Amish Sweethearts (10 page)

Reuben sat beside Lila and inched closer. Monika smiled. For as much as everyone else had pressured Lila to marry Reuben, Monika hadn’t. She said she learned her lesson with Eve. It was one of life’s ironies, Monika had said, that she ended up marrying the man she’d tried to force on Eve.

Monika hadn’t pressured Daniel and Jenny either. She simply said they needed to rely on God’s timing.

“Have another piece of candy,” Monika said as she passed the plate of divinity to Lila. She passed it on to Reuben. When Lila was still in school, after Aenti Eve left to marry Charlie, Monika would come over and take care of Trudy and then be around after school for all of the children. Even after she married the bishop she continued to care for all of them, until Lila finished her last year of school. At fourteen, Lila wasn’t fully equipped to run a household but she figured it out. By then Trudy was three. She’d always been a compliant child. Rose, on the other hand, at nine, had been more of a handful than Trudy.

Dat’s voice grew louder. “You talk to him, then. I’ve probably said too much already.”

Lila turned her head toward the kitchen, surprised at her father’s admission. Dat had done his best to portray their family as stable all these years. Thanks to Monika, Shani, and Aenti Eve—when she was allowed to help—the family had survived. But Lila longed for them to be doing well. Especially for Trudy’s sake. Lila feared her little sister had no idea what a normal family was like.

“What’s going on?” Monika asked Lila.

Jenny shot Daniel a look. He’d obviously told her. Lila was surprised neither of them had told Monika.

“Simon,” Lila said, as if that explained everything.

It wasn’t until Monika asked Lila if she’d like more coffee that she realized she’d drained her cup. She nodded, and Monika was immediately on her feet and headed to the kitchen.

“How about another cup?” Lila heard her ask the men. Then she said, “Come join us. We all want to spend time with the two of you.”

Gideon and Dat followed Monika back into the living room. Monika’s relationship with her first husband had been espe
cially sweet for an old Amish couple, at least from what Lila remembered. They hugged in public, and Monika was always saying corny things about him. But then he died from a heart attack and a year later she married Gideon.

Even as a twelve-year-old, Lila couldn’t imagine that Monika’s second marriage would be as good as her first, but it seemed to be. She and Gideon definitely respected each other and though they weren’t as affectionate, at least in public, they seemed to deeply care for each other. She was a good support as a bishop’s wife, treating people in the district with empathy and concern. Perhaps Monika made such a good wife to Gideon because of the deep love from her first marriage. Or maybe that was just what kind of woman she was.

Lila doubted that Monika questioned her love for either of her husbands. Most likely she’d simply committed herself to loving them. It gave Lila hope she could do the same with Reuben.

After a while Dat said he’d head on back to the house while the children went to their grandparents’ place. “You can go in Daniel’s truck,” Dat said.

Rose frowned, most likely opposed to being squished in the back seat of Daniel’s small cab.

“Will Simon meet us there?” Lila asked.

Dat shrugged. “Perhaps not,” he said, giving the bishop a look.

“What about going to Eve and Charlie’s?” Lila asked. They always went the day after Christmas. It was the only time all year Dat visited their house.

“I talked to Eve last night. They’re going to meet you at your grandparents’.”

Lila furrowed her brow, thinking about Dat arranging everything. It wasn’t like him.

Jenny stayed at her house—there wasn’t room for her in the pickup. Everyone, even Trudy, stayed quiet as Daniel drove south. Their grandparents had moved into a cottage on the outskirts of Strasburg the year before, leaving behind the acreage and old farmhouse. Now they had a big lot, a chicken coop, and a large garden. That was it.

After they’d filed into their grandparents’ home, and gotten hugs from each, and then from Charlie and Eve too, Mammi asked where Simon was.

When none of the children answered, Mammi asked, “Is something wrong?”

Trudy wringed her hands. “He’s joined the Army.”

Mammi gasped. “Has he left already?”

“No,” Lila answered, holding on to her coat. The comforting scent of Mammi’s lavender talcum powder seemed incongruous with the pain in Lila’s heart. “He’s at home.”

“Dat and the bishop are talking with him,” Trudy said.

Lila shook her head. “We don’t know that.”

Rose elbowed her. “Don’t be stupid. Of course that’s what they’re doing.”

Lila ignored her sister and looked past her grandmother. Dawdi, Eve, and Charlie all had worried expressions on their faces.

“Come on and get warm,” Mammi said, reaching for Lila’s coat. “You must be freezing.”

“We rode in Daniel’s pickup,” Trudy said. It was still a thrill for her to ride in a vehicle.

“Oh,” Mammi said. She wouldn’t say it, but Lila was sure she felt surprised Dat allowed it—not for Lila and Rose but for Trudy. He did his best to try to keep her from being influenced by the older kids, but of course it couldn’t be helped.

They filed into the cozy living room. A small Christmas tree, decorated with quilted ornaments and bright lights, sat in the
corner, and several red candles were lit around the room. The scent of evergreen filled the air.

While the others visited, Lila helped her grandmother put together a light meal of leftover ham, potatoes, rolls, and broccoli and cauliflower salad. Lila’s hand shook as she dumped the rolls in a basket. “Sweetie,” Mammi said, “is it Simon you’re worried about?”

Lila started to nod but stopped herself. “Everything feels upside down.”

Mammi placed the last piece of ham on the platter and turned toward her. A strand of gray hair hung from her bun. She looked a little weathered, more so even than a few days earlier. Lila hoped her grandmother could get some extra rest now that the holiday shopping season was over.

“What else is going on?”

Lila pursed her lips. She shouldn’t have said anything. “Maybe it’s just that I’m tired.”

“Maybe you need a rest. Have you thought about the job offer?”

Lila nodded.

“You could live here, with us. In the upstairs room.”

Lila hadn’t talked to Dat about Mammi’s offer. Everything had been too chaotic. But the job was tempting. So was living with her grandparents. After sharing a bedroom all these years, the cottage loft would be an escape. But she couldn’t leave her sisters.

“You’ve been taking care of others all these years.” Mammi’s kind blue eyes met Lila’s and watered just a little. “I would love to take care of you for a while, before you marry.”

Lila swallowed the growing lump in her throat.

Mammi turned to the sink to wash her hands. “Do you have an answer for me, then?”

“Jah.”

“And?”

Lila swallowed hard, again. “I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to Rose. Or Trudy.”

Mammi met her eyes again. “It might be good for Rose to be in charge and learn to care for a home.”

Lila nodded. That was true. “But it wouldn’t be good for Trudy.” Or Dat. She didn’t want to upset him any more than he already was.

“What will they do when you marry?”

Lila shrugged, her eyes filling with tears.

“Sweetie,” Mammi said, clasping Lila’s hand. “Does this have to do with Simon planning to leave?”

Lila’s gazed drifted away from Mammi and toward the others in the living room. “Jah.” But it was more than that. The Army had taken Zane and now Simon. She was terrified that she might lose both of them.

6

T
wo days after Christmas, Adam played beside the tree with his new Legos as Shani dug her cell phone from her jacket pocket. She checked it again to see if she’d missed a call. Zane had texted when he reached Texas, but she hadn’t talked to him since he left.

She headed down the hall to her room as she unlocked her phone and pressed Zane’s number. It rang several times before he answered. She sat down on her bed, her gaze falling on the wooded area outside the window.

“Hey, Mom,” Zane finally said. “I have you on speaker phone.”

“Where are you?”

“On my way to lunch.”

“Driving?”

“Yeah . . .” His voice sounded stilted.

“How’s Texas?”

“Good.”

Back when Zane used to talk nonstop, Shani never thought she’d miss it. But she did.

A woman’s voice came over the line, saying, “Turn here.”

Zane wasn’t alone. Shani smiled.

“Should I call later?” she asked.

“Hold on a second,” Zane said.

“It looks like a dive,” the woman said. “But the food is great.”

The phone clicked, and Shani realized Zane had put her on mute. She stood and stepped to the window. Snow hung on the branches of the evergreen trees and even though it was only midafternoon, the wooded area was gray and dark.

The phone clicked again, and Zane said, “I’m back.”

“Is it warm down there?” Shani asked.

“Yeah, in the high seventies.”

That sounded like a dream.

“What are you having for lunch?”

“Indian food.”

Shani smiled again. It had never been his first choice in the past. “Who’s the girl?”

“One of the soldiers in my unit.”

“Does she have a name?”

“Come on, Mom.” His voice sounded light. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

Shani didn’t reply.

“Her name is Casey,” Zane finally said. “But she’s just a friend. And she went on ahead into the restaurant, just in case you’re wondering if she’s listening.”

“Where’s she from?”

“All over. She’s a Navy brat.”

“And she joined the Army?”

Zane chuckled. “Yeah. Go figure.” He cleared his throat and then said, “Listen . . .”

Shani interrupted. “You need to go.”

“How’d you know?” he asked, and then laughed a third time. Shani smiled at the thought of him actually being happy. “But
first, if you guys really want to come down before I ship out, I’d like to have you take my truck back home.”

“Of course,” Shani answered. “We’ll be there. Text me the dates, and we’ll get tickets tonight.”

“Thanks,” Zane said.

“Tell Casey hello,” Shani added, keeping her voice light.

“It’s not like that,” Zane replied. “Really.”

It was Shani’s turn to laugh. “I can hope, can’t I?”

Zane didn’t respond to her question, but instead asked if Simon had been over since Christmas Eve.

“No. Why?”

“Just wondering,” Zane said. He quickly added, “I’ll call in a couple of days.”

“Okay, I’ll e-mail you the flight info tonight.”

“Bye,” he said and hung up before she could tell him she loved him.

As she headed back to the living room, wondering what was up with Simon, Adam called out, “Eve’s here.”

Shani quickened her step. That was exactly what she needed to take her mind off Zane. By the time she reached the front door, Eve was walking up the steps, but then she turned. Shani stepped out on the porch and saw Tim marching toward them.

He waved, first at Eve and then at Shani. He wore his long work coat and straw hat. His beard seemed to have more gray in it than the last time Shani had seen him.

Shani waved back to him. “Come on in for a cup of coffee.”

“Denki,” he replied, quickening his step even more. Shani held the door open for Eve and then for Tim. “Is your father still here? I wanted to speak with him before he leaves.”

“He’s out back, looking at the apple trees. He should be coming in soon.”

“I’ll go find him,” Tim said.

Adam came from around the Christmas tree. “Can I go out too?” he asked Shani.

“Of course.” She turned back to Tim. “Come back for a cup of coffee when you’re done. Tell Dad to also.”

He nodded and without waiting for Adam went back out the front door.

“Bundle up,” Shani said to her son as she led the way to the kitchen. He nodded. He always did. He didn’t love the cold the way Zane had when he was a boy. He was so much less daring than Zane was, and she was grateful for that.

As Shani measured the coffee she asked her friend, “How was yesterday? At Leona and Eli’s?”

“It was all right, but Tim didn’t come over.”

“Oh?”

Eve nodded. “Simon didn’t come either. He’s done something crazy—”

Shani’s eyes met Eve’s pained expression. “He didn’t,” Shani said, remembering his jokes about joining the Army.

Eve nodded. “He did.”

Shani filled the carafe and then poured the water into the machine. “When did he do it?”

“Christmas Eve morning.”

Zane knew. That’s why he’d asked if she’d spoken to Simon.

She pushed the Start button. “Why would he do that?”

“You’re not playing your role of Army wife very well.”

“Ex-Army wife.” She grabbed two mugs from the cupboard. “My role now is Army mom. And neighbor. How could Simon do that?”

Eve shrugged. “We haven’t talked with him about it—not since he joined.”

“Is Tim furious with us?”