Chapter 8
“Well now, that was a nice visit, wasn’t it?” Mamm asked Daisy after they said goodbye to their visitors and walked into the kitchen.
“It was,” she replied. “It was kind of them to pay us a call.”
While her mother helped her get settled at the kitchen table, Lukas helped bring in the dishes from the dining room and then headed back outside.
“You smiled more than once,” she said as she began hand-washing the dishes. “That was good to see.”
“Danke, Mamm. But it wasn’t hard to be pleasant. Both Kyle and Ruthie are friendly and easy to talk to.”
“Are you upset with me for mentioning the county fair?” she asked as she placed several wet plates on the towel next to Daisy.
From her seat, as she picked one up and began to dry it, she tried her best not to burst into laughter. “Mamm, you’re going to ask me that now? It’s a little late, don’t you think?”
“Possibly.”
Putting down the dish she’d been drying, Daisy craned her head to get a better look at her mother. She was glad to see that she looked slightly guilty. “You know there was no other way for me to respond than to say that I’d be happy to go to the fair with Kyle.”
“I suppose I did put you on the spot.”
Daisy felt it had been a bit more than that. “It felt a little bit like a trap.”
“It wasn’t. But I do think you two could be friends. I mean, one canna have too many friends, ain’t so?”
“Jah.” Privately, Daisy thought that in another time and in another life, there might have been the chance for her and Kyle to be something more than just friends. She found him attractive and he was nice. She’d always hoped that her future husband would be a kind person.
Even better, she and Kyle liked a lot of the same things.
She’d loved being a farmer’s daughter and she’d always hoped to be a farmer’s wife.
And sure, she wanted to work on the land and help her husband create something wonderful with the Lord’s help.
But she’d also wanted to have a good, solid relationship with a man who she loved.
That didn’t seem to be too much to ask at all.
But no matter how much she might wish that she and he could be a couple, it wasn’t possible. She didn’t have a lot to offer a man at the moment … and he was only staying for a year.
“I can’t help but wonder why he hasn’t already been snapped up.”
“There’s no telling.” It also wasn’t any of their business.
Her mother waggled her eyebrows as she brought over the pitcher she’d put out for cream. “Maybe Kyle has a tragic past.”
“Mamm, you’ve been reading too many novels.”
“It’s a common thread in stories, though.” She took a seat at the table next to her. “In stories and in life. Everyone has been through something, and those experiences shape us all. Sometimes for the worse, and sometimes for the better.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“I’m pleased to hear you say that, Daisy.”
“And, uh. Let’s not forget that Ben is about Kyle’s age and Lukas is three years older than him, and they aren’t married.”
“I suppose.” Mamm frowned for a second before smiling at her again. “Daisy, dear, it might be too soon for you to see it but I think one day you’re going to be glad that you weren’t able to buy that land.”
Boy, that stung. She knew her mother meant well … but yes, it was too soon to put this new spin on her disappointment.
She also kind of hated that her mother was choosing to ignore all the sacrifices Daisy had made in order to save the money that she had.
She’d not only worked at the bulk food store, but she’d done all sorts of odd jobs here and there to make an extra hundred bucks.
She’d even cleaned houses and babysat children.
“Mother, please don’t tell me that this broken leg of mine is going to be something that I’ll be grateful for one day, too.”
“All right. I won’t.” She reached for Daisy’s hand and put it between her own.
Like always, her mother’s strong, slightly rough hands felt as comforting as a soft quilt on a winter’s day.
Her mother had three children, had been a good wife to their daed, and somehow made a warm, meaningful life for them all.
Through it all, Daisy could never recall her mother ever being negative or admitting that she wished she’d been able to do more things.
Mamm had certainly never complained when the weather had been bad and their crops weren’t as successful as in other years.
“I sure have a lot to learn from you, Mamm.”
“Oh? What about?”
“Life.”
“Is that all?” she teased.
“I was just thinking that you seem to take everything in stride. Both the good and the bad. I need to be more like you.”
“May I tell you a secret?”
“Of course.”
“I’ve had plenty of moments when I’ve been frustrated or disappointed. Sometimes, when a cow was sick or a horse fell lame or when you or your brothers were sick, I spent many an evening wishing things were different.” She took a deep breath. “But that is what prayer is for.”