Beside Still Waters (22 page)

As they drove away, the buggy wheels followed the dirt road, dipping and rising through the potholes, and Marianna couldn't help but recognize the tension between her parents.

"So yer telling folks we're gonna be here a while?" Mem's words pushed out through clenched teeth. "More than one woman told me she was happy we'd committed to a longer lease on our home."

An angry electricity flashed between her parents. Months ago the tension had been over them coming. Now it seemed it had shifted to the idea of them staying. Until today Marianna had believed her father when he'd said they'd only come for a year. But it seemed the community members were hearing otherwise.

And the frightening thing was, as they continued down the road, listening to the squeak of the buggy as it rolled along, Dat didn't deny that claim.

Dear Mari,

It was strange to address this letter and know that it was going to find you at another place. My intent is to wish you a Happy Birthday and to let you know how your old brother is doing. I'm fine I suppose. I've been better. I wanted you to know first that I broke off my relationship with Naomi. I've been thinkin' a lot of what you said that night a month ago, and I realized it is the truth. Naomi wouldn't think of leaving if it weren't for me. She's a nice girl, but I keep wondering what would happen to her if things don't work out with us. I'd hate to put her into the position of having to go back to her family home in shame. She says I broke her heart, but she'd find a new suitor. I don't have a doubt about that. Philip Beiler has always fancied her, and he's already been baptized into the church.

Write and let me know how things are. I got a new job, and I still have my friends, but my heart feels like it's only hanging by a thin string every time I think Dat, Mem, you, and the kids aren't at the place. I've tried twice to drive by but turned around. It makes me happy to know you'll be around before long, and I'll be able to throw gravel at Aunt Ida's window.

Tell David he's the man under Dat now.

Your brother,

Levi

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The air was cold and the first rays of sunlight crept over the mountains. Today would be a big day at the auction. Dat was excited that one of the log cabins he'd worked on would be auctioned off.

More than once she'd also heard him telling Mem, "Just wait. Don't get mad at me for wanting to stay longer than a year until you spend a day with the community. Until you see for yourself what Ike's been talking about, and what I've been witnessing at work."

It seemed Dat counted on this day making Mem like it here so much she wouldn't want to go back. The only problem was, Mem had volunteered to help with the food, and to Marianna that didn't sound like an enjoyable way to spend the day.

Marianna's small purse rested on her lap. In it was the money she'd saved up from caring for Mrs. Ropp's kids. She guessed she'd need money for food, and it would be nice to have it if something else caught her eye.

She sat on the porch fiddling with a long stick between her fingers. Trapper sat at her feet, his eyes focused on the stick. She twitched it to the left and his eyes followed. She lifted it a few inches, and he took a step back, waiting to run after it as soon as it was thrown.

"Want it?" She grinned and lifted it over her head, then she turned her body to the right, launching the stick in the direction of the barn. Trapper bounded after it and returned a moment later, setting it at her feet. She picked it up again, but her mind wasn't on their game. Her mind wasn't even on the morning's auction. Instead, it was on the letter Uncle Ike had brought in last night from town.

Marianna had read Levi's letter a dozen times, and each time the ache of missing him deepened. Growing up they'd never been close. Levi had been quick to pull her hair, throw rocks at her on the way home from school, push her into the creek, and then laugh as she scrambled up the muddy bank. But that was then. Things had changed since they'd gotten older, and not seeing him much over the last year had made her miss him in ways she hadn't expected.

Her heart ached for Naomi too. Marianna thought back to the excited look in Naomi's face over her hopes of being with Levi. Though they both would have broken hearts for a while, Marianna knew he was doing the right thing. And there was something else: Clearly, Levi knew the Amish way was right. Otherwise he wouldn't have made the sacrifice for Naomi to stay. Marianna had thought about sharing the letter with her parents. Maybe it would give them hope. But instead she folded it up and placed it in the dresser drawer underneath her underclothes. They hadn't mentioned Levi since they left, and she didn't want to be the one to sour their moods.

The sound of the horse's hooves and the crunch of the wheels on the road, alerted her to the buggy's approach.

She rose, grabbing her purse, and led Trapper to the house, putting him inside. He whined at the door wanting to stay out, but she knew better. More than once he'd followed the buggy to town, darting around the slow moving buggies and cars. She couldn't risk that. There would be too many automobiles, too many distracted people today. As much as she found the dog a hassle, she was also getting used to having him around.

Since she had to be there before anyone else, Uncle Ike said he'd give her a ride. He must have noticed her introspective mood when she climbed into the buggy, but he didn't mention it. Instead, he filled the silence with information about the day.

"You're not going to believe it when you see it. I think this is going to be the biggest auction yet. There are two large fields filled with RVs. Annie at the store told me last night she's met folks from Washington State, North Dakota, and even New York."

"They all come here? For this?"

"
Ja,
partly for the items, and partly for the event. When yer Aunt Ida heard about the price some of these quilts fetch, she sent me four of hers. Said she could only get half as much back in Indiana."

"Did you bring the quilts?" Marianna looked to the seat behind her, but didn't see them.

"Oh, I dropped them off last week. They need them that soon to get ready. Each quilt will get a number, and they make up a sheet of all of them, jest so people can see who made them and where they came from."

As they neared the store, Marianna could see that Uncle Ike wasn't joking about all the people. They rolled over the hill, and she saw cars already parked on the side of the road. The sun still hadn't crested over the mountains, yet there was already a line of folks who'd parked and were walking toward the store.

When they neared, Marianna noticed there was only one other buggy parked near the auction area.

"Where is everyone? Did the Amish forget to show up at their own event?" She chuckled, feeling the sadness of Levi's letter give away to the excitement of the day.

"No. I believe almost everyone will be out in these parts today. Most of them walk, though, since it's close. Or ride their bicycles."

Marianna cocked an eyebrow, not wanting to tell her uncle what she thought about that. Bicycles were another thing that hadn't been permitted in their Indiana community. Everyone, it seemed, rode them here.

After Uncle Ike parked, she hurried to the store where she was supposed to meet Mrs. Shelter. Entering the front door, she looked around for the woman and then heard voices in the restaurant. Turning the corner near the wood stove, Marianna stopped short. Dozens and dozens of quilts were laid out. The room was filled with color, and Marianna couldn't help but draw in a deep breath, placing a hand over her heart at the bright beauty in the room.

The Amish had many rules about their dress. They even had rules about keeping a plain home, but one place the women enjoyed expressing their artistic nature, and their creativity, was in their quilts. She'd never seen so many at one time. Never seen so much color and design swirled together.

"Here's another of my helpers." Deborah Shelter approached and took Marianna's hand into her thin ones. "I'll need your help taking these quilts to the main auction ring. Each quilt has a number on it, telling you which order. You have one job most important."

"And what is that?" Marianna looked around, seeing the others were also listening.

Mrs. Shelter's lips slipped into a thin smile. "Make sure they don't drag on the ground."

"Yes, of course." She chuckled.

After being schooled on the system, Marianna gathered up three quilts, protected in clear plastic bags. The one on the top was a blue and cream Boston Commons quilt similar to one Rebecca had on her bed. Seeing it, an unexpected longing flooded her. The day would be fun, she was sure. But how much more fun would it be to experience with a friend. Marianna hadn't heard from Rebecca since she'd arrived, and a heaviness weighed her steps.

As she transported the quilts outside, the warm June air carried with it scents of pine needles and a hint of the light morning rain that had blown away, over the mountains, much to the thankfulness of those attending the auction. The sound of a vehicle echoed through trees and from the corner of her eye she spotted a small, yellow truck with a blue camper on the back pulling in behind the store. Her steps slowed when she saw Ben driving. He waved and smiled, and then jumped out of the driver's door nearly the same instant the truck came to a stop.

"Hello there, Marianna. I'm glad you could be here for your first auction . . . but you're dragging."

"Oh no!" Marianna looked down and sure enough the quilts were dragging. She lifted them up, thankful the plastic still protected them.

Today Ben wore a red plaid shirt rolled up to his elbows. He looked like a lumberjack. Yet, he wasn't like any mountain man she'd met yet, and unlike any Amish man either. It was his confident steps that impressed her most—like he owned the ground he walked on. And then there was his eyes, crystal blue like the Indiana sky after a spring rain.

His smile broadened. "Here, let me take those. I don't want to hear that tongue lashing you're going to get when Deborah sees that plastic dragging. I think you managed to get a little mud on the plastic, but it's not anything we can't clean up."

"Thank you." Heat rose to Marianna's cheeks. "I'm so sorry." She allowed him to take the quilts from her.

"No worries. I have some old towels in the back of my truck. I'll wipe all the mud off the plastic, and she'll never know." He winked and then hurried to the truck.

Marianna wondered if she should follow him or stay where she was. Her eyes fixed on the man carrying the quilts with a hop in his step, and her feet felt as if they were glued to the ground. She wanted to follow him, wanted to strike up a conversation. She wanted to see him chuckle the way he had the day they'd first met, and that was the problem. She'd never thought much about the Englisch and especially had never wanted to spend time with one of them as she did with Ben.

He opened the back of the truck and used an old towel to wipe off the mud and then turned with a smile. He looked taller than she remembered, and for the first time she noticed a dimple in his chin.

"Thank you for saving me." She smiled back.

She hadn't seen him since that day he'd driven them from the train station. Hadn't talked to him since he'd called on the phone, offering her a ride to Eureka. Thinking back, she wished she'd accepted his offer. Being here at the auction gave her a longing to finish her own quilt. Would it be too forward to ask if she could get a ride into Eureka the next time he went to town?

Ben carried the quilts for Marianna and then headed to the farthest auction ring where two other Amish women were setting up displays.

Numerous buyers were already there—mostly Englisch—looking over the quilts, studying their design, and taking notes on their favorites. As soon as her quilts were hung, Marianna thanked Ben for his help. But when she turned back to the store to get more, instead of heading off in a different direction, Ben followed.

"So do you quilt?"

She liked the way he matched his stride to hers. "I do. I have one I'm trying to finish."