The Forgotten Recipe

by Amy Clipston

  “Is that so?” He rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “Let me think.” He took in the large, fluffy clouds in the sky. “I predict rain on Friday.” He met her smile, and his pulse raced.

  “Friday, huh?” She smoothed her hands over her apron. “I will be sure to have my umbrella handy.”

  “That’s a gut plan. And if it doesn’t rain, then at least you can say you were prepared.”

  “Do you like rain?” she asked. “I mean, do you like to listen to it or watch it?”

  He nodded. “Ya, I like listening to it at night when I’m trying to fall asleep. It’s sort of soothing.”

  “I like storms too.” She had a faraway look in her eyes as she looked toward the road. “I used to sit on the porch and watch them with . . . a freind.”

  That friend was Seth; Jason was certain of it. He recalled Seth talking about sitting on his parents’ porch and holding Veronica’s hand last summer during a loud and bright thunderstorm. “I like storms too.” And I would love to watch them with you.

  Veronica’s smile returned. “Well, come back and see me when you run out of pies again. At this point, I feel like I should give them to you free as a payment for the weather reports.”

  Jason chuckled. “I don’t think my weather guesses are worth free pies. I wouldn’t feel right about that.”

  She smiled, and he again considered telling her he had known Seth. But he was sure her smile would disappear if he mentioned her fiancé’s name.

  “Well, if it rains on Friday, next week’s pie is free.” Her smile suddenly faded, and pink stained her cheeks. “Only if you need a pie next week. I didn’t mean that you should feel pressured to come back next week.”

  Was she embarrassed, afraid she’d been too bold to assume he wanted to visit with her? She had no idea just how much he enjoyed their conversation.

  “I’m certain I’ll be back next week, and there’s no pressure.” He lifted the pies. “And if it rains on Friday, I’ll be surprised, but I’ll still pay for my pies. Have a gut week.”

  “You too.”

  Jason started for the buggy and glanced back once to look at Veronica. His smile deepened as she waved.

  “VERONICA?” RACHEL STOOD IN THE DOORWAY OF HER SISTER’S room later that evening.

  “Ya?” Veronica looked up from the Christian memoir she was reading.

  “I was wondering if you were still angry with me for talking about Jason the other day.” Rachel ran her fingers over the doorframe.

  “No, I’m not.” She patted the bed beside her. “You can come in.”

  “Danki.” Rachel sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry for upsetting you. We’re all just worried about you.”

  “I know.” Veronica sighed and closed the book. “I realize that, but I don’t like to be pressured.”

  “I know.” Rachel picked at lint on her white nightgown. “Emily and I want you to come to the youth gathering tomorrow.”

  Veronica opened her mouth to protest, and Rachel held up her finger to silence her.

  “Just wait one minute and hear what I have to say,” Rachel added. “We’re combining our youth group with another, so it will be a bigger group than usual. We’re going to play volleyball and Ping-Pong, and there will be a lot of food. Just come and have a gut time. There won’t be any pressure to meet buwe. You can just hang out with me and Emily and our freinden.”

  It was tempting. She used to enjoy being with her sisters at the youth gatherings, but she stopped going when she started spending more time with Seth and his family.

  “Please, Veronica.” Rachel’s brown eyes pleaded with her. “Just come and be with us. Emily and I miss you.”

  “I’ll go.” Veronica said the words when she realized just how much she missed being with her sisters and their friends. “It sounds fun.”

  “Danki!” Rachel leaned over and hugged her. “I promise you’ll have a great time.”

  “I’m going to make sure you keep that promise,” Veronica said, joking.

  Before Rachel stepped into the hallway, she looked back over her shoulder at Veronica. “Did he come to buy another pie today?”

  Veronica knew her sister was asking about Jason. “Ya, he bought two more.”

  “I think Emily is right about him.” Rachel faced her and leaned against the doorframe. “It sounds like he really likes you.”

  “Gut nacht.” Veronica smiled, thankful that her sister didn’t say anything else about Jason. She’d spent all afternoon contemplating him. Talking to him seemed too easy and fun. She longed to see him again, but she couldn’t allow herself to think about him too much. Yearning to know him felt so wrong.

  Veronica pushed thoughts of Jason away and lifted the book off her bed. While trying to immerse herself in the story, a vision of Jason’s smile crept back into her mind. He was handsome, fun, and sweet, but her heart belonged to someone else. She shouldn’t even think about Jason, but she found herself wondering when she’d see him again.

  CHAPTER 8

  JASON GRIPPED A CUP OF WATER IN HIS HAND WHILE HE watched a young woman and a young man play Ping-Pong in a large barn the following evening. The aroma of animals and hay wafted over him as he scanned the large, open area. Mary stood close beside him and smiled up at him.

  “So I was thinking maybe we could take a walk around the pond,” Mary said. “I want to tell you all about my week. I had some interesting encounters at the hardware store.”

  She prattled on about the customers she’d seen, and Jason tried and failed to listen to her. Instead, he glanced toward the entrance to the barn and worked on coming up with an excuse to leave. Even though the barn was huge and full of dozens of young people, he felt as if the room were closing in on him. He longed to walk around the pond alone and enjoy his thoughts, which had been tied up with Veronica since he’d seen her yesterday. He knew a friendship was beginning to form between Veronica and him, and he’d contemplated going to visit her tonight instead of going to the youth gathering. His brother, however, started nagging him this morning and didn’t relent until Jason had agreed to go. Stephen insisted that Jason had to see Mary tonight, even though Mary was the furthest person from his mind.

  “Did you hear what I said?” Mary eyed him, frowning as she placed her hand on her small hip. “I was telling you about the farmer who wanted me to help him pick out a chicken coop. Have you ever built a chicken coop?”

  He blinked at her in disbelief. Did she really want to discuss chicken coops? I have to get out of here. “I’ll be right back.”

  “What?” she asked. “Where are you going?”

  “Just wait here.” Jason forced a smile as he placed his plastic cup on a chair. He walked toward the door, picking up a battery-operated lantern as he stepped outside into the sweltering July night. He looked up at the clear sky, taking in the bright stars. He walked toward the pond, passing groups of young people talking and laughing. Volleyball games lit by Coleman lanterns continued in a nearby pasture.

  Jason took a deep, cleansing breath. His shoes crunched on the rock pathway as he neared the pond. He spotted the silhouette of a young woman sitting on a large rock and he slowed his pace. He didn’t want to bother her.

  She turned to look at him, and his breath caught in his throat.

  “Veronica?” he asked. No, he had to be dreaming. Why would she be here?

  “Jason?” She smiled. “Oh, it’s such a relief to see a familiar face.” She touched a flat rock beside her. “Do you have a minute to talk?”

  “Absolutely.” He sank down onto the rock and placed the lantern between them. The warm glow illuminated her pretty face and sparkling blue eyes. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  “I didn’t expect to be here.” She shook her head. “My schweschdere insisted I get out of the haus and meet some people my own age. I haven’t met anyone over the age of twenty-one.”

  “I’m twenty-four.” He grinned.

  “That’s a relief. I’m twenty-two, almost twenty-t
hree.”

  “When is your birthday?” he asked.

  “October.” She sighed and tossed a pebble toward the pond. It skipped twice before plopping into the water.

  “If it’s any consolation, my bruder forced me to come here too.”

  Her eyes widened. “He did?”

  “Yeah.” Jason tossed a pebble into the pond, and it landed with a plop. “You are much better at skipping stones than I am.”

  “It’s one of my rare talents.” She tossed another pebble, which skipped four times before sinking.

  “You make appeditlich pies, relishes, and jams, and you can skip stones.” He shook his head. “You are a multitalented maedel.”

  “Danki.” She giggled, and the sound was a sweet melody to his ears. “So why didn’t you want to come here?”

  He sighed. “Stephen is trying to set me up with his girlfriend’s schweschder.”

  “Oh, your bruder has a girlfriend?” Veronica frowned. “I didn’t realize that.”

  Jason’s stomach plummeted. Oh no, please don’t tell me you have a crush on Stephen! He pushed on, hoping to shield the worry from his face. “Ya, he’s been seeing Leah Esh for almost a year now.”

  “Emily will be very disappointed.” She skipped another stone and then wiped her hands on her apron.

  “Emily will be disappointed?” Jason’s shoulders relaxed.

  “Ya.” Veronica gave him a shy smile. “She said she wanted to invite him and you to a youth gathering.”

  Jason rested his elbows on his knees. “Really? Why haven’t you asked us?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged and fingered a rock. “So why don’t you like Leah’s schweschder?”

  She was dodging the question, and it was adorable.

  “Mary is nice, but we don’t have anything in common. I can tell she likes me, and I don’t want to disappoint her. I keep trying to tell Stephen I’m not interested, but he won’t listen.” Jason took in Veronica’s face as she skipped another pebble. “Why didn’t you want to come here?”

  “My reasons are very similar to yours.” Veronica turned toward him, and her eyes were serious. “My schweschdere have been pressuring me to get out of the haus and meet some people. When they say meet some people, they really mean they want me to date again. They think if I fall in love, I’ll get over my grief.” She tossed a flat rock, and it skipped six times before sinking.

  “You have to show me how you skip those stones,” he said. “You’re an expert.”

  Veronica’s eyes glistened. “My fiancé taught me how. It’s all in the wrist.”

  Jason’s mouth dried.

  “Watch this.” She flicked her wrist three times and then skipped another stone. “See? It’s the wrist.”

  “I see,” he said softly. I should tell her the truth. I need to tell her I knew Seth. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

  “His name was Seth Lapp, and he died,” she whispered so softly that he almost missed it because of the loud commotion coming from the makeshift volleyball courts. She skipped stones while she spoke. “He built sheds for a living, and he fell accidently. He died instantly.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jason said softly. The grief in her eyes caused his chest to squeeze. He wanted to take away all the pain she felt. He wanted to apologize for not saving Seth, but he couldn’t speak. He couldn’t say the words he knew she needed to hear.

  “Thanks.” Her smile was sad. “It’s been three months, but some days it feels like it was only yesterday.” She sighed. “My schweschdere think I’m going to fall in love and all the hurt will dissolve like some distant memory. The truth is, I don’t think I could ever fall in love again.” She suddenly stared at him. “Do you think God gives us more than one person to love?”

  Jason paused, stunned by the question. Why was Veronica asking for his opinion on something so intimate? “I hope so,” he said softly.

  Veronica skipped another stone. “I don’t know how I can ever forget him,” she continued while keeping her eyes trained on the pond. “When I close my eyes, I see his face. I hear his voice. His schweschder gave me a quilt his mammi made him when he was twelve. I can still smell his scent on it, and I cuddle up with it at night.” She skipped another stone. “Some nights I dream about his accident, and I’m actually at the shop and I save him. I catch him before he hits the floor, and he lives.”

  The blood drained from Jason’s face. I have the same dream!

  “It’s so ridiculous because he was too heavy and muscular. I know I couldn’t have saved him.” She glanced at him and blushed. “Am I embarrassing you with all this personal information?”

  “No.” He shook his head with emphasis. “Not at all.”

  “For some reason I feel comfortable with you, but you must think I’m narrisch. Why would some gegisch maedel share her intimate thoughts with someone she doesn’t even know?”

  “You trust me because I’m your weatherman, and you can tell me anything.”

  She gave a bark of laughter and then covered her mouth. “I’m sorry. That was a really ugly laugh.”

  “No, it wasn’t ugly at all. I think it was wunderbaar.”

  She smiled. “Now you have to tell me something personal, so I don’t feel so embarrassed.”

  “Hmm.” He lifted his hat and brushed his brown hair back from his forehead. “All right. I actually came out here to hide from Mary. Do you think that’s terrible?”

  Veronica nodded. “Ya, I do.” She bit her lower lip and then gave him a shy smile. “But I’m glad you did.”

  “I am too.”

  “What are you going to tell her when she finds you?” Veronica asked.

  “I’m going to tell her you’re giving me stone-skipping lessons,” he quipped.

  Veronica laughed again. “I hope she believes you.”

  “If she saw you skip stones, she would. You’re an expert.”

  Her smile faltered. “When I told you I liked to sit on the porch and watch storms with someone, it was Seth.”

  I know. Jason nodded. “It must be difficult for you. I know you miss him.” I miss him too.

  “I miss him all the time. Some days are worse than others. Sometimes I’ll see something that makes me think of him, and I fall into this pit of grief I can’t get out of.” She turned toward him. “Did you lose someone too? Is that why your bruder is pushing you to date Mary?”

  “Ya.” He tossed a stone, and it skipped three times before sinking.

  “What happened?” she asked, her voice full of concern. “Ach, I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

  “No, it’s okay. I want to tell you. I was engaged once too.” He looked out over the pond to avoid her sympathetic expression. “She changed her mind a month before we were supposed to marry.”

  “Ach, no.” Veronica breathed the words. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Thanks.” He lifted one of his shoulders in a lazy shrug, as if it were no big deal. “She moved on and married someone else, but I’ve been single ever since.”

  “What was her name?”

  “Arie.” He met her stare, and her expression was warm with empathy.

  “We’ve both been hurt. Aren’t we two peas in a pod?”

  Jason raised his eyebrows with surprise. “I guess we are.”

  “The weatherman and the stone skipper, both broken-hearted and alone.” Her smile was wide.

  He grinned. “Ya, we are, but at least we have each other.” He was falling for her, fast. His heartbeat leaped when she gave him another shy smile. Did she feel the same way? Did she feel a close connection to him? He had to tell her the truth before it would be too painful to admit.

  “Jason?”

  He spun around and found Mary staring at him with her eyebrows knitted together. “Oh, hi, Mary,” he said, hoping to sound casual instead of nervous.

  “I’ve been looking all over for you.” Mary looked at Veronica for a long moment and then looked back at Jason. “I didn’t realize you were meeting ano
ther freind tonight.”

  “He actually was helping me,” Veronica said. “He was walking by, and I was sitting here alone. I was feeling down in the dumps, and I asked him to sit with me for a minute just to talk. Jason was really nice, but I could tell he wanted to go. I was selfish and kept talking. I didn’t realize he was with you. I’m sorry.”

  Jason eyed her with surprise. Why is Veronica protecting me?

  “Oh. That’s very nice of you, Jason. I didn’t realize you were helping someone else. I thought you were avoiding me.” Mary’s expression softened. “I’m sorry for being upset with you.” She pointed toward the ground. “May I join you?”

  “No, no.” Veronica shook her head. “I don’t want to intrude.” She smiled at Jason. “Danki for listening to me. You may leave now.”

  His lips twitched, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. He longed to grab her hand and take her on a long, private walk through the pasture. “I’m sure Mary won’t mind sitting with us,” he said. “I don’t want to leave you alone if you’re still upset.”

  “I’m fine now.” Veronica faced Mary. “My schweschder is here with her boyfriend, and I’m embarrassed to admit I was jealous. They’re froh together, and I’m alone. I was feeling sorry for myself.”

  Jason examined Veronica’s expression and found truth there. Is she truly jealous of her sister?

  “Ach, no.” Mary touched her hand to her chest. “Don’t be embarrassed. I actually know how you feel. My schweschder has a boyfriend, and sometimes I have a difficult time watching them together.” She glanced toward Jason, and her cheeks were red with embarrassment. “I also am hoping to find someone special.”

  Jason shifted his weight on the rock. He suddenly felt self-conscious. He didn’t want to hurt Mary’s feelings, but he’d have to find a way to tell her the truth. He wasn’t interested in her; instead, he was interested in the maedel sitting beside him.

  Veronica looked at Jason and smiled. “I’m sure you will. There seems to be some nice buwe here today.”

  Jason hoped her smile meant she liked him as much as he liked her.