“I’d like to take Emma for a ride while there is still a hint of sunlight,” he said. “We won’t be gone long.” He locked gazes with her. “Emma?”
Because she cared for him, she agreed. “I’ll get my sweater,” she said, and went to retrieve it from her room. She wanted—needed—to spend a little more time in his company before she left. She heard him talking with his uncle as she reached the bottom stair landing.
“I thought I’d take Emma for ice cream at Whittier’s. Do you want any?”
She couldn’t hear what Arlin said. She entered the room, and his uncle was smiling, so he must be fine with Daniel’s plans.
Daniel met her gaze. “Do you like ice cream?” he asked.
“Ja, of course.” It felt like there was something more beneath Daniel’s invitation. If this wasn’t strictly a social call, then what was it? Had Joseph told him what he’d seen earlier today? Would Daniel believe her innocent or guilty of stealing from the Yoders?
Suddenly, it was important to her that she and Daniel be on good terms when she left.
Daniel reached his carriage before her. This vehicle was open with two large wheels to support the body, which had only enough room for two to sit in. Was it a courting buggy? From what she remembered, Amish couples courted in secret until they decided they were ready for the next step. That was when a young Amish man would approach the bishop with his intentions. The bishop would then reach out to the girl’s family to gain permission on behalf of the young man for them to wed.
She didn’t realize she’d stopped by the carriage, frozen in place, until Daniel lifted her into the buggy with his hands at her waist. Her heart thumped wildly. She didn’t know what to make of his evening visit, but she had a bad feeling it wasn’t because he wanted to buy her an ice cream.
* * *
Daniel felt Emma’s tension as he settled into the seat next to her. He turned to her. “What kind of ice cream do you like?”
She shrugged without looking at him. “I like all kinds,” she murmured.
He kept his tone light. “Favorite flavor?”
Emma met his gaze then. They hadn’t left the property, and he wouldn’t until she answered his question. He searched her pretty brown eyes for any clue to what she was thinking and found nothing except perhaps sadness. The realization floored him. “Chocolate chip mint,” she breathed.
He laughed. “Mine, too.”
She beamed at him, her happiness stealing his breath away.
“Let’s go get some,” he said. He flicked the reins and headed the buggy toward the road. A quick glance at the house showed his aunt and uncle standing at the window. When they saw he had caught sight of them, they waved and grinned, then disappeared.
Daniel suddenly felt lighthearted as he drove the short distance to Whittier’s Store. He was spending time with Emma. He liked being with her. He pushed the thought of her stealing from his mind. She might tell him on his own. Joseph believed her. But then why did his brother tell him what he’d seen? In case she mentioned it, Joseph had said. And if she didn’t?
He focused on her sitting beside him, on the way the light breeze teased the tendrils of her hair that escaped from beneath her prayer kapp. Whittier’s Store loomed ahead. Owned by Bob Whittier, an Englisher, it was a frequent stop for many in his community. He wondered if Emma had ever visited, but one look at her face showed him that she hadn’t.
Daniel pulled up to the hitching post, got down and tied up his horse. “Nay, Emma. Please wait,” he said when he saw Emma move as if to climb down. She waited while he skirted the buggy and reached up to lift her down. The warmth of her waist beneath his hands reminded him that she was someone he could care about. He released her quickly and stepped back in his attempt to put some emotional distance between them.
Without prompting, Emma entered the store with him following.
“Daniel,” Bob Whittier said.
“Hallo,” Daniel greeted warmly. “We’ve come for ice cream.” He looked at Emma. “Cup or cone?”
She glanced up at him shyly. “May I have a cone, please?”
He couldn’t help but smile at her. “Two cones with chocolate chip mint ice cream.”
“Coming right up,” Bob said with a grin. He fixed their cones and handed each of them one with a couple of napkins.
“Thank you, Bob.” Daniel paid the man. “Have a nice evening.”
“Be careful to get home before the storm hits,” the man warned. “The weather forecast is calling for a severe thunderstorm.”
Daniel nodded. “We’ll eat our ice cream and then be on our way.” He and Emma went outside. He gestured toward a picnic table at the side of the building.
It was still bright. Fortunately, the earlier rain and cloud cover had disappeared. The sun shone on the horizon. The evening was cool, but Emma should be warm enough with her sweater. Of course, that could change once she started to eat her ice cream.
“Do you want a soda or a bottle of water?” Daniel asked, just thinking of it now.
“Nay, I’m fine. Danki.” She took a lick of her cone. “I haven’t had ice cream in a long time.”
Daniel gazed at her. “You haven’t?”
She shook her head. “I appreciate this, Daniel. More than you’ll ever know.”
He frowned. Her voice was wistful, as if she were already thinking about the time she would leave. “We’ll have to do this again,” he said with conviction.
She merely smiled, looking sad.
They ate in silence for a time. Her sadness was a tangible thing. He could sense it and realized that she was in pain. “Emma,” he began carefully, “what’s wrong?”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. Too quickly.
He stayed silent. He wanted her to tell him about what Joseph had seen today.
Suddenly, she stiffened. “He told you,” she said. “Joseph told you he thought I was stealing from Leah and Henry.”
“Ja, he did,” Daniel said, “and he also said that you said you weren’t stealing but trying to pay for the garments Leah gave you.”
She glanced at him with surprise. “Ja.” There was only innocence in her beautiful brown eyes.
He smiled. “I know.” He hadn’t believed her capable of such deceit—not when he thought about it on the way over to the house. He felt as if he knew this woman inside and out, and he liked what he saw.
Her eyes warmed as she grinned at him. “Danki, Daniel.”
He shrugged but held her gaze. He glanced down at her hands again. “Your cone is dripping.”
She gasped and bent to lick it. And he laughed. Because he liked having her near. She is an Englisher, he reminded himself. But she fits in so well, a little voice inside argued. Only time would tell what the future held. He hoped it meant more of him spending time with her, but there was a big chance that she would leave and never return once she turned eighteen. Unless he could convince her that his Amish community and his family was where she belonged.
* * *
“We should get going,” Daniel said.
Emma saw him eyeing the horizon. “Okay.” She reached for his soiled napkins and threw them out.
He smiled at her as they walked back to his vehicle. He helped her up, then climbed onto the other side. The sky in the distance had darkened. It was far enough away that she thought they could both get home safely. Would the thunderstorm go on all night? If it did, she wouldn’t be leaving this evening. She could go in the morning or tomorrow night. She preferred to leave before the sun rose and not after sunset, with the long night of darkness making her feel unsafe.
Would she ever feel safe again once she left Missy and Arlin’s home? She wished she could stay but knew she couldn’t. Would Daniel be angry once he realized that she’d gone? She would try to explain everything to him in a note. She only hoped that he would understand and forgiv
e her.
Emma was conscious of him sitting beside her, his competent hands on the reins. The night air had warmed considerably, which might have been due to the approaching storm. “Will you have enough time to get home safely after you drop me off?” she asked with concern.
Daniel met her gaze. “I’ll have plenty of time.”
She felt the tension of worry leave her body. “Gut.” She thought of what she’d done in the store today. “Do you think Leah will notice that I put money in the register?”
“When they run a register accounting, they’ll know.”
She gasped and closed her eyes. She felt him shift beside her. She looked at him and was surprised to see him watching her through narrowed eyes. “How can I ever repay them if they refuse to take my money?” she said.
His expression softened. “Leah gave with her heart. She doesn’t want to be repaid.”
Warmth settled in her chest. “You are all so generous and giving.” She sighed. “I’ve never met anyone like you...and your family.” Emma saw his curiosity and averted her gaze. “When I was little, I had family who loved me, but that was long ago.”
“Emma.”
She hugged herself with her arms.
“Emma, look at me.” She faced him, and he said, “You deserve more than you’ve had. You know that, don’t you?”
Did she? “I guess so.”
Daniel steered the carriage onto Arlin’s property. “Know so,” he stated firmly. He pulled close to the side door. He came around to help her down. “You look tired. I hope you sleep well.”
She paused before going to the house. “Danki for a lovely evening, Daniel Lapp.”
“You are more than willkomm, Emma Stoltzfus,” he replied with a smile. “Gut night.”
“Gut night.” She turned away before he saw the tears in her eyes. Emma Stoltzfus, he’d called her, as if she already belonged to the family. She wouldn’t see him again, and the knowledge pained her. She heard him leave, the sound of horse hooves and the contact of the metal buggy wheels against dirt and gravel.
“Farewell, Daniel Lapp,” she breathed softly.
Emma wiped her eyes, drew herself up, pasted a smile on her face and entered the house, where she greeted Missy and Arlin and told them of the evening she’d spent with Daniel.
Three hours later, when she was in bed, the storm started as a low rumble of thunder. Emma had never been fond of thunderstorms. From an early age, she’d been frightened of the thunder. When her parents’ deaths had occurred one rainy, stormy night, she’d become terrified instead of just scared. Every storm since then reminded her of the loss of her mother and father. She lay on her side with the covers pulled up over her chin, waiting for the full force of the storm to hit. When it did, she jumped every time there was a flash of lightning followed by a sharp crack of thunder. The rain fell in torrents, beating against the roof and obscuring the view outside. She pulled the covers up over her head but found little comfort. Were Missy and Arlin awake with all the noise? Emma didn’t want to be alone. If they were up, she wanted to get up, too. Maybe then she’d find comfort in the safety of their kindness and caring.
She threw off the covers and got out of bed. Emma opened the door and peered into the hallway. There was no light in the room down the hall. Could they be downstairs? What of the animals? Would they be all right in the barn?
She went back into her room and grabbed her penlight. Switching it on, she left her bedroom and went downstairs. The penlight was slowly dying. Please don’t die yet.
Emma made it to the bottom of the stairs. A light shone from the kitchen. Relieved, she rushed toward the room, halting when she saw Arlin and Missy at the kitchen table with steaming mugs. She was trembling when she entered.
“Can I join you?” she asked shakily.
“Emma.” Missy took one look at her and hurried to her side. Slipping her arm around Emma’s shoulders, she led her to a kitchen chair. “Sit, and I’ll make you tea. Unless you want something cold?”
Emma hugged herself with her arms. “Tea is fine. Danki.”
“You don’t like storms,” Arlin said.
She shook her head. “I hate them.”
“My Leah is—was—the same way. She’s been afraid since she was caught in a storm when she was only three.”
Emma widened her eyes. “Leah afraid?”
“She was.” He nodded. “Probably still is, but Henry has helped her tremendously. ’Tis funny how the love of a good man cures a lot of things.”
Missy and Arlin exchanged loving looks. Emma thanked Missy when she placed a cup of tea on the table before her. She took a sip and realized that Missy had fixed her tea just the way she liked it. “I’ve always disliked thunderstorms,” she admitted. “And it only got worse after my parents were killed in a car crash during a storm.”
Missy took the seat beside Emma’s. “I can’t say I’m too comfortable with them myself. This one is particularly noisy. Neither one of us could sleep.”
“Ja. I can’t either.”
“Tell us, Emma,” Arlin urged with a small smile. “What do you think of our Daniel?”
Emma blushed. “He’s nice.”
“He’s a fine young man.”
She nodded.
“I think he likes you.”
“I’m an Englisher,” she reminded them. “He’s polite because that is his nature.”
“I don’t think that’s entirely true.” Arlin took a sip from his cup. “Didn’t you like going for a ride with him?”
“I did,” Emma murmured.
“You need to stop worrying about where you came from,” Missy scolded kindly. “You’re here with us now.”
“Ja, I know, but—”
The woman shook her head to stop her. Emma sighed. If they ever found out who she was and what her family had done, she’d lose their kindness and respect. “Tell me about your daughters growing up,” she asked, hoping to change the subject.”
Arlin and Missy were more than willing to tell stories about each of their daughters. Emma was shocked to learn that Leah was their niece before they’d adopted her as their daughter. Missy’s sister Christine had given birth to a baby girl but had been unable to care for her. Christine would come to visit her child—as an aunt. But then Leah’s birth mother was killed in a car crash shortly after Leah’s adoption was final.
Emma felt for the woman who had died. She’d been so young to have a baby, too young to die before she’d ever really lived.
Fortunately, Missy and Arlin loved Leah as if they’d given her life. The couple spoke lovingly of Charlie and Ellie and Nell and Meg. Before Emma knew it, the storm had moved away, leaving the night quiet and peaceful. It was close to midnight when they went back to bed.
Missy stopped Emma at the top of the stairs. “’Tis late and you’ve barely slept. You should sleep in tomorrow morning. Don’t worry about getting up to tend the animals.”
“I don’t mind.”
“If you can sleep late, sleep, Emma,” Arlin said with affection. “I’ll handle the animals in the morning. You’ll need to be well rested before you go to work.”
Agreeing because she had no other choice as far as Missy and Arlin were concerned, Emma went to bed. She’d planned to leave tonight, but the storm—and the knowledge that Leah needed her to work—had her postponing her departure. What if she left and it stormed again? Where would she find shelter or sleep? How would she eat? The idea of sleeping in a barn again after enjoying a comfortable bed didn’t sit well with her. She’d stay a little longer, and for now, she wouldn’t think about being shunned or her departure.
As she lay in bed, Emma thought of her parents and how they hadn’t regretted leaving their Amish church community. Now that she was living in Happiness as an Amish woman, she had so many questions for them.
She could stay until her
eighteenth birthday. She liked the idea because it meant that she would see Daniel again until she had to leave. He said he’d buy her ice cream again. Would he take her before she left for good? She didn’t care how she spend her time with Daniel, as long as she could enjoy more moments in his company. Moments she could store as precious memories before she had to go.
Chapter Eleven
Now that she’d decided to stay for the time being, Emma felt that her week was flying by quickly. Daniel took her to work each morning. Joseph picked her up each afternoon. The day after she’d put money in the register, Henry had done a register accounting. Joseph was in the store waiting for her when Henry had confronted her about what he’d found.
“The register tape doesn’t match the cash in the drawer. There is too much money.”
Joseph chuckled. “I know why,” he said before Henry could accuse her of overcharging someone.
Emma glared at him. “Joseph.”
“She put money in the register to pay for the garments Leah gave her.”
Henry narrowed his gaze at her.
“I had no choice. You wouldn’t take back my pay,” she said softly, his look making her avert her glance.
“Because you earned it, Emma,” he replied quietly.
He sounded more resigned than angry. She met his gaze. “Please keep the money. ’Tis not much. Please. ’Tis important to me.”
Leah’s husband gazed at her steadily for a long moment, then sighed. She caught his reluctant nod. She grinned at him. “Danki.”
When payday came around on Thursday, Henry paid her. “Don’t even think about returning a single penny of it.”
Emma smiled. “Oll recht.”
Sunday was church service day. After helping Missy in the kitchen on Saturday, Emma rose while it was still dark and stared out the window as dawn was but a promise in the sky with barely enough light to see. She thought of how much her life had changed since coming to live with Missy and Arlin.
Finding Her Amish Love Page 11