“Nee, none at all. Why? Can you tell?”
“Jah, your questions are a bit too complicated for their young minds, I am afraid. That is why they aren’t really answering you.” She smiled as she brought the plate of bacon to the table.
Joseph grinned at her. He couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was when she smiled and she had such a gentle way with the children. “Well, Emma, I think you will have to teach me a thing or two then, as well.”
After breakfast the children went out to play and left Emma and Joseph alone to talk.
“Emma, I have no idea how to raise kinner. There is no one to help me. My parents are dead. There’s just me. What am I going to do with two young kinner? I’ll have to take them back with me, but...”
Emma interrupted him. “Well, I think it would be a shame to pull them out of school right now. Can you stay here for the rest of the school year?”
“Jah, I suppose. I guess if I’m going to sell this farm, it’s going to need a lot of work.”
“Well, I’ll pack up my things and go back home this morning. I had only moved in to help Kate and be with the kinner until you arrived,” Emma said putting away some dishes.
“Nee, Emma, can you not stay here? I have no idea what I am doing. Please don’t leave me alone,” Joseph said in a panic.
“Nee, I can’t stay Joseph. It wouldn’t be right. But I can come by every morning to pick Adam and Hannah up for school, and then I’ll bring them home and help out occasionally with supper. I’ll help you. Don’t worry.”
She gave Joseph a list of everything that needed to be done for the children; what time they needed to get up, meals, and packing lunches. She even promised to go into town with him to buy groceries so they would have plenty of food in the house to eat.
* * *
Three weeks later, Emma decided to stop by the Lapp’s on Saturday afternoon. She would wind up staying at Joseph’s for quite awhile each day after school, and looked forward to visiting with them any chance she could.
Emma watched Joseph play with the children. They were getting used to him and were actually laughing again, which was wonderful to see. They were also doing much better at school, which Emma was thrilled about. She sat on the porch and laughed as Joseph pushed Hannah on a swing tied to an old maple tree. He was a handsome man and had a very gentle look about him. She prayed to Gott every night that he would not take the children back to his home in Ohio. Her family lived in Pennsylvania, and she knew she’d never see them again. She and Joseph had enjoyed many wonderful conversations and times of laughter. She had become so attached to all of them and they to her… and she didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she was also beginning to have feelings for Joseph.
* * *
Joseph found himself becoming more and more restless. He’d lie awake at night wondering what to do, because of the difficult situation he found himself in. He knew he needed to get back to his farm to get ready for harvest and oversee the crops; but now he had a new family. He was so thankful for Emma helping, and had grown quite fond of her. As a matter of fact, he had a hard time not thinking about her every moment. He feared growing closer to her.
I cannot fall in love with Emma. I have my farm back home, my community. My life is there in Ohio. Emma has her life here. She loves teaching, and love her community. Besides, I have a wonderful community with a good school there. It may take a little while but the kinner will grow to enjoy their new community. And there are plenty of young women there whom God may choose from to become a wonderful wife and mother to Adam and Hannah.
He had prayed and thought long and hard about these things every night and finally made a decision on what he felt he needed to do. He really hated to do this, but he felt it was the best thing for him, Emma and the children.
* * *
One night after supper, Joseph walked into the kitchen where Emma was washing the supper dishes. He stood at the doorway watching her. He had come to depend on her such a great deal and knew it was going to be very so very hard to leave her, but he needed to get back to his farm…and he was falling more in love with Emma, which was something he just couldn’t allow to happen.
“Emma I think it’s best if you didn’t stop by any more to help. The kinner are getting to know me and I am realizing it’s easier than I thought it would be to raise them.”
She turned and looked at Joseph in surprise. “Why, Joseph? I don’t mind.”
“Nee, it isn’t that. I just think it would be a good idea for me to get used to doing everything for the kinner. After all, when we move away, it will be just them and me.”
Emma looked at him in surprise. “What do you mean? You said you wouldn’t move away until the end of the school year.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that and I think it would be best if we moved as soon as possible. I’m going to put this place up for sale. I have a farm I need to tend to, and I am sure the children will adjust quickly.”
Emma just stood there, not knowing what to say. On one hand, she could understand, but on the other, she was thinking about how devastating it would be to the children. And then she thought about her own reasons which she knew were selfish. She didn’t know how she would handle the children leaving her...as well as Joseph. They all had become so important to her.
“If that is what you want, Joseph. I’ll grab my things,” she said. “Can I at least have a few minutes with them?”
“Nee, I think, for their sake, it is best if you don’t say anything to them. I’ll explain to them.”
She shook her head. “You can’t expect me to just walk away from them. Those poor kinner have been through so much.”
“You’ll see them at school,” he said as he turned, so Emma wouldn’t see the pain in his face.
She headed out to the buggy, but then decided to reason with Joseph once more before heading home.
She walked back into the kitchen where he was sitting at the table. “What I don’t understand is why when you first arrived here, you were in a panic with the thought of being alone with the kinner and begged me not to leave. Now, you can’t wait to leave.”
“Emma, as I said, I have realized raising kinner is not that hard and now that they have become used to me, I think we will be just fine.”
Emma nodded and turned and walked out of the house. Joseph followed her. “Thank you for all that you’ve done to for me and the kinner,” he said, putting on a brave face.
Emma drove the buggy home deep in thought. She was heartbroken and couldn’t stop the tears from running down her face. She knew she would see the children each day at school; at least until they left, but she had become so attached to them. It would never be the same.
* * *
Chapter 7
Monday morning, Emma stood in the doorway of the school watching the children arrive. She was hoping that Joseph would drive them rather than letting them walk. Looking down the road, she saw a buggy approach and felt relief when she saw it was Joseph’s. Adam and Hannah climbed out of the buggy and came running up to Emma.
“Emma, why are you not staying with us? We want you to come back,” they both said, hugging her.
“Your onkel has learned to take care of you wonderfully. He doesn’t really need my help any longer. But I will still see you here every day at school,” she said, returning their hugs. “It will be fine. He is a very good man.”
* * *
The week went by fast and Emma was happy that the children always showed up at school clean, with a lunchbox full of good food. They seemed happy, although they mentioned often that they missed her.
Friday afternoon, Emma stood in the schoolyard, chatting with the parents as they came to pick up their children. She saw Joseph arrive to pick up the children and noticed he got out of the buggy and was walking towards her.
He had been having a difficult time trying not think of her. He began to think of the possibility of just fixing up the house and selling his farm. He thought he would
ask her to come and visit again. Perhaps she wouldn’t mind helping out with some chores as well, women enjoy that type of thing, don’t they? I could get to know her better and find out her true feelings towards me. Perhaps she would marry me one day, and we could raise the kinner together.
“Emma, how are you?” he asked.
“I am doing well, Joseph. How is everything going?”
Scratching his head, he looked at her. “Raising kinner is not as easy as I thought, Emma.”
“How do you mean?”
“I mean, they are good and they listen, but it is very hard to keep up with the lunches and meals and laundry and trying to keep them entertained in the evenings.”
“I agree. It is hard work.”
“Emma, would you consider coming back and helping me out? I would really appreciate it and I am sure the kinner will be happier.”
“I would love to come by and visit with the kinner.”
“Well, I didn’t mean to just visit with the children, I thought you might enjoy doing some laundry, and cooking some meals. Things like that,” Joseph said matter of factly.
Emma squinted and looked at Joseph. “So you want me to be your maid?”
“Well, no, of course not, not a maid. I meant—”
Emma began to fume inside. “I am really sorry, Joseph, but as much as I miss the kinner, I cannot be a maid and do all those extra things. I have teaching responsibilities, as well as a family to help at home. You asked me to leave because you thought you could do it all. That is your responsibility now.” Feeling hurt, she turned and walked back into the school.
Who did he think he was, asking her to do his laundry and clean his house? If it was just to help with meals and spend time with the children as she did before, she would not hesitate. But being a maid? On top of her teaching job? “The kinner are clean, they seem happy, and they have food. I can’t believe he had the nerve to ask me this. Emma, you have done your duty to those kinner. It is time now to walk away and let them stay with their onkel. It is for the best,” she thought as she packed up her books and papers for the weekend. She drove home that night with a heavy heart. She wanted so much to visit with the children but she was not going to just let Joseph use her.
Joseph drove home with a heavy heart as well. He felt embarrassed, and his heart was broken. I guess that was the wrong thing to say. I shouldn’t have just assumed she’d enjoy helping out. I just don’t know much about women. And at least now I know her true feelings toward me. She dislikes me and wants nothing to do with me.
* * *
The weekend went by and all Emma could think of was Adam and Hannah. She missed her visits with them and had even thought to drive over to see them but she talked herself out of it.
Sunday evening, she was sitting out on the porch with her sisters, when she saw a buggy drive towards their house.
“That buggy is going very fast,” Rebecca said. “I wonder who it is?”
Standing up, Emma looked. “It’s Joseph.”
Stopping alongside the house, Joseph almost fell trying to get out of the buggy. “Emma, please come. Adam has taken ill and I don’t know what to do. He won’t stop vomiting and he has a fever.”
“How long has he been sick?” Emma asked running towards him.
“Since Saturday morning. I thought it was the flu but his fever keeps rising,” Joseph said in a panic.
“Tell mamm I am going over to Joseph’s,” Emma yelled at her sisters as she got in the buggy.
When they arrived at the house, she ran upstairs to find Adam in bed and Hannah sitting beside him reading a book.
“Emma, you came!” Hannah cried, running over to give her a hug. “Is Adam going to die too?”
“Nee, Hannah, Adam is going to be fine. He probably just has the flu,” she said, hugging Hannah before going to check Adam.
His skin felt hot to the touch and he looked so pale and small lying in bed. “Joseph, please go down and get me a damp cold cloth and a glass of water. We need to bring the fever down.”
Emma sat him up so he could drink some water. Looking at Joseph, she asked, “when was the last time he ate?”
“Friday night. Then he woke up early Saturday morning with cramps and vomiting.”
“Did he have any other symptoms?”
“Hmm, nee. Vomiting, fever, cramping. That was about it. He’s been in bed ever since. I’ve been trying to give him lots of water.” Joseph said, looking very worried.
“Did you all eat the same thing Friday night?”
“Jah, I made chicken and vegetables for supper and we all ate that.”
“You and Hannah were not ill?”
“Nee, we were fine,” Joseph said looking at Emma confused.
“Are you sure Adam didn’t eat anything different?”
Joseph shook his head, then stopped.“Wait. There was a slice of beef in the icebox that Adam said he wanted, so I gave it to him. Maybe it had been a little too old. He didn’t have very much because he said it tasted funny.”
“That could very well be what the problem is. He should be fine in a day or two.”
Making sure that Adam was tucked into bed, Emma turned and looked at Joseph. “Well I guess I will be on my way. Just keep giving him lots of fluids and you should see an improvement in a day or two.”
Emma gave Hannah a hug and walked out to her buggy.
Before Joseph could stop himself, he called out, “Emma, Wait! The kinner miss you. Would you consider visiting them again? Not helping with the house. Just visits?
Emma smiled. “Joseph, I would love to come for visits.”
Joseph sighed in relief then smiled. “Danke. How about coming by on Saturday for just a bit? You can spend time with the kinner while I do some work.”
Driving home, Emma couldn’t help smile to herself. She hated to admit to herself that not only had she missed the kinner, but she’d also missed Joseph, and their wonderful conversations. He was so open and honest, and had so many stories to share. He might be a bit stubborn, and at times confusing to figure out, but she knew that he had the children’s best interest in mind and as far as she was concerned right now, that was all that mattered.
* * *
Chapter 8
On Friday after school, Emma waved good bye to the last of the students leaving the school yard. She was looking forward to her visit with Joseph and the children tomorrow.
Joseph had just picked up the kinner and was walking them to his buggy. “My lunchbox! Hannah exclaimed. I left it on the school steps.”
“I’ll go back and get it. Go ahead and get in the buggy,” he said. He reached the doorstep and was about to go in the door that was still cracked open, where Emma was talking with her assistant, Ruth.
“So what is Joseph like, Emma?”
“He’s very nice, in a stubborn kind of way,” Emma answered. “He knew nothing of taking care of kinner before he arrived here, but he’s doing a good job now and they seem to really like him. He really does care for them, which is a relief to see. He seems extremely awkward at times, though when he’s around me.”
“Do you know if he has been promised to anyone?” Ruth asked, teasing Emma.
“He has never mentioned anything to me. I do know he plans on fixing up the farm and selling, then moving the kinner back to his farm in Ohio.”
“It would be a shame to pull the kinner out of school where all their friends are,” Jessica said. “Perhaps he’ll ask you to marry him and he will want to stay.”
“Nee, Nee! Emma said, shocked. “He is nice, and I do like him as a friend, but I’m not sure if I could marry him. He can be extremely stubborn and confusing.”
Joseph couldn’t bear to listen any longer. He picked up Hannah’s lunchbox and quietly walked back to the buggy. Now I know her true feelings. she has absolutely no interest me. Thank you, Gott for showing me.
Emma continued her conversation with Ruth. “But at the same time, perhaps once I get to know him better, I’ll underst
and his ways. There is something…about him though, that stirs my heart. He is very gentle and kind. But he hasn’t shown any feelings toward me, so I don’t think there’s any interest anyway. I’ll just have to see how Gott’s plans unfold. Well, I must be going, Ruth. Have a nice weekend, and I’ll see you at church.”
On the way home, Emma thought about her conversation with Ruth. I do have some feelings for Joseph, but could I really be married to him and be happy? Could we work our differences out? The kinner would certainly be happy.
* * *
It was Saturday morning and Emma looked forward to her visit with the children and Joseph. She walked into the house and noticed there were boxes piled up in the living room and some paint cans in the hallway.
“Are you doing some repairs, Joseph?” Emma asked out of curiosity.
“Jah, I have decided I’m going to start doing renovations so I can put the place up for sale. I think I would be much more comfortable if I were back at my own house.” Joseph said, moving one of the boxes. “We have a good school back home and I can enroll the kinner there to finish the year.”
Feeling disappointed inside, Emma tried not to let it show. Gott, You are in control. She just smiled and followed Adam up to his room as he wanted to show her a new toy that Joseph had bought.
Going back downstairs, she found Joseph packing a few more boxes in the living room.
“Are you sure you’re doing the right thing for the kinner, Joseph? Moving them away from the only home they’ve ever known?” Emma asked, sitting down on one of the chairs.
“What is best for them is to be with family and I have my own farm to run. I can’t live here forever. This is the best for everyone involved.” Joseph said as he closed up another box.
“But Joseph, Adam and Hannah have been through so much. With their mamm dying, I don’t think it is wise to move them away from here, away from their friends, only to go to a strange school, right now.”
AMISH ROMANCE: Three Amish Sisters Box Set: PLUS NEW BONUS BOOK - Grace's Hope Renewed! Page 7
