Chapter 14
The next morning, Joanna arrived at work before Becky. She made the coffee, cleaned up the counter someone had dirtied the day before after she left, and then busied herself tidying the staging area, covering several pieces of furniture with sheets and then putting couch pillows in plastic bags.
She replayed Sunday night. Adam had seemed extra kind and attentive on the way home, but he hadn’t mentioned Jacob or Vernonica. Joanna hadn’t either. Nor did she have a chance, with so many people around, to ask Mandy about Jacob and Veronica before the evening ended.
Mandy had opened up about her doctor’s visit while they were alone in the kitchen, saying she had a couple of previous visits and they were trying natural measures.
She didn’t go into detail, and Joanna wouldn’t expect her to, but she seemed hopeful.
And Mandy had reiterated that Jacob didn’t deserve her.
Joanna paused, holding a wayward pillow against her chest. Did Mandy know something she didn’t?
The warehouse door opened and a stream of light bounced across the concrete floor, followed by a shadow.
“Guder Mariye.” It was Adam. “I smell coffee.” The steps stopped. “Joanna, are you in here?”
She stepped out to where she could see Adam, still holding the pillow. “Jah. I’m here.” She tossed the pillow to the couch. She’d deal with it later.
He grinned. “Denki for the coffee.”
“You’re welcome.”
He kept walking toward the kitchen area, still limping a little, and took two white mugs out of the cupboard. “Do you take sugar? Cream?”
She pointed to her travel mug. “I already have some.” Adam put one mug back as Joanna said, “I have an extra travel mug.” She opened the far cupboard, pulled it out, and handed it to him.
Adam said, “Denki.” And then as he poured his coffee he asked, “How are you doing this morning?”
Before she could answer, the door opened further and Ike stepped inside. He squinted into the dimness of the warehouse. “Adam? Are you in here?”
“Jah. I’m here.”
“Have you seen Joanna?”
“I’m here,” she called out.
“Nick just pulled up. We need to go.”
Adam took a couple of sips and then headed toward the door with his travel mug in his hand.
Becky was sitting on the front bench seat of the van. “Adam, sit in the back.” She patted the seat beside her. “Sit here, Joanna.” Both did, of course, as Becky ordered.
Ike climbed into the front seat as Jacob yelled from across the yard, “Wait! I have another question.”
“I’ll be right back.” Ike jumped to the ground.
Jacob stood by the wagon, holding a tool in his hand. Joanna couldn’t tell what it was, but he appeared frustrated.
Becky turned toward Adam. “Your coffee smells good.”
“Want some?”
“Jah.”
Joanna kept watching Jacob as Becky took a drink from Adam’s mug and then said, “Wonderful gut.” She offered the cup to Joanna. “How about you?”
“Nee.” Joanna glanced out the window again and back at Becky. “I have my travel cup.” She patted her bag.
Becky handed the coffee back to Adam and then rustled in her bag.
“Joanna?”
She turned her head, embarrassed. Of course Becky was talking to her.
Becky said, “The Realtor will be there, since we haven’t signed the papers yet. I have some notes we need to go over about the house before we arrive.”
Adam leaned toward them. Joanna could smell his coffee along with a woody scent, probably from his soap.
Becky held a notebook in her hand. “The house was built in 1837. It’s six thousand square feet, so it’s by far the largest house we’ve done.
We had an initial inspection before we made the offer.
We have a few electrical updates, which we’ll use our regular electrician for.
We’re hoping we can do the rest. Today, we want to talk about design ideas. ”
Ike climbed back into the van and Joanna forced herself to look straight ahead, instead of at Jacob.
Becky kept talking as Nick pulled onto the highway.
It was a short ride. When they reached the house, Nick turned the van down the driveway and crossed a narrow bridge over Pequea Creek.
The Realtor waited on the portico at the front of the house.
Once Nick parked the van, Joanna opened the door and jumped down.
She’d admired the home from the time she was a young girl visiting Mammi Lu and Dawdi Marcus with her family.
She would tag along with her brothers when they went exploring, and one time they played in the creek by the covered bridge fifty yards down the road.
The house was three stories with a brick facade and a pine tree on each side. It was definitely fancier than the places they usually renovated. It would be a great distraction from thinking about Jacob.
“Let’s start with the first floor,” the Realtor said as she unlocked the door. The hardwood floors in the foyer were worn and scratched but salvageable. The walls were lathe and plaster. Ahead was an open staircase with a cherrywood banister.
The Realtor opened pocket doors into the living room.
It was large and had a cavernous fireplace with a wide hearth.
Maple trim framed the room along with a coffered ceiling.
Floor-to-ceiling windows covered the north wall of the living room.
With each step through the house, Joanna felt lighter and more positive.
The kitchen needed to be gutted—that meant choosing new cabinets, an island, and all new appliances. She pulled a yellow legal pad from her bag and began jotting down notes. All of the bathrooms needed new tile, showers, vanities, and mirrors. The light fixtures all needed to be replaced.
By the time they reached the backyard, Joanna had pages of notes.
But she ignored them as they stepped onto the veranda.
It needed to be cleaned up and some of the brickwork repaired, but it was a lovely area lined with benches and then roses growing in beds on three sides.
A carriage house sat off to the right, and off to the left was an old red barn.
The Realtor’s phone rang, and she stepped back toward the house.
As they walked toward the barn, Adam asked, “What kind of shape is it in?”
“It needs some repairs,” Ike said.
Adam took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair as he walked. “The roof doesn’t look like it’s in very good shape.”
“We can fix it.”
Adam’s limp became more noticeable. Joanna stifled a laugh. She wasn’t sure if he was joking or remembering the last roof. As they walked into the barn a swallow flew up through a hole in the roof and out the top.
Adam pointed upward. “That’s not a good sign.”
Ike winced. “We came in the late afternoon last time. The light wasn’t as bright.”
Becky turned around slowly. “This may cost more than we anticipated.” It wasn’t like Becky and Ike to miss a deteriorating roof.
“We could raze it,” Ike said. “The place has a carriage house. Does it really need a barn?”
“Jah,” Joanna and Adam said in unison. Joanna studied Ike for a minute. Was he serious? Of course a massive house in Lancaster County on nine acres needed a barn.
After a long pause, Ike said, “I guess you’re right.”
Becky stepped to his side. “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“Jah.” Ike sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s going to be a lot, I know. It’s the most we’ve taken on so far.”
Becky patted his shoulder. “It’ll probably be the most we ever take on—but how could we pass on a property we’ve admired our entire married life?”
As they waited on the front porch for Nick, Becky asked Joanna what she thought of the house.
“I love it,” Joanna answered. “I need to do some research, but I think we can come up with renovations that show off the character of the house in a way that will appeal to a modern buyer.”
“It might take us a while to sell it once we’re done,” Becky said. Did Joanna detect a measure of stress in her voice? “We’ll need just the right buyer.”
Nick turned onto the driveway.
“Where are you going next?” Adam asked his grandparents.
“We have another house to look at.” Ike pulled his pocket watch from the fanny pack he wore. “In fifteen minutes. We’re late.”
“How about if Nick drops Joanna and me off at the café on the highway? We can talk through ideas,” Adam said. “And you can pick us up there.”
“Wunderbar.” Becky turned toward Joanna. “If that’s all right with you?”
“Jah.” She gave Adam a sideways glance.
He mouthed, Sorry. I should have asked you first.
It’s fine, she mouthed back.
Becky beamed. Ike took his wife’s hand, something most other Amish husbands would never do in public, and started toward the van. Joanna and Adam followed along behind them.
After they ordered, Joanna flipped to a fresh page in her notebook.
“What other ideas do you have?” she asked.
Adam put down his water glass. “The banister is amazing but needs work. Did you notice the cracks?”
Joanna nodded. “Can’t they be filled?”
“I think so. And I can refinish it.” Adam shrugged. “We’ll see what Dawdi decides.”
Joanna gave him a sly smile. “You mean Becky.”
Adam laughed. “They definitely work together.”
The waitress dropped off their coffee. After she left, as Joanna wrapped her hand around her cup, she asked, “What else?”
Adam dumped sugar into his coffee. “I think we should knock down the pantry wall to enlarge the kitchen.”
Joanna wasn’t sure about that, but she added it to the list. She liked Adam’s idea. He definitely had a vivid imagination, something Becky said was essential for the work they did.
“What are you reading now?”
Joanna laughed. “That was an abrupt subject change.”
He grinned. “You’re always reading something.”
She shrugged. “A gardening book.”
“No novels?”
She shook her head.
He leaned back in his chair. “That’s sad.”
It was, but she wasn’t going to agree with him. She’d stopped reading novels during the second time Jacob had courted her.
He asked, “Are you sure you’re not reading an actual story?”
The waitress dropped off the cinnamon roll Adam had ordered. He asked, “May we please have another fork?”
“I don’t want any,” Joanna said.
He smiled. “Just in case.”
Her mouth watered. She actually did.
Once the waitress dropped off the fork, Adam slid the plate over to Joanna. “You first.”
She took a bite. It was delicious. She took another bite, a big one, and slid the plate across the table to Adam.
He poked his fork into the cinnamon roll. “I loved Jane Eyre.”
An involuntary smile spread across Joanna’s face. “Reader, I loved it too.”
Adam laughed. “That was funny.”
She smiled, glad he remembered Jane’s line—“Reader, I married him”—in the book. She turned serious. “I’m glad you liked it.” It was a long book. “Why did you read it?”
“Because you were reading it at Thanksgiving, when I saw you.”
Her heart lurched a little. Adam made her feel warm from being seen and cold from being exposed.
All at the same time. She used to think Jacob listened to her, saw her, but now she wondered if he ever had.
She thought of the glimmer in his eye when he’d tilt his head, lean toward her, and flash his charming smile.
Maybe he hadn’t ever really heard her. Maybe he only pretended to.
Adam slid the plate back across the table. “Do you remember that night in the van, on the way back from Noah and Emily’s wedding?”
“Jah.” Joanna cut off another piece of the cinnamon roll. “I remember you said that men and women couldn’t be friends. You said the same thing—well, that we couldn’t be friends—in Pinecraft. Do you still believe that?”
He hesitated for a long moment and then said, “I remember saying that both times, and jah, generally, I still think that’s true.”
She slid the plate back toward him again and took a drink of coffee, a long one. She’d lost her appetite.