Downstairs, she heard her grandmother laugh, and it sounded an awful lot like a giggle. She couldn’t help but smile.
Thank You for blessing Mammi and Moe, Sarai prayed in her heart. And while You are blessing them, Gott, please also show me the truth about Arden. I fear I’ve been duped by him, too.
Chapter Eleven
Arden had finished the chores, and he hadn’t seen his grandfather for a few hours now. Normally, Dawdie came back to at least check on Arden. He liked things done a particular way, and he never seemed to trust anyone to do it just right. But he hadn’t returned.
Arden’s mind had been on his own finances when he’d had that frank discussion with his grandfather. He had no more savings left. That meant that he couldn’t go to Job with a few thousand dollars in hand and begin the process of paying him back, and that rankled him. He needed this off his conscience, but Gott wasn’t providing a way. Why not? Arden was truly sorry for his youthful folly, and he wanted to fix it—be a man about it. Why couldn’t this be any easier?
What choice did he have? He’d bring Dawdie home with him and start saving again. Eventually, he’d be able to pay Job back, and this time, it would be his top priority. Nothing would deter him.
In the meantime, though, Arden needed to see Sarai one more time alone. So Arden headed across the grass to the Peachy place.
He’d kissed her. He should probably apologize for that, but he wished she could see how honest that kiss had been on his part. He wasn’t trying to take advantage. He wasn’t playing games. His heart was in this...even though he couldn’t do anything more about it.
So was he just as bad as she must assume—kissing her when he knew he had to leave?
But maybe she’d wait for him. That was the one fluttering hope inside of him, even though he knew that would be a choice she’d likely regret. He had a good deal of money to save up before he was square with her father, and he had no right to ask anything of her. And he hated that.
Arden arrived at the house and knocked on the screen door. The door was open, and he could hear voices from inside. His grandfather was laughing softly, and so was Ellen. They sounded incredibly happy... Why? How?
“Come in, come in!” Ellen called, and Arden opened the door. He stepped through the mudroom and emerged into the kitchen. Sarai and Ellen were both in work aprons, and Moe sat at the table, wreathed in smiles. Ellen’s face was pink, and she looked younger, as if time had almost reversed, as she energetically worked with a rolling pin and some pie dough. But Sarai, standing next to her chopping apples into a bowl, frowned, her emotions looking more complicated. She met his gaze, and his heart almost skipped a beat at the sudden depth in those dark eyes.
“Hello,” Arden said, and his own voice sounded a little strangled in his ears.
“Arden!” Dawdie half stood. “I meant to come back and talk to you, but I suppose it’s just as well you came here. We have news.” He settled back down into his chair.
“Oh?” Arden asked hesitantly.
“I’ve asked Ellen to marry me,” he said with a broad smile.
“And I said yes,” Ellen supplied from where she stood at the counter, rolling the dough.
“You’re—” He licked his lips, his head spinning. “But, Dawdie, how?”
“We’ll sort it out,” the old man replied. “We’ll live in one home together, so that will cut down on expenses. I’m sure your uncle will be happy to take over the farm early, if that’s what it comes to. But Ellen and I will be able to figure things out, so long as we’re together.”
“Well—” Arden stepped quickly forward and shook his grandfather’s hand. “Congratulations, Dawdie. Many blessings to you.”
“This will actually work very well for my own family,” Ellen said. “Sarai will be going to Shipshewana to spend some time out there, and that means that Moe and I will be alone. We’ll take care of each other. And no one else needs to be inconvenienced.”
Arden went toward Mammi Ellen, and she put down her rolling pin, wiped her hands on her apron and came around the counter to give him a hug.
“Congratulations to you both,” he said.
“Danke, Arden,” Mammi Ellen said with a smile. She patted his shoulder and headed back around to her piecrust.
“I’d like to say we could help financially, but—”
“Arden, dear boy,” Dawdie said. “It’ll be okay. I won’t need it. You’d be surprised how thrifty two old-timers can be when they have each other.”
“Plus, as always, I have my son’s tab to rely on,” Ellen said. “I never take advantage, but he’d be deeply offended if I didn’t use it when I needed it. I raised him, loved him and kissed his scrapes better. He says now it’s his turn to help make things better for me. And I truly appreciate his generosity.”
“I’m very happy for you both,” Arden said.
And he meant it. He was truly happy for them. He couldn’t think of a nicer wife for his dawdie. Ellen was a gem, and he was happy they had each other. But it would mean that his family’s inability to provide for Dawdie would be even more magnified. Job Peachy would be called upon to do his duty yet again, and that hardly seemed fair, especially when the groom for this marriage was a Stoltzfus.
All the same, his family’s ability to financially support Dawdie in this next phase of his life wasn’t the point today. He’d simply have to let his father know the news and go back to trying to save up the money to pay back Job.
Sarai was silent, and her gaze flickered up to meet his again, and he swallowed.
“Sarai, could I—” He nodded toward the door. “Could I talk to you?”
Sarai put down her paring knife. “Yah, of course.”
“Take your time, kinner,” Dawdie said, pushing himself to his feet. “I’m an old hand at slicing apples. I’ll take over.”
“Well, how nice,” Ellen said with a beaming smile.
Sarai rinsed her hands, dried them, and then they headed outside together. Behind them, he could hear the low voices of their grandparents talking to each other.
“So you did it,” Arden said as they walked away from the house together. “You got them together.”
Sarai didn’t answer, and he ducked his head to get a better look at her face.
“Are you mad at me, Sarai?” It was the kiss, wasn’t it? He’d crossed the line, and she’d had time to think about it.
Sarai pulled a piece of paper out of her apron and handed it to him. He recognized the crinkled scrap.
