He shifted his gaze toward the warmth, and after a moment of holding his focus elsewhere, he faced her. “Why do you empty the ash pan on your woodstove?”

  She crinkled her brows. “So there’s airflow. So the wood can burn. Because the ashes would overflow the pan. I don’t know.”

  “You are right. The ashes become an obstacle.”

  “Jah, but I still don’t understand how that’s supposed to relate to me.”

  “Sometimes the past becomes an obstacle to reaching your future. The future God planned for you.”

  Since the tornado destroyed the school, that future seemed dim.

  “Each step you’ve taken serves a purpose. It prepares you to fulfill your destiny.” He stood. “I’ll give you time to pray. There is more reason you’ve come to the river beyond talking with me.” He ambled away.

  Katie pushed off the ground and walked to the riverbank. Three large rocks evenly spaced across the river diverted the water flow, creating enough drop that foamy water pooled below. She closed her eyes. “God, I believe you’ve called me to become a teetshah. I love teaching. I was content to do that mei entire life.” She drew a deep breath. “But I’m falling in love with Seth. Now I’m confused.” There, she said it. Katie dropped to her knees. “I want your will for mei life . . . whatever that may be. I’ll follow you.”

  She remained stationary, waiting to hear from God so long that her legs turned numb. Finally, she rose. Her mind was set. She would trust that if God wanted her to teach, he would provide her with students.

  The following morning Katie tried to pretend the kiss never happened, and apparently Seth was trying too. He hadn’t spoken more than a few words at breakfast, then dashed outside the moment he drained his coffee cup.

  She didn’t see him again until a few hours later when she was preparing sandwiches for lunch and he came back inside. “I need to go into town and pick up some building supplies,” he said.

  “Don’t you want to eat lunch first?”

  “I’m nett sure how long this will take, so I’ll eat something later.”

  “Can you buy a few grocery items? I made a list.” She licked the peanut butter off her fingers. After pawing through a stack of Annie’s coloring, she produced the sheet and handed it to him.

  Seth scanned the list. “You need all this?”

  “If you want to eat.” She leaned closer, peering at the list with him. “Can you think of anything I forgot?”

  “I doubt it.” He folded the paper, then shoved it into his pocket.

  “Ach, I didn’t even think. If you’re going after building supplies, do you have enough money for groceries?” She extended her hand. “Let me have the list. I can find some things to remove.”

  “Beehive builders do bring in an income.”

  “But you haven’t been home.”

  “Katie, I have money.”

  “Can Paul and I kumm?” A hopeful smile spread across Thomas’s face as he waited for the answer.

  “Sure. Go harness the buggy.”

  The boys practically tripped over themselves to get to the door.

  Seth caught Paul by the back of his suspenders and stopped him before he knocked over a kitchen chair. “Slow down. You’re stampeding like a herd of crazed animals.”

  “Sorry.” Paul shook his shoulders to get his suspenders back into place.

  Seth motioned to the door. “Geh on with your business, then.”

  “I suppose they’re trying to get away from me.” Katie tried to make light of the fact.

  He grinned. “I was never fond of schul teetshahs.” He headed for the entrance, paused, then looked over his shoulder at her and winked. “At least, I wasn’t at their age anyway.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Seth made a second lap down the pasta aisle in the IGA store searching for the last item on Katie’s list: noodles for baked ziti casserole. He figured noodles were noodles. But this store had a huge selection. His mother cooked mostly with egg noodles, and only with ones she’d made herself.

  “All these different noodles and they probably taste the same,” he mumbled as his gaze darted over the various types.

  “Need help?” a woman asked.

  He started to say no but caught a glimpse of the hem of an Amish dress in his peripheral vision. He turned and greeted Abigail Bender with a smile. “Katie sent me into the store for this.” He handed Katie’s sister-in-law the list.

  “Hmm.” Her mouth creased into a smile the longer she studied the page. “Long list, ain’t so?”

  Seth shrugged.

  “Katie makes really gut baked ziti casserole.” Abigail reached for a box of noodles and handed it to him. “Only she uses penne noodles in hers. Nett that it matters in the recipe.”

  “Denki.” Seth put the box in the cart with the other items.

  “So why are you doing Katie’s grocery shopping?” Her brows wiggled as if she had some sort of tic. She pointed at the paper. “You said this was Katie’s list, jah?”

  “Ach.” He laughed, hoping it hid some of his nervousness. “She’s helping out at Amos Mast’s haus.” Before she could ask, he explained in one long-winded, rambling summary. “Amos had an accident and I needed help with Annie . . . Katie didn’t tell you any of this?”

  Her brows puckered and her mouth fell slightly ajar. She nodded in an absentminded manner.

  “She’s very gut with children,” he added. He wasn’t sure what prompted him to defend Katie’s ability to care for children. After all, she was the district’s schoolteacher. Her sister-in-law should already know this about Katie.

  “How serious was Amos’s accident?”

  “Bad. He fell off a ladder and hit his head. He lost his sight.”

  Abigail covered her mouth with her hand to restrain her gasp. “That’s awful news.”

  “I’m surprised Katie hadn’t said something to you. She’s been helping out over a week nau.”

  “Are you working on building more beehives?”

  “Other than the ones I put up for Amos, nay, I haven’t had time.” He listened for the sound of disapproval in her tone but couldn’t detect anything that suggested she was as disappointed in his form of business as Katie was.

  “I know Katie gave you a rough time about setting up Amos’s hives near the school, but it seems to me you could move your business anywhere—if you decide to stay in Hope Falls.”

  He smiled. “I think I’ll be too busy with repairing Amos’s barn to think about that.”

  “I take it Katie and Amos are getting along.”

  He hoped.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked.

  Probably. He’d spent more time than anyone should searching the grocery aisles. He’d left Katie alone with Amos longer than expected. And the boys. It dawned on him then that he’d left the boys with the buggy and building supplies to run in for what he thought wouldn’t be more than a few minutes.

  “I shouldn’t hold you up any longer,” he said, a hint of panic tingeing his words. He pushed the cart toward the register. Isaac’s fraa probably thought he was scatter-minded. Standing in line with three shoppers ahead of him, he dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out his watch. She would be preparing the supper meal about now. He hoped she wasn’t waiting for anything on this grocery list.

  “Is someone there?” Amos’s voice rang out from the other room.

  Katie stopped peeling potatoes and set the paring knife on the table. She went into the sitting room to check on him.

  “Do you need something, Amos?”

  “Who else is here?” He turned his head one direction, paused, then craned in the opposite direction. “I heard someone.”

  She glanced around the room. “There isn’t anyone here but Annie and me, and we’ve been working in the kitchen.” Since she’d agreed to have supper with them tonight, she had spent most of the afternoon planning a nice meal out of the sparse supplies from the pantry.

  “Seth and the boys aren’t back?” He snapped his head in the opposite direction and shifted on his chair to face the wall.

  Sitting so long by himself, he must be going stir-crazy. She walked over to the front window and gazed outside. “I don’t see the buggy. They’re nett back yet.” Turning to face him, she paused to study his expression—a tense mixture of fear and bewilderment.

  He gripped the arms of the rocker so tight his knuckles turned white. His brows creased and he craned his head one direction and then the other, as if listening for something.

  “Do you want me to sit in here and keep you company for a while?”

  “Why? To stare at me? Take pity on the blind man?”

  “I thought you could use some company, is all.”

  Razzen whooshed again from Amos’s left side to his right and then back to his left side. The breeze he caused disturbed the man. Mind games—Razzen loved them. Unable to see, Amos relied heavily on his hearing. But as Amos was finding out, he could never pinpoint Razzen’s location. Stupid fool. Did he really believe he could outwit the master deceiver?

  “It’s hot in here,” Amos said. “Is the window open?” He fanned his face as beads of perspiration welled along his forehead.

  Razzen blanketed himself around Amos in the form of fog. Adding an ever-increasing burden of oppression, the demon hadn’t left the man alone. Now that he’d niggled Amos into summoning the woman into the room, he could torment them both.

  “The windows are open.” She studied Amos. Hunched over in the rocking chair, he looked twice his age. A shriveled prune is what he reminded her of. “What if I set a chair under the shade tree—would you like to sit outside?”

  “Nay.”

  She should’ve expected that answer. “Would you like me to move your chair closer to the window?”

  “What for? It’s nett like I can see outside.”

  “But you could feel the breeze and smell the fresh air.” She slipped behind his chair. “Pick your feet up.” She pushed, but the chair only inched forward.

  “I didn’t say I wanted to move.”

  “It’ll be a gut change.” She groaned as she tried to push harder. The chair wouldn’t budge.

  “Okay, stop!” Amos insisted.

  She removed her hands from the back of the chair, and he surprised her by standing. “Stay right there,” Katie said. She maneuvered the chair around him and quickly pushed it in front of the window.

  “Where did you put mei chair?” His hands groped the air.

  Katie came up beside him and weaved her arm around his.

  Amos flinched.

  “I’m going to help you,” she said. “Take a few steps forward.”

  He mumbled under his breath something she couldn’t decipher, but he took a step. With a few simple instructions, she guided him to the chair. “This is much better in front of the window, ain’t so?”

  Amos huffed.

  “It’s a beautiful summer day.”

  “How would I know? I’m blind.”

  Katie frowned. If he continued in this downward spiral, he might never get back on his feet. “Amos,” she said softly. “God gave you more senses than just sight. Listen to the birds. Smell the grass. Feel the breeze on your face. There’s so much for you to enjoy, you don’t have to let life pass you by.”

  He didn’t respond.

  “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.” Katie took a few steps away but paused. “Lord, what does it take to reach him?” she whispered.

  “Katie, are you still in here?”

  She walked toward him. “Did you need something?”

  “No wonder I’m hearing things. Stop spying on me.”

  She left the room. “Lord, have mercy on his wayward mind. You’re the only one who can reach him.”

  Seth squinted into the late afternoon sun, trying to focus on the object several hundred feet down the road. As he lessened the distance between them, he recognized the elderly man ambling along the shoulder of the road. Elias was certainly right when he said he liked walking. From where they were, the nearest Amish farm was over ten miles away. He’d never known anyone who traveled so far walking with a cane. Yet the closer he came to Elias, the easier it was to see the man had a steady gait.

  “Whoa,” he called as he reined the horse to a stop. “Would you like a ride?”

  Elias looked Seth’s direction and smiled. “Jah, denki.”

  Seth motioned with his thumb over his shoulder to Thomas and Paul. “Jump in the back, boys, so Elias has a place to sit.”

  Without hesitating, Thomas and Paul climbed into the market buggy’s cargo area with the supplies.

  “Awfully thoughtful of you to give me a ride,” Elias said, using the bench to pull himself up to the seat. He glanced behind him at Thomas and Paul. “Working with your onkel today?”

  Thomas nodded.

  “We just kumm from town to pick up supplies,” Seth said. “I haven’t had a chance to help more with the needs of the settlement, but I hope to soon.”

  “I heard today they expect more workers to arrive tomorrow. I’m nett sure how long they will be here, but some of the elders were making arrangements for places they could stay.”

  “I’m glad to hear more help is arriving.” Seth wished he could do more, but as it was, the work that needed done at Amos’s house would consume his next few weeks.

  Elias looked over his shoulder. “You didn’t need many supplies, I see.”

  “Couldn’t find much. It seems there isn’t any building material left in Hope Falls. The lumberyard is dry of both lumber and roofing material.”

  “I heard that today too.”

  “I didn’t realize how hard the Englisch were hit until I went into town. I feel bad. Normally the Amish are quick to help in a crisis. In mei district last fall, we put up a new barn for an Englisch neighbor who lost his in a fire. But here, with so much destruction throughout this settlement, every man is needed to rebuild the Amish farms. Planting time has already been pushed back, and the barns will be needed before harvesttime.”

  Elias nodded. “I heard the government stepped in and provided the Englisch with temporary houses and drinking water.”

  “Jah, some county representatives asked the bishop if the Amish needed government assistance. Every Amish man understands why the bishop turned them down.” He chuckled. “But I’m sure the representatives were confused that we would still wish to maintain separation from the world even in the most desperate times. Perhaps they won’t ever understand our plain living and that we can make do with what we have.” Seth wagged his head. “I’m nett so sure the Englischers can cope long without what they believe are necessities, ain’t so?”

  “God’s provision comes from an unlimited source. But there are so many people who hoard their possessions as if they had some sort of control over their future.”

  Seth opened his mouth to agree but held his comment. Elias fixed his gaze upward. Only he seemed to be looking at something beyond the buggy roof.

  The man’s eyes closed. “Jehovah-Jireh,” Elias said in almost a whisper. After a moment of silence, he opened his eyes and looked at Seth. “If only people could truly see that the hand that feeds them also provides for them in every other way.”

  Seth nodded.

  “It’s unnecessary to worry or be anxious about anything,” the elderly man added.

  Seth swallowed hard as a shudder sped through him. Elias seemed to be speaking directly to him. He suspected Elias’s comment held a deeper meaning, but he hesitated to ask. He wasn’t prepared to face correction if, in fact, Elias’s word was directed at Seth.

  Elias continued anyway without any prompting. “You might believe you lack certain abilities, but be of good cheer, God has equipped you to accomplish his will.”

  “Equipped you . . .” Elias’s words echoed in Seth’s suspended state of consciousness. For a dazed moment, he felt removed from the natural realm as voices rang out, “Be of good cheer.”

  Seth shook his head. No one in this settlement, except for Amos, knew about Seth’s past. How he had vowed never to build anything besides beehives again. How would Elias know he lacked confidence? Or that he worried his building abilities were severely deficient?

  Elias pointed to the woodsy area up ahead. “You can drop me off there.”

  Seth slowed Sage. He recognized the spot near the river where they had found Leah. “It was nice talking with you,” he said as he pulled the horse to a stop.

  “If it’s okay, I would like to help you repair Amos’s barn.”

  Seth smiled. He appreciated any help he could get. “Would you like me to pick you up in the morning?”

  Elias smiled. “It’s going to rain for four days. I’ll see you after that.”

  Seth glanced at the clear sky. It sure didn’t look like rain to him.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Katie positioned herself at the clothesline so she could see anyone who entered Amos’s drive, particularly Seth. He and the boys had been gone a long time. She wanted to time supper so they wouldn’t have to wait long to eat. She placed the folded towel on top of the others and picked up the laundry basket as Seth pulled into the drive. He parked the buggy close to the house and the boys piled out the back end.

  “Don’t run off,” Seth said, stopping Thomas and Paul, who had their sights set on the barn and had turned in that direction. “The groceries need to be taken inside.”

  The boys doubled back without a word and joined Seth at the back of the buggy. Katie walked up, basket in hand, as Seth handed two bags to Thomas and another two to Paul.

  “Did you find everything you needed for the barn?”

  “The lumberyard was practically empty.” Seth loaded his arms with the remaining bags. “Sorry we’re late. I hope you weren’t waiting for any of these items to start supper.”

  She shook her head. “I just slipped it into the oven.”

  They climbed the porch steps, and Seth juggled the bags to one side in order to reach for the doorknob.