Smicksburg Tales 1,2 & 3 (Amish Knitting Circle, Amish Friends Knitting Circle & Amish Knit Lit Cirlce ~ Complete Series: 888 pages for Granny Weaver Lovers and 30+ Amish Recipes
Page 3
Granny reached up and took Fannie by the shoulders. “I’m not too old to see. Those are tears of sorrow.”
Fannie’s chin quivered. “With age comes wisdom.” She tried to smile. “Just wondering if Hezekiah will ever look my way, silly of me.”
“Why is it silly?”
Fannie put down the dry white plate and put both hands on her hips. “Look at me. Do I look like someone he’d want to court? Nee, he wants a little thing like Lottie.”
Granny had to confess she was relieved Fannie wasn’t keen on Roman. Her imagination had run wild with that thought, her husband, Jeb, feeding it fuel. What nonsense. She looked at Fannie. “What’d you say about Lottie?”
“She’s a skinny twig and Hezekiah likes, well, twigs.”
“Who said that? Hezekiah?”
“Nee, not out loud, but I caught him staring at her quite a bit at the wedding yesterday. He tried to sit next to her when the cake was served too.”
Granny pulled at her chin. “I watched the young folk and didn’t notice. I’ll remember to look for it at church.”
“At church?”
“Ach, you know, I sit in the back with the girls. I notice things, not that I’m not paying attention, heaven forbid.” She looked past Fannie and noticed Roman walk in the side door. “What’s wrong?”
“The twins have colds or allergies. I’m headed over to Miller’s Variety to get some medicine. Wanted to stop by real quick to let you know.” He turned to Fannie. “Hi Fannie. Why so sad?” He walked closer to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been crying.”
Tears welled up in Fannie’s eyes. “Wedding season makes me, well, emotional.”
“I know what you mean. Maybe we can cheer each other up.”
Granny gasped. Maybe what Jeb had been saying about Roman having feelings for Fannie was true! She grabbed the edge of the counter when she heard Fannie ask if she could go to Miller’s Variety with Roman to pick out medicine. Granny didn’t wait for Roman to answer. “Lizzie’s so goot at that, let her help you. She’s older too. With age comes wisdom.”
“Mamm, Fannie can help if she wants to –“
“Let Lizzie help. She and Jonas know all about herbal remedies too. The girls could be deathly ill.”
Roman cocked his head. “Are you okay, Mamm?”
“She’s just overworked,” Fannie said. “Roman, I was going to ask you the same thing. You look so pale. Are you okay?”
“Feel cold, but it is November. I’m fine.”
Granny went over to feel his forehead. “You’re fine. Best be going to Lizzie’s, Son, and get that medicine for the girls. She’ll know what to give you.”
Granny watched as her son rolled his eyes and groaned. What did that mean? Was he disappointed that Fannie couldn’t go with him? Was he really sick? What on earth?
~*~
Ella squeezed her husband’s hand after he knocked on his brother’s door. She’d prayed to the goot Lord to help her be quiet and let Zach deal with Luke. She only came to be a comfort to Ruth. She froze when she saw Luke’s icy-cold blue eyes. He looked so much like her husband, blond hair and dark blue eyes, but Zach’s eyes were loving and gentle. She said a silent prayer of thanks to the goot Lord for her beloved husband.
“We’re busy here,” Luke snapped. “Did Ruth invite you over?”
“We need to talk. Can you take a walk?” Zach asked.
“It’s cold out… not in the mood for a walk.” He smirked. “Came home for lunch and I’m…hungry.”
His crazed eyes sent a chill down Ella’s spine. He wasn’t talking about food.
“I came home for lunch to pick up Ella so we could visit. We need to talk.”
“I said I’m hungry,” he snarled.
Zach took the basket from Ella. “We brought food. Let’s eat together.” He pushed Luke aside and entered the living room.
Ella followed, close by her husband. She heard Ruth crying and wanted to slap Luke, but willed herself to calm down. “Where’s Ruth?”
“Upstairs,” Luke snapped.
“I’ll go up and visit for a spell.”
She started for the steps but Luke grabbed her arm. She yelped in pain. Before she knew it Zach charged at Luke, pushing him up against the wall. “Don’t you ever touch my wife, you hear me?”
Luke let out a hideous laugh. “Why would I do that when I have Ruth?” He looked over at Ella. “She sure is pretty though…”
Zach took Luke by the scruff of the neck and pushed him until he was out on the porch. “I’m Amish to the core, and non-resistant, but if you touch Ella again, God forgive me….I’ll….”
“You’ll break your Amish oath to be a pacifist?”
Zach rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath. “Daed would be ashamed of you if he were alive. He raised you to be a real man. To love your wife in the right way, just like he treated Mamm. With respect…you…”
“Go ahead and say it again, Zach. I act like Uncle Otis. Crazy Uncle Otis. That’s what Daed said all the time.”
“Well you do!” Zach shouted. He shoved a finger in Luke’s face. “Ella’s going to Granny Weaver’s tonight and she will be picking up Ruth. Understand? Tell Ruth that Ella will be here at six-thirty.”
Ella clung to the door as she heard Luke laugh like a madman.
~*~
Lizzie put little plastic bags full of raisins on the shelf, but stopped when she heard Roman’s voice asking her if she needed help. She turned to him, nervously straightening her black apron. She tucked lose brown hair back under her kapp, and then met his eyes, that were oddly cool. “Is something wrong?”
“My twins are sick and I came for medicine.”
His nearness made her lose her train of thought. She struggled for words. “Sick? How sick are they?”
“Just have a cold or could be allergies. Can’t tell.”
Lizzie could take this closeness no longer and picked up the empty box beside her and started walking toward the register. “I’ll get my daed. He’s the expert.”
“You always used to say that when – “
Lizzie’s eyes met his. “When what?”
“When we were courting.” He shook his head. “Don’t know what made me think of that…”
Lizzie felt sweat form in her palms and her mouth grow dry. Why did Roman say such a thing? They’d never spoken of their courtship since Abby died. Why now?
“You didn’t listen to his expert advice though,” Roman added, a bit sarcastic.
“Roman, what’s wrong with you? Are you coming down with something too?”
“Nothing medicine can cure.”
She lowered her jaw in shock. “Roman, say plainly what you mean…”
She saw him look around the room, then back to her. “You never listened to your daed’s advice about building him a dawdyhaus next to us. There I said it. And now you know I’m still angry.” He wiped sweat that was forming on his brow. “I’m still angry.”
“But you chose Abigail…”
“I’m not regretting it either. She loved me.”
“And I didn’t? Is that what you think?”
She noticed Roman’s face was too flushed. She was relieved to see her daed come in from the back room.
“Roman, what can I get you today?” Jonas asked.
Roman clung to the counter and put his head down. “I’m not feeling goot.”
“Daed, where’s the thermometer?” Lizzie asked.
“In the top drawer of the dresser.”
She ran across the store and opened the door that led to the house. Roman’s delirious; no wonder he was talking such nonsense. She quickly retrieved the thermometer from the dresser that was in the living room and ran back to the store. She commanded Roman to sit down, and he obeyed. Placing the thermometer under his tongue, she put a hand against his forehead. “Ach, you’re burning up.” When she heard the thermometer make its ringing sound, she quickly read it. “You have a fever of 103 degrees.”
“I have to go. I need medicine for the twins.” Roman groaned.
“You listen to Daed, Roman.” She let out a nervous laugh. “He’s the expert, remember? Just lay down a spell.”
She watched as Roman staggered toward the door. “I need to get home.”
Lizzie looked at her daed, puzzled over what to do, and then found herself running toward Roman, putting her arms around him, turning him to go into the house with her. He didn’t resist.
~*~
Granny put a hand at her husband’s hunched shoulders. “Jeb, you’re exhausted and worried sick. The girls only have a cold.”
He fingered his long gray beard. “Their temperatures are climbing. Where’s Roman? It never takes this long to go to Miller’s Variety and back.”
Granny took her knitting loom off her lap and leaned it against the wall. She’d learned over the years to trust his instincts. The girls were getting sicker and needed medicine now. “Want me to go over and get medicine myself?”
“Ach, you’re exhausted from cleaning up after the wedding and we have another one tomorrow. Wedding season. Humph. Really cuts into my fishing time.”
“Jebediah, that is no way to talk. Marriage is sacred and every ounce of effort put into it is worth it.”
“But the fish are just calling to me,” he grinned. “Who’s getting married tomorrow?”
“Levi and Marie. Dear couple they are.”
“You sure you should be having your knitting circle with the girls sick?”
“Can’t get word out this late if I cancel. Besides, we’ll be at our place, not over here.”
Granny heard Jack barking, a sure sign someone was coming up the driveway. Was Jenny home from school so early? She pulled back the white curtains and her heart flooded with joy. She saw her black Lab following a buggy with Roman and Lizzie in it. She remembered all the times they slowly came down that lane. She narrowed her eyes as they got closer. Roman had his arm around Lizzie!
“Jeb, come look at this. Ach, praise be. I told you so…old man.”
She watched as Jeb peered out the window, his brow furrowed. “He’s leaning against her because he looks sick.”
Granny clenched her fists. When would her husband admit she was right? She ran down the stairs and opened the front door to greet the young lovers, but was horrified to see Lizzie driving and Roman leaning on her for support, just like Jeb said.
Lizzie stopped the buggy. “Help me get him in bed. He insisted on coming home for the girls.”
“Ach, he’s sick too?” Jeb asked.
“Jah. His temperature was going down when I placed vinegar on his forehead, and he felt as right as rain to come home. On the way over, it spiked again.”
Jeb ran to help Roman out of the buggy and get him onto the long cedar bench in the living room. Granny put a pillow under his head. Roman shot her a look of fear. “My girls. How are they?”
“Upstairs. They’re fine.” Granny winked at Jeb. “They were just asking for their medicine. Did you get it?”
Lizzie handed her a brown bag. “The directions are on the bottle. My daed said to follow them exactly.”
Jeb grabbed the bag and ran upstairs. Granny watched as Lizzie pulled up a rocker next to Roman, fear in her eyes. “I’ll stay and help Roman…and the girls.”
Granny grinned. “Praise be.” She went upstairs to help Jeb and told him Lizzie would be staying to help care for Roman and the girls.
Jeb looked at her in disbelief. “She can tend to the girls but not Roman. It’s not done. Men tend to men and women to women.”
Granny picked a piece of lint off of Jeb’s black vest. “Maryann realized Colonel Brandon was the one for her because he nursed her back to health…when she was on death’s door...”
Jeb groaned. “Deborah, are you reading those Jane Austen books again? Is it allowed?”
“As allowed as your Pennsylvania Field and Stream magazine. Course it is…old man.”
Jeb collapsed into the chair between the girls’ twin beds. He looked at Millie and then Tillie. “So precious when they sleep. Like angels.” He smiled at Deborah. “As precious as you, my love.” He held out his arms and she sat in his lap. “Means a lot to you that Roman sees Lizzie again, huh?”
Granny put her arms around her husband’s neck. “Jah, it does.”
Jeb gave her a squeeze. “Okay, we’ll let Lizzie help the girls and Roman and I’ll keep an eye on them…men should be taking care of men though….old woman.”
~*~
Granny sat at the table and took the tea towel off the left-over raisin crumb pie from yesterday’s wedding. She thought of her mamm teaching her to make this pie as a child, and smiled. She didn’t have a picture of her mamm, since the Amish didn’t believe in such things, but she had a clear image of her in her heart. Granny cut a piece and then got up and opened her woodstove to check on the pineapple upside down cake she had in the oven. She’d be taking something different to the wedding tomorrow. She was tired and thanked God for Betty Crocker who made wedding season so much easier. Granny heard Jack bark outside, and looked to see Fannie appear in the doorway.
“Hi Granny. I brought raisin crumb pie.”
Granny opened her arms to embrace Fannie and pinched her cheek. “Feeling better?”
“Another wedding tomorrow, at Hezekiah’s house, of all places. He’ll be drooling all over Lottie. I don’t want to go.”
Granny sat on the bench and patted a seat next to her. “Sit down. I’ve wanted to share something with you.”
Fannie sat beside her and took Granny’s hand that was offered her.
“Do you think I’m fat?” Granny asked.
Fannie’s eyes grew round. “Heavens no, you’re thin.”
“I feel fat though,” Granny said. “Fatter than you.”
“Come on Granny. Quit pulling my leg.”
“Pull up your skirt and show your thigh.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Fannie obeyed and Granny scooted closer. “See, we’re the same size. So if you think I’m thin, why do you think you’re fat?”
Fannie’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I don’t know. I have a fat face.”
“You have a beautiful round face, the shape God intended.”
Fannie embraced Granny. “You make me feel better, but it doesn’t last long. I’m always thinking about my weight and how…fat I am compared to skinny girls like Lottie.”
“You’re taller than most women, and thank God for it. Quit comparing yourself to other women. Maybe Lottie’s at home right now wishing she was as tall as you.”
“I doubt that. She’s probably not home at all. Most likely Hezekiah asked her to come over to help prepare for the wedding. Didn’t ask me.”
“Can we come in Granny?” Ella asked through the screen door. “Looks like a private conversation…”
Granny stood up. “Ella, you brought Ruth. Ach, I’m tickled pink.” She opened the door and gave Ruth a hug. She noticed that Ruth winced from pain. Most likely Luke had bruised her arms. Heat rose to her face until she felt like she was on fire. She turned to go to the kitchen for a glass of water.
“Granny, what’s wrong?”
“Hot flashes,” she said.
Ella laughed. “You’re over the change of life, aren’t you?”
Granny fumbled for words. “Ach, hormone imbalance is the blessing us women folk get until the day we die.” She looked over at Ruth, whose head was down. Why she was so hot…with anger. Looking to turn the conversation, she said, “Let’s play a game tomorrow at the wedding. We’ll keep an eye on Fannie and count how many young men look her way.”
“Granny! What are you doing?” Fannie asked, hand on her heart.
“Trying to recondition that mind of yours. You feel like no
men are attracted to you and it’s just not true.”
Ella chimed in. “It’s true Fannie. I notice men practically gawking at you.”
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
Ruth put her hand up. “Ella doesn’t say things to make people feel better, take it from me. She sees truth…truth we don’t like to see.”
Ella turned to her and gently embraced her. “I didn’t mean to make trouble.”
A sob escaped Ruth. “You and Zach did the right thing.”
“Let’s all have some pie and you can tell us what happened, Ruth. We can pray for you.”
“Ella’s praying, and she prays goot. No need for everyone to know.”
Granny put plates and forks on the table and asked the girls to sit down. Soon they were all enjoying pie, when Granny ventured to probe Ruth further. “Luke acts like someone I knew long ago…Otis, his uncle. Actually, we courted for a spell.”
“See Granny, the men liked you.” Fannie sighed.
“Yes, there were others beside Jeb, but when I met that man of mine, there were no others.”
“How romantic,” Ella said. “I feel the same about Zach. I couldn’t have dreamt him up.”
“Zach’s a wonderful man,” Granny said, “unlike his Uncle Otis, I’m sorry to say. He had a temper.”
“D-Did he yell a lot?” Ruth asked.
Granny poked at her pie. “He did once and scared me to death. We were out on a buggy ride after a singing and I just kept quiet until I got home. Then I told my brothers and they had words with him.”
“Like Zach did with Luke,” Ella said.
Ruth gasped. “Ella, it’s a secret.”
Ella turned to Ruth and put her hand on her shoulder. “I am so sorry. It slipped.”
Granny huffed. “No need to keep things like this hidden. I’m glad Zach confronted Luke. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, the Good Book says.” She looked tenderly at Ruth. “We’ll be praying for Luke, don’t you worry. God sees a woman’s broken heart and fills the cracks with His love.”
Ruth turned as red as beets. “How would you know? You’re not married to a….I can’t say.”
“I’m sorry, Ruth. You’re right. I can’t say how you feel or what the goot Lord will do, but I know he hears a cry for help. I have experience with that.”