Should I come right out and ask her? Noah thumped the side of his head. I need to quit thinking such thoughts and just be her friend.
Chapter 16
Faith didn’t know where the summer had gone. But here it was nearing the end of August, and today was the first day of school for Melinda and Susie. They’d been so busy they still hadn’t made it to Springfield with Noah to see Fantastic Caverns or the Bass Pro Shops. The only trips Faith had made were into Seymour for groceries and to phone her agent.
“Maybe next spring,” Noah had said a few days ago, but Faith knew otherwise. By spring she would be gone.
It’s just as well, Faith decided as she hung a freshly washed towel on the clothesline. Thanks to Mama’s accident and Noah coming over to help so often, I’ve already seen him more than I should have. Each time we’re together it makes me long for. . .
She grabbed another towel from the wicker basket and gave it a good shake. I long to be back onstage entertaining—that’s what I long for. I won’t let anything stand in my way once Mama’s up and around and able to resume her chores. I plan to be on a bus heading for my next performance by the end of September.
A short time later, Faith hitched her favorite horse to one of Papa’s buggies and drove Melinda and Susie to school. The one-room schoolhouse was only a half mile down the road, but this was Melinda’s first time in school, and Faith figured her little girl might need some moral support. At least it made Faith feel better to see that her daughter was dropped safely off at school on her first day.
“Do I have to go to school today, Mama?” Melinda asked from her seat behind Faith. “Can’t I stay home and let you be my teacher?”
Faith glanced over her shoulder and grimaced when she saw the look of despair on her daughter’s face.
“She’ll be okay once we get there,” Susie said before Faith could respond. “I was naerfich last year when it was my first day, too.”
Melinda’s lower lip quivered. “Were you really nervous?”
“Jah.” Susie tapped Faith on the shoulder. “See how well Melinda’s learning Pennsylvania Dutch? She knows what naerfich means.”
“Good job, Melinda.” Faith smiled. “Susie, why don’t you tell Melinda what school is like? Maybe give her an idea of what to expect.”
“Well,” Susie began, “the first thing we do when we get to school, after we’ve taken a seat behind one of the desks, is to listen to our teacher, Sarah Wagler, read some verses from the Bible. Then we all say the Lord’s Prayer, and after that we sing a few songs.”
“That seems easy enough,” Melinda said, her voice sounding much brighter. “What happens after the songs?”
“Then it’s time for lessons to begin.” Susie paused, and Faith wondered if her little sister was finished sharing the details of school or trying to think of what to say next. “Sarah usually gives the older ones their arithmetic lesson, and then she or her helper, Nona Shemly, works with the younger ones who need to learn English,” Susie continued.
“But I already know how to speak English.”
“Then you’ll be given some other assignment.”
Melinda released a little grunt, and Faith figured the child was probably mulling things over. Hopefully, she would come to grips with the idea of school and get along fine.
When Faith pulled the buggy into the school’s graveled parking lot a short time later, she handed the girls their lunch pails, waved a cheery good-bye, and drove away with a lump lodged in her throat. My baby is growing up, and soon I’ll be saying good-bye for much longer than just the few hours she’ll be in school every day.
The thought of leaving Melinda behind was always painful, but nothing good could come from Faith staying in Webster County. Nor could any good come from hauling her child all over the countryside while they lived out of a suitcase in some stuffy hotel room. Melinda would be better off with her Amish grandparents.
But she won’t have her mother, Faith’s conscience reminded her. She pushed the thought aside and concentrated on the pleasant weather. Breathing deeply, she filled her lungs with the fresh, crisp air. Soon the leaves on the maple trees would transform into beautiful autumn colors. As colder weather and winds crept in, the leaves would drop from the trees, making a vibrant carpet of color.
She had never had much time to enjoy the beauty of nature when she was entertaining. Sometimes she did two or three shows a day, and when she wasn’t performing, she was practicing or sleeping. The only quality time she’d had with Melinda was on her days off. Greg had been responsible for their daughter the rest of the time, and he sometimes hired a babysitter so he could be free to do his own thing.
There was no doubt in Faith’s mind—it was better for Melinda to stay in Webster County. For as long as Faith was here, she planned to enjoy every minute spent with her daughter. And she needed to make another trip to town to call her agent and let him know how things were going. While she was there, she’d pick up a few groceries, too.
Noah wasn’t glad Wilma Stutzman had broken her leg, but he was grateful for the extra time it had given him to be with Faith. Not only was he doing something he enjoyed, but the hours they’d spent together seemed to be strengthening their friendship. At least he thought so. Faith always acted friendly whenever he came by to help out, and Noah took that as a good sign. She hadn’t told him to stop quoting scripture or talking about God, either. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, he told himself as he headed down the road after leaving work for the day. Might could be that the strong feelings I’m having for Faith have clouded my thinking. It’s not good for me to be so attracted to her when I’m not sure if her relationship with God has grown. Besides, I still don’t know if that man I saw her with at Baldy’s plays a part in her life. I need to ask, but I’m afraid of her answer.
Noah’s thoughts came to a halt as he approached the Amish schoolhouse and noticed Faith’s horse and buggy pulling into the lot. On impulse, he did the same. It would be nice to say hello and see how Melinda had fared on her first day of school.
Faith apparently hadn’t seen him, and she hopped out of the buggy and sprinted toward the school without a glance in his direction. The children were filing out the front door, and Noah sat in his buggy, watching. He would wait and speak to Faith as soon as she had Melinda and Susie in tow.
A few seconds later, Susie came out and climbed into the buggy, but there was no sign of Faith or her daughter. He figured she was probably talking to the teacher—maybe checking to see if Melinda had any homework to do.
Susie turned in her seat and waved at Noah. He lifted his hand in response. Then, deciding that Faith’s little sister might like some company, he hopped down from his buggy, secured the horse to the hitching rail, and ambled over to Faith’s carriage.
“Hi, Noah,” Susie said. “You’re not married and you’ve got no kinner, so how come you’re here at school?”
Noah leaned against the side of the buggy and grinned at the little girl. She was cute and spunky like her big sister. “I saw your rig and thought I’d drop by and say hello to Faith,” he said.
The skin around the corners of Susie’s coffee-colored eyes crinkled, and she leveled him with a knowing look. “You’re sweet on my sister, aren’t ya?”
The child’s pointed question took Noah by surprise. When it came to owning up to his feelings for Faith, he couldn’t deny them to himself, but he surely wasn’t going to admit such a thing to young Susie. She would most likely blab. If word got out that he was interested in Faith, Noah would not only be the target of teasing by friends such as Isaac Troyer, but he was sure Faith would find out, as well. If that happened and she didn’t return his feelings, Noah wouldn’t be able to stand the humiliation.
“Do you care for Faith or not?” Susie pried.
“Of course I care for her,” Noah said, carefully choosing his words. “She’s a friend, and I care about all my friends.”
Susie snickered. “That’s not what I meant.”
; Noah was busy thinking up some kind of a sensible comeback when he caught sight of Faith and Melinda leaving the schoolhouse. As they drew closer, he noticed Faith’s furrowed brows and puckered lips. She looked downright flustered. He was tempted to rush over and see what was wrong but waited at the buggy until they arrived.
“It’s good to see you, Faith,” he said.
She nodded, and her frown deepened.
“What’s the trouble? You look upset.”
“Sarah Wagler. She’s the trouble.”
“What’s the problem between you and the schoolteacher?”
Faith helped Melinda into the buggy and then turned to face Noah. “That woman had the nerve to say that my daughter seems spoiled and didn’t show any interest in learning how to read.” Her blue eyes narrowed, and she clamped both hands against her hips. “Can you believe that?”
Noah opened his mouth to respond, but Faith cut him off.
“Sarah insisted that Melinda is behind for her age, and she even said I was being defensive when I assured her that my little girl is as smart as any child in her class.” Faith pulled her hands away from her hips and popped the knuckles on her left hand.
Noah took a step toward Faith. “I’ve been around Melinda a fair amount, and I can tell how smart she is. I think she’ll catch on quickly to book learning if she’s encouraged to keep trying. I know you’ve got your hands full caring for your mamm, so I’d be happy to drop by on my way home from work a few nights a week or on Saturdays to help Melinda learn to read.”
“It’s kind of you to offer, but—”
“I really would like to do this.”
“You’ve already done so much, and I don’t feel right about asking you to do more.”
“Please, Mama? I want Noah to help me.” Melinda’s tone was pleading.
“Oh, all right,” Faith finally conceded. “Noah can help you study.”
“Great,” Noah said, clapping his hands together. “We can get started Saturday afternoon.”
Chapter 17
When Noah showed up on Saturday afternoon, he held a small box in his hand. “I made some chocolate chip cookies this morning,” he said, leaning his head over and sniffing the box.
Melinda, who had been sitting at the table with her reading book, jumped up and dashed across the room. “Yippee! I love chocolate chip!”
“Not until your homework is finished,” Faith said with a shake of her head.
“Your mamm’s right.” Noah placed the box of cookies on the counter. “You can have some when your lessons are done.”
Faith watched Noah take a seat at the table next to Melinda, with Melinda’s early reader placed between them, and as Faith finished washing their lunch dishes, Noah read from the book, pointing to each word and asking Melinda to repeat what he’d read.
“I’ll be in the next room helping my mother with some mending,” Faith said when the dishes were done. “Give a holler if you need me for anything.”
Noah nodded and smiled. “Jah, okay. When we’re finished, I’ll let you know. Maybe you’d like to have a few cookies with us.”
“Sounds good. Susie’s outside helping Esther and Grace Ann dig potatoes. They’d probably like to have some cookies, as well.”
“I brought three dozen. Should be plenty for everyone.”
“Okay.”
Faith headed for the living room and found her mother sitting in the rocker. Her leg, which was still encased in a heavy cast, was propped on a wooden footstool.
“Was that Noah I heard come in?” Mama asked, looking up from her needlework.
Faith nodded. “He’s here to help Melinda with her reading, and he brought along some freshly baked cookies. When they’re done, we’ll have some. Would you care to join us?”
Mama patted her stomach. “I’d better not. Since I broke my leg and have had to sit around so much, I think I’ve put on a few extra pounds.”
Faith took a seat on the sofa across from her mother and gathered up the sewing basket sitting on the end table. “I hardly think one or two cookies will make you fat, Mama.”
“Maybe not, but with me not getting much exercise these days, everything I eat goes right here.” She thumped her midsection again.
Faith shrugged. “Whatever you think best.”
For the next hour, Faith and her mother darned socks, patched holes in the men’s trousers, and hemmed school dresses for the younger girls. Faith had just finished hemming a dress for Melinda when Noah emerged from the kitchen. “We’re done with our studies. Anyone ready for some cookies?”
“I am. I need a break from all this sewing,” Faith was quick to say.
“None for me, danki,” Mama said with a smile.
Faith rose from her chair. “Is it all right if we help ourselves to some goat’s milk to go along with the cookies?”
Mama’s glasses had slipped to the middle of her nose, and she pushed them back in place. “It’s fine by me. The goats are producing heavily right now, so we’ve got plenty of milk to go around.” She nodded at Noah. “Would you like to stay for supper?”
“That offer’s tempting, but I really should get home soon. Preaching is at our place tomorrow, and even though my two sisters-in-law have been helping my mamm get the house ready, I think she’ll have a few things she wants me to do yet today.”
Mama looked disappointed. She’d obviously been hoping Noah would stay for supper. “I hope Ida knows how fortunate she is to have a son like you,” she said. “My boys are all hard workers when it comes to outside things, but I can’t get them to do much inside the house.”
“My daed’s the same way.” Noah smiled. “I like doing many outside chores, but kitchen duty doesn’t make me the least bit nervous.”
Faith followed Noah through the kitchen doorway just as Melinda darted for the back door. “Where are you going?” she called after her daughter. “Don’t you want some cookies and milk?”
“I’ll have some later. Right now, I’m going out to the barn to see the baby goat that was born this morning. Grandpa told us about it during lunch, remember?”
Faith nodded. “And I said you’d have to wait to see it until your studies were done.”
“They’re done now; just ask Noah.” Melinda bounded out the door before Faith could respond.
“That girl,” she muttered. “Anything that pertains to an animal captures her attention. I hope she becomes that conscientious where her schoolwork is concerned.”
Noah grinned as he scooped Melinda’s book off the table. “If she had stayed living in the English world, she might have grown up to be a veterinarian.”
Faith shrugged. Had she done the right thing bringing Melinda here to be raised? Would the child have been better off in the English world, where she could further her education and become a vet or whatever else she wanted to be? She shook her head, as though it might get her thinking straight again. If she had kept Melinda in the English world while she entertained, the child might have ended up becoming an entertainer and would never have had the opportunity to be with so many farm animals. Melinda seemed happy here, and Faith was sure she had been right to have her daughter be raised by her Amish family. She glanced over at Noah and was surprised to see him wiping a spot on the cupboard where some sticky syrup must have dripped from that morning’s breakfast. She still couldn’t get over how helpful the man was. For one moment, she let the silliest notion take root in her mind. What would it be like to be married to someone as kind and ready to lend a hand as Noah?
“I’ll get the milk while you set out the cookies,” Faith said.
Noah grunted as he bit back a chuckle. “You like bossin’ me around?”
She halted her steps and turned to face him. “Is that how I come across—like I’m bossy?”
He shook his head. “Not really, but just now you sounded a lot like my mamm.”
Faith grimaced. “I didn’t mean for it to seem as if I was trying to tell you what to do.”
Noah shrugged.
“It’s not a big thing. I’m more than willing to set out the cookies.”
“Okay.” Faith got out a bottle of goat’s milk, and Noah piled a stack of chocolate chip cookies on a plate, then placed it on the table.
“We could take a few of these to your mamm if you think she might change her mind and have some,” he said.
Faith shook her head. “When Mom says no to something, she means it.”
Noah noticed the bitter tone in Faith’s voice. Obviously, Faith and her mother still had problems. Should he say something about it. . .maybe offer a listening ear if Faith wanted to talk? “I. . .uh. . . sense some bitterness in the way you spoke of your mamm,” he said hesitantly. “Would you like to talk about it?”
“No!” She set the bottle of milk down on the table with such force Noah feared it might break.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he apologized.
Faith’s hands shook as she took two glasses from the cupboard. “The problem between me and my folks goes back to when I was a kinner, and I don’t think talking about it will change a thing.”
Noah was tempted to argue the point but thought better of it. No point in upsetting her further. “If you ever change your mind and need a listening ear,” he said, moving to stand beside her, “I’d be more than willing.”
She gave a brief nod, then hurried across the room with the glasses.
A short time later after Noah had gone home, Faith decided to take a walk out to the barn to see what Melinda was up to, as she still hadn’t come back to the house. She found her daughter hanging over one of the stall doors, staring at a baby goat while talking to Faith’s father, who stood beside her.
“Look at Tiny, Mama,” Melinda said when Faith stepped up to them. “Isn’t he cute?”
Faith nodded. “So you’ve named him already, huh?”
“Sure did. Grandpa said I could pick the name, and I chose Tiny because the goat’s so small.”
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