Plain and Fancy

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “I said I’d build one in our new home, and I’m still planning to put one in Mom and Pop’s house as soon as I find the time.”

  “You’ve been saying that for months, Eli, and it’s taking a lot longer than I thought it would.” She grunted. “I can’t stand that smelly outhouse!”

  Eli glanced over at her and squinted. “I’m working every free moment I have, and so are Pop and my brothers. Can’t you learn to be patient?”

  Laura sat staring straight ahead with her lips pursed and said nothing.

  “The Bible says, ‘The trying of your faith worketh patience.’ It’s in the book of James.”

  “My faith in things getting better has definitely been tried, and so has my patience,” she mumbled.

  Eli blinked. Was there no pleasing this woman? He’d said he would install indoor plumbing in their new home. That ought to be good enough.

  “Eli, could I ask you a question?”

  He blew out his breath. “Not if it’s about indoor plumbing.”

  “It’s not.”

  “Okay, ask the question then.”

  She reached across the seat and touched his arm. “Do you think Pauline Hostetler would have made you a better wife?”

  Eli lifted one eyebrow and glanced over at Laura. “Pauline? What’s she got to do with anything?”

  “I just want to know if you think—”

  “I can’t believe you would bring that up again, Laura. You should know by now how much I love you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears and she sniffed.

  “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

  “Your mother and I were doing some baking the other day, and she brought up the subject of Pauline.”

  “Oh? What’d she say?”

  “Just that Pauline is a good cook and likes to bake.” Laura’s voice rose a notch. “I’m sure she thinks Pauline would have made you a better wife than me.”

  Eli pulled sharply on the reins, steered the buggy to the side of the road, and gathered her into his arms. “I love you, Laura. Only you.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Laura snuggled against his jacket. “But that doesn’t take care of things with your mother. Do you have any idea what I can say or do to make her realize that I’m a better wife for you than Pauline could ever have been?”

  Eli touched her chin lightly with his thumb. “You’d best leave that up to me.”

  ***

  When Eli and Laura entered the house a short time later, Laura went up to their room, saying she was tired and needed a nap.

  Eli found his mother sitting in the living room on the sofa, reading a book. Apparently his folks had gotten home from church quite a bit ahead of them. He decided this might be a good time to speak with her about the conversation she’d had with Laura the other day. “Mom, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  She looked up and smiled. “Jah, sure. What’s on your mind?”

  He took a seat in the rocking chair across from her. “It’s about Laura.”

  “Is she feeling all right? The other day she mentioned that she was really tired, and I suggested she take a spring tonic.”

  Eli winced at the remembrance of drinking his mother’s sour-tasting tonics when he was a boy. “I don’t think a spring tonic will take care of what ails my fraa.”

  “Is she still fretting over your house not being done? She’s mentioned several times that she can’t wait until it’s finished.” Mom’s forehead wrinkled. “I think she’s anxious to have her own place to run, and to tell you the truth, I’m looking forward to having my space, too.”

  “Jah, it will be good for both of you when the house is done.” Eli sat there a few minutes, trying to formulate the right words to say what was on his mind.

  “You’re looking kind of pensive, son. Is there something more you wanted to say?”

  He nodded. “Laura thinks you would have been happier if I’d married Pauline instead of her. When you mentioned how well Pauline can cook the other day, it really hurt Laura’s feelings.”

  “I think Laura’s too sensitive for her own good.” Mom clicked her tongue. “I meant nothing by what I said.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  Mom stared at the book she held in her hands. “I—I suppose I was kind of hoping you would choose Pauline, but once your decision was made, I accepted it.”

  “Then why did you bring Pauline up to Laura, and why does Laura feel as if you don’t approve of her?”

  “As I said before ... she tends to be rather sensitive.”

  Eli nodded. Laura was touchy about some of the things he said, too—especially in recent weeks.

  “I’ll apologize to her and try to be more careful with what I say,” Mom promised.

  “Danki. I appreciate that.”

  ***

  “I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll stay home from church today,” Laura mumbled when Eli tried to coax her out of bed two Sundays later.

  “You were feeling all right last night.”

  “That was then. This is now.”

  “You should get up and help Mom with breakfast,” Eli murmured against her ear.

  She groaned. “I don’t feel like helping today.”

  Eli touched her forehead. “You’re not running a fever.” “I’m not sick ... just terribly tired.”

  “Maybe you should consider taking Mom’s spring tonic. It does put a spring in your step; I promise.”

  “I’m not taking any tonic. I would feel fine if I could get a little more rest.”

  Eli pulled back the covers, hopped out of bed, and stepped into his trousers. He walked across the room to where the water pitcher and bowl sat on top of the dresser. After splashing a handful of water on his face and drying it with a towel, he grabbed his shirt off the wall peg and started for the door. “See you downstairs in five minutes.”

  When the door clicked shut, Laura grabbed her pillow and threw it across the room. “Maybe I should go home to my parents for a while. I wonder how you’d like that, Eli Yoder!”

  ***

  Laura was quiet on the buggy ride to preaching, and during the service she didn’t sing. Not only was she still tired, but she felt irritation with Eli for not having any understanding and insisting that she get up and help his mother with breakfast this morning. He should have had a little sympathy and agreed that she could stay home and rest.

  Laura’s attention was drawn to the front of the room as Bishop Wagler began his sermon, using Mark 11:25 as his text. “In Jesus’ own words, we are told: ‘And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.’”

  Laura frowned. That verse doesn’t make any sense to me. How can I forgive Mary Ellen for her comments about Pauline the other day when she didn’t even say she was sorry? And Eli never said he was sorry for the way he talked to me this morning, either.

  She glanced over at Martha Rose, who sat on the bench beside her. She wore a smile on her face and looked almost angelic. But then, Eli’s sister always seemed to be happy, even when she had a bout of morning sickness or things weren’t going so well. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t have to share her home with her mother-in-law!

  ***

  “I thought Bishop Wagler’s sermon was good, didn’t you?” Eli asked as he glanced over at Laura on their trip home from church later that day.

  She merely shrugged in response.

  “If we don’t forgive others, we can’t expect God to forgive us.”

  Still no reply.

  “I forgive you for throwing that pillow at me this morning.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “You knew?”

  He nodded. “Heard it hit the door.”

  “I wasn’t really throwing it at you,” she said, as a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Just venting was all.”

  “Because I asked you to get out of bed and help my mamm?”

  “Jah.”

  Holding t
he reins with one hand, he reached his free hand over and took hold of Laura’s hand. “Didn’t mean to sound so bossy. Will you forgive me?”

  She nodded and slid closer to him. “Of course I forgive you.”

  His eyebrows raised. “Is that all you’ve got to say?”

  She sat silently for several seconds; then a light seemed to dawn. “I’m sorry, too.”

  He grinned and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “You’re forgiven.”

  Laura leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. “I’m glad we got that cleared up. Now if I could just get your mother to apologize for what she said to me about Pauline.”

  Eli’s eyebrows raised. “She hasn’t apologized yet? She said she was going to.”

  Laura shook her head.

  “She probably got busy and forgot. Want me to have another talk with her?”

  “No, just forget it. We’ll move into our house soon; then things should be better.”

  CHAPTER 24

  Eli and Laura’s house was finally ready, and Eli had included a small bathroom, just as he’d promised. He and his father had also put one in their house, so Laura knew she would have that convenience handy whenever they visited his folks. Eli and Laura’s new home had five bedrooms, a roomy kitchen, a nice-sized living room, and of course, the small bathroom.

  Mary Ellen had given Eli and Laura some furniture, and Laura was glad to finally have a home she could call her own. It would be a welcome relief not to have Eli’s mother analyzing everything she said and did. As far as Laura was concerned, the completion of her house was the best thing that had happened since she’d moved onto the Yoders’ farm.

  On the first morning in her new home, Laura got up late. When she entered the kitchen, she realized Eli was already outside doing his chores. She hurried to start breakfast and was just setting the table when he came inside.

  “Your cereal is almost ready,” she said with a smile.

  He nodded. “Is my lunch packed? I have to leave for work in five minutes.”

  “Oh, I forgot. I’m running late this morning. Usually your mother gets breakfast going while I make your lunch.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll just take a few pieces of fruit and some cookies.” Eli opened his lunch pail and placed two apples, an orange, a handful of peanut butter cookies, and a thermos of milk inside. He took a seat at the table, bowed his head for silent prayer, and dug into the hot oatmeal Laura handed him.

  “Can you stop by the store and pick up a loaf of bread on your way home tonight?” Laura asked, taking the seat beside him.

  Eli gave her a questioning look.

  “I won’t have time to do any baking today. I have clothes to wash, and I want to spend most of the day organizing the house and setting out some of our wedding gifts.”

  Eli gulped down the last of his milk and stood. “Jah, okay. I know it’s important for you to set things up the way you want them.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

  “Ouch! You’re prickly!”

  “Sorry.” Eli grabbed his lunch pail and headed for the door.

  “Wait! Can’t you visit with me awhile this morning? You’ve been working such long hours lately, and it seems like we never get to talk anymore.”

  “We’ll talk later. I’ve got to go now, or I’ll be late for work.”

  Laura waved at his retreating form. When she shut the door, she sighed deeply and surveyed her kitchen. “This house is so big. Where should I begin?”

  ***

  As Laura stood at the kitchen sink doing the breakfast dishes, she began to fret. Eli had changed since their marriage. He not only looked different, what with his scratchy beard, but he never seemed to have time for her anymore.

  “Work, work, work, that’s all he ever thinks about,” she muttered. “If Eli cared about me the way he does his job, I’d be a lot happier. Whatever happened to romance and long buggy rides to the lake?”

  A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she wiped it away with a soapy hand. “Life is so unfair. I gave up a lot to become Eli’s wife, and now he won’t even listen to me.” Laura glanced down at Foosie, who lay curled at her feet. “Too bad Mom and Dad can’t come for a visit.” She sniffed deeply. “No ... they’re too busy, just like Eli. Dad has his law practice, and Mom runs around like a chicken hunting bugs, trying to meet all of her social obligations.”

  The cat purred contentedly, seemingly unaware of her frustrations.

  “You’ve got life made, you know that?”

  A knock at the back door drew Laura’s attention away from Foosie. Oh, no. I hope that’s not Mary Ellen.

  She dried her hands on her apron and dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, then went to answer the door.

  To her surprise, Martha Rose and little Ben stood on the porch, each holding a basket. Martha Rose’s basket held freshly baked apple muffins, and Ben’s was full of ginger cookies.

  Laura smiled. She was always glad to see her sister-in-law and that adorable little boy. “Come in. Would you like a cup of tea?”

  Martha Rose, her stomach now bulging, lowered herself into a chair. “That sounds good. We can have some of the muffins I brought, too.”

  Ben spotted Foosie, and he darted over to play with her.

  “What brings you by so early?” Laura asked as she pulled out a chair for herself.

  “We’re on our way to town to do some shopping, but we wanted to stop and see you first,” Martha Rose answered. “We have an invitation for you and Eli.”

  Laura’s interest was piqued. “What kind of invitation?”

  “Since tomorrow’s Saturday and the weather’s so nice, Amon and I have decided to take Ben to the lake for a picnic supper. We were wondering if you and Eli would like to come along.”

  Laura dropped a couple of tea bags into the pot she’d taken from the stove before she sat down. “Would we ever! At least, I would. If Eli can tear himself away from work long enough, I’m sure he’d have a good time, too.”

  Martha Rose nodded. “We’ll meet you there around four o’clock. That’ll give everyone time enough to do all their chores.” She waved her hand. “Speaking of chores—you look awfully tired. Are you working too hard?”

  Laura pushed a stray hair under her head covering and sighed. “I have been feeling a little drained lately. I’ll be fine once I get this house organized.”

  Martha Rose opened her mouth to say something, but Laura cut her off. “What should I bring to the picnic?”

  “I thought I’d fix fried chicken, two different salads, and maybe some pickled-beet eggs. Why don’t you bring the dessert and some kind of beverage?”

  “That sounds fine,” Laura answered, feeling suddenly lighthearted. They were going on a picnic, and she could hardly wait.