Sarah pondered the turn of events as she dished up the meal. Did Levi have that much work to do, or was he simply avoiding her?
The twins fell upon the food like starving dogs. Sarah barely touched hers. Was her company so distasteful that Levi would rather spend the evening in a cold building instead of at his own table if she were there?
If that were the case, she would leave. She stood and carried her plate to the sink.
“Where are you going?” Atlee asked.
“Home. I’ll see you both tomorrow at church.” She gathered her belongings, grabbed her coat from the hook beside the door and went out.
Instead of going home, she entered the shop by the back door. Only one overhead lamp had been lit. It cast a soft glow where Levi sat on a stool at his workbench. He had a new hub wheel in a vise and was chiseling out the slots for the spokes. He hadn’t heard her come in so she had a chance to study him as he concentrated on his work.
What she noticed first about him was his hands. He had sturdy hands, scarred by years of work at his craft, yet he wasn’t clumsy. His movements were sure and deft. His body was relaxed, not tense the way he had carried himself all day.
She decided not to interrupt him. Before she could slip back out the door, he suddenly stiffened. She realized he’d caught her reflection in the window glass.
Gathering her courage, she came forward with her icy fingers gripping each other. “I wanted to let you know I was leaving so that you could come in and eat your supper before it grows cold or the twins devour it.”
“Danki.” He didn’t turn around but kept his back to her.
She couldn’t leave like this. She didn’t want him angry with her. “I’m sorry, Levi.”
“For what?”
She waved her hands in a helpless gesture. “Everything. I’m sorry Grace took off and left you in a lurch, but mostly I’m sorry that you’re angry with me.”
“I’m not angry with you,” he said quietly.
“You’re not?” She took a step closer. When he didn’t say anything else, she moved to stand at the counter beside him. She gestured toward the hub he held. “You do good work.”
“I’m not angry,” he said again.
“It feels like you are. You won’t look at me. You wouldn’t come in to supper. Something is wrong. Is it because I can’t do the work as well as Grace?”
“Nee.”
She held her frustration in check. “Talk to me, Levi. I don’t know what to change if you don’t tell me. Do I have to get a blackboard so you can leave me messages?” she teased, trying to get him to smile.
“It’s a joke to you, isn’t it?” he asked stiffly.
Her teasing had backfired. “Of course not.”
“Grace, the twins, me, we’re all a joke to you.”
“Levi Beachy, what a mean thing to say. Grace is my dear friend. The twins frequently make me cringe or smile, but I don’t see them as a joke. I see them as outgoing, boisterous boys.”
“I saw you and your aunt laughing at Grace and Henry’s argument. I reckon everyone will be talking about my sister’s poor behavior tomorrow.”
She sighed. So that was it. “Levi, I was grinning at my own cleverness because I had convinced my aunt not to mention the incident.”
He cast a sidelong glance of disbelief at her. “You did?”
“Grace is my friend, Levi, just as Jonas was your friend. I had hoped that you and I could be friends, too.”
He was silent for so long that she realized she had her answer. For reasons she didn’t understand, Levi wouldn’t accept her friendship. The knowledge hurt.
“I’ll write to Grace and ask her to return as soon as possible. I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.” She turned to leave.
“Sarah, wait.”
She stopped and looked back. His bright blue eyes were gazing intently at her. A strange quiver centered itself in her chest, causing a catch in her breath.
He said, “I am now, and have always been, your friend.”
The catch moved to her throat. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize that. Thank you, Levi.”
“It’s what Jonas wanted.”
He was right. Jonas would have wanted them to be friends. Why didn’t that cheer her? Perhaps because she wanted Levi to like her for herself and not because of her husband.
* * *
Early the next morning, Sarah decided to walk to the church service instead of driving her buggy. The preaching was being held at the home of David Nissley and his wife, Martha. Their farm was little more than a quarter of a mile beyond the Hope Springs town limits.
A warm southern wind was melting the snow, making the sunshine feel even brighter. Rivulets of water flowed in the ditches, adding occasional gurgling to the symphony of morning sounds that surrounded her. Numerous Amish families, some on foot, most in buggies and wagons, were all headed in the same direction. Cheerful greetings and pleasant exchanges filled the crisp air. Everyone was glad to see a break in the weather.
Sarah declined numerous offers of a ride, content to stretch her legs on such a fine morning. The icy grip of winter would return all too soon.
She turned in at the farm lane where dozens of buggies were lined up on the hillside just south of the barn. The horses, most still wearing their harnesses, were tied up along the fence, content to munch on the hay spread in front of them or simply doze in the sunshine until they were needed to carry their owners home.
The bulk of the activity was focused around the barn. Men were busy unloading backless seats from the large, gray, boxlike bench wagon that was used to transport the benches from home to home for the services held every other Sunday. Bishop Zook was supervising the unloading. When the wagon was empty, he spoke with his two ministers, and they approached the house.
Sarah entered the farmhouse ahead of them. Inside, it was a beehive of activity as the women and young girls arranged food on counters and tables. Most of the small children were being watched over by their elder sisters or cousins. The young boys were outside playing a game of tag.
Catching sight of her aunt Emma visiting with her daughter-in-law Faith, Ada Kaufman and Mary Shetler, Sarah crossed the room toward them and handed over her basket of food. “Guder mariye.”
“Good morning, Sarah,” her aunt replied. “Isn’t the weather wonderful?”
“It is.” Turning to Mary, Sarah grinned at the child she held, “Goodness, how this little girl is growing. May I hold her?”
“Of course.” Mary handed the baby over with a timid smile.
Sarah took Hannah, enjoying the feel of a baby in her arms. Mary’s life had not been easy, but did she know how blessed she truly was?
Ada said, “She should be growing. She eats like a little piglet.” There was nothing but love in her aged eyes as she gazed at her adopted granddaughter. Ada had opened her home and her heart to the once wayward Amish girl and her baby.
Emma said, “I see the bishop and ministers coming. We’d best hurry and join the others in the barn.”
As she spoke, Bishop Zook and the ministers entered the house and went upstairs where they would discuss the preaching that was to be done that morning. The three-hour-long service would be preached from memory alone. No one was permitted the use of notes. Each man had to speak as God moved him.
Sarah handed the baby back to Mary. The women quickly finished their tasks and left the house.
The barn was already filled with people sitting quietly on rows of backless wooden benches with the women on one side of the aisle and men on the other side. Tarps had been hung over ropes stretched between upright timbers to cordon off an area for the service. Behind them, the sounds of cattle and horses could be heard. The south-facing doors were open to catch what warmth the sunshine could provide.
Sarah
took her place among the married women. Beside her, Katie Sutter sat with her three small children, the youngest, Roy, born four months ago. Rachel, the oldest, only four years old, slipped off the bench and crossed the aisle to sit on her father’s lap. The remaining child, little Ira began to pout and fuss at his sister’s desertion.
Katie slipped a string of beads and buttons from her pocket. She handed them to her little one. He was then content and played quietly with his toy.
From the men’s side of the aisle, the song leader announced the hymn. There was a wave of rustling and activity as people open their thick black songbooks. The Ausbund contained the words of all the hymns but no musical scores. The songs were sung from memory and had been passed down through countless generations. They were sung slowly and in unison by people opening their hearts and minds to receive God’s presence without the distraction of musical instruments. The slow cadence allowed everyone to focus on the meaning of the words.
At the end of the first hymn, Sarah took a moment to glance toward the men’s side. She spotted Levi sitting just behind the married men. His brothers sat near the back. The twins were chewing gum and looking bored. Sarah considered asking Katie if she had any additional toys. In truth, the twins were not the only teenagers looking restless. Levi, on the other hand, held his songbook with a look of intense devotion on his face.
He glanced in her direction, and she smiled at him. He immediately looked away and she felt the pinch of his rejection. Why was it that he turned her every overture aside?
The song leader announced the second hymn. O Gott Vater, wir Loben Dich (Oh God the Father, we praise You). It was always the second hymn of an Amish service. Sarah forgot about Levi and his brothers as she joined the entire congregation in singing God’s praise, asking that He allow the ministers to speak His teachings, and praying that the people present would receive His words and take them into their hearts.
At the end of the second hymn, the ministers and Bishop Zook came in and hung their hats on pegs set in the wall. That was the signal that the preaching would now begin. Sarah tried to listen closely to what was being said, but she found her mind wandering to the subject of Levi and who might make him a good wife.
Covertly, she studied the single women in the congregation. She quickly ruled many out as being too old or too young to suit him. It would be wonderful if Mary were older, for Levi would make her a strong and steady husband, but she was only sixteen. One by one, Sarah weighed the pros and cons of the remaining women. She ended up with the same women she had considered the day before. Sally, Leah and Fannie.
Confident that one of them would be right for Levi, she focused her attention on the sermon once again.
* * *
Levi sat up straight and unobtrusively stretched his back. He was stiff after sitting for nearly three hours. The wooden benches were not made for comfort. At least he hadn’t fallen asleep the way Elam Sutter was doing. After Elam’s daughter had moved back to her mother’s side, the basket maker started nodding in front of Levi. When Elam began to tip sideways, Levi reached up and caught his arm before he tumbled off his seat.
Elam jerked awake. “Danki,” he whispered as he gave Levi a sheepish grin.
Levi ventured a guess. “Working late?”
Elam shook his head. “Teething baby.”
He leaned forward to look toward the women. Following his gaze, Levi saw Elam’s wife sitting across the aisle. Katie Sutter was sitting up straight with her baby sleeping sweetly in her arms. Her face lit with an expression of pure happiness when she caught her husband’s glance. Sarah sat beside her.
What Levi wouldn’t give to see Sarah look at him with such light in her eyes.
He quickly focused on his hymnal. Such daydreaming was foolishness.
Elam sat back and rubbed his face. He whispered to Levi, “I’m a sorry husband if I can’t stay awake to thank God for all the wondrous gifts He has given me.”
“I reckon God understands. Our Lord must have been a teething babe at one time, don’t you think?”
Elam grinned and nodded. The minister who wasn’t preaching at the moment cast a disapproving glare in their direction. They both fell silent. Twenty minutes later, the bishop stopped speaking, and the song leader called out the number of the final hymn. Levi ventured a look in Sarah’s direction. She held her songbook open for Elam’s daughter Rachel seated beside her. She pointed out the words as she sang them.
Sarah should have children of her own. She would make a good mother. He couldn’t imagine why God had chosen not to bless her and Jonas with a baby. It didn’t seem right.
The song drew to a close at last. The twins were up and out the doors the second it ended. Teenage boys were expected to sit at the back. Levi always thought that was so their late arrivals and quick getaways didn’t disrupt others. He followed more slowly. His eyes were drawn to Sarah as she walked toward the farmhouse with the other women.
How much of his life had been spent watching her from afar, wishing for something that could never happen? Years.
Once she wed Jonas, Levi realized he would have to leave Hope Springs or grow bitter watching Jonas enjoy the happiness denied him. His dream of going to Colorado provided Levi with a goal. He embraced the idea. Only, he had waited too long.
What if Sarah never remarried? How much more of his life was he prepared to give up because of his promise to a dead man?
* * *
Sarah joined the women in the kitchen as they prepared the noonday meal while the men rearranged the wooden benches and stacked them to create tables. The majority of the congregation would eat out in the barn, but the bishop and many of the elders would be served inside the house where it was warmer.
Sarah positioned herself beside her aunt, slicing loaves of homemade bread into thick slices. “Aenti Emma, I have need of your assistance.”
“Anything, child. What can I do for you?”
“I need some help with matchmaking.”
Emma looked up with a wide grin. “Has some fine man finally caught your eye?”
“Nee, it is not a match for myself. I have a friend who needs a wife. How do I go about getting him to spend time with a possible mate?”
Emma scrutinized Sarah’s face. “Is this someone I know?”
“I would rather not say.”
“Now I’m intrigued,” Emma said, reaching for a second loaf to begin slicing.
“I don’t want either party to feel they are being pressured into a relationship.”
“In that case, you must find something they have in common or give them each a task that requires the help of the other person.”
Sarah looked over and saw Fannie Nissley enter the room. “Aunt, do you know if Fannie is seeing someone?”
Emma looked around to see who might be listening and then leaned closer. “She and Elijah Miller have been keeping company all summer. I expect her father will make an announcement soon.”
Sarah crossed Fannie off her list. Just then, Sally Yoder approached the table and put down a box.
Sally said, “I’ve made a dozen peach pies. Here is the first half if you’d like to slice them. I’ll bring in the rest.”
Peach pie was Levi’s favorite. It was like a sign from the Almighty. Sarah laid her knife aside and said quickly, “Sally, let me give you a hand.”
Chapter Six
Levi stood near a group of men all about his own age. The majority of them wore beards indicating their married status. The recently harsh weather and the price of hay and grain dominated the conversation. Levi didn’t farm, and the price of feed meant little other than it would cost more to keep his horses over the winter.
Like many of the Amish who no longer lived on the farm, he kept two buggy horses in a small stable behind his house. Soon, the twins would start asking for courting bug
gies and high-stepping trotters. He wouldn’t begrudge them the cost even though the money would come out of his bank account. Money he’d worked hard to save so that he might one day buy his own shop in far away Colorado.
He had always assumed his family members would be content to move with him, but now he wasn’t so sure. Was Grace really ready to marry? If the boys started courting, would they want to leave Hope Springs?
He was surprised out of his musings when Sarah spoke beside him. “Levi, will you help us carry in some of the food?”
Sally Yoder stood slightly behind Sarah. He didn’t mind leaving the men, for he was rarely more than an onlooker in the group. He nodded and followed them toward the buggies lined up along the lane.
At the fourth one, Sally stopped and opened the back door. He accepted a large cardboard box from her. She picked up a smaller one.
“Be careful with that, Levi,” Sarah cautioned. “It’s full of peach pies that Sally baked herself. Peach is Levi’s favorite kind of pie. Did you know that, Sally?”
“I didn’t.” Sally gave her a puzzled glance.
Sarah smiled. “You two go back to the house. I’ll be along in a moment.”
When they were out of earshot, Sally said, “I could’ve managed on my own, Levi. I don’t know why Sarah thought I needed help.”
“I don’t mind,” he mumbled.
“Danki.” She blushed as she glanced at him.
She was a pretty girl with bright red hair, fair skin and a dusting of freckles across her nose. She was about the same age as Grace, but he didn’t know her well. He couldn’t think of anything to say. He was glad to be doing something useful, but the box wasn’t heavy. Sally was right. She could’ve carried it easily.
He glanced over his shoulder. Sarah was still standing by the buggy with a satisfied grin on her face. When she saw him looking, her grin vanished. She immediately started walking toward the barn. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was up to something, but he had no idea what.
At the house, he handed over his box of goodies and started back toward the group of men. He caught sight of the twins sitting on the corral fence, talking to a group of boys about their own age. Not far away stood a group of girls casting coy looks in the direction of the boys.
Patricia Davids Christmas Brides of Amish Country: An Amish ChristmasThe Christmas QuiltA Hope Springs Christmas Page 43