The Middle-Aged Amish Widow Read online

  which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

  Psalm 28:3

  * * *

  Back at Sarah’s house in Lancaster County

  “There’s only one person who can build it for me and that’s Isaac King.”

  “Mamm, Isaac King lives too far away. There are plenty of builders around here that are just as good.”

  Ruth’s house had been sold to Peter and Ralene, and Sarah had been home for weeks.

  “How would you know anything about building?”

  “I mean I’m sure there are good builders, in fact, excellent builders around these parts. I’ll ask Naomi, she knows everyone better than I do.”

  Her mother folded her arms tightly across her chest. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Me?”

  Her mother nodded.

  “What do you mean?” Sarah asked.

  “Did you have a falling out with the man?”

  “Isaac?”

  Her mother stared at her with beady eyes and nodded.

  “Nee, of course, not. I never have arguments with people.”

  “Gut! Then you’ll get him on the phone and ask him to come and do the work.”

  Sarah groaned. She knew Isaac would come there, but did she really want him there? It would be awkward to have someone in the house under her feet in the last couple of months of her pregnancy. And if Isaac didn’t stay with them, where would he stay? “How long does it take to build a grossdaddi haus?”

  “I’m not the one you should be asking that of.”

  Sarah sighed. “Well, would Isaac stay here, or where would he stay?”

  “He can’t stay here with you in your state. He can stay with that woman next door—the one who’s over here all the time since you’ve been back.”

  “Her name’s Naomi, Mamm.”

  Her mother’s lips turned down.

  “Jah, Naomi probably wouldn’t mind, and Isaac would be nice and close for managing the building.”

  “That’s settled! Call him!” her mother insisted.

  “Mamm, I’ll have to ask Naomi and Abe if it’s okay if he stays with them first.”

  “It will be.”

  “I’m guessing it will be too, but we can’t tell them someone’s going to be staying with them. We’ll have to ask them—it’s only polite.”

  Ruth narrowed her eyes. “You seem fairly certain that Isaac will agree to coming here. Is there something you want to tell me?”

  “He’s your friend, and he likes you. You were talking like you were certain he’d do it.”

  Ruth laughed. “Jah, I know. Well, what are you standing around here for? Go and ask that woman from next door.”

  Sarah rolled her eyes and walked out of the house without uttering another word. What was the point of talking when her mother had an answer for everything?

  Sarah pushed open Naomi’s back door and stuck her head inside. “Hello?”

  “Come in,” Naomi called.

  Sarah walked into the kitchen and saw Naomi at the stove.

  “Cooking dinner?”

  “Jah, just finished—good timing. I’ll put the pot on. Your mudder has let you out of her sight?”

  “Only to ask you a favor.”

  “What is it?”

  “Now that her haus has sold, she wants you to have a builder stay with you while he builds the grossdaddi haus for her.”

  “We’d be happy for someone to stay with us. We’ve got the spare room, as you know. Who is it?”

  “Isaac King.”

  A smirk swept across Naomi’s face. “The Isaac King?”

  “Don’t be like that. He’s just a friend.”

  “A friend you haven’t stopped talking about in the six weeks you’ve been back.”

  Sarah placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her cupped palm. “Really? Have I talked about him that much?”

  “Jah, you have.”

  “I didn’t realize. Mamm wants me to call him and ask him to come here. I know he’ll agree to it.”

  “You told me all about it. He hinted at coming here to build it.”

  “I told you that?”

  “Amongst other things. Isaac this, Isaac that—that’s all you’ve talked about since you’ve been back—Isaac King.”

  Sarah laughed. “Now you’re exaggerating.”

  “Maybe a little. I’m not exaggerating when I say your face lights up when you talk about him.”

  “We had some nice conversations. And we’ve had similar things happen to us in our lives. It’s nice to talk with someone who understands you.”

  “Use the phone. Call him now. When you come back, you’ll be in time for a cup of hot tea.”

  “Don’t you have to ask Abe first?”

  “Nee. He loves having people come to stay. He's told me it's okay for me to say yes to such a request.”

  “It might be for many months, or however long it takes to build it.”

  “I think Abe and I will manage a visitor for that long.”

  Sarah took a deep breath, nervous about calling him. “I’ll have to go back to the haus and get his phone number.”

  “The sooner you go the sooner you get to speak to him.”

  As Sarah stood, she smiled at her friend, unsure of what she meant. It wasn’t as though she had a crush on Isaac King—she was far too old to have a crush, and besides, she was recently widowed with a child on the way. To have feelings for a man at this stage of her life was unseemly. And yet, she couldn’t deny the nervousness mixed with excitement that swirled in her stomach at the thought of hearing his voice.

  * * *

  “Isaac?”

  “Is that you, Sarah?”

  “Jah, it’s me.”

  “It’s nice to hear from you.”

  “Denke.” Sarah frowned at her response. Should she thank him after he’d said that? She wasn’t certain. The best course of action was to keep talking, she figured. “The reason I’m calling is that my mudder is insisting that the only person who can build her grossdaddi haus is you.”

  He gave a low chuckle, and then there was an awkward silence.

  “Will… will you?”

  “Really? You want me to come there and do the building work?”

  “Jah, I do. I mean, my mudder does, but I do too, of course.”

  “It would make me happy to see the both of you again.”

  “So you’ll do it?”

  “How soon do you want it built?”

  “Mamm wants it as soon as possible. I spoke to my neighbor and she and her husband are happy to have you stay with them while you’re doing the work.”

  “Naomi and Abe?”

  “Jah.” Sarah was surprised that he’d remembered their names.

  “I’d be more than happy. You’ve made my day. Are you calling from Naomi’s phone?”

  “Jah, I am.”

  Isaac took Naomi’s phone number down so he could call back when he’d made travel arrangements.

  “Denke, I really appreciate this. Mamm will be pleased, but she said she must insist on paying you properly for such a big job.”

  “We’ll sort that out when I get there. And how have you been, Sarah.”

  There it was—the churning in her stomach again as soon as he said her name. “I’m fine, the boppli and I are both fine.”

  “I’m glad to hear all’s gut. I suppose your mudder wants the place built before the boppli arrives.”

  “That’s only a few months away. You might not be able to build it in that time."

  "I’ll get a better idea of a time frame when I come there and see the haus and find out exactly how Ruth wants it.”

  * * *

  It was ten minutes later that Sarah hung up the phone. She clutched her stomach as she hurried back to Naomi.

  “Well, that took a long time.” Naomi looked down at the tea she’d poured for Sarah as she stood up. “I’ll make you a fresh cup.”

  “Denke.” Sarah sat
down at the table.

  “What did he say?”

  “He said he’d do it. He’s coming here.”

  “Gut! I can’t wait to meet him.”

  “You’ll like him. He’s very easy to get along with.”

  “He must be if he gets along with your mudder and she with him.”

  Sarah giggled. “That’s true enough. He’s calling back here after he makes the travel arrangements.”

  “I’ll keep a listen out for the phone.”

  “Denke. Mamm will be mighty pleased he’s coming here.”

  “She always seems to get her way. She bullies you, you know.”

  “She’s an old lady. I don’t like to disappoint her.”

  “That’ll never happen. You’re far too nice and too patient. I don’t know how you hold your tongue with her sometimes.”

  “She’s my mudder—I have to. I’m kind of glad she wanted the grossdaddi haus built on. I was hesitant at first, but now I know it will work out better for everyone, and especially now with the boppli coming.”

  Chapter 15

  I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart;

  I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation:

  I have not concealed thy lovingkindness

  and thy truth from the great congregation.

  Psalm 40:10

  * * *

  Isaac pulled up to Sarah’s house in a taxi. He had insisted on catching one from the bus station, although Sarah had wanted to meet him there herself. Before Sarah took him to Naomi’s house she planned for them to have an early dinner at her place.

  When Ruth and Sarah heard the taxi, they opened the front door. Ruth rushed out to meet Isaac as he stepped out of the taxi.

  Sarah stood still, not knowing what to do. Should she go out to greet him with her mother, or did that seem too eager? She stood by the door feeling awkward. Once Isaac retrieved his luggage from the trunk, he looked up, noticed her in the doorway and gave her a wave.

  She smiled and waved back. When the taxi drove off, Isaac stood for a few minutes talking with her mother before they made their way to the house.

  Were they talking about her, Sarah wondered. They couldn't have been talking about the house because they weren't even looking at the house at the time.

  "It's nice to see you again, Sarah," he said when he stepped up on the porch.

  "It's nice to see you too, Isaac."

  "Just leave your bag at the door, and Sarah will take you to the woman next door’s haus after dinner," Ruth instructed.

  Isaac obeyed and placed his suitcase by the door as Ruth had suggested.

  Sarah said, "It's Naomi, Mamm; her name’s Naomi. Do you keep forgetting?"

  Her mother stared at her and blinked a couple of times. "Jah, I do keep forgetting; it’s a hard name to remember."

  As they walked into the house, Sarah whispered to her mother, "Please try to remember her name. It's not that difficult. She’s been my best friend for years, I’ve written about her in my letters and you've been living right by her for weeks now."

  "Only weeks? It feels like months."

  Sarah sighed. "Well for most of that time I was staying at your place, so I don't know what you're complaining about."

  Her mother wasn’t listening and was directing Isaac to the couch. “You must be so tired.”

  “Nee, I had a few hours sleep on the bus.”

  “That’s good, isn’t it, Sarah?” Her mother looked around for her. “Sit down with us, Sarah.”

  “I was just about to ask Isaac if he’d like some tea or kaffe.”

  “Nee, I’m good, denke,” Isaac answered.

  Her mother frowned at Sarah and patted the couch next to her. Sarah took the hint and sat by her.

  "You’ll have to tell me how big you want your grossdaddi haus, Ruth." Isaac looked at Sarah. "Or are you the one making the decisions about it, Sarah?"

  Sarah glanced at her mother. "It's my mudder's decision. She always gets her own way no matter what I say."

  Ruth laughed. "We won't bother you with all that today, Isaac. There’s plenty of time to do that tomorrow. There's no rush. That woman next door said you could stay as long as you like."

  When Sarah gave her mother a glare, her mother added, "I mean Naomi. Happy now, Sarah?”

  Sarah nodded. "Jah."

  “I suppose you two got to know each other quite well?” She stared at Isaac and then looked at Sarah.

  Isaac was the first to respond. “Jah, we had some long conversations. I was at your haus nearly every day, Ruth. It seems a large place you’ve got here, Sarah. Wouldn’t there be room enough for the two of you here.”

  “Nee!” Ruth and Sarah chorused at the same time.

  “My mudder and I are intent on having our own space.”

  “I don’t want to be woken up by crying or screaming—not at my age.”

  “Perhaps if you’d written to me and asked some questions before you arrived I could’ve told you what was happening.”

  “What? Meaning your situation?”

  “It’s called a pregnancy, Mamm.”

  “I don’t know why you couldn’t have told me. I am your mudder after all.”

  “Thomas and I wanted to keep it quiet for a while.”

  Ruth folded her arms across her chest. “That just doesn’t make sense.”

  “It did to us at the time.” Sarah glanced at Isaac and saw him looking uncomfortable with her and her mother niggling at one another. It was probably clear to him by now why living under the one roof wouldn’t work for either of them.

  “What do you think about the whole thing, Isaac?” Ruth asked.

  He laughed. “Don’t bring me into this. I will say that if Sarah and Thomas wanted to keep things quiet for a while then that was their decision to make. Is that what you were asking, Ruth?”

  Ruth’s mouth turned down at the corners.

  "Why don’t we all go through to the kitchen? Dinner isn’t quite ready yet, but I can make you some kaffe. How does that sound?"

  Isaac’s green eyes twinkled. "That sounds perfect.”

  Even though Isaac had just passed up an offer of coffee, he gave Sarah a big smile and she knew he was grateful to get away from an awkward conversation.

  Ruth and Isaac followed Sarah into the kitchen.

  “You two sit, and I'll make the kaffe,” Ruth said. “I can’t do everything at my age, but I can still make myself useful.”

  "We've got that apple and date cake too, Mamm."

  "I know, I know. You entertain our guest while I fix some things."

  Sarah felt Isaac staring at her as they sat down at the table.

  "How have you been, Sarah?"

  "I'm very well; and you?"

  He nodded. "I'm fine too."

  "And are the young couple settling well into my mudder’s old haus?"

  "Jah, they're very pleased with it."

  It was awkward for Sarah talking with Isaac and having her mother listening. She realized now how close she and Isaac had become during her stay at her mother's house. When she saw Isaac looking at the table, she knew that Isaac felt just as uncomfortable as she.

  Chapter 16

  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed:

  for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that

  which I have committed unto him against that day.

  2 Timothy 1:12

  * * *

  “What do you think of Isaac?” Naomi asked Sarah a week later as they sat at Naomi’s kitchen table.

  “You know exactly what I think of him.”

  Naomi stared at her.

  “Don’t look at me like that. We have a special connection as friends, but that’s all it can be.”

  “Any other time I’d agree with you, but don’t forget about your boppli.”

  “I can hardly forget—look at me.” Sarah leaned back in her chair and placed her hand over her stomach.

&
nbsp; Naomi put her fingertips to her mouth and laughed. “I didn’t mean that.”

  “I know you think my boppli needs a vadder. Things didn’t work out that way. I’m not going to marry solely for that reason—not at my age. Gott granted me one last blessing and I don’t think He made a mistake. He took Thomas away knowing I was pregnant and that’s how He planned it.”

  “Maybe.” Naomi leaned in and whispered, “I heard Abe and Isaac talking and…”

  “Naomi, you shouldn’t listen in.”

  “I did. Do you want to know what I heard or not?”

  “Okay. As long as it’s not something bad.”

  “Isaac said he liked it here.”

  Sarah stared at her friend. “Is that it? That’s the big thing you overheard?”

  “And—I’m not finished—and he said he’s pleased to be away from the community back home for a time.”

  “Jah, he’s pleased because there are a few women there who think that he should marry them.”

  Naomi’s eyes grew wide. “You didn’t tell me that. Who were they? I know some people there.”

  “Don’t! I’m not going to start spreading rumors.”

  “They aren’t rumors if they’re true.”

  “I don’t even know if I remember their names. And don’t you breathe a word of this to anyone, but as I said, I think that’s why he’s pleased to be away. When I first arrived at his haus, he thought I was another single lady giving him a pie.”

  Naomi laughed. “That’s hardly a gut start.”

  “We became friends. I feel happy when I’m around him.”

  “He thinks highly of Ruth from what I’ve heard.”

  “I know, and you should see them together. My mudder is pleasant to him.”

  Naomi shook her head. “It’s incredible.”

  “I know. They’ve always gotten along well; that’s why he was pleased to come and build the grossdaddi haus for her.”

  “Maybe that’s not the only reason he came here.”

  “Why? Did he say anything?”

  “He doesn’t need to. I can tell whenever you’re around that he likes you.”