Planted with Hope (35 page)

Paprika

1 Tbsp sugar

¼ cup vinegar

Wash dandelions carefully, dry gently in a towel, arrange in a salad bowl, and set in a cool place. Cut bacon in small pieces, fry until crisp, and sprinkle over dandelions. Melt fat with cream in skillet over low heat. Beat eggs, add salt, pepper, paprika, sugar, and vinegar and mix with slightly warm cream mixture. Pour into skillet, increase heat, and stir until dressing becomes thick like custard. Pour piping hot over dandelions. Stir well. Serves 8.
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Ruth Berolzheimer,
500 Snacks
(Culinary Arts Institute, 1940), 31.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Bend the branch while it is still young.

A
MISH
P
ROVERB

I
n Ohio, the first planting happened after the snow had melted and the ground was able to be worked. The first things Hope typically put in were spinach, onions, radishes, beets, and carrots. After the danger of frost was gone she put in the green beans, zucchini, peppers, corn, and melons. She smiled thinking about what her grandfather had told her years ago—that is was safe to plant after the first full moon in May.

Back north, sometimes warm April days would lull gardeners into feelings of safety, only to have a late frost come and wipe everything out. Hope had listened to her grandfather's advice. She'd stuck by that rule, and she'd never had frost take her plants. This was the first year that she didn't follow that rule.

In Pinecraft things were different. Frost was rare, and that was why she'd gone to the library and looked up some local gardening books. She'd diligently written down their suggestions of what to plant when, and because she wasn't the expert she wasn't going to argue.

Now, here she was in March harvesting from her first crops. Some of the carrots were ready, and so were the radishes. The schoolchildren arrived and she oversaw the excited group as they picked the ones that were ready, washed them under the faucet, and then ate them right there.

“That's one way to get the children to get their vegetables,” Jonas said, sidling up to her.

“
Ja
, and Emma has had three radishes already. I hope they don't make her stomach ache.”

Hope didn't have much time for small talk. As soon as they were done with their treats she gathered everyone around to explain their last task of the day.

“We're going to finish the last of our planting.” Hope laid out the stakes. “Nellie, it's your job to use this marker to write the type of seeds that are planted on these sticks and make sure they are put next to the right row.”

“Back in Tennessee my mem used to put the seed packets on the end of the sticks and put them in the ground like that,” one young boy named David said.

“
Ja
, I've seen some gardeners do that, and it's
gut
too. I usually like to use a marker on my stakes because sometimes the seed packets get blown off. Or… ” She waved to the corner of the building where a mother stood with her two-year-old son watching. “Or… sometimes the little ones like to come and pull off all the seed packets, and then you're stuck with trying to remember what you planted where.”

Emma raised her hand, waving it in the air. “Can I keep the packets?”

“You want to keep them?”

Emma nodded enthusiastically. “
Ja
, I want them for my garden at home.”

“Oh, you have a garden at home now, do you? You'll have to tell me about that later, but right now why don't each of you go find a hand rake or a trowel and we'll get started.”

The other children rushed toward the buckets, their excited voices filling the air.

“Will you come see my garden, Hope? I planted carrots,” Emma said.

“Sure.” She nodded and smiled, not knowing if Emma was talking about a real garden or a pretend one. “You'll have to tell me about it later, but right now why don't you go get a garden tool? We need to get started. My guess is that this isn't the only thing your dat has planned for your school day.”

Emma nodded and ran to join the others at the buckets.

Jonas came up to her again and leaned in. His presence was overwhelming, and Hope nearly wanted to step away. How could one man cause every nerve in her body to stand on end like that?

“Emma's garden is a few small planters that I found at the Village Cupboard, and we picked up some carrot seeds at the store.” He chuckled. “With all the water, love, and attention she gives them I'm not sure if they'll even sprout, but she's having fun. And she tells me, ‘I'm just like Hope, Dat.' ”

“That's so sweet. I'd love to see her garden sometime.”

“
Ja
, I'll ask Ruth Ann if there's a day when you can come to dinner… again.”

“Oh no, I didn't want to impose.”

Jonas turned to her and smiled with a smile that lit up her heart. “Hope, you won't be imposing. I promise. I can't think of a better person for Emma to model herself after.”

“Danke, Jonas. I don't know what to say.”

“Say you'll come for dinner?”

“Shouldn't you ask Ruth Ann first?”

“If she hasn't already started dinner I'll offer to pick up dinner from Yoder's.”

“Wise man.”

“
Ja
.” He nodded, peering down at her. “Choosing to have you around as much as possible is very wise indeed.”

Ruth Ann had made enough food to feed a dozen guests. Hope's favorite part of the meal was Ruth Ann's salad with homemade honey-orange dressing.

Jonas chuckled when she went back for thirds on the salad. “I should have guessed that someone who loves gardening would love salad.”

“Don't worry, Hope,” Ruth Ann said, scooping more salad onto the plate. “I'll be sure to send you home with the recipe for the dressing.”

Once the dishes were done Hope went to join Jonas and Emma outside. She closed the screen door silently behind her. Jonas stood straight, peering down and watching Emma dig in her pot with a small trowel. In her mind's eye Hope pictured herself approaching him from behind, slipping her arms around his waist, and laying her cheek between his shoulder blades. She imaged his shirt to be warm from the afternoon sun. She imagined feeling his heartbeat as she pressed close to him, but as soon as those thoughts came in she pushed them away. She should not be having these types of feelings for him—not until she had a clear answer.

She thought back to something her mem had told her:
Love that grows slowly over time, putting down its roots, is a love that will last.
Everyone who she knew who'd had a rush of emotions also
found them rushing away just as quickly. Jonas was handsome and that was appealing. He also was a good father and a good teacher, but surely to have real emotions—lasting emotions—would take longer than the few months they'd spent together.

After Emma finished her gardening they played a game of checkers on the table. First Emma played Jonas and then she played Hope. Emma giggled when she won both times.

When the second game finished Ruth Ann came out. “Emma, did you want some homemade ice cream?”

Hope noticed that neither she nor Jonas were invited in. And when Ruth Ann shot Jonas a curious look she guessed why.

He has something to talk to me about.

They sat on two lawn chairs side by side, listening to parrots chatter in a nearby tree. They talked about school and the decrease of visitors, and then Jonas quieted. Hope sucked in a breath, waiting for his words.

“Hope, I want to talk to you about Sarah's death.”

It wasn't what she expected, and the sadness that crossed his face nearly broke Hope's heart. “You don't have to. I know it must be hard.”

“I loved her. She loved me.” He drew in a great sigh and expelled his breath. The shudder moved through his whole body.

“Every marriage should be like that, Jonas.” She reached out to take his hand, and then she changed her mind, pulling it back onto her lap.

With words full of sadness he told her about Sarah's stroke, about finding her, and about the hard years to follow that included caring for Sarah, caring for Emma, and trying to keep the farm going.

“But at the end I was so tired. It was so hard to see her suffer. And a few days before her death I prayed that God would take her.”

“That's a sign of love, too, don't you think?”

Tears filled his eyes and he nodded. “I just wanted you to know about that. To know about how hard it was. I want you to know that if there are days when I don't seem myself, or days when I'm especially quiet, well, I'm probably thinking about those times. About… ”

His voice trailed off, but Hope guessed what he wanted to say. “About her.”

He nodded.

“And I'm sure the same can be said about Emma,” she said.

“I suppose so.”

Jonas reached out and took her hand then, squeezing it as if he was afraid to let go. “It's strange, you know, carrying all of this inside. Most of the time it's like this hat I wear.” Jonas placed his free hand on his straw hat. “I'm so used to wearing one that I forget it's there. But then there are times I'm aware of the shade it casts.”

“You have a way with words, Jonas Sutter, and I'd be worried if you didn't have those thoughts and feelings.”

“But I just want you to know that what I had with Sarah, Hope, takes nothing from what I feel about you. I never thought it would be possible to have such hope for the future.”

She smiled then, but she also worried. Were things moving too fast? Did she truly know him? Did he know her? Hope had never had her heart broken, and more than anything she hoped she never would. But that didn't matter to her as much as worries of hurting both Jonas and Emma. He'd already gone through so much loss, and what if this didn't work out? She didn't want to hurt him, and she didn't want to hurt that little girl.

He pulled her hand toward him and kissed the back of it. Hot heat rushed from her hand, down her arm, and to her chest—straight to her heart.