Rosemary Opens Her Heart: Home at Cedar Creek, Book Two (4 page)

“Jah, we’re mighty excited about Jonny joining the church so he could marry her, too,”
Abby remarked. “And their son Harley’s the frosting on the cake, even if he came along
before the wedding. It’s a real blessing to see the three of them getting off to a
gut start, considering some of the problems the Ropps went through—not to mention
the way my sister broke her engagement to James Graber to marry Jonny instead,” she
said in an amiable rush. “But everything works out for the best if we trust that God’s
taking care of us, ain’t so?”

“Jah. Gut things come to those who wait on the Lord.” Rosemary
considered what Abby had just told her. Despite a series of situations that had challenged
the Old Order way, the Lambrights and the Ropps had apparently come through a time
of trial and made it to the greener pastures described in the Psalm she’d just been
recalling…so maybe the Yutzy family would someday emerge from the valley of the shadow,
too. “We’re waiting for Him to heal our hearts after my husband, Joe, died while he
was hunting last fall,” she murmured. “A few weeks before that, Beth Ann’s mamm—Titus’s
Alma—passed after a nasty bout with cancer.”

As Abby’s brown eyes softened with sympathy, Rosemary’s cheeks prickled with heat.
Why on earth had she interrupted Abby’s cheerful conversation with her gloomy story?
“I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to carry on about my own problems, when— I thought I was
finally past feeling upset about Joe.”

“Oh, Rosemary, I’m sorry you’re going through such a tough time.” Abby squeezed Rosemary’s
wrist. “We heard from Lois about a sister-in-law succumbing to her cancer, but I didn’t
connect that tragedy to you,” she said in a concerned voice. “My word, losing your
husband and your mother-in-law means you’ve suffered two huge losses. And then you
stepped in for double duty, keeping your family going in Alma’s absence. Titus is
mighty lucky to have you.”

Rosemary blinked. She sensed Abby had a talent for finding the silver lining in every
cloud. “Denki, Abby. I—I appreciate the way you asked me to help with these sandwiches.
This is my first wedding since Joe died, and I…Well, my tears took me by surprise
at dinner,” she admitted with a sigh. “I didn’t realize how difficult today might
be.”

“I can’t imagine.” Abby smiled sweetly and went back to spreading egg salad on bread.
“I have my moments during weddings, too, because while my friends and nieces and nephews
are pairing up, I’ve decided to remain a maidel,” she said. “Why pretend to love a
man just so I can get hitched, if I won’t be happy?”

Rosemary studied Abby more closely, admiring her glossy hair
and kind smile. Why would Abby Lambright choose to live alone when she seemed so outgoing
and friendly? Had she not yet met the right man, or did none of the local fellows
measure up to her expectations? She wouldn’t ask Abby such questions, of course, but
they gave her something to think about.

Abby’s face brightened as she sliced another loaf of bread. “You must be the niece
Lois has often mentioned—the one who makes such fine pies,” she said in a speculative
tone. “She could really use your help in her restaurant. Mother Yutzy’s Oven does
quite a business, and with the summer tourist season coming up she’ll be looking for
extra help. Phoebe and Gail work for her a couple days a week.”

“Aunt Lois has asked me time and again to bake for her.” Rosemary tore a slice of
the soft bread into pieces and laid them on the high chair tray. Katie immediately
jammed one into her mouth, kicking gleefully. “But Cedar Creek’s too far from Queen
City to make deliveries practical. And right now, well…it’s best I stick around home.
Beth Ann’s gut help, but she’s in school all day, while Titus keeps busy with his
sheep and the farming. He’s not much of a fellow for putting together meals or washing
the clothes.”

“I can believe that!” Abby quartered the egg salad sandwiches by cutting them in an
X pattern. At the sound of laughter from across the kitchen, she looked over to where
Beth Ann and Ruthie were piling their silverware bundles into a large basket, racing
to see who would finish first. “And how’s Beth Ann handling her mamm’s passing? She’s
at an age when a mother would be teaching her how to manage a household and—well,
here again,” Abby confirmed, “she and Titus are mighty blessed to have you helping
them. Think how lost they’d be without you, Rosemary.”

Why were Abby’s kind words, spoken with the best intentions, upsetting her again?
Rosemary turned, pressing a hand to her mouth. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I’ve been handling
Joe’s absence pretty well—until now. My emotions seem to run high and then low, like
I’m riding a roller coaster at the county fair.”

Abby squeezed Rosemary’s shoulder. “You’re doing the best you can. It takes time to
get past losing someone you love.”

Was that a catch she heard in Abby’s voice? Rosemary went back to making sandwiches,
determined to come out of this low mood. It surprised her that Abby was blinking back
tears, too.

“Sam and Zanna and I lost our dat more than a year ago,” Abby explained. “We miss
having him here for today’s wedding, but this big event and Zanna’s baby boy have
given Mamm and the rest of us reasons to rejoice again. You’ll get to that point,
too, Rosemary. In your own gut time—and in God’s plan for your life—you’ll open your
heart to a whole new world of possibilities.”

Rosemary smiled gratefully. Abby’s story made her feel better, more confident about
her future. “Denki,” she murmured. “I’ll do my best to remember that. I’ll tell Beth
Ann what you’ve said, too.”

Again Abby glanced over to where Ruthie and Beth Ann were placing the last of the
silverware into a very full basket. “You’re gut at making pies, but what does Beth
Ann enjoy doing?”

Maybe Abby was changing to a more pleasant subject so they’d both quit sniffling,
yet Rosemary had a feeling that Abby rarely made idle chitchat. “Oh, she’s a fine
seamstress. She sews the family’s clothes now, and always has a quilt in the works.
Alma wasn’t much for getting seams to lie flat or for adjusting patterns to fit different
sizes, but Beth Ann naturally took to that sort of thing.”

A smile lit Abby’s face, as though she knew a secret she couldn’t wait to tell. “Well,
then, I know the perfect place to take her. We should have time to go before supper,
while the others are visiting and singing.”

What could Abby be hinting at? Wherever that perfect place was, Rosemary wanted to
go, too—except Beth Ann deserved her own chance to feel special doing whatever this
new friend had in mind. Abby seemed awfully good at making people feel better about
themselves, and as she thought about it, Rosemary smiled brightly.

She
did
feel better. And as she and Abby made ham sandwiches
to add to the supper platters, Rosemary promised herself that for the rest of the
day she would keep her spirits light.

She looked across the busy kitchen and caught Beth Ann’s eye. As Rosemary flashed
her sister-in-law a silly grin and batted her lashes, the same ridiculous expression
overtook Beth Ann’s face. When they both burst out giggling, Abby’s laughter joined
theirs.

“Happiness is contagious, you know,” Abby said as she covered the platter of sandwiches
with a linen towel. “I predict that by the time supper’s over, you’ll be mighty glad
you came to Zanna and Jonny’s wedding.”

Rosemary wanted to believe that. And maybe, if she gave this tiny seed of happiness
a chance, it would take root and grow into a whole new outlook on her life.

A
s Matt swung open the pasture gate and allowed Titus Yutzy to step through it ahead
of him, he couldn’t help but notice the old fellow’s deep sigh, stooped shoulders,
and black suit that hung loosely on his long-limbed body. While he resembled his brother,
Ezra, Titus looked about a hundred years old as he took in the panorama of rolling
green hills; the curving line of cedars, dogwoods, and redbud trees along the creek;
and the scattered groups of ewes and their lambs.

“Pretty place you’ve got,” Titus murmured. “Always liked it here as a kid, but when
Alma’s folks needed help running their farm, we moved there. Hadn’t been married but
a year or so.”

“We do what we have to,” Matt replied. “I’m real sorry to hear you lost your son and
your wife, Titus.”

“I’m sorry, too. Every single day I’m sorry.” Titus let out a forlorn sigh.

Matt sensed that Titus’s burden might weigh down their conversation unless he kept
it centered on other subjects. How in the world did his daughter-in-law make it from
one day to the next, shrouded in such oppressive sorrow? When Matt had talked to Ezra
Yutzy
earlier, he’d learned that Katie’s mamm was named Rosemary and that she was the widow
of Titus’s son, Joe. No wonder she had acted so oddly when she’d come running after
her adventurous toddler…But this wasn’t the time to speculate about how to put a smile
on Rosemary’s pretty face.

“Ezra mentioned that you might want to trade some breeding stock to diversify your
flock’s bloodlines,” Matt began in a more hopeful tone. “It could be as simple as
trading rams—and I’ve got a couple of gut yearlings that’ll be ready for breeding
in the fall. Just a matter of hauling them to your place and bringing a couple of
your rams back here, if that sounds reasonable.”

“High time I paid more attention to my sheep,” Titus agreed absently. “If I don’t
take care of my flock, it won’t take care of me for much longer. My grass looks mighty
thin this spring, on account of how Joe used to do the reseeding.” He studied the
cluster of lambs closest to them. “What breeds’ve you got here, Matt? Rambouillet
and Montadale, judging from their wool.”

“Jah, I’ve got a ram and some ewes of each of those breeds,” Matt replied, “along
with several crossbred ewes. I’ve had real gut luck with their lambing and with selling
their meat and wool. They’re devoted mothers, too.”

“Mine are Montadales and Corriedales. The traits of the three breeds would cross well,
most likely.” A tiny spark lit Titus’s eyes. “This is the best idea I’ve heard in
a gut long while. I lost track of a lot of things this past winter, and it’s time
to come out of hibernation, if you know what I mean.”

“A fella always feels better when the snow’s gone and he can get out of the house,
into his fields.” Matt signaled for his dogs to come across the pasture. “You might
like to meet my assistants, Panda and Pearl,” he said. “Between the two of them, it’s
like having a hired hand when it comes to moving the sheep. They made friends with
your granddaughter Katie before dinner.”

As the two black-and-white collies loped toward them, a slow
smile spread across Titus’s face. “Katie’s at an age when she thinks everything with
four legs could be her pet. Hope she didn’t make a nuisance of herself.”

“She just wanted to meet them. Not one bit afraid of them, either.” Now that Titus
was talking about his granddaughter, he seemed brighter, so maybe it was a good time
to wander onto another subject Matt was eager to know more about. “It must’ve been
hard on Rosemary, losing her man when she’s got such a young child.”

“She’s tougher than she looks. Has to be, to put up with an old coot like me.” Titus
let out a short laugh and stooped to rumple the dogs’ ears. “Truth be told, Rosemary’s
the only thing that got me through this past winter. Don’t know what I’d do without
her.”

Matt bit back his next question. Clearly, this lonely old man wasn’t in the right
frame of mind to suggest what a fellow might do to attract Rosemary’s attention. “Jah,
there’s a lot to be said for having a cook in your kitchen—and a little one in your
lap,” he added. “We Lambrights are already wrapped up in Harley, and he’s only three
weeks old.”

Titus continued stroking the dogs. “Ezra filled me in on some of the tribulations
you folks have been through,” he said softly. “But it all worked out, ain’t so? Treva
and even Sam—not a man to tolerate any nonsense—looked mighty excited today.”

Titus glanced up at Matt then. “Rudy Ropp’s come a long way, too,” he remarked, mentioning
Jonny’s father. “Always was as prickly as a porcupine, but he and Adah have pulled
their family together again…got their boys back into the fold after that house fire
and Rudy’s heart attack last Christmas. Hearing their story makes me dare to think
I might make something of my life again, if I put my mind to it.”

“No doubt you will, Titus.” Matt was glad he’d called his dogs over, for Titus couldn’t
seem to stop running his hands over their soft coats. “It took my grandmother a while
to get past losing our
granddad Leroy, but now she’s thinking to expand her greenhouse business—maybe add
another glass building soon. She says she’s gotten her energy back and feels like
taking on new projects now.”

Titus’s smile made the lines around his eyes crinkle. He glanced behind them, gazing
at the building made of glass squares, which sat alongside the two-story mercantile.
“Leroy and Treva made a fine pair. They got married the same November Alma and I did,”
he reminisced. “Your granddad turned the Cedar Creek Mercantile into the best general
store in this part of the state. He treated folks fair—Plain and English alike. He
listened to what they wanted and made sure he carried it for them.”