Where Love Grows (21 page)

“I suppose not.” Disappointment flashed over his face. “But you'll consider moving in with me, won't you? That much Amishness you can accept, right? And you know it's time. You could fall and hurt yourself. Or you might need something, and I wouldn't be here to help you. Think of the benefits of being at my place. And I wouldn't be around during the day, so that would give you time alone.”

She smiled. “I'll have to think about it, Donald.”

“Well, I haven't even been home yet. I stopped here first. I'd better go.” He got up and kissed her on the cheek.

“I'm glad you found your birth father, Donald.”

“I know you are, and I appreciate it,” Donald said. He turned and walked to his car. He got in, started it up, and backed down the driveway. On the way home, Donald ran the idea of his mother moving in with him through his mind. The longer he thought about it, the better the idea seemed. How wonderful this was. Already good was coming out of his visit to Amish country. The idea to bring his mom to his place seemed so simple now, so obvious. Why hadn't he thought of it on his own?

Was modern life like that? So far removed from the ordinary, from the idea of a home place, that common sense no longer grew? It certainly seemed so. Having seen horses working in the fields and Amish buggies from another era driving up and down gravel roads, even he had changed. And wasn't that singing at the wedding something? It had stirred feelings in him he didn't even know were there.

Was this his Amish blood coming forward? Donald laughed at the thought. Half Amish, that's what he was. That didn't make sense either. One wasn't born with such things. They had to grow in the heart, had to be cultivated with silence, with prayer, with humility, with the virtues of another time and place. One didn't just drop those desirable qualities into one's life by right of birth.

But one thing was certain. His son could use some of what the Amish had. All of the decency he and Sonia had tried to plant in him were being cast aside right now. The music his son listened to was awful. The boy had been named Charles because Donald's adoptive father had been so upright and law abiding. And now the boy was turning into a rebel, even wearing his pants down over his hips and hanging halfway to his knees. Charles and his buddies were into being cool. Acting like ghosts traveling through life…and arriving at nothing.

Structure. That's what Charles hated. And so quickly he had turned from the likable boy into this person who wasn't very likable at all. Could he get Charles to go to Amish country with him at Thanksgiving? What a clash of culture that would be! The essence of structure running into its most bitter enemy. Donald sighed. Somehow he would have to convince Charles to go with him. Lure him with tales of the quaintness and uniqueness. Perhaps talk of the weirdness of Amish life. After all, the Amish
were
a little weird, and Charles did weird.

O
n Monday morning Susan hitched Toby to the buggy and climbed in. She waited, holding the reins loosely in her hands. Maurice's suitcase was already behind the backseat, but she hadn't come out yet, no doubt taking her time saying goodbye to
Mamm
. Not that Maurice was going far this morning—only over to James and Teresa's place. Maurice had grown close to
Mamm
in the short time she'd been in the community. How long she was staying was still anyone's guess. If Teresa had anything to say about it, her mother wasn't leaving anytime soon.

Finally the door on the porch swung open and Maurice came out, followed closely by
Mamm
. They embraced, lingering for a moment before Maurice came across the yard.

“Sorry I didn't help with the horse.” Maurice paused to wipe her eyes. “But we got to talking. I'll miss your mother even though I'll only be down the road a bit.”

“You're always welcome back for a visit.” Susan leaned down to give Maurice a hand for her step up into the buggy.

“Whee! I'm still not used to getting into these things.” Maurice settled onto the seat. “And thanks for what all of you have done for me in the time I've been here.”

“You're welcome,” Susan said, guiding the horse toward the main road. “Have you decided yet about staying in the area?”

“I still don't know.” Maurice sighed. “It's hard. I can't stay at Teresa's forever.”

“You know our house is open, but I'm sure
Mamm
already told you that.”

“Yes, she did. But I can't stay around here forever, either. You people have your own lives to live. And I need to make a living.”

“Well, it's been
gut
to have you be part of our lives here.”

They rode in silence, the fields of cut corn passing by to the sound of the horse's soft hoofbeats on the graveled road. Sheaves were stacked at irregular intervals, their long stalks pointing into the air. The random pattern flowed together until it looked designed, as if someone had placed each stack with great care.

“It's so beautiful here,” Maurice gushed. “Not at all like Asbury Park.”

“I guess that's why I came back. For that and for Teresa's sake.”

“What a dear you are.” Maurice put her arm around Susan's shoulder. “Your mom told me about your boyfriend dropping you for another girl. I'm so sorry.”

Susan smiled, the effort weak. “What is it with the men in my life?”

“Now, don't be blaming yourself. You're a wonderful girl. Believe me, I wouldn't just say so. Somewhere in these hollows lurks the perfect fellow for you. I can almost see him coming now. Running out of one of these lovely farms to take you as his bride.”

Susan laughed. “You must be dreaming! But it's nice of you to say so.”

“We all need to dream a little. It's what keeps us going.”

“I don't think I'll be dreaming much anymore. Not after mine keep getting popped like balloons.”

Maurice sighed and fell silent. After a few minutes she said, “I hope you're not sore at your father.”

Susan kept her eyes on the road. “Perhaps. I don't know.”

“Being upset would be normal, dear,” Maurice assured her. “Although I don't know from experience. My father was never around to be anything good or bad.”

“I'm sorry. I didn't know that.”

“I'm not asking for sympathy; I'm just giving you perspective. Mine only, that's true. But it is a perspective. And I'm not your mother, so maybe you'll believe me when I say that your father is a very wonderful person. Don't hold against him something he did a long time ago, and he has spent a lot of effort making right. Look how he's lived his life since his youth. I'd give a million dollars and then some to have such a father.”

“Thank you,” Susan said. “I'll try to remember that.”

Maurice smiled and watched the passing farms.

Susan took a deep breath before speaking. “If you're staying around much longer, you're going to hear this anyway, so I'm not spreading rumors.
Daett
will face some kind of discipline from the church. Our people don't look kindly to keeping things hidden. Especially not something like this and for so many years.”

“My, you people are a bundle of contradictions!” Maurice exclaimed.

“Yes, we can be. We are human, after all.”

Maurice shook her head. “Yet who am I to say how a whole community is to be run? Perhaps you have to make hard choices for the common good.”

“Something like that,” Susan muttered as she turned Toby down Teresa's driveway. She forced her thoughts toward more pleasant subjects.

The homey little place took her breath away this morning. Even more so now that she knew baby Samuel and Teresa were actually living here. This was one time when dreams had become reality. Perhaps there was hope for her own dream? She would have to keep up her hope. Teresa had done so even when the road had been long and hard.

“I see my little sweetheart at the window!” Maurice proclaimed, interrupting Susan's thoughts. “Waving from his mamma's arms at his grandma as she arrives in a buggy. Who would have ever thought this possible?”

“Not me,” Susan said, climbing down and then reaching back to give Maurice a hand. Maurice waved it off, placing one foot on the round step and then leaping to the ground with a shriek.

Susan laughed. “You're getting quite good at this, but don't try that at church on Sunday morning. The leaders don't appreciate noisy women climbing out of buggies.”

“Then I will be decorous, prim, and proper on Sundays. Only in front of my daughters will my real self be shown to the world,” Maurice announced.

Susan tied Toby up, and together the two women walked to the front door. Teresa pushed it wide open with one hand before they arrived. The wiggling Samuel was in her arms and reaching out to Maurice.

Susan waited while the three hugged. Then she gave Teresa a hug while Maurice held Samuel and smothered his face with kisses.

“You'd think we haven't seen each other in years, you little dear,” Maurice cooed. “I just saw you on Sunday.”

“I think the days are longer, fuller, and richer in Amish country,” Teresa said. “It seems like more life has gone by than really has.”

“I do believe you're correct,” Maurice agreed. “Now tell me, how is this husband of yours treating you?”

“Oh, Mom, you have no idea how sweet he is!” Tears sprang up in Teresa's eyes. “He's too wonderful for words.”

“Then let's hope he stays that way.” Maurice laughed.

“Everything stays wonderful around here,” Teresa declared. “At least it seems so.”

“Ah, the rosy eyes of young love.” Maurice gave Teresa a kiss on the cheek. “Now let me put this little boy on his blanket before he climbs out of my arms.”

Baby Samuel kicked his feet after being put down, reaching up with both arms for Maurice again.

“You'd better hold him, Mom,” Teresa said. “I don't think he's had enough of you yet.”

“Oh, you little sweetheart!” Maurice picked Samuel up for another round of smooches.

When the kissing and cooing had stopped, Teresa said, “You can have the room upstairs, Mom. The one facing east. That way you can watch the sunrise each morning.”

“You're spoiling me,” Maurice said. “And my suitcase? I do declare! I left it in the buggy.”

“I'll get it,” Susan said. “We'll blame Samuel that we forgot. It was his grinning in the window that distracted us.”

Susan ran across the lawn to the buggy and returned with the suitcase. She paused on the porch, remembering the day she'd first come here to clean with Teresa. It wasn't that long ago, but already it seemed like life had changed dramatically. Now it was better. Teresa was married and happy. Susan smiled at the thought. But was life better for her since she'd lost Thomas? With a sigh she went back into the house. Teresa and Maurice's animated voices were coming from upstairs.

Maurice would be happy here, Susan figured. Teresa could teach her the ways of the community, which Maurice wanted to learn. But was she really going down the same path Teresa had? Possibly joining the community? It could happen. Maurice had never said one way or the other. She loved the life, that much was clear. But joining was another matter.

Taking the steps one at a time with the heavy suitcase, Susan made her way upstairs. On the top of the landing she went toward the sound of the voices. The two women were in the east room, unfolding a quilt on the bed when she walked in. Baby Samuel sat on the floor. He looked up and laughed when he saw her.

“We should have helped you carry the suitcase up the stairs!” Teresa exclaimed as she turned around.

Maurice grabbed the suitcase as if to make up for the lost opportunity.

Susan grinned. “I didn't grow up on a farm for nothing.”

“Well, that's true,” Maurice agreed. “Being in good shape is one of the privileges of country living. I was just telling Teresa that I want her to start looking for a small house I can rent. Preferably close by so I can visit back and forth easily. And I think I'll start looking for a job in Salem since it's the closest city. That is, if Teresa can take me there in the next week or so.”