Where the Heart Is by Amy Clipston

Author:Amy Clipston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2017-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

After he finished his late afternoon chores, Tobias moved through his father’s biggest barn to the small shop at the back. Although it had a window, the November sunlight was dim outside. He crossed to the workbench and flipped on a Coleman lantern, surprised the battery still worked after five months.

In the warm yellow light, he ran his finger over the tools. And then memories came back as he touched the half-finished birdhouse he’d started before leaving for Florida. For years he’d retreated to this shop to both escape his constant arguments with his father and defy him.

While Dat pushed Tobias to respect and appreciate the dairy farm, Tobias had pulled away from the farm, insisting he wanted to be a carpenter. He built the birdhouses and sold them in his uncle Titus’s furniture store. The extra money he earned with his hobby had been nice, but he’d been more interested in irritating his father.

Tobias sank onto the stool in front of his workbench and hung his head as shame crawled onto his shoulders and dug its sharp talons into his muscles. He’d been thoughtless, immature, and cruel to his father, and he needed to find a way to prove to Dat that he was no longer that petulant person. The letter of apology he’d sent soon after he left hadn’t been enough—he knew that. He was ready to be the son his father deserved. But was it too late to make up for his mistakes?

Trying to dismiss his worry, he began to clean and organize his tools. They looked as if they hadn’t been touched since he left. He was about to hang a hammer on the pegboard above the workbench, when a voice sounded behind him.

“Tobias?”

Startled, he dropped the hammer with a clatter, and it bounced off the workbench before falling onto the floor beside his foot. He spun. Mariella was standing in the doorway.

Her cheeks flushed bright pink as she clapped one hand over her mouth. She was beautiful in her green dress, bright beneath her unbuttoned black coat.

“Hi.” He chuckled as he sank back onto the stool, facing her. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I’m so sorry.” She held up her hand. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“It’s okay. I was lost in thought.”

“I shouldn’t have intruded, but I wanted to say good-bye before I left.” She started to back out of the doorway. “I’ll see you—”

“Don’t go.” He popped up. “You’re not intruding.” He stood and pulled the extra stool out from beneath the workbench and set it next to his. “Please sit.”

She wound one tie from her kapp around her finger as she stared at the stool, as if debating.

“Please,” he pleaded, holding his hands as if to pray. “Just for a minute?”

“Okay.” She crossed the shop and hopped up on the stool.

“Danki.” He turned toward her and leaned against the workbench. “Did you get a lot of sewing done?”

“Ya, we did.” She smoothed her hands over the skirt of her dress and then hugged her coat against her body.

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