Seth nodded, glad Levi and his grandmother weren’t on the same side when it came to her matchmaking attempts. Relief washed over him. Not only was he finished pretending tonight, but because Martha had set things straight with her parents, he didn’t have anything to worry about. Finally, he was free of this mess.
His relief was short-lived, though. Cevilla was tenacious when it came to matchmaking, and he imagined Delilah would be too. Don’t borrow trouble. His father’s stance, straight from the Bible, applied to this situation. He didn’t need to guess at the future.
He turned and saw Martha and Nina standing on the patio, talking. This was his chance to speak to Martha, if he could get her away from Nina. “If you don’t mind, I’ll skip dessert,” he said as Loren joined them. “I need to head home.”
“Not at all. I’m bushed too.” Levi pushed back his damp hair.
“We all are. It’s been a long day.” Loren turned to Seth. “It was nice having company tonight.” He chuckled. “Our unexpected visitors, especially.”
Seth was glad to see Loren and Levi were both good-natured about the whole thing. “Cevilla and Richard are great people, once you get to know them.”
“I can tell they are,” Loren said. “And mei mamm means well. She can be prickly sometimes—”
“Sometimes?” Levi said, raising his eyebrow.
Loren gave him a warning look, but then turned back to Seth. “She cares a lot about mei kinner. She took the place of their mamm after she died.”
“I’m sorry for yer loss,” Seth said.
Both Levi and Loren looked somber. “Don’t hold tonight against her,” Levi said.
“She has gut intentions,” Loren added.
The three men walked to the house, stopping when they reached Martha and Nina. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” he said to Martha. “After I geh inside and thank Delilah for the meal.”
“She went to bed,” Nina said. “Said she had a headache.”
Seth wasn’t surprised to hear that. “Will you thank her for me, then?”
“Of course.”
He gave Martha a questioning look, then tilted his head in the direction of the driveway.
Confusion passed over her face, but she nodded. “I’ll be right back,” she said, then walked with Seth to the front of the house. “Is everything all right?”
“Ya.” He dug into his pocket, then pulled out a key. “Here.”
She looked at it as it lay in the palm of his hand. “I don’t understand.”
“This is a key to the shop.” Although his father said he needed some time to get things together to teach Seth about the farm, Daed had already started his lessons. Today’s lesson had been about cultivation techniques, and tomorrow bright and early he was going to the livestock auction with his father to bid on a bull and a few dairy cows. “You’ll do this on yer own,” Daed had said. “I’ll be there if you have any questions.”
“Seth?”
“Right. The key.” He put it in her hand. When she didn’t fold her fingers over it, he folded them for her. “I’m going to be busy in the near future.” He frowned. “Really busy. I won’t have much time to work in the shop.”
“I still don’t understand why you’re giving me a key.”
He didn’t completely understand it himself. When he woke up this morning, he knew he couldn’t continue giving Martha lessons, and this time it wasn’t because he didn’t want to. A part of him did. He had enjoyed seeing her enthusiasm, and he had to admit it was nice to have somebody with him in the shop. She was also talented; anyone could see that. But he’d shifted his priorities to his father, and he didn’t think Martha should pay the price for that. “If you want to use mei tools and the spare wood to practice, you can. I also have some books I purchased with gut instructions. Feel free to look at those if you need to.”
“Seth?” She looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. “Are you serious about this?”
He nodded. “The only thing I ask is that you continue to keep the shop a secret.” He leaned down and looked into her eyes. “I need you to promise me that you will.”
She put her fist to her chest. “I promise.” She grinned. “I can’t believe you’re letting me do this.”
“I can’t either,” he muttered. Maybe he was making a huge mistake. Maybe he might as well be putting an ad in The Budget announcing the existence of his secret woodshop. Maybe he—
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him hard. “Danki,” she said in his ear. “Danki so much.”
His hands went around her waist, as automatically as if they belonged there. He inhaled the scent of her shampoo, the freshness of her dress, and possibly the lingering scent of fried chicken. He’d never smelled anything so wonderful in his whole life.
She pulled away from him. “I promise, promise, promise I won’t tell anyone about the shop.”
“Or take anyone there.”
“That too.” She opened her hand and peeked at the key, grinning the whole time. “I’m so excited. I can’t wait to geh to the shop tomorrow after work.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets and smiled. His heart swelled, seeing her so happy. He paused. When did it matter to him that Martha was happy? Sure, he didn’t want anything bad to happen to her, but until she’d discovered his woodshop, he hadn’t thought about her too much. Seeing her beam with joy, he was grateful he’d listened to that small voice in his heart telling him to trust her with a key.
“I’ve got to get going,” he said, still grinning and unable to stop. “I’m so glad tonight’s over, by the way.”
“Me too.” She clasped her hands together. “Nee more pretending.”
“Right,” he said softly. “Nee more pretending.”
“I’m heading home too. I just want to say good-bye to Nina.”
“All right.” He didn’t move. It seemed weird that they didn’t have another plan to see each other. But wasn’t that the way he wanted it?
Martha headed for the house. “Bye,” she said, waving. “And thank you again!”
He watched her go before he turned and headed home. Tonight had turned out better than he’d imagined it would. That wasn’t much of a stretch, since he’d expected disaster. But he’d had a good meal, had been entertained by the Cevilla and Delilah standoff, and then had lent some elbow grease to a good cause. To top it off, he’d made Martha happy. That was better than any dessert, no matter how good a cook Delilah was.
He didn’t realize he hadn’t told Martha when he wanted the key back until he was almost home. Now that he thought about it, though, he wasn’t sure when he’d be back to the shop. He only knew he was leaving it in good hands.
* * *
“Pouting doesn’t become you, Cevilla,” Richard said as he pulled his Mercedes into Cevilla’s driveway. “Neither does nosiness, bossiness, or rudeness.”
Cevilla crossed her arms over her chest. She was aware that she looked like a spoiled child, and she had to admit she felt like one. She also knew better than to behave like this. What was it about that woman that pushed her buttons? “We were invited,” she said. “What was I supposed to do, decline?”
“Yes, especially after we saw that Seth and Martha were there.” He shut off the engine and turned to her. “We crashed their dinner party.”
“It wasn’t a party.” She looked out the window, unable to face Richard. She was embarrassed. She shouldn’t have bossed him the way she had. He had deservedly put her in her place. And he did not deserve her derision for it. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“I know you are.”
She turned at his gentle tone and saw the forgiveness in his eyes. “I behaved badly, didn’t I?”
“A tad.” He took her hand and held it. “More than a tad.”
“She was trying to set up Seth and Martha with Nina and Levi.”
“They’re lovely young people, so I don’t blame her.”
“But Seth and Martha are meant to be together.” At Richar
d’s stern look, she added, “I believe they are.”
He rubbed his thumb over her hand. The skin was wrinkled, and the veins poked out from her thin skin, but that didn’t stop him from kissing the back of her hand. “Cevilla, your heart is in a good place. But you need to let these young folks find their way to each other without your interference.”
“And what about Delilah? She’s interfering too.”
“So that makes it okay for you to do the same thing?”
Cevilla was about to say that she was the one who started the matchmaking ball rolling, but she knew Richard wouldn’t like that answer. “No,” she said, looking at their clasped hands. “It doesn’t.”
“Why don’t we go on a trip together? Any place you’d like to visit, we can. Just name it.”
“Are you trying to get me out of Birch Creek?”
“I’m trying to keep you occupied enough so you won’t meddle in other people’s business.”
“I can’t go on a trip with you.” She pulled her hand from his. “You know why.” She opened the door. “It’s getting hot in here. I’m going inside.”
“Can I come in?”
She turned. She wanted him to come inside. But it was getting late, and she had some praying—and asking for forgiveness—to do. “Not tonight.”
He nodded. “All right. But I want you to know . . . I’ve been thinking about the future.”
Her heart leapt a tiny bit. “I don’t want you to rush into anything. This has to be God’s timing.”
“I know, Cevilla. I won’t make a decision unless I’m sure God is leading me to it.” He touched her cheek. “I know this isn’t easy on you. It’s not easy for me either.”
“We aren’t promised easy,” Cevilla said. “We’re promised that the Lord will be with us during the hard times.” She smiled. “God brought us together after all these years. We can wait as long as he wants us to.”
“That’s what I believe too.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
Butterflies multiplied in her stomach. Richard had a way of making her feel decades younger. “Tomorrow.”
As he always did, he waited for her to get inside the house before he left. She shook her head. Who would have thought that at eighty-something years old she would be dropped off at her house like a teenager after a date?
She’d meant what she said about God’s timing. She was willing to wait for Richard to make his decision. She wanted God’s will above all else.
Cevilla hobbled to her bedroom, exhausted. Tonight had been draining. She had good intentions about visiting Delilah. But the way she had sneered at Cevilla’s peanut butter cookies had really burned her butter. Then she started insulting Richard, and that had been the end of that.
In her younger days she wouldn’t have put up with Delilah’s insults, but she didn’t have it in her to verbally hit back the way she used to. That was probably a good thing, since she’d been known to impart harsh words when she should have kept her mouth shut.
Cevilla sank onto the edge of her bed. Richard was right. She needed to leave the kids alone. It wasn’t the first time she’d realized her meddling wasn’t needed—or wanted. But what if Seth and Martha didn’t see how good they were for each other? What if they let their lack of awareness get in the way of love? That’s not for me to worry about.
“Lord,” she whispered, “I need some straightening out—and only you can do it.”
* * *
Delilah took off her kapp and placed it on the empty spot on her dresser. She unbound her hair, brushed it out, braided it, and tried not to throw the hairbrush across the room. She had spent years trying to keep her spitfire temper in check. Cevilla Schlabach had almost undone all her training.
She placed the hairbrush on the dresser next to the kapp and sank onto the edge of her bed. “Lord, I was not at mei best today.” She looked up at the ceiling, then down at her hands in her lap. Tonight had been a disaster, and she knew she was partly to blame. But she had recognized that look in Cevilla’s eyes when she showed up on her doorstep. She was being nosy, plain and simple. Just like you were when you went to the Yoders’. Delilah really didn’t like it when God pointed out her hypocrisy.
Well, none of it mattered anymore. Seth and Martha may have told her they weren’t interested in each other, but anyone with eyeballs could see they were. At least Birch Creek had other prospects for Nina. But what about Levi? Martha was his only hope, at least when it came to a local girl. She knew her grandson well enough to know he would be completely entrenched in their innkeeping business, possibly for years. When would he have time to find a wife?
A knock sounded on the door, and she lifted her head. “Who is it?”
“Me, Mamm.”
“Come in, Loren.”
Her son entered, still wearing dusty clothes from working on the addition. He looked tired, but not bone weary, the way he had for years after his wife died. She hadn’t realized there would be so much work to be done getting this inn started. She also hadn’t anticipated that Loren would want to do a lot of the work himself, even though he’d hired Sol Troyer too. He really could use a wife. But she wasn’t sure she had the strength to find him one after tonight’s debacle. “Do you need something, sohn?”
“We need to talk.” He came inside and shut the door. “I’m too dirty to sit on the bed,” he said, gesturing to his clothes. “I’ll take only a moment of yer time.” His chest heaved as he took a big breath, then blew it out. “I want you to stay out of Levi and Nina’s business.”
Shocked, she pressed her hand against her chest. “I’m not in their business,” she said, fibbing.
“Ya, you are. I know you think I’m oblivious, and sometimes I’m too passive when it comes to mei kinner. But this time I’m putting mei foot down. Let them be, Mamm.” He swallowed. “You’ve done an excellent job raising them. Miriam would be pleased.”
Tears sprang to Delilah’s eyes. “I never wanted to take her place as a mother.”
“I know. But you did, and we needed it. They’re grown now, though. And whether they get married or stay here in Birch Creek or geh back to Wisconsin isn’t our business anymore. Let them live their own lives.” He smirked. “I let you keep on railroading mine.”
“I don’t railroad anyone—”
“I’m kidding, Mamm.” He chuckled.
She regarded her son for a moment. He did look happy, despite being tired. Even now, when he was exhausted from work and annoyed with her meddling, she saw a joy in his eyes she hadn’t seen in a long time. “You’re glad we’re here, then?”
“I am. I know I was uneasy about making this move and investing so much money, but I really believe we can make this a success. And I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like Birch Creek is home. You were right, as usual. I needed a kick start.” He backed toward the door. “Do we have a deal, Mamm? Will you let the kinner live their lives their own way?”
“Ya,” she said, her throat thick. His words had hit home. She needed to step back and give her grandchildren space. She’d always trusted God with everything, but she now saw she hadn’t trusted him when it came to Nina and Levi. Nor had she trusted them. That was going to change—right now. “I’ll mind mei own business when it comes to Levi and Nina’s love lives.”
“All aspects of their lives.”
“All right. But don’t expect me to not offer mei two cents from time to time.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dare.” He grinned. “What would we do without yer two cents? It usually ends up being a nickel’s worth anyway.”
After Loren left, Delilah pondered his words—and her behavior tonight. Wayne had always been the one to keep her in check. But he died when Loren was a teen. It had been just her and her son’s family ever since. Now Loren was stepping into the role of her conscience, just like her husband had. Her chest squeezed. She missed that man every day.
She’d been terrible to Cevilla, and she had seen the look in the wo
man’s eyes when she made the dig about her being single. She blew out a breath. You’re right, Lord. I have to make amends. Not just to Cevilla but to Nina and Levi too.
* * *
On Friday evening, Nina tossed her baited hook into the water, crossed her legs, and looked up at the trees. It was near dusk and after suppertime, and as she’d expected, no one was here at the Chupps’ pond. What she didn’t expect was for her grandmother to suggest she go fishing tonight.
“I’ve seen a couple of ponds around here,” Grossmammi said as they washed the supper dishes. “You haven’t been fishing in a long while, have you?”
She’d bitten the inside of her cheek. She didn’t want to lie to her grandmother, but she also didn’t want to tell her about her fishing expedition the other day. Levi would get caught in a fib too.
Fortunately, Grossmammi didn’t stop talking long enough for Nina to answer. “Why don’t you geh fishing this evening?”
Stunned, she turned to her grandmother, her hands covered in soapy water. “What?”
“Geh fishing. There’s plenty of daylight left. I’ll take care of the rest of the dishes.”
“Are you sure?”
Grossmammi looked at her. “I’m sure. You love fishing. You should get to do what you love. I’m sorry I held you back from that.”
Nina smiled as she remembered the conversation. Her grandmother had shooed her away after that, and she had sped to the barn to get her pole and fishing tackle. She watched the ripples on the pond as a light breeze fluttered over the water. She didn’t know what had gotten into her grandmother, but she wasn’t going to question it.
She pulled her knees to her chest, rested her chin on them, and closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure how long she’d sat there with her eyes closed, holding the pole and listening to the sounds of the birds and cicadas and a hoot owl she hadn’t noticed the last time she was here, but when she opened them, she saw Ira standing beside her. Instead of being surprised like she had the last time, she was pleased. Deep down she had been hoping she would see him.
“I didn’t want to disturb you,” he said, looking down at her. “Mind if I join you?”
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