Mary opened her mouth as if she might argue, but he shook his head.
Both girls trudged up the path leading to the home Margaret now shared with her daughter and son-in-law, and John followed. When they stepped onto the porch, Margaret came out the back door dressed in her black mourning clothes.
“Wie geht’s, Bishop John?” she asked.
“I’m doing all right.”
“What brings you out my way on this warm afternoon?”
“We came to see how you’re doing.” He motioned first to Hannah and then to Mary. “Isn’t that right, girls?”
“Jah,” they said in unison.
John smiled at Margaret. “How are you getting along?”
“Oh, fair to middlin’.” She yawned. “I miss Dan something awful, and I’m still not sleeping so well, but I’m grateful that Karen and Jacob were willing to move in here with me. Otherwise, I’d be even lonelier.”
“I understand. If I didn’t have my girls to keep me company, I’d miss Peggy a lot more than I do.”
John shifted from one foot to the other. “Say, I was wondering if I might make a suggestion.”
“What’s that?”
“We were over at Barbara Zook’s a short time ago, and I noticed how overgrown her garden’s become.”
“I suppose with a new boppli and three young buwe to look after, she doesn’t have much time for gardening,” Margaret said.
He nodded. “I was thinking it might be good if a group of ladies got together and went over to Barbara’s to work on her flower beds.”
“I’m sure she would appreciate that.”
He turned toward Margaret’s garden and made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “Since you’ve done such a fine job with your own yard, I was thinking you’d be the perfect one to help Barbara get her yard looking good again.”
“I do need something to keep my hands and mind busy, and there’s only so much work I can do here.” She nodded. “I’d be happy to help Barbara.”
“That’s good. I’ll speak to a few other women and see what day would work best for them, and then I’ll let Barbara know there’s going to be a work frolic in her garden plot soon.”
Margaret looked at the girls. “Would you two care for some peanut brittle? My daughter Karen and I made a big batch earlier this afternoon.”
Mary and Hannah both nodded enthusiastically. “That’d be real nice,” Mary said, licking her lips.
A short time later, John and his girls were headed back up Highway C toward home.
“Say, Papa, I’ve been wondering about something,” Hannah said as they neared their farm.
“What’s that, daughter?”
“How come you didn’t invite Margaret to go on a picnic with us the way you did Barbara?”
“Well, I—”
“Margaret seems lonely. Maybe she would’ve enjoyed a day at the pond.”
John’s face heated up. “I. . .uh. . .as you know, Barbara has kinner, so I figured you girls would enjoy playing with her boys.”
“Except for Aaron, Barbara’s boys are a lot younger than us,” Hannah reminded him.
“Right,” he said with a nod. “And for that reason, I figure they’d be fun for you to play little mudder with.”
Mary opened her mouth as if to reply, but he held up his hand and said, “Just eat your peanut brittle.”
Paul hated to bother Barbara, but he needed several orders to be sent, and she’d made it clear when she hired him that she would place all the orders. He’d thought about asking Barbara’s dad to take the paperwork up to the house, but Samuel had left for another doctor’s appointment. Since there were no customers at the moment, Paul decided to take the information up to Barbara. He put the CLOSED sign in the shop window with a note saying they would open again after lunch and headed out the door.
Paul stepped onto the back porch of Barbara’s house, and as he lifted his hand to the door, he heard a child say, “Whatcha doin’?”
Paul whirled around. Barbara’s six-year-old son, Joseph, stood beside a bush near the porch, holding a metal bubble wand in his hand.
“I. . .uh. . .need to see your mamm about something,” Paul stammered. He didn’t know why he always felt so tongue-tied around children.
“She’s in the house.”
Paul nodded. “I figured she might be.”
“You come over for lunch?” Joseph asked, his blue eyes looking ever so serious.
“No. I’m here on business.”
Joseph stepped onto the porch. “Mama’s harness business?”
“Jah.”
The boy turned the doorknob and called through the open doorway, “Mama, the harness man’s here to see you!”
Paul felt as though he would be intruding to step into the house without an invitation, so he waited on the porch until Barbara showed up. “Is there a problem at the shop?” she asked.
“No problem. I just wanted to give you these.” Paul handed her the folder full of supply orders.
“Danki. I’ll get everything sent out right away.”
Joseph tossed the bubble wand onto a small table on the porch and yanked on the hem of his mother’s apron. “Can the harness man stay for lunch? We’ve got plenty, right?”
Barbara’s face flamed. “His name is Paul, and I’m sure he’s busy.”
Joseph shook his head. “No, he ain’t. There’s no cars or buggies parked in front of the shop.”
A trickle of sweat rolled down Paul’s forehead, and he wiped it away.
“If you haven’t already eaten, you’re welcome to join us,” Barbara said, much to Paul’s surprise.
Whatever she was cooking in the kitchen smelled mighty good. His stomach rumbled. “Well, I—”
“Mama’s fixin’ chicken noodle soup,” Joseph said, smacking his lips. “It tastes awful good, and it smells wunderbaar.”
Paul smiled at the boy’s enthusiasm. “I’d be happy to join you for lunch if you’re sure it’s no trouble,” he said to Barbara. “Maybe we could talk about business while we eat.”
Barbara nodded. “Sounds fine to me.”
Paul stepped inside. “Was that Bishop Frey I saw here earlier?” Paul asked as he followed her into the kitchen.
Barbara nodded. “He came by with two of his daughters to see how I was doing.”
“Guess that’s part of the man’s duties.”
“Jah.” Barbara motioned to the table. “Why don’t you have a seat? If David doesn’t wake from his nap right away, I’ll have the soup ready in no time.”
“Is there something I can do to help?” Paul offered. Anything would be better than watching the woman bustle around the kitchen. Every time Paul saw Barbara Zook, he thought she was prettier than the time before. Gone were the dark circles under her eyes, and if he weren’t mistaken, she’d put on a few needed pounds.
He sucked in his breath. I shouldn’t be thinking about her like this. She’s a widowed woman with four boys, and I’m going back to Pennsylvania.
“I suppose you could go out back and call my other two boys in for lunch. Aaron’s pushing Zachary on the swing behind the barn,” Barbara said, halting his disconcerting thoughts.
“I can get ’em, Mama,” Joseph offered.
“If I send you, Aaron will only argue, or you’ll end up getting sidetracked.”
“The boys aren’t over at your folks’ place today?” Paul asked.
Barbara shook her head. “Mom went to Springfield with Dad.” She chuckled. “I think my mamm asks that doctor more questions than my daed ever does. He tends to go along with whatever the doctor says and never thinks to voice any concerns.”
“I think most men are like that,” Paul said, opening the back door. “I’ll go get your boys.”
He’d only gone as far as the barn when he noticed Joseph trudging along beside him. “I thought you were inside with your mamm.”
“Wanted to be with you.”
Paul wasn’t sure how to respond, so he just kept walking.
Until recently, no child had ever shown an interest in him. Truth be told, it felt kind of nice—though he would never admit it to anyone.
Squeals of laughter drew his attention. Aaron was pushing his little brother on the swing.
“Your mamm wants you to come up to the house,” Paul said. “She’s got lunch about ready.”
Aaron stopped pushing the younger boy and whirled around to face Paul. “How come she sent you?”
“The harness man’s stayin’ for lunch,” Joseph announced with a wide grin.
Paul felt Aaron’s icy stare all the way to his toes. Clearly, the boy didn’t like him, though he wasn’t sure why. He figured it had to be for the same reason other kids avoided him—they obviously knew he didn’t care much for kids, at least not until now. Aaron had dropped by the shop a couple of times, but he only came around when his grandfather was there. When Paul was minding the shop alone, the boy stayed away. It was just as well. Paul had too much work to spend time babysitting or dealing with Aaron’s nasty attitude.
Guess I’m sort of babysitting right now, he thought as he looked at Joseph, who stared up at him with eager blue eyes. Maybe I need to reach out to Aaron, no matter how awkward it makes me feel.
“Come on, Zachary,” Aaron said as he helped his little brother off the swing. “It’s time to eat.” He grabbed the boy’s hand, and the two scampered toward the house.
Joseph reached for Paul’s hand, and they followed the other boys. Was Aaron missing his father? Could that be the problem?
“Say, Aaron,” Paul said as he and Joseph stepped onto the porch. “How would you like to come out to the harness shop after lunch and help me?”
“Doin’ what?” he asked without looking back. “Sweepin’ the floor, I’ll bet.”
When Paul touched the boy’s shoulder, he halted and turned around. “Thought you might like to fasten some buckles on a couple of leather straps, or maybe you could dye the edges.”
A flicker of interest sparked in Aaron’s eyes, but when he blinked, it disappeared. “We’ll see,” he mumbled.
When they entered the kitchen, lunch was ready. Barbara motioned to the chair at the head of the table. “Have a seat, Paul.”
“But that’s Pa’s place,” Aaron was quick to say. “Nobody should sit there ’cept Pa.”
“Aaron, your daed’s gone, and—”
Paul shook his head. “It’s all right, Barbara. I can sit someplace else.” He waited until Aaron and Joseph had taken their seats and Barbara had put Zachary on a high stool. After she was seated, Paul took the empty chair across from her.
All heads bowed. When the silent prayer was over, Barbara passed Paul a basket of rolls.
“These look good. Did you make them?” he asked.
“My mamm did. I haven’t had the energy to do much baking since the boppli was born,” Barbara said.
Paul took a roll and slathered it with butter. “You’ll get your strength back soon. Already you’re looking better than the day I first dropped by.”
She smiled. “I’m anxious to get back to the harness shop. I surely do miss it.”
Paul was tempted to ask why she felt the need to do men’s work, but he thought better of it. He would be going back to Pennsylvania soon, and what Barbara did was her own business. Besides, she needed a way to support herself, and according to her dad, she was very good at her trade.
He dipped his spoon into the soup and took a mouthful. “Mmm. . .this is mighty good.”
“Danki.”
Joseph smacked his lips. “Mama’s the best cook in all of Webster County.”
Barbara snickered. “Jah, sure.”
Paul glanced at Aaron, who sat to his mother’s left. The boy had his head down and seemed to be playing with his soup, stirring it over and over with his spoon.
“Aaron, you’d best eat and quit dawdling,” Barbara scolded.
The child picked up his bowl and slurped his soup.
“Mind your manners and use your spoon.” Barbara handed a roll to young Zachary, and he promptly dipped it in his soup.
“Would it be all right if Aaron comes out to the shop after lunch?” Paul asked. “With your daed being gone today, I could use some help.”
Barbara’s look of concern made him wish he hadn’t said anything. “Are you getting further behind?”
He shook his head. “Just thought an extra pair of hands would be nice.”
Barbara turned to face Aaron. “Would you like to help Paul this afternoon?”
He gave a slight shrug.
“I think you should give it a try. But you must do everything Paul says. Is that clear?”
“Jah.”
Paul gripped his spoon. I may regret asking the boy to help as much as I wish I hadn’t accepted Barbara’s invitation to lunch. He knew it was silly, but being this close to her made him long for something he’d probably never have. He decided to forgo talking about the harness business over lunch. As soon as I finish this bowl of soup, I’m going to hightail it right back to work.
Chapter 8
Barbara curled up on her bed, glad that the baby, Zachary, and Joseph were taking naps. Since Aaron was out at the harness shop with Paul, she could rest. She’d felt exhausted by the time they’d finished eating lunch. Paul had offered to help her with the dishes, but since she knew he needed to get back to the shop, she’d declined, saying she could manage. She had left the dishes soaking in the sink, deciding she could do them later, when she hopefully would have a little more energy.
As Barbara burrowed into the pillow, a vision of Paul popped into her head. She had been avoiding him lately because he made her feel so uncomfortable. Today at lunch, however, she’d actually enjoyed his company.
Joseph sure seemed taken with him, she mused. The boy hung on Paul’s every word.
“It’s not fair, Mama,” Joseph had wailed when Barbara said he needed a nap. “If Aaron gets to help in the harness shop, I should, too.”
Barbara grinned. Joseph was nearly six but not old enough to help in the shop. She didn’t think Aaron was all that thrilled about helping Paul, but it might be good for the boy to spend time alone with a man other than his grandpa.
Aaron misses his daed, but he can learn from Paul the way he did David. She rolled onto her other side. If I’m feeling up to it after my nap, maybe I’ll bundle up the baby and take a walk out there so I can see how things are going.
David had enjoyed running the harness shop so much. He’d said many times that their firstborn would take over the business someday. Even when Aaron was a toddler, David had invited the boy out there just to let him hold the leather straps and “get the feel of things.”
Tears welled in Barbara’s eyes. How she missed working in the shop with her beloved husband. She missed their long talks after the children were put to bed, and she pined for the physical touch of the man she had loved since she was a teenager. Would she ever know love like that again? Probably not. Her focus needed to be on running the harness shop and raising her boys.
“I don’t think I could ever feel for any man what I felt for David,” she whispered against the Wedding Ring quilt covering her bed. It had been a gift from her mother when she and David married, and it always brought her comfort.
Heavy with the need for sleep, Barbara’s eyelids closed. As she started to drift off, David’s image was replaced with that of Paul Hilty. The way he’d smiled at her during lunch made her heart feel lighter than it had in weeks, and that confused her. A chunk of blond hair kept falling onto Paul’s forehead, and she had to resist the temptation to push it back in place the way she often did with one of her boys. The last thing Barbara saw as she succumbed to sleep was the vision of Aaron and Paul walking side by side toward the harness shop.
Paul peered over Aaron’s shoulder as the boy reached for a buckle. “Not that one, Aaron. It’s too big for the strap you’re working on.”
The boy grabbed another buckle. As he fumbled with the clasp and tried to fasten it to th
e leather strap, it slipped and fell on the floor.
“Be careful now.” Paul stooped to retrieve the buckle.
“It was slippery,” Aaron complained.
“Maybe you’ve got neat’s-foot oil on your hands from when you were oiling that saddle earlier.”
“Nope. I washed ’em.”
“Could be you didn’t wash them well enough. Might be a good idea to do it again, son.”
Aaron spun around, his dark eyes smoldering. “You ain’t my daed.”
The tips of Paul’s ears warmed. “ ’Course not. Never said I was.”
“But you called me ‘son.’ ”
Paul shrugged. “It was just a figure of speech.”
“And you’ve been tellin’ me what to do ever since we came out to my daed’s shop.”
“If you’re going to be my helper, then I have the right to tell you what to do.”
Aaron frowned. Then he headed for the sink at the back of the shop.
Paul shook his head. Maybe asking the boy to help out wasn’t such a good idea. Might be best if I sent him back to the house. Paul opened his mouth to say so, but the front door swung open. Noah Hertzler stepped into the shop.
“I got off work early today and was passing by on my way home,” Noah said. “Thought I’d stop and see how you’re coming along with those bridles I ordered.”
“They should be ready by next week,” Paul answered.
Noah motioned to the back of the building. “I see you’ve got yourself a helper today.”
Paul grimaced. “I believe he likes being in the shop, but I don’t think he cottons to me so well.”
“Give him time. He’ll come around.”
“Did he help his daed much?”
Noah nodded. “He followed David around like he was his shadow, though I’m not sure how much help he was in the shop. Never seen a father and son so close as those two seemed to be.”
“Wish I could say the same for me and my daed.”
“Still having problems?”
“Jah. Just last night we got into a disagreement over my returning to Pennsylvania.”
Noah’s eyebrows furrowed. “Will you be leaving soon?”
Paul shook his head. “Not until Barbara’s back working again.”
On Her Own Page 7