Chapter 5
IT’S SURE NICE THAT YOU could join us today,” Ivan’s sister Jane said when Emma entered the kitchen with Ida Mae.
Emma smiled. “Danki for the meal. The food was appeditlich.”
“Oh, it was nothing special,” Ida Mae commented.
“You’re being too modest,” her daughter Norma protested. “Everything our mamm makes is delicious. She’s a great cook, and I’m glad we have her to teach us, so that when we get married someday, our husbands won’t be disappointed.”
“What about you, Emma? Do you enjoy cooking?” Jane questioned.
“My granddaughter will be learning to cook in my kitchen while she’s staying at our home this summer,” Grandma piped up from across the room, where she was packing leftovers into a plastic container. “Fortunately, Emma hasn’t charred any kettles or frying pans yet.”
Emma’s eyes burned, and her cheeks felt as if they were engulfed in their own kitchen fire.
She quickly dropped her gaze to the floor.
It was all she could do to keep from dashing out the kitchen door.
How could Grandma embarrass me like that?
I can only imagine what these ladies must think of me.
Most women my age know how to cook and are fully prepared for marriage.
I should have listened when Mom tried to hold my attention and teach me how to follow recipes so I could bake and cook with ease.
If I had done that, I wouldn’t have been sent to Grandma’s house and wouldn’t be standing here filled with humiliation.
As though she was keenly aware of Emma’s embarrassment, Ida Mae stepped up to her and slipped an arm around her waist. “I didn’t always cook well,” she said in a soothing tone.
“It took time and patience on my mother’s part to teach me, not to mention a willingness on my part, which didn’t come easy. ”
Emma’s shoulders relaxed a little, feeling a bit better after hearing those words of encouragement. Dabbing at the corners of her eyes, she immediately set to work helping to put away all the leftovers, then offered to help Jane wash the empty serving dishes.
“I appreciate your help,” Jane said, handing Emma a dish towel. “It’ll give us a chance to talk and get better acquainted.”
Emma wasn’t sure what they had to talk about.
Other than her grandmother, she didn’t know Ivan’s sister or anyone else in the kitchen, for that matter.
On the way to church this morning, Grandma had mentioned that a little over a year ago, the Yoder family had moved here from the town of Sullivan, which was southwest of Arthur.
Emma and her family hadn’t been to Arthur to visit her grandparents for two years, well before the Yoders had moved to the town.
Grandma and Grandpa had come to Shipshewana to see Emma’s family a couple of times during that two-year period, but there had been no mention of a new family moving to the area and becoming a part of their church district.
I sure hope Jane doesn’t say anything to anyone else about me not knowing how to cook, Emma thought as she began to dry one of the serving dishes.
I wish Grandma had never blurted that out, and I don’t understand what caused her to do so.
Didn’t she realize how embarrassed I would be with that announcement being made in front of the women who had come to the kitchen to help with the cleanup?
If only I could say something to her about it, but would it really do any good?
She’d probably tell me that I was making a big deal out of nothing.
“What do you enjoy doing for fun?” Jane asked, bringing Emma’s thoughts to a halt.
“I like fishing, hiking, and baseball,” Emma replied. “Not much else that I can think of.”
“So you’re the outdoorsy sort. You’d probably like spending time with my brother. Ivan enjoys those pastimes too.”
“He mentioned that while we were eating our meal.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Doing what he loves does make him feel truly happy.” Jane handed Emma another dish to dry. “I do feel sorry for Ivan at times.”
“How come?”
“He’s been pressured to work in our daed’s harness shop, but he doesn’t enjoy working there at all.
” Jane lifted her shoulders and gave a huff.
“I don’t understand why some parents think their children have to follow in their footsteps.
Don’t they realize everyone has their own dreams and hopes for the future? ”
Emma paused for a moment before peering over at Jane, her hands twisting the damp dish towel. She was about to ask Ivan’s sister what her hopes and dreams were, but Emma never got the words out because Ivan bounded into the room, grinning from ear to ear as he rubbed his hands together.
“Wanted to let you ladies know that the ice cream’s done now, but it has to set awhile until it’s nice and firm. Sure will be glad when Papa announces that it’s ready to dish up.”
Seeing the look of exuberance on Ivan’s face, Emma couldn’t help but smile.
He reminded her of a child eager to open his presents on Christmas Day.
There was something about this young man that made Emma long to know him better.
There didn’t seem to be a shy bone in Ivan’s body, and she yearned to have some of that enthusiasm spill out on her.
It wasn’t that Emma was depressed, but she hadn’t found anything that excited her enough to become all fired up about it.
Maybe that was because she kept too many of her feelings bottled up and wasn’t even sure what she wanted or what would make her feel complete.
It sure wasn’t sewing or cooking—Emma knew that much.
But one way or the other, she needed to learn both, or Grandma would probably feel like a failure.
Mom wouldn’t be happy either if Emma returned home knowing nothing more than she had when she left.
It was pretty much a no-win situation, and Emma was the loser.
Emma put her musings aside and concentrated on the job at hand.
The kitchen was overly warm and stuffy, and the sooner she and Jane got the dishes done, the quicker she could go outside, where the early-evening air was bound to be more tolerable than being cooped up in here.
Half an hour later, Emma wandered out of the house and paused on the porch to take a few welcoming deep breaths.
She’d been right—the air was better outdoors, and a slight breeze had picked up, cooling the yard to a tolerable temperature.
One thing about summer that Emma appreciated was that when the sun went down, cooler temperatures normally made the evening hours more bearable.
“You ready for a bowl of ice cream, Emma?” Ivan called to her from the front yard.
She gave a hearty nod. “Jah, that would be nice and refreshing.”
“Okay then, why don’t you have a seat at one of the tables, and I’ll bring you a bowl?”
“Oh, you don’t have to wait on me,” Emma was quick to say. “I can walk over to wherever the ice-cream maker is located and dish some up myself.”
“I don’t mind bringing it to you. Besides, you’re a guest here, and you shouldn’t have to do anything.
” Ivan stepped onto the porch and came over to stand beside her.
The nearness of him caused goose bumps to erupt on Emma’s arms. At least she thought that was the cause.
Maybe it was simply the evening breeze that had given her a chill.
“Since you won’t let me serve you, I’ll walk with you over to where my daed has the big canister of ice cream.” Ivan bumped shoulders with her. “You coming, Emma?”
“Jah, of course.” After Emma and Ivan left the porch, they both picked up a clean bowl from the end of one of the tables, where a variety of cookies had been set out.
Feeling kind of giddy suddenly, Emma walked with him across the yard to where his father knelt by the oversized ice-cream freezer.
Her lips quivered in anticipation of what was to come.
“One scoop or two?” Ivan’s father asked, grinning up at Emma and scooping the frozen dessert from the gallon-sized mixing canister.
“I think just one,” she responded.
“Better give her two, Papa. Your ice cream is always so good, and one scoop is never enough.”
Ivan was very persuasive, so Emma didn’t argue. She simply handed her bowl to Ivan’s dad, waited for the two scoops, and said, “Danki.”
“Let’s get some kichlin now and find a place to sit, Emma. There should be plenty of empty places, since several of our friends have gone home already.”
“Okay.” Emma couldn’t help wondering if Ivan enjoyed her company or was only being polite.
Surely there were other people here whom he would rather spend time with, like the young people he’d been playing ball with earlier.
Whatever the reason, he’d invited her to join him to eat their ice cream and cookies, so she wasn’t about to turn down the offer.
Truth was, Emma felt comfortable with Ivan, and she appreciated his kindness and willingness to spend time with her.
Although most of the young people had introduced themselves during their earlier meal, none of them had shown an interest in her the way Ivan had.
Emma noticed the lawn and the lush foliage were bathed in a golden color, courtesy of the setting sun. They found a table where Ivan’s sisters, Norma and Jane, were enjoying their dessert, and seated themselves across from the young women.
Emma took a cautious bite of ice cream, hoping the cold treat wouldn’t give her a brain freeze, and then she followed it with one of Grandma’s peanut butter cookies.
Yum! Tasty as always, Emma thought as she took another bite of the homemade treat. I do wish I could learn to at least bake cookies that taste half this good.
“Next Sunday evening we’ve been invited to attend a young people’s singing,” Jane said, glancing at Emma. “I hope you’ll be able to join us.”