“It’s no big secret. I just started baking when I was a young fellow, found that I enjoyed it, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
“I see.”
“Even though I did plenty of outside chores when I was a kinner, Pop and my nine brothers thought I was a bit strange because I didn’t mind helping in the kitchen.”
Faith grimaced as she shook her head. “My family thinks I’m odd because I can’t cook so well.”
“The chicken and dumplings you made the other night were good.”
“Maybe so, but that dish is one of the few things I can fix well. I can’t bake like you do, that’s for sure.” Faith took a bite from one of the brownies he’d brought along. “Umm. . .now this is really good.”
“Practice makes perfect,” he said with a grin. “I didn’t always bake well, but I had fun learning.”
“I think I need a lot more than practice.” Faith held up the brownie. “I doubt I could ever make anything as good as this.”
“Sure you could. Where’s your faith?”
“I don’t have much faith in anything these days.” She looked away. “I told you before—my faith has diminished over the years.”
“Have you read your Bible regularly?”
She shook her head.
“That’s the only way you can strengthen your faith—that and spending time with the Lord in prayer.”
Impulsively, Noah touched her hand and noticed how soft it felt. He was glad she hadn’t flinched when he’d touched her this time. “I’ve been praying for you, Faith,” he whispered.
“You—you have?”
“Jah, and I’ll keep on praying that your faith will grow so strong that you’ll feel God walking right beside you every day.”
She stared down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap.
“I suppose we should gather up the girls and start for home,” she murmured a few seconds later.
Noah nodded. “Jah, I guess we should.”
During the first half of the ride home, the girls chattered again, but suddenly, their voices died out. When Noah glanced over his shoulder, he saw the two of them leaning their heads together, eyes shut and cheeks flushed.
Faith was quiet, too, as she stared at the passing scenery and spoke only whenever Noah posed a question. Was she thinking about the things they had discussed after their picnic lunch? Could she be mulling over the idea of exercising her faith? He hoped so, for it was obvious that the woman sitting beside him needed a renewed faith in God. He thought she needed the kind of peace that would fill her life with so much happiness she would have no desire for the things the world had to offer. She’d proven by her joke telling today that she could be joyful and funny, even when not on some stage entertaining.
Thinking about Faith and the girls in the backseat, suddenly Noah was overcome with the need for a wife and children. He’d never missed it much until lately, and he wondered if it had anything to do with Faith’s return. Noah was sure from some of Faith’s comments that she didn’t believe in or accept the same kinds of spiritual things he did. He knew he could never take a wife who didn’t share his love for and belief in Jesus.
Even though I can’t allow myself to become romantically involved with Faith, I’ll still try to be her friend, Noah decided.
He glanced over at Faith. “I enjoyed the day. Thanks for agreeing to come.”
“I had fun, too. I’m glad you invited us to see where you work.”
“Maybe we can get together some other time this summer. I’d like to hire a driver and go to Springfield to see that big sportsmen’s store.”
“You mean the Bass Pro Shops?”
“Jah, I’ve never been there, but I hear it’s really something to see.”
“It’s billed as the world’s greatest sporting goods store, and there’s even a wildlife museum.”
“You’ve been there then?”
She nodded. “A few times.”
“Sounds like the place to be,” Noah said, feeling his enthusiasm rise. “I’d also like to visit Fantastic Caverns, just outside of Springfield.”
Her pale eyebrows wiggled slightly. “Noah Hertzler, you’re a man full of surprises.”
“I’m not sure I get your meaning.”
“You used to be so shy when we were children, and now you seem to have such a zest for life. I feel as if I’m getting to know a whole different side of you.”
He reached under his straw hat and scratched the side of his head. “I guess maybe I have changed some.” Especially since you came back to Webster County. You bring out the best in me, Faith. You just don’t know it.
Chapter 14
As Faith took a seat in a booth at Baldy’s Café, her heart started to hammer. When she’d phoned the talent agency in Memphis the last time, they had informed her that Brad Olsen, the agent who’d chosen to represent her, would be in Springfield over the weekend and would like to meet with her. Faith knew she wouldn’t be able to get away for that long or come up with a good excuse as to why she wanted to go to Springfield, so she asked if the agent could meet her at Baldy’s Café on Monday morning. The meeting had been agreed upon, so here she sat, picking at the salad she’d ordered and waiting for Mr. Olsen to arrive. She hoped he would be here soon, because she’d told her mother she was going shopping in Seymour and that she would be back by late afternoon.
“Are you Faith Andrews?” a deep male voice asked, halting Faith’s thoughts.
She looked up and saw a tall, thin man with ebony-colored hair.
“Yes, I’m Faith Andrews.”
He extended his hand. “I’m Brad Olsen from the agency in Memphis.”
When she reached over and shook his hand, his eyebrows lifted slightly. “I recognized your face from the pictures I’ve seen of you, but those clothes you’ve got on really threw me. When did you decide to start wearing an Amish costume?”
“Oh, this isn’t a costume.” Faith gestured to the bench on the other side of her table. “If you’d like to have a seat, I’ll explain my situation.”
“Sure thing.”
During the next half hour, Faith gave Brad Olsen the details as to why she had temporarily given up her profession and come to Webster County, and she ended by saying, “So as soon as my daughter has adjusted well enough, I’ll be ready to return to the stage.”
“I see,” he said, as he scribbled some notes on the tablet he’d pulled from his briefcase. “Do you have any idea how much longer that will be?”
Faith shrugged. “Hopefully, not long. Melinda’s doing fairly well, but I can’t leave until I know for sure that she’s accepted the Amish way of life.”
Brad’s eyebrows drew together as he motioned to her plain cotton dress. “Looks to me like you’ve accepted it pretty well yourself.”
Faith’s cheeks heated up as she shook her head. “I’m only going through the motions of being Amish so none of my family will question things. It wouldn’t be right for me to take off without seeing that my little girl is completely settled in.”
“You need to get back in circulation as soon as possible. The longer you’re away from performing, the further your name will be from people’s minds.” He tapped the end of his pen along the edge of the table. “Not to mention that in order for you to keep on top of your skills as an entertainer, you’ll need to practice.”
“I practice my yodeling whenever I get the chance to be alone, and I tell jokes to whoever’s willing to listen.” Faith thought about the meal she and Melinda had shared with Noah not long ago and how she’d been able to make Noah laugh.
“Well, I think that about does it for now,” Brad said as he slipped his notebook into his briefcase and stood. He handed her a business card. “I’d like you to call me once a week and let me know how things are going so I’ll know when to schedule you for a show.”
“I’ll do that,” Faith promised as she followed him to the checkout counter.
They were about to head for the door when Faith caught sigh
t of Noah sitting in a booth near the back of the restaurant. She hadn’t noticed him earlier and didn’t know if he’d come in during her visit with Brad Olsen or if he’d been there the whole time. She squinted and stared when she realized someone was in the booth with him—a young Amish woman with medium brown hair. Faith didn’t recognize her as anyone from their community, and she wondered if the woman could be from a neighboring community and had come to Seymour to meet Noah. Was she Noah’s girlfriend? They were sitting side by side, with their heads close together as though in deep concentration.
Faith considered going over to say hello but thought better of it. It might raise questions as to why she was at Baldy’s, and if Noah saw her with the talent agent, he would have questions she didn’t want to answer. With a quick glance over her shoulder, Faith slipped out the door.
Noah craned his neck as he watched Faith leave the café with a tall English man. He’d seen the couple walk over to the checkout counter together a few minutes ago and had wondered who the man was. Did Faith have a boyfriend—maybe a fellow entertainer? That’s sure what it looked like when they’d been standing near the counter with their heads together.
“Noah, did you hear what I said?”
The soft-spoken voice pulled his attention back to his cousin Mary, who sat on the bench beside him and had been pouring out her heart about the way she’d been jilted by her boyfriend, Mark. Mary and her folks lived near Jamesport, and Mark lived in Webster County with his family. They’d been courting for several months, but two weeks ago, Mary had received a letter from Mark saying he wanted to break up with her and that he would be moving to Illinois to work with his brother who owned a dairy farm there. Mary had caught a bus to Seymour, hoping to talk Mark into changing his mind, but by the time she’d arrived, Mark had already left for Illinois. Heartbroken, Mary had asked Noah to give her a ride back to Seymour so she could catch the bus home.
Noah gave Mary’s arm a gentle squeeze. “What was that you said?”
“I was telling you that I’m going to try real hard to forget about Mark and move on with my life. No point in crying over spilled honey, as my mamm likes to say.”
“That’s good. Glad to hear it.”
“Noah, are you okay? You look like you’re a thousand miles away.”
“It’s nothing. I saw someone I know, and I was wondering what she was doing here.”
Mary’s eyebrows lifted high on her forehead. “You’ve found yourself an aldi?”
“No, no,” he sputtered. “It’s nothing like that. The woman I saw is just a friend.”
“Is she someone I know?”
“I don’t think so. She’s been gone from home for ten years, and you and your folks have been living in Jamesport longer than that, so— ”
“Oh, my. . .look at the time!” Mary pointed to the clock hanging on the wall above the checkout counter. “If we don’t get a move on, I’m going to miss my bus.”
Noah nodded. “You’re right. We’d better get over to Lazy Lee’s Gas Station right away.”
As they left their booth, Noah wondered if he should ask Faith about the English fellow he’d seen her with. Probably not, he decided. Whatever Faith does is her business, not mine.
As Faith stood at the kitchen sink that afternoon, getting a drink of water, she thought about the young woman she’d seen Noah with. Should she say something to him about it? Probably not. It was none of her business who Noah saw in private. Besides, if she brought it up to Noah, she might have to tell him why she’d been at Baldy’s. If Noah knew she had hired an agent, he would realize she planned to leave, and then her folks would find out.
Faith hated to admit it, but she was attracted to Noah, and that scared her a lot. Spending time with him had made her feel different than she’d ever felt in the company of a man. Maybe it was because Noah seemed nothing like other men she’d met during her years of living among the English. He was soft-spoken, seemed to be kind, and had taken an interest in her and Melinda. Could it be an act? Was Noah too good to be true?
Faith had been looking forward to making a trip to Springfield with Noah to see the Bass Pro Shops and Fantastic Caverns, but now that she’d seen him with that woman in town, she was sure those plans had changed. It was probably for the best. She couldn’t afford to begin a relationship with a man who was wholly committed to being Amish, even if he did seem to be one of the nicest fellows she’d ever met.
Faith heard shrill laughter coming from outside, and she glanced out the window. Melinda and Susie ran back and forth through a puddle of water in their bare feet, giggling and waving their hands.
“Maybe after supper I should tell Mama and Papa that I’ll be leaving soon. There’s no point in prolonging it,” Faith murmured. “But first, I should tell Melinda.”
Faith went out the back door and made her way across the lawn toward the frolicking children. She would take her daughter aside, explain everything to her, and then tell the folks. She hoped Melinda would understand that she was doing this for her own good. Faith would promise to visit as often as she could—whenever she was in the area doing a show or she had time off. Melinda might not care for the arrangement, but someday she would realize her mother had her best interests at heart.
Faith had just approached the girls when she heard a shrill scream near the house. She whirled around but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
“Help! Somebody, help me!”
That sounds like Mama. Faith rushed to the cellar steps and peered down. Her mother lay at the bottom, moaning and holding her leg.
Faith ran down the steps. “Mama, what happened?”
“I—I was going down here to get a jar of green beans, and I must have tripped.” Mama winced when Faith touched her leg. “I think it’s broken.”
“I’d better call Papa and tell him we’re going to have to get one of our neighbors to drive you to the hospital.” Faith hated to leave her mother lying on the cold, hard concrete, but she had no other choice. “Hang on, Mama. I’ll be right back.”
She rushed out to the fields, where her father and brothers had been working on broken fences. When she caught sight of them, she began frantically waving her hands.
“What’s wrong, daughter?” Papa called with a worried frown. “Has that cantankerous bull been chasing you?”
“It’s not the bull. Mama’s fallen down the cellar steps, and I think her leg is broken. We need to get one of our neighbors to drive her to the hospital right away.”
Papa dropped his wire cutters, and the brothers let go of the shovels they’d been using. “Son,” Papa said, motioning to Brian, “you run over to the Jenkinses’ place and see if they can give us a ride.” He turned to John. “Come with me to see about your mamm.”
Brian scampered off toward the neighbors’, and Faith followed Papa and John across the field, through the pasture, and into the backyard. Papa dashed down the basement stairs and gathered Mama into his arms. “What happened, Wilma? How did this happen?”
“Clumsy me. I wasn’t watching where I was going, and I must have slipped on a step.” Mama’s lips quivered, and Faith could see the anguish on her mother’s face. “Sorry to be such a bother.”
“You’re no bother,” Papa said as he and John made a chair with their interlinked arms and carried Mama up the steps and into the house. Faith followed, and so did Susie and Melinda. After the men placed Mama on the sofa in the living room, Faith put two pillows under her mother’s head.
“Is Mama gonna be okay?” Susie’s eyes were huge as saucers.
“I’ll be fine, daughter,” Mama said, although she was gritting her teeth.
“I wonder what’s taking so long for our ride to get here,” Papa said as he peered out the window. “I thought Brian would have been back by now.”
Faith shook her head. “Papa, it’s only been ten minutes or so since you sent Brian. I’m sure Mama’s ride to the hospital will be here soon, so in the meantime, you need to relax.”
He whirle
d around and leveled her with a look of irritation. “Don’t you be tellin’ me what to do.”
She flinched and drew back as if she’d been stung by a bee. This was exactly the way her father had treated her when she was a girl. “I wasn’t trying to tell you what to do. I just thought if you relaxed, the time would pass quicker.”
“Our daughter’s right, Menno,” Mama put in. “Pacing and fretting won’t bring us help any quicker.”
He grunted and stood in front of her. “You need anything, Wilma? Maybe some ice for the swelling?”
She looked down at her swollen leg. “Jah, that might be a good idea.”
“I’ll get it.” Faith scooted for the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with an ice bag, which she carefully placed on her mother’s leg.
“Danki. You’re a good daughter.”
Tears stung the backs of Faith’s eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time her mother had said anything that nice to her.
A horn honked, and John, who had been watching out the window, rushed to the door. “Lester Jenkins and his wife are here!”
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Papa, Brian, and Faith rode with Mama to the hospital, while Elaine Jenkins, Lester’s wife, stayed at the Stutzmans’ house with Melinda and Susie. After X-rays were taken of Mama’s leg, the doctor explained that the swelling needed to go down some before the cast was put on, so Mama was kept overnight. Papa decided to stay with her, but Faith and her brothers returned home to do their chores and wait for their sisters to get home.
As Faith prepared for bed that night, she thought about the events of the day. No way could she leave Webster County now. Esther and Grace Ann had jobs outside the home, so they couldn’t be counted on to take care of Mama or run the house while her leg was healing. Faith would have to stick around until her mother’s cast came off and she could resume her regular chores. It was a good thing Faith hadn’t said anything about leaving yet.
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