The Farmer Next Door (12 page)

Kyle turned his pleading eyes toward Adrian. “Can you? Please?”

“I must stay with the wagon,” he replied.

Faith wasn’t about to let him miss out on a fun afternoon. “Socks belongs to me. I will stay with her. Please take Kyle and show him the sights.”

A young man made his way though the crowd and straight
to Socks. “So this is an alpaca! They are cute. Is this the one that spit on you and the bishop’s wife?”

The resemblance between the two men was unmistakable. Faith wasn’t surprised when Adrian said, “Faith, this is my
bruder,
Ben.”

Ben’s grin lit up his face. He touched the brim of his straw hat. “I’m pleased to meet you, Faith Martin.”

She bowed slightly. “I’m pleased to meet you, as well. Myrtle was the ill-mannered one. This is Socks. She likes people.”

“May I pet her?” Ben asked.

Faith nodded. Ben reached out hesitantly and stroked his hand along Socks’s jaw. She showed her appreciation by stepping close and wrapping her long neck around him in a hug.

From behind her, Faith heard a pair of girls’ voices cooing in unison. “Isn’t that sweet?”

The girls, identical twins, joined Ben in petting Socks. Adrian spoke to his brother. “Ben, would you mind watching Socks while Faith and I show Kyle around?”

Ben winked at Adrian. “Not a bit.”

“Danki.”
Adrian looked to Faith and tipped his head toward the nearest tent. “Shall we?”

She nodded and reached for Kyle’s hand. As she grasped it, he let out a hiss of pain. Startled, she let go. “Did I hurt you?”

He put his hands behind his back and shook his head. Adrian squatted to his level and said sternly, “Let me see.”

Reluctantly, Kyle extended his hands. There were large blisters on both palms.

Faith sucked in a sharp breath knowing how painful they had to be. “Kyle, why didn’t you tell me you’d hurt yourself?”

“I was afraid you would make me stay home.”

She thought of all the raking and wheelbarrow pushing
he’d done as well as the heavy boxes full of peaches he’d pulled through the orchard in the little wagon. Never once had he complained.

“Darling, you mustn’t be afraid to tell me when something hurts. We need to find somewhere to wash these and put some bandages on them.”

Ben said, “There’s a first-aid tent near the front of the lumber yard.”

Faith flashed him a grateful smile. “
Danki.
Come along, Kyle. We’ll get you fixed up in no time.”

She and Adrian guided him through the crowds to the tent run by the local firefighters. A kindly fireman rinsed Kyle’s hands, applied an antiseptic cream and a large Band-Aid to each palm. When he was done, he gave Kyle a lollipop. “For being so brave.”

Faith thanked him. He said, “No problem. If you go out behind this tent you’ll see we are providing free pony rides to all the children attending the market today. Our police and fire departments are giving out snow cones and popcorn, too.”

Kyle looked hopefully at Faith. “Can I ride a pony?”

He certainly deserved some fun after all the work he’d done. “You may.”

They found the ride without difficulty. Kyle waited patiently until it was his turn. Adrian lifted him aboard a small white horse and stepped back beside Faith as he and several other Amish children went round and round on the plodding ponies.

Standing beside Adrian and watching Kyle enjoying himself, Faith had a glimpse of what her life might have been like if she had married the right man and been blessed with children of her own.

While she might never be a wife again, she now had a chance to raise a son. The thought was bittersweet.

After the ride came to an end, they walked on together exploring the various tents and booths until they came to the largest tent. Two sides of the tent had been rolled up to take advantage of the gusty breeze. Inside, dozens of beautifully crafted quilts hung from wooden frames meant to display them to full advantage. The room was already crowed with
Englisch
men and women examining the quilts closely.

Faith was admiring a wedding ring quilt pattern done in cream, pinks and blues when she spotted Nettie Sutter, Adrian’s mother and several other women conferring at a table near the back of the tent.

“Adrian, there’s your mother.”

“Where?”

She pointed. He quickly turned the other way and took her arm. “Let’s go. I don’t need any quilts.”

A
drian hoped to avoid his mother’s too-sharp eyes but he should have known better. She had already seen them and was headed in their direction with Rebecca Beachy holding on to her arm. His mother’s cheeks were rosy red from exertion. Wisps of her gray hair had escaped from beneath her
kapp.

“Adrian, you are just what we need—a strong son to help me set up these tables. Hello, Faith.” His mother’s eyes darted between the two of them with intense speculation. No doubt she had already jumped to the wrong conclusion about his business association with Faith.

He said, “We’ve brought peaches to sell.”

She winked at him. “What a clever excuse to bring Faith to our market. Faith, I’d like you to meet Rebecca Beachy. She and her aunt are neighbors of mine. Although Rebecca is blind, she stitches beautiful quilts.”

Rebecca held out her hand. “My talent comes from God, it is not of my own making.”

Faith stepped forward and took Rebecca’s hand. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

Rebecca tipped her head to the side. “And who else do you have with you?”

Adrian saw Kyle peeking from behind Faith’s skirt.

Faith urged the boy forward. “This is my
Englisch
nephew, Kyle.”

Kyle frowned up at her. “I’m not English, I’m from Texas.”

Adrian’s mother chuckled. “It’s nice to meet you, Kyle from Texas.”

“Have you had a pony ride yet?” Rebecca asked.

He nodded. “Aunt Faith says I can have a snow cone, too.”

Rebecca grinned. “
Ach,
I love them. You must try the pineapple ones. They’re the best.”

“Adrian, can you spare a few minutes to help us?” his mother asked.

He looked over the number of visitors filing through the tent. This would be the best place for Faith to set up her wheel. “If I may ask a favor in return?”

Mamm
nodded. “Of course.”

“May Faith use one of your tables to sell her yarn?”

His mother grinned at Faith. “I don’t see why not. The more, the merrier. Show Adrian where you want to set up.”

Within a few minutes he’d set up the tables his mother needed and placed one for Faith near the open side so that Socks could be tethered out on the grass. His mother promised to keep an eye on Kyle while he and Faith returned to the wagon to collect Faith’s spinning wheel and the yarns she had boxed up to sell.

They found the wagon surrounded by a dozen young Amish girls admiring Socks. Ben, seated casually on the tailgate of the wagon, was clearly enjoying the attention.

Faith and Adrian shared an amused glance before Adrian stepped inside the circle of young women. “
Danki,
Ben, I’ll take over now.”

Standing up, Ben said, “I don’t mind watching Faith’s pet a little longer.”

“If you want to be useful, little
bruder,
you can carry Faith’s spinning wheel to the tent where the quilts are being auctioned.”

“I can handle that if one of you girls can show me the way.” Ben’s charming smile gathered him several volunteers.

After Ben left, Adrian stacked together Faith’s wares and carried the boxes while she led Socks through the maze of vendor stalls back to the quilt tent.

Adrian staked Socks’s lead rope just outside the tent. The alpaca promptly lay down in the thick green grass.

Kyle was waiting for them with a snow cone in his hand. Adrian’s mother sat beside him enjoying one, too.

Kyle held his out. “These are really good. You should get one, Aunt Faith.”

Faith said, “I hope you thanked Mrs. Lapp.”

“I did.” He slurped at juice dripping over the paper holder.

Adrian’s mother rose and came to stand beside Faith. “He’s been well behaved. Is this one of your alpacas? They are cute.”

She leaned closer, and Adrian heard her ask, “Is this the one that spit on the bishop’s wife?”

Faith blushed a becoming shade of pink. “No.”

He took pity on her and tried to distract his mother. “
Mamm,
do you need anything else?”

“Not that I can think of,” she replied.

“Faith, can I do anything else for you?” he asked. He needed to get back to the produce and see that it sold for a decent price, but he didn’t want to leave her side. He was happy when he was near her.

She smiled sweetly at him. “I will be fine,
danki.
”

He turned to Kyle. “You must keep an eye on Socks while your
aenti
is busy and don’t wander off without telling her.”

“Okay.” Kyle took his snow cone and went out to sit in the
grass beside Socks. A number of people had already gathered to stare at the unusual creature. When they saw Kyle sit beside her, they pressed in for a closer look.

Faith, having arranged her yarns by color in small baskets on the table, sat down at the spinning wheel and began pumping the pedals that made it turn. Adrian stood back and watched to see how she would handle being on display along with her work. He didn’t have long to wait. A middle-aged
Englisch
woman with her husband stopped to watch Faith spin. She asked, “Is this all handmade yarn?”

“
Ja,
from my own alpacas.” She seemed so nervous. Adrian wondered if he’d made a mistake in suggesting the venture.

The man asked, “What type of dye do you use?”

Faith glanced to Adrian. He gave her a thumbs-up sign.

She turned back to the prospective buyers. “Alpacas come naturally in twenty color variations. I have white, fawn, brown, gray and black, with many shades in between. The fleece dyes beautifully if you’d like colors other than these natural shades.”

Nettie Sutter stepped up to the table. “I’ve heard it’s better than wool.”

“Alpaca has a softness unlike any other natural fiber. Most people find it doesn’t itch like sheep’s wool. It is also very lightweight and yet is warmer than wool. I have a receiving blanket made from white alpaca that you might be interested in for Katie’s baby when it arrives.” She indicated a box at the end of her table.

Adrian could see that the more Faith talked about her alpacas and her spinning, the more relaxed she became.

Nettie withdrew the blanket and gushed, “This is wonderfully soft. Feel it.” She held the blanket out to the
Englisch
woman. She exclaimed over the quality, too. In a matter of
minutes Faith made her first sale. Adrian turned to leave and found his mother at his side.

She said, “I like your new neighbor.”

He scowled at her. “That’s all Faith is. A neighbor. Nothing more.”

A smug look settled over his mother’s features. “Isn’t that what I said?”

“What you say and what you mean are often two different things.”

She patted his arm as if he were a child. “Now you sound like your father. Go and take care of your peaches. Don’t worry. I will keep a close eye on your neighbor and her child. I think it’s about time I got to know them better.”

O
n Sunday morning Faith entered the home of Adam Troyer, the handyman in Hope Springs. His house had been chosen for the preaching service. Kyle was at her side.

She glanced down at him. It would be a long morning for a boy who wouldn’t be able to understand the Pennsylvania Dutch preaching or the readings from the German Bible. How would he handle it? In the five days that he’d been with her he seemed to be adjusting well, but this might be stressful for him.

Sitting on a bench on the women’s side of the aisle, she looked Kyle in the eyes. “You must sit on that side with the men today.”

“But I want to stay with you.”

“You are too old to sit with the women. I’ll be right here. You must be quiet and respectful as we talked about last night. Amish children do not make a fuss, even when they are bored or tired.”

“But I don’t want to sit by myself,” he whined.

“The boy can sit with me.”

Faith glanced up to see Adrian standing beside them. She couldn’t control the rush of happiness that swept though her. Even Kyle’s face brightened.

He said, “Hi, Adrian. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

Faith nodded her appreciation for Adrian’s offer to sit with Kyle. “
Danki,
Adrian.”

His gaze settled on her face. Heat filled her face, and she knew she was blushing. She looked away determined to control the intense longing that took over whenever he was near.

No matter how often she told herself a match between them was impossible, her desire to spend time with Adrian grew stronger, not weaker.

Adrian placed his hand on Kyle’s shoulder. “Come along. We must find our place.”

He led the boy away and found a seat near the back of the room in case he had to take the boy outside. He wasn’t sure how Kyle would act during the long, solemn service.

Amish children were taught from infancy to keep quiet during Sunday preaching. Amish mothers usually brought a bag of ready-to-eat cereal or snacks to help occupy the
kinder
who became restless. Adrian wished he’d thought of bringing something for Kyle.

Throughout the service, Adrian remained acutely aware of Faith across the room from him. There was a look of serenity on her face as she listened to the Word of God.

Her sweet voice blended well with the congregation when the hymns began. She sang almost as well as his cousin Sarah. Both women had received the gift of song from the Lord.

Adrian was no songbird. His wife used to joke that he couldn’t carry a tune in a wooden bucket if his life depended on it. He joined the congregation for each and every hymn, but he kept his voice soft and low enough not to trouble his neighbors’ ears.

To Adrian’s relief, Kyle remained well behaved. During the second hymn, he stood on the bench to better view the
hymnbook Adrian held. The pages contained only the words of each hymn in German. The melody itself had been passed down from generation to generation in an unchanging oral tradition that reached back hundreds of years.

During the second hour of preaching, Adrian noticed Kyle’s head nodding as he struggled to stay awake. He wasn’t the only one. Several of the elderly members and a few of the youngsters were having trouble, too. Adrian slipped his arm around Kyle’s shoulders and pulled him against his side. Kyle soon dozed off.

From across the aisle, Faith caught Adrian’s eye. Her soft smile encompassed both he and the boy. It was the kind of smile that made a man feel special. Made him want to earn more of them.

At the end of the service, Bishop Zook rose and faced the congregation. He read off the names of the young people who wished to be baptized into the faith two weeks from today. Adrian recognized all the names. He knew them and their families. He had watched them grow up. All of them were making the commitment after having experienced something of the outside world during their
rumspringa.
Like himself, most of them were ready to marry and start families of their own.

None of them had any idea of the heartaches that might await them.

Bishop Zook said, “And now I have one more matter to place before you. Our sister, Faith Martin, has come among us seeking to practice the faith of her fathers with piety and humility. She has asked to become a member of our congregation. As you know, this decision is not up to me alone. Therefore, I ask this question of all. Is there anyone who knows a just reason why this sister should not become one of us?”

Silence filled the meeting room. Adrian glanced at Faith. Her eyes were downcast as she awaited the verdict. The
bishop’s wife shifted in her seat but didn’t stand up. No one spoke.

After a few moments, the bishop smiled broadly and said, “Come forward, Sister Faith. In the name of the Lord and the Church, I extend to you the hand of fellowship. Be ye a faithful member of our church.”

Adrian relaxed. No one had spoken against her. Faith stood and walked to stand before the bishop. He took her hand, but because she was a woman, he then gave her hand to his wife who greeted her with a Holy Kiss upon her cheek.

Faith was now a member of their community and subject to all the rules of their faith. Adrian glanced at the boy sleeping against his side. She would have to raise Kyle in the ways of the faithful. It was a good life, and he was happy for the boy.

When the services came to an end a few minutes later, Adrian woke Kyle, and the two of them followed the other men outside. Kyle yawned and squinted up at Adrian. “I’m hungry.”

“We’ll eat soon.”

Faith approached them. Happiness radiated from her face. She said, “Kyle, you were very well behaved today.”

“I fell asleep,” he admitted.

Her happy smile made her even prettier this morning. Adrian said, “Congratulations.”

“
Danki.
Kyle, why don’t you come with me now and let Adrian visit with his friends.”

Other members of the church crowded around to offer their congratulations and welcome. Adrian stepped aside. It was her special day, and he was glad for her.

Because it was such a beautiful day, the meal was set up outdoors. The younger people soon had a volleyball net set up between two trees on the lawn. A dozen of the boys and girls quickly began a game. The cheering and laughter from
both participants and onlookers filled the late summer afternoon with joyous sounds. Faith sat on a blanket in the grass with Kyle beside her. They were cheering for the girls.

“She has the makings of a good mother, don’t you think?”

Adrian looked over his shoulder to find his cousin Sarah observing him with interest. She’d always had an uncanny knack for knowing what he was thinking. He didn’t pretend ignorance.

“She is good with the boy.”

Sarah settled herself on the tailgate of the wagon beside him. “Faith tells me that you have been good for the boy, too.”

“He reminds me of Gideon.”

Sarah cocked her head to the side as she studied the boy. “A little maybe because of his red hair, but Kyle’s hair is darker and curlier. Is she going to send him to our Amish school or to an
Englisch
one?”

“I don’t know.”

“You haven’t asked her?”

“It’s none of my business.” He looked down to pretend he didn’t care one way or the other.

“That’s odd.”

“What is?” he muttered.

“It’s just that the two of you seem so close.”

He slanted a glance her way. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“The two of you seem close, that’s all. You’ve been working at her farm since the day she moved in. People notice.”

“People should mind their own business.”

“You know that’s not going to happen. You’re single. She’s single. She’s a member of our church district now. There’s nothing wrong with courting her.”

He drew back in shock. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”

“Me? No, of course not. I know you better than that.”

Mollified, he said, “I should hope so.”

“You’re being kind, that’s all.”

“Exactly.”

“What your mother or others think is beyond my control.”

“Mother thinks I’m courting Faith? I will straighten her thinking out on the way home, today.”

“Before you do that, let me ask you something. Has your mother invited any single women to your family dinners recently?”

He thought back over the past month and realized she hadn’t. “No.”

“See.”

“See what?” He couldn’t follow her reasoning.

“Kindness brings its own reward.”

“Speak plain, Sarah. What are you hinting at?”

She patted his arm. “All I’m saying is that while you are being kind to your neighbor, your mother has stopped searching high and low for someone to catch your interest.”

“That’s not my reason for helping Faith.”

“I’m not suggesting it is. You have a kind heart, and Faith needs all the help she can get until she has her yarn business up and running well.”

“That’s right.”

“It would be okay if you did decide to court her.”

He looked into Sarah’s eyes. “I don’t know if I can take that chance again.”

She laid a hand on his arm. “You can, otherwise you will miss out on something special. Lovina wouldn’t want you to waste your life grieving for her. You know that. She is happy with God in heaven. She wants you to be happy, too.”

“What if something happens to Faith or to Kyle? How could I live through such a loss again?”

“Adrian, you can do one of two things. You can blame God
for your misery or you can turn to Him and draw strength from His love. He is always there for us.”

“You make it sound so easy. It isn’t.”

“Answer me this. Were you better off before you met Faith?”

“Nee.”

“If you were given one and only one chance to kiss her, would you take it?”

He would take it in a heartbeat.
“Ja.”

“Then why are you turning down the chance to love her for a lifetime?”

He had no answer for Sarah, but she didn’t seem to expect one. With a pat on his arm, she left to join Faith and Kyle on their quilt.

As was his custom, Adrian left the gathering early, went home and cut flowers from his garden. On his way to the cemetery, he pondered his feelings for Faith, what they meant and what he was willing to do about them. Did he have a chance to love her for a lifetime? Was that really within his grasp? The thought excited and frightened him. What if he loved and lost her, too?

At his wife’s graveside, he laid the new flowers over the dried husks of the old ones. He stared at her headstone, but he was at a loss for something to say.

Turning away, he took his usual seat and leaned forward with his elbows braced on his thighs. Suddenly, the words came pouring out. “I never meant it to happen, Lovey. I wasn’t looking for someone to care about. In my whole life I never wanted to share my hopes and dreams with anyone but you.”

Until now. Until Faith. He raised his face to the sky. “Is this wrong? How can it be wrong to care about such a good woman? Faith is a good woman, a strong woman, but she needs someone to take care of her and her boy.”
And I need someone to care about me.

Wasn’t that the truth he’d been hiding from?

Adrian closed his eyes. “I’ve been dead inside for a long time. Waking up is painful, Lovey. I’m not sure I can do it.”