Martha came home after a hard morning’s work at the café. She was a little shaken because she had confessed to Ava, the café’s owner, that she didn’t have any qualifications. To her delight, Ava did not mind at all. Martha had been careful to explain that she hadn’t known what qualifications were at the time, and that she had thought she was qualified because she was experienced with baking the type of cakes that the café wanted.
Martha thought Ava would be angry or maybe even fire her, but Ava seemed to take it with a grain of salt. She told Martha she was delighted with the cakes and pastries she made and wanted her to make more of the chocolate triple layer cakes.
Martha was relieved but a little guilty she hadn’t told Ava sooner. Also, it was rather stressful baking in a commercial situation. Back at home, although she sometimes had to cook for many people, there was no pressure. It was in the peace and quiet of her family kitchen rather than in the hustle and bustle of a busy café kitchen with people calling out orders and rushing to and fro.
Martha kicked off her shoes and threw herself down on a couch. She stretched her arms behind her. She realized she hadn’t had lunch, but Mary was coming to visit today and she wanted to have lunch with her. Still, Martha was hungry, so she went to the kitchen wondering what light snacks she could have. Before she got the opportunity to find any snacks, there was a knock on the door.
Martha hurried over to the door. “Mary,” she exclaimed with delight. “Come in.” “How did you get here, by the way?”
“Your mother gave me money for a taxi.”
Martha could barely suppress a shudder. She still thought of people pushing others out of the way to get to the yellow cabs in New York.
“Is something wrong, Martha?” Mary asked her.
“No, not at all,” Mary said. “I was just thinking of New York.”
Mary beamed. “Congratulations! I heard you did very well. You even have a contract.”
“I don’t think my mother is too happy about it,” Martha confessed.
Mary nodded. “I think she was worried about you going to New York, especially that you didn’t tell them you were going.”
Martha sat on the couch and rubbed her hand over her eyes. “I guess something else I have to feel guilty about, I suppose.”
“What’s the other thing?” Mary asked.
Martha smiled to herself. She knew Mary must be relaxed, because she wasn’t chattering away. “Just a work thing. Nothing much,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’ll heat up our lunch. I prepared it last night. It’s an Italian dish called risotto,” Martha added, “and then we can have some of my chocolate. What did you want to talk with me about?”
Mary shifted from one foot to the other and avoided Martha’s gaze. “Can I tell you over lunch? I always feel calmer when I’m eating. This matter is making me quite nervous. I don’t know why it’s making me nervous, but it is. Well of course, I know why it’s making me nervous. It’s embarrassing. That’s why I don’t want to tell anyone else. I could have told Esther, but she’s so sick with the morning sickness and all, so I have no one to talk to but you. You don’t mind, do you?”
Martha smiled. It was clear to her Martha was nervous now. “Of course I don’t mind. Let’s eat.”
Soon the two of them were sitting at the little dining table, eating their food. Mary pushed her food around her plate with her fork.
“Out with it, Mary,” Martha said. “You’ll feel better once you tell me.”
Mary’s face fell. “It’s about David.”
“David?” Martha said, wondering whether this conversation was going.
“Yes, David. It’s embarrassing. I don’t know how to tell you.”
“You like him, don’t you?”
Mary looked shocked. “Is it obvious? Please tell me it’s not obvious. I hope I haven’t embarrassed myself in front of David, making it so obvious to him that I like him.”
“Of course it is not obvious,” Martha said. “You said it was about David. So really, what else could it be?”
Mary appeared to be considering her words. “I see. Jah, I like David.” She spoke in a lowered voice and then looked around the room.
Martha frowned. “We’re the only ones here.”
Mary nodded. “I really like him, but he doesn’t like me.”
“What makes you think that?” Martha asked her.
Mary held up both hands, palms upward. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? He hasn’t asked me on a buggy ride. It’s obvious he sees me just as a friend.”
“But you too have such a good time together, and you have that common bond over Pirate. You’re always having a good time with David and Pirate.”
Mary was eating food and waited until she finished her mouthful before speaking. She swallowed loudly. “That’s just the problem. We have a good time just like good friends. He doesn’t see me as a woman. He just sees me as a friend.”
Martha wasn’t so sure about that. She had suspected from time to time that David was interested in Mary. “Perhaps that’s what David thinks about you. Perhaps he thinks you only see him as a friend.”
Mary looked doubtful.
“Is he seeing a girl at the moment?”
Mary shook her head. “Nee. Not as far as I know, anyway.”
Martha leaned forward. “Well then, has he taken a girl home after a Singing? Or has he ever seemed interested in any girls at Singing?”
Mary looked at the ceiling and bit her lip. “Nee. Abigail Eicher keeps following him around, trying to talk to him, but he doesn’t seem interested. He keeps walking away.”
“All that is surely good, isn’t it?” Martha asked her.
Mary stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork. “No, it’s not good, because he hasn’t asked me on a buggy ride. If he liked me, he would ask me on a buggy ride. It’s that simple. I don’t think he likes any girls in our community. Maybe he’s writing to a girl in another community. Nee Martha, I’m sure he only sees me as a friend.”
Martha was at a loss. She had no idea how to respond. She was worried that David might still be seeing English girls. She thought she had better tell Mary about his past. “Um, Mary,” Martha began, wondering how to break it to her gently, “David used to, um, well…”
Mary finished her sentence for her. “Hannah saw David with an English girl once. They were kissing in public.”
Martha gasped. “You knew?”
“Jah. Hannah told me. Anyway, David told me he used to run around with English girls but said that was when he was young and silly. He feels bad about it now.”
This is getting stranger and stranger, Martha thought. Aloud she said, “David discussed it with you?” Before Mary had a chance to respond, Martha added, “Surely he must like you, in that case. Why else would he say such a personal thing to you?”
“Because he sees me as friend,” Mary lamented. “He probably doesn’t even realize I’m a woman! What can I do?”
“I don’t know,” Martha admitted. “I don’t really know what you can do. And you’re sure he only sees you as a friend? Are you absolutely positive?”
Mary nodded slowly, a sad expression on her face. “Yes, I’m sure.”
“And you’re not interested in any other boys?”
Mary’s expression brightened. “I see! You’re saying I should make him jealous.”
Martha waved her left hand at Mary. “Nee, nee, nee. That wasn’t what I was saying at all.”
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Martha went to open it.
“Gary,” she said. He was standing next to a little boy. Martha guessed the boy to be around the age of eight.
“This is my little brother, Sam,” Gary announced.
Sam walked into the room, scratching his arm. “My clothes are itchy,” he said to no one in particular. He was carrying a stick.
“What’s the stick for?” Martha asked Gary in lowered tones.
“Sam likes to collect rocks and unusually shaped sticks,” Gary said. “He’s pretty much obsessed with them. That’s because he’s on the autism spectrum.”
“I see.”
Sam sat opposite Mary. “Would the two of you like some lunch, Gary?” Martha asked him. “I have plenty.”
“Yes, I was hoping you’d say that,” Gary admitted. “That’s why I brought Sam over here. I have nothing in my fridge at all. Our mother has a really bad case of flu, so I’m minding Sam for a few days.”
“This is my friend, Mary,” Martha said, “and Mary, this is Gary. He lives in the building.”
Gary hurried over to Mary and stuck out his hand to shake hers, but then pulled his hand back swiftly. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
Mary looked confused. “What for?”
“I mean, do you Amish shake hands? I don’t know anything about the Amish.”
“But what about Martha?” Mary said. “She’s Amish.”
“Martha is not Amish anymore,” Gary said, his words earning a gasp from Mary.
“Sure we shake hands,” Mary said, and the two of them shook hands.
“Come to think of it, don’t you have a secret handshake or something?” Gary asked. He planted his palm on his forehead. “Silly me. That’s the Freemasons, isn’t it?”
Martha and Mary exchanged glances. “I’ll fetch you some lunch,” Martha said.
Mary rose to help her, but Martha waved her back down. When Martha reached the kitchen, she considered perhaps Mary wanted to escape from Gary. He did seem a little strange at times.
By the time Martha returned to the table with two steaming plates of food, which she deposited in front of Sam and Gary, she was relieved to see Mary and Gary chatting happily away.
Mary had already finished her dinner. Martha had finished hers too so they sat and waited for Sam and Gary to finish.
“What’s that?” Mary said, pointing to Sam’s stick. He was twirling it around with one hand, and eating with the other.
He handed it to her. “It’s my favorite stick.”
She inspected the stick. “It’s a very good stick. I throw sticks to my dog, but not nice sticks like this, only ordinary sticks.”
“You have a dog?” Martha noted that Sam avoided eye contact with Mary.
“Yes I do,” she said. “He’s a very tall dog.” She handed the stick back.
Sam continued to eat while twirling the stick.
“So are you and Martha from the same religious group?” Gary asked Mary.
Mary giggled. “It’s not a religious group. I think you mean a community.” When Gary looked blank, she pushed on. “When Martha and her sisters were in the buggy accident, their bishop was friends with our bishop and he asked our bishop for someone to go and help the Millers because all the girls had injuries. So I went to help Mrs. Miller and I liked it so much there, that I haven’t gone home. I mean, I visited home several times, but I haven’t gone home to live.”
“What’s it like being Amish?” Gary asked her.
Mary raised her eyebrows. “Haven’t you asked Martha that?”
Gary narrowed his eyes. “I don’t really think of Martha as Amish. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t dress in Amish clothes.”
Mary nodded. “Yes, but it’s not what’s on the outside of someone that counts, but what’s on the inside them.”
Gary nodded solemnly. “Quite so, quite so. You’re quite wise for your age, young Mary.”
“I’m definitely not much younger than you.”
Gary laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask how old you are. I know better than to ask a lady her age.” To Sam, he said, “Are you having a good time?”
Sam nodded.
“How about some ice cream and chocolate?” Martha said.
Sam seemed quite pleased by the suggestion, as did Gary. This time, Mary helped Martha in the kitchen. “He seems nice,” Mary whispered to Martha. “Does he have a girlfriend?”
“Not as far as I know,” Martha said. “You’re not going to try to make David jealous, are you?” She looked up, but Mary was already heading out of the kitchen. Martha sighed and followed her.
“My mother was taking Sam camping this weekend, but now she’s got the flu,” Gary said.
“That’s too bad,” Martha said. “Maybe you can go again soon as your mother’s better.”
Gary shook his head. “No, it’s all arranged. I’m going to take him camping for the weekend. Martha, I was hoping you, Sheryl, and Laura could come with me. It’s all paid for already, paid in full.”
“Camping?” Martha said with alarm. She had never been camping and said so.
Gary waved one hand at her in dismissal. “There’s nothing to it, truly. I wouldn’t worry about it, if I were you. You just pitch a tent and build a campfire and then sit around playing board games or telling funny stories. I always play the guitar.”
It sounded quite boring to Martha, but she plastered a smile on her face. “Yes, lots of people seem to enjoy camping.” Some familyes in her community had been camping, but the Millers never had.
“I was hoping you could all come with me to help look after Sam,” Gary said. “It’s just for one night.” Martha could sense the desperation in his voice. Her heart went out to him. She didn’t think Gary was the most responsible person in the world, and he was taking his little brother away camping. “If Sheryl goes, I’ll go too,” Martha said.
“That sounds wonderful,” Gary said. “What about you, Mary?”
“I have to help Mrs. Miller,” she said, “but thanks for asking.”
Mary kept staring at Gary. Martha didn’t know if she was genuinely interested in him or whether she was simply keen to be having a long conversation with an Englischer. One thing was clear, Sam seemed taken with Mary. He showed her the stick at intervals, and Mary continued to exclaim over it, which made Sam’s face light up.
Sheryl burst through the door, clutching several bags. “Hello everyone,” she said. She practically ran past them to go to her bedroom.
A minute or so later, she came out and sat at the table.
“Sheryl, this is my friend Mary, from back home.”
Mary must have been nervous to have two Englischers is in the one room because she spoke rapidly. “Yes, I haven’t known Martha for very long, but I’ve known her for some time. Martha and I are friends. I’m also friends with her sisters. I live in the grossmammi haus behind the Millers’ house. I enjoy living by myself. Someone else once stayed with me for a while when her house burned down, but then she left because everyone rebuilt her house. Oh sorry, I’m talking too much, aren’t I?” She put her hand over her mouth, but soon took it away. “Just tell me if I’m talking too much,” she added.
“Would you like some lunch?” Martha asked Sheryl as soon as Mary stopped talking.
“Maybe later,” Sheryl said. “I’ve just had lunch and I’m quite full. Hi Sam.”
Sam did not acknowledge her.
“I have a big favor to ask you, Sheryl,” Gary said. “I’ve already asked Martha and she said she would if you would.”
Martha wasn’t happy to put on the spot like that.
“What is it?” Sheryl asked looking between the two of them.
“My mother’s come down with a bad case of flu, so Sam has to stay with me for the weekend. Mom had already promised to take him camping, but obviously she can’t go now, so I said I’d take him.”
“Camping? How long for?” Sheryl’s tone was wary.
“Just overnight on Saturday night,” Gary said. “Come on Sheryl, it will be fun. I was hoping Laura could come too.”
“Sure, why not.”
The relief on Gary’s face was unmistakable.
“But what supplies will we need?” Sheryl asked. “We’ll need tents and sleeping bags. No wait, maybe we need airbeds and a pump, so we won’t have to sleep on the hard ground. And what about a portable propane gas barbecue?”
“A campfire will be fine,” Gary said. “There are fire rings on site. I’ve got plenty of camping gear and air beds. Before the divorce, my parents used to go camping all the time, and Mom’s got a lot of camping gear. You won’t need anything, seriously, only camping clothes.”
“I don’t have any camping clothes,” Martha said.
Sheryl shot her a speculative look. “I’ll go out and get you some this afternoon. I’ll have to get myself some too.”
“I’ll come and buy some for myself,” Martha said.
Sheryl wouldn’t hear a word of it. “No, I insist. I absolutely insist.”
Martha didn’t like the idea of Sheryl paying for her clothes. She figured she would go with her and offer to pay for the clothes when they reached the stores. “I’ll go shopping with you.”
“No you won’t,” Sheryl said. “I enjoy shopping. It’s my downtime and I find it relaxing. I only find relaxing and fun when I’m by myself though. So what clothes will you need?” She scratched her head.
“Just casual clothes, of course,” Gary said, “and socks and good walking boots. That’s all. I’ll bring everything else. I have plenty of airbeds and a pump. I’ve got all the camping gear—you just need to bring yourselves.”
“We’ll need to bring food,” said the ever-practical Martha.
“We’ll just take cans of food and heat them in a pot over the fire,” Gary said.
Martha wrinkled her nose.
“And we can have s’mores,” Sheryl said with delight.
“S’mores,” Sam repeated.
“Do you like s’mores?” Mary asked him.
He nodded. Martha noted that he didn’t make eye contact with anyone, and he seemed a little socially awkward, but then he was only eight years old.
“Well, that’s settled,” Gary said with delight. “Who’s going to ask Laura?”
“You can ask her,” Sheryl said. “Why don’t you go and ask her now. Is she is working this afternoon, Martha?”
Martha said that she was.
Sheryl shooed Gary out of the apartment. “Off you go. Go ask her now and Sam can stay with us. That is, if Sam doesn’t mind?”
“Maybe I should give him some chocolates first,” Martha said.
Sam seemed quite happy to eat chocolate ice cream and salted caramel candies while Gary hurried to the café to invite Laura.
Sheryl was clearly enthusiastic about camping. “Isn’t this exciting! Have you been camping before, Martha?” Without waiting for Martha to respond, she added, “I love camping. It’s such fun. We’ll have so much fun, you’ll see!”