Chapter 34
“Hey now,” Mervin said from their spot just outside the barn door. “He—”
Ruthie slapped a hand over his mouth. “Shh.”
When his blue eyes widened, she hastily lowered her hand. “Sorry, but Kyle can’t know that we’re here.”
“How come?”
Ruthie groaned as she reached for his hand and tugged him out of the way. To her relief, Mervin allowed her to lead him back down the path to the house.
“Nee,” he said when she attempted to lead him into the house. “It’s too warm in there. We can sit here on the front porch.”
Their favorite rockers were at least two feet apart. Added to that was the fact that sometimes Mervin’s hearing wasn’t quite what it used to be. Bethany and Aaron had each told them that more than once they’d overheard their private conversations. “We need to talk quietly. He mustn’t overhear us.”
“Woman, you are sometimes too bossy for your own good. Come here.” This time it was he who did the hand-reaching.
She was so stunned by him calling her “woman,” she didn’t protest. Instead, she sat down where he directed, which was on the front steps. “Since when did you start calling me woman?”
“Since we moved here and you’ve gotten so bossy.”
His eyes had a twinkle in them. That same kind of twinkle they used to have when he’d taken her courting.
When they were fifteen and sixteen, Mervin’s favorite form of courting was to meet her at singings and then stealthily maneuver them out in the woods.
Sometimes they’d walk, sometimes he’d guide her to a clearing and they’d share all their dreams for the future.
And later on, the moment they’d been out of sight from everyone except for the fireflies, he’d pull her close to his chest and kiss her until she could barely stand without holding on to his shoulders.
It would take her so many precious moments to right her clothes and fan her face, but even when they returned to the group and stood under the glow of tiki torches, Ruthie would know that she’d looked thoroughly kissed.
And Mervin would be wearing that same, mischievous glint in his eye. Letting her know that he had a pretty good feeling that her attempts to look prim and proper weren’t fooling anyone.
Perhaps that was why her parents didn’t try to convince her to wait several more years to marry. Mervin had asked her when she was seventeen and he was eighteen. Instead, her parents had nodded and said they were pleased.
“You are sure quiet all of a sudden.”
“I was thinking about how my parents never tried to make us wait to get married.”
“Of course they didn’t.” He winked. “My father warned me at least a dozen times about how wrong it would be to ah, rush things.” Reaching for her hand, he whispered, “Daed was mighty afraid that you might have a shotgun wedding.”
“Certainly not! I was a good girl.”
“Sorry, but I was smitten with you, Ruthie.”
She leaned closer. “I was the same.”
“Why were you thinking of that?”
“I overheard Kyle talking about Daisy and it made me think about how hard it is to look back on decisions after they’re made.”
“I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She placed a hand on his arm. “Do you remember how nervous we were to talk to our parents about getting married?”
“I remember how nervous I was. Your father was practically shooting daggers at me. I was fairly certain that he could read my mind when it came to you.”
“You were in love with me! There was nothing to be ashamed about that.”
“Jah. For sure, I was. But that wasn’t the only thing I thought about when it came to you, Ruthie.” Mervin lowered his voice, as if the conversation had happened just yesterday instead of many, many years before. “I’m still surprised he said yes.”
“He didn’t have a choice. I was so in love with you. But what I’m getting at is that we didn’t know what the future would bring.”
“That is true. My parents kept reminding me about how wives were expensive and children even more so.”
She chuckled. “I reckon they weren’t wrong about that.
” Bethany had had an infected tooth when she was nine and because she’d had to get two teeth pulled, she’d had to get braces.
Back then, she’d never heard of any Amish getting braces, but Bethany hadn’t had a choice.
She’d been teased, and Ruthie and Mervin had both worked extra hours to pay for the unexpected expense.
Now, Bethany had the brightest smile out of all of them, thanks to those braces.
But even more importantly, she’d learned to not let gentle and not-so-gentle teasing affect her too much.
It had been an important lesson for their sensitive daughter.
And likely a lesson that wouldn’t have been ever learned if she hadn’t gotten a sick tooth and a set of metal in her mouth for two years.
“People always say that one mustn’t look at the past with twenty-twenty vision,” Mervin said. “I know you want to help Kyle and Daisy, but we don’t know what the Lord has in mind for them.”
“That’s true, but don’t you think He could use a little bit of help?”
“Nee.”
“But maybe he put us in Kyle and Daisy’s path in order to help them.”
“He might have, but then again … we might have nothing to do with their story. You could step into something that isn’t any of your business and make things worse.”
Ruthie thought about that and shuddered. “You might have a point.”
“I know I do. Plus, Kyle has a good head on his shoulders and knows his own mind. Just like our Aaron. Can you imagine what our son would’ve had to say about us getting involved with his romance with Hanna?”
“He would’ve had a lot to say.” Their son had never learned the fine art of holding one’s tongue.
“All that is why I think it’s best that we just watch and wait for a spell. If one of them needs us, they’ll let us know. And if they don’t, then we can enjoy the show.”
“I reckon you’re right. One of them might have a set of braces in their future.”
Mervin frowned. “Nee, I think their teeth are just fine, Ruth.”
She patted his arm again. There was no need for her to explain what she’d just been thinking. “I dare say you’re right, dear.”
“Come on then. Let’s go sit down with Lizzie and relax a spell. We’ve earned it.”
Figuring he had a point, she followed him into the house.