. “If you can’t tell, my dochder loves to eat.”

  “And cook,” Leanne added.

  “Jah, she’s a good cook. You’ll have to ask Isaac to bring you to the house for supper one night after the market closes. Leanne can make a shoofly pie.”

  Picturing Wilma’s expression if Isaac ever came to get her, Sovilla almost choked on her last mouthful of pie. Ruthie’s horrified expression mirrored Wilma’s reaction.

  To her credit, Ruthie quickly masked her response and smiled sweetly at Sovilla. “You work at the market too?”

  “I help my aenti.”

  Isaac’s mamm interrupted. “Haven’t you girls met? Ruthie, this is our neighbor, Sovilla. We’ll be bringing her to church on Sundays.”

  Ruthie’s faint “I see” sounded less than enthusiastic. But she added, “Nice to meet you.”

  Although Ruthie’s response had been tepid, Sovilla infused her greeting with warmth. Poor Ruthie must see me as competition. Sovilla didn’t know how to reassure Ruthie she had no reason to worry.

  “You’re from Ohio, then?” Ruthie asked, her tone polite, but disinterested.

  “Jah, Sugarcreek. I miss it and want to go back to Ohio as soon as my aenti is well enough to get around.”

  Ruthie thawed a little. “I hope she gets better fast.” She stood. “I’m going to get some schnitz pie.”