Risking Her Amish Heart, page 13
When Grace began to prepare breakfast one September morning, she noticed that the small pantry looked bare. After the meal was served and the dishes washed, she jotted down a shopping list, hitched Eli’s mare to the buggy, and made the short trip to Kauffman’s Fruit Farm and Market.
Grace leisurely pushed a shopping cart down the aisles of the small, family-owned market, enjoying the soothing hymns that played from the store’s speakers. The delightful scent of apples heavily perfumed the store, and she marveled at the many locally grown varieties to choose from. She placed a small container of blackberries into the cart, thinking that she could whip up a pitcher of blackberry lemonade to enjoy with Eli and Aaron.
As she moved into the aisle of bulk snacks and baking ingredients, she reached into her handbag in search of her list, not wanting to forget any items she needed. As she rummaged through the bag, she heard another shopper and their cart approaching.
“Grace! How wunderbaar gut to see you.”
She looked up and saw Becky King headed toward her, wearing a rose-colored dress that matched the shade of her plump cheeks.
“Guder mariye,” Grace politely greeted Aaron’s mother with a smile. “It’s nice to see you as well. Did Annie come shopping with you today?”
Becky scoffed and threw her hands in the air, though her smile remained steady. “That dochder of mine stayed home to play with the busslin instead of helping her mamm with the shopping. I don’t know what she’s going to do when those critters are fully grown and go to new homes.”
Grace was tickled at the thought of Annie trying to wrangle the busy kittens as they grew older and more independent. “Oh, to be a kind again, jah?”
Becky nodded enthusiastically. “Carefree and full of wonder.” She glanced into her shopping cart, which contained several packages of sugar and flour. “I’ve got a lot of baking to do. I’m hosting a Sisters’ Day this coming Saturday and need to bake plenty of sweets to serve. You’re more than wilkumme to join us for some sisterly fellowship.”
“Denki, I would like that very much,” Grace replied, pleased to be included. “Should I bring anything?”
“Only yourself and some empty jars. We’re gonna make gallons of applesauce.”
They chatted for a few more minutes about different recipes for applesauce and the large variety of apples that were for sale before saying farewell and continuing with their shopping.
Grace pushed her shopping cart past Aaron’s mother and took another look at her shopping list. “Sugar, flour, and baking soda,” she whispered to herself, then began scanning the shelves for the best deals.
“Sorry to bother you again,” Becky said meekly as she approached Grace for a second time. “The Lord has laid something on my heart, and I think it should be shared with you.”
“A message from Gott is never a bother,” Grace replied with a genuine grin, “and neither is a chat with a friend.”
Becky smiled at that, though she seemed a bit more subdued than her usual bubbly self. “I... I wanted to say denki.”
“For what?”
“For the effect you’ve had on my sohn.” Becky’s dark brown eyes welled up and her lips quivered ever so slightly. “Aaron’s always been a quiet, timid one, and for years his daed and I worried about him.” She swiped away a tear before it could roll down her cheek. “But since you’ve come into his life, he’s slowly become more outgoing. He’s been more talkative, and he’s sharing his thoughts without being asked. It feels like we’re getting to know our sohn for the first time, twenty-five years after his birth.”
Grace placed her hand over her heart, moved by the details that Aaron’s mother had shared with her. “I pray daily for everyone in my life, but I can hardly take credit for—”
“Then it was your prayers on his behalf,” Becky interjected as she brushed away another joyful tear.
“But I didn’t ask Gott to change Aaron,” Grace persisted. “I just asked Gott to bless him and keep him from harm.”
“Jah, but your talks with Gott brought my sohn to His mind, and He knows just what each one of us needs to thrive.” Becky cleared her throat, glanced down at her shopping cart, then back up at Grace. “I won’t take up any more of your time. See you on Saturday.”
Grace stood motionless as Becky went on her way, overcome by the woman’s meaningful words. She had seen Aaron coming out of his shell with her own eyes, but hearing that he was becoming more outgoing directly from the woman who’d raised him deeply moved Grace. Seeing Aaron’s confidence grow filled her heart with gladness, and she knew only good things would come from it.
Do others see a change in me since I met Aaron? Grace knew the answer to the question she’d asked herself. The gloom that hovered over her since her former beau’s betrayal had lifted, and she found herself smiling for no reason quite often. Daadi had recently commented on her more positive outlook. Letters from her family and friends back in Paradise also expressed that they noticed a more peaceful tone in her written correspondence since she moved to Bird-in-Hand.
What would life be like if Aaron and I got married? Grace wondered as she resumed her shopping. She stared at the display of seasonings and spices, though she wasn’t truly seeing the selection of flavorings. If things continued going the way they were between her and Aaron, a wedding might not be that far off. The idea of living her life as Mrs. Aaron King pleased her to no end, and she imagined the contented life they would lead as husband and wife.
Let’s not put the cart before the horse, Grace thought as she smiled at her vivid thoughts. If Aaron and I are meant to wed, it will happen in the Lord’s timing. Feeling more hopeful than ever, she placed a container of salt into her shopping cart, then pushed it into the next aisle.
* * *
After Aaron had finished his Saturday morning chores around his family’s farm, he made his way to the front yard with a bucket of paint in one hand and a paintbrush and flathead screwdriver in the other. His mother had asked him to repaint the wooden picket fence that surrounded her vegetable garden, and since the sky had threatened rain most of the week, today was the perfect day to complete the job.
Aaron knelt in the grass near the fence and pried the lid off the paint can, then dipped his brush into the white paint. He glanced toward the house when a chorus of feminine laughter rang through the open windows. His mother was hosting a Sisters’ Day, and the house was full of female relatives, friends, and neighbors. He suspected Grace would be in attendance, though he hadn’t seen any sign of her yet.
He beamed as he swiped the paintbrush across the fence, thinking of his great affection for his boss’s granddaughter. True, her turquoise eyes, lightly freckled cheeks, and lovely smile were very pleasant to look at, but it was Grace’s tender spirit and empathetic ways that had captured Aaron’s attention. The more time he spent with her, the more he yearned for her presence. Spending time with Grace felt like the first mild day of spring after a bitterly cold winter, and Aaron wondered how he’d managed to muddle through day-to-day life before she’d arrived in Bird-in-Hand.
The clip-clopping of iron horseshoes and the creaking of buggy wheels that needed to be oiled interrupted his musings. He looked over his shoulder and immediately recognized Eli’s horse by the white star-shaped marking on the animal’s muzzle. He waved, balanced his brush across the rim of the paint can, then rose to meet the buggy.
As Aaron reached the edge of the lawn, Grace hopped out of the buggy before it came to a halt, slung a cloth tote bag over her shoulder, and dashed for the house. “Hello and goodbye,” she called with a chuckle. “I’m running late!” She brushed past him, darted across the lawn, then into the house to join the other women.
Aaron stepped up to the buggy, greeted Eli, then gestured toward the house with his thumb. “She’s not late. She’s right on time.”
Eli removed one hand from the reins and stroked his beard. “Late for being early, I reckon, but that’s our Gracie.”
“Jah, she’s a special one.” Aaron struggled to control his grin, fearing that if he smiled too broadly, he might burst into a fit of laughter. He was so thoroughly jubilant, and surprised, to call a woman like Grace his aldi that his delight sometimes manifested in fits of hilarity.
Smiling like a cat who’d just captured a mouse, Eli leaned toward Aaron. “It’s gut to see that look on your face.”
“What look?”
“The look of a man who’s in lieb,” Eli answered, his crackling voice a little too loud for Aaron’s comfort.
Love? Was he in love? Aaron’s vision started to spin as the weight of Eli’s observation crashed into him like an angry bull. He’d come to care for Grace immensely, but did that equal love? Sure, she occupied nearly every moment of his thoughts and each second of his dreams. He often wondered if their future children would inherit her lovely blue eyes, and he pictured them sitting in side-by-side rocking chairs in their old age. He knew, without a doubt that he’d give his life for hers, and that she made him feel more content and peaceful than he’d ever known was possible.
I do love her. I love Grace Ebersol.
The realization threatened to knock him off his feet but a bit of movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention before he could ponder it further. Normally the sight of his favorite sibling would be a welcomed one, but at that moment, Annie’s curiosity was the last thing he needed. If she learned that her big brother was in love, she might unintentionally spill the beans before Aaron could decide how to handle his feelings, and that sounded disastrous.
“Cat got your tongue?” Eli asked, goading Aaron on and seemingly unaware that a third party was now within earshot.
Aaron swiped at the perspiration that had gathered between his eyebrows. “Jah, I guess so.” He held his breath and watched as Annie drew nearer, cradling one of her beloved kittens like a human baby.
“Truth be told, I’ve always hoped that you and Gracie might end up together,” Eli went on, bobbing his head as if listening to a catchy melody. “Makes me wonder if I should retire from woodworking right now so I can start a career as a matchmaker.” He let out a hoot and slapped his knee, causing his mare to pin her ears back at the sudden ruckus.
Aaron cringed and fought to keep a straight face as Annie stepped right up to Eli’s buggy, her bare feet wisping through the grass.
“What’s so fannich?” the child asked as she placed the black-and-white kitten on the buggy’s seat beside Eli.
Eli’s guffawing subsided as he shot a glance at Aaron. Then he grinned at Annie, his eyes still sparkling with well-meaning mischief. “I was laughing because I heard that the kittens you’ve been looking after are ready to find new homes, and I thought it must be a joke.” He reached over and tapped the underside of her chin, grinning at her as if she were his own granddaughter.
Aaron let out a sigh so strong that it forced him to take a few steps backward, feeling like a balloon that someone had just let the air out of. Eli’s quick thinking had spared him from any embarrassment, but he still didn’t know just how much Annie had overheard.
Annie frowned and stared longingly at the little ball of fluff as it walked up to Eli and sniffed his clothing. “Jah, Daed said we only need so many mousers around here, so we need to find gut homes for most of the busslin.” Her shoulders sagged for just a moment before she perked back up. “But Daed said I can keep one to keep the mamm cat company.”
“Is this the one you are keeping?” Eli asked as he stroked the purring kitten’s downy head.
“Jah. I named her Bang because she runs around awful fast and crashes into things when she can’t stop in time.”
Eli let loose with a belly laugh, though Aaron was too riddled with alarm to muster anything more than a tiny smile.
“Do you and Grace want to take one of the busslin home? Then I could come and visit it anytime.” Annie stared at Eli with puppy dog eyes, pleading with a sweet innocence.
“Vell, construction on my new daadi haus is nearly done, and once it’s finished, Grace will be moving back to Paradise and I’ll be going with her. Then you’d have to take a long buggy ride to visit the bussli, or we’d have to return it to you,” Eli gently responded as he picked up the kitten and handed it back to the child.
Annie spun around and looked up at Aaron, eyes wide and lips pouting. “Grace is leaving Bird-in-Hand so soon? I don’t want her to go.”
Before Aaron could utter a word, Eli chimed in. “Vell, maybe Aaron can change her mind.” He winked playfully at Aaron, then returned his free hand to the reins. “I better get back to the woodshop. Lots of paperwork to do. Mache gute.” He clicked his tongue to signal to his docile horse, and with that, they were off.
Eli’s horse and buggy only traveled a few yards when Annie turned to Aaron again. “What did Grace’s daadi mean when he said he was a matchmaker?”
So, Annie had heard everything, though it was obvious that she didn’t fully understand the implications of Eli’s joke. Aaron rubbed the back of his neck and racked his brain for a child-friendly explanation, knowing that her questions would not cease until her curiosity was satisfied.
“Aaron? What did he mean?”
“Ach, I think he meant that he knew Grace and I were meant to be.” His heart lurched into his ribcage upon realizing how that might have sounded. “I mean, meant to be in each other’s lives. Meant to be friends.”
Annie stared up at him, blinking and mouth slightly agape. “Are me and Grace meant to be friends too?”
“Jah, of course.”
“That’s gut, ’cause I don’t know what we would do without her,” she replied before kissing her kitten on its forehead and scampering off toward the barn.
I couldn’t agree more, Aaron thought with an unbridled grin as he moseyed back to the garden fence. He resumed his painting project but was unable to focus on the direction of his brushstrokes. His sister was right. Grace was a steady, warm ray of sunshine who helped everyone around her to thrive, and as far as Aaron was concerned, he needed to make a move that would ensure he would never again see an overcast day.
I love you, Grace Ebersol, and I’m going to ask you to be my wife.
Chapter Fourteen
Though the refreshing morning air still lingered outdoors, the King farmhouse had grown quite warm as the twenty-or-so Amish ladies moved around the spacious first floor, chirping friendly greetings and catching up on each other’s lives. Grace knew about half of the women in attendance, having met them during church meetings. She was promptly introduced to the rest of Becky’s guests, all of whom readily welcomed her and treated her like a long-lost friend. The women ranged in age from their late teens to their late eighties. Most were relatives, some were neighbors, but all were eager to socialize and whip up more applesauce than any of them had ever seen.
After Becky served all of the ladies some lemonade, meadow tea and some oatmeal raisin cookies, the women got to work. Several small groups formed around the kitchen counter and at the two long folding tables that had been set up in preparation for the job at hand. With so many helping hands, the women made quick work of washing, peeling, coring, and chopping several bushels of honeycrisp apples.
Eventually, all of the apples had been cooked and mashed, though it had taken nearly three hours to get through all of the many batches. The sauce was set aside to finish cooling, then the kitchen was tidied before a tray of lunch meats and cheeses were set out, along with three different types of homemade bread, pickles, broccoli and macaroni salads, and homemade potato chips.
Grace was amused when Annie flew into the house, her cheeks ruddy from her vigorous outdoor play. The girl scanned the room as she snatched a pickle from the platter, her brown eyes shining like two new pennies when they landed on Grace.
“Will you help me fix my hair?” Annie begged as she dashed over, still breathless from her adventures. “It’s all schlappich now.”
“Jah, of course.” Grace fought off a chuckle, knowing that Annie was more than capable of brushing her locks and styling the traditional low bun. Yet being the only girl among her siblings, she probably longed for the experience of having a sister, and Grace was more than willing to accept that position.
Annie led Grace upstairs to her bedroom, taking the steps two at a time. Grace followed behind her, her heart full and nearly fit to burst. Aaron’s mother, and his extended family, had treated her like one of their own. Acting as Annie’s honorary elder sister felt perfectly natural. She fit in with the King family, and it would be a pleasure to become part of their kin, though that would only happen if she and Aaron were to marry.
Do I want to become Aaron’s wife? The question had only been in Grace’s mind for a fraction of a second before her heart told her the answer. I do. I’m in love with Aaron King.
The realization that she’d fallen in love for a second time was powerful enough to knock her down the stairs, so she gripped the hand railing tightly as she neared the second floor. She knew she’d been falling for Aaron, and falling hard too, but it wasn’t until that moment that she realized the extent of the love she had for this soft-spoken, gentle young man. It dawned on her that the intense affection she had for Aaron was a different kind of love than she’d had for her first beau. This one seemed to be sturdier, surer, and almost certainly mutual.
“This is my room,” Annie said as she led Grace into the tidy bedroom. She pointed toward the twin bed that was covered with a pink and white quilt. “Sit there while I grab my comb.”
