Amish Circle Letters (7 page)

“It was a tough few days,” she whispered.

He nodded his head but he didn’t speak.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly.

He shut his eyes as he gave another stiff nod of his head. “Don’t,” he replied. He looked up at her then, his eyes tired and concerned. She realized that he, too, had been affected by Martha Yoder’s death. He tried to act stoic and strong, but in that moment, she saw that he had visualized himself in Menno’s place. Clearly, the thought had left him frightened, but as soon as she saw the concern in his face, he released her hand and, as he cleared his throat, Elijah turned his attention back to the Budget.

Rachel could tell that he wasn’t reading. Perhaps he hadn’t been reading at all that evening. It touched her that he, too, was so wrapped up in the tragedy that had befallen the Yoder family. It was comforting to know that she was not alone in feeling fear in God’s decision to take Martha Yoder home at such a young age. She also suspected that, like her, Elijah was also praying for guidance on how to help that family through the upcoming weeks and months.

With a deep breath, she set her Bible on the seat of her chair and turned to leave the room. The Yoder family suffered, but alongside them, the entire community was feeling their pain. It would take a long time for them to heal and move on with their lives. Of that, she was sure and certain.

Chapter Three: Leah’s Letter

Dear Family,

With so much happening in our district, I near forgot to write. Sister Rachel was kind enough to remind me several times this week that I needed to write a letter and continue the circle letter. Figured I best do it before a fourth reminder came my way.

Mary Ruth has been such a blessing to us, helping not just with the kinner while I tend to Jacob’s needs but helping with the Yoder family as they adjust to life without Martha.

Rachel set up a community schedule for women to help with the daily chores, especially cooking. Mary Ruth has been taking the kinner during the day. Between watching my Elmer, Edna, Emma, and Caleb as well as the Yoder kinner, she sure has her hands full. I’m pleased to see such a motherly instinct developing in her after all.

Church Sunday is only three weeks away and I’m sure looking forward to having the entire family here. Jonah has been working from before sunrise to well after sunset to make certain the barn is fixed and proper. It’s too hot to have the service in the house. He also has to cut and bale the hay before then, something we are all apprehensive about these days, given the terrible accident at Yoder’s farm.

Was sorry to hear about the vandalism at Steve’s farm. I sure hope that cow is better and the window fixed. Such sad times that we live in.

Not much else to add to the news so I will send the letter onto James’ Lizzie so that I’m not holding up the circle anymore.

May the good Lord bless each of you and your families.

Leah

Leah tossed the pen onto the table and quickly folded the letter. She shoved it into an envelope and pushed in the other two letters, the one from Rachel and the original one from Mamm along with the list of addresses. She didn’t care if they crinkled.
Get this out of here so Rachel stops asking me about it
, she thought as she licked the envelope and dropped it on the table. She’d ask Elmer to run it to the mailbox later that evening. She just hoped that she wouldn’t forget.

Circle letters
, she thought. Who has time for writing letters, especially since everyone would be at her house in just a few short weeks! She had far too much to do with tending to the house, the garden, and baby Jacob. His needs were so great and her time was too short for such trivial things as letters. Silly idea, she told herself as she stood up and hurried over to the kitchen to start preparing for the noon meal. Jonah would be hungry, that was for sure and certain. He had been cleaning the barn all morning, even after tending to the cows.

Leah sighed and looked out the window over the kitchen sink. Truth was that Jonah had been spending a lot more time in the barn, period.
Ever since Jacob had been born
, she thought wryly. It didn’t take much for her to realize that Jonah was none to pleased with his special needs baby, a son at that. He rarely helped the baby, never spoke to him, and just didn’t seem to acknowledge that the baby excited.

Prayer hadn’t helped, that was for certain. Leah prayed constantly for the strength to cope with this challenge. Yes, Jacob had that Down Syndrome. Yes, it was one of the more extreme cases that the doctors had seen. But God was good and never gave more than people could handle. Leah believed that with her entire heart.

There were footsteps on the porch and Leah looked up as Mary Ruth hurried into the mudroom from outside. “Headed over to Yoder’s then, are you?” she called out.

“Ja,” Mary Ruth replied, her voice flat and emotionless.

“You take that shoofly pie now, you hear?”
After all,
Leah thought,
I only got up extra early to make it for the Yoder family. Leave it to Mary Ruth to forget it.

“Ja,” Mary Ruth said, this time with a tone to her voice.

“I’ll send the
kinner
when they are done with their meal,” Leah added, ignoring Mary Ruth’s testiness and spiteful glare. There was nothing for her younger sister to be upset about, she told herself. Helping others was God’s calling. That’s what community did…helped each other during time of crisis. Leah only wished there were far fewer crisis in the community these days.

Reluctantly, Mary Ruth walked along the road that headed to Menno Yoder’s farm. It was more direct and much quicker to cut through the field, that was true, but she wasn’t looking for either direct or quick. Not today. Each footstep felt heavy and burdensome, as though she was carrying a great weight down the road, not just a freshly baked shoofly pie.

She wasn’t certain how she had been nominated for this job. Sister Rachel was the one that volunteered her to help the Yoder family. But no one had consulted with her directly. Mary Ruth was annoyed about that. First, she had been sent to Leah’s to help with the
kinner
. Now, she was being sent next door to help with Menno’s
kinner
. All she wanted was to return home to her regular routine, not help with all of these children.

It had been two weeks since Martha Yoder’s funeral. The last place that Mary Ruth wanted to be was at the Yoder’s house. It had been depressing before, even with all of those people there for the funeral. Not even busying herself in helping with the kitchen work or cleanup could erase the feeling of despair that hung in the air. Despite two weeks having passed, Mary Ruth couldn’t imagine what awaited her at the house today.

While it only took fifteen minutes to walk there, it felt like an eternity. Yet, she wished it had taken even longer. Her heart pounded and her hands felt sweaty. Walking up the driveway, she noticed that the yard was overgrown and in great need of a mowing. The cows were still in the barn. No one had set them out to graze. Mary Ruth frowned. She sure hoped they had been milked. As she passed the barn, she glanced inside and noticed the milk pales by the door. They were in need of being washed but there was fresh milk on the sides.
That’s gut
, she thought, as she headed toward the house.

“Hello?” she called out as she opened the door.

To her surprise, the house seemed relatively clean. Leah had told her that the church district had rotated women to help with the house and
kinner
until it was decided that Mary Ruth would step in, being next door and without her own family and home to tend. Just until Menno got back on his feet, Leah had said. Mary Ruth sure hoped that would be right quick!

“Hello?” she called out again as she set the shoofly pie on the counter.

“Who’s there?” a gruff male voice called out from upstairs.

“Mary Ruth Fisher ,” she replied, looking around the kitchen. It was too clean. “My sisters sent me to help today.”

“Don’t need no help!” The voice seemed to boom down the stairwell. There was no denying the anger and resentment in his voice. Two weeks had clearly not even begun to touch the healing process, she thought and sighed.

She sensed a movement behind her and turned, surprised to see the children staring at her from the stairwell. They wore blank expressions and dirty clothes. “Did you eat this morning?” she asked point blank.

Four heads shook from side to side.

As suspected
, she thought. At least she knew what her first order of business would be. Feed the children now, deal with the angry father later. “Let me make you something to eat then,” she said and hurried to the refrigerator to pull out some eggs and milk. “You can set the table while I cook.”

For a moment, no one seemed to move except Mary Ruth. She pretended not to see the children, staring through the railings of the stairs at her. Instead, she went about the business of opening cabinets to look for a bowl in order to crack the eggs. She was surprised to see that each cabinet was neat and orderly. Completely different than Leah’s house, she thought to herself. Despite having grown up with a mamm who secretly prided herself on having a neat and tidy house, Leah seemed to have missed acquiring that gene.

Cracking the eggs on the side of the bowl, Mary Ruth hummed to herself. It was a hymn from the Ausbund, one of her favorites. She glanced over her shoulder. The children were still staring at her. With a short little sigh, she turned back to the eggs and began to sing softly.

With pleasure and joy I will sing praises to God,
Unto the Father good,
My Spirit does strive thereafter.
For He my heart does gladden,
And with His grace stands by me always
O Lord God, You have chosen me through grade
On this earth,
And numbered me among Your children.
Therefore Your name is praised,
All my life I give thanks to You.
[1]

When she stopped singing, she glanced again over her shoulder and was pleased to see Melvin walking toward her. “Would you like to stir these while I see about toasting some bread?” she asked. He nodded and took the fork from her hand, eyeing her cautiously as he reached for the bowl. “Just flick your wrist a bit,” she instructed him gently and mimicked the motion with her own hand. He stared at her then did what she had told him, his eyes still on hers as if seeking reassurance that he was doing it properly. “Perfect!” she exclaimed with a smile.

Mary Ruth glanced around the kitchen, her hands on her narrow hips. “Now, where did you Mamm keep the bread?” she said softly but loud enough so that the girls could hear. “I do wonder!”

She heard the soft patter of bare feet on the floor and glanced down to see one of the girl by her side. Mary Ruth was fairly certain that her name was Suzanna. With big blue eyes and light brown hair, she was a pretty girl. Mary Ruth suspected she was about eight years old. The little girl walked over to a large drawer and pointed to it. “She keeps it there,” she whispered.

“Well!” Mary Ruth said. “That’s quite clever! A big drawer for the bread. Your mamm was right smart, wasn’t she?”

The little girl nodded.

“Why don’t you get the bread out for me and I’ll get the butter. Then we need to see about setting that table. Mayhaps you could help, ja?”

The other two little girls slid down the remaining stairs and padded across the floor to help. Progress, Mary Ruth thought with just a touch of pride. While they weren’t speaking, at least they were moving around and helping. That would be the beginning of healing, she told herself. And once they healed, she could go back to her regular routine.

“What is going on down here?”

She had just sat down at the table with the
kinner
, having placed a bowl of scrambled eggs in the middle, next to the cut fruit and warm toast. It wasn’t much of a meal but not too shabby for last minute cooking. But the voice that shouted at her from the stairs startled her. Jumping, she almost knocked her fork onto the floor. The children stiffened and stared at the floor.

Menno Yoder stomped down the stairs and approached the table, a scowl on his face. “I asked you a question!”

Patience,
she told herself.
He’s hurting.
“I made some food for your
kinner
, Menno. They need to eat, ja?” She hesitated, feeling uncomfortable under his hot, angry stare. “I imagine you are hungry, too.” From the looks of it, he had lost quite a bit of weight over the past two weeks since the funeral. He needed to put on more weight and regain his strength if he was going to manage this farm properly and take care of these
kinner
. “Please join us,” she added.

“I don’t need no invitation to eat at my own table!” he snapped. He looked at the four children and cast a glare in Mary Ruth’s direction. Then, without another word, he stormed to the door, slamming his open hand against the screen door, which swung open. He disappeared outside, leaving a heavy sense of quiet in the room.

Her heart was pounding and she felt close to tears. She didn’t like Menno Yoder, grief or no grief. He was rude and mean, making her forced time helping with the
kinner
seeming like a punishment, not a gesture of Christian goodwill. But she knew she had to remain strong for the children. The sooner they were self-sufficient, the sooner she wouldn’t have to help and be near that Menno Yoder. “Let’s pray before we eat, shall we?” she said and bowed her head for the silent prayer before their meal.