Amish Tulip Read online

“It was nothing. Except I agreed to go on a buggy ride with him and then nothing happened. He went away for weeks and came back as though nothing had happened and then said he wanted me to go on a buggy ride again, but by that time, I’d met Wilhem.”

  “The one you went out to dinner with? Jah, I like him.”

  “I know you don’t like Nathanial so that’s why I didn’t say anything. Anyway, now Nathanial is upset that I like Wilhem, or something. He said I two-timed him. I don’t know how he found out about Wilhem.”

  “Someone would’ve told him. News always gets out. People like to talk about others.”

  Tulip sighed. “I know. Someone would’ve seen us together, I suppose.”

  Her mother tapped her chin. “I’m confused. Does he like either of the twins, or you?”

  “I don’t know. I was worried he might be using the twins to get back at me. Maybe I’m worrying about nothing and I don’t want you to think the worst about him. I could be wrong.” Tulip pushed the dirty plates under the water.

  “Do the twins know what happened between the two of you?”

  “Nee, I’ve not said anything to them.”

  “I think we should keep this between ourselves, don’t you?”

  “Okay, Mamm. I feel better now that you know. I’ve told Rose, but she won’t say anything to anyone.”

  “If you’ve told Rose, you should’ve told me. You should never keep anything from me.”

  Tulip turned and smiled at her mother, feeling better that she’d told her the whole story. “The only thing I’m worried about is if Nathanial says something to Wilhem about me. He could talk to him alone and he might say that we were dating.”

  “He wouldn’t say that if it wasn’t true. You can’t worry about that.”

  “I do, though. And it’s making me feel sick whenever I think about it.”

  “Well, there’s an easy cure for that.”

  “Don’t think about it?” Tulip asked, predicting what her mother was about to say.

  “Exactly.”

  It was a hard thing to do. Where would she find another nice man like Wilhem if things went sour between them?

  Chapter 20

  Tulip spent the rest of the time leading up to Friday night worried about Wilhem, and was continually fearful that he might find out about her spending time with Nathanial. She figured the only thing she could do was come clean to him and tell him what had happened.

  A little before eight, she heard the buggy coming toward the house.

  The twins had been unusually quiet that evening, and had been like that ever since Nathanial and Matthew’s visit to the house. They hadn’t even teased Tulip about going on a buggy ride. There was something going on with them and Tulip knew she’d have to find out what it was, but first she had to tell Wilhem what had been troubling her.

  When she climbed into the buggy, she got the fright of her life. Instead of seeing Wilhem, it was Nathanial. She blinked hard, thinking that the semi-darkness might be playing tricks on her eyes. It was definitely Nathanial.

  “What are you doing here?” she hissed.

  “I told Wilhem what you were like and he said he no longer wanted anything to do with you.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  He laughed. “It was my duty to tell my bruder in the Lord what he was getting himself in for.”

  “You had no right to interfere. Anyway, I was going to tell him what happened.”

  “Little late now.”

  She glared at him. “Why are you here?”

  “To deliver the message.”

  “What message?”

  “Wilhem’s message that he wants nothing more to do with you.”

  She made to get out of the buggy, but he grabbed her arm.

  “Let go, Nathanial! You’re hurting me!”

  “Wilhem can’t find forgiveness in his heart for you, but maybe I can.”

  “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “You’re delusional.”

  “You’re so rude!”

  He laughed, and he still had a firm grip on her arm. “Look at things this way. Come on a buggy ride with me, or explain to your familye why Wilhem no longer wants to see you.”

  “That would be easier than explaining why I went on a buggy ride with you and not Wilhem. I thought you liked one of the twins.”

  “I could have either of them. They both like me.”

  She jumped out of the buggy, ripping her arm out of his grasp as she did so. He jumped out of the buggy, caught up with her, and swung her around to face him.

  “What you’re saying is you prefer Wilhem?”

  “Jah, I do.”

  “Well, too bad that’s not going to happen now, but I’m still here, willing to forgive and forget.”

  She pushed him away and ran to the house, slamming the door behind her. Everyone was in the living room sitting around the fire and their heads turned to stare at her.

  “What’s wrong, Tulip?” her father said, bounding to his feet.

  She kept back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. “Nothing. I feel a little ill so I thought I should stay inside tonight. It’s too cold out.”

  When her father sat down, Tulip raced to the kitchen. When she looked out the window, she saw that the buggy had gone. She sat down at the table, glad that Nathanial had gone. Tears ran down her face. Wilhem didn’t want anything to do with her. Amish men chose their wives carefully and now he thought Tulip was a different kind of woman from the one that she was.

  She quickly wiped her face with the end of her apron when she heard people heading to the kitchen. It was the twins.

  “What’s wrong, Tulip?” Daisy asked as she pulled out a chair to sit next to her.

  She shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “Why did you come back inside so fast? You were looking forward to seeing Wilhem.” Lily stood behind Daisy.

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Did you have a fight, or an argument?” Lily asked.

  “Something like that. Make me a cup of tea?”

  “I’ll do it,” Lily said.

  “What’s going on with the two of you? We haven’t talked for a while,” Tulip said.

  Tulip and the twins sat, drank tea, and talked. Neither of the twins mentioned Nathanial—to Tulip’s relief.

  * * *

  It was Sunday meeting when Tulip saw Wilhem again. He caught her eye and to her surprise, he smiled and gave her a wave. She waved back. He didn’t seem upset at all. Then he walked over to her. Perhaps he was a man who would forgive her.

  What if she had been the reason he moved all that way and moved in with Jonathon? She half thought she might be the reason he’d moved away from his family and now he could be mightily disappointed and she couldn’t blame him. She wished she had never laid eyes on Nathanial, but it was too late for that now.

  “Are you feeling better, Tulip?” he asked with concern in his eyes.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You were sick on Friday and had to miss our buggy ride.” Seeing her blank face, he added, “Didn’t you send Matthew and his cousin to the house to tell me that?”

  Tulip put the pieces together. Wilhem still knew nothing about what had happened between her and Nathanial. Nathanial had successfully ruined her planned time alone with Wilhem by telling him she was sick. He must’ve learned about her Friday-night date from the twins—that’s all she could figure. The twins weren’t good at keeping quiet about things.

  “Not exactly,” she said. “I didn’t send them to the haus and I wasn’t sick.”

  He drew his eyebrows together. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Perhaps you can tell me about it over a walk with me in the park this afternoon?”

  Tulip smiled. “I’d like that.”

  “How about we skip the singing? I’m too old for it anyway.”

  “Okay.” Tulip looked around. “I better help Mamm now or I won’
t be going anywhere.”

  “I’ll be here when you’re ready to leave.”

  Tulip hurried away and left him standing there.

  She was pleased that she’d have a chance to tell him the truth rather than him hearing half-truths from someone else. The only drawback to their time together that afternoon would be that she would have to tell him that she hadn’t told the complete truth about the softball game that Wednesday night a couple of weeks back. And also that she had made the plans to go on the buggy ride before she saw him again. She hoped he would take the news well. At least she would no longer be lying.

  Chapter 21

  Wilhem had chosen a deserted spot in a field for their time alone together. He spread out a blanket next to a patch of wildflowers.

  “It’s beautiful here.”

  He looked around. “It is. Now, what did you have to tell me? You’ve been quiet all the way here in the buggy.”

  She gulped and looked around, wondering how to begin. “A picnic with no food?”

  He laughed. “It was a little short notice. Next time, I’ll be prepared.”

  “I think we’ve both had enough to eat anyway.”

  “I know I have,” he said. “I think it’s the company that creates a picnic. And right now, I’m having a happy time being with you. Now, tell me what’s troubling you.”

  She took a deep breath. “Long before I knew you, well, days before I met you, I had coffee with Nathanial. I then agreed to go on a buggy ride with him later, but I heard nothing and forgot about it. Then I met you. Later, Nathanial came back expecting me to go on that buggy ride and by then I’d agreed to go out with you.” She held her head and laughed when she saw him smirking. “It’s not funny. I think that’s what happened. It’s confusing.”

  “I know I’m confused.”

  She looked into his brown eyes. “I wanted you to know what happened in case … well, in case you heard the story a different way than how it happened because I didn’t want to go out with him after I met you. Then things became awkward between Nathanial and me.”

  “I’m pleased that you told me.”

  “You don’t think badly of me?”

  “I can’t think why I would. You’re not tied to a man just because you agree to go on a buggy ride or you have a cup of coffee with him.”

  Tulip’s body relaxed and she let go of the breath she’d been holding onto. “I thought you might think me a two-timer.”

  He laughed. “Not at all. That’s a silly thing to think. I’m glad you prefer me. It makes me feel good to know that my feelings for you are returned.”

  Tulip hadn’t foreseen things going so well. She hadn’t wanted to reveal to him she had feelings for him, but it had turned out for the best because now he’d admitted he liked her. “That’s such a relief.”

  He frowned. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Nee, I’ve told you everything. Except, I didn’t tell you that I wasn’t sick on Friday night. Nathanial made that up. He came to collect me and I got into the buggy thinking that it was your buggy. I couldn’t see in the darkness until I was sitting beside him.”

  “That’s deceitful of him.” He shook his head and pressed his lips firmly together, and then he asked, “Why would he do that?”

  “He wanted to ruin things between us. He told me outright that you didn’t want to see me anymore and he said that he told you I was a two-timer.”

  “Ah, that’s why you were a little nervous with me earlier today.”

  Tulip nodded. “I didn’t know then that he had been lying about what he’d told me in the buggy.”

  He took his hat off to run his large hand through his sandy-colored hair. “It’s quite shocking that he’d do that.”

  “I know. It was awful.”

  “So, he did that hoping you’d forget about me and go on the buggy ride with him?”

  Tulip shrugged her shoulders. “I guess so. Nee, come to think of it, the way he was acting he wouldn’t have expected me to go out with him. I think he was getting back at me for rejecting him.”

  “That sounds more like it.” He put his hat back on. “At least now the truth is out in the open. Don’t ever be afraid to tell me anything, Tulip.”

  “I won’t. It sounded too silly to tell you everything at the start, but I didn’t know it was going to blow up.” She ran her hand over the delicate yellow wildflowers.

  “Things tend to do that sometimes.”

  “It just got so complicated and I would rather be with you.”

  “I understand. Don’t be upset.”

  Tulip could barely look at him and blinked back tears, not wanting to cry in front of him. “I feel better now that I’ve told you.”

  “He made you feel bad for no reason. Forget it and forget about him.”

  Tulip nodded. “I will.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay? Look at me.”

  Tulip took her gaze away from the flowers and looked into his face.

  “Everything’s fine.”

  “I hope you don’t think less of me now or think that I’m immature.”

  “If anything I think more of you. What you’ve just told me shows me what a caring and sensitive person you are.”

  “Really?”

  “Jah.” He put himself to his feet and held out his hand. “Let’s go for a walk while the sun is still smiling down on us.”

  Tulip gave a little giggle at his words and reached her hand up. He pulled her to her feet. “Where are we going?” she asked, pleased that he still had hold of her hand.

  “Nowhere in particular.”

  “That sounds good to me.”

  He looked down at her and smiled. She knew from the way he looked at her with softness in his eyes that he really liked her. They walked through a clump of trees. “I think there should be a creek along here.”

  “There is. I’m sure.”

  Tulip heard the running water before she saw it. There was no path running by the water, only thick trees growing from the water’s edge and continuing along the banks.

  “It doesn’t look like a nice stretch of water. I was hoping we could walk along the side,” Wilhem said.

  “How about we walk up further and see if it gets any better?”

  “Okay.”

  Tulip didn’t care where they walked or what they did. She was just pleased to be with him and he was still holding her hand. They walked on, following the water for another fifteen minutes.

  “I think we should go somewhere for a cup of coffee. Somewhere where we can sit down on a chair.”

  Tulip laughed. “That sounds good.”

  “Are you getting hungry?”

  “Mmm, I’m starting to get hungry.”

  “Me too. Let’s go.” He swung her around and they headed back to his buggy. “Do you know any good food places?” he asked once they were in the buggy and he had hold of the reins.

  “There’s a diner just up this road a little way.”

  “How’s the food?”

  “Quite good from memory. I haven’t been there in some time. I went there with Rose just before she got married.”

  “That wasn’t long ago. This way?” He nodded his head to the left.

  “That’s right, and then left again at the crossroads, and then you’ll run into it on the right hand side of the road. You can’t miss it.”

  “That’s what people always say. It’s easy when you know where something is. I’m not good with directions.”

  “Just as well I know where it is. Most men aren’t good with directions.”

  He pulled a face at her. “I’m not most men.”

  “Well, like I said, a lot of them aren’t good with directions and neither are you. What does that tell you?”

  He frowned. “I’m not sure. Nothing?” He clicked his horse forward. “I’ll have you know that I’m different from other men.”

  “How so?”

  His brow scrunched and he took a while to answer. “I don’t
know,” he finally said as his face relaxed into a smile. “I was trying to impress you, and then I didn’t have anything intelligent to say to follow it with.”

  Tulip giggled at him. She liked the way he was so relaxed and wasn’t afraid to be silly. “You remind me a little of Mark, my new bruder-in-law.”

  “Ah, that’s a gut thing?” He glanced at her.

  “It is.”

  “And in what way do I remind you of him?”

  “Just your easy-going manner. You’re so calm and relaxed—easy to be around.”

  “I’m happy to hear it.”

  “I really miss her Rose. It feels strange to be in the haus without her. We used to do everything together. She was like my best friend.”

  “My vadder used to say that the one thing we can be sure of in life is change.”

  “That sounds like something my vadder would say, but he’d mention sailing down a river and he’d talk about the changing currents to go along with it.”

  “They sound similar, our two vadders.”

  “Jah. They do, but yours is right about change. Things are always changing whether we want them to or not. When each of my bruders got married and left the haus, things weren’t the same, but it didn’t matter so much because I was so close with Rose and now she’s gone. It’s like a part of me has left. I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s so quiet at home without her.”

  “You were closest with her out of all your sisters?”

  “Jah. The twins are practically inseparable, so it was always the twins and then there was Rose and me.”

  He stopped the buggy at the diner. “I’m close with all my siblings equally. I don’t know why. We’re all spread out in ages so maybe that’s why.”

  “Could be.” Tulip got out of the buggy and watched as Wilhem secured his horse.

  * * *

  They sat in a booth looking at the menu. “What will you have, Tulip? My treat.”

  “Nee, it’s my treat this time.”

  “Nee it’s not. I’ll pay.”

  “I work. I can afford it.”

  He chuckled. “That’s not the point. I refuse to let you pay and that’s that.” He closed the menu and then snatched hers out of her hand.