A Place of His Own (12 page)

Happiness replaced the anxiety in her eyes. “
Nee
, they won't be bored. Hard work is
gut
for them, Josiah. They'll learn a lot from you.”

Josiah wasn't sure about that after how he had treated them this morning, but he would feel better knowing he'd done something to make up for yelling at them. “Take care of your
mamm
,” he couldn't resist adding as he opened the back door.

“I will.”

He looked at her for one last moment, unable to pull his gaze from her pretty face. If only things were different. “
Ya
. I know you will. She couldn't be in better hands.”

Chapter Ten

AMANDA STOOD AT THE BACK DOOR AND WATCHED AS Josiah made his way over to Andrew and Thomas, who were sliding down the plastic yellow slide attached to the swing set. Thomas listened at perfect attention, but Andrew hung back. After a few moments Josiah reached out and touched Andrew's shoulder. Her brother responded to the gesture by moving a little closer, then finally stood beside Josiah. Soon all three of them disappeared from view as they headed for Josiah's house.

She grinned, the tension draining from her.
Mamm
would be all right, as the Lord had watched over her today. Josiah had made amends with her brothers. Most important, he seemed to have opened up a little bit to her. She touched her cheek where his thumb had brushed away her tears. Such a kind gesture, and an unexpected one for so many reasons. Her skin still tingled from his gentle touch.

Turning away from the door, she went back and checked on her
mamm
. Her eyes were closed, and Amanda was glad to see her resting. She had been terrified when she'd seen her mother lying on the floor, unconscious.

Guilt pricked at her, and she realized she should have been here helping her
mamm
instead of over at Josiah's, who hadn't even wanted her there in the first place. If she had been here at the house, then her mother wouldn't have overdone it.

Amanda pressed her lips together. She wouldn't leave her mother alone again, not until the baby's birth. Even though Hannah and Rachel had been here to help, her mother clearly needed more rest.

“Amanda?”

“Did you need something,
Mamm
?”

Katharine shook her head. “Don't worry,
Dochder
. I'm still okay.” She reached up and brushed back a strand of Amanda's hair that had escaped her
kapp
. “I just wanted to thank you for your help.”

“I didn't do nearly enough.” Amanda looked down at her hands. “I shouldn't have gone over to Josiah's.”

“You think this is your fault?” Katharine tilted her head and gave her a gentle smile. “Amanda, these things sometimes happen. A person can pass out for any number of reasons. And I haven't been drinking water like I should. The doctor said to watch out for dehydration. So it's really my fault. Besides, you were right to go to Josiah's.”

“He doesn't think so. He doesn't want my help anymore. Although he did tell Andrew and Thomas they could work with him for a few days.”

“That's
gut
,” Katharine said. “I'm sure he'll keep them busy.”

“He plans to sell the house when he's finished.”

Katharine appeared surprised. “He's selling it?”

Amanda nodded. “Then he's moving to Ohio.”

“So that's where he's been.”

“
Nee
. He lived in Indiana, but he's not going back there.”

“Sounds like he has everything planned out.”

“
Ya
,” Amanda said, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.

But if Katharine noticed her tone, she didn't mention it. “It's near lunchtime. Are you sure I can't help?”

“Positive. You rest.”

“
Danki
, Amanda. You have been such a help to me.”

“I'm happy to help.”

“I know you are. You've been that way since you were a young child. And when we had Hannah, then the other
kinder
, I don't know what I would have done without you.” She sobered. “But I worry I'm keeping you from your own life.”

Amanda shook her head. “This is my life. Taking care of you and
Daed
and the children.”

“But don't you ever think of having a family of your own?”

She paused. “Sometimes.” More often than she wanted to admit. “But it seems God's plan is for me to stay right here, at least for now, until I meet the man He has set apart for me.”

“Perhaps you've already met him.”

“Oh,
nee
,” she said, shaking her head vehemently. “Peter Yoder is not the man for me.”

“I wasn't talking about Peter.”

Amanda lifted her brow. “Then who?”

Katharine leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes. “You'll have to figure that out yourself.”

A short while later Amanda had lunch prepared and served to the children. She took a tray of chicken soup and a cheese sandwich, along with a large glass of water, to her mother, but she was asleep. Setting the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch, Amanda tiptoed out of the living room.

As she made her way back to the kitchen, her mind began to whirl. What did her mother mean about her already having met the man God had set apart for her? Thank goodness she hadn't meant Peter. She thought about the other young men in her community. While there were some very nice ones, none of them had stirred any feelings inside her. Unlike Josiah.

Surely her mother hadn't meant him. That didn't make any sense, especially after Amanda had just told her that he wanted to sell his house and move to Ohio. Besides, Josiah had been back a total of three days, and they had barely rekindled their friendship.

But she couldn't deny that romantic feelings for him had started to grow.

How did everything get so complicated?

Josiah ran a brush through his hair, smoothing his bangs over his forehead. He needed a haircut, and maybe he would take the time to get one next week. But he couldn't worry about that now, not when he had to pick up Amanda in fifteen minutes.

Two weeks had quickly passed since Peter's visit. The more time passed, the more he regretted his snap decision to take Amanda to the singing. Everything had gotten too complicated too quickly. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with her—he did, more than he had a right to. But taking her to this singing meant facing even more of his past. He'd see people he grew up with, and they would undoubtedly ask him a lot of questions he didn't want to answer. At least with others he could be vague and not have to worry about them pressing the issue. Unlike Amanda.

He hadn't seen much of her the past two weeks except at a distance, when she and her sisters were working on their garden patch, pulling up dead weeds and spreading piles of compost on top of the garden to enrich the existing soil. To his chagrin he had spent more time watching her toil than he should have. But he couldn't help it. Her beauty stunned him, and she worked with such spirit and vigor. Any man would be proud to have her as his wife.

He would be especially proud. But he was also realistic.

Taking a deep breath, he slid his arms through his suspenders, then went downstairs to retrieve his hat. A worn-out brim, and a small stain near the hatband. He wished he had a new one to wear, but this would have to do.

A blast of brisk air greeted him as he stepped outside. It was near the end of October, when days were shorter and the air cooler. The temperature dropped a little bit as evening approached, cool enough to wear a jacket over his light blue long-sleeved shirt.

He glanced at the Grabers' house. Should he walk over and get Amanda, or hitch Tater to the buggy? Josiah didn't particularly care for the name Thomas had chosen, but the boy had a spark of pride in his voice every time he mentioned her by name.

Before he could make his decision, he heard the sound of a screen door shut and turned to see Amanda striding toward him. His mouth went dry as he gazed at her, taking in her dark green dress and white prayer
kapp
. She smiled as she neared, and it tugged at his heart.

He was in for a long night.

“Missed seeing you at church this morning,” Amanda said as Josiah guided the buggy onto the road.

He shrugged, keeping his gaze straight ahead. He hadn't said more than two words to her since she'd met him at his house a few minutes ago. She glanced down at the plastic container filled with fresh-baked monster cookies—packed with oats, chocolate chips, and M&M's and rolled in powdered sugar. She had taken care with her appearance, knowing that the green dress brought out the green in her hazel eyes. But she shouldn't have bothered. She doubted Josiah even knew the color of her eyes, he so rarely looked directly at her.

Silence filled the space between them, and not for the first time she thought this was a bad idea. She hated feeling awkward around Josiah. After a few more minutes of only the sound of the passing cars and the clip-clop of Tater's hooves, she couldn't stand it anymore.

“You were right about Peter,” she said.

He turned to her. “What?”

Finally, she had gotten his attention. “I expected at church this morning some of my friends would ask about our going to the singing together, but no one mentioned it.”

“I'm not surprised. Like I said, Peter hates to lose.”

“I'm not a prize, Josiah.”

“Peter thinks so.”

“Well, I don't care what he thinks.” She settled against the seat. “I just hope he leaves me alone after this.”

Josiah pulled on the reins, guiding the horse to make a right turn onto the road where Peter and his family lived. “You let me know if he doesn't.”

She hid a smile at his protective tone. She'd never figure this man out. “I remember you spending a lot of time at your aunt and uncle's. I didn't realize you and Peter didn't get along.”

“It's a long story.”

“We've got time.”

He glanced at her for a brief moment, then focused on the road ahead. “I suppose you'll keep asking until I tell you.”

“You know me so well.”

His lips quirked, but he didn't smile. “We were okay when we were younger. Then when I turned ten, I started helping my uncle in the shop. Peter wasn't old enough to do much more than clean up and be our gopher, which he hated. I think he resented the time my
Onkel
John and I spent together. And since Peter has five sisters,
Onkel
John appreciated the extra help.”

“But then Peter worked in the shop too, right?”

Josiah nodded. “He wasn't quite as angry at that point, but we still didn't get along. Peter always had everything he wanted or needed, but he still never seemed happy. Then
Mamm
died.” He swallowed. “My
onkel
was there for me more than my own
daed
was.”

“I'm so sorry,” she said, seeing the stricken look on his face. “I had no idea.”

“I didn't want to talk about it. There's the house.” He nodded toward a large white house several hundred yards away.

Amanda had only been to the Yoders' a few times before, for church services over the years and when Peter's oldest sister, Esther, had gotten married a couple of years ago. As the beautiful house came into view, she couldn't help but be impressed. Although there was nothing ostentatious about it, the size of the house, shop, and property bespoke of wealth. She had heard stories over the years of how generous John and Vera Yoder had been to families in the community that were struggling financially. She hoped Peter would keep up that family tradition.

Numerous gray buggies were parked in the large area near the shop. She spotted a volleyball net in the backyard behind the house, and several young women and men were already playing with a bright yellow ball. The scent of grilling meat greeted her as Josiah squeezed his buggy into the last space near the hitching post. Hamburgers, or maybe chicken, she couldn't tell. Her stomach growled.

They disembarked from the buggy, and Josiah tethered Tater. Amanda clutched her cookies while Josiah shoved his hands in his pockets. One look at his uncertain expression, and she knew they shouldn't have come here together.

“I'll take these cookies inside to your
aenti
,” she said.

“I'll come with you.” He fell in step beside her as they went to the house. “I want to say hello to her and
Onkel
John.”

They entered through the side door and passed through a large mudroom before reaching the spacious kitchen, where plates and trays of desserts covered the oblong table. Giving the spread a cursory look, Amanda noticed at least four different kinds of cookies, a baking dish filled with date pudding, chocolate-frosted brownies, a huge hickory nut cake, and two double-crust apple pies.

“Looks
gut
,” Josiah said, his hands still in his pockets. He nodded his approval, then glanced around the kitchen. “Wonder where
Aenti
Vera is.”

Amanda looked out the large, multipaned window that exposed the Yoders' expansive backyard. Two more tables were set up near the gas grill manned by Josiah's uncle. Those tables were also filled with platters of food. “We won't starve here,” she commented.

“
Nee
.
Aenti
Vera always makes sure everyone has plenty.” Josiah walked over to the window and stared outside.

After shifting a few of the desserts around, Amanda made enough room for her container, then moved to stand by him.

“I don't know anyone here,” he said, still looking outside. “Then again, I suppose most of our old friends are married by now.”

“
Ya
, they are.” She peered at a young woman and man standing off to the side, watching the volleyball game. From the way they stood close to each other, everyone could see they were a couple. “You remember Ben Weaver and Rebecca Miller, don't you?”