An Amish Kitchen, page 9
“Danki for the lunch.”
Stephen made his way toward her, his hands shoved in his pockets. Her heart leapt unexpectedly, but she stuffed down this unfamiliar reaction. “Gern gschehne.”
“I cleaned up. The plate and utensils are in the drain board.”
“You didn’t have to do that. Danki.”
He gestured toward the kitchen. “I worked for my uncle’s plumbing company back home, so I know everything there is to know about pipes and faucets. I’d be froh to fix the leaky faucet for you.”
“Danki, but you don’t need to.” Hannah wondered why he was so anxious to do all these home repairs.
He jammed a thumb toward her parents’ house. “That’s the daadi haus?”
She nodded.
“Do you live there?” Stephen asked, but then cleared his throat. “Sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”
“That’s okay.” She pointed to the inn. “I live here on the first floor. My bruder, Andrew, is married and has his own farm a few miles away.” She picked up the empty laundry basket and made her way to the back door.
Stephen followed.
“I need to find some work. Do you have a list of Amish businesses around here?” he asked as they entered the kitchen.
“Ya.” Hannah grabbed a few flyers and brochures from a stack she kept on the counter for her guests and handed them to Stephen. “I have some work to finish up before I start supper.” She grabbed a stack of white sheets from the hall closet and climbed the stairs, her mind distracted by this mysterious guest.
She figured he must be trying to keep busy. The question was why?
CHAPTER THREE
STEPHEN SAT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE AND STUDIED THE information Hannah had given him. The sting of homesickness settled in his gut. Stephen was the younger of two sons, and his older brother had just been baptized into the community. He wanted to know how his parents and brother were doing and if they’d listened to the message he’d left on the answering machine earlier this morning. He was certain they felt betrayed by his decision to leave after they’d tried to talk him out of it. However, he had to do what was best for the community. And himself.
It had been six months since the accident, but the memories still haunted his dreams at night and his thoughts during the day. Although he’d confessed his transgressions before his congregation, he knew it was best for him to leave. He couldn’t stand the memories.
He would write his parents a letter once he found a job, put their worries at ease. With the help of a small map, he sketched a list of businesses he’d hit first thing in the morning.
His thoughts drifted back to Hannah. She was certainly unlike any of the young women he knew back in Ohio. He glanced out the window toward the daadi haus, and then the quiet sound of water dripping interrupted his reverie. Although Hannah had told him not to worry about fixing the sink, he had to keep busy or his mind would start spinning. He trotted up the stairs and grabbed the tools he’d stashed in his bag.
On his way out the bedroom door, he spotted Hannah smoothing a quilt over the double bed in the room across from his. She met his gaze, and he nodded. She quickly smiled before looking down. He spotted a light-pink blush on her ivory cheeks. It was endearing, the way she blushed when he smiled at her. He wondered if she was spoken for, then immediately reminded himself that he had no business considering another maedel. He had no job, no home, and a bucket-load of heartache to mend.
Once Stephen was gone, Hannah turned toward the doorway, annoyed at the silly blushes she couldn’t control. It embarrassed her to think that her guest might think she was acting coy. She finished dusting the room, swept, and then stowed the supplies in the hallway closet.
Coming back downstairs, she froze when she stepped into the kitchen and saw Stephen leaning over the sink with the faucet in pieces and a bag of tools beside him. “What are you doing?” She bit down on the corner of her bottom lip, trying to keep the frustration out of her voice.
He looked over his shoulder. “Fixing the leaky sink. It was dripping so loud it echoed in here.”
“Stephen.” She took a deep breath. “You don’t need to do repairs for me.”
“It’s not a problem.” He pointed toward the stairs with his screwdriver. “I’m going to fix that loose step too. I like to keep busy; it . . . helps me.”
Hannah studied him. He certainly was persistent. What was he trying to forget? “My brother plans to come by and fix a few things soon. He’ll take care of these repairs.”
“I don’t mind helping you now.” He continued working on the faucet.
“You’re a guest, not a worker here.”
“By the way, would you mind giving me a list of your neighbors? Maybe one of them needs a farm hand.”
Hannah couldn’t believe the man’s persistence. But what could she do, shy of snatching his tools away from him? She fetched a notepad and pen and wrote the names and locations of surrounding farmers.
Stephen left the sink and moved closer to Hannah, and she caught a whiff of his earthy scent. Her shoulders tightened. She ignored her response and handed him the list. “The neighbors are nice. You can tell them I sent you.”
“Danki.” He smiled.
“Gern gschehne.” Hannah crossed to the laundry room, grabbed an empty basket, and flew out the back door. After closing the door behind her, she took a deep breath to slow her racing pulse. She hoped that the remainder of his stay wouldn’t be so distracting. She walked to the clothesline and felt the bedsheet hanging there. Still a bit damp. She knew it hadn’t been out long enough, but she’d been anxious to get out of the house. She couldn’t believe Stephen was fixing the sink when she told him not to. She couldn’t decide if she was more offended or thankful.
“Hannah Mary!” Her mamm rushed down the path and into the yard, holding up the length of her dress. “I’m froh you’re outside.”
“Was iss letz?” Hannah felt panic rise within her. “Is Daed okay?”
“Your daed is napping.” She looked toward the door. “I saw a man out here earlier. Is he a guest? Does he have a wife?” The tone of her voice did nothing to hide her disapproval.
“Yes, he is, and no, he doesn’t. His name is Stephen Esh.” Hannah glanced toward the door to make sure Stephen couldn’t overhear them.
Her mamm’s eyes rounded. “Why is he here alone?”
“He hasn’t said. He’s looking for work, so I think he’s planning on settling here.”
“Where’s he from?”
“I didn’t ask him, but from his clothes I think Ohio.” Hannah felt her irritation rising. All these questions made Hannah feel like her mamm didn’t trust her with the business, or the guests.
“Has he said how long he’s staying?”
“I don’t know that either. You know we don’t require the guests to give us firm departure dates.”
Her mother straightened. “The perception of you and a bachelor alone at the inn will be frowned upon, especially by the bishop. You need to stay at the house while he’s here.”
“Mamm,” Hannah began, “I’m certain the bishop would understand that Stephen is a paying guest and nothing inappropriate is going on. Also, we have other guests right now. I won’t be here alone with him.”
Hannah’s mom assessed her daughter’s face. “Bring him over to meet your daed and me.”
“Ya, Mamm. I will. But right now I need to go gather up the eggs. Mrs. Smucker is coming by later to get her share. Call me if you need help with Daed.” Hannah walked away feeling like a child.
CHAPTER FOUR
STEPHEN SAT AT THE LARGE KITCHEN TABLE ACROSS from the New Jersey couple and pierced another bite of roast beef. The food reminded him of the delicious meals his mamm made and caused his homesickness to intensify. He put his fork down and drank some of his meadow tea.
“This is delicious.” Robin wiped her mouth with a napkin. “These mashed potatoes and gravy are the best I’ve ever had.”
“This is much better than anything you’ve ever made, Robin,” Greg said with a crooked smile, clearly teasing her.
“You said you liked my store-bought meals.” Robin swatted him with her napkin. “Frozen lasagna and garlic bread was a hit last weekend with our bridge club. They almost believed I’d slaved all day making it.”
Stephen glanced at Hannah, hoping to catch her reaction to the conversation. She smiled, and his heart turned over in his chest as he thought of Lillian. He missed Lillian’s beautiful smile, a feature people often commented on. Perhaps God had put Hannah in Stephen’s life to allow him to say good-bye to his Lillian—to gain some closure.
Stephen watched Hannah gather more rolls from the oven. He couldn’t help studying her delicate features and ivory skin. The more he looked at her, the more he saw that she didn’t look as much like Lillian as he first thought. She had bigger eyes, and they were brown instead of blue like Lillian’s. And she was much taller than Lillian.
“Do most Amish families stay in one house and never move?” Robin scooped more mashed potatoes onto her plate.
“Ya, we stay close to relatives. Some build homes for their children on their land.” Hannah refilled the guests’ glasses, never losing her pleasant expression. “They normally stay nearby so they can visit often and attend church together.”
Stephen supposed Hannah fielded questions like this all the time. The guests’ inquiries didn’t seem to bother her in the least.
“This meat is excellent. Is that rosemary I taste?” Greg said.
“It is. That’s something my mother always added.”
“Appeditlich,” Stephen echoed. “Reminds me of mei mamm’s cooking.”
“What does apple—” Robin laughed. “I can’t say it, Stephen. What does it mean?”
“Appeditlich. It means delicious. I was echoing what you said.”
“Oh.” Robin lifted her tea glass. “Are you from this area too?”
Stephen shook his head. “I’m from Ohio.”
“Are you visiting for a while?” Greg asked.
“Ya. I’m going to see where the Lord leads me.” Stephen glanced at Hannah and found her studying him. Although he longed to tell her the truth about his past, he shuddered at the thought of her reaction. He never should’ve taken the buggy out in that pouring rain. If only he’d waited until the rain stopped . . .
“How do your appliances work without electricity?” Robin buttered a dinner roll.
“Are they gas powered?” Greg asked.
Hannah nodded. “Ya. Powered by propane.”
Stephen admired how Hannah kept her expression pleasant and her demeanor professional.
Once dinner was over, Hannah refused Robin’s help with the dishes and insisted the guests go on their way and enjoy their stay in Paradise.
Stephen carried his dishes to the sink. “I can help clean up.”
“Don’t be gegisch.”
“I don’t mind at all.” Standing close to her, he could smell her lilac shampoo. He gathered up the rest of the dirty dishes and placed them in a stack on the counter. “Do you always cook for your parents?”
“Sometimes mei mamm cooks, but I try to help as much as I can since she has to care for mei daed.” She turned on the faucet and waited for the water to warm.
“Your daed is grank?”
“He had a stroke a year ago.” She kept her eyes on the sudsy water.
“I’m sorry.” He gathered up the utensils. “Mei daadi had a couple of strokes before he passed away.”
“He did?” Hannah’s eyes widened. “Did it affect his speech? Was he paralyzed?”
“His right side was paralyzed after the first stroke, and his speech was slurred. The second stroke was minor, but the third impaired his speech permanently.” He shook his head. “It was hard to watch his health deteriorate.”
“Ya, it is difficult.” Hannah looked away for a moment. He could tell she wanted to say more. A moment later she said, “It’s as if I’m mourning mei daed, but he’s not in heaven yet.”
“I understand. I did a lot of little projects around mei daadi’s haus to help make things easier for him, like walking down the stairs. Everything took enormous effort. He was very active before the stroke.” Stephen studied Hannah’s eyes. He felt an instant connection with her. He’d never met anyone with whom he could share the depth of his feelings about his grandfather’s illness. Not even Lillian.
“You must have been close.”
“We were. He passed away five years ago.” He smiled. “I used to help mei mammi plant flowers so mei daadi could enjoy his favorite pastime—sitting on the porch and watching the birds and butterflies. We planted a butterfly garden in the corner of the yard, and Daadi loved it.”
“I love growing flowers too. I’ve thought about planting a butterfly garden.”
“I know it’s not normal to hear that a guy likes to garden, but it’s the truth. Mei mammi taught me all she knew about plants. Mei daadi insisted we had the most colorful garden in Sugarcreek, but I’m not certain that was true.”
“If you’re still here closer to spring, maybe you can help me plant a butterfly garden.”
“I’d be glad to.”
“That would be wunderbaar.” She paused for a moment and then smiled. “Tell me more about your life in Sugarcreek. Do you have a big family?”
“I have an older bruder named Jacob.” He thought of Hannah’s brother. “How often does Andrew come by to help?”
“As often as he can.” She shrugged. “He’s busy with his farm and family.”
He nodded toward the bathroom. “I noticed the toilet is running.”
She raised her eyebrows. “I’ll mention it to Andrew.”
Another easy job I can do to keep my mind off Lillian.
“I’d like to get a ride to town tomorrow,” Stephen said. He placed the utensils next to the sink. “Do you have a regular driver?”
“Ya.” She wiped her hands on a towel. “His name is Curt.” She pointed toward the large barn through the kitchen window. “There’s a phone in the barn, and Curt’s number is pinned to the bulletin board. Tell him that you’re staying here.”
“Gut. Danki.” As he headed out to the barn, Stephen sent up a little prayer asking God to heal his heart so he could move on with his life here in Paradise.
CHAPTER FIVE
LATER THAT EVENING HANNAH WATCHED HER DAED gingerly lower himself into the chair at the head of the table. As he sank down, his right arm bobbed lifelessly at his side, and Hannah swallowed a sigh. Although his debilitating stroke had claimed the use of the arm and slurred his speech nearly a year ago, Hannah still found herself startled by his disabilities.
Her father lowered his head, and Hannah and her mamm followed suit. Hannah silently asked God to bless her family as well as the Englisch couple and Stephen. She also asked God to heal the sadness she saw in Stephen. When she heard her father shift in his chair, she knew prayer time was over and it was time to eat.
“What have you found out about Stephen Esh?” Her mother slapped a mound of mashed potatoes on her daed’s plate.
Hannah picked up the platter of roast beef and served herself a slice. “During supper he said he didn’t know how long he’ll be here. He said the Lord will guide him.”
Mamm shook her head as she cut up Daed’s roast beef. “I don’t like that a single Amish man is staying at the inn for an extended period of time.” She pointed the knife at Hannah. “I’ll ask your brother to stop by and introduce himself.” She smiled as if satisfied with her idea. “Maybe Andrew should stay at the inn to make sure Stephen is behaving appropriately.”
Hannah shook her head. “That’s narrisch, Mamm. Andrew has more important things to do than chaperone me. Stephen doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable.” Except when he smiles and I blush like a schoolgirl. “He’s been a gentleman. He even helped with the dishes tonight.”
Her mamm furrowed her eyebrows. “Why would he offer to help with the dishes?” She glanced at Hannah’s father. “This young man doesn’t sound normal. Don’t you think we should be concerned about Hannah’s safety?”
Daed shrugged and scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Even before the stroke, he’d rarely taken her mother’s worries seriously. Although her father’s personality had changed in many ways after the illness, he still didn’t get upset or excited by her mother’s accusations.
Hannah bit back her rebuttal. She had done just fine this past year. Dozens of guests had come and gone without any complaints or problems.
“What does he plan to do while he’s here?” Her mamm filled her own plate with food.
“He wants to go to town tomorrow. I’m certain he’ll find a job and soon earn enough to get his own place. Once he’s gone, you won’t have to worry anymore.”
“I worry about you all the time, Hannah. I always worry about my kinner and my grandkinner. A mudder never stops worrying.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Hannah spotted her father shaking his head. He may have suffered a stroke, but he still had his sense of humor.
“What kind of work does Stephen do?”
“He said he worked for his uncle’s plumbing company.” Hannah ran her index finger along the side of her glass. “He seems handy. He’s already fixed the sink and offered to do more jobs around the inn. I keep telling him that Andrew can do it. I don’t want to have to pay him, and we certainly need the money he’s paying to stay at the inn.”
She glanced at her daed and remembered how he once took care of the farm and the inn. Like Andrew, her father used to be able to keep a farm going and fix everything from the faucet to the floorboards. Now he could barely walk from the family room to the kitchen without stumbling.
“You’re right. We need his money more than his help.” Her mamm frowned. “Ask him to stop with the repairs the next time you see him.”
“I already did. He insists.”
Her mother sniffed. “I’ll have Andrew speak with him.”
