As his wife left the kitchen, Tom’s gaze followed her with a gratefulness that touched Asa’s heart. “I haven’t heard that you’re any closer to knowin’ who their father is,” the bishop continued. “That revelation alone could upset your apple cart in a major way.”
“Will and I have talked about that,” Asa murmured. “We figure his wife took that secret to her grave—especially if she never told the man responsible that she was in the family way.”
“Will’s a case in point. The way Vernon Gingerich understands it, he and Molly married pretty quick,” Tom continued. “And ya can see how
that
disaster might’ve been avoided had they taken more time to court. Sad to say, but Will’s folks suspect Molly and her parents knew of her condition and were understandably eager to get her married off.”
Asa’s eyes widened. He’d talked at length with Will, but Gingerich had never hinted that he’d suspected Molly’s condition when they’d married. Maybe that’s why her parents had provided the couple with a home and a farm, such as it was . . .
“Well,” Asa finally replied, “we’re not worried about that being the case with Edith and me. When I saw the way she put the twins’ welfare ahead of everything else, I had to stand by her. It was the sort of commitment that made me love and respect Edith completely.”
The bishop nodded. He went over to the calendar on the kitchen wall. “All right then, I’ll announce your engagement on our next church Sunday—which’ll be May third,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean ya have to set your date right away.”
Asa nodded, sensing it was best to leave the subject as it stood. He and Tom visited about Asa’s furniture business until Nazareth came in through the back door with two large pails. She opened the freezer and stuck two bottles of frozen water into each bucket. “We cool this fresh milk down immediately, so it doesn’t smell so
goatsy,
” she explained. “If you’ll take this on over to Riehls’, the girls will know to refrigerate it right away.”
Seeing that as his cue, Asa put on his hat and took his leave. He walked carefully along the gravel road so he wouldn’t slosh the milk, gazing at the tall white house where Edith and the twins lived. He’d accomplished the first of his missions—the one he’d anticipated as the biggest challenge—so he could relax and look forward to seeing Edith . . . hopefully take her along when he went to deliver the two large checks he’d brought with him.
When Edith opened the door, her smile was further proof that his plans with her were right on track. “Milkman, making a home delivery,” he quipped. “Tom and Nazareth send along their best.”
“They
are
the best,” Edith replied as she escorted him to the kitchen. “We keep this milk in the extra fridge in the mudroom. I’ll return those bottles and pails later. Right now I’m tickled to see
you,
Asa!”
“Hi there!” Rosalyn piped up as Loretta grinned at him. They were stirring something together on the stove, probably for the noon meal.
“Happy to be here. It’s a big day,” he said as he leaned over the side of the playpen. “And you kids make every day seem like a big day. Come here and see me.”
He gently lifted the twins into his arms. When both Louisa and Leroy began laughing, smacking their hands on the sides of his face as though they recognized him, Asa felt ten feet tall. He reveled in their downy cheeks, bright eyes, and cheerful dispositions, anticipating the day when he could live with the twins . . . as their father.
He looked at Edith. “How about we take these two on a stroll? I’ll be stopping to talk with Aaron, Andy, and Luke this morning, and I’d like you to come along.”
“We can put them in the double stroller Annie Mae Wagler loaned me,” she said as she went back into the mudroom to fetch it. “It dates back to when her brothers Josh and Joey were wee ones. She’ll want it back when her own twins are born this summer, but meanwhile, we enjoy having it.”
“
Jah,
they already love it,” Loretta remarked as she chopped an onion into the pot on the stove. “We took them for a ride yesterday to watch the big dozers dig the hole for your shop foundation.”
“While I’m here, I want to check on the concrete the crew’s to be pouring today.” Asa held the twins lower so Edith could position each of them in a stroller seat. “Aaron said his Mennonite buddies would be helping with some of the heavy equipment, so the shop will get built a lot faster.” When he heard footsteps on the basement staircase, Asa turned. “
Gut
morning, Cornelius! Anything you need us to do for you while we’re running our errands around town?”
Asa liked it that Edith’s
dat
appeared surprised at his offer. At least for a moment, he’d caught the dour man off guard.
“It’s the last Friday of the month. You can see if Nora’s got any checks for us,” Cornelius replied.
“Will do. See you all later.” Asa walked ahead of Edith to open the door for her, and once he’d lowered the front end of the stroller down the porch steps to the ground, they headed toward the road.
“Oh, but this is fun! It’s so
gut
to see you, Asa,” Edith exclaimed. “What with all the activity across the road, you and your brother will be able to move in pretty soon.”
Asa gazed down at her. Once they reached the gravel road, he took over pushing the stroller, keeping it to the side where the grass was mowed shorter. If this was how it felt to be a family, he couldn’t wait to be doing it full-time. Forever.
“I gave Tom a letter from my bishop, saying I’m in
gut
standing with the Old Order church. He’s going to announce our intention to marry on your next church Sunday,” Asa blurted. Then he wanted to kick himself. “I—I guess I got so excited I forgot the obvious, and now I’m not going to do it as romantically as I’d intended to.”
He stopped on the roadside, grasping Edith’s slender shoulder. “Will you marry me, Edith? When you agreed that we were courting, I assumed—”
“Oh,
yes!
Yes, Asa, I will!” she cried out as she grabbed him in a hug.
Asa savored the warmth of her embrace, the immediate joy she’d shared with him. This roadside moment would live in his memory forever, scented by lilacs and lit by the morning sunshine. He would have to think of a fitting engagement gift—ways to show her he truly loved her, and to compensate for his oversight.
“Truth be told, I sewed my wedding dress yesterday,” Edith admitted as she smiled up at him. “And Loretta and Rosalyn have agreed to be my
newehockers
. So you’re not the only one who’s been making assumptions.”
Asa chuckled with relief. “Just another way we seem to be on the same page, aware of what the other one’s hoping for and dreaming about,” he murmured. “I—I love you so much, Edith.”
“And I can’t think straight for being so in love with you, Asa,” she replied.
The rest of the morning went by in a haze of happiness. Asa gave Aaron Brenneman a large deposit on the shop building, and his examination with Andy Leitner went well, and then Asa handed Luke a down payment for the house and the land that would soon be Detweiler property. He and Edith chatted briefly with Nora and picked up the checks for the clocks, rugs, and baskets she’d sold. Then Asa, Edith, and the twins—the four of them—were on their way.
The four of us.
The sweetness of their togetherness made Asa an ecstatically happy man. He was aware of discussing the erection of the exterior shop walls on Monday, and talking about the final details of his property arrangement with the Hooleys, but he was mostly focused on Edith’s happy smile, her lilting voice, and the way her love for Leroy and Louisa shone every time she spoke to them or touched them.
On their way back to the Riehl place, Asa waved his arm high above his head when he saw Will driving the mule team with the planter behind it. Will waved back, looking exultant even from across the field.
“What a glorious sight those Percheron mules make,” Asa remarked, shading his face to get a better view. “They’re so tall. And they step in time with one another, even while making the turn at the end of a row.”
“Will’s happy to be working with them, and to be farming for the Hooleys,” Edith remarked with a nod. “He’s a different man from the fellow who argued with you about fathering the twins awhile back.”
A different man.
As Asa gazed at Edith’s dear face, he loved the way her dark brown bun was so neatly tucked up under her white
kapp
as its strings fluttered in the breeze. He knew all about the way a man’s life could change the moment one important person believed in him.
Chapter Fifteen
During the following week, Edith considered the rainy days a blessing. She and her sisters couldn’t work in the garden, so they spent most of their time painting at the house where she and Asa would make their home. With the windows open, a cool breeze kept the paint fumes to a minimum. The babies entertained themselves with little stuffed animals and the mobile Edith had attached to the playpen.
“The kitchen looks so much better now,” Rosalyn said as she poured the paint from her roller pan back into the can. “I’ve never understood some of the odd colors English folks use in their rooms.”
Loretta laughed. “
Jah,
sorry to say it, but the walls in here reminded me of something from the twins’ diapers. A couple coats of butter yellow are a big improvement.”
“And the fresh white on the cabinets makes the whole room look bigger, too,” Edith said with a satisfied sigh. “Asa said Adam Wagler—the guy with the big remodeling wagon—would take down that far wall, so we might as well move on upstairs to the bedrooms.”
“At the rate we’re going, we’ll be finished in a couple more days.” Loretta glanced up at a battery clock they’d hung on the wall. “I’ll head back to the house so Dat won’t think we’ve forgotten about his dinner.”
Edith slipped her arms around her sisters’ shoulders, chuckling at their paint-splattered old dresses and kerchiefs. “
Denki
so much for your help,” she murmured. “Doing all these rooms by myself would’ve overwhelmed me.”
“Many hands make light work,” Rosalyn quipped.
“It’s fun to work where you and Asa will soon be living,” Loretta put in. “And with the rooms being empty, it’s a lot easier than painting at home would be—even though we’ll have to tackle that chore one of these days.”
“I don’t see how Dat stands working downstairs, as dingy as those walls have gotten. But I shudder to think about moving his clocks and workbenches around to freshen up his shop.” Rosalyn slipped into a plastic rain poncho and then playfully lifted Leroy from the playpen. “Let’s get home, little man. You’ll be fussing for your bottle pretty soon.”
“I’ll be right behind you with Louisa,” Loretta said. “Won’t take us long to stir up some pancakes and eggs. We’ve got leftover ham, too.”
Edith nodded as she gathered their painting equipment. “I’ll wash these trim brushes and be right there. We’ve got a package of new roller covers for this afternoon, when we change to pale blue, so we’re all set.”
The house got very quiet after her sisters left with the twins. Edith enjoyed having this time at the kitchen sink, getting the feel of the room where she’d be spending so much of her time someday soon. Living in this house with Asa would be an adjustment, after having Rosalyn and Loretta for her constant companions—especially during the day, when Asa worked in his shop. But she would have the twins to occupy—
“Aha! Here you are, the queen of this kitchen!”
Edith jumped at the sound of an unexpected voice. “Asa! I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon after you spent the weekend here.”
Asa grinned mischievously. He shook the rain from his straw hat and draped his slicker over the screen door as he closed it. “Thought I’d surprise you while I was out delivering a set of furniture,” he replied. “We’ve got a buyer for our shop in Clifford. It’s just a matter of signing off on the paperwork once the money comes through, so we’re finishing our current orders before we have to move everything out.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful-
gut
news!” Edith returned his steady gaze, adoring the way he made her feel so pretty. When she realized she’d left the water running, she continued to rub the white paint from her brush. “I’d hug you, but I’ve got paint all over my hands.”
“You’ve been busy. The kitchen looks fabulous.” Asa slipped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he bussed her temple. “I can’t wait until we’re living here, you and I. The day will be here before we know it—”
“It’s only four more days until Bishop Tom announces our intent to marry,” Edith interrupted with a happy sigh. “My life feels so much fuller, so much more blessed, now that you’re in it, Asa.”
“I know all about that, pretty girl,” he murmured.
When Edith turned her head Asa kissed her, as she’d hoped he would. Her cheeks went hot as she hurried to finish rinsing the paintbrushes. “How about if you join us for dinner? It’ll only be pancakes and eggs, because Loretta and Rosalyn have been helping me, but—”
“Can’t stay this time,” Asa murmured apologetically. “But I’ll return as soon as I can. This weekend, most likely.”
Edith nodded. “You’ve got a lot to do. And truth be told, Dat’s cranky today, so maybe it’s best you’ll not be surprising him.”
Asa plucked his slicker from the door. “He’ll have to get used to me sooner or later. But I’m glad we’ll have our own place, instead of living at your house the way a lot of newlyweds would,” he remarked. “Drew’s fixing up an apartment above the shop, so our home’ll be real cozy with just you and me, Edith. See you this weekend.”
She returned his smile, her whole body aglow. “I’ll be waiting.”
Asa blew her a kiss and slipped out the door. A few moments later, Edith watched his two black horses pull an enclosed delivery van down the lane toward the road. It tickled her that he’d gone out of his way to see her again, if only for a few moments. How had he driven in without her being aware of it?
You were lost in your pretty thoughts. Focused on the future . . . But maybe he came the back way, on a path between the fields.
Through the window above the sink, Edith saw the van stop at the new metal building beside the road, where the Brennemans were working inside on this rainy day. The three brothers and Asa had spent most of Monday erecting the building, with the help of several local men, so now the putty-colored structure with its pumpkin metal roof stood as the most recent testament to Willow Ridge’s growth. By the time Bishop Tom announced Asa and Edith’s plans to marry on Sunday, the shop’s interior would probably be finished enough that Asa and his brother could move their equipment and furniture into the new Detweiler Furniture Works.
This is happening so quickly and efficiently—and it’s happening to me!
Edith mused as she rinsed paint from the last brush. When she saw the van take off down the road, she blew Asa a kiss. She washed her hands and headed home to help with the noon meal, feeling so happy she didn’t mind the rain or the puddles that soaked her old tennis shoes.
“Hello, Will!” she called out as she approached the house. “Too wet to do any planting today,
jah?
”
“Sure is,” he replied as he rose from the porch swing. He was holding Louisa, feeding her a bottle. “Your sisters assigned me to the twins while they fix dinner. I believe the kids’ve put on another pound or two since I last saw them.”
“They slurp down their goat milk, that’s for sure,” Edith said with a nod. She crossed the porch to lift Leroy from the playpen, and picked up the bottle that rested on the swing. “They’ve been
gut
supervisors while we were painting today.”
“I saw Asa stop by the house, as well. I waved when he came out of his new shop, but I guess he didn’t see me.” Will held Edith’s gaze as he swayed gently from side to side with the baby. “Seemed like he was in a hurry. I’m surprised he didn’t come over to see the twins.”
Edith considered this—and laughed at Leroy when he grabbed hold of the bottle to begin drinking. “Could be Asa had a certain time he was expected to deliver his furniture, and he knew he’d run late if he played with the babies. He was excited because they’ve sold their shop in Clifford.”
“Wow,
that
happened faster than he’d figured on. Things are moving along.”
“This Sunday Bishop Tom’s publishing our plans to marry, too,” she said. “So, see there? Lots of
gut
things have come from that confrontation you had with him on the roadside.”
Will’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you’re planning on a long courtship, Edith,” he pleaded. “Take it from me, marriage requires a lot of patience and adjusting even when it’s just the two of you, let alone adding twins to the picture. I—I’ve wondered lately if I leaped before I looked when I hitched up with Molly, you know?”
Edith blinked. Was Will another naysayer, suggesting that she and Asa were rushing their relationship? “We haven’t set the date,” she hedged, hoping to avoid a troublesome conversation.
“Don’t get me wrong. I loved Molly dearly,” Will murmured. “But a couple more months of courting her would’ve revealed a
big
secret that would’ve changed everything. Just saying.”
Edith didn’t reply. She focused on Leroy’s little fingers gripping his bottle . . . on his wispy hair, which was getting darker now, and on his deep blue eyes. The baby gazed up at her with so much love and trust; Edith’s heart swelled at the thought of being his
mamm
.
For a fleeting moment, Leroy’s forehead puckered, and his tiny eyebrows tilted down toward his nose. Edith held her breath.
Asa looks exactly that way when he’s puzzled—or bothered by something
.
When the wee boy resumed sucking on his bottle, however, Edith’s doubts disappeared. She’d been thinking about Asa so often lately that she’d momentarily superimposed his features over Leroy’s. As often as her sisters tended the babies, neither of them had ever mentioned a resemblance to Asa, so she wouldn’t go looking for one, either.
“Shall we help your aunts with the pancakes?” Edith murmured. “I’m thinking it’s time for you and your sister to try some of the applesauce we’ll be serving, too.”
Leroy’s laughter made Edith laugh, as well. His plump, happy face looked nothing like Asa’s.
There you have it. Don’t let your imagination run away with you.
* * *
As the courting buggy rounded the last curve and headed toward Willow Ridge on Saturday afternoon, Asa couldn’t stop smiling. After a day of painting the new shop’s interior, with help from the Riehl girls and Will, he and his brother could begin moving their furniture from Clifford. He’d just ordered a sturdy wooden sign from a fellow in Morning Star, and his hopes were flying high. Detweiler Furniture Works would reopen sooner than he’d ever thought possible.
“I’m glad we rode over to order the shop’s roadside sign from that fellow Luke told me about,” he said to Edith. “Now that I’ve seen Morning Star, New Haven, and Higher Ground, I’m even more certain we’ll have several places to sell our refurbished furniture. I was glad to see that poster about the upcoming flea market, too.”
“
Jah,
this was my first visit to Morning Star,” Edith remarked. “I liked the consignment shop there—in case I find time to make more baskets than Nora wants to carry.”
Asa slowed the horse, hoping to enjoy this ride for as long as possible. “Seeing the refinished kitchen table and chairs there made me wonder about your preferences in furniture,” he began softly. “We have a lot of rooms to fill, Edith. It would be more economical for me to refinish the bigger pieces myself, but . . . maybe you’d rather have a new kitchen or bedroom set. I really like what the Brennemans make—”
“
Jah,
I’ve been eyeballing their pretty pieces at Nora’s,” she cut in, “but their prices nearly stop my heart.”
“You get what you pay for, sweetie.” On a hunch, Asa steered the horse up the next hill. “They dovetail the joints and drawers, and they take extra pains selecting just the right wood for each set they make. Their finishing work is top-notch, too.”
He smiled at Edith, determined to keep her brown eyes sparkling forever, just the way they were now. “In the long run, you save money by buying
gut
furniture one time, instead of having to replace it after a few years,” he went on. “Let’s stop at Simple Gifts before Nora closes for the day, and we’ll browse in the Brennemans’ shop sometime soon. I want you to pick out a roomful of furniture—without looking at the price tags—and that’ll be your wedding present.”
Edith’s stunned expression startled him.
“Did I say something wrong?” Asa murmured as he urged the horse up Nora’s lane.
She let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, no, I—well, I’ve never gotten to pick out furniture,” she admitted in a rush. “We’ve had everything in our house since before I can remember.”
“Perfect. I want this to be the most special gift you’ve ever received, Edith.”
As she grabbed his hands and squeezed them, Asa thanked God for giving him such a fine idea. He worked on furniture nearly every day, so Edith’s sudden joy over getting to select the pieces for their new home was a gift in itself. After he hitched the horse to the railing and helped her down from the buggy, Asa took her hand to enter Simple Gifts.
Just outside the door, Edith hesitated. “If I see something here I like, wouldn’t it be better to ask Seth if he could make us something like it?” she asked in a tiny voice. “Nora tacks a considerable percentage onto the items she carries.”
Asa was so in love with her, he couldn’t speak for a moment. “I admire your frugality, Edith,” he murmured. “But it might be a while before Seth and his brothers could get a roomful of furniture made for us—and after the way they set aside their other work to build my shop so quickly, I couldn’t expect them to do that for me again. If you see what you want, say the word, and it’s yours.”
“Oh, Asa,” she murmured. “You’re so
gut
to me.”
Asa’s body thrummed as they entered the store. A few other customers strolled the aisles toward the back and upstairs, but no one else was looking at the furniture display. Asa couldn’t miss the enchantment on Edith’s face as she slowly walked the length of a beautiful oak table that was extended far enough to have ten matching chairs around it. A small printed card said there were two more leaves that went with the table, and four more chairs.