The Harvest of Grace (12 page)

“Sylvia fertilized the fields with chicken manure a couple of times so we could get a bumper crop.”

“Of course she did,” Aaron mumbled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s … different.”

“Ya, she is.” His Daed didn’t seem to mind her strangeness even though his parents were as traditional as they came. Maybe their need for her had stretched their capacity to tolerate differences in people.

“We even managed to get the dent corn planted in the west field.” Daed opened a business-sized white envelope. “It’ll take time to get us out of the hole we’re in, but Sylvia and I are making progress.” He stared at the DairyAll bill he’d pulled out.

DairyAll provided equipment for farmers and carried loans for the purchases. His folks had owed them money since the day Daed had bought this place. Daed laid the bill on the table, and Aaron caught a glimpse of it.

“Horse neck.” He picked it up and studied it. “We owe that much?”

“We?” His Daed took it from him, folded it, and slid it back into the envelope.

Mamm passed Aaron a glass of icy lemonade. “A cooling tank went out, along with sterilizing equipment and half the milkers. It all had to be replaced last winter.”

He set the drink down. “That payment is three months overdue. And it mentions putting a lien on the place in four weeks if a payment isn’t made.”

“I know all that,” Daed snapped. “What do you think, Son, that I’m too stupid to understand what the statement says?”

Aaron bit his tongue and willed himself to speak quietly. “No, of course not. It shocked me, and I was thinking out loud.”

“Do me a favor and don’t use that super-nice, you’re-an-idiot tone with me.”

Aaron nodded. Even his effort to sound respectful had managed to annoy his father.

Daed put the bill beside his plate. “If we get that hay in and sold, we can make at least one full payment, maybe one and a half. That will keep the threat of the lien at bay for a while. If the weather cooperates, we might get three harvests this year.”

Aaron groaned inwardly. “And you’ll face something similar again next year and the next. There are easier ways to make a living, ones that aren’t filled with
if
s.” He took a breath. “You could sell the farm.”

“That’s ridiculous, although I’m not surprised you are suggesting it. I’m a farmer. I farm.”

“Daed … could you bear with me and listen for just a few minutes, please?”

“You won’t stop at a few minutes.”

“Please.”

Daed pulled out his pocket watch, opened it, and laid it on the table. He folded his arms. “You have two minutes.”

“This place is too much for you. Maybe if your rheumatoid arthritis didn’t keep you from working some of the time, it wouldn’t be. But it is. I’m not the same man who left here five months ago. I’m clean. I’m here to help you get out from under this place. There are other jobs you’d enjoy and could do.”

“Like what?”

“Well … what about selling appliances to Amish folks?”

“Appliances?” Similar looks of displeasure appeared on his parents’ faces.

“I’ve put money down on Plain People’s Appliances. It’s a store in Owl’s Perch.”

“Our family has farmed for as far back as the records show, and you want us to move to town and sell machines?”

“I know it sounds strange to you right now, but it’s work we can do together as a family. It’ll be much easier on your joints. We’ll be closer to doctors and pharmacies and—”

“Sylvia, honey,” Mamm interrupted him. “Kumm.”

Sylvia stood in the doorway, apron on and prayer Kapp in place, looking at him as if he were a monster.

“Did we wake you?” Daed closed his watch and put it back into his pocket.

“No.”

“Gut. I saw that new calf and her mama. They both look strong and healthy. You’re doing great.”

“Denki.”

Aaron was sure she would continue doing great, until Daed wore her out. Then again, Daed acted different with Sylvia. Kinder. Gentler. Was it just an act?

Mamm set the casserole on the table. Sylvia stared at Aaron, shaking her head as if she couldn’t believe the kind of man he was. Guilt tried to climb into the pit of his stomach and steal his appetite, but he had nothing to feel bad about. His parents were his responsibility. She was merely the hired help, and he didn’t owe her anything.

Sylvia went to the cabinet and grabbed a serving bowl, then dumped peas from the stovetop into it. After a flurry of activity, with the two women getting items from the fridge, oven, and stovetop to the table, all four of them bowed their heads for silent prayer.

His Daed shifted, letting everyone know prayer time had ended. Then he sliced the meatloaf and passed the platter to Sylvia. She took a serving and passed the plate to Aaron. Bowls of vegetables were swapped back and forth until everyone had a full plate.

Sylvia put a napkin in her lap. “We have ten heifers on track for calving between now and September. With any luck we won’t lose a heifer or a calf in the process. Then we can get the mamas back in with the milking population and have a few bull calves we can sell.”

Aaron had put a new venture on the table for his Daed to consider, and now this girl was casually filling his head with false hope, talking about the herd as if they were turning milk into gold. She’d done a remarkable job on the farm. He wouldn’t argue that. But it wasn’t enough. When it came to the Blank dairy farm, it’d never be enough.

He downed his drink, wishing she wasn’t there so he and his Daed could really talk.

“With that kind of progress, I’m sure we won’t need to sell,” his Daed said.

Aaron set his glass on the table. “Daed, we should talk about that privately.”

“Sylvia’s worked here from before sunup to after sundown for four months, and although milk production still has a long way to go, she’s helped turn things around. She loves this farm the way I’d always hoped you would and the way I still hope my grandson will one day. It’s worth hanging on to for Ivan.”

“Ivan, Daed. Really?” Aaron tried to keep the disrespect from his tone. Ivan hadn’t even begun school yet, and when he graduated, years from now, Aaron was confident he wouldn’t be interested in farming. Grey hadn’t been. Over the years Grey had pitched in if they were in a bind, but he’d never considered quitting his work at the cabinetry shop to make his living on this farm. And Aaron’s sister had never asked him to. Their son was like Grey. Even with his disability, he loved woodwork and carving. Aaron believed Ivan would follow in his father’s footsteps. Besides, with the financial mess the farm was in, his parents couldn’t afford to hold on to it until Ivan was old enough to be of real help.

The hurt in Daed’s eyes lasted only a moment. “I won’t talk of selling, especially behind Sylvia’s back.”

Aaron propped his forearms on the table, staring at her. “She’s a hired hand, not someone who should’ve worked her way into your hearts and loyalties.”

“Don’t you talk to me about loyalty, Son.”

“Daed, I’m—”

“We’re not discussing this.”

“No, of course not.”

Daed passed the DairyAll bill to Sylvia. “Aaron saw this, and he thinks we should sell. I don’t agree, but it’s time you knew the truth of what we’re facing.”

Aaron figured his Daed was telling her now because if he didn’t, Aaron might.

Concern lined her features as she studied the bill. “What’s a lien?”

Daed shrugged and pushed his plate away. “Nothing to worry about with the progress we’re making.”

Aaron wondered if she recognized how absurd it was for his Daed to show her the statement and then skirt around explaining it.

Sylvia turned to his mother. “Dora?”

Mamm’s eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. This was so typical of his parents, shrugging off their problems even when directly asked about them. Aaron didn’t consider himself any better when it came to coping skills, though. His tendency had been to drown himself in beer so he didn’t have to face his issues.

“We’re in default on a loan,” Aaron said. “Because of that, DairyAll has the legal right to put a lien on the property. It means they get their money first when the farm is sold.”

“We’re not selling, so what difference does that make?”

“If they put a lien on the place, Daed will owe more money than the farm is worth. A place can’t be sold for more than it’s worth.”

“But if he’s not interested in selling,” Sylvia insisted, “it doesn’t matter, right?”

“He also can’t borrow more money if—no,
when
something else goes wrong,” Aaron said. “If equipment goes out and he can’t afford to fix it, you’ll be milking by hand, and production will drop. And he’ll have to buy feed rather than grow it. If he can’t sell enough milk to pay the mortgage, he’ll lose the farm, and his credit will be worthless. He’ll have nowhere to—”

“Okay,” Daed bellowed. “She’s got the idea.”

Sylvia stared at the DairyAll statement. “This is bad news, certainly. But I don’t see how it changes anything. Our plan all along was to get the bills paid.” She tilted her head, making Daed look at her. “Right?”

“Ya.” His Daed sounded weary. “But the pressure is on. It’s almost mid-June already, and we haven’t made our first cut. We’ve got to get that hay cut and out of the field. If we have enough help to accomplish that before it rains again, we can get top dollar for it. Can we depend on you?” Daed kept his eyes on his plate, but everyone knew the question was directed at Aaron.

“I’m here to help,” Aaron said, “but I think you have to be realistic. The debt outweighs our resources. After the hay is harvested and sold, you and Mamm need to go with me to Owl’s Perch and look at the shop.”

“No thanks.”

“In exchange for your coming to see it and really hearing me out, I’ll give this farm my all for the next ten weeks.” Aaron figured he had nothing to lose by that deal. He was stuck here regardless.

“Ten weeks?” Mamm asked.

“That’s when I need to be back in Owl’s Perch.” He had nearly two more weeks after that date before he
had
to be there to take over the shop, but there was no sense in telling them. He was going to be in Owl’s Perch as close to mid-August as possible. He needed the training time before Leo retired.

His father raised his eyes, studying his son. “There’s no way to know if you’re telling the truth about helping out through the summer. You lied to us for years, never doing half of what you were supposed to do.”

“That’s a warped perspective. You were laid up in bed most of the time, unable to work. I really tried, but you got up just long enough to see what I hadn’t accomplished, never once mentioning what I had done.”

Daed stood, his chest puffed in challenge. “You’ve always had your own slant, your half-truths and lies. I bought this place for you, and you ran out on us!”

Aaron rose to his feet, daring to meet his Daed’s challenge eye to eye. “For me? Really, Daed? You’re going to call
me
a liar and then make a statement like that? Did I ask for a farm?”

Daed put an arthritic finger in Aaron’s face. “I’m supposed to sell the farm, move elsewhere, and trust you won’t up and leave us? I don’t trust you into next week, let alone next year.”

“I’ve changed! Maybe if you’d talk to me instead of avoiding me, you could see that. I’m clean now. And I’ve come back here because it’s the right thing to do. I’m the only family you have left.”

“You’ve come back here because you need something from me. I don’t know what it is yet, but there’s a reason.”

Aaron wished he could say no, wished Leo hadn’t required him to get his Daed to cosign. Instead he tried to keep a blank face while sidestepping his Daed’s question. It’d be best to keep the request for the signature to himself for now.

“Michael.” Mamm moved to stand between them. “We need his help, and he’s offered us two and a half months in exchange for one day of our attention.”

Daed turned to Sylvia. “He’ll run off or do shoddy work. You need to know that.”

She reached across the table and picked up the pile of bills. “Until then, he’ll help us. We need him.”

Aaron loved being treated like a pack mule, especially by a young woman who stood to gain too much by his efforts. Then again, he needed her help to keep DairyAll from putting a lien on the farm.

Daed sighed. “Okay. You work through the summer, and your Mamm and I will go see this store.”

“And listen while I explain the ins and outs of that kind of business.”

“Ya.”

“Then it’s a deal.”

“You two sit.” Mamm went to the refrigerator. “It’s time for dessert.” They took their seats.

She pulled out a plate and set it in front of Aaron. “I fixed your favorite.”

“Peanut butter pie. It looks fabulous.” Aaron lifted his fork. “Denki, Mamm.”

“So this shop is in Owl’s Perch?” Mamm gave Daed a piece of pie. “Where’s that?”

“It’s in Perry County.”

Daed looked a little surprised.

“Ya, that’s right,” Aaron said. “It’s in the valley below that lookout area you’ve always loved.”

Aaron hoped a seed of desire to escape this farm had been effectively planted in his parents’ hearts. Now it just needed watering.

Mamm started to pass a slice of pie to Sylvia, but she stood. “I need to check on the calf.”

As Aaron watched her walk out, his heart pounded with feelings that made no sense. Maybe this was how it felt to undermine someone’s dreams. What he really needed was a way to make her want to go home or to another farm.