Where Love Grows (2 page)

No, it was more than that. It was high time she made up her mind and settled down with a husband. Steve couldn't work for
Daett
forever. And
Daett
was getting up in years. He and
Mamm
deserved to move into a
dawdy haus
and not work so hard. Was that how her love for Thomas would grow? Her desire to stay here in her childhood home, Thomas's desire to farm, and
Mamm and Daett
's desire to settle in a
dawdy haus
?

It was possible, Susan supposed. Hadn't
Mamm
said love could grow anywhere? Anywhere it was allowed to, that is. Then Susan would allow it for everyone's sake. If love came slowly for her, then so be it. She and Thomas would have a lifetime for her love to grow stronger. That it was beginning small and uncertain for her would be her secret.

As Susan reached to open the barn door, a man cleared his throat behind her. Susan jumped and whirled around.

“Umm…I have the horse ready,” Steve said. “He's tied up in the first stall.”

Susan relaxed. “You didn't have to do that, Steve. I would have done it.”

A hint of a smile crossed Steve's face. “It was no trouble. Happy to do it.” He looked up at the clear sky. “It's sure a beautiful morning.”

“
Yah
, it is,” Susan answered. “Well, thanks for getting Toby ready. I wasn't expecting that. I know you're busy with the usual chores
Daett
gives you.”

“Your
daett
is a
gut
man and a
gut
farmer.” Steve tugged the hat rim down over his eyes more. “He's done a
gut
job keeping things up on the farm, even with his age.” With that, he turned to go.

Without thinking, Susan asked, “Do you have any secrets, Steve?”

He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “Me? Secrets? I'm a pretty ordinary fellow. No secrets.”

“Really? I thought everyone had secrets.”

“Not me. I'm pretty much what you see. No secrets and no roots. I'm kind of like the dandelions in the field. I grow where
Da Hah
blows me.”

“So why don't you have a girl?”

His eyes twinkled. “Maybe I haven't found the perfect one yet.”

“Is that why you moved to a new community? To…”

“Scout the land?” He finished her sentence. “Perhaps. Do you have anyone in mind?”

“
Nee
,” Susan said. “And I don't know why I even asked something like that. Maybe it's that type of morning.”

He smiled. “I'm afraid you'll have to look someplace other than myself for secrets. And no offense taken.”

“Thank you,” she said. “What do you think of Teresa and James?”

He raised his eyebrows. “They seem like a nice enough couple. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason,” she said. “I suppose you heard about all the ruckus before they got together.”

Steve shrugged. “I don't pay much attention to rumors. They look like they're in love with each other. That should be
gut
enough for anyone.”

“I want nothing more from life,” she said, “than to settle down to a boring sameness, day after day, night after night, living in peace and love. Wouldn't that be wonderful?”

“I don't know about that,” he said. “I'm not much into boring. I'm surprised you are. I heard you'd been with the
Englisha
for a while. That's not something a person does who's looking for boring.”

“So now you're paying attention to rumors?”

Steve laughed. “I didn't really hear that much. People seem to think highly of you. And I'm sure your
mamm
and
daett
will be happy if you plan to stay. And Thomas, of course.”

“What do you think of him?”

“Thomas?” He paused for a moment. “You want me to comment on your boyfriend?”

“
Yah
, I'm asking you. Coming from another community, you might have an unbiased perspective.”

“What if I don't like him? Can I continue working here?”

She laughed. “I'm not going to chase you off.”

“Well…”

“Come on now. Tell me the truth.”

Steve tilted his head sideways. “Thomas comes from a good family, as far as I can tell. Of course, I don't know what secrets lie in his past. Maybe he ran off to the
Englisha
world for a while too. You know, something wild like that.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke the last line.

“So you think that's a character flaw? You keep bringing it up.”

“Depends on why a person did it, I guess.”

“Let's just say I had my reasons.”

“Fair enough,” he said.

They stood silent for a moment.

Susan finally said, “Well, I better get busy or Teresa will wonder what's happened to me.”

“And I better get busy in the fields before your
daett
thinks I've gone lazy on him.” He turned and left.

Susan went into the barn thinking about the exchange. Steve hadn't given away much about his past. Not that it was any of her business. But a person just couldn't help wondering. Had some girl dumped him? He'd probably had his heart broken, and the wound was healing slowly and out of sight of the people who knew him.

She'd done much the same thing by moving to Asbury Park. True, it had been time spent among the
Englisha
. But
Da Hah
had brought good things out of the experience. That time of her life was nothing to be ashamed of.

Susan untied Toby and led him outside. Lifting the shafts of the buggy, she swung him underneath and fastened the tugs. Holding the bridle, Susan looked toward the house and waited. There was still no sign of Teresa.

Thoughts of last Sunday night buzzed through Susan's head. Thomas hadn't tried to kiss her yet. In a way she wished he would. It might hurry things along. But apparently Thomas wasn't willing to rush things until she agreed to a wedding date. To his credit, he seemed to ignore the fact that Eunice still made eyes at him almost every Sunday night at the hymn singings.
Mamm
was right though. Susan needed to trust Thomas and believe he wouldn't fall again just because Eunice batted her eyes at him. After all, Thomas claimed Eunice acted that way toward all the boys, which was partly true. To his credit, Thomas really didn't want Eunice. He was choosing her—Susan. That was worth something, wasn't it? Surely his persistence would arouse some of the old feelings she used to have for him.

And now here came Teresa, running across the yard, her face glowing with happiness. At least somebody had things figured out in this world.

S
usan drove the buggy on the main road, across the small one-lane bridge in the hollow, and continued until the fields opened up again. She looked at a red barn that belonged to the farmstead. It stood framed by the trees in the yard, their green leaves hanging over the roofline. In the background, a small, white, two-story house sat back from the road. A small front porch protected the front steps, and a broken concrete sidewalk led up to it.

“What a beautiful, beautiful, little place,” Susan gushed. “I've been here several times now, and it still makes me want to move in! Even if the barn roof sags a bit.”

“I still can't believe James and I are going to live here!” Teresa said, her voice catching. “Do you think it's all a dream, Susan? I live in horror I might wake up some morning and find it all gone.”

“It looks pretty real to me,” Susan said, pulling into the driveway. “I'd be more worried about all the work you still have to do on the place.”

“James will work on it when he has the time. Right now it's good enough for me. And getting the farm going is more important than how the place looks.”

“At least the barn and house roofs don't leak.” Susan brought the horse to a stop by a small tree.

“You sure aren't very cheerful this morning,” Teresa said, climbing down from the buggy. “Is something troubling you? I've been so wrapped up in my own world, I've about forgotten you. Is it trouble with Thomas again?”

“Not really.” Susan tied Toby to a tree branch. “It's just not quite like old times. I suppose I'll get used to it.”

“I know
Da Hah
will bless you, Susan. Look how He's blessed me beyond my wildest imagination. He'll do the same for you. I know He will.”

“I hope so.” Susan took the cleaning supplies out of the back of the buggy.

“You know
Da Hah
will,” Teresa insisted. “Look at what kind of shape I was in when I arrived in the community. That wasn't so long ago. And just think, I could easily be marrying old Yost Byler instead of James—if
Da Hah
hadn't intervened.”

Susan laughed and then frowned. “It's not funny, really. In fact, I have shivers running up and down my spine even now just thinking about it.”

“He'll make that widow from Geauga County a good husband,” Teresa said.

“
Yah
, he'll make someone a good husband. Just not you. I'm glad you came to your senses in time.”

“I still claim Yost isn't all that bad. All he wants is someone to cook and clean for him. You know, we should go back and clean his house again just to be nice. Perhaps right before his wedding.”

“I don't think so,” Susan said, making a face. “One afternoon in his house was enough for me. Let his new wife take care of that.”

Teresa laughed. “Poor man. But I do say, I'm glad things didn't work out between us. James needs cooking and cleaning like any other man, but there is also this wonderful love between us. I never thought it possible, Susan. I never felt such a feeling as this. Not even between Samuel's father and me.
Da Hah
is very kind. I don't deserve any of this.”

“You're right.
Da Hah
has blessed you!” Susan opened the front door. It squeaked on the hinges, the sound echoing through the house. “Looks like you need oil on this door.”

“I'm leaving it like it is unless James objects. That way I can hear the door every time he comes into the house so I can come running from wherever I'm working. Oh, Susan! I can't believe this is happening!” Teresa paused and tears sprang to her eyes.

Susan set the supplies on the hardwood floor and went to stand beside her. “I'm so glad you're happy, Teresa. You don't know how worried I was about you those first few months here. I thought Deacon Ray and Yost were going to mess your life up with their scheming. And you went along with their plans, having such a sweet attitude about what you couldn't control. I'm sure that's why
Da Hah
has chosen to bless you.”

“He has blessed me,” Teresa agreed. “And I'm not going to rest or stop praying until you're as happy as I am.”

“You're a very precious friend, Teresa. I can never tell you that enough. If my attitude toward life's trials can become as pure as yours, I'm sure I'll be okay.”

“I'll always be your friend, Susan. Please tell me if I ever do something that harms our friendship. I don't want marriage, or children, or busy days and nights to keep our hearts apart.”

Susan wiped away her own tears. “Life changes things, Teresa. But,
yah
, I hope we will always be sisters in heart. In many ways you are much more of a sister to me than my eight real ones. They think I'm spoiled, pampered, and hardheaded. And they're probably right…which is why I like you—you're so nice to me in spite of how I act sometimes.”

Teresa gave Susan a quick hug. “You liked me for some reason long before I was ever nice to you. I shudder to think how I must have looked going into Laura's bakery in Asbury Park. I was all swelled up and pregnant with Samuel. And then I asked you to help me arrange for my baby to be adopted by Amish parents when he was born. It's a wonder you didn't throw me back out on the street.”