Chapter 14 #2
“We’re glad to be here.” And it was true. Were things finally settling down for her and Malachi? She didn’t want to hope—her hope had been dashed too many times—but she couldn’t help it. She knew she and Malachi would have to leave at some point, unless ...
No. She wouldn’t let her mind dwell on the possibility of a future with Jalon.
They still had so much to learn about each other, although the big obstacle was out of the way.
She wouldn’t jump in and do anything impulsive like she had in the past. She couldn’t afford to, because she wasn’t the only person who would be affected.
They walked into a spacious but simple kitchen. Mary Yoder looked up from kneading a glob of dough on the table. “Phoebe, so nice you could come for lunch. Sorry about the change in plans.” She lifted her hands, the sticky dough covering her fingers. “Do you like donuts?”
“You might not after you eat these,” Karen mumbled.
“What was that?”
“ Nix, Mamm. ”
“I love donuts.” Phoebe went to the table, trying to figure out what was wrong with the donut dough. It looked all right to her, except it was too sticky.
“Looks like you need more flour,” Ivy said, as if she’d read Phoebe’s thoughts.
“I added too much flour the last time and they turned into hockey pucks.”
“Maybe you should try a new recipe.”
Mary looked at her, indignant. “This is mei grossmammi ’s recipe. Her donuts were the best I’ve ever tasted. I’m determined to get it right.”
“How long have you been kneading the dough?” Phoebe asked.
“About ten minutes.”
“Do you let it rest for a couple of hours afterward?”
“Not that long. Thirty minutes, then I roll it out.”
“I’ve found that letting donut dough rest for a couple of hours right before rolling it out makes the donuts light and fluffy.”
“I never thought about it. I made these once with mei grossmammi when I was little, and I didn’t pay attention to the rise time.
I just assumed it was similar to bread.” She looked at a scrap of paper with the recipe scrawled on it.
“Doesn’t say anything here except ‘let dough rise.’” She gave a half-smile. “I’ll admit to not being a gut baker.”
“Honesty is the best policy,” Ivy said.
Mary shot her a pointed look. “I actually don’t bake at all, except for bread. Karen’s the baker in the haus .”
“I offered to make the donuts for you.” Karen moved near the table. “Several times.”
“I know, I know. But I want to conquer this recipe myself.” She looked at the sticky dough. “It needs more flour.”
“I believe I said that.” Ivy went to the sink and washed her hands.
Without thinking, Phoebe reached into the flour container and took out half a handful. “That should be enough.”
Mary started kneading and the dough began to come together. She put it in a bowl and placed a kitchen towel over it. “Two hours?” she asked Phoebe.
“At least. The longer it rests the better. Also, it needs to be in a cool place. That will help the dough firm up.”
Nodding, Mary took the bowl and left the kitchen, saying, “The mudroom will be a good spot.”
Ivy and Karen were cleaning up the table. “Can I help?” Phoebe asked.
“You’ve already helped a lot.” Karen grinned. “I think the donuts might be saved.”
Phoebe smiled, happy she was able to help out. Malachi would be thrilled to have a donut or two.
When Mary came back, the women worked on lunch.
Mary and her daughters talked nonstop, mostly Mary, but they brought Phoebe into the conversation enough that she didn’t feel neglected.
Mary might not have been much of a baker but she was a good cook otherwise, at ease in the kitchen the same way Karen was.
Ivy preferred to wash the dishes and set the table. “You don’t like to cook?” Phoebe asked.
“Only out of necessity.” She stood on tiptoe to reach the dishcloth that was near the back of the sink. “Karen and Mamm are the cooks around here.”
“You’ll have to improve yer skills before you get married.” Mary added diced green pepper to the potato salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Phoebe didn’t miss Ivy’s eye roll. She glanced at Karen, who looked equally annoyed. “ Mamm ’s been trying to marry us off for years,” she said.
“Feels like decades,” Ivy added. “Or an eternity.”
“I just want mei girls to be happy.” Mary stirred the potato salad.
“We are happy.” Karen sliced the bone-in ham.
“You’d be happier married. Look at yer father and me. Five kinner later and we’re still like newlyweds.”
Phoebe laughed out loud at that, while Karen and Ivy groaned.
Then all talk about marriage and newlyweds stopped when Judah, Ira, and Malachi came into the kitchen.
After she and Mary sent the boys to wash up, Freemont and Seth walked in.
Freemont was a wiry man, not very tall, with a weather-beaten face and huge forearms that looked out of place compared to the rest of his body.
He took off his hat and put it on the back of one of the kitchen chairs, then went to the sink to wash his hands.
“You’re home a little sooner than I thought you’d be,” Mary said.
“We finished early.” He peered over his wife’s shoulder as she was standing by the stove. “You put plenty of butter in that?”
“Of course,” she said, looking at him. “I know how you like it.”
Freemont’s eyes twinkled, and Phoebe could see Mary was right, even though Karen and Ivy didn’t want to discuss it. After so many years and hardship, they were very much in love.
Before long, everyone sat down at the table.
After a few words and a sharp look from Freemont, the boys settled down.
Phoebe was glad to see Malachi following their lead.
She closed her eyes and prayed, thankful for the joy that was breaking free in her heart, for the Yoders’ open and welcoming home, and for Jalon. She wished he was here with them.
Phoebe stayed quiet during lunch, which was delicious, and observed the chatter at the table. Although she was happy, there was a small ache in her heart, one that was always there but was magnified by being around the chaos of a large family. She missed her family, never more than right now.
“Everything okay?” Karen asked, touching her arm.
“ Ya. Everything is fine.” She pushed her family out of her mind and engaged in conversation, only having to remind Malachi twice to use his napkin. After they finished eating, the boys went outside to help Freemont with the animals.
“Are you sure you don’t mind Malachi tagging along?” Phoebe asked.
“Not at all. More hands make less work.”
“I’ll be over in a little while,” Karen said when Phoebe and Malachi were ready to head home. Phoebe wanted to be there before Jalon arrived. “I think Mamm ’s going to fry the donuts in a little while. I’ll be sure to bring some over.”
“If they’re edible,” Ivy piped up.
“They will be delicious,” Mary declared. “You’ll see.”
They left the Yoders’, Phoebe taking Malachi’s hand. “Did you have fun?”
“ Ya. Judah’s familye has a lot of animals.”
“They run a farm.”
“I’d like to be a farmer someday.”
“Farming is hard work.” That sometimes doesn’t pay off.
“I know.” He slipped his hand out of Phoebe’s and ran ahead of her. Phoebe crossed her arms against the cold air. When she caught up with Malachi, he was standing in front of the dawdi haus . Before she could stop him he opened the door. “Malachi, we shouldn’t be in here.”
“Jalon says it’s okay.”
“It is when he’s here.” But she followed him inside, and for the first time she saw how unfinished the dawdi haus really was.
She’d known Jalon was using the bathroom in the main house because the one here wasn’t yet in working order, but although the plywood subfloor was almost completely laid, he hadn’t even had a chance to put in the wood flooring.
There wasn’t a single piece of furniture anywhere, and there was an empty space where the kitchen sink was supposed to go.
Then she saw the sleeping bag in front of the woodstove. Jalon had slept here every night since she and Malachi arrived. He’d not only given up his room, but given up a bed. Again, he was amazing.
She turned to see Malachi making a game of stepping between the floor joists. “Malachi,” she said, not wanting to disturb anything in the house. “We need to geh .”
He skipped over the last joist, then blew past her out the door.
She followed him to the front of the house in time to see a van pull into the driveway.
She stilled and watched as a woman stepped out of the passenger side.
The first thing she noticed about her was how tall she was, taller than any Amish woman Phoebe had ever seen.
The exact opposite of Ivy, actually. She went to the back of the van, where the driver had opened the hatch.
Phoebe’s view was obscured, but then she saw the woman push a compact wheelchair to the side of the van.
The side door opened and an Amish man slid into the wheelchair’s seat.
They headed for the porch while the driver brought two suitcases to the house.
The woman noticed her and waved as she pushed the wheelchair. Phoebe hesitated, then waved back. This had to be Jalon’s sister, Leanna. But who was the man in the wheelchair? And why hadn’t Jalon said anything to her about their arrival?
They all reached the house at the same time. Leanna said to the driver, “You can put the suitcases by the door.” He did, then she said, “Thanks, Max.”
“You’re welcome.” He extended his hand to the man in the wheelchair. “Good meeting you, Adam.”
Adam looked up and shook Max’s hand. Leanna gripped the handles on the back of his wheelchair and pushed him toward the house.
Phoebe could see he was in his twenties, close to her age.
His shoulders were noticeably broad under his dark blue coat.
His brows were dark brown and thick, and currently flattening over his eyes in annoyance.
“You don’t have to push me, Leanna,” he said, looking over his shoulder.
“Of course I don’t. But I want to.”