Following Your Heart (5 page)

Teresa laughed. “I really am an Amish woman! I can hardly believe it.”

“Well, becoming Amish will take more than dressing the part,” Susan said, stacking her bags into the back of the buggy. “But it's a
gut
start.”

Teresa handed her bags to Susan. “Well, I'm thankful for any little sign of progress. Even if it is just wearing the right clothes.”

“I agree,” Susan said, filling the last space behind the buggy seat. “Do you want to drive Toby on the way home?”

“Me? Drive the horse?” Teresa gaped. “I've never driven a horse in my life!”

Susan shrugged, a teasing smile on her face. “You have to start sometime. You just hold the lines and pull right or left, depending on where you want to go.”

“Like it's that simple,” Teresa said, climbing into the buggy while Susan untied Toby.

Throwing the tie strap under the front seat, Susan pulled herself into the buggy. She held the lines toward Teresa. “It's easy,” she said. “I'll help you.”

Teresa looked at the buggy lines with big eyes. “You're really going to make me do this?”

“Not if you don't want to, but I learned how to drive a car when I was in Asbury Park.”

“I remember,” Teresa said, still looking at the leather lines in Susan's hands.

“Just don't tell
Mamm
or
Daett
I can drive a car,” Susan reminded. “So how about it? Do you want to drive home?”

“No,” Teresa said, looking away. “Someday soon, but not now.”

“Okay.” Susan guided Toby out to the main road and turned toward home.

Teresa leaned back against the buggy seat as the steady clip-clop of the horse's hooves on the blacktop filled the air.

“Little brave me,” she muttered. “I'm so scared of some things—like driving buggies—but the big things I take in stride. What do you think is wrong with me?”

“There's nothing wrong with you,” Susan said, abruptly handing the reins to Teresa. “Drive for a little bit on the main road and you'll feel better.”

Teresa took a deep breath, sat up straight, and clutched the lines.

“Just tighten them up a bit,” Susan said, keeping an eye on the road, “so Toby feels like you're in charge. But don't pull back too much or he'll stop.”

Teresa took in the lines a little.

“That's better,” Susan assured her. “Just keep going. Nothing bad will happen.”

“What if he makes a dash for his freedom?” Teresa asked. “I'll be known forever as the
Englisha
woman who wrecked an Amish buggy.”

Susan chuckled. “Old Toby has never made a dash for anything, let alone freedom. After all these years he thinks he belongs in front of a buggy.”

“There's a car coming,” Teresa groaned.

“Toby won't mind,” Susan assured her. “Be careful not to jerk the lines.”

“Oh, God, please,” Teresa prayed aloud, “I don't want to have a wreck.”

“Here.” Susan leaned over and placed her hands on top of Teresa's. “Is that better?”

“Yes, much better!” Teresa said.

The car passed them with a whoosh and then the sound faded into the distance. Susan took her hands off the lines and glanced at Teresa's face.

“I'm sorry I'm so scared,” Teresa said.

“Don't worry about it,” Susan said. “Someday you'll be driving your very own buggy like a regular Amish woman, and little Samuel will be seated right beside you.”

“Yes, I think that day will come,” Teresa agreed. “But
later
. I think this is enough horse driving for one day.”

Susan took the reins Teresa handed her, pulling back on them as they approached the outskirts of Livonia. “Would you mind if we stopped in to speak with Laura's sister Bonnie for a few minutes?” Susan asked. “I'd like to thank her for the good recommendation she gave me so I could get a job when I left for Asbury Park. I used to take care of Bonnie's children. If they're home I'd love to see them again.”

“You don't have to ask me,” Teresa told her. “I'm not driving the buggy.”

“Okay. We won't stay long,” Susan promised as she pulled onto a side street. “I'll tie Toby to a tree so we can both go in. I'm sure Bonnie will enjoy meeting you.”

“I think I'll wait out here,” Teresa said. “I've had enough excitement for the moment.”

“If you're sure,” Susan said, waiting a minute or two. When Teresa nodded, Susan said, “Then I'll be right back.” She pulled to a stop in front of a nice house. Getting out of the buggy, she took the tie strap from under the front seat and secured Toby to a tree. She went up the front walk and rang the doorbell. After a few moments when no one came to the door, she rang it again. She rang a third time and then heard soft footsteps approaching inside the house. It had been a while since she'd seen Bonnie, so she hoped the woman would be pleased to see her.

“Good morning!” Susan said when the door opened.

“Susan!” Bonnie exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face. “Why, do come in!”

“I can't stay long,” Susan said, motioning toward the buggy. “I have a friend along. She came home with me from Asbury Park.”

“Well, she's welcome to come in too,” Bonnie said.

“She's tired so she said she'd like to wait,” Susan replied. “We've been to the store for
Mamm
, so we really have to get back home soon. I wanted to stop by for a few minutes to say hello.”

“Well, I'm a bit surprised to see you. I hadn't heard you were coming back. Laura hasn't emailed since before Christmas. What brings you back to Indiana?” Bonnie asked. “Didn't you like New Jersey?”

“Oh, I loved my time there with Laura and her family,” Susan said. “Your sister went out of her way to make me feel comfortable. I'm sure I did so many things wrong those first few weeks I worked at the bakery. But she was always supportive.”

“Well, that's good to hear,” Bonnie said. “Laura's a good person, and she's got a good husband. Her son, Robby, is very nice too. How did you get along with him?”

“Like a brother! We had such great times together. He even taught me how to drive and took me out on the ocean. But I've got to get home, so maybe I can come by another time to find out how your family is doing and share more about my time in Asbury Park. I just wanted to stop today to thank you for putting in a good word for me with Laura.”

“I'd do that anytime for you,” Bonnie said, patting Susan on her arm. “I hope your folks weren't too upset with me.”

“Well, I didn't tell them,” Susan admitted. “They would have understood—I think. Anyway, my leaving was my own doing. I needed to get away for a while.”

“So now you're back!” Bonnie beamed. “Are you looking for work again? I've not replaced you with anyone else yet, and the house sure could use your cleaning hand. And the children miss you a lot. I'd invite you in to see them, but they aren't home right now.”

“That's so nice of you to offer,” Susan said. “I'd better stay around home for a while at least, what with my being gone and then bringing Teresa and her baby boy back with me.
Mamm
is pretty excited… and a bit overwhelmed.”

“Teresa is the girl in the buggy?” Bonnie asked. “Is she from the outside?”

Susan nodded.

Bonnie raised her eyebrows. “Isn't that going to be quite a change for her? What did your ministers say?”

“Nothing yet. We haven't been home for a Sunday. Teresa wants to join the community. She says she's willing to do whatever it takes.”

“Well, I hope for the best,” Bonnie said. “I'm so glad you stopped. It's great to see you again. And please come by again.”

“It's
wunderbar
to see you too,” Susan said. “And thanks so much for your recommendation to Laura.”

“Anytime, dear,” Bonnie said. “You have a good day now. And behave yourself.”

Susan laughed as she turned and walked down the steps. Untying Toby, she climbed into the buggy and waved again to Bonnie just before turning Toby around.

Bonnie, still standing in the doorway, returned the wave.

After stopping at the corner to check traffic, Susan turned Toby onto the main road.

“She seems like a nice lady,” Teresa commented as they drove out of town.

“Very nice,” Susan said. “Bonnie is much like Laura.”

“I sure can't complain about how Laura helped me out,” Teresa said. “But then I can't complain about much of anything right now. So many people are helping me out, trying to make life easier for me. Your mom and dad are just jewels. I can never thank you enough, Susan.”

“You might want to hold on to your thanks. There's still a hard row ahead to hoe,” Susan warned.

They rode in companionable silence, listening to the beat of hooves against the pavement. Eventually Susan guided Toby down a gravel road.

“Even if it is hard, it will be worth it,” Teresa asserted. “Every minute will be worth it. Samuel will grow up in this wonderful place, and someday he will find a beautiful young woman to be his bride.”

“You do have an imagination!” Susan said.

“I know.” Teresa sighed. “I even wonder what Samuel's wife is like now as a little girl. I think I'm going to walk around on Sunday and look at the baby girls and try to imagine which one it will be. She'll probably be lying on her mother's lap, a sweet little smile on her face, dreaming thoughts of heaven on earth.”

Susan laughed again. “Just don't mention such things to our people. They're going to be more concerned about whether you will keep the
Ordnung
than who your son will marry.”

“I'll not breathe a word,” Teresa promised, leaning back against the buggy seat, a smile on her face as they moved along at a steady clip.

Rattling into the driveway at home, Susan pulled to a stop by the back door of the house. She stepped out of the buggy, leaving the lines dangling on the storm front.

The door whipped open and
Mamm
greeted them. “So you're back! How did everything go?”

“
Gut
,” Susan answered. “Teresa even held the reins for a while.”

Mamm
laughed at the news and took two sacks into her arms. Teresa picked up what she could carry and followed Susan and her
mamm
to the house.

“Deacon Ray stopped in while you were gone,”
Mamm
said, holding the door open for them.

“We went by him on the road on our way out,” Susan said, passing through the doorway sideways, her arms full of groceries. “I suppose he was too curious about Teresa to wait until Sunday.”

“He talked to your
daett
in the barn,”
Mamm
said. “I've been too busy to go ask what he wanted.”

“I made sure Teresa was smiling when we passed him,” Susan said. “I sure hope that helped.”

“Now how was that a proper thing to do?”
Mamm
asked. “You know we're supposed to be respectful to our elders. Have the
Englisha
people spoiled all your
gut
training?”

Standing beside them Teresa groaned. “I just knew it was me he was going to ask after,” she said. “Dear God, please let him like me.”

Anna stared at Teresa.

Susan noticed and shook her head. “
Mamm
, it's just the
Englisha
way. They kind of talk like they're praying out loud sometimes.”

“Oh?” Anna responded, still puzzled at the explanation.

“What did I do?” Teresa asked on the way back to the buggy.

“We don't say such things out loud,” Susan said. “It would be better to wait until you're in your room before addressing the Almighty. Or speak to Him in your heart only.”

“But your dad was praying out loud this morning,” Teresa said. “It sounded to me like he was addressing God.”

“That's official prayer time, and he's a man,” Susan said. “Still, even men don't pray out loud much between prayer times, especially when others are around.”

“Dear Lord in heaven, there are more rules here than I thought there would be,” Teresa said.

Susan glanced at Teresa but didn't say anything.

“Sorry,” Teresa said, clapping her hands over her mouth. “I'll try to remember. I promise.”

“Here comes
Daett
now, so learn fast,” Susan said. “And smile.”

“Hi!” Teresa said, trying on her best smile.

Susan burst out laughing.

“I'm glad to see my approach so amuses my youngest,” Menno said with a grin. Then his face turned sober. “Did
Mamm
tell you Deacon Ray stopped in?”