The Thorn (36 page)

There below stood Nick, his flashlight shining on the ground. "Will ya come for a ride, Rosie?"

"Aw, Nick ... I was nearly asleep already."

He nodded solemnly. "It's maybe too late ... jah." He sounded glum.

"You all right?"

"Sure."

The cold night air pressed into the room. "Well, I'll see ya tomorrow, then."

He turned, his shoulders slumped as he crept away ... alone, back toward the bishop's farmhouse.

Something's not right. Rose closed the window and tried to dismiss her fears.

On Thursday afternoon, there was a pretty white quilt to complete for the upcoming wedding season. Rose accompanied Hen in the family carriage to Aunt Malinda's, where she was glad to see her sister and her aunt getting further reacquainted. In fact, Aunt Malinda made a special point of drawing out Hen. Mattie Sue was spending the day with Kate and her little ones, so Hen was free to soak up their loving aunt's kind attention.

On the ride home, Hen surprised her by taking up the driving lines for the horse - she'd left her car parked behind the barn at Dat's for the day. Rose realized Hen had not been using her car much this week, not even to go to her job yesterday - Dat had taken her over in the family buggy, of all things.

Most noticeable, though, was Hen's countenance, which had begun to change from concerned to carefree. Her smile lit up the entire area, no matter where Hen happened to be, including the stable. "I want to become familiar again with Dat's driving horses," she explained. An interesting, yet worrisome sign ...

Hen was happy to see Rose that evening after supper, when Rose invited her and Mattie Sue to family worship at the main house. Pulling up a chair next to her mother, Hen listened as her father read from what he called the "love chapter" in the New Testament book of Corinthians. She couldn't help wondering if the passage had been chosen just for her - love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things . . . - but she didn't mind. Eager for God's wisdom, especially in the form of Scripture, she welcomed whatever spiritual guidance she might glean from her father.

After an evening prayer from the old German prayer book, Die Ernsthafte Christenpflict, Rose took Mattie Sue over to play at the bishop's with three of his visiting granddaughters. Dad left the house to head out to the stable to see the foals, and Hen was glad to sit quietly with her mother, who seemed more interested in talking than at other times.

"Are you free of pain tonight?" Hen asked, touching her mother's hand.

"A little more bearable than sometimes." Mom smiled thoughtfully. Then, after some time, she said, "My dear girl ... I hope you'll keep the door wide open where Brandon's concerned - invitin' him for meals, finding ways to be with him."

"I'm doing what I can."

"That's wonderful-gut, Hen." She went on to encourage her. "Couples need to make things right with each other, submitting to one another in love, as God instructs us in Scripture."

Hen honestly wondered if her mother knew what that might involve in her case. "I'm going to write him a letter ... every few days."

Mom smiled faintly. "The Lord woos us, that's for sure."

"Jah," whispered Hen, falling silent for a moment. Then she said, "Brandon's never been one to attend any church, let alone care at all about the Lord."

"Nothing's impossible with God, dear one."

Hen sighed. "My husband says he's an agnostic."

"I have no idea what that is."

"No, and neither did I, either ... back when we were dating." She didn't think her mom would care to hear that Brandon was lukewarm toward God. His aversion to things of the Spirit made her tremble. "Brandon's not interested in the Bible, prayer, or the Christian faith."

"All the more reason to trust the Lord to work in his heart," said Mom.

"It'll take God's doin'," Hen agreed, glad to have the kind of support she'd so longed for and missed. "Thanks, Mom. And please keep Brandon in your prayers."

"Oh jah... no question about that." Her mother reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Denki," Hen caught herself saying.

That night Nick shone his flashlight on Rose's window at an earlier hour to ask again if she'd ride with him. This time, she didn't have the legitimate excuse of being ready to retire to bed, so she wavered and held back, not wanting to hurt him. But she knew full well Silas would never approve. Her beau hadn't come right out and said she couldn't spend time with Nick, but it was strongly implied.

"I'm sorry ... but I can't." She paused. "I shouldn't, really." Her heart went out to her best friend, who turned away looking even more dejected than last night ... downright hopeless.

"Nick," she whispered but did not raise her voice. What could she do? She was Silas's steady girl, and it wouldn't be long, she was rather sure, and his flashlight would be the one twinkling off her window. The fact that Nick was using this method to get her attention was not suitable at all.

When Rose really stopped to consider it, nothing much made sense about their friendship, and hadn't for years. What could possibly come of it? Nick had secretly cherished the modern world since his childhood, and this now colored everything between them.

The logical thing was for Rose to back off from seeing him and simply honor Silas Good's implied request. Yet why was it so hard?

All week the leaves had been falling and cluttering the front lawn, so Rose, Hen, and Mattie Sue went out to rake Friday morning. Rose had positioned Mamm's wheelchair near the front window so she could enjoy the sunshine, content to watch "her three girls" work together, making neat piles as Hen and Rose had done as youngsters. Several times, Hen let Mattie run and jump into the piles, which brought a round of giggles from not only Mattie but Hen, too. Rose had never seen her sister this peaceful, and she took heart in her sister's hope to win Brandon to the Plain life ... for God.

Brandon should see her now! Rose found herself thinking more and more this way, wishing her brother-in-law might come to understand how through the years he'd deprived Hen of this joyful life she was born to ... and still loved. No matter how hard things seemed each time she pondered Brandon and Hen's situation, Rose prayed for divine wisdom. And Mattie Sue's near-constant pleading to go and see her daddy and Wiggles "back home" wasn't making the situation any easier for Hen.

Rose knew something had to change, and soon. Would her parents insist on Hen's return to her husband?

Rose was surprised and delighted when Gilbert Browning arrived with Beth that afternoon. She'd wondered when he might realize that most anyone would be safe on an Amish farm.

She offered her hand to help Beth out of the car, remembering she was sometimes wobbly on her feet. "I'll take very gut care of your daughter," she promised Mr. Browning.

The man pursed his lips and inhaled slowly. "I'm counting on that."

Rose placed Beth's arm through hers and led her to the back walkway. There they stood, giving her father a wave when he got into the car and backed out to the road. "We'll have a nice time," she told Beth as they turned and slowly made their way to the barn.

Seeing the baby horses through Beth's eyes made the experience all the more moving for Rose Ann. Beth was not at all fearful of the young foals, and neither were they of her. She whispered to them like a child. "Aren't you the prettiest little thing?" Beth said over and over while she let them smell the back of her hand, like one might approach a strange dog. The foals blinked their eyes at her.

Soon Beth was down in the straw, just sitting there, and they came right to her. At one point she was eye to eye with the gentle creatures, and Rose caught her breath and blinked tears away.

"You're just so precious," Beth whispered as the smaller horse moved his face right up next to hers, licking her chin, her face, her neck, till Beth couldn't keep her giggles inside.

When Mattie Sue came wandering into the stable, Rose introduced her to Beth. "My niece loves the foals, too," Rose said, but Beth was not very interested in either Rose or Mattie Sue just now. All her attention was focused on the young horses.

Mattie went and squatted down next to Beth, and Rose was pleased that it didn't take long before Beth became comfortable with Mattie Sue. Now and then, Beth turned to look at Mattie, smiling tentatively, both of them just inches away from the foals. And to think Beth had been too frightened to come to the door a little less than two weeks ago!

"Looks like you're makin' some new friends today," Rose said, overcome with joy as she watched. Without a doubt, her efforts to seek out Mr. Browning's daughter were truly worthwhile.

Beth made no reply as she stroked the foals and shared the same space with Mattie Sue, lost in her own world.

Later, when it was time to take Beth back home, Nick waved to Rose from over in the pasture. Beth stared at him for the longest time, even as they were pulling out of the lane.

"Rosie, I didn't want to leave today," Beth told her on the ride home in the buggy.

"Well, I understand that feelin'," Rose replied.

"Like when Daddy and I lived in Illinois - I felt just like that all over again," Beth said.

"And what was that?"