Amish Sweethearts (6 page)

Trudy wouldn’t let her grandmother go, so Lila stepped into the hug, all of them giggling as they clung to one another. Finally, Mammi sat down in a chair, scooped Trudy onto her lap, and said, “Eve’s on her way. Hopefully she’ll get here before you leave.” Aenti Eve sometimes quilted with Mammi on Saturdays.

Mammi was her usual warm self, but her face was pale. Most likely she was tired from the Christmas rush. “Are you feeling all right?” Lila asked her grandmother.

“A little weary, perhaps. We’ve been extra busy.” Mammi looked up at Lila. “What brings you in today?”

“I need some binding to finish my Christmas gifts,” Lila answered. She was making placemats for Eve, Rose, and Jenny. And an apron for Trudy as well as for Adam and Shani, for their baking days.

Mammi pointed to the hard candy jar on the counter and told Trudy to go help herself while she helped Lila.

“I’ve been wanting to talk with you,” Mammi said. “The new woman I hired is quitting in two weeks. Moving to Ohio.” She put her arm around Lila as they stood in front of the binding. “Would you consider working for me?”

Lila didn’t respond, sure Dat wouldn’t be happy with her working so far from home.

“You can think about it,” Mammi added. “Talk with your father. See if it would work for all of you.”

It was a bit of a drive—definitely farther than the restaurant.

Lila nodded and picked out a package of red binding. “When do you need to know?”

“By next week would be good. If you don’t want the job I’ll need to advertise.”

Trudy bounced back toward them just as the door swung open and Eve came through. She wore jeans, a cloth coat, and boots. Trudy spun around and rushed toward their aunt, her arms wide open.

Eve and Charlie went to Mammi and Dawdi’s church, but Eve didn’t wear a Kapp.

However, she and Charlie did live a simple lifestyle. They drove a black sedan. Lived on an acreage with chickens, a few steers, a couple of horses, and a big garden. And Charlie rode a bicycle to work most of the time.

Eve had graduated from college a year before and taught kindergarten at a public school. They all hoped she’d have a baby soon, but of course no one talked about it. Maybe Eve and Shani did, but Lila wasn’t privy to any of that information.

Once Trudy released their aunt, Eve gave Lila a hug. “I haven’t seen you for so long. How are you?”

“
Gut
,” Lila said. “Busy with work and everything.”

“Have you seen Zane?” Eve asked.

“Last night. At the restaurant,” Lila answered, hoping her voice didn’t sound as shaky to everyone else as it did to her. “He left this morning.”

Eve shook her head. “Shani called. He’s staying another day at least. The weather is worse south of here, and they were worried about the roads.”

Lila couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Which is lucky for us. If Charlie gets off in time, we’ll go over tonight.”

Lila nodded, aware that her grandmother was watching her.

Eve took off her coat. Lila tried not to look too closely, but Eve appeared to be as thin as ever. She couldn’t imagine that her aunt and Charlie were purposefully not starting a family. Perhaps Lila wasn’t the only one with problems.

But Zane’s staying an extra day put him one more day closer to Christmas Eve. She wished he was on his way. The sooner the better, as far as she was concerned.

3

S
hani pulled the sugar cookies from the oven, her face flushed from the heat. The sweet smell from baking combined with the fresh pot of coffee brewing, making the entire kitchen smell heavenly.

She half listened as Simon and Zane kidded each other at the table. Apparently, Eve had told Lila that Zane was staying another day. She told Rose, who told Simon, who came over before having to start the milking and relayed the transformation of information. “The Amish grapevine is better than a cell phone,” he said.

If only all the Lehman kids were crowded into her house like the old days.

Joel and Adam had gone into town on an “errand,” which she knew was code for Christmas shopping. She hoped Adam would help her frost the cookies later in the evening.

“I’m thinking about signing up,” Simon said.

Zane pushed back his chair. “Signing up for what?”

“You know.”

Shani turned toward the table.

Zane shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“The Army. Like you did.”

Shani’s eyes began to burn. “Don’t joke like that,” she said to Simon.

He grinned at her, wrapping his hands around a mug. “Who said I’m kidding?”

“You can’t join the Army,” she said.

“Why not?”

“You’re Amish. Anabaptist. Nonresistant.”

“I haven’t joined the church yet.” He grinned again.

“Dude,” Zane said. “Mom’s right. Stop joking.” Zane stood and refilled his coffee cup.

“You’re not old enough to—” Shani stopped.

“Eighteen,” Simon said. “Tomorrow.”

Zane groaned, and Shani went back to sliding the cookies onto the rack. Simon couldn’t be serious.

Simon stood and snatched a cookie.

“It’s hot,” Shani warned.

He juggled it up and down. “I can handle it.” He took a bite. “Delicious,” he said and then shoved all of it into his mouth.

Simon was a crack shot. He was the one who always got the first deer when Tim and his boys went hunting. Tim wasn’t one to brag, but he had commented on Simon’s skills a few times.

Zane sat back down with his coffee. “Promise me you’re joking,” he moaned.

“You’re off to Afghanistan,” Simon answered. “I should at least be able to join.”

“And then you’d be off to Afghanistan too.”

“Nah,” Simon answered. “We’ll be out of there soon. Don’t you think?”

“I doubt it,” Zane answered. “And even if we are, something else will come up.”

Shani shivered, despite the heat from the stove. Who would have thought back in 2001 that the U.S. would still be in Afghanistan eleven years later. Technically it was now longer than the Vietnam War had been. Afghanistan was the longest war the U.S. had ever been in. And Zane was about to become a part of the conflict.

She swallowed hard. Being a military mom was as challenging as she’d thought it would be. She was proud of Zane and his service, and she absolutely supported him, but at the same time, after Joel’s deployment in Iraq and now Zane’s upcoming deployment, she was weary of war. And as much as she tried, she couldn’t help but worry about him.

At least he’d agreed to stay another day. She didn’t have to say good-bye to him yet. She glanced at the clock. Four p.m. It was time for her to get supper going. Eve and Charlie would be over soon. She needed to make the spare bed up for her father too. He was flying into Philly later in the evening and driving down in a rental car—one with four-wheel drive. She felt a wave of gratitude again that Zane was staying another night. He’d see his grandfather and go to church. Maybe she could talk him into staying until Christmas morn. He seemed a little more relaxed. She couldn’t help but think that seeing Lila had been good for him.

If Shani could have chosen any girl in the world for Zane it would have been Lila, but she knew it wasn’t a possibility. There were some things in life that a mother had to just let go. And she thought she had, until last night in the restaurant. It was evident that Zane and Lila cared for each other. But Lila would never leave the Amish, and she couldn’t imagine Zane becoming Plain. He loved the community and support of the Amish, but he valued education too much.

“Come help me with the milking,” Simon said to Zane, grabbing another cookie.

Zane hesitated.

“For old time’s sake.” Simon had that grin on his face again. “Rose was making snickerdoodles. She might give you one, although they’re not as good as Lila’s—who didn’t have time to bake today before work.” He grabbed a third cookie, and Shani swatted at his hand. “Rose’s aren’t as good as these either.” He grinned at Shani one more time and turned back to Zane. “You can wear Dat’s boots. He won’t be home from the lumberyard until late—I’ll tell him then about my big plan.” Simon winked at Shani as he stepped out of the kitchen. He had to be kidding about joining the Army. There was no way he’d do something so foolish.

The boys—they were still boys to her—clamored out the front door, and Shani scooted the cookies to the back of the counter and cleaned up the baking things.

She had chicken marinating, but she needed to get the potatoes baking and make a salad. She wasn’t a great cook, but she’d definitely improved since they’d moved to Juneberry Lane. Mostly thanks to Eve. So many things in her life were in thanks to Eve—and the rest of the Lehmans too.

Two hours later, Joel and Adam were home, Zane had returned from helping with the milking, and Charlie and Eve had just arrived.

Shani took in the scene of the men and Adam standing around the Christmas tree as Eve finished setting the table. Her heart contracted in gratitude. She wouldn’t think about Zane going off to Afghanistan, not tonight.

After they all gathered around the table, Joel said a short prayer of thanks, including that Zane was still with them. As they passed the food around, Eve said she’d quilted with Leona that morning at her shop. “Lila and Trudy stopped by,” she said.

“Yeah,” Zane answered, “Simon said you’d told Lila I wasn’t leaving yet. So he came over and hung out.”

“How’s he doing?” Eve asked. “I haven’t seen him for a while.”

Zane shrugged. “As impish as ever. He says he wants to join the Army.”

Eve shot Charlie a concerned look.

“What?” Zane asked. “You don’t think he’s joking?”

“We hope he is,” Charlie answered.

“He said something to us early in the fall—that he was considering it when he turned eighteen.” Eve frowned. “It’s hard to tell with Simon.”

Shani shook her head and then changed the subject. “How’s Leona?”

“Good. Her business is booming. And, of course, she was thrilled to see Trudy and Lila today.”

“I thought Lila had to work,” Shani said.

“She went in this afternoon.”

Zane shifted in his chair and asked Charlie how things were at the fire station.

“Crazy,” he replied. “We had one of our worst accidents in years when that semi sideswiped the buggy on the highway.”

Shani nodded. They’d all been horrified.

“The mom is out of the hospital,” Charlie said. “But she’ll be in a body cast for a few months. The two boys have come out of it all right, but they’ll all be grieving for a long time for the little girl.”

Shani hated those accidents—it seemed as if they were happening more and more. Or maybe she was just more aware of them. She knew the Amish family would be well supported, but nothing could make up for the loss of a child.

After a silent pause, Eve turned toward Zane. “So how’s the Army?”

“Good,” he answered. “Did Lila tell you I’m headed to Afghanistan?”

Eve’s hand went to her throat. “No.”

“Yeah, Adam spilled the beans last night.” Zane tousled his brother’s hair in an affectionate manner, but Adam still turned red.

Charlie cleared his throat. “When do you deploy?”

“Next month.”

The men started talking about the Army. Charlie had left the Reserve a year after he and Eve married, and Joel had been discharged after his injury prevented him from staying in, but Shani knew both of the men still felt the Army values deeply.

“How do you like the other soldiers in your unit?” Charlie asked.

“Some are great. Others are entitled whiners,” Zane answered. “I’m not sure what made them join.”

Shani suppressed a frown. They’d probably joined for better reasons than Zane, who, at least it seemed to her, joined to prove his dad wrong and escape his pain over losing Lila.

“Keep your head up,” Charlie said. “And know we’ll all be praying for you.”

“Thanks,” Zane said. “I am excited about speaking Pashto. The classroom is one thing, but I’ll soon know how well I can do though in the field.” Shani was sure he’d do fine. He’d always been good with languages. He could speak both Spanish and German. And, with Lila’s help, he could speak Pennsylvania Dutch too. Although Pennsylvania Dutch was strictly an oral language, which made it difficult for outsiders to learn, Shani knew that Pashto, with its forty-four-letter Arabic alphabet, was Zane’s biggest challenge so far.

The topic turned to the weather, sports, and then Shani’s dad flying in from Seattle.

“Why don’t we ever go out to Washington State?” Adam asked.

“We used to sometimes, back when your dad was stationed out west.”

“Before I was born?”

Shani nodded.

“Everything happened before I was born.” He crossed his arms.

“Not everything,” Zane said. “Living here have been the best years, honestly.”

“It’s easier for Grandpa to come here than for all of us to fly out there,” Shani said to Adam as she reached for his plate.

Charlie turned to Zane. “When will you be home again?”

“I’m not sure,” Zane answered.

“Are they still doing furloughs?” Charlie asked.

“Yeah, although our dates are tentative as far as how long we’re staying. It depends on how our mission goes.”