Noah's Sweetheart (16 page)

“Abram needs a place to house his animals.” Rachel smiled as she sat down across from her uncle. “The cottage can wait.”

Chapter Twelve

T
he members of the church community in Happiness arrived at the Peachy farm early Thursday morning. The lumber had been delivered the previous day.

Rachel saw the stack of wood and pallets of roofing shingles not far from where the old barn had stood. Several friends and neighbors had worked the day after the fire to remove the charred remnants of the old barn. The land was now clean of debris and ready for new construction.

Men had already begun work on the walls when the King carriage parked in the yard. The sound of hammers and saws filled the air and mingled with the men’s shouts and the cries from the youngest children at play.

Rachel carried food items into the house. Aunt Mae and Charlotte were already in the kitchen coordinating storage of refrigerated items and directing the women who came to help.

The scents of bread, fried chicken and chicken potpie filled the room as Charlotte opened the oven to check its contents. The Amish chicken potpie, different from the English version, was coming along nicely. Charlotte had put the chicken on to simmer yesterday, and then she’d added potatoes, carrots and celery, cooking them until it was time to add the homemade potpie noodles she’d made with a half cup of flour and an egg.

The kitchen smelled wonderful, and Rachel checked to see if there was anything to be done before returning outside to set the tables, some of which were under a huge shade tree. The workers had arrived at six in the morning. Food was prepared and ready for the men and boys doing the construction all day. Muffins and biscuits with butter and jelly along with eggs, ham and sausage were put out first. There were pitchers of water, iced tea and lemonade, and hot coffee inside the house for anyone who wanted it.

Rachel stood behind a table, ready to serve the men and boys who took a break to eat. Jedidiah, Samuel and Elijah Lapp came to her table for breakfast first. Jedidiah grinned as he approached.

“Eggs? Sausage?” she asked while picking up a heavy-duty paper plate and lifting the spoon in the tray of eggs.

“Biscuits with butter and jam,” he said, and Rachel placed four biscuits on his plate along with pats of butter and a large spoonful of jam. She gave him the plate with a fork and knife. He thanked her and accepted the lemonade that Rachel poured for him.

She fed every one of the Lapp brothers who came to her table…except for Noah, who stayed away. There was no sign of him, and she felt disappointed.

She spied him hammering two-by-sixes together to form one of the longest wall sections of the barn. She watched in fascination as he called to the closest workers—Horseshoe Joe Zook and his two sons, Josiah and Peter, and the four men hefted the massive wall upright and braced it into place. Another group of men had constructed a sidewall, and they hefted up the section, securing it to the length that Noah and his group had braced. They nailed the two walls together in the corner and secured the end wall in the same manner at the main front section.

Rachel watched for a time until Nathaniel Peachy appeared before her, looking for something to eat.

“Nate, helping out today?” she asked with a smile. She picked up a plate and gestured toward the food.

“Eggs and sausage, please,” he said. “And may I have a muffin?”

“Ja.”
She set a muffin of his choosing onto his plate. “Would ya like something to drink?”

“Iced tea.”

And Rachel poured him a glass and then another one as she saw her cousin John approach, looking thirsty after working in the summer morning sun.

She was kept busy serving the workers and returning inside to replenish what was eaten. The day was warm but not stifling, and the men worked up an appetite as the time passed.

She still hadn’t spoken with Noah since she’d come earlier that morning. He remained busy hammering, measuring or sawing wood. Everyone seemed eager to grab a quick bite to eat, except Noah.

There were three other tables on the lawn filled with food. Five tables with benches near the house provided places for the men to sit and eat. Nancy, Anna Zook and Sally Hershberger served food from a different table. Another seven tables for sitting were on the other side of the yard.

Rachel saw Jedidiah come back for more food. This time he went to Annie Zook’s table, and she saw them chatting and grinning as Annie loaded up Jedidiah’s plate.

The boys old enough to help went to Rachel’s table more often than not. She smiled, served them and told them that the barn was coming along nicely. But Noah still hadn’t come to her table. She saw him now and again as he kept busy working on the barn. She couldn’t keep her gaze off him, and once when he turned and saw her, she quickly looked away.

Charlotte gave little attention to Noah, but with Abram she was eager to help. What was she doing? Rachel knew that her cousin preferred Abram, but why didn’t she think of Noah’s feelings? Was that why Noah stayed away? Because he’d looked over and seen the way Charlotte was ready with drink, plate and attention for Abram whenever he stopped to eat or quench his thirst?

She frowned as she saw the way Charlotte leaned into Abram. Did others notice the interaction between the two? Or was she the only one who knew how Charlotte felt because her cousin had told her?

It was almost noon and dinnertime. Rachel went back inside to see what she could do about bringing out the meal the workers and their families would most enjoy.

Rachel had made peach cobbler from Aunt Mae’s canned peaches. It had turned out well, as had the bread pudding, zucchini bars and vanilla cream she’d cooked the day before.

The kitchen was a hive of activity as the women pulled food out of the refrigerator and set some of it onto the stove to heat.

Nancy entered the house from outside. “Is there more iced tea?”

“
Ja.
It’s in the refrigerator. There is also a fresh batch cooling on the table.”

Rachel glanced about the crowded kitchen and asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?” It seemed as if there were too many cooks in the kitchen already.

Aunt Mae came up to her. “Would you take this outside?” This was a bowl of chicken potpie, and it smelled delicious.

“Do we have raisin bread ready?” Rachel asked as she accepted the bowl.

“
Ja.
Alta is putting on the icing now.”

Rachel went out and set down the chicken potpie. She made several trips to the house to carry out more food. She had just set down a platter of buttered noodles when she felt someone’s presence. Expecting to see Jacob, who had come back to her table many times, she turned with a grin.

Her grin slipped away as Rachel saw Noah waiting patiently at her table.

“You’re hungry.” She picked up a plate, wondering why he’d chosen that moment to come.

“
Ja.
Extremely hungry.” He grinned. “There were things I wanted to finish before I stopped to eat.”

Rachel nodded as she gestured toward the array of food. Other selections had joined the chicken potpie, including corn pie, both of which were kept warm with the use of Sterno. Yeast rolls, pickles, chow-chow and marinated green-bean salad were accompanying sides. There was a variety of desserts, including zucchini bars made with chocolate and butterscotch chips with walnuts and cinnamon. Rachel’s peach cobbler sat on the table, smelling scrumptious. Noah eyed all the food and made his selections. He took some chicken potpie, buttered noodles and corn pie with marinated green-bean salad. When his plate was full, he took a seat at a table nearest to Rachel’s serving station.

Rachel turned and saw that he was studying her with glistening, unreadable eyes. He took his time, which was his right, since this was the first break he’d taken since six o’clock this morning and it was now almost one. When he was done, he returned to Rachel’s table.

“Which dessert did you make?” he asked, rubbing his clean-shaven chin.

“Peach cobbler,” she answered, expecting him to look disappointed.

“I’ll have some of that, then.” He looked around the table. “And that.” He pointed toward the zucchini bars she’d made.

Startled, she stared at him. “How did you know I made them?”

He shrugged as he ran his hands down the length of his suspenders. “They look good.” He bent close to the plate she handed him, inspecting the zucchini bar carefully. “Chocolate chips?”

“Ja,”
she murmured as she rearranged some of the desserts. When she looked at him again, she saw his grin. His happiness made her lips curve upward.

“Anything else?”

“Ja,”
he said seriously. “What else did you make?”

She laughed, believing him to be teasing, but he didn’t join in. “What does it matter?” she asked.

“I’ve been waiting all morning to eat with you. You have your dinner yet?”

She shook her head. “I’ve been busy serving and bringing out more food.”

“Sit down and have dessert with me?”

“What about Charlotte?” She waited with bated breath to hear his answer.

“Charlotte would rather spend the time with Abram.”

“And that doesn’t bother you?” Rachel felt her heart start to pump harder.

“
Nay.
I’d rather spend time with you, not Charlotte.” He gestured toward the table where he’d eaten his meal. “Come. Fix a plate and join me.”

“I don’t know…”

“Please?” He looked boyishly appealing, but she saw him not as a boy but as a man about whom she couldn’t stop thinking.

Rachel glanced around to see if anyone was watching. She grabbed a plate, took a piece of peach cobbler and sat down at the table across from him at one end. Men and women didn’t usually eat together…not in gatherings for church Sunday meals or on visiting Sundays. But this was a barn raising and the atmosphere was somewhat festive, despite the hard work of hundreds of those within the Happiness and nearby Amish communities who had come to help. She wouldn’t be sitting with him alone. Other folks soon joined their table, filling the length of their benches. No one noticed anything amiss with her sitting at Noah’s table. Everyone chatted about the food, the work and the good Lord’s will.

Soon, Rachel had finished her cobbler and stood. Noah rose silently, and after one last look in her direction, he went back to work on the barn.

By the end of the day, Abram had a well-constructed new barn built by family, friends and neighbors. It had been a good day, blessed by God and appreciated by all.

* * *

That night Rachel lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her cousins were asleep. She could hear the sound of their soft breathing as she recalled the day’s events and the strange revelations.

Noah had no plans to court Charlotte. Rachel felt a burning in her stomach.

He likes me.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

When she’d arrived back at the house, she’d found a letter in the post from her mother. Rachel had written to her only last week, telling her about the school, the cottage and her aunt, uncle and cousins.

In her reply, Henrietta Hostetler wrote that all was well in Millersburg. Her mother wrote that she was glad Rachel liked her new home in Happiness. She had news she didn’t know if she should tell, but she felt Rachel should hear it first from her.

Abraham and Emma Beiler were expecting their first child.

Rachel had suffered mixed feelings when she’d read about the news. She’d reacted differently than she’d expected. She was no longer upset that Abraham had left her for Emma. When she thought about why, only one reason came to mind.
Noah.

Rachel rose from bed and went to the window. It was a warm summer night, and with the windows open, she could hear the crickets…and the light stirring of a breeze in the trees and bushes.

Noah Lapp. She shouldn’t like him, but she couldn’t help herself. She must keep her distance, for his sake as well as hers. But whenever she thought of his smiling face, she could feel her resolve dwindling. Noah Lapp.

School would be starting soon, and she’d be moving into the cottage and getting ready for her students.

Noah Lapp.
Her head said one thing, but her heart was telling her something else.
Stay away. Enjoy his company.
Head and heart were dueling, adding to her confusion.

She closed her eyes, blocking out the night for a moment, but Noah’s face filled her mind, and she knew it was hopeless. She went back to bed, tried to relax, forget about the day, thought only of the times she’d spent in Noah’s presence…the laughter they’d shared…the smiles…the looks.

Dear Lord, help me to do Your will. Give me the strength to accept what may happen.

During the week that followed, the temperature rose several notches. It was too hot to do much work, so the family sat on the front porch, trying to beat the heat with inactivity, lemonade and iced tea.

To Rachel’s surprise, Noah came over to sit with them daily. He arrived in the morning and stayed until just before dinnertime, when he returned home to eat the meal with his family.

Rachel enjoyed those moments he was there. Sitting in the midst of her relatives, she could watch and listen to the conversations between family members and between Noah and Uncle Amos.

Noah sometimes returned in the afternoon with one of his brothers—occasionally Jedidiah, but more often than not his younger brother Jacob, which seemed to please Nancy.

The heat wave lasted a week and a half before breaking. Once the temperature dropped, everyone worked to get caught up on chores left undone, including Rachel, who went to the teacher’s cottage to set things up the way she wanted.

The house was ready for her to move in. Her bed was in place and she had all the linens she needed to be comfortable.

She planned to move in the next day. Upon hearing Rachel’s intent, Aunt Mae had urged her to accept Charlotte and Nancy’s company for the first night or two after she’d taken residence.

Rachel didn’t mind. Truth was, she wasn’t sure how she felt about living alone, but she had been in her uncle’s household long enough. She had things to do in the schoolhouse. It made good sense for her to be close enough that she didn’t have to worry about rushing to get to school. She could rise, eat breakfast and walk down a short gravel driveway to open and ready the classroom.