An Amish Kitchen, page 22
“Four? I saw him leave a little before three.”
Rosemary turned around, wiping flour from her black apron. “Well, I chatted with him for a minute or two before he left, and I know it was around four o’clock.”
Joseph twisted his mouth from one side to the other. “Okay, dear.”
She walked closer, hands on her hips. “I dislike when you do that. You patronize me like a child. That boy left around four o’clock. I haven’t completely lost my mind, and I can still read a clock.”
“Well, that’s good and fine, Rosie. But one of the boys left a little before three. That’s all I’m saying.”
Rosemary shifted her weight, pressing her lips together for a moment. “It was Amos that left, right?”
Joseph shrugged. “I reckon. He’s the one who isn’t grounded.”
“Well, then who left at four o’clock while you were still in town?”
Joseph closed the newspaper. “Sure you don’t mean Leroy?”
“Joseph Chupp, I know the difference between Leroy and the twins. It wasn’t Leroy who came through here at four. He left much earlier. It was Amos.”
“Well, then I guess we both saw Amos leave, or those boys have pulled a fast one on us.”
Rosemary chuckled. “I don’t think so. Not on my watch.”
Joseph stroked his beard, grinning. “Then you better hope that there is a twin upstairs. ’Cause I suspect there ain’t.”
“Well, why in the world would Elias sneak out, pretending to be Amos, when he knows he’d get caught at supper time?”
“Probably didn’t care, if it’s all about a girl.” Joseph stood up, kissed Rosemary on the cheek, then smiled. “I think one got away on your watch.”
Rosemary marched directly to the stairs and up she went. When she returned a few minutes later, Joseph was casually sitting in his rocker sipping a cup of coffee.
“Well, we are missing one,” she said as she folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot on the floor.
“Ya. I figured as much.”
“Well, when young Elias gets home, you will extend his punishment. He’s under our roof, and I reckon it’s our job to—”
“Someone’s coming.” Joseph stood up and walked to the window. “I hear a buggy turning.”
Rosemary joined him at the window, and they both waited. A few moments later Rosemary gasped, then covered her mouth with her hands.
“Ach, Joseph. Oh no.”
She hurried to the door and out onto the porch, her heart pounding.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ROSEMARY ALMOST STUMBLED DOWN THE SNOWY PORCH steps, Joseph on her heels. She met Samuel Lapp in the yard; Amos and Elias were on either side of him. Although she wasn’t sure who was who.
She went to the boy on Samuel’s left, since blood was running down his chin from a split lip and he had a bulging black eye. After a quick inspection she moved to the other one, who’d taken quite a beating himself based on his swollen cheek and shiner.
“Who did this to you?” Rosemary’s eyes watered as she glanced back and forth between the twins. They both lowered their heads as Samuel spoke.
“They did this to each other.” Samuel shook his head, frowning. “I heard a commotion down in the basement, and the maeds starting screaming.” He pointed to Amos, then to Elias. “These two were down on the floor pounding on each other.”
Rosemary was speechless. Joseph stepped forward.
“Danki for bringing them home, Samuel. And we’re sorry for the trouble.”
“Well, it wonders me what would cause two bruders to do this to each other when it surely isn’t our way.” Samuel shook his head again. “Not gut. And Rebecca’s pretty cake her mamm made her ended up in a pile on the basement floor.”
Rosemary opened her mouth to apologize, but nothing came out. She couldn’t believe the boys could do something like this.
“Please send our apologies to your fraa, to Rebecca, and to the others there.” Joseph waved a hand toward Amos and Elias. “You boys head into the haus and start cleaning yourselves up. We’ll be in shortly.”
“I’ll tend to them,” Rosemary finally said, tucking her head as she pulled her sweater around her and hurried into the house and away from Samuel’s accusing eyes. She wasn’t out of earshot, though, when Samuel spoke.
“I’m sure you’ll be hearing from the bishop about this matter.”
Rosemary moved faster, shivering. From the cold. And the thought of the bishop coming out to see them. She couldn’t recall a time that Bishop Smucker had come calling about a “matter.”
When she walked into the living room, Amos and Elias were glaring at each other as if they weren’t done with whatever was ailing them.
“We need to get some ice on your eyes, both of you.” She glanced back and forth between the two of them. “Who’s who?”
“That’s Amos!” Elias yelled. “Someone who is supposed to be mei bruder, but who tried to trick Elizabeth into loving him by pretending he was me.”
Rosemary put a hand on her chest, hoping to calm her rapid heartbeat and wishing Eve and Benjamin were here. This was way too much for her and Joseph to handle.
“And—and she d-does love me!” Amos stepped toward Elias, his bottom lip trembling, his eyes beginning to tear.
Elias stood taller. “How’d you stop your stupid stuttering while you were with her?” He leaned forward as his hands curled into fists at his side.
Oh, dear Lord. No more. Rosemary took in a deep breath and held it, not sure what to say. Or do.
“Fern t-taught me some breathing exercises t-to help.” Amos’s voice cracked as he spoke.
“You’re a bad person, Amos.” Elias ran up the stairs.
Amos swiped at his eyes.
Rosemary swallowed back a knot in her throat, hurting for all involved. She stepped closer to Amos, putting a hand on his shoulder. “We need to get some ice on that eye before it swells shut.”
“Mammi, I have to go.” He pulled away from her and dashed out the door.
Rosemary stood in the middle of the room, hoping Joseph would intercept him. But a few moments later Leroy walked in.
“I just saw Amos running down the road. Where’s he going?”
“I don’t know.” Rosemary looked out the window. “It’s dark outside. Did you see your daadi out there?”
Leroy pulled off his boots and left them by the front door where the twins usually left theirs. “He must be in the barn. I saw a light flickering out there.”
“Leroy, there’s been a problem with your bruders. You might want to go talk to Elias. I’m going out to the barn and talk to your daadi, see what we need to do.” She pulled her black bonnet and heavy coat from the rack by the door. “I don’t want Amos running around at night like this, especially when he’s so upset.”
“I already know what happened.” Leroy pulled off his heavy coat. “Lena’s younger sister was at Rebecca’s party, and she told us when she got home.” He pulled his hat off and hung it and his coat on the rack. “Can’t believe Amos done what he done.”
“Well, he’s hurting now, and we need him at home so we can all work this out.” Rosemary opened the front door but turned to face Leroy first. “Go talk to Elias. He has to forgive Amos. He’s his bruder.” Then she hurried to the barn.
Elias was shaking, he was so mad. Mad at Amos, and angry at himself for losing control. He sat down on his bed, propped his elbows on his knees, and held his head in his hands. His lantern was almost out of fuel, but he didn’t care if the room went dark, just as his world had.
“Mamm and Daed are going to ground you both for the rest of your lives.” Leroy walked across the threshold and sat down on Amos’s bed. “How’d this happen?”
Elias didn’t look up at his older brother. “Amos betrayed me. He’s been giving Elizabeth love letters and pretending he was me. All this time I’ve been wondering why she hasn’t been calling to meet somewhere. She’s been meeting with Amos.” He looked up, blinked a few times, and shook his head. “What kind of person does this?”
Leroy shook his head. “But Amos is your bruder. You will have to forgive him.”
Drops of blood dribbled from Elias’s lip as he reached for a tissue on the nightstand. “I ain’t forgiving him for nothing.”
They were quiet for a few moments, then Leroy spoke again.
“He must have secretly loved Elizabeth for a long time to go and do something like this. And I reckon he’s hurting too.”
Elias flinched as he dabbed at his lip. “Don’t defend him. What he did is unforgivable.”
“Nothing is unforgivable.”
“Fine. Then you don’t mind if I secretly start courting Lena behind your back?”
Leroy shifted his weight on the bed, then crossed one ankle over his knee. “Look . . . she wasn’t the right girl, Elias. If she could so easily be swayed by Amos, then you don’t want her anyway.”
“She thought he was me.”
“But it wasn’t you, and she still must have felt something.”
“She felt confused. That’s what she felt. And now she’s mad.”
Leroy leaned forward. “That’s what I’m saying. If it was the kind of love that is meant to be, all this wouldn’t have happened. This is God’s plan. You have to accept that. And you have to forgive Amos.”
“Get out, Leroy. Please. Just go.” Elias thought he might cry, and he didn’t want his older brother seeing that, nor did he want to keep listening to Leroy’s lecture.
Leroy stood up. “I’m going to go check on things. Mammi is worried ’cause Amos took off.”
“Gut. I hope he never comes back.”
Leroy walked toward the door but turned around to face Elias. “You don’t mean that. And you need to go get some ice on that eye.”
Elias didn’t say anything. His head was throbbing, his lip burning, and his heart hurting. “Close the door on your way out.”
A few moments later he heard Leroy’s footsteps down the hallway. Elias leaned back on his pillow, and a tear trickled down his cheek.
Joseph tinkered about in the barn, organizing tools on his work-bench and acting as if the world hadn’t just come crashing down around them. Rosemary knew better, and by the light of the lantern she searched Joseph’s face for some hint of concern.
“Joseph, are you listening to me? What do we do? Should we go after Amos? Do we need to call the emergency number that Eve left for us at Mary Mae’s shanty?” Rosemary edged closer to where her husband was standing.
“Nee, don’t call Eve and Big Ben.” Joseph picked up four loose nails and put them in a tin box on his bench. “Amos will be back, and Elias needs some time to cool off.”
Rosemary bit her bottom lip, swallowing back an urge to say that these things happen when kinner are given too much freedom. However, her thoughts ran amok as she struggled to understand how something like this could happen while the children were in her and Joseph’s care.
“There’s nothing we could have done to prevent this from happening,” she said after a minute, hoping to convince herself.
“Nee. I don’t think so.” Joseph picked up the lantern and held it up, nodding for Rosemary to walk with him.
“Ach, the bishop will probably come calling, like Samuel said.” Rosemary pulled the rim of her black bonnet down in an effort to block the wind as she and Joseph left the barn. She wondered if Amos had grabbed his coat. She couldn’t remember.
Shivering, she walked faster, and so did Joseph. “We can’t be held accountable for what the boys did,” she said.
Joseph stopped abruptly and turned to face her. “Why not? You hold Eve accountable for every single thing that happens with the boys.”
“Joseph . . .” She put a hand to her chest. “They are her children, and . . .” Rosemary stopped talking as Joseph held the lantern high, showing the scowl on his face.
“Rosie, everything happens according to the Lord’s plan. You know this. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen two women who judge each other more than you and Eve.” He started walking again, shaking his head. “And it’s a shame too.”
Rosemary didn’t say anything as they trudged to the house, the cold wind stinging her face.
Lord, is that what I do . . . judge?
It only took a few seconds to know the answer.
Three hours later Rosemary paced her bedroom as Joseph silently read the Bible.
“Where can Amos be? We need to go find him.”
Joseph pushed his glasses up and scratched his nose. “If the boy is not home in another hour, I will go search for him.”
Rosemary folded her arms atop her white nightgown. “I’m not sure I like that idea, you being out in this cold.”
Joseph put a hand to one ear. “Listen. Is that the front door?”
Rosemary walked to their bedroom door and eased it open, relieved to see Amos walking in. “It’s him.”
She pulled on her robe, walked back to her nightstand, and grabbed the lantern, then hurried to the living room. “Amos?”
He was almost to the stairs when he turned around, but he didn’t say anything.
“Are you all right?”
The boy’s left eye was swollen shut. “Ya. I’m sorry, Mammi. I just had to go b-be by my-myself for a while.”
Rosemary wondered if there was going to be more trouble when Amos went upstairs and confronted his brother. “Do you want to sleep down here on the couch? I can fetch you some blankets, and you’ll be warm with the fire still going.”
Amos turned around. “Would that be okay?”
“Ya.” She held the lantern up. “Wait here.”
A few minutes later Rosemary returned with two sheets and a large quilt from the closet under the stairs. Once she’d fixed the couch, Amos lay down right away. “You call for me if you need anything.”
He nodded, but Rosemary sensed that he wasn’t in the mood to talk, so she slipped back into her room and closed the door behind her. After she set the lantern on the nightstand, she climbed into bed.
“I’m so glad he’s home.” She turned to Joseph. Her husband was slowly closing the Bible, and his eyes were round as saucers behind his thick lenses. Rosemary brought a hand to her chest. “What is it, Joseph? Why do you have that look on your face?”
Joseph didn’t say a word; he just pointed to the floor near the dresser.
Rosemary gasped. Her hallucination’s beady little eyes glowed in the dim light. She quickly waved a hand in front of Joseph’s face.
He pushed it aside, frowning. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing if your eyes move back and forth. Do you know who I am?”
He narrowed his eyebrows. “Good grief. Of course I know who you are. I’m just wondering who that is down on the floor . . . that long green lizard.”
Rosemary put her hands to her chest. “Oh, Joseph! You see him too. I’ve been seeing him for days.”
Joseph gave his head a quick shake as he blinked his eyes a few times. “What?”
Rosemary patted his arm. “It’s all right, dear. He’s not real.” She smiled, feeling a bit smug that she wasn’t the only one losing her mind.
Joseph held up the lantern as he stepped out of the bed and moved toward the creature, who quickly vanished under the dresser. Her husband struggled down to his hands and knees, groaning as he did so. After taking a peek under the dresser, he looked up at Rosemary. “He’s as real as the dust balls underneath that dresser.”
Rosemary frowned, then joined him on the floor with her own lantern. They both peered underneath the dresser. “I thought I was just imagining things, like the jars in the refrigerator dancing, or thinking Eve is Minnie.”
Joseph held the light up in her face. “The jars in the refrigerator dance?”
“Never you mind.” Rosemary lifted herself up until she was sitting on the bed. “Where do you think this thing came from?”
“I suspect I know.” Joseph lifted himself up and carted the lantern out into the living room.
“Don’t wake the boy,” Rosemary whispered when she heard Amos snoring, glad he was sleeping soundly.
“Ach, that thing has to belong to the boys. They must have it as a pet.” Joseph headed back to the bedroom and held the lantern up as he stared down at the dresser. “I’m not sleeping in my bedroom with that critter in here.”
Rosemary thought about all the times she’d shared bed space with the reptile, even given him water and dried fruit. She chuckled softly. “Oh, Joseph. Get into bed. I’ve slept next to him plenty of times.”
Joseph was still standing, a blank look on his face, when Rosemary climbed beneath the covers.
“Good night, dear.” She winked at him, but then had to bury her head in the pillow to keep from laughing at his silly expression.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EVE HAD THE STRANGEST FEELING AS THEY NEARED home. Her stomach was churning, her head splitting, and she could feel her heart beating in her chest. As she and Benny sat in the backseat of the van, the radio was playing Christian music. Eve usually enjoyed such a treat since their people didn’t listen to music, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
She leaned closer to Benny and whispered, “Do you think everything is all right at home?”
“Ya, of course it is.” He reached for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze, but kept his eyes straight ahead, looking past the driver’s shoulder at the flurry of snow that had started a few minutes ago. “I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen this much snow in Lancaster County.”
Eve took a deep breath and tried to relax. Mother’s intuition was a peculiar thing, often sneaking up on a woman and taking hold. She recalled the time Elias tried to convince Amos that he could fly off the roof. Eve had dropped her broom and run outside before Amos ever hit the ground. And when Leroy was five, she’d taken him to a neighbor’s house while she went to a doctor’s appointment. Throughout the appointment, she’d had the same feelings she was having now, and when she returned to pick up Leroy, he’d fallen and bumped his head so hard he had to have stitches.
Something is wrong at the house.
