Ruth reached across the table for Granny’s hand and she took it. “Danki, Granny. I plan to be here every Wednesday night for knitting. Luke said Zach helped him see I need women folk.” She took a piece of pie. “He’s mean one minute, then sorry the next and real nice. It’s nerve wracking.”
“We need your fingers too. You knit so quickly.” Fannie said. “There’s supposed to be a cold winter in Joplin.” She looked over at Granny. “Where’s Maryann and Lizzie?”
“Ach, I almost forgot. Maryann’s exhausted from the wedding yesterday and is resting up for the one tomorrow,” Ella said.
Granny took a bite of pie. “Lizzie’s over at Roman’s nursing them all back to health. Jeb was helping, but started to feel sick too. He’s resting in our bedroom.”
“So Lizzie’s nursing Roman by herself?” Fannie gasped. “I best go over and help and –“
“You stay here,” Granny said abruptly. “Lizzie’s mighty capable since her dear daed’s an herbalist. She knows what to do.” Granny noticed the women looking at each other, bewildered. “Shall we start to knit? I do have so much yarn.”
~*~
Roman grasped for Lizzie’s hand. “Abby, is that you?”
Lizzie didn’t know to do. She’d read never to wake someone sleep talking. She remained silent.
“Abby, I’m so glad you’re here. Why don’t you kiss me? Come lay beside me?”
Lizzie now understood why the Amish had a rule that men cared for men. She looked at Roman evenly. “It’s me, Lizzie. Can’t you see?”
Roman held his hand out to her. “I’m so sorry…Abby. I should have told you. But I loved you more in the end.”
Lizzie put a fresh washcloth in the bowl of ice water and placed it on Roman’s forehead. He caught her hand. “Why are you being so cold to me? You don’t forgive me, do you?”
Lizzie felt anger come from within her. His wife had been gone for three years. Abigail would always occupy his every waking hour, even when he was delirious. He released her hand and turned away from her. She thought of Melvin Yoder. He’d liked her since they were little and remained faithful to his words. It was almost unheard of for a man who was thirty to never be married. He said he’d tried to find love, even moving to Ohio for a spell, but he said he’d never be able to love anyone but her. She straightened her shoulders. For three years she’d hoped Roman would come around with no results; Roman actually acted cool toward her now. Could she learn to love Melvin, even if he was two years younger and seemed like a younger brother?
~*~
Granny couldn’t sleep, so she slowly got out of bed, hoping not to wake up Jeb. She tip toed barefoot downstairs to her rocker and looked outside at the crescent-shaped moon. Clouds were moving quickly across the sky, sometimes obscuring her view of the moon. She thought of Ruth and how she was hiding her problems, then Fannie…how she hid her insecurities. Tears filled her eyes and she bowed her head in prayer:
Lord, you know I love these girls. I saw them grow up, but life is snuffing out their joy. I know I tease Jeb too much, but I thank you for that man. He’s my strength and anchor in stormy seas, like you are Lord…only Jeb has skin on. I do pray you’ll change Luke’s heart. He’s not right in the head. And help dear Fannie find love. She’s so deserving of a fine man…if it’s Roman, your will be done, but it’s hard Lord to see things Your way sometimes. I still think Roman and Lizzie need to be together.
She opened her eyes and sat quietly, looking up at the moon. Peace flooded her. She’d cast her burden on Christ, like the Good Book said to do. Cast your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you….she thought of each word of the scripture, especially ‘cast’. How many times did Jeb cast his fishing line until he caught a fish? Hundreds? She’d be casting this care on God again, she was sure. She did love these dear girls in her little knitting circle.
~*~
Maryann smiled as she watched Levi and Marie exchange vows. So young and innocent. She looked across the large living room to the men’s side at her husband and love filled her heart. Her wedding day was sunny and cold, just like today. Weather good for cuddling, her Michael always said. Her love for him was so much sweeter and richer than the day they wed. The more they walked through life, side by side, in good times and in bad, made their union all the stronger.
She noticed Marie picked powder blue for her and her two attendants to wear. It fit her, having blue eyes. Her white apron and prayer kapp looked so crisp and fresh. Maryann’s dress was mauve and neatly stored away until the day the goot Lord would take her home. She mused. So much work to be worn only twice, the day you're married and the day you die.
When the vows were exchanged and the bishop blessed them, he announced them as man and wife. Everyone got up and the men started lining tables up against the outer walls. A special table in the corner for the bride and groom and their attendants was put up first. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Michael.
“Remember when we sat in the eck table like that, having enough privacy for me to give you a peck?”
She winked. “A peck in the eck.”
He kissed her cheek. “Why don’t you go sit down and not overdo it in the kitchen. You’ve been too tired.”
“We’re related. We have to help. Now go help the men and quit fussing over me.” She hugged him around the middle, and then headed toward the women in the kitchen. Granny Weaver met her on the way.
“We sure missed you last night. How come your Becca couldn’t come?”
“I told Ella to tell you. Becca stayed overnight here to help.”
Granny put her arm around Maryann. “Ella didn’t tell us. She had other things on her mind and forgot.”
Maryann felt like the room was beginning to spin. She grabbed on to Granny.
“What’s wrong child?”
“I’m dizzy again. Ach, getting old.”
“Then I’m a fossil. Maryann, you need to see a doctor. The fatigue and other symptoms you’ve been telling me about are your body’s way of screaming for help. Listen to your body.”
“I have eight kinner to tend to. I don’t have time.” She leaned harder on Granny.
“Fannie, come here. Help me. Maryann’s ready to faint.”
“I am not. You’re embarrassing me.”
Maryann put her hand up in protest, but was no match for Fannie. “You sit down and I’ll do your chores in the kitchen. Understand?”
“You can’t win when Fannie’s determined,” Granny said.
Maryann let Granny lead her to a bench along the wall. She leaned her head back and took a deep breath. She soon felt something cool in her hand. Ella had gotten her a glass of root beer. She drank the cool substance and within a few minutes the dizzy spell was over.
“You should get your blood sugar level checked,” Ella said. “You may have hypoglycemia. I do and know all the symptoms.”
“Or she may have the twenty-four hour bug like Roman and the twins. At death’s door yesterday and right as rain now, having fun at a wedding.” Granny clapped her hands. “Ten!”
“Granny, what on earth are you doing?” Ella asked.
“Remember? We’re counting how many young men gawk over Fannie. Ten and counting.”
Maryann chuckled. “How do you do it? You can make a game out of everything.”
“I’m not playing a game, just trying to help Fannie rethink herself.”
“Rethink herself?”
“You know, renew her mind, like it says to do in the Bible. To think of the goot and not the bad.”
“You mean have hope?” Ella asked.
“Nee, hope is expecting something goot is going to happen. I’d say she needs to see the truth. She’s deceived somehow, thinking she’s fat.”
“Did anyone ever tease her as a child?” Maryann took another sip of root beer. “I know someone made fun of Becca when she was a wee one and she kept it locked up in her heart, until one day we talked about it. There’s a root to Fannie’s feeling. Best we find
it and pull it out.”
Granny took her hand. “Maryann, your girls are blessed to have such a wunderbar mamm. I had five sons and always wanted a girl.”
Maryann noticed Ella’s honey-hazel eyes tear up. “Sit down beside me, Ella. We know the doctor gave you such sad news and here we are talking about our kinner. You were brave to go to the doctor.”
Ella brushed away a tear that trickled down her cheek. “The truth sets you free, jah? Now Zach and I can plan our future better. We’re looking into foster parenting.”
Granny clasped her hands and smiled. “Ach, Ella, you and Zach will make the best parents for hurting kinner.”
“Danki Granny. When I come by for knitting or just to pick up more yarn, I see Roman’s darling kinner and the desire gets stronger to have our own. Just because I can’t have them doesn’t mean I can’t love someone else’s.”
Maryann squeezed Ella’s hand. “You see sunshine when God sends clouds, don’t you?”
“She has hope,” Granny said. “She expects the goot it going to happen, jah?”
Ella nodded. “Jah, I do.”
Maryann looked over at Granny. “Twelve. I’ve counted twelve men staring at Fannie.”
Ruth walked over and sat next to Ella. She whispered something Maryann couldn’t make out, but she knew Ruth wasn’t happy. She wished all married couples could be as happy as she and Michael were.
After a few minutes, Luke came over and demanded for Ruth to get in the buggy. She said she wanted to stay and said Ella and Zach would take her home. Maryann bowed her head in silent prayer for Ruth, but was jarred by Granny’s voice. “Luke, Ruth and I have lots to chat about. Jeb and I will take her home. Understand?”
“I’m taking her home. She’s my wife.”
“Do I need to turn you over my knee like I did when you were a kinner?” Granny asked, her voice shaking.
Maryann was relieved when Jeb darted over and grabbed Luke’s shoulder. He whispered something in Luke’s ear. Soon Zach came over and spoke in muffled tones to Jeb, and then the three men strode to the back door and went outside.
Maryann heard Granny gasp and she turned to her. “Your husband’s doing the right thing.”
“I know. I’m just shocked. Lizzie just put her arm through Melvin’s.”
“Well, it’s about time! What’s wrong with that?”
“Everything…” Granny whispered.
“Thirteen!” Maryann squealed. “Your Roman’s staring at Fannie. Who would have guessed?” She heard Granny moan and watched as the dear woman leaned over and put her head in her hands, eyes closed, as if praying. She put a hand on her back. “Ach, come on, Granny, Roman needs to move on sometime.”
~*~
Here is a recipe for raisin crumb pie, by Rebecca Byler from Smicksburg, PA ~ Enjoy!
Raisin Crumb Pie
¾ cup raisin
2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch salt
Bring all ingredients to a boil using cornstarch for thickening.
Cool. Pour into unbaked pie crust and top with crumb topping below.
Crumb Topping
1 cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup lard (or butter)
½ teaspoon baking soda
Bake until done.
Note: Many Amish recipes simply say, “bake.” My daughter is a pastry chef and says most pies can be baked at 400 degrees for the first 15 minutes and then you need to reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes. I bake my pies at 350 degrees for an hour, afraid I’ll forget to turn down the temperature. I get sucked into a good novel or knit when I bake and lose track of time.
Lazy Wife Pie Crust
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ cup oleo (Crisco or margarine)
Mix ingredients to make crumbs. Press into pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes until done.
~*~
Episode 3
Thanksgiving
Ella reached across the table to take her husband’s hand, and they bowed their heads in silent prayer. She tied her loose prayer kapp strings and looked up. Concern was etched on Zach’s brow. “What’s wrong?”
“If we could have kinner, they might look like you…”
“A child’s a gift from God, no matter how it comes to us. Let’s look over the papers one more time. Are we forgetting anything?”
Zach clenched his pen and marked off the boxes again. “I think there’s something we need to confess to the social worker. Luke’s behavior.”
“He doesn’t live here. Whatever for?”
“Well, they want to know if anyone could be a threat to our foster child. You see how little Micah fears his daed.”
Ella’s jaw stiffened every time Zach’s brother was mentioned. “Luke should be ashamed of himself. I’ll make sure the child is never alone with him.”
Zach’s blue eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m so sorry you married into my crazy family.”
Ella got up and sat on Zach’s lap. “Your parents are gone but they were goot people. Luke’s the only problem.”
“And Uncle Otis.”
“He lives in Ohio…”
“If he comes out to visit, he can’t stay here.”
Ella put both arms around Zach’s neck. “Is that your only concern, or is it something else?”
Zach squeezed her tight. “Sometimes I think Luke’s really crazy. I mean, he’s mean as a bear caught in a trap one day and then fine the next.”
“We need to have them over for dinner. Have a nice meal, and maybe if he sees your concern, he’ll open up. Tell you what’s wrong.”
“I’m off Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving, since it’s an English holiday.” He kissed Ella’s cheek. “Luke works for the English, too. He’ll be off…”
“Okay, so let’s have them over on Thursday. I don’t think there’s a wedding that day either.” Ella got up and ran to get her cookbook. “I’ve always wanted to make a Thanksgiving dinner. We could go to the Dayton auction and buy a turkey. Nee, I can’t. Wednesday’s knitting circle. Should we invite other families?”
Zach smiled, accenting his chiseled jaw line. “I’ll go to the auction and get a turkey. You love having company, don’t you?”
“Jah, I do. I want to cook for a big family.” She planted her pointer finger in a dimple. “We could take in more than one foster child. The case worker said siblings need to stay together.”
Zach grinned and scribbled something on the foster parent application form. He handed it to Ella and she laughed. “Eight kinner? Are you serious?”
“Why not? There’s lots of kinner that need a goot mamm like you.”
~*~
Granny put on a wool shawl and took a walk over to Roman’s woodworking shop on the other side of his house. The wind whipped at her skirt and she thought of how the shawls sent to Joplin must be a real comfort. So many more to make, though.
When she entered the shop, she felt her knees grow weak. “Fannie, I didn’t know you were here. Are you needing some rocking chairs?”
Fannie ran over to embrace Granny. “My sister, Eliza, is going to have a baby! We just got word. I wanted to order a little hickory baby rocker.”
“Ach, you came the whole way over here for that? You could have placed an order tonight at the knitting circle.”
Roman stopped fiddling with a piece of wood. “I brought Fannie here on the way back from Miller’s Variety. We’re going out to dinner at the Country Junction. I’ll have her back here by seven for knitting, though.”
Granny looked at Fannie, who was beaming. She’d been praying for this dear girl who was so pretty and thin, yet thought she was ugly and fat. Was Roman the answer to her prayer? She saw Roman’s gaze was on Fannie. Was he looking at her like he did his dear deceased wife? But Fannie was only twenty-one. Surely Lizzie was the one for Roman. She
remembered her “casting off” prayer and bowed her head and quickly cast this worry on the Lord.
“Well, you’re welcome to eat with Jeb and me. I’m making stuffed cabbage rolls. Plenty to go around.”
Roman looked at Fannie. “Mamm’s a goot cook. Would you mind? We can take a buggy ride after dinner.”
“Ach, I don’t care. As long as we get to talk.”
Granny held on to the side of the wall. So we can talk? What was going on?
~*~
Ruth rolled out dough to make biscuits. She jumped when Luke grabbed her by the waist. “Gotcha. You didn’t even see me in the room.”
“Nee, I didn’t. Supper will be ready soon.”
Luke sat at the round oak table. “So, are you looking forward to the knitting circle tonight?”
Ruth wasn’t sure how to answer his question. It was tinged with sarcasm. “It’s for a goot cause. Jah. I am.”
“Sit down, Ruth. Supper can wait a few minutes.”
Ruth turned to look at Luke. She thought of the November weather, warm one day and freezing cold the next; it matched her husband’s moods exactly. She took a seat at the table opposite him.
He cleared his throat. “Jeb and Zach showed me something in the Bible I’ve never seen.” He pulled a little black Bible from his pocket. “In Ephesians it says for wives to submit to their husbands.”
Ruth felt her cheeks burn. How many times he’d reminded her of this scripture; his twisted version of it?
“But I never read the whole chapter. It says later for a husband to love his wife and not be harsh with her…or God won’t answer his prayers.” He lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Ruth. I see the bruises on your arms, but I don’t do it on purpose. It’s like I’m…possessed.”
Possessed? Jah, he did act possessed. Ruth was glad of his confession, but it did little to make her feel safe in the future. He was saying he couldn’t help himself. “So what are you going to do so this never happens again?” She pulled up her sleeve to reveal bruises on her wrists. “This happened after Jeb and Zach talked to you at the wedding and gave you that Bible.”
“I’ll just never do it again, is all. I’m trying to apologize.”
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 4
