Joe hadn’t found an opportune time to speak with Anna yet, but perhaps it was better to wait a while. Their company was scheduled to arrive today and Mammi had put him to work fixing odds and ends around the house. He wasn’t even sure of what he would say to Anna when he had the opportunity, but hoped the words would come. He continually wrestled with the idea of telling Anna the truth about his past, but the thing that he feared most was Anna’s rejection. He couldn’t decide if it was better that she continued to believe he was Englisch, or reveal that he’d been excommunicated from the Amish. Either way, he’d lose. There was no possible solution.
He opened the back screen door of the house to a loud squeak. It would need to be fixed. He knew the main back door also needed attention. A minute later he returned from the barn with lubricant in his hand and quickly sprayed some on the screen door’s hinges. He opened the back door, which, to his surprise did not squeak, but he decided to spray it anyway. Joe stepped inside to shield himself from the cold.
“When did this come?” Joe heard Anna’s distraught voice.
“Just today,” Mammi said.
“But we don’t have an extra twelve hundred dollars! They can’t expect us to pay this by next month,” Anna cried. “Oh Mammi, we’re going to lose the house.”
Joe knew he shouldn’t be listening in on their conversation so he quickly stepped back outside. But he’d heard enough. Anna and Mammi were in trouble. Hopefully, God willing, he’d be able to provide the solution.
<><><>
“Joe?” Mammi called. “Will you come in here and help me with this thing?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Joe set his glass of water on the counter, then followed Mammi into one of the other rooms. When he stepped into the room, he immediately noticed several folded quilts tucked into clear plastic bags that sat on top of a bureau.
“Will you help me move this quilting frame into the other room? This room’s bigger than the other and I’d like to let Jacob’s family use it,” Mammi said.
“Sure,” Joe said, then pointed to the quilts. “What are those for?”
“I’d planned to sell them.”
“I saw the Christmas quilt that you made in Threads of Beauty. It was remarkable. One of the nicest I’ve ever seen.”
reached over with her weathered hand and patted Joe’s hand. “Denki, child. It is kind of you to say so. Der Herr had blessed me with a wonderful grossmudder that taught me how to quilt when I was just a maed.”
“She taught you well,” Joe said, then picked up his end of the quilting frame.
Mammi picked up her side, then quickly set it down. “Ach, I better call Anna in to help with this. I don’t know if I should take my chances on this old back.”
Joe watched as Mammi disappeared and Anna returned in her stead.
“Mammi’s in the kitchen,” Anna explained.
Joe again noticed a hint of pink in her cheeks. “We should talk.”
“I’d rather not. I don’t know what good it will do.”
Joseph frowned. “Would you rather that Harv and I leave?”
“No. Of course not.”
Voices and the pitter patter of little footsteps turned their attention to the kitchen. Anna poked her head out of the room, then quickly returned to lift her side of the quilting frame. “Looks like they’re here. We’d better hurry.”
“Yeah. I should go check on Harv too.” Joe led the way out of the room and Anna directed him to where the quilt should go. After they finished, he abruptly stepped outside and headed for the dawdi haus. He didn’t want to interrupt family time as Mammi, Anna, and her cousins greeted one another.
<><><>
As Joseph and Harvey sat at their small table playing cards, Joe noted a knock at the door. He waited for Harv to answer the call, but his friend refused.
“I ain’t got no callers. That’ll be for you,” Harvey insisted. “My guess is that pretty little lady.”
Another knock prompted Joe to answer. Anna stood on the doorstep.
“What did I tell ya?” Harv grinned.
Anna smiled briefly at Harvey, then looked back to Joe. “Mammi wants you two to come for supper.”
Harv shot Anna a knowing look. “Just Mammi, huh?”
Anna blushed.
Joe scratched the stubbles on his chin. He’d need to shave soon, so as not to offend Mammi. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” he said hesitantly.
“Well, my cousin Jacob is here and she thought it would be better if there were some other men that he could talk to. She’d be happy to have you,” Anna said, then ducked her head. “And, uh, I would too.”
That’s all Joe needed to hear. “Come on, Harv, let’s go.”
“Ah man, I was just about to beat you,” Harv said, folding his cards on the table.
“That’s your version. We both know who was ahead.” Joe smiled, catching Anna’s eye. “That is, if you weren’t trying to cheat again.”
“I told you that I don’t never cheat,” Harv protested.
Joe raised his eyebrows, his doubtful expression evident.
“Well, okay. There was that one time, but –”
“We got people waitin’ on us, Harv.”
Harvey lowered his head sheepishly and bundled up in the jacket and scarf Anna had given him.
Joseph patiently waited for his old friend, then they followed Anna to the main house. When they arrived, Anna’s family was already seated at the supper table.