Their Amish Reunion by Lenora Worth

Author:Lenora Worth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2018-05-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“Ava Jane, you have a note here from Mrs. Campton.”

Ava Jane whirled at Mr. Hartford’s comment, her gaze falling on the fancy cream-colored envelope he held up.

“Are you sure?”

“Got your name right here in black ink,” he said with a soft smile. “Her assistant person left it yesterday.”

Ava Jane took the envelope and rubbed a finger over the scrolled lettering. “Someone has lovely handwriting.”

Mr. Hartford nodded. “The Camptons do everything first-class.”

“Yes, they sure do,” she replied, careful to place the envelope in the pocket of her apron. “Denke, Mr. Hartford.”

Hurrying away, she gathered the few items she needed and made sure she’d placed the money Mr. Hartford had given her for this week’s supply of baked goods inside her other pocket.

No sign of Jeremiah, thankfully. But each time the bell on the door of the general store dinged she half expected to see him standing there. Even her weekly trips to this old-fashioned country store had been tarnished by memories of Jeremiah.

And from seeing the man himself here in front of her.

Still smarting from their encounter at church two days ago, she remembered having a talk with Eli yesterday.

“Why do you insist on talking to Jeremiah Weaver?”

“I don’t, Mamm.” But her son’s eyes shone bright and he didn’t look her in the eye. “I mean, not unless he talks to me. He’s always kind to me.”

“You don’t know him.”

Eli finally faced her, his expression pinched and guarded. “But you did. And so did Daed. I know he’s the one who taught my daadi to swim.”

Suddenly it all fell into place. Eli wasn’t fascinated with Jeremiah because of where he’d been. He only wanted to know more about the man who’d been so close to his daddy.

“Who told you that?” she asked, her heart breaking for her boy. What kind of tales were people telling?

“I heard some of the men talking. Heard how they used to run around together and swim in the creek and hunt with Daed and Mr. Jeremiah. Is it true?”

“Yes, it’s true. But that was a long time ago.”

Eli’s brown eyes went rich with unshed tears. “Is that why you get upset when he’s around? ’Cause you miss Daed?”

Gathering her son into her arms, she’d kissed his unruly hair and said, “Ja, I get all emotional and want to have a good cry because of the memories and because I loved your father so much.”

Then her son had asked yet another hard question. “Then why don’t you like his friend?”

She hadn’t been able to give a good answer to that one. “I like him. But he’s been gone a long time so I have to get to know him better.”

“So you don’t want me to talk to him?”

“I want you to be careful when you talk to all adults.”

She wished she’d done better by her son, but here she stood with yet another reminder of all the ways Jeremiah Weaver had betrayed her and his faith.

She’d open the note from Mrs. Campton when she was alone back home.

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