Huckleberry Harvest (26 page)

Yost took a deep breath. “I’ll try not to be mad at him.”

“It doesn’t do any good and only makes him feel worse.”

Light spilled from the house as Anna opened the front door. “Noah,” she called. “I’m so glad you’re still here. I’ve got dinner ready on the table.” She put her hand to her face as if shielding her eyes from the sun. “Who is that you’ve got out there with you?”

“This is Yost, my brother. Do you remember him?”

Anna bloomed into a smile and clapped her hands. “Remember him? He used to play hide and seek in the haymow with Titus.” She crooked her finger to summon them closer. “Let me have a look at you.”

Yost and Noah marched up Anna’s steps for inspection. Anna reached up and patted Yost’s cheek. “Lo and behold, you’re all grown up. How old are you?”

“Three weeks shy of twenty.”

“What a fine young man you’ve turned out to be. Come in. I want to give you something.”

Anna ushered them into the house and shut the door, then she bustled to her long closet and pulled out a pink pot holder. “I’ve been saving these for Mandy’s special boys, but I don’t see that it can hurt to give you one as a welcome present.”

“Denki, Anna. I love your pot holders,” Yost said. He nudged Noah lightly with his elbow. “But who are Mandy’s special boys?”

“I’ve been working on finding her a husband. I thought maybe the pot holders would give the boys an extra push.”

Yost glanced at Noah, his expression a mixture of confusion and doubt. Noah shook his head slightly, making sure Yost knew this wasn’t the time to ask questions. Anna didn’t think he was good enough for Mandy. There’d be plenty of time to explain all that when they got home.

“Dinner is ready,” Anna said. “We’re just waiting for Felty.”

Something smelled very appetizing. Maybe Anna had found a reliable recipe. “I wish we could,” Noah said. Mandy might come home early from the gathering. Eating Anna’s cooking would be worth it if he got to sit next to Mandy at dinner. But Dat needed to eat too. “We’ve got to get home to see Dat.”

“Oh, I see. We’ll have to invite your dat to dinner so you boys can eat with us. Felty likes to talk with your dat about fishing. And license plates. Felty plays the license plate game every year, you know.” Anna pulled a small calendar from the little drawer next to the sink. “What are you doing next Tuesday night? All three of you could come for dinner.”

“My dat doesn’t feel well most nights,” Noah said, letting his eyes dart between Anna and Yost. “We probably shouldn’t make any definite plans.”

Anna stowed her calendar back in the drawer. “I’ll ask Felty to talk to your dat. Felty can talk people into anything.”

Noah shook his head. “I don’t know.” It was too risky for Dat to come to dinner, especially at night when he trembled with the need for a drink. Felty and Anna must never see his dat like that. It was bad enough that Yost would have to witness it, but Anna and Felty were people he loved and respected, and they respected him. He couldn’t risk losing their good opinion.

Hearing a noise outside, Anna stood on her tiptoes and peeked out the kitchen window. “Well. I wouldn’t have expected that.”

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s Adam and Mandy. I didn’t think they’d be back for hours.”

Noah’s pulse sped up. Mandy was back from her date with dazzling-smile Adam. Maybe it hadn’t been such a gute date. Maybe that didn’t make Noah sad at all.

The door opened, and Mandy and her cousin Titus walked into the room. Titus was unexpected but very welcome. Mandy had lost Adam somewhere between the gathering and Huckleberry Hill. Her eyes locked on Noah, and her genuine smile melted his heart.

Titus, with a toothpick hanging from his mouth, followed Mandy into the house. “We’re here,” he announced.

Anna wilted slightly when she realized that Adam wasn’t with them. “Titus,” she scolded. “Mandy was supposed to ride home with Adam.”

Titus acknowledged Noah with a nod and a smile and pulled the toothpick from his mouth long enough to speak. “Mammi, aren’t you ever glad to see me?”

Anna patted Titus on the cheek. “I’m always glad to see you, Titus. You just seem to show up at the most inconvenient times.”

“But, Mammi, if it weren’t for me, Mandy would have had to walk home.”

Noah frowned. Had Adam abandoned Mandy at the gathering? How dare he? Annoyance simmered below the surface. No boy should treat a girl that way.

Anna propped her hands on her hips. “Where’s Adam?”

“A volleyball hit him in the face,” Mandy said. “He was afraid that one of his teeth was loose. Freeman took him to the emergency room.”

“One of his teeth?” Noah said, raising a significant eyebrow in Mandy’s direction. She pursed her lips in an attempt not to smile.

“I left the gathering early and brought Mandy home,” Titus said. “Wasn’t that nice of me?”

Anna went to the cupboard and pulled out a stack of plates. “Very nice, Titus, but you should have let one of the other young men bring her home. She’s only got two weeks left.”

Titus raised his hands as if stopping traffic. “It’s not my fault, Mammi. Davy, John, and Melvin all offered to take her home. She asked me to do it.”

Noah winked at Mandy. She turned a light shade of pink.
Good girl. Keep all those other boys away.

Anna sighed. “Mandy, what were you thinking? If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect you didn’t want to find a husband.”

“I’m sorry, Mammi,” Mandy said, not sounding all that sorry. “I didn’t want to impose on anyone, and Titus didn’t mind. I promised him a large helping of yummasetti.”

Titus, who wasn’t always real quick to clue into things, finally looked, really looked at Yost, and his eyes nearly fell out of his head. “Yost Mischler? I didn’t even recognize you.” He whooped and hollered as if his horse had just won the derby, then cast his toothpick on the floor and pulled Yost in for a back-slapping hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Mandy sent me a letter,” Yost said.

“That must have been some letter,” Titus said. “I’ve been asking you to come back for three years.”

“I’m only staying for a few days.”

“That’s better than nothing,” Titus said.

The color traveled up Mandy’s neck as she made a point to keep her gaze away from Noah.

Noah recognized the look. Just yesterday he’d taken her to task for meddling in his life. She was afraid that she’d offended him once again. She looked uncertain and wounded, and her distress was all his doing. Would anyone notice if he thumped his palm against his forehead?

“Mandy,” he said, compelling her to look at him. “Can I talk to you alone?”

“I don’t think so,” Mandy said.

His gut clenched. It was worse than he thought. “Please? For a minute?”

She expelled the air from her lungs and nodded. In plain sight of everybody, Noah grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the front door.

“Are you coming back?” Anna asked.

Noah gave Anna a reassuring smile. “I wouldn’t miss that yummasetti.”

Mandy went along reluctantly. No doubt she was anticipating a lecture. Noah closed the door behind them and led her down the steps.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I don’t want anybody listening in on our conversation.”

She dragged her feet. “How loud are you planning to yell?”

They went to the side of the house next to the propane tank. It was becoming their favorite meeting spot. She turned to face him. Without another word, he gathered her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly. She gave a surprised squeak before softening in his embrace and kissing him back. She felt so good in his arms, and for a few seconds, he let himself believe that she belonged there. How would he ever go back to normal life when she was gone?

After a breathless, heart-stopping kiss, she pulled away and studied his face. “That wasn’t quite the lecture I expected.”

He chuckled. “I know. After my reaction last night, you are wise to be wary.”

“I want you to know I wrote Yost that letter more than a week ago. I’m sorry if you’re upset. I meant what I said yesterday. I won’t interfere in your life anymore.”

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Mandy, it’s okay. You were right.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I was right?”

“I mean, not about everything. Not about most things.”

Her lips twisted into a wry grin. “Oh, well, you wouldn’t want to make me feel any worse, would you?”

“I still don’t want you meddling in my life, but I haven’t seen my brother for three years. I could kiss you for sending him that letter.”

“Why don’t you?”

He folded his arms so he wouldn’t give in to the temptation. Mamm wouldn’t approve of all that unbridled affection. “I’m trying to thank you for getting my brother to come to Wisconsin.”

She got on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. “You’re welcome.”

He pulled back as if he’d been burned. “Don’t whisper, Mandy.”

She giggled. “You are so strange.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Is that gute?”

Her eyes danced, and he could tell she was teasing him. “The good news is that if it’s not a gute thing, at least I’m brave enough to tell you and not just talk behind your back.”

“You talk behind my back?”

Mandy took Noah’s hand. “If you’re not going to kiss me, we should get back before Mammi starts to worry.”

“Wait,” he said. “I need your help. Your mammi wants to invite Dat to dinner on Tuesday.”

She kept her eyes glued to his face. “Noah, believe me, I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“I know. Your grandparents are trying to be thoughtful, but it’s impossible for my dat to go anywhere. I don’t want anyone to see what he’s really like. He doesn’t want anyone to see him like that either.”

Mandy’s brows inched together. “Maybe it would be good for him. He should get out and be with other people besides you and Chester. My mammi and dawdi might be able to help him.”

Noah frowned. “You weren’t going to meddle, remember?”

“It’s not meddling to have an opinion.”

“It is when your opinion is about my life.”

Mandy took a step back and laced her fingers together. “Don’t be cross with me. I know you think it’s none of my business, but what are you going to do when somebody in the district discovers how bad your dat’s drinking has become? What if your dat decides he wants to go to gmay next week? Or someone else catches you at that bar trying to drag your dat home? Someday, whether you want them to or not, people are going to see your dat as he really is. What are you going to do when that happens?”

She was right about one thing. He didn’t like the question. He ground his teeth together until his jaw ached. “I’ve got things under control. Nobody has to know anything.”

“It takes a lot of work keeping a secret.” She reached out and cupped his face in her hand. “Aren’t you exhausted?”

“It’s my choice, Mandy. I’d rather do this than be buried in shame. Yost hasn’t seen Dat in three years. How ashamed do you think he’ll be?” He felt as empty as a fifty-gallon drum, like he always did when he thought about Dat. Two weeks ago, Mandy had come into his life and made him forget. He hated that she was the one to remind him of how unworthy he really was.

She withdrew her hand and sighed. “I’m afraid that one day all your secrets will come crashing down, and it will be more painful than you can imagine. I never, ever want to see you hurt like that.”

“Shame is what hurts.” He wanted to wipe that look off her face, as if she pitied him. He curved his lips and shoved his hands in his pockets as a gesture that he didn’t want to argue. “Denki for caring about me.”

She cracked a smile. “You’re stubborn, and you’re welcome.”

“I’ll never be able to thank you enough for asking Yost to come back.”

“A kiss would be a gute thank-you gift.”

He brought his lips over hers and kissed her gently, all the while trying to smother the fire that threatened to consume him whenever they touched. Only an ungrateful son would forget what his mamm had taught him.

She melted into his arms and kissed him back, then pulled away and smiled at him. “You’re welcome,” she said dreamily.

He couldn’t help but laugh. Even though she liked to pry into his life, he’d never felt so happy.

Mary Lambright, Melvin’s younger sister, who couldn’t have been more than sixteen years old, handed Noah a warm, soft pretzel. “Denki,” he said. “Did you make these?”

Mary glanced at Yost and blushed down to her toes. “Me and my sister,” she said, handing Yost a napkin and a pretzel significantly bigger than Noah’s.

“Denki,” Yost said, giving Mary a smile that no doubt made all the girls in Missouri swoon.

Mary’s blush traveled to the tips of her ears. She mumbled a reply that Noah couldn’t decipher, probably “you’re welcome,” and marched back into the kitchen as if there were pretzels burning in the oven.

When she turned her back, Noah poked Yost in the ribs. “I think you have an admirer.”

Yost, who had always been oblivious to girls fawning over him, let his gaze travel around the room. “Who are you talking about?”

“Mary Lambright gave you the biggest pretzel I’ve ever seen.”

Yost grinned. “Are you saying I got a bigger pretzel because I’m better looking than you are?”

“Not better looking. I think she felt sorry for you.”

“You’ve always been jealous that the girls love me so much.”

Noah tilted his head and smirked. “Giggly schoolgirls? You can have ’em.”

Yost rubbed his jaw as if deep in thought. “Except that one girl at Helmuths’ house. That one likes you something wonderful.”

Noah’s heart thumped in his chest. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“What she sees in you, I’ll never know.”

“She doesn’t see anything.”

“Oh, she’s ferhoodled all right. She looks at you like you’re made of lollipops and gingerbread. It’s disgusting.”

Yost couldn’t know how welcome those words were to Noah. Did Mandy really look at him that way?

Of course Yost had been curious about the Helmuths’ pretty granddaughter when he first arrived. Noah had filled him in about Mandy, but he hadn’t told Yost that he was in love with her. Yost might laugh at him for daring to even hope for such a girl as Mandy Helmuth. Best keep his feelings to himself.

That didn’t stop Yost from teasing him. Yost was smart enough to recognize that there was something more than acquaintance between Noah and Mandy. He simply didn’t need to know how deep Noah’s feelings ran.

If only Yost could stay forever, then Noah might feel sure enough to confide in him again. Still, it felt so gute to have his brother back if even for a short time.

On Saturday they had gone fishing with Dat, and then Yost had helped Noah fix the washing machine and build a worktable for Dat’s woodshop. Yost had offered to help Noah finish the Helmuths’ roof this week. Noah had declined his help, saying that it was Yost’s vacation and that he didn’t need to do any work while in town. Yost had insisted that he’d rather be up on the roof spending time with his brother than doing just about anything in the world.

On Friday night after arriving in town, Yost had treated Dat like a distant acquaintance, not showing him any particular affection but not showing contempt either. On Saturday, he had made more of an effort. He and Dat hadn’t spoken in three years. Clearly Yost still resented Dat’s drinking and his inability to get sober, but Noah could tell he was trying to understand and at least be patient with Dat’s weaknesses.

Yost and Noah had attended gmay together this morning. Noah’s black eye had faded to nearly nothing, so he had felt it safe to go to church.

It had been hard to concentrate on the sermon with his favorite brother sitting next to him and the most beautiful girl in the world sitting across the way. He’d never been so glad that the benches were set up so the men were sort of turned toward the women during church. Whoever thought of that seating arrangement must have never been distracted by a pretty girl during worship services. But Noah wasn’t complaining. Mandy’s presence certainly made church that much more pleasant.

Noah wasn’t quite sure how he did it, but Yost had convinced him to come to the
singeon
tonight. Noah seldom went to singings or gatherings. He was usually looking after his dat or hoping to avoid prying questions about his family. He’d only agreed because Yost wanted to see old friends, and Noah didn’t want him to get bored with just him and Dat as company. Mandy hadn’t come to the singing. Anna and Felty had invited some family for dinner. Mandy had stayed home to be with them.

Unfortunately, Kristina Beachy was at the singeon, but Noah had managed to avoid her like a bad case of the stomach flu. How could she and Mandy be so different and still be best friends?

Noah and Yost ate their pretzels while Yost let his eyes roam around the room. “Looking for pretty girls?” Noah asked.

“It doesn’t hurt to look,” Yost said, grinning mischievously.

“Do you think you might be taking one back to Missouri with you?”

“Only if she’s pretty enough, like Mandy Helmuth.”

Noah spied Dori Rose, one of Kristina’s silly friends, out of the corner of his eye. She stepped sideways toward him, all the while keeping her eyes trained in another direction. Was she trying to sneak up on him? He almost groaned out loud. Not another featherbrained girl he had to dodge! Kristina had been persistent all summer. He didn’t think he had the patience to put up with another spy. Maybe Dori was interested in Yost. Yost could be the one to try to avoid her.

Dori Rose tiptoed across the rug until she stood only a few feet away. He didn’t think he would be able to be nice to her if she spoke to him. He drained his cup of lemonade and set it on the end table. “Are you ready to go, Yost? We should probably get home.”

Yost raised an eyebrow. “Okay,” he mumbled with his mouth full of pretzel. “If you want to.”

Dori Rose clasped her hands behind her back, stepped directly in front of Noah’s escape route, and widened her eyes as if ready to spill a marvelous secret. “Noah, there’s someone who wants to talk to you.”

Noah attempted a pleasant look on his face even as he deflated like a balloon. She had him cornered. “You?” he asked.

Dori Rose covered her mouth with her hand and giggled nervously. “Noah Mischler, that would be just silly. She’s in the barn waiting for you.”

Noah furrowed his brow. Out waiting in the barn? Sounded like an ambush. “Who is it? Tell her to come in if she wants to talk to me.”

Dori Rose looked uncertain. “I don’t know. She says it’s a matter of life and death. She really wanted to talk to you without people around.”

Noah glanced at his brother. Yost had no idea what was going on. He merely shrugged. No doubt Kristina Beachy or someone equally giddy stood in that barn just waiting to attack. He wouldn’t go anywhere near it.

“Tell her that I will talk to her on the front porch if she really wants privacy, but I’m not going all the way out to the barn. Yost and I need to get home.”

Dori Rose puckered her lips doubtfully. “She really wanted the barn.”

“Front porch or nothing.”

He could see the wheels in her head turning frantically. She probably hadn’t expected him to resist, though Kristina must certainly have known there’d be at least a little reluctance on his part. Of course, Kristina had never been one to take a hint.

“Okay,” Dori said. “I will tell her to be on the front porch in three minutes. Is that enough time?”

He clenched his teeth. Three minutes wouldn’t give him enough time to sneak out the back door and drive away in his buggy. “Jah. I will be there.”

Dori Rose giggled, nodded, and raced out the door. Noah exhaled slowly. If Kristina thought it was a matter of life and death, he would at least try to be nice. He’d give her two minutes, and then he’d crush all her hopes and dreams. Some girls just wouldn’t take no for an answer. He’d have to be blunt. Again.

He picked up Yost’s lemonade and took a swig. “Yost, I’ve got to—”

Yost smirked. “I heard. Does this happen often with girls? I don’t know what they see in you.”

Noah gave Yost a weak shove. “They don’t see anything. They’re bored.”

Yost pointed to the clock in the wall. “You’ve only got two minutes left. You better get out there. I’ll wait here.”

“If I’m not back in three minutes, come and fetch me. She might try to kidnap me or something.”

Yost chuckled. “That poor girl, whoever she is, deserves at least five minutes.”

Noah growled. “You’re no help.”

“You can take care of yourself.”

He grabbed his jacket from the small pile of overcoats next to the sofa. “What if there are seven or eight of them? I don’t do well when girls gang up on me.”

Yost’s eyes flashed with amusement as he folded his arms across his chest. “It’s sad there’s not enough of you to go around.”

“Oh, be quiet.”

“You’re turning green. I think it’s very entertaining.” He picked up his cup and discovered it was empty. “Noah,” he snarled.

“I was thirsty.”

Yost made himself comfortable on the sofa. “I’ll be right here if you need me,
broodah
. Be sure to let them down easy.”

Noah lifted his eyes to heaven. “No help at all.”

He trudged to the front door as if he were going to his own funeral. He’d already told Kristina to leave him alone. What more did he have to do? He didn’t know the words to make her go away permanently.

He opened the door and stepped onto Lambrights’ wraparound porch. The family obviously liked to sit out here often. There were six patio chairs and a porch swing. As he expected, Kristina stood with her hands resting on the porch railing staring into space as if she’d been waiting there ever so long. Dori Rose must have raced to the barn and brought Kristina back here, both of them sprinting all the way.

His mamm had taught him to be polite, even to people who sorely tested his patience. “Do you need something, Kristina?”

She snapped her head around, as if his presence surprised her. She probably hadn’t expected him to show up. It wasn’t like him to actually come when she called. “Noah,” she said, crossing the wide porch and throwing her arms around him before he had time to avoid her.

He gently but firmly pried her arms from around his waist. “Kristina, if you’re going to do that, I’m leaving right now,” he said, grateful that he hadn’t let Dori Rose talk him into the barn.

With urgency flashing in her eyes, Kristina dropped her hands and took three steps back. “Nae, nae. I’m sorry. Don’t leave. I just want to talk.”

“Maybe,” he said. “But I’d rather you let me alone.”

The disappointment on her face was almost tangible, but she soon recovered She laced her fingers together and regarded him as if she were giving him permission to stand on the porch. “I know you’re still mad at me about what I said about your dat.”

Noah crossed his arms over his chest and tried not to think about the shame. Kristina had thought she was being funny when she called his dat a drunk and a bum. After that cutting comment, his forbearance had snapped. That was when he had admonished her not to text or call anymore. And that was when Mandy had shown up at his door to scold him for breaking up with a girl he’d never actually been with. “I’m not mad about that anymore.”

She burst into a smile. “That is wonderful gute.”

“But I don’t want to date you, Kristina. We’re not really a good match.”

A divot appeared between her eyebrows. “How do you know if you won’t talk to me? Mandy said I should talk to you so we can get to know each other.”

Noah peered at her doubtfully. “This was Mandy’s idea?”

“She’ll be gone next week, you know.”

Noah didn’t know why this prompted him to contradict her. “Two weeks. She might stay for two more weeks.”

Kristina scowled as if he’d just insulted her. “It was Mandy’s suggestion that I should have a conversation instead of spying on you.”

“I don’t like to be spied on.”

Kristina pinched her lips and squinched her eyes as if she were trying to milk out a few tears. “I had to spy,” she whined. “You won’t talk to me.”

Like the stub of a candle, his patience was just about spent. “I’m talking to you now. What do you want?”

“I want to know why you let my best friend kiss you.”

Noah felt as if someone had beaned him in the head with a rock. “She told you that?”

Kristina narrowed her eyes resentfully. “She tells me everything.”

Dread crawled into Noah’s veins. Kissing Mandy had been one of the most wonderful-gute experiences of his life, and she had told Kristina about it? Silly, childish Kristina who couldn’t keep her mouth shut with a whole roll of duct tape?

“Why . . . would she tell you?”

“Don’t get upset about it. I don’t blame you. Who knows how many boys she’s kissed in Charm? Dozens and dozens, I suppose.”

Were their kisses so cheap, so meaningless to Mandy that she had shared their experience like a piece of bubble gum? Were his deepest emotions reduced to items of gossip for Mandy and her friends to giggle about? The kisses had meant everything to him. Apparently they hadn’t meant quite that much to Mandy. He felt ill.

“I think it’s pretty rotten for a best friend to kiss the boy I’ve loved for a whole year. She knew how much I loved you, and then she comes into town and steals you.”

“It’s nobody’s business,” Noah stuttered.

“How can you date a girl who treats her friends like that?”

Noah felt increasingly breathless. “You and I were never together.”

“She’ll be gone in a week. Do you really think she kissed you because she loves you?”

Noah didn’t know what to think. Why had she let him kiss her? Why had she asked him to kiss her? She knew as well as he did that she was leaving. What did she want from him?

Kristina batted her eyelashes as if a whole fireplace of ashes had fallen into them. “She told me she came to town to be with me, but I think she came to lure you in and break your heart. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have invited her to come.”