Noah's Sweetheart. Rebecca Kertz

eyes were rolled back in his head, all big and white, and he was sweaty. Aaron Troyer came running up to take care of his horse Josef and to see if Rachel hurt herself!”

      Noah felt himself the object of several male gazes. He was uncomfortable with this particular discussion and being the center of attention. “It wasn’t anything one of you wouldn’t do.”

      “That’s not what cousin Rachel said,” Joshua replied. “She said she could have been killed if Noah hadn’t come to save her.”

      “Ja.” Abram removed his hat, pushed his hair back, and then settled his wide-brimmed black-felt hat back on his head. “Could have been. One of Obadiah Fisher’s daughters out in Missouri—she got killed last summer when her horse ran away. Terrible thing for the family, and her just fifteen. Lucky for the new teacher you were there.”

      The Zook family arrived at that moment, putting a temporary end to the topic of conversation. As he greeted “Horseshoe Joe” Zook’s wife, Miriam, Noah could feel Jedidiah watching him. He pretended not to notice, and soon Jedidiah’s attention turned to the middle Zook daughter, Annie.

      Five families had come to visit. The men stayed outside while the women inside readied the midday meal. Moments of the men’s conversation intermingled with periods of silence, as the weather was good and there wasn’t a need for talking.

      “The cousin was grateful,” Jedidiah said to Noah. “What does Charlotte think? Must have put a fright into her, seeing it.”

      “Rachel is Charlotte’s first cousin. She’s glad I was there to help.”

      Noah wondered how Rachel was getting along. She’d been here less than a week, and she must have feelings about their Happiness community.

      “Charlotte is an understanding girl,” his brother persisted. “Good head on her shoulders. Make some man a mighty good wife.”

      Noah glared at him, wondering where Jedidiah was headed with this conversation. “And why are you telling me? Charlotte and I have known each other a long time.”

      “Ja,” Jedidiah said, “and well you should remember this.”

      His older brother could be annoying at times, Noah thought. They were close in age—Jedidiah was only a year and a half older than he was. What was Jedidiah implying? That Charlotte was jealous? That he shouldn’t have saved Rachel because he and Charlotte were friends?

      Noah shook his head. Sometimes Jedidiah made no sense.

      “He did save her!” He suddenly heard Joshua shout from across the yard. “Ask him. Better you should ask cousin Rachel! Cousin Rachel!” the little boy called as he ran from the barn toward the house, followed closely by Jacob Peachy.

      The boys rushed inside before Noah could stop either one of them. The last thing he needed was for Rachel to become embarrassed by all the attention—no matter how innocently it began.

      “Cousin Rachel!” Joshua cried.

      Noah cringed. All he did was stop a runaway buggy. Why couldn’t everyone just leave things be?

      * * *

      “...And the little Englisher was caught stealing a brownie from a pan cooling on Elisabeth Schrock’s windowsill,” Alta Hershberger was saying.

      Miriam Zook’s eyes widened. “What did she do?”

      Alta grinned. “She gave him a piece of her mind and then handed him another brownie.”

      The women chuckled in response as they unwrapped the food they’d prepared previously.

      “Abram’s children are growing fast, like weeds,” Mae commented as she sliced bread and arranged muffins. “Such a shame that those precious children have no mudder to guide them.”

      “Abram’s doing the best he can, Mam,” Charlotte said.

      “Ja, daughter. But the deacon can’t be all things to everyone. It’s hard when there are children to raise alone and a farm to run. It’s time he thought about marrying again.”

      “I’m sure he will when he is ready,” Katie said gently. She unwrapped a plate and set it on the table. “A shame Sarah couldn’t come.”

      “Ja,” Aunt Mae said. “I was sorry to hear David came down sick—”

      Two young boys burst into the kitchen and stopped, the door slamming shut behind them. “Rachel! Cousin Rachel!”

      “Son!” Aunt Mae scolded. “We walk, not run, into a room!”

      Rachel grinned as Joshua searched the room and found her. “Little cousin, what’s wrong?” She tossed each boy an apple from a bowl on the counter.

      “Jacob doesn’t believe that Noah saved you!” Joshua exclaimed before he took a big bite.

      “Noah did save me, Jacob,” Rachel said, her breath catching at the mention of Noah’s name. “If he hadn’t stopped the horse, the buggy could have hit someone or something, and I could have been hurt or even killed.”

      Jacob’s eyes went big as he listened to Rachel. “Noah saved her,” he said to Joshua. “And he kept Aaron Troyer’s horse from maybe breaking a leg and having to be shot.”

      Joshua nodded vigorously, glad that his friend finally understood. “When are we going to eat?” he asked his sister, who’d been listening with amusement.

      “Soon,” Charlotte said, handing each boy an apple-walnut muffin. “Go outside and be gut boys. We will call you when it is your time to eat.”

      “Would you take this to the table?” Miriam asked.

      Rachel nodded. She accepted the large bowl of potato salad and carried it into the front room, where she set it down on one of several makeshift tables that had been constructed for today’s visit. Her thoughts on Noah, she went to the window and peered outside. She couldn’t see him at first, and she started to turn away. Then his father moved and there he was, speaking with two men she hadn’t met. Noah nodded and then smiled at someone’s answer. He turned toward the house as he chatted, and his gaze locked with hers briefly through the glass. Rachel quickly retreated, embarrassed at being caught staring. She hurried back to the kitchen.

      “The meal is ready,” Katie Lapp announced to the men outside.

      The oldest men entered the house first. They sat down at a table, and then the younger men took their seats. The women had prepared the food earlier in the week. There was cold roast beef and chicken, potato salad, sweetened-and-vinegared green beans with bacon, frosted raisin bread, sweet-and-sour chow-chow, muffins, yeast rolls and coleslaw. There was an assortment of cakes and pies for dessert, including Charlotte’s shoofly pie and Rachel’s chocolate-cream pie.

      The men ate without conversation, and when they were done, the women and children sat down to eat. Rachel enjoyed the meal, especially the sliced roast beef and potato salad with peas. Aunt Mae had made the green beans, and they were delicious.

      Nancy took a second helping of her mother’s dish before tasting other foods. “Mam makes the best sauce for her beans,” she said.

      Rachel smiled. “Everything is wonderful. Did you have some of Miriam’s chow-chow? Sweet and sour is my favorite.”

      “Mine, too,” Charlotte replied as she lifted a forkful of the vegetables to her mouth. “Did you see Alta Hershberger’s vanilla pudding? Before the day is done, I’m going to have me a cup.”

      “May I have some pudding with you?” A little girl stood at Charlotte’s side.

      Charlotte’s expression softened. “I’ll call you when I’m ready to get some. I’ll scoop you a cup so we can eat it together.” The child looked pleased as she turned and ran back to sit with her sister and brothers. “That’s Ruth Peachy,” she told Rachel. “Abram’s youngest.”

      Rachel eyed the youngest Peachy