Seasons of Tomorrow

by Cindy Woodsmall

  Another plate slipped from her shaky hands and bounced against the floor.

  Samuel grabbed it, stopping its whirling vibration. “It’s still whole.” He angled his head, catching her eye. “Just breathe, Rhoda.”

  She swallowed and nodded. Would her wedding day be the final straw for her? She’d wanted it to be simple, but Samuel was the first inside his nuclear family to marry, and he was a King of Kings’ Orchard. They had to provide a wedding his family could accept—one with family, close friends, and a day of feasting and fellowship.

  Iva brought a trash can, and they discarded the broken pieces. Samuel passed the stack of rescued plates to Rhoda’s Mamm and gave Rhoda a hand as she stood.

  Leah arrived with a broom and dustpan in hand. “I’ll get it.”

  Samuel tugged on Rhoda’s hand, and she followed him, snaking around tables and people to wherever he was leading her.

  With Phoebe and Steven having to leave the home they all shared, she and Samuel had easily received permission from the church leaders to marry immediately. The wedding festivities and number in attendance would be similar to that of a widow’s or widower’s second marriage. Of course, with the circumstances as they were, Rhoda and Samuel’s wedding was painfully more somber.

  Samuel paused at the foot of the stairway that led to Rhoda’s bedroom. He wrapped her hands in his, and her heart pounded. Regardless of all else, she wanted to be his for the rest of her life.

  He’d arrived at the house this morning around seven, his family in tow. That was probably about four hours ago now. He’d barely said hello before she was pulled in one direction and he in another. They’d managed to brush fingers before parting ways.

  He gently squeezed her hands. “It’s hard to believe that the start of the best thing to ever happen to me will take place today.”

  The twinkle in his eyes was undeniable. It was these moments that she’d cherish about today—the looks shared across the room, the deep rumble of his quiet voice as he spoke words meant only for her, the happiness of their love that squeezed past the grief and held on tight to hope.

  She freed a hand and eased her fingers to his hair, pretending to straighten a few misplaced strands. How many times had she wanted to run her fingers through it? “And the amount of stress and labor?”

  “Should such a remarkable event happen without effort?”

  She lowered her hand to his crisp starched shirt, admiring everything about him. Where was the new black dress coat his Mamm had made for him? “I wish Phoebe were here.”

  He kissed her cheek. “I know.” His love and assurance caused her to take the first full breath in hours. “Go on and change clothes.”

  She glanced at the clock. What? “We should’ve started twenty minutes ago.”

  “Almost everyone invited has been working to help us get ready, and, trust me, we all needed the extra time. The few real guests have been seated and are chatting.” His eyes bore into hers, and she knew he longed to kiss her, but parents and relatives were everywhere. “The ceremony will be the start of our life together. It doesn’t matter whether it begins precisely on time. Only that it begins.”

  She loved this about him too. He tended to think in terms of the big picture and posterity, where she focused on to-do lists for the day or week. He saw beyond all that to what would be accomplished through their efforts. Together they could weather any storm and would bask in every ray of sunshine.

  She straightened his shirt collar, picturing him walking her down the aisle. “I’ll meet you right here in twenty.”

  “I’ll be waiting.” He winked.

  She scurried up the steps and into her bedroom. Without wasting a moment, she slid into the teal-blue dress her Mamm had made Tuesday and then pinned her white organdy apron into place. She’d worn a white apron like this to the meetinghouse every church Sunday since she was a baby. But today would be her last time to wear a white apron … until she was buried in this same wedding apron. She hoped they would have many, many decades filled with love and children and grandchildren before she—or Phoebe—needed to wear the aprons they’d been married in.

  With her hair in place and her new prayer Kapp on, she stood in front of the mirror. How had she, a misfit, been so blessed to have Samuel fall in love with her? Could she keep his love throughout the years?

  Someone tapped on the door. “Rhodes,” Daed called.

  “Kumm.”

  He opened the door, a tender smile in place. “You look like a woman in love.”

  She laughed. “More than I ever knew was possible.”

  “Your Mamm and I are so happy for you.”

  “Denki.”

  “Samuel is a good fit.” He kissed her cheek. “He’ll be good for you, and you for him.”

  “Ya. Like you and Mamm.”

  But she and Samuel had made mistakes already. It was so hard to let go of how they’d hurt Jacob. And was she mishandling the situation between Landon and Leah? What should she think or feel about them? She shook her head. Those thoughts needed to wait for another time. Right now she needed to focus on the wedding.

  “I should go. Your Mamm is probably waiting on me so we can take our place.”

  “I’ll be down in just a minute.”

  He left, and she straightened her prayer Kapp and tucked a few wisps of hair in place. Her heart overflowed with every good gift from God. Despite how many mistakes people made, He never stopped being generous. She prayed for Phoebe, and with the hope of today flooding her, peace rushed in, washing away all anxiety.

  She heard a car door shut and looked out the window—and couldn’t hold back a smile. There stood another gift for today.

  Jacob.

  Samuel strode toward the paddock beside the barn. He thought the rhythm inside him seemed a little odd for someone Amish, but it was as if trumpets were resounding inside his chest. Night had fallen. Cicadas and crickets sang. The bonfire was fading, but it still crackled and popped.

  He held out a carrot, wooing the final horse belonging to a guest. Once he had a grip on the halter, he went toward its buggy near the house. Rhoda stood in the doorway of her home, talking to an aunt and hugging a final good-bye. He’d never celebrated life in all its wonder as he had today.

  The fact that Jacob had come, making today even better, was a good indication of how much his little brother was changing. He no longer seemed to run from the awkward and uncomfortable. Samuel passed the horse to Rhoda’s uncle, and they worked together to hitch it to the buggy.

  Steven had returned to the hospital almost eight hours ago. He had stayed only through the ceremony and the meal. Arie and Isaac were spending the night with Phoebe’s parents. Samuel’s family, including Leah, had headed home about twenty minutes ago. Iva went with them. At the side of the house, Jacob filled two buckets with water. No doubt he was going to douse what was left of the bonfire. Samuel waved as Rhoda’s aunt and uncle left, but he didn’t see Rhoda.

  Jacob came around the corner of the house. “My driver should’ve been here hours ago.”

  “It’s meant to be.” Samuel clasped his shoulder. “Kumm.” He didn’t know where Jacob was going after this. Jacob had always been a private person, and from childhood Samuel had known that keeping their relationship healthy meant he didn’t ask many questions.

  They went inside, where Rhoda’s Mamm and her sister-in-law Lydia were still washing dishes.

  “She just now took a seat.” Rhoda’s mother nodded toward the sitting room.

  Samuel and Jacob joined Rhoda there, each taking a wingback chair.

  “I just need to catch a second wind.” Rhoda yawned and shifted to lie down on the couch. “So, Jacob, tell us about this construction job you mentioned earlier.”

  “It’s in Virginia.”

  It had been a long time since Samuel had seen this kind of excitement in Jacob’s eyes.

  Rhoda put her hands under her cheek, looking even sleepier. Even now she was radiant. “You’ll be part of a cons
truction crew?”

  “No.” Jacob drummed his thumb and index finger on the arm of the chair. “It’s for a man who owns an ironwork shop. He asked me about a month ago if I’d consider building him an outdoor kitchen and resurface his pool deck. He asked again a few days ago.”

  “Have you ever done either of those things?” Rhoda had chosen a good topic. Jacob didn’t mind talking about construction work.

  “Nee.” Jacob propped his feet on an ottoman. “I know what you’re thinking. Why would I agree to do something that will require a learning curve when I could do what I know and make easier and better money?” He interlaced his fingers. “But it’s not about the money. It’ll be different, and it’s what I want to do.”

  Hope sprang forth. Did his brother have someone special in Virginia? “You’ll never know what it meant to me for you to come today.”

  “It wasn’t so bad, and it’s getting even better.”

  “Ya? How so?”

  Jacob leaned in. “Because it’s your wedding night, and your wife is sound asleep on the couch.”

  Samuel glanced at Rhoda and laughed. It was tradition for Amish couples to spend their wedding night in the bride’s home, mostly so they could help clean up the following day. But it wasn’t exactly a comfortable situation for the newlyweds.

  Of all the things he and Rhoda had discussed in the last week, sharing a bed wasn’t one of them. But he’d not expected them to sleep together tonight. He knew her too well. When she was really tired, all it took was her relaxing a bit, and she was out cold, like a candle being snuffed. He rose and grabbed a quilt to cover her. “I doubt she budges even to roll over before daylight tomorrow.”

  Car lights reflected off the wall, and Jacob rose. “My ride’s here.”

  Samuel walked out with him. He’d hoped to embrace his brother before they parted, but Jacob hopped in the car.

  “Thanks for coming.” Samuel held up his hand.

  Jacob waved as the car drove off. Samuel went inside and talked to Rhoda’s family for a bit before telling them good night. He climbed the stairs to Rhoda’s bedroom and stripped down to his T-shirt and boxers. The bed was a welcome relief from the last few days. The sounds of springtime at night echoed through the open windows as hope continued to beat its rhythm inside him. As tired and sore as he was, would he be able to sleep tonight?

  “Samuel.”

  Rhoda’s whisper stirred him from the dark place filled with dreams, and he tried to open his eyes. Daylight stretched its golden arms across the room, and birds were singing loudly. He blinked.

  “Hi.” She stood next to his bed, a cup of coffee in hand.

  “Morning.” He sat up, and she placed an extra pillow behind him. A sweet, girly scent surrounded her every move. “You smell nice.”

  “I’ve showered and done my hair.”

  He took the coffee from her. “What time is it?”

  “Late for you.” She picked up a plate from the side table. It had two bacon-filled biscuits and a large side of fresh fruit. “It’s eight. You have about forty minutes before the driver arrives to take us to see Phoebe and then to the train station.”

  Unable to take his eyes off his wife, he sipped the coffee. “I look forward to our lifetime together.”

  She caressed his face. “Me too.”

  “Rhodes?” Daed called from the foot of the steps.

  “I’d better go. You eat and shower, and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

  “Okay.” He ate his breakfast, enjoying the slower pace, but soon enough the day became a blur of getting ready and packing, visiting Phoebe, saying good-bye to Steven, Arie, and Isaac, as well as the rest of Rhoda’s family. And Landon. He didn’t see Leah or Iva today. They were at his folks’ place, but they’d return to the farm in a few days.

  Once they were on the train, Samuel felt like a newlywed again and held Rhoda’s hand as they whispered to each other and enjoyed the view while the train sped them homeward.

  Camilla picked them up at the station in Boston because the train schedule for Bangor was too limited. Rhoda sat in the backseat with Samuel. After riding with Camilla for three hours to reach the farm, he couldn’t get his mind around the fact that Jacob enjoyed traveling on a regular basis.

  Today was a joy because he was taking his bride home. They would try to make the trip back to Pennsylvania once each winter, but that was more than enough for him. Rhoda’s family could come as often and stay for as long as they liked. He enjoyed their visits. But his Daed was another story.

  Camilla pulled onto the driveway. “Welcome home.”

  “Thank you for doing this for us, Camilla.”

  “Glad to. You know that.”

  The dogs rushed from the barn, barking.

  Rhoda clutched the handle of her traveling bag. “We’ll visit soon. Okay?”

  “Not this week. It’s your honeymoon, but if you need anything—a ride into town or whatever—you holler.”

  “Thanks.” Samuel slid money across the seat.

  She shook her head. “Put that away.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it. As I understand it, you two are going to have your hands full tending the orchard from now through the harvest and canning season, and I just want you to know you’re welcome to bring laundry to my place anytime. We can wash and dry it in no time.”

  Rhoda glanced at Samuel, and he saw her insecurity about her home-making abilities.

  He squeezed her hand. “Thanks. We’ll keep it in mind, but I’m sure we can manage somehow.” He’d need to help wash dishes, cook, and do laundry, even though he would be worse at those things than Rhoda. But they couldn’t start relying on Englisch ways for everyday chores. If they did, how would they hold on to the Old Ways for themselves and their children and grandchildren?

  Rhoda got out and petted Ziggy and Zara while walking toward the barn. “I want to check the messages.”

  “Sure.” Samuel unloaded their stuff and waved good-bye to Camilla.

  When she drove off, he felt the weight of the oddity of being here alone with Rhoda. A new thought struck him. They’d accomplished their goal—they could share the same home, neither having to live elsewhere. But with Phoebe in the hospital fighting for her life, did Rhoda find the idea of possibly conceiving a child unnerving?

  A chill ran down his spine. Did he? Until this moment he hadn’t thought about it. They were going to have to talk about the most uncomfortable subject of all—the marriage bed. He set the luggage outside the barn and tended to the livestock for the evening. When he was finished, he went to the office door.

  While listening to a message from someone about codling moth traps, Rhoda took notes, and then she clicked a button, making the machine go silent. “All done.”

  Samuel shifted. “I should probably clean the stalls.”

  She sat back in the chair, studying him. “Are we avoiding going inside?”

  His heart pounding, he moved to her side of the desk and sat on the edge. “Maybe.”

  Her eyes held a smile that tipped her lips.

  He shrugged. “We need to talk.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Okay.”

  “We rushed into this—”

  Rhoda stood, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. “Having second thoughts?”

  “What? Of course not. But I wasn’t sure what you wanted … I mean—”

  Her hand covered his mouth, silencing him. “You’re overthinking. If you want to know what I want, you can’t find out by staying in this barn.”

  He kissed her neck, mesmerized by how soft her skin was. “No?” He kissed her neck again. “It seems to be working really well so far.”

  She chuckled. “True.”

  “What do you want, Rhoda?”

  “To be yours and to forget about heartaches and harvests and all that can go wrong in this world.”

  Samuel stood, sliding his hand around the small of her back. He remembered being right here with her once before, a li
ttle more than a year ago, longing, thirsting for the moment to last forever and for her heart to turn toward him.

  And here he stood again, every hope and dream his. His eyes met hers.

  No matter what the future held, he knew one thing would always remain true.

  “I love you, Rhoda.”

  THIRTY

  The dueling beeps from monitors were ceaseless, grating on Landon’s nerves as he talked to Steven. With the wedding over yesterday, Landon needed to head back to the guest ranch. It’d take him the better part of three hours to get there, and he was scheduled to work in four hours, but right now Steven seemed to want to talk.

  Landon repositioned his aching body against the chair. He didn’t recall these seats being this uncomfortable yesterday when he stayed with Phoebe during the wedding. Had someone swapped them with chairs from another room?

  Steven was on the other side of Phoebe’s bed, and Landon tried to think of another round of simple things to talk about, subjects that would be easy for Steven to discuss while getting through another long day. “So what made you willing to change from being a handyman in Byler and Sons to becoming a trainee in a huge orchard?”

  “Ah, I’ve asked myself that same question. What makes a man throw away years of apprenticeship and honing one set of skills to learn a new vocation?” Steven leaned forward and sandwiched his wife’s hand between his. “The simple answer is love.” He paused, staring at Phoebe’s still face. “I knew firsthand there wasn’t enough land or affordable housing in Lancaster or the surrounding areas to support future generations. So my love of the Amish ways nudged me to be a part of establishing a new settlement in an affordable place with lots of land. Phoebe loved Rhoda too much to simply let her go, as did I, and the farmhouse had to have a married couple. Since we didn’t have a home in Pennsylvania to sell or children who were in school yet, I figured, what did I have to lose?” He patted his sleeping wife’s hand. “As fraught with troubles as our time in Maine has been, Phoebe’s never been happier.” He shrugged. “Maybe happy isn’t the right word. Fulfilled? As if what we’re doing really matters, not only to everyone in that home and to Orchard Bend Farms, but for future generations.” He chuckled. “After being one of three cooks in my parents’ home, she loved … loves being the head cook and running the home.”