Chapter 7 – A New Friend

 

A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

 

 

Isaac stood waiting next to his buggy as Joanna trudged out of the schoolhouse on Friday. Today they were going to see Joanna’s new employer. Isaac helped her into his new courting buggy and soon they drove off. “Is there something wrong?” Isaac asked, noticing concern on her face. “I thought you’d be excited about your new job.”

“Just nervous, I guess,” Joanna replied. She didn’t want to bother Isaac about her frequent nightmares. “I hope the lady that I’m working for will like me.”

Dat said she sounded real nice on the telephone. I think you’ll be fine...besides, who wouldn’t like a sweet eleven-year-old Amish girl?” Isaac said, trying to pull a smile from her lips.

“Don’t overdo it, Isaac,” she said, smiling. “But thanks for trying to encourage me.”

Trying to encourage you? I got you to smile, didn’t I?” He grinned.

Jah. Denki, Bruder.”

They rode along in silence now as they passed a few farms, drove over the covered bridge that stretched across Miller’s Creek, and arrived on the outskirts of town. Right down the street and across the road from Philip King’s herb shop was a small, dark-blue cottage with white trim and gables to match.

A lovely garden graced the front yard – a quarter of it contained culinary herbs such as parsley and dill, another portion grew young sprouting vegetable plants, in a beautiful third quarter bloomed colorful, fragile flowers in their beginning stages, and in the midst of the fourth section stood a large, sturdy oak tree. Its branches hung over the house as if to protect it, which would also provide plenty of shade in the summertime. An old wooden swing hung from one of the branches of the large oak tree. Joanna felt the house looked a bit spooky, especially when she saw the swing blow in the soft breeze.

Goose bumps suddenly emerged on Joanna’s arms. “Tis some house, jah, Isaac?” Joanna commented. But Isaac didn’t seem to think there was anything scary about it, at least he didn’t act like it.

Jah, I guess.” Isaac couldn’t understand her apprehension. “Kumm, Joanna. Let’s meet your new boss.” She looked around as they slowly walked up to the door. The cottage had a beautiful porch that seemed to wrap around the whole house – it was quite lovely. A small white wicker sofa with bright throw pillows decorated the porch. An empty rocking chair that sported the same design and colors gently rocked in the breeze. She took a deep breath before Isaac knocked on the door. I’m glad I’ll be working for a lady and not a man, Joanna breathed a sigh of relief. She was still uncomfortable around strangers after her frightening ordeal.

A woman’s voice sounded through the door, as they heard the click of the lock turning and a chain unlatching. “Just a minute, please.” The door cracked open a little, and then finally opened all the way. The familiar woman peered out. “Joanna Fisher? Did you come here for the job I posted?” Naomi asked in disbelief.

“Naomi Fast, I can’t believe it’s you. I didn’t know you sold honey.” Joanna smiled at the pleasant surprise, relief flooding her soul.

Naomi chuckled. “Well, there are many things you don’t know about me. Except that maybe I’m a crazy driver.” She hoped bringing that up wouldn’t bring back painful memories for Joanna.

Joanna and Isaac both laughed. “Jah, thank Gott for that. Now I know why your name is Naomi FAST,” Joanna replied, which made them all laugh even harder.

The playful banter subsided and they got down to business. “Let’s go out back and I’ll show you the bee hives,” Naomi said. After quite a long walk to the edge of her property, they finally reached the hives. “This is where the honey is made; I thought you’d like to see it.”

“I don’t want to get too close, I’ve already been stung a couple of times,” Joanna shared, hesitant to step forward to the many rows of white boxes.

“Well, it’s not essential to be near the bees for your job, so don’t worry. I just assumed you’d like to know a little bit about them and see where they are kept. They are actually fascinating creatures. Did you know that one honey bee only makes about 1/12 teaspoon of honey in its whole life?”

Ach, no...and they’re always so busy too,” Joanna commented.

Isaac piped in curiously, “How much honey does each hive make?”

“Well, that depends on the weather. Normally, when it’s not too damp, each hive will produce about fifty to sixty pounds of honey per year,” Naomi answered.

“So, with twenty hives...” Isaac said, mentally counting, “that’s about a thousand pounds or more a year? Wow! No wonder you need extra help.”

“It’s actually not as much as it sounds. For example, some of my customers buy five gallons at a time. That equates to about sixty pounds, and that’s just for one customer,” Naomi explained.

Naomi proceeded to show Joanna and Isaac around her property. It was mostly flatland with a small sloping hill toward the back of her fifty acres. The bee hives were kept close to the small hill because Naomi didn’t want the children playing near them. Directly behind the house, she had about two acres that were fenced in. A long clothes line stretched from the back porch to one of the trees in the yard. The fenced area also housed some children’s play equipment – a large wooden structure that had a slide, two swings, some plastic rocks to climb up, and a pole to slide down. There was also a colorful see-saw and a trampoline. Joanna had never seen so many unnecessary items. And although they looked like fun, she wondered who would ever have that much extra time to play on them.

Finally, they came back to the house. “Would the two of you like some lemonade?” the kind lady asked them.

Nee, denki. I mean, no, thank you. We should be starting back home soon,” Isaac answered for them both. Truthfully, he was eager to get home so he could prepare for his date with Rachel tonight.

“Do you have any questions about the job, Joanna?” Naomi looked at her.

“Well, I was wondering...would it be okay if my friend Chloe comes along with me? I’d rather not go out by myself anymore.”

“I understand, and that would be perfectly fine with me. As a matter of fact, I think it’s a wonderful idea. I have a lot of customers already and I get new ones every week,” Naomi replied approvingly, and then added, “By the way, Joanna, I’m really glad it was you that came today. I have a feeling that we’re going to become good friends.”

Denki, Naomi.” Joanna smiled genuinely, looking into her eyes with affection. This would indeed be a good, safe place to work.

 

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I can’t wait to tell Mamm and Dat who I’ll be working for, Joanna thought excitedly, as Cinnamon trotted along. And Chloe. She mused. No, I won’t tell Chloe. I’ll keep it a secret and surprise her, too.

“Did you hear me, Joanna?” Isaac asked, interrupting her thoughts.

“Hear what?”

“I guess you didn’t hear me. I asked you about working for Naomi Fast. I said, don’t you think it’s a coincidence that your employer turned out to be Naomi, after all that’s happened?”

“Do you think I’m workin’ with Naomi for a special reason, Isaac?” The thought had never occurred to her.

“Could be.” He shrugged.

They both sat quietly and pondered that for a while. Then Joanna spoke up, “Isaac, did you see any children there?”

Isaac thought about it. “No. Did you?”

Nee. I didn’t hear any either.” Joanna looked straight ahead at the covered bridge they were about to tunnel.

Isaac slowed Barley as they entered the shaded enclosure. “They probably went somewhere with Naomi’s husband, jah?” The sunshine beat warm on their shoulders while they continued toward home, passing neighboring houses and farms. Levi and Joshua Hostettler waved a hello from the back of a plow when they passed by the Hostettlers’ farm and they waved back.

“There were a lot of toys in the backyard. I wonder how many kinner she’s got.”

“Maybe we should have asked her,” Isaac replied.

Jah. I’ll ask her next time,” Joanna said, as they pulled into their drive.

 

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That evening, there was a knock at the door. Bishop Hostettler stood on the porch, his expression unreadable. “Hullo, Gideon. I hope you and your family are well this evening.”

“We are,” Joanna’s father replied. “What brings you out tonight, Judah?” he asked his familiar friend.

“I actually wanted to speak with Joanna outside. Of course, you may come as well,” the bishop stated matter-of-factly.

“Very well, I will get her.” Gideon then proceeded to the living room and returned with Joanna. They all stepped outside onto the back porch, and then sat down.

The bishop cut to the chase. “Joanna, the reason I am here is to clarify a few things about your abduction. I understand that you were alone when the incident took place. Am I correct?”

Jah,” Joanna answered timidly.

“How long were you alone for?” he asked, concern shown in his eyes.

“Not long at all. We heard Chloe’s mamm call, but I needed to use the restroom. Chloe went to her mamm, and I turned to find the restroom, which wasn’t far away. But as soon as I turned the corner, that’s when...” Joanna’s voice trailed off, she was unable to speak anymore, not willing to replay the scene in her head again.

“I do not wish to add to your distress, but I wanted to let you know that the elders are going to make an announcement at the Sunday-Go-To-Meeting in two days. We have learned something from this incident, as I am sure you have too.” He paused, stroking his long, graying beard. Although Judah Hostettler wasn’t much older than Gideon, his facial hair was much grayer. Joanna attributed the fact to the sometimes demanding role a bishop had in trying to juggle the needs of his family with the needs of the community. The position derived much sympathy from the People, especially when a bishop had an especially large family, as did Judah. “We want the People, especially our young people, to be kept safe. We have decided that no young person should ever be out in public alone, but always have another person with them. I believe this will prevent any more problems, such as the one you experienced.”

“That sounds like a reasonable request,” Gideon commented, looking from the bishop to his daughter.

“If you feel uncomfortable about attending Meeting on Sunday, you may stay home. I spoke with Brother Esh and he has agreed to allow Chloe to stay behind with you. Your vadder has already agreed to it, as well.”

Denki.” Joanna was grateful that her church district had a kindhearted bishop. She’d heard that they weren’t very common amongst their People. And although he could be stern at times, he genuinely cared for the People of Paradise.