Chapter 5
A Change in Pace
Hannah had barely slept at all the night before.
After having Daniel join them for supper and then knowing that he was sleeping in the dawdi haus, which hadn’t been occupied for years, she had felt unsettled.
Last night she had prayed for guidance, and although she had faith that, in time, the Lord would reveal his plans to her, she couldn’t help but wonder whether having Daniel Hostetler here was a good or bad thing.
The bishop had insisted that it wasn’t improper, but it still felt strange having a man living on their farm that wasn’t family.
After tossing and turning for most of the night, she finally got up and began her morning routine.
Miriam had been thoughtful enough to make the dough for the potato rolls last night, so all she had to do was pop them into the woodstove oven once it had been warmed.
She drank her coffee on the porch and made breakfast, feeling slightly nervous about Daniel joining them at the breakfast table shortly.
Once she had woken up her sisters, Hannah returned to the kitchen to start on breakfast. She had barely cracked the first egg when there was a knock on the back door.
Curiously, she opened the door only to find Daniel standing on the threshold, looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with a basket of eggs in his hands.
“Guten mayrie, Hannah. I wasn’t sure if you needed these for breakfast.” Daniel held out the basket with a friendly smile.
For a moment Hannah didn’t move. The simple gesture of collecting eggs before her sisters were even properly awake caught her off guard. “Denke, that was kind of you. Would you urm… like some kaffe? I’m still busy making breakfast.”
“That would be kind, denke.” Daniel nodded before he took off his hat and stepped
inside.
Hannah reached for a cup from the shelf when she felt Daniel’s presence beside her.
“Please, Hannah, you don’t have to wait on me. Now that I know where the cups are, I can help myself to kaffe,” Daniel said easily as he took the cup from her.
He took a seat at the table with his cup of coffee.
Silence hung over the kitchen except for the sausages frying in the pan that Hannah was keeping watch over.
“Is this your checklist for today?” Daniel asked curiously.
Hannah turned only to find Daniel holding her notebook. “That’s… uh jah it is.”
She couldn’t exactly say it was private because it was lying on the kitchen table, but then, she wasn’t expecting him to join her before her sisters.
“I’ve already shoveled out the stables and fed the chickens. I’ve also made a temporary repair on the coop until I have time to do it properly. Can I check those things off the list for today?” Daniel asked before taking a sip of his coffee.
Three chores.
Three simple actions had just changed her entire day. Did he even realize how it felt to have that small amount of weight lifted from her shoulders?
“Denke.” Hannah couldn’t help but sound surprised.
“Didn’t you sleep?” she asked after turning over the sausages.
“I’m usually up at around four, and once I’m up, I’m up,” Daniel shrugged with an easy grin.
A grin that made her insides curl up before they uncurled into a bundle of jelly.
“You don’t have to start working at four, Daniel,” Hannah finally said, turning to him. “Usually we plan the day’s schedule over breakfast. That way the work is divided, and everyone knows what is expected.”
“I can’t sit around until six, and I don’t mind doing chores in and around the yard until then. Helps me clear my mind.” Daniel stood up and helped himself to another cup of coffee before he leaned against the counter and looked at Hannah. “Are you always up first?”
Hannah nodded. “Mamm used to have breakfast ready for us when we woke up; I like to do the same for my schweschders.”
“They’re very blessed to have you,” Daniel complimented her with an easy smile. “Can I set the table for you?”
“Jah, denke,” Hannah nodded as she slipped the sausages onto a serving dish. The kitchen felt smaller somehow with Daniel in it. Or perhaps it was because it was only the two of them. Hannah decided not to ponder on it and instead started making the toast and scrambling the eggs.
She had just finished scrambling the eggs when her sisters both appeared in the kitchen.
Daniel got to his feet and greeted her sisters with a friendly smile. “Guten mayrie Miriam, Lydia.”
“Guten mayrie, Daniel,” Miriam mumbled quietly.
“Hullo. Are you ready for Hannah’s daily briefing?” Lydia teased, helping herself to coffee.
“Lydia, it’s not a briefing, it’s a plan. If we don’t have a plan, hardly anything gets done on time,” Hannah quickly defended herself.
Daniel nodded, agreeing with her. “You don’t have a well-operating farm or household without one.”
Hannah appreciated his words more than he would ever know. With a smile that she tried to hide, Hannah set the toast on the table and took her seat. “Let’s bow our heads to say grace.”
She had no idea what the future held, but with three tasks already checked off her list for the day, she already felt a little more hopeful for what the day would bring.