“Indeed I am. That’s what friends are for.”
“I knew I’d regret that crack,” he muttered. He sat on a chair and lifted Maddie to his lap. “You can’t make things like this up, Maddie. Have you heard the story of the boy who cried wolf?”
She fastened her gaze on her bare toes. “Maybe.”
“We’ve all heard it,” Harley said. “It was one of Daed’s favorite lessons.”
“It means if you tell a fib often enough people will stop believing you when you need them to listen to the truth.”
Maddie raised her head and started to say something but Willis cut her off. “You can’t blame this on Bubble.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Okay. I’m sorry I said Eva needed to see you right away.”
“I was frightened that something was wrong. You are forgiven but don’t forget what I’ve said.”
She looked at him from beneath her lashes. “But I’m not sorry we’re going to have French toast for breakfast.”
“Neither am I,” Otto chimed in.
“Then enjoy the treat today because it will be oatmeal again tomorrow and no complaining. Understood?”
“Understood,” they all replied.
He put Maddie down and looked at Danny. “My advice is to avoid having kids until your hair is already starting to turn gray because they surely speed the process.”
Danny chuckled. “Good advice.”
“What do you do back in Illinois?” Willis stepped to the cupboard and brought out more plates. He handed them to the boys and Maddie.
“I’m a cabinetmaker by trade. I work in a factory with about thirty other Amish fellows. I also farm with my brother.”
“Is the factory Amish owned?” Willis asked.
“It’s not. An Englisch company owns several plants across the state. We make everything from kitchen cabinets to dressers and nightstands. The Englisch like tacking on a label that says ‘Amish Made.’ They can push up the price that way.”
“Danny is a supervisor in the plant near our home. He has done well for himself.” Eva couldn’t keep a touch of pride from creeping into her voice.
“We could use a good tradesman up here if you get tired of working for the Englisch. Our bishop owns a backyard shed-building business, but he is branching out into building tiny homes. I understand they are all the rage.”
“I’ve heard that. I wish him success, but I can’t see moving here to do the same thing I do back home only for less money.”
“Money isn’t everything,” Eva said, wondering why she hadn’t thought to ask Danny to stay. It would be wonderful to have him close by.
“It can buy happiness,” Maddie said with a grin.
“Money can’t buy happiness,” Otto said, shaking his head at her mistake.
“Well, if there was a puppy named Happiness, money could buy her.” Maddie stuck her tongue out at her brother.
“That’s not the same thing,” Otto snapped.
Maddie crossed her arms and glared at him. “If I had money I’d buy you some happiness ’cause you’re grumpy all the time.”
“Children, be nice to each other,” Willis cautioned, “or I will take you home before Eva puts food on your plates.”
“Sorry, Otto.” Maddie’s overly contrite expression made Eva choke on a laugh.
“Me, too,” Otto added, but he didn’t bother trying to sound sincere.
“Put some happiness in Otto’s food, please, Eva,” Maddie said in a tiny voice sweeter than the maple syrup she was pouring over her toast.
Eva saw Willis struggling not to laugh. She covered her mouth with her hands in an attempt to stay quiet but lost the battle as soon as her eyes met his. A second later everyone was laughing.
* * *
Willis couldn’t remember a time when he had enjoyed a meal more. Eva was unfazed by the arrival of four hungry guests first thing in the morning. She turned out piece after piece of golden-brown French toast with a smile and some funny comment. Willis even liked her brother. He was an unassuming fellow with the same honey-brown hair and gray-green eyes. It was how a family meal should feel.
Maddie enjoyed being the center of attention. She didn’t mention her friend Bubble for the entire meal. Even Otto and Harley seemed to come out of their shells when Danny started discussing baseball. He occasionally attended a Chicago Cubs game and was able to discuss batting averages and the Cub’s up-and-coming pitchers with the boys. Harley followed the Cubs in the newspapers and on the radio when he was able to listen to a game. The local feed store back in Maryland broadcast baseball games over their sound system for their Amish customers and in the process sold more feed.
“What are your plans for today?” Eva asked him.
“The same thing I have planned every day. Take a piece of iron, get it real hot and then bang on it until it looks like something.”
“Don’t let him fool you,” Eva said to her brother. “He’s very skilled at what he does.”
“What will you do with my siblings while I’m working?” Willis asked.
“I have plenty to keep me busy at the school. I’m making folders for each of my scholars in case I need a substitute teacher for any reason. That way another teacher can quickly see each child’s strengths or challenges. I was hoping that Maddie could give me a hand.”
“Will I get to color again?” Maddie asked.
“Absolutely,” Eva replied. “I have colored chalk you can use on the blackboard.”
“Danki. Can we go now?”
Willis shook his head. “No one goes anywhere until the dishes are done. Eva was kind enough to cook for us. The least we can do is clean up after ourselves.”
Eva gave him a sweetly grateful look. It made him realize how much more he would like to do for her. A little voice in the back of his mind told him he was becoming too attached to her, but he ignored it for now.
It only took a few minutes to get the plates washed and put away. Although Willis had work to do he tagged along as they walked to the school to hear what Danny had to say.
The first thing Eva’s brother noticed was the boarded-up window. “What happened here?”
“Otto broke it,” Maddie said, earning a sour look from her older brother.
Willis could tell that Otto was embarrassed, but he chose to own up to what he had done. “I hit a rock through it.”
“Line drive or high fly foul ball?” Danny was trying to look serious.
“Line drive,” Otto said quietly.
“On purpose or was it an accident?”
“It was sort of an accident.” Otto looked up to judge Danny’s reaction.
“How much did that set you back?”
“Enough. Your sister said I have to work after school for two months.”
“The time will go by quickly enough.”
“Danny is an expert on broken windows,” Eva said, a sly grin curving her pretty lips.
“That was a long time ago, Eva.” A wave of red crept up Danny’s neck.
“He and some friends broke four windows in Arthur, Illinois, one night.”
“Four? This many?” Maddie held up the correct number of fingers. “Did you get in trouble for that?”
“Lots and lots of trouble,” Danny admitted.
Otto looked impressed. Willis thought he saw a gleam of hero worship in his young brother’s eyes.
Danny must’ve noticed it, too. “Three of my friends came up with the idea to scare a couple of bully boys who picked on us whenever they could. They were older and they ran with a tough crowd. We didn’t mean any harm but one of the rocks hit a boy in the head. He ended up in the hospital and almost lost the sight in one eye. It turned out okay, but that was the last time I followed a stupid suggestion from one of my friends. Now I think of the consequences before I act. God gave us a conscience for good re
ason. I would’ve saved everyone a lot of grief if I had listened to it back then.”
Willis could see Otto mulling over Danny’s comment. If even a little of it sank into the boy’s head, Willis would be grateful to Eva’s brother. Willis caught Eva’s eye and she winked. It was exactly why she had wanted him to tell the story.
Inside the school, Eva happily showed off her desk, the supplies that had been donated and the chair that had upended her dignity the first day she arrived. Willis hung back near the outside door. Danny took a closer look at the cabinetry. He opened and closed the doors and drawers and gave Willis a thumbs-up sign. “Someone put a lot of care into this work. It should last a long time. I really like the heavy hinges and the big cabinet pulls. Are they your work, Willis?”
“Jesse Crump and Bishop Schultz made the cabinets. I did all the hardware.”
“From scratch?”
“That’s what I do. I hammer on a piece of hot metal until it makes something.”
“Do you sell these?”
“If someone orders a set, sure.”
“Do you have a few lying around?”
“I don’t but I will be happy to make you some.”
“Go ahead and make me a sample of a dozen different styles. I know someone who might be interested in purchasing them in bulk.”
“I don’t make things in bulk. I make them one at a time. Each one is a little different.”
“As the owner of the company I work for would say, that’s the charm of an object handmade by Amish craftsmen.”
“This Amish blacksmith should get back to work,” Willis said. “The potato harvest will start in a few weeks and everyone needs some sort of part made or repaired for their old potato digger. They don’t appreciate the charm of my work, only that I get it done as quick as possible.”
Harley, who was standing by the windows, turned to look outside. “The Fisher family is here. Do you want to get your hands dirty, Danny?”
“What do you have in mind?” Danny crossed the windows to look out. Willis followed him. Ezekiel Fisher and his four sons had rolled up in a large wagon pulled by a pair of gray draft horses.
“They are going to dig and pour the foundation for the new barn,” Willis said.
“Mr. Fisher looks like he has plenty of help. If those are his sons, they are a strapping bunch. Are those two twins?”
“Triplets.” Willis grinned at Danny’s surprised expression. “Asher, Gabriel and Seth. Moses is the youngest. They are wheelwrights and buggy makers. The Lord has blessed us. Our community is growing rapidly.”
Danny grinned. “The Lord has certainly blessed that father. I’ll be happy to lend a hand today. All I need is a shovel and a pair of gloves.”
“I can get that for you,” Otto said.
When Otto, Harley and Danny went out the door Maddie followed them and Willis turned his attention to Eva. “I like your brother.”
“I like him, too. He’s a lot different than my older brother.”
“So have you made your decision?” He prayed for her to stay but he wanted her to be content wherever she went.
She shook her head. “I haven’t. I want to stay here. I want to become a fixture in the community of New Covenant. I had hoped to grow old and gray and have my students come back and visit me for years after they’ve graduated to tell me what a wonderful impact I made on their lives.”
“So why not stay?”
“I’m trying to figure out Gott’s plan for me. I’m praying He will show me the answer I need soon.”
It was hard not to admit how happy he would be if she stayed and how sad he would be if she left. “I hate the idea of losing a goot neighbor.”
Eva chuckled. “Are you afraid the next teacher might complain about your hammering at all hours of the day and night?”
“It’s rare that I work at night.”
“Then she’ll complain about your noisemaking while her scholars are trying to study but she still might make you some blackberry jam.”
“What faults do you have that I can complain about?”
“Ha. That’s a trick question if I’ve ever heard one. If you haven’t noticed my faults, I’m certainly not going to point them out to you.”
He cupped one hand over his chin. “I’ll have to study on that for a while. I’m sure you have them.”
“And it would be un-Christian of you to point them out. Speaking of, I know this coming Sunday is our prayer meeting, but I haven’t heard where it’s going to be held.”
“I believe the Fishers are hosting this time.”
“I hope the weather stays fine.”
“If it is raining, I will take you up in my buggy.”
She inclined her head, and the ribbons of her kapp fell forward. “Why, thank you, neighbor Willis. That’s very generous.”
“I didn’t say for free. I will expect two jars of jam as payment.”
She laughed. “One jar of jam and one loaf of fresh bread.”
“It’s a deal.” He realized he was smiling foolishly but he didn’t care.
She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a stack of papers. She looked up at him. “Don’t you have to go to work?”
He did, but he didn’t want to leave. It was too much fun to spend time teasing her and laughing with her. Neighbors until they were both old and gray. It didn’t sound bad.
But would he be able to keep his secret from her for years or would she discover how dimwitted he really was? And then what would she think of him?
Chapter Eleven
Eva saw the smile on Willis’s face fade and wondered why. Was he unhappy that she might be leaving New Covenant? Maybe she assumed he was thinking about her when he had something else on his mind.
“What’s wrong, Willis?”
“Nothing. I was thinking about what your brother said. That he knows someone who might buy hardware from me.
“Do you think they will purchase some of your work?”
“I think it’s worth a try to find out.”
“When could you have enough pieces ready to show them?”
“Two weeks maybe.”
“That’s exciting. Why aren’t you smiling?”
He did smile at her then. “It’s a pretty big if.”
Her heart grew lighter once more. “I think when the Good Lord inspires us we should hold on to that hope.”
After Willis left the schoolhouse she went to work on making folders for each student where she could keep their information handy. That way, another teacher could quickly read up on each scholar. Once the folders were finished, Eva found herself struggling to concentrate on her lesson plan for the first week of school. More and more, her thoughts were drawn to Willis. His brothers and sister were delightful, but Willis had a stronger hold on her emotions. As much as she wanted to rationalize it away, it wasn’t working. She was falling for her friend. If he didn’t return her feelings then staying in New Covenant would become much more difficult.
She got up and went to check on Maddie. The little girl was busy building mud pies and cookies. Otto, Harley and Danny were helping the Fisher brothers string chalk lines in a large rectangle to make sure the building would be straight and square. Maddie got up from her play kitchen and carried several pies on a piece of bark to the Fishers. They each stopped what they were doing and made a production out of sampling her offering. They were too old to be Eva’s students but none of them appeared to be married as they were all clean-shaven. Maddie was doing her best to impress them with her pie-making skills.
Eva was ready for a break by midmorning. She went back to her house to fix some lunch for herself and the Gingrich kids. She was dicing celery for chicken salad when Constance Schultz and Dinah Lapp stopped in.
“I had to see how you were getting along,” Constance said as she came in.
�
��I’m fine. Just anxious for school to start. Everything seems to be in place. The only things I don’t have are my library books but I should get them any day.”
“Goot. I see they are working on the barn foundation. You were told we are having a frolic to raise it on Monday, right?”
“Ja, I heard.”
“I also came to let you know we have another new family that arrived a few days ago. A young widow, her father-in-law and her daughter. She is the granddaughter of Samuel Yoder. He convinced them to settle here. Her name is Becca Beachy. I believe the child will be in the first grade. They purchased the old Kent farm on Pendleton Road.”
Dinah made a sour face. “That house hasn’t been lived in for years.”
Constance nodded. “That’s why I intend to organize a frolic for tomorrow. With all of us working we can get the house in shipshape in no time. We are spreading the word and you may do so, as well, Eva. So far Bethany, Gemma, Penelope Martin, myself and Dinah are going.”
It was her first opportunity to join the women of the New Covenant congregation in a charitable endeavor and she was pleased to be asked. Taking care of each other was as important to the Amish as taking care of family members. Eva was beginning to feel she truly belonged among these North Country Amish and she gave thanks for the many gifts the Lord had given her since she arrived. Especially for the friendship Willis had extended to her. If only she could be sure she would be staying.
Bright and early the next morning, Constance turned her buggy into the schoolyard. Eva and Maddie had been waiting for her and hurried out with a basket of supplies. “Does the family know we are coming?”
“Nee, I thought we would make it a surprise.”
The shocked expression on Becca Beachy’s face when she opened the door proved Constance right. The women all introduced themselves. Dinah gestured to Eva. “This will be your daughter’s teacher when school starts.”
Becca, a soft-spoken woman in her early twenties with dark hair and dark eyes extended her hand to Eva. “My daughter is looking forward to school.” She smiled at Maddie who was uncharacteristically quiet. “I hope there will be other children her age attending. Will you be in school?”
The Amish Teacher's Dilemma and Healing Their Amish Hearts Page 12