The Bridge of Peace (12 page)

Deborah looked at Lena and pointed at him. “How does he stay so thin when all he does is devise ways to get desserts?”

“Because his plans never work. How many goodies has he talked you out of so far?”

Deborah chuckled and held out her hand to Jonathan. “We have a deal.”

He shook her hand. “I’ll get paid this time. You can count on that, Little Debbie.” Rather than releasing her hand, he tugged at it. “Come on. We can ride to my place, tie the colt to the back of the carriage, and head for Ada’s.”

Deborah rose. “You’ll go with us too, won’t you, Lena?”

Lena’s eyes moved to Jonathan for a moment. “No, I … I have things I need to do.”

Deborah studied her. Lena and Jonathan were usually inseparable on Sundays.

“Or I could go to my place and get the colt while you spend a little more time with your friends.”

“Okay,” Deborah agreed.

Deborah went inside and found Ada in the sunroom, talking with two women and two men. Waiting for a break in the conversation, she looked out one of the windows. Jonathan crossed the road to where most of the horses were tethered to the sides of hay wagons. A wagon loaded with fresh hay under a shade tree kept the horses happy until they were needed again.

The discussion paused, and Deborah quickly explained what was going on and asked Ada how she wanted to handle the afternoon. All but Israel excused themselves, saying they’d catch Ada in a minute but they needed to get their containers out of the kitchen first.

“Did you want to ride with me and Jonathan in the buggy or go with Ephraim in Robbie’s truck?”

“When are you leaving, Deborah?” Israel asked.

“Pretty quickly. Maybe fifteen minutes?”

Was that a trace of disappointment on Israel’s face? Deborah knew that he’d not courted anyone in the thirteen years since Lena’s mother and the others had died. Ada hadn’t either.

“Ada.” Israel spoke softly. “If you want to stay and visit family and friends for a while, I don’t mind taking you home later on.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t …”

Deborah placed her hand on Ada’s back, pressing her fingers firmly and hoping Ada took the signal. “Since you’re here and it’s a visiting day … us girls will be fine for a couple of hours without you.”

“But it’ll take Israel two hours round trip.”

Israel’s eyes danced with laughter. “A minute or two more than that if I can beg a cup of coffee.”

Ada’s hands moved to her hips, and she huffed. “Coffee? Well, I guess there’s probably some left in the percolator from this morning. Can I serve it to you cold, or must I warm it up first?”

Was Ada flirting? Deborah wanted to make a quick exit before she interrupted whatever it was these two were doing. She kissed Ada on the cheek. “See you later.”

Ten

From Anna Mary’s bedroom, Deborah kept watch out the window, waiting for Jonathan to return. Her girlfriends, all eight of them, talked nonstop, but there was no hint about the stunt Cara and Deborah had pulled on Lena. Deborah figured she’d better watch her back. Everyone seemed united in their innocence, as if Deborah and Cara hadn’t brought a salty, yucky cake to Lena four days ago. Whatever their game plan, Deborah would try to be ready for it.

When Jonathan pulled into the driveway with the colt tethered to the back of the carriage, she gave everyone a hug and invited them to Hope Crossing when they had time. She hurried outside, and as soon as Jonathan saw her, he got out of the rig. He came around to her side and offered a supportive hand. Getting in and out of these boxes known as carriages, even with the little footstep, wasn’t easy, but she’d never had someone help her before—except her Daed when she was a little girl.

“The chestnut colt looks really sturdy and energetic,” Deborah commented as she sat.

“Ya, I think he’s a good one.” He made sure her dress was inside before he closed the door. He went to the driver’s side and got in.

“I appreciate you loaning us a horse.”

“My pleasure, Deborah.”

“Especially when you’re eating all those cakes and pies.”

A wonderful smile filled his face as he slapped the reins against the horse’s back. “Ya.”

The horse picked up speed as they left the driveway, and so did Deborah’s thoughts. There had to be a way to make Ada’s House a success. As they passed the Graber house, she saw Grey just inside the barn, unfettering his horse. Elsie was walking up the sidewalk toward their home, looking every bit as unhappy as when she’d arrived at the service.

Jonathan took a deep breath. “This year the first of October is as beautiful as I’ve ever seen.”

She didn’t say anything, and he nudged her. “Do you live in Hope Crossing most of the time or inside your own thoughts?”

Deborah shrugged, trying to snap out of her reclusive mood.

Jonathan matched her shrug with a smile that said he was teasing. “Ever get tired of thinking about him?”

She bristled. “Actually, I wasn’t thinking of him at all.”

The surprise on Jonathan’s face was sincere. “Oh … well … you are now.”

She chuckled. “Not really. I want to make a success of Ada’s House so badly I can’t think of much else, except …”

“Except?”

“Elsie and Grey. I wonder about them.”

Jonathan nodded. “There’s a story between those two, a sad one seems like. And here I was hoping you were thinking about how to fill a huge order of baked goods for me.”

It bothered her for a woman to be as unhappy as Elsie seemed. Grey was harder to read. He always had a little humor or a kind word to add to every conversation. “Do you ever watch married couples and wonder if they’re happy?”

He looked from the road to her. “This is odd—I know it is—but I’ve been watching pairs since I was a kid. From the time they start seeing each other and on through years of being married. It’s like a game of sorts. I pick who I think would make a good pair. Or when two people are seeing each other, I think, are they an okay, good, or great couple? Unfortunately, once I grew up, I had to add a group to my list called the fed-up couples.”

“Wow, you’re deeper and weirder than I thought.”

“I agree, but it came natural. I must’ve been five when I started couple watching.”

“So what’d you think of Grey and Elsie before they married?”

He slowed the rig as they came to a yield sign. “My observations are private. I’ve never told anyone what I think of a couple.”

“Not even Lena?”

“Nope.”

“Then it’ll be our secret.”

Jonathan studied her for a moment, as if deciding something. He nodded. “I hate to admit it, hated to feel it, but I thought Grey was making a poor choice. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what bothered me about her then, but now I’d say that Elsie’s chronically unhappy. Aren’t there too many spells of sadness in life for a person to be unhappy before the bad days even arrive?”

“Ephraim and Anna Mary?”

“Both great people. Could have been moderately happy at least half of the time, in my opinion.”

“Half of the time?”

“She’s a little needy—nothing ridiculous, mind you—but Ephraim is a little leave-me-alone-ish. Not the best union but better than lots.”

“Okay, what about Emma and Levi Riehl?”

“They’re almost old enough to be my parents, so I wasn’t around when they started seeing each other. But I think they fit like most solid couples do. They know how to help each other enjoy the good times and get through the tough ones.”

“I can agree with that. What about Ephraim and Cara?”

Jonathan chuckled. “Now there is an odd, odd pair. And I think they’ll always have some difficulty fitting in with the community as a couple, but within their home, within the relationship with just each other, I bet they’ll be happier than any couple I’ve ever known.”

“Actually, you’re very good at this. I’ve thought similar things to everything you just said. So what did you think of me and Mahlon?”

“Not going there, Little Debbie.”

“Why not?”

“Because I think you are really peculiar. You’re just not the kind of girl I’d ever talk to or share a buggy with,” Jonathan teased. “And if I tell you all that, you’ll get out of my buggy, and then you won’t be around for me to talk to.”

Deborah chuckled and sat back, enjoying the company. She’d always taken pleasure in a few smiles, laughs, and pleasant snippets of conversations whenever Jonathan was around, but she’d never spent any time with just him. Once alone, Mahlon was rarely cheerful. He was deep … or maybe just secretive. But Mahlon aside, she’d never realized how fun Jonathan could be. “So, if I made you a gazillion desserts, what would you do with all of them?”

“Hmm, well, that’s a good question. Let me think. Umm. Oh, I got it. I’d sell them. Yep. Well … I’d sell the ones I didn’t eat. Or maybe I’d eat half of each one I sold. Whatever. But I’d set up a booth outside Ada’s House, reel in Englischer tourists with my adorable Amish clothing, maybe offer a carriage ride or two, and then sell them every dessert you paid me with.”

She laughed but stopped when his words caused an idea to pop into her head. “That’s it! That’s the answer I’ve been looking for!” Deborah grabbed Jonathan’s arm and shook it so hard the whole buggy wobbled. “You are a smart man!”

“Now see, that’s what I’ve been telling everybody for years. No one ever listens to me. You tell them, Little Debbie.” He paused, looking amused and gentle and even a little unsure of himself. “So what was my brilliant idea, anyway?”

She took the reins from him and pulled onto the shoulder of the road. “I’m serious.”

The everyday gentleness seen so easily on his face deepened. “Then I’m listening.”

“I’ve been trying to figure out how to make Ada’s House a success. We’re in over our heads. We owe bills we didn’t expect and can’t pay. You know, new business-owning difficulties.”

“I didn’t know all that.”

“Well, now you do. Just keep it between us. Okay?”

“Sure. But Ada is supposed to live there nearly rent free because of all the painting Cara’s doing.”

“Cara’s done most of what she can, so this month’s rent increases. Plus we need to pay for gas to heat the water and stove, food, phone, baking supplies, and water bills. The hay in the pasture will be dried up soon, and we’ll need to supplement through buying hay and a lot more horse feed. Oh, and those boxes for putting the desserts in so we can take them to the bakeries get really expensive. Sometimes I see why Mahlon felt so under it all the time.”

He shook his head. “Don’t believe it. People are under a load, or two or three of them, at times. But running out like he did is—”

Deborah raised her hand. “Change of subject, please.”

“Ya, you’re right. So what was my brilliant idea?”

“I … I’m not sure.”

Jonathan started laughing so hard his tanned face turned a captivating shade of pink. “Wow, I have such a great idea you have no idea what it is. I’m good.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she laughed. Every time they looked at each other, they started laughing all over again. Finally they took a deep breath. What was so funny, anyway? Was it her excitement at his idea or his sense of humor or what?

“Jonathan,” Deborah said firmly, “pay attention and help me sort this out.”

He took the reins from her and pulled back onto the road. “You think better when riding in a buggy.”

“I tend to believe you’re right.” The sounds of the horses’ hoofs and the creaking of the carriage did seem to help her think. “Ada’s House used to be an Amish home before Englischers bought it a long time ago. Now that we’re in it, we’re slowly fixing it up to look Amish again. It’s near a busy town. Why can’t we sell our own goods?”

“Like Ada’s Coffee House or something?”

“No, I don’t think so, but you’re close. What else could we do?”

As they started throwing ideas at each other, Deborah wished she had paper and pen with her. Excitement and hope washed over her, scrubbing away some of the black stain Mahlon had left inside her.

Jonathan turned onto the road where Ada’s House sat. Three Amish men, all dressed in their Sunday suits, stood on the sidewalk a few doors down from Ada’s House. Ephraim was one of them. They rode past them, and Ephraim flailed his arms while talking, as if he was frustrated. “That doesn’t look good, does it?”

“Not particularly.”

“Cara was doing something today she wouldn’t tell me about. Think she caused a problem?”

“Don’t know, but your brother’s awfully good at finding a balance between what Cara needs and what the church leaders want. It’s pretty impressive.”

“He’s not that great at it. He was shunned for months and has been a member in good standing again for only a few weeks now.”

“Ah, but he’s no longer shunned, and he won the girl’s heart. Don’t sweat it, Little Debbie. No one thinks through issues more carefully before taking a step than your brother.”

Realizing Jonathan was right, Deborah chose to stop worrying. Ada’s House came into view. It still needed a lot of work, but Cara didn’t have the ladders or supplies she needed to paint the eaves or most of the clapboard siding. Using the one ladder they did have, she’d painted the few shutters she could. And she had the porch looking perfect from ceiling to wooden floor.