Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 John 1:2
“What is she doing?” Grace asked out aloud as she watched Marlene steal Adam’s buggy. Grace squinted to see which way Marlene would turn once she reached the end of the driveway. Right would mean she might head home, and left would mean she was heading elsewhere.
“She’s not going home!” Grace knew she had a quick decision to make. She could involve Adam to have him go after her or turn back and tell Matthew what she’d seen. Since Matthew was already upset with Marlene, and she’d stolen Adam’s buggy, Grace took the only course of action that seemed reasonable. She took hold of the horse’s mane in one hand and leaped onto his back. Riding as fast as she comfortably could, she headed in the direction that Adam’s buggy had taken.
Grace hoped that Marlene would slow the buggy down. If she’d had enough time to saddle Charlie, she could’ve caught up with the buggy in no time at all, but as it was, she’d have to hope that the buggy slowed.
She kept her eyes focused on the buggy heading away from her when she saw the buggy suddenly tip over.
“Marlene!” she screamed. When she got close, she jumped off Charlie and flung his reins around a tree branch, racing to see if Marlene was injured. The horse was on his side and trying to get up.
“Marlene!” she screamed once again.
“I’m okay,” Marlene said as she appeared climbing over the side of the buggy.
Grace looked at the horse and hoped he didn’t have a broken leg. She undid the straps that kept the horse trapped on the ground and he got to his feet. The horse appeared to be all right. She held on to his cheek-strap.
Marlene asked, “Where’s Matthew?”
“Back at the haus.”
Marlene burst into tears. “Grace, don't tell Matthew that I did this. He doesn't love me anymore, and he’d be so disappointed in me. No one likes me; no one in your familye likes me. Your mudder keeps making cold remarks to me, and your vadder ignores me unless he’s asking me if I’m all right. Nee! I’m not all right.”
Grace noticed Adam running up the road toward them.
Marlene, still in tears, said, “Grace, please don’t tell.”
“What happened?” Adam looked them both up and down and then went straight to his horse. He crouched down and ran a hand down each of his legs. He stood up and looked directly at Grace, and repeated, “What happened?”
Grace took a deep breath. “I'd heard your horse was fast and I wanted to see how fast he could go. I’m sorry, I tipped the buggy over.”
He looked at Marlene and then looked at the Byler’s horse, Charlie. “How did you come to be here with Charlie, Marlene?”
“I was out riding Charlie when I came across Grace. I’m just glad she’s okay. She could’ve gotten badly hurt. Do you think there’s something wrong with your buggy to tip over suddenly like that with no warning?”
“Nee, there was nothing wrong with my buggy, but there is now.” He pointed to the broken lights and twisted triangular reflector. “I’ll have to get those repaired, and it looks like the suspension’s damaged too.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t like that before?” Marlene asked.
“Nee, Marlene. I was cleaning the buggy this morning ready to take it out for the day. I would’ve noticed.” Adam looked at Marlene and lifted an eyebrow. “I've never known you to ride, Marlene. Are you sure things didn’t happen the other way around?”
“I do, I like horse-back riding. I ride quite often.”
“Looks like my horse is all right, so that’s something.” Adam put his hands on his hips and stared down at his buggy.
“I better get home now to cook my husband’s breakfast. He's waiting for me to come back from my ride.” Marlene walked over and plucked Charlie’s reins from the tree. She led the horse behind her as she walked away.
Grace didn't like lying, especially when she was making a commitment to God and being baptized in the not-too-distant future. Perhaps Gott would forgive her and overlook her lie if she was doing it to help her brother and sister-in-law's marriage.
“I’m sorry, Adam, I’m truly sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I'll pay for the repairs of the buggy.”
He shook his head. “Nee, you won’t. That's not necessary. I’ll take him home.” He took hold of his horse’s cheek strap and she took her hand away.
“Are you going to leave the buggy here?”
“I'll get Matthew or your vadder to give me a hand with that this afternoon. Looks like we’ll have to delay that day out of ours. I'm sorry, Grace.”
Grace could see he was bitterly disappointed in her. She knew he had more than one horse and more than one buggy. They still could’ve had their day out, but she was no longer in the mood and she couldn’t blame him for not being in the mood either.
They walked alongside one another in silence until they reached Adam’s long driveway.
“Well, I guess I'll spend the day helping mamm with chores.”
Adam nodded. “Goodbye, Grace.”
“Goodbye, Adam.” They walked their separate ways.
Once again, Marlene had ruined everything. What would Adam think of me, a grown woman, taking his buggy without asking? He must think I’ve lost my mind. I know Adam’s looking for a sensible woman and now he thinks I’m anything but the kind of woman he’s looking for.
Just as she was about to turn into her driveway, Matthew was coming towards her in his buggy. He stopped when he drew level. “Thanks for going after her, Grace. I know I should’ve but sometimes I just get tired of her antics.”
“Perhaps she would calm down if you made an extra effort to show her how much you love her. I’m not saying you don’t do those things, but I know from being married that sometimes I just wanted to know he cared, and that’s all I wanted. That would’ve been enough.”
“You look so sad sometimes, Grace. One day you might tell me what’s made you so unhappy. I’m guessing things between you and Jeremy were worse than you’ve let on.”
Grace looked down at the dirt and small pebbles at her feet.
“I'll keep in mind what you said.” Matthew clicked his horse onward and Grace continued home.
When Grace walked into the house, her mother said, “You better get ready for your day out with Adam. You can’t wear that. Go and clean yourself up - he’ll be here any minute.”
“Something came up and Adam can’t make it today, Mamm.” Or any other day.
“What came up so suddenly? We only saw him just last night.”
“Adam and I just need to give things a little more time.”
When her mother opened her mouth to say something, Grace put up her hands. “It has to be my decision and mine alone, Mamm. I’m not ready to think about another man. Jeremy has just died.” Her eyes filled with tears and she ran upstairs to her bedroom. Part of her was crying for Jeremy and part of her was crying for Adam. Her second chance with Adam had been ruined, and ruined by the same person. But this time she had been a contributor. She could have told Adam the truth. After all, Marlene would never have taken the blame for her if their positions had been reversed.
Her mother knocked on her door and walked into her room without waiting for an answer. “You're right. It's just that I've always thought you and Adam would make a lovely couple. I didn’t know Jeremy; you never brought him around. I’m sorry I’ve been insensitive to both you and Marlene. It’s hard to remember how young women think. I’ll try harder. I won’t mention Adam again to you and I won’t mention kinner to Marlene.”
Grace sat up and hugged her mother. “Denke. That’ll be a good start.”
“But if you married Adam, you'd be living right next door.” When Grace opened her mouth in shock at her mother, she said, “That’s all I was going to say.”
“Some things just aren't meant to happen.” She looked down at her clothes and saw that they were smeared with dirt. “I’ll change out of these grubby clothes and then I’ll come down and help you with chores.”
Her mother leaned down and kissed her on her forehead, and before she walked out of the room she said, “I’m so glad you’re home.”
When Grace was in the middle of changing her clothes, there was a quiet knock on her door. She opened her door a crack to see Marlene.
“Can I come in?”
Grace opened her door enough to let Marlene through. She sat down on Grace’s bed. “Denke for what you did just now, Grace. It shows me that you truly want to be my friend. We were good friends once.”
Grace had just changed her dress, now she was unfolding her apron. “I think I lost your shawl in the fields somewhere. I had it when I left and when I got home I didn’t have it. I’ll go out later to find it.”
“It’ll be there somewhere. I hope I haven't ruined things between you and Adam.”
“Here, tie my apron.” Grace turned around for Marlene to fix her apron. “It doesn't matter. Some things just aren't meant to be.” Disappointment was something Grace was familiar with, and had learned to live with. Why should things be any different now?
“I know what you mean, like Matthew and I being happy and having a boppli.”
“No one tells you before you’re married, but marriage is hard. That’s what I found out. And having a baby, that's something I know nothing about.”
“I tried to speak with your mudder about women’s things, but she just doesn't understand. She had no problems having kinner; she doesn't know how hard it's been for me to see women who get married and right away have a boppli a year later – just like that. Betsy Yoder got married after me, and she’s already got two kinner with another on the way.”
Grace felt closer to Marlene now that she was opening up to her. She would have felt even more sorry for her if she hadn’t just ruined things for her for a second time.
“Let’s forget our troubles and go down to help Mamm.”
Marlene nodded.
For the next few hours, Grace tried to forget that Adam now had the idea reinforced in his head that she was impulsive, not to mention careless with others’ possessions. She’d have to go and make amends, and force him to accept payment for damages to his buggy. Grace was thankful his horse was unharmed.