Breath of Spring (17 page)

With that, her father stalked from the crowded room, pausing to glower one more time at Annie Mae. Silence rang for several moments after his loud, rapid footsteps and the slam of the kitchen door died away.

“Praise be to God for His grace and protection,” Vernon declared in a reverent voice. “I believe a few moments of silent prayer are in order, to restore a proper sense of dignity and respect before we resume Tom and Nazareth’s ceremony.”

Annie Mae exhaled . . . wiped the tears from little Sara’s face . . . rejoined Nellie in the pew bench alongside Millie and Rebecca and the other girls. She rested her head on her sister’s tiny shoulder, inhaling Sara’s innocent sweetness, ever so grateful that this lamb hadn’t been snatched from her.

What would I do without You and these
gut
friends you’ve surrounded us with, Lord?
she prayed.
I don’t deserve the gift of Your love, but I promise I’ll do my very best for my brothers and sisters . . . and I thank Ya that Adam was spared
Dat
’s wrath, as well. Be with us in the coming days, for who can tell what
Dat
might do next?

As the women around her raised their heads, Annie Mae opened her eyes. Order and rightness had been restored, both within Bishop Tom’s home and in her soul. She still felt jittery from the way her father had charged between the pews . . . would recall his threatening expression for a long while. But as Vernon Gingerich began the exchange of Tom and Nazareth’s vows, she relaxed. What a joy it was to behold the love on their faces as they solemnly repeated the words that would bind them as man and wife.

And what a surprise to see that Adam was gazing right at her.

Annie Mae blinked, yet she didn’t look away. How handsome he looked in his black vest and white shirt—and how manly, with Timmy in his lap. Her little brother closed his eyes to suck his thumb, comforted and comfortable. She’d rarely seen Adam hold a child this way, and her heartbeat eased into a steady thrum. While she still burned with curiosity about the motorcycle parked in his barn, Annie Mae treasured the gift of this moment when Adam was reaching out to her in an eloquent silence that said so much, as the ceremony continued.

She smiled. And so did he.

Adam spent the rest of the morning getting up his courage.

After Hiram Knepp’s intrusion, when Adam had watched so many from Willow Ridge stand up to their former bishop—and had then beheld Annie Mae’s fierce bravery as she faced her father—the rest of the ceremony went right by him. He was aware of Vernon and Jeremiah preaching and leading Tom and Nazareth in their vows, yet all he heard, again and again, was Annie Mae’s vehement denouncement of Yonnie and his connection to Hiram. All he saw was the expression of a lioness as she clutched Sara in the face of her father’s declaration that she was going to hell. Only when Hiram had grabbed for her sister did Annie Mae back away and seek safety.

Here was a woman he looked up to . . . in more ways than one.

Yet the idea of asking Annie Mae for a date made him falter. What if she said no?

But what if she says yes?
he fretted.
What if you take her for a ride this afternoon and your tongue ties into knots? After knowing her all your life, what’ll you find to talk about? What’ll impress a young woman who’s raising her brothers and sisters? She’s way out of your league. . . .

And yet, Adam felt amazed that he was even considering a date, after years of denying himself the company of young women he believed he could never take care of.

So don’t think of it as a date
.
Who says it has to be forever
—
or even more than this one time?

Later in the afternoon, he watched Annie Mae scrape plates and clear tables after folks had finished the main course of a wedding feast that had filled him in so many ways. Miriam, Naomi, and the other women had outdone themselves with the “roast,” made of succulent chicken and savory stuffing . . . mashed potatoes and sweet, creamed celery, as well as glazed carrots, an array of fruit salads . . . warm, fresh bread upon which butter made from Bishop Tom’s cream had melted like liquid gold. It was time for pie and other sweets now, yet Adam’s stomach seemed so full of butterflies he didn’t think he would taste his dessert—even if he got a slice of the same spicy apple pie like Annie Mae had left on his wagon seat awhile back.

Suddenly she stood before him, clearing his place. “And how was your dinner, Short Stack?” she murmured, as though the Kanagy brothers and their fiancées weren’t seated on either side of him.

“Wonderful-
gut,
” he murmured. Without his mind’s permission, his hand closed around hers.

Her blue eyes widened, yet her smile made his heart thump like a drum. He
had
to say something now, or forever lose the moment—and all credibility. “What . . . what would you think about a ride this afternoon?” he asked in a voice she probably couldn’t hear. “Or—well, I suppose you have to keep track of the twins and—”

Annie Mae’s face lit up like a spring daisy. “It’s Nellie’s turn for that,” she replied pertly. “I spent most of yesterday bakin’ and helpin’ Miriam with this meal, so I’m ready to be off my feet.”

Adam’s eyes widened. “Have you had a chance to eat your dinner? I don’t mean to rush you, or—”
She said yes, oh my Lord, she wants to
—

Annie Mae winked at him and leaned closer. “Truth be told,” she confided, “we cooks and servers grabbed a quick bite while everybody was congratulatin’ Tom and Nazareth, before folks walked over from the house. I haven’t had my pie yet, but—”

“So what would be our chances of taking our dessert along?” Adam asked, wondering where such bravado had come from. “And if there’s any of that fabulous apple pie with the brown sugar and lemon—”

“I think I know where to find us a couple slices of that,” she teased. Annie Mae looked around the Brennemans’ crowded cabinet shop, which had been transformed by white-draped tables for the wedding feast. “Why not go hitch up your rig? I’ll be out as soon as I can snatch us some pie and tell Nellie and Rhoda I’m leavin’. I’m an extra helper, anyway—not one of the gals with an assigned job.”

In for a dime, in for a dollar,
Adam realized as she bustled away with her bin of dirty dishes. He scooted his chair back, giving a little wave to Nate, Bram, and their ladies. “You folks enjoy the rest of the day—and it was really nice meeting you Coblentz girls,” he added as Mary and Martha grinned knowingly at him.

“No doubt what
you’re
up to, Wagler,” Bram teased.

“
Jah
, enjoy your
pie,
” Nate chimed in.

Adam made his way between the crowded tables, fighting a huge grin. When he’d arrived at the wedding this morning, he’d had no idea he would leave the celebration early—and with Annie Mae, no less! It felt good to step outside and whistle for Jerry . . . to hitch up his rig with occasional glances back toward the shop, even if he still felt a few butterflies. His best strategy would be to show his support, to focus on Annie Mae’s feelings after the way her father had barged in and tried to grab the kids. No matter how strong she’d appeared during that confrontation, she was bound to have lingering doubts about Hiram showing up again—

“Short Stack! Are ya ready?” she called out to him.

Now
there
was a loaded question. Adam glanced up to see Annie Mae jogging toward him with her black coat flapping open and her bonnet flying by its tie string behind the pie plate she carried. Her radiant face gave him pause. Her exuberance suggested she was really glad to be going out with him—

It’s only a ride. Doesn’t have to be a date,
his thoughts reminded him.

So what if it
does
lead to something?
his heart countered.
After all, Nate Kanagy swore off women after his first fiancée stiffed him, and look how happy he is now.

When Adam opened the door to his rig, Annie Mae stepped up inside it before he could offer her a hand. But wasn’t it just like this resilient young woman to look after herself? When he got in on the other side and closed his door, he gazed at her for a moment. “Better scenery than I had driving over here this morning,” he remarked.

“
Jah,
this
is
a perty pie,” she quipped. “And I guess Matthias’ll have to find his own way home, ain’t so?”

Actually, Adam hadn’t even thought about his brother. “He’ll manage. Let’s get on down the road before the kids try to follow us. I mean—” He gripped the reins, immediately regretting that remark. “If you think the twins and the two wee ones’ll worry about you leavin’ them, we can—”

Annie Mae pressed her finger against his lips. “Nellie’s got us covered,” she whispered. “And Jerusalem’s spendin’ time with the kids—gettin’ them acquainted with Vernon Gingerich—knowing how she’ll miss them once she moves to Cedar Creek. So it’s just you and me . . . Adam.”

The way his name floated from Annie Mae’s lips set him adrift like a red-and-white bobber on a summertime pond. The snowy hillsides and his waiting horse and the hundreds of people finishing their dinner disappeared, and it
was
just him and Annie Mae, alone together with a pie that smelled of cinnamon and brown sugar and lemon. He glanced at the dessert that sat between them on the seat. “Wow, you brought us four big pieces,” he murmured. “Didn’t think there’d be so much to spare, what with all those other folks waiting for their dessert.”

Her smile tickled him deep down. “As many of these pies as I baked, I didn’t
ask
. I consider it a gift to a fine fella who looked after my family today,” she murmured. “Can’t thank ya enough for standin’ firm when Dat came at ya this morning. He . . . he had no call to do that.”

Annie Mae’s gratitude moved him, especially considering how
she
had been the strong one during Hiram’s intrusion. “While I can see where it’s a man’s right to collect his own kids,” Adam replied as he took her hand, “I couldn’t miss the way Timmy and the twins were so afraid of him. And when Jerusalem mentioned the welts on the little ones’ bottoms, that was the last straw. They belong with you, Annie Mae,” he insisted. “With folks who know what’s best for them, better than Delilah ever will.”

Her smile got stronger as she placed the pie plate on her lap. “The boys were so excited to be sittin’ with ya, Adam. And when Dat stormed in, I couldn’t miss how they stuck with ya, trustin’ ya to look after them. I . . . I hope that doesn’t scare ya off.”

Adam nipped his lip. Without apology or hesitation, Annie Mae had just nailed the issue that any man who got interested in her would face. The least he could do was give her a straight answer. “I’ve known those kids since they were born,” he pointed out. Holding the reins in one hand, he gently clapped them on Jerry’s broad back. “I’ve known
you
since you were born, Annie Mae. So I’m not scared . . . exactly.”

She looked suddenly vulnerable, even as she tried not to. “Like I told ya, Adam, I’ve decided to stay a
maidel
until the kids—”

“That’s no life for a girl like you,” Adam blurted, gripping her fingers. “I’d really hate to see you saddled with all that responsibility yourself, working in the café while you tended the kids in the evenings, but—but—”

Well, he’d stepped in it with one foot, so he might as well stand full-on in his crappy predicament. No sense in Annie Mae getting her hopes up, setting her sights on a man who wouldn’t measure up when it came to family responsibilities. “Maybe I ought to talk about that motorcycle,” he hedged. His voice remained steadier than he’d thought it would, so he went on. “That sounds like I’m leapfrogging over your situation and into mine, but you asked for that story. So maybe it’s time I told it to somebody.”

Annie Mae’s hesitant expression gave way to the curiosity he’d sensed earlier, when she’d been surprised that
he
would own such a mean machine. “I’m listenin’,” she said softly. She looked ready to scoot closer to him, but she seemed to sense he needed some space while he bared his soul. She was smart that way.

Adam let his Belgian set the pace as they rolled down the road past the bishop’s house. He could feel the waves of patience and understanding that radiated from the young woman beside him. Was this the same rebellious Annie Mae who rode the roads with the likes of Yonnie and Luke?

Not anymore, she doesn’t,
his little voice reminded him. And he believed it. He believed
her
.

“I traded my best horse for that cycle, right after I turned sixteen,” he began in a faraway voice. “Allen Stoltzfus—Yonnie’s cousin—needed to get married right quick, and a dependable horse suited him better than a vintage Indian Chief motorcycle.”

“How did a kid his age come to have a bike like that?” Annie Mae interrupted. “I mean—it’s not my business, but Rebecca says that cycle’s worth a
lot
of money.”

“
Jah,
I was shocked when she told me how much a similar bike had sold for,” he confirmed, keeping his eyes on the road. “Truth be told, I don’t know how Allen came by it—except it wasn’t in very
gut
condition then. But the moment I laid eyes on it, with that red trim and those silver studs along the edge of the seat, I had to have it.” He let out a rueful laugh. “Allen let me keep it at his place, so the folks and Matthias never saw it . . . never realized how quick I learned to handle it while I was cleaning it up, and then got my license to drive it.”

Annie Mae’s lips quirked. “Plenty of Plain boys learn to drive, ya know. No sin in that when you’re in your
rumspringa
.”

Ah, she had to mention
sin
. Adam smiled wistfully as he thought back over that time of his life. “I spent every possible moment joyriding on that bike,” he continued, “to the point that I neglected my chores. Wasn’t always home when I was supposed to be, either. I . . . I had promised Mamm I’d pick up Ruth from her house cleaning job one afternoon, because the two of them and Etta were going to a quilting frolic. We were having an early supper so they could leave on time.”

Adam allowed the steady clip-clop of Jerry’s hooves to settle his accelerating heartbeat. He wanted to loosen his shirt collar but he didn’t dare release Annie Mae’s hand. Her steady grasp might be the only thing that kept him connected to present-day reality, rather than getting swallowed up by a past that had haunted him for so long. She waited patiently for him to continue, looking wise beyond her seventeen years.

“Suffice it to say I forgot all about fetching Ruth,” he said with a sigh. “And since Dat and Matthias weren’t yet home from their field work, Mamm hitched up a rig and went to pick up my sister. She had no idea where I was or what I was doing . . . even when I roared past her on the motorcycle. I was wearing a helmet and jeans, so I could’ve been any English kid out tearing up the back roads on a summer afternoon. And a thousand times I’ve wished I
was
somebody else’s kid that day, believe me.”

Adam waited for Annie Mae to show some sign of disapproval, because he certainly deserved it. Instead, she nodded, probably thinking back to what she recalled about his mother’s death while also jumping ahead to the conclusion . . . the damning details that nobody else had ever heard. Adam closed his eyes, trying to clear the lump that was thickening in his throat.

“Next thing I knew, her horse was screaming behind me, spooked by my motorcycle. And . . . and when I turned my head, I saw it racing into the intersection, out of control.” Adam paused, recalling the fatal accident so clearly that he still shook all over. “Tires squealed on the highway, but the truck driver didn’t have any chance of stopping in time—”

“Oh, Adam. Oh, dear God, I had no idea,” Annie Mae whimpered. She scooted next to him, set the pie on the other side of the seat, and slung her arm around his slumped shoulders.

“Ah, but see, that’s not the worst of it,” he confessed wretchedly. “Stupid and scared as I was, I didn’t dare see to Mamm or ride the cycle home to tell Dat what had happened. I—I went back to Allen’s to park it, and then waited for the sirens to clear out before I started back.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Truth was, I was too shook up to pedal my bicycle, and I couldn’t have seen the road for crying my eyes out. Gave some thought to not going home ever again.”