A Simple Autumn: A Seasons of Lancaster Novel (28 page)

“Come on,” Gabe teased. “You must miss it from time to time.”

“Nay. Now I like the feel of a plow or harvester under me, and the excitement of working
a team of draft horses. There’s nothing quite as thrilling as real horsepower … the
raw power of horses pulling
across the earth. Besides, bikes break down. Horses foal. Gott sees to it that our
horses make more horses. It’s one of the many ways Gott provides for us.”

Gabe saw the truth and wisdom in what his brother was saying. “Horses get the job
done, all right,” he admitted, “but I’m not ready to give up the dirt bikes. And Emma
was being unfair to make me choose between her and the motorbikes.”

Jonah gave a mock gasp. “She gave you a choice? And you chose the bikes?”

“You drove a Jeep.”

“But I didn’t have a fine young woman waiting for me,” Jonah said.

“You think I made a mistake?”

“Mmm.” Jonah tipped his hat back. “In ten years, will the dirt bikes matter to you?
In ten years, will Emma matter to you? I’m thinking you might want to choose the thing
that will last.”

“But I don’t want to look back with regret for the things I gave up. And it wouldn’t
do to be mad at Emma for making me give up something I love.”

“A bike would be cold comfort in the night,” Jonah said. “And the Bible says there
are but three things that last: faith, hope, and charity. And the greatest of these
is charity.”

A
fter a restless night, Annie got out of bed before sunrise, lit a small lantern, and
decided she could sleep no more with this heavy heart. She washed, dressed, and then
moved quietly down the stairs, trying not to wake Mamm, who always joked that she
slept with one ear to the door.

Down in the kitchen she lit the big kerosene lamp, then opened the pantry door. The
large plastic bins of sugar and flour and brown sugar were well stocked, thanks to
Mamm’s trip to the bulk-food store. She considered what recipe would be best. Being
up this early, there was plenty of time for dough to rise, and while she was waiting
she could start the fire in the woodstove and prepare breakfast.

It was a good morning to punch some dough. Annie had made a very tough decision last
night, and though she believed it was the Almighty’s will, she still had a few concerns
to punch out. She put on a kitchen apron and turned on the spigot to get warm water
for the yeast.

Whenever worry pressed upon her, baking was one thing that
eased her mind. The sweet smell of baking in the kitchen provided comfort for the
saddest heart. Besides, she knew the steps of bread-making … when to knead the dough
and when to let it sit. If only the rest of life could be so simple.

She decided to bake one of Dat’s favorites, a loaf of nutty cinnamon bread. Levi had
recently asked why a “nutty sinner man” had a bread named after him—a question that
had prompted some good-natured chuckling in the house.

At the heart of the recipe was cinnamon, a spice that Annie believed could improve
even the grouchiest mood. There was something about the clean, sharp taste that lifted
the spirit. Mixed with plenty of butter and sugar, cinnamon reminded Annie of cozy
winter mornings and holiday baking.

Cracking an egg into the big bowl of yeast mixture, she began to hum a song from the
singing called “Somebody Cares.” Her high-pitched voice had never prompted much attention
at a singing, but she could carry a tune just fine. The lyrics spoke to her in a new
way this morning.

No matter what the problem or how bad she felt, she could take comfort in Gott’s love.
Her problems weren’t so bad, and in some ways she had brought them on herself. She
beat the ingredients, stirred with all her might, then paused to add flour.

Foolishness … she had been full of it, acting like a fool. She’d been so proud of
her matchmaking skills, when the truth was, she’d made a bad match. She had pushed
together two people who didn’t have special feelings for each other. Hannah had tolerated
her plan, but Jonah … that poor man had walked into a trap. It was a wonder that he
didn’t think she was verhuddelt.

But no, Jonah had made it clear that he didn’t think she was crazy at all. In fact,
it was just the opposite. He said he had a fond spot in his heart for her. How did
he put it? He’d wanted to sit near her ever since grade school. He said something
nice about her eyes and her hair … hair the color of wheat.

That was wonderful good—not at all what she’d expected to hear from Jonah King.

Dumping another cup of flour into the bowl, she stared through the cloud of powder.
She needed to keep a clear view of things, and that meant realizing that Jonah had
played along with her plan. Even if he did fancy her, he had let her make a fool of
herself, and now … now she’d have to face him when he showed up to work.

As she set the dough on the warming stovetop and covered it with a dishcloth, she
wondered how she would face Jonah King. Today was her day to mind Levi and feed the
men lunch.

How she dreaded seeing Jonah.

Besides, there was Hannah to think about. Jonah had been her first real suitor, and
Annie couldn’t imagine her sister’s disappointment when she learned that it was over
almost before it started.

Poor Hannah! And here Annie had been feeling sorry for herself because she looked
foolish. Hannah had lost her first fella.

Humming her song, Annie set to work preparing the kitchen for breakfast. She filled
the scuttle with wood and started a fire in the potbelly stove. She ventured out to
the henhouse to gather fresh eggs, then lit the fire under a fry pan of scrapple.
She combined walnuts,
brown sugar, almond extract, and cinnamon to make the filling for her nutty cinnamon
bread.

Then came time to knead the risen dough. She punched it down a few times and divided
it in half. She pressed half of the dough into the pan, sprinkled the sugary topping
onto it, then patted the top layer of dough in place. Twenty minutes in the oven was
all it took.

The house began to awaken with creaks overhead, and she heard Dat’s footsteps on the
stairs. Soon Daniel, Rebecca, and Levi would head over from the little cottage, which
was cozy for sleeping but had no kitchen. Annie decided not to tell anyone of her
decision just yet. Sarah and Perry would get their letter, but otherwise, Annie would
keep it to herself.

“Good morning, Annie girl.” Dat plodded into the kitchen, his face looking about as
ashen as his graying hair.

“Morning, Dat. Your favorite bread is baking in the oven.”

“Nutty sinner man bread?” He nodded. “I thought I smelled cinnamon.”

Although his words were kind, his soft smile was missing, as was his energy. As soon
as he poured himself a cup of coffee he went over to the corner rocking chair in the
living room. A moment later he was settling in, staring down at an old copy of
The Budget
, a newspaper that covered happenings in Amish and Mennonite communities around the
globe.

Dat stroked his beard as his eyes slid closed. When had her father become so gray,
so tired … so old?

Had Annie had her eyes closed these past few years? Dat had aged. So had everyone.
She herself would be twenty-one next year, an odd turning point for a single Amish
girl. Although she still lived with her parents, she would be allowed to open her
own bank account in town and keep her own money. Folks would be watching and wondering
what was so wrong with Annie Stoltzfus that she couldn’t find a fella to marry.

Frustrated, she ducked out to the storeroom, frowning in the dim light. She had to
stop worrying about these things. Tiptoeing to reach the jars of fruit on the rough-hewn
shelves, she hummed the song, remembering the words.
You are not lost from His sight; Somebody waits for your coming, And He’ll drive the
gloom from your night
.

Back in the kitchen, Hannah looked up from the coffee she was pouring. “You’re baking
cinnamon bread! Are we celebrating my baptism?”

“Why not? It’s a wonderful good thing.” Annie didn’t want to admit the real reason
she had started baking this morning—her sleeplessness over a mountain of troubles.
How she wished she didn’t have to be the bearer of such unfortunate tidings today.
She hated to disappoint her sister, but she was not going to hide the truth. She had
learned firsthand how that could sting.

“Dear Hannah …” She placed the jars on the counter. “There’s some bad news that needs
to be known. I was wrong to match you up with Jonah. It was … just a mistake—my mistake.
But don’t you worry. I’m going to put my mind to finding someone else for you. A right
good match.”

Hannah sipped her coffee, eyeing Annie curiously. “Are you trying to spare my feelings?
Because I know that Jonah doesn’t favor me. He told me, flat out.”

“He did?” Annie blinked. “When was that?”

“Just last night when we talked.” Hannah brought a stack of dishes to the table, as
if this was any ordinary morning. She didn’t seem the least bit upset about Jonah
King. On her way to the silverware drawer, she paused near Annie to add in a lowered
voice: “It didn’t take long to figure out that Jonah favors you.”

Annie was flabbergasted. Was she the last one to know about how Jonah King was holding
a torch for her? And look at her little sister, not even caring! “He told you that?
And you’re not disappointed? After everything we planned …”

Hannah shrugged. “I don’t mind at all, but I hope you won’t break his heart. Jonah’s
a nice fella, just not for me. Besides, I got to talking with Ben King last night,
and it was wonderful good. He’s so easy to talk with, and I used your tips when things
got quiet. Kept the conversation going by talking about the weather. I’m hoping he’ll
be at the next singing. Or I was thinking, if Mamm gives me more hours at the tea
shop, maybe I’ll see him in town.”

It was not a bad plan, but Annie had trouble absorbing it with all the changes spinning
around her. She broke the seal on a jar of peaches and poured them into a bowl, taking
a moment to let her thoughts catch up.

“What’s the matter, Annie?” Hannah was placing forks on the table. “You look a little
shaken.”

“Things are changing so fast. Here Jonah King is out and Ben King is in. You’ve learned
your lessons well, and now you’re talking on your own. Everyone around me is moving
ahead. Seems like I’m going to be left behind, stuck in the mud.”

“My head is spinning, too,” Hannah admitted. “But I like the feeling. I miss Sarah
and Mark and Perry, but the other changes are exciting. I’ve finally found a fella
I like!”

Annie nodded, though something kept her from feeling glad for her sister. “I just
wish I could have helped more.”

“Don’t be that way.” Hannah put her hands on her hips, looking authoritative. “You’ve
never been good with change, but you need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off,
and move on.”

“I’ve handled a few setbacks in my life,” Annie said defensively. “I know how to move
on.”

Hannah shook her head. “You cling to the old ways, the old customs. It’s your nature.
You keep all the Christmas traditions. You make the same quilt pattern every time
and you never change your recipes, even for a fruit in season. Some of the old ways
are good, but you’ve
got to learn to handle the things Gott sends your way. As Mamm says, bloom where you’re
planted.”

Was her younger sister giving her advice now? Annie was glad for the need to turn
away and remove the nutty bread from the oven, as she didn’t want her sister to see
the stubborn frown on her face.

“That’s something I’m trying to learn,” Annie said, thinking of the letter she’d written
last night after her mother went back to bed. Annie had taken writing papers and a
pen from the drawer of the dresser and sat down on the bed.
Dear Sarah
, she had written.

You may be surprised to hear this news from me so soon after you left. I know I told
you that I would never leave Halfway, but I’ve had a change of heart
.

She had wanted to tell her sister about her longing to have a family and her lonesomeness
without a beau and her embarrassing mistake with Jonah King. She had almost written
about how her world had come crashing down all around her in the past few hours.

Instead, she had kept the message simple:
If you will still have me, I will come to New York
.

J
onah was oiling the wheels of the hay cart when the lunch bell rang, the sweet clang
floating over the hills. He straightened and cast a look toward the house. Would anyone
notice if he hitched up his horse and headed home now? Not that he was chickenhearted
about facing Annie, but he wanted to delay the final rejection. Besides, he hadn’t
seen her all morning and he got the feeling she was avoiding him, too.

Just then Aaron came out of the tack room. The older man looked him up and down as
he passed by. “Didn’t you hear the lunch bell?” he asked. “Kumm.”

And that was that. When it came to older men in the community, Jonah remained respectful.

He washed up in the mud sink, then stepped over the threshold and hung his hat on
the hook with the others. There she was in the center of the kitchen, bright as the
morning sun. Annie was all business, serving soup to Aaron and Daniel, who were already
seated at
the table. Annie kept her eyes on the floor, and her voice seemed flat as she spoke
to the men.

“Where is Levi?” she asked, hands on her hips. “He was here five minutes ago.”