The Photograph (16 page)

“It's 'bout time Fannie coughed up what she's been keepin' to herself.”

“And there's more. Lily's got herself a worldly boyfriend.” Telling Frona this made Eva feel all the worse.

“Well now. We should've expected as much.”

“I guess Fannie felt persuaded to tell because she's worried 'bout Lily, too, since she hasn't heard from her. This time I'm sure she wasn't makin' it all up.”

Frona's face softened. “Slow down now. Start at the beginning.”

Eva recounted what Fannie had said about Lily's
Englischer
boyfriend and where she'd met him.

Frona shook her head, dismayed but also determined. “I know just what to do. I'll send out word to our Ohio relatives. If Lily has shown up in a small town, maybe, how could she keep this sort of thing quiet?”

“You wouldn't think it's possible.”

“Someone will surely know and make the connection, the Lord willing,” Frona continued, stooping to pet Max. “Well, Lily went to that there town—Kidron—last summer with Ebersols!”

“Why didn't we go with her?” Eva shook her head. “We should've!”

“You and I didn't accept the Ebersols' invitation because Mamma needed help with gardening, and you couldn't leave the candy shop untended during tourist season.” Frona hung the feed scoop on the designated nail and wiped her brow. “Remember?”

“After Lily returned from that trip, I found some fashion magazines and dress catalogues under our bed—a few love stories, too, especially contemporary novels like Mamma's always discouraged,” Eva said. Lily had always loved to read and had once declared to Eva and all of their girl cousins that she was going to read a book every single day for the rest of her life. But up till last summer, her interest had only been in the classics.

Lily's words when confronted came back now.
“Books can't be the
only way to experience the rest of the world
,”
her sister had said.
“As much as I love
to read, I don't want to just
imagine
what'
s out there!”

At the time, Eva had hoped this wasn't going to turn into a phase, like the curiosity of a handful of other youth in the community.
Lily must have given in to her inquisitiveness
, she thought as Frona headed to the house.

“Would she still be here if I'd said something?” Eva wondered aloud, giving their Eskimo spitz a gentle pat. She recalled the look of surprise on Jed's face when she'd told him about Lily.
He must think little of our family now. He'
s probably glad to return home soon.

But that wasn't her biggest concern. Right now Eva couldn't understand why Lily hadn't kept her word to Fannie.
Why
didn't Lily contact her? Or us?

T
HAT
EVENING
,
AFTER
A
LATE
DESSERT
of lemon sponge pie, Naomi Mast lingered at the table with Abner. She listened as he talked of his long day spreading fertilizer on their alfalfa field and of having some troubles with one of the mules, causing the whole team difficulties.

When Abner paused for more coffee, she mentioned her unexpected visitor that afternoon. “Evidently, someone thinks she knows where Lily Esch ran off to.”

“Really now?” Abner blew on his coffee.

“
Jah
, Fannie Ebersol says she didn't feel at liberty to tell till now, wanting to keep her promise to Lily.”

“What's different now?”

“She has some concerns about Lily, too . . . and it didn't hurt that Menno confronted Fannie at market, putting pressure on her to tell what she knows.” Naomi paused. “I'm not sure how certain Fannie is 'bout any of it, honestly.”

“Well, I ran into Menno just this morning. He's been appointed by the bishop to find Lily and bring her home.”

“Who better than her brother?” Naomi revealed that Lily was supposedly living in Ohio with her English boyfriend's sister.

Abner muttered under his breath.

“What're ya sayin', dear?”

“
Puh!
I'm gonna say it right out, right now.” Abner shook his head. “I partly blame those battery-operated boom boxes and whatnot for so much of the
Druwwel
with our youth. There's a general fascination with the world, and those just feed into it. ”

Naomi scratched her head. “The radios young people are listening to in their courting carriages are causin' them to run away?”

“Trust me on this: It's just one more temptation tuggin' on them,” Abner said, picking up his coffee cup and holding it in front of his beard. “Worldly music is a trick of the devil
 . . .
and it's infiltrating the Plain community faster than you can say
Sis en Sin un e Schand
.”

“A sin and a shame,” Naomi whispered. “So do the other menfolk also blame radios for our youth's troubles?”

“Oh
jah
. You should hear what they're sayin'.”

Since the arrival of warmer weather, Naomi had been awakened by some of those boom boxes in the dead of Saturday nights. “Well, I know one thing: Spring is in the air
 . . .
and with it, notions of romance.”

He rose with a smile on his face. “That, my dear, ain't no foolin'.” And he leaned over and kissed her soundly.

“‘The best and worst day of my life.'” Jed recited the words on the back of the photograph as he drove toward Eden Valley for his date with Eva Saturday evening. He'd spent a beneficial day with Jonas Byler, even though by late afternoon Jed was anxious to get cleaned up and out the door. Yesterday had been equally interesting, meeting a number of Jonas's loyal customers and sup
pliers, as well as learning a few new techniques for buggy making that Jed was eager to pass along to Uncle Ervin.

One of the leisure stops this morning, however, had been to Mose Byler's place, where Orpha had been sitting out on the porch, as though expecting him, wearing her ever-present smile. While the others remained in the kitchen to eat their three-berry pie, Jed had taken the opportunity to thank her for being so welcoming. Along with casual talk, she had shared her concern over one of their ailing ministers.

Jed was touched by her empathy for the man of God, and knowing it wasn't fair or right to encourage Orpha to believe that they might further their friendship, he had tried to gently let her down. Surprisingly, Orpha took it well, although her unchanged demeanor made him uncertain she'd accepted the message. At least he had been forthright with her, difficult as it was.

Presently, Jed slowed the horse as he topped the hill before the turnoff from the highway. If he was a good judge of how things were developing with Eva, the potential for a relationship seemed good. Consequently, showing her the photograph tonight could prove disastrous. Besides, he wouldn't think of putting her on the spot.

“But I
can
test the waters.” He began to formulate a plan while directing Jonas's black gelding onto Eden Road.

Jed saw Eva waiting near some underbrush and slowed the horse with a “Whoa.” He pulled back on the reins as the carriage rolled to a stop. “Hope ya don't mind ridin' in Jonas's old family buggy again,” he said as he got out to meet her, waiting till she was settled in on the left side of the seat.

“That's fine,” she said. “
Denki.
”

Then, hurrying around to climb back in, he jokingly added, “Of course, we can be sure this carriage is well built,
jah
?”

She smiled in the fading light.

He picked up the reins and signaled the horse to move forward, relieved Eva was in better spirits this evening. “Jonas gave me
gut
directions to a place for dessert later.”

She nodded, her hands in her lap.

“I like chocolate cake. Do you?” he asked.

She said she did, and he was pleased Eva wasn't as bashful as one of the girls he'd taken out riding in recent months. He was relieved, too, that she didn't seem nervous about being alone with him. Had that been part of the reason for her reticence Thursday evening?

Jed was conscious of her nearness, aware of the lightly scented perfume she must have dabbed behind her ears, like his youngest sister did before going out with her beau. The scent reminded him of lilacs or honeysuckle, and he wished he might transport Eva to Berlin for the summer, so they could take their time getting to know each other.

“My younger sister, Bettina, likes to wear a similar fragrance,” he said. “She's just seventeen and is very active in her buddy group.” Jed brought up the rest of his siblings and then mentioned Eva's older sister, reminding her that he'd seen Frona at market. But he purposely didn't refer to Lily.

Eva was quiet now, and akin to last time, they rode in a haze of silence.

Suddenly she faced him. “You might like to know more about my family.”

“I would indeed.”

“Well, my mother isn't the only one who's deceased,” she told him softly. “My father is, too.”

The words jarred him, and he carefully weighed his response. “I'm very sorry.”

“My parents were much too young,” she added. “Dat died in
a farming accident, and Mamma got sick and just couldn't get well. She passed away last winter.”

Not so long ago
 . . .

“Do you and Frona live with a married brother and his family, perhaps?” he asked, diverting the topic.

“It's the preferred way round here, but because Frona's older and able to run the house—and likes doin' so—our brother Menno has been letting us live there alone since Mamma's death. He and Bena will be moving in soon enough, though.”

“Ah, so he must be the youngest of the sons?”

“
Jah
, that too.”

He looked at her, unsure what she meant. “Sorry?”

“Menno can be severe at times.”

Jed didn't press for an explanation. He let Eva talk about whatever was on her mind. And there was plenty, beginning with her seeming interest in his hometown of Berlin—what sort of carriages he built, his daily life, and if the Plain community there catered much to the tourist trade, like in Lancaster County.

Is she
curious because Lily's gone there?
he wondered.

The more Eva talked, the more he found himself comparing the way she spoke to the words she'd written in the margins of
Little Women
, down to the similar phrases she used to describe her feelings.

I know her better than
she thinks,
he thought, feeling a little guilty. After all, her notes had given him a window into how she expressed herself, an idea of what things were important to her.
Would she forgive me if she knew?

In spite of his distraction, he attempted to answer her questions, still uncertain if she was making polite small talk or if she was actually curious about his life and work. And Jed considered when he should slip in the question that weighed on his mind.
Could he do that without interrupting the easy flow of their conversation?

“How do you like Lancaster County?” she asked.

“I'm very glad my uncle Ervin suggested I glean some knowledge from Jonas Byler. Jonas is a cousin to Ervin's wife,” he added.

“Oh, so that's why you stayed with them.”

He waited for her to mention Orpha, perhaps, but Eva was already on to another subject.

“What sorts of quilt patterns do your sisters make out in Ohio?”

“You'd have to ask them.” Jed chuckled.

Now she, too, was laughing. “I guess men don't pay much attention to such things.”

“Well, we have our own ideas about what's important.”

“Like what's for supper?”

He smiled, enjoying her all the more for her spunkiness.

“You don't have open surreys out there, do ya?” she asked.

“Only the courting carriages are open. Why do you ask?”

She mentioned an elderly aunt who lived in Berne, Indiana, where all the carriages, even the family ones, were open, no matter the season. “It's surprising, the differences between church districts, 'specially between states.”

Jed agreed.

“Yet some things don't change. The cloistered life can be stifling for some young folks.”

“You must be thinkin' of Lily,” he said.

“S'pose I am.”

Quickly, Eva moved from Lily and their Indiana aunt to how nice the weather was for the ride.

“The sky's clear,” he agreed. “And in a little while, we should be able to see Venus, the evening star.” He pointed toward the west, and she leaned forward to look.

“I wonder if Lily can see it where she is,” Eva whispered.

“She can if she's searchin' for it.” He sensed Eva's great affection for her sister—and apprehension. Curious, Jed dared another glance at her, pleased they had this time together.

———

Eva watched for the golden glow of gas lamps in each Amish home as they rode, speculating how far toward May Post Office Road Jed would take the horse and carriage. She enjoyed that he was more talkative than most fellows she'd dated, even Alfred, especially when the topic of conversation surrounded family, either Jed's or hers. It wasn't odd for Jed to bring up Lily, considering all Eva had told him. Still, she felt
naerfich
—nervous—and protective of her strong-willed sister.
Or am I
simply overreacting?
This respectable young man certainly wasn't nosey.

“How 'bout if we ride up to White Oak Road?” Jed asked, breaking the silence. “Jonas Byler suggested it.”