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Joseph shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. “I will help you get your fields harvested and fix what needs fixing around the farm in exchange for your help with Leah.”
She folded her arms. “Exactly what kind of help?”
“Like a mother would do.”
“I’ve already said I won’t keep her.”
“Nay, you mistake my meaning. Like a kindt heedah. Feed her, bathe her, watch her while I’m working.”
“You mean you will harvest my pumpkin crop if I will be Leah’s nanny?”
“Ja. That is what I want. Would you accept such a bargain?”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to think it over.”
It was a tempting proposal. Hauling her large pumpkins out of the field was backbreaking work. Some of them weighed over twenty pounds. As strong as Joseph was, he could do it easily. He could probably carry one under each arm and one in his teeth and still push a loaded wheelbarrow. She had only another week to get them all picked unless an early freeze hit, then she wouldn’t have anything to harvest. His help would be a blessing.
But taking care of an infant? What would she be getting herself into? She had a produce business to run. She had mothers coming for prenatal and postnatal appointments. There was no telling when an expectant father would show up wanting her to come deliver a baby. She had three mothers due before Thanksgiving. What would she do with Leah then? Run her back to Joseph’s home? Amish women didn’t call for the midwife until they were ready to give birth. She wouldn’t have time to waste.
Still, the idea of Joseph raising Leah alone was as hard to imagine as her raising his goats. If she agreed to his proposal, she would be able to keep an eye on the baby, make sure she was thriving. The big question was, could she do it without becoming too attached to Leah?
The memory of losing her baby lingered in the back of her mind. Loving a child meant risking heartbreak. She shook her head.
Joseph sighed deeply. “You don’t want the job. I understand. May I take your laundry basket with me until I can get a crib for her?”
“What has she been sleeping in?”
“A cardboard box that I lined with a blanket.”
“Of course you can use my basket. I’m sure the church will provide the things you need when they learn of your situation.”
He picked up the hamper. “I can make do without their help. I will manage until Fannie comes back.”
Anne frowned and tipped her head slightly. “I thought the letter said she wasn’t coming back.”
His face turned stoic. “She will. She’ll see what a mistake she has made and she’ll be back. I know my sister.”
Anne held her tongue. She wasn’t so sure. She fetched a half-dozen bottles of milk she had made from the refrigerator. “These pink bottles are half milk and half my fancy water. The rest are plain goat’s milk formula. If she keeps the first ones down, give her full-strength milk tonight.”
“Will you write down the recipe for me if she does well on this?”
Anne’s conscience pricked her. She wasn’t doing enough to help him. She could tell by the look on his face that he was unsure of himself. It had to be confusing and frightening for a bachelor to suddenly find he was in charge of a baby. “I’ll make all the formula for you if you bring me fresh milk every other day.”
“Danki. I’m not much of a hand at cooking.”
“Why does that not surprise me?”
A grin twitched at the corner of his mouth. “I appreciate all the help you’ve given me.”
“You’re willkomm.”
He walked out with Leah in the basket. Anne closed the door behind him, determined not to feel that she’d made a mistake. She couldn’t accept his offer of a job. She delivered babies. She didn’t raise them. What she did raise was produce. And right now her stand was unattended.
While most people knew they could leave their money in her tin can and take the pumpkins or the vegetables that they wanted, some Englischers would simply drive by if no one was minding the stand. She needed to get up to the road. The last two weeks of October were her biggest sale days. Today, Saturday, would be especially busy.
She grabbed a sweater from the hook beside the door and walked out into the chilly morning. The smell of autumn was in the air as the wind blew fallen leaves helter-skelter down the lane in front of her. The good Lord had blessed her with a bountiful crop and kept the heavy frost at bay. Only He knew how much longer the good weather would last.
Her pumpkins were larger than usual this year and thick under the still-green leaves in the field, but a hard frost would put an end to all of them. She said a quick prayer for continued favorable weather and walked quickly toward the small open-fronted shack she had built at the edge of her property.
If her land had fronted a busy highway, she would have seen more business, but the village of Honeysuckle was small and off the main state roads, so traffic was generally light. Her idea to post a sign out by the highway was paying off, though. She’d had twice as many customers this fall as last. Only Joseph had complained about the increase in cars on the road.
A horse and gray buggy sat parked beside her stand when she reached it. Anne immediately recognized the animal and looked for the owner. Dinah Plank was inside the shack inspecting some of Anne’s white pumpkins displayed in a wooden crate. Anne called to her, “Morning, Dinah.”
“Wee gayt’s,” Dinah answered with a wave. “A good day to you, too. I thought you would be in town at the farmers’ market, selling your produce there.”
“I took a load of vegetable and pumpkins in yesterday and Harvey Zook’s boy is selling them for me. I thought it might be better to be open at both places today.”
“Goot thinking.”
“Can I help you find something?” Anne smiled at her friend. Barely five feet tall, the cheerful plump widow was an energetic gray-haired woman. Dinah lived in Honeysuckle above the Beachy Craft Shop, where she worked for Anne’s friend Ellen Beachy. Soon to be Ellen Shetler. The wedding was planned for the first Thursday in November.
Dinah picked up a creamy white pumpkin and thumped it. “I wanted to make a few pies for Ellen’s wedding. There’s nothing like the taste of a warm pumpkin pie fresh out of the oven piled high with whipped cream. I get hungry just thinking about it.”
“I agree. You will want some of my heirloom cooking pumpkins for that. They make the best pies.” Anne gestured toward a smaller crate inside her stand.
“What about these white pumpkins?”
“I’ve tried them and they are okay, but I don’t think they have as much flavor.”
“I’ll be sure and tell my friends as much. Naomi wanted to try some whites.”
Naomi Beiler, the widow of their church’s former bishop, was the unofficial leader of the local widows’ group. The group planned benefit suppers and the like for people in need within their Amish community. They had recently held a haystack supper to raise funds for Mary and David Blauch after their son was born prematurely. The baby had had to be hospitalized for several months and the couple faced a huge medical bill. The Amish didn’t carry health insurance but depended on the rest of the community to aid them in times of need. If their local church wasn’t able to cover the cost, a plea would go out to neighboring churches to help. The way everyone looked out for each other was one of the most comforting things about living in an Amish community.
Anne thought about Joseph and Leah. Joseph didn’t feel he needed outside help, but Anne knew he did. “Will you be seeing Naomi this morning?”
On most Saturdays, Dinah went early to the farmers’ market in town, where she met friends from her widows’ club for breakfast. “I think so. Why?” Dinah cocked her head to the side.
“I have a small project I’d like help with. Joseph Lapp’s sister recently paid him a visit and left her infant daughter with him.”
“What?” Dinah’s eyes widened behind her glasses and her mouth dropped open. “He’s a bachelor.”
“Exactly. He has nothing for the child. No crib, no bottles, only a few things he borrowed from me.”
“What is his sister thinking? How long is he going to have the child?”
“I wish I knew. She may not be back.”
“How sad. Fannie has been out in the Englisch world a long time. It must be three years now. You never met her, did you?”
Anne shook her head. “She left before I moved here. Joseph has lived alone for as long as I’ve known him.”
“I’m sure he isn’t an easy neighbor to get along with. He’s not a friendly fellow.”
“We’d get along better if he kept his fences fixed. He came over three weeks ago to tell me my produce stand was bringing too many cars down the road.”
“I can see why that would bother him. His parents and the girl he planned to marry were all killed when a truck struck their buggy right at the end of his lane. Joseph and Fannie were thrown clear with barely a scratch. It was very sad.”
Anne’s heart contracted in sympathy. “I didn’t know.”
“It was Gottes will.”
All things were the will of God, but knowing that didn’t dull the pain of losing a loved one. Anne tried to imagine Joseph as a brokenhearted young man. “Was she a local girl?”
“Her family lives near Bird-in-Hand. She was the eldest daughter. I’ll speak to Naomi, but all we need to do is talk to a few of the mothers at church tomorrow and ask for donations of baby items. I know my daughters-in-law have clothing they can spare. How old is the child?”
“About four months.”
“I can pick up some formula for her in town today and bring it by this evening.”
“That won’t be necessary. It appears that Leah has a milk allergy. We are giving her goat’s milk.”
Dinah chuckled. “Joseph should have plenty of that. How many goats does he have these days?”
“I have never tried to count. All I do is shoo them out of my garden.”
“Looking at all these pumpkins, I’d say you’ve done a good job of keeping them away. I’ll take six of your best cooking ones, and I’ll share your concerns about Joseph’s niece with my friends. I’m sure we can come up with the things he needs. Who is watching the child while he is out working with his goats and in the fields?”
“No one. He wanted to hire me as a nanny, but I said no.”
“Why? I would think taking care of a baby would be your cup of tea.”
Anne turned and began rearranging the gourds she had on display. “Of course I like babies, but...I don’t know. I’m busy with the stand. Besides, I could get called out for a delivery at any time. It would be hard to have a baby underfoot.”
“I see.” Dinah didn’t sound convinced. Anne glanced her way. The sharp-eyed little woman didn’t look convinced, either.
Sighing heavily, Anne folded her arms and admitted the truth. “I’m afraid I would become too attached to her. She is an adorable bubbel. I may never have children of my own and caring for someone else’s child every day would be a reminder of that.”
“Sounds as if you are already attached to her.”
“Nay, I’m simply worried Joseph won’t be able to take care of her.”
“Then you should find someone to be the kindt heedah. You must know of several girls who would do well at that.”
“I can’t think of anyone offhand. Who could get along with Joseph? He is an odd fellow.”
Dinah chuckled. “I’ll check around and give him a few names tomorrow after the prayer service.”
“That is a fine idea. I’ll tell Joseph.” It was a good solution. Leah needed someone to look after her and Joseph could easily find someone. It didn’t have to be her. Then she could stop worrying about them both.
After a busy day at her produce stand, Anne made her way home. The western sky was ablaze with purple, pink and gold-tinged clouds fanned out along the horizon. The air had a decided nip in it as the day cooled. She hoped it wouldn’t freeze tonight.
She pulled her sweater close and hurried up the steps, but she stopped on the porch and glanced toward Joseph’s house before she went inside. She cocked her head in that direction, but she didn’t hear any crying. How was Leah tolerating her goat’s milk? The question had been at the forefront of Anne’s mind all day.
“At least he didn’t come running over. She must be doing alright.”
Anne shook her head. Now she was talking to herself. It was not a good sign. If she was going to sleep a wink tonight, she would have to see for herself that the baby was doing better.
Crossing the strip of brown grass that bordered her flower garden, Anne paused at the gate between her place and Joseph’s. Was there really a reason to go to his door? If he needed her, he would come and get her. He had already proven that. Anne bit the corner of her lip.
“Checking on them is the neighborly thing to do.” As Anne battled her indecision, she saw a light come on in his barn. He was with his goats. Where was Leah?
Anne took a deep breath. She would just ask about the baby and leave. Before she could go any farther, the light went off. She waited a few moments. He appeared at the barn door with her laundry basket in his hands. It seemed Leah would learn about goats from the cradle.
He caught sight of Anne and stopped. After a brief pause, he headed toward her.
“How did she do?” Anne asked when he was close enough.
He stopped at the fence and rested the basket on the top board. “She did fine. Slept most of the day. The rash is gone. Danki.”
Anne peered in the basket. Leah lay with her eyes closed, but she was making tiny sucking motions with her lips and then smiling in her sleep. Anne’s heart turned over. She touched the baby’s soft hair. “She’s dreaming about her bottle.”
“You solved her problem. I’m grateful.”
Anne drew her hand back and clenched her fingers together. “I saw Dinah Plank this morning. She thinks she can find a nanny for you. She said she would give you a few names tomorrow after church.”
“I don’t need anyone. Leah sleeps while I work.”
“She won’t sleep this much for long. Then what?”
He scowled and lifted the basket off the fence. “Then she will be awake while I work. We’ll be fine until my sister returns. Do not concern yourself with us. Guten nacht,” he said sharply and turned away.
Anne watched him walk off and wished she had another fresh tomato at hand. First he wanted her help and now he didn’t. He was the most irritating man she’d ever met.
Chapter Six
Anne drew several stern looks from Naomi Beiler during the three-hour-long church service on Sunday morning. She tried to concentrate on the hymns sung, on her prayers and on the preaching, but she couldn’t. Joseph wasn’t among the worshippers.
Where was he? What was wrong? Was Leah okay?
Anne glanced over again, covertly checking the rows of men seated on the backless benches across the aisle. Joseph’s size made him a hard man to miss. Although there were close to fifty men and boys all dressed in dark coats and pants with their heads bowed, she knew she could pick him out easily. He simply wasn’t there.
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