Between the pungent odor of ground beef cooking and the telltale stench of skunk coming from Eli, Kendra struggled with nausea. She tried chewing gum and some peppermint candy, but neither helped much. She had forgotten to bring mint tea and saltine crackers again and would be glad when they finished making their pizzas and could go outside to eat it. At least the air would be fresher out there. She even thought of asking Heidi if she had any menthol rub. Smearing the ointment on the end of her nose would surely mask the odors making her stomach queasy. Eli seemed like a nice person, so Kendra wouldn’t embarrass him further by asking Heidi for menthol rub. Aside from Heidi’s husband, Lyle, Eli was probably one of the nicest men she’d met. Certainly more polite and respectful than Ron.
Kendra glanced at Loretta’s children and noticed Heidi staring at them. In fact, she seemed more interested in the kids than teaching her class this morning. Kendra almost pitied their teacher, with that faraway look in her eyes. Even her smile appeared forlorn.
Too bad Heidi doesn’t have children of her own. I’ll bet she’d make a good mother. Kendra tapped her chin. I wonder if she and Lyle have considered adoption.
“Here are some cut-up veggie sticks to go with your pizza.” Heidi placed the platter on the picnic table and took a seat on the bench where Loretta sat with her children. She’d already given Conner and Abby cheese sandwiches and potato chips. Lyle joined them for lunch and suggested they all bow their heads for silent prayer. When the prayer ended, everyone began to eat.
“This is yummy,” Charlene spoke up. “I never imagined pizza could taste so good without a crust.”
“The shredded grummbier makes up the crust,” Eli interjected.
Abby nudged her mother’s arm. “Mommy, what’d that man say? He said a strange word.”
“I’m not sure, but first things first. Let’s get proper introductions made.” Loretta gestured to Eli. “This is the nice man who gave us the whoopie pie cookies the other day. His name is Eli Miller.” Loretta placed her hands atop her children’s heads. “Eli, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Abby, and my son, Conner.”
“Nice to meet you both.” Eli shook their hands. “Oh, and the word I said—grummbier—is the Pennsylvania Dutch word for potatoes.”
“Grummbier,” Abby repeated. Then Conner said it, too.
“Thank you for the cookies.” Abby grinned while rubbing her stomach. “They were yummy.”
“I agree with you.” Eli bobbed his head. “Would ya like to learn the Pennsylvania Dutch name for cookies?”
Both children, as well as Heidi’s other students, nodded.
“The word for cookies is kichlin.”
“Kichlin.” Abby giggled. “That’s a funny word.”
Loretta tapped her daughter’s shoulder. “Now, don’t be impolite.”
“Sorry.” The little girl lowered her head.
“It’s okay.” Eli’s brows jiggled up and down playfully. “To most English people, many of our Amish words sound funny.”
Lyle chuckled. “I remember once, as a young lad, our English neighbor girl, Yvonne, told us everything my brother and I said in our native language sounded funny to her. She used to laugh and try to figure out what the words meant. Sometimes we’d tell her, and sometimes we didn’t. Whenever she was with us, we had fun speaking words only the two of us understood.”
“Is anyone hungry for dessert?” Heidi asked. “I made a peach cobbler last night.”
“Sounds good to me.” Ron thumped his stomach. “I’m always in the mood for dessert.”
“Me, too,” Charlene added.
Everyone else agreed.
Heidi got up. “I’ll clear some of these dishes and get the cobbler when I’m inside.”
“Let me help.” Kendra grabbed the plates and silverware, piling them on the serving tray.
“I’d be glad to help, too,” Charlene offered.
“Same here.” Loretta rose from the bench.
“No, that’s okay.” Kendra motioned for them to stay put. “I used to work part-time as a waitress when I was taking some college classes, so I’m pretty good at managing dishes by myself.”
After Heidi and Kendra entered the kitchen, Kendra placed everything in the sink then turned to face Heidi. “Mind if I ask you a personal question?”
“Not at all. What would you like to know?”
“I watched how you interacted with Loretta’s kids earlier. Made me wonder why you don’t have any children of your own.”
“Oh, that’s right. You were in the bathroom during our first cooking class, when I told the others about my situation.” Heidi released a lingering sigh. “My husband and I would like to be parents, but in the eight years we’ve been married, I’ve not been able to get pregnant.”
“That’s too bad. Have you considered adoption?”
“I’d love to adopt, but Lyle …” Heidi stopped talking. Why discuss this with Kendra? She probably wouldn’t understand Lyle’s refusal to adopt. Heidi didn’t understand it, either.
“If you’d like to take small plates from the cupboard, as well as enough forks for everyone, I’ll get the peach cobbler.” Heidi moved across the room to the refrigerator.
“One more question.” Kendra set the dishes and silverware on a tray.
Heidi placed the cobbler on another tray. “What is it?”
“Would it be all right if I come by here sometime between our classes, to visit and get to know you better? My dishwashing job isn’t full-time, and I have Saturdays off.”
Kendra’s question surprised Heidi, but it pleased her, too. She was almost certain Kendra needed someone to talk to. Maybe she would open up and share her struggles.
Heidi gave Kendra’s arm a gentle pat. “Feel free to drop by anytime. I’d enjoy getting better acquainted.” She picked up the tray and followed Kendra outside.
“Eli, I noticed you rode your bicycle today.” Heidi pointed to the tree it leaned against.
He nodded. “I wanted to walk, but since I was running late, I chose the bike instead.” It still bothered Eli to ride a bike because it stirred emotional feelings concerning Mavis’s accident. He had to admit, in light of what happened on the way here with those teens, walking wouldn’t have been much better. In hindsight, Eli wished he’d brought the horse and buggy.
“This peach cobbler is excellent,” Charlene commented as everyone ate the dessert.
“Yes indeed … My wife can cobble with the best of them.” Lyle’s eyes twinkled as he winked at Heidi.
Eli’s shoulders hunched, unable to deal with his envy. His wife used to make good cobblers, too. But the dessert wasn’t the cause of his jealousy. Lyle’s look of adoration, and the sweet smile Heidi gave him in return, tugged at Eli’s gut. He longed for such a relationship and continued to miss the special moments he and Mavis had shared. Well, I can’t bring her back, so I need to quit feeling sorry for myself and get on with life. How many times had he given himself this lecture? How often had he fallen prey to self-pity and longing for something he couldn’t have?
“The others are right,” Eli told Heidi after taking a bite. “It is good cobbler.” Then looking at Lyle, he added, “I’m surprised you’re not auctioneering someplace today.”
Lyle swatted a bug when it landed on the picnic table. “This is the first Saturday in a long while I haven’t been called to an auction.”
“I’ve always been fascinated with auctioneers and their ability to speak so fast.” Loretta wiped her fingers on the napkin beside her plate. “How did you get into that line of business, Lyle?”
“I’ve been wonderin’ about that, too,” Ron put in. “Just kept forgetting to ask.”
“Well,”—Lyle scratched behind his left ear—“in my teenage years I became fascinated with auctions and the fast-talking people who conducted the events.” He paused and drank some water. “Had to be at least eighteen in order to learn the trade, though. So when I was old enough I took classes to learn how to legally run an auction.”
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Kendra leaned her elbows on the table. “I thought the Amish didn’t go to school past the eighth grade.”
“It wasn’t like high school or college,” Lyle explained. “Following the classes, I had to take a test. Afterward, I served a yearlong apprenticeship and then took another test. Once I passed, I got my auctioneer’s license.”
“Don’t it make you nervous to stand in front of a bunch of people and talk so fast?” Ron questioned.
Lyle shook his head. “At first it did, but not anymore.”
“I can talk to my kindergarten students easily, but if I was faced with what you do, I’d be a nervous wreck.” Charlene gave her ponytail a tug.
“I like my job. Standing in front of a large crowd gives me a rush of adrenaline.”
“Hey look! There’s a big balloon in the sky.”
Eli looked where Abby pointed. Everyone else did the same.
“See how colorful it is.” Charlene’s eyes widened as she continued to watch the enormous balloon.
“I’d love to be up there right now,” Kendra said wistfully.
“Same here.” Even Ron seemed intrigued by the colorful sight.
“Could be one of the balloons coming from Charm, or it might be one from Millersburg.” Lyle tipped his head back, holding one hand above his brows. “Every now and then we see ’em drifting over our farm.”
“From what I’ve heard, they have several locations around Ohio where you can take a balloon ride,” Eli stated.
The children ran farther into the yard, while the rest of them stood and watched the brilliant balloon against the deep blue sky.
Eli chuckled when the kids waved at the people in the balloon. It was almost overhead now, and low enough that he could make out a few people in the basket suspended underneath the giant orb. The children squealed with delight when the riders responded by waving back.
“They’re waving at us!” Abby shouted, while Conner jumped up and down.
Everyone watched as the balloon drifted onward, until it could barely be seen.
“Now that was an unexpected surprise,” Heidi said when everyone returned to the picnic table to finish eating their cobbler.
Eli couldn’t quit watching the children as they giggled and chattered to each other. Obviously seeing the balloon was a magical moment for them, and to be honest, it seemed to put the others into a friendlier, more relaxed state of mind. He grinned as Loretta tried to calm her children when they asked to go for a ride in a balloon.
“Maybe someday, when you’re older, we’ll see about taking a ride, but for now, I don’t believe you’d be tall enough to see over the basket you’d be standing in.” Loretta looked at Eli and smiled.
Seconds later, Abby changed the subject. “We have a salamander in our garden.”
“His name is Oscar.” Wide-eyed, Conner clapped his hands. “He lives under a rock.”
While Charlene and Kendra questioned the children about Oscar, Eli glanced at Heidi, gazing at the children with what could only be considered adoration. He could almost read her mind and felt the same sadness he saw in her eyes. Loretta was fortunate to have two great kids. The joy on their faces as they explained about the salamander and their excitement when the balloon floated over were priceless. Ron even commented on the children’s pet salamander. I wonder if he has any children?
Arf! Arf! The Troyers’ Brittany spaniel bounded up to the picnic table, wagging his tail.
Eagerly, Abby and Conner left their seats and began petting the dog. “Can we get a doggy like this?” Abby looked up at her mother.
“Not right now.” Loretta tapped her daughter’s arm. “Maybe after you and your brother are a little older and can take care of a pet.” Conner’s lower lip protruded. “I’m a big boy, Mommy. I wanna dog.”
She squatted beside them and stroked Rusty’s silky hair. “I know, son, but it will have to wait until I get a job. Feeding a dog and taking care of its needs is an added expense we don’t need right now.”
Eli imagined how difficult it must be to turn down a request as innocent as Conner’s. He finished his cobbler and set his fork down. It may not be as long as you think, Loretta.
Chapter 23
The following Saturday, Eli hitched his horse to the closed-in buggy. His first stop would be his folks’ place, and then on to Loretta’s.
He climbed into the buggy and took up the reins. Sure hope she’s home today. I’m eager to see her children’s faces when they find out what I brought ’em.
Heading out onto the road, Eli whistled his favorite tune. Since Mavis’s death, mornings were usually the worst for him. Grasping for something to look forward to each day, he felt thankful for a job that kept him busy. Even so, making coffins was work, not fun. But he was good at his craft, and the money Eli earned paid his bills.
Since beginning to take Heidi’s cooking classes, Eli’s spirits had lifted some, and he no longer dreaded getting out of bed on those days. Of course, it might have more to do with meeting Loretta and her kinner than learning how to cook. Since the time he’d become a widower, Eli hadn’t felt as comfortable with any woman until now. It made no sense. Loretta wasn’t Amish, and he’d only met her a little over a month ago. He shouldn’t even be thinking about her.
“Maybe I’m desperate for female companionship.”
Eli’s horse twitched its ears.
“Just keep movin’ girl; I wasn’t talkin’ to you.” He leaned back in his seat, enjoying the ride. In his book, traveling by horse and buggy beat any other mode of transportation. Walking was fine if the destination was close. Riding a bike was okay, too, and provided a good workout. But because Mavis had died while riding her bike, every time Eli got on one, he felt apprehensive. He’d felt even more hesitant to ride his bicycle after last week when he’d been taunted by those teenage boys. Thanks to the deputy showing up, they’d moved on. Hopefully, Eli had seen the last of them.
“Just look at how quickly these weeds have grown.” Heidi knelt on a foam pad next to her vegetable garden.
“You talkin’ to me?”
Heidi jerked her head, surprised to see Ron standing a few feet from her. “Uh, no. I didn’t see you there. I talk to myself now and then.”
He chuckled. “I do it sometimes, too. I’ll only become worried when I start answering my own questions.”
Heidi smiled. So Ron does have a humorous side. He often seemed so serious and sometimes a bit grumpy. Of course, living all alone, with no home of his own, would be quite depressing.
“Need help pullin’ weeds?” he asked.
“No, thanks. Since there’s only a few, I can manage. Besides, shouldn’t you be working on your RV now that you have the part you need?”
He tugged on his ear. “You’re right, I need to get started with it, but I can’t seem to get in the mood.” He pointed to the blue sky above. “It’s nice out today, and I feel like takin’ a walk.”
“Maybe you should. Fresh air and exercise is always a good thing.”
“Yeah.” Ron hesitated, as if he might want to say more, but then he mumbled, “See you later, Heidi,” and sauntered off.
She watched as he headed down the driveway and out toward the road. Heidi still felt a bit uneasy around Ron, but the longer he stayed here, the more compassion she felt for him.
As Heidi returned to weeding, her thoughts went in another direction. She reflected on her brief conversation with Kendra during last week’s cooking class. She’d been surprised when Kendra had asked about coming by sometime to visit and get better acquainted. The poor girl obviously needed a friend. Heidi hoped if Kendra did drop by, she would have an opportunity to talk with her about the best friend anyone could have—Jesus Christ.
Concentrating on the job at hand, Heidi plunged her trowel into the ground to attack a few more weeds. The sun beating down on her scarf-covered head made it feel like summer instead of spring. “Even my dress is sticking to me.” She pulled the material away from her skin. The garden gloves s
he wore felt confining as well, but she’d put up with them until she finished weeding. The warm weather persisted today, as it had all week. If summer is going to be like this, our grill will get a real workout, because it’ll be too hot to heat up the kitchen by using the stove.
Heidi’s hand went to her growling stomach. It was way past lunchtime. Setting her trowel aside, she rose to her feet and headed inside.
“Whew! That feels better.” Heidi peeled off her garden gloves, turned on the cold water, and lathered soap over her sweaty hands. Grabbing a towel, she glanced out the kitchen window just as a car pulled into the yard. “Oh, good, Kendra did come for a visit.” Heidi dried her hands and opened the door to let her young student in.
“I hope you don’t mind me dropping by unannounced.” Kendra offered Heidi a sheepish-looking grin. “I borrowed my friend’s car today to run a few errands, so I decided to stop here on the way back to see if you were home and had time to talk.”
“Certainly.” Heidi led the way to the kitchen. “I was about to fix myself some lunch. If you haven’t eaten, you’re welcome to join me.”
“I ate a late breakfast, but even so, I am a bit hungry.” Kendra smiled. “If it’s no trouble, I’d enjoy having lunch with you.”
“No trouble at all.” Heidi gestured to the table. “Take a seat and I’ll fix us a sandwich. Is ham and cheese okay?”
“I love ham and cheese, but let me help you.”
Heidi took out the loaf of bread she’d baked yesterday and asked Kendra to get the ham and cheese slices from the refrigerator. “There’s a jar of mayonnaise in there, too, and also some lettuce.”
“Do you have any dill pickles?” Kendra snickered. “For some reason I’ve been craving pickles lately. It’s the weirdest thing. The other night when I couldn’t sleep, I got up and raided my friend’s refrigerator.”
“I’m not speaking from experience, but from what other women tell me, craving certain foods is common during pregnancy.”
Amish Cooking Class - The Seekers Page 16