by Amy Clipston
“No,” Moses said.
“A farm is so much work, but I’m sure making furniture is a lot of work as well.” Laurel glanced around the table and found everyone watching her with something that resembled curiosity. She smiled as heat crawled up her neck.
“You’re right, Laurel. We work very hard.” Glen’s expression was friendly. “But we love what we do, right, Dat? Right, Roy?”
“Ya, we do,” Moses agreed.
Laurel ate more meatloaf. “I can’t wait to see the schoolhouse. Also, do you know if I will have an assistant?”
Bethlyn lifted her glass of water. “Ya, her name is Rena Ebersol, and she’s eighteen. She’s a brand-new teacher.”
For the remainder of the meal, Laurel and Bethlyn discussed the school. When Laurel found Glen watching her, she hoped she wasn’t blushing.
After supper, they enjoyed a chocolate pie before Laurel helped the women clean up the kitchen. Afterward, the women walked out to the porch, where the men and the twins sat.
“Danki so much for the appeditlich meal.” Laurel shook Magdalena’s hand.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Bethlyn reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a key ring containing one key. “This is for the schoolhouse. I thought you might want to go there tomorrow and start setting up.”
“That would be perfect.” Excitement coursed through Laurel as she slipped the key into her apron pocket next to the picture Lea had drawn for her.
“I can take you first thing tomorrow morning before I start work.”
Laurel pivoted to face Glen as he smiled over at her from the porch swing. “Danki.”
“Gern gschehne. I’ll be there bright and early,” he promised. “How about eight?”
“Okay.” Laurel turned back to Magdalena. “Danki again for supper.”
“Gern gschehne,” Magdalena said.
Lea rushed over and hugged Laurel’s waist. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it.” Laurel touched Lea’s nose, waved to the rest of the Troyer family, and then pulled her small flashlight out of her pocket before heading to the daadihaus.
Once inside, she set the flashlight on the kitchen counter and placed the picture Lea had drawn beside it, along with the key.
After taking a shower, she pulled on her nightgown and brushed out her waist-length blond hair before climbing into the double bed. Then she stared up through the darkness toward the ceiling as visions of her family flickered through her mind. She tried to ignore the loneliness that crept in, and instead, she opened her heart to God.
“Lord,” she whispered, “danki for bringing me to Colorado safely. Help me be the best teacher I can for the community. Please help me find freinden and a place here. And let my family know I love and miss them.”
Then she closed her eyes and waited for sleep to find her.
Chapter 2
The smell of pancakes, sausage, and coffee permeated Glen’s nostrils as he jogged down the stairs and into the kitchen the following morning.
“Gude mariye,” he said as he sat down at the kitchen table and took in the appetizing meal set out in the center.
His parents repeated the greeting before they bowed their heads in silent prayer. Then they began to fill their plates with the delicious food.
Glen drenched his pancakes in butter and syrup before digging in. “Everything looks fantastic, Mamm.”
“Danki,” she said.
“It is.” Dat picked up his mug of coffee. “We have a busy day ahead of us, Glen. That bedroom suite will be picked up this afternoon.”
“I’m almost done with the dressers and nightstands. Then I’ll start on that curio.” Glen ate a bite of sausage and picked up his mug of coffee.
“You need to take Laurel to the schoolhouse before you get started,” Mamm reminded him.
“I know.” Glen worked to keep his smile at bay.
The truth was that he couldn’t wait to see Laurel and walk to the schoolhouse with her. He’d spent the evening thinking of her. With her hair the color of sunshine, intelligent blue-green eyes, pink lips, and high cheekbones, she was beautiful, but she also had a sweet way about her that intrigued him.
“That maedel is a chatterbox,” Mamm continued with a dramatic wave of her hand. “She’s very excited to be here.”
“I think she’s nice.” Glen set his mug on the table. In fact, he loved how she wasn’t afraid to talk. So many of the young women in his youth group were shy, but Laurel was the opposite, which fascinated him. He wanted to hear what she had to say.
Mamm nodded. “She seems very sweet.”
“Ya, she is.” Dat cut up his pancakes. “It must be difficult for her to have left her family. You heard her say that she’s never been outside of Pennsylvania, and she’s so young.”
“How old is she?” Glen asked.
“Twenty.”
He nodded. So, she was three years younger than he was.
“Make it quick when you take her to the schoolhouse,” Dat said. “We have a lot to do today.” His father continued to discuss work while they finished breakfast.
After carrying his dish to the counter and then running upstairs to brush his teeth, Glen hurried down the short path to the daadihaus and knocked on the door.
“Just a minute!” Laurel’s voice sounded from somewhere inside.
Glen glanced out toward his sister’s house and imagined Bethlyn and her family enjoying their breakfast.
The door swung open, revealing Laurel in a turquoise dress that complemented her eyes, along with a black apron.
She looked up at him and gave an embarrassed smile. “I’m so sorry. I was so exhausted last night that I overslept. Come in.”
He followed her into the family room, and the aroma of coffee wafted over him as she walked to the table in the small kitchen, where a half-eaten scrambled egg sat on the plate.
She picked up the plate and carried it toward the sink. “I thought I had set my alarm, but I guess I didn’t.”
“You can finish eating, if you like,” he told her.
Her light eyebrows lifted. “You sure?”
“Of course.”
“Danki.” She sat down and scooted her chair closer to the table. “I guess the haus was too quiet. Mei haus in Pennsylvania is always noisy, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.”
He sat down across from her and rested his elbows on the hardwood. “The time change probably affected you too.”
“Ya.” She swallowed some egg and then pointed her fork at him. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“So, you have five siblings?”
She nodded as she sipped her coffee. “Ya. Ervin is twenty-two. I’m twenty. Maranda is eighteen, Nathan is fifteen, Rueben is twelve, and Hadassah is eight.”
“I’m sure your haus is much louder than mine.”
“Meals are always an adventure with everyone talking over everyone else.” She finished the egg and then gathered up her plate, utensils, and mug. “How old are you?” she asked over her shoulder while she washed them at the sink.
“Twenty-three.”
“I thought you were older than I am.”
He walked over to the counter and leaned against it. She was a few inches shorter than he was but taller than his mother and sister. “So, your dat is a dairy farmer?”
“That’s right.” She graced him with another pretty smile as she set her dish on the drying rack. “And you’re a carpenter.”
“Ya, I am. Mei daadi passed the business down to mei dat. Roy’s bruder inherited his dat’s bulk food store, so Roy decided to join our company. He had learned some carpentry skills from his daadi, so we just trained him on what we build.”
“Mei onkel Ivan is a carpenter, but he makes outdoor furniture. He sells things like picnic tables, windmills, lighthouses, benches, gliders, and rocking chairs. I have five cousins who work for him.” She continued talking as she dried and stowed the dish, utensils, and mug. “They’re all really gut carpenters. You
are too. I saw the furniture when I used the phone. I’d love for you to show me what you’ve made.”
“I’ll have to give you a tour.”
“I can’t wait.” She jammed her thumb toward the bathroom. “I need to brush my teeth. Is that all right?”
“Take your time.” He walked over to the front windows and glanced outside just as Roy walked from his house to the workshop. He imagined Roy listening while Dat gave him his instructions for the day, even though Roy already knew what needed to be done. Dat liked to be in charge, which Glen understood. After all, it was his business, and their reputation was on the line with every piece of furniture they created.
He heard footsteps behind him, and Laurel appeared with a large, overstuffed tote balanced on her slight shoulder.
He held his hand out. “Let me carry that for you.”
“Danki. It’s so heavy.” She handed him the tote and then continued on to the kitchen and picked up a lunch bag. “I’m bringing all of my supplies so I can get organized.” She walked to where he stood by the door. Then they started out together and down the porch steps.
“Did you teach in Pennsylvania?” he asked as they continued down the path, past the workshop and his parents’ house.
“Ya, I’ve been teaching since I was eighteen. I just love it. It’s so fun to get to know the kinner and watch them learn. There’s nothing more satisfying than when a scholar figures out how to read or how to do a math problem after struggling.”
He smiled at her, impressed by her passion for teaching. “That must be a sight to behold.”
“Oh, it is. I had a bu in class last year who really struggled with reading, but he never gave up. I remember the day when he read his first word. Oh, the joy in his eyes.” She beamed. “It was just so wunderbaar. I could see God working with him.”
He nodded as they turned onto the road and started up the hill toward the school.
“What do you like to do for fun, Glen?”
“I like spending time outdoors, mostly. I like to hike, fish, and hunt.”
“That must be why you’re so tan.”
He chuckled. “Ya, I suppose so.”
“Levi told me that you take him fishing.”
“Ya. Do you like to fish?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t been in a few years, but it sounds fun.”
“What do you do with your youth group?”
“We play a lot of volleyball.”
“We do too.”
They chatted easily until Glen pointed to the small brick building that sat beyond a fence, along with a swing set and a large field where he recalled playing softball during recess. “And there’s your schoolhouse, Laurel.”
Her smile widened. “I can’t wait to get started. Bethlyn mentioned while we were doing dishes last night that I have a meeting with the school board tomorrow. I have so much to do.”
They walked up the front steps, and she unlocked the door. He followed her into the large, open room with the rows of desks that brought back memories of his time in school. A blackboard that spanned the front of the room hung behind the long desk where his teacher had once sat.
“I was going to make a giant tree and then decorate it with all of the students’ names on the leaves for fall. I’ll have them all find their names.” She pointed to a section of the wall. “I think I’ll hang it over there. Bethlyn said she’ll give me a list of names tonight, but I can get started without them.”
She set her lunch box on the desk and then began looking through shelves stocked with supplies.
“You like to draw?” Glen asked, unable to take his eyes off her.
“Oh, very much. I love to draw nature scenes.”
“How nice. I look forward to seeing your drawings. Here’s your bag.” He set the tote bag on the desk. “And I guess I’ll leave you to it. Have a gut day.” He nodded and then ambled toward the door.
“Glen?”
He spun to face her. “Ya?”
“Is there a church service this Sunday?”
“Ya, there is. Would you like to ride with me?”
“I’d love to.”
“Great. See you later, Laurel.” He waved and then hurried out the door and down the steps toward the road. He looked over at the playground and imagined Laurel standing there surrounded by children during recess. Surely the children would adore her sweet personality. She seemed to have the perfect temperament for teaching.
He shook his head and recalled how she had talked about her family and her life back home in Pennsylvania. Although he’d just met her, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d met a maedel that he wanted to get to know so quickly.
Thoughts of Laurel continued to swirl through his mind as he continued down the road toward home. He walked into the shop and through the showroom, past the bedroom suites, dining tables with matching chairs, curio cabinets, china cabinets, and end tables.
Glen stepped into the workshop, where hammers banged, saw blades whirred, and air compressors hummed. The familiar and comforting scent of wood and stain hung in the air.
Dat walked over to Glen’s work area. “How did it go at the schoolhouse?”
“It went well. Laurel is excited to start teaching.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Glen pointed to the nightstands in his work area. “Should I get started on the second coat of stain for these?”
“Gut plan. Call me if you need me.” Dat turned and headed back to his work area.
As Glen turned his attention to his work, thoughts of Laurel lingered in the back of his mind. He couldn’t wait to see her again.
* * *
Laurel climbed into Glen’s buggy Sunday morning. “Gude mariye. I never had a chance to talk to you yesterday. How was your day?”
“Gut.” He looked so handsome in his Sunday black-and-white suit as he guided the horse down the driveway. “I finished up a project at the shop and then helped mei dat with some chores. How about you?”
“I went grocery shopping and got the haus organized. Then I worked in the schoolroom all afternoon. Rena Ebersol, my assistant, came too. We hit it off right away. She loved my idea of putting all of the kinner’s names on leaves and putting them on the tree. I’m also going to draw a farm scene and tell the scholars about my home in Pennsylvania. You should come by and see it.”
He smiled over at her. “I will.”
“I’m so glad I met Rena because now I have someone to sit with at church. Sitting with strangers can be intimidating.”
“Really?” He gave her a sideways glance. “I have a feeling you’ve never met a stranger.”
She angled her body toward him. “What do you mean?”
“You’re so outgoing that I assumed you make freinden wherever you go.”
“Well, I do get naerfich when I meet new people.”
He scoffed. “You’re kidding, right? You seem completely at ease.”
“I’m glad it seems that way to you.”
“Did you get to talk to your family?”
“I called yesterday, and I talked to my parents and almost all of my siblings. Ervin was out on a supply run, but I got to talk to everyone else, including my baby schweschder. She’s excited to start school next week.” Laurel’s heart turned over as she recalled Hadassah’s little voice. “Your niece reminds me of her.”
“Really?”
“Ya, she’s so sweet and outgoing, and she loves to draw. Hadassah likes to draw pictures too.”
“Did she get that from you?”
“Maybe.” She studied his handsome profile. “What’s your favorite piece of furniture to make?”
He tilted his head. “I haven’t really thought about it, but I guess maybe it’s dressers. I like making triple dressers with the shelves and mirror on top.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t know.” He looked sheepish. “It’s just fun to create the little patterns in the wood and the shelves.”
“What is your least favo
rite piece to make?”
“I really don’t dislike any pieces, but end tables aren’t very exciting. At least the ones that are plain.”
“So you like being artistic and adding patterns in the wood.”
“Right.”
They continued talking about his work, and she silently marveled at how comfortably conversation flowed between them. She’d never met a man who was as outgoing and easy to talk to—and he seemed to appreciate the same quality in her as well.
Her hands began to tremble when they arrived at the Zook family’s farm where the service was being held today. Now she would meet the members of her new community. She hoped and prayed they would accept her.
Glen halted the horse and then faced her. “Are you ready?”
She plastered a smile on her face. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Rena said she’d look for me, so I’ll be fine.”
“Gut. I’ll see you after the service.”
She climbed out of his buggy and headed toward a group of young women standing next to a large red barn. When she spotted Rena among the women, Laurel quickened her steps.
At eighteen, Rena had dark hair and dark eyes, and she was tall and thin with a long nose and sweet smile.
“Laurel!” Rena called, walking toward her. “Come meet mei freinden.” She took Laurel by the elbow and brought her into the center of the group. “Everyone, this is Laurel, the new teacher.” Rena introduced Laurel to the half-dozen young women one at a time.
Soon it was nine o’clock, and Laurel walked with Rena and her friends into the barn. They took their seats in the unmarried women’s section of the congregation.
Laurel picked up her copy of the Ausbund and turned to the opening hymn. She scanned the sea of unfamiliar faces, and a twinge of longing moved through her. Though she was thrilled for this new adventure in her life, she missed her family, her home congregation, and her friends. But teaching in Monte Vista was the opportunity of a lifetime, and Laurel resolved not to allow her homesickness to ruin it.
She sat up straight and looked across the barn to where Glen spoke to a man Laurel hadn’t met. He looked to be about Glen’s age with reddish-brown hair and a round face. Glen grinned at something the man said, then turned his head and found Laurel’s gaze.