Her aunt reached out and patted her hand. “You have helped me a lot. The bookkeeping aspect alone has been more than enough.”
Kelly had been serving as the bookkeeper for the summer, paying bills and handling statements. She didn’t mind doing it because she knew it was a chore for her aunt due to her shaky hands and failing eyesight.
Irene continued. “And the way that you’ve taken to greeting the guests and showing them around the grounds has been a tremendous help. It means I get to spend more of my time doing what I love the most.” Her blue eyes sparkled. “Cooking and growing flowers.”
Kelly smiled. “You do both of those things better than anyone I’ve ever been around.”
“I won’t tell your gram you said that,” she said, winking. Her face grew serious. “There is something I want to talk to you about, though.”
“What is it? Is something wrong?” Kelly ran through a list of things in her mind. Had she forgotten to do something?
“Nothing is wrong. I know your parents’ divorce has shaken you up. And I know I’m only your great-aunt. But I hope you know you are always welcome here. If you ever need a place to call home, you’ve found it.” Irene smiled and met Kelly’s tearful gaze. “I’ve seen a change in you from the beginning of the summer.”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem more content than you did when you got here. In fact, you’re almost like a different girl.”
Kelly shrugged. “I guess I’ve been around a few people who’ve made me realize my priorities might not have been in the right order.” She reached out and grabbed her aunt’s wrinkled hand. “And thank you for welcoming me into your life. You hardly knew me.”
“When you get to be my age, dear, you learn that sometimes life is about taking a leap of faith.” She looked thoughtful. “There is one other thing. Something I want you to consider.”
“What’s that?”
“It was the dream of your uncle Louie and me to have a place like this. He passed on ten years ago and I’ve been running the inn by myself ever since.” She shook her head. “But I’m not going to be around forever. And I never had kids of my own. So I would like for it to be yours someday if you want it.”
Kelly was speechless. Her aunt’s kindness was overwhelming. “That’s very generous of you.”
“You don’t have to answer right away. And, of course, if you wanted to stop running it as a bed-and-breakfast and just use it as a summer home or a vacation retreat, that would be fine.” Her aunt smiled. “I’m glad you came here this summer. I’ve enjoyed having a young person around.”
Kelly rose and gave her aunt a hug. She walked upstairs to her bedroom and thought about all her aunt had said. Was she a different person? She’d like to think so. And if she wanted to continue to grow into the person she was becoming, she knew a few other changes were going to have to occur. She knew what she had to do. And even better, she had finally found a place where she belonged.
Chapter Thirty-five
Abby
After a lot of protesting, Abby had finally agreed that riding home in a van was the best thing for her. Not that she’d had much of a choice. Between Emma and their parents, Abby’s opinions on the matter would’ve been overruled anyway.
“Okay, you’re all packed.” Emma walked into the living room, carrying Abby’s suitcase. “It must be fun to be waited on hand and foot.”
Abby shrugged from where she was perched on the couch, her swollen ankle resting on a pillow. “Maybe a little.” She offered a tiny smile. “I just hope my foot returns to normal.” She looked down at her ankle. It was the size of a grapefruit and had turned a nasty shade of purple and blue. “I am thankful to be traveling in a van, though.” She looked up at Emma. “The bus would’ve been miserable for me.”
“The bus is miserable for you even when you’re in perfect health.” Emma grinned. “So maybe you’re better off this way. If you’ll stay off of your ankle for a few days, I think you’ll be fine.”
“The van is here,” Katie called from the window. She and Mary had stood at the window for the past thirty minutes, hoping to see the van pull into the driveway. From the moment Abby had asked them to be her “van watchers,” they’d thought it was a fun game.
Lydia Ann brought Abby’s backpack into the room and set it beside the door. “I’ll go out and talk to the driver,” she said. “Girls, do you want to come, too?”
Katie and Mary ran outside after their mother.
Emma peeked out the living room window. “It looks like there is someone getting out of the van besides the driver.”
Abby tried to see out the window from her position on the couch, but it was no use. “Who is it?”
“Oh.” Emma turned quickly and looked at Abby, her brown eyes wide. “It’s Jacob.”
“Jacob?” Abby’s voice came out shaky. “Why is he here?” She looked accusingly at Emma.
“I didn’t have anything to do with it. I only told Dat about your accident. Jacob must’ve heard about it from him.”
Abby’s pulse quickened. She’d anticipated having a few hours in the van to give her the chance to figure out what she wanted to say to Jacob the next time she saw him. Instead, she would only have moments to choose her words.
Emma grabbed the suitcase. “I’ll take this out to the van and see what Jacob is doing here,” she said. Before Abby could say another word, she was out the door.
Abby ignored the shooting pains in her ankle as she hobbled to the window. She watched the interaction between Emma and Jacob. What was she saying to him? Their expressions were serious one minute and jovial the next. After a few minutes, Emma started up the path toward the house.
Abby quickly hobbled back to the couch.
“Are you ready to leave?” Emma asked as she stepped through the door.
“Why is he here?” Abby whispered.
“Remember how the other night you said he always had to take care of you? Well, I think that’s exactly what he’s doing here. He didn’t want you to have to ride all the way home alone with an injured ankle.” She offered Abby a hand and helped her rise to her feet. “It was mighty thoughtful of him, don’t you think?” She grinned at her sister.
Abby tried to ignore the flutter of excitement. He’d come here for her. Even if that wasn’t a declaration of his feelings, sometimes actions spoke louder than words.
“When your dat told me you’d gone and thrown yourself in a hole, I told him someone must’ve threatened to make you play volleyball.” Jacob’s dimpled grin was infectious.
Abby shook her head. “I didn’t exactly throw myself in the hole. I just sort of fell in. But I was running when it happened, so that’s my excuse.” She grinned. “I believe that was my last game of chase.”
“You’re retiring?” he asked.
“Jah.” She enjoyed their easy conversation. Having Jacob on the return trip with her had made it easier to say good-bye to Emma. Not too much longer and Emma would be home. Hopefully for good. Abby had promised Lydia Ann that she’d try to visit more. Maybe travel wasn’t so bad if there was a loved one to greet you on the other end.
“I’m glad you came to get me,” she said. “That was wonderfully kind of you.” She thought for a moment. “Or did Dat ask you to come?”
He grinned. “I volunteered to come. I hated to think of you riding in the van without someone to keep you company, especially with a hurt foot.” He shrugged “I know how you hate to travel.”
She nodded.
“Plus, I’ve been pretty lonesome since you left.” He grinned. “This way, I got to see you sooner.”
Abby felt her face grow hot, but for once it didn’t embarrass her that someone had caught her blushing. She grinned at Jacob, suddenly excited about what the future held.
Chapter Thirty-six
Emma
As was often the case, the summer that had once seemed like it would stretch on forever seemed to switch into fast motion. Emma was convinced it was an afflictio
n that only hit schoolchildren and their teachers, but when she mentioned her theory to Lydia Ann, her cousin had only laughed.
“I think everyone experiences the feeling, although maybe schoolchildren and their teachers are the most affected by it,” she said. “Summer seems to pass quickly for me because it is one of our busiest times of the year.” Lydia Ann sighed. “But I know what you mean about time. It’s just one of the many things we can’t control.”
Emma nodded. “I guess I’m just having a hard time realizing my time in Charm will be coming to an end before too long.” It had been two weeks since Abby boarded the van back to Shipshewana, and Emma felt like she’d barely blinked.
“We’ve had a nice visit,” Lydia Ann commented as she fluffed one quilt and twitched another into place. “Are you still glad you chose to stay in Charm for the summer?”
“Jah. This has been one of the best summers I’ve ever had. Maybe the best.” She grinned at Lydia Ann. “Thank you for opening your home to me.”
Lydia Ann’s face lit up. “I’m glad you feel that way. And you’ve been a great comfort to me at home.” Her smile faded. “In fact, it’s going to be lonely once you leave.”
“I promise to come and visit,” Emma said, suddenly sad. She would miss Lydia Ann and the twins a lot. But there were others she’d grown close to this summer as well.
“I know your parents will be glad for you to get back home. And Abby.” Lydia Ann began folding a stack of fabric scraps. “I’m glad you and Abby were able to clear the air about Jacob.” Lydia Ann grinned. “I thought Abby was going to turn a cartwheel when she saw him, despite her injured ankle. But how sweet of her to be willing to sacrifice her happiness by offering you what she thought was the perfect gift—a man worth staying home for.”
Emma nodded. “I think it was just that she and I have different tastes in the kind of man we each hope to find.”
“I think you’re right.” Lydia Ann was quiet for a moment. “And I don’t mean to pry…” She grinned. “But I’ve noticed you and Noah have spent a good bit of time together these past weeks.” She peered at Emma. “I’ve known him for a very long time. And I can’t remember seeing him look happier.”
Emma was surprised. Was he happier spending time with her than he’d been with Miriam? A part of her wanted to ask Lydia Ann, but she wasn’t sure she would like the answer. “I have a wonderful time with him, too. We never run out of things to talk about.”
Lydia Ann sobered. “Abby told me she was afraid you might like one of the Englishers who comes to town to see Kelly. Her friend is handsome….” She trailed off and left an unspoken question in the air.
“I was afraid Abby had gotten that impression. It isn’t that I like Andy in a way that means I’m going to run off to Columbus tomorrow or anything. But the attention is nice.” She felt herself flush. “I guess the newness of everything can sometimes be exciting,” she admitted. She hadn’t seen Andy since the day she’d given Abby the tour, but Kelly assured her he might pop in at any time. And even though Emma knew there wasn’t real substance between them, she still found herself thrilled to be the object of his interest, even if it was only for a few hours one summer.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Emma
Emma knew something was wrong when she woke up and heard the girls crying. She stumbled from her bed and ran into Lydia Ann in the hall. “Sorry if we woke you. I think the girls are coming down with something.” She was clearly flustered. “Would you mind going in and opening the shop alone?”
Emma shook her head. “Not at all. Why don’t you stay home all day? I can handle things at the store.”
“I’m going to go and get Levi’s mamm and see what she thinks. I don’t want to take them all the way to the doctor unless it is necessary. She is a good judge of sickness.”
“Do you want me to go get her so you can stay with the girls?”
“That would be wonderful, if you don’t mind.”
Emma got ready for the day with lightning fast speed. She set out on the short walk to Levi’s parents’ house.
She knocked on the door, and Levi’s mamm, Susanna, answered. “Emma, what brings you here so early?” she asked, stepping out onto the porch.
“Katie and Mary are sick. Lydia Ann wants you to come over and see if you think they need to go to the doctor.”
Susanna nodded. “Tell her I’ll be right there. Just let me run and tell Ben where I’ll be.”
Emma made her way back to Lydia Ann’s and relayed the news. “I’m going to go on to work now.” She looked worriedly at Lydia Ann. “I hope they feel better soon. But don’t give a second thought to the store.”
“Danki.” Lydia Ann turned and went back into the girls’ room.
Emma set out for work, enjoying the morning. She passed the school and wondered where the bookmobile would be this week. She never could keep the schedule straight.
At the store, she went through the motions of opening and hoped the day wouldn’t be too busy.
The bell jangled and she looked up to greet her first customers of the day. “Good morning,” she said.
Two middle-aged women began to browse through the merchandise, laughing and talking. “Excuse me, miss?” The taller of the two women stopped at the counter and looked at Emma. Her wild, curly hair was black as coal.
“Jah?”
The woman pushed a strand of hair from her eyes. “Could you tell me if there is a way for you to ship a quilt to me? We’ve bought so much on this trip that I’m not sure Patsy and I will fit in the car ourselves, much less another purchase.” She laughed and pointed to a woman across the store. “She has a shopping problem.”
Patsy’s head jerked up at the sound of her name. “I heard what you said, Barbara.” She walked over to stand at the counter. “Most of the shopping bags in the car belong to her.” She gestured toward her friend.
Emma smiled. “We can ship a quilt to your home. The price of shipping will have to be added to the quilt price, though.” She motioned toward the quilts. “Just pick one out and if you’ll bring it to me and provide your address, I can get it taken care of.”
“Thank you for your help, honey. We need to look around a bit first.”
Emma nodded.
“Barbara, come look at these. They’re precious.” Patsy cooed as she held up one of the landscape paintings that depicted Charm. “It’s like you could walk right into them.” Her raspy voice indicated a long-term devotion to cigarettes. The two women began an animated conversation about the fine quality of the artwork.
At long last, they brought their purchases up to the counter and, after much discussion, decided that they could fit two quilts and two paintings into the car. Emma was relieved. Shipping could be a difficult chore.
A few more customers drifted through the store, and before she knew it, it was lunchtime. She welcomed the break but struggled with a choice. Once she had placed the GONE TO LUNCH sign on the door, she was faced with a decision. Should she go back to Lydia Ann’s house and check on the twins or go grab some food in town?
The temptation to possibly see Noah again was too strong to resist, and she set out for Keim. Maybe he would be in the Carpenters Café. She told herself that he definitely would not be there, in the hopes of being pleasantly surprised. She stepped in to the café and scanned the lunchtime crowd. Disappointment rushed through her. But she’d come all this way, so she was at least going to get a sandwich.
“Emma?” She heard the voice from across the café. She looked up and Noah was standing in the entryway. He walked over to where she stood in line to order.
“Hi,” she said. “I was just about to order a sandwich to go and take it back to the store.”
He held up a lunch pail. “I was just on my way to lunch, too. I could wait on you to get your sandwich, and then I’ll drive you back to the store.” He paused. “If you would like for me to.”
She nodded. “I would like that. I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”
Emma ordered a Café Burger and a bottle of water and headed out to the parking lot with her bag.
Noah was waiting right out front. “I’m glad I ran into you,” he said as soon as she’d gotten settled in the buggy. He drove the buggy out of the parking lot and down the hill. After a car passed, he turned the buggy to the left and onto the main road.
“Me, too.” She looked over at him. “Do you want to have lunch at the store?”
“How about the bench outside of the store? It’s such a nice day, I don’t want to be indoors any longer than I have to.”
She nodded. “I know just what you mean.”
“Did you tell Lydia Ann and the girls you were coming to the Carpenters Café? I’m surprised Mary and Katie let you go without them.” He grinned.
“The twins are really sick. Lydia Ann had me go and get Susanna this morning to come see if she thought they needed to go to the doctor.”
A worried look flashed across his handsome face. Emma knew instinctively that any trip to a doctor must bring back bad memories of Levi’s lengthy illness and untimely death. She gave Noah a reassuring smile. “I’m sure there is nothing to worry about.”
“God will watch over them,” said Noah firmly.
Emma nodded. Her dat always said a strong man was one who believed in the strength of God.
Chapter Thirty-eight
Emma
“Tell you what,” Noah said, once they were settled on the bench in front of the store. “Let’s try to eat quickly and then go and check in on the girls.”
Emma wasn’t sure that was a good idea. She knew dealing with sick children was enough trouble without having to have other people afoot. “Maybe we should just go to Susanna’s and see what she can tell us. I don’t want to bother Lydia Ann, especially if the girls are in bed.”
Love Finds You in Charm, Ohio Page 16