Made with Love (21 page)

He placed his hand on hers, halting her words. “You can, because it's my choice what to do with my money. Mem and I still have enough to live on. I wouldn't do anything that would hinder that. Besides, it'll make things easier for Noah. He won't have to bother you for every little thing he needs to buy. That'll leave you time to focus on the baking part, and in hiring the right help. There is a lot of setup that needs to be done, a lot of figuring to make your dreams come to life. I want you to focus on that.”

Thankfulness flowed from her heart, and she wondered what
she'd ever done to deserve it. She didn't feel worthy to receive such a gift, and for a moment she felt like insisting that her father not be so generous. But then, as she looked into his eyes, a peace settled in her heart. He was doing this—giving so much—because he loved her. Dat was offering it not because she'd been good or she'd worked to deserve it. Instead, simply because she was his child. Tears rimmed the corners of her eyes at that thought.

She nodded, wiping her eyes, and then she glanced at Noah. He had a worried look on his face, as if concerned that she was angry that she wasn't going to be in control of every aspect. She offered a slight smile, hoping to ease his worries.

They signed a few papers, and then Lovina listened as Jason explained. “In addition to the financial papers there is also liability paperwork.” Jason passed a paper across the desk to Dat. “John, by signing this you're saying that you understand there is no insurance if anything happens to the property during construction or after. Even though we are a Mennonite bank, the state requires liability insurance for all bank loans.”

Dat scanned the paperwork as Jason continued.

“These papers state that you alone will cover all the cost if there is any type of damage, injury, or problems during the construction and renovation.”

Lovina's gut tightened as she heard those words.

“Dat?” She searched his eyes again, understanding the cost.

He smiled at her. “Lovina. All you have to say is thank you. And you have to sign these papers too. It's not that it's costing you nothing. All your money will be invested in this. Two years' worth of income from teaching school, and everything else you've managed to save up from pie sales here and there.”

“I know, Dat. I know what I'm giving, but I'm…well, I'm
overwhelmed by what you're giving too.” Lovina's fingers folded together. “And…does Mem know?”

“Your mem has never asked about finances. She has always trusted my judgment. I'm not hiding anything from her, but I feel no need to explain everything either. I told her I will make sure you're taken care of, and she was grateful for that.”

Lovina nodded, but she didn't know if
grateful
was the right word. Mem seemed out of sorts lately. This pie shop wasn't Mem's dream for her, she knew.

Jason continued to explain the papers set in front of them, and with each stroke of her father's pen a heavy sensation came over Lovina. Yes, there was joy and excitement that her dream would soon be coming true, but there was a heavy burden too. She had to make this work now. There was no choice. All the money she'd saved was at stake, yes, but now her dream would forever affect her parents too.

When Jason moved to Noah's paperwork, the tears were hard to hold back. He was giving so much with no guarantee he'd make any money at all. What if the items in the warehouse weren't worth as much as he thought? They'd be working for so little. Noah too was giving to her at great cost to himself.

Lovina's fingers trembled on her lip, and she wiped away a tear. She knew how Noah cared for those boys, and they were dependent on her now as well.

As she sat there it was as if the weight of everything hit. The community, her neighbors, and her future employees. Why, they'd all be looking at her, counting on her.

It took everything in Lovina not to stand and bolt out the door. She even thought about Thomas Chupp's mention of a schoolteacher position that would be opening up. He'd made his intentions toward her clear. Would it be too bad to let her heart journey
that direction? She could follow him back to Pennsylvania. She could teach school and spend more time with him. She could get to know those in the community. She could start over with a new life—a life that was expected of every Amish woman. And she was sure he'd be a fine husband. Just like her dat had always been. Wasn't that
gut
enough?

Lovina had almost convinced herself to go down the path to Pennsylvania—and Thomas—when Jason turned his attention to her. “All right, Lovina. Your turn to sign.”

She opened her mouth to tell him she couldn't do it. There was too much at stake. She was too worried to hurt those she cared for.

Then she saw Noah from the corner of her eye. He was handing her the pen. She reached for it and noticed something in his eyes. Trust…and protection. He was going to stand by her. Noah Yoder wasn't going to make her do this alone. Seeing the care in his gaze reminded her that God wasn't going to leave her alone either. Hadn't He first placed this dream on her heart?

“Come, daughter. You can sign the papers quicker than that. My stomach is telling me it's lunchtime.” Dat sniffed the air. “I know I must be imagining it, but I am certain I can smell Yoder's chicken stuffing casserole and fried chicken from here.”

She took the pen and turned to Jason. “Okay.” She breathed out slowly. “Okay.”

She'd carried the dream for so long, and now she had these men who would help her to see it through.

She sniffed the air too, but she didn't smell chicken casserole. Instead, Lovina smelled the scent of rain from the open window. And something else too…the beautiful aroma of God's goodness. And of good things to come.

 

Yoder's Restaurant Chicken Stuffing Casserole

1 large potato, cubed

2 carrots, diced

8 ounces crumbled cornbread

½ cup butter, melted

3 cups cooked chicken

1 can cream of celery soup

1 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°. Simmer potatoes and carrots in salted water until nearly done. In medium bowl, toss cornbread and butter. Spread half in a buttered 13×9-inch pan. Top with chicken. Combine soup, broth, and vegetables and spread evenly over chicken. Add remaining cornbread on top. Bake uncovered 45-60 minutes.

Sixteen

Children are living messages we send to a world we will not see.

A
MISH
P
ROVERB

A
fter enjoying lunch at Yoder's, Lovina was eager to get to the warehouse. She'd been in it only one other time with Jason, but Dat hadn't seen the inside. Noah, too, hadn't been inside since that first day when he'd walked in and offered his services.

Lovina held her breath as they walked up to the building. But the closer they got the more her dat's steps slowed. She looked at the warehouse from Dat's eyes, and Lovina's heart fell.

The sun was bright overhead, spotlighting the building. The two times she'd been inside the soft light from the early morning and the mist of rain had hidden some of the building's shortfalls.

The large gray structure had a metal roof, but the siding needed a coat of paint. Peeling paint around the window frames gave it a shaggy appearance.

Jason waited by the door with the key. He had chosen to eat lunch at home with his family. He approached Dat with a smile
and shook his hand. Dat greeted him, but he didn't make small talk. Instead, he pointed to the door. “Go ahead and open it up. I'd like to take a look inside.”

Jason swung open the door, stepping inside. The odors of oil and dust greeted Lovina as she entered.

Once she got inside Jason held the key out to her. “This is yours now, Lovina.”

Dat walked ahead of all of them. He eyed the ceiling. He looked at the walls. He didn't seem as interested in all the stuff that filled the warehouse.

Lovina took a few steps to follow him. Jason reached out and touched her arm. Lovina stopped, understanding. Dat had just invested a lot of money in this place, and she needed to give him time to sort his thoughts.

Then Jason turned to Noah. “Was this some type of a shop before?”

Lovina crossed her arms over her chest, wishing she could read Dat's thoughts. Worried he felt he'd made a mistake investing so heavily in her. Doubts wiggled in to her mind too. What if they couldn't get this place fixed up like she thought? What if they didn't get the response from the community that she thought they would?

“Ja. It did used to be an old shop. I asked my uncle about this place,” Noah said. “The man who owns it—
used to
own it—worked on automobiles, but business wasn't good.” Noah chuckled. “I wonder why, though? Maybe it wasn't that wise setting up an auto shop on the edge of an Amish village.”

Noah looped his thumbs through his suspenders. “Then he was going to turn it into a theater. He put in those big windows where the automotive entrance door use to be. He got the idea for a theater after seeing the Blue Gate up in Shipshewana. He
bought out the contents of an old theater a few years ago and then moved those things here. My uncle says that owner must have passed away because the man who sold it to Lovina was his younger brother.”

Those words brought a heaviness that Lovina hadn't expected. “It's sad. The former owner must have had so many dreams and plans…” Seeing the changes in Dat's health had made her realize that life was fragile, and you could work your whole life for something just to have it slip away—just as he'd seen with his farm. It had made her think long and hard about what she wanted to invest herself in.

Like her grandma had always said, what you spend your days doing is what you spend your life doing. Her grandpa also told her that if people really understood that they were writing their own autobiography, maybe they'd think a little harder about the chapters they put in.

Suddenly the weight of her decision bore down on her. Lovina placed a hand over her heart, feeling the ache. From what the doctor had said, Dat was in his last chapter. In good weather and with a lot of rest, he could still have a few years with them, and they all hoped that would be the case. But by investing so much in her pie shop, Dat was in a way choosing how his story continued. And he was doing it by believing in her.

Her eyes grew moist again as she watched him walk through the warehouse with careful steps. With the signing of the papers today it was as if he was choosing her to finish
his
story. It was no longer the story of a simple Amish girl who lived with her parents, spent time with her sisters, served those in her church, and baked, but rather a business owner who had dreams of shaping the community she was a part of in an important way.

Dat returned from his examination of the place, walking up to
her side. He gave a low whistle and looked around. “Lovina, do you really think you can get this open by season? That's less than three months away. It seems like it'll take that much time just to clear out all this stuff.”

Noah approached, placing a reassuring hand on Dat's shoulder. “Leave that up to me, sir. I have some items in my mind for Sarasota Salvage. And there are other items that can be repurposed. And because we won't need this whole space, the first thing my guys are going to do is build a wall between the kitchen and the back area. That will be our storage area for now.”