“Papa, did ya hear what I said?” Dennis called again. “Kevin made a mess all over his bed.”
“Jah, I heard and I’m coming right now!” Menno hollered as he trudged up the stairs. In the ten years he’d been married to Sadie, he’d never had to care for the boys when they got sick. Until Sadie got cancer, she’d always tended to them and had done a good job of it, too. It was hard enough for Menno to play nursemaid when he was well, but feeling this lousy made it ten times worse. He wished he could go over to Lydia’s and talk her into marrying him right now.
Things had gotten busy at the store, and it wasn’t until nearly closing time that Levi remembered to give Mom the gift from Lydia.
“This is for you,” he said, handing her the gift and card.
“What’s this?” she asked with a look of surprise.
“I saw Lydia at the restaurant today. She asked me to give you this and said she was glad you’d had such a nice surprise party.”
Mom smiled. “That was so nice of her. I didn’t realize she knew I’d had a birthday.”
“She knew because I invited her to your party.”
“You did? Then why didn’t she come?”
Levi frowned. “She spent the day watching Menno’s kinner while he went away on business.”
Mom tugged on Levi’s shirtsleeve. “That frown you’re wearing makes me think you might be jealous.”
“Jealous of what?”
Mom lifted her gaze toward the ceiling. “Not what…who? I think you’re jealous of Menno and the fact that Lydia’s been seeing him.”
Levi folded his arms. “Lydia can see whomever she pleases.”
She gave his shirtsleeve another tug. “I think you have more than a passing interest in her. Don’t deny it, either, because I’ve seen the sappy look on your face whenever Lydia’s around.”
He shrugged. “I do like Lydia, but…”
“Then why don’t you ask her to go out with you?”
“I can’t do that, Mom. You know I can’t.”
“Is this about you thinking that you need to be around here all the time to take care of us?” She planted her hands against her hips. “Because if it is, then I think I need to remind you that when you were in bed with tonsillitis, your daed and I got along quite well.”
“That’s true, but it was only for a few days.”
“If we could manage for a few days without your help, then we’d manage just fine if you decided to get married and move out on your own.”
Levi turned his hands palm-up. “That’s only part of my concern.”
“What’s the other part?”
“I’d rather not talk about this.”
“Are you afraid of rejection?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think Lydia might not return your feelings?”
“I’m not sure how she feels, and that’s not the real issue anyway.”
“What is the real issue?”
A muscle on the side of his cheek quivered. “There are other things to consider.”
Mom leaned forward and stared at him. “Does it have something to do with your family being little people?”
He cringed, but slowly nodded. “I’ve never admitted this to you before, but I’m afraid if I married, one or more of my children might be born with dwarfism.”
The slow intake of Mom’s breath let Levi know that he’d shocked her. “Would that be such a bad thing? Are you ashamed of us, Levi?”
“No, of course not, but there are many challenges a child born with dwarfism must face.”
“Your brothers and sisters have done quite well, don’t you think?”
“Jah, but the teasing they’ve had to endure has been hard on them.”
She shook her head. “It’s not just little people who are teased. Some folks, especially children, get teased for no reason at all.”
“I guess you’re right, but my concerns go deeper than the possibility of teasing.”
“What else are you worried about?”
“I’m worried that any woman of normal size wouldn’t want the challenge of raising a child who would never grow tall and might have some physical limitations.” He wiped his damp forehead with the back of his hand.
“So this is really about trust, then isn’t it? You don’t trust God enough to help you find a wife who would accept your family the way we are and who would love and accept a child born with dwarfism.”
Levi just sat there, unable to respond.
She placed her hands over his. “Levi, you need to set your fears aside and put your trust in God, just like Jeremiah 17:7 says we should do. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.’ ”
He let her words sink in.
“You know, Levi, from the time I’ve spent with Lydia I’ve gotten the impression that she accepts us just the way we are. She’s a good woman. The kind the Bible talks about in Proverbs 31:10: ‘Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.’ ” Mom placed her hand on Levi’s arm. “I think you need to set your fears aside and ask Lydia out before she ends up marrying someone else, and then it’ll be too late.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Levi heaved a sigh. “Maybe I should ask her out.”
CHAPTER 43
Are you sure you want to go to Charm Days with me?” Lydia asked Mom as they ate breakfast together on the second Friday of October. “Now that you and Rueben are planning to be married, I figured you’d want to go with him.”
“We plan to go to supper this evening, and we’ll also attend some of tomorrow’s events, but today, Rueben has several horses to shoe.” Mom gave Lydia’s arm a gentle tap. “Besides, you have to work tomorrow, and since you have today off, it’ll be fun for us to spend some time together.”
“You’re right. It should be fun.”
Mom’s eyebrows furrowed suddenly. “I’m surprised Menno didn’t invite you to go to Charm Days with him. I’m sure some of his boys will be involved in the wooly worm race.”
“Maybe Menno wants some time alone with the boys. If that’s the case, then I’m fine with it.”
“Where’s Carl and Kevin?” Menno asked Dennis and Ike, who were doing the breakfast dishes. “I’ve called them several times to get dressed and brush their teeth, but neither one of them has answered me. I even went up to their room, and they weren’t there.”
“Did ya look in the barn?” Dennis asked. “I’ll bet they went out there to fool around.”
“They’d better not have.” He glanced at the clock on the far wall. “If you boys don’t get going soon, you’ll all be late for school.”
“Wouldn’t wanna be late today,” Dennis said. “And we don’t wanna forget our wooly worm caterpillars, neither.”
“That’s right,” Ike put in. “When it’s time to go over to Keim Lumber for the wooly worm race, we’ll all be cheerin’ for you and Carl.”
Dennis’s eyes lit up. “My worm’s gonna win; I just know he is.”
As the boys continued to jabber about the wooly worm race, Menno hurried from the room. Stepping outside, he cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered, “Carl! Kevin? Where are you boys?”
A few seconds later, Carl ambled out of the barn. Kevin traipsed behind him.
“We were lookin’ for a better container to put my wooly worm in,” Carl said. He lifted the coffee can he held in his hands.
“What was wrong with the empty sour cream container you had him in before?” Menno asked when the boys joined him on the porch.
“Thought it was too small. Wanted to give him lots of room to crawl around so he can exercise and win the race.”
“Well, go inside and get your teeth brushed.” Menno opened the door. “It’s almost time for you to leave.”
“Are you comin’ to watch me and Dennis race our worms this afternoon?” Carl asked.
Menno nodded. “Said I’d be there, didn’t I?”
“Jah, but you get busy in your shop sometimes.
Figured if that happens, you’ll probably forget about the race.”
“I won’t forget.” Menno gave both boys a tap on the head. “Now get inside, you two.”
As Levi stood among the crowd of onlookers inside Keim Lumber, where they’d come to witness the wooly worm race, his excitement mounted. Andy would be racing his caterpillar, Speedy, and Levi, as well as the rest of his family, had come to cheer him on. Students placed each of their worms at the bottom of a string, and without touching their worm in any way, they had to coax it along, hoping it would be the first to reach the top of the string.
Andy alternated between whistling and hollering, “Go, Speedy! Go!”
The young girl next to Andy encouraged her worm to move up the string by blowing on it, while another girl clapped her hands in an effort to get her worm moving.
Levi glanced to his left. Two of Menno’s boys, Dennis and Carl, were also racing wooly worms.
“Come on, Lightning!” Dennis clapped his hands and jumped up and down. “Get up that string…zing…zing…zing!”
More whooping and hollering went on from the children who were racing, as well as plenty of encouraging comments from the crowd.
Andy’s worm, Speedy, was the first to the top, and Andy, beaming from ear to ear, was pronounced the winner in his age group.
Levi’s family and several others gathered around Andy, patting him on the back and offering congratulations.
“It wasn’t me.” Andy grinned as he pointed to his wooly worm. “It was Speedy. He’s just plain fast!”
Levi was pleased to see his little brother looking so happy. Andy had worked hard with Speedy, and Levi thought he deserved to win.
“Oh, look, there’s Lydia,” Mom said, nudging Levi’s arm. “While Andy’s putting Speedy away and visiting with his friends, I think I’ll go over and talk to her. Would you like to come along?”
“I suppose so. What about the rest of the family? Aren’t they coming, too?” After the discussion he’d had with Mom about Lydia the other day, the thought of seeing her again made Levi’s stomach churn. He hoped Mom didn’t expect him to ask Lydia out with her standing right there. He wasn’t sure this was the right time for that.
Before Mom could respond to Levi’s question, Pop spoke up. “Think I’ll take a look around the lumber department.” He winked at Levi. “Might want you to build us some new bookcases for the store.” He turned to Peter and poked his arm. “Want to come with me and check out the lumber?”
Peter nodded and hurried off with Pop.
“What do you girls plan to do?” Mom asked Betty and Selma.
“We’re goin’ upstairs to Carpenter’s Café to get something to eat,” Selma said with an eager expression.
Mom clasped Levi’s hand, as though she knew he needed some support. “Let’s go now, before Lydia disappears into the crowd.” Her blue eyes twinkled as she smiled up at him. “Why don’t you invite Lydia to join you for supper this evening? Maybe you can take her to one of the restaurants in Berlin or Walnut Creek, where it might not be as busy as the places in Charm seem to be today.”
“I guess I could do that if I can work up the nerve.” Levi moved toward Lydia, feeling more anxious and unsure of himself with each step.
“Hello, Lydia. Are you here by yourself today?” Mom asked, before Levi could find his voice.
“I came with my mamm,” Lydia replied, “but she’ll be meeting Rueben Miller for supper soon, so then I’ll be on my own.”
“Where’s your mamm now?” Mom asked.
“She went upstairs.”
Mom nudged Levi, but he wasn’t about to ask Lydia anything with Mom standing right beside him.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be at your birthday party a few weeks ago,” Lydia said to Mom. “I had other plans that night.”
“Levi explained why you weren’t there.” Mom chuckled and patted her stomach. “We had a fun time, and I ate way too much because my girls made my favorite meal—Frogmore Stew.”
“I’m sorry I missed out.” Lydia laughed. “I love that meal. Even eating with my fingers is fun.”
“I delivered your card and gift to Mom,” Levi said, finally finding his voice.
Mom nodded. “I appreciated the jar of homemade apple butter. Danki, Lydia.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I think I’ll go see what Harold and Peter are up to in the lumber section, so I’ll see you later.” Mom gave Levi’s arm a pat. Then she hurried away.
Levi drew in a couple of deep breaths, hoping to calm his nerves. “I…uh…was wondering if you’d be willing to—”
“Oh, there you are,” Menno said, stepping between Lydia and Levi. “The boys and I were hoping we might find you in this crowd of people this afternoon. If you have no other plans, we’d like you to join us for supper.”
Lydia glanced at Levi, then back at Menno. “No, I…uh…have no plans.”
“That’s good to hear.” Menno leaned over and tucked the end of Kevin’s shirt into his trousers. “Don’t know why my boys can’t keep their shirts tucked in.”
“Maybe it’s because they’re growing so much and their shirts are getting too small,” Lydia said.
“That could be. Guess I need to take ’em shopping soon, but there never seems to be enough time.”
Levi shifted uneasily. He was tempted to tell Menno that he’d been talking to Lydia first and had been interrupted in the middle of inviting her to join him for supper, but he quickly dismissed that as a dumb idea. The only thing he could think to do was to say a quick good-bye and walk away.
“Don’t know what made me think I had a chance with Lydia,” Levi told Mom when he found her in the lumber section with Pop and Peter. “She’s obviously interested in Menno, not me.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Mom said.
“What’s that?”
“You’ve decided to give up on the idea of courting Lydia because you think she’s already spoken for.”
He nodded.
“Well, as far as I know, she’s not spoken for yet. If you care for her, don’t give up. I think you should look for another time when you can ask her out.”
Mom was right—as far as he knew, Lydia wasn’t spoken for. So the very next chance he got, he would definitely ask her out.
CHAPTER 44
What are you looking so bedauerlich about?” Pop asked as he and Levi sat together at Pop’s desk, going over a list of things they needed to order for the store.
“I’m not sad. Just thinking is all.”
“Sure look sad to me.” Pop elbowed Levi’s arm. “Most folks don’t wear a frown as big as yours if they’re not feeling down in the dumps about something.”
Levi forced his face to relax and even managed a weak smile. “There, is that better?”
Mom stepped up to them and tapped Levi’s arm. “I’ll bet I know why you’re so bedauerlich.”
“Why’s that?” Pop asked before Levi could respond.
“Because he thinks Lydia’s being courted by Menno.” She gave Levi’s arm another solid tap. “Our son still hasn’t worked up the courage to ask Lydia out.”
Pop’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re planning to ask Lydia out?”
“I am, but—”
Pop elbowed Levi again. “Better move quick, or it might be too late.”
“May already be too late,” Levi mumbled. He couldn’t believe they were having this discussion. Many Amish young people weren’t so open with their parents about who they wanted to court.
“You won’t know unless you ask her to go out with you,” Mom put in.
“That’s right,” Pop agreed. “If I was you, I’d get on it fast, because word has it that Menno’s lookin’ for a new wife.”
“Where’d you hear that?” Mom asked.
“Heard a couple of men talkin’ about it when I was browsing through the lumber section at Keim’s during Charm Days.”
Levi grimaced. If Menno was looking for a new wife, he no do
ubt had Lydia in mind, since he’d already gone a few places with her. “She’d probably be better off with him than me,” Levi muttered under his breath.
“What was that?” Pop asked.
“Nothing. I was just thinking out loud.”
Mom motioned to the clock on the far wall. “It’s almost noon. Why don’t you go over to Grandma’s Restaurant and have some lunch? If Lydia’s working today, you might get the chance to ask her out.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. I wouldn’t want anyone to hear me asking.”
“You don’t have to shout it out so the whole restaurant can hear.” Pop’s elbow connected with Levi’s arm. “Just do it, son.”
“Okay, maybe I will. Even if Lydia says no, it’ll be better than staying here and subjecting myself to your elbow jabs.”
Pop chuckled.
“When you get back, be sure you let us know how it goes,” Mom said.
“What are you doing back so soon?” Nona asked when Levi returned to the store a short time later.
“Lydia wasn’t working today, so I decided not to bother with lunch.”
“Are you sure she wasn’t working?” Nona asked. “Maybe she was taking a break or something.”
“No, she wasn’t. When I asked Edith, she said Lydia’s hours had been cut and that she wasn’t working today.”
Nona’s forehead wrinkled. “The last thing Lydia needs is to lose hours at work. I’m sure she’s still paying Josh’s hospital bills, not to mention all the other expenses she and her mamm must have.”
“Maybe it’s just a temporary cutback,” Levi said. “In a few weeks, Lydia might be working full-time again.”
“I hope so, but things usually slow down around here during the winter months.”
“They didn’t slow down in our store last winter,” Harold shouted from the back room.
Nona gritted her teeth. “I wish your daed wouldn’t holler like that. What if a customer comes in and hears him bellowing like an alt kuh?”
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