An Amish Family Reunion (41 page)

“Hello, Eli,” she said, stepping as close as possible.

When their eyes met, his held a cool assurance that belied his appearance. “Phoebe Miller, what a surprise. My companions of late have all been porcine.” He bent to gently shoo a piglet through the opening to join his siblings.

She reflected for a moment. “I take it ‘porcine’ has something to do with pigs?”

“It has everything to do with pigs.” He closed the flap door and then stepped from the pen. “Why have you come? As you can see, I’m in no condition to entertain afternoon callers.” He pointed at the muck decorating his rubber boots.

She fought back a gag reflux from the odor. “I’ve brought food for your family from the Miller family reunion. We were all sorry you were unable to attend.”

“Ah, Miss Priss is due to deliver again, so alas, my social calendar has been curtailed.” Eli noticed her trying not to breathe and took pity on her. “Go to the picnic table in the shade. I’ll join you there as soon as possible.”

She turned and ran from the swine barn to the grove of maples, grabbing her hamper and tote along the way. After setting down her containers, she had to wait only fifteen minutes for a refreshed Eli Riehl to appear. Water still dripped from his blond hair, which had been combed straight back from his face. His sun-burnished cheekbones glowed in the afternoon sun. He wore a clean shirt, trousers, and suspenders, but only flip-flops on his feet.

He noticed what had piqued her interest. “Don’t tell the bishop about my choice of footwear.”

She peered up. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“What’s inside?” He angled his head toward the hamper.

“There’s food of every possible sort, made by everyone in the district and beyond. Tell your
mamm
to keep the hamper and containers until the next social event she’s able to attend.”

“
Danki
, I’ll tell her.” What seemed like a full minute spun out before he asked, “What’s in the yellow plastic carrier?”

“Humble pie,” she answered without hesitation.

That made him smile as he lifted the lid. “Looks like iced lemon cake. I love lemon cake.” He dabbed a finger into the frosting.

“It’s humble pie because I’m here to throw myself on your mercy. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and I treated you poorly when life didn’t go my way. I don’t know why I did, other than the fact I’m inexperienced with things romantic. Truth is, I have fewer friends than Miss Priss has party dresses, and it’s my own fault. I don’t deserve you, but I’d like another chance. I will try to behave the way my mothers raised me.
Jah
, I had two
mamm
s who tried their best, yet I still turned out poorly. I like you a lot, Eli Riehl, and if you’ll accept this cake as a peace offering, I would love to go to a singing with you or to a social or anywhere else.” Phoebe sputtered to a stop, out of air.

His mouth twitched as he tried not to laugh. “Do you ever let a shy guy get a word in edgewise?”

“Not too often, but for you I’ll make an exception.”

Eli grinned wide, revealing white teeth and a generous heart. “In that case, I thank you on behalf of the Riehls for the vittles. Everyone in the family will share and enjoy.” Then he picked up the cake tote and clutched it to his chest. “But this cake was a gift from you to me, and I intend to eat every last delicious morsel of it myself.” He winked, and once again the geothermal plate under Holmes County shifted beneath her feet.

Julia gazed over the yard now that the last of the weekend guests had finally departed.
Not too bad
, she thought. And with her two strong sons-in-law here to help Simon, Matthew, and Henry with the tables and benches, the remaining cleanup shouldn’t take too long. And both her daughters and her daughter-in-law were still here with her to divide and distribute the leftover food. She could hear the girls squabbling on the stairs now, just like in the old days. Emma emerged first and headed into the front room with her sons while Leah appeared next and joined Julia in the kitchen.

“
Guder mariye, mamm
,” greeted Leah. “That Emma! She scolds me for monopolizing the bathroom too much. Has she forgotten her old
rumschpringe
days or the condition I’m in?” She patted her tummy before heading to the fridge for her morning glass of milk.

Julia brushed a kiss across her daughter’s soft cheek. “Good morning to you, dear heart. You could occasionally use the old outhouse on crowded mornings like these. Only a suggestion.”

Leah pulled a sour face. “Oh,
mamm
, you can’t possibly be serious.”

Julia began breaking eggs into a bowl. “Will you return home with Jonah later this morning?” she asked.

“
Jah
. I need to check my pantry for staples and supplies. I’ve been gone so long I’ve forgotten what I have on hand and what I don’t. Tomorrow is baking day, and I’m looking forward to it. I’ll have the kitchen all to myself to bake my pies and cookies.”

“And here I thought you enjoyed your time home spent with me.” Julia offered a wry frown.

Leah heaved herself to her feet. “I truly have,” she exclaimed, hurrying to Julia’s side. “I wasn’t talking about here. I was referring to being alone in the Byler kitchen.” She hugged her mother’s waist tight enough to hurt.

Julia tried to extract herself. “Stop, I can’t breathe.”

Leah released her and reached for the cheese to grate for the omelet. She made herself comfortable at the table again. “Oh, I forgot to tell you the news Jonah brought from home. Joanna hired April Lambright as her new cheese-making partner. They’ll be an excellent match, and I won’t have to set foot in the dairy again, even after the baby comes. Nor will I have to enter the animal barns. My allergies to dander only keep getting worse.” Her smile stretched from ear to ear. “I can remain indoors with my little one and…on the porch.” She winked impishly.

“Do you think you’ll be able to manage the hike to the clothesline?” asked Julia with mock concern as she poured pancake mixture onto the griddle. “Or will Jonah hire a laundry maid for his princess?” She returned the wink.

“What a fine idea,
mamm
, but Jonah already rigged a pulley from porch to barn eave. I don’t have to step off the porch to hang wet laundry.” She giggled like a child.

“I tried to tell you Jonah was spoiling Leah rotten, but you wouldn’t listen,” announced Emma from the doorway. Her sons ran to the table to take their places.

Leah blushed prettily and smiled into her milk glass.

“Sounds to me like you might be a tad jealous, young lady,” scolded Julia. “And I believe the Tenth Commandment has something to say about that.”

Emma paled. “Sorry, Leah. I’ve no reason to be envious of anyone or anything. The Lord has been more than generous with the Davis family.” She walked to where her sister sat, wrapped arms around her, and kissed the top of her
kapp
. “I’m glad Jonah treats you so well. My James spoils me more than I deserve, that’s for sure.”

Leah began buttering slices of bread to toast in the oven. “It’ll be hard for all of us once things get back to normal. I loved having everyone close.”

“Now before they eat, Sam and Jamie have something to say to their
grossmammi
,” said Emma. All eyes turned to the little boys sitting patiently with folded hands, including Martha, who’d just entered the kitchen with Mary and Noah. Emma nodded her head solemnly and then in perfect
Deutsch
, the boys said, “Thank you, Grandma, for taking care of us and teaching us to speak
Deutsch
.”

Everyone laughed, except for Julia, who grew teary-eyed. “
Gern gschehne
,” she said, saying, “You’re welcome.”

Noah ran to Julia and grabbed her around the legs. He repeated the exact same phrase. Julia patted the child’s head and laughed along with everyone else. And it felt good, all the way to the tips of her toes.

“When do you have to leave?” asked Emma of Martha.

“The hired van is picking us up at nine thirty. We’ll catch the ten thirty bus from Canton to Cleveland. From there we’ll head back to New York, but it will only be for a short while. We’ll give our thirty-day notice to our landlord so he can start looking for another tenant. And I’ll start organizing my household for the move back home.” Her face spoke louder than any words regarding her opinion on that.

When the women clapped their hands, the children did the same. Mary thought clapping an exceptionally fun activity.

“What about Matty’s job?” asked Leah.

“He must be back to work on Wednesday, but he intends to give his notice. He’ll stay longer only if they can’t find a suitable replacement, but he assured me everyone is replaceable.”

“At work, maybe,” said Julia softly.

“And regarding the rest of his plans, he wants to tell you himself, once he’s fine-tuned the details.”

Everyone broke into another round of applause. Mary saw no reason why people shouldn’t clap off and on all the time. So for the rest of the day and for many to come, she did exactly that.

“All right then, girls,” announced Julia. “Stop sitting around chitchatting and get this breakfast done. We have folks to feed before the van arrives. Martha needs to finish packing, and then there are always more farm chores.”

The younger women sprang into action. And Julia? While they worked she lifted Mary into her arms and took her
kinskinner
on a stroll into the high pasture.

No one picked up a cowpat.

Everyone spoke only their natural, native language.

And God’s grace rained down on Julia’s family and filled her heart to overflowing.

M
atthew knew exactly where he would find his brother after chores. He walked through his father’s barn, trying to stay as quiet as possible. One of the family’s cats perched atop a stall wall, slowly scanning left and right, in case a mouse crept from his hiding place.

Light poured in through the hayloft doors and through the skylights Simon had installed in the loft workroom, where Emma once spun her wool into shawls and bedspreads. These days, the space was nothing more than dusty storage now that Emma wove in an air-conditioned, dust-filtered, electric-lit studio at Hollyhock Farms. Nostalgia welled up his throat in unmanly fashion. Fortunately, he found his brother before he began sniffling like a woman. Henry was exactly where he expected him to be—in a horse stall with a fairly new purchase. “What’s wrong with this one?” he asked, peering over the stall wall.

Henry kept his concentration on the poultice he was placing on the horse’s eye. The one good eye watched Henry without blinking. You could smell fear in the beast’s sweat oozing from every pore. Yet the animal didn’t pull away from Henry’s gentle touch. Amazing. With the poultice in place, Henry taped it securely with adhesive strips. Only then did he answer Matthew’s question. “Infection from a scratched cornea. Lily cleared most of it up with a round of antibiotics, but he’s still blind in this eye. I’m hoping the sight will return with these herbs. This is my last hope for him.”

“Good luck,” said Matthew, knowing no one Amish would want a buggy horse without two good eyes. Once Henry closed the stall door behind him, Matthew asked, “Do you have time to take a ride with me? I picked half a dozen apples to take to that old nag that hangs out in the sheep pasture.”

“Sure,” Henry readily agreed. “You want to saddle up a pair?”

“Let’s ride bareback like we did when we were boys. I think we can still manage to stay astride without falling off and breaking our necks.”

“Time will tell.” Henry must have had misgivings because he selected two of the smallest Morgans they owned.

“Shorter distance from horse to the ground?” Matthew combed his beard with his fingers.

“You got it. Just in case.” Henry attached halters and lead ropes and then both men mounted as though they still rode this way every day.

“I’m glad you’re not mad that I bought the land from Mr. Lee,” said Matthew as they rode side by side at an easy pace.

“Are you kidding? I’m happy you’ll be living across the street. I’ll know right where to come when I have a question. And I’ll always have plenty of questions. I could never save enough for a down payment anyway. I knew Mr. Lee had dropped his price a few times due to the economy, so I got brave and finally asked him. My teeth nearly fell out when he told me how much he wanted.”