Jo Brown - An Amish Arrangement

“Things are a bit complicated.” After he invited Caleb into the house, he gave him a quick overview of the situation.

Caleb, who would be one of his neighbors if the sale went through, listened with widening eyes. “I got to know Rudy pretty well. He was a gut man. He wouldn’t have signed a purchase contract with you if he didn’t intend for you to buy the farm.”

“Maybe he should have mentioned that to his granddaughter.”

Caleb’s frown deepened, drawing lines into the thin angles of his face. “It’s a puzzle. I’ve been here a little over a month. Everyone I’ve talked to—both Amish and Englisch—has praised Rudy’s honesty. He sold me a battered skid loader I’ll need to move hay bales. He didn’t make any bones about how much work it would need, and he sold it at a fair price.”

“My dealings with him were gut, too. I wish I knew why he didn’t let Mercy know he was selling the farm.”

“I hope you won’t have to leave Harmony Creek. We need every family we can convince to join us in order to make this settlement a success.”

Jeremiah didn’t need that reminder. From the moment he’d expressed interest in joining the Hartz family and the Waglers as well as other founding members of the Harmony Creek colony, he’d been told he must be very sure about his commitment. Each family was vital to the rest.

“I’m not leaving. I’m going to farm here.” Saying the words aloud was like taking an oath in the presence of the Lord, though God was well aware of what was in Jeremiah’s heart.

“Aren’t you a woodworker by trade?”

“Ja, but farming is too much in my blood.” He surprised himself by chuckling. “My late daed would be shocked because I hated to get out of bed to do chores.”

Caleb chuckled. “My daed used to threaten to dump cold water on me and my brothers to get us up in the morning.”

“Sounds familiar.”

“I can ask around and find out if anyone is thinking about selling.”

“Danki, but I’ve got to wait and hear what my Realtor learns from her attorney. As my mamm has said more than once, there’s no need to look for trouble before it finds you.”

“Sounds like something my mamm would have said, too.”

“My brothers believe mamms have a special language filled with platitudes for every occasion.”

Caleb laughed heartily. “Why is it dark in here?”

“I couldn’t find oil for the lantern.”

“The house has electricity. Rudy mentioned both houses were wired.” With a wave of his hand, he added, “Let’s find the fuse box and see if we can get you some light. More important is powering the well pump so you can have water.”

Jeremiah followed him into the cellar. As they crossed the dirt floor to where a metal box was affixed to the wall, he wondered why he hadn’t considered checking the well pump. Exhaustion could be a reason, because he felt as if he carried the house on his shoulders as he trudged after Caleb.

His neighbor whistled a single note as he popped open the door on the metal box. “A circuit breaker box. Who’d have guessed Rudy had updated his tenant house?” Reaching in, he flipped a switch.

A low rumble came from the far side of the cellar. Jeremiah aimed his flashlight in that direction and saw the well’s holding tank. His fatigue fell away as he realized he could have water to brush his teeth once he’d let it run long enough to make sure any rust washed out.

“Danki,” he said.

Caleb shrugged. “Glad to help. I’m sure this circuit breaker box isn’t the first surprise you’re going to find.”

Jeremiah was tempted to say the breakers were far from the first surprise he’d had since his arrival, but grousing wouldn’t get him anywhere. He needed to be patient until Kitty had answers for him. That had to be his plan. Wait and see.

A sense of calm settled over him as he realized he had a clear path...for now. He thanked God for helping him see that. He must be patient. Not an easy task when his dream was so close to realization.

Several lights were glaring against the water-stained ceilings when he went upstairs with Caleb. He switched off everything but the fluorescent ceiling light in the kitchen, though he despised its glare.

“Let us know if you need anything before your stuff arrives,” Caleb said as he reached for the doorknob. He glanced outside. “Looks like we’re in for another big storm.” Grimacing at the crack in the wall, he added, “We’re living in the barn while we get the house repaired, and our barn is better than this. Feel free to come over if you get tired of shoveling snow out of your house.”

“Danki.” He knew he wouldn’t abandon the house, because that might injure his fragile claim on the farm. “I appreciate it.”

“We may be snowed in for a while, because we’re one of the last roads plowed by the town. I don’t think Rudy sold his sleigh, so if you or anyone at the main house needs something, you can use it.”

“Danki.” He appreciated Caleb’s helpfulness, which made him more determined to be a part of the nascent community. Amish folks assisted one another. Did Mercy feel the same?

“Oh, one other thing I should let you know.” Caleb turned the knob. “Wayne Flaud from the settlement north of here in Whitehall is acting as our temporary bishop. If you want me to contact him to get his thoughts on what you should do...”

“Let’s see what my Realtor has to say before we bring the bishop into this. I’m sure this will work out for the best. God didn’t bring me to Harmony Creek so I could turn around and leave again.”

With another nod, Caleb bid him gute mariye and let himself out as a burst of cold and a swirl of windblown snow slipped in past him.

Jeremiah guessed Caleb believed his words. Too bad he wasn’t so sure himself.

* * *

Any hopes spring might have made an early appearance overnight were dashed three days later when Mercy awoke to discover two feet of new snow. She dressed hastily, because the house was cold in the fresh light of dawn.

Peeking past Sunni’s door and glad her daughter was asleep with the blankets pulled up to her chin, Mercy tiptoed down the stairs. They creaked beneath her, and she hoped Sunni wouldn’t wake up until Mercy figured out what was wrong with the heat.

Despite herself, she glanced out the window that gave her a view of the trees separating them from the tenant house. She hadn’t spoken to Jeremiah since he’d left after the meeting with his Realtor. She’d seen big delivery trucks in the yard the following day and watched him accept delivery of a horse, a buggy and a dozen large wooden crates, which he’d moved into an outbuilding. He’d spent time inside, coming out with pieces of wood, so she guessed he was unpacking what he’d shipped to the farm.

That was a sign Jeremiah intended to stay.

No surprise, but if he thought she’d give up because he was making himself at home, he was in for a big surprise. She’d waited years for an opportunity to host city kids on a farm.

She’d thought her grandfather comprehended her need to pay forward the gifts she’d been given. Instantly, she was contrite. She couldn’t fault Grandpa Rudy for his change of heart about what should happen with the farm after he died, but she wished he’d talked to her before signing a deal with Jeremiah.

He was as much an innocent victim of this mess as she was. Of course, if he withdrew his offer, that might make a difference for her aunts and uncles. Would they be more willing to give her time to find funds to set up the farm if they didn’t have an available buyer?

Mercy had discussed that with her parents last night. Her father had sympathy for how her plans for the farm might have died along with Rudy, but he’d also emphasized that he’d go along with what his siblings decided.