Harvest of Hearts (17 page)

“Hmm. Gut. That’s gut. All the more reason to get it changed over to gas, then, ain’t so? And the bedrooms? Shanna liked them, too?” Levi hitched one eyebrow higher than the other.

“We didn’t go that far. I don’t know what she thought.”

Levi laughed. “I was teasing with you. Jah, now’s a gut time. I can kum.”

Teasing. About him and Shanna. Matthew swallowed. “Gut.” The Amish tradition was to keep courting secret until it was time to be published, right before marriage. He’d been taught by his daed that it was considered best to approach the girl’s father and ask his permission to court her. Mainly because one of his sisters’ future husbands had done that. And Daed had liked it.

What would Levi like?

Matthew whipped his straw hat off of his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

Levi knew. He must.

Asking was mandatory, even though all signs said “Go.”

“Uh, there’s one other thing. I’m considering courting Shanna, if it’s okay with you.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Levi shut the door behind him. “You think that surprises me?” He pulled the skeleton key out of his pocket and locked the door, then stuck the key back inside his pocket. “I see how you look at her, ain’t so?”

Probably the same way he’d noticed her looking at him. No point in analyzing that comment any further. Matthew shrugged. “Jah.”

“If you’re brave enough to court the girl, then do. Might keep her in the community. Then again, might take you out.” Levi’s stare speared him.

Matthew somehow kept from squirming. “The real estate agent is waiting. Best get on back.”

***

Shanna peered out the kitchen window and watched the buggy carrying Matthew and Daed travel down the driveway. Back toward the other house. She wished she could have seen the upstairs. Alone. If Matthew bought the property, maybe she would.

He wanted to court her.

A thrill rushed through Shanna, surprising her with its force. Amish were serious about courting, about marriage. This would be more than just a casual date. This would be one-on-one getting to know each other, perhaps with marriage in the future plan.

Possible marriage. To Matthew.

He thought he might be serious about her.

Ach, how she liked him—maybe even loved him. She wanted to get to know him better. But marriage? That would mean giving up all her goals. Her dreams. Her calling.

If only it could be a few-years-down-the-road arrangement. Maybe they could plan to marry after she’d earned her degree, had worked for several years, and was ready to settle down.

Yet, would she ever be ready to settle down in a house with few modern conveniences, drive a slow buggy, and—she shuddered—use a wringer washer? Okay, the slow buggy was pretty romantic, with Matthew by her side. And the soft glow of the gas lamps would give their home a romantic ambiance….

“Daydreaming, Shanna?” Her mother stepped up beside her. “Is Matthew taking Daed to see that property?”

“Jah.”

“What did you think of it?” Mamm wrapped an arm around Shanna’s waist.

“I love the living room and kitchen. I didn’t see the rest of the haus.”

If Mamm found that odd, she’d decided to keep it to herself. “Matthew is a nice bu. Glad he decided to be part of the man swap.”

“Jah.” What else could she say? He was friendly. Thoughtful. Seemed to know his heart. She liked him a lot. But did she like him enough to give up her dreams?

He’d said he thought he might be falling in love with her. This time, the thought landed like a rock in the pit of her stomach.

Shanna twisted out of Mamm’s arm. “I need to get those cookies into the oven. Is everything else finished for your sale tomorrow?”

“Jah, mostly. I need a couple more apple pies and some of the cookies when they are finished.”

“I quadrupled the recipe.” Shanna bent down and opened a cabinet door to retrieve the baking sheets.

“Gut. I planned to work in the garden some this afternoon, too. It needs to be weeded.”

This is what her life would be like if she joined the church. Like Mamm’s. She’d have a large family, with the first child being born approximately ten months into the marriage, and brothers and sisters following in quick succession. Nonstop housework: cooking, baking, laundry, gardening…the list went on forever, an endless cycle. Somehow, she would need to fit in quilting, butchering, and canning frolics.

Shanna sighed. On the other hand, she could have a rewarding career in nursing and, at the end of the day, come home to nonstop housework: again, cooking, baking, laundry, gardening, and so on.

The difference?

Matthew versus a career. A career versus Matthew.

“Matthew….” she whispered his name, then clamped a hand over her mouth, hoping Mamm hadn’t heard.

But she had. The almost-too-smug grin on her face gave it away.

Among the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, creamed celery was a traditional part of the wedding feast. In this district, though, the dish had never caught on, maybe because celery didn’t grow so well in the rocky, red clay of southern Missouri. If they lived in Lancaster County, though, Shanna could see Mamm daydreaming about the endless rows of celery sprouting up in the garden as an announcement, of sorts, of the upcoming wedding. She could imagine Mamm thinking about all of the preparations that would need to take place, preparations like—

Mamm straightened. “Quilting!”

Shanna blinked at her.

“Ach, sorry. Thinking out loud. But we probably should make a quilt or two while you’re home, ain’t so?”

Jah, Mamm was transparent. She’d have Matthew and Shanna married by the end of wedding season. This year.

So not happening.

***

Matthew stepped back as Levi studied the barn. He had already commented that a barn raising would definitely be in order, to build a barn much closer to the house. Perhaps the existing barn could be used to store equipment and tools.

Levi had also quietly spoken his approval of the house and deemed it an easy matter to change it to meet Amish standards. The fancy bookcases and bay window didn’t seem to bother him.

Matthew glanced back at the real estate agent. She paced at the entrance to the barn, still chatting on her cell phone. It seemed like she no sooner got off the phone with one person than either the phone rang again or she had to call someone else. He’d hate to be so tied to an electronic device.

Even Shanna didn’t use her phone as much as Terri did. In fact, he’d seen her use it only one time.

Ach, Shanna. He restrained a groan. He wished she were there beside him, but he was the one who had decided to take her home. Traded her for Levi. He’d wanted the older man’s opinion. After all, Matthew had never bought anything larger than a courting buggy when he’d lived in Pennsylvania. Here, he’d been using Shanna’s buggy. She hadn’t been home, so Levi had loaned it to him.

This house—Matthew knew it was a potential home. One he wanted to fill with a frau and their kinner. Love and laughter. Those would matter to his future frau, too. But then, he’d already gotten her approval on the house, though he hadn’t asked. He knew she loved the kitchen. The land was what mattered to him.

He needed to make a trip to the town library to use the Internet and check for any blueberry farms in the area. If he found even one, he’d know this land would be doable. He’d already asked Levi, but he hadn’t seemed to know. If Levi approved, he’d buy the land, regardless, and hope that he would be able to raise blueberries on it. He could always fall back on other crops or livestock, if necessary. The mere possibility of harvesting blueberries would make any piece of land that much more desirable.

But he didn’t know how to use the computer. His friend Jacob probably would, since he’d dabbled more in Englisch things than Matthew had dared to during his rumschpringe, mainly due to his former girlfriend, Susie, who’d jumped the fence. Matthew believed Jacob had used a computer a time or two. But if he didn’t know how, maybe the librarian could help.

Tomorrow…nein. He’d already made plans with Jacob and his girl, Becky, and Shanna. Maybe even Becky’s friend Annie.

Shanna probably knew them. After all, they’d grown up in the same community.

But apparently they hadn’t been close. Shanna had said her friends had married and moved to other districts.

Hearing gravel crunch, Matthew turned and saw Levi approaching. “You could keep that barn for equipment, jah. Livestock, not so much. You can make an offer. I’ll go with you, if you want. Make it lower than the asking price, so there’s room to negotiate. I can walk you through this.”

“I appreciate your help, Levi.”

Shanna’s father nodded, then turned toward the realtor. He scowled. “Ach, talking again.”

Terri appeared to have noticed the two of them standing there, staring at her, but she probably didn’t understand a word they said. Not too many Englischers knew any Deutsch.

She closed her phone and stretched her painted red mouth into a smile, one that looked as fake as the smile of the bishop’s wife whenever she’d had a not-so-private disagreement with her husband. “Well? Did you make a decision?”

Matthew nodded. “Jah. I’d like to make an offer.” A wave of excitement washed through him, followed immediately by one of impatience to get the job done so that he could start working on the house, marry Shanna, and move in.

He’d be that much closer to marrying the girl of his dreams.

Mamm, can I borrow your buggy?” Shanna used a spatula to transfer the last cookie from the hot baking sheet to the cooling rack. Matthew and Daed had taken her buggy to the house. “I have an errand to run.”

She looked up in time to see Mamm’s eyes widen. “The buggy?”

She nodded. Driving her car would be so much faster, but for what she needed to do, it would be best not to stand out. A car would be much too Englisch. She’d been thinking about it for days.

“Jah, jah, you can take the buggy.” Mamm’s smile was huge, and it said more than words ever could. Undoubtedly she was glad to see Shanna reclaiming her Amish roots.
For the summer.

Shanna returned the grin and began filling an aluminum pie pan with cooled cookies. “I need to borrow some cookies, too.”

Mamm raised her eyebrows. “I don’t think I’ll want them returned. But, speaking of cookies, will you be here to help with the bake sale tomorrow?” She turned away and started washing something in the sink.

“Nein. Sorry, Mamm. I’m scheduled to work in the morning, and I’ve already made plans for the afternoon.”

She was going fishing. With Matthew. That didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore. She frowned, fingering the edge of the tin. She didn’t want to lead him on—though she already had, to her shame. All afternoon, she’d thought about her dilemma and had decided that she couldn’t bear to give up her dream. She had no intentions of sticking around after the summer. Come the middle of August, she’d be gone.

But how could they go back to being just friends after that amazing kiss?

She owed him a major apology for leading him on, for flirting, for indicating that she wanted him to court her.

Well, that hadn’t been a ruse. She did want him to court her. So much that it hurt.

But how could she let Matthew pursue her in earnest, with his sights set on marriage, when she knew that she could not yet commit to leaving school and joining the church?

Unless….

Unless he’d consider joining a Mennonite church for her, one that would permit her to pursue her career goals.

Or, unless he’d consider waiting until she finished her schooling. She’d have her registered nurse degree in December. She was already a licensed practical nurse. But what good would a nursing degree do her in an Amish community? None that she could see.

She sighed and pressed her hands to her forehead, rubbing her temples. Wasn’t there a nursing home in Seymour? She specialized in obstetrics, not geriatrics, but even so….