The Decision Page 3

  “There will be other tour groups, and we’re not going to starve.” Elaine’s frustration mounted. Didn’t Grandma realize that neither of them was up to hosting a big dinner right now? Not only would they have the meal to prepare, but while the tourists were eating, Elaine and Grandma would be expected to say a few words and answer any questions they were asked about the Amish way of life. They’d both be exhausted by the end of the evening.

  “I know you’re worried that I’m not up to this,” Grandma said, “but keeping busy will help me not to think so much about missing your grossdaadi. I think it would be good for you, too. Maybe we’ll both get a good night’s sleep after entertaining the group.”

  “Okay, we’ll do the dinner,” Elaine finally conceded. “Guess I’d better head over to Rockome Garden Foods and pick up a few things that we still need for the dinner.”

  Soon after Elaine left, Edna carried her good dishes out to the room where she and Elaine hosted their dinners. She wouldn’t set the table today, but wanted to have everything here and ready to put in place on Friday morning. As Edna covered the stack of dinnerware with one of the embroidered cloth napkins to keep the dishes free of dust, she thought about what else she could do before Friday’s gathering.

  As she glanced around the spacious room, a lump formed in her throat. With the help of several men in their district, Lloyd had built this extra-large dining room to accommodate up to one hundred people. In addition to being used for their sit-down dinners, the add-on had served them whenever it was their turn to host one of their biweekly church services. It was also used on days when Edna would invite a group of women into her home for a quilting party or some other function.

  She moved over to the large window, looking out at the field Lloyd had rented to one of their neighbors after he’d retired from farming. It had been planted in alfalfa and was already growing nicely. When Lloyd used to work the fields, Edna enjoyed going out to see how he was doing or bringing him water and a snack to eat. He’d always been appreciative and hadn’t seemed to mind the interruption. Lloyd used to tell Edna he was glad for the break and that it was a good opportunity for them to visit awhile.

  Edna’s gaze went to their giant oak tree. A swing Lloyd had put up for Elaine many years ago still hung from a lower branch. It had provided hours of fun for their granddaughter through the years. Even though Elaine was twenty-two years old, she still took time to enjoy that swing and gleefully giggled as she swung back and forth.

  Pushing her thoughts aside lest she give in to threatening tears, Edna left the room and headed back to the kitchen. Although difficult to face, she was glad there were so many reminders of Lloyd all around, for each one held a special memory. Memories of him would help keep her going.

  Edna was just getting ready to take a stack of napkins and a box of silverware to set by the dishes when she heard a horse and buggy coming up the lane.

  Peeking out the kitchen window, she watched as the driver parked his rig near the barn. When the young Amish man got out of the buggy and secured his horse to the hitching rack, Edna realized that it was Jonah Miller. No doubt he had come here to see Elaine. Too bad he’d just missed her.

  “If you’re looking for my granddaughter, she’s not here right now,” Edna said after she’d answered Jonah’s knock.

  “Came by to check on both of you,” Jonah replied with a grin.

  Such a nice-looking, thoughtful young man, Edna mused. He reminds me of Lloyd at that age. Not just in looks, but in his kindness for others. I’m so glad Elaine is being courted by him.

  She opened the door wider and asked him to come in. “I’m sorry, Jonah. Where are my manners? Good morning to you, and would you like a cup of coffee? I made it fresh this morning.” Edna’s face heated, for she felt a bit rattled right now.

  “Some coffee sounds good.” He removed his straw hat, placing it on the wall peg near the back door. “So where’s Elaine off to this morning?” he asked, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

  “She went over to Rockome Garden Foods,” Edna replied, filling a cup with coffee and handing it to Jonah. “There are a few things we need for the group of tourists who’ll be coming here Friday evening.”

  Jonah quirked an eyebrow. “You’re hosting a dinner so soon?”

  She gave a brief nod.

  “Couldn’t you have rescheduled it for a better time? I’m sure you and Elaine are both emotionally drained.”

  “I’ll admit, we’re tired physically and mentally, but we’ll be fine,” she said, pouring herself some coffee. “Like I told my granddaughter, it helps to keep busy, and we don’t want to disappoint the people who have paid in advance to have dinner in an Amish home. For some who live out of town, this might be the only chance they’ll have to visit our Amish community.”

  Jonah blew on his coffee and took a sip. “I see what you mean. Keeping busy in stressful situations has worked for me on more than one occasion. When you’re good and tired, it helps you fall asleep quickly, too.”

  “Were you referring to situations in your work as a buggy maker or to more personal matters?” Edna asked.

  “Both.” Jonah went on to tell Edna how stressful it had been for him when he’d first moved to Arthur and didn’t know anyone but his sister. “Then I made friends with Harley Stutzman and, of course, Elaine, and everything changed.” He smiled. “Just being with her makes me feel calm and relaxed.”

  “I understand. My granddaughter has a sweet spirit and a special way about her that is calming.” Edna handed Jonah a plate of brownies someone had brought by when offering condolences. “Whenever I was with Lloyd, I felt a sense of peace.” She sighed deeply. “I’m grateful for all the wonderful years we had together.”

  Jonah nodded and took one of the brownies. “I look forward to having a relationship like yours and Lloyd’s with my future wife someday. And I hope to be blessed with many good memories, like I’m sure you have, and my parents do, too.”

  Edna was tempted to ask if Jonah planned to ask Elaine to marry him, but thought better of it. If they were meant to be together, it would happen at the right time without her interference. Of course, she was hoping Jonah would eventually pop the question, and was almost certain that Elaine would say yes. She’d noticed the way they looked at each other whenever they thought no one was watching.

  “Is there anything you’d like me to do for you before I go?” Jonah asked after he’d eaten a brownie and finished his coffee.

  Edna shook her head. “I can’t think of anything at the moment, but danki for asking.”

  Jonah rose from his chair. “Think I’ll stop by Rockome Garden Foods and see if I can catch Elaine there before I head back to the buggy shop.”

  “You’re welcome to wait for her here if you want, but I’m not sure how long she will be.”

  “That’s okay. Think I’ll just drop by the store. There are a few things I could pick up there anyway, and then I’ll need to head back to my shop and get some work done, or else I’ll end up getting behind on my orders.”

  “All right then. It was nice seeing you, Jonah.”

  “Same here. And don’t forget, Edna, if you ever need anything, just let me know. Even though I’m busy at work, I’ll always make time for you and Elaine.”

  Arcola, Illinois

  Elaine had only been browsing the shelves at Rockome Garden Foods a few minutes when she spotted her friend Priscilla talking to one of the clerks. Elaine waited until they were finished, then walked over and asked, “Wie geht’s?”

  Priscilla, looking quite surprised, replied, “I’m fine. How are you?”

  Elaine shrugged. “Doing okay, I guess. What brings you here today?”

  “I’m delivering some of our homemade strawberry jam,” Priscilla replied. “We have more canned goods than we need for our small store, and the owner here said they could use some jam. Why are you here?”

  “Grandma and I have a group of tourists coming to our house Friday evening, and I’m picking
up a few things we’re out of. Maybe I should get some of that jam, too, because I think we’re nearly out.”

  Priscilla’s brows furrowed as she put her hand on Elaine’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re up to that? I mean, with your grandpa dying, I figured you would put all dinners on hold for a while.”

  “I wanted to.” Elaine sighed heavily. “But Grandma insisted on hosting this meal. I think she wants to keep busy so she won’t have time to think about how much she misses Grandpa. She reminded me, too, that we need the money.”

  “If you’re struggling financially, others in the community will help out,” Priscilla said.

  “I’m sure they would, but Grandma’s an independent woman, and she won’t accept money from others as long as we can provide for ourselves.”

  “I understand.” Priscilla spoke in an encouraging tone while giving Elaine’s arm a tender squeeze. “If you and Edna need help preparing for the dinner, or even cooking and serving the meal, let me know. I’m not doing anything Friday afternoon or evening, so it wouldn’t be a problem at all.”

  “Danki for the kind offer, but I think we can manage.” Elaine’s throat tightened. Like Grandma, she wanted to be independent, although she still wasn’t sure either of them was up to hosting another dinner so soon. All it took was one sympathetic look from her friend and she felt like she could break down in tears. I wonder what Grandma would say if Priscilla did come to help. She’d probably tell her that we can do the dinner on our own. Maybe it’s best if I don’t press the issue and just see how the meal goes.

  “Well, guess I’d better get what I came here for and head back home.” Elaine moved over to the cooler to select some cheese. “I don’t want to leave Grandma alone for too long. She’s likely to do more than she should while I’m gone.”

  The sounds of screeching tires and a shrill horn interrupted their conversation.

  Elaine and Priscilla rushed to the window to see what had happened. “Oh no,” Elaine gasped. “It looks like a car hit someone’s buggy! I hope no one is seriously hurt.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Jonah whistled as he headed toward Rockome Gardens with his horse, Sassy, pulling his buggy. The Amish museum and other facilities, including their restaurant, would open next week, but Rockome Garden Foods, where they sold baked goods, bulk foods, various kinds of cheese, candy, and several other items, was open to the public all year.

  Jonah was fascinated by Rockome Gardens and its history. He had visited the museum not long after he’d moved to Illinois and learned that the 208 acres of land had once been used for farming. It had been purchased by Arthur and Elizabeth Martin, who had a dream of creating the largest flower garden in Douglas County. They used seven acres of the farm to plant flowers, create rock formations, and build their summer cottage. Work began in 1937, but it was slowed by the Great Depression and the start of World War II. The Martins continued to expand, planting more flowers and creating additional rock formations. In 1952, they gave Rockome Gardens to the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities of Elkhart, Indiana, and it was used as a retirement village for missionaries. A few years later, it was sold to Elvan and Irene Yoder, who opened it to the public, adding buggy rides, tours of an Amish home, and a small gift shop. Other attractions, such as a tree house, lookout tower, antique museum, and ice-cream shop were added. Whenever the Yoders traveled, they returned to Rockome with new ideas for rock formations and other attractions. In 2005, the Yoders sold the property to a group of investors. It was sold two more times, and then in 2011, Steve and Bev Maher took over. The couple had visited the gardens many times and realized it was in need of restoration.

  Jonah smiled as the gardens came into view. Each of the rock formations was truly unique. This was a place where families could come to relax and find inspiration. He’d hoped to bring Elaine here, maybe sometime this summer, because she liked the gardens, too.

  As he neared Rockome Garden Foods, Jonah caught his breath. An Amish buggy was flipped over on its side, and the car that had hit the buggy was parked nearby. His heart pounded. A group of people had gathered around, and one of them was Elaine, who was crouched on the ground next to Priscilla. His nerves calmed, seeing that Elaine and her friend seemed to be okay. But someone was injured, and he wondered who it was they were assisting.

  Jonah halted Sassy and leaped from the buggy, but his hands didn’t want to cooperate as he secured the horse’s reins. He’d seen one too many buggy accidents. Some were minor, while others involved fatalities. Once he’d managed to tie Sassy to the hitching rack, Jonah sprinted to the scene of the accident, where he discovered Sara Stutzman’s mother-in-law, Betty, lying on the ground in front of Elaine and Priscilla. She was conscious but gritting her teeth.

  “What happened? Is she seriously injured?” Jonah asked, kneeling beside Elaine.

  “We’re not sure how it happened, but Betty’s buggy was hit.” Elaine motioned to the car, then back to Betty. “Her leg appears to be broken, and she could have some internal injuries, but we won’t know for sure until she’s been seen by a doctor.”

  “Did someone call for help?” Jonah questioned.

  “Jah. The paramedics should be here soon,” Priscilla interjected.

  “I’ll check around the scene and make sure all of Betty’s things are picked up and taken back to her place.” Jonah stood and looked toward the road. “What happened to Betty’s horse? I don’t see it anywhere.”

  “We don’t know yet if her horse was injured, but a passerby stopped and said he saw the mare running into a field down the road,” Elaine replied. “The man offered to go after the horse, and hopefully he’ll be able to bring her back without a problem.”

  “Looks like that might be him coming now.” Jonah pointed. “At the pace they’re moving, it doesn’t look like the horse is seriously injured.”

  “That’s a relief.” Priscilla looked toward the stranger leading Betty’s horse.

  “Betty’s family needs to be notified,” Elaine said. “We could call and leave a message, but they might not check the answering machine in the phone shanty for several hours.”

  “You’re right,” Jonah agreed. “I’ll drive over to the Stutzmans’ right now and let them know about Betty. I’ll tie the mare to the back of my buggy and take her with me.”

  Arthur

  “Wie geht’s?” Leah called when she rode her bicycle into the Schrocks’ yard and saw Edna hanging laundry on the line.

  “I’m keeping busy,” Edna replied. “That’s the best cure for depression, I’m told.”

  Leah wondered who had given Edna that advice, but she didn’t ask. Instead, after parking her bike, she said, “Would you like some help with those wet clothes?”

  Edna shook her head. “I can manage. Besides, I’m almost done. It’s nice to have your company, though.”

  Edna is so independent, Leah thought. It’s no wonder Elaine is like that. She probably learned from her grandma’s example.

  “Where’s your granddaughter? Is she busy inside?” Leah asked, clasping her hands behind her back so she wouldn’t be tempted to grab a few towels and hang them on the line.

  “Oh, Nancy went shopping today. We need a few things for the dinner we’ll be hosting this Friday.”

  Leah tipped her head. “Nancy? Did you say Nancy went shopping?”

  Edna’s face reddened. “I—I meant Elaine. Guess I must have been thinking about my son’s wife, Nancy. Even after all these years, I still miss her and Milton. Elaine lost out on so much, growing up without her parents.” She sighed deeply and pushed an errant strand of silver-gray hair back under her covering. “There are times when Elaine reminds me of her mother, and during her childhood, I slipped a time or two and called her Nancy. I haven’t done it much lately, though.” Edna readjusted the loosened clothespin that held up one side of an oversized bath towel.

  Leah slipped her arm around Edna’s waist. “Elaine was fortunate to have you and Lloyd, and I’m sure she knows it.”

/>   Edna nodded. “It’s been a blessing to raise our only grandchild. I pray every day that Elaine will find the same happiness with Jonah that I had with my dear husband.”

  Leah’s mouth opened slightly. “Has Jonah asked Elaine to marry him?”

  “Well, no, not yet, but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.” Edna reached into the basket and clipped another towel to the line. “It’s obvious that they’re very much in love. I can see it every time they look at each other.”

  “I’ve noticed that, too. And they seem to have a lot in common,” Leah agreed. “They both enjoy flowers, and Jonah admires the unusual rocks Elaine has found and painted, like that one she made to look like a bear. I think he mentioned to Elaine that he plans to take her to Rockome Gardens sometime. They sure have a lot of rocks to look at.”

  “Jah.” Edna gestured to the now-empty laundry basket. “Since that chore is done and I’m feeling the need for a little break, should we go up to the house and have a cup of coffee?”

  “None for me, thanks,” Leah said. “It’s never been my cup of tea.” She snickered. “You may remember how I used to invite Priscilla and Elaine over to my house for tea parties when we were girls.”

  Edna smiled. “Oh, that’s right. Instead of coffee, let’s share a pot of tea while we wait for Elaine to come home.”

  Leah smiled. “That sounds nice.”

  “We can have some of that moist and delicious banana bread someone gave us the other day, too,” Edna said as they headed toward the house. She yawned noisily and covered her mouth. “Sorry about that. I didn’t get much sleep last night and got up for some water and decided to make pannekuche.”

  “You made pancakes for breakfast this morning?” Leah asked.

  “Not for breakfast. It was sometime during the night, but I can’t remember what time it was. I was hungerich and decided to make myself something to eat.” Edna smiled briefly, but her expression sobered. “Lloyd loved pancakes. Elaine didn’t eat with me, but she sat and listened while I shared some memories, and then we both went back to bed.”