by Amy Clipston
CHAPTER 7
VERONICA LOOKED UP AT THE FOREBODING GRAY CLOUDS and chuckled to herself as she and Emily walked into the grocery store Tuesday morning. From the look of the sky, Jason was right again, and it was going to rain on the day he had predicted. She wondered if he’d noticed the clouds yet.
“What’s so funny?” Emily asked as she pulled a shopping cart from the rack.
“Nothing.” Veronica consulted her list. “We need to get flour and sugar. Should we go to the baking aisle first?”
“That sounds like a gut plan.” Emily pushed the cart toward the aisle. “We need to get back to baking as soon as we get home.”
“Ya, I know.” Veronica glanced toward the deli as they passed, and her breath hitched when she saw Jason Huyard ordering at the counter. Was he there because she mentioned grocery shopping today?
“What’s wrong?” Emily turned toward the deli. “Oh, look! There’s that guy who bought those pies from you.”
“His name is Jason Huyard,” Veronica said softly. “He told me Saturday when he came for more pies.”
“Jason,” Emily sighed with a dreamy expression. “He’s so handsome.”
“Shh. Don’t be so loud.” Veronica nudged her sister toward the baking supplies aisle. “Go.”
“Why don’t you want to talk to him?” Emily looked surprised.
“I don’t know what I’d say, and I don’t want to appear overly eager to see him,” Veronica whispered. “He probably won’t even recognize me since we’ve only spoken twice. He doesn’t even know my name. I asked his but he didn’t ask mine.”
“Veronica!”
She turned toward Jason, and her eyes widened as he waved and started toward them.
“Apparently he does know your name,” Emily said between gritted teeth. “He probably heard me calling you the first time he came to the stand.” She waved at Jason just as Veronica felt the tips of her ears burning with embarrassment.
“Hi, Jason! How are you? I’m Emily. I saw you and your bruder at Veronica’s stand.”
“Hi.” Jason had two packages of lunch meat in his hands, and after nodding at Emily, he looked directly at Veronica. “I didn’t expect to see you here—though I think you did mention possibly going grocery shopping today.”
Just look at that cute, crooked grin.
“We’re here for baking supplies,” Emily said. “You?”
Veronica’s eyes were frozen on Jason, but she caught the curiosity in her sister’s voice.
“That’s great. Me? Uh, lunch meat. Are you making more pies, Veronica?” Jason had replied to Emily, but he hadn’t taken his eyes off Veronica.
How red are my ears now?
“Ya,” Veronica said, gripping her list. “We’re out of flour and sugar. We can’t make more pies without them.”
“That’s very true.” He shifted both of his packages to one hand and rested his free hand on their cart. “My bruder and I finished one of your pies last night. I need to get a few more from you.”
How many raspberry pies can one family eat?
“You should come by the house,” Emily offered. “We have some already made.”
“Oh.” Jason smiled. “That would be great. I may have to stop by.” His eyes seemed to search Veronica’s as if asking for permission to visit again.
“Ya, you should come by again soon,” Veronica agreed, finally relaxing a little. “In fact, I’ll need a new weather report from you.” She gestured toward a window. “It seems you were right again.”
He grinned, and she noticed he looked even more handsome. “You saw those threatening clouds.”
“Of course I did.” And you noticed them too. “You definitely have a future in weather forecasting.”
Jason laughed, and she relished the warm sound. She pushed the thought away, reminding herself that she wasn’t interested in finding a boyfriend. She didn’t even know this man.
“What are you talking about?” Emily looked at each of them with a confused expression. “What’s so interesting about the clouds? And why would—”
“It’s nothing,” Veronica told her sister. “We just were talking about the weather when Jason stopped by the bake stand on Saturday.”
“Oh.” Emily shook her head and frowned with disappointment. “I guess I had to be there to understand it.”
“I have to get back to work, and I’d better let you maed do your shopping,” Jason said. “It was nice seeing you.”
“Ya, you too,” Emily said.
Jason smiled at Veronica.
“Have a gut day,” Veronica told him. Now she could feel her cheeks heating. Why was she acting like a teenager around him? He was just a nice man who bought pies from her, and that was it. And of course he would have no idea exactly when she would do her shopping today. What did she think he’d done? Come first thing in the morning and waited for her?
“He likes you,” Emily sang as Jason moved toward the cashier.
“Shh,” Veronica muttered.
“He can’t hear me.” Emily pushed the cart down the aisle. “I think it’s sweet. Actually, I’m a little jealous because he’s so attractive, but he does have a nice-looking bruder. Maybe we can invite both of them to a youth group meeting.”
Veronica searched the shelf for sugar while trying to ignore her sister.
“Did you hear me?” Emily leaned closer to her. “Why don’t we invite them to youth group?”
“You can invite them. I’m not interested.” She jerked a large bag of sugar from the shelf and dropped it into the cart with a thump.
“What do you mean you’re not interested? Are you talking about Jason or youth group?”
“Both.” Veronica moved to the display of flour and picked up a large bag.
Emily touched Veronica’s arm. “Why aren’t you interested in getting to know Jason better?”
Veronica shrugged. “He’s nice, but I’m just not interested.”
“You’re not interested in him or in dating at all?”
Her youngest sister certainly knew how to get to the heart of issues. Veronica turned toward her. “I’m not ready to date.” And I never will be.
“Veronica.” Emily’s expression was serious. “Seth would want you to be froh. He wouldn’t want you to stop living your life because he can’t live his anymore.”
A lump began to swell in Veronica’s throat and her eyes stung with tears. How could she have felt an attraction to Jason? She didn’t want to get emotional here, in the middle of the grocery store, while other shoppers watched with curiosity and pity.
“I will not have this conversation with you now,” she whispered. “Let’s get the rest of our groceries and go home.” Veronica glanced at the shopping list in her hand and then stalked down the aisle.
“Veronica, wait.” Emily trotted to catch up with her. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just want you to be froh.”
“Emily, please.” Veronica faced her. “Drop it now.”
“Fine.” Emily frowned, and Veronica couldn’t stand the hurt in her sister’s eyes. Emily only wanted what was best for her, but Veronica was content to take care of herself.
“HOW WAS YOUR TRIP TO THE STORE?” MAMM SAT AT THE kitchen table peeling peaches.
“It was gut,” Veronica said as she and Emily dropped their grocery bags onto the counter. “What are you making?”
“Peach salsa,” Mamm said. “Want to help?”
“Sure.” Veronica stepped over to the stove and checked the pot of boiling tomatoes. “Is this Mammi’s recipe?”
“Ya,” Mamm said. “Dat loved this salsa. Mamm would can at least two dozen jars of it when peaches were in season and then store it in the pantry in the basement so Dat could have his chips and salsa after supper at night.”
“He ate chips and salsa every night?” Veronica asked as she began to put away the groceries.
Mamm nodded. “Just about every night. Mamm enjoyed making the salsa for him. I always helped her too. She once told me she
loved cooking for Dat because he told her she was the best cook in Lancaster County.” She chuckled. “Mamm loved it when Dat complimented her.”
“Everyone likes to be complimented, I suppose,” Veronica said, setting the lettuce in the drawer inside the refrigerator.
“That’s true,” Mamm agreed with a smile. “I enjoy it when your dat tells me he enjoys my cooking.”
“I’ll help you peel peaches.” Emily fetched a paring knife from the block on the counter, sat down at the table, and picked a peach from the pile.
Veronica finished putting away the groceries and then pushed the grocery bags into the cloth bag saver hanging on the back of the pantry door before returning to the stove.
“We ran into Veronica’s freind at the market,” Emily said.
Veronica stiffened just as she began to remove the tomatoes from the boiling water.
“Which freind did you see?” Mamm asked. She dropped a peach into the vegetable chopper and began turning the handle.
“Jason Huyard,” Emily gushed. “He’s so handsome, and he likes Veronica.”
“Veronica likes a bu?” Rachel walked into the kitchen from the hallway. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“I don’t like him,” Veronica insisted as she brought a bowl of tomatoes to the table.
“What does he look like?” Rachel asked. She grabbed another knife, sat at the table, and started peeling peaches.
Emily described Jason while Rachel grinned with approval.
“He sounds amazing.” Rachel looked over her shoulder at Veronica.
“Just stop it, okay?” Veronica pleaded as she dropped more tomatoes into the boiling water. “He’s just a bu who comes to the bake stand to buy pies for his mamm. That’s it. I don’t like him, and I really don’t even know him.”
“Is he the one who made you uncomfortable?” Mamm looked concerned.
Veronica nodded as her temper boiled like the water on the stove. Why couldn’t her sisters stay out of her private life? She didn’t want to discuss this anymore.
“Why would he make you feel uncomfortable? He’s nice,” Emily continued. “I think he’s sweet.”
“Really?” Rachel smiled. “I think this is just what you need, Veronica. It’s time you met someone.”
“I told her to invite him to a youth gathering,” Emily said as she started peeling a second peach. “He has a handsome bruder too. I’d like to talk to him.”
“Ach, that’s a wunderbaar idea!” Rachel gushed while peeling a tomato. “Do you have his number? You can call him and ask him and his bruder to come this Sunday.”
“No,” Veronica seethed. “I am not interested.”
“Veronica, I told you already that Seth wouldn’t want you to stay home alone. He’d want you to live your life,” Emily insisted.
“Oh, ya,” Rachel chimed in with a concerned frown. “You’re not hurting anyone by seeing someone else.” She handed another peeled tomato to Mamm, who put it in the hand chopper and then dropped it into the large plastic pan with the rest of the chopped peaches and tomatoes.
“I’m not seeing him!” Veronica hadn’t meant to yell so loudly. Her sisters and mother stopped working and stared at her with wide eyes. “Just stop, okay? I’m not dating him, and I don’t want to. Stop pressuring me.”
“We’re not pressuring you,” Rachel said softly. “We just want you to be froh again. We don’t want you to cry anymore. Maybe if you give Jason a chance, you’ll find joy again and the pain won’t hurt as much.”
“Rachel is right,” Emily agreed with an emphatic nod. “Jason might help you with your grief.”
Veronica’s hands trembled. “I don’t need you or anyone else telling me how to deal with my grief. You have no idea how I feel, so just leave me alone!” She rushed out of the kitchen and up the stairs as her sisters called after her. She hurried into her room and sat down on the edge of her bed. She ran her fingers over Seth’s quilt as tears trickled down her hot cheeks.
Why couldn’t her sisters understand that she didn’t want their advice? All she wanted was their love and support.
A knock sounded on her doorframe, and she looked up at her mother standing there.
“May I come in?” Mamm asked with worry in her eyes.
“Ya.” Veronica wiped away her tears and cleared her throat.
Mamm sat beside her on the bed and touched the quilt. “I know you cherish this quilt. It was nice of Ellie to give it to you.”
“It still smells like him,” Veronica whispered. “Some nights I hug it and just breathe in his scent.” She almost felt silly admitting it out loud, but she knew her mother would understand.
Mamm was silent while she turned her attention to the dark-blue and maroon material. “I know you’re in pain, and you want to protect his memory.” She looked into Veronica’s eyes. “But you have to remember that your schweschdere are worried about you. I’m worried about you too.”
“I’m fine,” Veronica whispered, her voice thin. “I just need some time.”
“Your schweschdere love you.”
Veronica nodded and stared at the quilt.
“I’ve told them to stop pressuring you, but I have to admit, I think they’re right.”
Veronica looked up at her mother. “What do you mean? You’ve told me you understand how I feel. Now you’re taking their side?”
Mamm smiled. “There are no sides in this. We all love you, and we’re worried about you. I just agree that maybe you should go to a youth gathering with them. I’ve told you that before. You don’t have to invite Jason, but maybe you should go on Sunday. You don’t have to talk to any buwe, Veronica. You can talk to the other young women there. Just go with them so you can get out of the haus for a while and be around other young people. It will be gut for you.”
Veronica sighed. “Maybe I’ll go.” She hoped the weak promise would satisfy her mother.
“Gut.” Mamm hugged her. “Now, I really need your help with this peach salsa. There are probably a hundred peaches yet to peel.”
Veronica nodded. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
“All right.” Mamm touched Veronica’s cheek and then stood. “Take your time coming downstairs.”
“Danki.” Veronica waited until her mother had left before she hugged the quilt to her chest. She breathed in the faint scent of Seth and sighed.
A light tapping sound caught her attention, and when she glanced toward the window, she spotted raindrops hitting the panes. A laugh escaped her lips. Jason had been right about the weather again.
She knew her sisters only meant well, but she didn’t want them to pressure her about Jason. No one would ever replace her Seth—not even a handsome amateur weatherman. Next time she saw Jason Huyard, she’d be a friend. Nothing more.
“GUDE MARIYE!” JASON CLIMBED OUT OF THE BUGGY SATURDAY morning and walked over to the bake stand. Veronica stood smiling behind the counter, dressed in an emerald-green dress and black apron. “How are you? I wanted to stop by sooner this week, but it’s been really busy at work.”
“Gude mariye! I’m fine. It’s gut to see you.” She pointed toward the sky. “I was hoping you’d come and share your weather forecast for this week since you were correct about Tuesday’s rain.”
He chuckled, and her smile widened. “I can’t take any credit for that prediction. It was just a gut guess.”
“But you were right.” She tapped her chin as a smile played at the corners of her mouth. “I wonder if you could get a job writing a weather column for the newspaper. Have you considered that as a profession?”
“No, I can’t say that I have.” He stood in front of the bake stand and silently admired how the emerald dress complemented her blue eyes. Did she have any idea how beautiful she was?
“What do you do for a living?” she asked.
He hesitated. Now was his chance to tell her where he worked and how sorry he was for Seth’s death. All he had to do was open his mouth and tell her everything. “I work in con
struction.”
“Oh.” She smiled. “Do you build homes?”
“Sometimes.” Why couldn’t he tell her the whole truth? Why couldn’t he simply say he knew she missed Seth because he did too?
“That’s nice. Where do you live?”
“About five miles away from here in Gordonville.”
“Oh.” She pointed toward a blue cooler. “So, are you here for more pies, or are you tired of them yet?”
I could never get tired of seeing you. “Ya, I’m here for more pies. My mamm wants to take a couple to her quilting circle this week.”
“Your mamm makes quilts?” she asked, and he nodded. “My mamm and Emily do too. I help them sometimes, but I’m not the best quilter. Mamm says I don’t have the patience for it.” She shrugged, and she was adorable. “I suppose she’s right.”
“I would imagine you do just fine.” He smiled and she blushed. “Your schweschder seems nice. Do you have any other siblings?” He knew she did, but he didn’t want to raise questions he wasn’t ready to answer.
“Ya, I have another schweschder named Rachel. Emily is the youngest and then Rachel. I’m the oldest. How about you? Do you have any other siblings?”
“Just my bruder, Stephen, the one who was with me the first day I came to buy a pie.” He felt happiness swell inside of him. He was finally getting to know her. Maybe she’d consider him a friend. Then a pang of guilt overtook him. Friends were honest with each other. He should tell her the truth, but he couldn’t bring himself to form the words.
She opened one of the coolers. “So you wanted two pies for your mamm this week?”
“That would be fantastic,” he told her while pulling out the money he’d tucked in his pocket.
“What about the weather report?” she asked. “I can’t give you the pies unless you tell me when it’s going to rain.” Her pink lips formed a feigned frown. “You know I depend on this weather report to plan my week.”
