A Mother's Secret (8 page)

“Let me handle it,
Mamm
.” His brown eyes pleaded with her. “I’m fifteen. I’m a man now.”

“He’s right, Carolyn,”
Dat
chimed in. “You don’t need to get involved.”

“
Ya
, I do need to defend my son.”

“Carolyn, this isn’t your place,”
Dat
pressed on. “You need to let me handle this.”

“I’m going,
Dat
. Please tell
Mamm
that I’ll be back soon.”
She climbed into the buggy and guided it toward the road. This time she was going to do what
she
thought was right.

After Daniel and Benjamin had gone home for the evening, Joshua headed over to his parents’ house with his mother’s casserole dish sitting next to him in the buggy. He guided the horse into his parents’ driveway and found another horse and buggy parked near the barn. Joshua stopped his horse and buggy near the other one and then climbed out.

As he approached the porch, he found his mother and Lillian standing by the back door, talking to two young women. When he reached them, he realized they were Anna Mary and Lena Esh, and he inwardly groaned as it became apparent that he’d been set up. His mother didn’t want the casserole dish; she wanted him to meet Lena.

“Josh!” his mother’s voice sang as he looked up at her wide grin. “You’re here!”

“Hello.” He nodded at the women, and Lena smiled. He held up the casserole dish and felt like a heel. What was he doing holding up a casserole dish while surrounded by a group of eager young women?

“
Wie geht’s, Onkel
Josh.” Lily gestured toward the Esh sisters. “Lena and Anna Mary came by to deliver
kichlin
Lena made.”

“
Mei schweschder
made these
appeditlich kichlin
for our scholars. Lily is going to bring them to class tomorrow.” Anna Mary held up two boxes. “Lena works at
mei mamm’s
bakery. She’s the best baker.”

“That’s
wunderbaar
.” Josh forced a smile.

“I hope the scholars enjoy them,” Lena said. “I enjoyed making them. I tried a new chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I think it came out well. If they like them, I’ll make more.”

He had never felt so uncomfortable and out of place in his life. It was as if he were a contestant on one of those
Englisher
dating game shows his elderly neighbor had once detailed in a conversation. It was also obvious his niece was now plotting with his mother to get him to date Lena. Annoyance stole over him. He appreciated their good intentions, but he just wanted to be left alone to run his farm.

“Here’s your dish.” He handed it to his mother. “
Gut nacht
.”

“Wait!” his mother said. “Don’t go just yet. I have supper ready inside. Come in and join us. I’ve already invited Anna Mary and Lena to stay too.”

His mother’s smile was eager and expectant. He felt trapped, like a wild horse locked in a stall.

He tried to think of an excuse, any excuse. “Well, I was going to finish cleaning up the house. It’s a mess.”

“Don’t be
gegisch
. I’ll clean it for you tomorrow.”
Mamm
motioned for him to enter the house. “
Kumm
. Stay for a bit.”

Joshua sighed and held the door as the four women filed into the mudroom. He hung his coat and hat on a peg and then followed them into the kitchen, where platters of food cluttered the long table. The aroma of peanut butter spread, fresh-baked bread, pickles, and macaroni and cheese penetrated his nostrils, and his stomach growled in response. Although Joshua wanted to flee the uncomfortable scene, he was hungry, and he desperately wanted to make himself a sandwich. He’d been so busy working that he never had lunch. Daniel and Benjamin had stopped working around noon to eat. Joshua,
however, had continued training a horse, and he eventually lost track of time.

His mother made a sweeping gesture toward the table. “Please help yourselves. My husband told me he will return home late today.”

Lena sat at the table. “
Danki
.” She bowed her head to pray.

Mamm
pointed at the seat across from her and motioned for Joshua to sit.

He dutifully complied and then lowered his head to give a silent blessing. When he looked up again,
Mamm
was standing by the doorway leading to the family room with Anna Mary and Lily. Anna Mary placed the two boxes of cookies on the counter near the sink.

“Anna Mary,” Lily began with her voice a little too loud. “Let me show you the quilt I’m working on before we eat. It’s going to be a gift for Naomi’s birthday.”

The three women disappeared into the family room, and Joshua was left alone with Lena.
This was most definitely a plan,
and I was naïve enough to fall right into their trap
, he thought.

Lena filled her plate with pretzels, macaroni and cheese, and bread.

Joshua cleared his throat and tried to think of something to say while loading his own plate. “It all smells
appeditlich
,
ya
?”

Lena nodded. “
Ya
, it does. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I smelled the food.”

“I thought the exact same thing. I skipped lunch.” Joshua smeared peanut butter spread over a thick piece of bread. “So, you work at the bakery?”

“I do.” Lena’s brown eyes met his. “I really enjoy working there.”

“What are your favorite desserts?” he asked.

Between bites of macaroni and cheese, Lena listed her favorite things to bake. She finished describing her favorite recipe for chocolate cake, and then the room fell silent. The only noise was the drone of low voices coming from a nearby room.

Joshua finished his peanut butter sandwich while struggling to think of something to say. “I run a horse farm,” he finally said.

“Oh.” Lena nodded. “That must be very hard work.”

“It is,” Joshua said while spooning more macaroni and cheese.

“Do you have a lot of horses on your farm?” Lena asked.

“
Ya
, I do.” He shared information about his farm while she nodded and listened intently, her eyes fixed on him.

He was still talking about his horses when
Mamm
, Lily, and Anna Mary returned to the kitchen, all smiling like expectant children on Christmas morning. He was certain their excitement was directly related to his interaction with Lena.

Mamm
sat across from Joshua and aimed her smile at him. “I see you two are getting along well.”

Joshua frowned at his mother, but the gesture didn’t dampen her mood. Although Lena seemed like a fine young woman, he didn’t appreciate being set up with her.

Anna Mary and Lily joined them at the table, and after a silent prayer, all three women began to fill their plates with food and talk nonstop about everything from housework to news about people in the community.

Joshua was thankful when his father joined them in the kitchen and he had someone to talk to who didn’t want to discuss baking or talk about the people in their church district. He made small talk with his father about the farm until their plates were
clean. After another silent prayer, the women began cleaning up the kitchen while Joshua and
Dat
headed for the mudroom.

“
Danki
for the meal,” Joshua called to his mother while putting on his hat and coat.

“
Gern gschehne
.”
Mamm
approached him as she reached for her cloak. “Let me walk you out.”

Joshua fought the urge to groan, knowing she would want to discuss Lena again.

“Good-bye,
Onkel
Josh,” Lily called with her hands submerged in the soapy sink.

“Good-bye.” Joshua waved to Anna Mary and Lena, who smiled and waved.

Joshua followed his parents outside and stood on the porch with them.

His mother clamped her hands together and smiled. “So, you liked Lena?”

“She was nice.” Joshua sighed as he decided the direct approach was best with her. “
Mamm
, I appreciate your effort, but I don’t think there will ever be anything between Lena and me.”

“What are you saying?” His mother looked confused.

“I’m not interested in her.” Joshua shrugged. “She’s a nice
maedel,
but I don’t have time to date. I’m too busy running the farm. I have customers calling daily, and I have horses to train and feed. My life doesn’t leave any room for a relationship right now.”

Mamm
gave
Dat
a pleading expression. “Eli, tell him he’s talking
narrisch
. Tell him he needs to date. Explain to him that the Lord wants us to bear fruit, and it’s not natural to be alone.”

Joshua hoped his father would back up his feelings.

Dat
shook his head. “He’s old enough to make his own decisions, Barbie. I think you need to just let God take control.”

Joshua swallowed a sigh of relief.
Danki, Dat!

“You’re both
narrisch
.”
Mamm
waved off
Dat’s
words. “Lena is perfect for you, Josh. That’s why you need to go to those socials, to get to know her. But I was afraid you’d break your promise to me, so I brought you over here to meet Lena.”

“
Mamm
, I told you I’m not interested. Please back off.” Joshua tried his best to keep his words respectful despite the exasperation building inside him. “I need to go. See you soon.”

Before his parents could respond, Joshua headed to his waiting horse and buggy. During the ride home, he silently prayed for patience with his mother and also asked God to redirect her efforts from his love life to something else.

He considered Lena as he drove the rest of the way. Although she was attractive, he felt no spark for her, and therefore he couldn’t imagine trying to forge a relationship with her. How could he possibly get to know her better if they had nothing to talk about?

If he did want to date, he would want to find someone who was more interesting to him. He also would want to feel an attraction to the woman.

But he wasn’t interested in dating. He only wanted to work on his farm. Why couldn’t his mother understand that?

He arrived home and then went into one of the barns to check on the animals. He noticed a stall that needed to be repaired and went to work on it.

Carolyn’s temper flared as she guided the horse past a sign that read Glick’s Belgian and Dutch Harness Horses. She was
determined to give Joshua Glick a piece of her mind. She led the horse up the rock driveway toward a row of barns. After halting the horse, she hopped down from the buggy and marched toward a large barn where the doors were open wide. The loud bang of a hammer sounded from within.

“Joshua Glick!” she called over the racket as she stepped into the barn. “Joshua Glick?”

The hammering stopped, and Joshua stepped into her line of sight. “Carolyn? May I help you?”

“I’d like to talk to you about Benjamin.” She started toward him. “He came home covered in mud and muck.”

Joshua shrugged. “So? That’s how I look every day after I work out here.” He turned his back to her and resumed hammering a nail into a stall door.

Resentment boiled within her as she watched him work. “Excuse me, I’m speaking to you.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “Don’t you think you worked him a little hard on his first day?”

“No, not really.” He swiped the back of his hand over his sweaty brow. “Work is
gut
for the
bu
. All
buwe
need to learn what real work is.” He started hammering again.

“I don’t think it’s your place to decide how hard Benjamin needs to work.” She raised her voice over the hammer. “You’re taking advantage of him, and it’s not right. He’s just a
bu
.”

Joshua stopped hammering and faced her. “Well, my deal is with his
daadi
Titus, and I intend to follow through. I need the help, and the
bu
owes me for the vet bill he caused. Hard work is a
gut
way to teach
kinner
respect.” He frowned. “Maybe the
bu
will think twice before he throws a rock at a horse again.” He started toward the tack room at the back of the large barn.

“Wait just a minute!” Carolyn rushed to catch up with his long strides. “I also don’t think it’s your place to decide what’s best for Benjamin.” As she took another step, her shoe slid on slick mud, and her hands flew up in an attempt to right herself. But much to her dismay, her feet flew out from under her, and she landed on her bottom in a pool of muck with a loud splat. Her cloak, stockings, and shoes were covered in the dark, smelly brown muck. Anger and embarrassment rained down on her. Why hadn’t she watched where she’d been walking? Now she was as dirty as Benjamin! She was certain she smelled just as bad as he did too. To make matters worse, she’d taken a spill in front of this man whom she barely knew.