Plain Proposal (7 page)

“I got the sense that Shelby is upset. Did she tell you what’s wrong?”
Mamm
wiped her forehead as she spoke, her eyes showing concern.

“She’s upset about her parents getting a divorce.” Miriam didn’t feel the need to tell her mother any more than that right now.

“Hmm. . . Well, you stay close to her. Her mother didn’t tell me much about what happened there, but I want us to be her family right now, help her any way we can.”
Mamm
turned and started back to the house.

Miriam wasn’t surprised that
Mamm
had agreed to take Shelby in. Her mother was known to care for others in their community who were in a bad way or just needed a place to rest. And Shelby was family—a distant cousin perhaps, but still family.

Miriam cleared her thoughts and returned to the subject at hand.
“Mamm?”

Her mother turned around.
“Ya?”

Miriam caught up to her before she reached the porch. “Actually, I’m going to go meet Saul Fisher. We’re going to go fishing at the old Zook farm. But I won’t be gone for more than a couple of hours.”

Her mother scowled, then softened her expression. “That’s fine. You and Shelby have fun.”
Mamm
turned again to head to the house.

What?
She skipped across the yard to catch up with her mother again. “But,
Mamm
. . . I was going to go meet Saul by myself, and—”

Mamm
turned around. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you need to meet Saul by yourself?”

Miriam took a deep breath, then let it out slowly as she shrugged. “I—we—it’s like. . .”

Mamm
put her hands on her hips and let out a sigh. “Miriam, your cousin just arrived yesterday, and I will not have you leaving her just yet.”

So I have to babysit her?
“But,
Mamm
. . .”

“No, Miriam. You take Shelby with you, or don’t go at all.”
Mamm
held up her first finger. “And no arguing.” She turned to leave, and for the first time, Miriam considered how having Shelby here would alter her own choices.

It was a half hour later when Miriam told Shelby about the fishing trip. They were upstairs in Miriam’s room because Shelby said she wanted to change blouses. Shelby emerged from the bathroom wearing a brown T-shirt with a slogan for Texas barbeque on it. Miriam agreed that Shelby’s choice would be better for fishing than her pretty yellow blouse.

“Aren’t you going to change clothes?” Shelby seemed in a better mood since Miriam had mentioned the fishing adventure, so Miriam tried to be happy that her cousin was going with her to meet Saul.

“I already did.”

“But you’re still in a dress. Aren’t you allowed to wear anything else?”

“I changed from my nice Sunday dress to this older, worn one.”

Miriam couldn’t help but notice the way Shelby’s jeans and T-shirt showed off her curves, and for the first time in her life, Miriam wished she had her own blue jeans and T-shirt to wear.

“I love to go fishing. I used to go all the time with my dad, but. . .” Shelby sighed. “Anyway, thank you for inviting me.”

“Sure. We’ll have a
gut
time.” Miriam felt a tad guilty for not wanting Shelby to go, but she’d try to make up for it by making sure her cousin had fun.

Saul maneuvered his buggy down the dirt road that led to the abandoned Zook farm. Brown and green weeds flanked the path, and in the distance stood the white clapboard house, its paint chipped from neglect. Part of the white picket fence surrounding the front yard was down, and several cows meandered through the yard as if it was a pasture. It was a sad sight, and Saul recalled the times he’d played with the Zook kids in that yard. But when Amos, the youngest of the Zook children, got cancer six years ago, the family had relocated to a place where there was a fancy medical center that could take better care of him. The property had sold right away to a local
Englisch
man who didn’t care anything about restoring the farmhouse. He’d purchased the land just to run cattle on, but at least he’d given permission for them to fish in the pond whenever they wanted. Saul rarely saw the owner of the property and figured he must just come to check on the cows from time to time. It was hard on the eyes to see the house in such disrepair. Saul wondered whatever happened to Amos Zook, if he had been cured of the cancer.

He did a double take when he edged closer and saw two buggies near the pond. Saul was pretty sure one of them was Miriam’s. He strained to see, and his chest tightened when he saw Jesse Dienner standing next to Miriam. And who was the other woman? As he got closer, he recognized the other woman to be Miriam’s cousin whom he’d met at church.

Saul tensed even more when he thought about the way Jesse had lingered around Miriam earlier in the day. It was the only reason he stayed around after the service and gathered with the men in the barn—where Jesse should have been. Twice he’d poked his head out and saw Jesse in the yard with Miriam while she picked up glasses from the tables outside. He knew plenty well that jealousy was a sin, but seeing the two of them laughing and talking had sent his heart to racing. Saul knew that once he left, it was just a matter of time before Miriam settled on one of the many interested fellows in their district. Probably Jesse. He was a fine man, and he would make a good husband for Miriam. But, right or wrong, Saul wanted one summer with Miriam. And he knew she wanted it too, even if she didn’t know that he would be leaving her in late August or early September. He cringed for a moment about the betrayal, but then he got a glimpse of Miriam’s smile and knew he couldn’t stop himself.

He stepped out of the buggy. “I see we have lots of company.” He forced a smile as he tethered his horse to a nearby tree.

Jesse smiled. “
Gut
thing I stopped by the Raber place to return a platter Miriam’s
mudder
left this morning. Otherwise I wouldn’t have known that Miriam and her cousin were meeting you here to go fishing.” Jesse chuckled. “Guess you were going to keep these two pretty
maeds
all to yourself.”

“He didn’t know I was bringing Shelby,” Miriam said in a shy voice.

Good. Now Jesse knows this was supposed to have been a date
. At least they could pair up—Saul and Miriam and Jesse and Shelby.

“Well, I’m glad you did.” Jesse smiled, and Saul thought again about how Miriam would probably end up with Jesse, but for today, maybe Miriam’s
Englisch
cousin could keep him occupied. She was a pretty girl, even if she was a bit thin.

Saul figured most women thought Jesse was handsome. He was tall and broad like Saul, but his face was perfect. Perfect smile. Perfect teeth. And Jesse had never been in any kind of trouble.

Saul reached up and touched the scar that ran along his chin, then he ran his tongue along his not-so-straight front teeth. He disliked the fact that he felt inferior around Jesse just because of the man’s looks. Besides, Saul knew he had gotten the scar on his chin in an honorable way, even if fistfights were not allowed. But he’d seen the man nab Mrs. Perkin’s purse. The elderly
Englisch
woman attended quilting parties with his mother, and she was a nice lady who didn’t deserve to have her bag taken. The thief turned out to be almost more than Saul could handle. He’d gotten in one good punch before Saul stopped him. Then Bishop Ebersol had reprimanded Saul for his actions. Again.

“I went by my
haus
and picked up a couple of fishing poles.” Jesse held up two cane poles.

“I brought three,” Saul said as he reached into the back of his buggy. “I brought an extra one in case something happened to one of the other ones. So we have plenty.”

Miriam smiled and batted her eyes at Saul, which caused him to once again go weak in the knees. “I brought my
own
pole,” she said smugly. “It’s my lucky fishing pole, and I catch fish every time I use it.”

Saul couldn’t take his eyes from hers for a moment. He recalled the way he’d pushed back a strand of her hair the day before. A vision he couldn’t seem to shake, nor did he want to.

“Miriam, why don’t you and me walk to the other side of the pond? We’ll spread out a little.” Jesse smiled his perfect smile, and Saul felt his temperature rise.

“Or. . . why don’t we make this a competition, girls against the boys?” Shelby moved closer to Miriam. “Let’s see who can catch the most fish.”

“We don’t usually compete against each other,” Miriam said to her cousin. “Remember when we played volleyball after church? We didn’t keep score.”

Shelby looked toward the ground, her cheeks reddening, and Saul felt a little bad for her. “No one has to know,” he said as he raised a brow playfully.

“Leave it to you, Saul.” Jesse grinned, but Saul knew that his friend was hinting that he was always the one to break the rules. And maybe that was true. Another reason why he didn’t belong here.

“But I’m in, if the girls are,” Jesse added.

Miriam smiled. “I say let’s do it.” She latched onto her cousin’s arm, and they started to walk to the other side of the pond.

Saul let out a heavy sigh. This was not at all how he planned to spend the afternoon.

4

A
N HOUR LATER
M
IRIAM AND
S
HELBY GAZED ACROSS
the pond at Saul and Jesse. Miriam shook her head.

“I don’t understand. That’s at least the tenth fish they’ve pulled in.” Miriam twisted another worm on her hook, then dropped her pole in the water.

“Maybe I’m bad luck.” Shelby set her pole on the ground, then sat down on a grassy patch next to it and twisted a strand of hair between her fingers.

Miriam glanced down at her and frowned. “Of course you’re not.” “One thing is for sure, though.” Shelby put her elbows on her crossed legs, then propped her chin in her hands. “They both have a thing for you.”

“A thing?”

“Sure. Clearly this was supposed to be a date for you and Saul.” Shelby paused. “And I really shouldn’t have come.” Miriam started to interrupt, but Shelby went on. “I saw the way both Saul and Jesse looked at you all morning.” Miriam was glad to see Shelby smile. “Yep, you’re a popular girl.”

Miriam knew that Jesse liked her. She’d known that for years. But Saul had always held the key to her heart.