Treasuring Emma (11 page)

“How come I never met him before?”

“He was living in Tennessee at the time.”

“And now he’s going to New York.”

Peter looked at her. “That’s Mark.”

Clara settled back against the seat. Two cars sped past them, but Peter kept the buggy moving at a leisurely pace. Suddenly he reached for her hand. She pulled away.

He didn’t say anything.

After a long silence, Clara spoke. “Peter, we need to talk.”

“I figured that.” He said the words through gritted teeth. “What about?”

“I think you already know.”

Peter sighed. “I’m not sure I know anything anymore, Clara. So why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind.”

“I’m thinking we should move.”

“Move?” Peter looked at her. “We’ve already had this conversation. What’s changed?”

“You invited not only
mei schwester
and
grossmammi
to live with us, but now also Mark. Our
haus
is too small.”

“Emma doesn’t want to live with us. She’s already said as much. And Mark will be here only temporarily. And as you keep saying, we don’t have any money. So how could we afford to move?”

“I’ve been thinking about it. It just makes sense. We could move into
Grossmammi’s haus
. Let them move in here.”

Peter turned into the Middlefield Cheese parking lot. He brought the buggy to a stop and angled his body toward Clara. “
Nee.”

“But, Peter—”

“I said
nee
.” His eyes narrowed in the dusky light. “I invited them to move in with us because it was the right thing to do. But Emma has made her feelings clear. And I understand why. Your
grossmammi
has lived in that house for, what, fifty years? I’ll not deprive her of her home and memories. The matter is settled; we’re not even going to ask.”

He stared out into the night. “You wanted to move back here from Kentucky. I agreed to it. I spent every dime I had saved to build our
haus
.”

Clara crossed her arms. “To make me feel guilty.”

“Because I love you.” He moved closer to her. “Clara, I would do anything for you. Except move again, especially since we don’t have to. I didn’t build our
haus
alone. You helped. Remember the kitchen?”

“
Ya.”
Her arms relaxed slightly.

“We painted the cabinets together. White. I can still see that glob of paint on your nose.”

“The one you put there.” She put her hands in her lap and looked down. She wasn’t going to let him get her off track. “If you won’t move—”

“I won’t.”

“Then I had another idea.” She told him about converting
grossvadder’s
workshop into a fabric and yarn store. When she was finished she held her breath and gripped the edge of the seat, bracing for his negative answer.

“What does Leona think about it?”

“I haven’t told her. I’ve only talked to Emma.”

“And she agrees?”

Clara hesitated. If she told Peter the truth, her husband would probably side with Emma. He seemed to be on everyone’s side but hers lately. “She’s considering it.”

“Really? I would figure she’d say
nee
right away.”

“Because she’s so stubborn?”

“Or because now isn’t a
gut
time for her to be making any big decisions. Especially about something so permanent.”

“So you don’t think it’s a
gut
idea.”

“I didn’t say that.” He moved closer to her. “I think it’s a great idea. And if Leona and Emma agree to it, I’ll help in any way I can.”

“You will?”

He nodded and smiled. “This is the happiest I’ve seen you for a long time, Clara.”

Her smile grew. On impulse she leaned over and kissed him. Once they had the business up and running, there would be no more worries about money. They wouldn’t have to go to any of the deacons or the bishop and ask for help. They could afford to build an addition on the house.

For the first time in ages, they would have a little breathing room.

They would have hope.

C
HAPTER
10

Typical Amish country
.

Mark King strolled down Bundysburg Road. He took in the white Amish houses and barns. The square plots of land bordered by woods. A buggy passed by, two men inside. He waved. Even grinned. They didn’t give him a second look. Yes, he could stay here unnoticed. Blend in with the rest of the community. No one would think of looking for him here.

Exactly the way he wanted it.

He continued down the road as dusk descended. There was nothing special about Middlefield. Plain. Just like Kentucky. Tennessee. A hundred other Amish settlements. Unremarkable. Like Amish life itself.

A life he hated.

Peter was plain and boring too. Not very smart either. Growing up, he had been content working in his father’s shop. Going to school and church. Getting up on Monday and doing it all over again. All he wanted was a wife, children, and an Amish life.

His cousin was so shortsighted. Such a fool.

But Peter’s wife—now, she was different. Thin, not too pretty, but decent looking. She had an edge to her, one he didn’t see in too many Amish women. A sense of desperation. She didn’t think much of her husband, that much he could tell. She thought she was smarter than Peter. Maybe even better.

That attitude came from somewhere. It wouldn’t take him long to find out where.

He had a plan, and somehow Clara would be a part of it. He continued to walk, nodding at a young Amish girl playing with a tiny kitten in the front yard of her house. He smiled at her. Such innocence.

But that child wasn’t innocent. No one was.

After a while he turned and headed back toward Peter’s dreary little house. His dull-witted cousin wouldn’t suspect anything. He had already opened his home to Mark, just as any proper Amish family would. Offered him food and shelter without asking for anything in return. And Cousin Peter could barely afford to feed his own children, if the contents of his pantry and the worn-out furniture were any indication.

As for his cousin’s wife, well . . .

Mark grinned, his first true smile since arriving in Middlefield. Clara would give him everything he needed. And she wouldn’t even realize she was doing it.

Leona peered through the smudged window in her bedroom. Her gaze swept the Ottos’ property. She wiped away a fingerprint and saw Emma walking up the driveway, lugging four bags of groceries from Nature’s Nook. Leona moved to get her cane, but stopped. By the time she managed her way downstairs, Emma would have most of the food put away. Instead she remained at the window and watched Emma’s cat, Tommy, chase a gray squirrel across the yard.

Maybe Adam was outside. Maybe he would notice Emma struggling with the groceries and offer to help. Something he should have been doing for the past two years. As Emma’s husband.

Leona sighed and moved to Ephraim’s old hickory rocker on the opposite side of the room. Her arthritic fingers caressed the smooth wood handles as she remembered how her husband’s thick, roughened hands would curl over them as he rocked back and forth in the chair. Even twenty years after his death, she could still feel the texture of his skin. Hands that had built a house big enough for their six children, created a wood shop, raised a barn. Those hands, that could repair any machine, build any structure, till any land, had also caressed her with love. Cradled and comforted their babies. Buried three of their children.

“Ephraim, what are we going to do?” she asked. “We had many troubles over the years, but plenty of happiness too. Yet our
grossdochders
are suffering. Where is their happiness?”

Silence met her words. She let out a bitter chuckle and shook her head. “I know, I know. You want me to mind my own business. To remember that the Lord will work this out.” She squeezed the wood crafted by her beloved’s hands. “But you know me,
mei lieb
. I can’t sit here and do
nix
.”

But she would have to. She was too old to do much else. She couldn’t force Clara to see the special man God had set apart for her. For some reason Clara had scales over her eyes when it came to her husband—a good provider, a decent man, strong in his faith. What would it take for her to appreciate Peter?

Then there was Emma. For years Leona had been certain that Emma and Adam would marry. Adam Otto was one of the few people who appreciated Emma for herself. He didn’t seem to care that she liked to spend hours in the woods with her pets, or that she could fish better than he did. She didn’t get mad when he beat her at checkers, or when he sometimes forgot he’d promised to help her with something. They understood each other. Accepted each other’s faults. Even embraced them. Or so Leona thought.

Then Adam left, surprising them all and breaking Emma’s heart. Though Emma would never admit it.

But while Leona prayed that Emma and Adam would find their way back to each other, that wasn’t the reason she’d asked Adam to return to Middlefield. Something had happened to Adam’s mother. Carol needed her son. And she needed all their prayers.

Leona closed her eyes. Tears squeezed out of the corners and ran down her cheeks. She prayed for those she had lost, and more fervently for those who were lost now.

“Grossmammi?”

Leona opened her eyes. She picked up the white handkerchief in her lap and wiped her cheeks. “Come in.”

Her granddaughter stepped inside. A strand of brown hair curved over her forehead, just above her blue eyes. Her face was pink from the chilly air outside. Dirt smudged her cheek, probably from Rodney jumping on her when she got home. That dog was nearly five feet tall when he stood on his hindquarters.

Leona started to rise. “I was just coming downstairs to help.”

“
Nee
. I put the groceries away.” She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I didn’t have to purchase too many.”

She couldn’t purchase too many
. Everybody tried to protect Leona, but she wasn’t ignorant of their finances. She watched as Emma picked at the edge of her sweater.

“What is it?”

Emma looked up, stilling her hands. “Dill can’t work anymore.”

“Are you sure?”

Emma swallowed, looked away. “
Ya
. Adam looked at her today.”

“I see.” Leona leaned back in her chair. “And you agree with what he said?”

“I didn’t want to, but he knows horses. I told him I’d call a vet.” She stood up from the bed and went to the window. “But I won’t.”

They both knew why. Leona waited for Emma to ask her what she should do. But she should have known better. Emma always had to figure out the answers herself.

“I’m trying not to worry.” She wiped underneath her eyes. “I’m trying to be grateful Dill isn’t dying. I’m trying to remember the blessings we have.” Her voice trembled. “But that doesn’t change anything.”

Leona’s knees creaked as she rose from the chair. “Of course it does, Emma.”

Emma shook her head. “There are still bills to pay. Now we need a new horse. And I won’t sell Dill, even though she’ll cost us more money.” She licked her lips. “If I did, someone would put her down.”

“You don’t have to carry all this yourself.” She put her arm around Emma’s shoulders. “I have some money saved.”