Part 22 (1/2)
”No, Hen, you're the one who needs s.p.a.ce.” She heard him breathe out in a huff.
”Mattie Sue and I are doing all right here. But we miss you, Brandon.”
”It was outrageous what you did.” He sounded like he'd been storing up his frustration until this minute. ”You cleared out Mattie's room!”
She sputtered, trying to make an excuse. ”I wanted her to feel ... comfortable.”
”Do you ever listen to yourself?” he said. ”You aren't planning a short stay, are you?”
”Don't jump to conclusions.”
”Am I?”
She sighed. This was deteriorating quickly. ”Mattie Sue would love to see you.”
”Well, bring her home.”
She ignored his comment, trying to remember all the good times they'd shared. Right now, in the heat of their discussion, she hardly recalled any. ”Did you get my letter?”
”I told you what you could do about visiting before you left.”
”Mattie Sue and I really hope you'll come,” Hen said, trying to do what the bishop's wife had said, but she was failing miserably. ”I'd love to cook a nice hot dinner for you - your favorite.”
”On an old cookstove, right?”
”Actually, yes.” She said more softly, ”I think you might like it.”
He hedged, like he wasn't sure, despite his usual bravado. ”I would like to see Mattie ... and you, too, Hen.” He paused for what seemed like minutes. Then he added, ”But why not cook here?”
”It would mean a lot to us if you'd accept our invitation ... here.” She waited, hoping he might change his mind. ”I'll make steak with the rich gravy you like.”
Another long pause. Was there any chance he'd accept?
Then, with a sense of great deliberation, he said, ”I'll come on one condition.”
”Yes?” She held her breath.
”That dinner is only with you and Mattie.”
”That's fine. I'll look forward to it, and Mattie Sue will be so happy.”
”By the way, I was planning a little surprise for Mattie, so maybe I'll bring it along,” he said almost cheerfully.
”Any hints?”
”Nope ... you'll just have to wonder.”
She almost smiled. So the real Brandon was definitely alive and well. ”We'll eat around five o'clock, okay?”
He said he'd be there, and she hung up the phone. Overwhelmed with relief, Hen did a little jig right there inside the rickety phone shanty. He's not as stubborn as I thought!
Hen waited until after Mattie Sue was ready for bed to tell her the news. ”Daddy's coming for supper this Sat.u.r.day.”
”Goody! I'll help set the table,” Mattie Sue volunteered, surprising Hen as they sat at the small table in a circle of gaslight. ”And, Mommy, do I have to wear my old clothes? The fancy ones?”
”No, darling. You can wear your favorite Amish dress.”
”The blue one!” Mattie Sue hurried off to the front room and returned with her two library books. ”Can I show these to Daddy, too ?”
You sure won't be watching TV together!
”If you want to.”
Mattie Sue looked up at her. ”And, Mommy?”
”Yes, sweetie.”
”Is Daddy coming to live with us?”
She hadn't expected this. ”Well, he didn't grow up like I did, so he's not as interested in Amish ways, honey.”
”I didn't grow up here, either, Mommy.”
She has a good point!
There was a knock at the door, and they looked up to see Rose Ann waving at them through its window.
”Come in,” Hen called as Mattie Sue ran to give her aunt a hug.
Rose greeted her niece and watched as she spun around in her little Amish dress till Mattie squealed, ”I'm getting daremlich!”
Hen laughed. She's not only dizzy; she's picking up Deitsch very quickly. And in that moment, she startled herself, realizing how happy she was to use her first language more freely. It would be easier if I felt that way about everything, like not driving a car. She had a strong attachment to her sedan. Yet Hen understood Dad's concern in asking her to park it somewhere less obvious. ”Hide it under a tree somewhere,” he'd advised just before supper. Despite the lack of power lines, anyone pa.s.sing by who saw it might immediately gather the house was occupied by Englishers.
”Pick a storybook,” Rose Ann said as she settled down onto the little settee with Mattie, near the window.
Mattie Sue was teasing her auntie, shuffling the books - both were stories about puppies. ”I can't decide! Eenie, meenie, miney, moe...
”Close your eyes, then.” Rose Ann placed the books behind her back. ”Okay, now point to one of my hands, either the right or the left, and that's the book we'll read first.”
Mattie Sue giggled and waited, s.h.i.+lly-shallying, undecided as to which hand to choose. Hen was amused by her daughter's inability to make a decision - how the bishop must think of me now. The realization made her chagrined. She wanted to open her arms to her husband - embrace him fully without accepting the worldly things he stood for. There was the biggest catch, and the most difficult challenge. But to obey the man of G.o.d, she must figure out how to combine the two.
Maybe Sat.u.r.day's supper will prove helpful, Hen thought, still shocked that Brandon had agreed to come.
Yet the confident ring in his voice when he had mentioned a surprise made her not only wonder, but also shelter her heart.
While Rose Ann read to Mattie Sue, Hen paged through the small wedding alb.u.m she'd brought. She stared at her own happy face as a young bride and recalled how giddy she had been that day. Brandon had jokingly suggested they marry quickly to keep from sinning - certainly they'd hardly known each other long enough to make a rational decision about a lifelong commitment. But they had grown as friends since then, although now when Hen thought of it, she wasn't sure what commonalities they shared. They didn't see eye to eye on rearing a child, that was evident.
With her pointer finger, she traced her wedding veil in a picture. What did I set out to give to this marriage? Am I still this Plain-turnedfancy woman inside?
She glanced over at her sister, all curled up with Mattie Sue. The endearing sight brought tears to her eyes. How can I not stay the course here with my darling girl?