Where Love Grows (10 page)

Susan was quite
gut
looking. It was surprising that some other boy, perhaps better situated than he was, hadn't already made a move for her attention. They would have, he figured, if it hadn't been for the ruckus surrounding Susan bringing home that
Englisha
girl, Teresa. Well, Teresa wasn't exactly
Englisha
any longer. She was now almost like one of them. She could even talk the language decently, and his friend James sure was taken with her.

With everyone in a wedding mood, now would be the perfect moment to get Susan's promise of marriage.

Pulling on the lines, Thomas turned Freddy down the Hostetler driveway. A few buggies still sat near the barn and horses were tied to the fence. He stopped and jumped out to tie his horse. He'd unhitch after he talked to Susan.

Walking to the house, he knocked on the front door. It was answered moments later by Susan's
mamm
. With a surprised look, she said, “Thomas! Hello. We were too busy to notice someone else driving in, I guess.”

“That's okay,” Thomas said, pushing his hat back on his head. “Is Susan around? She said I could stop by and help.”

“Of course.” Anna turned to holler toward the back of the house. “Susan! There's someone here to see you!”

Susan appeared moments later, her hair hanging in strings out of the back of her
kapp
. Thomas beamed. Susan was even better looking in this state, he thought, than she was all fixed up on Sundays.

“Ah, so you've come.” Susan pushed the stray hairs out of sight under her
kapp
. “I had almost forgotten.”

Behind Susan two of her sisters' faces appeared around the kitchen doorway. Betsy and Miriam, Thomas noted. So those must be who the two buggies tied out by the fence belonged to. They smiled and disappeared again.

“I thought perhaps I was still in time to help out this evening. We had a job in the cabinet shop that ran late.”

“Menno's still out in the barn with Steve doing chores,” Anna said.

Being in the barn with Steve wouldn't be quite what he wanted to do, but Thomas found himself saying, “If that's what needs doing, then I'll help.”

“That can wait. Come with me!” Susan pulled on his arm. He followed her out the door to the swing hanging from the porch ceiling, where she plopped down. “I need a rest, and they have things under control with the chores.”

“It's nicer out here with you anyway,” Thomas said.

Susan ignored him. “We've been working hard all day. This afternoon we cleaned the barn beams and weeded the garden. You could have helped with that earlier.”

“I would've been glad to, but things got busy at work, like I said.”

“And earlier in the day I looked decent.”

“You look beautiful,” he said. “You really do.”

“That silver tongue of yours.” Susan sighed. “I hope you keep it to yourself around Eunice.”

“Now please, Susan.” He lifted both hands in a sign of surrender. “You know that's behind us. It's been behind us for a long time. I've done everything possible to make things right. You know I have, Susan. I love you more than I love any girl...or ever loved any girl.”

She looked sideways at him. “How do I know you won't change your mind again? Perhaps even after you've said the vows? It's not like a promise kept you from running after Eunice the last time.”

“You know I wouldn't do that to you, Susan. Our people don't do such things.”

“I don't think you're being honest with me, Thomas.”

Thomas took a deep breath. Should he or shouldn't he? It would be a great risk, but he obviously wasn't getting through to Susan now. “I'll tell you something you don't know and would never have found out. I know it might make me look bad, but that's how much I care about you.”

“Okay.” She was looking warily at him.

“While you were living in Asbury Park, I took Eunice home from one of the hymn singings.”

“You did!” She sat bolt upright on the swing.

“It was only once, Susan. I thought I should find out for sure what I wanted to do. And I did find out. I found out I really do love you! Can't you see that?”

Susan was staring across the open hayfield, her eyes on the last light lingering on the horizon. “I'm too tired to fight with you right now, Thomas. It's not going to change anything.”

“But nothing will change the way I feel about you, Susan.” He took her hand in both of his. “You know that, don't you? Can't you find forgiveness in your heart?”

Susan shrugged. “That does make me feel some better, I guess. And I forgive you, Thomas. I know I'm not perfect myself.”

“But you are!” he protested. “You're too perfect for me, Susan, and yet I keep dreaming that you'll someday return my love again. With all your heart. Remember how it used to be between us? How much fun we used to have together? Teasing each other in school. Me hiding your papers until your temper exploded. I'm still the same person, Susan. And you also are. We still love each other.”

“Maybe so. I just wish we had what Teresa and James have.”

“We once did, and we will again!” he declared. “And you can't compare yourself with other people. Even someone nice like Teresa. And they have suffered a lot. Like we have. Suffering makes people better.”

When Susan said nothing, Thomas continued. “Can you imagine what it must be like to have a child outside of marriage and face people with that? It would have to destroy you or make you a saint.”

“That's nice of you to say, Thomas.” Susan took his hand and squeezed it. “I'm sorry. I really am trying to control my temper. And we did have some sweet times together. Remember the time I succeeded in throwing a snowball into your face? You looked so surprised. Like you never thought a girl could do that.”

“You have surprised me a lot of times.”

She came closer to him, nestling against him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He smiled, holding her hand, “I'm sorry for what happened, Susan. I really am. Do you think we can get a fresh start? Maybe this wedding will be a good place to begin. Especially since James and Teresa are such good examples for us.”

“They are,” she agreed. “And perhaps we can. I know I would like to if we could. It would be nice not to have this hanging over our heads all the time.”

“I agree.”

They sat in silence for a while until Susan closed her eyes and started to drift off. Thomas gently lifted her head. “Susan, you're exhausted. You need some rest and so do I. Since there's nothing for me to do here, I'll go on home.”

“Aren't you staying for supper? You're welcome, you know.”

“It's tempting, but I better go,” he said.

“Okay. I'll see you at the wedding.”

“Until then.” Thomas kissed her on the cheek and turned to leave. When he got to his buggy, he untied his horse, climbed inside the buggy, and guided Freddy around toward the road. As he drove his buggy out the driveway, he turned to wave at Susan, who was still sitting on the porch swing. She was a wonderful girl indeed. No matter how hard he had to work, he would be a fool to lose her again.

T
homas had no sooner left than Teresa came racing out the front door, slamming the screen door behind her. She bounced down on the swing beside Susan. Saying nothing to each other, the two watched Thomas's buggy get smaller and smaller. When he turned west, Teresa glanced at Susan. “You look happier than you have in a long time. Did you get things worked out between the two of you?”

“I think so.” Susan sighed. “We had a good talk, at least. Thomas seems to be making a real effort at being honest and everything.”

“I'm so happy for you.” Teresa leaned across the swing to wrap Susan in a hug.

“Thank you.” Susan jumped to her feet. “Now, I've taken up enough time sitting around. Is
Mamm
ready for supper?”

“Almost. Your sisters are getting ready to leave.”

“Then I'll see if I can help with something,” Susan said. She went inside.

Teresa stayed where she was, watching the sunlight fade from the sky. The golden haze hung on the horizon, prolonging the onset of darkness.

Interrupting her thoughts, Susan's two sisters came bustling out of the front door, their arms full of cleaning supplies and dishes. Teresa leaped to her feet, running over to take several of the items from their hands.

“We're fine,” they protested, but she walked out to the buggies with them, helped them load their stuff, and held the horse's bridles while they climbed in.

“Thank you so much for everything,” Teresa told each one. “I appreciate what you're doing for me.”

Hearing soft footsteps behind her, she turned toward the barn to see the faint forms of
Daett
and Steve coming toward her.

“Has it been a
gut
day for you, Teresa?”
Daett
asked.

“A very
gut
day,” Teresa replied. “I'm tired and aching, but very, very happy.”

“That's
gut
,”
Daett
said. “Now if we can keep you that way until after the wedding, everything will be just fine.”

“I'll be perfectly happy until then. And that will be the most wonderful day of my life,” Teresa said.

Daett
smiled and Steve laughed. “Do you know if Anna has supper ready?”
Daett
asked. “I haven't heard anyone calling us. I suppose they got all wrapped up in the wedding work and forgot about us poor starving menfolk.”

“Oh, you poor dears,” Teresa said, taking
Daett
's hand and attempting to lead him toward the house.

He laughed and turned to Steve. “I'll see you tomorrow then. We need to set aside some of our chore time to work on getting the place ready for the wedding. We only have tomorrow and then the wedding. Susan swept the cobwebs from the barn, but there's still lots to do before the big day.” He paused and smiled at Teresa. “I should know by now how to do this with my eyes closed, what with eight daughters wed already.”

Steve laughed and said, “And you still have Susan ahead of you yet.” With that, he left for Ada's, cutting across the garden, his shape fading out of sight in the darkness behind the house.

“He's a
gut
man,”
Daett
said. “He'll make someone a good husband someday.”

“I wonder why he's not married already,” Teresa said. “I don't know that much about your ways, but isn't it a little unusual for a man his age to be unwed?”

“Not if you're Yost Byler,”
Daett
teased.

“Well, he's definitely not Yost Byler!” Teresa said. “
Daett
, thank you again for this wedding you're giving me. You're making me truly feel as if I were one of your daughters.”

“Well, you know you've become almost like a daughter to me,”
Daett
said. “That's hard to believe considering the short time you've been with us. Yet in a way, it seems like years already. I'm glad for the way things have turned out for you.”

“You don't have to be so modest,” Teresa said. “Susan told me she suspects you had a lot to do with persuading Deacon Ray. You know he took such a hard line with me at first. And now he's to become my father-in-law and the man couldn't be sweeter.”

Daett
smiled. “I wish you nothing but happiness as you and James start your new lives together. But I do wish to tell you, Teresa, that I haven't always done everything right in my life. I too have secrets that few know except
Da Hah
. Maybe that had more to do with how I handled things than you can imagine.”

Teresa shook her head. “I can't imagine you doing a wild thing in your life. I suspect the worst you ever did was roll someone's outhouse on Halloween night.”