The Matchmaker (10 page)

“That was a lovely visit indeed, wasn’t it?” Emma commented as she swung the basket in her arm and continued walking down the road toward the next stop: Katie Miller. But she most looked forward to their second-to-last stop of the day: Sarah Esh. Sarah was the great aunt of Paul Esh,
and Emma was eager to get to her house because sometimes Paul visited with her too. Only last week hadn’t Paul been sitting there when Emma arrived? While he had acted somewhat surprised, Emma suspected that he had known she would visit his great aunt and surely had hoped that Hannah would be accompanying her. Today if Paul was there, he would not be disappointed.

“Such a charming home Mary has,” Hannah said as they walked. “I thought her display of pink china pieces and ceramics was lovely, didn’t you?”

Indeed, Mary’s small abode was decorated as plain as possible, but still her personality came through in her collection of tea cups, vases, and plates, all in her favorite color: pink.

“She will be one to enjoy the Christmas gift we are planning, for sure and certain,” Emma pointed out.

“Oh, it’s such a sad state,” Hannah sighed. “Aging and being all alone. I’m sure she must miss her husband very much. But at least she was married and has children to see to her needs. I’d so hate to be alone and never marry.”

There was something wistful in Hannah’s words, and Emma immediately worried that she was thinking of Ralph Martin’s letter. Why was she in such a hurry to wed? Was hope of marriage the real reason she left Ohio for Lancaster county? Not knowing what to say, Emma chose to maintain her silence as they continued down the road. A buggy passed nearby. The driver waved at them and Emma lifted her left hand in greeting to the driver, despite not immediately recognizing who it was. But she could have been recognized, and it would be considered unfriendly not to return the acknowledgment.

After a few moments of silence Hannah turned to Emma and surprised her by saying, “Forgive me if I seem to pry,
but it’s a wonder, Emma, that you have not married as of yet. You are so well thought of in the
g’may
; nary a person has anything but the highest praise for your devotion to God and the community. And, if I may be so bold, you are beautiful, talented, and charming. Why, I’d think you’d have plenty of suitors asking to take you for a buggy ride home after the singings on Sundays, that’s for sure and certain!”

Emma’s response was a simple laugh.

“It’s true!” Hannah cried out in alarm. “I don’t see cause for laughing! I did not intend to make fun!”

“Dear Hannah,” Emma began, her voice patient and gentle. “Don’t worry. I did not take it the wrong way and you are definitely not prying. Your praise is flattering, but I don’t believe it is warranted. Even so, the issue isn’t whether I am beautiful, talented, or charming; the issue is whether or not I can find someone else who shares those same traits! Quite frankly, in the absence of such a man at this point in my life, it might come as a surprise to you to learn that I have no intention of ever marrying!”

The confidence in her announcement and the firmness in her voice made Hannah stop walking and reach out to touch Emma’s arm. “Why, Emma! I don’t believe you
really
mean that.”

She smiled. “But I do.”

Hannah frowned. “That would be such a sad thing, for I think you’d make a wonderful
fraa
, and I cannot believe that my opinion is not shared by many young men in this community!”

Casually Emma shrugged. “
Mayhaps
, but I shall not find out! I’m perfectly content to remain an old
maedel
. Being on your own does have its advantages!”

At this statement, Hannah gasped. “Emma! That would
be so very lonely, don’t you think? No
kinner.
Whom would you be tending to?”

A light laugh escaped Emma’s lips and she batted a hand in Hannah’s direction. “
Nee
, not so lonely at all. I have my
daed
to tend to, Hannah. And a wide circle of right
gut
friends. I prefer my independence too much, I reckon. I’m not like my
schwester
. Indeed, Irene’s perfectly content to stay at home and tend to her
boppli
and the other
kinner
.”

“But when you become elderly, Emma, who will take care of you? Are you looking forward to being a poor old
maedel
?”

“My dear Hannah, tell me: is it the
being poor
or the
being old
that bothers you the most?” She didn’t wait for her friend to respond before she continued. “Thanks to
Daed
selling his business, I am fortunate that I shall never be the former, and despite our deepest desires, none of us can avoid being the latter.”

The reaction on Hannah’s face spoke of her surprise at Emma’s words. For a long moment both women remained silent. Hannah seemed to be trying to collect herself after hearing Emma’s short speech about marriage. “If you are so against marriage,” she finally said, “it’s a wonder why you would push such unions on others.”

“Do you think that I push them?” Emma replied at once. The thought of being perceived in such a light struck Emma with a degree of dread and dismay. While she had encouraged Anna and Samuel’s courtship with that initial invitation for supper, she had never considered herself as pushing marriage on anyone.

“I don’t mean to, Hannah. In fact, I think we just had a discussion recently against such a union.”

“You mean Ralph Martin then?”

“Exactly!” Emma looked pleased that Hannah was
following her train of thought. “If I simply pushed unions, to use your exact words, I would have persuaded you to accept his call for courtship.”

“That is true,” Hannah reluctantly agreed, breaking eye contact for an instant.

“You, however,” Emma went on, encouraged by her friend’s body language, “were asking me about my intentions for my own marriage. And while I know that many young women marry for the sake of convenience, to work alongside a companion and to create a comfortable future for themselves, I have no need for such comfort. My
daed
does not need me to work outside of the house. My quilting brings in a fair amount of extra income, which, by the way, I do not really have a need for but enjoy using for helping others. And I will be well tended to in my old age as I intend to stay at our little house. Unless I were to fall in love, there really is no need for me to marry, now, is there?”

After such an assertive proclamation, there was little left for Hannah to offer by way of an argument, but she had a hard time letting go of the most pressing question in her mind.

“But to be so alone, like Mary Yoder? Or a
maedel
, like Hetty Blank?” The expression in Hannah’s voice conveyed her disbelief in what Emma had just said. While it was not unusual for Amish women to remain single, Emma’s admission seemed to strike Hannah as being contrary to her new friend’s disposition.

Emma shook her head at this last statement from Hannah. “
Ja vell
, I think I’m a bit better suited to conform to society than Hetty Blank. I’m certainly a bit more capable of maintaining my independence without a need for assistance from the
g’may
. Our church district members can focus on the
needs of the disadvantaged widows rather than mine.” The noise of a horse and buggy approaching from behind interrupted her train of thought, and Emma glanced over her shoulder to see who it was. An older man with a long white beard lifted his hand to wave to her, and with a broad smile Emma waved back. “And I too have nieces and nephews that will help me, if needed, as I age,” she added.

They were approaching the next stop on their tour of the neighborhood, and as a matter of good form, Emma quickly changed the topic.

“Now, here is a lovely woman,” she said as she gestured toward the front gate. “Katie Miller. But she’s been feeling poorly these past few weeks. I brought her some homemade chicken soup.” Emma smiled brightly. “Anna always made me chicken soup when I was not well. Nothing like good, wholesome chicken and vegetable soup to make anyone feel better, don’t you think?”

Katie Miller lived in the converted two-car garage of a more modern home. She rented it from another Amish family who had bought it several years ago from a Mennonite neighbor. A widow, Katie had tragically survived all of her own
kinner
but one, and that son had not joined the Amish church. That left Katie Miller no other option than to live alone, in the rented section of a fellow church member’s house instead of with her own family. And, with poor health, she looked forward to Emma’s visit each week.

The visit was short, only thirty minutes in duration. Emma fluttered about the small house, making certain to heat up the large bowl of soup for Katie Miller—certainly her only hot meal for the day—and serving it to her when it was just shy of being too hot. While the older woman ate her soup, Emma sat perched upon her chair and chattered
away about the different happenings among the families in their
g’may
. She laughed often and would pause to ask questions of Katie, a way to keep the woman involved in the conversation despite her days spent living alone in the small apartment.

All too soon it was time to leave. Emma quickly washed and dried the dishes and utensils that she had used, so that Katie wouldn’t have any mess to tend. Before leaving, she made certain that everything was in order and Katie was content in her recliner chair, her Bible nearby so that she could read while the light was still streaming through the windows in the room where she sat, alone with her memories.

No sooner had they shut the screen door behind them than Emma heard someone call out her name. It was Paul Esh, riding down the road in an open carriage. She almost gasped. What good fortune and how timely, she thought as she nudged Hannah’s arm with a little too much enthusiasm.

“Look!” she whispered hoarsely, nodding her head toward the approaching carriage. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he stops to offer us a ride!”

Both women waved to him, and sure enough, Paul stopped the horse in front of Katie Miller’s driveway. With a broad smile, he gestured for the two women to come and join him in the carriage.

“If I know anything, Emma Weaver,” he laughed, “you are making your rounds and your next stop is at my
aendi
’s house and then off to spend time with the Blanks, ain’t so! Let me take you both. It will be faster and I could certainly use the good company, I reckon.”

Without hesitation, Emma accepted the kind offer and hurried to the side of the carriage. She placed her basket in the back section, making certain that it was properly secured.
The slight delay permitted Hannah to climb first into the wagon so that she was seated next to Paul. With a smile, Emma joined her.

When the horse was finally moving again Paul leaned forward and peered at Emma first and then Hannah. “I see you have company today on your weekly rounds,” he said cheerfully. “That’s right
gut
to see you bringing your new friend with you to visit the women. I’m sure they are most appreciative, ain’t so?”

With the slightest of movements, Emma tried to nudge Hannah to respond, but no words escaped her friend’s lips. When it became clear that Hannah was not about to speak, Emma did so for her. “I’m not certain who enjoyed meeting Hannah more,” she started, “Mary Yoder or Katie Miller! And Hannah made the most delicious soup for Katie Miller!” Emma couldn’t ignore the sharp look that Hannah gave her. “Well, she helped heat it up, anyway.”

“Without doubt, the women appreciate any and all kindness shown to them. I find I learn so much from spending time with them as well. Such wisdom they carry upon their shoulders, if only the youth would pause to listen.” Paul had a way of speaking that made everything sound noble and good. His eyes sparkled as he talked, and Emma was pleased to notice that he was looking at Hannah every bit as much as he was looking at her. “Putting others’ needs before our own is just one way that we can walk with Jesus,” he added.

When Hannah did not respond, Emma, once again, took the opportunity to do so. “Perhaps you have heard that Hannah is helping me collect Bible verses to put together special books to give to the elderly this Christmas. With our quilt almost finished, we’ve begun working on this new project, and it’s coming along quite nicely. She’s going to
organize the verses and rewrite them for the different books to give as gifts!”

“Are you then?” He seemed genuinely impressed. “And what are these verses about, I might ask?”

Hannah lifted her eyes to look at Emma for a moment, as if silently begging Emma to respond. When Emma remained silent, Hannah had no choice but to answer. “Well,” she began, “we are asking for people to write their favorite Bible verses, so there is no particular subject. It could be any topic of interest to them.”

“We should have our final verses this weekend,” Emma added. “My
schwester
, Irene, and her family are to visit. I just know that she’ll want to contribute to this project. She grew up and worshipped with these women too.”

Paul tilted back the straw hat he was wearing and nodded his head in approval. “Why, I know you have not asked me, but I should like to contribute my own favorite Bible verse to your collection as well!”

Emma watched as the color rose to Hannah’s cheeks. Despite her plainness, there was a demure beauty to the young woman, and it was clear to Emma that Paul had noticed it. If only they had some more time alone, she thought. And then she realized exactly how to arrange that.

“Oh, help!”

Paul turned to look at Emma. “What is it, Emma?”

She waved her hand toward him and shook her head. “Silly me. I left my sampler at Katie Miller’s.”

He pulled back on the reins, stopping the horse. “I shall happily turn around so that you can fetch it. It won’t take but five minutes.”

Emma was quick to cut him off. “
Danke
, Paul. That’s a right nice offer. But I don’t mind walking by myself to
retrieve it.
Mayhaps
it’s more helpful if you took Hannah to your
aendi
’s house. She’ll be waiting for her visitors. I can meet up with the both of you at the Blanks. I’d feel rather poorly if your
aendi
missed out on visiting with you. She dare not suffer because of my silly forgetfulness!”