“Perhaps in warmer weather, you’ll teach me, then,” Fletcher suggested, caught up in their whimsical banter. “That’s one skill I never mastered. I have a slight fear of heights, which isn’t one of the best qualities in a carpenter, so please don’t tell Melinda. I don’t want Aaron finding out about it and giving me a hard time. On the job, I do whatever needs to be done, including roofing—but how I feel about doing it is our little secret.”
“I won’t tell a soul, especially not Melinda,” Anna agreed conspiratorially. “I don’t think she intends any harm, but she has a habit of blurting things out before she’s really thought them through.”
“I’ve noticed that, too,” Fletcher said. “Not only does she seem to share things she shouldn’t, but half the time her perspective isn’t exactly reliable.”
“Is that why we were so discreet about our relationship, because we didn’t want her to tell everyone and share her thoughts on the matter?” Anna wondered aloud.
“That was one of the reasons, I suppose,” Fletcher confirmed. “I had similar misgivings about Aaron finding out. It was also that you wanted to be respectful of Naomi’s mourning period. I think you felt a little guilty for being so happy when...”
“When my daed had recently died?”
“Jah. But there were a few people who knew we were courting early on, before we officially told our families.”
“Who?”
“Well, Tessa and Katie. And my groossdaadi. Mind you, I never told him myself. He just knew. After you’d visit, he’d say, ‘Fletcher, your Anna makes the best beef barley soup I’ve tasted since your groossmammi was alive.’ Or, ‘Your Anna’s eyes were sure sparkling today, weren’t they, Fletcher?’ It was always ‘your Anna,’ not just ‘Anna.’ We never discussed it, but I think that was his way of letting me know he knew we were courting and he approved.”
“I’m glad—on both counts,” Anna said, rubbing her hands together.
The tip of her nose was pink and Fletcher’s heartbeat quickened as he regarded the brightness of her lips, recalling how silky they used to feel against his own.
Her voice cut through his thoughts. “I’m afraid I’m getting a little chilly.”
“Me, too,” he said reluctantly. He picked up the reins and directed the horse back onto the roadway so he could drop Anna off and head toward his own house. The rhythmic cadence of the horse’s clopping along the road made his eyelids droop and he decided that when he got home, he’d lie down for a much needed nap. After stabling the horse, he realized he’d had such a full day with Anna on Saturday that he’d neglected to collect the mail that evening. Checking the box, he found an envelope addressed in penmanship he didn’t immediately recognize. He quickly read its contents.
Fletcher,
We’ve received the invitation to your wedding from Anna, along with the note from you asking us to be your newehockers. We already have our suits from the last time you almost got married, so how could we say no?
In all sincerity, we’re both glad you found a good woman and we look forward to meeting her and celebrating your marriage.
We expect to arrive on Monday, the sixth of April.
Your friends,
Chandler Schlabach & Gabriel Ropp.
In the turmoil following Anna’s accident, Fletcher had forgotten he’d asked Chandler and Gabriel to be his newehockers. Recalling how supportive they’d been after his wedding debacle with Joyce, he knew their reference to it was intended lightly, and he was grateful he had friends who’d gladly make such a long journey on his behalf. Still, the remark touched upon his concerns that this wedding might not happen, either.
Yet as his head sunk into the pillow, he was cautiously upbeat as he reflected on the discussion he’d just had with Anna. Simply repeating what she’d told him about her breakup with Aaron made Fletcher feel more confident. Nothing about Anna’s comments or behavior, past or present, indicated she held any enduring affection for his cousin. Fletcher still didn’t know what to make of Anna’s note, but maybe it was time for him to stop worrying about it. Perhaps the note only represented a single moment of hesitation, compared to an entire courtship of certainty. Could it be that today’s conversation with Anna was further proof that there was nothing the two of them couldn’t work out together if they talked it through? As Isaiah suggested, the best course of action might be to spend as much time with Anna as he could. To know me is to love me, he thought drowsily.
His mind made up, Fletcher felt more relaxed than he had since Anna’s accident and he drifted into a languorous snooze.
Chapter Six
The house appeared to be deserted when Anna entered it, but she knew from experience that even if Melinda and the boys were out, it was likely Naomi was resting in her room. Tiptoeing down the hall, Anna hoped her stepmother wasn’t relapsing into a period of depression and fatigue. If Naomi was sleeping, she didn’t wish to rouse her, but if she was awake, Anna hoped she could be of some comfort.
“Are you asleep?” she asked quietly as she paused outside the closed bedroom door.
“I’ll be right there,” her stepmother called and Anna heard the patter of footsteps followed by what sounded like a drawer closing. When Naomi opened the door, her face was flushed. “Oh, gut, it’s you, Anna.”
“I’m sorry to disturb you. I wanted to see if you were alright and if there’s anything I can do for you.”
“Anna, dear, you’re always so considerate of me, but I’m fine,” Naomi said. She stepped aside and motioned Anna into the bedroom. “Actually, I was in here looking for some fabric. Mind you, I wasn’t sewing on the Sabbath—I was only looking to assess what I might have left over. I wanted to make new trousers for Raymond, as I’ve let down the hems in his church pants as far as they’ll go and today I noticed they’re still too short. I remembered starting a pair for your daed that I never finished. I’d tucked the material away until I could face seeing it again. While I was searching for it today, I found this. I’d forgotten all about it...”
She opened the bottom drawer of her bureau and removed a thick, neatly folded bundle of eggplant-colored fabric.
“Oh! That would be such a becoming color on you, Naomi,” Anna replied, fingering the material. “Are you going to make yourself a new dress?”
Naomi’s eyes shimmered. “I haven’t sewn a dress for myself in so long, I’ve forgotten my measurements!”
“Then it’s past time for you to have one.”
Naomi laughed. “That’s exactly the kind of remark your daed would have made, Anna.”
“Well, he would have been right. Anyway, now that you’ve found the material, it would be wasteful to allow it to continue to sit in the drawer.”
“You know what?” Naomi asked, patting the fabric. “I think I will make a new dress for myself. A wedding is such a special occasion and I’ll wear the dress again to church for years.”
Naomi’s exuberance delighted Anna. In the past when her stepmother mentioned Anna’s daed, she sounded so forlorn but today she conveyed only a sense of mirth and anticipation for the future, and her hopefulness felt contagious. Naomi set the material atop her sewing basket and the two women ambled into the kitchen for a cup of tea.
“Where are the boys this afternoon?” Anna asked.
“The four of them loped off to the creek. Roy and Raymond wanted to practice their casting and Eli and Evan tagged along for the fun of it. They were all hoping Fletcher might kumme down and join them for a while, too.”
“He would have enjoyed that, but he left after he dropped me off.”
Naomi narrowed her eyes. “Is something the matter? I assumed he’d stay for supper. We’re only having leftovers because it’s the Sabbath, but I figure our leftovers are tastier than whatever he might make on his own.”
“Neh, nothing’s wrong,” Anna assured her. “I think he didn’t want to wear ou
t his wilkom, that’s all.”
“Ach! That’s because I was so cranky the other night, isn’t it? I didn’t mean to be inhospitable, but I was short-tempered because of Melinda’s comments. The truth is, both she and Aaron seem to be lacking in diligence. I think if they spent less time frolicking and more time tending to their responsibilities at home, instead of just those at their paid jobs, they’d have a better idea of what it means to manage a household. But it wasn’t charitable of me to chase Aaron away as I did and I certainly wasn’t hinting that Fletcher should go, too.”
“I doubt Fletcher thought twice about leaving when he did,” Anna replied. “As it was, I think he was surprised to be invited for supper since he’d already had dinner with us. He wouldn’t take advantage of your generosity—he’s very considerate in general.”
“Jah, but I want you both to know he has an open invitation to join us for dinner or supper whenever he pleases. I know how important it is for the two of you to...to get to know each other again.”
“Denki, Naomi, I’ll tell him that,” Anna said as she lifted the whistling kettle from the front burner of the gas stove. “I have my follow-up doctor’s appointment Tuesday afternoon, which he intends to take me to. It would be convenient if he could eat with us that evening, since we’ll be returning home around five thirty or six o’clock.”
“Of course,” Naomi agreed, arranging several thimble cookies on a plate. “So, have you learned anything else about him other than that he’s ‘very considerate in general’?”
Anna carried the teacups to the table. Although she and Naomi shared an unusual closeness, most Amish couples in their district seldom discussed their romantic relationships.
“Well,” she said, hesitating. Then her face broke into a huge grin. “I think the most important thing I’ve discovered is the more I know him, the more I like him.”
“Look at you blush,” Naomi gushed. “That’s wunderbaar. Then do you still plan to marry him even if your memories don’t fully return by your wedding date?”
“Oh, I haven’t given up hope that my memories will kumme back!”
“That’s what I’m praying will happen, too, and I have faith Gott will answer our prayers in His time and in His way.”
Anna pensively bit into a cookie. After she swallowed, she said, “I guess at this point—without having my memories restored—I’d say I might not be ready to marry Fletcher yet, but I can clearly see he has the qualities I’d want in a husband.” She was referring to his fortitude and candor, and to how respectful, protective and understanding he’d shown himself to be.
“And are you drawn to him?”
“Drawn to him?” Anna repeated, drizzling honey into her tea.
“A number of men might have the qualities you’d desire in a husband, but they don’t set your heart aflutter,” Naomi stated candidly.
Anna thought of how her heart melted within—like honey in tea—whenever Fletcher’s eyes met hers. “Jah,” she said, “I’m drawn to him.”
“Then it sounds as if you just need a little more time,” Naomi suggested.
“Or for my memories to return,” Anna replied, frowning. “Although I’d settle for finding my journal. As fond as I’m growing of Fletcher, I’m still surprised I made the decision to marry him so quickly.”
“It’s wise to know someone well before committing to marriage, but knowing someone well doesn’t necessarily mean having a long courtship,” Naomi reasoned. “I only knew your daed for four months before I married him. I had a solid sense of his character from the first day I met him and that never changed. I loved your daed early on and I knew he loved me. We were meant for each other. There was no other way to explain it and no other explanation needed.”
Anna kissed Naomi’s forehead as she stood to bring the empty teacups to the sink. “I’m so blessed you and my daed got married, Naomi. I’m sorry for how cross I acted that first year because I had to give up my bedroom to Raymond and Roy.”
Naomi laughed. “You’ve more than made up for it by sharing your room with Melinda so graciously.” Then, in a serious tone, she said, “I must admit I hoped—even prayed—Melinda and Aaron might have second thoughts about getting married. I think they both could benefit from maturing a little individually before they begin a life together as husband and wife.”
“Well, as you’ve been reminding me, there’s still time...”
Anna’s comments were disrupted by the sound of footsteps on the porch as the four boys burst through the mudroom into the kitchen.
“Don’t worry, Mamm, Evan’s fine, he’s just wet,” Raymond immediately announced as he placed his soggy brother down on the floor.
“And cold,” Evan said, shivering.
“Haven’t we had enough accidents in this family? Didn’t I warn you to keep a close eye on him?” Naomi upbraided Raymond and Roy as she rushed Evan to the washroom for a hot bath.
As Anna pulled plates from the cupboard to set the table for supper, she couldn’t help but think that if Fletcher had gone fishing with the boys, he would have snatched Evan out of the creek before the boy had a chance to get wet. Because not only did Fletcher have the most striking eyes she’d ever gazed into, but Anna noticed he had particularly strong arms, too.
* * *
On Monday morning, Raymond delivered a note to Fletcher from Anna. Fletcher, it said, would you like to join us for supper? I’m making meat loaf and brown-butter mashed potatoes, with butterscotch cream pie for dessert. Naomi wanted to be sure you know you are wilkom to join us. —Anna.
Fletcher’s mouth watered at the thought of Anna’s cooking, but he had to decline. He had to work late in order to make up for the time he’d miss the next day when he left early to take Anna to Highland Springs. As it was, he, Aaron, Raymond and Roy would have to struggle to keep up with their contracts. The trim Aaron ordered for the first site wasn’t delivered that morning, so Aaron suggested they temporarily abandon the location to begin working on the new project at a second site. Fletcher was concerned the first customer would be upset by the delay in the completion of the assignment, but Aaron shrugged it off.
“It’s unfortunate, jah, but when I explain to the customer that our supplier hasn’t delivered the trim yet, he’ll understand,” Aaron said. “The Englisch crews are usually much farther behind their deadlines than we are, so the customer won’t think twice about it.”
Fletcher had gritted his teeth. Aaron was a good carpenter, but he lacked the kind of drive and the organizational skills his father possessed. If Isaiah had been managing this project, he would have seen to it the supplies were ordered ahead of time.
“Perhaps, but our purpose is to honor our word and bring glory to Gott, not merely to do better than our Englisch competitors,” he reminded his cousin.
“If you’re so worried about it, tonight you can stop at the lumber store after you’re done making up your time and ask the clerk to expedite the order. I’ve also made a list of supplies we need for our next job. Most of it is small enough to load into your buggy. The rest they can deliver with the trim.”
“How will I pay for it?” Fletcher asked.
“Here, take the card. Just sign the receipt ‘Chupp,’ like you usually do.”
Fletcher knew he was the only crew member Aaron entrusted with this task, but it wasn’t a job Fletcher appreciated being assigned. The purchasing of supplies was usually the foreman’s responsibility. Fletcher was only willing to do it because it would expedite progress on their customers’ projects. It wasn’t until later in the evening, when he was alone, wolfing down a cheese and bologna sandwich, that it dawned on Fletcher what the real reason was Aaron tasked him with visiting the lumber store that evening: Aaron didn’t want go himself because he feared he’d miss the opportunity to be invited to Melinda’s house for supper. In fact, he was probably devouring a thick slice of Anna’s meat loaf at that v
ery moment.
Fletcher relished Anna’s cooking, knowing the satisfaction she took in providing healthful, tasty meals for her family, her friends or leit in the church who happened to be visiting or ailing. Yet he realized even she needed a break from her responsibilities from time to time, and he decided he’d like to treat her to supper out after her doctor’s appointment. It would be a surprise—a good one, for once.
The very thought carried him through his work that evening and the following day, and before he knew it, he was knocking at her door. Knowing Naomi would fret if he and Anna were late returning from the medical center, but anticipating he might not be able to speak to Naomi in private, Fletcher carried a folded note. Naomi, it read, I’d like to surprise Anna by taking her out for dinner after her appointment. We may not be returning until later in the evening. Is that okay with you? —Fletcher.
When Anna went to retrieve her shawl, Fletcher slipped Naomi the note and gestured for her to read it. She quickly scanned the slip of paper and crumpled it in her fist just as Anna came back into the room. With a wink at Fletcher, Naomi bid them goodbye. They were about to board the buggy when she called from the porch, “Be careful and have an appenditlich time, you two!”
Waving back at her, Anna asked Fletcher, “What do you think she meant by that?”
Fletcher recalled the time he told Anna she smelled appenditlich and his cheeks burned. Avoiding her question as he assisted her into the buggy, he advised, “Watch your step.”
The sunlight played off the trees, which waved their branches in a light breeze, and the landscape was beginning to blossom with azaleas, crocuses and daffodils. As Fletcher and Anna passed them, he recognized how much more buoyant he was during this trip than he’d been the last time he’d taken Anna to Highland Springs, and he hummed a few measures of the hymn they’d sung in church on Sunday.
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