Sadie

by Sarah Price

  “Undoubtedly.” He gave her a friendly grin. “It’s clearly become my calling card. Now, about my question . . .”

  “The singing isn’t over yet, though.” She scanned the room, looking for Anna Rose. Her friend was nowhere to be found. “And Anna Rose is—”

  “—Going home with Ben Trautman.”

  Sadie froze. Her breath came in short bursts and her nerves were suddenly on edge. It was one thing to have walked home with Frederick the other day, but to ride home alone in his buggy? And she couldn’t help but wonder how Frederick had known that Anna Rose was riding home with Ben Trautman, one of the older youths who, Sadie had thought, was courting Jenny Mae.

  “I . . . I . . .” she stammered as she hesitated, looking around for Anna Rose again. She was glad when she finally spotted her. Frederick had been right, because Anna Rose was, indeed, standing beside both Ben and Jenny Mae. Sadie wondered if, perhaps, Frederick had arranged for Ben and Jenny Mae to take Anna Rose home.

  Seeing the surprise on her face, Frederick winked at her. “So. Are you ready to go?”

  Before Sadie could answer, Frederick placed his hand gently on her arm and began directing her toward the door. No one seemed to notice them leaving, just as Frederick hadn’t noticed her hesitation.

  Timidly, yet with a strange sensation of excitement coursing through her veins, Sadie followed him outside into the dark night for her very first buggy ride home with a young man.

  Chapter Seven

  Once seated inside Frederick’s buggy, Sadie shivered from the cold. With the days becoming shorter and night falling sooner, the evenings were often in the low 40s. Tonight was no exception.

  The buggy jiggled from Frederick’s weight as he stepped into the driver’s side and settled down in the seat beside her. He glanced at her and frowned. “Cold, then?” Without waiting for her to respond, he reached into the back seat and retrieved a blue wool blanket. “Can’t let my little songbird freeze,” he quipped. “Wouldn’t want you migrating south on me.”

  My little songbird.

  His words both excited her and made her feel nervous. She didn’t know him well enough to have formed a strong opinion about him, but it sure seemed as if he had formed one about her. Oh! She hoped he was as wonderful as he seemed, for she realized that she would be mighty disappointed if she were to learn otherwise.

  “Danke.” She took it and placed it over her lap. For a moment, she paused, wondering if she should offer him the edge of the blanket for his own use, but she felt that might appear too forward. She knew that couples often held hands under a blanket, but she wasn’t ready to take a step like that.

  As if reading her mind, he chuckled. “Nee, Sadie. I’m not cold.”

  “Oh!” She was glad that the buggy was dark so he didn’t see the rush of color that heated her cheeks. “I thought . . . I mean, I was just . . .”

  He interrupted her with a gracious, “—being very thoughtful. But truly, I’m fine.”

  She sighed, once again grateful that he’d come to her rescue as she struggled for the right words. Frederick Keim certainly seemed to have a knack for saving her.

  After the buggy lurched forward and began rolling down the Riehls’ driveway toward the main road, she relaxed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d ridden in a horse and buggy other than her father’s. Most days, she merely stayed on the farm, and even though they lived to the south of the town center, Sadie usually went on foot everywhere she could. She didn’t mind, either, because she always enjoyed the peace and quiet as she walked, whether traveling to town or to visit her friends. And she especially enjoyed watching the birds and animals as she traveled through the fields along the woods.

  Tonight, however, she delighted in the rhythmic noises the horse’s hooves made on the macadam as it trotted down the road. The vibrations and hum of the wheels as they gently rolled along nearly made her nod off. She blinked her eyes and took in the soft light from the dashboard’s buttons and the glow from the battery-operated lights, which created a romantic mood. She was enjoying it so much, she was grateful that Frederick hadn’t jumped right into conversation.

  Several minutes passed before Sadie realized they were not headed toward her father’s farm.

  “Oh help! You’re going the wrong way.” She leaned forward, her eyes scanning the dark road as she tried to pick out a landmark, so she could make sense of where they were. Out near Ella’s house, she reckoned.

  “Not to be a contrarian,” Frederick said, “but I’m going the right way, Sadie.”

  She shifted her body to face him. “But my haus is back that way,” she said as she turned her head and looked out the little back window.

  He stifled a laugh. “And this road leads to it, but only after it goes around the farms behind Echo Creek.”

  “Why, that makes no sense. You’re going out of your way.”

  This time, he laughed out loud. From the faint light, she could see the amusement etched across his face. “Have you never gone home from a singing with anyone, Sadie Whitaker?” Before she could answer, he held up one hand, the other holding both reins. “Nee, don’t answer that. I’d be faced with the sin of jealousy.”

  “I have not,” she admitted softly.

  He leaned over, and his arm brushed against hers. “Ah, danke for saving me from surely having to confess to the church,” he said before returning his attention to the road and steering the horse and buggy. “So. Since this is your first time, let me explain how it works.”

  She tried not to smile at the teasing tone in his voice.

  “First, the young man plots a long, winding road to take the young woman home.” He raised an eyebrow and snuck a sideways glance in her direction. “One could argue that the longer the ride, the more interested the young man, you see.”

  “Why’s that?”

  His eyes widened in amusement. “Must you truly ask?”

  “I must,” she teased back.

  “So that he can spend more time with his girl.”

  His girl. Oh, how those words made her heart flutter.

  “Then,” he continued, “he stops the buggy just shy of the young woman’s haus so they can continue talking.”

  “Is that so?” She tried not to smile. “But shouldn’t they have had ample time to talk during this extra-long ride?”

  “Absolutely not!” He shook his head in an exaggerated manner. “If the conversation during the ride was interesting and engaging, why would they ever want it to end?”

  She was enjoying this flirtatious game Frederick was playing with her. “What more could they talk about?”

  “Life. God. Aspirations. Those are important things, you know.”

  Settling into the seat, Sadie pulled the blanket up until it covered her chest. “Seems to me that we already discussed those things the other day. Why, I seem to recall covering all those topics when we first met.”

  He slowed down the horse until it stopped in the middle of the deserted road.

  “What are you doing?”

  Frederick faced her. “I reckon you’re right! Why, I best turn the buggy around and take you straight home, then. We’ve nothing more to talk about!”

  For a moment, she thought he was serious. But then, when she saw the hint of a smile on his lips, she couldn’t help herself and burst out laughing. He joined her, then clicked his tongue, urging the horse forward again.

  “You’re very witty.” Sadie had never met anyone who teased in such a manner. She liked it.

  Frederick shrugged. “I am who I am, I suppose. That’s just how God made me.” He paused, tilting his head as if a thought had just occurred to him. “Mayhaps more people should find humor in situations. Too many people are so serious all the time. I don’t think God minds a few laughs and jests every once in a while.”

  “Ah, now we’re talking about God,” she quipped. “I thought that was supposed to be reserved for the end of our ride.”

  He smiled at her. “True that.”
>
  Sadie gave a small sigh. “However, since you’ve brought God up now, there’s no sense waiting until later.” She heard him give a soft giggle. “And I agree. People should do what they must, but do it with a happy heart.”

  “And a song?”

  “But of course! Singing is a tribute to God, don’t you think?”

  “If one does it well,” he replied.

  “Maybe God is tone-deaf.”

  At this, Frederick slapped his thigh and chuckled. The sound of his laughter warmed her heart.

  For the next hour, Frederick drove the buggy, keeping the horse at a slow walk rather than a trot. They leisurely traveled down the back roads behind Echo Creek and talked while Sadie occasionally paused to point out the glow of a light from a farmhouse in the distance. Frederick asked questions about the families that lived along the way, interested in learning more about the people of Echo Creek.

  As they approached her father’s farm, true to his word, Frederick slowed down the horse until it stopped walking altogether.

  “Since we’ve covered all your crucial topics,” Sadie started, “what do we talk about now?”

  He kept his foot on the brake and leaned back, turning his body just enough so that he faced her. “Whatever you want, Sadie Whitaker.”

  “Hmm.” She tried to think of something fun and light to say, but nothing came to mind. Instead, she had a question for him. “It might not be about life, God, or the future, but I was wondering one thing.”

  He reached out and pulled the blanket up so that it covered her shoulders. “And what’s that, little songbird?”

  “How is that you know the streets of Echo Creek so well, but not the people? And why have I never seen you in town before?”

  He let his hand fall onto his knee. “Ah. Good question.” He seemed to take his time formulating the answer. “I don’t come to Echo Creek often, as you so cleverly observed. Growing up, I was usually in school when my daed drove into town for supplies. And at that, it was only but once a month due to the conditions of the roads and the distance.”

  “Oh?”

  He nodded. “Ja, they aren’t well-tended and they do tend to wind quite a bit. That’s why I almost always walk here. I can cut across fields and through the forest where there are no roads. Believe it or not, it’s much faster.”

  She couldn’t imagine that walking would be faster than taking a horse and buggy.

  “Just a few years back, I started making the trip for my daed. But almost always on Mondays. I buy supplies for my maem as well as my cousins when they can’t make the journey.”

  “That’s an awful lot for one person to carry, Frederick.”

  He shrugged. “If it’s a lot, I will take the buggy. Sometimes I stay with Anna Rose’s family overnight so the horse can rest.”

  “Will you do that tonight?”

  He nodded. “Ja. It’s too hard to travel these roads at night, that’s for sure and certain. And I can buy supplies first thing in the morning when Troyers’ opens for business.”

  After hearing his reasoning, everything made sense. If he usually traveled to Echo Creek on Mondays, that would explain why she’d never met him before. She was always washing clothes and cleaning the house with Rachel on Mondays.

  “But how are you so familiar with the roads then?”

  “When I spend the night and while the horse rests, I like to go and explore on foot. But Anna Rose lives to the north of town so I’m mostly familiar with that area.”

  That made sense.

  With the conversation winding down, Sadie wasn’t certain what she was supposed to do. Was she supposed to wait for Frederick to let her out of the buggy? Would he walk her up the driveway? Would he ask to escort her home from the next singing?

  When he made no move to get out of the buggy, Sadie decided that she was supposed to simply bid him good night. He was so quiet, she wondered if she had done something wrong. Perhaps he was having second thoughts about escorting her home at all.

  Suddenly anxious, she lowered the blanket and reached for the handle on the sliding door. “I best get going,” she said softly.

  He reached out and touched her other hand. “Nee, Sadie. Just sit for a moment. Sometimes silence can be as powerful as words, don’t you think?”

  She did think that, but she also felt uncomfortable not knowing what was expected of her. Slowly, she released the door handle, but noticed that Frederick made no move to remove his hand from hers. It felt odd, the way the warmth of his fingers made her skin tingle.

  “Do you ever just look up at the stars, Sadie?”

  She raised her eyes and realized that he was staring out the front window, his head tilted as he gazed upward.

  “God made those stars,” he told her in a solemn voice, “just as he made us. When I was younger, I always thought that the stars were God’s angels watching over everyone.”

  “Do you still believe that?”

  He inhaled and slowly let out his breath. “I don’t know, Sadie. It sure would be nice if it were true.” He turned his head toward her. “But then again, isn’t it enough to have God watching over us?”

  She felt his grip tighten on her hand, a gentle squeeze.

  “Reckon I best walk you in now, ja? Just let me tie the horse to that tree limb first.”

  She watched him as he got out of the buggy, being mindful to quickly shut the door so he didn’t let the cold air in. With the light from the headlights, she saw him take a lead rope and attach it to the horse’s halter. Once he’d secured the horse to a low-hanging tree limb, he walked to her side of the buggy and opened the door.

  “Let’s wrap the blanket around your shoulders.” He didn’t wait for her to do it. Instead, he did it himself. “Can’t have my little songbird catching a cold now.”

  She smiled to herself. She loved the way he called her his little songbird. Surely that meant he was interested in seeing her again.

  They walked down the driveway in silence, the only sound being their footsteps on the loose gravel. Frederick kept his hands in his coat pockets, removing them when they reached the front steps. He took her arm and helped her onto the front porch.

  “Danke, Sadie.”

  She stood before him, staring into his face. She wasn’t certain why he would thank her. She hadn’t done anything for him. “Danke? For what, Frederick?”

  Thrusting his hands back into his pockets, he took a step backward. There was a calm look about his face as he stared at her, his eyes studying her as if trying to memorize each and every feature. “For being such enjoyable company tonight.”

  Sadie was about to say You’re welcome, but he turned away before the words could form on her lips. Slowly, he started walking down the driveway.

  A feeling of warmth washed over her. She had never imagined that she could feel such joy, especially when it came to a person she had only just met.

  As she stepped inside the house, she looked over her shoulder and saw him jogging down the rest of the driveway toward the lights of his buggy. Sadie closed the door, then leaned her back against it. She shut her eyes and listened to the fading sound of his buggy as it turned onto the road and disappeared into the night.

  She lifted her hand to untie her black bonnet, only then realizing that Frederick had left the blue blanket still wrapped around her shoulders. Pulling it tight around her, Sadie smiled to herself as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. More than the blanket would keep her warm tonight, she thought as the memory of Frederick’s company burned in her heart.

  Chapter Eight

  On Wednesday, walking through town, Sadie took her time getting to Troyers’ store. The past few days had been terrible. Rachel remained cranky and quick-tempered, taking out most of her frustration on Sadie. No matter how hard Sadie tried, it seemed nothing she did was good enough to satisfy her stepmother.

  Earlier that morning, her father had asked her to go on a few errands for him. Sadie half suspected that he wanted to give her a break from Ra
chel’s constant berating. Regardless, she could hardly contain her relief when her father requested her help.

  The first place she visited was Troyers’ General Store. The bell over the door jingled when she entered, and as soon as she stepped inside, she scanned the store to see if Ella was working that day.

  Linda Troyer glanced up from a notepad she was writing figures in as Sadie approached the counter.

  “Gut martiye, Sadie!”

  “Morning, Linda.” Sadie smiled at Ella’s stepmother and waited for the older woman to finish what she was doing.

  Shutting the cover, Linda set down the pencil. “What can I help you with today?”

  Sadie withdrew the list her father had given her. “Daed sent me for some things.” She handed it to Linda.

  The older woman glanced at the slip of paper. “I’ll check in the back to see if we have these. What’s happened? Another cow break through the fence?”

  “I reckon. Happens from time to time.”

  Linda disappeared through a doorway behind the counter and Sadie wandered over to one of the aisles. She looked at the sewing section, her eyes appraising some bolts of pale yellow and green fabric that she knew would be wonderful for a summer quilt.

  “Sadie!”

  She turned around in time to see Ella hurrying toward her.

  “Maem said you were here.” Ella grabbed her hands and pulled her over to an empty aisle. “Have you been to see Belle?”

  Sadie shook her head. It was Wednesday, and she hadn’t left the house all week. “Not since Sunday last. At worship. Why? Has something happened?”

  Ella’s blue eyes filled with tears. “Nee, but I can still hardly believe that Belle’s to marry Adam Hershberger! She barely knows him, much less cares for him.”

  “Oh, the poor girl.” Sadie could hardly imagine anything worse. “I’d never marry someone I didn’t love, never mind barely knew.”

  Ella nodded her head in agreement and a mournful look clouded her eyes. “You know,” she said, “the wedding’s just a week from tomorrow.”

  Sadie paled. With all the turmoil in her own life, she hadn’t given much thought to her friend Belle’s plight. A wave of shame washed over her. How could she have forgotten about Belle? “She must be a nervous wreck. I’d run away rather than be forced to marry!” she stated in a low voice so Ella’s stepmother couldn’t overhear. “Even for my family!”