Esther Rose, go upstairs right now and get dressed.” Naomi gave her daughter a gentle pat on the behind. “Scoot. We’re late.”
Abby dropped onto the couch like a sack of potatoes, then tossed her head against the back of the sofa. “Why can’t we go to the carnival now? Why do we have to wait until this afternoon?”
Naomi scurried from place to place in the living room, picking up empty glasses, a pair of dirty socks, some books, and Esther Rose’s doll. “Because we need to go see Mammi and Daadi this morning. I already told you that.”
Esther Rose hopped with both feet down each step, something Naomi had told her repeatedly not to do. “I’m ready,” she said, holding her socks and shoes in one hand and her blanket in the other. The tattered, pink material that Esther Rose clung to could barely survive the wringer washing machine these days. But each time Naomi tried to separate Esther Rose and her beloved blankie, tears ensued. Naomi wasn’t up for the battle today.
“That’s gut. But now go back upstairs and put on one of your pretty pastel-colored dresses. Remember, I said we’re not going to wear our black dresses anymore.”
Naomi wished it was acceptable for an adult to wear pastel colors. But she was happy in a dark green dress, glad to be wearing color again. She handed the books and doll to Abby.
“Please carry these upstairs to your sister’s room. I’m having a hard enough time getting her ready to go.”
Abby huffed and didn’t move from the couch. “Why? Esther Rose left them down here. Why do I always have to clean up after her?”
“Please, just do it,” Naomi said, wondering when her children had become so argumentative.
Both girls were upstairs when Naomi caught a glimpse of someone walking up the driveway toward the house. When the woman got closer, Naomi recognized Pearl King.
Naomi hurried onto the porch and down the steps to where she’d already hitched the horse to the buggy. She was hoping Pearl would sense that Naomi was in a hurry to leave and not expect to come in for a visit. But Naomi wouldn’t be rude to the old woman either. Pearl was toting a bag in one hand and waved to Naomi with the other.
Naomi returned the gesture and waited in the yard until Pearl reached her. “Hello, Pearl. How are you?”
“I see you must be on your way out, so I will not keep you.” Pearl smiled as she handed Naomi a small brown bag with handles. “I wanted to repay your kindness with something I’m told is my specialty, Florentines.”
“Ach, this is so nice of you, but it wasn’t necessary.” Naomi pulled out a batch of cookies in plastic wrap with a pink ribbon tied around the opening. “But I know my girls will love these.”
“I usually make them during the holidays, but I had a craving for them, so I made a double batch for sharing.”
Naomi started to put the cookies back in the brown sack when she saw something else. She lifted a purple mesh bag held together by a dark blue ribbon. “What’s this?”
“Oh dear. I’m sorry about that.” Pearl eased the bag away from Naomi. “That was meant for someone else. I get so many orders this time of year, and I must have put this one in your cookie bag by mistake.”
Naomi studied the small bag that fit in the palm of Pearl’s hand. “What’s in there?” It looked like an oversized purple tea bag filled with herbs, and a lump of . . . something Naomi couldn’t identify.
Pearl slowly untied the blue ribbon and widened the opening. “You see, there is an amethyst inside.”
Naomi leaned closer until she saw the tiny rock. “Are those herbs in there with it?”
Pearl nodded. “But not just any herbs. They’re organic. There’s a bit of lavender, a pinch of white sage, some St. John’s Wart. And in that small vial is a special blend of oils that are a family secret.” She carefully tied the ribbon back around the opening. “During the waxing phase of the moon, I’m always overloaded with orders. I’m sorry one of these found its way into your cookie bag.” She grinned. “I’m a careless old woman.”
“Why do people order them? I wouldn’t think you could cook with that since there is a rock inside.” She pointed to the bag, still cradled in Pearl’s hand.
“Oh, no, dear.” Pearl’s forehead wrinkled as she drew her mouth into a frown. “This is not for eating, it’s for protection. This packet, along with dozens of others that I have at home, have been prayed over and specially prepared, as we grow closer to the rise of the harvest moon in a few weeks.”
“Protection? From what?” Naomi glanced at her horse when it whinnied, a reminder that she needed to excuse herself soon. “We’ve always looked forward to the harvest moon and thought of it as a blessing. The extra light it provides allows farmers to work longer, and it’s symbolic of our hard work. Mei daed calls it the Full Corn Moon.”
Pearl continued to frown as she shook her head. “I’m afraid it has many names with much superstition attached to each one. Some Europeans call it a Gypsy Moon. Historically, the Norse believed that it was the most powerful moon of the year because it was associated with the trickster god Loki.” She paused and looked at her hand, gingerly running a wrinkled finger across the bag. “Moon superstitions abound, my dear, but everything is magnified this time of year with the approach of the harvest moon.” She moved a bit closer to Naomi. “There was a time when your people were my biggest customers. The Amish have always been known to have deeply rooted superstitions.”
“I’ve never believed in such things.” Naomi looked over her shoulder toward the house and hoped her girls were ready to go.
“I’m surprised no one has mentioned this to you, to take precautions during this time of year. Especially now, since you are with child.”
Naomi snapped her attention back to Pearl. “What? Why does that matter?” She couldn’t help but think about the baby she’d lost, even if she’d never been superstitious.
“No worries, child. I’m sure all will be well.” Pearl stuffed the small bag into her purse. “I can see that you are preparing for travel. Be safe and well, and enjoy the cookies.” She waved and turned to leave.
Naomi glanced back and forth between Pearl and her house, knowing she and the girls needed to get on the road. “Pearl, wait.”
The old woman slowed her pace and turned around. Naomi walked toward her.
“How much for one of those little packets?”
“These treasures are sixty dollars.” Pearl smiled, but Naomi’s jaw dropped.
“For herbs and a rock?” She brought a hand to her chest. “How can that be?”
“I told you.” Pearl raised her chin. “These aren’t just regular old herbs, and the combination of oils is a special potion, and all of it has been prayed over by many different people.”
Alarms were going off in Naomi’s head, especially at the mention of the word potion. “Like a witch’s potion?”
Pearl chuckled. “I assure you, dear girl, I’m not a witch. Just someone who believes that extra protection at certain times of the year can give a person peace of mind.”
“Can-can I buy that packet in your purse?” Naomi swallowed hard. Sixty dollars would buy grocery staples for two weeks, things they didn’t grow on the farm or make by hand.
“I thought you didn’t believe in such things.”
“Ach, well . . . I don’t. Not really.” Naomi wasn’t sure she was willing to take the risk. She couldn’t bear it if anything happened to the baby she was carrying. She asked Pearl to wait while she went into the house to get some cash. Both her girls had shed their shoes and socks. Esther Rose didn’t have her kapp on yet, and it appeared that the blankie would be making the trip with them today.
“Girls, get your shoes and socks on, and Abby help Esther Rose get her prayer covering on.”
Abby grunted. “I hope you’re not going to let her take that blanket.”
Before Naomi could answer, Esther Rose screamed, clutching the worn cloth to her chest. It was probably time for Esther Rose to give up her cherished possession, but Naomi had given her younger daughter some leeway since Stephen’s death. “We’re not going to worry about it today,” Naomi said above Esther Rose’s wailing, which stopped right away.
After Abby moaned, both girls started pulling their socks on, and Naomi found three twenty-dollar bills and went back outside.
Naomi handed Pearl the money in exchange for the packet.
“You must keep this on your person the entire time,” Pearl said. “And at night, you should sleep with it under your pillow. And it’s best not to sleep with the moon shining on your face, so keep that in mind when it is time for bed.” She paused, holding up a finger. “That is something you should always avoid, even when a harvest moon isn’t approaching.”
Naomi nodded, put the packet in her apron pocket, and said good-bye to Pearl. By the time she rounded up the girls and traveled to her parents’ house, they were an hour late.
“I was getting worried,” Naomi’s mother said after she opened the front door. She showered the girls with hugs, then Abby and Esther Rose scurried to the kitchen, where they knew they’d find freshly baked cookies and lemonade already set out for them.
“Where’s Daed?” Naomi wanted to tell both her parents that she was pregnant, along with her girls. But her mother frowned as she sat down on the couch next to Naomi.
“I didn’t want to say anything in front of the kinner, but I noticed you’ve all stopped wearing your mourning clothes.” Naomi’s mother was still donning a black dress and apron.
“Um, ya, we have. You said it was a personal choice when we chose to stop mourning.”
The lines on her mother’s forehead deepened even more as she folded her hands in her lap. “Mei maedel, it is a personal choice, but it’s only been four months. What will people think? I expected you would go at least eight or nine months.” Mamm shook her head. “It’s too soon. Men in the district will think you are available for courtship. Ya, it’s gut to remarry, and it’s encouraged by the bishop after the loss of a spouse, but I’m sure you are not ready after only four months.”
“People are already trying to play matchmaker anyway. But nee, I’m not ready.” Naomi didn’t think she would ever be ready for that. How could she trust another man? And she’d obviously failed at being a wife, driving her husband to levels of anger that resulted in violence. As much as she wanted to tell her mother about the baby, it was not turning out to be the joyous announcement she’d hoped for. She’d wanted to tell her parents so many times, and she was surely anxious for Abby and Esther Rose to know. Naomi had been careful not to change clothes around her daughters, and she watched how she sat, making sure her dress wasn’t taut against her tummy.
Mamm patted her on the leg. “A few more months, I think, at least.”
In less than four months, I’ll have a baby. She reached into the pocket of her apron and touched the packet of herbs she’d gotten from Pearl. Her stomach roiled when she thought about the money she’d spent, but she wasn’t willing to take a chance of anything happening to her unborn child. Naomi knew such superstitions were rubbish, but still . . .
Mamm started to talk about a small lap quilt that she was making for a friend who was ill, but Naomi’s thoughts were still on the baby growing inside her. She lost track of time as her mother carried on the conversation.
Abby rushed into the living room with Esther Rose on her heels about thirty minutes later. Esther Rose sported a red mustache and carried her blanket. Must have been cherry Kool-Aid today instead of lemonade. Naomi wondered how many cookies they’d eaten.
“When is Mr. Brock going to pick us up to go to the carnival?” Abby bounced up on her toes. “I’m ready for rides!”
Naomi and her mother exchanged glances, then Naomi stood up. “Soon, so we best get back on the road.” They were leaving earlier than Naomi had planned, but the visit hadn’t gone as she had hoped.
“What’s this?” Her mother lifted herself from the couch and put on a false smile. “Mr. Brock? Your father’s friend? Why is he taking you to the carnival?”
Naomi heard insinuation in her mother’s tone. “Girls, tell Mammi bye and go wait for me by the buggy.”
When they were gone, Naomi said, “I know what you’re thinking. This isn’t a date. Stephen never wanted to take the girls to a fall festival or carnival, and when I mentioned that yesterday in his truck on the way back from town, Brock said he loved carnivals and would be happy to take them. We passed by a carnival. That’s how the subject came up.”
“In his truck? Why wasn’t he working? And why were you traveling in his truck?”
Naomi silently reprimanded herself for making things worse. “He needed a part for his tractor and was going to Lancaster. I asked if I could go along. Abby needed a tire for her scooter and I had a few other things on my Walmart list.”
“I know all of you younger people love Walmart, but I’m not sure it’s a gut idea to go there. We should support our local vendors and friends.”
Naomi breathed a sigh of relief, glad the conversation had shifted. “I know, Mamm. But we can’t get everything we need around here.”
Her mother shook her head. “Times are changing and that scares me. Almost everyone is toting a portable phone now too.”
“You have one.” Naomi folded her arms across her chest. “So does Daed.”
“For emergencies.”
Naomi grinned. “Cousin Sarah Mae in Ohio must have a lot of emergencies.”
Smiling, Naomi’s mother gave her a gentle push toward the girls. “Go, now. Have fun at your carnival. Don’t let the girls ride anything dangerous. They’re not big enough for many of those rides, I’m sure.”
Naomi kissed her mother on the cheek and left, excited for their afternoon, but upset that she’d disappointed her mother by shedding her mourning clothes. And even more unhappy that she hadn’t felt comfortable telling her mother about the baby. Naomi laid a hand on her tummy as she walked to her buggy where the girls were waiting, knowing it wouldn’t be long before her belly popped out and it’d be impossible to hide.