Pennsylvania Patchwork (8 page)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Mamm and I owe you a debt of gratitude,” Esther said to Larry as they cruised up to the front of the house. My, how quickly he drove, but Esther certainly wouldn't complain.

She glanced over the seatback to see Mamm was yawning, rubbing her eyes, and apparently waking up—Esther hoped not in a grizzly-bear mood.

“Glad to help.” He hopped out, came around the hood, and opened Esther's door, then helped Mamm exit the sedan. Quite a gentleman. But Esther recalled Holly's labeling Larry a Romeo, love-'em-and-leave-'em type. According to Holly, the two of them were just friends.

With Mamm supported by Larry, Esther walked ahead of them. As she turned the knob, Nathaniel opened the door. “Gut, you're back,” he said, his gaze not meeting hers. He spoke to Mamm. “Anna, are ya okay?” He wore a dour expression, his brows drawn down.

“Yah, fine as ever.” Mamm's hand tentatively patted her forehead. “Pay no heed to the bandage. It looks worse than it is.”

“But your wrist,” Holly said. “Why the ace bandage?” She and Armin stood nearby. “Mom, what happened?”

Esther noticed the table had been righted and the doll stood on the mantel, the figurine a conspicuous contrast to its surroundings. “A small accident—a few stitches and possibly a sprained wrist,” Esther said.

“Larry?” Holly's jaw dropped. “What are you doing here?”

He rushed over to hug her. “I told you I might drop by.”

She gave him a one-armed, unenthusiastic hug. “You said you had an uncle in Philadelphia—”

“And that I'd always wanted to see Amish country!”

Holly's hands rose to cover her cheeks. “I can't believe you're here.” Esther had never seen her look so perplexed. “How did you know where to find me?” Holly said.

“Remember, I asked for your address?”

“I thought you might send a postcard or letter, not show up.”

He wiggled his brows. “I have a surprise I decided to bring in person.”

“Larry kindly drove your grandmother and me to the hospital,” Esther said. “Would you please introduce him?” She could understand Holly's feeling bamboozled.

“Uh—sure.” Holly's eyes were veined pink and her lids swollen. “Larry Haarberg, I'd like to introduce you to Nathaniel and Armin King.” Then she excused herself to use the bathroom.

Larry put out his hand to shake Nathaniel's. “Hi, there,” Larry said.

“Gut ta meet ya.” Nathaniel's gaze took in Larry's attire.

“Likewise.” Then Larry shook Armin's hand, long and hard.

“Hullo.” Armin's stare bore into Larry's eyes.

When the two men finally parted, both seemed to puff out their chests like a couple of roosters. Esther chuckled under her breath. Men were such funny creatures, she thought. Not that her Nathaniel would lower himself to such prideful behavior. Maybe he was keeping his distance from her because a stranger was in the house. Their engagement had yet to be published; it wouldn't be official until the bishop or a minister announced it to the community at church.

“I'll get supper on the table,” Mamm said. She swiveled toward the sitting room; her toe caught on a rag rug.

Esther raced to the end of the rug, holding it in place, and took Mamm's good arm. “No, you don't, Mamm. We'll make up a tray for you and bring it in to the Daadi Haus.”

“Yah, Anna, your arm looks like it needs resting.” Nathaniel stepped to Mamm's other side and the two shepherded her into the Daadi Haus. Esther could always count on Nathaniel. Ach, how had she survived so long without him?

Holly came out of the bathroom with a freshly scrubbed face, all traces of smudged makeup removed. “I'll get the food out,” she said. Esther could hear Holly explain to Larry that supper would be leftovers—plenty of cold cuts, cheese, and homemade bread.

“Sounds good to me,” Larry said. “I'm hungry enough to eat a horse.”

“Think I'll stay, too, if you'll have me, Holly,” Armin said. “A meal other than horseflesh does sound good.”

“Not literally eat a horse,” Larry said. “Holly and I go way back, did she tell you that, Marvin?”

“It's Armin. Armin King.”

Their voices muted as Esther and Nathaniel escorted Mamm to her bedroom on the first floor of the Daadi Haus, its door opening into the front hall. They guided Mamm onto her bed and covered her legs with a quilt. Nathaniel lit a fire in the heat stove. “We'll get ya warmed up and comfy,” he said. “If you want the kerosene heater going too, let me know.”

“
Ich bedank mich
, Nathaniel. My daughter's gettin' herself a fine husband.”

“
Gem gschehne—
you're welcome.” He looked uncomfortable with the flattery, but Esther reminded herself he'd been taught since childhood to be humble.

Minutes later, standing alone with Nathaniel in the sitting room, Esther heard Holly, Armin, and Larry chatting in the kitchen. As Esther moved to the window she reiterated the hectic afternoon. She thanked the Lord Mamm's injuries were minimal and that the catastrophe was behind them.

Evening was descending earlier each day as autumn dwindled. The lowering sun cast a coral-colored glow across the oak trees and fields on the other side of the road, and on the resplendent barns and silos in the distance. Serenity seemed to fill the valley as if a giant locomotive had just rolled by, leaving in its wake quiet harmony. Yet, she couldn't shake a feeling of unease.

“I need to tell ya something, Esther,” Nathaniel said, and took her hand—his skin was clammy. She thought he was going to pull her toward him and steal a kiss, which she very much desired. Instead, he said, “I've got bad news.”

He released her hand.

“
Was is letz
?—What's wrong?” Her vocal cords tightened around her words; her throat felt parched as if she were in the Sahara Desert. “You know you can tell me anything.”

“There's
en Gebrummel
—a rumor—going around in Ohio.”

“I don't have a clue what you're talking about.” Esther tilted her head, trying to evoke a smile, but his expression remained stony, his lips pressed together.

“According to my cousin, people claim my former wife is still alive,” he said. “
Sie is schunn lang ab im Kopp
—she's been crazy for a long time—living in a shack by herself like a hermit.”

“But it's a falsehood, isn't it? Surely after so many years she would have been found.”

“I wish I could tell you with certainty. My daughters have probably been praying for years she'd come back …” He stared at the floor. “Bishop Troyer says I should go check.”

“Yah, I guess you'd have to make sure, once and for all.”

His eyes glazed over with a veneer of moisture. “I can't believe I have to relive this nightmare, just when I've met you again, Esther.” He finally glanced her way; his pupils were dilated. “I never loved her the way I love you.”

Hearing his affirmation of devotion made Esther feel twenty years younger, but she said, “You shouldn't speak like that, Nathaniel. Of course you loved her.” She tried to banish the image of Nathaniel and his wife becoming united at a Sunday service, surrounded by a couple hundred relatives, neighbors, and friends, then the two sitting at the corner table—the Eck—as they celebrated afterward over a bounteous meal at the bride's parents' home. They had two children together when she'd disappeared and had surely wanted more.

Nathaniel had never mentioned his former wife's parents. Esther wondered if they were still alive and served as grandparents to his daughters' children, whom Esther had only met briefly.

This myriad of thoughts tightened her chest; her breathing was so shallow she thought she might faint. Esther had asked God to show her his will for her life. She might have to accept that the Lord wished her to remain single, an atonement for her sins. She recalled one winter, as a child, a girl had crashed through the frozen pond and was imprisoned beneath the ice. That's how Esther felt at this moment, as if she were drowning.

“When will you leave?” She lay a hand on his shoulder, but he back-stepped as if she carried leprosy.

“As soon as I get my ride set up.” He slipped his hands in his pockets. “I'll take the bus or train or hire a driver.”

The kitchen door swung open and Holly shambled into the room. She reminded Esther of a wilted hydrangea—what Esther felt like. “You told Larry he could stay here, Mom?”

“Yes. He was such a help to us, and offered to take Mamm to Dr. Brewster's, unless her arm hurts too much.”

“I should rent a car,” Holly said. “Or buy one, my original plan—I'd have to take out a loan. But after today, I don't know what to do. Maybe I should pack my bags. No, I won't leave Mommy Anna just because a man's been lying to me.”

“You mean Zach?” The hairs on the nape of Esther's neck raised. “Do you want to tell us about it?”

Holly's face contorted. “He fathered a child and is refusing to own up.”

“Zach's not one of us, but he's an upstanding man,” Nathaniel said. “Are you sure it's the truth?”

“I met the woman—Victoria—and saw the boy with my own eyes.” Holly rubbed the heel of her palm against her chest. “And I heard the woman talking about Grandma Beth.”

“I'm sorry, dear girl.” Since Holly was born, Esther had tried to protect her, but a never-ending stream of disappointments continued to assault her daughter.

“Mom, it's too painful to talk about in detail right now. Okay?” She bit at the corner of her thumbnail. “Would you show me what to put on Mommy Anna's plate, and then I'll take a tray in to her.”

“Sure, darling. In fact, I'll bring her the tray. And a pair of her old glasses—better than nothing.” Esther could tell from her daughter's bent spine her heart was breaking. Neither Mamm or Esther had wanted Holly marrying Zach, and they'd been right all along. Yet it was torturous to watch Holly suffer.

Out of the corner of her eye, Esther saw the doll on the mantel. Ach, her whole world was spinning out of control.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I returned to the kitchen with Nathaniel and Mom on my heels, and found Larry, humming as he set the table.

“Armin took off, I guess to milk the cows.” Larry did a drumroll on the counter with two spoons. “Bet you didn't know I was handy in the kitchen, Holly.”

“You're full of surprises,” I said.

He flashed me a smile of even white teeth, pretty enough for a Crest ad. Not that I should hold that or his stylish haircut against him. He worked at a downtown bank and was expected to dress smartly. “There's more to come,” he said.

Nathaniel cleared his throat. “I'd better get back to my place too.” He strode to the back door and lifted his hat off a peg. “I hope Armin's taking care of everything right.”

“He's a lot more capable than you think he is.” I recalled Armin's finesse in handling Galahad, and his sweet attention to me after my devastating meeting with Zach and Victoria at Beth's.

Nathaniel positioned his hat on his head, pushing his bangs over his bushy eyebrows. “Time will tell.”

“As with all things.” I thought he should give his younger brother the encouragement he needed to be successful.

“Will we see you after milking, Nathaniel?” My mother sounded like she was pleading with him. He must have told her about the rumors regarding his former wife because her face was ashen and her chin seemed to be trembling. I considered suggesting he hire a private detective. Or did he believe the story that his wife might be alive? If he married Mom he'd be a bigamist, and if he got a divorce I assumed he'd be booted out of the Amish church.

“Yah, probably. If I can.”

“I hope so,” Mom said to Nathaniel as she prepared a plate of sliced ham, cheddar cheese, dill pickles, and whole wheat bread for Mommy Anna's meal.

“Nice meeting you,” Larry said to Nathaniel, and pumped Nathaniel's arm.

Not very often was I left speechless, but on this day of all days, Larry was the last person I wanted to see. But he'd obviously been a godsend to my grandmother earlier. I needed to extend her invitation to him. We had plenty of room in this large old house.

“Have you been visiting your uncle?” I asked.

“Nope, I came here to spend time with you, Holly. This trip is the most spontaneous off-the-wall stunt I've ever pulled. I figured if you permanently moved I might never see you again. I'd miss my chance to win you as my bride.”

My mother quickly assembled a sandwich, set it and a cup of tea on a tray, and hastened from the kitchen.

“Did I hear you right?” I said, sputtering. “You and I came to an agreement to be friends and nothing more. Didn't we split the bill at dinner a few weeks ago?”

“Well, yes. But good friends are hard to come by, and I started missing you.”

“Larry, we haven't spoken since I left. The fact is, I'm engaged.”

His head jerked. “Since when?”

“Since right after I came here.” Too excruciating to tell him my engagement was also the most impromptu action I'd ever taken, and was already collapsing.

“To one of those Amish fellows?” Larry said. “Please tell me it isn't Armin.”

“What's wrong with him?”

“I can't picture you being happy with a know-it-all hick who wears suspenders.”

“Armin's smart and capable, more than anyone gives him credit for.” My voice went flat, monotone. “But he's not the man I'm engaged to—or may be engaged to, anyway.”

“You might break it off? Super.” He rubbed his palms together. “Come home with me to Seattle. You don't want to live on a farm in the middle of nowhere for the rest of your life, do you?”

“I happen to think this is the most gorgeous place in the world.”

“Compared to Washington State—the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound? Not to mention the Olympic Mountain Range.” He had me there; Washington was hard to beat.

“But—uh—my grandmother lives here.”

“With no electricity or telephones?”

Aha, my opportunity to change the subject. “I do need to get my cell phone recharged. And my laptop. Although I miss it less and less now that I'm not working. No need to send out résumés.” I sighed as I remembered my last day at the brokerage and how inferior I'd felt being laid off.

“I'll take care of all that for you,” Larry said. “And I'd fly you out here to visit your Grandma Anna once a month if that's what you wanted. Anything at all.”

“No, I can't leave.”

“You say you got engaged recently? Sounds like a whirlwind romance. In that case, why don't you give us a chance?”

“Larry, we've known each other for years, as friends. We don't have a romance.”

He inched closer. “But I can really talk to you and you can talk to me. Am I right?”

“Yes, but—”

“I should have proposed to you years ago, Holly. I don't know what held me back.”

“Other fascinating women with longer legs?”

“Yeah, okay, I've dated a lot of cuties, but none can compare to you.”

He got down on one knee—like in the movies—and grasped my hand.

“Come on, Larry, stand up.” But he shook his head. “I know several attractive women from church who'd make excellent spouses.” I tugged on his arm, but he didn't budge.

“I guess I think too much, that's my problem. Each of those women has some flaw.”

“And I don't? I'm a zillion miles from perfect, and you know it.”

He was reminding me of myself—why I was still single. But if I'd married, Mom might have never confessed, and I'd never have met my grandmother. Being here with her was more important to me than anything.

“We'll have the spiffiest, most opulent wedding Seattle's ever seen,” he said. “Nothing's too good for my future wife.”

“Get married in Seattle, without my grandmother in attendance? I'd never do that. Anyway, Larry, we don't love each other.”

A zany notion hit me like a hailstone on a summer's day: maybe Armin was the answer.

I heard a knock-knock on the back door and Larry scrabbled to his feet, looking suddenly awkward.

“I'll be right back,” I told him, and strode through the utility room and opened the door to find my darling Zach.

No, he wasn't darling, nor was he mine.

“Holly, I'm sorry I didn't get over here earlier. Victoria wouldn't leave, and she was sucking my mother in at the expense of that poor little boy.”

I hurried to close the door to the kitchen so Larry wouldn't hear us, then turned back to Zach, who'd shut the outside door and was heading into the utility room. I met him halfway, barring his entrance to the house. I reached up and lit the gas lantern with a match, illuminating his face. He looked wiped out, half circles under his eyes.

“Justin has your blue eyes,” I said, reducing my volume.

“You'd believe that lying hussy over me?” Cynicism seemed to govern his voice.

“If you care for me so much, why haven't you called or come over?”

“I was here early for lunch and about to get out of my truck when I got a frantic call from my mother. I wish I'd ignored it.”

“Zach, don't tell me I didn't meet Victoria, and that you don't have a son you've neglected to mention. Have you known about Victoria and Justin the whole time I've been back? When were you going to tell me?”

“I would have, tonight. And to get the record straight, Justin is not my son.” He moved closer.

I felt a battle waging between my brain and vulnerable heart. My mind warned me to be wary, while warmth and tenderness filled my chest. I did adore him. But I'd been misled in the past. Three years ago, I'd gotten engaged to a wizard of a liar, a criminal defense attorney who could hoodwink any jury. I was fortunate I'd found out about his alcoholic binges before we tied the knot. Not to mention the tawdry women he'd picked up in bars.

“Can you prove that statement?” The air in the utility room was dank and chilly; goose bumps erupted on my arms, but I didn't want him meeting up with Larry. Another conflict was more than I could handle. “Are you doing a paternity test?” I asked, the logical side of my brain sparring for control.

“Victoria says she won't allow it.”

“You could insist.” I felt myself turning inward, withdrawing from Zach.

“Unless she asked for financial support, I don't believe I have legal grounds to demand one. I'll have to check with my attorney.”

The lantern hissed. “Why would Victoria suddenly appear?” I said.

“She's been calling my mother. According to Mom, her husband ran off with a woman at work. Victoria signed a prenuptial agreement when she got married and was left penniless. Hard to believe a man would desert both his wife and child.”

“Yes, and it's curious that Victoria would choose to reach out to your mother, of all people. And that Beth would have invited them in and baked cupcakes.”

“Truth is, Mom had a fit when Victoria and I split up. My guess is Mom hopes Justin is her grandson. But he isn't.” Zach looked bewildered, defeated—his cheeks sucked in. “I called my parents and told them the good news about our engagement the night you came back, weeks ago. They'd seemed delighted.”

“Both parents?”

He took a lethargic breath. “Well, mostly my dad. I suggested we all get together to celebrate, but my father was about to hit the road again and Mom suggested we wait.”

“It appears your mother doesn't like me after all.” My throat constricted around my vocal cords. “I thought Beth and I were friends.”

“She's not the one who wants to marry you.” Zach's voice gained momentum.

I felt my resolve melting, then heard Larry cracking the door open and saying, “Holly, where are you? Let's eat!”

“Who's that?” A frown darkened Zach's face. I raised my hands to stop him from entering the kitchen to no avail. He brushed by me.

“Welcome, come on in,” Larry said, like he owned the house. “I'm Larry Haarberg.” He shook Zach's hand with gusto. “Are you Holly's new boyfriend, who hasn't bothered to call her and neglected to show up for lunch, according to her mother and grandmother?” Larry laid his hand on Zach's shoulder; Zach shrugged it off. “I'll be straight with you, buddy,” Larry said. “I might marry Holly myself.”

The corners of Zach's mouth pulled back.

“Cut that out,” I told Larry. I steered Zach into the utility room, and closed the door behind us.

Zach's words turned bitter. “Holly, why would you accept my proposal if you already have a fiancé?”

“He's not my fiancé,” I said. “We're just friends. I had no idea Larry would show up. He came without an invitation.”

“Is our engagement one big game to you?” Zach's words bulleted into me.

“No, it isn't.” I was overwhelmed by his accusation and felt myself breaking down from the inside out.

A gargantuan fact struck me: Zach wasn't telling me he loved me. I ached to have him sweep me in his arms, to have him assure me he adored me, and that everything was going to be all right. But he didn't.

“I'm out of here,” he said, and I murmured a measly “Good-bye.”