Hoping that Margaret would not get her in trouble about the phone, Hal picked up her knife and quietly worked on a potato. While she peeled, Hal glanced around her at the women working so hard to make her wedding day special. Roseanna and Nora stood close together at one end of the counter. Roseanna kneaded her doughnut dough on the floured surface as she asked Nora where she lived. Nora cut celery into serving sizes for relish plates as she answered.
Emma had friends her age, Mary Ruth and Ida Janzen, helping her make sandwiches for lunch. Jennie Yoder was washing dishes right next to them. The girls were discussing where and when the next Sunday evening singing was to be held. With intermittent low giggles, the girls talked, as most young girls would, about boys and which teenagers might come as a couple.
At the other end of the counter, Lizzy Leichenring hit boiled eggs, one at a time, against the hard surface then picked off the shells. The quiet woman made more noise with those eggs then Hal had heard from her in all the time she’d known Lizzy.
Hal saw Amy dart by the doorway. She was sweeping every nook and cranny with the intention of dusting when she was done. Hal wondered if this was just busy work on Amy’s part. After all, Emma or Hal took a turn sweeping every morning. The house couldn’t be that dirty.
John’s other sister, Beth, was outside on a stepladder washing windows. Hal had to admit the windows needed cleaning. All the dust from the traffic on the gravel road settled on the glass, making a filmy haze which had been hard to see through. She hoped she had time to visit with both her new sister-in-laws later. She wanted to get to know John’s family as soon as possible.
About a half hour later, Barb yelled as she crossed the living room, “Anyone home?”
Amy rested on the broom handle and answered, “Jah, they are in the kitchen.”
Hal went to greet her friend at the doorway. “Very funny. Everyone, this is my friend Barb Sloan. She volunteered to help us.”
“Wilcom, Barb Sloan. Can you make potato salad?” Emma asked with directness.
“Yes, I’m quite good at it as a matter of fact,” Barb bragged rolling up her blouse sleeves.
“Gute. You can help make some for today’s lunch. Start chopping up that bowl of cold potatoes while Lizzy chops the eggs. You’ll find onion and mayonnaise beside the bowl. If you need anything else just ask,” Emma instructed. She looked out the kitchen window. “Ach nah, here comes, Stella Strutt.”
Hal asked halfheartedly, “You want me to go greet her since I’m already up?”
“Nah, you continue peeling. I will see to Stella,” Emma said as she dashed past Hal.
As Hal sat down, she heard the girl greet,”Wilcom, Stella Strutt. How are you this day?”
“Not a bit well, a bit well atall,” the older woman said in her loud, quarrelsome voice. “I decided to bring these cookies over now. Best get them here while they are fresh, real fresh.”
“denki for helping us. Come in the kitchen with the other women,” invited Emma.
“Nah, I’m going back home, back home. When it is hot like today, my ankles swell. Really swelled today. See.” The elderly woman must have paused to lift her long black dress enough to expose her puffy ankles and feet. Her swelled legs stretched her black socks, and her feet spilled over her sensible black shoes. “I need to get off my feet this afternoon so I will feel like coming to the wedding tomorrow,” Stella explained in stilted dialect.
“I am sorry to hear that,” Emma said sympathetically.
Hal giggled as she listened to the strained silence in the living room. Stella didn’t speak but Hal could imagine the caustic look she gave Emma.
Apologetically, Emma said, “Ach nah, Stella! I did not mean I was sorry you are coming to the wedding. I meant I am sorry to hear you are not well.”
“I see. I see.” Stella mumbled as she walked heavy footed to the door and shut it with a bang.
Margaret, with a twinkle in her eyes, elbowed Hal and scolded, “Pay attention to your job, Hal. We will never get the kettle full if you keep whittling your potatoes down to the size of pullet eggs.”
“I’m sorry,” Hal said meekly, tossing the much smaller potato in the pot. She knew it was not the Amish way to gloat, but she was suddenly very glad Emma chose to deal with Stella Strutt.
Lizzy finished chopping the last egg in the bowl and washed her hands. She disappeared into the mud room. When she came back she was carrying a pail of water and a broom.
Emma asked, “What are you going to do, Lizzy?”
“When I came this morning, I noticed where chickens had roosted on the edge of your porch. I have the eggs ready for the salad so I thought I’d clean the porch. If that is all right with you?” Lizzy suggested hesitantly.
“That is an everyday job, but the mess is from the ducks that follow the hen they think is their mother onto the porch. I’ve been meaning to talk to my brothers about doing something with those ducks. I will not have time to clean the porch off in the morning. I have a notion the porch floor will look the same way tomorrow as it does every morning,” complained Emma.
She headed for the front door with Lizzy following her. “Noah and Daniel,” she shouted. The boys looked toward the house. She beckoned them to come. When they were close, Emma said, “I want you to catch those little ducks and take them to the pond. They are big enough to take care of themselves. We do not want this mess on the porch in the morning,” she said, pointing to the smeared brown and white splashes dotting the board floor.
“Sure enough,” Noah said. He took off around the house with Daniel chasing after him. They peeked in the hen house and searched around the yard. Behind the building, a molting red hen, dressed in one tail feather and a few ragged wing feathers, was working to cover four good sized mallards that insisted on bulldozing their way under her wings.
The boys edged along the building. When they were close enough, they dived onto the squawking hen and held her down while they felt under her wings for duck legs.
Once they had the very vocal quackers caught, the boys headed for the pond. They walked down to the bank, holding the dangling ducks.
Noah planned, “I think we should set the ducks loose in different places so they are not together. You go around the pond aways and turn your two loose in different places. I will go around this way and end up on the dam.”
Daniel waded the knee high weeds along the edge of the bank. He stopped at a spot the cows had tromped down to get a drink. The bank slanted, making it easy to get to the water. Squatting, the boy sat a duck on his webbed feet. The duck quacked loudly, waddled out of Daniel’s reach and slid off the bank into the water. The half grown mallard glided to the middle of the pond and met up with Noah’s two ducks. Daniel thought for a minute. He didn’t see how turning the ducks loose in different spots had helped keep them separated. They joined back up in the pond. He let go of the other duck and watched him swim to the others.
Ready to go back to the house, Daniel kicked his way through the marshy grass. A startled frog crocked a loud protest when the boy came too close. Daniel jumped sideways. The boy’s quick movement caused the frog to leap high in the air. He plunked down in the tall grass a few feet ahead of the boy and hunkered down. Keeping his eyes on where the frog lit, Daniel edged up to him and pounced. He missed. The frog jumped out of reach just in time but the wrong way. Daniel edged between the frog and the pond. This time, the frog leaped a few feet ahead and crept under a patch of beaten down marsh grass to hide. Daniel saw his chance. He quietly eased up to the frog. Slowly, he bent over with his hands out. The frog saw him coming. He struggled to keep moving but found himself caught in the tangled grass. The frog thrashed about, kicking with his strong legs until Daniel’s hands eased around him with a strong grip.
What a beauty! This is one of the largest frogs I have ever seen. He is going to make a great pet. What should I name him? A frog this large should have a name to match. He is a giant among frogs. Daniel toed a clump of grass as he thought. Goliath! That name will do. Daniel searched the pasture. Noah was almost back to the barn. He stuffed the struggling frog into his pocket and sprinted as fast as he could after his brother. His mind was on where he should keep his new pet.
Late that afternoon, the men joined the others in the living room. Delighted to be able to help with the milking, Jim told Nora, “That was fun. I didn’t realize how much I missed milking cows.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, Dear,” Nora said, patting his knee.
Noah smiled at his new grandfather’s enthusiasm, “Dawdi, you are wilcom to come help us do the milking any time you want.”
“If you like chores, you can help me feed the pigs in the morning,” Daniel piped up.
“While you are at it, boys, why not give Jim a list of all our chores. He can have fun doing them all while we rest in the house,” John teased.
“Ach, Papa!” Noah said, ducking his head.
Jim laughed then stifled a yawn. Hal could see from the looks on their faces, her parents were tired. Soon one or both of them would be nodding off. “Mom and Dad, I think it’s time we went back to the apartment.”
“You are wilcom to stay for supper before you go,” Emma invited.
“Not this time. If we think today was exhausting, wait until tomorrow,” Hal predicted.
“Sounds like a good idea to get back to Wickenburg while we’re still awake. We do need to get to bed early tonight,” Nora agreed.
As her parents went down the porch steps, John grabbed Hal by the elbow. “You can spend the night if you want to rather than drive back to town.”
Hal whispered to him, “Not unless you want to bunk with my father and me with my mother. The English, in my parents generation, wouldn’t want to see us share a bed tonight.”
“Have you tried to explain bundling to them so you could sleep in my bed tonight?”
“No, because they wouldn’t believe putting pillows between me and you would work. They would be right. From what I remember of the night you suggested it, bundling failed,” Hal said, tugging gently on John’s beard. “See you bright and early in the morning.”
Once they hit the Wickenburg city limits, Hal suggested, “How about we stop somewhere to eat supper? No fuss, no mess. Besides, my cupboards are about bare. Didn’t see any sense in stocking up again.”
“All right with us. We don’t need a very big supper after all that good food Emma fed us for lunch,” Nora said.
“Alperson’s Maid Rite is a great place to get a sandwich and fries,” Hal told them as she pulled into the diner parking lot.
Middle aged Millie Alperson, the blond, blue eyed owner and waitress, waved from behind the counter. She gave Hal’s Amish clothing an up and down once over as she slowly said, “Hi, Hal. Haven’t seen you for a while obviously.”
“Been busy. I’m getting married tomorrow,” Hal offered.
“Well, congratulations. Who’s the lucky fellow?”
“John Lapp.”
Millie, who thought she knew everyone in town, puzzled over the name a moment. “Oh yeah, that’s one of the Amish farmers out southwest of town.”
“You got it. Millie, meet my mother and father, Nora and Jim Lindstrom from Titonka, Iowa. They’re here for the wedding. We need a quick supper. I told them you had the best Maid Rites ever,” Hal stated.
Millie beamed with pride. “Nice to meet you folks. Thanks for the compliment, Hal. We aim to please. Give me your orders and take a seat at that corner table. I’ll serve you.”
Hal plopped down and leaned back in her chair. She yawned. “Maybe sitting down isn’t too good an idea. I’ll hate to get up from here to go to the car when my stomach is full.”
She noticed her mother staring over her shoulder, but it was too late to duck out of sight when she heard the familiar, smooth male voice. “Hello Hal.”
Dreading the person she’d see, Hal twisted in her seat. “Hello. Phil King, meet my parents, Jim and Nora Lindstrom.”
“So nice to meet you folks.” Phil pulled up a chair from an empty table and sat down.
He hasn’t changed one bit. Thinks he can butt in and just make himself at home without being invited, Hal thought.
“Been awhile since I’ve seen you, Hallie. How you been?” Phil sounded genuinely interested as he absentmindedly rubbed his chest in a circle motion. Hal wondered if looking at her gave him phantom pains where she hit him with the skillet the last time she saw him.
“I’m fine. Been busy. Visiting with my parents as you can see,” Hal said shortly.
Phil studied her clothes intently. “Looks like you’re going Amish on me or is that a costume for a masquerade party I didn’t know about.” Under his breath, he said, “I can only hope.”
“I am Amish,” Hal said curtly. “Now if you will excuse us. We’d like to eat our supper. Millie’s coming with our food.”
Phil’s amazed face showed he couldn’t quite grasp the idea of an Amish Hallie Lindstrom. He said with meaning as he concentrated on her face, “I want you to know you’re in my thoughts more than I care to admit.”
“Don’t admit it then. As a matter of fact, I don’t want you to think about me at all, Phil. I’ve moved on. You should, too,” Hal said curtly. She was afraid to look in her parents direction. She could imagine how very attentive the two of them were to this whole mess of a conversation. The one thing she didn’t intend to explain to them later was Phil King.
Phil wiggled a pointed finger in the air up and down from her prayer cap to her dress. “Is this a for sure done deal?”
“Yes, it’s a very done deal, and I’m not changing my mind. Good bye, Phil,” Hal said curtly. Millie placed a black plastic woven platter in front of her. Hal concentrated on opening the wrapper on a maid rite to avoided Phil’s eyes and her parents curious stares.
As Millie served Hal’s parents, Phil rose slowly. He studied Hal with sad eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that. Hope you folks have a good visit with Hal,” Phil said, nodding politely at her parents.
As Nora watched the man walk away, she leaned toward Hal and whispered, “I don’t recall you ever mentioning Mr. King before.”
“Not much to mention where he’s concerned,” Hal said offhandedly.
“Don’t seem like he sees it that way,” Jim said, watching Phil as he left the cafe.
“What he thinks and sees doesn’t matter to me,” Hal said testily. “Now eat up you two so we can get to bed.”