Second Chances (19 page)

While she was still pondering this, Cris and Mary returned, their arms carrying trays
filled with sodas and bagged snacks for everyone.

“What do we each owe you, then?” Jonas said, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

Cris held up his hand. “
Nee
, Jonas. It was nothing, especially after all of your
generosity.”

Jonas shook his head, taking out a few single dollar bills and thrusting them at
Cris. Benjamin and Freman did the same. “
Nee
,” Jonas said. “Fair is fair. Take the
extra for the women,
ja
?”

It was the way of the Amish.
Fair was fair
. Had Jonas not offered, Cris would have
thought nothing of it. However, once he had handed the money forward, Cris had no
choice but to accept it. Anna understood the foundation of fastidiousness for fairness
that flowed under every exchange: nothing was given or accepted for free. It was
a token of goodwill and kept disagreements over money at bay.

For the next hour, the small group watched the auction, some with more genuine interest
than others. Anna remained transfixed, watching the horses with an intensity that
made Jonas laugh, teasing her that she might want to purchase one for herself. Blushing,
Anna smiled and returned her attention to the front of the room.

Occasionally, she would look at the people surrounding her. While most were men,
all dressed in black pants, white shirts, and black jackets, there were a few women
beside them. Anna noticed a young man and woman, clearly not married, for the man
wore no beard upon his chin, seated toward the back. She wondered if they were courting.
With the wedding season so near, they might
have snuck away under the guise of attending
the auction to spend some time together before their betrothal would be announced
in another few weeks.

In the row next to them, a woman in a dark green dress with gray rubber shoes on
her feet held a baby. Dressed in a little pink dress, her blond hair tucked under
a tiny white prayer
kapp
, the baby couldn't have been more than a year old. Her big
blue eyes stared back at Anna, and upon realizing that she was being watched, the
baby smiled and squirmed, struggling to push up so that she could peer over her mother's
shoulder. Anna laughed, and when the mother glanced in her direction, curious to
see what her daughter found so amusing, they exchanged smiles.

“Such a cute
boppli
,” Leah said.

Anna nodded. “Oh,
ja
, she's a precious little one, indeed.”

After several hours had passed, Anna sensed that the other women were ready to leave,
although no one would have suggested such a thing. For Anna, she could have stayed
there all day and well into the evening. She suspected that the men too were enjoying
themselves. A few times, Jonas had excused himself to greet someone that he knew:
a friend, neighbor, or relative. Always, he would bring the person back to introduce
his son's guests.

“Oh, look, Anna!” Leah nudged her gently. “Is that the horse you wanted to see?”

Anna glanced at the white numbered tag on the horse's croup and then checked it against
the paper. “Number two thirty-seven! Oh, look how beautiful she is!” For the moment
she forgot the controversy over high-stepping horses. The black mare trotted down
the track, her mane braided along the arch of her neck into tiny, rosebud-like plaits,
her front legs lifted high in the air.

Benjamin leaned forward and pointed over her shoulder at the horse. “She's a nice-looking
mare. Look at her conformation!”

Not wanting to admit that she wasn't familiar with what a horse's conformation should
or shouldn't be, she merely nodded.

Unlike the previous horse, which was auctioned for only six hundred dollars, this
horse created a stir among the attendees, and as the bidding began, new energy and
excitement filled the atmosphere.

“What say you, Freman? Four thousand?”

All of the women gasped.

Freman, however, leaned back in his chair and shook his head, laughing. “
Nee
, Benjamin.
For just four thousand, I'd buy her myself and ship her back to Indiana!”

“Then what will be the high bid?”

For a moment, Freman stared at the horse, his eyes gazing over Anna's head toward
the front of the room. While all of the other women waited expectantly for his response,
Anna felt the color rise to her cheeks, uncomfortable in his line of vision.

“For such a godly creature,” Freman said slowly, his eyes momentarily flickering
to Anna's before he turned to look at Benjamin. “Just under seven. Sixty-eight hundred.”

At this announcement, Cris balked. “That's a king's ransom.”

“Indeed,” Freman replied. “And worth every penny.” He paused as if thinking of something.
“There is no value to be placed on a faithful partner that will carry you along many
a journey. In addition, she will produce many nice foals.”

Hannah and Leah shot amused glances at each other as Jonas clapped him on the shoulder.
“Well said, Freman. Now, let's see which of you fellows is right and which one will
have egg on his face.”

Anna focused on the rapid-fire words that the auctioneer spoke into the microphone,
his voice droning into a lull-like, hypnotic leitmotiv. Hands with white papers were
being raised on both sides of the room, quickly at first, the auctioneer pointing
toward them as he sang numbers. Slowly, as the amount of the horse increased, the
volume of rising hands decreased. When the bidding passed four thousand, Benjamin
leaned forward as if anticipating the offers to cease. But to everyone's amazement,
the bids continued until only two men were left in the competition.

“Oh, I hope the better man will win the horse,” Anna said, more to herself than to
anyone else.

Jonas, however, had heard her words. “They're both right
gut
men, Anna,” he reassured
her. “And for this kind of money, that horse will be well cared for, that's for sure
and certain!”

“Sold!” The auctioneer's gavel slammed down on the table and he pointed toward the
man seated to the right of the room. “Sixty-six hundred dollars to bidder eighty-six,
Gid Peachey!”

A murmur went around the room and heads nodded, clearly expressing pleasure, not
just with the purchase itself but with the free entertainment that the bidding war
had provided.

It was close to four in the afternoon when they all returned to the Eshes' farm.
While the men tended to chores, the women offered their assistance to Rebecca.
The
table, however, was already set and the food already placed upon the white tablecloth,
pieces of aluminum foil covering the heated items.

Instead of helping her, Rebecca insisted that the women sit and tell her about the
auction.

“Oh, my word! Sixty-six hundred dollars for a horse?” She shook her head, a look
of disapproval on her face. “Such extravagance!”

Mary immediately agreed with her. “Seems a bit prideful to me . . . driving around
with a fancy horse when any Standardbred will do!”

“Oh, Mary!” Hannah said. “It's a personal preference, no doubt!”

“
Ja vell
, that's not for me!” Her hand fluttered in the air dismissively.

Anna wondered if she might remind her sister of her generous offer to purchase her
own father's new buggy, complete with the self-generating battery and fancy mahogany
dashboard, despite already having one.

Over the supper meal, the men relished retelling the stories from the day, Jonas
making certain to update his wife about all of the people he had caught up with.
But the highlight of the day was, unanimously, the story of the Dutch Harness horse.
Benjamin took his time to describe the mare and the bidding war that ensued in great
detail. There was, undeniably, a sparkle in his eyes, one that hadn't been there
before that day. For the first time Anna understood that, beneath the layers of mourning,
there was a lively young man hidden there.
And, from the joy that radiated from his parents, she suspected that he was long
overdue to unlock the door so that his true self could be freed.

After supper, over pecan pie and homemade vanilla ice cream, plans were discussed
for the following morning. Jonas suggested that they leave no later than a quarter
after seven. The worship service would start promptly at eight o'clock in the morning.
Since it was being held at a farm not too far from theirs, he also suggested that
they walk.

“It's our last service before the autumn baptism,” he added. “Four youths are taking
their kneeling vow in two weeks.”

A moment of reverent silence fell over the group, each person undoubtedly thinking
back to the day when they too had knelt before their own
g
'
may
and acknowledged that
Jesus was their Savior. Additionally, they had agreed to forego conformity to the
world, to reject worldliness, and to live a plain life.

Once undertaken, the vow could not be reversed . . . at least not easily. To leave
the church after accepting the baptism meant being shunned from family, friends,
and community. So the seriousness of the decision was understood by all of those
who had already made the same commitment.

And, of course, two weeks after the baptism service would be the autumn communion.
Anna knew what that meant: a flurry of weddings would soon follow.

She suspected that Hannah and Caleb's announcement would take place shortly after
Communion Sunday. She had long ago noticed Salome's garden, full of growing celery
plants—always an indicator that a wedding was being planned. But as she sat at the
table, listening to the men talking and hearing the women laugh, she wondered if
there might be another match at the table.

“Now, you women head on up to bed,” Rebecca said as she stood to clear the dessert
plates. “It's after eight o'clock. You've had a long day and we've another one that
starts early tomorrow.”

While Leah, Hannah, and Mary bid their good nights to everyone, Anna refused to let
Rebecca wash all of the dishes on her own. Even though she knew that she needed to
get up at six o'clock in the morning, Anna also knew that she couldn't, in good conscience,
let someone else clean up all the dishes, plates, and utensils alone.

“Many hands make light the work,” she said to Rebecca. Without another word, she
grabbed a towel and began drying the plates and pans after they were washed. In silence
they worked, but it was comforting to Anna. She had grown to like Rebecca, her lighthearted
nature and quick smile reminding her of her own mother, someone she missed very much.
While no one in the community spoke about Anne anymore, Anna often wondered how her
absence had impacted her development. Perhaps, had her mother not passed away, Anna
would have received different advice so long ago, advice that would have taken into
consideration the deepest desires of her heart.

That night, she lay in bed, her eyes adjusting to the dark as she stared out the
window. Darkness blanketed the outdoors but she could make out a few twinkling stars.
After two almost sleepless nights, she hoped she would soon fall asleep, for the
next day was a worship Sunday, and she did not want to risk dozing off during the
long, three-hour service. Lunch and a long day of visiting would follow the service,
and she wanted to be rested enough to enjoy all of the new sights and people.
As
she shut her eyelids, her breath deepening, her last thought before succumbing to
slumber was how much she was actually looking forward to worshipping with the Esh
family and their
g
'
may
.

Chapter Eleven

W
HAT DO YOU
mean you're going to leave me here? And all alone!” Mary's shrill and
boisterous voice cut through Anna as she emphasized the word
alone
.