Redemption in Amish Country, page 21
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Are you?”
Tiring of the conversation, Abram rubbed his fingers against his temple. “Can we not talk about it anymore?”
Conversation paused as an Englisch mother pushing a baby carriage strolled by. Her husband, proud as a peacock, strutted beside her, toting the heavy bag of essentials a newborn required on an outing.
“First kind,” Rolf commented. “You can always tell.”
Abram gave the couple a passing glance. Although he longed for a familie and kinder of his own, he doubted he’d ever be so blessed. Instead of having a wife who greeted him with a kiss, he awakened to an empty bed. Instead of cradling the sons he so dreamed of raising, he’d resigned himself to never knowing the joys of fatherhood.
“Rolf!” a voice called. “Will you get Hannah’s teething ring out of the buggy?”
Abram glanced toward his sister-in-law. A slight woman with lovely brown hair and expressive eyes, Rolf’s wife wrestled with her squirming child.
Rising from the bench, Rolf adjusted his shirt and striped suspenders. “Fatherhood calls,” he said, and claimed his hat. “Looks like Violet needs help with the kind.”
“Go tend to your familie.”
Hat set firmly, Rolf started to walk away. Pausing, he pivoted on his heel.
“Gott has plans for you,” he said presciently. “Plans to prosper, plans to give you hope and joy. And, yes, even a helpmate. The promise is there. Trust in the Lord, and He will bless you.”
Abram felt uncomfortable under his knowing gaze. “Danke, bruder.”
“Just have faith.” Going on his way, Rolf completed his errand and joined his wife.
Feeling lost and out of sorts, Abram gazed across the park.
Angled toward the horizon, the sun was beginning its slow descent. The air had cooled, shedding the oppressive heat of earlier.
A chorus of children’s voices filled the air. “Onkel Abram, come play!”
He smiled at the youngies headed his way. The children piled on, smothering him with hugs.
“Will you join the game?” his nephew Zeke implored. Twins Hiram and Hershel hovered nearby, adding to the chorus of pleas.
Teary-eyed, Zeke’s smaller brother tugged at his sleeve. “The boys won’t let me kick the ball,” little Eli pouted. “I need big man legs.”
Abram’s melancholy lifted. The children’s sweet faces and innocent spirits never failed to inject fresh energy into his spirit. Zeke and Eli belonged to his sister Annalise and never failed to bring a smile to his face.
“Well, we’ll have to do something about that.” Standing, he swooped his youngest nephew up, setting him atop his shoulders with an easy display of strength. “Now you have some legs to do some real kicking and running.”
Small hands holding tight, Eli squealed with delight.
Surrounded by laughing kinder, Abram headed into the game. As he walked toward the playing field, he realized he had many things to be thankful for. His familie. His health. His job. Truly, the Lord was generous and had treated him well. When he went home this evening, he would be sure and bend a knee in thanks.
I have so many blessings. It would be ungrateful to ask for more.
Chapter Three
“You can get glad the same way you got mad.”
Head down, arms folded tightly across his chest, Josh sat in stony silence.
Maddie unbuckled her seat belt. “You can sit there and pout or you can enjoy the evening. Which do you want to do?”
Josh repeatedly kicked at the back of the passenger seat. “Nothing.”
“Just stop it,” she warned. “There’s no reason to keep pouting. You’re the one who broke the tablet. I haven’t got the money to replace it, so you might as well get over it.”
Josh crumbled into tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Maddie softened. “I understand you were mad, but you have to learn that breaking your things and shouting won’t get you anywhere.”
“Why can’t you listen to me? I just want to go home!” he cried.
Struggling to keep her composure, Maddie felt icy fingers squeeze her lungs. “That’s not going to happen. Our lives are here now. I know you don’t understand why we had to leave, but trust me when I say I’m doing my best.”
Josh sniffled but didn’t argue. Slumping in his seat, all the fight seemed to have gone out of him. Locked in his own misery, he sat staring into nowhere.
Firm in her resolve, Maddie refused to let his tantrum ruin the evening. Getting out, she rounded the vehicle. Opening the rear passenger-side door, she freed Josh from his booster seat. “Now come on.” She pointed to the group of people filling the park. “Let’s try to have a pleasant time.”
Josh slipped out of the car. “I don’t know those kids,” he groused, resuming his stormy expression. “I don’t want to play with them.”
Maddie sighed. Josh wouldn’t be happy until he ground her down with his whining and complaints. The only thing she could do was ignore him and hope he wouldn’t depress everyone else with his attitude.
Retrieving the platter of cinnamon rolls Wanetta had generously sent along, she straightened. “Then sit and watch. And at least try to be friendly if anyone talks to you. That’s all I’m asking. Okay?”
Josh recrossed his arms, hunching to make himself smaller. “I don’t care,” he mumbled, kicking the gravel beneath his tennis shoes.
Pulling in a breath to strengthen her own nerve, Maddie followed the cobblestone walkway leading into the heart of the park. An oasis of thick grass and sturdy old trees was enhanced by the presence of a pond, which was spanned by a small walkway and filled with goldfish. Ducks and geese wandered in groups, honking for bites of food from the people at the picnic tables. Along with a play area filled with swings, slides and other toys, the park offered ample space for baseball and other games.
People in Amish and Englisch-style clothing milled throughout the area. The joyous shouts of children at play filled the air. The adults sat on benches or on blankets spread over the grass. Men tended to the food as the women looked after their infants and toddlers.
Feeling out of place, Maddie halted her steps. Facing such a large gathering was intimidating. She didn’t know anyone, and the idea of walking into the group was overwhelming. Beside her, Josh dragged his feet. By the look on his face, he was scared, too.
Swallowing hard, she fought to tamp down her anxiety. Looking for a familiar face, she searched the group for Abram Mueller. She didn’t see him, but she did spot his grandfather Amos passing the time with a group of elderly men. Nearby, she saw a few more men and women who bore a resemblance to him. Children of all ages surrounded them, ranging from infants to gangly teenagers. Surely Abram would be nearby. Having enjoyed their chat earlier in the day, she hoped to see him again.
“Come on,” she urged, attempting to keep aggravation out of her tone. “Let’s say hello.” Pulling back her shoulders and angling her chin, she walked toward the group. Less certain, Josh trailed in her wake.
A woman holding an infant greeted her. “You must be Maddie.”
Surprise halted her steps. “Ja,” she answered, switching to Deitsch without thinking twice. It just seemed more natural to converse in the language she was taught as a child. “But how do you know my name?”
The woman laughed. “Abram Mueller is my bruder. He told me all about you and your boi.” Her smile widened. “I’m Lavinia, and this is my daughter, Sophie.”
“Danke.” Unsure what else to say, Maddie added, “I was hoping my sohn would have a chance to make some new friends.”
Petite with dark eyes, the woman gave her a wry look. “When Abram told me he’d met a Pennsylvania Amish girl, I didn’t believe him.” She visually swept Maddie from head to foot. “But you’re definitely one of us.”
Maddie glanced down. To save money, she made her own clothes. She still used many of the dress patterns she’d gotten from her grandmother. The simple styles were easy to make and suited her busy lifestyle. Forsaking cosmetics and jewelry, she’d tucked her long hair in a bun under a scarf.
“Ja,” she said, and then corrected, “I mean, nay. My grandparents were Amish, but my mother went Englisch and took me and my sister away from the community when we were youngies.”
“Well, you can take the girl away from the Amish, but you can’t take the Amish out of the girl. I’m glad your familie decided to settle in Humble.” Lavinia looked past her shoulder. “Is your ehmann here?”
Her stomach knotted. “Nay. It’s just me and my boi.”
“I see.” Lavinia’s gaze settled on the platter of cinnamon rolls. “My, those look delicious. If you would like to set them on one of the tables, we’ll be eating soon.” Setting her cooing infant against one shoulder, she gestured for Maddie and Josh to follow her. “Come, let me introduce you to everyone.”
Relieved, Maddie followed her into the group. Fortunately, most people were content to accept her answer about whether she was married without prying. Most believed her to be a widow or abandoned by the father of her child. It was easier to say nothing than to tell a lie. The deception she and Josh lived under already hurt her heart.
“Everyone, this is Maddie and her son, Josh,” Lavinia announced. “They’ve just moved to Humble.”
A chorus of welcome filled the air. Everyone smiled or gave a little wave of acknowledgment.
“So happy to have you,” a woman greeted warmly. “I’m Annalise.”
“Ach, I see you have a boy the age of my Henry,” a woman introduced as Violet added. “I hope they will be friends.”
Lavinia finished the introductions, reeling off names as she introduced each in turn. “There are a lot of us,” she said when she’d finished. “And most of us have kinder, too, so it’s quite a group.”
Trying to keep track of all the names and faces was dizzying. Raised with a single sibling, Maddie couldn’t imagine being a part of such a large family.
“And then there’s Abram.” Lavinia pointed toward the ball field. “He’s playing kickball over there in the field.”
Towering over the kids, Abram was easy to pick out. Overseeing the group, he laughed and clapped, encouraging the younger children whenever the ball came their way. Other games were in progress around them—horseshoe tossing, tetherball and an impromptu game of touch football for the older kids. Everyone was having a fine time.
Maddie glanced to Josh. Arms still crossed in a defensive manner, his expression was slowly changing to a look of longing as he watched the other children play.
“Go. Ask if you can join in.”
Shutting down again, he shook his head. “I don’t wanna.”
Maddie was about to reply when Abram came dashing up. A couple of children trailed in his wake.
A grin spit his face from ear to ear. “I was hoping you would come.”
An immediate spark sizzled through her. Tall and broad shouldered, Abram was all corded muscles. Stray curls peeked out from beneath his straw hat. Suddenly, her throat felt closed, blocked by the intense pounding of her heart.
Gathering her wits, she returned his smile. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“I hope my familie hasn’t been giving you a hard time. Lavinia will talk your ear off if given half a chance.”
“Not at all. Everyone has been so welcoming.”
Abram looked at Josh. “And how are you, young man?”
“I’m okay,” he mumbled.
Abram pointed to the twin boys accompanying him. “These are my nephews Hershel and Hiram. We’re looking for one more for the team. Would you like to play?”
Josh shook his head. “I don’t know any of these games.”
Maddie cringed. A city school with a concrete playground and barely a half hour of recess didn’t offer much activity for the children. As he grew older, it was getting harder to keep Josh active and engaged. Most kids he knew sat around with a smartphone or tablet in their hands, glued to the screen.
Abram jerked a thumb toward the ball field. “Well, do you know how to kick a ball and run?”
Josh gave a wary nod. “I think so.”
“That’s what the team needs. A boi who can kick hard and run fast,” Abram continued and clapped his hands in an encouraging manner. “Come. Try it.”
Shedding a bit of his reserve, Josh looked askance to Maddie. “Can I?”
“Of course. Go have some fun.”
“Come on,” Hiram and Hershel said almost simultaneously. “We need someone to play third base.” The boys turned and sprinted back to their game.
“We really could use you,” Abram added. “We’re getting our tails kicked by the other team. We sure could use a home run.”
By now, Josh’s interest was piqued. “I would like to try.”
“Then come and show us all what you can do.” Giving Maddie a wave, Abram guided the child to the ball field.
Barely daring to breathe, she watched as Abram explained how to play the game. Her flitting gaze took in every detail. A variant of baseball, kickball was easier for children too uncoordinated to use a wooden bat. All they had to do was kick the ball and run to the marked bases before someone tagged them out.
It didn’t take long for Abram to get Josh into the game. Within minutes, he was actively involved. His stormy mood broken, he played with gusto.
Maddie released a pent-up sigh. At last, the burden of uncertainty had lifted.
Sidling up, Lavinia gave Maddie a tap with her elbow. “My bruder, he’s gut with the youngies, ja?”
It was true. Abram was right in the middle of the action.
Watching her nephew kick the ball and run to first base without getting tagged out, Maddie nodded. “He is. I’m surprised he got Josh to play. I thought I’d have to beg him to participate.”
Even as the sight warmed her heart, it didn’t quite touch the sadness burrowed in her soul.
* * *
After chasing after the youngies for the better part of an hour, Abram needed a break. Hot and tired, he called for a time-out.
Hat in hand, he wiped his perspiring brow as he walked toward the rest area. The games were winding down, and people were drifting toward the picnic tables.
Glancing around, he caught sight of Maddie. Laughing and chatting with the other women, she had clearly settled into the group.
Struck by her grace, he couldn’t help but stare. And no wonder. Maddie Baum was a beauty, with striking, wide blue eyes and a smattering of freckles across her pert nose. He also couldn’t help but notice a couple of single fellows trying to catch her attention. Blushing, she shook her head, sending them on their way.
He frowned. It was natural other men would be attracted to her. The Amish believed large families were a blessing, and members of the community were encouraged to marry young.
A hand suddenly clapped him on the shoulder.
“Back in your thoughts again?” Rolf asked.
The interruption caused him to jump a little. “Sorry. Guess I was.”
Chuckling, his older brother waved a hand. “Oh, I’ve figured out where your thoughts have been wandering.” One corner of his mouth curved upward. “Can’t miss that look on your face. You’ve got your eye on the new girl.”
Brow knotting, a quick burst of air flared Abram’s nostrils. “Am I that transparent?”
“Can’t say that I blame you,” Rolf continued. “And Lavinia says she comes from Pennsylvania Amish.”
He let a shrug do his speaking. “Something like that.”
Rolf nudged him. “You should go talk to her.”
Abram shied back. “A pretty girl like her... She’s not going to look twice at a fellow like me.”
It was true. Maddie Baum was a rare beauty. And she had Amish roots, so it wouldn’t exactly cause a scandal if he chose to court her.
Rolf gave another nudge. “You’re not walking over there to propose. Just go and say hello.”
Panic seized his confidence, freezing him in his tracks. All at once his stomach was full of knots, and his feet turned to stone blocks. “She’s busy helping feed the kinder,” he mumbled. “I don’t want to bother her.”
Rolf released a pent-up sigh of exasperation. “I’m reminded of a bit of Proverbs,” he said, leaning in close. “‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ It isn’t your face holding you back. It’s your own self-pity. Unless you get over it and have confidence in yourself, you’re going to be a lonely der greis.”
A pause momentarily silenced their conversation as a rush of images unfurled through Abram’s mind. His brother’s words echoed in the depths of his psyche: a lonely old man. Suddenly, all his tomorrows stretched ahead of him, empty and dark.
“Stop beating yourself up and get on with your life.”
“Do you think she’d give me a chance?”
“Why wouldn’t she?” Rolf said, scratching a bare patch of skin beneath his lower lip. “Gott counsels us not to look at a man’s outward appearance but at his heart. A true woman of the Lord won’t even notice the scars on your face, but she will see your kind soul. You are a gut man. And when you find the right fraulein, you will know it.”
“You think so?”
Rolf crinkled his nose. “I know so. Now, go. Just be yourself.”
Walking on numb legs, Abram strode into the group. “Hallo,” he greeted. “You look busy.”
Staffing the coolers handing out drinks, Maddie retrieved a bottle of water. “You look thirsty.”
Abram accepted the bottle. Cracking the cap, he took a long drink. “Think I’ve lost ten pounds running after the kinder.”
“You’re so patient with them. I’ve never seen Josh play like that before. You really got him into the game.”
