A Reluctant Bride (27 page)

“Aden,” Sadie said softly. “Aden and I were married last week. We should have waited for you and Abigail, I know. But I'm being practical—”

“You married Aden?” Joanna's voice rose another decibel. “He's soooo
schee
, Sadie. And nice. Very nice.”

“I wish you could have been at the wedding.”

“Oh, it's okay.” Her smile widened, although how Sadie had no idea. “It's just a ceremony, after all. A moment in time compared to the rest of
yer
lives.”

Abigail put her hand on Sadie's shoulder and squeezed. “You must be hungry, Joanna. Looks like you worked really hard this morning.”

“We can eat lunch if you want to.”

“Joanna, what do you want?” Sadie asked.

Joanna tilted her head, her smile in place. “Whatever you and Abigail want.”

Abigail said they would all eat lunch in Joanna's room. As Abigail wheeled her back to the room, Joanna kept up a steady buzz of conversation in between telling everyone she saw in the hallway “
Gut
morning” and wishing them a happy day. After lunch, they visited until Joanna dozed off.

Sadie stood. “I should get back home,” she said, looking at Joanna.

“To
yer
husband?” Abigail grinned.

A knot formed in Sadie's stomach. She wished she could joke about her relationship with Aden. That would be the normal thing to do.

Abigail stood and hugged Sadie. “
Danki
for coming.”

“You don't have to thank me.” She pulled back and looked at Abigail, who had suddenly become serious.

“
Ya
, I do.” Her voice lowered and she glanced at Joanna, who was still asleep. “I know things are hard for you too. You're keeping everything going back home so Joanna can focus on healing.” Her lower lip quivered slightly. “I'm so glad you don't have to do it alone.”

Sadie squeezed Abigail's hand. “I'll come back soon.”

“You better. I'll tell Joanna you said good-bye.”

Thirty minutes later Sadie was headed back to Middlefield, her emotions in turmoil. She was worried about both of her sisters, with an extra dose of fretting over Joanna. She leaned
against the backseat of the car and stared out the window as they zipped down the freeway, her brows knitted together. If she were honest with herself, she'd have to admit it wasn't just her sisters who had her feelings whirring around. She was looking forward to seeing Aden . . . and she didn't know how to deal with that.

CHAPTER 16

A
fter Aden saw Sadie off to Middlefield Saturday morning, he turned and looked at the property. Earlier that week he had posted a sign at the end of the driveway, letting any potential customers know the store would be open on Monday. The sign had done its job—since he'd set it up, no one had stopped at the store.

It felt strange to be here without Sadie. Although she'd said the house belonged to him now, it didn't feel that way. It was like he was in some kind of limbo. At times he felt at home, and other times he was just . . . here. He realized that he'd also felt the same way at his father's house. His home had never truly belonged to him. He didn't have a place of his own.

Yet he did feel a spark of hope. Sadie had trusted him enough to leave for the day. Since her parents had died, he felt sure she had stayed home and at the store, venturing out only to visit Joanna at the hospital and for the wedding. But now she was able to be away, and hopefully she knew she'd left the place in good hands.

Which made him more than reluctant to think about what his father wanted him to do.

The day was beautiful, sunny with a breeze that carried the earthy scent of the nearby dairy farm. It was the kind of day he liked best, and he often spent time in the sunshine to work on his hives. Yet despite the cloudless sky, a gray cloud hung over him as he continued to think about the papers he was supposed to find. How could he betray Sadie like that? Yet he couldn't disobey his father. And then there was his brother to consider.

Sol's buggy and horse were still here. Aden had been taking care of Jasper since Sol left yesterday morning. Aden had told Sol to stay away, but he had expected him to come get his horse and buggy, even if he had to sneak into the barn to do it. It didn't make sense. If Sol didn't pick up the buggy by the end of today, he would go to his parents' house and find him. He didn't want Sol's possessions still here when Sadie returned.

He walked past the store and stopped, looking at the door. He could hear his father's voice in his head, urging him to go inside, to look through Matthew Schrock's papers. But Aden couldn't bring himself to do it. The idea of riffling through those personal items made him queasy. Instead he set about chopping firewood.

An hour later he was soaked with sweat but had a good pile of wood split. He was stacking it up when he saw Timothy approach. He'd been so focused on his task he hadn't heard a buggy pull into the driveway.

“Hello,” Timothy greeted, stopping in front of Aden.

“Timothy.” Aden set down the axe and wondered what had brought the man by this time.

After shaking Aden's hand he said, “Stopped by to tell Sadie that Patience wouldn't be at the store on Monday. She's come
down with some kind of flu bug. She didn't think it would be a
gut
idea to be around customers.”

Aden saw the wisdom in her decision. He shoved back his hat and wiped his damp forehead with his palm. “Sadie's not here. She went to visit her sisters. But I'll make sure to tell her when she gets back.”

Timothy looked at the pile of wood. “You need some help with that?

Aden wasn't surprised by the offer. He'd have done the same if he was at Timothy's place. “Sure.”

As they stacked the firewood, Timothy said, “There's another reason I came here.”

Aden picked up a slab of wood in each hand. “
Ya?
”

“The other day I asked you about the community fund . . . I wasn't asking just because I was curious.” He set two chunks of wood on the growing pile. “I guess there's no
gut
way to do this but to come out and ask. Do you know anything about
yer
father's dealings with natural gas rights in Birch Creek?”

Aden stilled. “Not sure,” he said, inwardly cringing at the partial truth. He measured his next words. “I know there's natural gas all through this area.”

“Do you know how much?” When Aden shook his head Timothy said, “I hit the library and did some research about Birch Creek. There are numerous gas deposits around here. They were recently discovered, about five years ago. They're worth millions.”

Aden struggled to keep his jaw from dropping. Millions? He couldn't wrap his head around that kind of money.

“Apparently the gas companies have been in a bidding war over the past year, trying to acquire the rights. I have some on
mei
property.”

“I see.” Aden didn't know what else to say. This had to be the reason his father was so insistent on getting Sadie's father's papers. But a bigger question loomed—why didn't Sadie know about this? If she had, she wouldn't have gone to his father for help. She wouldn't have been forced to marry him.

Timothy chewed his bottom lip. “I hope you don't think I'm stepping over the line with this question, but it's something I really need to know. What is
yer
father doing with those rights?”

“As far as I know he doesn't have any.” Which was true. All he knew was that his father wanted Sadie's rights, probably because he didn't trust Aden to handle them.
Not exactly a surprise.

“Did you know he's been asking several people in the church to sign over their rights to him?”

Aden shifted on his feet. “I'm not privy to his business matters.”

“It's not the money I'm worried about, although realistically it would be nice to have a secure future. I just want to make sure that whatever I turn over to
yer
father will be distributed among the community when the time comes.”

So Timothy had suspicions about Aden's father too. That made sense, considering he was an outsider. Everyone else in the community took his father at face value. “I'm sure whatever money is in the community fund is handled honestly and correctly,” Aden said, his tone even.

“That's what I needed to know,” Timothy said. “I appreciate you being honest with me. I know this is a sensitive subject. I'm just glad you're not upset that I brought it up.” He put on his straw hat. “I should get back and check on Patience.”

Aden nodded, maintaining his outwardly noncommittal stance. “Tell her I hope she feels better.”

“I will.” He started to walk away, then turned around again. “I have one more question, if you don't mind.”

He did mind. No one had ever questioned him about his father before, and he didn't want to be in this position. “Sure,” he said.

“Is there a reason we don't have any ministers or deacons in this community? I asked Patience about it, but she said that's always how it's been in this church.”

“We're a small district.
Mei
father says there is only need for a bishop.”

“I see,” Timothy said. “But it seems like it would be helpful to him and everyone else if we had a minister or two. To spread out the ministering, that is, so it's not on one person's shoulders. I imagine
yer
father is extremely busy with all his duties.”

Aden shrugged. “That's not really
mei
business.”

“
Ya.
I guess it's not mine either.” He waved at him. “I'll see you later.”

Aden watched him walk away, his thoughts warring inside him. On the one hand, Timothy didn't understand how things worked here. His father had been the sole authority in Birch Creek for over twenty-five years. Aden hadn't known anything else. Yet Timothy wasn't wrong. The community had grown in two decades. It would be wise to have someone else in charge. But to Aden's knowledge, no one had ever brought up the subject. Would his father even allow an election process? He couldn't imagine the bishop giving over any control.

But that didn't bother him nearly as much as the natural gas rights. Had others signed their rights over to his father?
Daed
had often said he had to be frugal with the dispensing of community funds, since it was difficult to come by extra money in such a small community. If he had cashed in the natural gas rights, then
the community fund should be bursting. Perhaps his father was talking about Amish frugality, which was important. Greed had a way of worming into a man's soul.

Yet hadn't he thought of his father as greedy when it came to taking Aden's money from the honey sales?

He went into the house, passing by the patio. He thought about the stray dog he'd met the day he and Sadie married. The mutt hadn't returned. Then again, Aden hadn't set out any more food or water. He went inside, filled up a bowl with water and opened up another jar of canned meat, dumping it into another bowl. He put them on the back patio and went back into the kitchen.

Taking a glass from the cabinet, he got some water from the tap. As he drank, he thought about the papers. About what they meant, and how they were so important to his father that he'd gone as far as threatening Sadie. He couldn't put off looking for them.

Moments later he was standing in front of the store, turmoil churning within him. Could he betray Sadie like this, even for her own good?

More importantly, could he disobey his father?

He put his hand on the doorknob. Started to turn it. Then let go. He didn't care about his father's threat. His loyalty was to Sadie.
For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife . . .
The Scripture repeated in his mind. This decision was biblical. What his father was asking him to do was not.

When he walked away from the store, an unexpected peace washed over him. He would protect Sadie against whatever consequences his father would dish out. Regardless of the circumstances of their marriage, he and his wife would stand together as one against the bishop.