A Baby for Hannah (37 page)

“You know we always have time for you, Mom,” Jake said. “So did you have a good trip?”

“Really
gut,
” Uriah said, stroking his long, white beard. “I must say these mountains make me feel young again. One forgets such beauty when one becomes old.”

“You were out here for the wedding,” Ida reminded. “You remember that, don’t you?”

“Of course. I used to come hunting in these mountains too. Way back before I was married.”

“Really?” Hannah said. “Jake did some hunting last year.”

Jake’s dad smiled. “Perhaps Jake can take me hunting for a day if there’s enough time.”

“I didn’t know you used to hunt here,” Jake said. “But I’m afraid the hunting season isn’t for another month or so. Maybe you can come back then?”

Ida laughed. “No, we’re not coming back for an old man to go tramping about the mountains and getting himself killed. We’ve come to see our family.”

“Well,” Uriah said. “I guess that takes care of my hunting plans.”

“I guess it does. Well, let’s get your luggage, and we can head to the cabin,” Jake said, walking to the side of the bus. His dad followed, pointing out two suitcases stacked in the luggage compartment.

“I hope these fit in the buggy,” Uriah said with a smile. “I told Mom not to pack so much, but she thinks we’re going to visit the wilderness.”

“Just ignore Uriah,” Ida said, coming up to stand beside Hannah. “We’ll be perfectly fine. I know about your cabin, and Jake’s stinginess with modern things. I do think gas is allowed in your church, isn’t it? But it’s like Jake to try and save money. Hannah, you should have complained to him about those things a long time ago.”

“Oh, but I like our cabin,” Hannah said quickly. “And I don’t mind heating water on the woodstove. I hope it won’t bother you too much.”

“We grew up poor,” Ida said. “And it won’t hurt us to live a little lower for one weekend.”

“You make things sound terrible at their place,” Uriah said as they reached the buggy.

“I didn’t mean to,” Ida said. “But it was you who brought up the subject.”

“That’s okay, Dad,” Jake said. “I know I’m stingy, but I do have plans to build something better for Hannah soon. She deserves a nicer place.”

“I’m sure she does,” Ida said. “And is this your buggy?”

“No,” Jake said. “We haven’t purchased a surrey yet. This is borrowed from Betty, Hannah’s aunt. It’s their old one, and they said we could use it while you were visiting.”

Jake’s dad laughed as he climbed in, “And here I thought it might be another example of Jake’s stinginess. Because when you do buy one, son, you really better get something in better shape than this one.”

“I will, Dad, when the time comes.”

“It looks like the time’s not that far away,” Uriah said, with a glance to Hannah in the backseat.

“We can still drive the two single buggies for awhile,” Jake said. “Even after the baby arrives.”

“I suppose so,” Uriah said, settling in as Jake waited for the highway to clear before turning Mosey onto it.

“Are you seeing a midwife or a doctor by now?” Ida asked as Jake gently slapped the reins on Mosey’s back.

“
Jah,
a midwife,” Hannah said. “I was seeing a doctor, but I’ve settled for a midwife for the delivery. Her name is Mattie Esh, and she came down the other week for our first visit. I liked her. Although Jake hasn’t met her yet.”

“Then all is going well?”

“Mattie thought so, and I checked out fine on my last visit to Dr. Lisa. She will also be available if something goes wrong. I guess they work together well—the midwife and Dr. Lisa.”

“Well, you certainly look okay,” Ida said with approval as silence settled over the buggy, broken only by the steady beats of Mosey’s hooves on the pavement.

After a few moments Hannah glanced out of the side door and stiffened as they approached the now open field.

Ida’s gaze followed Hannah’s. “Is this where they had those horrible tent meetings?”

Hannah nodded.

“It even killed the grass,” Ida said, leaning out of the buggy for a better look.

“The tent sat there for almost a whole month,” Hannah said. “But I guess the worst is over now.”

“Did you lose a lot of people?”

“One family and a widow.”

“Isn’t that just awful?” Ida said. “Even one person lost to the world is a great tragedy.”

“It is,” Hannah said. “But it could have been worse. My sister Miriam’s boyfriend didn’t leave, even though his brother did. That had us worried.”

“You don’t think he’s staying Amish just to get her? And then leave later? They do that sometimes, you know.”

“I don’t think so,” Hannah said. “Dennis doesn’t seem to be that type of man.”

“I hope not,” Ida said. “But you can’t be too careful about such things. Once they get the knot tied, men can get mighty strange ideas into their heads. But the worst thing is when they decide to get up and leave the church. I guess there’s not much a woman can do in such situations.”

“Rebecca is pretty broken up about their move,” Hannah said. “That’s Will Riley’s wife, the young couple who’s leaving.”

“Is there a Mennonite church around here?”

“No. They’re moving back to Idaho where Will’s parents live. We expect them to go anytime now.”

“Are they still coming to church?”

“So far, but Mary Keim, the widow, has already left for Kalispell. Her son is keeping the farm. He’s the one who’s dating my aunt Betty’s daughter.”

“Then the feelings can’t be too bad among the community people. That’s
gut
to hear.”

“
Jah,
it is, and Jake had a lot to do with that.”

“Jake did?” Ida said “Did he throw his support behind the bishop like he’s supposed to?”

Hannah winced. “They did come to an agreement finally, but Jake’s wisdom and conscience helped out a lot.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Ida sighed. “I worry about Jake sometimes. He’s always been the strange one of the children, and then he was ordained at such a young age. I wish it hadn’t come so soon, but who can judge the ways of
Da Hah
?”

“I think he’s been wonderful,” Hannah replied. “He sure has been wonderful for me. I couldn’t ask for a better husband.”

Ida patted Hannah on her arm. “Then I shouldn’t be telling my fears to you, as I suppose all mothers worry about their children.”

“I’m going to try not to,” Hannah said. “But I suppose it’s going to be hard.”

“Especially when they get older, and start running with the young folks. That’s when it gets really hard.”

“Jake said all of your family turned out okay, so you must have done something right.”

“Only with grace from
Da Hah
did all turn out okay,” Ida said. “It certainly can’t be done any other way. And it seems like it takes more with each generation, but maybe that’s just because I’m getting older.”

“That’s Betty’s place there,” Hannah said, motioning as they drove by. “My sister Miriam has been staying there all summer.”

“Oh, that’s the farm where your wedding was held. I thought it looked familiar.”

Uriah turned around in the front seat. “What are you two women chattering about back there?”

“That’s where Jake and Hannah’s wedding was held,” Ida said, pointing to the ranch. “Hannah’s aunt Betty’s place.”

“Oh,” Uriah turned around again. “It looks like a nice place.”

Ida smiled at Hannah, taking her hand in hers. “I’m so glad Jake found such a
gut
wife. It does my old heart good to see him so happy.”

“He’s wonderful,” Hannah said, feeling her face grow warm.
Now why on earth am I getting embarrassed about Jake? I’m married to him, after all.

“And one who stands by him in
the faith,
” Ida said, letting go of Hannah’s hand. “That’s something I wanted for all of my children. It’s hard enough to live life the way it needs to be lived without a life’s partner pulling the other way.”

“I wouldn’t want anything else for Jake,” Hannah said. “I hope you know that.”

Ida nodded, “But it’s
gut
to hear you say that.”

The next several minutes passed in silence and then Hannah said, “We’re almost home.”

Jake pulled back on half the reins and with a rattle of gravel they turned up the road toward the cabin.

Ida was looking out of the window toward the mountains ahead of them. “Do you ever get used to such beauty all around you?”

“I haven’t yet,” Hannah said.

“They look a little scary though,” Ida said soberly. “I think one weekend will be enough for me.”

“I don’t think Jake will ever want to live anywhere else.”

“I heard that,” Jake said, not turning around in the front seat.

“Well, I don’t think you would,” Hannah said. “You love it out here, don’t you?”

“It’s much better than the flat country in Iowa, that’s for sure,” Jake said.

Uriah laughed heartily. “I can see your point, but I’ll take farming country any day. I like working in the open fields without high hills looking down on you all day.”

“There’s our cabin, Mom,” Jake said, slowing Mosey down to a walk. “And Mr. Brunson—the man we’ve told you about—lives up the road a bit further.”

“Well, it looks cozy,” Ida said. “But it could be a little bigger, that’s for sure.”

“I’m ahead of you on that,” Jake said. “The plans for our new house are in the living room right now.”

“We’ll want to look at them,” Ida asserted.

“They’re very nice,” Hannah said. “I didn’t tell Jake exactly what I wanted, and he still came pretty close to what I would have chosen.”

With a jerk Mosey came to a stop by the barn. Uriah jumped down. Hannah climbed out on her side, waiting behind the buggy until Ida joined her. Together they walked toward the cabin while the men unhitched the horse.

Forty

By the time the Sunday meeting was over and the four Bylers were settled back in the cabin after church, the rays of the warm afternoon sun were shining brightly through the front cabin window.

The weekend visit had been short, Hanna thought as she walked into the living room with heaping bowls of fluffy white popcorn for Jake and Uriah. Behind her Ida followed with freshly squeezed lemonade made with cold water from the spring. Hannah gave Uriah a bowl, and he took it with a big smile on his face. “Now is this as
gut
as Iowa popcorn?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Hannah said as Ida passed him a cup of lemonade. “I guess you’ll have to taste it and see.”

Uriah took a long sip, a satisfied look spreading across his face, “At least that’s
gut
stuff. The taste must come from your spring water because the lemons looked the same to me.”

“Now you see why I don’t mind the lack of a refrigerator.”

“I do see,” Uriah said. “I think I’d like to move out here myself. I’d love to live with a spring in my backyard. What do you think, Ida? Will you join me?”

“Stop talking such nonsense!” Ida said, returning from the kitchen with two more glasses. “You are a farm boy at heart, and nothing is going to change that.”

Uriah laughed. “I think I could get used to this country after only my second time here, and that’s saying a lot.”

“Well, it
is
a nice community,” Ida said. “Now you sit down, Hannah, and I’ll get our popcorn bowls.”

“And bring the big bowl back with you,” Uriah called to Ida’s retreating back. “This is as
gut
as Iowa popcorn.”

“So what did you think of the people you met today, Dad?” Jake asked while slowly eating his popcorn.

“Your Mom and I had a long talk with Bishop John. He had only
gut
things to say about you, and I can’t say how happy that makes both of us.”

“Jake is a wonderful preacher,” Hannah said, not looking at Jake as he shook his head.

“Sometimes that’s not
gut
though,” Uriah said. “But I was glad we got to hear you preach today, son. I didn’t hear anything I disagreed with.”

Jake nodded but said nothing. Hannah thought he seemed a little nervous today, and this explained it.

“You still did good,” Hannah whispered, reaching over to squeeze Jake’s hand.

A grateful smile played on his face.

“Did I hear you tell them we talked with Bishop John?” Ida asked, coming in with the popcorn bowls.

“
Jah,
” Uriah said, nodding.

“Did you tell Jake about what we asked him?”

Uriah took another handful of popcorn and before eating it said, “No, and perhaps we shouldn’t even bring this up with Jake. He’s not responsible for church doctrine. Surely you know that.”

“No, he’s not,” Ida said, “but it sounds like he has a lot of influence around here, and I already wrote to him about it, so it’s not like he doesn’t know how we feel. And I’d really like to know how Jake explains this assurance of salvation that Bishop John claims we can have.”

“Mom, you know it’s not my place to instruct you and Dad,” Jake said. “I’d rather you asked Bishop John your questions.”

“Then we’ll not count it as instructions,” Ida said. “Let’s just hear you explain this thing. How can we know
Da Hah’s
mind when it comes to our salvation?”