Love’s Journey Home (13 page)

Silence beat down on them for a long second. Helen watched Isaac’s expression as he
tried to understand the undercurrents that swirled about the room. Surely, all he
could see was a man about his age who ran his own shop, was married, had a child,
and seemed content. What could the bishop find to criticize in that? Micah had a long
memory. They had forgiven Josiah for his tempestuous rumspringa, but it remained the
stuff of nightmares for many parents in their small district.

The door swung open once again. This time a young woman peeked her head in, glanced
around, then stepped through the doorway. She had shiny blonde hair caught back in
a tight French braid and hazel eyes. She looked so familiar, but her skirt and short-sleeved
white blouse said she was Englisch. Helen looked toward Josiah, wondering if he knew
this girl. Someone from his difficult past? Surely not. Then it hit her. Catherine.

Josiah dropped the towel in the middle of the floor. “Catherine?” He took a step forward
and stopped. “Catherine!”

Bishop Kelp planted himself between Josiah and his sister. He stared at her long and
hard, without speaking.

“Bishop, I only came to say hello to my brother.” She smiled, not visibly intimidated
by the bulk or stature—physical or otherwise—of the older man. “I’ve not seen him
in four years, but I don’t plan to stay. He knows I’m in town and I felt it would
be rude not to at least stop by.”

She smiled and her face lit up. She looked so much like Annie. They could be twins,
if not for the clothes and her hair. Helen frowned. How could she wear her hair like
that, for all the world, for men, to see? The look on Josiah’s face said he felt some
of that same disappointment. He probably saw Sarah whatever-her-name-was, the New
Order Mennonite girl who had caused him such heartache only a few years ago.

Catherine glanced toward Helen and Edmond. “It’s good to see you again, Helen.”

Helen nodded but didn’t speak. She knew better. She shouldn’t even acknowledge Catherine’s
presence, but it went against the grain of every hospitable muscle in Helen’s body.
To not greet a member of Annie’s family…Her neck stiffened, her hands felt clammy,
and her stomach roiled. The bishop’s gaze bore into her forehead.

“As it happens, I’d also like to speak with you, Bishop Kelp.” Catherine hugged a
leather-bound notebook to her chest with one arm and adjusted the long strap of the
purse on her shoulder with the other. “I’m here in Bliss Creek because I’m working
on a research project for my thesis at WSU. I’m also writing a memoir that will be
published.”

Bishop Kelp’s features could’ve been sculpted from limestone. “That is well and good
for an Englischer such as yourself.”

“The topic of my thesis is the effects of living in a closed community.” Her tone
didn’t waver. “The topic of the memoir is, of course, my life as an Amish girl who
left her community.”

“Why would you need to speak to me about it?”

“I would like to interview some members of my family and my community.”

“Former family and community.”

At that, she faltered a little. “In your way of thinking, which I respect deeply.”

“Have you forgotten the fundamental tenet? Keep ourselves apart from the world.”

“Maybe it would be easier to do that if people understood what we are about.”

“We? Have you decided to return to the community?” Bishop Kelp looked hopeful. “We
would welcome you back.”

“I’m finishing my bachelor’s degree in psychology. I’ll begin my masters directly
after that. My mentor thinks this is a good topic for me.” She moved closer to the
bishop. “I promise to be very discreet and quiet and respectful.”

“I have to get back. We have important business to discuss tonight.” The bishop turned
as if her presence had already been dismissed. “Now then, Josiah, will you take Edmond
as your apprentice? He’s a hard worker, I’m told.”

“If that is your wish.”

“It is.” Bishop Kelp pursued his lips. His beard bobbed. “Well then, I expect to see
you at the meeting in my barn directly after supper. That gives everyone time to complete
a full day’s work.”

“I’ll go and let you finish your conversation,” Catherine said. She lifted a thin
hand, bare of rings or polish, and gave a tiny wave. “It’s good to see you, Josiah.
Say hello to Miriam for me. Kiss Hazel Grace for me.”

Josiah cleared his throat. His gaze flipped to Bishop Kelp and back to Catherine.
He settled for a barely discernible nod. She smiled and nodded back.

With an equally small wave and a polite smile for Isaac, who had not been introduced,
Catherine turned and strolled from the shop, shoulders back and head held high. No
hurry, no fuss.

Helen watched her, aware that the three men were doing the same. Catherine looked
so much like Annie, only more worldly. She found herself grateful Annie hadn’t gone
the way of her sister. The thought surprised her. She should be thankful for every
member of the community who chose to stay and commit to the Ordnung. Not just Annie
Plank, with a spot of flour on her cheek and the scent of cinnamon wafting about her.
Helen had needed a friend after Thomas’s marriage, and Annie had chosen to be that
friend. She sought Helen out. She asked her to the house for a visit. Invited her
personally to her own wedding. Invited her to sell her wares in the bakery. Finally,
she’d allowed Helen to be the one to guide her through those grief-stricken days and
weeks after David’s death. Helen had experience with this awful season in life, but
she possessed little skill in choosing her words or offering comfort. Still, Annie
chose her. Not her best friend Miriam, so happy in her new marriage, but Helen, a
widow too.

Catherine surely missed the closeness of this community. How could she not? Helen
turned and caught the expression on the bishop’s face. Pure sadness.

“William and Ruth’s beloved child,” he murmured. His face shuttered and he lumbered
toward the door. “Edmond, with me. We have another stop to make. Courthouse. Helen,
I expect you’ll want to have a visit at the bakery in the meantime.”

Dismissed, she nodded at Josiah. “Danki,” she whispered.

His rueful smile said it all. Did he have a choice? No.

“Sorry,” she added, then to Isaac. “I’m sorry to you too.”

“Don’t worry.” He smiled. Gabriel Gless’s smile. She swallowed, feeling the color
rising on her cheeks. He waved both hands airily. “I have other irons in the fire.
So to speak. No pun intended.”

He and Josiah burst into laughter, loud, guffawing laughs.

What was so funny about that? As always, Helen felt like the dense, not quite as smart
woman in the room. Undoubtedly, Isaac would go home and share this little joke at
her expense with his father.

No matter. Gabriel didn’t think highly of her anyway.

G
abriel made his way to the back row of the benches that lined Bishop Micah Kelp’s
immaculate barn. Farm equipment had been moved to a far wall and the doors flung open
wide in hopeful anticipation of an evening breeze that might dissipate the humid July
heat. A horse in a far stall nickered. The smell of hay and manure mingled with sweat.
A sudden, unexpected wave of homesickness brought on by the familiar sights and scents
nearly knocked him back a step. He never expected to miss Dahlburg. His parents had
passed. His brothers and sisters had their own families. Laura was gone.

Gabriel buried the thought and took a seat. His recent arrival in Bliss Creek should
make him more of a spectator than a participant in this discussion, but he would learn
from watching and listening. Who led. Who followed. Who remained on the outside of
the discussion. He had no doubt Thomas would be quiet until the moment when he had
something important to say. And all would listen with respect to his cousin.

A steady stream of men, many of whom greeted each other in solemn tones, their faces
somber, flowed around him. Thomas had insisted Gabriel would not only be welcome,
but expected at this meeting. Still, it felt awkward. He’d come here to start a new
life, but now he didn’t know if he could stay. He squirmed on the bench. How could
he uproot the kinner yet again? How could he tell them this community was too much
like the one they’d left behind? And now the oil. Oil meant riches. He wanted no part
of it.

“Gabriel, glad you came. Your help at the house was appreciated.” Tobias Daugherty
stopped in the next row up and nodded in a neighborly fashion. “It would’ve taken
us days to remove that tree without the help of you and your boys. Even more to get
the holes patched and the new wall built.”

Unlike his sister Helen, Tobias stood nearly as tall as Thomas and had equally broad
shoulders. Also unlike Helen, his hair flamed a deep auburn under his hat. His eyes
were a startling blue against white skin touched by only a smattering of freckles.
How could Helen, brown and plump like a sparrow, be from the same stock? Gabriel set
aside the observation. Outward appearance meant little to him, but the contrast still
intrigued him. The peacock and the sparrow growing up together.

Tobias’s puzzled look said he expected a response. “It was no trouble,” Gabriel hastened
to say. “I’m sure we’ll need the help returned at some point.”

The man nodded, tugged at his hat, and moved on down the row. Gabriel sank onto the
bench again. A second later, Thomas dropped onto it next to him. His legs were so
long that his knees barely cleared the bench in front of them.

“Everything is well?” Gabriel sideswiped his cousin with a glance. He looked as he
always did, unperturbed by the things of life. “You’re late.”

“Right on time.” Thomas smiled. “I wanted to make sure the boys did the chores properly.
We missed you at supper.”

“I went in to look at the shop. Isaac has been going on and on about what he’s done
to get it ready.” He hadn’t told Isaac of his doubts. He couldn’t. His son exuded
youthful enthusiasm, buoyed up by youthful optimism. He showed signs of liking his
new home. Gabriel couldn’t bring himself to destroy it. Not yet. “The boy has no patience.”

“And?”

“We need to build shelves and counters.” He couldn’t tell Thomas either. He had enough
to think about right now. “Carry in my tools. Make the signs.”

“You’ll be open in no time.” Nothing in his cousin’s tone spoke of his own situation.
Oil on his land. A possible move from a farm that had been in his family for three
or four generations. “Emma and the other women made good work of the house today.
You’ll be able to move in soon. She’s going on about making new curtains and painting
the kitchen and who knows what all, but she’ll oversee it, you can be sure of that.”

“No doubt.” No doubt God had blessed Thomas with this second fraa. Gabriel shied away
from the import of those words. “I appreciate her efforts.”

The bishop cleared his throat. Relief drenched Gabriel. He wanted no more of those
thoughts. He directed his gaze to the front of the barn. Silence descended.

“Let us get right to it, then.” Bishop Kelp’s gaze floated across the rows of men.
“I would like to hear from Thomas first.”

Thomas nodded, rose, and walked without haste to the front. “I am sorry to place all
of you in this position,” he began, his deep voice steady. “We were looking for water,
pure and simple.”

“That’s fine, Thomas.” The bishop waved a hand as if to dispel Thomas’s words. “What
did the surveyor say?”

“He said it’s a real find. A gusher. We’ve managed to cap it for now, but the problem
remains that our old well is dry.” Thomas wrapped his fingers around his suspenders.
“We could plug this hole, but we would still need to find water.”

Tobias Daugherty rose. “I know this is a surprise, but I’ve been thinking…maybe this
is the answer to our prayers. It could be Gott’s way of leading us through this time
of hardship.”

Bishop Kelp steepled thick, hairy fingers. “We must not presume to know what the Lord’s
plan for us is.” His gaze traveled the room. “None of us. Our focus must be on the
Ordnung. On guiding our children on that path that keeps them far from worldly ways.”

Bishop Kelp’s gaze came to rest on Gabriel. He ignored the temptation to look away.
After a second the bishop moved on. “What thoughts do the rest of you have?”

“Is it possible you could sell the property and find another in this area?” Solomon
Yoder threw out the question. “Simply move down the road, so to speak?”

“Most of the property in this area is spoken for and prices are at a record high.”
Thomas smoothed his long beard, his face thoughtful. “I saw a piece of land up by
Pretty Prairie where they wanted fifteen hundred an acre. Besides, that’s a far reach
from family and friends.”

“What you would receive from the sale of your farm would be far more than you would
need to buy another home,” Timothy Plank pointed out. “The difference could be added
to the emergency reserve to help with future barn raisings, medical expenses, and
caring for our older folks and such.”

“Still, I would no longer have a means of making a living here in Bliss Creek.” Thomas’s
face had taken on a more stoic expression. He would accept whatever came. “I need
to care for my family.”