Read Online Plain and Fancy by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Love does strange things to people.”
Eli’s eyebrows shot up. “Love? Who said anything about love? Laura and I are just friends.”
Mom gave him a knowing look. “I’ve seen the face of love before. Every time you come home after being with that fancy woman, I can see the look of love written all over your face, and it scares me, son.”
Eli’s face heated up. He would never admit it, especially not to Mom, but he was beginning to wonder if his fascination with Laura might be more than curiosity or friendship. What if he were actually falling in love with her? If she felt the same way about him, would she expect him to leave the faith? Since he hadn’t yet been baptized or joined the church, the decision to stay or leave was still his to make. However, there were too many things about his way of life that he would miss if he left home and became English. Besides, there were too many things in the modern world that he didn’t particularly care for.
“You have no call to be worried or scared,” he said, giving her arm a quick pat. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“I hope so.”
Eli climbed into the buggy and gathered up the reins. “See you later, Mom.”
“Say, Eli ... I was wondering if you could do me a favor.” “What’s that?”
“Selma Hostetler has been laid up with a bad back for the last couple of days.”
“Sorry to hear that. Nobody likes back pain.”
Mom nodded. “I baked some zucchini-banana bread yesterday, and I thought maybe you could drop a loaf by to her. It might help cheer her some.”
“Can’t Lewis or Jonas do it? I don’t want to be late meeting Laura.”
Mom’s eyebrows drew together. “They’re both out in the fields with your daed, which is where you really ought to be, don’t you think?”
Eli shook his head. “This is my day off from work, and even though I sometimes help Pop on my day off, he said he didn’t need me this morning.”
“I see. Well, can you drop off the bread to Selma then?”
“Jah, I suppose, but—”
“I’ll go get it now.” Mom rushed off before Eli had a chance to say anything more.
A few minutes later, she was back wearing a smile that stretched ear to ear. She handed him the bread, which she had enclosed in some plastic wrap. “Danki, son.”
“You’re welcome.”
As Eli clucked to the horse, his mother waved and called, “Don’t be too late for supper tonight. And remember that I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
***
When Pauline heard a horse and buggy pull into the yard, she hurried to the back door, not wanting her mother to be disturbed. Mom had taken some aspirin for the pain in her back and had returned to her bed soon after breakfast was over.
When Pauline saw Eli step down from one of their closed-in buggies, her heart skipped a beat. Had he come to see her—maybe invite her to go someplace with him today? She waited on the porch with sweaty palms and shaky legs as he headed to the house. When he reached the porch, he stopped and held out a loaf of bread.
“Mom asked me to deliver this to your mamm. I hear her back’s been acting up.”
Pauline nodded as a sense of disappointment flooded her soul. She took the bread and mumbled, “Danki. That was thoughtful of your mamm.”
Eli shuffled his feet a few times as he stared at the ground. “Well, I—”
“Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?” She motioned to the door. “I just made a fresh pot, and it might help take the chill out of your bones on this frosty morning.”
“I ... uh ... appreciate the offer, but I can’t stay.”
“Are you working today?”
“No, it’s my day off.”
“Then surely you have time for a quick cup of coffee.”
He shook his head. “I’m meeting a friend in Paradise, and I’m already late, so I’d better go.”
Pauline clenched her teeth. I’ll bet it’s that fancy English woman Eli’s meeting. Should I come right out and ask? She was about
Eli’s eyebrows shot up. “Love? Who said anything about love? Laura and I are just friends.”
Mom gave him a knowing look. “I’ve seen the face of love before. Every time you come home after being with that fancy woman, I can see the look of love written all over your face, and it scares me, son.”
Eli’s face heated up. He would never admit it, especially not to Mom, but he was beginning to wonder if his fascination with Laura might be more than curiosity or friendship. What if he were actually falling in love with her? If she felt the same way about him, would she expect him to leave the faith? Since he hadn’t yet been baptized or joined the church, the decision to stay or leave was still his to make. However, there were too many things about his way of life that he would miss if he left home and became English. Besides, there were too many things in the modern world that he didn’t particularly care for.
“You have no call to be worried or scared,” he said, giving her arm a quick pat. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“I hope so.”
Eli climbed into the buggy and gathered up the reins. “See you later, Mom.”
“Say, Eli ... I was wondering if you could do me a favor.” “What’s that?”
“Selma Hostetler has been laid up with a bad back for the last couple of days.”
“Sorry to hear that. Nobody likes back pain.”
Mom nodded. “I baked some zucchini-banana bread yesterday, and I thought maybe you could drop a loaf by to her. It might help cheer her some.”
“Can’t Lewis or Jonas do it? I don’t want to be late meeting Laura.”
Mom’s eyebrows drew together. “They’re both out in the fields with your daed, which is where you really ought to be, don’t you think?”
Eli shook his head. “This is my day off from work, and even though I sometimes help Pop on my day off, he said he didn’t need me this morning.”
“I see. Well, can you drop off the bread to Selma then?”
“Jah, I suppose, but—”
“I’ll go get it now.” Mom rushed off before Eli had a chance to say anything more.
A few minutes later, she was back wearing a smile that stretched ear to ear. She handed him the bread, which she had enclosed in some plastic wrap. “Danki, son.”
“You’re welcome.”
As Eli clucked to the horse, his mother waved and called, “Don’t be too late for supper tonight. And remember that I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
***
When Pauline heard a horse and buggy pull into the yard, she hurried to the back door, not wanting her mother to be disturbed. Mom had taken some aspirin for the pain in her back and had returned to her bed soon after breakfast was over.
When Pauline saw Eli step down from one of their closed-in buggies, her heart skipped a beat. Had he come to see her—maybe invite her to go someplace with him today? She waited on the porch with sweaty palms and shaky legs as he headed to the house. When he reached the porch, he stopped and held out a loaf of bread.
“Mom asked me to deliver this to your mamm. I hear her back’s been acting up.”
Pauline nodded as a sense of disappointment flooded her soul. She took the bread and mumbled, “Danki. That was thoughtful of your mamm.”
Eli shuffled his feet a few times as he stared at the ground. “Well, I—”
“Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?” She motioned to the door. “I just made a fresh pot, and it might help take the chill out of your bones on this frosty morning.”
“I ... uh ... appreciate the offer, but I can’t stay.”
“Are you working today?”
“No, it’s my day off.”
“Then surely you have time for a quick cup of coffee.”
He shook his head. “I’m meeting a friend in Paradise, and I’m already late, so I’d better go.”
Pauline clenched her teeth. I’ll bet it’s that fancy English woman Eli’s meeting. Should I come right out and ask? She was about
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