The door opened again and Marge and Maryann let in a cold chill. Marge immediately clasped her hands without saying hello. “How’s Bea? Can I hold her?”
Granny shook her head. “She’s nervous and she’ll be staying in my room. I best put her down now.”
“You sound like her mamm,” Maryann snickered. “I think it’s cute.”
Granny just couldn’t resist looking at Mona’s reaction. Another Amish woman was putting her stamp of approval on having an indoor pet. Mona rolled her eyes, and Granny walked out of the kitchen into the living room, stifling a chuckle as she buried her face in Bea’s fur. She opened the door to her bedroom, happy that Jeb had decided to move it to her quilting room. The craft room that doubled as a bedroom for Nathan, her nephew. She was ever so thankful that he lived right down the road, with his new wife, Lavina.
Granny placed Bea in the new checkered bed she bought at Punxsy-Mart, then turned to leave, but ran right into Fannie.
Fannie lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry for my mamm’s behavior.”
Granny slipped her arm through Fannie’s. “Ach. It was nothing.”
“Jah, it was. She’s getting worse.”
“It’s not your fault. Makes me appreciate yinz all the more, since you’re a burst of sunshine.”
The two came into the living room, smiling, and Granny asked everyone to help themselves to dessert. Janice was at the door, along with Ruth, Suzy, and Colleen. Too big for one circle. If Lavina came next week, it would make ten women. Truth be told, Granny didn’t like quilting bees since so many women were crammed in one room, and gossip seemed to prevail. No, she liked the one-on-one closeness, and being like a granny to all the girls. Would Suzy understand?
Janice raised a book above her head. “Who all finished the book?”
Several hands were raised and Janice seemed defeated. “I’ll admit, I didn’t have time, but I’ve seen the movie.”
“Me, too,” Suzy squealed. “All of them.”
“What do you mean, all of them?” Granny asked.
Suzy put her knitting bag next to a chair and sat down. “I think there are four versions. Not sure. But none of them compare to the book. You really get inside someone’s head in a book.”
“I agree,” Lizzie said. “I don’t go to movies, but I did cleaning in an English home ages ago, and something was missing. Pride and Prejudice made me… happy and sad at the same time.”
Suzy stood up. “I think our new knit-lit group has started as Lizzie is about to share what she got out of the book.” The women all took a seat that formed a circle. “Go on, Lizzie. You can all just knit scarves with the yarn you have. Homeless people can use them for hats, too.”
The women got out their knitting and then looked at Lizzie. “Go on,” Marge encouraged Lizzie.
“Well, the book made me realize how important a mamm is. Since I lost mine while courting Roman, I see her guidance could have saved me a lot of pain.”
All the women leaned forward, eager for more information.
“You see, Roman and I were courting since we were very young. But when the assault happened, I had no woman to talk to.”
Granny’s eyes blurred. How she wished Lizzie would have come to her.
“What are you talking about?” Marge asked. “Did someone hurt you?”
“Jah. A hunter came by and saved me before, well, any damage was done.” She lowered her head. “I felt so ashamed, I couldn’t tell Roman, so I left a message in our woodpecker hole. But he didn’t find it, and I needed time alone, so I thought. But time alone wasn’t goot, and I became bitter.” She raised her head. “It’s not goot to be alone when you’re in pain. That’s why God says to carry each other’s burdens. If you’re in pain, open up to someone. Anyone. Someone in this group. We’ve all been through hard times.”
Granny couldn’t contain herself. So proud of Lizzie, who was hurt, but now trying to help others who were hurting. And how she loved Roman and his girls, forgiving Roman for being so proud, feeling spurned, and marrying someone he hardly knew. What the English called a rebound. But Abigail was like the scent of springtime, and like spring, her life was too short. But she left Roman three kinner….
“Mamm, are you alright?” Lizzie asked, breaking into her thoughts.
“Jah, I am. And Lizzie is right. We started this knitting circle last year. I was spinning wool and noticed how strong the new yarn was. Could hardly break it. And I thought of different women in my Gmay, I mean church. Women who needed to be built up by other women.” She looked over at Maryann. “Women who I didn’t know needed help, but the Lord did.”
Maryann’s eyes mellowed, tears pooling. “God knew I needed help to get through cancer.” She turned to Marge. “He went before me in the most surprising way. Granny and I met Marge in the waiting room of the Indiana Hospital. She’s a traveling nurse, just what I needed.”
Marge leaned towards Maryann, who sat next to her on the bench. “And I got to see people have a real faith in God, and started to go to church again.” She looked over at Janice. “And Janice was so transparent and real, Joe and I saw a real God working in her life. In all of your lives, and I rededicated my heart to him.” She leaned again towards Maryann. “So you helped me as much as I did you.”
Suzy smiled as a tear slid down her cheek. “We’re supposed to be talking about Pride and Prejudice. Anyone else want to share what they got out of it?”
Ruth cleared her throat. “Last year, my marriage was not goot, and I couldn’t read any book with happy couples. But when Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy got married, I was thrilled. And it made me realize my heart, my marriage, is healed.”
The women “awed” in unison.
Ruth grinned. “I got something else out of the book, too. But you’ll all laugh.”
“We will not,” Granny said, as a warning to the girls.
“Well, the letters written by Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth.” She picked up her book that was on her lap. “I put a bookmark in the spot.” She opened the book and read:
“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Ruth put the book to her chest. “I love that, and started to write love letters to Luke.”
Silence. All eyes remained on Ruth. No needles tapped against each other.
Granny could see Ruth become uncomfortable, and she knew why the women stared. “Ach, Ruth, I’ve read Pride and Prejudice several times, and never thought of writing such a letter to Jeb.”
Maryann nodded. “I’m going to write one to Michael tonight.”
“Me too,” Fannie blurted. “I need to tell Melvin how much I ardently admire him.”
Marge’s giggle made her body jiggle. “There you go again. Talking like someone in a Jane Austen book.”
Mona sat up straight. “Fannie always gets carried away.”
The joyful fellowship in the room just had cold water thrown on it, and Granny’s stomach tightened. Why did Mona seem to take delight in belittling Fannie? She put down her knitting. “I know what I got out of the book,” she said, looking across the room at Mona. “Mrs. Bennett had her favorite daughters. I’m sure if she put as much love and attention towards Mary, she would have turned out to be a happier woman. Words can build up or tear down.”
Mona didn’t flinch. “What are you saying, Deborah.”
Granny looked around the room. “All you girls understood my meaning, jah?”
“I sure do,” Janice raised her hand. “Like most of you know, my tongue was like a sword towards Jerry. I was hurt and feeling neglected, since he was finishing his doctorate. And all along, he was doing it for me, so we could move back down South. Like the saying goes, ‘hurt people, hurt people.’”
“What?” several women asked.
“When you’re hurting, you tend to hurt others. Misery loves company.”
Granny looked over at Mona. Was it her imagination, or had her stone-chiseled
countenance softened? Was she cracking, becoming broken, that led to healing? Lord forgive me for being so abrupt and spiteful, but I love Fannie so. Help me with this woman.
Suzy continued to knit, but didn’t need to look down, being an accomplished knitter. She looked over at Colleen. “You’re being quiet. What did you get out of the book?”
Colleen’s amber eyes seemed troubled. “It was hard for me. I know this sounds vain, but I saw the movie at the theatre. All the beautiful gowns made me realize I won’t have a wedding dress. Is that so wrong?”
Suzy looked over at Granny for help. “When Jeb and I married, I have to admit, Jackie Kennedy wore the nicest clothes, and I dreamt of wearing an outfit like hers on my wedding day.”
“How did you see Jackie Kennedy? In a magazine?”
“In the newspapers. Her husband was killed a month before Jeb and I started to officially court. And lots of folks back then didn’t have televisions and thirty or so people went to a house to watch the funeral.” Granny sighed. “And I saw her and her small kinner.”
“Wasn’t she dressed in all black?” Janice asked.
“Jah, she was. But, when I could get my hands on a magazine, I did.” She looked over at Fannie. “And I compared myself with her beauty, wanting to look like her, and dress like her.”
Fannie nodded. “That’s why you were so against me looking at those glamour magazines like I did?”
“Jah. But I’m telling you this to help Colleen.” Granny turned to the girl with honey-blonde hair who she took a liking to when they first met. “It’s okay to think about nice clothes, but what’s really important in a marriage?”
“The Bennett girls had inner beauty, and that captured the hearts of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley,” Fannie said. She turned to Marge. “Their inner beauty secured them.”
Marge laughed. “Oh, I miss it up here. I always see what’s important. Lavina’s wedding didn’t have a fancy gown, but they all start to look the same, anyhow. White, cream, ivory. And all the focus of the wedding was on God. Can’t beat that. He’s the one who holds the marriage together.”
“But, no kissing after the vows?” Colleen exclaimed.
Lizzie scrunched her lips to one side. “Plenty of time for that after the wedding.”
Granny chuckled. “And don’t believe every Amish proverb you hear. Kissing does not wear out, and I’m seventy.”
Colleen’s eyes grew round. “What?”
Granny waved a hand like she was shooing a fly. “Ach, people say, ‘Kissing wears out, cooking don't’, but it’s not true. I’ll need kisses from Jeb until the day I die.”
Laughter bounced around the room… all except Mona, who had her nose in her knitting. And Granny wondered what it was that hurt Mona. Was she in an unhappy marriage, or did her constant dripping make her husband spend too much time at work and choring?
~*~
Roman cut the cherry pie that Lizzie had made for the girls upon arriving home from school. She’d miss meeting them, being over at knitting circle, and once again, Roman had a hard time containing the love he had for his wife. She was a mamm to his kinner, but he prayed the Lord would open her womb and give her a boy. He never said this out loud to anyone, but just the thought of having a son follow him around the rocker shop, learning a trade, warmed his heart.
The UPS truck came barreling down the driveway, and he wanted to go out and shout at the man. Didn’t he see all the buggies over at his mamm’s? The tree house and tire swing for the girls? Obviously, there were kinner and people about. No sooner had the truck come to a stop, the driver ran up the steps, threw a package next to the door, and was off.
Roman cringed. He’d have words with that new driver. The other driver had a good relationship with him, helping Roman ship his rockers across the country. He retrieved the package and it read Amazon. Roman chuckled at the thought of his parents thinking Suzy was ordering books from Central America, afraid she was paying extra shipping and not telling them.
But the package was addressed to Jenny Weaver? He called his oldest daughter over. “Looks like something came for you.”
Her blonde braids sprang up and down as she bounced over to her daed. “I think Joe sent me another book on rabbits. Wish they hadn’t moved…”
“You can go over and see Marge when the circle’s over. Open your present so you can thank her.”
Jenny ripped open the box and out slid two books, both entitled Little Women. “Mamm said I could read what the circle was reading if it was for little girls. Look, Daed. This one has pictures and not so many words, and this one has no pictures. The one with pictures is for me.”
Roman laughed. “Calm down, Jenny. I’m sure your mamm has a plan to include Millie and Tillie.”
“But they’re only six, and can’t read big words like me….now that I’m eight.”
Roman stifled another laugh. “Well, maybe you can read it to the twins. Or me. I like a goot bedtime story.”
Jenny leaned on her tip-toes and kissed her daed on his auburn beard. “Daed, I love mamm so. She does such nice things for us. But she looks sad at times.”
“She has a lot on her mind. With her daed living next door in the dawdyhaus, well, she frets over him. “
“Opa Jonas is lonely since Amish camp is over.” Her eyes grew round. “I could read to Opa Jonas.”
“Jah, you could. He’s in pain from arthritis or MS. Don’t know which ones causing it, but your mamm feels his pain in her heart. So, help lift her heart by helping Opa Jonas.”
Jenny scrunched her mouth to one side. “I have an idea…”
~*~
The women gawked at Suzy when she announced the next book would be Little Women. As she passed out copies, an awkward silence once again filled the room. Suzy, being used to teaching said, “Okay. Spill the beans.”
Janice groaned. “It’s a children’s book.”
“Have you ever read it?” Suzy asked.
Janice flipped through the pages. “Hey, it’s over three hundred pages.”
“Trust me,” Suzy said. “It’s the unabridged version. And the lessons learned in this book are… profound.”
“I can’t read a three-hundred-page book in a week,” Ruth said. “I’m helping again with the Audubon bird count.”
“And I’m busy with the store,” Fannie gasped. “Melvin’s clock sales are goot now since the English are starting to buy Christmas presents.”
“It’s November,” Mona groaned. “I think it’s ridiculous.”
Fannie bit her lower lip, and then said, “We depend on the English for sales. Packaging them up is time consuming since we’re shipping them out now. Just the wall clocks…”
“How do you advertise?” Janice asked.
Fannie looked over at Marge for help and soon found it. “Joe started posting Melvin’s clocks on EBay. We get a percentage of the sale for his time.”
“We’re not supposed to use the internet,” Mona pounced.
“You buy from those catalogs that come in the mail. What’s the difference?”
Fannie’s face was beet red, and Granny once again had to nod her head and pray for Mona. It was hard to be angry with someone she prayed for. “Suzy, can we have a few weeks to read this book? Maybe we can have Bible reading for next week and discuss it, but I’m not a fast reader.” She looked down at her yarn and began to knit again. “And we need to talk about how big this circle is. When Lavina comes, we’ll have ten.”
“The more the merrier,” Marge said with glee.
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, and Granny’s heart sank. How could she have more intimate talks the girls always appreciated, with so many girls? Pie baking days. The idea popped into her head, calming her heart. She’d met with Colleen and Lavina every week to make pies. With Jeb being busy with ministerial duties on Thursday, she could ask girls to bake on Thursdays.
Suzy stood up again. “How about we read a few chapters of the Gospel of John for next week, and meet at two. With da
ylight savings time, it gets dark at five, and I don’t want anyone driving home in the dark when the snow flies.”
“The Amish don’t turn their clocks back,” Janice said. “They don’t follow all our silly rules.”
“Jah, we do,” Fannie said. “We have a clock set for English time, and another for Amish time. Our store hours are written on the door in English time.”
Suzy shook her head. “I want to meet at one, English time, if that’s alright. Then we can leave at three o’clock and get supper on. Everyone in agreement, raise your hands.”
Granny had been to classes at Suzy’s and marveled at how she commanded the classes with order, yet love. She raised her hand, as did all the women. She looked over at Colleen who seemed out of sorts… and went over to see if she could come over and help make pies for Forget-Me-Not Manor, the home for single mothers. The place where Colleen lived until she found out she had Amish roots right here in Smicksburg….and an Amish man she planned to marry. But something was amiss.
~*~
That night, Granny felt something lick her cheek, and she turned to see Bea, wiggling and giggling. It was time to take her out to be relieved. As much as Granny didn’t want to get out from under the warm quilt, this dog never seemed a burden, since she loved her, maybe a little too much. She quickly put on her robe and slippers and went to the side door where Bea’s leash hung from the pegboard.
Ice. Overnight, a misty rain covered everything with a thin coat of shiny ice. As the full moon made the reflections off the silhouette of trees in the yard, Granny stood in awe at the beauty. What will heaven be like, if earth can be this glorious?
Heaven. A place she and Jeb would mostly likely be in the not too distant future, but it was more natural a feeling than she thought. Truth be told, she yearned for it at times, but as long as the Good Lord gave her health, she’d be His hands and feet to a needy world.
And her mind turned to the girls in her circle and landed on Maryann. Was it her imagination, or was Maryann too pale, again? Was she cancer-free? It was exactly one year since her suspicions about Maryann’s health surfaced, so was it just the weather and season that was playing on her mind? Granny would have to have her over to bake pies as well, maybe next week. Then she’d ask Maryann if she was taking the strengthening herbs Dan sold from his herb shop, and if she was keeping up with all her check-ups. Mothers always put their kinner first, and since Maryann had eight…. Well, for now, she’d just cast Maryann on God, and get back to a good night’s sleep.
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 59
