The Bridesmaid (5 page)

T
oday's the day,
thought Eben, planning to talk with his parents during the noon meal.
Surely they suspect something's up . . . all the letters back and forth.

He strode across the snowy yard toward the side door that led into the kitchen. Undoubtedly his father would enter the house by way of the utility room door, first stopping to take off his work boots so as not to dirty
Mamm
's spotless kitchen. Eben was careful to scrutinize his boots, as well, before heading indoors, though today he did not dally long, eager for some black
Kaffi
. Eben removed his work gloves and pulled off his boots on the back porch, leaving them near the door. The appealing aroma of washday stew hit him and, stocking footed, he made a beeline into the warm and inviting kitchen.

The kettle was shrilling as he washed his hands and dried them on the old towel Mamm left out for him and Daed to use. He caught her smiling softly, as if she suspected his reason for taking the shortcut into the kitchen. Mamm nodded and poured boiling water into a coffee cup, then carried it to the table. Eben had never made a fuss over brewed coffee or instant—it made no difference to him. He was just glad for the hot pick-me-up on such a cold morning.

Once Daed appeared, Eben found his tongue. It was long past time to forge ahead and tell them about his sweetheart residing in Lancaster County. Pretty Joanna Kurtz was the dearest girl he'd ever known.

Daed eyed his chair at the head of the table and ambled over to sit down. Eben could hear his father's stomach growling even as they waited for dinner to be served. His mouth watered at the thought of the thick morsels of beef blended with potatoes, corn, and beans. Still, he sat with his hands folded under the table there in his younger brother's spot just to the left of their father. The wooden bench next to him had been scooted beneath the table, dutifully waiting for a larger family gathering. It had been Mamm's idea to offer Eben the solid chair, similar to Daed's own.

After Leroy left for the world.

Eben still recalled the emotional devastation his brother's rebellion had inflicted upon the entire family. And because Leroy's decision to leave remained mighty painful, Eben had waited this long to communicate his interest in Joanna of Hickory Hollow to his parents. Of course, it wouldn't be anywhere close to the same sort of leaving as Leroy had done. Despite that, Daed and Mamm would be greatly affected by Eben's announcement today.

———

“A girl in Pennsylvania, ya say?” his father replied, nearly sputtering as he set down his spoon.

Eben explained where and how they'd met. “Seemed providential.”

Daed's brown eyes were suddenly serious. “I expect you'll want to bring her here to live, after you wed.” He paused. “
If
ya do.”

“Not sure how Joanna would feel about that.” Eben had never brought up the idea to her, knowing how hard it had been on one of his girl cousins to move clear to Wisconsin a few years back. And it was plain from her letters, as well, that Joanna was quite attached to Hickory Hollow.

“We look forward to meeting her,” Mamm said, and Daed agreed with a jerky bob of the head.

“You'll meet Joanna before we marry,” he assured them, realizing his father's grave look of concern had everything to do with Eben's being his temporary partner in running the farm. “Of course, I'm prayin' Leroy will come back first.”

“Jah, we're all still holding out hope for that,” Daed said.

Daed gave Mamm a hard frown, then turned back to Eben. “I'm sure ya know, you and your bride will have to live here if Leroy doesn't return home. Your Mamm and I are dependin' on ya, son.”

The very thing that kept Eben up at night returned to plague him anew, and he said no more as he pondered his father's declaration.

Joanna worked alongside Mammi Sadie to get the wash indoors and folded that afternoon. She also managed to finish the plum-colored dress, all but the hemming. Because of the latter, she wasn't available to help Mamma get an early start on supper like she usually did. Tonight's meal was an oven casserole of turkey, buttery egg noodles, and mushroom soup—one of her father and Cora Jane's favorites.

Grateful to have a short break in her routine, Joanna thought of running over to Rachel Stoltzfus's before returning to set the table for Mamma.

“Looks like Cora Jane's flown the coop,” Mamma remarked with a peculiar look at Joanna when she came down to the kitchen after putting away the dress.

“Most likely upset with me.”

“What now?”

“I told her 'bout Eben's visit.”

Joanna knew by the glint of recognition on Mamma's face that Dat had filled her in.

“Well, I should think she'd be downright pleased for ya.”

Joanna nodded. “If ya don't mind, I'm going to check with Rachel about Eben staying with them for one night. All right?”

“
Gut
a place as any, I 'spect.”

“I'll be right back,” Joanna said, going to put on her boots and coat for the trek across the snow-covered field.

“If ya see Cora Jane anywhere, tell her to come on home,” Mamma said as she followed Joanna into the utility room. “She knows better than to throw a fit like this.”

Mamma's fed up, too!
Joanna thought as she picked her way over the windblown snow. She wrapped her scarf more tightly to protect her face from the fierce cold. “How long before word gets out about Eben and me?” she whispered. Her precious secret had been safe for this long. She shuddered at the thought of most all the People knowing her business; the cocoon their love had grown in was dear to her. Yet that was the price of moving forward with a real-life romance. Nothing story-like about it! Of course, hard as it was to surrender their relationship to others' scrutiny, Joanna was thankful Eben was apparently ready to start seriously courting.
Just as I am . . .

Blue patches of sky appeared through the high clouds, and she wished Eben were coming to see her when it was warmer. Certainly, there were still interesting things to do in November. Why, with all the cold they'd been having, they might even be able to go ice-skating on Samuel Lapp's pond.

She spotted the Stoltzfus farmhouse and hurried toward the driveway. Then, thinking it might be best if she didn't appear too eager when she greeted Rachel, Joanna quickly flattened her smile. No sense in Rachel's guessing right away who Eben was to her. She made her way around to the side door, turning her head away from the wind, and knocked.

“Well, goodness me! Hullo there,” Rachel greeted her. “Won't ya come in?”

“Hullo, Rachel.” Joanna followed her into the balmy kitchen, replete with a delicious aroma.

“What brings you out in this weather?” Rachel's face was cherry red from cooking over her woodstove. She was one of only a handful of women in the area who still cooked the old way.

“Sorry to barge in so close to supper,” Joanna said. “Just wanted to ask a favor.”

“Why, sure . . . anything a'tall.”

“We're havin' out-of-town company this Friday . . . and, well, I wondered if you'd mind keepin' him overnight.”

Rachel fixed her gaze on Joanna, a hint of a smile in the corners of her mouth. “Why sure, we'll put your guest up for ya, Joanna.”

“Denki ever so much.”

Rachel's curiosity was evident in the arch of her eyebrows. “Is this anyone we know?”

Joanna guessed she wouldn't be getting out of this without filling in a few details. So she did her best to satisfy Rachel and yet not come right out and say that Eben Troyer was her beau.

“Rest assured, we'll treat Eben real
gut
,” Rachel said with a nod of her head.

“He'll take his meals with us, of course. You won't have to bother with that.”

“Oh, 'tis no trouble—but as you wish.” A smile spread across Rachel's face. “We'll look forward to meetin' your friend, for sure.”

She saw right through it!
Joanna thought as she turned to leave.
Just as everyone else will.
Even so, it was her job to trust that all would go well.

Still feeling hesitant, Joanna tightly pulled her old wool jacket around her and hurried back to her father's house.

A
fter supper, Cousin Lena arrived to mark the hem of the bridesmaid dress as she'd promised. Joanna stood like a statuette on a stool in the middle of the kitchen as Mamma observed merrily from the head of the table, where she rarely sat.

Meanwhile, Lena chattered nonstop about the many relatives coming to town for the wedding—some from the Somerset area, and others from upstate New York, near the Finger Lakes. All were first or second cousins of either Lena's mother or father and had received written invitations.

“It'll be nice to see some of my own second cousins, then, too,” Mamma mentioned, putting the family tree in better perspective for Joanna.

“Which makes them Lena's second cousins once removed?”

Mamma agreed. “And yours, too.”

Once the hem was precisely marked by many pins, Lena insisted on sewing it up at home for Joanna, asking to take the dress with her. “I'll press it up real nice for ya, too.” Her eyes twinkled gaily.

Joanna thought Lena might be overdoing it. “It's your wedding, for goodness' sake!”

Yet after a few more exchanges, Joanna realized she wasn't going to get Lena to change her mind; there was nothing to do but let her have her way. Joanna went into the bathroom to step carefully out of her new dress, then folded it neatly. She put on her work dress again and took the lovely plum one out to the kitchen, where she watched Lena tuck it into her wicker basket. “I'll come and pick it up Wednesday afternoon, then. All right with you?”

“Sure,” Lena said before marching to the wooden pegs in the utility room, where she'd hung her coat and scarf. Then, just that quickly, she was ready to go. “Denki ever so much, Joanna!” And she was out the back door to the waiting horse and carriage.

“Well, I did my best to persuade her to let me finish the hem,” Joanna said, joining Mamma at the table.

“That's one strong-willed bride, I'll say.” Mamma laughed softly and glanced at Cora Jane, whose back was to theirs now, where she stood near the counter. “Such traits tend to run in the family.”

Joanna caught her meaning and rolled her eyes.

“How'd it go over at Abe and Rachel's?” Mamma changed the subject.

“Everything's all set.”

“Sure's nice of Rachel,” Mamma said rather cryptically.

Smiling briefly, Joanna agreed. “She's doin' it for you, Mamma, ya know. For her
gut
friend.”

Mamma said she supposed that could be. “But even so, Rachel must be awful happy for you . . . just as I am.” Mamma eyed Cora Jane again, as if she almost expected her youngest to speak up now and say something kind.

“Well, I can't wait for you to meet him,” replied Joanna.

At that, Cora Jane slipped out of the room.

Mamma waited till Cora Jane was gone a few moments before saying, “Someone's definitely sufferin'. Not sure just why.”

“Maybe I shouldn't have waited so long to tell her about Eben.”

Mamma shrugged. “I wouldn't blame yourself. Some folk are just afflicted with a grouchy disposition.”

“Comes and goes like the wind, jah?”

Mamma sighed into her hands. “It might be best if your sister's gone on Friday, like she's threatened to be.”

“She said that, too?”

Mamma nodded her head. “It'd be such a shame if her attitude spoiled things for ya.”

“Well, Eben comes from a long line of siblings, so surely he's encountered a
schniekich—
persnickety—sister at some time or other.”

“Just hope she grows out of whatever ails her,” Mamma added.

Or just plain grows up
, thought Joanna.

All day Wednesday, Joanna, her mother, and Cora Jane scoured the interior of the house as thoroughly as if they were planning to host Preaching service. They'd washed all the throw rugs the day before, having done up the rest of the laundry on washday.

Cora Jane's apparent disdain for the effort to make things spotless annoyed Joanna. She worked slowly and grudgingly; Mamma actually had her go back and redust or remop certain rooms. Although firm, Mamma was altogether patient, like a mother might be with a youngster. Joanna was grateful for her mother's example and resolved not to let her sister's sour attitude get the best of her, not with so much happiness just around the corner.

Joanna rose early the next day to arrive at Lena's in plenty of time to offer support to the bride. Joanna offered to brush Lena's long blond hair while the other attendant, Mary Ruth Beiler, pressed Lena's white organdy cape apron one last time.

Joanna recalled Cousin Malinda's emotional pre–wedding service breakdown and smiled to herself. There was no evidence of tears for
this
bride. No, Lena seemed impatient to get on with the wedding.

Out the window, Joanna spotted Salina arriving with her husband, Noah. She wondered if Salina would have chosen to come to Lena's wedding had Joanna not been one of the wedding attendants. Nevertheless, it was good to see her and Noah looking so nicely dressed for the occasion. She loved the way they still glanced so fondly at each other.

Hours later, once the wedding feast was under way, Joanna noted which courting couples were in attendance. As beautiful as the wedding table was, she could hardly wait to get home, thinking of Eben's arrival tomorrow.

She was glad that Dat and Mamma had come, which meant Cora Jane was somewhere around the house. But because Gideon Zook evidently hadn't been invited, her sister must have had to resort to spending time upstairs talking with other girl cousins. Joanna hated to admit it, but she felt more comfortable with her sister in another room just now.

It wasn't till much later, after the evening Singing, that Joanna and Cora Jane walked home together. This was the first they'd been alone since Joanna had told her about Eben's visit, and Joanna was content to walk in silence for quite a ways.

Then, out of the blue, Cora Jane muttered something about Joanna's defying the odds. “You're pressin' your luck, sister.”

“I don't see it that way.”

“Well, how
do
you see it?”

Breathing deeply, Joanna felt the icy air cut into her lungs. “It's about believing, really.”

“That someone's going to marry you?”

“Not just someone.” She sighed.
Should I say it?

“So your beau's comin' to propose marriage, is that what ya think?”

“That's what fellas usually do after writing to a girl so long.” She'd divulged nothing more than the truth.

“Okay, so maybe he
is
going to . . . but don't forget he could take you away from Hickory Hollow forever!” Cora Jane sounded hurt. Really hurt. And Joanna didn't know what to say.

“After all, he's already taken you from me before: You never once explained your absence while we were in Virginia Beach, ya know.” Her sister paused.

Joanna shook her head. “I didn't realize you were counting on me, Cora Jane—you seemed to be having plenty of fun with our cousins. Honestly, I didn't think I'd be missed.”

“Well, now ya know.”

Cora Jane's tone was bitter, and Joanna couldn't bring herself to apologize. Lots of older sisters kept romantic things to themselves until closer to an actual engagement. Just because Cora Jane herself had always been so open about fellows didn't mean Joanna was bound to be, as well . . . especially when she'd had so few fellows take an interest in her over the years.
And, too, I didn't want Cora Jane to ruin anything with Eben when we'd only just met,
she thought. Considering her sister's present concern about his being from Indiana, Joanna didn't think she'd been wrong in that.

Cora Jane sped up the pace a bit, not saying more. And Joanna fell in step with her once again.