more with every second that he’d taken that opportunity to run. “Yeah, yeah, I am.” He looked down at his scuffed boots, then up at her again. “I…stopped by on my way home just to see…to make sure Ruth was all right,” he stammered, and then started again. “You know, with the fire and all.”
“Just on your way home from the chair shop?” She nodded, still smiling. She knew very well his uncle’s farm wasn’t on his way home.
He didn’t know what to say, but that didn’t seem to bother her.
“I’m Anna, Ruth’s sister.” The big girl glanced over her shoulder. “We’re just sitting down to supper. Would you like to come in? We’ve got plenty.”
“Anna!” came Ruth’s voice from inside, followed by more giggles.
For a second Eli was tempted. The smell of fresh biscuits made his stomach growl. Supper with Ruth would make the day just about perfect.
But she was a pretty girl, and he was supposed to be staying away from pretty girls.
“No. Thank you.” He took another step back, making sure he hit the step. “I need to get home. Aunt Fannie will be expecting me. I just wanted to check to be sure she was okay. Ruth.” Somehow his hat had gotten in his hand again, and he gestured lamely toward the house.
“She’s fine,” Anna said sweetly. “She really appreciates you putting the fire out on her apron and saving her from burning to death in front of all the children.”
“Anna, please!” Ruth groaned from behind the door.
Eli had to suppress a grin. “Well, good night.”
“Good night.” Anna waved.
Eli nodded, stuck his hat back on his head, turned and made a hasty retreat before he got himself into any more trouble.
The minute Anna shut the door, Ruth grabbed her arm. “What are you doing inviting him to supper?” she whispered, not wanting Mam to hear her. In the Yoder household, there was always room for another at the table.
“He’s very cute,” Anna said. “He was just checking on you. He wanted to make sure you were all right.” She grabbed the biscuits to put on the table. “I think he likes you. Susanna said she thought he liked you.”
Ruth’s heart was still fluttering in her chest. The idea of a boy that good-looking liking her was certainly not a possibility. Boys like Eli liked girls like her sister Leah. Beautiful girls. Or they liked exciting girls like Miriam. Ruth knew she was attractive enough, but she was the steady girl, the good girl. She wasn’t beautiful or exciting.
“Supper time,” Mam called with authority, looking from Anna to Ruth.
Mam never missed a thing, but luckily, she said nothing about Eli being at the door. Ruth didn’t want to talk about Eli. Not ever. She just wanted to pretend the whole thing with her apron catching fire had never happened. It was too embarrassing.
“I hope there’s enough here,” Anna said, when they’d finished silent grace.
“This is plenty, daughter.”
“It all looks delicious, Anna,” Ruth said, finding her normal voice. Seated here at the table with her family, she could push thoughts of Eli Lapp and all her tumbling emotions out of her head. “But then everything you make is delicious.”
Anna smiled, always grateful for a compliment. Cooking seemed to be what she lived for. Ruth cared deeply for Anna, but even a sister’s loving eye couldn’t deny the truth that Anna’s features were as ordinary as oatmeal. Her mouth was too wide, and her round cheeks as rosy as pickled beets. Anna was what Mam called a healthy girl, tall and sturdy with dimpled elbows and wide feet. The truth was, Anna took up twice the room in the buggy as her twin Miriam.
Ruth knew the neighbors whispered that Anna would never marry but would be the daughter to stay home and care for her mother in her old age, but she thought they were wrong. Surely there was a good man somewhere out there who would appreciate Anna for who she was and what she had to offer.
“That was Eli Lapp at the door just wanting to make sure Ruth was all right. He was on his way home from the chair shop.” Anna cut her gaze at Ruth.
Miriam nearly choked on her chowder. “That was Eli Lapp from Belleville at the door?” She looked at their mother. “Dorcas said he rides a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Aunt Martha saw him.”
“He’s allowed to if he hasn’t joined the church yet,” Anna offered. “Dinah said he’s rumspringa. You know those Pennsylvania Amish are a lot more liberal with their young people than our church.”
Susanna’s eyes widened. “Rump-spinga? What’s that?”
“Rumspringa,” Mam corrected gently. “Some Amish churches allow their teenage boys and girls a few years of freedom to experiment with worldly ways before they commit their lives to God. Anna is right. So long as Eli hasn’t yet been baptized, he can do what he wants, within reason.”
“Rumspringa,” Susanna repeated.
“He’s wild is what he is.” Miriam’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “That’s what everyone is saying. Handsome and wild.”
Ruth’s throat tightened. She was just starting to feel calmer, and now here they were talking about that boy again. It was almost as bad as having him right here at the supper table! Why was Miriam teasing her like this? She knew very well Ruth wasn’t interested in Eli Lapp…not in any boy.
“Let us eat before everything is cold.” Mam didn’t raise her voice, but she didn’t have to. All eyes turned to their plates, and for several loud ticks of the mantel clock, there was no sound but the clink of forks and spoons against Mam’s blue-and-white ironstone plates and the loud purring of Susanna’s tabby cat under the table.
They were just clearing away the dishes when a knock came at the kitchen door. “Who can that be now?” Miriam asked. “Think it’s Eli Lapp again?”
Anna and Miriam exchanged glances and giggled. Ruth stepped into the hall, seriously considering marching straight up the stairs to an early bedtime.
“I’ll get it.” Anna bustled for the door.
“Ne. I’ll get it.” Mam straightened her Kapp before answering the door.
When Ruth peeked around the corner, she was relieved to see that it was Samuel Mast, their neighbor.
He plucked at his well-trimmed beard as he stepped into the kitchen. “You’re eating. I should have waited.”
“Ne, ne,” Mam said. “You come in and have coffee and Anna’s rhubarb pudding with us. You know you are always welcome. Did Roman say how much the repairs on the school would cost?”
Anna carried a steaming mug of coffee to Dat’s place. Since Dat’s death, the seat was always reserved for company, and Samuel often filled it.
Ruth thought Samuel was sweet on Mam, but her mother would certainly deny it. Samuel was a God-fearing man with a big farm and a prize herd of milk cows; he was also eight years younger than Mam. Nevertheless, Ruth observed, he came often and stayed late, whenever
