Noah's Sweetheart. Rebecca Kertz

cousin Sarah looked like.

      “Rachel,” her aunt said, “these boys will be your students. John, Jacob, this is your new schoolteacher. John, Rachel is also your cousin. Jacob belongs to Abram Peachy. Abram is deacon.” And then to Rachel, she whispered, “and a widower.” The boys had started to turn away, ready to play again.

      She called after them. “Boys! What do you say to your new schoolteacher?”

      “Gut day to you, Rachel. We are pleased to meet you.” It was Jacob Peachy who spoke.

      John stared at her. “What do I need school for? I like working on the farm.”

      “You must learn English,” Rachel said, “so that you can do farm business in town.”

      Jacob was nodding as if he understood. “Ja, John. You don’t want to be a bad farmer, do you?”

      “I will be a gut farmer! I know a lot about plowing and planting...and harvesting!”

      “I’m sure you do, John,” his grandmother said. “But Rachel is right, it is important for you to learn things to help you someday when you are big and can take over your father’s farm.”

      “We will both come,” Jacob added.

      Rachel gazed at his sweet face and thought how unfortunate it was that this poor boy had lost his mother. “I will see you in class in two months.”

      The boys nodded before they ran off to finish their barnyard play.

      Rachel became aware of several things at once as she entered the Lapp family home. First was that the house was filled with women she didn’t know. Then she saw Charlotte greet another woman warmly with a hug. She heard “Sarah” and she realized that this was the cousin she had met only once when she was barely old enough to remember.

      Charlotte came back and grabbed Rachel’s hand, leading her toward her older sister. “Sarah, this is cousin Rachel.”

      Sarah smiled. She looked so much like Aunt Mae that Rachel had to keep herself from staring. “You were young when we met.”

      Rachel nodded. “Ja. You took me for a walk to see the barn animals.”

      “That’s right.” Her eldest cousin looked surprised. “You were three.”

      Rachel studied her cousin’s face carefully. “You have the look of your mudder.”

      “We all do,” Sarah said, referring to her sisters. She turned to softly scold a little girl who was trying to put her fingers into a freshly baked chocolate-cream pie. It was one of Rachel’s pies brought from Aunt Mae’s, which hadn’t been put in a cool place yet. “Rose Ann!” she exclaimed. “You must not touch that pie.” Seeing the little girl’s face begin to crumple, Sarah bent to scoop up the child into her arms. “You can have a piece of pie when we get home.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead and turned back to Rachel. “This is my youngest—Rose Ann. She is three and she likes chocolate.”

      Little Rose Ann nodded vigorously. “Chocolate.”

      Rachel felt her heart melting as she stared into her little cousin’s hazel eyes. Rose Ann’s hair had a hint of red highlights. She was a beautiful child with an inner glow.

      “Ah, pie!” Noah was suddenly near the pie, ready to do what little Rose Ann was forbidden to.

      “Nay!” Rachel exclaimed. She had sensed immediately when he’d come in. “That is for Sunday. You must not touch it now—”

      “Just a taste?” he asked with a look of boyish innocence, but Rachel could see the mischievous twinkle that spoiled his whole act.

      “Ows!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Rachel is right. You should not be here. We are here to do women’s work. You don’t look like a woman to me.”

      Noah’s face beamed. “I’m glad you noticed.”

      “No-ah!” Katie Lapp’s sharp tone was like a shout across the room.

      “Mam?” he said as his mother approached. Katie was a strikingly plain woman who would stand out no matter if she wore Amish clothing or a potato sack. Her white prayer kapp sat properly on her head, revealing a glimpse of sandy-brown hair, the same color as her son’s.

      “Doesn’t Jedidiah need help moving the furniture?”

      “We finished in the house, Mam.”

      “Then go check with your vadder. I’m sure he has something for his wild son to do.” But Katie’s tone had become soft, affectionate. It was clear that she loved him.

      “I only wanted a piece of pie.”

      “Pie for Sunday,” little Rose Ann said firmly.

      Noah flashed the little girl a bright smile. “Right you are, then, Rosie.” He lowered his voice. “We just wanted one little piece, didn’t we?”

      Rose Ann grinned and nodded. “Just one piece.”

      “I guess I had better find something to do before the pie begs me to grab a bite of it.” And Noah left, taking some of the fresh air that had come in with him.

      “Charlotte, he will be a handful, that one,” Sarah said.

      Charlotte nodded, but her eyes held warmth and something like affection...or more. “Noah Lapp is a man all to his own.”

      Rachel, listening to the exchange, felt a little knot form in her stomach. She had to avoid him. He was Charlotte’s special friend—not hers. Something she couldn’t—mustn’t—forget.

      She’d been amazed by Noah’s ability to make a small child feel special. She had seen him come in and pour himself a glass of water from a pitcher. The last thing he’d seemed to want was a piece of chocolate-cream pie, but he had heard the exchange between little Rose Ann and her mother.

      He was a special man. No, I mustn’t think about him! She felt a twinge of guilt. There were reasons for her to forget Noah Lapp, and it was more than just his being her cousin Charlotte’s friend. They might not be courting yet, but no doubt they would be soon. And wasn’t that reason enough itself? The two were more than comfortable with each other. Just the way she and Abraham had been when they’d begun courting. She fought back mixed emotions. There were other reasons not to become involved with a man again—reasons she wasn’t ready to ponder too deeply.

      The women began to disperse to different areas of the house, where they would work to give the rooms a thorough cleaning. Katie accepted their help with silent gratitude. Rachel approached to introduce herself, and Katie placed her arm around Rachel’s shoulder as she led her into the large front room.

      “I have heard much about you, Rachel,” Noah’s mother said pleasantly. “You like the new school?”

      Rachel beamed. “Ja. Samuel and your sons have done a gut job.”

      “You will have a lot of children in class.” Katie walked through the room, checking that all was in order.

      “Will I have some of your sons?”

      “Ja. You will have Daniel and Joseph, my two youngest sons.”

      “I look forward to having them in school.”

      A baby cried from above, but was instantly silent. Katie’s expression was soft. “That is Hannah, my baby daughter. She has been napping. Someone must have picked her up.” She seemed unconcerned about who had seen to her daughter. Unlike the Englishers, the Amish cared for their neighbors and their community and were always willing to lend a hand.

      Katie straightened a framed embroidered wall-hanging. On it, the Lapp family tree was depicted. Rachel saw Katie and Samuel and all their children: Jedidiah, Noah, Jacob, Elijah, Isaac, Daniel, Joseph, and little Hannah. It was a lovely piece of stitchery.

      Noah’s mother studied the family tree for a moment before turning slowly to capture Rachel’s gaze.