Chapter Twenty-Seven
Gabe checked both ways before opening the gate to lead his camels across the street the next morning. Then he encouraged the mamas to head to the barn.
A car engine roared. Gabe froze. Speeding vehicles—cars or buggies—sent fear spiraling through him. Louder and louder, closer and closer, it approached the blind curve. The driver could never stop in time.
Gabe shooed as many camels as he could back into the pasture. The car zoomed around the curve, whipped a sharp right, and bounced up the driveway to his store. It rocketed to a halt, shaking from the suddenness of the stop.
Blood rushed to Gabe’s ears. He leaned against the fence for a moment. His chest expanded as he sucked in gulps of air.
Despite being out of breath, he rushed across the street to take the loose camels to the barn. He’d thought he’d lost them for sure.
He’d been through this with Matthew only a few weeks ago. He had to contact the government to request a street sign that said, Slow. Camel Crossing.
He patted the mamas and babies, speaking as soothingly as he could with a dry mouth and racing pulse. “It’s all right. You’re safe,” he repeated over and over until they calmed and he could breathe normally.
Once he’d secured those few in the barn, he checked for traffic before going back for the others. Before he opened the gate, he made sure the sports car intended to stay in one place. The driver had parked beside the store door.
A sports car? Red convertible. Defarge?
All Gabe’s hard-earned serenity fled. What did Defarge want this time? Did he plan to pressure Gabe to sell the business again? Why couldn’t the man take no for an answer? Gabe had thought the article exposing Defarge meant he’d never see him again.
While Gabe stood, one hand on the gate, Defarge marched to the store and banged on the door. He pounded several more times and then, shielding his eyes, pressed his face to the glass. After seeing the dark, empty store, he spun around and headed back to his car.
Gabe wasn’t about to let any of his camels get flattened by a reckless driver, so he stayed where he was, waiting for Defarge to turn on the engine and zoom away.
Instead, the man leaned against his car and pulled out his cell phone. Although Gabe was too far away to hear any words, Defarge’s tight red face, dramatic hand gestures, and flapping lips, which opened wide and snapped shut, made it clear he was yelling into the receiver. Gabe pitied the person on the other end.
Defarge scanned the fields. Gabe wished he could duck, but he refused to cower. He stood up straighter and met Defarge’s glance with a direct challenge. The man’s mouth halted in mid-scream.
He pocketed his phone and raced down the driveway. With a sigh, Gabe turned his back. He needed to take care of his camels. A group of mamas and babies milled around the fence.
After checking the road, he reopened the gate. Several clomped across the street. At the boots pounding the pavement nearby, several babies grew skittish. Mamas went into protective mode.
“You’re not going to get away with this,” Defarge shouted. “I’m suing you for defamation of character.” He barreled right toward the nearest camel.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Gabe warned. He meant startling the camels, but Defarge misunderstood.
“And how do you plan to stop me? You won’t go to court.”
“You’re disturbing—”
Gabe tried to stop Defarge from charging forward, but the man ignored the signals. “This will all be mine soon.” Defarge flung his arms out to encompass the fields and barns, almost bopping a camel on the nose.
His shouting and movement agitated the camel. Its head bobbed up and down. Its cheeks bulged.
“Watch out!” Gabe yelled and jumped out of the way.
Shocked, Defarge stared at him.
The camel coughed. Slimy, stinky spit sprayed out. Right in Defarge’s face and on his suit.
He bellowed. Then he unleashed a string of swear words. Gabe plugged his ears until the tirade ended.
“What is that?” Defarge wrinkled his nose at the disgusting smell. He wiped his face with his sleeve, smearing the putrid goop around.
“Some people call it camel spit, but it’s actually more like vomit. It’s undigested stomach contents.” Gabe stood close enough to Defarge that the reek made his stomach turn. He could only imagine how much worse Defarge felt. Gabe breathed shallowly to lessen the stench.
“Eww.” Defarge looked as if he were about to throw up. “You made the camel do that. I’m going to sue you.”
“You already are,” Gabe pointed out.
Defarge fired a hateful glare at Gabe. “This is a thousand-dollar suit. You owe me a replacement.”
“I tried to warn you, but you didn’t listen. Loud noises and aggressive gestures frighten camels.”
“You’ll be hearing from my lawyers.” Defarge stalked off. “By the way,” he shouted over his shoulder, “I already have a buyer lined up for this property.”
For a moment, Gabe froze. Defarge couldn’t take his business away, could he? Not while he was being investigated for illegal activity. Gabe had to trust God. Whatever the Lord had in store for him, he’d accept.
One thing God would have him do right now is be kind. “If you want to clean up a bit before you get in your car,” Gabe called after Defarge, “there’s a pump for watering horses at the far end of the parking lot.”
“My car?” Even from this distance, Defarge’s shriek pierced Gabe’s eardrums. “If this stinks up my car . . .” He spun around and shook a finger at Gabe. “You’ll pay for that too.”
Gabe suspected he wouldn’t be paying for anything, if the information in the article turned out to be accurate. He prayed the reporters hadn’t made a mistake.
* * *
Now that Priscilla had acknowledged her true feelings for Gabe, she wanted to avoid him. As a distraction, she threw herself into teaching and worked on lesson plans every evening, grateful she had no reason to go into the store until Saturday.
On Saturday morning, she dallied with her chores until almost time for the milk pickup. As much as she wanted to see Gabe again, she wasn’t ready to face him. What if she gave away her real feelings?
Gabe had made it clear he had no romantic interest in her. She couldn’t be around him until she could keep her reactions under control. Right now, these emotions were too new and too raw. If Gabe picked up on how she felt about him, it might destroy their friendship.
Priscilla knelt to wash the kitchen floor. She rubbed at the linoleum, wishing she could scrub away her awkward and uncomfortable feelings as easily as she washed away the dirt.
Sarah peeked into the kitchen. “You’re not done yet?” She motioned to the bread dough rising on the counter. “I need to bake the loaves before lunch.”
Priscilla sat back on her heels. “I’ll clean over here until you get them into the oven. But can you ask Mamm if she can pick up Asher’s camel’s milk when she goes to the bulk food store?”
“You don’t want to go?”
Had her interest in Gabe been that obvious? Maybe he’d sensed it too. He had backed away several times. Priscilla bent over and dipped the brush in the bucket, hoping to hide her face from her sister.
“I’m afraid you’re going to tear a hole in the linoleum with how hard you’re scrubbing.” Sarah’s eyes filled with concern. “Is something wrong?”
“Neh.” When you fell in love, shouldn’t everything be right? But it could never be right if the man didn’t love you in return. “I’ll be fine.” Someday.
“If you’re sure?” Sarah hesitated in the doorway, studying her.
Priscilla scooted around, turning her back to her sister to wash the far corner under the cabinet. “Can you ask Mamm about the milk?” she asked in a strangled voice.
“Be right back,” Sarah said. She returned a few minutes later. “Mamm wanted to know why you can’t go. I told her you’re still washing the floor, so she’ll do it. I think she wants you and Gabe to get together.”
So do I. Priscilla should have been glad her mother could get the milk, but giving up a chance to see Gabe was hard. How would she deal with not ever seeing him again?
* * *
When Gabe opened the store on Saturday morning, two customers were already waiting in the parking lot. The small trickle soon turned into a steady stream. If the store stayed this busy, he’d need to hire some help.
Being so rushed meant Gabe didn’t have to think about Priscilla and what had happened the other night. Until her mamm showed up. He wondered if Priscilla was avoiding him. Esther, evidently still harboring hopes he and Priscilla might get together, invited him for another meal.
Gabe had a good excuse for declining. “I’m sorry, but I can’t manage time off now that business has picked up.” He gestured toward the people milling about the store.
Esther looked disappointed, but then rallied. “You could really use Priscilla today. I can send her over when I get home.”
He couldn’t let her do that. “That’s kind, but she works hard all week. Besides, she’s been here several times this week already. She needs a rest.”
“You’re so thoughtful.” Esther beamed at him. “I’m sure Priscilla would be happy to come.”
Gabe wasn’t so sure. Luckily, Saul walked through the door as Gabe struggled to come up with an excuse. “That’s my brother. He’s here to work.” Or he would be as soon as Gabe asked him. “We’ll be fine without Priscilla, but danke for offering.”
Gabe beckoned to Saul, who headed over.
“Looks like business has really picked up.” Saul glanced around him at the crowd.
“It has,” Gabe said. “Tim and I are glad you’re here.”
His brother laughed. “You’re expecting me to work?”
“That’s why you’re here.” Gabe hoped his brother wouldn’t contradict him.
Esther moved closer to Saul. “So you’re Gabe’s brother?”
“I am.”
“I’m Esther Ebersol, Priscilla’s mother.”
A knowing look crossed Saul’s face, and he shook her hand. “I’m Saul Kauffman.”
“I’m glad to meet Gabe’s family. We really enjoy his company.”
“You do?” Saul waggled his eyebrows at Gabe before turning back to her. “I know he enjoys yours.”
Esther gave him a dazzling smile. “I’m glad. I’m trying to get him to come to dinner this week, but he says he’s too busy.”
“I can take care of that,” Saul said. “I’d be happy to mind the store any night this week.”
“What about Thursday?” Esther glanced from one to the other.
“Thursday’s fine with me,” Saul told her.
What could Gabe do but agree?
It didn’t dawn on him until after Esther left that Priscilla had scheduled the fair for Thursday. He couldn’t go for dinner after all.
But he would see Priscilla that day. The thought both excited and worried him. He had to find a way to deal with his attraction before then.
Saul winked at him. “Her mamm seems to like you. I hope Priscilla is equally keen.”
Gabe gritted his teeth. He had to stop letting his brother’s teasing irritate him. Gabe changed the subject. “About Thursday. That’s the day of the fair. I’d been thinking about closing the store and putting a sign on the door inviting people to the fair. But if you’re willing to work, I could keep the store open.”
“Wait a minute. What about dinner with Priscilla’s mamm? Did you just trick both of us?”
“Neh. I forgot about the fair when she suggested Thursday.”
“Um-hmm. Some reason you don’t want to eat with them? Did you and Priscilla have a spat?”
Gabe shook his head. They hadn’t argued or even disagreed. “Esther is pushing for something that—”
Several customers interrupted them. By the time they’d been waited on, Gabe hoped his brother had forgotten the conversation.
But Saul eyed him closely. “Pushy mamm, huh? That can make courting difficult.” He held up a hand when Gabe frowned. “All right, all right. I won’t say any more about it.” He grinned. “At least not today.”
* * *
Gabe woke early on Sunday morning and hurried through the milking so he could get ready for church on time. Alyssa’s feature would be out today. He wished he could see a copy of the Sunday paper, but he wouldn’t buy a copy. His parents had drummed into him as a boy not to spend money on Sunday, so other people wouldn’t have to work.
That had been easier when stores stayed closed on Sunday. Now many Englischers seemed not to care about working on the Lord’s Day. Still, he wouldn’t allow vanity to tempt him to do something that went against his conscience. Even if it meant he missed seeing the feature.
Maybe that was for the best. It prevented him from being prideful.
But after church, Gideon Hartzler beckoned Gabe to sit beside him at the meal. “Daed gets the Central Pennsylvania Star delivered every day. Look what’s in today’s paper.” He pulled open the newspaper on his lap and took out one of the sections. “Your farm has a two-page spread with pictures.”
Gideon handed the newspaper to Gabe, who stared in shock. He’d been expecting a small article, but Alyssa’s feature had five large pictures—camels, the farm, the store interior, the refrigerated room, and a close-up of a bottle of camel’s milk—along with two pages of information.
Alyssa had not only talked about the business and described the care and milking of camels, she’d also included quite a few quotes from him and Priscilla about the benefits of camel’s milk. She’d even talked to one of the researchers from the study Gabe had mentioned. At the end, she’d included information about Thursday’s fair and Hope’s therapy farm.
Gideon waited until Gabe had read the whole article. “That’s great advertising. I hope it helps your business.”
Saul held out a hand. “Let me see.”
Dazed, Gabe passed the paper to his brother. He couldn’t believe the publicity Alyssa had given him. Free publicity.
If only he could celebrate this with Priscilla. She’d contributed to the article too. If she hadn’t been there for the first interview, he’d never had made it through.
Her encouragement had helped him overcome his fear of interviews. Now he had to face one more hurdle. A speech in front of a crowd. He’d asked Priscilla to give the talk, but she needed to stay with her scholars. He wanted to prove to himself and to her that he could do it.
Even thinking about standing up in front of people chilled him. But with God’s help, he was determined to conquer this dread of public speaking. Once and for all. He’d do this. For Priscilla.