Was Nella saying she liked Joshua? From the way she was acting, he knew that was exactly what she meant. “Oh.” He stared at Nella, surprised that she liked his silent-type brother. He was quiet, and nothing at all like the type of man he thought Nella would like. He guessed she would have many men interested in her, so what was the attraction to Joshua? “He must be a fool not to pay you any mind!”
She giggled again. “He doesn’t talk to me.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know; that’s just the way it is. It’s been that way for ages.”
“Well, what do you think’s the problem?”
“The problem is that he doesn’t know I’m alive.”
Levi scratched his head. “You want me to talk to him, is that the favor?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure. If you talked to him, what would you say?”
“I could ask if he’s interested in anyone?”
Her shoulders drooped. “I just don’t know.”
“What would you like me to do?”
“I thought you might be able to do or say something. I’m not sure. You know him better than anybody, so what would you suggest?”
“Let me have a talk with him and I’ll see what I can do.”
A smile brightened her face. “Would you?”
“Jah, but I don’t know how it will go.”
“Denke, I appreciate that.”
When Lucy looked up from her seat beside Hazel, her mother was beckoning to her. “Excuse me a moment, Hazel. My mudder is waving at me for me to go over to her.”
“Sure.”
Not happy about leaving Hazel alone again, Lucy hurried over to her mother, who was at one of the tables in the middle of the yard. Once she sat down in the spare seat next to her, Lucy took a deep breath. She knew her mother wasn’t happy about something. “What is it, Mamm?”
Her mother leaned over and whispered, “Why is Levi talking and laughing with Nella?”
Lucy glanced over at Nella and Levi. “There’s no reason. It’s just that I have to sit next to Hazel, and he’s just talking with her. Don’t panic.”
“I’m not panicking about anything. I just think he’s giving her too much attention and she’s obviously enjoying it. Look at the way she’s gazing into his eyes and laughing.”
“They don’t like each other if that’s what you mean. He’s my boyfriend and Nella knows that.”
“You don’t know what Levi’s mudder’s saying to him when you’re not there. She doesn’t like us and never has. She’d be only too happy to have Levi marry Nella. She’d think that Nella’s family is better than ours and she might want her son to upgrade.”
Lucy knew that Mrs. Fuller didn’t like her very much, but there was nothing she could do about that. “That’s not going to happen. Levi isn’t going to marry Nella. They’re just talking. Don’t worry.”
“I think you should go over there. Find out what they’ve been talking about.”
“I can’t. I was just speaking to him. I can’t neglect Hazel on her wedding day when I’m her only attendant.”
“Very well, I’ll go over and say something since you won’t.”
“Mamm, don’t you do any such thing.”
Her mother didn’t appear to hear what she said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with the Fuller boys. Isaac was set to marry Mary Lou and then switched to that girl and married her.”
Lucy looked around in horror, hoping her mother hadn’t been overheard. “Quiet, Mamm.”
“No one can hear me,” she said in a voice just as loud.
“Anyway, that’s not quite right. He was never engaged to Mary Lou, but I quite agree it does seem strange. But isn’t life and love like that sometimes?”
“Nee, it’s not. Love is not selfish and I think Isaac is being selfish. He should’ve considered Mary Lou’s feelings before he dumped her and took up with Hazel.”
Lucy glanced back at the wedding table. “I have to go back and sit with Hazel. This is a conversation for another day.”
“Well, if you won't do something about Levi talking to that girl, I will.”
“Nee, Mamm, don’t!” It was too late. Her mother was striding towards Levi and Nella. Having no idea what her mudder would say or do, Lucy had no option but to go back and sit beside Hazel. If she went with her mother, that could make things worse.
“Are you all right, Lucy? You look dreadful.”
“It’s my mudder. She’s got it in her mind that she doesn’t like Nella and Levi talking to one another. She’s just gone over to them to see what they’re talking about. I’m so embarrassed.”
“Don’t worry, my mudder would probably have done the same thing in the same situation if she hadn’t been so sick.”
Lucy glanced over at Hazel’s frail mother and doubted that she would ever have had the energy to object to anything at all. Then she looked at her own mother. “Ach nee! She’s talking to them right now. I don’t want to look.” Lucy turned away.
“Don’t worry, I’ll look for you.”
Isaac was sitting on the other side of Hazel talking to Joshua, who was sitting next to him.
Hazel continued, “Your mudder must’ve just said something funny and now they’re both laughing.”
“Really? She’s not a funny kind of a person. Who’s laughing, Nella or Levi?”
“Both of them.”
“I wonder what she said.” Lucy glanced over at them to see that it was true. Both Levi and Nella had their eyes fixed on her mother and they were both smiling. They looked as though they’d just stopped laughing. “They’re not looking at me, so they can’t be talking about me—I hope.”
“Nee, they haven’t looked this way.”
At that moment, Isaac turned around and started talking to Hazel again. Immediately, Lucy thought back to Mary Lou and how unfairly she’d been treated. Lucy wondered if Isaac had any idea how she felt about the situation. She was sure she was not the only one who felt like that. All of Mary Lou’s family must’ve been upset because none of them had attended the wedding.
The whole day was turning out to be a disaster. Lucy was trying to be happy for Hazel. She certainly didn’t want to let Hazel know that she’d just had a few cross words with Levi.
All Lucy wanted to do was go home and go to bed.
Levi wondered whether Lucy had sent her mother over because he was talking to another woman. Her mother was certainly acting odd and kept staring at Nella. That meant he had both Lucy and her mother cross with him and Nella wanted him to do her a favor. Then he had his own mother who had pulled him aside that very morning and told him he shouldn’t take so long to get married like Isaac had. That was four women he was trying to please. The stress weighed him down. Thankfully, Lucy’s mother had walked away after a brief chat and then Nella was happy after he had given his word he’d try to help her.
Nella’s situation was an awkward one. What if Joshua didn’t like her at all? Right now, Levi was more concerned with his own situation. He didn’t like arguing with Lucy. They’d never had disagreements before, but he didn’t agree with her about his brother being unfair to Mary Lou. Mary Lou had made her decision and had left the community. It seemed to him that Lucy was more concerned over Mary Lou when she should’ve been concerned about Isaac. Since Lucy and he had been dating for several months that made Lucy and Isaac almost like family, in Levi’s opinion. She should’ve been more concerned about his feelings rather than a woman who had left the community.
Lucy was making a big thing out of nothing, in his opinion. He hoped that time would calm things down. He looked over at Lucy who was still sitting next to Hazel at the wedding table. He was pleased that she was being nice to Hazel and was trying to put her loyalty to her friend aside for the sake of Hazel and Isaac having a nice wedding.
Then he caught Lucy’s eye and they both instantly looked away. He didn’t want her to know that he had been looking at her. He then watched Nella sit down with a plate of food near Joshua. Just as
she did so, Joshua got up from the table. That struck Levi as odd. It seemed that Joshua was avoiding Nella, which meant one of two things. Either he liked her and didn’t know what to say to her, or he knew she had a crush on him and he didn’t feel the same. Now Levi was intrigued by the situation. He’d talk to Joshua soon and find out what was going on.
Levi waited for everyone to go home from the wedding. Isaac and Hazel had left and so too had Lucy and her family. There were people still there talking and when his brothers started helping the men clean up, he stood and joined in. There was so much work ahead of them, getting the house and the yard back in order.
When the last of the guests had gone, only the workers were left. They were the men who loaded the benches into the church wagon and the women who washed the dishes and the saucepans.
Levi saw Joshua working at the other side of the yard, helping with the benches, and decided that’s where he should start working.
“It was a good wedding today, Joshua, wasn’t it?”
Joshua smiled at him as he lifted a bench along with David, one of the men who'd volunteered to help. “It was.”
The two men carried the bench to the wagon and Levi was left standing by himself. It was a bad time to talk to Joshua because they had to work in pairs and Levi was the odd man out. He grabbed a rag and wiped down the benches to get them ready for the men to take.
Chapter 5
It was the Monday after the wedding, and time for work at the Fullers’ joinery workshop. Hazel and Isaac had gone visiting many of Isaac’s relatives in three different communities. They’d be gone for two weeks.
Levi drove his own buggy to work rather than go with his brothers in their father’s over-sized buggy. He planned to leave a little early that afternoon in the hope he would catch Lucy as she left the store where she worked. More than anything he wanted to talk to her to clear the air between them.
“It’s quiet without Hazel and Isaac here,” Joshua said.
“Jah it is.”
“We’ve only just gotten here,” Samuel said.
“You have to do Isaac’s job today, Levi. He showed you what to do, didn’t he?”
“Dat, I’ve been doing his job for the last two weeks.”
His father chuckled. “Okay, but don’t forget you have to make all the appointments today.”
“It’s all under control. I’ve got my day planned out. Return emails, make new appointments, and then go out and do my quotes. Isaac’s already made some appointments, and the rest I made myself.”
The bishop had allowed businesses the use of electrical power, computers and cell phones to enable them to be competitive.
As Levi sat down behind the computer in Hazel’s office, Benjamin poked his head through the door. “Lucy should learn to do Hazel’s job.”
Levi looked up while the computer booted up. “Why’s that?”
“Hazel will have bopplis and she’ll want to stay home and play with them.”
Timothy joined Benjamin at the door. “You don’t play with bopplis.”
“Jah, you do.”
“You’re a kid yourself, that’s why you’d play with bopplis,” Timothy said.
Levi chuckled. “It’s not a job that just anybody can do. Hazel’s good with numbers and I’m not sure that Lucy is.”
“She can learn, can’t she?” Benjamin said.
“Let’s just wait until the time comes. They’ve only just gotten married. They might not have a boppli right away.”
“Back to work,” Mr. Fuller said as he walked through the front door toward them. The two younger brothers hurried away, leaving Levi to do his job. “What did they want?”
He shook his head and a quiet smile met his lips. “They thought I should have Lucy trained, ready to take over Hazel’s job.”
“Is Hazel quitting?”
“Nee. They thought that she’d have bopplis soon and not want to work here anymore—sooner or later.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I’m sure she can do both in some capacity. Maybe she’d work for us part time when that time comes.”
Mr. Fuller rubbed his graying beard. “It’s worked out well with Hazel being here. Does Lucy know about bookkeeping?”
“Nee. She’s happy where she is doing the job she’s got.”
“Working in a store?”
“Jah.”
“When you get married, will you be happy with her working there, or would you rather she work here?”
Levi was now annoyed with his brothers for bringing up the subject. “We can’t give everyone jobs, Dat. I don’t know about bookwork, but even I know we’ve got to have a steady cash flow.”
His father slowly nodded. “Well?”
“I’m happy for her to do whatever makes her happy.”
“Working’s not about happiness.”
Levi knew as soon as the words escaped his mouth that he’d said the wrong thing to his father. His father was of the generation that didn’t understand one could find fulfillment or happiness in work. It was all about providing for one’s family. Levi didn’t see why both couldn’t happen simultaneously. “I know, Dat. You’re right.”
With that, his father headed back to his own office right next door. Levi picked up the phone’s receiver and made his first call of the day.
Lucy loved working at the craft store, where they sold many kinds of craft-making materials and fabrics. They also sold Amish dolls, needlework and quilts on consignment. Their main trade was from tourists and Lucy met many people from all over the country as they stopped by the store. Mrs. Trantor was strict, but she was also a fair boss. There were six girls who worked in the store and Lucy had been promoted to do the schedules and to look after all the consignment pieces.
Before Lucy locked up for the day, she called Mary Lou on the cell phone number she’d given her. Lucy had only called her once before and she'd had to leave a message. For some reason, she didn’t expect Mary Lou to answer this time either, and she was surprised when it was answered on the second ring.
“Mary Lou, it’s Lucy.”
“Hi, Lucy. What’s happening?”
Lucy was slightly taken aback that Mary Lou sounded so chirpy. “I’m just calling to see how you are.”
“I’m fine. How are you?”
“I’m missing you. It’s just not the same without you.”
“Aww, that’s nice. You sound a little flat. Is anything wrong?”
“Nee, everything’s okay.”
“Are you sure?”
Lucy took a deep breath. Mary Lou knew her well enough to hear in her voice that she was distressed. “I’ve had a big argument with Levi and I was just wondering—”
“You what?”
“We had an argument.”
“That’s no good, but I kind of saw it coming. I never really thought the two of you would work. I’m surprised the two of you lasted this long.”
Lucy was shocked at Mary Lou’s words. “We’re still together.”
“Oh, then maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. I like to know what you think.”
“Phew. Anyway, I’m glad you called.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’ve got news.”
“Good news, I hope.”
“Jah, it is. My news is that I’m thinking about coming back.”
“Really?”
“Jah. I’ve been thinking about it and I can’t let Isaac and what happened stand in the way of my salvation.”
Lucy knew Mary Lou would have to go through a shunning if she came back, and the bishop would make a decision whether she should confess her sins in front of the congregation. Lucy knew of one person who’d returned and had gone through that process. It had been worth it, that person said, to come back into the fold. “I’m so happy you’re coming back. I was hoping that was what you were going to say. I’ve been praying you’d return soon. I’ve missed you so much.”
“I always thought I’d return. I knew I would, that’s what I mean.”
That was opposite to what she’d told Lucy weeks before, but Mary Lou was entitled to change her mind. “Does anyone else know?” Lucy asked.
“Nee, you’re the first person I've told. Remember, I said I’m only thinking about it.”
“I know you’ll come back. You wouldn’t have said it if you weren’t going to do it.”
“Anyway, I bet not much has changed.” Mary Lou’s voice rang with laughter.
“Apart from me having a big fight with Levi, nothing much has changed.”
“But you’re still together, you said?”
Lucy sighed when the argument came to mind. “I’m not sure what’s happening.”
“Are you together, or aren’t you?”
“I guess we’ll have to talk and figure things out. I haven’t spoken to him since the wedding.”
“I see.”
“I’m sure things will be okay. Your parents will be pleased you’re coming back.”
“I said I was thinking about it.”
“When will you make up your mind?”
“Maybe in a couple of days. Why don’t you call me back then? I’ll make a decision by then.”
“Okay, I’ll call you back in two days around this same time of day when I’m finished with work. I do hope you’ll come back.”
“I kind of already made up my mind that I will, but I just don’t want to rush into anything because of the shunning. That is, if the bishop lets me back at all.”
“I’m sure he will if you confess and all that.”
“See what I mean? It’s a big decision.”
“I know, but please come back.”
“We won’t be able to talk for a while if I’m shunned.”
“I know, but that will pass. It’ll go quickly,” Lucy said.
“If I come back, you should go on rumspringa and take over my room here. You’ll have fun and you’ll be educated. What can you say to your kinner about the outside world if you haven’t experienced it for yourself? You should try it. If I’d gone on rumspringa before I was baptized, things would’ve been different for me now—in a good way.”
His Amish Romance: Amish Romance (Seven Amish Bachelors Book 2) Page 3