Growing Up in Lancaster County (30 page)

He shook his head. “Did not. How was I to know you were going to pick up your glass?”

“You shouldn’t have poked your sister’s arm,” Pap scolded. “You should keep your hands to yourself. Now tell Rachel you’re sorry.”

“Sorry,” Jacob mumbled.

Rachel didn’t think Jacob looked one bit sorry, but she figured Pap would scold her if she didn’t accept Jacob’s apology. Without looking at Jacob, she said, “You’re forgiven.”

“Nothing’s more beautiful than watching a woman do her work,” Grandpa said as he and Rachel repotted a large split-leafed plant in his greenhouse that afternoon.

Rachel smiled. It made her feel good to be called a woman, even though she still had several more birthdays before she’d really be one. At least Grandpa didn’t think of her as a little girl anymore.

That was more than she could say for Jacob. Every chance he got he reminded her that she was two years younger than he was. His constant teasing made her feel like a little girl. She hoped he would stop calling her a little bensel. It would be embarrassing if he still called her that when she was a grown woman.

Rachel glanced over at Grandpa. Since he hadn’t said a word about going to see Sadie Stoltzfus, she hoped he’d changed his mind. Maybe he’d had time to think things through and realized that Sadie wouldn’t be a good wife for him.

“Are you getting excited about Mary coming to visit?” Grandpa asked, smiling at Rachel.

Rachel nodded. “Oh jah. I’m very excited!”

“I imagine you two will have lots to talk about—lots of catching up to do.”

“You’re right about that.” Rachel grinned. “I can hardly wait to show her the bussli Mom let me keep from Cuddles’s litter of kittens.”

“I’m sure the two of you will have lots of fun.” Grandpa pulled the sack of potting soil closer to them, scooped out some dirt, and poured it into the empty pot. “Are you looking forward to going back to school next month?”

Rachel dug her shovel into the sack and added some dirt to the pot. “I guess so, but I’ll miss working here every day.”

“You can work after school and on Saturdays,” he reminded her.

“I know, but it won’t be the same.”

“Sure it will. You just won’t be working here as many hours as you are now.” Grandpa placed the plant in the pot and patted the soil around it. “I think we’re about done with this. Would you clean up the dirt we’ve spilled?”

Rachel was pleased that Grandpa had said “we” instead of blaming her for spilling the dirt. Jacob would have blamed her for it if they’d repotted the plant together.

“Jah, sure, I can clean up the dirt.” Rachel headed to get the broom and dustpan from the back room.

When Rachel returned, she was surprised to see Grandpa wearing his straw hat.

“I’m going to Sadie Stoltzfus’s place with an African violet plant,” he said.

Rachel’s heart beat faster. She had to think of something to keep Grandpa from going. She couldn’t let him propose marriage to Sadie!

“Say, Grandpa,” she said, tugging on his shirtsleeve, “I’ll take the plant to Sadie! That way you’ll be here in case any customers come.”

“It’s a long walk to Sadie’s, Rachel.” He smiled and squeezed her arm. “Besides, I think you can handle waiting on customers.”

Rachel’s mouth went dry. “Ach no! I wouldn’t be comfortable here alone for that long.”

“I won’t be gone long, Rachel. What I have to say to Sadie will only take a few minutes.”

Rachel thought for a minute. Was Grandpa going to ask Sadie to marry him and then come right back home? She remembered the evening Rudy had asked Esther to marry him. He’d taken her out for a buggy ride, and they’d been gone a long time. Maybe older folks didn’t need such a long time to ask someone to marry them.

“Say, Grandpa,” Rachel quickly said, “before you go, could you answer a question for me?”

He nodded. “Make it fast, though. I need to get going.”

Rachel pointed to a purple African violet on the shelf across the room. “How come the leaves on that plant are pointing straight up and not out like the others?”

“Because that African violet needs more light.” Grandpa handed Rachel the small shovel he’d been holding and headed across the room. “Danki for mentioning it.”

He took the plant from the shelf and placed it closer to the window. “You have a good eye for things. I’m glad you’re helping me in the greenhouse.”

Rachel smiled. She liked to be appreciated for the good things she did. Sometimes she felt as if her family saw only the wrong things she did.

“Guess I’d better head on over to Sadie’s now.” Grandpa moved toward the door.

Rachel jumped in front of him. “Wait! I have another question.”

Grandpa lifted one edge of his straw hat and scratched his forehead. “What is it, Rachel?”

“I’ve noticed that some African violets have pretty flowers and others don’t. Is there a reason why some of them don’t have any blooms?”

He nodded. “A plant might not flower for several reasons.”

“Like what?”

“It might need more light, a warmer temperature, or a bit more humidity. A special plant food for African violets often helps, too,” he said.

“What kind of plant food?” Rachel leaned against the door and gazed at Grandpa. If she could get him talking about plants, he might forget about going to Sadie’s.

Grandpa opened a cupboard door and removed a small box. “This is the plant food I’m talking about. It has special nutrients that help a plant produce nice, healthy flowers.”

“Hmm…That’s interesting.” Rachel pointed to a miniature rosebush. “Will the same kind of plant food work for that?”

Grandpa shook his head. “African violet food is only for African violet plants.” He removed another box from the cupboard. “This plant food is made for roses.”

“A person sure needs to know a lot in order to run a greenhouse,” Rachel said. “I wonder if I’ll ever know as much as you do.”

“If you keep helping me out, you’ll learn real fast.” Grandpa stepped around Rachel and opened the door. “I’m off to see Sadie now.
She dich, eich, wider
[See you later]!” He stepped outside.

Rachel slumped against the wall with a groan. “I’m doomed.”

A few seconds later, the greenhouse door opened, and Grandpa stepped back inside. “I forgot the African violet, and I need my umbrella because it’s beginning to rain.” He hurried across the room and was about to pick up a lacy-leafed pink and white African violet when Rachel rushed forward and grabbed his arm.

“Grandpa, I—”

Thunk!
Her hand bumped the pot. The African violet crashed to the floor, crushing the plant and spilling dirt everywhere!

Rachel gasped.

Grandpa moaned.

Both of them stared at the floor.

“I’m sorry, Grandpa,” Rachel said. “I didn’t mean to bump your arm and make such a mess.”

“It’s not the mess that upsets me, Rachel.” Grandpa slowly shook his head. “This is the last African violet I have with lacy pink and white edges. Since that’s the kind Sadie wants, I’ll have to go empty-handed and explain what happened.”

Rachel jumped to her feet. “You’re going anyway…even without the plant?”

He nodded.

“Can’t you propose to Sadie some other time? When you get another lacy-leafed pink African violet?”

Grandpa’s bushy eyebrows rose. “Propose what, Rachel?”

“
Heiraat
[marriage].”

He rubbed his forehead. “You think I’m going over to Sadie’s to propose marriage to her?”

Rachel nodded as her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want you to marry Sadie, Grandpa. She doesn’t like kinner, and she clicks her teeth when she talks.”

“Ha-ha! Ho-ho!” Grandpa laughed so hard his face turned bright red and tears rolled down his wrinkled cheeks.

Rachel frowned. She didn’t think what she’d said was funny.

When Grandpa finally stopped laughing, he wiped his eyes, walked to Rachel, and bent down to look her right in the eye. “Where in the world did you get the idea that I was planning to marry Sadie Stoltzfus?”

Rachel didn’t know what she should say. Grandpa might be mad if she told him the truth.

Grandpa nudged Rachel’s arm.
“Raus mitt
[Out with it]!”

Rachel blushed as she explained how she’d heard him and Anna talking. She said, “When you said you were going to take a plant over to Sadie and that you needed to ask her a question, I figured you were going to ask her to marry you.”

Grandpa frowned. “You shouldn’t have eavesdropped, Rachel. That makes you a busybody, you know.”

“I—I didn’t mean to listen in. I was worried when I thought you’d decided to marry Sadie,” Rachel said. “It was just a big
missverschtand
[misunderstanding], and I’m glad I heard wrong.” She was glad she hadn’t said anything about Grandpa getting married to anyone but Jacob. She’d have to let him know right away that it was a mistake.

“You’re right about it being a misunderstanding, Rachel.” Grandpa shook his head. “For your information, Anna and I were talking about her nephew getting married. We also discussed Sadie because she’d told Anna that she wanted a lacy-edged pink African violet to give to her sister as a birthday present.”

“But I heard you say it wasn’t good to be alone, and that you missed Grandma.”

“I do still miss your grandma, but you are mistaken about everything else. Anna mentioned that Sadie lived alone and didn’t get out much because she couldn’t control the horse and buggy. That’s why I said I’d take the African violet to her.”

Grandpa’s forehead wrinkled. “You should never listen to other people’s conversations, and you shouldn’t assume anything.”

“I’m sorry,” Rachel mumbled.

“Sorry is good, but you need to learn a lesson from your mistake.” Grandpa snapped his fingers and pointed to the floor. “I’ll take a different plant to Sadie and explain that the one I’d chosen fell on the floor. While I’m gone, you clean up that mess. Then you can sweep the rest of the rooms.”

Rachel nodded and dropped to her knees. It was never fun to be punished, but at least one thing was good: She didn’t have to worry about Grandpa marrying Sadie Stoltzfus! She couldn’t wait to tell Jacob the good news.

O
ne week later, Rachel poked her head into the kitchen and spotted Mom sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and drinking a glass of iced tea.

“I was hoping I’d find you here,” Rachel said. “I need to ask you about the message you found on our answering machine in the phone shed this morning.”

Mom looked up and smiled. “What message? There were several.”

“The one from Aunt Irma, about Mary.”

“Oh, that.” Mom smiled and winked at Rachel. “What do you want to know about Aunt Irma’s message that I haven’t already told you?”

Rachel pulled out a chair and sat down. “If Mary arrives when her mamm said, then she should be here sometime tomorrow, right?”

Mom nodded. “I imagine you’re pretty excited.”

“I am, but I’m also kind of
naerfich
[nervous].” Rachel touched her stomach. “It feels like a bunch of butterflies are zipping around in here.”

“Why would you be nervous about Mary coming?” Mom asked.

“What if she doesn’t recognize me with my glasses? What if she doesn’t like me anymore? What if…”

“You’re getting yourself all worked up for nothing. You don’t look that different with glasses, and I’m sure Mary still likes you. After all, you and Mary have been good friends since you were
bopplin
[babies].” Mom patted Rachel’s arm. “Once Mary gets here, I’m sure you’ll see that you’ve worried for nothing.”

Rachel nodded. “I hope so.”

“Since Grandpa closed the greenhouse today to go fishing, why don’t you go visit one of your friends?” Mom suggested. “It might help get your mind off those butterflies in your stomach and keep you from thinking about things that aren’t likely to happen.”

“I guess I could go to Audra’s and see how she’s getting along with the kitten I gave her as a birthday present,” Rachel said. “I could take Snowball with me, and our kittens could play together.”

Mom nodded. “I think that’s a
gut
[good] idea. Why don’t you get your kitten and head to Audra’s right now?”

“Okay, I’ll be home in time to help with supper.” Rachel raced out the door.

Rachel stepped onto the back porch of Audra’s house, holding her squirming kitten against her chest. “Is anyone home?” she called, peering through the screen door.

No response.

Tap! Tap!
Rachel rapped on the door.

Several seconds later she heard a faint, “I’m coming.”

Audra’s mother, Naomi, came to the door. Her cheeks were red, and a wisp of hair from under her
kapp
[cap] was stuck to her sweaty forehead.

“Oh, it’s you, Rachel. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.” Naomi pushed her hair back in place. “I was in the basement getting some fruit jars.”

Rachel shook her head. “I haven’t been here long. Is Audra at home? I brought my kitten over so we could play.”

“Audra and Brian went out to skateboard awhile ago.” Naomi pointed to the big red barn. “They’re probably getting on each other’s nerves, so I’m sure Audra will be happy to see you.”