Amish Circle Letters II: The Second Circle of Letters (12 page)

Chapter 5: Anna
’s Letter

Dear Family,

There seems to be an awful lot of activity at the Fisher farm, now with sister Mary Ruth having come to stay in order to recover from her ordeal. What a blessing that Menno Yoder sought her, as if guided by the hand of God, to where she laid in the snow. A miracle, I reckon.

With so many visitors coming to wish her well, every day seems to fly by. Leaves me little time for the house chores. It
’s quite nice to see so many people but we sure do wish it was under different circumstances.

Lovina and James are said to come visit with us this weekend. We are looking forward to that visit as we do not see enough of them.

The kinner are all doing well. Katie is quite anxious for her pony to be moved to the farm. But she has been most patient with all of the changes in the plans. Yet we had another delay because of the fire. I am pleased with her acceptance and nary a complaint.

Isaac just finished the winter preparation on the fields, spreading manure for the last time this year. Won
’t be much fieldwork until late February, that’s for sure and certain.

We welcome news of your other families and look forward to these circle letters returning to us with good news and wish God
’s blessing on you and yours.

With love,

Anna and family

Katie stood at the single window in the washroom, staring outside at the long driveway. She hadn’t moved for almost an hour, her small hand pressed against the windowsill as she waited. She could feel her own heartbeat, deep in her chest. Her patience was wearing thin, but she knew better than to complain. It had been weeks since Eleanor Haile was supposed to bring Butterscotch to the Fisher farm. With the days getting shorter and the weather colder, it was too far to travel to the Miller’s farm to visit “her” pony in the winter. Her parents had promised that, should she proved to be responsible, they would permit the pony to spend the winter on their farm; this way Katie could be able to tend to its needs and receive, in return, all the benefits, satisfaction and sense of responsibility inherent to such an arrangement. Yet, with so much going on, the move had been delayed once too often.

Not today
, she thought.

But Eleanor had promised to bring Butterscotch today. She also wanted to visit with Mary Ruth who had returned to the Fisher farm after being discharged from the hospital, last Monday. Now, it was Saturday and, at any minute, Eleanor would pull into the driveway, driving her pickup truck and pulling a small bumper pull horse trailer with Butterscotch in it; and Katie simply felt as though she was about to burst from the anticipation.

“
Dochder
,” Anna said as she walked past the doorway leading into the kitchen. “If you busy yourself, you will find time passes quicker.”

Katie glanced over her shoulder at her mother but didn
’t respond. Talking back, especially with what she had in mind to reply, would certainly get her in trouble, that was for sure and certain. But Katie was not about to budge from her spot. She wanted to witness the exact moment that her pony arrived, especially after so many weeks apart.

She heard the truck before she saw it. Squinting her eyes, she stared, watching the driveway. And then it emerged. A large red pickup truck, different from the last one Eleanor drove, emerged from around the corner of the barn and pulled up the driveway. Katie squealed with delight and, grabbing her black coat from the hook near the door, flung open the door to race outside.

“Katie Fisher!”

Katie stopped in her tracks at the stern sound of her
mamm’s
voice.

“You walk like a proper young lady, now” Anna scolded her.

“Yes,
Mamm
. Sorry,” Katie mumbled and slowed down her pace to a fast walk.

The truck stopped outside of the large white dairy barn and, after the engine stopped, the door opened. Eleanor stepped out and stretched, lifting a hand to rub at the back of her neck. When she looked toward the house and saw Katie, a broad smile crossed her face and she opened her arms to embrace the young girl who, by this time, was running again.

“Eleanor!” Katie jumped into the Englische woman’s arms. “I’ve been waiting ever so long!”

Eleanor laughed.
“I know, sweetie. But the day finally arrived and Butterscotch will be here all winter and spring!”

Katie pulled back and stared at her with wide eyes. “Spring, too?”

Lifting a finger to her lips, Eleanor whispered, “Shhh! Don’t tell your mother that I told you so but...”

Katie clapped her hands, jumping up and down with excitement. She had thought that Butterscotch would be returning to the Miller
’s Farm where Eleanor was boarding the rest of her ponies. To hear that the pony would stay on the Fisher farm until next summer was exciting news, indeed. She could hardly contain herself from exclaiming, “That’s
wunderbaar
!”

Together, they walked to the back of the horse trailer and swung open the metal door. The hinges squeaked loudly and the pony looked up from the red hay net that hung from the wall. Scrambling into the trailer, Katie hurried over and gave her pony a hug, her arms wrapped around Butterscotch’s neck. As she inhaled the sweet musky scent from the pony’s fur, she knew that, without doubt, this was the happiest day of her life.

Mary Ruth was sitting in a rocking chair, a blue and white crocheted blanket on her lap when Eleanor walked into the kitchen in Miriam’s house. A smile lit up Mary Ruth’s face as she recognized the Englische woman. “Eleanor!” she exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. “We’ve been expecting you! Some more than others!”

Laughing, Eleanor crossed the floor and gave Mary Ruth a quick hug. “She
’s already outside in the barn, grooming the pony. I suspect that will be one spoiled critter, don’t you think?”

Miriam made a disapproving
tsk, tsk
noise but said nothing. Mary Ruth ignored her mother and nodded in agreement. “I would say so,” she said. “Katie has been waiting for weeks for that pony to move here. I know that she sure took
wunderbaar
care of Butterscotch when it was at the Miller’s. She loved to come visit and take Melvin with her.”

Eleanor sat down on the sofa and leaned forward, lightly touching Mary Ruth
’s knee. “How are
you
doing, Mary Ruth? That was quite a scare, yes?”

From behind Mary Ruth, Miriam shook her head and clicked her tongue. Eleanor glanced at her. But Miriam said nothing.

“Ja, I reckon,” Mary Ruth answered softly.

“What happened, if I may ask?” Eleanor ventured cautiously.

Mary Ruth frowned and shook her head. “I don’t right remember much, to be truthful. There was a light on in the barn. I went to turn it off and they said I must have fallen on something. That’s all I remember.” A pitchfork, she thought, but didn’t add the words. Despite not remembering the accident, she did remember one thing: Melvin’s sassy attitude earlier in the afternoon and her own instructions to him to pick up that pitchfork.

It had been over a week and she had yet to see the
kinner
. Menno had neither taken them to the hospital when he visited, nor had he brought them to the Fisher farm yet. During the week, they were still in school. Menno had chores and his own hands full at the farm without any help. Yet, he had called every night on the phone that was kept in the barn, checking on her progress and sending her his wishes. Anna had been faithful in relaying the messages.

And then came his letter.

It had been Thursday when it arrived. Katie had brought the mail into the house after returning from school and proudly gave her aunt the letter. For a moment, Mary Ruth was stunned as she stared at the envelope. She recognized his handwriting and felt a flutter in her heart as she imagined him taking time out of his busy day to sit down and craft a missive to her.

She had waited until she was alone to open the letter. Her hands had shaken, just a little, as she slid her finger under the envelope flap and opened it. She had slipped out the single piece of paper and, after glancing around the room to verify that she was still alone, she had unfolded it.

Dear Fraa
,

I pray that God continues to watch over you and tend to your needs in a time when you are not here under my care. As my fraa, I wish that you were here and I could be the caretaker. But I understand these concerns of your family that you need some quiet to recover.

The kinner are missing you but perhaps not as much as your husband who has made a solemn promise to take better care of his fraa, despite whatever feelings she may hold for him.

With all of God
’s love and blessings,

Your husband,

Menno

P.S. I shall bring the kinner on Saturday to visit and, if you are feeling well, to bring you home…where you belong.

Mary Ruth had read that letter a dozen times, if not more. She had cherished his words and knew that he must have finally seen the Bible quotes that she had left for him. She had clutched Menno
’s letter to her chest, smiling with delight at the realization that things would be better now.

However, there was still one dark spot. She pondered about what he meant by
whatever feelings she may hold for me.
Certainly he knew how she felt about him. Certainly he held no more doubts, for whatever reason he ever had doubted her!

Eleanor interrupted her thoughts. “
Well, I’m sure you will be thankful to return home to your family,” she said, as if reading Mary Ruth’s mind.

And how!
she wanted to reply. Her mother was hovering over her too much, disapproving of everything. Mary Ruth didn’t like being pampered and coddled, at least not by her mother who seemed to not understand why Menno had not come visiting during the week. Mary Ruth hadn’t mentioned the letter and his phone calls, feeling that such communication was her own business and not something to be shared.

“Ja,” Mary Ruth replied, her voice barely a whisper. “He
’s coming for me today.”

At this comment, Miriam could contain herself no more. “We shall see about that,
Dochder
! You heard the doctors about taking it easy for a while. Menno Yoder can find someone else to tend his house and
kinner
while you recover!”

“Mother!”

Miriam spun around and put her hands on her hips, staring at her horrified daughter. “You know how I feel about this.”

“That
’s my husband,” Mary Ruth stated, a fierce look in her eyes.

“And some husband! He hasn
’t been here once to see you!” The fierceness in Miriam’s eyes startled Mary Ruth and, for just a moment, she felt embarrassed by her mother’s reaction.

“
Well,” Mary Ruth said slowly. “He will be here today for me.”

“Humph!”

“And,” Mary Ruth added. “He was there for me the night that he searched the farm and found me, lest we forgot that.”

Eleanor cleared her throat, a gentle reminder to the two women that there was another person in the room and that the exchange was becoming increasingly heated and rather uncomfortable. “I just think it
’s a miracle that he found you, Mary Ruth,” she said, hoping to change the direction of the conversation. “God was watching over you, girl!”

No one had time to say another word as the door to Miriam
’s kitchen opened. Mary Ruth and Eleanor looked up at the same time, curious to see who had arrived. To their surprise, it was James and Lovina. Quickly, Mary Ruth glanced at Eleanor, watching her Englische friend’s reaction to the arrival of her older brother, James and his wife.

For a moment, Eleanor seemed to pale, the color draining from her face.

It had been years ago when Eleanor had first appeared at their farm. She had rented a room at a neighbor’s farm and, before long, Eleanor was a visitor at Amish church services and community gatherings. Little did anyone suspect that a romance would ensue between James and the pretty, energetic Englischer.

Mary Ruth remembered all too well the disapproving looks from her
mamm
and
daed.
They had been none too pleased with the initial friendship that bordered on courtship. James had taken Eleanor for buggy rides at night, something that had caused great concern from his parents. After a few months, Miriam and Elias had begun to pressure James about taking his baptism. For a while, he had seemed to consider the alternative. His friendship with Eleanor had started taking a turn for the serious and the family was worried that they would lose one of their sons to the outside world.

And then, all of a sudden, her father had become ill and she had to return home. Miriam and Elias had jumped on the break in the young couple
’s relationship to put a heavier pressure on James. They even sent him to Berlin, Ohio, to help a distant cousin with his woodwork shop as an apprentice for a year. Within six months of his return, he became a baptized member of the Amish church and any worries of him leaving for the Englische woman were put aside.

But now, for the first time in several years, James and Eleanor were facing each other again. This time, he was an Amish man…a married Amish man with a mustache-less beard and a nervous wife at his side.

“Why hullo there,” James finally said, stepping forward to politely shake her hand. “I haven’t seen you in years,
ja
?”

Eleanor nodded, fighting for her own words.

James turned around and gestured for Lovina. “This is my wife, Lovina. Don’t think you’ve met yet.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Eleanor managed to say, reaching out for Lovina
’s hand. To her surprise, James’ wife stared at the outstretched hand and, with a look of disgust, turned her face away. Clearly, Lovina had heard of James’ relationship with the Englische woman. Yet, her reaction stunned everyone in the room. For a long moment, there was a heavy silence. Eleanor lifted her eyes and glanced at Mary Ruth, then at James who merely shut his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly before exhaling and moving back toward the door.

“Reckon I
’ll go see what Isaac and Steve are up to, then,” he mumbled and excused himself from the tension that had taken over the room.

For another long moment, no one spoke. Eleanor felt her cheeks flush from humiliation at the snub from James
’ wife. She glanced at Mary Ruth who seemed stunned by the uncharacteristic rudeness displayed by her sister-in-law. Even Miriam stood by the kitchen sink, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face, clearly unhappy with the way Lovina had acted.