Naomi bit back her smile. “We call it a daadi haus. But, in a way, it is a daddy house.”
“Shouldn’t your elderly parents be living here?” she continued.
“Lynnette! You’re being nosy.” Nadine looked at Naomi. “You don’t have to answer that. Honestly, how rude!”
“It’s fine,” Naomi said, realizing that she’d better get used to prying questions if she was going to host outsiders. “My parents are both deceased. The rest of my kin live in Pennsylvania.”
“Then why’d you move to Indiana?”
“Lynnette! Stop harassing the poor woman.” Nadine’s small gray eyes settled on Naomi. “But really, why did you move here?”
Naomi swallowed. “My husband and father wanted to farm this land.”
“Of course,” Nadine responded. “Makes sense. How are they doing then? How does your father like it around here?”
“He was killed in a traffic accident.” Naomi moved to the bedrooms. Enough was enough.
“Oh, honey! I’m so sorry!” Nadine exclaimed after her.
“Now, you’ve done it,” Lynnette muttered under her breath, but Naomi clearly heard her.
“It was a while ago. Please don’t worry.” Naomi opened the door to the children’s old room. “One of you can stay in here. There is a lantern and matches on the table.” She walked past them to the other bedroom and opened the door but didn’t look inside. “The other of you can sleep here.”
A choking sensation was climbing up her throat. If she didn’t get out of there fast, she could suffocate. The air was becoming thinner by the second, and she grew heady.
“Supper will be at six o’clock. We’ll see you then,” she managed to choke out.
She hurried from the house, letting the screen door bang shut behind her. A thin layer of sweat broke out on her upper lip. She stopped at the side door of the big house, leaning against it, trying to compose herself.
“Naomi?”
She closed her eyes.
“Naomi, are you all right?” The concern in Zach’s deep voice was like another layer of heat covering her. Smothering her.
She slumped against the door, sliding down. Zach rushed to her side, grabbing her under her arms and pulling her back up. “Naomi!” he cried.
She leaned into him, and he managed to get the screen open to help her inside. He lowered her to a stool in the washroom. She dropped her head, closing her eyes.
How incredibly embarrassing. What was wrong with her? If this was going to happen when two old women asked her questions, she was going into the wrong business.
“Can you sit up by yourself?” Zach asked, bending over her as if trying to look into her eyes.
“Jah.” She straightened her shoulders, but she was too ashamed to raise her face to him.
“All right.” He left her and went into the kitchen. She heard him in the cupboard and heard the tap go on then off. He came back, holding a glass full of water. “Drink,” he said. “It will make you feel better.”
She took the glass and gratefully took a long drink. It did make her feel better. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”
“You have new guests?”
“Jah. Two women.”
Zach stepped back as if he wanted to get a better look at her. “Your face was white as cow’s milk,” he said. “It’s better now.”
“Thank you. For helping me, I mean.”
The worry lines etched across his forehead softened. “I want to help you,” he uttered, and then as if realizing what he’d just said, his cheeks colored. He took off his straw hat and ran his hand over his mouth and chin. “I’m done with my field work for the day.”
A sudden sensation that the washroom was too small for the both of them came over her. She stood, feeling steadier now.
“That’s gut.”
“Jah.” He fingered the brim of his hat. “The fencing around your pigpen needs fixing. That critter is going to escape before long.”
Naomi frowned. She hadn’t paid much mind to the hog lately. Ben was in charge of feeding him. “I’ll get on it.”
Zach reached out and touched her arm, and a deep surge of heat zapped through her. He jerked his hand back, as if he’d felt it, too. “I’ll fix it. That’s why I was mentioning it. So you wouldn’t worry.”
“But Zach, you mustn’t. You lease the land. You’re not responsible for fixing things around here. I can do it. You already fixed the roof.”
“Naomi.” His voice was firm. He pressed his hat back on his head, and stepped toward the door. “I said I’ll do it. So, I’ll do it.”
And with that, he walked out of the house shutting the door behind him.
She stared at the closed door. Taking a step across the room, she watched him through the thin cotton curtains at the small window. His stride was long and determined. Angry-looking, almost. She shivered. Why would he be angry? There was no reason.
Was there?
Chapter Five
At ten minutes after six, when Katy was tapping her bare foot against the floor of the kitchen, there was noise at the front door.
“Finally!” Katy cried. “I’ll get the food on the table.”
“Thank you, daughter.” Naomi went to the front door to let the two guests in. She wondered at herself when she didn’t tell them that they could use the side door from then on. Was she trying to keep her distance from them?
“We’re mighty hungry,” said Nadine with a wide smile.
“Been itching for some Amish-cooked food,” said Lynnette.
“Please come through and take a seat,” Naomi directed. The women followed her to the dining area, and Naomi smiled as they both perched on the bench next to Ben.
“Hello there, young fella,” Nadine said. She reached out to tussle Ben’s hair, but Ben made a slight movement back and her hand dropped to her lap.
“This is my son, Ben,” Naomi said quickly. “And helping with supper is my daughter, Katy.”
“Nice to know you,” Lynnette said, nodding. She glanced around the table, looking at the place settings.
Naomi could practically hear her counting them.
“And your husband?” the woman asked, her brows raised.
Naomi’s gaze darted to both her children before answering. “He was in the accident with my father. My mother, too,” she said, her voice soft. “They’re all deceased.”
Lynnette’s eyes widened, and her cheeks turned pink. “Oh. Uh. I’m real sorry to hear that.”
“Then who was the young man out in the fields earlier?” Nadine asked.
Katy blinked and turned on her heel back to the kitchen.
“That’s Mr. Zach,” Ben said.
Naomi put her hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Zachariah King. He leases our land to farm.”
“I see,” Nadine said.
Katy returned with a basket of bread, but Naomi could see that her eyes were moist and her lips were pressed tightly together.
“Thank you, Katy.” Naomi sat and nodded to Katy’s spot. Katy sat, staring down at her plate. “Shall we say the blessing?”
During the meal, the two women kept up a constant stream of chatter. Naomi was thankful that it wasn’t all questions she had to answer. She was also grateful that she didn’t have to say much. Katy was completely silent, and Ben began to look sleepy enough to fall right off the bench.
Finally, after an hour of non-stop talk, the two got up and moved from the table.
“What time is breakfast?” Nadine asked.
“We can serve it at seven-thirty, unless you have a different preference,” Naomi said.
“How about eight-thirty?” Lynnette asked. “Even that’s a bit early.”
“Now you know, Lynnette,” interjected Nadine, “we need to be getting on the road.”
“True. But there’s time enough, I would think.”
“Then, we’ll say good night,” Naomi said and stood. “Breakfast will be at eight-thirty.”
The women looked a
bit abashed, as if they didn’t expect to be dismissed. Naomi supposed they’d planned to sit in the front room and talk the rest of the evening away, but Naomi knew she wouldn’t be able to bear it. She hated to be ungrateful, but she wondered whether their one hundred dollars was worth the inquisition.
Justin Moore had been so much more fun as a guest.
She felt her cheeks grow warm, as she ushered the women to the front door. They said good night, and Naomi watched them go down the porch steps.
“Let me know if you need anything,” she called after them, feeling almost guilty—as if she needed to offer something in return for not wanting to spend the whole evening together. But then she realized she was being silly. Surely, it wasn’t necessary to entertain guests every moment of their stay.
She went to the kitchen where Katy was busy washing dishes. She walked up to her and put her arm around the young girl’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, daughter. They are quite the talkers, aren’t they?”
Katy nodded.
“They meant no harm.”
“I know,” Katy said.
“Leave these dishes. Why don’t you go outside for a bit before bedtime?”
Katy pulled her hands from the water, and Naomi handed her a towel. “It’ll get better, you know. Every month that passes. It’ll get better.”
Again, Katy nodded. Then she threw her arms around Naomi is a crushing hug. Naomi held her close for a long while. Katy didn’t cry, nor did she make a sound, which was a welcome change. Used to be the girl couldn’t stop weeping.
Naomi sent up a prayer of gratitude. What she’d said was true. Things were getting better, whether they were consciously aware of it or not. Her mind jolted back to her episode earlier when Zach had intervened. She took a slow breath and kissed the top of Katy’s kapp. Despite what had happened that afternoon, she was getting better, too.
But she was grateful that Zach had been there. She hadn’t liked him seeing her like that, but his strong hands helping her inside had been a comfort. He was a good man.
How often she thought so.
Naomi braced herself the next morning for the onslaught of the women at breakfast. Surprisingly, they were quiet. Both of them looked tired, and Naomi worried that they hadn’t slept well or been comfortable in the daadi haus.
As they were checking out and paying, Naomi decided to ask them. “Did you sleep all right?”
“Neither of us ever sleep well the first night in a new place,” Nadine said. She put her hand on Naomi’s arm. “Now, don’t you get upset about it. It had nothing to do with the accommodations. Everything was real comfortable.”
“I’ll put the bags in the car,” Lynnette called through the door.
Nadine went on. “We want to thank you for everything. Actually, we’re sorry we can’t stay another night. We’ll be sharing all about your place with our friends, though. So be expecting more guests.” Nadine leaned close as if making an important announcement. “My book club has read quite a few Amish romances. They’re going to be plum jealous of me and Lynnette. I imagine a few of them will book a stay immediately.” She glanced around the top of the expansive oak desk as if searching for something. “Do you have a phone?”
Naomi shook her head. “Not yet. I will get one soon.” And she realized it was true. She would get one soon; although, she didn’t have a clue about what was involved in buying a cell phone.
“Wonderful! Why don’t I give you my number and when you get a phone, you give me a call. I’ll spread the word to my Book Club. My relatives, too. They’d fancy a night with the Amish.”
Naomi took down Nadine’s number.
“I guess that’s it, then.” Nadine gave her a smile. “Don’t be too surprised if you see us again next year. We pass through this way every year on our way up to Chicago. We have a conference there. It’s a church retreat of sorts. Why, you might be interested. It’s quite—”
“Nadine!” Lynnette called from the porch. “Are you coming? We’re going to be late. And you know the Chicago traffic. We’ll be lucky to arrive at all!”
Nadine laughed. “Okay. I’m off. Good-bye, Naomi.”
Naomi hurried with her to the door and waved them off. As the billows of dust followed them out of the drive, she couldn’t help but smile. For all their nosy ways, they really were nice women. Truth be told, they weren’t so different from many of her own people. After all, didn’t her fellow women friends want to know everything about everyone, too?
She’d have that confirmed soon enough at the quilting frolic on Saturday.
On a whim, she decided to walk down the drive to check again on her sign. The heat of the sun wrapped itself around her like a woolen cape as she tread over the dirt and smooth stones. The warm earth felt good on her bare feet, and she swung her arms loosely at her sides, feeling almost carefree. When she got to the road, she saw the sign still standing, looking even sturdier than when she and the children had first put it up. She wondered whether it was settling into the ground.
She shaded her eyes against the sun’s rays and considered the sign further. She supposed it had a bit of charm to it, despite the somewhat messy writing and amateurish appearance. Squinting her eyes, she imagined a new sign there. A beautiful carved sign, announcing Byler’s Bed & Breakfast in plain box letters, all evenly done in beautiful oak wood. It would be lovely.
The whine of a car’s motor coming close brought Naomi from her reverie, and she turned to go back to the house. There were still some morning chores to be done, and she thought she’d prepare a special snack for the children that morning.
A week passed with no guests. Naomi didn’t mind as she had plenty to do. Attending the quilting frolic had inspired her to begin a new quilt of her own. She decided to use pieces from Isaac’s and her parents’ clothing. She would incorporate them into two quilts and give one to Ben and one to Katy. The idea pleased her greatly, and she couldn’t wait to begin. She decided to keep her work a secret from the children and surprise them with the finished quilts. They would be right fine keepsakes.
Zachariah had been as good as his word, fixing the pigpen for them. Ben had helped, and during suppertime that evening, he had excitedly recounted how each nail was pounded. With a feeling of contentment, Naomi had watched the glimmer in his eyes and the glow on his face. Now, if she could only find a way to bring that look of pleasure to Katy’s face.
“Mamm,” Katy said, opening the screen door and coming out to join Naomi on the porch. “Can I go to see Liz? I haven’t played with her for a long time.”
Naomi smiled. “She can come over here to play if you’d like. You could make cookies together.” Katy loved baking more than just about anything.
Katy grimaced. “Liz hates to cook.”
“But does she hate to eat?” Naomi asked, with a twinkle in her eye.
Katy laughed. “She likes to eat.”
“Why not go over and ask her to come? If you don’t want to bake cookies, I will. Either way, you’ll both get a treat.”
Katy gave her a quick hug. “Thanks, Mamm.” She skipped down the steps and was halfway to the road when she paused and turned back. “We don’t have to let Ben play with us, do we?”
Naomi usually insisted that Ben be included. Katy fussed about it, but she was a fairly good sport. Naomi supposed that it was time Katy and Liz had playtime without a young brother hanging around. “No, daughter, Ben doesn’t have to play with you.”
Katy grinned and took off running, kicking up a few loose rocks as she sped away.
Naomi picked up a pair of Ben’s trousers from the basket beside her and began to mend the hole in the knee. The patch she’d attached only the month before had already pulled loose. Typical boy, she mused, as she threaded her needle.
A sense of peace filled her as she sat there, rhythmically pushing and pulling the needle in and out of the fabric. There was a faint hum of insects in the air, and a slight breeze touched her face. With a start, she realized she was smiling. She was sittin
g there on her porch, smiling—for no real reason.
“Dear Gott, thank You,” she whispered. “You truly are with us, watching over us and caring for us. Thank You.”
No sooner had she spoken her prayer than she opened her eyes to see a white car coming up her drive toward the porch. Her breath caught in her throat. A white car.
She stood and dropped the mending to the floor.
Is it? Could it be? Impossible!
The car was close enough that she could see the driver clearly through the windshield. She saw his strong jaw, his whiskered chin, and his delighted smile. Her heart froze within her. What was he doing? Why had he come?
Her first instinct was to run inside the house, slam the door, and hide. Her second instinct was to run down the steps and greet him with her own delighted smile.
She did neither.
She stood on the edge of the porch, like a chiseled sculpture, her mind racing through possible reasons for his presence. The car engine stopped and he got out, stretching tall and again impressing her with his unusual height.
“Naomi,” he said, and her name was like a melody on his lips.
She blinked, opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came forth.
“I’ve shocked you,” he stated. He shut his car door and came around to the bottom of the steps. “I would have called, but—” He shrugged, his smile still holding. “Since there’s no phone, that wasn’t going to work.”
He took a step up, and Naomi’s pulses raced.
“Aren’t you even going to greet me?” His smile shortened at the edges. “Have I made a mistake? Coming again?”
“I-I, gut afternoon, Justin,” she stammered.
He exhaled and tilted his head. “I knew it was a risk. Me coming back so soon. But I do have a reason. I have something for you.”
Her eyebrows rose. She clasped her hands to her chest, feeling completely dismayed. And excited. And afraid. And disgusted with herself for all three emotions.
Justin Moore was a kind man. He wasn’t to be feared. He was a friend. Pure and simple. There was nothing wrong with that. Was there?
Amish Romance Box Set: Finding Home Page 29