Picnics and Prospects by Vannetta Chapman

Author:Vannetta Chapman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2020-03-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

David confessed the entire situation to his bruder later that night as they were completing their final check on the animals. Joseph was four years older and had run the family farm since their parents moved to Ohio to be closer to their dat’s parents. Their whole family was rather spread out with David’s other brother living in Virginia.

Nathan had been the reason David moved to Virginia. His brother had already established a successful cabinetry business there, and David wanted to learn from the best. His bruder was one of the finest craftsmen he’d ever met.

David returned to Indiana because there was a large Amish population, plenty of folks—both Englisch and Amish—who would hire him to build cabinets and furniture and even tiny houses. In truth, he liked the area better than Virginia. It felt good to be back on his family’s farm, and now his bruder was quickly filling their childhood home with kinner. They were up to six and had only been married five years.

“Faith passed out?” Joseph stared at him in disbelief.

“Pretty much. I mean, she never lost consciousness, but she wasn’t really able to move. I practically had to carry her outside.”

“And you think the tiny house caused it?”

“I guess. All she would say was that it felt like the walls were closing in and she couldn’t breathe.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“I wonder if she has trouble riding in buggies.”

“Hadn’t thought of that, though now that you mention it, hers seems to have extra windows in the back.”

“Perhaps Alton allowed it—given that she’s dealing with a medical condition and all.”

They’d brushed down the horses, put away any tools that had been left out, and walked back outside the barn. David looked up at the stars. The small pinpoints of light calmed his soul. They gave him a feeling of being in a vast open space, but also of being in the palm of Gotte’s hand. He wasn’t sure why that image popped into his mind.

Did Faith feel better when she was outside?

Did the stars give her a sense of safety?

How long had she been dealing with her condition?

“You care about her,” Joseph said, plopping down in a rocker under the barn eave.

“She’s a nice girl.”

“Nein. I mean you care about her as more than a friend.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“She’s all you’ve talked about for the last week.”

“Huh.”

“Bruder, you are a little clueless in regard to girls and dating and your own feelings.”

“And you’re an expert?” It came out as more of a growl than a statement. He softened it with, “Guess that’s what being married does to a man.”

“I was never as clueless as you are.” Joseph laughed and pushed the chair to rocking. “You’ve always been very—what’s the word—focused on your work.”

“I like what I do.”

“And that’s not a bad thing, but sometimes you don’t pick up on hints other people are sending out.”

“I definitely didn’t see any hints that Faith was going to melt down, though now that you mention it . . .” He perched on the edge of the other rocker.

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