Chapter 8
8
Moses sat across from Scotty in the Paradise Café, his coffee mug suspended in midair. “Have I heard you correctly? You’re considering another offer? After my letter of intent? After you already drafted a purchase agreement? Are you considering someone from out of the area?”
“No.” Scotty leaned back in his seat. “And I appreciate the steps you’ve already gone through. I’m guessing this offer is more of a formality—one I need to at least consider. It’s a local person.”
Person. Why did he choose that word? Was he trying to conceal the possible buyer’s identity? Moses put his mug down. Sara appeared with the coffeepot and filled it. Moses said, “Thank you.” When she’d moved on, he added, “I’m surprised. Shocked, really. We’re so far along in the process.”
“We are. But it seems this person told me she—they—”
So it was a woman.
“They told me they were interested in buying the store over a year ago, but I hadn’t remembered or perhaps thought they weren’t serious.” He rubbed his chin. “But I believe I should at least consider their offer.”
“Will I have the opportunity to counter?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Does this person have a Plain background?” Could it be Lois? Perhaps she had an inheritance from her parents, although it seemed they didn’t have much money. That was the thing about the Amish—it was hard to tell when everyone dressed alike and drove similar buggies.
“No, no Plain background as far as I know,” Scotty said. “I just want to give this person a chance.”
“When will you decide?”
“I should know if it’s a legitimate offer soon. I’ll give you a call.”
“All right.” Moses took a sip of coffee. “I can pay cash. There will be no waiting for financing.”
“I’ll keep that under consideration.” Scotty scooted his chair back. “I need to get going.”
Moses stood. “So do I.”
Scotty pulled out his wallet.
“The coffee’s on me,” Moses said as a crash reverberated in the kitchen. Moses forced a chuckle. “It’s always something, right?”
Scotty laughed. “I’ll let you attend to business.”
“Talk to you tomorrow.” Moses took a couple of deep breaths. He hadn’t expected a delay in purchasing Paradise Found. He’d thought he’d be signing the papers within a day. Instead he might be making a counteroffer. Perhaps he’d end up spending more than he’d planned. The grocery store was profitable. So was the Byler’s Corner Market. That was why he wanted to get the market in Paradise going as soon as possible. The café hadn’t made a penny yet and wouldn’t for months.
He strode into the kitchen to find the man who washed the dishes kneeling on the floor, putting broken plates into a bus tub. Sara stood with her hands on her hips, tapping one foot.
Moses spoke softly. “Sara, go take a break. I’ll help clean up.”
An hour later Moses drove toward Paradise Found. He wanted to stop, but then he saw Scotty’s Buick in the lot. No. He needed to keep going.
The next afternoon, when Scotty called, Moses was at the grocery store, speaking with the manager about a late delivery. He held his phone in his hand, let it ring five times, and then excused himself and stepped through the warehouse and out the back door onto the loading dock. He didn’t want to seem too anxious. Finally, he answered it slowly, saying, “Hey, Scotty. How are you?”
After their greetings, Scotty cleared his throat. “The offer didn’t turn out to be serious enough for consideration, although the other interested party would like to be notified if you back out of the deal or decide to sell the shop in the next few years. Of course, the latter would simply be a courtesy on your part.”
“Of course,” Moses said. There was no way he’d want to sell the shop in a few years. “Do you mind if I ask who the interested party is?”
“Isabelle Conley. Do you know her?”
“No.” At least Moses didn’t think he did.
“She used to own a shop in Philly and moved here about ten years ago. She’s a childhood friend of my wife’s and became close with Lois over the last two years.”
That stung. Had Lois put Isabelle up to saying she wanted to make an offer to delay Moses’s plan? If so, it hadn’t worked.
“Anyway,” Scotty said, “my lawyer has drawn up the papers between us. We can go over them as soon as you’re ready. I’ll email you a copy to forward to your lawyer.”
Moses spoke slowly. “I’d still like to see the apartment above the shop before we finalize the deal.”
“Lois’s apartment?”
Moses nodded. “I think I have a right to see it. Sure, she’s living there, but I would own it.”
“Well, sure. But if you keep her on as you’ve promised and allow her to live in the apartment, it won’t matter, right?”
“Except I’m buying the property.”
“I don’t feel comfortable showing you the apartment with Lois living there. Nor pressuring her to allow you to see it.”
Moses’s face grew warm even though it was an unusually cold day for late April. Had he come off as inappropriate to ask to see an apartment he was buying? Scotty was clearly protective of Lois.
“How about if we meet in the morning?” Scotty asked. “My lawyer has a ten o’clock appointment available. Does that work?”
“As long as my lawyer has a chance to preview the document by then, jah.” Moses cringed. Jah. He tried not say the word anymore, especially not in a professional conversation. His face grew even warmer. “Yes, I can make that work.”
Friday morning at nine, with the signed papers in his hand along with the canceled cashier’s check from the bank for the entire amount, Moses unlocked the back door of the shop and stepped into the dark hallway. He quickly found the light switch. Obviously, Lois hadn’t come down yet.
Once his lawyer had reviewed the contract, it had taken another day to work out the details. After they signed the paperwork and Moses turned over the cashier’s check, Scotty handed him the keys, saying he’d already cleared out the office except for the computer and files, which were included in the sale.
Moses stepped to the office door, which was wide open, and entered. It was a little dusty, but in good shape.
He placed his satchel on the desk next to the monitor and sat in the chair. This was exactly what he’d wanted—a gift shop, a property for a market in Lancaster County, a living space on the property, and an office with a computer where he could consolidate all the paperwork for his, now, four businesses. So why did he feel so unsettled? As if he were trespassing? He’d never felt this way about any of the other businesses he’d bought.
Someone knocked on the back door. He’d been expecting Lois to arrive at any moment, but why would she knock? He stood.
Someone called out, “Moses? It’s me!” Sara.
He stepped into the hallway. She walked toward him, carrying a cup holder with two coffees and a cinnamon roll on a paper plate. “I came so we could celebrate, and you could show me around.”
He took one of the cups of coffee from her and the plate. “Denki.” He nodded his head toward the cinnamon roll. “I’ll put this down and then give you a tour.”
As Moses led Sara around the shop, taking sips of his coffee, he felt not only unsettled but anxious. Lois would come through the back door any minute. He hadn’t imagined his first morning in the shop to include Sara, but he was grateful she wanted to celebrate with him. She was good about marking special occasions, something he’d tried to avoid over the last few years because of his grief over his parents.
He showed her around the shop.
“It’s cute,” she said. “Of course, it needs a few updates. Several, in fact.” She shot him a smile. “I’ll help, starting with the window display. That will be my job.” She smiled.
Moses shrugged. “That’s fine by me.” He returned her smile but it felt halfhearted. If she had time, he was fine with her doing the window display. But he didn’t want Sara to remake the entire place. She was too busy with the café, plus he didn’t want her to feel as if she were in charge of the shop too. “Let’s go outside.” He started toward the door. “I’ll show you where the market will be.”
As they reached the door, it flew open. Lois gasped. Why was he always scaring her?
“Sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting you.” She smiled. “Hallo, Sara.”
“Hi,” Sara said. “How’s your leg?”
“ Gut. ” Lois tilted her head back and met Sara’s gaze. “Are you working here now?”
Sara sweetly answered, “No. I stopped by to celebrate Moses’s new purchase. He’s going to show me where the market will be.”
“Have fun. Watch out for the mole holes.” Lois breezed by them without saying anything more.
Sara stepped outside and Moses pulled the door closed behind them. “Maybe I should work here,” she said. “Lois can manage the café.”
“Why do you say that?”
“It doesn’t seem appropriate for you two to be here alone.”
Moses laughed, the first time he remembered doing so in months.
“What’s so funny?”
“Lois despises me.” He increased his stride and headed toward the pine tree. “The only thing you should worry about is my safety.”
Early Saturday morning, Moses headed to Delaware for his weekly trip to the Byler’s Corner Market. When he arrived, he parked his SUV and then walked to the locked mailbox at the edge of the parking lot. He had a couple of payments from vendors at the market and a thick envelope. The return address was Teresa Schrock’s. He hadn’t expected a circle letter so soon.
He put all the envelopes in his satchel—he’d deposit the checks later and read the circle letter when he had a chance.
He checked in with Joey first, who greeted him, jumping up and pouring him a cup of his wife’s coffee. She greeted Moses too. “I have fresh doughnuts. Made this morning.”
“I’ll take an old-fashioned,” Moses said. “Make it three.” He’d give the other two to Casey and Walter.
When he reached their stall, Casey stood as soon as he saw him and then limped toward him with his right hand held high. Moses put the doughnuts down on the closest shelf, and Casey gave him a high five. As their hands connected in a loud slap, Casey said, “Congratulations on buying Paradise Found.”
“Denki.” Moses made his hand into a fist against the sting on his palm as he lowered it. “I’m grateful it all worked out.”
Casey smiled. “Now you’ll see Lois every day.”
Moses ignored the comment. “How is business so far?”
“ Gut . Better than last week.”
“Where’s Walter?”
“Helping a new vendor get their stall set up.”
A customer approached and picked up a wooden train engine.
“I’ll stop by in a little while,” Moses said.
Casey waved.
An Amish woman selling jams, jellies, and peanut butter spread waved Moses over and then said, “One of the sinks in the women’s restroom is clogged.”
“Thank you for letting me know,” Moses said. “I’ll go take care of it.” He had a shed at the back of the property full of tools. Some of them Moses even knew how to use. He liked to give Joey a break when possible. He retrieved a plumber’s snake, a wrench, drain cleaner, and a bucket. He tried to work as quickly as possible and put the restroom back in use, but it took him longer than it should have.
The day continued with other problems. An older Englisch woman tripped and fell, bloodying her knee. An Amish horse on the road spooked and headed toward the market, scaring a group of tourists. Thankfully, the driver controlled the horse before anyone was injured. Then, just after noon, some unruly young Englisch men harassed a couple of Amish teenage girls selling cloth dolls. Moses planted himself at the edge of the stall, crossed his arms, and stared at the three Englischers. One of them said, “Nice suspenders,” and then broke out laughing. Moses took a step toward him. The kid’s smile disappeared. Moses took another step, squaring his shoulders.
The second boy said, “Let’s go.” They sauntered off, but Moses knew he’d spooked them.
“Denki,” the older of the girls said.
“You’re welcome. I’ll stay close to make sure they don’t come back.” They didn’t.
At four, as the market closed, he checked in with Sara at the café. When he didn’t hear back from her, he decided to head home to Lancaster County. Before going to the café, he’d stop by the shop.
It was five forty-five by the time he arrived, right before closing. Six cars were parked in the lot. He let himself in through the back door and headed straight to the office. After he deposited the checks from Delaware using his phone, he stepped into the hall and then into the back of the shop.
“Hello!” A fiftyish Englisch woman wearing a pair of navy-blue pants and a white sweater waved at him. “Are you Moses?”
“Yes.” He took a step toward her.
She wore hoop earrings and a gold necklace. “The new owner of the shop?”
“That’s right.”
“I’m Isabelle Conley.” She extended her hand. Moses noted several rings, including one with a large diamond. Her nails were manicured and painted pink. They shook hands.
She said, “I hope Scotty mentioned me.”
“He did.” Moses let go of her hand. “I can assure you, I hope to own the store for decades.”
She chuckled. “I’d be hoping the same thing if I’d managed to buy it. Unfortunately for me, but not for you, I didn’t have enough time to come up with the financing. If you do decide to sell the shop, say in the next decade, I’d appreciate it if you would contact me first.” She took a card from her purse and handed it to him.
He didn’t take it. “Just the shop?”
“That’s right.”
He took the card. “I don’t foresee changing my mind, but thank you just the same.”
She smiled. “And yet you took my card.”
“I did.” He slipped it into his pocket.
As Isabelle left the shop, Moses approached Lois—but then the front door swung open and four Englisch women swept in. Five minutes before closing.
Lois stepped forward without acknowledging him.
“This is the cutest shop,” one of the women said.
Another headed toward the linen rack.
A third toward the birdhouses.
Moses stepped backward, hesitated, and disappeared into the office. He could still hear Lois conversing with the women, suggesting different items.
The women didn’t leave until a half hour later. Then Lois vacuumed. She didn’t knock or acknowledge Moses in any way. Did she even know he was still there? Did she care?
Finally, at a few minutes past seven, she knocked on the office door.
“It’s open,” he said.
She pushed it a little bit and then stood in the small open space. She had a bank bag with her and handed it over the desk to him. “I’d put this in the safe if you weren’t here, but since you are...”
He took it from her. “Thank you.”
“Before I go,” she said, “I wanted to check about Monday.”
“Monday?”
“Typically it’s my day off.”
“Oh.”
“However, I could work this Monday if needed.”
“Yes, it’s needed. If you don’t mind. I’ll get someone for next...” He thought through his staff at both the café and the grocery store. No one came to mind.
“I know of someone who might be interested. A young Amish woman named Evelyn. She stays with her grandmother in the next district over. I should be seeing her tomorrow.”
If the grandmother lived in the next district over, she didn’t go to Lois’s church. Moses’s old church group. Lois must know Evelyn from Youngie events—singings and volleyball games and outings.
“Should I ask her?” Lois sounded tired—and annoyed.
“Please,” Moses said. “Ask her to come into the store on Monday and talk with me. I’ll plan to be here from ten until noon.”
“All right. I’ll see you Monday.”
She turned to go.
He said, “Lois?”
She turned. “Jah.”
“You don’t have to keep the shop open late like you did tonight.”
“I don’t have to? Or you don’t want me to?”
“You don’t have to.” His face grew warm.
“Okay. Thank you for letting me know.”
Honestly, he didn’t want her to. The extra time added to her wages, especially when he was paying her overtime.
After he heard the back door shut, he opened up the bag and went through the receipts. It had been a profitable day. He skimmed through the last half hour. The four women had spent over seven hundred dollars. He whistled. Paying Lois for an hour of overtime was certainly worth it. But that wouldn’t always be the case. He opened the safe and put the bag inside.
He stood and stretched and stepped into the shop. Lois recorded her time on a card she kept on the shelf under the register. He pulled it out. She’d logged out at six thirty. She’d given him a half hour of free labor—for seven hundred dollars. He didn’t like that either. Had she recorded her time before or after he’d said she didn’t have to keep the shop open?
He stepped back into the office and took the circle letter from his satchel. He needed to get over to the café. His phone dinged. Sara.
Where are you?
Be there soon
He was tired and hungry. A salad and a bowl of soup at the café would hit the spot.
He picked up the circle letter to put it in his satchel and then stopped himself. It wouldn’t hurt to read it. He’d answer it later.
Dear Fellow Birders,
One of my prayers for our circle of birders is that we learn more about nature, and therefore our Creator, as we observe our feathered friends over the next seven months. There are many, many things we can learn from birds, including to be confident . Think of how nestlings throw themselves out of the nest, sometimes off cliffs, to forage and fly. I hope you’ll know when to throw yourself out of your nest, whatever it might be, and have faith as intrinsic as these chicks that Gott will care for you too.
Moses wasn’t sure of what he thought of Teresa’s platitude. A percentage of nestlings threw themselves out of their nests to their deaths. However, there was truth to what Teresa wrote. He could relate—he felt as if he’d jumped off a cliff after his Dat died. But did it take confidence? Or simply an intense desire to survive?
Teresa explained that because birding season was in full force, she was modifying the usual circle letter rules. Instead of sending the letter around the circle and taking months and months to hear from everyone, members would write about their birding experiences each week and send their reports to her. She wrote,
Include the type of bird, location, time of day, the weather, and any other relevant information. Then I will photocopy all the letters and mail a copy of the reports to everyone. Be mindful of our songbirds, our Little Brown Birds who are often overlooked but add so much beauty to our world. Let us know who you hear and see!
Teresa encouraged each member to respond to at least one of the previous sightings each week. She also specified everyone should put his or her name and address at the bottom of his or her “letter,” adding it wasn’t unusual for members to communicate privately too. She listed eleven members—five couples and a woman named Mary, whom he knew. She managed a shop in Bird-in-Hand, was a widow, and, he guessed, was in her late thirties. He continued reading.
Before I close, I want to welcome our two newest members, Jane Weaver and Menno Stoltzfus!
It appeared Jane Weaver was single too. Perhaps she was fifty and single—but maybe not. Moses refolded the letter. He’d take time to do some birding the next day, so he’d have something to write about, to the circle and perhaps to Jane Weaver individually. Whether she was fifty or twenty, it might be nice to have a pen pal interested in birds. He wasn’t looking for a romantic relationship—he had one with Sara. He was looking for a new friend—someone who didn’t know about his past or that he’d sold his Amish father’s farms and put his Amish mother in a care center. Or anything else about him.
But hopefully, the circle letter would get him thinking about nature again. Either way, it would be a good distraction from his current problem—Lois Yoder.