A Welcome at Our Door Read online

  At the far end of the table, her niece Alice hummed in her high chair and chewed on a roll. Cindy smiled. Alice had grown so much during the spring. Now eighteen months old, she resembled her parents with Kayla’s sun-kissed blond hair and Jamie’s deep-blue eyes.

  Alice’s older brother, Calvin, sat on a booster seat in a chair beside her. At four and a half, he shared the same blond hair and blue eyes, making their brother-sister relationship easy to detect. Alice finished her roll and then moaned, arching her back. Calvin handed her another roll, and she squealed her thanks. Cindy smiled at the scene, hoping the siblings would always be close.

  “So, Drew,” Florence began, her voice rising above the other conversations filling the air, “how did you wind up working for Ervin and Gertrude?”

  “My aunt who raised me recently passed away—” Florence gasped, stopping him from going on. Yet he seemed at ease despite the sadness behind his words.

  “Ach no,” Florence said, and when Cindy turned her eyes back to her stepmother, she found her dark eyes misting. “What happened to your parents?”

  Cindy inwardly cringed. Her stepmother never shied away from a personal question.

  “They died when I was ten.” Drew picked up his glass of water and took a drink as the kitchen fell deathly quiet.

  Cindy’s chest squeezed as she looked into Drew’s eyes and imagined the depth of his grief. He’d lost his parents and then his aunt. Like Drew, Cindy had weathered a turbulent sea of grief, ever since her mother had died from an accidental fall seven years ago.

  “I’m so sorry,” Florence said, and Cindy’s father and siblings murmured similar words of sympathy.

  Cindy opened her mouth to tell him she was sorry, too, but her words were trapped behind trembling lips.

  “Thank you.” Drew looked down at the mountain of casserole on his plate. “My aunt never married, and when she became too ill to continue her work as a nurse, I took care of her the best I could, taking whatever jobs I could find when I got out of high school. Then when she died, she left me a little bit of money, and I thought I’d enroll in a few college classes and look for a job I could manage at the same time. A friend told me about the part-time job at the Lapps’ dairy farm, taking care of a few animals and the milkings, and I thought it might be perfect since I’d have a place to live and a small salary.”

  Cindy took in Drew’s handsome face and thought about how kind he seemed. He appeared to be a genuine person—possibly even someone who could be an understanding friend since he, too, had experienced personal loss. But how could they be friends? He was an Englisher.

  “How old are you, Drew?” Florence’s question pulled Cindy back to the present.

  “Twenty-five.” Drew forked some casserole. Another personal question, but Drew didn’t seem to mind.

  “Really?” Florence brightened. “You’re the same age as Sarah Jane.”

  Drew wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. “I’m one of the oldest students in my entry-level classes.” He gave a sheepish smile. “But at least I’m going to school. For the past few years I’ve felt as if I’ve been searching for something. I don’t know what it is, but I suppose I’ll know when I find it.”

  Cindy stilled as his words soaked through her. He’d just expressed aloud how she’d felt inside for the past seven years. How could an Englisher understand her confusion? Perhaps they were more alike than she’d imagined.

  “How do you like working on an Amish farm?” Jamie asked as he added another scoop of casserole to Calvin’s plate.

  “I like it,” Drew said. “I appreciate the simplicity of your lifestyle. It’s quiet and homey. And please, every word doesn’t have to be in English around me. I don’t know many Pennsylvania Dutch words yet, although I hear Gertrude and Ervin speak them, but you should speak any way you wish.”

  “Well, we’ll see,” Florence said, “but in our family we don’t want to be rude to the English. Not that we encounter very many of you except in stores and such.”

  “Uh, where did you live before you came to Bird-in-Hand?” Kayla quickly asked.

  Cindy knew her stepmother didn’t mean to offend Drew with her you or insinuate Gertrude and Ervin should speak only English around Drew, but she almost sighed with relief. She could always count on Kayla to steer conversation in a friendly direction. She’d had practice when she worked in her family’s restaurant before marrying Jamie.

  “Not far from here,” Drew said. “My aunt and I rented a house in Wakefield.”

  “How did your friend hear about the job at Ervin’s farm?” Dat asked.

  “He was at the hardware store in Bird-in-Hand while Ervin was there. He mentioned to the clerk that he needed a new farmhand since the work was getting too difficult for him alone, and my friend knew I was looking for a job. He got Ervin’s number and then passed it along to me.” Drew put another forkful of casserole in his mouth, and after swallowing he said, “This meal is delicious, Florence.”

  “Thank you,” her stepmother said, obviously pleased by the compliment.

  Cindy studied Drew’s easy demeanor as her family members peppered him with questions during the rest of supper, including during dessert. They seemed to like him.

  After everyone was finished, Cindy, Florence, and Sarah Jane gathered the serving platters while Kayla saw to her children. Then Cindy stood at the double sink and began to fill one side with hot water. She looked over her shoulder at Drew as he lifted his plate and utensils from the table.

  “Drew,” Dat said as he stood, “why don’t you join us on the porch for some of my homemade root beer?”

  “That sounds nice. Thank you.” Drew carried his dishes to the counter and handed them to Cindy. “Thank you for inviting me to eat with you and your family. I appreciated the company.”

  “It was Florence’s idea, but you’re welcome. I’m glad you stayed.” Cindy knew her voice sounded soft and unsure as she looked up into his eyes. That was because, for the first time in her life, she felt interest stirring in her heart as she looked at a man.

  She watched Drew out of the corner of her eye as he thanked Florence, and then heard him leave to join the men outside. She felt confused. How could she feel a connection to someone who wasn’t Amish?

  two

  “Drew, what do you think of my root beer?” Vernon asked as he sat in a rocking chair on the porch.

  “It’s the best root beer I’ve ever had.” Drew angled his body toward Vernon as he relaxed on one of the porch’s gliders. “It’s even better than the root beer at A&W, and I always thought that was the best.”

  “Thank you.” Vernon’s face seemed to glow with pride. Drew guessed Vernon was in his late fifties, and despite the graying light-brown hair and beard, Drew could see the similarities he shared with two of his children. Both Jamie and Cindy had Vernon’s striking blue eyes, and Jamie had the same nose and strong jaw. Roy and Sarah Jane, however, both had dark hair and eyes, similar to Florence’s.

  Cindy called Florence her stepmother when she invited Drew to stay for supper. Did that mean Roy and Sarah were her stepsiblings? He’d puzzled over that during supper, but he didn’t feel comfortable asking. After all, it was none of his business.

  Drew glanced back and forth between Vernon and Jamie as he took another sip of the delicious root beer. He suddenly realized that both Vernon and Ervin had beards, but Jamie, also married, was clean-shaven.

  He turned to Jamie, who was sitting on the other glider beside his son. “I thought all married Amish men had beards.” He pointed his mug at Jamie. “Why don’t you have one?”

  Jamie leaned back and rubbed Calvin’s leg as his little boy snuggled into his side. “I’m a volunteer firefighter. The bishop in our district makes an exception to the rule for married volunteer firemen like me because we have to wear custom-fit facemasks.”

  “Huh,” Drew said. “That’s interesting. How long have you been volunteering?”

  “Since I was a teenager. A group of friends and I
all joined at the same time. I volunteer at Station 5 in Bird-in-Hand.” Jamie gestured toward the street.

  “That’s cool.” Drew looked toward Jamie’s house across the pasture. It was a beautiful night filled with the warm June air and the smell of moist earth. The pasture was green and lush, reminding him of how much he loved being in the rural parts of Lancaster County.

  Drew turned back to Jamie and Vernon. “I’ve found the work never ends on a dairy farm. Don’t you agree?”

  “Yes.” Roy snorted as he leaned against the railing in front of Drew. “You could say that.”

  “Laugh all you like, little brother.” Jamie grinned at him. “You think you’re blessed to be abandoning me, but you’ll still have work. Lots of it.”

  “I know.” Roy sighed.

  “I’m just teasing you.” Jamie raised his mug toward his younger brother. “I’m going to miss you, but I’m happy for you.”

  Drew raised an eyebrow as he divided a look between the brothers. “You’re leaving, Roy?”

  “He’s getting married in October,” Vernon chimed in. “But he’s moving to his future father-in-law’s dairy farm. He’s not escaping work.”

  “He’s just leaving me with all the work here.” Jamie looked down at Calvin. “We need to teach you how to clean the milkers.”

  “Ya!” Calvin sat up straighter. “I’m almost as tall as you, Dat.”

  All the men laughed as Calvin grinned.

  “You’ll be working beside me before you know it.” Jamie touched Calvin’s nose.

  Drew settled back on the glider and took another sip of root beer while he glanced around the farm. A pang of sadness rang through him as he considered his childhood. What would it have been like to have a few siblings while he was growing up? Would he have shared the same camaraderie the Riehl siblings seemed to have?

  The screen door opened and then clicked shut behind Drew. He craned his neck and looked up as Cindy appeared with a plate of cookies.

  “Are you going to share any of that root beer with the rest of us?” Cindy stepped forward and lifted a tray of cookies. “I brought chocolate chip.”

  “You can have this mug of root beer in exchange for a chocolate chip cookie.” Vernon held a filled mug out to her, obviously prepared for any of the women who might join the men.

  “Thanks.” She took the mug her father offered, and he grabbed a cookie from her plate.

  Roy took a cookie as well, and then Cindy held out her plate for Jamie and Calvin to take one. When she turned to Drew, she seemed to hesitate.

  “Do you like chocolate chip cookies?” she asked.

  “Are you kidding?” Drew teased her. “I love them.”

  A smile turned up her lips, and her pretty face lit up. Cindy was beautiful with her striking baby-blue eyes and high cheekbones. The hair peeking out from her prayer covering reminded him of sunshine. She was taller than her stepmother and Sarah Jane, and she was slender. He thought she was close to her mid-twenties, perhaps a year or two younger than his twenty-five.

  She glanced down at the empty side of his glider and then looked away.

  “There’s room for you.” Drew slid to the far side. “Join me.”

  She paused for a moment, but then she sank into the seat beside him and held the plate toward him.

  “Thanks.” He swiped a cookie and took a bite, and then he closed his eyes and smiled, enjoying the sweetness of the cookie.

  “Do you like it?” Her tone sounded hopeful.

  “You could say that.” He took another bite and then swallowed. “I can take the rest of those cookies off your hands, if you’d like.”

  “I don’t think so,” Vernon said, and everyone laughed.

  Drew turned back to Cindy, who had placed the plate of cookies on the small table beside her and was sipping her root beer. “You’re a fantastic baker.”

  She shrugged. “Not really.”

  “You should see her sewing and quilting,” Jamie said.

  “That’s the truth,” Vernon chimed in. “She’s very talented.”

  “Stop.” Cindy stared down at her mug as her face flushed pink.

  Drew marveled at her shyness and humility. Was she always this easily embarrassed?

  Cindy set her mug on the small table, picked up the plate of cookies, and turned toward him. “Would you like another?”

  “Yes, I would. Thank you.” Drew took one. “These are fantastic. What else do you like to bake?”

  “Anything.” She shrugged again. “I make cakes, pies, breads.”

  “Aenti Cindy?” Calvin leaned toward her. “May I have another kichli?”

  “If your father says it’s okay.” Cindy looked at Jamie, who nodded. “Here you go.”

  “Danki,” Calvin said as he took the cookie.

  “Gern gschehne.” Cindy turned back to Drew. “Thank you for helping my brother today.”

  “It was my pleasure.” Drew rested back on the glider and took another drink from his mug. As he once again took in Cindy’s pretty face, trying not to be obvious about it, questions swirled through his mind. What did she like to do besides sew and bake? He was already aware that members of the Amish community usually kept to themselves and rarely mingled with the outside world. Would he ever see her again after this evening?

  The men had become engrossed in a conversation about their farm, but he realized Cindy wasn’t listening to them. She was looking at him.

  “What kind of classes are you taking in college?” she asked.

  Drew blinked, stunned by the question.

  “I’m sorry.” She gave a little laugh. “Is that question too personal?”

  “No, not at all. I’m just surprised you asked since the Amish don’t go to school after eighth grade.”

  “That doesn’t mean we’re not curious.” She shifted her body toward his.

  “I didn’t think about that.” Drew moved his fingers over the condensation on his mug, leaving swirled streaks in their wake. “I’m just taking introductory classes right now.”

  “Like what?” She seemed interested.

  He shrugged. “English and math. Nothing very exciting.”

  “What do you want to study?”

  “I’m not sure. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.” He felt his expression grow sheepish. “That sounds pretty pathetic at my age, doesn’t it?”

  “No.” She shook her head, and then her expression became serious as she lowered her voice. “I understand exactly what you mean.”

  Curiosity nipped at him as he studied her gorgeous blue eyes. From what he understood about the Amish, they were expected to marry and have large families. Why would this beautiful young Amish woman doubt her future? And why was she so concerned her family might hear what she’d told him?

  The screen door opened and clicked shut, and Kayla appeared, carrying her daughter, a diaper bag slung over her shoulder.

  “We need to get going,” Kayla said. “Alice needs a bath.” She kissed the toddler’s blond head and then looked at Calvin. “You need one too.”

  “Ya, Mamm.” Calvin sighed as he climbed off the glider.

  Drew hid his smile by taking another sip of his root beer.

  “It was nice meeting you,” Kayla told Drew. She said good night to Vernon, Roy, and Cindy before looking at Jamie. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes, dear.” Jamie grinned as he stood. He said good night to everyone and then shook Drew’s hand. “Thanks again for your help today. I think we might have actually found a fix for keeping Cucumber inside the fence.”

  “Let’s hope so,” Cindy quipped. “I’m tired of chasing her.”

  Everyone laughed, and Cindy joined in, her smile wide and bright.

  “I’m happy to help anytime,” Drew said. “Just come and get me.”

  Jamie and his family waved at everyone as they started down the porch steps and then continued down the path that led to his house.

  “I should probably head home too.” Dre
w picked up his empty mug and stood. “It was really nice meeting you all.”

  “I’ll take your mug.” Cindy reached for it, and when he gave it to her, she set it on the table. “Would you like some cookies to take home?”

  “That would be great. I never turn down cookies,” Drew admitted.

  “Just give me a minute.” Cindy hurried into the house.

  Roy stood up and yawned. “I guess I’ll go check on the animals.” He shook Drew’s hand. “Thanks again for your help today.”

  Drew nodded. “You’re welcome.”

  “I’ll help you, Roy.” Vernon stood and shook Drew’s hand too. “Don’t be a stranger, neighbor.”

  “I’ll try not to.” Drew stood and walked to the edge of the porch. He leaned on the railing as Roy and Vernon disappeared into the largest barn.

  Once again, his mind spun with questions about Cindy. Based on what she’d said, he wondered if she was unhappy living on this farm. But whatever she meant, why would she open up to him, a stranger?

  When the screen door opened and clicked shut behind him, he spun around. Cindy held up a clear plastic storage container packed with cookies.

  “I didn’t have many of the chocolate chip left, but I hope you like oatmeal raisin and peanut butter.” Her smile seemed shy as she handed him the container.

  “Thank you so much. It beats the packaged cookies I picked up at the market yesterday.”

  She shook her head. “My cookies are much better than the ones you can buy at the market.” She gasped as her eyes rounded. “That sounded prideful. I didn’t mean to sound arrogant.”

  “I get the feeling you don’t have a prideful or arrogant bone in your body.”

  She hugged her arms to her chest. “But we all sin and fall short of the glory of God.”

  “That’s true.”

  An awkward silence fell over the porch as they stared at each other. How he longed to get to know her better, but she was Amish, and he wasn’t. Despite Vernon’s invitation to not be a stranger, there was a chance he’d leave her porch and never see her again. Why did that bother him?