Chapter 35 #2
Startled, she looked up. Adam stood at the open pocket doors to the living room with a broom in his hand.
“Sure.” She smiled.
As they swept, Adam asked what she was looking forward to most on Saturday. She wanted to say, Watching you build a barn. But instead, she said, “Becky and Ike’s reaction when they arrive.”
“I think Mammi is going to be mad,” Adam said.
Joanna agreed. “She’ll get over it—and more. Not only is September twentieth our barn raising, it’s also Becky and Ike’s anniversary. Mammi Lu is going to bake them a cake.”
Adam laughed. “That will really make her mad.”
As she and Adam met in the middle of the room, he said, “I’ve really enjoyed working on this house and the barn raising with you. We make a good team.”
“Denki,” Joanna replied. He stopped sweeping and leaned against his broom. Did he plan to say more?
When he didn’t, she said, “How about you? What are you looking forward to?”
As he opened his mouth to answer, Tim called out from the foyer, “Adam! We need your help out here.”
Adam gave Joanna an apologetic look and then turned and followed Tim. Perhaps he wasn’t ready to say whatever he’d started to say after all.
She thought of their kiss on the portico. Why had she run?
What if she’d stayed? What if she’d chosen to trust him?
Adam didn’t come back into the house. When she left for the day, he was sitting on the foundation of the barn with a set of plans in his hands. He would be working late—he still needed to put one last coat of varnish on the banister.
Then he and Caleb and Tim would spend all of the next day seeing to the lumber delivery and the crane’s arrival, as well as sorting through the hardware they needed while Joanna cleaned the vacation rentals for new arrivals Friday afternoon.
Saturday morning when Joanna arrived at the warehouse she decided to save time and not make coffee.
After she packed the last crate, the one with paper supplies for the potluck and serving the cake, she glanced toward the coffee counter.
She yawned and pushed up the sleeves of her heavy sweater, then spotted an envelope on the counter.
Her heart lurched. It was the same writing as before. Joanna.
Adam had written her another letter.
But then she froze. After Miriam told Jacob she didn’t want to marry him, he told her that was good because he wasn’t coming back from Ohio. No one knew if that was his original plan or his reaction to her rejection.
Joanna assumed Adam’s talk of going back to Florida had been because of the uncertainty around the business, but that seemed to be settled, at least for now.
The next project was in the works. Why hadn’t she asked Adam if he planned to leave?
Why hadn’t she told him she wanted him to stay?
If he still intended to go, would he tell her in person? Or write it in a letter?
Every evening she sat on the porch and hoped he’d stop by. A few times she’d ventured back to the edge of the woods, looking for him. Sometimes she heard a scooter on the highway, but it never turned down Mammi Lu’s driveway. Had she waited too long?
She picked up the envelope carefully, as if it might burn her, slipped it into her pocket, and then decided to make a pot of coffee after all.
Next she retrieved her lengthy to-do list from the office.
She’d recruited a handful of Youngie boys to see to the horses and buggies and set up the tables and benches.
Mammi Lu, Mammi Rhoda, and Elaine were in charge of organizing the food and keeping the lines moving.
Mandy and Miriam were in charge of the drinks and restocking the cups, napkins, and plates.
When Joanna had seen them the day before, Mandy said Veronica wanted to help too.
She was going to meet Tim at the barn raising.
That had made Joanna smile. Perhaps Veronica would be part of their circle too.
After the coffee finished percolating, Joanna filled her travel cup and grabbed her bag, the cup, and the crate and took them to the loading area.
Then she hurried out to the stable to hitch the horse to the wagon.
Thankfully Ike and Becky didn’t come out of their house.
Next she loaded the folding tables and all of the boxes into the wagon.
She glanced back toward the warehouse. She’d made enough coffee for two—she’d go fill the extra travel cup for Adam.
A few minutes later, she tucked it into a box in the back and climbed onto the bench and started for the Pequea Creek house.
When she reached the highway, she pulled the wool blanket out from under the bench and spread it across her legs.
Summer had turned into autumn. The yellow leaves on the big-leaf maple trees fluttered above her.
Overhead, Canada geese flew south. She passed a cornfield where the farmer had started harvesting and then a pasture where two Amish boys carted sprinklers toward a shed.
She turned her face up toward the blue sky and patted the letter in her apron pocket.
She hoped it wasn’t bad news. She felt nauseous at the thought of Adam moving back to Florida.
The smoke from a morning fire wafted from an Amish farmhouse chimney ahead.
Joanna imagined the family around the kitchen table, eating their breakfast, all safe and secure and together.
Jah, the last couple of months had been hard.
She hadn’t felt safe and secure, and yet she had been.
Lancaster County was home and Strasburg Township in particular.
She would stay—even if Adam returned to Florida.
Obviously Ike and Becky weren’t selling their business to Jacob, but even if they sold their business to someone else she wouldn’t leave.
She’d trust God. He would provide other work that she loved, if needed.
But above all, she hoped Adam would stay and take over the business. He was a hard worker and a good leader.
Miriam was right—Adam was a good man. A ladybug landed on her hand for a moment and then flew away.
She patted the letter again, and then she pulled off the road under an oak tree.
Joanna couldn’t wait any longer. She had to know what Adam had written to her.
She hoped he was staying. She hoped for even more than that.
The dry leaves rustled above her as she took the letter from her pocket.
Adam warmed as he and Caleb moved the pieces of lumber for the frame. Every few minutes Adam raised his head. He’d expected Joanna to arrive by now. Had she found his letter?
He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as Tim called out, “Boss! Where do you want these boards?”
Adam wasn’t used to having anyone call him boss, but he took it in stride.
But the fact was, he would soon be the boss.
The evening before, his grandparents had asked him to take over the business within the next year, and he’d said yes.
He’d stopped himself from rushing over to Lu’s to tell Joanna.
Nee, he needed her to read the letter first.
Now he pointed toward the front of the foundation. “At the top,” he instructed Caleb.
A barn raising was like a massive puzzle, and thankfully the barn builder had made an intricate plan.
They’d build the frames and raise them, and then build the walls.
Once the sides were up, they would start on the roof.
Joanna had contacted men who had worked on Dawdi’s roofing crew over the years who would lead that effort.
“Adam!”
He raised his head.
Joanna stood in the driveway next to the wagon. She held a coffee cup in her hand. As he approached, she said, “I thought you could use this.”
“Denki.” He took the cup from her. “How are you?”
“Gut.” She smiled at him. “Really gut. Better than I’ve been in a long time.”
He took a drink of coffee. Was it because of his letter? Or something else? He was afraid to ask. Instead he said, “I’ll help you unload the wagon.”
“Denki. We’re going to put the food tables on the south front lawn and then the church tables and wagons on the north lawn.”
It only took a few minutes to unload the boxes and tables and cart them over to the grass. Adam helped Joanna place the tables, and just as he worked up the courage to ask if she’d read the letter, she patted the pocket of her apron. “I found your letter. We need to talk—”
Someone yelled, “Adam!”
He turned. Tim stood in the driveway. “We ended up with an extra piece.”
“Not now,” Joanna said. “Maybe later today, when you can get away.”
“I’ll unhitch the horse,” he said.
“Nee. I’ll do it. I have plenty of time. The men will begin arriving any minute to start putting the frame together.”
He nodded and grabbed his cup from the back of the wagon. “Thank you again.” He couldn’t help but feel anxious about what she thought of the letter, but he’d have to wait to find out.
The boys Joanna had asked to see to the horses, buggies, and wagons arrived.
They began unhitching horses, watering them, and leading them to the pasture.
Men gathered around the foundation and began building the frames.
By midmorning they raised them. Next Adam organized the groups to work on putting up the walls and framing the windows.
At noon, they all stopped for the meal. Adam washed up at the outside station with the others and made his way to the front yard as Nick turned the van down the driveway.
Adam had asked his grandparents to meet him at the Pequea Creek house to do a walk-through because they hadn’t seen it since the cabinets had been installed and the floors finished.
As the van came to a stop, Mammi Becky slid open the side door. “What in the world is going on here?”
She focused on Joanna, who walked toward the van. “Don’t tell me you put all this together.”
Joanna smiled. “I did.” She glanced around, meeting Adam’s eyes.
He stepped forward. “We did.”
“You shouldn’t have.” Mammi Becky climbed from the van with a miffed expression on her face. “Really.”
“Now, Becky.” Dawdi Ike strode toward her. “I’m sure they had their reasons.”
“Everyone wanted to help,” Joanna said. “It was the only way to get the barn built in a hurry, so you can get the property on the market and get the price it’s worth.”
Lu, Rhoda, and Elaine stepped toward Mammi Becky. Lu called out, “Joanna’s right. Everyone did want to help.”
Mammi Becky’s expression softened a little. “Are you sure?”
“Positive,” Elaine answered.
Mammi Becky slipped her arm through Dawdi Ike’s. Lu waved them over to the food line and said, “Get something to eat.”
As the line started down the sides of the food tables, Adam saw Joanna slip into the house through the front door. He followed her. She waited, halfway up the staircase, her hand on the banister, and said, “It’s lovely. You’ve done a beautiful job restoring it.”
He started up the staircase toward her as she took an envelope from her apron pocket. “Denki.”
She pulled the letter out and said, “I love that you love that I’m a planner and good in an emergency.
That you love that I’m brave even when I’m afraid.
That I read and share stories with you—and read what you recommend.
That I love my grandparents—and yours. That I love flowers.
That I do all I can to create homes for other people.
” She met his eyes and said, “And I love the end of your letter.” She dropped her gaze again and read,
“I love that you were willing to be my friend from the beginning even though I wasn’t willing to be yours. I’m prouder than I should be, but not too proud to ask again if you would be willing to court me. I love you.
Your friend,
Adam”
She stepped down a stair and reached for Adam’s hand. “I love how honest you are. And patient. I love how unafraid you are. I love that you were a good friend to me, even when you didn’t mean to be.” She squeezed his hand. “And I love you too.”
Adam stepped up one stair and leaned toward her.
She held his gaze and their lips met for a sweet kiss.
He grasped the banister with one hand and held Joanna with the other, pulling her close.
She smelled of lavender soap and fresh air and the pine trees that bordered the house.
She wrapped both arms around him, still holding the letter, and their mouths met again.
When she finally pulled away he said, “I’d like my life with you to start as soon as possible. ”
He felt Joanna nod, but then she gasped. “The cake!”
Joanna walked out the front door of the house, across the portico, and down the front steps as she carried the double-layer chocolate cake toward Becky and Ike, who sat in lawn chairs to the right on the front lawn.
Adam walked beside her, and by the time they reached his grandparents, Mammi Lu, Mammi Rhoda, and Elaine had gathered close by, with Daniel and Dawdi Hiram near them.
Becky, acting exasperated, said, “What else have you two done?”
Before Joanna could answer, Mammi Lu laughed. “Blame me. I made the cake.”
Joanna said, “Happy anniversary,” and extended her arms toward Becky, who took the cake.
“How many years?” someone called out.
Becky glanced at Ike, who quickly answered, “Forty-seven wunderbar years.”
Several people clapped.
Becky said under her breath, “Don’t ask how we met.”
Joanna laughed.
“It was love at first sight.” Ike gave Becky an adoring smile. Mammi Lu clasped her hands, and Mammi Rhoda stepped back to be closer to Dawdi Hiram. Daniel moved to Elaine’s side.
Becky started toward the dessert table. “Dessert is served! If you don’t want pie, cookies, or cupcakes, grab a slice of this.” She turned toward Mammi Lu and mouthed, Denki.
As Joanna stepped away from the crowd, back toward the portico, Adam walked with her. When they were by themselves, he whispered in her ear, “What will we tell our grandchildren someday about how we met?”
She spoke in a normal voice. “We’ll tell them we met on the way to a wedding. And you wanted to court me, but you didn’t want to be friends.”
Adam added, “And then we’ll tell them we met again in Florida.”
Joanna laughed. “And again at Thanksgiving.” Her voice grew serious. “And again when I was very sad.”
When she’d read his letter, she’d felt hope. Adam loved her. She could trust him. There was power in his words, and she could no longer deny the deep, deep sense of connection she felt with him. With Jacob, she’d been guarded. But with Adam she could be herself.
Adam stepped closer so their shoulders touched and said, “And we’ll tell them we finally became friends, and then we courted.”
Joanna leaned against him, brushing her hand against his, and whispered, “And then I’ll say, ‘Grandchildren, I married him.’”