“I don’t understand why someone from the Amish community hasn’t come to her aid, even if Amos has been rude to them in the past. So what? Are we not admonished to love our neighbor?”
“Good questions for Harvey if he comes into the café today.” She sent me a wry grin. “Have you noticed he’s been hanging around the nursery more than usual?” All the lines in her face curved up. “You know he’s a widower, don’t you? His daughters cook for him and keep house, but his eldest son and his wife also live in the area and are hoping Harvey will remarry. Don’t be surprised if Harvey invites you over for supper in the near future to meet his family. He’s hinted he plans to.”
“Are you serious? He’s never said a thing.” I caught sight of myself in the mirror and saw a woman wearing an expression of shock, her mouth gaping open.
Beatrice said, “Why would he if he knows you’re pining over Jake?” She straightened the bed. “I’ve known Harvey for a long time, and he’s a fine man who wouldn’t pressure you if you adored someone else. But he might have become enamored with you in spite of himself. He might think you and Jake make an unlikely couple and will give up on each other.”
Astonished as I was, I spent a moment contemplating Harvey. He was a fine man and well established in the community. If I married a bishop, surely others would respect me, and gossip would be laid aside. Maybe. I supposed rumors would continue to circulate one way or another.
If and when Harvey came in today, I might accept his invitation should he ask me. Or maybe Beatrice had her facts all mixed up.
I was glad Stephen wasn’t there when we went downstairs for breakfast.
Later, as I prepared soup in the café, a tentative rapping on the back door snagged my attention. With all the crazy circumstances of the last week gyrating through my brain, I hesitated.
“Who is it?” I spoke through the door.
“Olivia.”
Deplorable scenarios came to mind, but when I opened the door, I found her dressed Amish, a kapp covering her head. “What happened?” floundered out of my mouth.
“I moved home, to my real home with my parents. Thankfully, they forgave me and let me come in as long as I don’t do anything idiotic again.” She draped her arms around my neck and said, “Ach, irresponsible is the only word for the way I’ve been acting.”
I pulled her into the kitchen and repeated my question. “What happened?”
“Other than scraping my landlady’s fender in the supermarket parking lot on the way home?”
“Ach, you didn’t.” My desire to drive a car again evaporated like dew under the blazing sun.
“The car was nothing compared to what Butch did to me.” She blotted her eyes with the corner of her apron. “When I got home last night, he was gone.”
“You mean just not home yet?”
“Nee. All his belongings were gone too. He’d scribbled out a note saying he wasn’t coming back. No forwarding address. He left me with the rent, that dirty rat.”
“I’m so sorry. At least your parents let you come home. And I’m delighted to have you back, my dear cousin and best friend. I thought I’d lost you forever.” Now I was the woman with tears seeping out of her eyes.
“But just look at me. I’m a freak. Thank goodness the beautician left enough bangs to part them in the middle, but they won’t stay in place unless I plaster them with hair gel and use bobby pins. I might have to hide out at home for six months.” Her eyes were pink and swollen. “Can you ever forgive me, Evie? I’m so sorry for the mean-spirited things I said to you. And I was leading you into temptation. Ach, I’ve been such a fool.”
“In a few weeks it won’t seem so bad. You still know how to cook like a master chef.”
“Here’s something I didn’t tell you,” she said. “You may have heard that someone was vandalizing the nursery a while back. Last week, Butch admitted to doing it because he thought Glenn Yoder was coming on to me, when in fact he never did, not once. Glenn and I are like siblings.”
“What gives?” Sadie said as she entered the back door. “Is that you, Olivia?”
“Well, of course it is.” I knew Sadie wasn’t fooled, and I didn’t appreciate her making fun of Olivia. Then it occurred to me Sadie thought Olivia was coming in here to work this morning.
Olivia must have picked up the same vibes. “Don’t you two worry about my trying to steal either of your jobs. I’m officially grounded, except my parents let me come today to apologize to Evie in person.”
“But you can still cook better than I do,” Sadie said.
Olivia fiddled with miscreant bangs slipping out beneath her kapp. “I heard your baking is excellent.”
“It is,” I said. “As long as Sadie wishes to bake, we’ll buy her pastries.”
Sadie’s gaze slid away from mine. “If I didn’t have to bake so many whoopie pies, it wouldn’t break my heart one bit. I’ve been seeing someone…”
Olivia giggled, sounding like the girl I’d once known. “You have a suitor?”
“I’d rather not say. But I’m staying up later these days.”
“To meet someone?” Olivia’s eyes brightened, and her voice rose an octave. “Anyone I know?”
Although I was dying to hear Sadie’s answers, I stepped in to interfere. “Now, Olivia, you know better than to pry.”
“I know better than to do a lot of things, but it doesn’t seem to stop me. Ach, I still acted like a blockhead.” She looked to me, her face turning solemn. “Are you getting baptized soon?”
“Maybe.”
“You and I can take the classes together and get baptized at the same time.”
“That would be fun if it works out.” We clasped each other
