The Amish Marriage Bargain. Marie E. Bast
day, then he sealed the cartons of tomatoes, beans and peas going to market.
It was a hot day, but at least it hadn’t rained. He’d prayed for a sunny day, and Gott had answered. He sighed as his mind drifted to May.
They had started getting along, putting the past behind them. At least he hoped so. Their conversations seemed more relaxed, and she was at least still considering staying. Maybe her hesitation to make a decision about moving was due to the thought of leaving Leah.
The shed door squeaked open and pulled his attention to footfalls approaching. He tried to hold back a smile. Jah, May was coming out to talk. He peered over his shoulder, then jerked around in surprise as he saw the bishop approaching. “Bishop Yoder, hullo.”
“Hullo, Thad. I was visiting with May. She made some delicious banana bread and lemonade. Did you have some?”
“Ah, no, not yet, probably for supper. What brings you out here today?”
“An elder brought it to my attention that you and May were still living together.”
Thad’s back stiffened. “Nein, we aren’t living together. I inherited her family’s farm, and my parents are staying in the dawdi haus. Why bring this up now? April has been dead a year.”
“Exactly, your year of mourning is over and now it is not acceptable. So you live in the dawdi haus with them?”
“I still sleep in the same bedroom that April and I shared.”
The bishop kicked at a few peas that had landed on the floor before aiming his gaze at Thad. “To others in our district, they think this is not a gut arrangement. You are here all day and all night unchaperoned in the same haus. I heard that she was moving to Shipshewana to live with an aent?”
“Jah, that’s what she said, but I think she is having a hard time leaving Leah.”
“Is it just Leah that she is having the hard time leaving?”
Thad took a step back and clenched his teeth, then released. “I’m not sure I understand what you are talking about, Bishop.”
“You courted May before you married her sister, jah?” The bishop’s tone was the one he used for preaching.
“What are you saying, Bishop?” A rigidness seized Thad’s shoulders.
“It’s time May was married.”
Thad felt the blood drain from his face.
The bishop walked to the door, then glanced back over his shoulder. “You need to think seriously about how this living arrangement looks to others. It cannot be allowed to go on much longer.” The bishop walked out, letting the barn door bang closed.
Thad stared after him and scrubbed his hands over his face. Why, Gott, why have You done this? I was hoping May would decide to stay but this...this will drive her away. And if the bishop finds out Elmer is always hanging around, he’ll try to matchmake them. I had hoped to win her back.
The next morning, Thad’s gut clenched when he saw Elmer’s buggy pulling into the drive. What did he want? But he already knew. May.
Perhaps the bishop had sent Elmer out here to see May. Thad settled his feet like a bulldog with his paws planted squarely in the center of the walkway.
“Gut morgen, Thad.” Elmer smiled as he approached.
Thad nodded. “Elmer. What brings you out this way?”
“Come to help May in her garden and visit with her a while.”
Thad shot Elmer a cold stare, stepped off the walkway and stalked across the barnyard, the dust flying off the heels of his boots. He grabbed his toolbox off the shed’s workbench and headed back to the haus.
He shook his head and tried to clear May out of his brain. She had a right to a life of her own but all he could see were her smoky-gray eyes staring at Elmer. Those same eyes made his heart swell until he could hardly breathe. Her hair and skin smelled like strawberry blossoms on a sunny June day.
He took the porch steps two at a time, stopped and caught his breath before entering the kitchen. Bumping the screen door open with his hip, he maneuvered his toolbox through the doorway and set it on the floor, letting the door bang closed.
May and Elmer turned and scowled at his abrupt entrance. He looked up and locked on to her eyes, then let his gaze drop to her peaches-and-cream cheeks.
“What are you doing, Thad?” She squared her shoulders and lifted a brow. “Forget something?”
“Nein. I just remembered you wanted the doors fixed. Since Elmer was here, I thought it would be the perfect time to take off the swollen cupboard doors and fix them. Leah’s door also sticks from the humidity. It squeaked when I opened it. We can take it off the hinges and plane a couple of spots to make it level. Since Elmer has two gut hands, I figured he’d want to help.” Thad felt his face trying to smile but he controlled the urge.
Elmer pursed his lips and tossed Thad a displeased stare. “Jah, okay. Let’s get to it so I’ll have a few minutes to visit with May.”
“We’ll start with the kitchen doors.” Thad’s instincts kicked in and told him he was in trouble, but he wasn’t going to let Elmer have the upper hand before he tried to work things out with May.
He felt Elmer’s glare as they finished up in the kitchen. Of course, he forgot a couple of tools and had to go to the shed twice. Thad nodded toward the stairway that led to the second floor and to Leah’s room, but as he did, the glare in May’s eyes and her furrowed brow signaled he’d upset her plans for a nice afternoon with Elmer.
Gut. A pang of uneasiness settled in his stomach. May deserved a nice man to court her, and Elmer was a gut-hearted man with many skills that kept him in demand, like his cheese business. But Elmer was also a stern man who worked his employees hard and no doubt would demand his frau do the same.
As Thad picked up his toolbox, he shot another glance in May’s direction. A rosy blush tinged her cheeks like a January wind had just whirled through the room. She held her back straight as a yardstick and stared him down. He’d made his choice, married April, and now he should step aside and let May find happiness.
But he just couldn’t. After speaking to the bishop, he wanted one more chance. With May.
Jah, he had no right disrupting her time with Elmer. Regret crept up his back but a smile curved his lips as he turned to head upstairs.
He had tossed May aside to marry April, now he was trying to prevent her from courting Elmer. What was wrong with him? Why did he keep hurting her? She was a wunderbaar woman any man would be proud to have as his frau.
Guilt pushed out a frustrated sigh, and his insides warred. He needed to back away and let May have her chance at happiness. Elmer needed his chance at winning May’s heart. Thad owed her that, but why did it feel like a pitchfork was stabbing his heart?
May fumed under her breath as the men tromped up the stairs. She heard banging and pounding, feet shuffling around the wood flooring and a loud clink when the door hinge pin slid back into place.
When they came back downstairs, Elmer let out a loud sigh as he sat in the chair next to hers. Thad stomped toward the door, his toolbox clanging with tools shifting around as he gave her a nod. Her cheeks burned hot enough they could fry an egg.
“Job is done,” Thad announced as he clomped out the door and down the porch steps.
May turned to Elmer. “I’m sorry you got roped into