A Picture of Love

by Beth Wiseman

  “Oh, and by the way, Mom died three years ago, in case you might care one tiny little bit.”

  Silence.

  The door suddenly swung open and hit Esther so hard she almost fell over. The pie wasn’t so lucky as it toppled to the porch and landed upside down.

  A nicely dressed lady, who looked to be in her fifties, gasped. “Are you all right? I’m so sorry.” The woman leaned down and picked up the dilapidated pie with the meringue mashed against the plastic wrap that covered it. She handed it back to Esther, who found herself speechless.

  “What are you doing here?” Gus’s face was redder than red as he locked eyes with Esther.

  His daughter shook her head. “Good luck with him. I’m done,” she said to Esther before she rushed down the cottage steps, got in her car, and left.

  “I decided to bring you an entire pie in case it rains. And it will be easier on me to bring you a whole pie even if it’s not raining so I don’t have to sneak over here every day.” She was already wondering what she would tell Lizzie and Naomi about Gus carting her to the tests she was going to be having. She shivered at the thought of being poked and prodded by strangers. “But I’m sorry. I seem to have interrupted you and your dochder.”

  “She’s no one to me.” He paused as he lowered his head. Esther felt an odd urge to hug him, but she waited, and he finally lifted his eyes to hers. “That wasn’t our deal. I don’t want to eat the same pie all week.” He glowered at her, shifting his gaze over her shoulder where his daughter’s car had been. Sorrow filled Gus’s expression, no matter how hard he tried to mask it with anger.

  Esther took a deep breath.

  “This pie is no longer fit to eat anyway.” She wanted to ask Gus if he was okay, but she knew he would only lash out at her. “I will bring you a fresh slice of pie this evening. I think Naomi made an apple one this morning.”

  “This will be fine.” Gus snatched the pie from her hands, then slammed the door closed behind him.

  Esther peered in the window, half expecting Gus to throw the pie across the room. Or maybe he would save it and throw something else. Even she had been known to throw a small thing here and there out of anger. Instead, he slowly set the pie on the TV tray by the couch, then he sat down, putting his back to her.

  His shoulders began to rise and fall, and she watched him cover his face with both hands. Esther’s hand covered her mouth. Is he crying? A crack was forming in her heart for Grumpy Gus Owens, who had begun showing a more human side of himself lately.

  She tiptoed to the front door and reached for the knob. Even if he didn’t smell very good, she was going to pull him into a big hug. Everyone needed a hug sometimes, even those who might not deserve one. She couldn’t imagine having a child, not seeing that child for decades, and then having a conversation as horrible as the one she’d just overheard. Her heart hurt for all involved.

  When she heard Gus actually sobbing, she placed her hand flat on the door and closed her eyes. Esther couldn’t cure Gus’s pain with a hug, and the intrusion would likely embarrass or enrage him. So, she did the only thing she knew would help Gus. She prayed for him.

  After she lowered her hand and tiptoed down the steps, she trudged home. Mary and John were on their front porch. Esther couldn’t hear what they were saying, and she was glad. Mary’s hands were on her hips, and John was leaning toward her—and not in a romantic way. They were fighting again.

  Esther lifted her eyes to the sky. Why can’t there just be peace?

  * * *

  Naomi scurried to finish cleaning the kitchen after supper with Lizzie’s help. Amos had already carried the painting supplies to the wagon and was halfway to their spot.

  “That boy is sweet on you,” Lizzie said as she climbed a step stool to put a casserole dish on a shelf.

  “Don’t start, Lizzie. We are just friends.” Naomi recalled the way Amos had almost kissed her—twice—but recoiled both times.

  Lizzie folded the stool and stashed it between the wall and refrigerator, then put her hands on her hips. “You’d have to be blind not to see the way Amos looks at you.” She peered at Naomi. “And you’re not blind.”

  Naomi had noticed the way Amos looked at her, especially the night before. “You’re making too much of it.”

  Lizzie scooted toward Naomi and cupped her cheek. “Mei sweet maedel, it is okay to allow yourself to be happy. Thomas was a cad.” She lowered her hand. “I never did think he was the one, but you were happy, and that’s all we’ve ever wanted for you.”

  “He wasn’t a cad.” Naomi wanted to get to the pond, but she couldn’t have Lizzie calling the man she loved a cad.

  “Of course he was. He professed his love for you, asked you to marry him, then fled the district, leaving you embarrassed and heartbroken.”

  Naomi tried not to recall her feelings after Thomas had left, but Lizzie was making it feel raw again. “I am going to go paint with Amos, but you need to stop saying he’s sweet on me.” She glared at Lizzie. “And please stop calling Thomas a cad.” Lizzie had used that word to describe Thomas more than once since the breakup.

  She stormed out, regretting her harsh tone with Lizzie, but Naomi was having a hard enough time sorting out her feelings without Lizzie making her even more confused.

  By the time she got to the pond, she was breathless from hurrying. A chill hung in the air, and she’d forgotten her cape.

  “Do you want me to go back to the haus and get your cape? You’re shivering.” Amos already had a paintbrush and palette in his hand. He was wearing a light jacket over his long-sleeve blue shirt.

  “Nee, I’ll warm up.” Naomi wasn’t sure that was true, but she didn’t want to waste any daylight. She rubbed her arms as Amos set the brush and palette in the wagon and slipped out of his coat. “Nee, don’t do that. I’ll be fine.”

  He draped it around her shoulders, gently pulled it snug around her, then grinned. “It’s kinda big for you. But I’m warm without it.”

  Naomi was still shuddering, but it wasn’t from the cool air. Amos had that seductive look in his eyes again, the expression that caused Naomi to wonder if she was misreading him. But when he didn’t move and their eyes remained locked again, she waited.

  He stepped back and cleared his throat before picking up his brush and palette. He stared out over the pond, his forehead wrinkling. “Do you think we should keep painting this same scene?”

  Naomi took a deep breath and swallowed back the nervous knot in her throat. “Um, I don’t know.” She turned to him, but he was still staring out over the water. “I’ve painted this scene a lot. It’s a beautiful spot, and each time I see it differently.

  He turned to her and scratched his chin. “We both painted depressing pictures of this beautiful landscape. Maybe we should keep working on it until we come up with a happier and more accurate end result, without all the gray. Something cheerful, like your other picture.”

  She thought for a few moments. “Maybe you’re right. It could be like therapy.”

  He laughed. “This view deserves our best effort.”

  Naomi gave a taut nod of her head. “Agreed.”

  They worked in silence, and Naomi tried to brighten up her picture and apply the technique Amos had shown her, extending the leaves on the cornstalks. She stepped back a couple feet and smiled. “I think the therapy must be working.”

  Amos set down his painting tools and scooted over to her side. “It’s brighter.” His eyes met hers. “I think it’s probably more reflective of the real you.”

  She reveled in the compliment as she looked over at his painting. “Wow, yours is more colorful too. Maybe we just needed each other to point out the gray tints in order to see ourselves more clearly, or at least see who we want to be.”

  “Naomi.” He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I know we talked about just being friends, but I feel an overwhelming desire to kiss you, and I don’t know if that’s a gut thing for either of us.”
He paused as he dropped his arms to his sides. “I feel something for you, something I didn’t expect.” Shaking his head, he sighed. “Maybe I’m overanalyzing it. You’re a beautiful woman, and I like you, and I want to kiss you.”

  Naomi went weak in the knees, her body shaking again but not from the cold. “I like you, too, and I admit I’m surprised that I feel . . .” She searched for a word to explain. “I’m surprised that I want you to kiss me. I didn’t think I’d ever feel that way again.”

  “Well . . .” Amos grinned and tapped a finger to his chin. “That sounded kind of like permission.” He tucked loose strands of hair behind her ears, the way he’d done before. And as he lowered his mouth to hers, Naomi knew she was crossing into an area she’d forbidden herself to go since Thomas. But she’d never met a man like Amos, and he made the risk feel worth it.

  Just as she closed her eyes, someone called her name.

  She backed away from Amos and turned to the voice she’d recognize anywhere. Her heart thumped wildly as she blinked to clear her vision, wondering if she was seeing things. But she wasn’t.

  “Thomas,” she said softly as she watched him walking toward them.

  Fourteen

  Amos suddenly felt invisible. Naomi had moved toward her ex-fiancé without looking back at him.

  The two exchanged a few words before Naomi led him to where Amos stood. She handed him back his coat, which seemed significant.

  “Amos . . .” Her face had brightened in a way that caused a huge lump to form in his throat. “This is Thomas.” She glanced at the man by her side, and there was no doubt how she was feeling. He was shorter than Amos, a nice-looking fellow with wavy brown hair, dark eyes, and a square jaw. Amos shouldn’t be surprised that such a guy had courted Naomi. She was probably out of Amos’s league anyway. But until he’d met her, there hadn’t been a league worth considering.

  Amos took the man’s hand when he extended his. “Wie bischt, nice to meet you.”

  Thomas nodded before he turned to Naomi, whose smile seemed to keep growing. If she’d held any hostility toward her ex, it was gone.

  “I came by last night, but it was late. I’m staying with mei parents, and I decided to take a walk.” Thomas shrugged. “I ended up here, then I realized how silly it was to come calling at that time of night.” Pausing, he reached for her hand. “I’ve missed you.”

  Naomi didn’t hesitate. She took the offered hand and said, “I’ve missed you too.”

  Amos tried to imagine how he would feel if Sarah was alive and miraculously walked up to him. He supposed his reaction would have been similar to Naomi’s. She loved Thomas the same way Amos had loved Sarah, who would never walk up to him again.

  Naomi was still aglow, her smile stretched across her beautiful face. He needed to be happy for her, but she’d nicked the armor around his heart, opened the dark place a tiny bit, enough for the sting of Thomas showing up to nip at his emotions. Stupid, stupid. Thankfully, he hadn’t kissed her. How much had Thomas seen? Had he seen how close Amos had been to Naomi? Did he even consider that she might have moved on?

  Still holding Naomi’s hand, he edged closer to the paintings. “Still painting, ya?”

  She nodded and finally glanced at Amos. “But not until recently.”

  Finally, Thomas seemed to recognize that a situation might be in front of him. “Did I, uh . . . interrupt something?” He glanced back and forth between Naomi and Amos.

  “Not at all. We just both like to paint and decided to try our hands at it since it had been a while for both of us.” Amos forced a smile but avoided looking at Naomi, afraid she’d see the regret in his expression, maybe feel it vibrating from his heart.

  “Do you live near here?” Thomas let go of Naomi’s hand and stood taller.

  “I’m staying at the inn for a while. Mei and mei mamm came from Ohio to attend a wedding and visit family. Mamm went back home Sunday, but Lizzie and Esther asked me to stay on for a while and take care of some repairs. I agreed since business is slow for me back home this time of year.”

  “Ah . . .” Thomas looped his thumbs beneath his suspenders. “So you’re staying at the main haus?” He lifted an eyebrow as any hint of a smile disappeared.

  “Ya.” He turned to Naomi. “I’m sure you two have lots to talk about. I’ll probably paint for a while, then I’ll haul all of this inside.” He motioned toward the wagon.

  “So you know who I am?” Thomas’s voice might have been considered confrontational by some people, but Amos was trying to put himself in the man’s shoes. Even though he was sure nothing ever could have made him leave Sarah.

  “Ya, Naomi told me about you.” Amos heard the edge in his voice.

  “Thomas, do you want to take a walk?” Naomi wasn’t smiling anymore. Maybe she sensed the tension building.

  “Uh, ya.” Thomas glanced her way. “Sure.”

  Finally, Naomi looked Amos in the eye. “Are you sure you don’t mind taking all of this back later?”

  He’d done the heavy lifting the night before, but she’d helped by carrying one of the easels. “Nee, I don’t mind. But I’m going to finish what I started.”

  She lowered her gaze and nodded. He was pretty sure she picked up on his meaning.

  As he watched Naomi walk off with the man she loved, Amos silently chastised himself for opening his heart to her. He barely knew Naomi, but the ache in his chest grew with each step she took.

  He began packing up the painting supplies. He’d lost interest for tonight.

  * * *

  Naomi held Thomas’s hand after he draped his jacket around her as they headed toward the barn, where he said it would be warmer and private.

  They were both quiet, and Naomi was tempted to look over her shoulder, but she didn’t want Thomas to see her do that and question her. If he had walked up on them five seconds later, he would have caught Naomi kissing Amos, and her chance of reconciling with Thomas probably would have been gone. Thomas’s tone had tensed when he learned Amos was staying under the same roof as Naomi. Maybe it would do him good to be a little jealous after what he’d put her through.

  She quickly shook the thought from her mind, refusing to let anger and resentment get in the way of them resuming their relationship. She’d always known she’d take him back, given the opportunity. And now he’s here.

  He opened the barn door, and a couple chickens squawked and scampered to the corner of the barn. “Those two are escape artists. They keep finding a way out of the chicken coop.”

  Thomas pulled her close to him, and his mouth was on hers before she had time to catch a breath. She savored the familiarity and the passion even though her emotions swirled and skidded in different directions. His hands began to travel to forbidden areas, and she forced him away. She loved him and longed for his touch, but Thomas had always pushed the boundaries. Naomi had wondered if her resistance to his physical advances was one of the reasons he’d left her. She’d never shared her suspicions with anyone, but she believed some things were reserved for marriage.

  “I’m sorry,” he said softly before he took her hand and pressed a kiss into it. “I’ve just missed you so much. I’ve been such a cad.”

  Naomi recalled Lizzie’s use of the word, but shook her head. “Nee, don’t say that. You’re here now, and that’s all the matters.”

  She knew others—especially Lizzie and Esther—would chide her for taking Thomas back without hesitation. Naomi knew she could play hard to get and make him fight for a place back in her life, but that wasn’t who she was. Those tactics would only be playing games. She was glad Thomas had shown up before Amos kissed her. With him here now, she could see things clearer. Loneliness had fueled her attraction to Amos and made her receptive to his flirtatious gestures and advances.

  “Is there still a future for us?” Thomas kissed her palm again, then lowered his arm and squeezed her hand. “Things looked cozy between you and Amos.” He lowered his head and sighed, and when he looked back up at her,
tears were in his eyes. “I don’t deserve you, Naomi, but if you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of mei life making things up to you.”

  “I knew you’d come back.” It wasn’t true, but she threw her arms around his neck, and within seconds they were making out like teenagers in the barn. This time, Thomas kept his hands respectfully where they belonged.

  “I love you, Naomi,” he whispered in between kisses.

  Naomi’s heart filled like an empty vessel being replenished with everything she’d prayed for. “I love you too.”

  * * *

  Esther stared out the window, Lizzie by her side.

  “Well, he’s back,” Esther said. “When I saw them walk into the barn, I assumed a reconciliation would follow.”

  Lizzie shook her head. “He’s going to hurt her again.”

  “Maybe.” Esther turned to her sister. “But it is not our place to interfere.”

  Lizzie chuckled. “We always interfere.”

  Esther sighed as she looked down and smoothed the wrinkles in her apron. “We sometimes give a gentle push when we see the potential for love. It’s not really interfering.”

  “She’s going to give up that handsome Amos. Seems a shame.” Lizzie pressed her lips together. She’d already taken out her teeth for the night, and they were both in their bedclothes. Esther was proud that Lizzie continued to make an attempt with the dentures, especially after the cat ordeal.

  “Amos hasn’t been here long, so there hasn’t been enough time for him and Naomi to get to know each other.” A pain squeezed Esther’s heart. She also thought that since Thomas left once, he might do it again. And Amos seemed like a good catch. He was hardworking, polite, and a looker for sure. Esther had seen the spark between them, the looks exchanged, and their eagerness to paint together. But whatever had been taking hold of them wouldn’t have an opportunity to bloom now.

  “Exactly. She needs more time with Amos.” Lizzie looked over her shoulder at the basement door.

  “Don’t even think about it. You will not lock that poor girl in the basement with another man. She has the right to make her own decisions. Love is not something you can force.” Even though she and Lizzie had tried and failed with many others besides Naomi, they’d also helped many couples find their way to each other. Sometimes folks just needed a nudge. But this was different.