A woman carrying a Tupperware container entered. “We saw you out in the buggy,” she said. “May we come in?”
“Of course, Abigail. Gut to see you. Come in.” Harvey took the container from her and set it on the table.
“I brought muffins. We had them in the buggy…” Her face flushed.
“Denki for bringing them. We are now officially prepared to entertain today.”
Abigail’s husband removed his hat and placed it on a peg as if he’d been in this room many times. He shook Harvey’s hand, but his gaze was planted on me. Before he could get in a word, more people strolled into the kitchen, several carrying food items. Soon, the kitchen table was a smorgasbord of scrumptious-looking tarts, whoopie pies, cakes, and candies.
In twenty minutes the room was filled with chatter and laughter. I shook many hands and recognized some of the women I’d met at the Schmuckers’ home during the barn raising. I also saw several of my parents’ neighbors, people I’d seen on Sundays before the district split. I’d only seen them since if they came into the fabric store.
They barraged me with questions about the nursery and the café. “Ach, you’re really the manager?” one woman about my age asked. Several declared they would hire a passenger van and visit the café.
“I can’t imagine our food is better than what you brought.” I nibbled on a chocolate brownie.
“In that case, we’ll each bring you our favorite recipe,” one woman said, and they all agreed. But could they bring me a recipe for a new beginning? How much easier my life would be if I fell head over heels in love with Harvey. But there was no buzz of attraction between us.
“Denki. I’m overwhelmed by your generosity.” I polished off the brownie.
They continued to ask about the café, but I surmised their real questions circumnavigated Harvey’s and my friendship.
This was a visiting Sunday, so I shouldn’t have been surprised people were calling upon their neighbors. But they might have been headed to see relatives and changed their destination the moment they saw Harvey’s buggy on the road with me perched next to him. Curiosity was natural, and in this county they could be Harvey’s relatives or lifelong friends.
Harvey’s daughters brought out plates, flatware, and paper napkins for the growing crowd. Several men gave me a double look and then chatted with Harvey in a way that made me feel as if I were on display. I doubted he’d been talking about me, but others probably had. Well, I knew they’d been gabbing about me for years. I was the wanton woman who’d conceived a child out of wedlock. I was Jake Miller’s girlfriend on the side when he wasn’t out-of-state living as an Englischer. I bet they thought Jake had only come home so he could inherit the farm and be rich if Amos died. And they might be right, for all I knew.
I was ferhoodled when moments later Jake entered, dressed Amish. He removed his hat and shook Harvey’s hand. “I hope you don’t mind my stopping by like this,” Jake said. “Mamm spent the night at the hospital and won’t leave. I offered to take her with me to church, but she doesn’t want to leave my dat for more than a minute.”
“I can imagine she’s beyond exhausted.” Harvey scanned Jake’s attire. “You went to church without her?”
“Yah.”
“Driving an automobile?”
“Nee, I brought out my parents’ buggy horse. That poor animal was dying to get out of the barn.”
“That’s the only reason you drove their buggy?”
“I didn’t wish to be disrespectful.” Jake held his hat by its brim. “Since I plan to be baptized, I’ll return the car to my friend in New York today and take a bus back home. Before church, I stopped by Eva’s parents’, who were expecting her. Finally, they gave up.” He glanced to me and said, “They were worried but supposed you’d made other plans. And, apparently, they were correct. I intended to drive over to the nursery, but I noticed every buggy coming from the other direction turning into Harvey’s lane.”
I needed to speak up for myself. “Coming here was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Harvey invited me.” But no one seemed to hear me.
“Did you attend church by yourself, Jake?” Harvey asked.
“Yah. It was most enjoyable to see my old friends.”
“And what was the message?”
“Minister Stephen spoke about the prodigal son from the book of Luke. After, I asked him if the ministers had decided it would be a good topic since I was there. But he said no. They went upstairs to pray about it before I arrived. But he was pleased I’d attended. He didn’t even make a wisecrack about my short hair.”
Jake gazed into Harvey’s face as if waiting for the bishop to reprimand him, but Harvey said, “I’m glad you attended church and that you went to the trouble of getting your parents’ horse out. You’re moving in the right direction, for sure.”
Several other men nodded. “Gut for you, Jake,” one said. “Our heavenly Father is always willing to take us back into his arms.”
Harvey’s daughters snuck glances at Jake the whole time he was there. One offered him muffins and squares of cake in what seemed to be a coquettish manner, which initiated a frown from Harvey.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll eat this later.” Jake scooped up a muffin and wrapped it in a paper napkin.
“I must be on my way,” he told Harvey, as if I weren’t even standing there. Which was the proper etiquette because Harvey was the host, but it made me feel invisible and sad. Jake’s glance glided right past mine as he moved toward the back door.
“Wait.” The word flew out of my mouth and hung in the air. The room went silent, conversations halting, all eyes turning to me. I wasn’t invisible after all.
“Are you going to the hospital to see your dat?”
“Yah.” Jake glanced toward the back door as an Amish
