Going Home (19 page)

“That Noah’s sure a nice man,” Melinda said to Susie, as they scurried over to the refrigerator to get out some more lemons.

“Jah, he sure is,” Wilma answered before Susie could respond. She’d been sitting at the table, reading the latest issue of
The Budget
and couldn’t help hearing Melinda’s comment.

“Noah’s a lot of fun, and he’s real smart, too.” Melinda fairly beamed as she carried a handful of lemons back to the counter across the room.

“That’s right,” Susie agreed. “With all the help he’s given you, you’ll be the smartest scholar in the first grade.”

Melinda’s cheeks turned pink. “I might not be the smartest, but I’m doing a lot better now that Noah’s been working with me.”

Wilma tipped her head and studied Melinda. Oh, how she hoped Faith would never leave and take the child away. She’d grown attached to the girl, and from the looks of Melinda’s exuberant smile, she had a hunch the child was happy to be living here, too.

“Say, Melinda,” Wilma asked, “do you think your mamm’s happy living here?”

“Sometimes, when she’s laughing and playing silly games with me, she seems happy, but other times, she acts kind of sad.” Melinda squinted as she turned to face Wilma. “I think she misses my daddy, and it makes me wish Mama would get married again.”

Susie plunked a sack of sugar on the counter next to the lemons. “Maybe she’ll marry Noah. He seems to like her, and truth be told, I think she likes him, too.”

Wilma smiled. If that were true, then she and Noah’s mother wouldn’t have to work so hard at getting Noah and Faith together. Maybe the young couple would begin courting on their own.

Just then, Grace Ann stepped into the kitchen. “Whew, it
sure is hot out there,” she said, wiping the perspiration from her forehead. “I don’t know how Faith and Noah can keep working in the heat of the sun like that.”

Wilma motioned to the girls. “If you’d like something to drink, some lemonade is in the making.”

“Sounds good. Need any help?” Grace Ann asked, stepping up to the counter.

Susie shook her head. “We can do this by ourselves, can’t we, Melinda?”

Melinda nodded. “Course we can.”

Grace Ann chuckled and took a seat at the table beside her mother. “How’s that leg feeling, Mama?”

“It’s getting better every day,” Wilma replied.

“Glad to hear it. I’m sure you’ll be relieved when the cast comes off and you can get back to walking without your crutches.”

“That’s for sure.”

Wilma and Grace Ann chatted about everyday things, while Melinda and Susie finished making the lemonade. When the girls took the pitcher of lemonade outside, Grace Ann leaned closer to Wilma and whispered, “I’ve been wanting to tell you something, but there never seemed to be a good time.”

“What’s that?”

“The day you came back from the hospital, I overheard Faith mumbling something to herself about leaving.”

Wilma’s eyebrows drew together. “Leave here?”

“I think so,” Grace Ann said with a nod. “She was fixing stew for supper, and I heard her say, ‘I’ll go as soon as Mama’s back on her feet.’”

Wilma’s heart clenched. It was as she’d suspected. Faith wasn’t happy here, and she had no intention of staying. That meant she probably wasn’t as interested in Noah as Susie thought, either. “Danki for sharing that with me,” she said. “You haven’t told anyone else, have you?”

Grace Ann shook her head.

“Good. I think it’d be best if you didn’t.”

“How come?”

“Because if Faith thinks we’re talking about her, it might make her want to leave all the more.” Wilma patted her daughter’s arm. “The best thing we can do for Faith is think of some way to make her like it here well enough to stay.”

“How are we going to do that?”

“I’m working on that,” Wilma said with a nod.

When Barbara pulled her rig into the Stutzmans’ yard, she spotted Faith sitting on the porch with her daughter and Susie. Noah was also there, which gave Barbara a little hope that things might be getting serious between Noah and Faith.

Susie waved to Barbara and called, “Come join us for some lemonade.”

Barbara tied her horse to the hitching rail and hurried toward the house. “It’s plenty hot today, so something cold to drink will surely hit the spot,” she said as she stepped onto the porch.

“This is real tasty, too.” Noah lifted his glass in the air. “Susie and Melinda made it.”

“Did they now?” Barbara patted both girls’ shoulders and took a seat in the empty chair beside Faith.

Faith poured some lemonade into one of the empty glasses sitting on the small table nearby. “See for yourself how good it tastes,” she said, handing the glass to Barbara.

Barbara lifted it to her lips and took a sip. “Umm. . .you’re right, this is
gut
lemonade.”

Both girls beamed, and then Susie said, “Maybe we should go inside and see if there’s any cookies we can have.”

“Good idea.” Melinda jumped up, and the two girls disappeared into the house.

“Where are your boys today?” Faith asked, turning to face Barbara.

“They’re home with my mamm. David thought I needed some time to myself, so he said I should leave the shop for a while and go somewhere on my own.”

“Sounds like a good man to me,” Noah said.

“Jah, he’s the best.” Barbara smiled at Noah. “What brings you over here today?”

“Came to help Faith work in the garden.”

“How thoughtful of you.” Barbara had to bite her tongue to keep from saying what she was thinking. Noah would make the perfect husband for Faith, and if Faith was courted by someone as nice as Noah, it might help her smile more, the way she used to do when they were children.

Noah lifted himself from the chair. “This has been a nice break, but I think I’ll get back to work and let you two women visit.”

“Is there anything going on between you and Noah?” Barbara asked once Noah was out of earshot.

Faith’s mouth dropped open. “Why would you ask such a question?”

“I couldn’t help but notice the way he looked at you—like he thinks you’re something special.”

“No way! Noah and I are just friends; nothing more.”

“But I heard he’s been coming around here a lot lately, and—”

Faith held up her hand. “Noah’s been coming over to help out since Mama broke her leg, but there’s nothing special between us. Fact is, Noah already has a girlfriend.”

“He does?”

Faith nodded.

“Who is she?”

“I don’t know her name, but I saw Noah sitting with her at Baldy’s Café sometime back. I didn’t recognize her as anyone from our community.”

“Hmm. . .”

“Has Noah ever said anything to you about having a girlfriend?”

Barbara shook her head. “But then, most courting couples don’t broadcast their intentions until they’re ready to get married.”

“You think he’s planning to marry this woman?”

“I have no idea. Want me to ask him?”

“No!” Faith’s face heated up. “He might not like it if you started prying into his business.” She shrugged. “Besides, what Noah does is his business. I sure don’t care.”

Barbara was tempted to say more on the subject but decided to keep quiet.

“So, how are things going in the harness shop?” Faith asked.

“Real well. David and I enjoy working together.”

Faith grunted. “I still can’t believe you’re helping him make and repair harnesses and other leather items. That seems like hard work for a delicate woman.”

Barbara patted her stomach. “After having two kinner, I’m afraid I’m not so delicate anymore.”

Faith stared out at the garden, where Noah worked.

“I guess I should get going and let you get back to work,” Barbara said as she rose from her seat.

Faith stood, too. “Yes, I should probably help Noah.”

Impulsively, Barbara gave Faith a hug. “It’s sure good to have you back in Webster County. I missed you.”

“Thanks.”

Barbara stepped off the porch and headed across the yard. She stopped at the garden to say good-bye to Noah, then climbed into her buggy, whispering a prayer for her childhood friend.

Noah looked up as Faith joined him at the row of beans he’d been weeding. “Did you and Barbara have a nice visit?”

“It was okay.”

“Just okay? I thought the two of you used to be good friends.”

“
Used to be
is the correct term. I was away from home a long
time, and we barely know each other anymore.”

Using the back of his hand, Noah wiped the sweat rolling down his forehead. “She cared enough to come over and see how you’re doing. To me that says she wants to be your friend.”

Faith shrugged. “Maybe so.”

“I’d like to be your friend, too.”

To his surprise, she smiled. “I’d say you’ve already proven that by the acts of kindness you’ve shown me and my family.”

Noah wanted to tell Faith that he was interested in her as a woman, not just as a friend who needed his help, but he held himself in check. If there was any hope of them having a relationship, he needed to take it slow and easy with Faith. He also needed to accept the fact that she might never be romantically interested in him—especially if she was involved with an English man.

Should I come right out and ask her?
Noah thumped the side of his head.
I need to quit thinking such thoughts and just be her friend
.

F
aith didn’t know where the summer had gone. But here it was nearing the end of August, and today was the first day of school for Melinda and Susie. They’d been so busy they still hadn’t made it to Springfield with Noah to see Fantastic Caverns or the Bass Pro Shops. The only trips Faith had made were into Seymour for groceries and to phone her agent.

“Maybe next spring,” Noah had said a few days ago, but Faith knew otherwise. By spring she would be gone.

It’s just as well
, Faith decided as she hung a freshly washed towel on the clothesline.
Thanks to Mama’s accident and Noah coming over to help so often, I’ve already seen him more than I should have. Each time we’re together it makes me long for. . 
.

She grabbed another towel from the wicker basket and gave it a good shake.
I long to be back onstage entertaining—that’s what I long for. I won’t let anything stand in my way once Mama’s up and
around and able to resume her chores. I plan to be on a bus heading for my next performance by the end of September
.

A short time later, Faith hitched her favorite horse to one of Papa’s buggies and drove Melinda and Susie to school. The one-room schoolhouse was only a half mile down the road, but this was Melinda’s first time in school, and Faith figured her little girl might need some moral support. At least it made Faith feel better to see that her daughter was dropped safely off at school on her first day.

“Do I have to go to school today, Mama?” Melinda asked from her seat behind Faith. “Can’t I stay home and let you be my teacher?”

Faith glanced over her shoulder and grimaced when she saw the look of despair on her daughter’s face.

“She’ll be okay once we get there,” Susie said before Faith could respond. “I was
naerfich
last year when it was my first day, too.”

Melinda’s lower lip quivered. “Were you really nervous?”

“Jah.” Susie tapped Faith on the shoulder. “See how well Melinda’s learning Pennsylvania Dutch? She knows what
naerfich
means.”

“Good job, Melinda.” Faith smiled. “Susie, why don’t you tell Melinda what school is like? Maybe give her an idea of what to expect.”

“Well,” Susie began, “the first thing we do when we get to school, after we’ve taken a seat behind one of the desks, is to listen to our teacher, Sarah Wagler, read some verses from the Bible. Then we all say the Lord’s Prayer, and after that we sing a few songs.”

“That seems easy enough,” Melinda said, her voice sounding much brighter. “What happens after the songs?”

“Then it’s time for lessons to begin.” Susie paused, and Faith wondered if her little sister was finished sharing the details of school or trying to think of what to say next. “Sarah usually gives the older ones their arithmetic lesson, and then she or her helper, Nona Shemly, works with the younger ones who need to learn English,” Susie continued.