Allison's Journey Read online

  Mary remembered getting a letter from Allison’s mother once, where she’d mentioned how unfriendly Catherine had been when they’d gone to visit Herman’s family in Ohio. She’d said that Catherine had seemed distant and unhappy. Mary wondered what could have happened in Catherine’s past that had left her with such a sour attitude. Whatever it was, it shouldn’t have kept Catherine from teaching Allison the necessary skills for becoming a homemaker.

  The back door opened with a bang, interrupting Mary’s thoughts. She went to the kitchen, thinking maybe Allison had come back inside. Instead, she found her daughter Sarah.

  “Hi, Mama.” Sarah swiped at the perspiration on her forehead and sighed. “It’s hot out in the garden, so I decided to come inside for somethin’ cold to drink.”

  “Would you like iced tea or lemonade?” Mary asked.

  “Water’s fine and dandy.” Sarah grimaced. “Dan left me alone to pull all the weeds while he took off for the pond with Allison. He sure doesn’t care about helpin’ me one iota.”

  “When Allison said she wanted to go fishing, I suggested that Dan go along,” Mary explained. “I didn’t think it would be a good idea for her to go traipsing off by herself when she doesn’t know the area very well.”

  “Guess that makes sense.”

  “I suppose I should have asked if you wanted to go fishing, too.”

  Sarah wrinkled her freckled nose. “No way! I don’t like fishin’!”

  “Why not?”

  Sarah held up one finger. “Too many bugs bite you.” A second finger came up. “On a day like this, the sun’s too hot to sit for hours waitin’ and hopin’ a fish might snag your line.” She extended a third finger. “If you do catch any fish, you’ve gotta touch their slimy bodies!”

  Mary chuckled. One young woman living in this house was certainly no tomboy!

  Aaron rubbed at a kink in his lower back and glanced at the clock on the far wall. It was almost three thirty, and there hadn’t been a single customer since noon. Paul had taken Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, and the girls into Springfield for the day, since both Grandpa and Grandma had doctor’s appointments. Joseph, Zachary, and Davey were helping one of their neighbors in the fields. That left Aaron alone in the shop, which was just fine with him. But he was tired of working, and for the last several days he’d been itching to go fishing. Since things were slow, there would be no harm in heading to the pond. The folks had said they might go out for supper after their shopping and appointments were done, so Aaron was sure they wouldn’t be back until late evening. That left him plenty of time.

  He removed his work apron, hung it on a wall peg, turned off the gas lamps, and put the CLOSED sign in the front window. Think I’ll untie Rufus and take him along. The poor critter deserves some fun in the sun.

  Allison and Dan had been sitting on the grassy banks by the pond for nearly an hour without getting a single bite, and Allison’s patience was beginning to wane. “Are you sure there’s any fish in here?” she asked her young cousin.

  Dan’s head bobbed up and down. “Oh, jah. Me and my daed have taken plenty of bass and catfish out of this here pond.”

  Allison sighed. “Maybe they’re just not hungry today.”

  “We could move to a different spot.”

  “You mean cast our lines in over there?” Allison pointed to the other side of the pond.

  Dan shook his blond head. “There’s another pond about a mile down the road. Might be better fishin’ over there.”

  Allison reeled in her line and stood. “I guess it’s worth a try. Let’s hop in the buggy, and you can show me the way.”

  When they arrived at the other pond, Allison noticed a lot more trees grew near the water than at the first pond. The trees offered plenty of shade, and it had turned into a hot, muggy day.

  “Let’s sit over there on a log,” Dan suggested.

  Allison followed as he led her to a place with several downed trees. She took a seat on one of the logs and lifted her face to the cloudless sky. She drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting her imagination believe it was fall and a cool breeze was moving the stale air away. She could almost hear the rustling wind clicking the branches of the trees together. She could almost feel the crackle of leaves as she rubbed them between her fingers.

  A sharp jab to the ribs halted Allison’s musings, and her eyes snapped open.

  “Hey, are ya gonna sit there with your eyes closed all day?” Dan pointed to her fishing pole. “Or did ya come here to fish?”

  “I came here to fish, same as you.” She baited her hook and had no more than thrown her line into the water when she heard loud barking.

  “Great! Now all the fish will be scared away,” Dan grumbled.

  Allison glanced to her left and saw a young Amish man with a fishing pole step into the clearing. A collie romped beside him, barking and wagging its tail.

  “Wouldn’t ya know Aaron Zook would have to show up with that yappy dog of his?” Dan scowled. “Now we’ll never catch any fish.”

  Allison shielded her eyes from the glare of the sun. Sure enough, Aaron seemed to be heading their way.

  Aaron halted when he realized Allison and her cousin Dan were sitting on a log near the pond. He hadn’t expected to run into anyone here—especially not her. With the exception of Aaron’s mother, most of the women he knew didn’t care much for fishing. Maybe Allison had only come along to keep Dan company.

  Rufus’s tail swished back and forth, and he let out a couple of excited barks. The next thing Aaron knew, the dog took off on a run, heading straight for Allison.

  “Come back here, Rufus!” Aaron shouted. The collie kept running, and by the time Aaron caught up to him, the crazy mutt had his head lying in Allison’s lap.

  She stroked the critter behind its ears and smiled up at Aaron.

  “Sorry about that,” he panted. “Don’t know what got into that mutt of mine. I told him to stop, but he seems to take pleasure in ignoring me.”

  “It’s all right. I like dogs—at least the friendly ones.”

  Dan frowned and moved farther down the log. “Not me. Most dogs are loud and like to get underfoot.” He pointed to his fishing pole. “And they scare away the fish with their stupid barking.”

  “Sorry,” Aaron mumbled. “I’ll try to make sure Rufus stays quiet.”

  “Let Allison keep pettin’ him, and you won’t have to worry about him barkin’ or runnin’ around,” Dan said.

  Aaron hunkered down beside the log. “You could be right about that. I’ve never seen my dog take to anyone so quickly.”

  “I’ve always wanted a dog,” Allison said in a wistful tone. “But Aunt Catherine would never allow it.”

  “You’ve got no dogs at your place?” Dan’s raised brows showed his obvious surprise.

  “Nope. Just a few cats to keep the mice down.” Allison stroked Rufus’s other ear, and the dog burrowed his head deeper into her lap.

  “Who’s Aunt Catherine?” Aaron wanted to know.

  “She’s my daed’s older sister. She came to live with us soon after my mamm was killed.”

  Aaron’s forehead wrinkled. “Mind if I ask how your mamm died?”

  “A car ran into her buggy.” Allison frowned. “At least that’s what I was told. I was only seven at the time and don’t remember anything about the accident, even though I supposedly witnessed the whole thing.”

  “Sorry to hear that.” Aaron started to bite off a fingernail but stopped himself in time. “When my real daed died, it was sure hard on my mamm.”

  “I can imagine. It was hard on my daed to lose my mamm, too. How’d your daed die?” Allison asked.

  “He’d gone into town to pick up a stove he planned to give to my mamm,” Aaron grimaced. He hated to think about this, much less talk about it, but he figured he ought to answer Allison’s questions. “On the way home, the buggy my daed was driving got hit by a truck. The stove flew forward, killing him instantly. At least that’s what my mamm was told
when the sheriff came to tell her about the accident.”

  “That’s baremlich,” Allison said as her eyes widened.

  “You’re right; it was a terrible thing,” Dan put in. “I can’t imagine losin’ either of my parents. “I’d miss ’em something awful.”

  “Do you mind if we talk about something else?” Allison asked. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

  “Jah, sure,” Aaron was quick to say. “What shall we talk about?”

  Tears stung the back of Allison’s eyes, and she tried to think of something to talk about besides death. The idea of dying scared her because she wasn’t sure where her soul would go when it was time to leave this earth. Allison knew some folks felt confident that they would go to heaven, but she’d never understood how anyone could have that assurance. Did going to church every other Sunday guarantee that one would spend eternity with the Lord, or could there be more to it? Did following the church rules give one that confidence?

  “I. . .uh. . .guess if I’m going to fish, I’d better see about getting my hook baited,” she said, pushing Rufus away gently.

  The dog whined and flopped on the ground beside Allison as she leaned over and picked up the jar of worms sitting by Dan’s feet. “They sure are fat little things, aren’t they?” She held up the glass container and wrinkled her nose.

  “Would you like me to put one on your hook?” Aaron asked, taking a seat on the log next to her.

  “Thanks anyway, but I’ve been baiting my own hooks since I was a young girl.” Allison’s cheeks warmed. She could have kicked herself for blurting that out. Aaron must think she was a real tomboy.

  Dan grunted and shot her a look of impatience. “If you two are gonna keep on yammerin’, then I’m movin’ to the other side of the pond where it’s quiet.”

  “No need to move; I’ll quit talking.” Allison baited her hook and cast the line into the water. Aaron did the same.

  They sat in silence, with only the sound of the breeze rustling the trees and Rufus’s occasional snorts.

  “Did you enjoy the young people’s gathering last Sunday night?” Aaron asked suddenly.

  “It was okay.” Allison shifted on the log, almost bumping his arm. “Many of the songs were new to me, though.”

  “Not the same as you sing back home?”

  “Just the hymns. The others were different.”

  Dan grunted again. “I thought you two weren’t gonna talk anymore.”

  Aaron scowled at the boy. “We sat here for quite a spell without saying a word, and nobody had a nibble. Maybe a bit of chitchat will liven up the fish.”

  “Puh!” Dan stood and plunked down on a large boulder several feet away.

  “He thinks he knows a lot for someone so young,” Aaron muttered. “Reminds me of the way James Esh used to be when he was a boy.” He looked at Allison pointedly. “Speaking of James, I understand that you rode home with him the other night.”

  She gave a quick nod and glanced at her cousin, who had lifted his face to the sun. I hope Dan’s not listening to this conversation. He might repeat it to someone outside the family.

  “Somebody should have warned you about James,” Aaron continued.

  “What do you mean?”

  “He hasn’t joined the church and is still in his rumschpringe. I really have to wonder if he’ll ever settle down.”

  Allison’s forehead wrinkled. “Do you think he’ll leave the faith and never come back?”

  “Maybe so.” Aaron released his grip on the pole and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “It’s a shame the way some fellows like James get into all sorts of trouble during their running-around years.”

  “I take it you’re not one of the rowdy ones?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve never had the desire to do anything more than get involved in an occasional buggy race. For me, having fun means fishing, hunting, or playing ball.”

  “Same here,” she blurted out. “I. . .I mean—”

  “Hey, I’ve got a bite!” Dan hollered. He jumped off the rock and moved closer to the pond.

  Allison cupped one hand around her mouth. “Be careful, Dan! You’re getting awful close to the water.”

  The boy looked at her over his shoulder, but his line jerked hard. He lurched forward, and—splash—into the water he went!

  Chapter 7

  On the drive home from the pond, Allison’s thoughts began to wander. Until Dan had fallen into the water, she’d been having fun—even without catching any fish. It had felt nice to sit in the warm sun and get to know Aaron a little better. He didn’t brag the way James did. If she had the opportunity to be with Aaron more, they might become friends. Of course, they could never be more than friends. Over the summer, there wouldn’t be much chance of them developing a lasting relationship, even if she were to become a woman someone might want to marry.

  “Are you mad at me, Allison?”

  Dan’s sudden question drove Allison’s thoughts aside, and she turned to look at him. “Of course not. I know you didn’t fall into the pond on purpose.”

  “That’s for certain sure.” Dan shivered beneath the quilt Allison had wrapped around his small frame. “That old catfish didn’t wanna be caught, so he tried to take me into the water with him.”

  Allison laughed. “I think your foot slipped when the fish tugged on your line, and then you lost your balance.”

  Wrinkles formed in Dan’s forehead. “Sure hope Mama won’t be angry at me for gettin’ my clothes all wet.”

  The boy’s comment made Allison worry about her aunt’s response. Would Aunt Mary be upset when she saw her waterlogged son? Would she blame Allison for the accident? Aunt Catherine certainly would have. She thought everything was Allison’s fault. Even something as silly as Aunt Catherine stubbing her toe on the porch step a few years ago had been blamed on Allison. She’d been walking ahead of her aunt that day as they carried groceries into the house. Aunt Catherine had said she wouldn’t have stubbed her toe if Allison hadn’t been dawdling.

  Then there was the time Allison got her dress caught on the buggy wheel while climbing out. She’d landed in a mud puddle, and Aunt Catherine had been madder than a hornet. She would have spanked Allison for messing up her clothes if Papa hadn’t stopped her, saying it was an accident and that Allison didn’t deserve to be punished for something that wasn’t her fault.

  Pushing her thoughts aside and feeling the need to reassure her cousin, Allison reached across the buggy seat and patted Dan’s knee. “I’ll explain to your mamm about you falling in the pond.”

  “Danki.”

  Dan remained quiet for the rest of the ride, and Allison kept her focus on driving the buggy and making sure the horse cooperated with her commands. The shoulder of the road wasn’t wide in this area, like it was in most places back home. Of course, there wasn’t nearly as much traffic to deal with in Webster County.

  When Allison guided the horse and buggy onto the Kings’ property, she noticed a buggy parked out front and figured they must have company. Good. If there’s someone here visiting, Aunt Mary probably won’t let on that she’s mad when she finds out what happened to Dan.

  Dan clambered out of the buggy as soon as it came to a stop and hurried toward the house. Allison knew she should get the horse unhitched and into the barn right away, so she decided to let Dan tell his version of the pond mishap first. When she got to the house, she would explain things in more detail if necessary.

  As Aaron traveled home from the pond, he thought about how much he’d enjoyed being with Allison. Even if they couldn’t develop a lasting relationship, it would be nice to get to know her better while she was here for the summer. They’d begun a good visit this afternoon until Dan’s little mishap had cut things short.

  I wonder if Allison would enjoy working in the harness shop. Aaron slapped the side of his head, nearly knocking his straw hat off. Don’t get any dumb ideas. It would never work, even if she could stay here. I wouldn’t be able to forget how thing
s were for Mom when Dad died. I could never trust that it wouldn’t happen to me.

  As Aaron turned onto his property, he noticed light shining through the harness shop windows. He’d thought he had shut off all the lanterns before he’d left.

  He brought the horse to a stop in front of the building, hopped out of the buggy, and dashed inside. He discovered only one gas lamp lit—the one directly above Paul’s desk.

  Paul was seated in his oak chair, going over a stack of invoices. He squinted at Aaron. “Where have you been?”

  Aaron shifted from one foot to the other, feeling like a young boy caught doing something bad. “I went fishing this afternoon.”

  Paul’s heavy eyebrows drew together as he fingered the edge of his full beard. “You went fishing when you should have been working?”

  Aaron nodded. “There hadn’t been any customers since noon, so I didn’t think there’d be any harm in closing the shop a few hours early.”

  Paul pushed his chair aside and stood. “I left you in charge today because I thought I could trust you to take care of things in my absence.” He motioned to the front door. “Then I come home and find the shop door is locked, the CLOSED sign’s in the window, and you’re nowhere to be found.”

  Aaron opened his mouth to defend himself, but Paul cut him off. “I know you’re expecting to take over this shop someday, but your irresponsible actions don’t give me any indication that you’re close to being ready for something like that.”

  “I work plenty hard.” Aaron pursed his lips. “I think I always do a good job, too.”

  “That’s true, but you’re often late to work, and sometimes you look for excuses to slack off. You can’t coast along in life if you expect to support a wife and family someday.”

  “I don’t think I’m coasting. Besides, I’m not planning to get married, so I won’t have to worry about supporting a wife or a family.”

  “I’ve heard you say that before, Aaron. Would you care to explain?”