Love's Abundant Harvest Read online

  “What’s that?”

  “Ask him.”

  Manny’s palms began to sweat. He’d not had much reason to have a serious talk with Bishop Atlee since Glenda passed away, and that seemed like a long time ago now. The bishop was unpredictable and always seemed irritated, but there was no backing out now. He could only hope the bishop was in a favorable mood.

  When he did have a sudden loss of courage, all Manny had to do was start thinking of Verna, and he was back on track. She wanted to go to the bishop, but Manny had stood up to her for the first time. Lucy had been as surprised as Verna was. Maybe he was ready now, taking the lead with Lucy and the baby.

  He stopped and grinned, realizing he’d thought baby instead of babies. He was still getting over the fact there would be two, but after waiting and wanting a baby for so long with Glenda and all the heartache that had caused, he couldn’t complain. He would be very blessed to have two little ones. But would that thought last? He didn’t exactly expect to have a complete family before getting married again, and such a short time after Glenda’s death.

  As he drove down the dirt path to the bishop’s, a fleeting thought made him pause. Anxiety poked at him as he thought about the responsibility before him, but it was more than that. He felt the same concern coming from Lucy. He knew she was probably going through a flurry of emotions due to her pregnancy and the many changes that had happened over the last few months.

  When he finally arrived at the bishop’s house, he took in a long breath and knocked on the door. When the bishop opened it, he immediately put a finger to his lips and shushed Manny.

  “The wife is asleep—headaches. She gets migraines, especially this time of day.” He pulled at his long salt- and-pepper beard and although he gestured for Manny to come in, Manny felt like an intruder. The bishop seemed to lack the typical Amish hospitality, but Manny was prepared for it after their previous encounters.

  “What’s on your mind, son?” the bishop asked as he walked one step ahead of Manny. The haus was dark, with old wood floors and a banister leading through the dimness to a large upstairs, as Manny had been told. The counters were brown Formica, and the furniture was tan. The large windows were covered with heavy, dark cloth. Manny figured that was due to the wife’s headaches.

  They walked into the office, which smelled of mothballs combined with a musty scent. The bishop motioned for Manny to have a seat in front of his desk.

  As soon as both men were seated, Manny told the bishop, “I thought I should share my situation with you, as you will need to be involved. It’s just a formality, and I don’t want to take up too much of your time.”

  “Spit it out, son.” The bishop laid his sun-blotched hands on the desk before him. Manny noticed his drooping eyelids and the overlapping wrinkles on his face and down to his neck. He didn’t know how old the man was, but he had an idea he was younger than he looked.

  Manny took another long breath. The bishop wanted it out there, so he delivered. “I’ve asked Lucy to marry me.”

  The bishop frowned and stared. “Go on.”

  Manny wasn’t surprised that the bishop wanted to hear more and was expecting him to tell him what was protocol.

  “What do you suggest?” Manny waited a moment, and then realized he wasn’t going to get a response, so he spoke again. “What is appropriate?”

  Bishop moved from side to side as if uncomfortable in his own britches as well as his chair. “That you wait.”

  Taken aback, Manny didn’t want to be deterred but knew the Amish ways, and going against the bishop wasn’t one of them, even in this case. “Lucy and I don’t want to take any steps that you don’t approve of.” Manny didn’t know what else to say to a man who didn’t seem to care as to what he and Lucy should do or what Manny’s opinion was. Manny was doing what was expected of him, but felt he was bothering the man.

  “Take some time; it’s a big decision.”

  One side of his cheeks lifted ever so slightly. Manny wasn’t sure if it was a twitch or an attempt to smile.

  “But if it were me, I would be discreet.”

  “We’d like to marry before the babies come. We thought it only right for them to be born with the Keim name to them.” That was the one thing both he and Lucy had agreed was the most important. But as soon as Manny made this comment, the bishop lifted his brows.

  “You plan to have your widowed fiancée standing at the altar blatantly with child?”

  He grunted, or maybe it was a growl. Either way, Manny tried to be respectful.

  “Nee, it would be a private ceremony.” Having family there was important to Lucy, but it was more important to marry before the babies were born. They wanted to do it as possible in accord with the bishop’s demands, whatever they were.

  The bishop nodded and seemed to relax, resting his hands palms down on the desk, which had pin marks and divots covering its surface. “Have you gone to Minister Eben yet?”

  “I thought it best to talk to you first.”

  The bishop nodded. “You will need to do as if you are courting.”

  Manny sat up straight in his chair at the thought of how difficult it would be not to spend time alone with her. It wasn’t like they were the young courting couples, especially in their situation.

  “It will be difficult to help Lucy in her condition, don’t you agree?” Manny wasn’t sure of anything, considering their situation and wondered whether the bishop was ill, or just not in a cooperative mood. Something definitely seemed amiss. “Are you well, Bishop?”

  The bishop raised his head a little higher and stared him in the eyes. It seemed the man didn’t blink, but that would be impossible. Maybe Manny was avoiding his gaze and missed him blinking. “I am fatigued. Life has taken its toll, as it has with my wife. But my disposition has always been the same. I am a strict man who abides by rules—my own as bishop and those of the Bible.”

  Manny nodded. “I understand.” He was about to say more, but the bishop started in again.

  “For my sake, if nothing more, use good sense as you move forward with your young family.” His breath was labored, and Manny wondered whether it was his lungs that were ailing. The bishop hadn’t given a long sermon for quite a while, now that he thought of it. The minister usually gave the sermon, but the bishop had been more vocal in the past.

  “Thank you for talking with me. I’ll pray for you and your wife’s health.”

  “And I will pray for your stamina.” He chuckled, but his voice cracked and turned into a cough.

  When Manny had first come into the haus, he had felt uncomfortable, but now, knowing the bishop’s strife, he took it all in stride. As he walked to his buggy, he knew he’d done the right thing, even if it wasn’t what he’d expected.

  He didn’t have much reason to know the bishop. Manny kept to himself most of the time. Even on church days, he’d stay for the meal but scoot out and back to his place at the first chance he got. It was that way even before Glenda passed away. She liked to talk some, so he’d get comfortable in the buggy while he waited. Lucy was much the same way, which made him think he must like being with those drawn to simple company.

  As he drove down the road, the wild plums drew his eye. The red color was similar to ripe grapes bursting with sweet flavor. He thought he’d take advantage of the opportunity, so he brought his horse to a slow stop. He didn’t have
anything but a corn sack to put the plums in, but he figured if he brought back enough to wet his whistle, Lucy would come back with him and pick some more.

  As he plucked as many as he could get his hands on, he could taste the plum tingling on his tongue. They had to be picked at just the right time—before they were overripe with no taste, and not too early when they were sour.

  As he picked the fruit, he thought of how Lucy seemed to be deep in thought lately. It must be tough to be so close to the due date. Maybe the fresh plums would cheer her up a little. There was nothing he liked more than getting a smile out of her.

  When he’d filled the bag about halfway and his hands were purple, he decided that was as much as he or Lucy would be able to handle. He carried the bag to his buggy and wiped his hands on his trousers. He felt like a kid again, popping one of the smaller plums into his mouth and letting the sweet juices entice his taste buds. As he walked over to the driver’s side of the buggy, he ate a couple more. By the time he got to Nellie’s place, he let out a belch and knew he’d had one too many, if not three or four.

  He fetched the sack and walked to the door. When no one answered, he opened the door slightly and called out, but there was no response, so he walked in and laid the plums down on the counter.

  “Lucy.” He waited, but nothing stirred except for the hot water kettle that began to boil. He was about to leave when Lucy walked into the room.

  She startled when she saw him.

  “How did it go?” A lock of her red hair hung down her forehead, and she quickly pushed it up under her kapp.

  He didn’t recognize her tone or the straight face that was usually a bright smile. She must be worried about the bishop. “I brought you some wild plums.” He gestured to the counter.

  “Danke. I’ll make some more plum jam. We were getting low.” She grabbed an apron and pulled it down over her head and straightened her kapp.

  “The bishop gave his blessing, so to speak.”

  “That doesn’t sound very hopeful.”

  He didn’t want to worry her, so he tried another way to coax her back into her usual ray of sunshine. He decided less was more. She seemed to be getting more anxious about things— them and the babies. “It will work out in the end. The bishop and his wife were both not feeling well; that’s probably all it was.”

  “Ach, I’m glad, but still worried.”

  Manny knew she would worry more if he didn’t tell her about the bishop’s wishes and decided to just tell her. “He wants us to court until the babies come.”

  Lucy laid a hand on her chest and stared at Manny. “I have rarely seen such a thing.”

  “Don’t trouble yourself over it. He wasn’t himself, and I’m hoping it will pass.”

  “Is there anything else I should know?”

  He could see the concern in her eyes and considered the best way to handle the situation. “We’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

  She frowned but followed his lead to the work at hand.

  He took a long look around the room and then back at Lucy, who was intently working on something on the table. “What do you have there?” He walked over and read the words on the wooden sign she’d made: .

  Manny pursed his bottom lip and looked at her. “What inspired you to do this?”

  “I’m going to set up a roadside stand. Plums will get them interested, don’t you think?” She looked at him and got close enough for him to brush her side and take her hand like he usually did.

  “What gave you this idea?” He was careful with his questions, wishing he knew more about plum jam. He was pretty sure he’d already heard from Verna and maybe others too about her newfound investment.

  “Truth be told, I can’t stay in this haus even one more day.” She put a hand on her back and stretched.

  He thought he understood. She needed to get out and do something. But he wished it wasn’t something that involved her standing for too long. “Do you need some help setting up?” It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had to give her this; the time was too close, and the twins couldn’t come into the world soon enough.

  She looked a little surprised but nodded her approval. “I need some sort of covering and a chair.”

  He went to the pantry and pulled out a folding chair and table he knew was there, because he’d used them a time or two. “As far as a cover, how about the table umbrella?”

  “Jah, that should work.” She paused for a moment and smiled.

  He was so glad to see it, he didn’t care what she said next. “Is that everything?”

  “Jah, danke for not scolding me or trying to change my mind.” She looked away and started loading up fruits and vegetables into small wicker baskets. Then she handed him an armful of quilts.

  They walked to the end of the road to an area where tourists often gathered, and decided where to set up the stand. They had been sitting for only a second or two before tourists started to slowly stop by the stand and compliment her quilts. It was just enough to make Lucy smile.

  Are you sure you want to sell that quilt?” Manny ran his hand over the rainbow-colored quilt that a customer was haggling over with Lucy.

  “Jah, Manny, I can always make another one.” Lucy was just glad to get out and be around people. She couldn’t stay in the haus like a cooped-up chicken for another minute, but she had nowhere to go and nothing to do that would keep her occupied without overexerting her. She also thought about the money Sam’s farm would supply for her—blood money. She wanted her own income, even if it was trivial compared to what she would have once everything was settled. She didn’t expect Manny to understand that and didn’t want to bother him with it.

  “Sorry, it’s just one of my favorites.” He smiled politely to the tourist, an older woman who seemed set on the quilt and held a wad of money out to Lucy.

  “Danke.” Lucy thanked the lady and started packing up the stand. It would be dark soon, and her feet were starting to swell. Lucy thought about Manny sitting contentedly beside her. He was everything Sam wasn’t, doting on her and taking care of her every need. Maybe it was the hormones raging in her, or maybe she was gaining the confidence she’d been lacking.

  After hearing Mammi’s story of her husband dying young and leaving her alone, and Nellie’s story about starting her own quilting business and how she never married due to the restrictions the bishop had put upon her, Lucy had begun to worry the same thing could happen to her, and a surge of concern had filled her. But the one she resonated with most was Rosy.

  Lucy didn’t want to be like her, but she was, lacking self-esteem, not speaking her mind, taking mistreatment for years at Sam’s whim—much like Rosy thinking she might have married if only she’d been bold enough to pursue a relationship. After evaluating their lives and situations, Lucy decided she would take from each of their strengths and live a life she would be happy with.

  “Lucy.” Manny was staring intently at her, concern and possibly confusion flashing in his eyes. “What were you thinking right then?”

  “Nothing important. I need to quit thinking so much.” She packed up what was left on the table, and Manny took down the umbrella and folded down the table and chair.

  “I would sure like to know what’s on your mind.” His voice had an edge to it, and she suddenly felt like she needed some time to breathe, and the harder she tried to get it, the more she fel
t suffocated.

  They walked back to the house and upon arriving put everything away. Nellie came in the room, smiled, and turned around to give them some privacy. After she left, Lucy saw the look on Manny’s face. That was enough to make her realize how she herself couldn’t seem to stop worrying.

  Manny watched Nellie walk out and stared at Lucy. “What is it, Luce?”

  His pleading eyes and serious face made her sad.

  Why do I feel so blue? It’s not fair to anyone around me.

  “I am worried about everything, as if there is a huge weight on me. What if I’m not a gut mamm or you’re not a gut daed?” No one was in earshot, but even if they were, Lucy didn’t care; it had been all she could do to keep her mouth shut with him at the stand.

  Manny frowned, unable to answer. “What makes you think it will be so hard?” He took her hand and looked her in the eyes. “You’re going to be a gut mamm, and I’ll be an even better daed.” He grinned, and she smiled.

  “How do you always know how to cheer me up?”

  “I’m just that kind of guy.” He took her other hand as well. “I suppose I should give you some time to rest.”

  “You don’t have to be by my side all the time. I know you have chores to do. And we do have the bishop’s request to think about.” She sighed, her strength giving way. “It’s not like you won’t know when the babies come.”

  “Are you saying you want me to actually get some work done?” He scoffed, but his eyes told her he was confused. “I’m not sure how much to follow the bishop’s requests, but I don’t plan to stay completely away from you.”

  She balled her fists and tightened her lips. “Jah, I know.” It wasn’t the dysfunctional response that was deep inside her from the time spent with Sam. She’d accepted his derogatory comments and condescending words, but she was now learning how to change that.

  Manny shook his head. “You and the babies have become as important to me as my own family.” He caught her gaze, but then she looked at her boots. “Thank you for trusting me and accepting me caring for you.”