Planted with Hope (24 page)

“Oh, I love that, Hope. I love how both you and Lovina dared to follow your dreams.” Grace spread her arms, as if taking it all in. She lifted her face to the sun and soaked it in before turning back to Hope. “And I love how all this turned out. In fact, I think this is a story worth sharing.”

Hope frowned. “You're not thinking about writing about it in
The Budget
, are you?”

“Well, you know I'm the youngest scribe in Pinecraft, and I'm one of the youngest in the nation. I have to come up with
gut
stories, and there are none better than those close to home. You know how much everyone loved the story about Me, Myself, and Pie,
ja
?”

Hope twisted her lips. “I know, I know… but if you wrote a story… ”

“Actually, it's not just a story I want. I want to introduce you around. We're having a
Budget
scribe meeting here in Pinecraft.
They have it the first Saturday of every month. I've been there a few times, but I'd like to bring you as my guest.”

“A guest?” Hope didn't like the sound of where this was going.

“Yes, and then I thought the other scribes would like to come by after the meeting to see the garden. This is the newest feature to Pinecraft.
Ja
, I want to write about it, but maybe they do too.”

“No.” The word shot from Hope's mouth. “It's not a big deal, really.” A thousand needles crept up her arms. The sun suddenly felt way too warm. Grace's presence overbearing. If Grace wrote about the garden—and if the other scribes wrote about it too—then the word would get out. And once the word got out more people would come. It would be a regular place to visit here in Pinecraft, and Hope didn't like that idea one bit.

“No, please… I don't think I'd like to come to the meeting. In fact, I beg you not to write about it. This garden, it's no big deal,” she repeated again.

“No big deal… then why that reaction? Are you all right?” Grace leaned down and placed a hand on Hope's shoulder.

“There are already so many people stopping by as it is. I'm not like you, Grace. I need quiet. I need space.”

“But haven't you considered making this a community garden? It seems like so much work for one person.”

Hope refused to answer that. She was sick of the words
community garden
, just sick of them. She just shook her head. “Enjoy your meeting, Grace. I'm sure you can find something else to write about.”

Grace left with a mere wave, and then Hope's lunch with Janet came to mind. Why did everyone have to bring up the same thing? Why did everyone think she needed to bring people in? She was not Pauline. She was not Grace. God had created her differently. He had His own story for her. Why did everyone else try to write hers?

Hope attacked the weeds with renewed diligence and prayed that her cousin Eleanor's response would come quickly. It was clear that even if Hope didn't have very many visitors here in Pinecraft she'd have no peace. The only way was to go to Ohio where everyone gave a woman working in her garden no attention whatsoever.

Hope's resolve to not read any more of the journal only lasted one evening. By the next morning she couldn't ignore it. She was fearful of the story, but she longed for it too. She wanted to know how that garden had made such a huge difference to a community. She wondered why people kept talking about it, especially when it was planted over seventy years ago.

Monday, May 18, 1942

Mother bought me a gas mask. Father is having an air raid shelter built in the backyard. Cook's newest kitchen gadget is a ration book, and I'm the proud owner of an identity card—as if everyone in Sarasota didn't know me already.

Everyone knows Mother. She's done her part in helping Madira Bickel organize the Sarasota County unit of the British War Relief and worked with James Haley for the Sarasota Red Cross, and I was just her daughter—a miniature version of Mother, so they assumed. Until I started my garden and I became my own person. Some thought I was foolish. Others crazy. Some believe I was simply acting out against my mother's traditional ways, but at least they thought of me. At least I wasn't a shadow, a clone.

Hope's mouth opened slightly and she pressed the journal to her chest. It smelled like dust and old leather, but she also felt a special connection with those words.

She had never told those things to anybody, but she'd felt the same way. In Walnut Creek she was known for her garden, and here… she was just another woman in an apron and kapp.

And that was what bothered her too. Wasn't it being prideful to want to be noticed? It was. But still… still she wanted to feel like herself again. She wanted to feel as if she had meaning and purpose. She wanted to be known for her garden… if only she didn't have to have so much company while she worked in it.

Hope put down the journal and decided to make a new treat. The recipe for Upside-Down Vegetable Cake was too interesting not to try, and then—when it was in the refrigerator and ready to put in the oven for dinner tonight—she'd head over to Elizabeth's. She wanted to purchase an apron for Emma, but even as she walked to the kitchen she worried. Would Elizabeth talk about a community garden too? Hope didn't know how she'd handle it if she would. And she was certain that if others knew of Jonas's request to get the children involved, too, she'd never hear the end of it.

Jonas sat inside the classroom eating his lunch and watching the children playing in the grassy area behind the school. They didn't have fancy playground equipment like the public schools, but a while back some men had put up swings. There was also an area used for jump rope or tag. It didn't take much for Amish kids to find a way to entertain themselves.

“I have a garden!” Emma's voice rose above the noise.

“Back where you came from… ” Sadie, who was a couple of years older than Emma, wasn't impressed.

“
Ne
, I have a garden here. It's mine and Hope's. We planted a hundred million plants and it's going to take a lot of work.”

Jonas smiled to himself and took another bite from his
sandwich, sure that Emma had no idea that he was sitting inside, right by the window, and could hear every word.

“I want to help in the garden,” a younger boy named Elmer piped up.

“Oh, you can help. Dat says that we can all go there for school.”

“For school?” A chorus of voices rang out.

Jonas jumped to his feet and strode away leaving his lunch on the desk. He walked outside. Almost the whole group of kids had gathered around Emma. Eyes were fixed on her as she shared about the seeds that were beginning to sprout and the shed her dat had built.

Jack, a tall boy from Pennsylvania, turned to Jonas as he neared. “Is it true? Is there a garden behind the pie shop?”

Jonas released a slow breath. He had to be truthful, but he knew the last thing Hope wanted was more uninvited visitors. He understood that in a way. After Sarah's death the people hadn't stopped coming by for months. As much as he liked being around people, there were just some days he wanted to be alone.

“
Ja
, there's a garden, but it's a private garden. Emma and I are thankful that Hope has invited us to help.”

“
Ja
, but Aenti Ruth Ann said… ”

Jonas placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. She looked up and he fixed his eyes on hers. “I know what your aenti has said, but having others work in the garden is Hope's decision.”

Emma nodded. “I know, but I don't know why she would want to do all that work by herself.”

“It's not up to us, Emma.” Jonas spoke in a deeper tone.

Emma sighed and returned her gaze to the jump rope in her hands. “Yes, Dat.”

Then Jonas scanned the crowd of children, making eye contact with as many of them as he could. “There
is
a garden behind the
pie shop, and we might get to go see it, but for right now please don't bother it. There are some people who like their quiet, their space, understand?”

The children nodded, and a few seconds later they went back to their play. It was only Emma who stood to the side with her head lowered and her arms crossed over her chest as if her feelings had just been crushed.

Emma's lower lip began to quiver. “I thought Hope was nice.”

“She is nice.”

“If she was nice she'd let us help.”

“She lets
you
help, doesn't she?”

Emma lifted her eyebrows and turned to him. “Am I the only kid she likes?”

Jonas opened his mouth to respond and then closed it again. How could he answer that? “I—I really don't know. I'm sure there are a lot of kids that Hope likes. Now run and play. We only have a few minutes of recess left.” He reached over and patted her shoulder.

Emma scampered off to join the other girls who were jumping rope, but her questions wouldn't leave Jonas's mind. How much did he really know about Hope? Did she like children? Would she want to have more someday? Was she a good choice for a wife?

Jonas sauntered back to the classroom, wondering if his attraction to Hope was getting in the way of logic. His heart was drawn to her—that was certain—but would Hope ever be willing to open up her heart? She was having a hard enough time just opening her garden. If she couldn't allow people into her private spaces, what type of wife would she be within the Amish community? Would she always feel distant and aloof? As Jonas returned and sat at his desk he knew he had a lot to think about. And for the first time since meeting Hope he worried about where his feelings for her would take him.

 

Upside-Down Vegetable Cake

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ cup shortening

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

4 cups mixed cooked vegetables (peas, carrots, celery, lima beans)

½ cup vegetable stock

2 Tbsp butter

Mix and sift dry ingredients together and cut in shortening. Combine egg and milk; add to dry ingredients, stirring until mixed. Arrange hot seasoned vegetables in bottom of a greased shallow baking pan, add vegetable stock, dot with butter, cover with first mixture, and bake in hot oven (425°) 20 to 25 minutes. Turn out on hot serving plate with vegetables on top and serve with tomato or mushroom sauce. Serves 6.
^*