The Amish Midwife's Courtship and Plain Truth Read online

  She shifted her gaze back to the bishop, her eyes glistening. “I told a lie, pure and simple.” She sniffed and wiped at her nose. “I told Samuel that Isaac and I were courting, which wasn’t true. We were only pretending to walk out together to keep Mamm out of my business.” She dropped her head again. “Then I told Samuel that Isaac and I would be married by Christmas.”

  She shrugged. “I just wanted Samuel to go away and leave me alone, once and for all. Now I need Gott’s forgiveness and your help to get out of the mess I’ve created.”

  Molly drew in another deep breath and glanced at Isaac. “All Isaac did was go along with the pretense in order to help me. He didn’t mean to sin. It was me,” she said, her voice rough and high. “He’s not at fault. I was the one—”

  “Ya, so you said, Molly, but I still see Isaac as complicit in this matter.” Otto turned toward Isaac. “He could have spoken up, corrected you.”

  Isaac nodded. “Ya, I could have, but I didn’t.”

  Turning back toward Molly, Otto said, “I assume the news is out and Ulla knows about the impending wedding?” He rubbed his chin, pulling at his full beard as he waited for her response.

  “I think so. I feel sure Samuel has told her and anyone else who’d listen. He was very angry when he left the park.” Molly mopped the tears from her eyes.

  Otto shifted his gaze back to Isaac. “You were there when Molly told this lie, and yet you kept silent. Why is that?”

  Isaac nodded. “I didn’t just keep silent. I added to the lie.” Isaac felt his face heat with emotion. “The man’s ego is as large as his bankbook. I lost my temper. I didn’t care if I became a part of the lie. I just wanted him to leave Molly alone.”

  Leaning forward in his chair, Otto tapped his fingers on the surface of his desk and pondered the situation for long moments. “Obviously you two are fond of each other, even protective.” He glanced at both of them and flashed a quick smile. “It wonders me. Perhaps the way to correct this lie is by making the lie become truth. There’s nothing wrong with an arranged marriage once in a while, even though it’s not as popular among youngies as it once was. Sometimes arranged marriages are for the best.”

  Otto’s smile reappeared, but broader now. “My parents picked my bride, and I’ve been a happy man for many years. Theda has proven to be my right arm, a real blessing in my life. I would hate to live without her wisdom and help. Your union can be the same, if you work at it. You said the wedding is to be in December?”

  Molly nodded. “But—”

  “Christmas weddings are the loveliest, though my schedule is already full. We’ll work something out for you and Isaac,” Otto remarked and then added, “Ulla will come ’round. You’ll see. She’ll want to be part of the planning and probably take over the arrangements.” He laughed out loud, amusing himself.

  Molly jumped up, her eyes large and round. She took a deep breath. “Bishop, you don’t understand. We didn’t mean for it to go this far. Isaac has no interest in marriage to anyone, especially to me, and I—”

  Isaac stood with her, directed his gaze at Otto. He had to do something and fast. “You know better than most that the bike shop is struggling financially. If we married, I’d have nothing to offer Molly in the way of comfort or security.” He struggled for breath, not sure what to say. If he didn’t have his past to deal with, he would gladly agree to marry Molly under any circumstances, but not like this, with Otto forcing her hand. “I can’t expect Molly to venture into a marriage without some security.”

  “This marriage solution is far better than her being unchurched, and that’s how it will end if her mamm has anything to say about it, and you know she will. She’ll stir the community into a frenzy, force my hand and ruin your name.”

  He looked at Molly, and she dropped her head again. “I’m sure you two will figure it all out, just like Theda and I did. We lived on cabbage and salt pork and received help from the community for the first two years of our marriage.”

  His gaze shifted to Isaac. “Theda never complained, and I’m sure Molly won’t, either. We have a happy marriage and lots of rosy-cheeked grandchildren. You both can have this, too. Sometimes it’s these impromptu moments in life that are the most fun. You’ll see.”

  Molly sliced a desperate look Isaac’s way and then turned back to Otto. “If only you’d—”

  “There’s no need to thank me, child. I’ll announce the banns this coming Sunday morning. That should bring you peace with Gott and keep Ulla out of your hair for a while.” Otto rose. “Now, it’s time for my snack under the trees. Mose, show these two lovebirds out.”

  * * *

  As they walked away from Otto Fischer’s home a small rock in the road caused Molly to stumble. Isaac grabbed for her arm and steadied her.

  “Danke,” she said, not looking at him. She was too embarrassed. What had just transpired was all her fault, and she’d firmly wedged Isaac in the middle of her mess.

  She put one foot in front of the other, praying. Isaac was very quiet. Too quiet. She could only imagine what he was thinking, how he felt about being put in this kind of situation. He had no interest in marriage. He’d said as much in the meeting they’d just left. She glanced up at him. His face was hidden under the shadow of his black wool hat. What is he thinking? Was he concentrating on ways to get himself out of this predicament?

  Isaac eased closer and asked, “Do you have a shift at the café today?”

  “Nee. Willa Mae gave me the morning off. Why?”

  “Gut. I thought we could...” He held down his hat as a brisk wind blew. “Perhaps you’d like to go to the park. Talk about things in private. There are things I need to tell you.”

  Molly pulled at the ribbon dancing against her neck. “Ya, okay.”

  Isaac took her arm as they waited for a cluster of bike riders to pass, then crossed the road leading to Pinecraft Park.

  Fall leaves crunched underfoot as they made their way across the sun-drenched park, to the old picnic table positioned by a slow-moving creek. Several tourists and an Amish family of six, with homemade fishing poles poked under their arms, strolled past, offered greetings and warm smiles.

  Molly did her best to respond to their friendly gestures, but her heart wasn’t in it. She’d created a monstrous situation, turned Isaac’s life upside down. He’d been threatened with being shunned, his reputation ruined. He had to be furious with her. She didn’t look forward to the talk they were about to have, not that she didn’t deserve every ounce of his anger.

  Birds scattered as the couple trudged toward the worn picnic table and settled themselves across from each other. Molly was out of breath from their fast march, her slightly shorter leg causing her hip to hurt. She ignored her discomfort and searched for a clean handkerchief from her dress pocket. Her nose was stuffed from crying in frustration. Her lie, spoken impulsively and meant to ward off problems, had done nothing but seriously complicate her life and now Isaac’s.

  Her fingers rummaged around and found the white square of soft cotton. She shook it out and then blew her nose hard. She sniffed. She had to look a mess, her eyes puffy and her nose red.

  Isaac said nothing. He seemed to be waiting for her to compose herself.

  “I hope you know how sorry I am for all this. I should have never asked for your help. Please forgive me,” Molly muttered, shifting uncomfortably on the wooden bench. She glanced up, studied the frown on his face.

  “You owe me no apology, Molly. Let’s talk calmly and rationally for a minute,” Isaac suggested. “Let’s just wait a few days, let things settle. I might be able to persuade Bishop Fischer to change his mind about a December wedding.”

  Molly stood, her frustration palpable. “I want that, too, but how do we manage to convince him? You heard what he said.”

  “Please. Let me finish,” he urged, and motioned
for her to sit.

  Molly had no idea what his plan was, but she sat, arranging her skirt around her legs.

  “We’re both in this situation. You stretched the truth. I stretched it, too.”

  “Yes, but you didn’t mean─”

  “It doesn’t matter what either of us meant now. I don’t know about you, but I’m not okay with being unchurched, and if the bishop won’t listen, then marriage is the only way out of this.” He frowned as he spoke. “We’ve already asked for Gott’s forgiveness, so let’s keep pretending we’re all for this coming marriage and then maybe, if you want, we can back out at the last moment. I’ll do something terrible that will give you an out. No one will even suspect, except maybe Mose and Bishop Fischer.”

  Molly wiped a tear from her eye. “Give me an out? You must be joking, Isaac. We didn’t just buy a car that won’t run and want to return it. Our bishop has just arranged our marriage. The rest of our lives kind of marriage.”

  She grabbed his hand. “I believe marriage is a sacred commitment, something a person doesn’t enter into lightly. How can we just not get married if the bishop announces our banns and insists we go through with the wedding?” She gazed into his eyes, trying to read his mood.

  “Ya, I know marriage is serious business,” he finally said.

  She dabbed at her nose. “In the meeting you said your business is just starting out, not bringing in enough money to support a family.” Her brows rose in question. “Not once did you mention anything about feeling love or commitment to me. If you meant to fool the bishop that you really do love me, you failed miserably.” Her face flamed hot. She looked down and murmured, “I know you don’t love me, but the bishop doesn’t. Shouldn’t he think you do?”

  Isaac leaned forward at the mentioned of the word love. He reached for Molly’s hand, but she pulled away, determined to end the conversation.

  Molly’s mind raced. She needed to get away from Isaac, to think calmly without his searching eyes watching her so intently. He wore a pained expression. “I think I need to go home now.”

  “If you’ll just let me speak, I can explain my hesitation,” Isaac said, reaching for her again.

  “No. You and I have both said enough. I need to think. This is not the way I envisioned speaking to my future husband about our coming marriage. No woman wants to be trapped in a loveless marriage, and we both know that could happen if your plan doesn’t work. All my life I dreamed of a hero who would snatch me up into his arms and carry me off because he loved me, not because Otto Fischer says he must. Gott has a man in mind for me, and you’re not that man.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Days passed without contact from Isaac. Christmas was fast approaching.

  Theda skirted past Molly on her way to the refrigerator in Sarah’s kitchen. “Why not use the electric mixer, schatzi?” The older woman smiled, her eyes fixed on the bowl of limp egg whites Molly was endlessly whisking.

  Molly paused, moving her arm back and forth, ready to give up. She’d been working on the egg whites for a good five minutes, but wasn’t getting anywhere with them.

  “We’re going to need that meringue in a few minutes. The pie crusts are almost brown and it won’t take long for them to cool.”

  “Ya, my mind was on other things.” Her mind had been a million miles away, thinking about Isaac, how fast time was flying, and not about the pie contest and auction on the church grounds later that day. She’d have to face Isaac again this afternoon, and she wasn’t looking forward to it. Not after their talk in the park. Molly reached under the counter, grabbed the hand mixer and plugged it in.

  “I can imagine your mind is on other things,” Sarah said, giving her a wink.

  The past few days Sarah had been hinting that she knew about the December wedding fiasco. She’d even made celery soup last night and commented at the dinner table how hard it was to find good celery for weddings this time of year.

  Molly slowly added sprinkles of sugar to the frothy egg mixture until she saw the beginnings of peaks and was able to rev up the mixer’s motor and drown out her own thoughts.

  After church service tomorrow, there would be no turning back. Everyone would know about her and Isaac’s courtship.

  They would be officially engaged.

  The men would start teasing Isaac about the quickly arranged wedding. The woman at the Anabaptist church she and Isaac attended loved planning winter weddings. They’d organize the event, with or without her help, making sure her color choice was used on the tables. They’d be asking her questions she didn’t have answers to, talking about things she didn’t want to deal with.

  She turned off the mixer. The egg whites had peaked to perfection, despite her neglect. With a push of her finger, the frothy beaters dropped into the tub of sudsy hot water in the sink. She wiped down the mixer with a clean cloth and mindlessly unplugged it.

  Molly had always thought her wedding day would be the happiest time of her life, but she didn’t feel happy. She felt trapped into another loveless marriage. And, if their lie did come out, everyone would think she was an old maid who’d had to trick a man into marriage.

  “Why so glum? You’ve always loved pie contests.” Theda put her arms around Molly’s shoulders and hugged her.

  Tears began to swim in Molly’s eyes. All she did was cry lately. She looked at Theda and saw compassion and understanding on the older woman’s face. Molly broke down, tears flowing, holding on to Theda like a drowning child.

  “That’s right, liebling. You cry it out. Tell us how we can help,” Theda said, patting her back.

  “No one can help,” Molly sobbed.

  Sarah tore off a piece of paper towel and pressed it into Molly’s hand. “Don’t cry about the wedding. Everything will work out. You’ll see.”

  Molly looked at Sarah. “You already know about the lie?”

  Sarah nodded. “Ya, I know. We both do. Our husbands can’t keep secrets from us.” She grinned. “You’ll see. Isaac will find it hard to keep secrets from you, too.”

  Theda led Molly to a kitchen chair and pulled one out for herself. “This wedding isn’t the end of the world, liebling. Both Sarah and I started out our marriages on rocky ground, but look at us now. We’re happy, our men content. So what if you told a lie to an unwanted suitor?” She put her hands on Molly’s shoulders. “I might have done the same in your shoes. You’ve been forgiven by Gott, haven’t you? He understands you and Isaac meant no real harm. Gott’s not punishing you. You’re punishing yourself by thinking this arranged marriage is wrong and that Gott is not in it.”

  “But Isaac—” Molly moaned.

  “Forget about Isaac. He’s a man. He doesn’t know what he wants. Time will bring him around,” Theda assured her, patting Molly on the arm.

  “He did nothing but help me, and it got him into this mess. He didn’t once mention he loved me when we talked,” Molly sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. I’ve seen how he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching,” Sarah said. “Come on. Dry your tears, tidy yourself. Let’s go to the church and help the ladies set up for the contest. Forget all of this for now. You have to trust in Gott’s will for your life.”

  * * *

  Pedaling as fast as he could with a sore leg, Isaac rode through the empty streets of Pinecraft, his thoughts on what was facing him. Otto’s wife had asked him to be one of the pie contest judges, but Molly would be there. They hadn’t talked since she’d hurried away from the park days before, leaving him alone with his confused thoughts. He had no idea how she felt about their situation now that she’d had time to think.

  At the side of the church, Isaac parked his bike, then dusted off the bottom of his black trousers before walking to the back lawn of the church.

  Men were busy setting up tab
les, the women arranging chairs. Mose motioned for Isaac to join him. He ambled over, glancing around to see if he could find Molly. She was nowhere in sight, but he spotted Sarah and the children close by. Throwing his jacket across the back of a chair, Isaac lifted the other end of the table Mose was moving.

  “Gott has given us a beautiful day, ya?” Mose said, walking backward toward several rows of tables close by.

  “Ya,” Isaac responded, pulling out a set of metal legs and helping to turn the table over.

  “Mamm tells me she bullied you into being a judge.”

  Lifting another table, Isaac grinned at Mose. “She did. She’s quite formidable for someone so small and fragile. She said it was my civic duty as a Pinecraft shop owner.”

  Mose laughed. “She used the same argument on me. Next year I’m not going to fall for her fresh apple pie and ‘let’s have a little talk.’”

  “At least you got pie. I got an earful of ‘loyalty to Pinecraft.’ She even sent her grandson to the shop to fill in for me so I’d be free to judge.” Isaac pulled out another set of legs at his end of the next table, and together the two men finished the last setup.

  “Come on. Let’s get something to drink before one of the women comes up with another job for us,” Mose said, a twinkle in his eyes.

  In a pink dress that made her cheeks look rosy, Molly stood behind the drinks table, wispy strands of hair blowing around her kapp, a bright smile on her face. She looked his way. Her smiled died a sudden death.

  “Sweet tea or lemonade?” she asked Mose.

  “Tea with extra ice,” he said. “You look very nice today. Is that a new dress?”

  “Ya, danke. I made it, with Sarah’s help.” She busied herself, adding more ice to his glass.

  “You did a great job. Someday your husband will be proud of your money-saving talents,” Mose said with a smile and stepped aside.

  “Tea or lemonade?” Molly asked Isaac, her lips curved, but her eyes were not smiling.