Her Forgiving Amish Heart

He frowned. “What for?”

“My behavior.” For some reason, her voice was hoarse and she didn’t know why.

The grin that curved up his mouth lit up his face and sky blue eyes. “Leah,” he said, “I was trying to make you mad.”

She jerked. “What?”

His lips shifted into a gentle smile. “While you were livid, you forgot about the storm.”

Her anger left as quickly as it had come. “You knew I was terrified,” she said softly.

“Ja.”

She blushed. “I didn’t want you to see.”

The good humor left his expression. “I understand.”

Leah stared at him and wondered if he did understand, but she didn’t want to discuss her fear anymore, and she prayed and hoped that he would keep her weakness to himself. “You won’t tell anyone?”

He appeared confused. “About—”

“That I’m a coward and deathly afraid of thunderstorms.”

His eyes widened. “You’re no coward, Leah. A coward wouldn’t have run out into the storm to see her horse to safety.”

Leah blinked, pleased by his words.

“I’ll not say a word about today, Leah.” Henry looked sad, and Leah struggled with the urge to do something to make his sadness go away. “No one will know that you spent any time here with me in the store. Your secret is safe.”

And for some odd reason, Leah felt dejected as he preceded her out of the room, then out of the store...and as she watched him open the barn doors for her and waited for her to get into her wagon. As she steered her buggy home, the feeling intensified and tears stung her eyes. She had no idea why she was so emotional about taking shelter during a thunderstorm.

* * *

Henry stood near the barn and watched Leah leave. His thoughts were in turmoil. Everyone in the community had forgiven him for keeping silent except Leah Stoltzfus—and himself. Despite his hurt feelings, he liked being in Leah’s company. She was a mystery that he wanted to unravel. It was true that he hadn’t been back to her church community. His family had left after learning about Isaac’s involvement in the vandalism to Whittier’s Store. His father didn’t want Isaac to be a bad influence, which made him feel worse. After he’d come forward and confessed and told the truth about Isaac’s innocence before Leah’s church community, his parents had been so horrified by Henry’s involvement that they’d felt compelled to stay with their new church district. Despite the new people he’d met, he missed his friends. Isaac had been more than generous in his forgiveness of him. They were close friends again, and Henry could never repay Isaac enough for thinking to protect him by accepting blame.

He’d wanted for a long time to return to the church community he’d been a part of for most of his life. He wanted to see the Lapps every Sunday, to spend more time with Isaac and his siblings, and the Zooks and all of the other families he’d known and cared about. After this afternoon he wanted to see and spend time with Leah again. One way or another he’d find a way to make her forgive him—and like him. There was something about the woman that made his heart race. She made him feel alive. From the moment he’d seen her outside the door, he’d known who she was. He was glad that he’d been there to make sure she was all right. He’d liked helping her, wished he could have done more.

Henry went back inside. He peeked into the storage room, saw the damp quilt that he’d placed around her shoulders and felt the kick to his belly caused by her absence. He’d caught her stroking the stitches along the pattern as if she appreciated the quilt and all the work that had gone into it. There was something about her expression that got to him. He wanted to learn all of her secrets. “I’m going to make you like me, Leah Stoltzfus, if it’s the last thing I do.”

He draped the damp quilt over the counter to dry, then flipped off the light and went back into the rear room to finish the store’s bookkeeping. This building was the only one on the property with electricity. The church elders allowed it in certain businesses, although not in their homes and outbuildings. Cell phones were allowed for business use, but his parents were opposed to them so Yoder’s General Store didn’t have one. Henry knew that would have to change if they were ever to increase their business to include more of the English. Until then he’d keep his mouth shut and work in the store. He had a dream of his own and it wasn’t to take over the family business. But he stifled that dream because he owed it to his parents for all the trouble he’d caused them. Now, with his father suddenly in the hospital and his mother spending her days at his bedside, it was up to him to make sure Yoder’s General Store ran smoothly as usual.

Someday, if the Lord deemed it, he would have his choice of making a living—as a cabinetmaker. Not in competition with Noah Lapp, who had a good business crafting quality furniture. But similar to what Ethan Bontrager did for a living in New Holland, making kitchen cabinets, vanities and bookcases. He and Isaac had spent some time in Noah’s furniture shop. He’d loved feeling the texture of the wood, instinctively knowing that he’d be good at cabinetry.

Henry grinned as he recalled Leah’s reaction to his comment about her and Mary Bontrager. Isaac and he had never discussed Leah’s friendship with Mary. He knew because he’d seen them together often enough when he’d attended church service or Visiting Sunday gatherings. Isaac and he had talked about Henry’s secret desire for his future, and Isaac had mentioned that Mary Hershberger Bontrager’s husband, Ethan, made cabinets for a living. His friend had suggested that Henry talk with Ethan about the business. Henry had planned to visit Ethan the next day, but then his father’s recent heart attack had changed everything. He’d visited Dat in the hospital, where his parents had made him promise to run the store. Henry had agreed. Being a dutiful son was the least he could do for the parents who’d raised and loved him.

Unable to be or do what he wanted didn’t mean he couldn’t make the best out of a difficult situation. He’d keep the store open. And I’ll convince Leah to forgive me. He smiled as he looked forward to the challenge.

Chapter Two

Her family was relieved to see Leah as she steered the wagon into the yard and parked it near the barn. They were all outside, as if hoping that the buggy sound they’d heard was her. She climbed down from the vehicle and faced them.

“Leah!” Mam said as she hurried forward, quickly followed by Ellie and Charlie. “I was worried that you’d been caught in the storm.” Her eyes widened as she took in Leah’s appearance—the damp state of her clothes, her missing prayer kapp and wet hair.

“Ja, I was caught at first but managed to find shelter.” Leah smiled to reassure her and her sisters as she watched her father descend the front porch and approach more slowly. He looked more concerned than her mother. “As you can see, I’m fine.” She met her father’s gaze as he drew close. “Dat.”

“Leah.” He studied her as if gauging whether or not she was all right, then he seemed to let go of his worry. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“I am, too, Dat.” She moved toward the house and everyone fell into step with her. “I’m hungry, though. ’Tis been a long time since lunch.”

“Supper is nearly ready,” her mother said, moving ahead, apparently eager to get the meal on the table.

“We’re having fried chicken,” Charlie added with delight. She hurried to help her mother.

Leah turned to Ellie. “Were you caught in it?” she asked her sister.

“Nay. Got home just in the nick of time.” Ellie eyed her carefully. “’Twas a bad one.”

“Ja,” she agreed.

“Ellie, you should help your mudder.”

“Ja, Dat.” Leah watched her sister run into the house. She turned toward her father.

“Dochter,” he said.

“Ja?”

“Was it awful?”

She knew what he meant. He was asking how well she’d coped with her fear. He was the only one who knew of her phobia. He was the one who’d found her during a raging storm curled up in a ball in an open field, sobbing with terror as thunder crashed overhead and lightning flashed while it threatened to strike her. He’d picked her up and carried her to safety. Despite the fact they were walking through the storm to the nearest shelter in their barn, she’d felt safe and secure within his arms. She was three years old at the time. Her mother hadn’t been home. Mam and her older sister, Nell, were at her grandparents’ house. As young as she’d been, Leah had begged her father that no one learn of what happened. Her father had agreed readily. Her mother was with Meg, and he hadn’t wanted to upset her. And so they’d both kept the knowledge—and Leah’s subsequent fear of thunderstorms—to themselves. As far as she knew, she hid her fear well and her family still didn’t know.

“Nay,” she said and realized that she spoke the truth. “I did gut.” Despite her initial terror, she’d weathered the storm better than usual—because of Henry Yoder. She felt worse than ever before for treating him badly.

Her father’s expression cleared. “That’s wonderful, Leah.” His smile reached his eyes. “Let’s go eat supper.”

Surrounded by her parents and sisters at the dinner table, Leah felt the stress of being caught in the storm and her time spent with Henry dissipate. She smiled as she listened idly to her youngest sister Charlotte’s conversation with Ellie.

“Visiting Day is at Aunt Katie and Uncle Samuel’s,” Charlie said. “Can we bring chowchow and apple pie?”

Ellie arched her eyebrows. “Why chowchow? I’m sure Aunt Katie has plenty.”

Charlie frowned. “Who says she’ll serve hers?” Then softly, as if voicing her thoughts, she murmured too quietly for the others to hear, except for Leah who sat next to her, “I want to bring something I made by myself.”

Leah shot her a look and noted the wistfulness in Charlie’s expression. She smiled in Ellie’s direction. “I think it’s a great idea for us to bring chowchow. The last batch was the best I’ve ever tasted.” She could feel Charlie’s gratitude in the release of tension in her sister’s shoulders. “I’m sure Aunt Katie only brings hers out if no one else thinks to bring some.”

“That’s true,” her mother said with a smile. “So, we’ll bring chowchow, and I’ll make the apple pie and some sweet-and-vinegar green beans. Any other ideas?”

“I’ll make potato salad,” Leah offered.

Ellie grinned. “I’ll make a cake.”

“I’ll help you with the cake,” Charlie offered, clearly happy that everyone had agreed that they should bring a bowl of her sweet-and-sour chowchow, a pickled mixture of the remainder of last summer’s garden vegetables, a favorite among the members of their Amish community.

The next morning Leah worked to make German potato salad while Ellie and Charlie gathered the ingredients to make a cake and her mother rolled dough for an apple pie. She loved these times when the women in her family were all together in the kitchen, but she missed having her married sisters, Nell and Meg, with them.

As she carefully drained the hot water off the potatoes, Leah found her thoughts drifting to Henry and his kindness to her during yesterday’s thunderstorm. The last thing she’d wanted to do was spend time with him, but he’d made it bearable. She’d found herself softening when he’d wrapped a quilt around her shoulders. Leah frowned. She didn’t want to think of Henry. It bothered her that she’d been unable to get him out of her thoughts since she’d left the store.

Forcing Henry from her mind, she concentrated on enjoying the time with her mother and sisters while she made her potato salad and found happiness in the company of her family.

* * *

Sunday morning Leah got ready to spend Visiting Day at her Lapp relatives. Once she’d put aside thoughts of the storm—and Henry—the day spent with her mother and sisters baking and cooking was wonderful. Amish women weren’t allowed to cook or do any work on Sundays, so it was important to make sure everything was done by Saturday afternoon. Leah had made two large bowls of German potato salad, a family favorite. Ellie and Charlie had baked two cakes, one chocolate and one carrot. Mam had baked the apple pie and made traditional sweet-and-sour green beans with sugar, vinegar and chopped pieces of cooked bacon. The green beans fixed this way were delicious cold as well as hot, so it was the perfect side dish to any Sunday meal.

Since Friday’s thunderstorm, she’d been unable to keep Henry Yoder out of her mind. Would he be visiting with Isaac today? Her heart thumped hard at the thought. She wished she’d taken the extra time to thank him, as well as apologize for the way she’d been eager to get away from him. Thinking on it a lot since then, Leah realized that Henry made her nervous. No man ever affected her that way. She shouldn’t continue to fret about it but found it difficult to stop.

It was a perfect spring day, with temperatures well into the upper seventies. As her father steered their family buggy close to the Samuel Lapp house, Leah noticed that everyone was outside enjoying the weather. Tables were set up on the back lawn and her male cousins were already playing baseball in the side yard. She felt a burst of excitement as she climbed out of the parked buggy and reached in to grab the two bowls of potato salad. It looked to be a good time spent with good people. Charlie and Ellie joined her as she watched the activity about the house.

“Do you think Endie Katie wants us to bring the food inside?” Charlie asked.

“Ja,” Leah said. “’Tis too early for lunch and we didn’t bring any breakfast foods.”

“There’s she is now!” Ellie exclaimed. “Let’s ask her.”

Mam and Dat appeared beside them as they headed to greet Leah’s aunt. Her uncle Samuel came out of the house behind his wife, and Leah watched as they talked a moment. The affection between the two wasn’t overt, but she could see the love they shared in the way they regarded each other—and the way her uncle placed a hand gently for a moment on her aunt’s shoulder. Leah felt a little twinge of pain as she realized she wanted a relationship like they had. She wanted a husband and a family. She straightened her spine. If the Lord wanted her to marry, then she would. If not, then she must be content with only a craft business in her future. She’d find joy in her shop and be grateful for her loving family and her friends. She had no right to feel anything else.

“Endie Katie!” Charlie exclaimed with a grin as her aunt and uncle approached. “We’ve got apple pie, cake, chowchow, green beans, and Leah made her German potato salad!”

“So much food,” Katie said, beaming. “Are you hoping to feed our entire community?”

When her aunt looked in her direction, Leah smiled. “Better too much than not enough.”

“Do you want everything in the kitchen?” Mam asked.

“Ja, that would be gut.” Katie turned to her brother. “Hallo, Arlin. I’m glad you’re here.”

Her dat eyed his sister with affection. “I wouldn’t miss this.” His voice softened. “I still thank the Lord that we moved home.”

“Ja. Happiness is a fine place to live,” Missy agreed. “I’m more than content to live here.”

Her father shot his wife a grateful look. Leah loved watching her parents together. There was so much love between her mother and father and her relatives with their spouses that she was pleased to be a part of the family. Not for the first time, she silently thanked the Lord for the blessings He’d given her throughout her life.

“Charlie!” a male voice called. “Want to play baseball?” It was their cousin Joseph Lapp. He tossed the ball back and forth between his hands. “I need someone gut on my team.”

Charlie laughed. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll show you up?”

Joseph shot her a grin. “Not if you’re on my team.”

“Let me put these cakes inside the house and then I’ll play.”

Leah laughed when she heard Joseph’s older brothers groan. “Not fair, Joseph. She’s younger than us,” Daniel complained.

On her way to the house, her youngest sister halted. “Already making excuses, cousin?”

The other members of Joseph’s team chuckled. “Sounds about right, Daniel,” Joseph said.

“Our teams will be even. You’ll be able to play now.” Joseph looked toward a spot out of Leah’s sight.

She froze when she recognized the dark-haired man as he stepped into her view. Henry Yoder. She stared at him, and he locked gazes with her. She noted the upward quirk of his lips. Her face heated as she felt a sudden spirt of irritation. He hadn’t come because he wanted to see her, had he? He arched an eyebrow as if reading her thoughts and she looked away. When she glanced back, she saw Isaac join him. The two men talked, and Isaac laughed at something Henry said.

He’d better not be talking about me!

Flushed with outrage, Leah continued to the house. Henry’s presence made her feel unsettled. All thoughts of apologizing to him vanished. She scowled. She could hide in the house, but she was no fool. He’d know immediately why she was avoiding him, and as he’d told her she was no coward.

* * *

He knew when he heard Joseph call her sister Charlie’s name that Leah would be close by. But seeing her again, despite the unhappiness in her expression as she glared at him, buoyed his spirits. He’d hoped she’d be here today, figured she would be since the Lapps were her family, but he couldn’t be sure. He hid a grin. She was upset to see him. He must have affected her more than he’d realized.

“I don’t think your cousin likes me,” he said to Isaac.

Isaac frowned. “Which one?”

“Leah.”

“Nay, not possible. Leah likes everyone. What makes you think she doesn’t?”

Henry’s gaze followed Leah as she headed toward the house. “She glares at me.”

His friend laughed. “You’re imagining things.”

“Nay. She hasn’t forgiven me for what I did to you.”

Isaac frowned. “That doesn’t sound like her.”

“Look at her. See for yourself.”

Leah had paused to glance back.

“She does look unhappy with you.” Isaac grew thoughtful. “Interesting.” He met Henry’s gaze. “Ellie told me that Leah wants to open a craft shop. Maybe you could offer to help her. You know about running a store and keeping books. She might soften toward you while you teach her all you know.”

Henry brightened and felt a sudden shifting inside of him. “That might work.”

“But be careful how you ask her,” Isaac warned. “Find time alone with her. Don’t let anyone hear about your offer or she’s liable to get mad and feel as if you’re forcing her hand. Besides, not many people know about her store plans.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“I know.” Isaac grinned. “You want Leah to like you? This might just be the way to do it.”

“What if she refuses my offer?”

“Then you try again later.”

“I don’t want to force her,” Henry said.

“You won’t force her. You’ll make the offer, then step back. From what Ellie says, Leah wants to own a craft shop badly.” Isaac glanced toward the gathering on the lawn. “The others are waiting. Ready to play ball?”

He nodded. As he joined the Lapp brothers and their friends for a baseball game, Henry wondered if Isaac was right. Would teaching Leah about running a store be the key to winning her friendship?

“Henry, you take left field,” Joseph shouted from first base. “Charlie, you play short stop.”

He nodded and hurried to take his position. There was nothing else to do right now but focus on the game. He’d figure out later what to do with Leah.

The baseball game was fun, with a lot of whooping and hollering as teammates ran around the bases. When he got up to bat, Henry hit a grand slam and sprinted around the bases, sending everyone before him home. As he slid onto home plate, Joseph was there to high-five him. Everyone on his team grinned while taunting those on the opposite side.

“I told you we needed him on our team,” Joseph said to two of his brothers and Charlie.

Isaac grinned at him. “’Tis great to play ball together again.”

“Are you up for another game?” Noah asked as he and Daniel joined them. Both brothers were on the other team along with the Peachy brothers and Peter Zook.

Joseph laughed. “’Tis lunchtime.”

Henry glanced toward the tables that were set up in the yard. “Ja, the women are bringing out the food.” He felt a rush of pleasure when he spied Leah among them. “Sorry, Noah,” he said, unapologetic, as he watched her return to the house. “Food first. Whether or not we have another game will depend on how we feel afterward. Right, team?” He paused. “After all, we’ve already won. We’ve nothing to prove.”

His teammates laughingly agreed. Henry grinned as they all headed toward the food table. Leah came out of the house with a bowl in each arm. She started forward when she must have heard their laughter. She glanced at him and froze. He slowed his steps. His grin stayed in place as he studied her. She seemed to tense up before she averted her gaze and continued toward the table. She set down the bowls and, without looking back, hurried inside.

The grin faded from Henry’s lips. Getting Leah to forgive him wasn’t going to be easy. He’d have to find a way to earn her trust first. Friends first, then forgiveness, he thought. Then maybe something more. He froze with shock. Something more?

“Hey, you coming?” Isaac asked. “I thought you were hungry.”

He smiled at his friend. “I am.”

“Let’s go then.”

The table was overflowing with food. Henry saw cold meats—roast beef, fried chicken and ham. There were a lot of dishes, including a large bowl of macaroni salad, two huge bowls of potato salad, vinegar green beans, dried-corn casserole and many other inviting sides. On a separate table were the desserts. He studied the pies, cakes and other mouthwatering sweets and was glad that Isaac had invited him. His family wasn’t here. His mother and father had been invited, too, but even if they were ready to return to their former church district, his dat’s hospital stay had made it impossible for them to attend. The fact that they probably wouldn’t have come if his father had been well made him feel sad and guilty. He had done this to them. Because of what he’d done on rumspringa, he’d made it difficult for his parents to face all of these wonderful people.

He was glad that Isaac had invited him. Not only did he get to spend time with everyone, he was able to see Leah Stoltzfus again. Henry sighed as he followed the others to the food table. He could see her, but Leah avoided him like he suffered from the plague. He’d have to be patient. Leah would come out of the house eventually.

Ellen Lapp was among those serving the men and children. Isaac beamed at his wife and Henry gave her a tentative smile. “Henry!” she greeted. “I’m so glad you came.”

He relaxed. “I’m happy that Isaac asked me.”

“You don’t need an invitation—ever,” she assured him.

He felt warmth and a fluttering inside his chest. It had been Ellen who’d brought him to his senses and given him the courage to confess what he’d done first to Deacon Abram Peachy, then the rest of the church congregation. “Danki,” he whispered.

“Henry, you’ve got to try my wife’s vanilla cream pie.” Isaac gestured toward the dessert.

“After you both eat a gut meal first,” Ellen said with a narrowed but teasing gaze at her husband. She held up a bowl. “German potato salad?” she offered them. “’Tis a favorite. Leah Stoltzfus made it.”

Leah made it? He immediately held out his plate. “I don’t know that I’ve ever tasted her potato salad before.” As Ellen placed a large scoop on his plate, he discovered that Leah had come out of the house. She was staring at him, and he stared back unflinchingly and arched an eyebrow. She quickly looked away and strode over to where her mother and sisters were talking with Katie Lapp. He hid his amusement. Apparently, he continued to disturb her.