Adoring Addie (6 page)

I soaked in her compliments but focused on the practical one. “Jah, I figured a white one would be dirty in no time.”

I scooted Cate's bowl to the right to make room for the trays of sliced watermelon that were still in the kitchen and then changed the subject. “Is Betsy coming?”

“I think so.”

Betsy was expecting a
Bobli
soon. Cate had laughed when she told me, saying it was a wedding trip pregnancy for sure, although Betsy and her husband, Levi, had only traveled as far as his parents' farm, where they'd been ever since.

“How's she doing?”

“
Gut
,” Cate answered. “Tired—and a little nervous, I think. But overall, fine.”

I wondered if it was hard on Cate, who was six years older than Betsy, to have her little Schwester having Onkel Bob's first grandchild. Of course I'd never ask her. I did step back and try to evaluate, slyly, if there was any chance Cate might be expecting, but she appeared as thin as ever.

I hoped she and Pete would be blessed with a Bobli of their own soon.

Cate stepped over to Mutter and Nan, and Pete wandered over to Daed and Onkel Bob, who hovered over the barbecue. They hadn't started the chicken, yet all three were intent about something, probably the state of the burning coals.

My Aenti Pauline, one of my Mutter's Schwesters, and her family arrived next, minus her husband and Hannah. “Owen's taking care of one of the horses.” Aenti Pauline's family raised both standard-bred and quarter horses on their farm. “And Hannah spent the night at Molly's, although she may come later.”

I couldn't help but envy how free my Aenti Pauline was in letting Hannah have a life of her own. I'd never spent the night at a friend's house, not even at the homes of my cousins.

A few minutes later both of my Aentis met me in the kitchen and, under Pauline's lead, helped me carry out the rest of the food. As Daed put the meat on the grill, Betsy arrived with Levi, who directed her to a lawn chair right away. Plain dresses did a good job hiding a pregnancy, but it was obvious Betsy was due soon, both by her size and by the way she walked.

A minute later Mutter rose to greet Phillip and his parents, who were walking toward the gathering from where they'd parked their buggy in the field. The breeze caught Bishop Eicher's long white beard, sending it off to the side. He grabbed it with one hand and his hat with the other. Patty Eicher, the bishop's wife, was nearly as tall as her husband, thin as a rail, and all business. Phillip's face brightened when he saw my mother limping toward him. I decided to let Mutter welcome them. I would greet them later.

Timothy and Danny were flirting with a group of girls from our district. I searched the crowd for the young man I'd seen earlier—and probably last night—but when I couldn't find him, I turned my attention back to my Bruders, calling out to them to put out the rest of the benches. Timothy ignored me, but Danny got busy right away. As I glared at Timothy, I saw a movement in the bushes by the creek.

Two heads popped up, both wearing sunglasses. I didn't react, not wanting to alert Timothy.

“It's almost time to eat,” I called out, waving my hand at Timothy and the girls, who wore flip-flops, white Kapps, and pastel dresses—mint green and baby blue, light pink and lavender, as if they'd been freshly dipped in Easter-egg dye.

Keeping an eye on Mervin and Martin as they darted in and out of the brush, I gathered Joe-Joe and Billy around me, readying them for the prayer, but before Daed started it, Samuel, George, and Sadie arrived. She wore a dark blue dress and was as petite as George was brawny. She was a shy one and stuck to his side.

It took a few minutes for everyone to settle down again and for Daed to start the prayer. A minute into it, when we should have all had our eyes closed, Joe-Joe stirred. I peeked as he pointed toward the creek.

Not lowering his voice, despite the fact that we were in the middle of the silent prayer, he asked, “Who's that?”

Mervin and Martin both froze for just a moment and then disappeared behind the willow tree. That's all it took for Timothy, followed by Samuel, to bolt after them.

Daed took his time with the prayer. Perhaps he sensed something going on and figured the longer everyone had their eyes closed the better, although I kept my eyes wide open. Timothy and Samuel disappeared behind the brush, swishing foliage and tree branches as they bounded down the trail. I could only imagine what Timothy, with Samuel's help, would do once they caught the twins.

Finally Daed ended the prayer with an amen and headed toward the barbecue. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw
Phillip and his parents talking with Mutter. I waved to him as I walked by and hurried on toward my father. “Did you see Timothy and Samuel take off after the Mosier twins?”

Daed, tongs in his hand, shrugged his shoulders, but an expression of concern covered my Onkel Bob's face.

“You have to do something,” I said to Daed.

“Ach, Addie, such as the tree is, such is the fruit.” Daed's sayings were downright annoying at times. “Besides, I'm too old for that sort of thing.” He tugged on his beard with his free hand.

“You have to stop them! Not join in.”

“Oh, well now . . .” Daed squinted into the distance.

“Come on, Cap.” Onkel Bob grabbed Daed's arm. “Let's go.”

Daed could put me off, but he couldn't ignore his brother-in-law. He put the tongs down on the edge of the barbecue and ambled off after Onkel Bob, looking like the giant of a man he was, seemingly unaware of what his sons were capable of as he continued to tug on his beard.

I matched his stride. “They headed toward the creek.”

Phillip stepped toward me, his hat in his hands. I waved. “I'll be right back.”

“Addie!” Mutter stood by her lawn chair, leaning on the arm of it.

“In a minute,” I called out. Joe-Joe and Billy rushed toward me, each taking one of my hands and slowing me down some. Ahead Danny fell into step behind Daed and Onkel Bob. George stayed back with Sadie—at her urging, I was sure.

“Go over to Cate.” I let go of Billy's hand. “And take Joe-Joe with you.”

“Ach, Addie,” he said. “Why can't we watch?”

“Because there won't be anything to see.” I passed Joe-Joe's hand to Billy and gave him a push toward Cate, who stepped out to meet them, and then I began to jog. I ducked beyond
the poplar tree, and by the time I was a few steps down the path along the willows, I could hear Timothy's voice.

“You know they have this coming!”

I pushed through the branches. Daed and Onkel Bob, with Danny behind them, stood on our side of the creek, while Timothy and Samuel stood on either side of Mervin and Martin on the other bank. The twins each had their hands up around their faces but not as if they might throw a punch—more like they were hoping to protect themselves.

“No one has anything coming,” Onkel Bob said. “Come on, Mervin and Martin. It's time to eat. We want you to be our guests.”

I couldn't help but smile at the appalled expression on Timothy's face.

Onkel Bob looked toward my Daed, who cleared his throat and said, “Jah, come on. We don't want any trouble.”

“Samuel and Timothy, step aside and let our guests pass first.” Onkel Bob took a step toward the creek. Mervin and Martin had worked for him for a couple of years but had quit to help run their family farm a few months ago. Still, I knew they respected Bob Miller as much as anyone in the county.

Timothy, red to the tips of his ears, stepped backward, and Samuel, who looked a little bored, stepped to the side. Mervin, followed by Martin, crossed over the rocks that made a makeshift bridge. Onkel Bob stuck out his hand as they neared the bank and pulled them, one after the other, to the shore.

“Denki, Bob,” they said in unison once they were both safe. Then they followed him up the pathway. When they reached me, they both nodded their heads. Daed passed next but didn't look at me. Then came Danny, who gave me a smile. I fell in step behind him, but in no time Timothy was at my heels.

“Way to go,” he hissed.

“Knock it off.” I began marching, passing Danny on the straight stretch.

When we reached the pasture, the eyes of all of our guests were on us until, as if they just realized they'd all been staring, everyone directed their attention elsewhere. Everyone except for Mutter and her two Schwesters. They stood frozen.

“Our guests who just arrived will start the food line,” Onkel Bob called out, gesturing toward Martin and Mervin. “Fall in behind them. Let's eat!”

It was then I noticed the stranger again, standing on the edge of the crowd closest to the volleyball net, behind a group of boys around Billie's age. At a closer distance, I was certain he was the young man I'd seen the night before.

His hat sat back on his head, showing thick, sunny hair that needed to be cut. He stood tall with his arms crossed, an amused look on his face and a relaxed air about him that impressed me. His dark blue shirt bunched at his waist around his suspenders.

His shoulders were broad, but he wasn't solid like Phillip. Instead he had a lanky strength to him, a fluidity that made him appear at ease. As I passed by, he winked—or perhaps he had something in his dark blue eyes.

Had he been standing there earlier when I flew by? Perhaps he found the whole episode amusing. I suppressed a smile. It would be funny, if it didn't involve my family.

I hurried on by, stopping next to Cate and the little boys.

“Who's the stranger?” I whispered to her.

“I have no idea.” She held Joe-Joe's hand as she spoke. “He must have come with someone,” she added.

I scanned the crowd for Timothy. He stood at the edge of the trees, arms crossed and face red, staring at the mystery man.

Joe-Joe and Billy grew anxious to eat, so I reminded them we needed to wait until our guests had gone through the line. I took them toward the shade, but Mutter called us all over to where Phillip stood beside her, his hat in hand.

“What was going on over there?” Phillip asked.

“It's a long story.” I turned toward Mutter. I certainly wasn't the one to explain any of this.

Mutter said, “I think my boys were surprised to see the Mosier twins is all.”

“Is all?” I mouthed to her.

She jerked her head back, as if shocked at my retort.

Aenti Nell waved at me from the food table. “You're already running low on coleslaw,” she said, gesturing to the middle of the table. “And get some more chow chow too.” That was a popular relish with pickled green tomato, cabbage, and bell pepper. “And keep the baked beans coming!”

“I'll be right back,” I said, thankful for an excuse to escape.

When I returned with a metal bowl full of coleslaw, Phillip was in line. “I'll eat over by the willow,” he said. “Meet me there.”

I gulped, which he probably took as an affirmative nod.

As I worked refilling the other salads, the baked beans, and the rolls and then putting out the cookies, pies, date pudding, and cakes, the stranger moved a little closer, all the while keeping his eyes on me. I would have felt self-conscious, but he looked so innocent, so harmless, and so open, that I wasn't. Nor did his gaze offend me.

When Cate and Pete, with Joe-Joe and Billy with them, started through the line, she asked me to join them.

“I'll be right there,” I said, holding up my hand and then heading toward the stranger, who had planted himself by the tool shed.

“Are you going to eat?” I asked.

“May I?” He turned toward me, his blue eyes smiling.

“Of course,” I said, thinking I smelled a hint of pine. His arms were crossed, his hands resting on his biceps. I couldn't help but notice the tendons stretching toward his long fingers and the stain of varnish on his nails.

He looked around for a moment, his eyes landing on Mervin and Martin, who sat near Daed and Onkel Bob as they turned pieces of chicken on the barbecue. Timothy sat with Samuel beyond the willow tree, farthest away from everyone.

“Denki,” he said.

Before I could say any more, Aenti Nell approached, calling out to me in a raspy voice. “Your mother needs to talk with you.”

I kept my tone low and even. “Now?”

She nodded, a serious expression on her face. “Come along.”

I gave the stranger a little wave and then followed my Aenti.

My mother reached out her arm but didn't touch me as I stepped to her side, even though I extended my hand. “Phillip's over there all alone,” she whispered.

“Jah,” I said. “I'm going to fill my plate and join him.”

“
Gut
.” She glanced over her shoulder. Phillip's father stood by Daed and Onkel Bob, and his mother sat a few feet away. I wondered if she could hear us.

Mutter continued whispering. “Talking to other young men isn't wise—especially when everyone is watching.” She nodded her head in the direction of Phillip's mother as she pursed her lips.

“I'm going.” I stepped toward the tables, not wanting to endure any more of her chastising.

I filled my plate, strolled toward the willow, and knelt next to Phillip, who had already finished eating. Tucking the skirt of my dress behind my knees, I slipped down to a sitting position, determined to engage Phillip in conversation that steered clear of the topic of us, as a couple. The longer I could avoid any talk of that, the more likely I'd be to sort out my feelings.

Before I could speak, Timothy called out to me, but I ignored him. He and Samuel then left their plates by the willow tree—most likely for me to collect—and headed toward the edge of the lawn to the volleyball net. George and Danny had already finished eating and were batting the ball back and forth, while Sadie sat on the grass and watched.

Mervin and Martin continued to stay close to Onkel Bob.

“What was your favorite dish?” I asked Phillip, nodding toward his plate as I scooped up a forkful of potato salad.

He waved his hand away from it. “Oh, I couldn't say. It was all good enough.”

“Good enough?” My hand stopped in midair.

“Not as good as my Mamm's,” he said, now brushing his hands together as if cleaning them.

“Oh?”

“It's just . . . I mean . . . I think . . .” he stuttered, as if he realized he'd put his foot in his mouth. “It's just not what I'm used to.”

“Oh, of course,” I said. “I know your Mamm is a good cook. There's no reason to be embarrassed.” I wouldn't hold an unintended remark against him. I took the bite of Cate's salad.

Before I'd even swallowed, Phillip began describing the corncrib on the farm near his parents'. Relieved by his chatter, I finished my entire meal without having to answer him once.

“I hope to buy some hogs,” he said. “But you won't have to worry about them,” he said. “I'll be in charge of all the livestock. You'll just tend to the house. And the garden, of course.”

I nodded as he spoke, half listening. Some newlyweds I knew worked together on their farms, before their children arrived. I turned so it still appeared my attention was on Phillip, but instead I kept an eye on the stranger, who was standing back by the tool shed, eating from the plate in his hand.

Beyond him, Mutter said something to Aenti Nell, who then rose and wandered over to the young man and spoke with him for a moment. He said something that made her laugh, and then he leaned toward her, as if listening extra carefully in a concerned way. When she left, I turned my head toward Phillip, who now suggested he might raise sheep also, depending on the price of wool. Without interrupting, I took his empty plate.

When he stopped to take a breath, I said, “Go get a piece of pie. I need to start cleaning up.”

After I retrieved my Bruders' plates and the dishes of guests along the way, I started toward the kitchen.

On my way back, Aenti Nell motioned me over to where she, Mutter, and Aenti Pauline were sitting in lawn chairs and eating.

“What did he say to you?” Aenti Nell whispered, nodding her head toward the stranger, who was now sitting with his plate not too far from where Phillip and I had been.

“That he would go through the line in a bit. Which he did. What did he say to you?”

She smiled, showing her dimple, and shook her head.

“What?”

“I'm just surprised he's sticking around is all.”

“Why shouldn't he be?”

My Aenti tilted her head and squinted at me. “Why are you being difficult?”

“I'm not.”

Her eyes widened, and then she threw back her head a little and chuckled. “You don't know who he is, do you.”

I shook my head, puzzled, but stopped as the pieces came together. My eyes must have shown my realization.

“Jah,” Aenti Nell said. “It's Dirk's Jonathan.” She nudged me with her plump elbow. Identifying a person by their father was common to my Aenti's generation.

I couldn't help but smile.

“All of this is upsetting your mother though. She wants someone to tell him to go home.”

I stepped back. “Not me.”

“Me neither.” My Aenti's eyes sparkled. “I haven't had so much fun in a long time. Besides, your Dat said she—and Timothy—should leave him be.” She lowered her voice even more. “Anyways, it's time they all got over this nonsense. Don't you think?”

I agreed. But considering how determined Timothy was
to keep the grudge going, it would take more than the adults ignoring the rift to put an end to it.

Aenti Nell sighed.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Oh, nothing.”

I shook my head. “It's something. Tell me.”

The tone of her voice softened. “It's just that he looks so much like his father.”

“Aenti?” I tried to catch her gaze. “What are you saying?”

“Ach, it's nothing. Just an old woman's memories.”

“You're not—”

She held up her hand. “Enough of this. We need to clean up.”

“You wait. I'll get started in just a minute . . .” I searched the grounds. Jonathan stood back from the tool shed now, in the shade, out of view from Mamm. Phillip sat by the willow again, eating a piece of pie. I could imagine the monologue running silently through his head.

After I took my collection of dirty dishes to the kitchen, I darted back outside and behind the group of girls from our district, heading toward the shed.

When I reached Jonathan, I couldn't think of anything to say except, “Can I help you with something?”

He removed his hat. “I'm looking for someone,” he said.

“Oh?”

“A girl.”

Ach, he'd come to the barbecue hoping to see Hannah. He'd been enamored with her the weekend before at the party. He didn't know her parents had forbidden her from seeing him. It all made sense now. I decided to play dumb. “Oh?”

“Jah, I have something I wanted to give her.”

With a tease in my voice, I asked, “So, it's a certain girl you're after?”

He nodded.

My voice serious now, I said, “She's not here.”

“How do you know?”

“I'm her cousin.”

“Ahh,” he said.

I was having fun. Hannah had been right. Jonathan Mosier did seem like a bit of a sap. “She may be here later, if you want to stick around.”

“Denki,” he said. “I think I might.” He put his hat back on then and grinned at me. Sap or not, I found him handsome.

I waved and then walked back behind the group of people gathered around the elm tree so Phillip wouldn't see me, circled all the way behind the barbecue back by the half barrels overflowing with red geraniums and blue lobelia, and dashed into the kitchen through the back door.

I found myself thinking about Jonathan as I scraped the plates into the slop bucket, wondering what he'd brought for Hannah. It had to be something small. Not one of his carvings. Not even a book or a card. Something that fit in his pocket. We didn't wear jewelry, so it couldn't be a ring or a bracelet.

Phillip had never brought me a single thing in all the times he'd come to call. Not even a flower.

Why hadn't I asked Jonathan what he'd brought for Hannah? I mulled over the possibility of speaking with him again as I stacked the plates, while Cate took out another tray of cookies. Maybe Hannah was right about Jonathan being a dolt, but he'd come looking for her, carrying a gift.

Maybe he wasn't a pushover. Maybe he was sweet. And caring. He certainly seemed kind, even in the way he'd chatted
with Aenti Nell. Maybe Hannah would change her mind once she realized his goodness.

I ran the hot water and squeezed in the soap. When bubbles formed, I submerged the plates and began scrubbing. By the time Cate returned, followed by Betsy and Nan, dishes filled the rack. Betsy lowered herself onto a kitchen chair, propping her feet on another one, as Nan and Cate began drying.

“I wish the Bobli was here already,” Betsy said.

“Jah,” Nan said. “So I could hold it.” She pushed back a strand of fine blond hair and grinned.

Cate whispered to me, “She's going to make a good
Mammi
, jah?”

I nodded but didn't say anything out loud, not wanting Nan to hear me. I would have liked to know what my Onkel Bob's intentions were as far as marrying Nan and making her a grandmother, but of course I wasn't going to ask. For years Nan and Cate had been friends due to my cousin's devotion to the local bookmobile. Then a year ago last spring, Nan and Onkel Bob had met. They seemed smitten with each other, even though she was Mennonite.

I wiped at the sweat gathering on my forehead with my wrist and then dropped my hand back into the dishwater.

Nan edged in beside me. “Go on outside,” she said. “Let us clean up.”

“Ach, no. You should be out visiting.”

Betsy laughed from the table. “We're old married ladies.” She was all of eighteen, almost nineteen. “You should be out there with the young men. With Phillip, jah?”

“Nan's not an old married lady,” I said. “Maybe she'd like to be outside with Onkel Bob.”

They all laughed, but then Cate gave me a sympathetic look, most likely in regard to Phillip.

“Go on out,” she said. “Pete took him over to the horseshoes.”

“Denki,” I said, giving up my position at the sink to Nan, intending to check on Joe-Joe and Billy but knowing I'd be looking for Jonathan too.

Mutter and Aenti Pauline were still sitting in the courtyard in their chairs under the canopy. In most families, the matriarch would be in the kitchen supervising clean up, but not in mine.

I avoided Mutter, circling wide. I didn't see Jonathan and decided to head toward the creek to check on my little Bruders. They were with a gang of other boys, running barefoot along the trails, beating down the grass and brush even more. Joe-Joe had watermelon juice on his chin, a streak of mud across his face, and scratches along his arms. When he saw me, he took off galloping after a group of older kids.

I popped back up out of the trees and brush into the pasture on the other side of the willow tree, shading my eyes to see the volleyball game at the far end of our yard.

Mervin and Martin were playing, along with a group of Youngie, all barefooted, opposite my Bruders.

“Come on,” George called out to me. “We need another player.” Sadie was still sitting off to the side, obviously not intending to play.

I started to decline until I saw Jonathan next to Martin—and Phillip nowhere to be seen.