When Martha got home, Gary helped her into her apartment and left her on the couch with her foot up on the coffee table. As soon as Gary was out the door, Martha realized she didn’t have any paper to make notes about her chocolate business. She wished she had thought of that before Gary left. She was about to get up and look for some when she remembered she had to call her father at his work and tell him how her ankle was.
“Martha!” her father exclaimed. “How is your foot?”
“It’s gut, denki, and the doktor said he is happy with how my old injuries have healed. However, he said I had to take the week off work.”
“That’s wise,” her father said. “Mary asked me to give you a message.”
Martha was mystified. “What is it?”
“Mary mentioned a boy called Sam. She said she promised to show him the dog, Pirate. She wondered if you could come home and the two of you could go and visit the dog with the little boy.”
“Well, I’ll ask Gary if Sam can visit,” Martha said. “Their mother is ill. Their parents divorced some time ago and I don’t know where their father is. Did Mary tell you that Sam is on the autism spectrum?”
“Jah,” Mr. Miller said. “Can you come home and visit, Martha?”
“Sure,” Martha said. She hung up, just as there was a knock at the door. Martha struggled to stand up, and hobbled over to open the door.
“I forgot I hadn’t left you any food or anything,” Gary said. “I’m sorry. I’m not good at looking after people.”
“It would be good if you could make me some coffee please and fetch me some food. And also, I have a bunch of notes on my nightstand. There’s a pen there as well. Would you bring them out to me please?”
Gary hurried off to do as she asked. When he returned, she said, “I was just speaking to my father on the phone…”
Gary interrupted her. “I thought you weren’t allowed to have phones?”
“My father makes furniture and he has a phone at his business. We are allowed to have phones at our workplaces and even computers.”
Gary gasped. “Computers!” he said in horror.
Martha could not help but laugh at the expression on his face. “Anyways, my father said Mary had promised to show Sam her dog. She wondered if you could take Sam to my parents’ house and she can take him on a buggy ride to see the dog. I’ll go too.”
“When?” Gary said, looking at his watch.
“Well, any time that suits you, I suppose,” Martha said.
“Do you need any notice?”
Martha pulled a face. “No, I don’t think so.”
Gary looked at his watch again. “Actually, this could get me out of quite a pickle. What if I drove you and Sam over to your parents’ house now and then collected him just before dinner time tonight?”
Martha thought about it for a moment. “Sure. I suppose that’s fine. I was only going to be sitting around here anyway, and I do miss my familye.”
“That’s great! I wanted to run a few errands, but I couldn’t really do it with Sam. This will give me a chance get a lot done today. Do you want to leave now? How long will it take you to get ready?”
“I’m ready now,” Martha said. “We can go immediately.” Just then, she realized she wanted to wear her Amish clothes to visit her Amish parents. She knew most people on rumspringa didn’t do that, but her mother was a little upset by her being on rumspringa, and she thought it would make her mother happier. “I had better change first.”
Gary groaned. “You women always take hours to put on your make-up.”
Martha chuckled. “I’m not putting on any make-up.” She hurried to her bedroom and changed her clothes quickly. She remembered when she had a broken arm, and changing clothes took forever and was painful. However, changing clothes with a sore ankle was quite easy.
When she walked back out, Gary gasped. “I’ll never get used to seeing you in your national dress.”
Martha chuckled. “National dress?” She laughed again.
Gary flushed beet red. “Whatever you call it. Anyway, I’ll pop back to my apartment and get Sam.”
Sam showed no reaction to Martha dressed in her Amish dress, cape, apron, prayer kapp, and bonnet. He simply showed her his collection of sticks, and once again Martha admired them. He showed her a particular rock.
“I’ve never seen a rock like this before,” Martha said. “It’s beautiful and shiny.”
“It’s black tourmaline,” Gary said. “ Sam saw it in a shop and pointed to it, so I just had to get it for him.”
Sam turned the stone over and over again before resuming twirling one of his sticks.
Martha directed Gary to her house. When he brought the car to a stop just outside the house, he said, “Wow, this is not far at all. I had no idea you lived so close.”
“It’s not that close in a buggy,” Martha said.
“Look Martha, this is really good of you to take Sam for the day, especially with your sore foot.”
“There are plenty of people to look after him,” Martha said.
Mary was in the garden and she hurried over, waving. “This is a nice surprise.”
“I hope it’s okay. Martha said it would be okay,” Gary said anxiously. “Sam wants to see Pirate.”
“Sure he can,” Mary said. “He’s over at a friend’s house. We’ll take him in the buggy.”
“I think Sam would enjoy that,” Gary said. “He loves animals. He loves horses too.”
Laura had told Martha that children on the autism spectrum often relate to horses, and that there were in fact several charities specifically for children on the autism spectrum to interact with horses. Sam was busy showing Mary his black tourmaline, and she was exclaiming over it.
“Gary, would you like to come inside for some lemonade?” Martha asked.
“Err, no, um, no thanks,” Gary stammered. Martha wondered if he was a little afraid of Amish people and afraid to meet her parents. “I’d better go. I’ll call for you. I’ll come back at exactly five?”
“Sure,” Martha said. “Just text me if you change your plans.”
“Sure.” Gary waved, said goodbye to Sam, and drove off.
Martha watched them carefully to see if Sam was upset that Gary had driven away, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. He hadn’t even looked up and was still showing Mary his black tourmaline.
“I found a nice stone for you, you the other day,” Mary said. “Would you like to come with me and get it?”
Sam said, “Yes,” and followed Mary inside the house. Martha followed her, and Rebecca ran out.
“Martha!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were coming. I’ll go and tell Mamm.”
Rebecca vanished, and Martha was only just in the door when Mrs. Miller hurried out. She was smiling from ear to ear. “Martha. This is a surprise. This must be Sam.” Sam did not look at Mrs. Miller, who continued, “Mary found a stone for you.”
“Yes,” Sam said again, but he did not look at Mrs. Miller. However, he smiled.
“You can have some lemonade while I fetch it,” Mary said. “You sit right there and I’ll come straight back.”
Mrs. Miller handed Sam a glass of lemonade. He drank half of it and then put it on the coffee table in front of him. It wasn’t long before Mary was back. She handed Sam a sizeable stone.
Sam stared at the stone with deep concentration, and then hugged it to him.
“I think he likes it,” Mrs. Miller said. She kept smiling at Sam. Martha wondered if Mrs. Miller had ever wanted a son. She had four daughters, after all. Hannah had a twin girl and a twin boy. Mr. Miller always jokingly said he and Hannah’s sohn, Mason, were outnumbered by women. Martha wondered if Esther would have a boy.
“Martha!”
Martha looked up and realized her mother had been speaking to her. “What is it, Mamm?”
“Are you back for good?”
“Nee, Mamm. I’m leaving at five this afternoon.”
Mrs. Miller narrowed her eyes. “I see.” Her tone was icy. “I thought your father told me you had to rest for a week. I thought you would come home for the week.”
“I have work to do,” Martha said.
“Surely not on your bad foot,” her mother snapped.
“Nee, Mamm,” Martha said again. “I mean work on my chocolate business.”
Mrs. Miller folded her arms over her chest. “I will go make some meadow tea,” she snapped.
“Will you be able to come and see Pirate or will you have to stay here because of your foot?” Mary asked Martha.
“I’d rather come,” Martha said. Silently, she added, I think I’d better get away from Mamm. She’s not in the best of moods.
“Maybe you could sit inside with Mrs. Yoder, or maybe sit on the porch steps.”
“The porch steps might be a good idea,” Martha said and then laughed. “David won’t mind us coming, will he?” She nodded her head slightly toward Sam.
Mary shook her head. “Nee, I told him that I would bring Sam to see Pirate.”
After Martha and Mary drank the meadow tea and Sam had another glass of lemonade, Mary went to harness the horse. After five minutes or so, she stuck her head around the door and called out. “Come on, ready to go.”
Martha hobbled a few steps and then Mary ran in and took her by the elbow. “I’m sorry, Martha, I forgot about your foot. Would you like to meet a horse, Sam?”
“Yes,” Sam said.
“You go on ahead, Mary. I can walk on it pretty well now, because it’s bandaged tightly,” Martha said. She knew she wasn’t supposed to walk on it at all, but she didn’t think a short way would hurt. After all, she would have to walk about a little in the apartment.
By the time Martha made her way outside, Sam was hugging the horse. He had reached up, and had his arms around the horse’s neck. The horse didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the attention.
“Sam really does love animals,” Mary said appreciatively. “Come on Sam, do you want a buggy ride right now in this buggy?”
“Yes,” Sam said.
Martha noted he was speaking more regularly than usual. Mary helped him up onto the buggy and then helped Martha up too. Martha kept a close eye on Sam to see if he was afraid of the buggy, but he seemed excited. He had even stopped twirling his stick and was looking around at the scenery. When they were a short way from the Yoders’ farm, Mary said to Martha, “I hope Pirate’s on his best behaviour. I hope he doesn’t jump up.”
“I thought David trained him not to,” Martha said.
“Yes, but I can’t help worrying,” Mary said. “He could easily knock Sam over.”
There was no sign of Pirate or anyone else when Mary stopped the buggy outside the Yoders’ house, but soon David walked around the side of the barn. “Hullo, Mary,” he said with delight, followed by, “Hiya, Martha.” He looked at Sam and smiled at him. “You must be Sam. Mary’s told me about you.”
Sam stared at his feet, twirling one of his sticks.
“I hope Pirate won’t jump up and knock him down,” Mary said.
“I’ll keep a close eye on him, but he’s been really good lately,” David said.
Pirate bounded around the edge of the barn, obviously happy to see Mary. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. When she stood up, Sam flung his arms around Pirate’s neck, and kissed his head too. Pirate gave him a long lick up the face and Sam giggled.
Martha was shocked. “That’s the most excited I’ve seen Sam and I’ve spent a bit of time with him lately,” she said.
Sam sat in the dust, and Pirate rolled over to have his belly rubbed. Sam chuckled with delight.
“Oh, sorry, Martha, I’ll help you from the buggy,” Mary said. To David, she said, “Martha twisted her ankle.”
“Sorry to hear that,” David said. “Here, I’ll help you out of the buggy.” When David and Martha reached the porch, David asked her, “Would you like to sit here on the porch?”
“Jah, denki,” she said.
Martha sat there hoping Mrs. Yoder wouldn’t come out and speak with her. She looked back over and saw Mary and Sam both tickling Pirate’s tummy. “So Sam is the brother of a friend of Mary’s?” David asked her.
Martha could see David looked none too pleased. His arms were folded over his chest and his expression was grim. She did not know how to respond. She did not know if Mary was trying to make him jealous and she didn’t want to put her foot in it. “Jah,” she said. “Sam is Gary’s little brother.”
“And who is this Gary?” David was still frowning.
“He lives in my apartment building,” Martha said. “He’s a friend of my roommate, Sheryl.”
“Are Sheryl and Gary dating?” David asked her.
Martha chuckled. “No, of course not. No, they’re just friends.”
David pursed his lips. “So how did Mary meet this Gary?”
Martha suppressed a smile. So David is jealous, after all, she thought. Hannah had told her that David had been running around with English girls, but that was some time ago now. Maybe David had come to his senses. She hadn’t heard any rumors about him for quite some time. Maybe he had, in fact, gotten over his youthful ways and was ready to settle down.
“Martha came to my apartment recently and Gary was there,” she said. “Mary told them about Pirate and thought Sam would like to see him.”
“And so Gary isn’t married or dating anyone?” David asked her.
“No, he isn’t.” Martha tried not to smile too much.
Martha was excited. She knew Mary had told her she liked David, and it seemed that David liked Mary. The more she thought about it, the more obvious it was to her. Yet why hadn’t David and Mary made their feelings known to each other? Martha thought it a little strange. Maybe they were both too shy.