Her Forgiving Amish Heart

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“A wake-up call,” Arlin said as they stepped out of the barn.

“Ja.” He saw Ellie and Leah inside the buggy as Ellie steered the horse to head toward the street. He couldn’t tear his attention away from the taller of the two blonde women who sat on the vehicle’s passenger side.

“She can be stubborn,” the man next to him murmured, catching Henry off guard. “Just like her mother.”

Henry’s gaze focused on Leah’s father. “Who?” he asked, but he knew.

“Leah.” The corners of his mouth bowed upward. “She’s the sweetest and kindest of all of my dechter, but she can also be the most hardheaded.”

“I’ve never known Missy to be hardheaded.” Henry noted a strange look enter the man’s expression and saw him stiffen.

“Leah hasn’t welcomed you back to our church community, has she?” When Henry was too stunned to answer, the man continued, “Don’t let it bother you. She’ll get used to you soon enough.”

“You think so?”

Arlin nodded. “Ja. ’Tis Leah. She’s different than the others. I’ve never known her to be upset with anyone for long.”

Henry took comfort from her father’s belief that sooner or later Leah would accept him for the changed adult man that he’d become—and forget his foolish teenage mistakes.

* * *

His father was released from the hospital late Monday afternoon. Henry had worked on the cabinet an hour or two after the store closed. He stopped when his dat got home since he wanted to spend time with him and to assure his parents that the store had run smoothly with a steady flow of customers in their absence.

Henry got up extra early Tuesday morning and finished the cabinet. He had time to make a quick run to Arlin’s to install it. While he drove his market wagon to the residence, he hoped to see Leah again. His heart raced at the prospect. As he pulled his vehicle into the driveway and parked near the barn, he caught a glimpse of the woman ever present in his thoughts at the clothesline, taking down laundry. She must have heard him arrive for she turned and glowered at him.

He climbed down from the wagon and reached into the back to retrieve the cabinet. He didn’t realize that Leah had left the clothesline to approach until she stood within several feet of him. She watched silently as he carried the cabinet inside the barn. Henry set it in the designated stall, then left to get his tools. He accidently bumped into Leah as she entered the barn. Instinctively, he reached out to steady her.

“Careful,” he murmured. She smelled like vanilla and honey, a fragrance that would forever make him think of her. Her soap?

He saw her throat move as she swallowed when she stepped away. “You’ve finished it already?” She seemed skeptical.

“Ja,” he replied. “’Tis a simple design. Gut enough for a barn stall.”

Her brow knit with confusion. “Where are you going?”

He hid his pleasure. It was as if she was afraid that he’d leave. “To get my tools.” When red stained her cheeks, he realized that he’d guessed correctly. Hiding his joy, he swept past her on his way back to his wagon, where he retrieved everything he’d need for installation, including the cabinet doors, which he’d left off to make it easier for him to carry the unit. Leah hadn’t moved from where he’d left her. He didn’t say a word as he walked past her and into the stall.

Ignoring her, he pulled out his tape measure to gauge the distance between the small shelf to the wall corner. He’d crafted the cabinet to the right measurement. Feeling pleased, he placed two screws between his lips before he lifted the cabinet to where he wanted to secure it. Henry pulled his carpenter’s pencil from behind his ear and marked within the predrilled holes before setting the unit down again. He grabbed his battery-operated screwdriver, picked up the cabinet, then screwed it into place. Once secure, he wordlessly reached for a door, which he installed before he secured the second one. When he was finished, he turned. Leah stood behind him, examining his work. She jumped back, startled as she met his gaze. He didn’t say a word as he picked up his tools and headed outside.

“It looks gut,” Leah said grudgingly as she followed him out of the barn.

He met her gaze to see if she was mocking him. She wasn’t. She seemed genuinely impressed by what he’d done in so short a time. Her approval spiked his pleasure of standing in her company. “Basic and solid.”

“You finished it,” she said. “But it’s not one that belongs in a kitchen. I think it’s exactly what Dat had in mind.”

“I just made it to look like your vadder’s drawings.”

She nodded. Her expression wasn’t bitter or condemning. Henry felt his heart open like a blossom in the sun. He gazed at her a long time, then dragged his eyes away. He’d made some progress with Leah and he didn’t want to press his luck. He climbed onto the wagon seat. “Show it to your vadder when he gets home, ja?”

“I will,” she said.

“Take care, Leah.” He turned the horse-drawn vehicle toward the main road. He flicked the leathers and his mare started forward when he heard her shout.

“Henry!”

He immediately drew in the reins to halt his horse.

She walked to his vehicle and gazed up at him. “I’ve decided... I’d like you to teach me about storekeeping.”

He blinked, pleased. “You do?” When she nodded, he felt his heart rate accelerate. “Gut. There’s a lot I can show you.” He smiled. “Do you have a name for your shop?”

She shook her head. “I don’t have a name because I don’t have one yet.”

“Think about a name. It will help you as you reach for your goal.”

He heard her release a sharp breath. “I’ll do that.” She grew quiet. “I should go,” she said. “I’ll see you later, Henry.”

“I want to know the name of your shop the next time I see you.” His lips curved. “We can talk about your plans then.”

“Sunday?” she asked, almost like an invitation.

He nodded. “I’ll see you then.”

When she beamed at him, he left with the mental image of her lovely face turned toward him, her gaze without censure. It wasn’t forgiveness or friendship he’d seen in her blue eyes, but it was a start. He grinned. He couldn’t wait to see her again. She’d become important to him. He attributed his anticipation to his interest in her as a woman and a prospective friend.

* * *

Leah groaned as Henry pulled his buggy onto the main road. What had she done? She’d been impressed by the cabinet he’d made, but was that any reason to ask the man if he was coming to their church service? Like she wanted him there?

She couldn’t believe she’d been so impulsive. Why had she accepted his offer of assistance? Henry Yoder was trouble and she certainly didn’t want or need it in her life. She had enough to contend with. Working with Ellie yesterday had been wonderful. They’d earned a great deal of money, and Leah was able to put a substantial amount away for her shop.

“I can do this. It will be business only,” she murmured as she took down the laundry.

She exhaled with relief. She’d be polite, businesslike, but she wouldn’t give him any special attention. She would express her gratitude, of course. He was offering her his time, and she was thankful. A working relationship with him was nothing to be concerned about.

Her heart skipped a beat as she recalled his smile, the way the sunlight had reflected on the tiny golden streaks in his dark hair. Leah closed her eyes in shock. She was attracted to Henry Yoder. As long as she kept her distance emotionally from him, she would be fine.

“I’ll not lose my heart to him,” she whispered. And she found herself relaxing. She just had to remember that this was Henry Yoder, and she was interested only in opening a craft store.

She’d unpinned the last garment from the clothesline and headed back to the house. She smiled when she spied her father as he came home from a day spent with Horseshoe Joe Zook, Meg’s father-in-law. Dat had been helping Joe with a home project. What, Leah had no idea.

“Dat,” she greeted. “Henry was here. He installed the cabinet you ordered.”

Her father looked surprised. “Already?”

She bobbed her head.

“How does it look?”

“Gut. ’Tis perfect for the barn.”

He appeared pleased. “Come to take a look with me?”

Leah beamed. “Ja. Just let me put this inside,” she said as she held up the laundry basket.

A few minutes later she followed her father into the stall. He went straight over to inspect the cabinet. She waited with rapid heartbeat for his reaction. Why, she didn’t know. Certainly it wasn’t because she worried that he wouldn’t be pleased with Henry’s work.

“Dat?” she murmured as he opened and closed the cabinet doors several times while he inspected every inch of the unit.

He closed the doors one last time, then turned to her—and smiled. “Wunderbor,” he pronounced. “When can you come with me to Nell’s to look at some puppies?”

Leah grinned. “Tonight? After supper?” she suggested.

“After supper,” her father agreed, then they headed toward to the house to see how long it would be before dinner.

She was excited about having a pet. Her spirits rose. It wasn’t because her dat was pleased with Henry’s cabinetwork, she thought. Or was it?

A mental image of Henry rose in her mind, making her uncomfortable. She wasn’t attracted to him. She didn’t like him. She sighed. His kindness stirred up feelings that she could control because they weren’t real. They can’t be real.

Leah became to wonder if she should forget about accepting Henry’s offer to help. Surely, she could learn about storekeeping on her own. It would be much safer that way.

Chapter Four (#u85e5ee56-92fd-55b6-bf90-f9f1d609e6d3)

Leah couldn’t get Henry’s offer of assistance out of her thoughts. Ever since she’d accepted it yesterday, she’d vacillated between telling him she’d changed her mind and letting her acceptance stand.

She was alone in the kitchen doing the breakfast dishes. Her mother was cleaning the upstairs and her father was out delivering his newly built wooden birdhouses to several shops in the Lancaster area. Ellie was on a housecleaning job and she wasn’t sure where Charlie was, but it had to be elsewhere since Leah could always tell when her youngest sister was home. The girl was a whirlwind of activity and conversation one couldn’t ignore.

She washed the dishes, then picked up one from the drain rack to dry with a clean tea towel. She gazed out the window as she dried each cup and dish and found comfort in the simple chore.

“Leah!” her mother called from upstairs. “Would you please take care of the animals?”

“Ja, Mam!” she called back.

Mam entered the kitchen a minute later as Leah put away the last dish. “I sent Charlie to Katie’s with our quilt squares.”

“Too quiet for her to be here.” Leah grinned. Endie Katie hosted their monthly quilting bee, and whenever there was a new quilt to be made, her aunt would sew the squares together, then ready the quilt to be hand stitched by the women who attended the gathering. Thoughts of quilts brought her right back to Henry, as anything crafty made her yearn to get her shop up and running. And Henry was going to help her.

Henry hadn’t mentioned a time for them to meet. If he’d heard him right, she’d see him at church services. But what if he had changed his mind about teaching her? I hope not. She felt a painful wrenching in her midsection. Leah knew at that moment that she would let her acceptance of his offer stand. She prayed that he’d ready to teach her soon.

She hung up the dish towel. “You done upstairs?” she asked her mother as she headed toward the back door.

“Nay. I need to strip and wash the bedsheets.”

“I can help with those,” Leah offered.

But her mother shook her head. “No need. It won’t take me long.”

“I’ll head out to the barn then. Call me if you change your mind.”

Her mother’s expression was warm and loving. “You’re a gut dochter, Leah.”

“You say that to all your dechter.”

Mam laughed. “And each of you is special in your own way,” she said as she headed toward the stairs.

With a smile lingering on her lips, Leah crossed the yard and entered the barn. The aroma of animal dung and straw hit her as she made her way toward the goats. It was a scent that she was used to so she didn’t mind. In fact, she found the familiarity of it soothing. The goats gravitated to her when they saw her.

“Hallo there, little ones. Hungry?” She opened the rear door of the barn that led to the pasture. Then she returned to release the latch on the goat stall and herded them outside. “Some lovely fresh grass for you to enjoy,” she said fondly.

The small animals were quick to frolic about before stopping to graze. Leah filled the water trough near the fence, then returned to the barn to feed the horses before releasing them into the pasture with the goats. She fed the chickens, then went inside to feed their cows, and after that, she took care of their bull, Mortimer, and released him into a separate fenced area.

When all of the animals had been seen to, Leah meandered down the aisle to where their puppy would live once he was old enough to be parted from his mother. Her gaze settled on the cabinet Henry had crafted that hung on the far wall. She sighed. It looked good and it would work well for storage. She glanced down to where Nell’s and then Meg’s dogs had slept, saw matted bedding and frowned. Last evening when she’d come into the barn, she’d put down the fresh straw, but this morning it looked as if someone had lain there.

Her lips curved. Charlie. No doubt her sister had escaped here for a few moments to enjoy some privacy. Charlie was as excited as Dat about having a new pet. She could picture her little sister as Charlie lay back and stared at the barn rafters while she chewed on or fingered a piece of straw. Without thought, Leah retrieved a rake to fluff up the bedding before she put it away. She wondered if her mother needed anything from the store. Yoder’s General Store.