When Strawberries Bloom (6 page)

But when it was time to go to the singing, Marvin, of course, offered to take all three girls in his buggy. So Lizzie knew there would be no riding to the singing with John because it wasn’t fair to make the other girls go alone with the boys. Mary Ann was still new, and she couldn’t do that to her. So she told Marvin, all right, they would all go with him.

How unexciting, she thought, as she sat in the back seat of Marvin’s buggy, slouched down and pouting just a tiny bit. Maybe if Marvin wouldn’t have been quite so eager to ask us, John would have gone with me and Mary Ann. Oh well, she decided, that made no sense either, so there was no use being upset.

When they arrived at the singing, the kitchen table was already spread out long enough so everyone could sit around it, boys on one side and girls on the other. Some parents had come to help sing as well. Aaron Fisher’s wife set pitchers of water and some paper cups on the table so no one would get thirsty. Since Lizzie was a schoolteacher, the girls said she could start the first song, an old German hymn she knew well from school and from singing it in Allen County with the youth there.

Glancing nervously at John, she cleared her throat and started the song. Marvin was a good singer, and he joined in heartily. The parents helped along immediately, realizing that there were only a few youth to keep the singing going smoothly. They sang one hymn after another, old German songs that had been sung by Amish youth for years and years. Lizzie especially enjoyed these old hymns, and she loved to sing. The evening sped by.

Mrs. Fisher served a snack of pretzels and cheese, leftover snitz pie, and grape juice after the singing was over. Lizzie and her friends laughed and talked with the parents easily. In this small budding community, the two generations had a close relationship. Some of the parents asked Lizzie how teaching was going and if the children were causing any trouble.

Marvin said he could take Lizzie home after the singing, which puzzled her. Stephen and Rebecca lived closer to her than Marvin, and she was sure they wouldn’t mind dropping her off. She told Marvin so, but he insisted, telling her he really wanted to. It was time they had a good old chat to catch up again, he said.

That warmed Lizzie’s heart, and she was glad he wanted to take her home, even if it meant many extra miles for Marvin. They hadn’t gone very far before Marvin blurted out, “Lizzie, it’s no wonder you don’t have a boyfriend.”

Lizzie’s heart thudded and sank to her shoes. A heart couldn’t sink to your shoes, she always thought, but sometimes when something shocked her, she had that kind of sensation, a sinking, downward feeling.

“Whatever makes you say that?” she breathed.

“Well, you know you are my dear ‘niecely,’ but you need to sit up and take notice. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, Lizzie, but I can hardly stand to see something that you are so blind about.”

“What on earth are you talking about, Marvin?”

“Well, hey, fix that rearview mirror. When a car comes up behind me, the headlights are blinding.”

Typical proper Marvin, Lizzie thought as she opened the door of the buggy and adjusted the mirror.

“Right. Turn it a little to the right. There.”

Lizzie closed the door, and Marvin continued.

“Just like now. This John guy coming out from Lamton, I can just see how he thrills you, and you bat your eyelashes, and you’re all nervous and giggly when he’s around.”

“Every one of us girls was!” Lizzie burst out.

“I know. I know. I can see why. I mean, it’s only normal, but that really bugs me, and since John is here, I have to say something. Lizzie, don’t you even notice Stephen?”

Lizzie was dumbfounded.

“What do you mean, notice him?”

“Well, it’s as plain as day, Lizzie. He adores the ground you walk on, he would do anything for you, and you notice him as much as … as an insect!” Marvin said.

“Marvin! I don’t!”

“You do!”

“I don’t. I mean it. I like Stephen. We talk a lot. All the time, actually. He’s one of my friends. I mean … I do not treat him like an insect.”

“See, Lizzie. Maybe that’s why Amos started dating Ruthie—because he wasn’t meant for you. It seems as if you always want someone else, and it’s so plain what’s happening right under your nose, but you’re too busy always chasing after someone else.”

“I don’t chase after boys!” Lizzie shouted.

“Not so loud. You know what I mean.”

Lizzie said nothing, just leaned back against the seat and crossed her arms tightly. Of all the nerve! This was the worst! How was she supposed to know how Stephen felt? All he ever said was that she was pretty once. But what did that really mean?

“I’m sorry, niecely.”

Lizzie didn’t answer. She was too angry.

“But please, Lizzie. Stephen is a great guy, a really nice, genuine kind of person. He doesn’t think highly of himself, and maybe that’s why he acts kind of different sometimes. But, ach well, I guess I can hardly stand to see him like you as much as he does, and you’re off on Cloud Nine somewhere.”

“I like Stephen, Marvin.”

“But not in that way, right?”

“Well … not really. I mean, I guess if I knew he liked me, but …” Lizzie was at a loss for words.

“All right. I won’t push some big burden on you, Lizzie. But, seriously, try and pray about it and regard him in a different light. You know, maybe he has all the feelings for you because it’s meant to be, and you’re just not listening to God’s voice.”

There was silence in the buggy except for the wheels rattling over the gravel and the horses’ hooves spitting it against the bottom of the buggy. When they rolled to a stop by the sidewalk, Lizzie couldn’t believe they were at home.

“There you go, Lizzie. Sorry if I offended you.” Marvin slid his arm around her shoulders and squeezed affectionately. “Just think about it. Okay?”

There was already a dangerous lump forming in Lizzie’s throat, the kind that quickly dissolves into embarrassing tears. She hopped out of the buggy, choking on her “Thanks, Marvin!” as she ran up the sidewalk.

Dear, caring Marvin. Who can stay angry at him? He’s so genuinely honest.

When she hurried through the kitchen without speaking to Joshua and Emma, who were having a snack at the kitchen table, they looked at each other and shrugged. It was hard to tell what had happened now.

E
VER SINCE MANDY HAD
turned 16 years old, Lizzie was very happy. She was enjoying running around even more now that Mandy was allowed to go away with her on weekends. To celebrate, they had a great time painting and redecorating a room for Mandy and moving Lizzie’s old bedroom suite into her room.

One snowy afternoon, shortly after Mandy’s birthday, Lizzie sat at the sewing machine, a frown creasing her brow as she used the seam ripper to open the seam of a sleeve she had accidentally sewed on with the inside out. Finally, she stuck a few stray hairs under her covering, pushed back her chair in exasperation, threw down the offending garment, and marched out to the kitchen.

“I hate that fabric!” she said, much louder than necessary.

Mam looked up from watering the geraniums in the window. “Now what?” she asked.

“Why don’t they produce fabric that looks the same on both sides?” Lizzie said, reaching for a warm chocolate chip cookie.

“I don’t know,” Mam said absentmindedly, her attention on a vine that needed inspection. “Hmm. This thing has mealybugs, that’s what,” she muttered.

Lizzie watched her mother with narrowed eyes. “You’re not listening to me,” Lizzie whined.

“Hmm?”

The door opened and Dat came into the kitchen, closing the door firmly behind him as he shivered, pulling off his coat and hat.

“Brrr! That air goes right through to the bones. It’s a good thing I fixed those cow stable windows this week. I’m going to warm up and take a bit of a break. I’m just plain cold the whole way through.”

Lizzie munched her cookie, saying nothing while Dat rubbed his hands together.

“Oh, yes, the phone was ringing out in the shanty when I went to call the vet. It was Henry’s Sharon. She’s having a sledding party at their farm this evening.”

Lizzie sat up, brightening noticeably. Saturday evening! Maybe they could stay at Sharon’s house for the night!

“Oh, goody!” Lizzie shouted.

“You sound like a five-year-old,” Mandy said, grinning.

“You’re just as excited as I am!” Lizzie said. She stuck out her tongue at Mandy.

The snow continued to fall all day, turning the outdoors into a winter wonderland as Lizzie and Mandy traveled to Sharon’s house. When they arrived, they were surprised to see a few other buggies parked by the horse barn.

They knocked lightly on the kitchen door. It burst open, and Sara Ruth and Rebecca pulled them into the house.

“You’re late!” they said in unison, enveloping both girls with mittened hands.

“Bess had a shoe missing, so we had to get a driver,” Mandy explained.

“It’s okay. Sharon’s mom made pizza!”

The kitchen had a warm, spicy, tomatoey smell, which mixed well with the aroma of homemade yeast dough. Lizzie’s stomach rumbled unexpectedly, reminding her of how hungry she really was. Always watching her weight, she hadn’t eaten any lunch or supper, only breakfast and one chocolate chip cookie that afternoon. She always wanted to feel thin, especially on running around weekends, so often on Saturdays she ate very little.

Sharon’s mother, Cathy, was bustling between the table and the oven, setting two huge, round pizzas on the table. She grinned at Lizzie and Mandy.

“Where were you?” she asked.

“Late, evidently,” Lizzie said, smiling.

“No, you’re just in time,” Cathy said. She was a small, gray-haired woman, formerly from an Amish community in Indiana. She had a quiet smile and manner of speaking. Lizzie loved to go to Sharon’s house, feeling very welcome to spend the night or just be with Sharon. Her father, Henry, was a farmer who was just as friendly and welcoming as his wife.

“Help yourselves. Pizza’s done,” Henry boomed to the group of young men who were seated in the living room. They wasted no time in heaping their plates with pizza, potato chips, cheese, bologna, and other snacks.

Lizzie said hello to everyone before helping herself to a slice of the thick homemade pizza. It was one of the most delicious things she had ever eaten. The crust was thick and springy, with hot tomato sauce and cheese melting off the sides. Sausage and pepperoni sat on top of the melting cheese.

Oh, well, we’re going sledding, Lizzie thought as she took a big bite, so I’ll work off all the calories in this wonderful pizza.

After they finished eating and had helped Cathy with the dishes, Lizzie and her friends zipped up their snow boots, buttoned their coats, and tied their white scarves securely. Talking and laughing, they wound their way across the road and up a long twisting path to the top of a hill. Since visibility was limited with the snow whirling past them, the boys set gas lanterns in the snow at different points to mark the trail they would sled down. The group pulled wooden sleds with runners, a toboggan, plastic sleds, round sleds—anything that would whisk them down the hill.

The girls mostly used the runner sleds and the boys piled on the long wooden toboggan, determined to see how many could fit on at one time and how fast they would go.

Lizzie wasn’t normally afraid of sledding, but watching the toboggan streak past her at such an alarming speed terrified her. The boys whizzed by so fast in one long dark blur, often losing one or two riders before they slowed at the bottom of the hill.

Later in the evening, the boys started a roaring bonfire in a small patch of trees, protected from the steady east wind and blowing snowflakes. One by one, the girls tired of sledding and sat by the fire to warm themselves.

Lizzie hadn’t realized that she and Mandy were the only remaining girls sledding until John Zook and Paul Esh asked them to try a toboggan ride.

Mandy quickly accepted, which really irked Lizzie. She’s probably as scared as I am, but if John asks her to go, she’ll go, Lizzie thought. She’d try to fly off a house roof if he asked her to jump.

“Come on, Lizzie!” Mandy shouted.

“I’m not going.”

“Come on!”

“No!”

“We won’t go as fast if you girls go,” Paul assured them. He was new to Cameron County, but he was easy to get along with and really funny. He had quickly become one of Lizzie’s good friends, and she often confided in him.

Lizzie looked at Paul skeptically. “I don’t know about you.”

“We’ll be careful. Come on, pile on. Ladies before gentlemen!” Paul laughed.

“How many are going?”

“Just you and Mandy, me and John.”

“I’ll push you,” Stephen offered, as he walked up to join them.

Her heart hammering in her chest, Lizzie seated herself behind Mandy. The boys piled on the back, telling the sisters to keep their feet on the sled. When the boys yelled “right” or “left,” the girls should lean in that direction in order to steer the toboggan. Stephen showed Lizzie how to hang on to the rope attached along each side of the sled. She bit her lip, sniffed, blinked the snowflakes from her eyes, and tried to stay calm.