Spring Is in the Air

by Amy Clipston

  “Danki.” Chris nodded. “I agree. These would sell out.”

  Katie Ann’s gaze moved to their project. “How’s it going?”

  He swallowed the last bite of his cookie and took another one. “Pretty well. We’ve only just started.”

  Katie Ann walked around it, touching the pieces of wood he’d hammered together. “What will it look like?”

  He held up the drawing he’d created Monday night. “It’s going to have eight shelves on the front and storage on the back. It will take us a couple of weeks to build, and then I’ll have to sand it and stain it.”

  “It looks perfect. It will be nice and big, so we’ll have plenty of room.” She looked up at him. “It was kind of you to offer to help build it.”

  “I’m froh to help. Mei dat donated the wood and supplies.” He popped the last of the second cookie into his mouth.

  “Please tell him danki.” Katie Ann turned toward him and held up the tray. “Only two left.”

  “I want one.” Wayne grabbed one cookie and Chris took the other. “You have to make these again,” Chris said.

  Katie Ann laughed. “I will.”

  “I’ll take the tray in.” Clara took it from her. “I want to see if Emma needs any help in the kitchen.” She headed out of the barn through its large doors.

  “Is Ephraim coming today?” Wayne asked Katie Ann.

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure. He was working on a project with mei dat in one of the barns when I left to come over here.”

  “Oh.” Wayne nodded.

  Chris glanced at Wayne, and an idea gripped him. If he could find a reason to send Wayne out of the barn, then he could speak to Katie Ann alone. His looked at the tools and noted that the container of nails was almost empty.

  “Wayne, would you please look in my buggy to see if I have more nails? I’m almost out.”

  “Sure.” Wayne took a long drink of water as he headed out of the barn.

  Chris held back a sigh of relief as he turned to Katie Ann. “How have you been?”

  “Fine.” She sank down onto a hay bale. “How about you? Have you had a gut week?”

  “Ya.” He sat down beside her.

  “Did you finish staining those cabinets you were working on?”

  “I did.” He smiled. She had remembered their discussion on Tuesday. “I stained them on Wednesday, and we installed them yesterday.”

  “That’s great.” She seemed genuinely interested in what he shared. “Are you working on a new cabinet project now?”

  “Ya, I am.” He recalled what she’d said earlier about her brother. If her brother hadn’t come today, would she need a ride home? If she accepted a ride from him, they’d have more time alone. The thought of taking her home in his buggy made his heart seem to trip over itself. “Did you bring your bruder’s horse and buggy today?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I got a ride from mei dat’s driver. I’m going to call him to come and get me when I’m ready to head home.”

  “I have my horse and buggy here,” he said. “Would you accept a ride from me?”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t want you to go out of your way for me.” She waved off the offer.

  “How far away do you live from here?”

  “Just a couple of miles.”

  “Do you live in Bird-in-Hand?”

  She nodded.

  “That’s not out of my way at all. I’d love to give you a ride home, if you’d like one.” He took a breath as he awaited her response, hoping he hadn’t come on too strong.

  “I’d like that.”

  “Great.” Chris could hardly wait to get to know Katie Ann better.

  “Tell me about your family.” Katie Ann hugged her sweater against her chest as she sat beside Chris two hours later. After talking with him in the barn for a while, she had watered a few sections in the garden and then swept Emma’s porch before helping store the gardening tools in the barn.

  When Chris had asked her if she was ready to go home, excitement hummed through her at the thought of riding with him in his buggy. She was thrilled to spend more time alone with him and get to know him better. She was certain she’d developed a crush on him, and she hoped he liked her too.

  “Well, I’ve already told you mei bruder is married and lives about a mile away.” He gave her a sideways glance.

  “What’s his fraa’s name?”

  “Mary.”

  “Do they have any kinner?”

  “They will soon.”

  Katie Ann clasped her hands. “They’re expecting?”

  “Ya, their first.” He smiled, and his dimple came out to play as he guided the horse through an intersection.

  “Your parents must be thrilled.”

  “They are.” Chris nodded. “It’s all mei mamm talks about. She’s been sewing for months. I don’t think the boppli will need any clothes or blankets for at least a year.”

  Katie Ann laughed. “That’s wunderbaar. How long have they been married?”

  “Almost three years.” He kept his focus on the road ahead as he spoke. “They had hoped to start a family sooner, but God’s plan was different.”

  “Oh.” Katie Ann fingered a button on her sweater.

  “How about you?” he asked. “Tell me about your dat’s farm.”

  “Well, there’s not much to tell. We have horses, cows, a couple of donkeys, chickens, and a few dogs. And kittens in the barn. I like to play with them.”

  “It’s nice that your parents support your helping Emma.”

  “Ya, I’m thankful they allow both Ephraim and me time to help her out. It all started on Christmas Eve. Emma was supposed to come for supper, and when she didn’t arrive, we were worried about her. Ephraim, Mandy, Wayne, and I went to check on her, and we wound up baking with her.”

  “Wayne told me you were snowed in, and that you had to sleep in her schtupp.” He grinned, and she enjoyed how his handsome face lit up.

  “Ya.” She chuckled. “That was unexpected. It’s rare that we have a blizzard here on Christmas.”

  “That’s true.” He pointed to the street sign. “Do I turn here?”

  “Ya.”

  A comfortable silence fell over the buggy, and Katie Ann settled back against the seat. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt so comfortable with a young man other than Ephraim.

  “The garden looks great,” Chris finally said.

  “Ya, it does. I’m so excited to see it come together. It seems like just yesterday we decided to plant it.” The idea of the garden had been hers, but Ephraim and Mandy had helped turn her dream into a reality. Katie Ann’s chest tightened as she recalled how much had changed since Christmas Eve, when Mandy and Ephraim had first seemed to show interest in each other, and the disappointment and frustration of the past four months.

  She turned toward Chris, and the urge to share the feelings that had been troubling her heart for months overtook her.

  He gave her another sideways glance. “Are you okay?”

  “Ya.” She took a deep breath. “Are you close to your bruder?”

  “Ya, I’d say we’re close.”

  “Did your relationship change when he met Mary?”

  Chris paused as if contemplating the question. “Ya, it did.”

  “How?”

  “Well, we didn’t talk as much as we used to, and he wasn’t around as much since he spent a lot of time with her and her family.” He looked over at her. “Why?”

  “Ephraim started dating Mandy right after Christmas,” she began. “Mandy has been my best freind since we were kinner, and now she’s always with Ephraim. I hardly ever see her now, and if she comes to see me, mei bruder is always there too. I always feel like I’m in the way.”

  Chris nodded. “I remember how that felt when Arlan always had Mary with him.”

  “How did you adjust to it?”

  He shrugged. “I guess I just got used to it.” He smiled at her. “You’ll get used to it too.”

  “
Oh.” She bit back a frown. She’d hoped he’d offer her a solution that would solve all her problems, but she was thankful to get some of her troubles off her chest. She pointed to her driveway. “This is my farm.”

  Disappointment wafted over her as Chris guided his horse up the long rock driveway that led to the two-story, white farmhouse that had always been her home.

  When he halted the horse, he turned toward her. “I enjoyed our time together today.”

  “I did too.” And I don’t want it to end. “Would you like to meet my family?”

  His expression brightened. “Ya. That would be nice.”

  Katie Ann climbed out of the buggy and led him up the path to the back porch. Inside, they stepped into the kitchen and found her mother taking baked chicken from the oven. Her father and brother already sat at the table.

  “Katie Ann,” Mamm said. “You’re home.”

  “Ya, Chris gave me a ride. Mamm and Dat, I’d like you to meet mei freind, Chris Lantz.” Katie Ann introduced Chris to her parents. “Chris, these are my parents, Marlin and Leona Blank.”

  Dat stood and shook Chris’s hand. “Welcome to our home.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Chris said. He greeted her brother and then turned to her mother and shook her hand. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine, danki.” Mamm smiled. “Would you like to join us for supper?”

  “Oh no, but danki. Mei mamm is expecting me.” Chris turned to Katie Ann. “I hope to see you soon.”

  “Ya.” Katie Ann smiled up at him. “Danki for the ride home.”

  Chris said good-bye to her parents and Ephraim and then headed out to his waiting horse and buggy.

  Katie Ann turned to her mother, who grinned at her. “May I, uh, help you set the table?”

  “It’s all set.” Mamm folded her arms over her chest. “Have you been keeping secrets from me?”

  “No.” Katie Ann shook her head.

  “Is he your boyfriend?” Concern colored her father’s question. “He needs to ask permission before he can date you.”

  “No, no.” Katie Ann held up her hands. “He’s just a freind. He’s Wayne King’s cousin, and he’s helping us with the garden. He offered me a ride home, and I accepted so Dat wouldn’t have to spend money on a driver. That’s all. We’re not dating.”

  “I think he does like you, though,” Ephraim said.

  Katie Ann gaped as his words filtered through her mind. Could Ephraim be right?

  Mamm lifted her eyebrows as if to indicate she wanted more information later when they were alone.

  “Let’s eat,” Ephraim said.

  After helping her mother bring the rest of the food to the table, Katie Ann slipped into her usual chair across from Ephraim and bowed her head for a silent prayer. As she began to fill her plate with baked chicken and macaroni and cheese, she wondered if Ephraim was right about Chris liking her. And if he did, would he eventually ask her to be his girlfriend? The question sent the heat of anticipation crawling up her neck to her cheeks.

  CHAPTER 4

  Happiness bubbled up inside Katie Ann as she stepped into Emma’s barn, her shoes crunching the hay on the floor. For the past two weeks, she had relished seeing Chris on Saturdays, Sundays, and Tuesdays as they worked to make their community garden a reality.

  She had enjoyed getting to know Chris as they took time to chat each time they were at Emma’s house. He had given her a few more rides home, and they’d talked while sitting on the porch or watering the budding lettuce, broccoli, carrot, tomato, and spinach crops. She hoped someday soon he would ask her to be his girlfriend. Adrenaline kicked up her steps at the thought, and the sweet aroma of stain filled her senses as she continued through the barn.

  She gasped as the stand came into view. Just like Chris’s drawing, it had a counter and then eight shelves for items to sell. He stood in front of it as he brushed a coat of stain on the wood, his face covered with a mask. He turned toward her, and his eyes widened.

  Removing the mask, he grinned, revealing his adorable dimple. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” She pointed to the stand as she approached. “It’s so schee.”

  “You think so?” He placed the brush and mask on top of a can of stain and rubbed his clean-shaven jaw. “I’m a little disappointed in it.”

  “Why?” She tilted her head.

  “I see the imperfections.” He pointed to the shelves. “They’re not exactly straight.”

  She shook her head. “You’re your own worst critic.”

  “Aren’t we all?” He pushed his hand through his thick, dark hair.

  “Ya, I suppose so, but I think the stand is wunderbaar.”

  “Danki.” He picked up two bottles of water and handed her one. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “When will we be able to use it?” She walked around it, silently marveling at his expert skill. She couldn’t find any flaws despite his criticism of his work.

  “It needs to sit a few days.”

  “So we might be able to use it Saturday?”

  “Ya.” He nodded. “I think it should be ready on Saturday. I’ll ask Wayne and a few of the other guys to help me haul it down to the road.”

  “Great! I’ll tell the other maed we should start baking. Clara got some supplies donated, so we can start selling baked goods now. That will kick-start our fund for the Bird-in-Hand Shelter.” She launched a mental list of what she would bake—a few varieties of cookies and maybe a pie. She couldn’t wait to tell Emma, Clara, and Mandy that the stand was almost ready.

  “Fantastic.” He pointed to two large, upside-down buckets. “Would you sit with me?”

  “Ya.” She sank down on a bucket beside him and opened her bottle of water.

  “How have you been since Sunday?”

  “Gut.” She took a sip. “How about you?”

  “Fine.” He fingered the top of his water bottle. “How are things with Ephraim and Mandy?”

  “Okay.” She shrugged. “I actually had a nice talk with Mandy on our way home from Emma’s Sunday night. She was attentive, and it almost felt like old times.”

  “That’s great.” He nudged her shoulder with his. “I told you everything would be okay. Didn’t I?”

  She swallowed a gasp at the familiar gesture and their easy discussion. Did he like her as much as she liked him? Her heart seemed to flip-flop.

  “Didn’t I?” he asked again.

  “Ya, you did.” She enjoyed his gorgeous grin.

  “Have you seen the crops?” He gestured toward the barn door. “They’re starting to grow.” He took a drink from his bottle.

  She nodded. “I know, and the weeds are already out of control. I’m going to help pull some.”

  “Ya, those weeds sure are hardy.” He pointed toward the stand. “I’m going to finish staining it and then clean up the mess.”

  “Okay.” She stood. “Danki for the bottle of water.”

  “Gern gschehne.” He winked at her, and she marveled at the depths of his brown eyes. Then he capped his bottle and pulled on his mask.

  “I’ll see you later.” She started for the barn doors.

  “Hey, Katie Ann.”

  She spun toward him, and he pushed the mask up onto his hair as he pointed his brush at her.

  “I’ll be by later to check your weeding skills.” He wagged the brush. “You’d better get all those weeds. I’d better not find any cheatgrass or bull thistle mixed in with our crops.”

  “I’ll do my best.” She laughed.

  Chris echoed the laugh, sending his loud, booming mirth into the air. The contagious sound caused her to laugh even more.

  When he put the mask over his nose and turned back to the stand, Katie Ann headed outside. She couldn’t stop her smile as she made her way to the back porch and picked up a bucket. She waved at friends who were already working as she walked over to the garden, chose a row, and then began to weed. She enjoyed the feel of the moist earth on her fingers as she yanked up the pesky weeds and
dropped them into the bucket.

  She glanced down the row and spotted Hank trotting toward her, his orange tail standing straight up like a sail on a boat.

  “Hey, Hank,” she sang as he approached her. “How are you?”

  He gave a short meow and then flopped down by her feet, rolling around in the dirt.

  “You’re so gegisch.” She rubbed his belly, and he rolled onto his side before closing his eyes. “The sun feels gut, huh?”

  She turned her attention back to the weeds, and the sun heated her neck as she bent down. Humming to herself, she recalled her conversation with Chris. She’d never felt such a close friendship with a man. Was she imagining their connection? Or did he feel it too? If he did feel it, did that mean they were meant to be together? Her hands trembled at the idea of having met a man she might spend the rest of her life with.

  “Katie Ann. Wie geht’s?”

  Katie Ann tented her hand above her eyes as she peeked up at Mandy, who was smiling down at her. “Mandy. Hi.” She stood and wiped her hands down her black apron.

  Mandy pointed to the bucket. “You’ve pulled some big weeds.”

  “Ya. And I just worked on this row last Saturday.”

  “They sure do grow fast.” Mandy pointed to where other young folks were weeding. “It looks like we have someone in every row.”

  “I know.” Katie Ann pointed at the ground. “I saw that we still needed someone over here, so I chose this one.” Suddenly, she thought of a way to keep Mandy talking to her. “Do you want to help me?”

  Mandy glanced around the garden and then looked back at Katie Ann. “Sure.”

  “Great.” Katie Ann bent and began pulling more weeds. “I talked to Chris earlier, and he’s almost done staining the stand.”

  “I didn’t realize that.” Mandy stooped to work beside her.

  “Have you seen it?” Katie Ann dropped a large, green weed into the bucket.

  “No, not since last week. How does it look?”

  “It’s wunderbaar,” Katie Ann said as she flicked dirt off her hands. “It has eight shelves on the display and then storage in the back. We can keep pies in coolers until we’re ready to sell them.”

  “Really?” Mandy pushed back behind her ear a thick tendril of golden-blond hair that had escaped her prayer covering. She pulled another weed and dropped it into the bucket. “That’s fantastic.”