I’m glad you came out to supper with us,” Esta said, smiling at Ruth as she sat at a table with Abe’s family at the Farmstead Restaurant on Friday evening.
“I’m glad I did, too. Happy birthday, Esta.” Ruth patted the child’s arm.
Esta grinned at Ruth. “Danki for the birthday present you gave me.” The child looked down at the small black handbag in her lap. “Mama had one like this, only it was bigger.”
Ruth smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”
Esta looked at her father. “Since we’ve already said our silent prayer, can we go to the salad bar now? I can’t wait for some pickled eggs.”
Abe tweaked the girl’s nose. “Sure, go ahead.” He nodded at Ruth. “If you’d like to go with the older kinner, I’ll wait here with Molly. Then I’ll go for my salad when you get back.”
“Mammi …”
Ruth smiled at Molly, who was sitting in the high chair the restaurant had provided, eating a cracker. She patted the little girl’s chubby arm and turned to face Abe. “I don’t mind waiting with Molly if you’d like to go to the salad bar first.”
He shook his head. “I’ll wait.”
“Okay. I’ll see what’s there that Molly can eat and bring her something back.” Ruth slid her chair away from the table and followed Abe’s children to the salad bar. She was ready to take a plate when she spotted her friend Sadie coming into the restaurant with her boyfriend, Toby. Sadie didn’t appear to notice Ruth as she hurried to the ladies’ room. Toby didn’t see her, either, for he was busy talking to the hostess.
Ruth bent down and whispered in Esta’s ear, “I’ll be right back. Can you help Owen and Willis get their food?”
“Where are you going?” Esta looked up at Ruth with questioning eyes.
“Just need to use the restroom.”
“Jah, sure. I’ll help the boys get whatever they need.”
Ruth smiled. Esta might be only nine years old, but she seemed so grown up at times.
When Ruth entered the ladies’ room, she discovered Sadie at the sink, washing her hands. Sadie must have spotted Ruth in the mirror, for she turned and smiled. “I’m surprised to see you here. Did you come with your folks?”
“I came with Abe and his kinner. We’re celebrating Esta’s birthday.”
“How nice.” Sadie smiled. “How’s your job going at Abe’s?”
“I’m doing my best to keep up with things at the house, and it’s nice to spend time with Abe’s kinner.” Ruth sighed. “It makes me feel useful and gives my life purpose.”
“Everyone needs a purpose.” Sadie nudged Ruth’s arm. “Maybe you’ll end up marrying Abe. Then your life will have purpose for years to come.”
“What?”
“I was thinking you might marry Abe.”
“That’s ridiculous, Sadie. Abe’s ten years older than me, and—”
“So what? My mamm’s eight years younger than my daed.”
“Even if there was no age difference, there’s no love between me and Abe.”
“Who says there has to be love? A mutual respect might be all that’s needed.” Sadie turned her palms up. “Look at my relationship with Toby. I love him, and he says he loves me, yet he still hasn’t asked me to marry him. What good has love done me?”
Ruth mulled things over a bit. Maybe Sadie was right about love not being a necessary ingredient in marriage—especially if it meant she could be a mother.
She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and noticed that the dark circles she’d been plagued with for the last several months had diminished. Would Abe even consider asking me to marry him? She looked away. Surely not. He’s still in love with his wife. And I love Martin.
“Martin would want you to find happiness again,” Sadie said, seeming to read Ruth’s thoughts.
Ruth shrugged. “Maybe so, but I’m sure Abe would never ask me to marry him.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do.”
A slow smile spread across Sadie’s face. “Then why don’t you ask him?”
Ruth’s spine went rigid. “Ach, I could never do that!”
“Why not?”
“It would be too bold.” She squinted at Sadie. “I don’t see you asking Toby to marry you.”
Sadie’s face flooded with color. “No, but I’ve thought about it.”
Ruth folded her arms across her chest. “When you become bold enough to propose to Toby, then I’ll think about asking Abe to marry me.”
Martha was bent over a small table in the section of her father’s barn that had been turned into a kennel when she heard the barn door open and click shut. “Is anyone here?”
Martha recognized her aunt’s voice immediately; Rosemary had been coming over once or twice a week ever since she’d returned to Holmes County.
“I’m back here by the kennels.”
“What are you up to?” Aunt Rosemary asked when she joined Martha.
Martha lifted Heidi’s left front paw. “I’ve been clipping my dog’s toenails.”
Aunt Rosemary reached over and stroked Heidi behind her ear. “How’s your business doing these days?”
“The female beagle I bought several weeks ago still isn’t pregnant, but I haven’t lost hope.”
Aunt Rosemary released a sigh and leaned against the table. “Wish I could say the same regarding your dad and me.”
“He still won’t talk to you?”
“No.”
“Dad can be real stubborn sometimes,” Martha said with a shake of her head. “Have you tried talking to Mom about this? Maybe she can make him listen to reason.”
“I just came from seeing her at the house—after I’d been to your dad’s shop and gotten nowhere.”
“Dad’s still working in the shop at this hour?”
Aunt Rosemary nodded. “I saw the lights on when I drove in, so I stopped there first and found him restoring an old chair. Then I went up to the house and saw your mother. I was tempted to tell her my story but decided it would be best if your dad heard it from me, not secondhand.” She sighed. “If I ever get him to listen, that is. He makes me feel so frustrated.”
“I know what you mean about frustration.” Martha placed Heidi back in her kennel and turned to face her aunt. “Nothing’s been the same around here since someone started attacking my family, and things are getting steadily worse.”
Aunt Rosemary’s eyebrows shot up. “What kind of attacks? No one’s mentioned anything about that to me.”
“Dad thinks it’s better if we don’t talk about it, and Mom pretty much agrees.”
“And what do you think, Martha?”
“I’d like to find out who’s behind the attacks and make them stop.” Martha grunted. “Of course, unless the sheriff does more than promise to keep an eye on our place, that’s not likely to happen.”
“You’ve spoken with the sheriff?”
“A couple of us have. He’s been out to our place a few times to ask questions and look around, too.”
“And he’s been patrolling the area?”
“That’s what he says. But the attacks have continued, and we have no idea why we’re being singled out.” She shrugged. “Of course, each of us has our own idea about who could be responsible.”
“You mean you have a list of suspects?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“Does the sheriff know this?”
“Yes. Dad has talked to him a few times.”
“Well, the man should be making every effort to do something about it.”
“I agree.”
“Maybe I’ll pay a call to the sheriff tomorrow morning. Would you like to accompany me?”
Martha nodded. Since Aunt Rosemary wasn’t Amish, maybe Sheriff Osborn would take her more seriously than he had the others.
Aunt Rosemary gave Martha a hug. “Until tomorrow, then.”
“What are you doing in my barn, talking to my daughter?” Dad shouted as he stepped out of the shadows.
Martha jumped. “We were just visiting,” she said before her aunt could respond.
“I wasn’t talking to you, daughter. I was talking to her.” Dad whirled toward Aunt Rosemary and scowled. “Martha’s right; we were visiting.”
“Jah, well, you’re not welcome here. And I’ll thank you to stay away from my family.”
Martha’s mouth opened wide. “Dad, you can’t mean that.”
His forehead wrinkled as he gave one quick nod. “This woman is nothing but trouble. I don’t want her influencing you.”
“She’s not.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to defend me.” Aunt Rosemary gave Martha’s shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll be going now.”
As Martha watched her aunt walk out of the barn, a sense of despair washed over her. Would Aunt Rosemary be back tomorrow so they could see the sheriff together? Or would she be on the next plane headed for home?