SEVEN

The next morning, Aaron parked his truck in front of his parents’ house, hopped out, and fetched his tape measure and a notepad. He began to measure for the ramp near the front steps, and excitement soaked through him as he thought about how much the projects would help his mother. He felt like he was finally doing something thoughtful and positive for his family after causing so much anxiety when he was a teenager. He was going to show his appreciation for his parents for the first time in his life.

The front door opened and his father stared down at him with bewilderment on his face.

“Aaron?” Dat asked. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to make it easier for Mamm to get in and out of the house.” Aaron held up the notepad, showing the sketch. “I thought I’d build her a ramp for the front and back of the house. I’d also like to make some improvements in the bathroom if you’ll let me do it. I know you might think some of them would be a bit too modern, but—”

“Really?” Dat stepped out onto the porch and his expression transformed to one of curiosity. “What did you have in mind for the bathroom?”

“I could install a walk-in shower with a bench, and, of course, I would add safety bars on the walls. It’s such a large bathroom I think we can keep the tub too.”

Dat nodded and rubbed his beard. “Sounds like a gut idea. I’m sure the bishop would understand this is for your mutter’s safety. How much would the renovations cost?”

Aaron shrugged. “I’m not concerned about that. I want to do it for you, Dat. It’s my treat. I owe you after what the barn cost you.”

“Danki.” His father climbed down the steps. “How can I help?”

“You want to help?” Aaron asked with surprise.

“Of course I want to help you,” his daed said. “Do you think I’m just going to stand by and watch you work on mei haus?”

“I’d love to have an assistant. That would be wonderful.” Aaron held up the notepad. “Do you want to write down the measurements while I call them out? Then we can calculate how much lumber we’ll need.”

“Ya, I can do that.” His daed reached for the notepad and pencil.

Aaron smiled. He felt like a kid again while he and his father planned out the front ramp. He had always cherished the woodworking projects they had completed when he was a child, and now they were working side by side again. It had been much too long since they had talked about creating things out of wood.

After all the measurements were taken and the supply list was complete, his dat let Jocelyn know they would be gone for a while, and they went to the home improvement store. They bought lumber, the additional tools they needed, and supplies, then began building the ramp right away.

As Aaron was about to start cutting the wood, he noticed a young man walking toward them. The boy was tall and lean, nearly as tall as Solomon, and he had Solomon’s ice-blue eyes and light-brown hair. He was certain it was Manny, his oldest nephew. His eyes widened with a mixture of astonishment and recognition.

“Daadi,” the young man said. “What are you working on?”

“Manny?” Aaron placed the saw on the ground. “I’m Aaron, your dat’s bruder.”

“Onkel Aaron.” Manny shook his hand with a firm grip. “It’s gut to meet you. Mammi has been so excited that you came back.”

“It’s great to see you.” Aaron was overwhelmed with admiration for his nephew. “The last time I saw you, you were toddling around the farm and learning to talk.”

Manny chuckled. “It’s been a long time. I’m glad you came back.” He pointed toward the pile of lumber. “What are you building?”

“It’s a ramp for your mammi,” Aaron said.

“May I help?” Manny offered.

“That would great,” Aaron said as he picked up the saw. “Do you like to work with wood?”

“Are you kidding?” Manny asked. “I love to.”

The three men worked on the ramp for the next hour, and Aaron had the chance to ask Manny and his dat questions he had about the farm and hear about what had been happening in the community over the years. After they cut the wood, they began to build the frame. Soon after the frame was assembled, the front door opened and Becky appeared. Time had been gracious to her. Her skin still glowed like a young woman’s. A hint of gray teased the light-brown hair that peeked out from under her prayer covering, but to Aaron she didn’t look close to forty.

“I’ve been looking for you two. What are you doing out here? Are you ready for lunch?” Her eyes fell on Aaron and she frowned. “Aaron. I didn’t know you were here.”

“Hi, Becky.” Aaron brushed the back of his hand across his forehead. Although it was mid-January cold, he was sweating from exertion. “It’s been a long time.”

“We weren’t expecting to see you again.” Becky continued to scowl. “You left and then we never heard from you. This is a surprise.”

“I came when I heard my mamm was ill.” Aaron stiffened at her accusatory tone and condemning stare. Her demeanor toward him shocked him since his sister-in-law had always been patient and forgiving. He never imagined Becky would reject him, but he assumed Solomon had influenced her. He wondered what his dat and Manny were thinking about her tone.

Maybe like Solomon, Becky wants me to leave. Maybe they’re both right, and I have no right being here.

“Please come in for lunch,” she said. The invitation did not soften her cold stare, and she turned and went inside.

Aaron followed his daed and nephew into the house, where he found his mother sitting at the kitchen table while two young ladies and Becky prepared lunch. When the girls turned to look at them, he saw that the girls both had Becky’s round face, light-brown hair, and dainty features. They also had her brown eyes. They had to be Solomon’s daughters, and he was overwhelmed to finally meet the nieces he didn’t know existed until this week.

“Aa-ron!” Mamm said, his name garbled by her weakness.

“Hi, Mamm.” He gently squeezed her hand. “Dat, Manny, and I are building you a ramp at the front of the haus to help you get in and out.”

“A-ach?” Mamm asked. “D-danki.”

“I’m froh to do it, Mamm.” He sat down beside her. “I’m going to make it easier for you so you don’t have to feel cooped up. Soon you’ll be walking around, and you’ll want to go outside and enjoy the spring weather. I’m sure you’ll be using the walker before you know it.”

“Ruthie Joy and Katie,” Dat said as he made a sweeping gesture toward Aaron. “This is your onkel Aaron.”

“Hi!” Ruthie Joy waved at Aaron and then helped bring a platter of lunch meat to the table. “I’m Ruthie. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s true!” Katie ran over to Aaron and started to reach for his hair, then stopped, her small hand frozen in mid-air. “I have the same curly hair as you.”

“You do?” Aaron asked in awe.

“Ya, I do.” She pointed toward her prayer covering, even though he couldn’t see the curls beneath it. She scowled. “Isn’t it terrible in the summer when it’s hot and sticky? It’s not easy to roll my hair into the bun before I put on my kapp. My hair actually stands up when it’s humid. I’m one big, frizzy ball of hair. At least, that’s what my little bruder calls me.”

Aaron chuckled. “I can definitely relate. I’ve been there with the frizzy curls. I considered shaving my head one summer, but I had a friend who wouldn’t let me do it. She said she loved my curls, and she would pay money to have hair like mine.”

Katie shook her head with a solemn expression. “No, I wouldn’t pay gut money for this hair. I think I might consider paying money to get rid of it, though. It’s too much trouble.”

“You just don’t appreciate it,” Ruthie Joy chimed in. “My hair is pin straight and has no life at all. You don’t know how blessed you two are.”

“Let’s have lunch,” Dat said. “I’m so froh to have our family together again.”

“Where are Solomon and Junior?” Becky asked.

“They went to the hardware store just before I started working with Daadi and Onkel Aaron,” Manny responded as he sat beside Aaron. “They’re fixing the fence at the back of the pasture. They’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll be sure they get lunch then,” Becky said. “Junior loves to do errands with his dat on Saturdays when he doesn’t have school.”

Aaron’s nieces sat across from him, and Katie grinned before bowing her head in prayer. Aaron closed his eyes and thanked God for his family. He thought his heart might burst with the overwhelming admiration he felt for these family members he’d just met. He asked God to soften Becky’s and Solomon’s feelings toward him. He couldn’t bear their rejection and wanted to make things right with them.

After prayers were complete, the kitchen erupted in a chorus of noise as everyone began reaching for food, filling their plates, and talking. Utensils scraped plates, and platters were passed around the long table.

“Tell us about Missouri,” Katie said as she dropped a pile of macaroni salad onto her plate.

“Ya,” Manny agreed. “What do you do for a living?”

“Where do you live?” Ruthie Joy asked.

“Are you Amish?” Katie asked. “Do the Amish dress like you do in Missouri?”

“Whoa,” his daed said, raising his voice above the noise. “Slow down and let Aaron answer your questions one at a time.”

“I don’t mind.” Aaron placed two pieces of lunch meat and a piece of cheese on bread. “I co-own a construction company in Missouri. I live in an apartment, and I’m not Amish.”

“You’re not Amish?” Katie asked. Her eyebrows shot upward with shock.

“What kind of construction do you do?” Manny asked between bites of his sandwich.

Aaron spent the rest of lunch telling his nieces and nephew about his life in Missouri. They peppered him with endless questions about how life in Missouri differed from their lives in Pennsylvania. He looked at his father and found him smiling as he watched Aaron answer the questions. The sentiment in his father’s expression touched him deep in his soul. He’d missed his parents for so very long. His mother looked like she was enjoying the conversation too.

Aaron wondered what life would be like if he were to move back to Pennsylvania. Did he truly belong there? Would he fit in? Would he finally be rid of the loneliness that hung over him like a dark storm cloud? The thoughts warmed his soul, and he didn’t want the lunch to end.

Becky seemed to avoid his gaze while she ate. As soon as lunch was over, she jumped up and started doing the dishes. She kept her back toward him and faced the sink while she worked. Her silence caused his heart to splinter. He and Becky had always been friends when he was a child. Since Becky and Solomon grew up together, attending the same school and also worshiping in the same church district, Aaron had known Becky his whole life. He’d considered her like an older sister, and now she wouldn’t talk to him. Her silence and the resentment he saw in her eyes when she had scowled at him were difficult to accept.

Aaron, his father, and Manny went back outside and worked on the ramp for the remainder of the afternoon. Their conversation flowed easily as they worked.

“I’ll come back Monday and stain it,” Aaron said as he closed the bed of his truck. “Does that sound good?”

“Ya.” His father picked up a hammer. “That sounds perfect. I think we did a great job.”

Aaron sat on the bumper and looked at his nephew. “You work well with your hands. You said you loved woodworking. Do you do much of it? Do you do any construction?”

Manny shifted the straw hat covering his light-brown hair. “No, not really. I tinker here and there. Mei dat keeps me busy with the farm.”

“Daadi!”

“Oh, here comes Junior,” his father said, looking past the truck toward Solomon’s house. “You’ll get to meet the youngest of Solomon’s kinner. We were so busy, we didn’t even notice when Solomon’s buggy drove in.”

The preteen jogged over to the truck and nodded at Aaron. He looked just like his older brother with his light-brown hair and blue eyes. “You must be my onkel.”

“I am.” Aaron shook his hand. “And you’re Junior.”

“Ya.” The boy grinned. “Are you staying for supper? Mei mamm is making chicken and noodles with green beans, bread, and potatoes.”

“That’s a great idea,” Manny said as he picked up more tools. “We’re eating at our haus tonight. You should stay.”

Aaron considered the offer, and he was tempted to accept the invitation in order to spend more time with his nieces and nephews. But he rejected the idea when he considered Becky’s reaction to him and also the painful conversation he’d shared with his brother. He knew he wasn’t welcome in his brother’s home, and he didn’t want to ruin the perfect memories he’d created today.

“You should stay,” Junior echoed. “I was so busy with Dat today that I didn’t get to spend any time with you. Katie told me you ate lunch with everyone.”

“Thank you for the invitation.” Aaron stood. “I have to get going, but I’ll stay another night, all right?”

Junior frowned, causing guilt to rain down on Aaron.

“I’m coming back Monday to stain the ramp,” Aaron began. “Maybe I’ll eat lunch with you then.”

“I have school.” Junior kicked a rock with the toe of his boot. “I won’t get to see you.”

“I might still be here when you get home,” Aaron added.

Manny placed his hand on his brother’s arm. “Maybe after your chores, Dat will let you help us stain the ramp.”

“Ya?” Junior grinned up at his brother.

“Ya,” Aaron’s daed said. “I’ll make sure you can help.”

“Great!” Junior nodded. “I want to help.”

“I’ll let you help if your dat says it’s okay.” Aaron fished his keys from his pocket. “I better head out now, but I’ll see you all Monday.”

After going into the house and saying good-bye to his mother, Aaron climbed into his truck and drove back to the bed-and-breakfast. His mind was racing with excitement after spending the day with his family. His lips were turned up in a permanent smile. He hoped his relationship with his parents and his brother’s children would continue. Maybe, just maybe, with God’s divine help, Aaron could finally get his family back.

Linda was making hash browns Monday morning when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Her pulse skittered when she thought about seeing Aaron again. Even though she knew it was silly to get attached to him, she’d been looking forward to seeing him after their conversation over coffee and cookies last week.

“Gude mariye.”

She looked over her shoulder and found Aaron grinning at her from the doorway. “Gude mariye,” she repeated as heat radiated from the tips of her ears. “You’re up early. Breakfast won’t be ready for another thirty minutes.”

“I have to head out early.” Aaron tapped the woodwork. “I just wanted to say good morning before I leave.”

“Oh no.” Linda shook her head as she pushed the hash browns around in the pan. “I can’t send you out hungry. I have strict instructions to feed the guests breakfast when I’m here. Let me make you a plate.”

“I’m sure I’ll grab something to eat while I—”

“No,” she said the word more forcefully than she meant to, and he lifted his eyebrows. “I will get you a roll. Or I can make you a quick egg sandwich you can eat while you’re driving.”

“Well, I certainly don’t want to be responsible for your getting into trouble with your employer.” His lips twitched as he eyed her. “Fine. You win. I’ll take the time to eat something before I leave.”

“Gut.” She pointed to the table. “Have a seat. I’ll bring you some coffee.”

“I can get my own coffee. You don’t need to wait on me.” He made his way to the cabinet and brought out a mug.

“So would you like eggs?” she offered.

“Yes, please.” His grin was wide. He seemed to be smiling more than usual this morning, which astonished her.

“Coming right up. Why are you so chipper this morning?” Linda glanced at him over her shoulder while she beat two eggs in a bowl.

“It’s a schee day.” He filled a mug, and the aroma of fresh coffee filled her senses. “The sun is shining, and there isn’t any snow in the forecast all week.”

Linda took in his expression and couldn’t stop herself from smiling along with him. “You seem different. You’re much happier than you were last week. What happened?”

“I had a fantastic visit with my family. Well, actually, it was with my parents and my brother’s kinner.” He stirred sweetener into the mug. “I’m going back this morning.”

“Really?” Linda moved the eggs around in the pan. “That’s wunderbaar! Tell me what happened.” She dumped the hash browns onto a platter and set them on the table.

He leaned against the counter beside her. “I decided to make the haus more handicapped accessible for mei mamm, and I started building a ramp for the front of the haus on Saturday. My dat and my nephew Manny helped me. I also had lunch with them and met my two nieces, and later my other nephew. It was truly wunderbaar.”

“Ach, that is fantastic news!” Linda exclaimed. “I’m so glad you didn’t give up on them.”

He held up his mug as if to toast her. “Danki for your encouragement.”

“Ruth will appreciate the ramp too.” Linda slipped the eggs onto a plate. “Would you like brot also?”

“Yes, please.”

She put two pieces of freshly baked bread on the plate and then handed it to him. “I’m going to start the bacon now. I’m sorry it’s not ready yet.”

“You don’t need to apologize. This is perfect.” He sat at the head of the table. “Why don’t you sit with me?”

“Oh, I can’t.” She waved off the suggestion and pulled the bacon out of the refrigerator.

“Please?” he asked. “Just give me a couple of minutes to tell you more about my visit with my family.”

Linda glanced over her shoulder and found him looking at her rather intensely. She couldn’t bring herself to say no to his hopeful expression. “Okay.”

“Great.” His smile was back.

She sat down, and Aaron told her all about the day he’d spent at his parents’ house, detailing how wonderful his nieces and nephews were and how at home he felt.

“I’m so froh for you.” Linda placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand. “The Lord is healing your family.”

He slathered peanut butter spread onto a piece of bread. “I was thinking that yesterday. I’m so grateful I finally feel like a part of the family.” He stopped speaking and handed her the bread. “I feel rude eating in front of you. Please, have this.”

“Danki.” She accepted his offering and took a bite of the bread. “What inspired you to build the ramp?”

“I felt like I needed to do something to show my family I still care about them,” he said.

“They already know you do.” She noticed his smile had faded. “Something is on your mind. What is it?” She asked the question and then immediately felt she was the one being rude. Who was she to ask him to share his private thoughts?

“I talked to my bruder last week, and he told me I shouldn’t have come back.” Aaron looked at his plate while he spoke. “He said I had caused enough heartache when I left years ago, and that I will hurt my mamm again when I return home. He told me to leave and go back to Missouri where I belong.”

Linda gasped with shock. “Solomon said that to you?”

“Yes, he did,” Aaron said. “Becky had a similar reaction to me on Saturday. She took one look at me and glared. It was obvious that she didn’t want me there. She didn’t ask me to leave, but she wasn’t thrilled to have me there either. She invited us in for lunch, but she never spoke to me. She averted her eyes all during lunch and then quickly started washing the dishes when we were done eating. That isn’t the Becky I remember from my childhood. She and I used to talk and laugh. She’s obviously disgusted with me, just like Solomon is, only she didn’t tell me to leave.”

“I’m so sorry, Aaron,” Linda said. She longed to take away the sadness in his eyes. “I was hoping everyone in your family would be froh to see you. Ruth asked for you for so long that they should see how much having you back means to her.”

“Danki.” Aaron met her gaze and studied her eyes. “I thought about leaving and going back to Missouri, but Trey talked me out of it. He said I should think about this from Solomon’s point of view, that Solomon may resent me because after I left he had to shoulder all the responsibility of taking care of our parents. He said I should do something to show how I want to be a part of the family and help.”

“And that’s one reason you’re building a ramp for your mamm.” She finished his thought, and he nodded. “That’s a wunderbaar idea. The whole family will appreciate the ramp.”

“I’m going to build a ramp for the back of the house, too, and do some work in the downstairs bathroom near my parents’ bedroom.”

“I think that’s a great idea.” Linda smiled. “Solomon will see how much you care for your parents, and he’ll welcome you back into the family. Trey is absolutely right.”

Aaron searched her eyes as if he were seeking answers to impossible questions. “You’ve been through so much heartache in your life, Linda. How do you stay so positive?”

She was baffled by the question and struggled to answer it. The truth was that she often struggled to stay positive, especially on the rough days when her uncle was particularly cold and hurtful toward her. She gave him a halfhearted shrug instead of responding to him.

Aaron went on. “You’ve faced a lot of difficult situations. Losing your parents, having to move out of the only home you’d ever known. But you still find the good in people. That’s pretty amazing to me.”

The compliments mystified her, and she looked down at the table to avoid his intense expression. “I sometimes struggle to stay positive, but I always try to remember that God will carry us through the difficult times. We have to hold on to our faith. Your family will accept you. Just keep doing what you’re doing, and give them time.”

“Do you think Solomon and Becky will truly forgive me? Solomon looked at me with pure hatred in his eyes. He nearly spat when he said my name.” The hurt in Aaron’s expression tugged at her heart. “And Becky doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.”

“Like I said, you have to trust God to mend your broken relationship with your bruder and Becky,” she said gently. “With God, all things are possible. I truly believe that.” She ate the last bite of bread and then glanced at the clock above the sink. “Ach, I need to get that bacon started. The other guests should be coming downstairs soon.” She stood and reached out a hand. “Do you want more coffee?”

He placed his hand over the top of his mug. “I told you, you don’t have to wait on me. I can get my own coffee. You worry about that bacon. I want a piece before I leave.”

She chuckled. “All right.”

“Danki.”

Linda grabbed another frying pan and soon the bacon sizzled and popped as she moved it around in the pan. She fished out the fully cooked pieces with metal tongs and placed them on a platter beside the stovetop.

“You haven’t said anything about my Dietsch today.” His voice was soft in her ear.

She nearly jumped. Aaron was standing directly behind her. He seemed to be awaiting her response, but she couldn’t speak for a moment as she processed how close he was to her.

“Haven’t you noticed how many Dietsch words I’m using now?” He placed his mug in the sink, seemingly unaware of how his close proximity affected her.

“Ya, I have noticed,” she finally said before smoothing her hands over her apron. “You’re an expert.”

“I told you I was.” He winked at her as he swiped two pieces of bacon. “I have to run, but I’ll see you later. Danki again for your encouragement. It’s working.”

“Have a great day.” As she watched him leave, she knew she was in trouble. They’d shared another meaningful conversation, and she could feel her attachment to him blossoming.

She truly had feelings for Aaron Ebersol, and she’d be left nursing a broken heart when he went back to Missouri and left Pennsylvania behind.