Chapter 11
“You’ve been quiet all supper, Kyle,” Mervin said when Ruthie stood up to bring them slices of chocolate cake for dessert. “Did you not have a good afternoon off?”
“No, I did.” Unable to help himself, he smiled. “It was a very good afternoon.”
“Oh? What did you do? Did ya end up going over to the hardware store to check out the grills like you mentioned you might?”
Kyle couldn’t believe that Mervin had zeroed in on the one place that he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about. “I did go there. As a matter of fact, it was my visit there that I can’t stop thinking about.”
“It must have been some set of grills,” Ruthie teased as she placed a thick slice of cake in front of him.
He laughed. “Oh nee. It wasn’t the grills that caught my fancy, but something else. Or, rather someone else.”
“That sounds mighty cryptic,” Mervin said as he took his plate from Ruthie before she sat down with her own. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense. Who did you see?”
“A woman. We ran into each other. Or, rather, I guess I ran into her, though I’m still not quite sure how that happened.”
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know if you know her. Her name is Winter. Winter Walker.”
Mervin frowned. “Is she Amish?”
“Jah. I guess that means you don’t know her?”
“I don’t, but I haven’t met too many folks outside of our church district. Have you heard of her, Ruthie?”
“That name does sound familiar, but I can’t place her. What was she like?”
“She’s beautiful. She’s got dark hair, pale, creamy skin, and the most unusual eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re a cross between silver and blue.”
“Her looks sound as if they’re as unusual as her name,” Ruthie said.
“But she’s so much more than that. She’s as sweet and innocent as any woman I’ve ever met.” He chuckled softly, remembering how she’d held out her hand for him to help her stand up. “After I ran into her, she needed to sit down and recover.”
Mervin frowned. “What did you do to her, son?”
“Nothing. I think she was just extremely shaken up. Or maybe she’s just more tender than most women? Anyway, I sat down on the bench next to her and we started talking. She was so sweet.”
“Jah, you mentioned that,” Ruthie murmured. “It’s a shame I don’t know her.”
“She knows Daisy, though. I think they attended the same Amish school.”
“Oh, so you can learn more about her from Daisy.”
Remembering how Winter’s expression pinched slightly when he brought up Daisy’s name, Kyle figured that their neighbor might not be the best source of information. “I suppose I could ask Daisy, but they’re nothing alike. She might not have much to tell me about someone like Winter.”
Ruthie put down her fork. “What do you mean? Daisy is a nice young woman. I’m sure she has a lot of friends. She’s pretty, too.”
Kyle smiled at Ruthie. As usual, the woman was determined to champion their new neighbor, just as she’d always been happy to champion him when he and Aaron had been teenagers.
Not wanting to hurt her feelings but still be completely honest, he weighed each word carefully. “Jah, Daisy is nice. But like I said, she’s very different than Winter. Plus, Winter didn’t sound as if she got along with Daisy very well. I don’t think they’re close.”
Mervin sipped his coffee as he leaned back and crossed his legs. “It sounds as if you discovered a lot about this young woman in a short amount of time.”
“I did learn a lot about Winter, but it’s more than that.” He waved a hand. “All I’m saying is that Daisy is strong. Strong willed and hardy.”
Ruthie’s eyebrows lifted. “Hardy?”
“Jah. Sure. I mean, she can practically plow a field. I mean, she could if she were a little bit stronger.” Chuckling softly, he added, “I can’t even imagine Winter being able to walk across a large field, let alone do any work in it.”
“If she’s that tender, she must be sickly,” Ruthie murmured.
“Or special.” He flushed. He sounded as moony as a teenager.
Ruthie speared a bite of cake. “She sure seems special to you.”
There was no mistaking the thin veil of sarcasm in her voice. Kyle didn’t take offense to it as he took a bite of cake. “I know that I’m making her sound perfect. I’m sure she isn’t. I can’t help myself, though. She made an impression on me.”
“You sound smitten,” Mervin said.
“Perhaps I am.”
“In that case, I hope you run into her again,” he joked.
“It’s better than that. She gave me permission to call on her.”
Ruthie blinked. “Really?”
“Why does that surprise you?”
“I don’t know Winter. Obviously, I do not. But most young ladies who seem to be as uh … innocent and frail as this young woman is, usually have to wait for their parents to agree to a man calling at her haus. That means they would have to know him, have a conversation …”
Mervin nodded. “She’s right. Our Aaron had to go through quite a few hoops with Hanna’s family before they allowed them to sit together after church.
We supported their decision, too. I must have told Aaron five times that if Hanna was worth it, then he wouldn’t mind doing whatever her family wanted, to make sure she felt happy and secure. ”
Kyle was surprised. “Aaron never told me that.”
Ruthie shared a smile with Mervin. “That’s likely because Aaron was completely focused on Hanna. All he ever said when Mervin told him to honor her parents was that he was glad she was so protected. Aaron figured if he couldn’t call on Hanna without a chaperone, then no one else could either.”
“Well, maybe things are different in the Walker household. She said that her parents would chaperone my visit when I go on Wednesday.”
“Wednesday’s not too far away.”
“I know. I’m excited.”
“I hope it goes well.”
Mervin was acting like his fascination with Winter was wrong, which made Kyle uncomfortable. “I hope so, too. Well, I know our meeting seems odd, but I am glad that our meeting was unexpected. Honestly, I think the Lord meant for me and Winter to meet. She’s all I can seem to think about.”
Mervin’s eyes widened. “She must be quite the beauty.”
“She is beautiful, but she was more than that. She was sweet and innocent. All I’ve been thinking about is our conversation in front of the hardware store. Do you think tomorrow makes me seem too eager?”
“Jah,” Mervin said.
“I agree,” Ruthie said. “Also, I think it might be a good idea if you asked someone about Winter. You need to get more information.”
“Why?”
“No reason,” she said slowly. “Well, no reason other than the fact that I’d hate for you to fall head over heels for a woman who might not be everything she seems.”
Kyle didn’t agree. He felt so protective of Winter already, he even resented the idea that Ruthie and Mervin might not agree that she was perfect for him.
But the Millers were his employers, not his parents.
And, waiting a week would probably be the best idea anyway.
Some of the women he’d called on in Kentucky had been very different sitting in their living rooms than when they were at a Sunday night singing with all their friends.
“Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.”
Looking relieved, Ruthie patted his arm. “I’m glad you aren’t upset with us, Kyle. To be sure, we’re not your parents, but I canna help but think if Anna Kate and Levi were sitting at this table, they’d tell you the same thing.”
“Mei mamm is fond of saying that patience is a virtue.”
Ruthie winked. “She’s right. Give this conversation with Winter a few days to percolate. Why, I bet her parents are saying the same thing to her!”
“Jah. I reckon you are right.” Feeling better, he picked up his fork again while Mervin and Ruthie stood up.
Sitting in the silence, he imagined Winter telling her parents all about him. He was sure she’d felt the same connection he had.
No doubt they were also advising her to be patient. After all, future happiness was always worth it.