by Amy Clipston
Aaron knocked on the door frame and then stepped into the shop. “Hello?” he called over the noise.
The man stopped working and turned toward Aaron. He shut off the generator, and his brow furrowed as he stared at him. “May I help you?”
“Saul?” Aaron took a step toward him.
Saul’s eyes widened. “Aaron Ebersol? Is it you?”
“Ya, it’s me,” Aaron said. “I made it.”
“Praise God!” Saul clapped his hands. “I’m so glad I didn’t have to go out to Missouri and fetch you.”
Aaron shook his head. “No, that wasn’t necessary. When we talked last week I told you I’d get out here as soon as I could. My business partner, Zac, is taking care of things so I can stay here for a while if my family wants me to. I arrived in town about an hour ago.” He paused. “You didn’t tell anyone I was coming, right?”
“No. I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up in case, well, in case you changed your mind or got held up. If you just got here, I take it you haven’t see your mamm yet?”
“No, I . . . I wanted to talk to you first.” Aaron glanced around the shop. “You have a nice setup here.” He pointed toward the door. “I saw you have other buildings as well.”
“Ya.” Saul wiped his hand on a shop rag. “I bought this property from Mel and Martha Stoltzfus. They owned all this land, including that smaller haus by the road. Soon after I bought the farm, I converted one of the large barns into this shop, and I added two more buildings a couple of years later. I stain the wood in one of the other buildings, and the third shop is the showroom.”
“This is great.” Aaron shoved his hands in his pockets while glancing around at the workbenches full of tools. “I take it you’ve been successful.”
“Ya, I have. The Lord has blessed me with a gut business. I’m thankful.” Saul leaned against the workbench behind him. “You’ve been blessed with a successful business as well, ya?”
“Yes, it has been successful. When the economy tanked, so did some of our business, but it’s starting to pick up again. We’re actually beginning to see a decent profit.” Aaron shoved his hand through his messy curls. “When I moved out to Missouri, my friends and I all went to work for a construction company. The owner was also a former Amish man. He taught us everything he knew about the business, and I met my friend Zac. His mother had left the Amish community and married an Englisher. Zac and I moved up in the company, and seven years ago, we took out a loan and started our own business.”
“That’s great,” Saul said.
“Thanks. It’s grown a lot since we started,” Aaron continued. “We have quite a few employees, and we hire former Amish workers too. It’s sort of our way to give back to the community. We help other young Amish find their way in the English world. It’s worked out well. The phone rings off the hook some days. We do very little advertising. It’s mostly word of mouth and referrals.”
Saul’s expression hardened slightly. “Do you think it’s right for you to help former Amish find their way in the outside world? You’re leading them astray instead of leading them back to the community.”
Aaron could tell he’d hit a nerve with Saul, but he didn’t want to argue with him. After all, Aaron had left when he was fifteen, and he had help adjusting to the English lifestyle. “People leave for different reasons, Saul. It’s not my place to judge them. It’s up to them to decide if they belong in the Amish community or in the modern world. I simply offer help to those who need it.”
Saul moved to a cooler and pulled out two bottles of water. “Would you like some water?”
“Thanks.” Aaron opened the bottle Saul handed him and took a long drink.
Saul watched Aaron for a moment as if he were considering his words. “Does Timothy work for you?”
“Timothy?” Aaron tilted his head in question and then recognition flashed through his mind. “You mean Timothy Esh.” He knew Saul’s wife, Annie, had abandoned him and their daughter, filed for divorce, and moved to Missouri to be with Timothy, who had been her first boyfriend.
“Ya.” Saul’s expression was grim.
Aaron nodded. “Yes, he does. I guess you remember he and I left the community about the same time.”
Saul’s gaze moved to the floor, and Aaron struggled with what to say. He knew Annie had died in an accident nearly two years ago, and he was certain it was still a loss for Saul despite his painful past with her.
“I’m sorry about Annie,” Aaron said.
“Danki.” Saul cleared his throat as he looked over at Aaron. “I’m froh you made it here.”
“Thank you.” It was time to stop stalling. Aaron had to move from the small talk to the reason he was here. “How’s my mamm?” His voice hitched on the word mamm.
“Apparently her stroke was fairly severe.” Saul sat down on a stool. “She spent a few days in the hospital until her condition stabilized, and now she’s home. The doctors only agreed to skipping a stay in a rehab center because she’ll have so much support at home. Nurses come to help care for her, and both a physical and speech therapist come. Her right side was markedly affected, and she needs to learn basics like how to dress and feed herself, as well as speak more clearly. Her words are a bit garbled, and she has problems getting out what she wants to say.”
All this new information weighed heavily on Aaron’s chest, stealing his breath. He inspected the toe of his work boot.
“I’m sorry, Aaron. I had hoped there would be better news when you got here.”
Aaron sipped more water and then cleared his throat in hopes of restraining his surging emotion.
“The good news is that she can get all this therapy at home.” Saul studied him. “She asks about you constantly, Aaron. That’s why I called you. It’s gut that you’re here. Maybe it will help with her frustration.”
“What do you mean by frustration?” Aaron held his bottle a bit tighter.
“Because she has a difficult time speaking, she gets upset. She’s often agitated and lashes out at people, even your dat.”
Aaron shook his head with disbelief. “I don’t ever remember my mamm lashing out at my dat, my brother, or me. She sounds like someone I don’t know.”
“The stroke has changed her. It’s been difficult on your dat, but the community has pitched in to help. Becky helps the most, but some of the women take meals and help clean and do laundry too.” Saul paused to drink more water. “There’s more, Aaron. She’s lost her mobility.”
“She can’t walk?”
Saul hesitated. “No, she’s in a wheelchair. But with therapy . . .”
Aaron blew out a sigh. “This is a lot to take in. In my mind, I still see her as the mother I left when I was fifteen. She was still young and strong. I knew she would grow older, but I never imagined she’d have a stroke and change into someone I don’t know.”
“I think Ruth is still the same person. She’s just going through a rough time. But things have changed, Aaron. You’ve been gone a long time.”
“I know I have. Is my dat still healthy?”
“Ya, but even with all the help, this is taking a toll on him.”
“Where did the stroke happen?” Aaron asked.
“It was the Sunday before last. We were all surprised your parents weren’t at church. Your mamm hadn’t been feeling well for a few days. When she woke that morning, she wasn’t able to get out of bed or communicate. Your dat called an ambulance, and they took her to the hospital. She’d lost her speech and mobility overnight. It happened that quickly.”
“Will she even know who I am?” Aaron asked.
Saul nodded with emphasis. “I believe she will. She knows everyone else. I’ve told you, she asks for you constantly. She will know her own kind.”
Aaron finished his water while the truth of his mother’s condition soaked through him. It all felt like a bad dream. He’d missed his family for so long and wondered why his mother hadn’t answered his letters. Why hadn’t his father contacted Aaron? He h
adn’t shared his contact information with anyone else in Paradise, but he always included his phone number in the letters in hopes his mother would call him.
“I was so shocked when you called that I didn’t even ask. How did you find me?”
Saul placed his bottle on the workbench behind him. “Timothy wrote to tell me about Annie’s passing, and he sent the letter in an envelope that had Paradise Builders printed on it. That’s why I thought he probably worked with you. Anyway, I remembered you once said you wanted to open your own construction business and call it Paradise Builders.”
Aaron was stunned. “You remember that? We were only kids when I said that.”
“I remember it clearly,” Saul said. “We were at a youth group gathering and someone asked what we wanted to do when we grew up. We were all sitting around in a field after playing volleyball.”
Aaron smiled. “That’s amazing, Saul. I’m stunned that you remember that so well.”
“It came to me when Madeleine asked me if I knew a way to get in touch with you.”
“Who’s Madeleine?” Aaron asked.
“She lives in the house out by the road.” Saul pointed toward the front of the property. “Madeleine works at the Lancaster Grand Hotel where your mother worked before the stroke. When Madeleine asked me that, I remembered the envelope and we searched the Internet for Paradise Builders.”
Aaron shook his head as the burning question that had bothered him since Saul’s call echoed through his mind. “If my mother was asking for me, why didn’t my father or my brother call me?”
Saul looked bewildered by the question. “You left, Aaron. No one knew where you were.”
Aaron lowered his body onto a stool. “I had no choice. Things had gotten so bad at my parents’ house that it only made sense to leave.”
“Was it really that bad?” Saul looked skeptical.
“You have to remember all the trouble I was in. My friends and I went from sneaking out and drinking to playing with matches, which resulted in torching the bishop’s barn.” Aaron grimaced with embarrassment. “My dat and I were already having problems. We argued all the time, and I knew it was tearing my mamm apart. After the barn burned down and I took the blame, my parents were left to pay for the damage. I felt so bad about it, and there was no peace at the house. I also doubted I could ever live up to the ideal Solomon had set for a son. Moving to Missouri sounded like a good idea. I didn’t want to bring any more shame to my parents.”
Saul’s eyes were full of sympathy.
Aaron fingered the bottle while he gathered his thoughts. “I didn’t cut off my family completely. I wrote my mother nearly every week for a few years, and then I wrote her monthly. I sent checks to pay my parents back for the money they spent rebuilding the barn, but I never heard back from Mamm or anyone else in the family.”
“You wrote to your mother?” Saul looked surprised. “Ruth has always made it sound like you left and never contacted her.”
“I wrote her for years, but no, I never heard back from her. And the checks were never cashed. They treated me like I didn’t exist. It’s as if they forgot about me as soon as I left.”
“That doesn’t sound like your parents. I would understand them being upset and hurt that you left, but I don’t think they would treat you as if you didn’t exist.” Saul looked unconvinced. “Your parents love you, Aaron.”
“If they loved me, then they would’ve acknowledged my letters. My family chose to ignore me, and I don’t really understand why they would need me now.”
“Aaron, you need to think beyond yourself.” Saul shook his head. “Your mamm suffered a debilitating stroke. Of course she needs you now. You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and go see her.”
Aaron stood, crinkling the plastic bottle in his hand. He needed to turn the subject to something less painful. “Do you have time to give me a tour of your property?”
“That sounds like a gut idea.” Saul started for the door and motioned for Aaron to follow him. “Kumm. You can meet my daughter, Emma, too.”
Aaron slipped into bed and under the heavy quilt. He stared up at the ceiling and considered the day. It had been his first time in his hometown in seventeen years, and he felt like a stranger, maybe even a tourist with no ties to the community. His thoughts were stuck with Saul, who had been more like an acquaintance than a close friend when they were young. Like Solomon, Saul had always been on the straight and narrow, never running with the wild boys. And now Saul had a successful business and a lovely daughter. Aaron had a successful business, too, but he’d give anything for a family, a real family that loved him and needed him.
He rolled onto his side and stared through the darkness at the wall. He had to find the courage to face his mother, and he had to do it tomorrow. He closed his eyes and sent a prayer up to God, asking him not only to grant him the courage but also to open his family’s hearts toward him. He fell asleep wondering how his mother would react when she saw him. Would she even recognize him after all these years?
Linda Zook rushed around the Hearts of Paradise Bed & Breakfast kitchen, preparing the morning meal. The spacious kitchen was painted a warm yellow color, reminding her of lemonade, and it had a long table with eight chairs to accommodate a full house of guests. Colorful paintings of farmland scenes, along with decorative plates, a calendar, and a clock bedecked the walls. Unlike her kitchen in the cottage she shared with her uncle, this kitchen had electricity and modern appliances, such as a microwave, toaster oven, dishwasher, refrigerator with an ice and water dispenser on the front, a coffee machine, and a fancy mixer for baking.
For the past week, Linda had enjoyed working at the bed-and-breakfast and learning how to use the modern appliances. She was grateful Hannah had asked her to help her and Trey with the business. Since Linda worked only part-time at the Lancaster Grand Hotel, she could help Hannah at the bed-and-breakfast and also earn extra money. As an added bonus, she hoped the extra income would help her finally earn her uncle’s respect.
The aroma of bacon, freshly baked bread, and eggs filled Linda’s senses as she dumped the pan of scrambled eggs onto a platter and then began breaking more eggs into the bowl. According to the reservation book, only one couple was staying at the bed-and-breakfast, along with a guest named Aaron Ebersol. That was not an unusual name among the Amish, but she still wondered if somehow her friend Ruth’s family had located her son. Linda didn’t know why he wouldn’t be staying at Ruth’s house, but she also didn’t know why he had stayed away all these years.
She only had fifteen minutes until the clock would strike eight. The table was set with the best dishes, utensils, and glasses, along with a bowl of fruit salad, the freshly baked rolls, butter, a variety of jams, and orange juice.
She turned to place the platter on the table and gasped when she found a man standing in the doorway watching her. Her hand flew to her mouth as she tried to slow her heart, which was pounding with shock.
“I’m sorry.” He smiled, and the corners of his bright-blue eyes crinkled. “I know I’m a bit early, but I didn’t mean to startle you. I guess I assumed you heard my work boots on the stairs.”
“It’s quite all right.” Linda’s eyes widened as she stared at him. Not only did she recognize his warm smile, but she also recalled his dark-blond curls that fell in a jumbled mess to his collar. Although his face and hair were familiar, he was now taller, much taller than she remembered. When they were fifteen, he had been only a couple of inches taller than she was. Now he stood a full foot taller than she did. She estimated he was about six-foot-two. His shoulders were broad, and his wide chest filled his button-down, collared blue shirt. He was also dressed like an Englisher with his tight blue jeans.
“Are you all right?” he asked while his gaze probed hers.
“Aaron,” she finally said. “You’re Aaron Ebersol.”
“Yes, I am.” His eyes filled with questions as he nodded.
Now that she realized their guest was Ruth�
�s Aaron, Linda’s lips formed a thin line as frustration filled her. Assuming he was here because of his mother’s condition, why had he waited over a week to come? Ruth was in a fragile state, and she had been asking for Aaron since the day of her stroke. Ruth was desperate to see Aaron and reconnect with him. He had walked away from them seventeen years ago.
“And you are . . .?” he asked.
Her frown deepened. Aaron didn’t remember her. The realization gripped her with sadness to replace her frustration. She seemed to be just as insignificant to him as she believed she was to almost everyone.
“Linda Zook,” she finished his sentence. “We went to school together.”
“Oh, Linda. It’s nice to see you again.”
She studied him, taking in his phony smile. He didn’t recall her, and now she felt disgust for him. Aaron had no regard for his family or his community. He’d forgotten his schoolmates along with his family. She hoped he didn’t disappoint Ruth when he went to visit her. Ruth mentioned Aaron constantly whenever Linda visited her, first in the hospital and then at home. It would be a tragedy if Aaron managed to break Ruth’s already fragile heart with his arrogant demeanor and blatant disregard for his former community.
“Please have a seat. Help yourself to some eggs and rolls.” She placed the platter of eggs on the table and then turned toward the stove, where the bacon sputtered and sizzled. “The bacon is ready too.”
“Thank you. Everything smells delicious.”
She drained the bacon, slid it onto a platter, and quickly set it on the table, doing her best to avoid conversation with Aaron. She couldn’t possibly be friendly with this man after he’d hurt his mother so badly. Ruth was her dear friend, and Aaron had broken Ruth’s heart when he left and never bothered to contact her.
“How long have you worked here?” he asked.