The Amish Baby Finds a Home

by Barbara Cameron

  They returned to the quilting table and sat. Hannah pulled out the box of quilt pieces she was working on. She smiled as she listened to John’s soft snore as he drifted off on his morning nap and smiled in his sleep. She glanced at the front window as a soft rain began to fall.

  “Doesn’t look like many people are out today. I didn’t think rain was predicted.” She sighed and threaded a needle. “So you never told me how Eli convinced you to say yes.”

  “He bought toys for John,” Emma said, shaking her head and giving her a baffled smile. She pulled a stuffed horse and cow from the storage bin at the back of John’s stroller. “I know it’s silly, but my heart melted when he gave the toys to John and said he thought John should get to know farm animals, that he’s a farmer’s sohn. That John would need to learn how to take care of the real ones on the farm as he grew up.”

  Emma looked up as a car horn sounded outside, then looked back at Hannah. “He brought me this little ceramic baby bootie filled with silk roses. Said he wasn’t there when John was born, that I hadn’t had his support or my familye’s. That he wanted us to make a familye together, the three of us.”

  She sobered. “Familye. Gideon and Leah have made John and me feel part of their familye since I came back. I think it will be wunderbaar getting married at their house.”

  “It will be.”

  “Leah invited me to supper tonight to plan the wedding. Said I should ask you and Gideon to come.”

  “I’d love to and I’m schur Gideon will, too. After all, he lives there,” she reminded Emma with a grin.

  Hannah didn’t have plans with Gideon for the evening so he’d be eating at his house anyway, but it was nice for Emma to invite him to work on wedding plans with her and Eli.

  “I need to call Liz and ask if I can get a ride to the house, too,” Emma said.

  “Her number’s in the address book under the counter.”

  Emma got up and walked over to make the calls. When she returned to the quilting table and sat down, she watched Hannah stitch for a few minutes. “First thing Gideon asked was if you were coming. He sounded happy that you were.”

  “That’s nice to hear.”

  “I think we have gut men in these bruders,” Emma blurted out.

  “We do.”

  Emma glanced over at Hannah’s project. “Working on a wedding ring quilt, hmm?”

  “They’re popular sellers. Sarah won’t have much time to work on another while her mann is sick, so I thought I’d sew one.”

  Emma just looked at her and smiled. Hannah rolled her eyes.

  “You know, you could get started on your dress today,” she said. “You could cut out the pieces and use one of the sewing machines in the sewing room.”

  “You don’t mind?”

  “Not at all.”

  “You schur you don’t mind me laying out the material on the cutting table? I can move it quickly when customers come in.”

  “No problem.” Hannah glanced at the window. The day was just turning gloomier.

  She watched Emma spread the blue fabric out on the table, pull the tissue pattern out, and pin the pieces on it. After she finished cutting the dress, she did the same on the apron material. When she was done with her task, Emma glanced at the clock, then at the shop door.

  “Where is everybody? A little rain shouldn’t keep customers away.”

  Hannah smiled. “Not everybody’s in your happy mood and can ignore it.”

  “People in love just want everybody else to be happy. You’re next.”

  “Next?”

  “Gideon is going to ask you to marry him. I just know it. All you have to do is look at him when the two of you are together and you can see he loves you. And I can see how much you love him, too.”

  Hannah blushed. “Well, there’s plenty of time for him to ask. We have months until harvest season.”

  Then she wished she hadn’t spoken. Only weddings with situations like Emma and Eli’s “unforeseen blessing” took place at times other than after harvest.

  “It’s allrecht,” Emma said. “I’m fine with getting married now. I really am. I know Eli loves me. He’s not just marrying me because we have John.”

  “And everyone who sees the two of you can see you love each other.”

  Emma’s grin was as bright as a sunbeam. “Ya, they can.”

  * * *

  Gideon grinned as he hung up the shop phone.

  While it felt a little strange to have his future schwei ask him to supper in his own home, it was nice to hear she wanted his help in planning the wedding. And even nicer to hear that Hannah would be there, too.

  He sat down on the stool behind the shop counter, struck by the thought that very soon Emma and John would be moving into the house. His mudder was already moving her things into the dawdi haus off the kitchen. But he would be using his bedroom until he married and moved out.

  That didn’t feel comfortable. He remembered that when they had the picnic by the pond Hannah had mentioned how happy she was Emma and John would have a home. It hadn’t even occurred to him then that newlyweds might want some privacy.

  Allrecht, so he could move to the downstairs front bedroom so they had the entire second floor of the house to themselves. And he’d be there for only a few months until after the harvest when he and Hannah could be married.

  But during that conversation by the pond he’d also realized his mudder’s idea that the bruders and their fraas could share the farmhouse wasn’t going to work.

  He got out his business ledger and looked at his finances, then his personal checkbook and what he had in checking and savings. Land was now so expensive in Lancaster County as the Englisch community expanded and farm land became scarcer and more expensive. He gazed off into the distance. But he didn’t need a farm—didn’t want the work and responsibility of one. Eli was the farmer in the familye and Gideon a full-time shopkeeper who helped his bruder on a very part-time basis.

  Making toys and selling them in his own shop. This was Gideon’s lifework.

  Still, property in the Amish community seldom came up for sale. The Amish grapevine worked well. If on a rare occasion the owner of an Amish farm died and left no heirs word quickly spread. Soon a church member bought it and it stayed in the Amish community.

  Gideon looked up Elmer’s number and called him, hoping he knew of a house for sale. He didn’t but promised to keep an eye out and let Gideon know. He didn’t ask questions, but Gideon suspected Elmer knew why he was asking.

  He drummed his fingers on the counter and concentrated. There had to be a solution.

  Then he got an idea. He’d used a Realtor to help him buy the shop years ago. She’d since retired, but he remembered that before she did she’d called him to let him know the agency’s secretary who had helped with the paperwork had recently earned her real estate license. He looked in the little file he kept under the counter and found her card. Cassie Martinelli.

  The weather was keeping customers away from the shop today. He wondered if it was also preventing Realtors from taking buyers around to look at homes. It only took a quick call to find out Cassie was available.

  “I’m Gideon Troyer. Your agency helped me with the purchase of my shop. I’m looking for a house,” he began.

  “I remember helping with that paperwork before I got my license. I can hop on over and we can put our heads together,” she responded cheerfully.

  “Oh, I was just going to ask you a few questions,” he said. “I doubt you’ll want to come out in the rain.”

  “I could use a break from the office. Shall I stop and get us some coffee?”

  “I’ll put on a fresh pot.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  Gideon got up, started a fresh pot of coffee and, remembering how his mudder always made guests feel welcome, put the cookies he’d brought for his lunch on a plate. He had the coffee and cookies on the shop counter when Cassie swept into the shop clad in a raincoat as re
d as her curly hair less than ten minutes later.

  “What a day,” she said as she put her umbrella in the stand beside the door and hung her raincoat on the coat rack. “I’m glad you called. I was just sitting at my desk dealing with some paperwork.”

  She sat on a stool at the counter, sipped the mug of coffee he brought her, and sampled one of the cookies he’d brought for his lunch.

  “So, you’re looking for a house,” she said, dusting cookie crumbs from her fingers and getting an iPad from the pocket in her jacket. “None available in your community?”

  He shook his head. “I’m hoping you know of one near it.”

  “I’ll look. What kind of budget do you have in mind?”

  “I don’t know. I have no idea how much a house should cost. I never thought I’d have to buy one. My twin brother and I inherited our farm, but he’s getting married next week and he’ll be living in the house.”

  “I see.”

  He didn’t like talking about personal financial stuff but he could see he was going to have to do so in order to get the help he needed. “I’ve been going over my finances,” he told her, gesturing at his ledger and banking file. “I just bought this place a few years ago, so I don’t have a lot saved.”

  “Well, I remember helping Rhonda with the paperwork for that purchase and she taught me some great creative ways to finance with the local banks. Let’s talk about your wish list and perhaps your future wife’s.”

  He liked her optimism. “I haven’t talked with her about it,” he said slowly.

  “I understand. I’ll keep this confidential, of course.”

  “Thanks. I don’t want a farm. Just a nice house. I’d think at least three bedrooms,” he said. “We can always add on more later. The Amish do that when they have more children. And the house should have a nice backyard for them to play in.”

  “And a wonderful kitchen. It’s the heart of the home for every family, Amish or Englisch,” she suggested.

  “That’s what my mother always says,” he told her.

  “I think all mothers do.” She made notes in her iPad. Then she looked up at him. “And a room for sewing and quilting,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

  He felt a flush stealing up his neck. She was subtle, but they both knew who she meant. He’d seen Cassie at Hannah’s quilting classes.

  They talked a few minutes more, and then several people walked into the shop and he had to help them. After he rang up their purchases and they left, he turned back to Cassie. “Shall I get you more coffee?”

  “No, thanks. I’ve got what I need. I’ll go back to the office and do some research, look through the multiple listings.”

  “Thanks for coming. I appreciate it.”

  “My pleasure. I hope I can find you the home of your dreams.” She looked out the window. “Well, how about that. The rain’s stopped and there’s a rainbow. You have a good day!”

  She opened the door and paused to let another woman step inside.

  “Cassie! Hello!”

  Gideon froze at the sound of Emma’s voice. He was hoping to keep his house hunting a secret for now.

  “Emma. Nice to see you.”

  “You too.”

  After closing the door, Emma walked over to the shop counter. “You know Cassie?”

  He nodded. “She helped with the sale of the shop.”

  “I see.”

  Gideon watched her glance at the two mugs on the counter.

  “She stopped by to see how things were going.” He hated not being honest with her, but he didn’t want to share why he was talking to Cassie. “I wasn’t expecting to see you before supper tonight.”

  “John and I are at Hannah’s today. Things are slow, and you’d asked if I’d like some hours here, so I thought I’d see if you wanted me to give you some extra time today. Maybe you’d like to have lunch with Hannah then, I don’t know, work on your toys or whatever you need me to do.”

  “Great. Do I need to get John’s crib?”

  She shook her head. “He’s taking a nap so he can stay at Hannah’s.” She grinned. “He’ll be your chaperone.”

  “Funny.” He gathered up the mugs and headed to the back room to get his lunch tote. “Back in a half hour.”

  “Take an hour,” she said with a grin. “We won’t tell the boss.”

  “Very funny. See you.” He opened the shop door, and when he stepped outside he saw that there was indeed a rainbow.

  An unexpected lunch with Hannah and a rainbow. It was indeed turning out to be a gut day.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Emma watched Eli lean in the front window of the van and pay Liz for her ride.

  It made her feel gut that he did so without her saying anything.

  Gideon got John’s stroller from the back of the van and then walked off with Hannah. Emma settled John in the stroller, and the minute Eli joined her she grabbed his arm.

  “We need to talk,” she whispered as she watched Hannah and Gideon stroll up to the house.

  “Hello to you, too,” Eli said with a grin. He leaned down to chuck John under the chin which made him giggle.

  “Something’s going on,” she said. She smiled and waved her hand as Hannah turned and looked back at them. “We’ll be right there!” she called.

  She turned to Eli. “Gideon was talking to Cassie today.”

  “Cassie who?”

  “Cassie Martinelli.”

  “I don’t know who that is.”

  “She’s a Realtor. Eli, why was Gideon talking to a Realtor today?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “I thought you two talked about everything.”

  Eli grinned and leaned down to kiss her. “Not everything.”

  She punched his arm. “Be serious. Why was he talking to a Realtor?”

  “Emma, I don’t know. If you were so curious, why didn’t you ask him?”

  “I didn’t feel that I could.”

  He shrugged and began pushing John’s stroller up the walk.

  “Eli! This is important. Do you think he’s going to buy a house?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Emma grabbed his sleeve and made him stop. “Eli, he shouldn’t feel like he has to move out of his own home.”

  Leah opened the front door and looked out. “What’s taking so long?” she called. “John, you get your eldres in here. Supper’s ready!”

  “You heard the boss,” Eli told Emma. “We’ll talk later.”

  Frustrated, she lifted John from the stroller and followed him. Eli parked the stroller on the porch and they walked into the house.

  “Something smells wunderbaar,” he said as they entered the kitchen.

  Leah held out her arms for John. “Everything’s on the table and your bruder’s ready to start without you.”

  “It would serve him right,” Gideon said. “Remember the time he told you I was eating supper at Hannah’s and ate my share? I was just late and came home to find I had no supper.”

  “How long ago was that?” Hannah asked him.

  “Last week.”

  Eli thumped the back of his head before he took his seat. “We were ten.”

  Hannah laughed. “Leah, sometimes I wonder how you survived these two.”

  Leah kissed John’s cheek before tucking him into the highchair by the table. “Sometimes I do, too. With any luck John will be the same kind of bu his dat was.”

  “Wow, that’s mean, Mamm,” Eli said as Gideon chuckled.

  She laughed. “Ya.”

  Emma noticed that Gideon said the blessing over the meal without Leah asking him. And it wasn’t because he was eager to start eating as he’d been teased. He was his usual calm and deliberate self and made schur he offered Hannah the food being passed around before he served himself.

  It took Emma a few minutes for her to realize that every time their eyes met he quickly looked away.

  Something was definitely going on.

  She filled her plate and at
e hungrily. The day had been long and she enjoyed Leah’s cooking—and the fact that Leah insisted on sitting next to John’s highchair and feeding him. Emma didn’t often get to eat a meal in a leisurely fashion. Her heart warmed as she watched how clearly Leah enjoyed her grosssohn. She felt a pang thinking about her eldres and how they were refusing to acknowledge him.

  Some emotion must have shown on her face because Leah looked at her and gave her a gentle smile of understanding.

  Dessert—a rhubarb pie—and coffee followed the meal. Then Leah was directing the men to clear the table. She set out pads of paper and pencils, and everyone got down to the business of planning the wedding.

  The guest list was short. Emma remembered how Hannah had suggested Emma invite Grace, her Ohio friend. She borrowed Eli’s cell phone and made the call to her asking if she’d come. Unfortunately, her friend couldn’t attend because she was caring for her mudder, who was ill.

  “I’m so happy for you,” Grace said and Emma heard the tears in her voice. “Kiss John for me and let’s hope I can come see you and meet Eli one day when my mudder is better.”

  After she said goodbye Emma turned to Hannah. “So I hope you’ll be my maed vun ehr?”

  “Of course,” Hannah told her with a warm smile.

  Leah announced she and Eli were going into town the next day to shop for the food. She asked Emma if she wanted to add anything to the traditional wedding feast of baked chicken, roasht, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, and desserts.

  Emma shook her head. “Are you schur it won’t be too much for you to cook all that?”

  “Nee. I asked Ruby to help. I figure it’ll be gut for her to have something to do to take her mind off Abram. You know how she loves being a part of celebrations.”

  Emma thought it was nice of Leah to term this quickly-put-together wedding a celebration, and she appreciated the way Leah was making her feel. It didn’t quite take away the sting of not having her eldres attend, but Eli’s familye was her familye now, and that was what was most important.

  Leah turned her attention to Eli and Gideon. They were told to make a note on their pads to get the benches used for church service for the day of the wedding. And clean up the yard.