Never Far From Home (The Miller Family 2) (26 page)

When he finally reached the end of the row, he looked out over the second cornfield where he usually grew alfalfa hay. This larger crop still had a ways to go, but he felt confident it would produce a record harvest too.

During his trek back to the barn, he contemplated what he might buy with his portion of the profits—shoes for Hannah and Phoebe, boots for himself, maybe a new cook skillet since he’d overheard Hannah complaining that food stuck and scorched in hers. Maybe they would even take a trip to Lancaster County to visit
Mammi
and
Dawdi
Kline. There would be plenty of cash to build the community medical fund and still allow a few expenditures.

Seth hummed a tune while he cleaned out horse stalls and refilled hay stanchions and water troughs. Even unloading the wagon of barn waste onto the compost pile failed to dampen his high spirits. He rode his mare bareback to the pond for a quick dip and then went searching for his wife.

“Hannah, where are you,
fraa
?” he called once inside the house.

“I’m here, Seth.” Hannah emerged from the cellar doorway, carrying a jar of pickles. Her apron was filled with root vegetables. “What’s going on? Dinner is hours away. I’ve barely started my beef barley soup.” She set the jar on the counter and dumped the vegetables into the sink.

She looked so beautiful today, standing with her arms akimbo.
Had she gained some weight?
A little extra meat on her bones would be a welcome addition, softening her angles with roundness.

“Get your cape and find Phoebe,” he announced on impulse. “We’re going to Mount Eaton for the afternoon.” He lifted Hannah off her feet and spun her around.

“Whatever for? Put me down, Seth Miller, before someone gets hurt.” She sounded only half peeved.

“Now me,
daed,
” Phoebe cried from across the kitchen. She ran to him for her turn.

Seth set Hannah down and picked up his daughter, swinging her in a wide circle.

“Why are we going to Mount Eaton?” Hannah asked.

“To get an ice-cream cone,” he said. “I heard they have the best!” He put the child down and then instructed, “Go wash your hands and face.” Phoebe scampered off without being told twice.

“Their ice-cream is no better than ours in Winesburg,” said Hannah with one hand perched on her a hip. “What are you up to?”

“I thought we’d ride up to the grain elevator and check the current prices. The first of our corn is ready to pick. And I’ve never seen so many plump ears. It looks like it’ll be a good harvest.” Seth couldn’t control his excitement. “Forget about your pot of beef soup for today. We’ll treat Phoebe to pizza in town.”

Hannah grinned, deepening her dimples. “Oh, my. You are in a good mood.” She put the pickles in the cupboard and loaded the vegetables into a bowl. “Give me a chance to change my dress.” She hurried toward the stairs, calling, “Don’t leave without me, you two. I’ll be ready in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.” The excitement appeared to be catching.

Soon the Miller family was headed north on Route 186. They waved at neighbors, both familiar and not, and at every passing buggy. Tourist cars graciously gave them a wide arc while Phoebe and Hannah sang songs along the way. Seth admired acres upon acres of ripening corn everywhere.

Once in Mount Eaton, Phoebe hopped down from the buggy with Hannah in close pursuit. “We’re heading to the ice-cream parlor,” she called. “We’ll meet you there.”

Grain elevators seldom held interest for females, so Seth nodded in agreement. “I won’t be long.” He parked the buggy beside two others, tying the horse’s reins to the rail.

Crossing the parking lot, he saw that two of his friends in the corn alliance had also come to the grain elevator. Both agreed with Seth’s assessment of a wonderful harvest with big profits. They talked and joked and slapped each other on the back for thirty minutes. The price of corn listed on the chalkboard only heightened their exhilaration.

When Seth finally rejoined his girls, their ice-cream cones were long gone. Hannah and Phoebe browsed hand in hand among the bulk foods and handmade gifts. “How were the cones?” Seth asked.

“Wunderbaar,”
Phoebe answered, “
Mamm
had chocolate, and I had strawberry.” Traces of pink still ringed her lips.

“Sniff this,” Hannah instructed, holding a candle beneath his nostrils. “It’s peach-mango. Isn’t that the prettiest thing you’ve ever smelled?” She shifted the jar back to her own nose and inhaled deeply.

The fragrance wasn’t much to Seth’s tastes, but he nodded politely. “Let’s buy that for you. Just think how sweet it’ll smell up the kitchen once you’re done boiling cabbage.”

She giggled but placed it back on the shelf. “Don’t be silly. They want twenty-five dollars for that candle.” She clucked her tongue in disapproval.

“One indulgence per year won’t hurt you or our wallet.” He grabbed the candle and headed for the checkout counter. Hannah and Phoebe trailed after him exchanging shocked looks along the way.

It was an expensive extravagance, but he could afford twenty-five dollars to please his hardworking wife. They bought the candle and some bulk items and then started for home, stopping for a pizza supper in Winesburg. Even that bread-and-tomato pie tasted better than usual.

When he went out to chores that evening, Seth Miller was a content man. He had much to be thankful for, and that night, he didn’t wait until bedtime to send up his prayers of thanksgiving.

Late September

A huge flock of birds settled in the harvested cornfield, scavenging the kernels left behind. Emma watched them in the thin light of dawn from her bedroom window. They squabbled and fussed while feeding and then rose into the air like a dark cloud. This was just the beginning of the fall migration from Canada as flocks paused briefly in the fertile farmland of central Ohio.

But Emma had better things to do than watch birds.

Today was her first real date with James since her parents had agreed to let them court. He usually stopped on his way to or from someplace to sip iced tea on the front porch or push her in the swing that hung from the tree.

But
mamm
always hovered nearby, either darning socks with her bad hands or reading a book. The one time they walked down to the creek and back, Leah had been forced to tag along. Her parents had meant every word of “you shall not compromise your reputation with this
Englischer
.” But at least they were able to see each other.

James was taking her to the Swiss Cheese Festival with Sarah Hostetler and Sam Yoder—just the four of them, no hawkeyed parents watching their every move. It was all Emma could think about as she bathed, dressed, and helped Leah cook breakfast. She decided to eat later because anticipation had turned her stomach upside down.

“Remember, there will be plenty of Plain people in Sugar Creek to observe any improper behavior,” Julia had warned at least three times.

Simon grunted and huffed while he ate his fried eggs. He said, “Make sure you’re back by ten o’clock. No excuses.” That particular phrase had been repeated more than once too.

Emma selected her favorite dress, a beautiful shade of deep rose, and applied her lip gloss and cheek blusher using a hand mirror. Leah watched her curiously while sitting on their bed. “I can’t believe you’re courting an
Englischer
,” Leah said. “Nothing good can come from that.” She flicked a piece of lint off her skirt.

Emma turned to meet her gaze. “That sounds like something
daed
would say.”

“
Jah
, that’s where I heard it,” Leah admitted, blushing.

“James is a wonderful man. You would like him, I’m sure.”

“But if you turn English, we’ll never get to see each other,” Leah wailed. “You’re the only sister I’ve got! I would miss you so much.”

Emma sat down on the bed and slipped an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Who says I’m turning English? I haven’t decided anything like that.”

“You will if you marry him. English boys never turn Amish. It’s always the other way around.” Leah pulled from Emma’s embrace and ran from the room, her face pinched and teary.

With a sigh Emma finished getting ready and hurried downstairs. She ate a bowl of oatmeal to prevent getting carsick and was waiting on the porch when James pulled up the driveway and jumped out. “Hi, Emma,” he called.

He was wearing dark blue jeans, a navy-and-white plaid shirt, and cowboy boots. His damp hair had been combed straight back from his face, accentuating his strong jawline and high, suntanned cheekbones. Emma thought him the handsomest man alive.

“Should I speak to your parents before we go?” he asked upon meeting her halfway down the pebble walkway.

“No, I’ve already said goodbye for both of us. Let’s get going. I have to be home by ten.” Emma hurried down the path, not mentioning how unhappy her folks were over the trip to Sugar Creek.

James pulled open her door. “Your carriage awaits, Cinderella.”

“I beg your pardon?” she asked, climbing into the truck. She had heard of the book character but couldn’t remember much of the story.

“Never mind. It’s good to see you, and you look extra pretty today.” James leaned over to tug a
kapp
string.

“Hello,” she said to Sam, who was sitting in the backseat. “And you, keep your distance,” she directed at James. “I’m sure
mamm
is watching from the window. I’m surprised she didn’t want to ride to the Hostetlers with us and then walk back home.” As soon as she uttered the spiteful words, Emma regretted them. She hung her head. “I have no idea why I said such a mean thing. My mother’s only worried ’bout me, that’s all.” She glanced into the side view mirror as her farm faded from view.

“I know you love your family, Emma. What you said is already forgotten. You’re just a little nervous. I am too.”

She breathed deeply to regain her composure. How did James manage to stay so calm? He surely didn’t seem nervous. But soon Sarah had climbed into the truck and they were on their way to the most enjoyable day of Emma’s life.

They reached the quaint town nicknamed “Little Switzerland” in less than thirty minutes. The main streets had been closed to traffic. Everywhere, people were standing around and talking. They appeared to be waiting for something. Emma couldn’t wait to join the throng. Booths had been set up that showcased more varieties of cheese than she thought existed. Girls dressed in Swiss costumes passed out free samples, while children in pigtails and old-fashioned outfits sang in street corner choirs.

An elderly gentleman, looking very distinguished, welcomed them and handed Emma a brochure of the day’s events. James found a great spot to watch the grand parade, and soon people of all ages marched past singing and dancing and nodding like old friends. Emma imagined this is what a European village must look like, perhaps in Bavaria. Pretty young women, who were competing for the Festival Queen title, strolled by smiling and waving to the crowd.

“Do you want to listen to yodelers in the pavilion?” James asked when the parade concluded. “Later, there’ll be square dancing and polka bands.”

“What is a polka band?” she asked quietly, so Sam and Sarah wouldn’t overhear.

“It’s a type of music with an accordion player that people dance the polka to.”

Emma thought better than to question this further. “You do know that Plain people don’t dance,” she said instead.

“Yeah, I know,” he said close to her ear. The gesture tickled her already heightened senses. “If you’d rather, we could watch the Swiss cheese judging or find the midway where they have amusement rides.”

Emma smelled the fried donuts, heard the music beginning to play, and felt the joy of a thousand people surrounding her. It swelled in her bloodstream like a tonic to an anemic man. She turned toward him, their noses only inches apart. “Let’s see everything, James. I want to taste every kind of food and hear every type of music. And I want to see this
Steintossen
.” She pointed to a picture in the brochure of a man hurling a boulder. “Plus, I want to see which girl is crowned the Festival Queen.”

James peered over her shoulder at the brochure and laughed. “That looks bizarre.”

Emma clapped her hands and impetuously grabbed his arm. “Maybe so, but I don’t want to miss anything!” She knew she was behaving like a child, but she couldn’t help herself. For the first time, Emma knew how a horse felt when finally released from its stall to an open pasture.

James clamped his hand over hers. The warm touch of his fingers raised her heart rate into the danger zone. “All right. Let’s hope Sarah and Sam can keep up with us!”

The foursome walked from booth to booth and from one exhibition hall to the next. Sam tried his hand at yodeling. James won a stuffed giraffe by knocking down milk bottles. Sarah accurately predicted which beauty would win the Miss Swiss crown. Emma bought a huge round of cheese that James carried on his shoulder for half the day. And all of them became queasy from the quantity and combination of food consumed.

When they couldn’t walk another step and collapsed at a picnic table to rest, James pulled four tickets from his shirt pocket. “I’ve got a surprise for us. I bought these the day after Emma said she would come with me today.”