Amish Tulip

by Samantha Price

  She looked across at him in shock and saw his smiling face. “Okay, you can pay. Just give me back the menu.”

  He handed it back to her. “Now, what looks good?” he asked when he opened his menu once more.

  “The hamburgers?”

  “Is that what you’d like? You can have anything.”

  “I like hamburgers.”

  He glanced at her over the top of his menu. “I’ll have to remember that. Favorite food hamburgers.”

  “Wait a minute. I didn’t say they were my favorite food. They are just one of the things I like to eat.”

  “Ah, well then, is there anything else you see that you might prefer?”

  “Nee, not today. Today seems like a hamburger day.”

  “What other food do you like?” He placed the menu on the table. “I want to learn everything about you, Tulip.”

  “My favorite food is apple pie and ice cream, but only the pies that Mamm makes. I don’t know what she does, but they taste better than anyone else’s. What about you?” Tulip asked.

  “What’s my best and favorite?”

  “Jah.”

  “Roasted lamb, with the skin slightly crisp on the outside, along with baked vegetables and thick gravy.”

  Tulip giggled at the look on his face as he spoke about the food. “Stop. You’re making me hungry. I love the crispy part too. The thing is that you mentioned more than one food. You just named quite a few. I only asked for one favorite food.”

  He leaned back. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know there were rules.”

  “There are. I said favorite food—as in one food.”

  “Strictly speaking, you can’t call gravy a food, and it’s just not the same to eat roasted lamb without the vegetables that go along with it. They’re a group of foods. How’s that?”

  A waitress walked to the table to take their order.

  “Would you like your hamburger with the lot, Tulip?” he asked.

  Tulip closed her menu. “Jah please.”

  He looked up at the waitress. “That’s two with the lot.” Then he looked back at Tulip. “And what about to drink?”

  “Just a soda, denke.”

  After their order had been taken, they sat there looking at one another until they both laughed.

  He reached out for her hand and held it in his. “I’m so pleased I came to the community and met you.”

  “Me too.”

  He glanced out the window. “It’s getting dark. Did you tell your parents you might be late home? I don’t fancy getting on the wrong side of them.”

  “I told them to expect me when they saw me.”

  “Good. That is good news. Now what else can you tell me about yourself?”

  She looked at their clasped hands, not even the slightest bit concerned that someone might see them. Being affectionate with him seemed like a natural thing to do. “I can’t reveal all about myself in one go. There’d be nothing to look forward to and nothing to learn later, would there?”

  He chuckled. “I just want to know more … well, the truth is that I want to know everything about you.”

  “That wouldn’t do. You have to be content with just a little bit for now.”

  “Really? It seems you have rules that I don’t know about. You’ll have to let me in on them.”

  Tulip laughed. “There are no rules, not really.”

  “Okay. That’s good to know. I’m happy with what I know about you so far. I’ll have to be content with that for the time being.”

  They had to release each other’s hands when the waitress brought their drinks to the table.

  After they had a couple of mouthfuls of soda, their hamburgers arrived.

  “That was fast,” he said.

  “It was and they look delicious.”

  When they finished eating, Tulip wanted to stay talking with him, but it wouldn’t do to get home too late.

  “Are you ready to go?” he asked.

  Tulip nodded.

  “Are you sure you don’t want anything else?”

  “I couldn’t possibly fit another thing in.”

  He chuckled. “Neither could I and I very rarely say that.”

  When they walked out of the restaurant, he moved closer to her and held her hand.

  “Denke for coming out with me tonight. I hope we have many more nights like these.”

  “Me too.”

  He helped her into the buggy, acting like a proper gentleman.

  * * *

  Tulip walked into her house after Wilhem had taken her home. Lily looked at her anxiously when she walked through the door.

  “Oh, it’s you,” Lily said.

  “Who were you expecting?” Tulip asked.

  “Daisy, that’s who! Nathanial was bringing her home after the singing and there’s no sign of either of them.”

  “Do you mean Nathanial and Matthew are bringing Daisy home?”

  “Nee, why don’t you clean out your ears, Tulip? I’m here and Daisy isn’t. Why would two men drive her home? That would be weird. Nathanial is bringing Daisy home. They like each other and don’t pretend you didn’t notice that when he was here for dinner.”

  “He doesn’t like her!” Tulip blurted out before she could stop herself.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Forget it.”

  “Nee, tell me why you said that,” Lily insisted.

  “It’s nothing.” Tulip hurried to the kitchen and found her mother sitting down drinking a cup of tea.

  “Mamm, did you know that Nathanial Schumacher is bringing Daisy home?”

  “Jah, from the singing. Lily told me.”

  “Mamm, I said, Nathanial Schumacher!”

  Lily had followed her into the kitchen. “What’s wrong with you? You’re saying that like he’s a bad person or something. You’re not the only one in the haus who can have a boyfriend.”

  Tulip ignored her sister and stared at her mother, looking for a different reaction.

  “You were right, Tulip. Someone can’t be judged by what their siblings have done. It’s just not fair. Everyone is their own person,” their mother said. “You told me yourself no one should hold him responsible for his bruder’s actions.”

  “Maybe I was wrong!” Tulip said.

  “You’re jealous!” Lily said with a raised voice. “She doesn’t want Daisy or me to have a boyfriend, Mamm. She thinks she’s the only one who can have one. Tell her, Mamm.”

  “Hush, both of you.”

  “Both of us? I’m not raising my voice,” Tulip said. “I’m just worried, that’s all.”

  “Go up to your rooms. I’ll be glad when you’re all married and out of the haus. Go to your rooms now!”

  Tulip left the room before Lily. She knew Lily was scowling at her, but didn’t look her way. Why was she getting into trouble? She was only trying to warn her mother that Nathanial was trouble.

  For the next few hours, Tulip paced up and down her bedroom worrying about Daisy. The girl was immature and Nathanial, well, he was deceitful at best. And what if he was like his brother in other ways? Tulip feared the worst, but didn’t know what to do.

  * * *

  Nancy left her husband reading the bible in the living room, waiting for Daisy to come home, while she went to bed. She felt bad for saying mean things to the girls just now, but sometimes they pushed her and tested her patience to the limit. One minute Tulip was defending Nathanial, and the next minute she was making out he wasn’t to be trusted. Hezekiah thought Nathanial was a good man so she’d have to trust her husband’s judgment.

  Trusting her daughters with men was another thing she was gradually trying to do as well. Each girl would have to rely on her own judgment at one point or another. She couldn’t make every one of their decisions for them. Going on a buggy ride with a man might help Daisy mature a little. If one twin gained a little maturity it would surely influence the other. When Daisy came home, she would tell her not to be out so late in future.

  After sh
e took off her prayer kapp and brushed out her long hair, she changed into her nightgown. She’d kept out of Tulip’s business as best she could in regard to Wilhem and things seemed to be working out well between them. She was there for Tulip to ask advice of and that seemed to be enough. Rose had needed a lot more guidance, but Tulip was the sensible one in the family out of all the girls.

  Nancy walked to the window and looked out into the darkness. The warm glow of the moon lightened the darkness a little, and streetlights in the distance twinkled against the darkened landscape. There was no sign of a buggy bringing her daughter back home. It was then she saw a dark shadowy figure moving toward the house. She watched the figure come closer and saw a white prayer kapp and apron. The only girl who would be coming to the house this late at night would be Daisy. Why was she on foot?

  “Hezekiah!” Nancy raced down the stairs and was met by Hezekiah’s worried face. “It’s Daisy coming to the house by herself!”

  Hezekiah’s eyes opened wide as though he couldn’t believe his ears, and then he ran outside.

  Chapter 22

  Tulip heard her mother’s screams and ran down the stairs right behind Lily.

  As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw her father bring Daisy into the house with his arm around her. She’d been crying, looked disheveled, and was out of breath, like she’d been running.

  Their mother ran to Daisy and asked, “Where’s Nathanial?”

  “He tried to attack me. I ran away from him.” Daisy sobbed into her father’s shoulder and he encircled his arms around her.

  Tulip and her mother gasped in shock.

  “What?” their mother shrieked.

  Lily ran to Daisy and hugged her. “He tried to attack you?”

  Daisy nodded and then she rubbed her eyes.

  “What happened?” their father asked, clearly trying to keep a level head.

  “Didn’t you hear her, Dat? He needs to be punished. Go punch him,” Lily said.

  Hezekiah shook his head. “It’s not our way.”

  Lily curled her hands into fists. “So then—what? You can’t let him get away with this.”

  “Are you hurt anywhere, Daisy?” their mother asked.

  “Nee. I’m not. I should never have gone with him. You should’ve stopped me, Mamm. You’d never have let Rose go with someone you didn’t know well. Don’t you care about me as much as you care about Rose?”

  Tulip looked at her mother and could see the hurt on her face at Daisy’s words.

  Tulip stepped in closer to Daisy. “You can’t blame Mamm. Nathanial did this. He’s the one to blame.”

  Their mother burst into tears. “It’s all my fault. Daisy is right. I should never have let her go.”

  “Let’s not find people to blame. Daisy, why don’t you go into the kitchen with your mudder and have a cup of hot tea?”

  Daisy wiped her eyes and nodded. “Okay.”

  He then said, “I’ll talk to the bishop about this in the morning.”

  “Gut!” Lily yelled. “Finally, something will be done about him. I hope he’s run out of town. I hate him! If I were a man, I’d go there right now and make him sorry he did what he did.”

  “That’s not helping the matter, Lily,” their father said quietly. “Now go help your mudder make the tea.”

  While the twins and their mother walked to the kitchen, Tulip stood by the bottom of the stairs, looking at her father. It couldn’t have been easy not to head out the door and find Nathanial and have words with him. She could see by her father’s face that he was dreadfully shaken. His whole face had turned a ghostly gray, almost a blue color.

  “Are you okay, Dat?”

  He nodded and then sat down in his chair, staring into the distance. She admired his self-control. Tulip was feeling the same outrage as Lily. They were both upset that a man would lay a hand on their sister and she could only imagine how their mother felt. If their father had raced out the door to confront Nathanial, she would’ve been scared for both of them. The Amish way was far better, as no good ever came from violence. The bishop would handle the whole thing and come up with some kind of resolution. In her heart, Tulip suspected that Nathanial would go back to Oakes County quite soon after everybody found out about this episode.

  “Dat, would you like me to get you a cup of hot tea?”

  “Jah, denke, Rose.”

  “It’s Tulip, Dat.”

  “Ah, sorry. Denke, Tulip.”

  Tulip walked into the kitchen to see Daisy dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.

  “He tried to attack me, Tulip. I can’t tell you more.”

  Tulip gasped. “That’s just not right. Did you tell Dat anything else before you came inside the haus?”

  She shook her head. “Mamm said she’ll tell him again so that he can tell the bishop tomorrow.”

  “Gut!” Tulip put her arm around Daisy. “Don’t you worry about anything. I’m sure he’ll be leaving here soon.”

  “Denke, Tulip. I hope so.”

  When the pot boiled, Tulip made tea for everyone and then took a cup out to her father.

  “Here’s your tea, Dat.” She looked closer to see that he had his eyes closed. It seemed odd that he had been so wide-awake and now he was sleeping after the huge drama that had just taken place. She touched him gently on his shoulder. “Dat.” He didn’t wake. Tulip touched him again and when he didn’t respond she was suddenly certain he was dead. She dropped the tea and screamed. “Mamm!”

  Everyone ran out from the kitchen.

  “I think Dat’s dead! He won’t wake up.”

  Their mother rushed to feel for his pulse. “He’s not dead! Quick, call 911!”

  Tulip grabbed a lantern and the three girls headed to the barn.

  * * *

  Nancy stared at her husband’s lifeless-looking body. He was still breathing and had a pulse, but he wouldn’t wake.

  “I can’t lose you, Hezekiah. We told each other we’d have more years alone when the girls get married. I need those years with you.” Tears ran down her face. “Don’t leave me alone. You can’t.” She sobbed. It had never occurred to her that she might lose her husband so soon before they reached old age.

  The twins ran back inside. “They’re coming. They’re sending an ambulance. Tulip is still on the phone with them. They’re asking her a lot of questions.”

  “What’s wrong with him, Mamm?”

  “I don’t know, Daisy. I don’t know.”

  Chapter 23

  Twenty minutes later, Tulip stood with the twins at the front door, watching the ambulance leave with their father. Their mother had been allowed to travel to the hospital with him. They were told he might have fainted due to heart failure or possible hypertension.

  “You know whose fault this is?” Lily said.

  “It’s Nathanial’s fault. He gave Dat a heart attack. I could see by Dat’s face something was wrong. He was filled with so much rage and he didn’t let it out. I’m not going to let Nathanial get away with it,” Tulip said.

  “Dat said we shouldn’t look for people to blame,” Daisy said.

  “Dat’s not here! Lily, hand me that lantern.” While Lily gave her the lantern, Tulip said, “Now come with me, both of you, and help me hitch the buggy.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “We’re not going anywhere. You’re both staying here. I’m going to tell Nathanial what he did to our vadder.”

  “You can’t go there. It’s too late. You’ll wake Mr. and Mrs. Schumacher,” Daisy said.

  “And Matthew,” Lily added.

  “Then they’ll all hear what he’s done.” Tulip marched to the barn with a twin on each side. “As soon as I’m gone, call Rose, Trevor, and Peter—tell them about Dat.”

  Tulip had ordered the twins to stay home, and given the mood she was in they obeyed.

  * * *

  Before she knew it, Tulip was right outside the Schumachers’ front door.

  Matthew stepped
outside before she got out of the buggy. He walked forward and squinted at her in the dark. “Tulip, is that you?”

  She jumped out of the buggy. “Jah. I’m here to see Nathanial.”

  “Okay, I’ll get him.”

  Nathanial walked outside. “Jah? Why are you here so late, Tulip? If you’ve got anything to say to me, can’t you do that at a reasonable hour?”

  “You attacked my schweschder.”

  Matthew stepped forward. “Is that true, Nathanial?”

  “She’s lying,” Nathanial said out of the side of his mouth while he glared at Tulip.

  “Not only did you assault Daisy, you caused my vadder to have a heart attack. He’s in the hospital right now.”

  Matthew stepped forward. “Is he okay?”

  “She’s lying about everything. They’re a familye of liars, Matthew.”

  “Nee, they aren’t, Nathanial. I’ve known them all my life and I’ve never known any of them to lie—not even once.” He turned to Tulip. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Nee, Matthew. He’s in the hospital. I hope he’ll be all right. It’s your fault, Nathanial.”

  Matthew stared at Nathanial, who turned away and walked back inside the house.

  “Are you okay, Tulip? It must have given you all a dreadful fright. And Daisy, is she okay?”

  “Daisy was really shaken over what he did to her. She ran away from him, and then she had to walk home all alone in the dark.”

  Matthew rubbed his chin. “Mamm and Dat won’t want him to stay with us when they find out what’s happened.”

  “I’m glad you came outside, Matthew. I wanted to hit him so badly just then when he denied what he did. Dat was going to tell the bishop about what he did in the morning. He won’t be able to do that now. I’ll have to go to the bishop and tell him myself.”

  “I know how you must feel. I’m sorry this whole thing has happened. I hope your vadder will be all right.”

  “Me too. I’ll go home and call the hospital and see if they can tell me how he is.”

  “Do you want me to drive you home?”