Amish Weddings Page 9

  He welcomed Rose’s constant chatter—all about happenings in the district, not issues half a world away. She didn’t seem to mind if he didn’t answer her, not the way Lila did. She’d wanted to hear his opinion on everything. The truth was, he didn’t have an opinion on much, especially things that didn’t immediately impact him. He had the feeling Rose might gossip though. Not to him, necessarily, but to other people.

  As he edged down the beam to where Trevor worked, he glanced toward Rose every once in a while. One time she waved at him and he smiled back. But when he realized Trevor had held up his hammer, Reuben wasn’t sure she’d been waving at him at all.

  He wondered what Rose thought of him, compared with Trevor. He sighed and kept on going. He wasn’t sure why he cared, but maybe it was because of being dumped by Lila. Jah, he needed to speak with Rose soon about his plan. There was no need for them to wait to marry. Lila’s recovery could take months.

  He finished the section and stepped over a bundle of roofing, losing his balance a little again. He must have been more fatigued than he’d thought. Trevor called out, “Are you doing all right?”

  “Just fine,” Reuben replied, but as he spoke his foot slipped again. He must have gasped because Trevor whirled toward him. It wasn’t as if he would have fallen off the beam, Reuben was sure, probably just straddled it. At least he hoped. But Trevor grabbed his arm and held on to him, keeping him from doing either.

  Reuben wondered if they had some sort of agility training in the Army. The man was like a tightrope walker.

  “Denki.” Reuben exhaled.

  Down below a couple of men clapped. Reuben glanced toward the house. Rose stood at the makeshift table, her hand covering her mouth. Obviously she’d seen what had just happened. Reuben wished she hadn’t.

  “Are you steady now?” Trevor asked. His voice and words were kind. He wasn’t being condescending, not in any way.

  “Jah,” Reuben said.

  Trevor let go of him slowly. Reuben squatted down and began nailing again. He was sweating now, even though the day had grown chilly as the sun had fallen to just above the treetops. He drew in a deep breath and pounded as hard as he could.

  By the time they finished the last of the roof, the sun was setting, leaving streaks of pink and orange in the western sky. Reuben stood for a moment, taking in the scene. Trevor stepped to his side.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Reuben asked.

  “Yep,” Trevor answered.

  Reuben glanced his way. The man wasn’t watching the sunset. He was glancing down toward the house. The yard was in the shadows, growing darker with each moment. Lanterns had been lit and placed along the table and the porch railing. Reuben squinted, scanning the area. Sure enough, Rose stood on the porch.

  Trevor left before supper, saying he needed to get back to help Zane. Reuben was happy to have him leave.

  Reuben sat beside Rose on the porch as they ate casseroles, broccoli salad, and bread. “Are you cold?” he asked Rose.

  “A little,” she answered.

  Reuben quickly took off his jacket, which he’d put on after coming down from the roof, and gave it to her. He was still warm from feeling shamed up on the beam.

  “Denki,” Rose said. They ate the rest of their food in silence. Once they were done, Rose took his plate and disappeared into the house. At the end of the porch, Reuben’s father and Tim were deep in conversation. Reuben stood, not wanting to eavesdrop as his father said, “We can talk more about this later.”

  “All right,” Tim said. Reuben wondered why Beth hadn’t come to help today. Perhaps she was keeping her distance.

  Reuben hitched his horse and drove his buggy around to the front of the house. Rose stood on the porch, laughing with Jenny again. She waved to him as she hurried down the steps, a playful expression on her face.

  For a moment he felt like the most fortunate man in the district. He’d bring up the topic of them marrying before they reached Juneberry Lane.

  As he pulled onto the highway, Rose asked, “What happened up there on the beam?”

  “When?”

  “When Trevor saved you.”

  “Saved me?”

  “You were falling. He grabbed your arm.”

  “I did slip a little.” Reuben smiled at her, hoping to make light of the situation.

  “I thought you were going to fall to your death,” Rose said.

  Reuben chuckled. “It wasn’t that serious.”

  “It looked that way from where I stood.” Rose’s eyes grew large by the light of the lantern. “I was grateful Trevor was so close to you.”

  Reuben didn’t answer, urging the horse to go faster instead. Did everyone see it the way Rose had? That the Englischer saved him?

  Not only had Reuben’s father not dealt with Tim and his friendship with Beth, but he’d never dealt with the Lehman family’s Englisch neighbors either. If his father had forbade them from befriending the Becks all those years ago, Lila never would have fallen for Zane. And Trevor wouldn’t have been at the barn raising.

  He wrinkled his nose. Then again, Reuben wouldn’t be with Rose either.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” Reuben muttered. A sliver of a moon rose over the horizon, and a few stars started to shine. He’d talk to her about getting married tomorrow night, after the singing. As he turned onto Juneberry Lane, he asked, “Who did the milking tonight?”

  “Joel and Adam.”

  Reuben shivered a little in the cool air. It wasn’t that the Becks hadn’t been good friends to the Lehmans. They had. It hadn’t been a one-way street. The Lehmans had been good friends to them too.

  He slowed the horse as he turned down the Lehmans’ driveway.

  “Want to come in?” Rose asked as Reuben pulled the horse to a stop.

  The house was dark. “No one’s home, right?”

  She shrugged, a smile on her face.

  When he didn’t respond, Rose said, “I guess I should go pick up Trudy. She’s with Lila.”

  “I’ll give you a ride.” Reuben pulled the buggy around, back down the driveway, and onto Juneberry Lane. They rode in silence until they reached the Becks’ house. It was pitch-dark.

  “They all must be over at Lila and Zane’s,” Rose said.

  That seemed odd that she referred to it as Lila and Zane’s home when they weren’t married yet. A lot of things seemed odd on Juneberry Lane.

  The sooner he married Rose, the better. He just needed to find the right time to talk with her about it. When he wasn’t around her family.

  “Go around the side of the barn,” Rose said.

  Reuben followed her directions even though he knew. After all, he’d helped Zane frame the house. As they reached the end of the barn, he could see the place, lit up with lanterns on the porch and lamps in the windows. Shani’s van was parked out front, and also Joel’s pickup. On the other side of those two vehicles, Reuben could make out Trevor’s sports car. He suppressed a groan.

  “Would you wait and give Trudy and me a ride back?” Rose reached for the door handle.

  “Of course,” Reuben answered. He wouldn’t leave them to walk home in the dark, and he certainly didn’t want Trevor giving them a ride.

  “How about if you just come in?” Rose’s voice had a bit of a teasing tone to it. “I’m sure everyone would like to see you, including Lila.”

  Rose never seemed bothered that Reuben and Lila had courted. Reuben hopped down, tied his horse to the hitching post, and followed Rose to the front door. She knocked rapidly and then opened the door before anyone answered it. Reuben followed her onto a shiny hardwood floor. As he closed the door behind him, Reuben took a deep breath.

  It was as if a party was going on. Trudy and Adam both slid by in their socks, waving their arms as they did. Someone who was out of sight yelled, “Hand me the mallet.” It could have been Zane.

  Shani leaned over a recliner, blocking Reuben’s view. When she stood up stra
ight, he saw Lila. She looked surprised, but then she called out a soft hello. She wasn’t wearing a Kapp but did have a scarf on her head. Her blond hair hung in a long braid over her shoulder. She wore an oversized long-sleeved T-shirt and was covered with a quilt. But it was elevated in an odd way, as if something was underneath it.

  Rose started toward her. “How are you doing?”

  “All right.” Her voice was weak. “How was the barn raising?”

  “Good,” Rose answered. “Did Trevor tell you what happened?”

  Lila shook her head.

  Reuben pointed toward the other side of the house. “Is Zane back there?”

  “Jah,” Lila said. “They’re having troubles with the plumbing.”

  Reuben stepped toward the kitchen as Rose said, “Reuben was up on the beam . . .”

  The last thing he wanted to hear was the story of Trevor “saving” him. Trudy and Adam were in the kitchen, each grabbing pizza from a cardboard box on the counter. Reuben turned to his right. Joel stood in the doorway of the bathroom, leaning on his cane. “It has to work,” he said. “Keep trying.”

  A bang startled Reuben.

  “Easy,” Joel said.

  “Someone’s at the door.” Trudy put her pizza back on the counter and ran out of the kitchen. Reuben stepped to the archway as the girl flung open the front door.

  “Simon!” She threw herself into her brother’s arms. “Casey!”

  Reuben crossed his arms as Adam yelled to his father, “Simon’s here! And Casey.” Both were in the Army, but they were now dressed in civilian clothes—jeans and jackets. Casey had her long dark hair pulled back in a bun, much like the Amish women wore, but of course her head wasn’t covered.

  Joel started across the kitchen, his cane thumping against the wood floor. Trevor came out of the bathroom next, followed by Zane. Both shook Reuben’s hand as they passed by, but they were on their way to see Simon. At least Zane was. And Casey. Reuben didn’t think Trevor had ever met Simon, but he’d served in Afghanistan with Casey.

  Zane wrapped his arms around Simon and lifted him in a bear hug. Simon let out a whoop and hugged Zane back, slapping him on the back. “How was it?” Zane asked.

  “Boring compared to your tour,” Simon answered. “We played a lot of Call of Duty—on a buddy’s Xbox. Not a lot going on.”

  “Thank goodness,” Zane said. “That’s exactly what I prayed for. Minus the Call of Duty.” He smiled.

  Simon’s face grew serious. “And I saw Jaalal.”

  Zane stopped smiling. “You did? Where?”

  “His village. I asked to go on a special assignment. He sent his greetings to you.” Simon smiled a little. “And to Lila.”

  Reuben wasn’t certain exactly who Simon was referring to, but he suspected Jaalal was the translator Zane had worked with in Afghanistan.

  “He and his wife are doing well. He’s not translating anymore. Troops don’t go through that area much, and he didn’t offer any information about what’s going on as far as the Taliban there. We were trying to make contact with a specific tribal leader, but we didn’t end up finding him.”

  Reuben crossed his arms again as he listened. A part of him couldn’t help but envy all Simon had seen, but it was foolish of him to join the Army and be part of such a destructive force.

  When Simon and Zane paused, Rose hurried over and hugged Simon and then Casey. Trevor watched her as she did, a smile on his face. Reuben shifted from one foot to the other, puzzled again that his father had let the Lehman family get so out of hand.

  Finally Simon saw Reuben and smiled. “Ru,” he said, stepping forward. Reuben stuck out his hand, but Simon stepped forward and embraced him instead, slapping his back. For a moment Reuben forgave Simon—all the Lehmans really. But then Simon released him and said, “Anything new? Or are things still the same old, same old?”

  Reuben must have bristled because Simon said, “Just kidding!” as he turned toward Rose, grinned, and nudged her with his elbow. Before either could respond, Simon asked Zane, “Where’s Lila?”

  Zane pointed toward the recliner. Simon grinned and started that way, followed by Casey.

  Rose stepped to Reuben’s side. “You don’t need to stay. Simon can give us a ride home.”

  Simon was hugging Joel and then Shani. Finally he made it to Lila’s side. The prodigal son—but not really. They all adored Simon.

  “Where’s everyone going to stay?” Reuben asked. He couldn’t imagine Tim letting Simon’s girlfriend stay at his house.

  “Casey is staying here with Lila,” Rose said. “She told Shani she’d take a turn. And Simon is staying at our house.” She sighed. “Hopefully he’ll help with the milking in the morning.”

  She turned toward Reuben and looked him in the eye. Her voice was kind, but he didn’t sense the enthusiasm in her that he had before. Perhaps it was just because she was tired. It had been a long day. “Thank you for the ride. See you tomorrow,” she said.

  “Jah,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the singing. I hope we’ll have time to talk.”

  “That would be good,” she said, but she didn’t sound as if she meant it. “See you then.” She gave him a playful shove. “Go on now. I know you hate these messy family moments.”

  He stood his ground. “What do you mean?”

  “All the noise. Simon yelling. So many people.” She nudged him again.

  “No,” he said. “I don’t mind. . . .” He just found it confusing. His mother had insisted on keeping their house quiet—always. His older brothers roughhoused outside some, but they all toed the line inside. But everyone in his family, except for their Dat, was pretty quiet. Nothing like the Lehmans.

  “Really,” Rose said. “Go ahead and go. I know you’re tired. We might be a while.”

  “I don’t know if I should,” Reuben said. “I’m worried about you, and Trudy too, hanging out with Englischers like this. Let me take you home.”

  “Come on, Ru,” Rose teased. “You know we’ve been friends with the Becks forever. Nothing is going to happen.”

  “Where’s your Dat?” Reuben asked. “Shouldn’t he be here?”

  “He was staying to help Daniel. He said he’d be a while.” Rose crossed her arms. “Zane and Lila are Plain. We’re well supervised.”

  But the majority of people in the room were Englisch—and one, Reuben was certain, had his eye on Rose.

  “Don’t be such a fuddy-duddy.” Rose’s voice had turned a little sharp. “This is my family. They’re not bad people.”

  “The Becks aren’t your family.” Reuben’s face grew warm as he spoke. Perhaps once Lila and Zane married, she could claim their neighbors as family, but they weren’t married—yet. Reuben pressed again. “I don’t think your father would approve of you and Trudy being here. Let me take you home.”

  Rose smiled, but as if she was annoyed. “We’re fine. See you tomorrow.”

  Everyone in the house except Reuben and Rose had gathered around Lila in the recliner. It was like some sort of family reunion. Trevor glanced over his shoulder, directly at Rose. It was impossible to miss. Reuben waited a long moment and then said, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

  “Jah,” she said. “Have a good rest of the evening.”

  Instead of going home, Reuben headed over to his Dat’s. It was Monika’s place, really. His Dat had remarried nine years ago, almost two years after Reuben’s Mamm had died. He’d been happy his father found another wife, and Monika was a good match for him. It took Reuben several years to admit that Monika was probably a better match than his mother had been. Monika was warm and caring. She didn’t mind if her house was a mess or not, or how noisy it got—as long as it was filled with people. She’d successfully blended the two families: her five girls and their growing families with Reuben and his two brothers and sister and their families.

  Since her youngest, Jenny, had married Daniel, Monika had poured her attention into Reuben, wanting him to settle down soon, encoura
ging him when he began courting Lila, consoling him when Lila broke off their relationship, and then encouraging him to court Rose. She did have a bit of advice as far as Rose though—don’t court too long, she’d said, even though she’s younger. She’s a girl who is easily distracted.

  Perhaps that was what was going on now. She was distracted. But a conversation about a wedding date would get her refocused, he was sure.

  He smiled a little.

  The house by the lumberyard would never be as big and fancy as Monika’s house, but Reuben could see Rose turning it into a home—a much warmer home than it had been when his mother was alive. He could see Rose behaving much like Monika in a few years, filling his house with people and fun. Rose truly seemed to care about others, although she did still cater to herself at times. But she’d learn with time to always put others first.

  Reuben slowed his horse as he turned the corner and then pulled up the driveway. Monika’s first husband, a building contractor, had built her house. Through the kitchen window he saw two men sitting at the kitchen table. Reuben hitched the horse and walked up the steps to the back door. No one answered. He almost let himself in but stopped. Perhaps his Dat wouldn’t want him to know who was over. Perhaps it was church business. His father tried to be discreet—Reuben appreciated that.

  Finally Monika came to the door, a lamp in her hand. “Reuben!” Her eyes shone.

  “I just stopped by to see Dat.”

  “He’s busy,” Monika answered.

  “I thought so,” Reuben said.

  “Want to visit with me?” Monika asked. “We can sit in my sewing room. We won’t disturb your Dat.”

  Reuben was tempted to. He could tell Monika all about Rose and her distance. About the way Trevor looked at her. At his frustration that his Dat had never put his foot down with the Lehmans. But he shook his head. “No, that’s all right. Tell Dat I stopped by.”