Part 21 (1/2)
”Well, when?” she asked, her heart in her throat.
”Honest, you'd really go?”
”Just there and back,” she said. Only for you .. .
And with that, Rose headed into the house. By now, it was too late to continue reading Emma. She would simply go to bed and pick up the book another time ... and try to put the emotions of this strange night behind her. Oh, if that is even possible.
The damp, windy weather wasn't exactly the best for fixing Gilbert Browning's front porch, but Nick would still make quick work of the sc.r.a.ping. Rose guessed he would need to match the paint in Quarryville and come back to do the priming and painting another day.
She'd looked for Nick from the kitchen window earlier that Thursday morning and saw him out near the barn, talking with Dat and Christian. It was strange to think now of being held in his strong arms last night - out there in the backyard, of all places! What was he thinking? And, worse, why had she been so taken by his sudden affection?
No, it wasn't like that, Rose a.s.sured herself. Although, now that she considered it, she had no idea just what she'd felt at all.
Around eight o'clock, she noticed Nick with his tools slung in a bag on his shoulder, riding out toward the road on Pepper. Our horse, she thought, surprising herself with the thought.
She wondered why he hadn't bothered to hitch up to a carriage. Nick was taking this sort of shortcut a lot lately. Surely the bishop frowns on that.
Seeing him fly down the road reminded Rose again of Nick's odd behavior last night. For the life of her, she could not understand his keen interest in going to a big city. And if it was truly a visit to his mother's grave in Philadelphia that drew him, why had he waited so long to say so? Or is he using it as an excuse?
She also wondered if his interest in his modern beginnings was the reason he'd never joined the church. This made her tremble - not for her sake, or for the possible loss of their friends.h.i.+p - but for Nick's very soul.
It was all coming back to Hen - making meals from scratch and cooking on a woodstove, relying on gas lamps and lanterns at night while lingering at the table after supper with her family ... and reading the Bible afterward. Even bowing her head with the family for silent prayer.
Living in one accord, she thought as she opened the door to Rachel's Fabrics. She could hear Rachel and several ladies already at work in the smaller back room, chattering softly in Pennsylvania Dutch while working on a quilt. For a moment it made her feel homesick to hear them, and then she remembered she was right back where she'd longed to be. While half of her felt so alone without Brandon, her heart was at home.
She had been grateful for her sister-in-law Kate's eagerness to look after Mattie Sue once more this morning. Mattie's little face had brightened like a Christmas bulb when Hen brushed her hair back into a bun and told her she would be spending the day with her Amish cousins.
Mattie had asked if she was going to work again, and Hen a.s.sured her it was not going to be more than twice a week. It pleased her to see how rapidly her daughter was taking to this way of life, soaking it up like a thirsty sponge.
Hopefully she's beginning to appreciate people more than things.
In fact, when Hen had arrived with Mattie at josh and Kate's farmhouse, Mattie ran straight into the kitchen and hugged Linda and Katie, then leaned into the playpen and kissed Annie Mae right on the lips.
She's finally getting the chance to know my side of the family. Hen looked up from the cash register, apprehensive about calling Brandon this evening. How would he receive her? She felt terribly cut off from him without a phone. Aside from the letter, she hadn't contacted him since arriving Monday morning, three days ago.
Too long to be silent.
Looking out the shop window, Hen spotted a bank of dark thunderheads rising in the north. Lavina Zook, one of the regular customers, was getting ready to leave. ”Thanks for coming in today,” Hen said. The middle-aged Amishwoman was trying to push her wallet down into her overflowing pocketbook.
”It'll be makin' down real soon,” Lavina said, frowning with a glance out the window. ”I best be getting home.”
”There was a stiff, cold breeze earlier. You take care now.”
”Oh, I'll be just fine. Will prob'ly be back next week for who knows what.”
”And we'll be here to help,” Hen said casually, but her mind was still on her husband. How would she feel if he turned down her invitation? She had tried not to expect anything remarkable to come of her letter so that she wouldn't be hurt if he either snubbed or totally rejected it. Was he even missing her?
Lord, will you work in Brandon's heart? she thought, then a.s.sisted a pair of customers with color choices for their quilt patterns.
Later, Hen was straightening up the counter where fabric samples and thread were strewn about when she looked up to see her old friend Arie Zook coming through the door with her baby. ”Arie, hi!” she said, holding herself back from rus.h.i.+ng over to hug her.
Arie's freckled cheeks flushed red beneath her black outer bonnet, but she looked right at Hen. ”I got your letter.”
”Did you?” Hen felt nearly embarra.s.sed now - such unpleasant awkwardness between former bosom buddies. The gulf between the counter and the few yards to the door seemed unsurpa.s.sable for a moment.
”Denki for writing to me.”
”I've wanted to for the longest time,” Hen replied.
”You're lookin' nice and Plain,” Arie observed. ”How do ya like workin' here?”
”Rachel's really wonderful.” She glanced toward the quilting room. ”I'm enjoying it.”
”That's gut.”
”I haven't decided on a pattern yet,” Hen forged ahead, ”but I'm determined to make a quilt for Mattie Sue sometime this winter.” She glanced about, glad no one was shopping on this side of the store. Oh, all the months and years she'd missed Arie!
”Such an ambitious project for one person.”
”I'm hoping my grandmother will help, and maybe Mom, too.” She said she was presently living back at her parents' home.
Arie's face fell. ”Oh, so very sorry.”
”My little girl and I are staying in the small Dawdi Haus. Lord willing, it will only be for a short time,” Hen added.
”I hope things work out for ya,” Arie said, eyes solemn.
Hen moved out from behind the counter and went to her. ”I'm glad you came by.”
Arie offered her a small smile. ”I want to apologize for how I behaved that Sunday at your parents'.” She sighed and set the baby carrier on the floor. ”I haven't been able to stop thinkin' how it must've hurt you.”
”But I hurt you years ago. . . .” Hen couldn't finish and was comforted by Arie's tender embrace.
”I don't know how things are going to be for Mattie Sue and me,” she said softly when they'd walked over to the corner, out of earshot. ”I'm going to need your prayers, I know that.”
Arie nodded her head. ”I'd be happy to help out with your daughter, too, if you ever need it. All right?”
Hen blinked back her tears. This longed-for reunion with Arie was as sweet as it was timely. She truly needed an understanding friend.
When Arie was finished shopping for a mere handful of sewing notions, she paid cash for the items and turned to leave. ”I'll look for ya on Sunday at Preaching, Hen.”
”Denki. I'll be there.” It was in that moment, Hen realized with a smile, that Arie had come to Rachel's Fabrics primarily to see her.
While Mamm sat in her wheelchair and did her needlepoint, Rose read aloud from Emma to fill up the silence. She fell easily into the appealing setting, which struck her as a very romantic time. Mamm stopped her occasionally to comment on all the many social events and gatherings - or the women's frivolous preparations for them. Such occasions seemed to occupy all of their waking hours, and at one point, Mamm mused that the young women were ”downright obsessed” with wondering who would be their dance partner.
The rumble of thunder caused Rose to look up from the book, and her eyes met Mamm's. ”Read from the Scriptures awhile, Rosie.”
She went to retrieve the old family Bible. ”Would ya like to hear a psalm?”
”Oh, Psalm Ninety-Eight would be ever so nice,” Mamm said. ”Practice reading it in German, jah?”