by Amy Clipston
MIKE GUIDED THE HORSE UP THE ROCK DRIVEWAY TOWARD the large barn behind the Lantz farmhouse. He brought the horse to a stop, and John leaped from the buggy.
“I can’t wait to tell Dat I made a leash!” John rushed toward the back porch.
Mike grinned as he climbed out and began to unhitch his horse.
Sam appeared beside him.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you today,” Mike said, but then noticed Sam’s buggy next to his onkel’s.
“Mei mamm mentioned she and Marie were coming over today. Dat came too. Since Mandy and I were in the area visiting one of her freinden, we thought we’d stop by and see your dat as well.” Sam nodded toward the house and began helping Mike with his horse.
“How has he been today?” Mike asked.
When Sam frowned, Mike’s stomach clenched.
“Mamm said all he’s done is sleep. I’ve never seen him this worn out.” Sam shook his head. “Marie and Janie told Mandy and me he was getting worse, but we had no idea he was getting this bad.”
Mike nodded. “The dialysis has been taking a lot out of him lately.”
“What are the doctors saying about his condition?” Sam asked as he helped Mike stow the buggy in the barn.
“He’s just very weak, and his heart is getting weaker. There isn’t anything they can do.” Mike stepped out of the barn and led his horse to the pasture. “We just have to keep praying for him.”
“I definitely keep your dat in my prayers.” Sam leaned on the fence. “Mei mamm said you went to visit a freind. Who did you go to see?”
“John wanted to visit his teacher.” Mike leaned on the fence across from him. “He wanted to thank her for tutoring him. She spent the last few Saturdays here giving him extra help. She says he’ll soon be the top student in the class.”
Sam lifted his eyebrows. “Did you go see that schee teacher who came to visit you at the shop awhile back?”
Mike nodded. “Ya, Rachel Fisher.”
“So you like her?” A smile twitched at the corners of Sam’s mouth.
“No, I didn’t say I liked her,” Mike said a little too quickly. “John wanted to visit her.”
Who was he trying to kid? He never was a good liar. He was always the student caught when the boys tried to pull a prank in school. In fact, Mike was the only one who had to stay after and clean the schoolhouse when the boys put frogs in a couple of the girls’ desks. It was Mike’s expression that gave him away when the teacher asked who had brought the frogs in from the pond behind the schoolhouse.
Sam chuckled. “You are as transparent as the blue sky above us, Mike. You like her.”
Mike rested his elbow on the fence. “Sure, I like her. She’s a great teacher, and she’s done wonders with John. You should hear him read aloud. He’s more confident, and he’s doing well with all his schoolwork. He’s even behaving in class and on the playground, which wasn’t the case when he first started there. He’s like a new kind. I’m so thankful for all her hard work with him.”
Sam continued to grin. “And she’s schee. Isn’t she the one who was sending meals home with John?”
“How’d you know about that?” Mike asked.
“Mei schweschdere keep mei mamm informed, and she shares everything with mei dat and Mandy. It always finds its way back to me.” Sam lifted his straw hat and ran his hand through his light brown hair. “It sounds like Rachel cares a lot about you and John.”
“Ya, she does care a lot about John, and I appreciate it.” Mike turned his gaze toward the pasture where the horses pranced and played in the late-afternoon sun. “She’s a wunderbaar teacher.” And I wish I could get to know her even better.
“I’m so froh for you.”
“What?” Mike turned toward his cousin.
“You finally found someone. Mandy wanted to introduce you to one of her freinden, but I told her to give you time. I knew you’d eventually find someone.”
“No, no.” Mike shook his head. “We’re not seeing each other. I only went to see her so John could thank her. It was his idea.”
“I knew that bu was schmaert. He even wants to see you froh and with a gut maedel.”
“It’s not like that,” Mike insisted. “John is attached to her because she’s made a difference in his life. She’s given him confidence he never had with his last teacher. That’s all it is. It has nothing to do with me. I just enjoy talking to her. She’s very sweet, and she’s a gut listener. She’s a gut freind.”
Sam wagged a finger at Mike. “You don’t see it yet, but it’s there.”
“What’s there?” Mike regretted ever discussing Rachel with Sam. His cousin was blowing Mike’s friendship with Rachel out of proportion.
Sam tapped the fence. “I had a feeling the first time I saw you talking to her at the shop, and even when you told me about your argument, you had a sparkle in your eyes.”
“What are you talking about?” Mike gave him a withering look. “You didn’t see us while we argued. We didn’t like each other at all. Why would you have a feeling about a maedel who couldn’t stand me?”
Sam grinned. “The attraction was there from the beginning. You just wait and see.”
Mike shook his head and opened the gate. “You’ve got it all wrong. We’re just freinden. Besides, I don’t have time to even think about dating. You agree mei dat isn’t doing well. I can’t take my focus off him right now. The most important jobs I have are taking care of Dat and John. I can’t jeopardize them by thinking about a maedel.” He started toward the house, and Sam caught up with him to walk by his side.
“Mike, no one expects you to stop living,” Sam said. “We’re all helping you with your dat and John. Besides, you’re doing a great job taking care of things. Your mamm and Vera would both be so proud of you.”
Mike swallowed at the mention of his mother and stepmother. “I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do, and that’s take care of my family.”
The back door opened, and Mandy appeared on the porch. She was petite and pretty with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Her hands flew to her abdomen where they cradled a bump shielded by her royal blue dress. Mike was so happy for Sam and his growing family. Although Sam and Mandy had participated in different youth groups, they had met through mutual friends and quickly fallen in love. Mike hoped he could someday enjoy a happy marriage like his cousin had with his wife.
“Hi, Mike,” Mandy called with a warm smile. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m always hungry.”
Sam patted Mike’s shoulder. “Let’s get something to eat.”
As Mike walked with Sam toward the back door, he wondered if his cousin had been right. Did Mike deserve to be happy or was he selfish to dream of having someone like Rachel by his side? Although doubt lingered in his mind, he also wondered if Rachel was developing feelings for him.
Could Rachel ever love someone like him? Would she consider taking on someone who already had so many responsibilities?
CHAPTER 16
“IT’S SO NICE TO SEE YOU,” RACHEL SAID TO LENA ZOOK’S mother. “I’m so glad you could come to our school picnic today. It’s a wonderful way to end the school week.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Marian Zook smiled down at Lena, who had wrapped herself around her mother’s arm. “Isn’t it schee out today?”
“Ya, it is. It’s difficult to believe next week will be May.” Rachel glanced across the playground, where the rest of her class and the students in the larger schoolhouse ate lunch with family members. She saw John sitting with Mike, and her smile widened. She hadn’t seen Mike since he’d visited her at her farm last Saturday.
“The school year will be over before we know it,” Marian continued. “Lena has had a gut year with you and Malinda. I’m grateful for all you’ve done to help her.”
“I have enjoyed it very much.” Rachel smiled at the little girl. “I’m glad you’re in my class.”
Marian pointed to the blanket she’d spread out on the ground. �
��Let’s sit and have our lunch. Do you want to join us, Rachel?”
Rachel turned back toward where John and Mike sat, and they both waved.
“Thank you so much for the invitation,” Rachel said to Marian. “But I see someone I need to talk with.” Marian nodded, and Rachel made her way through the knot of students and parents, smiling and nodding greetings as she worked her way toward the far end of the playground.
When she reached John and Mike, John patted the blanket beside him.
“Sit with us,” John said.
“Danki.” Rachel sat down on the blanket and smoothed her green dress over her legs. The sun warmed her cheeks as she smiled at Mike. “I’m glad you could make it today. Your note said Janie would probably come in your place.”
“I stayed late last night and was able to finish up my jobs so I could come today.” Mike unwrapped a tuna fish sandwich. “Would you like half of my sandwich?”
“Ya, danki.” Rachel took the sandwich and noticed her basket sitting on the blanket beside Mike.
Mike followed her glance and pointed. “We used your basket to pack our lunch today. Danki for the meals you sent this week.”
“Gern gschehne.” Rachel took a bite of the sandwich and then swallowed.
“You really don’t have to send us meals,” Mike said with a shy smile. “My cousins take care of most of the cooking, and I don’t want you to feel as if you need to spend the money and the time cooking for us.”
“I enjoy cooking for you.” Rachel realized what she’d said, and her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. She hadn’t meant to make it sound as if she wanted to cook for him permanently—like as his wife. Would Mike think she was being forward or assuming they were more than friends?
Mike continued to eat his sandwich, and she breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t seem to have gotten the wrong impression.
“How has your week been?” Mike asked before taking a drink of water. His bright eyes reminded her of the clear blue sky above them. He took another bottle of water from the basket, opened it, and handed it to her. John was watching some of the other children who had started a game of tag.
“It’s been gut. How about yours?”
“It’s been busy.” He placed his bottle on the blanket beside him and crossed one of his long legs over the other. “I’ve made several wishing wells this week. A couple of local businesses asked for them. Apparently they are the new trend.” He took another bite.
“That’s great that you’re keeping up with a trend.”
John leaned over and yanked at Rachel’s sleeve. “May I go play? I finished my sandwich.” He held up his empty sandwich wrapper and pointed to a group of children gathered by the open area where they played softball. They had begun to divide up into teams.
Rachel looked at Mike, who nodded. “Ya, you may go.”
John stuffed his wrapper and napkins in the basket and ran off toward the group of children. As Rachel chewed a bite from her sandwich, she saw a team captain choose John for her team.
“It looks like he’s getting along with the other kinner,” Mike said.
“Ya, he is. The other kinner like him. He does well when they play softball.”
Relief softened his features. “I was worried he didn’t have any freinden.”
Rachel smiled. “He has freinden.”
As Mike watched his brother play ball, Rachel saw Malinda talking to another parent on the other side of the playground. When Malinda looked her way, Rachel smiled and waved, but Malinda only gave Rachel a curious expression.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” Mike suddenly asked.
“What’s that?” Rachel turned toward him, wondering if she had heard him correctly.
“I asked you what you’re doing tomorrow,” he explained as he rested his arm on his bent knee. “Do you have plans tomorrow afternoon?”
“No.” Her mouth dried with anticipation. What was he going to ask her?
“Would you like to go on a picnic?” He gestured toward the blanket. “I mean a real picnic that’s not in a playground.” Then his eyes widened and his words came out in a rush. “Not that this hasn’t been nice. It’s been great. I was just wondering if you would like to go on a picnic with me.” Embarrassment covered his handsome face. “And John will be there too, of course.”
Rachel bit back a giggle. Mike looked adorable when he was flustered.
“I don’t think that invitation came out quite right,” he said. Then he grinned, and a giggle escaped her lips.
She clamped her hand over her mouth.
“Don’t hold it back,” he said. “You have a great laugh.”
Rachel looked down at the worn blue blanket as the tips of her ears flamed.
“Let me try this again.” Mike cleared his throat. “Would you please go on a picnic with John and me tomorrow? I thought we could go down to that pond I told you about where I fell out of the fishing boat.”
Rachel met his gaze, and he gave her a hopeful expression. “What about your dat?” she asked.
“Marie is coming over to work on the garden tomorrow. She said she’ll take care of him while we’re gone.” Mike fingered the bottle of water in his hands. “He’ll be fine.”
Had Mike asked his cousin to take care of his father so he could spend time with her? Rachel’s stomach fluttered at the possibility of spending more time with Mike. She’d thought about him every day since they’d seen each other on Saturday.
“So what do you think?” Mike asked again, his eyes begging her to say yes.
“What would you like me to pack for our lunch?” she asked.
Mike grinned, and she prayed he wouldn’t break her fragile heart.
RACHEL GRIPPED THE PICNIC BASKET HANDLES AS MIKE guided the horse down the rocky lane the following afternoon. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she glanced over at Mike’s handsome profile. She’d been awake most of last night planning out what she’d pack in her mother’s picnic basket and worrying about how Mike felt about her. Did Mike like her as more than a friend? If so, then was this their first official outing as a couple?
“The pond is straight ahead.” John leaned over the bench from the rear of the buggy and pointed, breaking through Rachel’s mental tirade. “Sometimes I go fishing there with Mike, Onkel Tim, and Sam. Mei dat can’t fish anymore, but I went with him a couple of times when I was four.”
“You remember that?” Mike gave him a sideways glance.
“Ya.” John looked incredulous. “Why wouldn’t I?” He slipped into the back of the buggy.
Rachel and Mike exchanged smiles, and her heart felt like it was turning over in her chest as Mike turned his focus back on the road ahead of them.
Rachel had thought about their picnic all morning. She hurried through her morning chores before packing lunch and calling for a ride over to Mike’s farm. When she arrived she talked to Marie for a few minutes before Mike hitched up the horse and they started off toward the pond.
“Maybe you can go fishing with us sometime,” John said, leaning over the seat again. “Onkel Tim has a small boat. We could borrow it and go out some Saturday afternoon.”
Rachel turned toward Mike, who raised his eyebrows. “That sounds nice,” she said.
“Great.” John clapped. “I haven’t been fishing in a long time. It’s so fun. I caught a fish that was bigger than my two hands.” He held out his hands. “It was so big!”
Rachel grinned. “That’s amazing! Maybe we can try to get a bigger one when we go.”
“We’ll see if we can work out a day sometime soon.” Mike gave her a thankful smile. He guided the horse up another rocky path, and the pond came into view. He brought the horse to a stop by a small picnic table. “Mei dat and onkel put this picnic table here a few years ago. We always liked coming here, so we thought we’d make it more conducive to picnics.”
They climbed out of the buggy, and Mike tied the horse to a nearby tree. Rachel set the picnic basket on the table and pulled out a tablecloth
. Then she brought out three roast beef sandwiches, a bag of pretzels, and a thermos of lemonade.
“This is nice.” Mike sidled up to her, and she breathed in his smell—this time soap mixed with earth and sunshine. He pulled the cups out of the basket. “Danki for bringing such delicious food.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I could get used to this,” Mike quipped as a grin slid across his face.
Rachel’s pulse surged. What does he mean by that? My food? Or spending time together?
“John,” Mike called. His younger brother was tossing stones into the pond. “Let’s eat and then you can play.”
John trotted over, and Rachel sat down across from them at the picnic table. After a silent prayer, they began eating.
“Do you like throwing stones into the pond?” Rachel asked.
John’s head bobbed up and down as he chewed, then swallowed. “I like to make big splashes. I play a game where I try to make the splash bigger each time.”
“That sounds like fun.” Rachel swiped a pretzel from the bag. “Mei schweschder Veronica is an expert at skipping stones.”
“Oh?” John tilted his head. “I don’t know how to do that.”
“I’ll have to show you.” Rachel lifted her sandwich. “I’m not an expert, but Veronica is.”
“Maybe your schweschder can show me sometime.” John turned toward Mike. “We should invite Rachel’s whole family to come on a picnic, and Veronica can teach us all to skip stones.”
Mike nodded. “We can talk about that.”
Rachel studied John’s excited face. She hoped she could continue her relationship with the boy. Would they still be friends after he returned to the schoolhouse in his district? Would she still be friends with Mike? Her hope blossomed at the question.
“So, John,” Rachel began, “you’ve told me you like to fish, and I know you like to play softball. What else do you like to do?”
