Finding the Way (The Amish Millers Get Married Book 5) (8 page)

Job 12:7-10.

But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of
the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will
declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of
the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living
thing and the breath of all mankind.

Chapter
15

Sarah and Mrs. Miller were at the mud sale
held to raise money for the local volunteer fire department. There
were thousands of people present, and Sarah didn’t like crowds.
Still, Mr. Miller served on the volunteer firefighting crews, as
did all the Hostetler
bruders
, so Mrs. Miller wanted to
attend.

Sarah stepped gingerly over the muddy fields.
“I know why it gets its name,” she said to Mrs. Miller.

“It’s not bad this year; we haven’t had so
much rain,” Mrs. Miller said. “Anyway, the earlier mud sales are
much worse, due to the thawing snow.”

Sarah found the chaos disconcerting. There
were tents, and she heard the call of several different auctioneers
at once. She followed Mrs. Miller past horses going into the tent
to be auctioned, and past tents filled with quilts. Everywhere she
looked, people were inspecting items ranging from buggies to
farming equipment, lumber, furniture, produce, baked goods,
antiques, house wares and all manner of hand made crafts as well as
a strange variety of livestock.

Mrs. Miller, clearly experienced at mud
sales, led Sarah to a striped white and bright yellow tent, which
they walked through into the fire hall. To Sarah’s delight, food
was served in the fire hall. Both she and Mrs. Miller had missed
breakfast that morning, as they had to do a whole day’s chores
before leaving for the mud sale.

Sarah bought chicken corn soup, and Mrs.
Miller chose pot pie. Both women also bought
kaffi
. They
found a seat in the corner of the room. Sarah was relieved to sit
down and catch a moment’s respite away from the hustle and bustle
of the crowds. She overheard someone say that there were twenty
thousand people in attendance, and she was not surprised, not that
she had ever seen so many people in the one place, Amish and
Englischers
alike. They were not strolling around casually;
each person seemed intent on finding a bargain.

Soon both Mrs. Miller and Sarah were each
tucking into a sticky bun. Sarah thought again how blessed she was
to be with the Miller
familye
. Mrs. Miller treated her like
one of her own
dochders
. Mrs. Miller hurried to finish her
mouthful, and said, ““Why, look, Sarah, there’s Benjamin Shetler.”
Mrs. Miller waved him over.

The old feeling of butterflies arose in
Sarah’s stomach when she saw Benjamin, who walked toward them
holding a funnel pie. “
Hullo
, Mrs. Miller.
Hiya
,
Sarah.”

Sarah’s heart thumped loudly when he spoke to
her, and she smiled and dropped her eyes.

“Sit with us, Benjamin,” Mrs. Miller said. It
was a command rather than an invitation, and Benjamin sat down at
once.

“I didn’t know you would be here, Benjamin.”
Sarah was worried that Benjamin would think she was following him.
It was likely an unreasonable thought, but people in love are
sometimes given to unreasonable thoughts.

“I serve on the volunteer firefighting
crew.”

Mrs. Miller nodded her approval, and Sarah
said, “I didn’t know that.”

Benjamin smiled at her, and tingles ran all
through Sarah.

Mrs. Miller’s hand suddenly flew to her
mouth. “Oh, I forgot there was something I had to do. I won’t be
long. Benjamin, would you mind staying with Sarah until I
return?”

Without waiting for an answer, Mrs. Miller
hurried away.

Sarah was awfully embarrassed.
I wonder if
I should say I’m embarrassed by Mrs. Miller’s matchmaking
attempts
, she thought,
but then again, that would be
criticizing Mrs. Miller. I wonder if there’s something I could
say
. Sarah could not think of anything to say, and so the two
sat in silence for a moment. Finally Sarah said, “Are you here
alone?”

“
Jah
,” Benjamin said, his cheeks
flushing red. “Are you?”

“
Jah
, I mean
nee
, I’m here with
Mrs. Miller.”

“Oh of course, silly me.”

The two laughed coyly. Sarah felt tongue
tied. Mrs. Miller chose that moment to reappear, and Sarah at first
thought that was strange, given that Mrs. Miller was trying her
hardest to be a matchmaker and had not left them alone for
long.

“I’ve just popped back to let you know that I
have to assist a friend. Can I meet you back here at noon,
Sarah?”

“Sure, Mrs. Miller.”

“I don’t like to abandon you. Benjamin, would
you do me a favor and escort Sarah around the mud sale until lunch
time?”

“I’d be happy to, Mrs. Miller.”

Mrs. Miller smiled at Benjamin and then
hurried away, but Sarah was mortified. This time she felt she had
to say something. “I’m so sorry, Benjamin. I don’t want to be an
imposition. I can find my own way around.”

Benjamin beamed at her. “Nonsense! I will
enjoy your company.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes and stared into
Benjamin’s face. He did sound genuine. She hoped he was not just
being polite.

“Sarah, where would you like to go first?”
Benjamin smiled and held out his hand to Sarah.

Sarah took his hand, but he dropped it as
soon as she stood up, much to her disappointment. “I’m not sure;
I’ve never been to a mud sale before. Could we perhaps just walk
around?”

“
Gut
idea.”

An idea suddenly occurred to Sarah.
“
Err
, you weren’t here with anyone were you, or meeting
someone?”

“
Nee
, I’m here alone. Or was,” he
added quietly.

Sarah’s heart fluttered at his words, but she
didn’t know if he meant anything by them.

As Benjamin and Sarah walked side by side,
she thought this would be what it would be like to be married,
walking in happy companionship with her husband. There would be
bopplis
too, several of them.

Sarah was so lost in thought that she did not
realize that Nash Grayson had suddenly materialized in front of
them, right outside the horse auction tent. “What you are doing
here?” she blurted without thinking.

“
Err
, I’m just looking for a horse for
a friend. Not for a horse as such, just seeing what prices the good
ones go for. So I can tell my friend,” he added.

Sarah frowned. Did Nash have any friends in
the community? None that she knew of. Yet why would he lie?

“What are you doing here?” Nash directed the
question at Benjamin.

“I’m on the volunteer firefighting crew.”

Nash laughed, a dry, bitter laugh. “That
figures.”

“What do you mean?” Sarah did not mean to
snap, but she was offended on Benjamin’s behalf.

“Oh, I just mean that Benjamin is a good
person; he’s always doing good. It figures that he’d
volunteer.”

Sarah did not know what to make of Nash’s
words, but before she had time to formulate a response, a man led a
tall, black horse from the tent. The horse was prancing and Sarah
thought that the horse looked a little wild. The man nodded to Nash
as if he knew him, and Nash looked uncomfortable. Just then the
horse shied violently, and the man hurriedly led the horse
away.

“Oh look!” Benjamin bent down and scooped up
a tiny, scrawny kitten. “The poor little mite. This is what must’ve
frightened the horse.” Benjamin held the little kitten to his
chest, and the kitten started to purr.

Sarah’s heart melted.
He will make such a
gut father
, she thought.
Look how compassionate and caring
he is.
She reached over to stroke the little kitten, and
Benjamin smiled at her. The two of them looked into each other’s
eyes for a moment, until Nash spoke.

“I saw some kids selling kittens; looks like
this one is one of theirs. It must’ve got away from them.” He took
the kitten from Benjamin, and cradled it, looking into its little
face and making cooing sounds to it. “The kitten’s half starved,”
he said angrily. “Kitty, kitty, kitty, don’t worry; you’re safe
now.”

Benjamin and Sarah exchanged glances. Was
this the Nash Grayson they knew? “What are we going to do with
him?” Sarah asked Benjamin. “I’d take him, only my cat Tom is set
in his ways and might not take kindly to a kitten, and besides,
Mrs. Miller might not agree to have another cat.”

“I’d take him,” Benjamin said, “but I
wouldn’t be allowed to have a pet at the B&B.”

“What’s going on?”

The three turned around to see Jessie Yoder
standing behind them, her hands on her hips. Without waiting for an
answer, she took the kitten from Nash. “Where did you find him?”
she asked.

Benjamin was the one to answer. “He seems to
be a stray,” he said, “or he might’ve escaped from some children
who were selling kittens. We were trying to figure out what to do
with him. I can’t have him, being at the B&B, and Sarah can’t
have him either.”

“I could sneak him into my room,” Nash
said.

Jessie stroked the kitten. “Why, he needs a
good feed.” She held the kitten close to her, and he purred even
more loudly than before. “My cat Calico died a year ago; I had her
since she was a kitten. I’m ready to have another cat now. I’ll
take him.”

“But I wanted him.” Nash’s voice sounded
petulant.

“You can’t have a cat at the B&B,” Jessie
said, but after a moment, added, “We’ll share him then. But he
lives with me.”

Nash smiled broadly, and he and Jessie walked
away, their heads together, speaking in baby talk to the
kitten.

Benjamin and Sarah stared after them in
surprise.

* * *

Nash was little annoyed that Benjamin Shetler
was a volunteer on the firefighting crew. He’d never met such a
do-gooder in all his life. Surely Benjamin had to be hiding
something; no one could be
that
good. Besides, Nash was a
little jealous, and concerned that Jessie might find Benjamin
attractive. After all, Benjamin was a goody goody Amish man,
whereas he was, well, a little on the wild side.

Nash sent up a silent prayer of thanks to
Gott
that Jessie had not seen him talking to the man about
the horse. Nash did not have the money to buy a buggy horse, let
alone a buggy, yet, as he had to sell his car and pay his gambling
debts first, but he wanted to make himself known to the horse
dealers. And to think that he had nearly been caught looking at the
horse by the self-righteous Benjamin Shetler. Oh well, there was no
way that Benjamin would figure out he was talking to a dealer about
his intention to buy a buggy horse later on, let alone returning to
the community.

* * *

Jessie walked away with Nash, speaking to the
kitten which she was holding close to her. She was pleased that she
finally had found a replacement for her much loved cat, Calico. She
was also pleased to see that Nash was so caring over the kitten.
He’ll make a gut husband
, she thought.
He’ll be gut to
the kinner. I’ll just have to straighten him out first
.

Isaiah 40:31.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew
their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they
shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Chapter
16

Sarah and Benjamin continued on their way,
taking care not to step in the worst of the mud. “I suspect those
two might be courting,” Sarah said, expecting Benjamin to
disagree.

“I think you might be right,” he said with a
chuckle. “I also think that Nash is in the market for a buggy
horse.”

“
Nee
! Really?” Sarah tugged on her
prayer
kapp
. “That means that he’s going to come back to the
community.”

Benjamin laughed. “
Jah
, and perhaps he
wants to take a certain young lady on a buggy ride.”

With that, the atmosphere at once turned from
jovial and companionable to tense and drawn. Sarah was at once
upset again that Benjamin had never asked her on a buggy ride, and
after stealing a glance at Benjamin, she could see he was
self-conscious too. Her happiness had fled, leaving a gloomy black
cloud of disquiet in its place.

Still, the mud sale was not a place where one
could remain miserable for long. “Goodness me,” Sarah said,
pointing to a strange creature standing beside a tall
Englischer
.

“That’s an alpaca.”

Sarah was intrigued. “What do they do?”

“They have fleece, like sheep, only they’re
way more expensive. Don’t go too close,” Benjamin warned. “Some of
them spit, although that one looks friendly enough.”

Sarah hung back, admiring the animal, and
then stepped aside as two cute ponies were led past, their golden
bodies contrasting with their long, white manes and tails.

“Oh they’re so cute,” Sarah gushed.

Benjamin chuckled. “A little too short for
you to ride.”

“They’d be
gut
for
kinner
.”
Sarah rolled her eyes at her own stupidity, as soon as she said the
words.
How could I be so thoughtless
, she thought,
saying
that so soon after Benjamin mentioned the buggy ride
. She stole
a glance at Benjamin and saw that he too was most uncomfortable, to
the extent of wringing his hands.

“At least it’s warm today,” Benjamin said,
interrupting the silence. “I went to a mud sale earlier in spring
and I froze.”

Sarah agreed, and they walked off again. The
noise was overwhelming, and it seemed that every large tent had an
auctioneer making a sound that to Sarah seemed like yodeling. In
one tent there were Amish quilts of every type and size, and Sarah
made a mental note to return there later with Mrs. Miller. Another
tent was full of antiques, and the bidding was spirited. Yet
another tent had all kinds of furniture, dressers, tables, and
chairs, and the area outside the tents was just as crowded. One
tent was filled with all types of well groomed buggy horses, along
with mules, and even adorable, little ponies. Everywhere Sarah
looked, she could see lumber, plants, field sprayers, pressure
washers, lawn tractors, walk-behind mowers, manure spreaders, wood
saws, rakes, as well as buggies.