“You have many friends who will lend a hand. It will all get done.”
Smiling sheepishly, Ellen nodded. “You’re right.”
Anne looked over the worshippers again as the men came out of the barn carrying some of the benches that would be stacked and turned into seating and tables for the meal. “I was expecting to see Joseph Lapp today. He’s not here.”
“Maybe he has gone to visit someone.”
“Maybe so. I saw his horse and buggy hitched and waiting in front of his house when I left home this morning. I thought he was coming here.” She had almost stopped to inquire about Leah, but she thought Joseph wouldn’t appreciate her concern. He hadn’t last evening.
Ellen touched Anne’s arm. “I see mudder looking for me. We’ll visit later.” She left without waiting for Anne’s reply.
Anne spied Lizzie Fisher beckoning to her and walked her way. The young widow of Abraham Fisher had recently suffered a miscarriage only weeks after her husband’s death. Anne knew the pain of losing the baby would lessen in time, but the memory of her lost child would never go away. Happily, God had placed a new joy in Lizzie’s life. She had fallen in love. The young man was her deceased husband’s brother, Zachariah Fisher. They planned to marry next month, too. November was the time for weddings in Amish country and the announcements for several couples had been made in church that day. “Hello, Lizzie. How are you doing?”
“I’m doing well. I just wanted you to know that I took your advice about doing something in memory of my baby. Zach and I chose to plant a dogwood tree beside the house. He has fond memories of playing beneath one when he and Abraham were small. It will be a special place to both of us.”
“I’m glad. I hope it brings you comfort.”
“It already has. Dinah Plank mentioned that Joseph Lapp was looking for a girl to babysit his niece. I didn’t even know he had a sister, let alone a niece. My oldest stepdaughter, Mary Ruth, is interested, but I wanted to ask if you think she would be right for the job before Zack approached Joseph with the offer. I know he hasn’t been the best neighbor to you. I’ve seen his goats in your garden.”
Anne understood Lizzie’s concern. “Joseph is not the easiest fellow to get along with. I think an older woman would be better. I’d hate to have him hurt Mary Ruth’s feelings with his gruff ways.”
“Then I’m sure glad I asked. She can look for a job that will suit her better. Danki.”
After visiting for a few more minutes, Lizzie left to gather up her stepchildren and take them in to eat. Normally, Anne would have joined the others in a light lunch and then an afternoon spent visiting and watching the children at play. Today she couldn’t get her mind off Joseph and Leah. She had to find out why Joseph hadn’t been in church.
She found Dinah and explained why she was leaving early. Dinah sent one of her sons to get Anne’s horse and buggy, but before he returned, Naomi Beiler approached Anne, followed by a number of the women in the widows’ group.
Naomi crossed her arms over her chest. “I understand Joseph Lapp is caring for his niece. Dinah tells me the child is only a few months old.”
The woman had a voice that carried. A number of people nearby stopped talking and turned to listen. Anne suffered a niggling of regret at sharing Joseph’s story so publicly, but their community was small and tight-knit. She took comfort in knowing his situation would become public knowledge sooner or later. “It’s true. His Englisch sister left the babe with him. At first Fannie said she would be back for the child. But later she wrote to say she wanted him to raise Leah.”
She saw and understood the disbelief on the faces around her.
“We will pray for Fannie,” Lizzie said. “It must have been a heartbreaking decision to make. No mother could give up her child without enormous pain.”
Anne knew exactly how true those words were.
Nodding to the women gathered near her, Naomi said, “Our group has decided to help.”
“That’s wonderful.” Over the growing crowd, Anne saw Dinah’s son had her horse hitched and waiting.
“As this won’t require a fund-raising effort, I’m asking those families with infant items they can spare to bring them to the Beachy Craft Shop on Monday. I’ll personally deliver them to Joseph as soon as we have some.” Naomi frowned and looked about. “Where is he? I didn’t see him in the service.”
“The baby has been sickly. I’m on my way to check on them now.” Anne hoped nothing was wrong.
Joanna Miller glanced at her husband, Wilmer. “We have a crib and dresser we can loan him and plenty of baby clothes that our youngest has outgrown. What do you think?”
Her husband nodded. “I reckon we could.”
One by one, the families around Anne began offering to bring various items to the Beachy Craft Shop the following day. Anne’s heart swelled with gratitude. Everyone was stepping up to help. It was always this way in their Amish community. People helped each other.
Anne smiled at her friends and neighbors. “Danki, I know Joseph will be grateful.”
Naomi’s eyes grew sad. “I often wish I had done more for Fannie when Joseph was raising her. She needed a mother’s influence in her life, but he didn’t see it that way and my husband was ill, so I wasn’t able to help as I should have.”
“We can only do so much,” Anne said to comfort her.
“You are right. The past is the past. It can’t be changed. Are you seeing my niece Rhonda Yoder this week? Her babe is due in another three weeks. She’s nervous because it’s her first child.”
“I am seeing Rhonda on Friday. She’s doing fine. I don’t anticipate any problems, but I know how scary it can be for new moms.”
“You have a way with them. Rhonda thinks the world of you and so does her husband,” Naomi said.
Anne chuckled. “Rhonda will do fine. I’m more worried about Silas. He’s the bundle of nerves in the family. I told him if he fainted, I was going to tell everyone. I think he’s as concerned about that as he is about dropping his new baby.”
The group broke apart after that as the women went to get the midday meal ready. Anne thanked Dinah’s son and climbed into her buggy. She wanted to rush home, but she didn’t push Daisy to a faster pace. The mare was getting older and would soon need to be put out to pasture to enjoy her final years. She should have been retired last year, but Anne didn’t have the money for a new horse. She would have to come up with it soon. A midwife without a fast horse was one who risked not catching a baby.
Twenty minutes later, she passed Joseph’s lane and soon reached her own. Pulling to a stop in front of her barn, she saw that Joseph’s horse and buggy was still hitched and waiting in front of his house. Something was definitely wrong.
Anne jumped down from the buggy. Leaving the mare hitched in case she was needed, Anne hurried through the gate and up to Joseph’s porch. In spite of the fact that they were next-door neighbors, she had never set foot inside his home. Gathering her courage, she knocked. When he didn’t answer, she opened the door and walked in. Joseph, like most Amish, didn’t lock his doors.
The kitchen was empty. The sunny room had large windows that let in tons of morning light, but it was a mess. There were dirty dishes on the table and some piled in the sink, too. Several pots on the stove held the remnants of Joseph’s recent meals. She called his name and heard a muffled sound from the doorway to her left. She peeked in the room.
Joseph was sprawled in an overstuffed chair. He was wearing his Sunday suit, but he had one shoe on and one shoe off, as if he hadn’t quite finished dressing. He had a patch of tissue on his upper lip and one on his neck that bore small bloodstains. He must have cut himself shaving. His head lolled to one side, his hair was mussed and he was snoring softly. Leah lay snuggled tightly in the crook of his left arm. An empty baby bottle was sitting on a small table beside his chair.
Anne pressed a hand to her mouth as a tug of pity pulled at her heart. Joseph’s exhaustion had clearly caught up with him. There were dark circles under his closed eyes that even his thick lashes couldn’t obscure.
Leah stretched in her sleep and brought her tiny fist to her mouth. She nuzzled her fingers, frowned and screwed up her face, getting ready to cry. She was adorable, no two ways about it. Anyone who took care of her was sure to fall in love with the child. After all, Anne was halfway there already.
This wasn’t her baby, but Leah was a baby in need. And Joseph was a man in need, too. It was wrong to pretend they should be someone else’s problem. The good Lord had brought Joseph to her doorstep. Anne would not turn them away.
She stepped to Joseph’s side and gently shook his shoulder as she called his name.
* * *
Joseph heard a voice coming from a long way away. It was a woman’s voice. Fannie?
He tried to force his eyes open. They felt as if they were full of sand and he let them fall shut again. Just a few more minutes of sleep. That was all he needed. Just a few more minutes.
“Joseph, wake up.”
“I’m up,” he muttered. He wasn’t, but sleep was fading.
“I’m going to take Leah from you. She’s getting hungry.”
Who was talking to him? Someone lifted the baby from his chest. He tried to hold on to her, but his arm was numb and it wouldn’t move. He raised his head and blinked. Anne Stoltzfus stood in front of him with a silly grin on her face.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are.” She turned away.
Why was she laughing at him?
He let his head fall back. It didn’t matter. He was too tired to care. Sleep tugged at his mind, but his numb arm was waking up. Pins and needles stabbed him. He rubbed his arm from elbow to wrist, trying to ease the discomfort. The sound of Leah fussing penetrated his mind. Where was she? He raised his head again.
Anne had her. Only she was in his kitchen.
His kitchen!
He sat bolt upright. “What are you doing here?”
She held a bottle of milk and tested its temperature by sprinkling it on her wrist. “When you didn’t come to the prayer service, I got worried, so I came to check on you.”
“I missed church?”
“Ja, you did.” There was that silly smile again.
He drew his hands down his cheeks. “I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?”
“One o’clock.”
He’d been asleep for almost four hours? It was the most rest he’d had since Leah arrived. Yawning, he rubbed his stiff neck. “I don’t know why you thought you had to come barging into my home. We are fine.”
“I can see that.” She laughed, a sweet light sound that sent the blood rushing to his face.
Okay, he wasn’t fine, but he would be. If only he could close his eyes for another half hour. Just a half hour. That was all he needed.
Anne came to stand in the doorway. Leah was sucking contentedly on the bottle she held. “Has she been fussing again? Is that why you aren’t getting any sleep?”
“She wants to eat every two hours.”
Anne nodded. “She’s making up for lost time. You can finish your nap. Leah will be at my place when you get up.”
“Okay. Wait. What?”
“I’m taking her for the rest of the afternoon and you’re welcome.”
“Nay, this isn’t right. She’s my responsibility.”
“Don’t be stubborn and prideful, Joseph. Leah is going to spend the day with me and when you come to pick her up, we’ll talk about my salary.”
“What salary?” He couldn’t keep up with her. His mind was a complete fog.
“The one you will pay me to be Leah’s nanny.”
“I thought you didn’t want to do that.”
“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll see you later. Have a nice rest. I suggest you lie down on the sofa. That way, your neck won’t be so stiff.”
He opened his mouth to reply. There was some argument he needed to make, but he couldn’t summon the wits to figure out what it was. He heard the door close and silence filled the house. Blessed silence.
Leah was being looked after. Anne could take care of her better than he could.
Anne with the sweet laugh and the funny smile who hated his goats and threw tomatoes at him.
He’d go and get Leah in a minute. It was his last thought as he dropped off to sleep again. Oddly, he dreamed about Anne walking among his herd with a little girl at her side. They were both laughing at the antics of the baby goats leaping around them. He smiled in his sleep.
Chapter Seven
It was barely an hour later when Anne looked up to see Joseph standing in her doorway. He wore a sheepish expression, but he looked as if he’d finally gotten enough rest.
“I’ve come for Leah,” he said quietly.
“She’s sleeping at the moment. I was about to have some pumpkin soup. I didn’t stay for the meal after church. Would you like some? It’s a new recipe, so I’m not sure how good it will be.” Anne stirred the bubbling contents of her pot, tasted it one last time and nodded in satisfaction. It was okay, but not as good as her mother used to make.
“I reckon I could eat a bite if it’s not too much trouble.” He continued to stand by the door.
“Wunderbar. Have a seat.” She gestured toward her small table.
He was still wearing his Sunday best. Anne realized she’d never noticed what a handsome fellow he was until now. Normally, they were having a disagreement over the fence or she was throwing tomatoes at him. She blushed at the thought.
“First I want to apologize.” He shifted from one foot to the other.
“For what?”
“For being asleep in the middle of the day when you came to my house. I’m not a lazy person.”
“Don’t apologize for falling asleep with a babe in your arms. You aren’t the first person to do that and you won’t be the last. I tell all my new mothers to sleep when the baby sleeps. If mothers try to get their housework done when the babe is asleep, they wear themselves out in no time. Babies take a lot of work. That’s why mothers need helpers. It’s tough to get up and feed a child every two to three hours night and day for weeks on end.”
“I’ve only been doing it a week.” He sat down at the table.
“She seems to be tolerating the goat’s milk well. She’ll start sleeping for longer periods now.”
“That’s good to know. Did you say you were willing to be her nanny or did I dream that?”
Anne poured the hot soup into two bowls and carried them to the table. “I said I would.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“I saw how exhausted you were and I realized I was being selfish not to help.” She would simply have to keep in mind that Leah wasn’t her baby. Anne would take care of her, but she wouldn’t fall in love with her any more than she fell in love with the babies she delivered. Caring for mothers and babies was the calling God had chosen for her. She would do her best to honor that gift. Anne took her place at the table. It was small, and sitting across from Joseph had an intimate feel.
“Danki.” Joseph bowed his head for silent grace. Anne did the same.
When he was finished, he picked up a spoon and took a sip of the soup. “Not bad. It could use a little more ginger.”
She took a sip. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. “I’ll increase it to a half teaspoon next time.”
He blew on the next spoonful. “My mother used to make pumpkin soup in the fall. I’ve tried to duplicate her recipe, but I’ve never managed to make a batch as good as hers.”
“That is exactly what I was thinking when I made this today. Is it that ou
r mothers were better cooks, or is it that we remember things tasting better because they are no longer with us?”
“A bit of both, I’m sure.”
She thought of the pile of dishes in his kitchen. “Do you find it hard to cook for just yourself?”
“I don’t cook anything fancy. Mostly, I warm up things from cans.”
That made sense. She tended to do the same thing. Sometimes she ate standing at the sink because sitting alone at the table was...lonely. It had been ages since she’d shared her table with a man. Her brother lived in the next county and rarely visited. Occasionally, the bishop and his wife would stop in. Mostly, she ate alone.
“I do make my own chèvre cheeses,” he said between spoonfuls.
Anne looked at him in surprise. “You make goat cheese? What kinds?”
“Soft cheeses mostly. They’re easy to make and you can flavor them any way you like. Garlic, chives, spices, even chopped walnuts and dried cranberries. It’s great on toast.”
“I’d love to try some.”
It was his turn to look surprised. “You would?”
“If I show you how to make Leah’s formula, can you show me how to make goat cheese?”
Anne was delighted to see a true smile spread across his face. “If you have cheesecloth and lemon juice or vinegar, I’ll show you how after I milk this evening.”
“That would be perfect. I can make up a big batch of formula for Leah then, too.”
“She sure likes that stuff. I’m glad you thought to try it. It was right smart of you.”
“It was really more a process of elimination, but danki.” Pleased with his compliment, Anne continued to eat her soup and the conversation ended. They ate in companionable silence until he sopped the last bit from his bowl with a piece of bread and popped it in his mouth.
“Would you like some apple pie for dessert?” Anne had intended to sell it at her stand tomorrow, but Joseph still looked hungry.
“I won’t say no to apple pie. It’s my favorite.”
The Amish Midwife (The Amish Bachelors 2; Lancaster Courtships 3) Page 6