The Courtship Basket (17 page)

“It's not like that,” Mike insisted. “John is attached to her because she's made a difference in his life. She's given him confidence he never had with his last teacher. That's all it is. It has nothing to do with me. I just enjoy talking to her. She's very sweet, and she's a
gut
listener. She's a
gut freind
.”

Sam wagged a finger at Mike. “You don't see it yet, but it's there.”

“What's there?” Mike regretted ever discussing Rachel with Sam. His cousin was blowing Mike's friendship with Rachel out of proportion.

Sam tapped the fence. “I had a feeling the first time I saw you talking to her at the shop, and even when you told me about your argument, you had a sparkle in your eyes.”

“What are you talking about?” Mike gave him a withering
look. “You didn't see us while we argued. We didn't like each other at all. Why would you have a feeling about a
maedel
who couldn't stand me?”

Sam grinned. “The attraction was there from the beginning. You just wait and see.”

Mike shook his head and opened the gate. “You've got it all wrong. We're just
freinden
. Besides, I don't have time to even think about dating. You agree
mei dat
isn't doing well. I can't take my focus off him right now. The most important jobs I have are taking care of
Dat
and John. I can't jeopardize them by thinking about a
maedel
.” He started toward the house, and Sam caught up with him to walk by his side.

“Mike, no one expects you to stop living,” Sam said. “We're all helping you with your
dat
and John. Besides, you're doing a great job taking care of things. Your
mamm
and Vera would both be so proud of you.”

Mike swallowed at the mention of his mother and stepmother. “I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do, and that's take care of my family.”

The back door opened, and Mandy appeared on the porch. She was petite and pretty with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Her hands flew to her abdomen where they cradled a bump shielded by her royal blue dress. Mike was so happy for Sam and his growing family. Although Sam and Mandy had participated in different youth groups, they had met through mutual friends and quickly fallen in love. Mike hoped he could someday enjoy a happy marriage like his cousin had with his wife.

“Hi, Mike,” Mandy called with a warm smile. “Are you hungry?”

“I'm always hungry.”

Sam patted Mike's shoulder. “Let's get something to eat.”

As Mike walked with Sam toward the back door, he wondered if his cousin had been right. Did Mike deserve to be happy or was
he selfish to dream of having someone like Rachel by his side? Although doubt lingered in his mind, he also wondered if Rachel was developing feelings for him.

Could Rachel ever love someone like him? Would she consider taking on someone who already had so many responsibilities?

“I
T
'
S SO NICE TO SEE YOU
,” R
ACHEL SAID TO
L
ENA
Z
OOK
'
S
mother. “I'm so glad you could come to our school picnic today. It's a wonderful way to end the school week.”

“I wouldn't miss it.” Marian Zook smiled down at Lena, who had wrapped herself around her mother's arm. “Isn't it
schee
out today?”

“
Ya
, it is. It's difficult to believe next week will be May.” Rachel glanced across the playground, where the rest of her class and the students in the larger schoolhouse ate lunch with family members. She saw John sitting with Mike, and her smile widened. She hadn't seen Mike since he'd visited her at her farm last Saturday.

“The school year will be over before we know it,” Marian continued. “Lena has had a
gut
year with you and Malinda. I'm grateful for all you've done to help her.”

“I have enjoyed it very much.” Rachel smiled at the little girl. “I'm glad you're in my class.”

Marian pointed to the blanket she'd spread out on the ground. “Let's sit and have our lunch. Do you want to join us, Rachel?”

Rachel turned back toward where John and Mike sat, and they both waved.

“Thank you so much for the invitation,” Rachel said to Marian. “But I see someone I need to talk with.” Marian nodded, and Rachel made her way through the knot of students and parents, smiling and nodding greetings as she worked her way toward the far end of the playground.

When she reached John and Mike, John patted the blanket beside him.

“Sit with us,” John said.

“
Danki
.” Rachel sat down on the blanket and smoothed her green dress over her legs. The sun warmed her cheeks as she smiled at Mike. “I'm glad you could make it today. Your note said Janie would probably come in your place.”

“I stayed late last night and was able to finish up my jobs so I could come today.” Mike unwrapped a tuna fish sandwich. “Would you like half of my sandwich?”

“
Ya, danki
.” Rachel took the sandwich and noticed her basket sitting on the blanket beside Mike.

Mike followed her glance and pointed. “We used your basket to pack our lunch today.
Danki
for the meals you sent this week.”

“
Gern gschehne
.” Rachel took a bite of the sandwich and then swallowed.

“You really don't have to send us meals,” Mike said with a shy smile. “My cousins take care of most of the cooking, and I don't want you to feel as if you need to spend the money and the time cooking for us.”

“I enjoy cooking for you.” Rachel realized what she'd said, and her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. She hadn't meant to make it sound as if she wanted to cook for him permanently—like as his wife. Would Mike think she was being forward or assuming they were more than friends?

Mike continued to eat his sandwich, and she breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't seem to have gotten the wrong impression.

“How has your week been?” Mike asked before taking a drink of water. His bright eyes reminded her of the clear blue sky above them. He took another bottle of water from the basket, opened it, and handed it to her. John was watching some of the other children who had started a game of tag.

“It's been
gut
. How about yours?”

“It's been busy.” He placed his bottle on the blanket beside him and crossed one of his long legs over the other. “I've made several wishing wells this week. A couple of local businesses asked for them. Apparently they are the new trend.” He took another bite.

“That's great that you're keeping up with a trend.”

John leaned over and yanked at Rachel's sleeve. “May I go play? I finished my sandwich.” He held up his empty sandwich wrapper and pointed to a group of children gathered by the open area where they played softball. They had begun to divide up into teams.

Rachel looked at Mike, who nodded. “
Ya
, you may go.”

John stuffed his wrapper and napkins in the basket and ran off toward the group of children. As Rachel chewed a bite from her sandwich, she saw a team captain choose John for her team.

“It looks like he's getting along with the other
kinner
,” Mike said.

“
Ya
, he is. The other
kinner
like him. He does well when they play softball.”

Relief softened his features. “I was worried he didn't have any
freinden
.”

Rachel smiled. “He has
freinden
.”

As Mike watched his brother play ball, Rachel saw Malinda talking to another parent on the other side of the playground. When Malinda looked her way, Rachel smiled and waved, but Malinda only gave Rachel a curious expression.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” Mike suddenly asked.

“What's that?” Rachel turned toward him, wondering if she had heard him correctly.

“I asked you what you're doing tomorrow,” he explained as he rested his arm on his bent knee. “Do you have plans tomorrow afternoon?”

“No.” Her mouth dried with anticipation. What was he going to ask her?

“Would you like to go on a picnic?” He gestured toward the blanket. “I mean a real picnic that's not in a playground.” Then his eyes widened and his words came out in a rush. “Not that this hasn't been nice. It's been great. I was just wondering if you would like to go on a picnic with me.” Embarrassment covered his handsome face. “And John will be there too, of course.”

Rachel bit back a giggle. Mike looked adorable when he was flustered.

“I don't think that invitation came out quite right,” he said. Then he grinned, and a giggle escaped her lips.

She clamped her hand over her mouth.

“Don't hold it back,” he said. “You have a great laugh.”

Rachel looked down at the worn blue blanket as the tips of her ears flamed.

“Let me try this again.” Mike cleared his throat. “Would you please go on a picnic with John and me tomorrow? I thought we could go down to that pond I told you about where I fell out of the fishing boat.”

Rachel met his gaze, and he gave her a hopeful expression. “What about your
dat
?” she asked.

“Marie is coming over to work on the garden tomorrow. She said she'll take care of him while we're gone.” Mike fingered the bottle of water in his hands. “He'll be fine.”

Had Mike asked his cousin to take care of his father so he could spend time with her? Rachel's stomach fluttered at the possibility of spending more time with Mike. She'd thought about him every day since they'd seen each other on Saturday.

“So what do you think?” Mike asked again, his eyes begging her to say yes.

“What would you like me to pack for our lunch?” she asked.

Mike grinned, and she prayed he wouldn't break her fragile heart.

R
ACHEL GRIPPED THE PICNIC BASKET HANDLES AS
M
IKE
guided the horse down the rocky lane the following afternoon. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she glanced over at Mike's handsome profile. She'd been awake most of last night planning out what she'd pack in her mother's picnic basket and worrying about how Mike felt about her. Did Mike like her as more than a friend? If so, then was this their first official outing as a couple?

“The pond is straight ahead.” John leaned over the bench from the rear of the buggy and pointed, breaking through Rachel's mental tirade. “Sometimes I go fishing there with Mike,
Onkel
Tim, and Sam.
Mei dat
can't fish anymore, but I went with him a couple of times when I was four.”

“You remember that?” Mike gave him a sideways glance.

“
Ya
.” John looked incredulous. “Why wouldn't I?” He slipped into the back of the buggy.

Rachel and Mike exchanged smiles, and her heart felt like it was turning over in her chest as Mike turned his focus back on the road ahead of them.

Rachel had thought about their picnic all morning. She hurried through her morning chores before packing lunch and calling for a ride over to Mike's farm. When she arrived she talked to Marie for a few minutes before Mike hitched up the horse and they started off toward the pond.

“Maybe you can go fishing with us sometime,” John said, leaning over the seat again. “
Onkel
Tim has a small boat. We could borrow it and go out some Saturday afternoon.”

Rachel turned toward Mike, who raised his eyebrows. “That sounds nice,” she said.

“Great.” John clapped. “I haven't been fishing in a long time. It's so fun. I caught a fish that was bigger than my two hands.” He held out his hands. “It was so big!”

Rachel grinned. “That's amazing! Maybe we can try to get a bigger one when we go.”

“We'll see if we can work out a day sometime soon.” Mike gave her a thankful smile. He guided the horse up another rocky path, and the pond came into view. He brought the horse to a stop by a small picnic table. “
Mei dat
and
onkel
put this picnic table here a few years ago. We always liked coming here, so we thought we'd make it more conducive to picnics.”

They climbed out of the buggy, and Mike tied the horse to a nearby tree. Rachel set the picnic basket on the table and pulled out a tablecloth. Then she brought out three roast beef sandwiches, a bag of pretzels, and a thermos of lemonade.

“This is nice.” Mike sidled up to her, and she breathed in his smell—this time soap mixed with earth and sunshine. He pulled the cups out of the basket. “
Danki
for bringing such delicious food.”

“You're welcome.”

“I could get used to this,” Mike quipped as a grin slid across his face.

Rachel's pulse surged.
What does he mean by that? My food? Or spending time together?

“John,” Mike called. His younger brother was tossing stones into the pond. “Let's eat and then you can play.”

John trotted over, and Rachel sat down across from them at the picnic table. After a silent prayer, they began eating.

“Do you like throwing stones into the pond?” Rachel asked.

John's head bobbed up and down as he chewed, then swallowed. “I like to make big splashes. I play a game where I try to make the splash bigger each time.”

“That sounds like fun.” Rachel swiped a pretzel from the bag. “
Mei schweschder
Veronica is an expert at skipping stones.”

“Oh?” John tilted his head. “I don't know how to do that.”

“I'll have to show you.” Rachel lifted her sandwich. “I'm not an expert, but Veronica is.”

“Maybe your
schweschder
can show me sometime.” John turned toward Mike. “We should invite Rachel's whole family to come on a picnic, and Veronica can teach us all to skip stones.”

Mike nodded. “We can talk about that.”

Rachel studied John's excited face. She hoped she could continue her relationship with the boy. Would they still be friends after he returned to the schoolhouse in his district? Would she still be friends with Mike? Her hope blossomed at the question.

“So, John,” Rachel began, “you've told me you like to fish, and I know you like to play softball. What else do you like to do?”

“Well . . .” John rubbed his chin. “I do like to climb trees. One time I climbed a tree that was as tall as the barn!”

Rachel and Mike finished their lunch as John launched into his tree-climbing story. Mike grinned and shook his head as his little brother spoke.

Soon John had finished his sandwich as well, plus a few handfuls of pretzels. Rachel pulled out a plate of brownies for dessert, and as they ate John told more stories about some of his outdoor adventures.

“I'm going to go play, okay?” John asked, brushing his hands together after finishing his brownie.

“
Ya
.” Mike dropped John's napkins into the basket. “Don't fall into the water.”

John stood. “I wish we could do this all the time. I like it when the three of us are together. It's almost like we're a family.”

Rachel turned toward Mike, and something that resembled panic flashed in his expression and then disappeared. Had John's comment made him uncomfortable?

John trotted off toward the water and began picking up stones.

Mike stood and then came around the table, slipping onto the bench beside Rachel. “You're so
gut
with him.”

“
Danki
.” Rachel shrugged casually, even though she was keenly aware of Mike sitting beside her. “I just try to talk to John at his level, but not be condescending. I try to remember what I was like when I was six and what I liked to talk about.” His arm accidentally brushed hers, and she swallowed a gasp.

“You were born to be a teacher. It's your gift. I was watching the other
kinner
interact with you at the picnic yesterday, and they all gravitated to you, even the
kinner
from the big schoolhouse.” Mike swiped a brownie from the plate and broke it in half, then offered her one of the halves.

Rachel took the brownie and broke off a smaller piece as she considered his words. He was watching her yesterday?

“You look stunned.” Mike swiveled toward her.

“I just never considered myself a natural teacher.” She popped the quarter of brownie into her mouth and watched John toss stones into the pond. Her thoughts drifted to David and how different her life would have been if they had stayed together and gotten engaged. For the first time since they broke up, she didn't feel sadness and regret. Instead, she felt as if she had a new beginning full of possibilities. A smile crept across her lips.

“You look like you're planning to do something devious.”

Rachel turned to face Mike, who cocked an eyebrow. “I was just thinking.”