Amish Cooking Class - The Seekers Read online

  “Nothing. I was hoping you would get here and could handle things.” Heidi clasped her husband’s arm. “He introduced himself as Ron Hensley. I’m thankful you came home when you did, because I wasn’t sure how to respond.”

  Lyle patted her hand tenderly. “Don’t worry; I’ll take care of this. You can either go with me to talk to him or head into the house.”

  “I’ll go inside.” Glancing briefly at Mr. Hensley and his dented motor home, Heidi hurried inside. Pausing in front of the living-room window, she watched her husband approach the man. I wonder if Lyle will let Mr. Hensley stay here. Or will he ask him to find someplace else to work on his vehicle?

  Heidi felt sorry for Ron. He looked unkempt and dejected, like his paint-chipped motor home. The man’s eyes didn’t sparkle, and he seemed to have trouble making eye contact. He was obviously down on his luck and needed a place to stay, but she hoped it wouldn’t be here. With her cooking classes starting soon, she didn’t need the distraction. Besides, Lyle was in and out because of his auctioneering duties, and Heidi would feel uncomfortable having a stranger on the premises.

  Moving to the kitchen, she took some leftover lentil soup from the refrigerator to heat for supper. After pouring it into a kettle, Heidi placed the soup on the propane-gas stove and turned on the burner. While it heated, she’d make a tossed green salad and set out the bread she had baked yesterday, along with fresh, creamy butter and a jar of local honey. It’d be more than enough for the two of them.

  By the time the soup was thoroughly heated, Heidi had finished making the salad, so she set the table. I wonder what’s keeping Lyle. Seems like he’s been talking to Ron a long time.

  She headed for the living room to look out the window, but saw no sign of Lyle, Ron, or his RV. How strange. I wonder where they could be.

  Goose bumps erupted on her arms. Could Ron have kidnapped my husband? Heidi had read about the kidnapping of two teenage girls up in Canton a few months ago. Their parents were wealthy, and the girls had been held for ransom. Fortunately, the police found and rescued them, and they’d been returned to their parents, unharmed, while the kidnapper went to jail. Things didn’t always turn out so well, however.

  But why would anyone kidnap Lyle? she reasoned. We’re not rich.

  Heidi began pacing. I need to calm down and stop allowing my imagination to run wild. If Mr. Hensley took Lyle, surely I would have heard the rumble of his vehicle, like I did when he drove into our yard. Of course, I was outside at the time. She moved across the room. I should quit fretting and go check for myself.

  Heidi was almost to the door when Lyle stepped in. Relief washed over her, and she rushed into his arms. “What’s going on? Is everything okay? When I looked out the window and didn’t see you or Mr. Hensley, I became concerned.”

  “We were on the back side of the barn, where he parked his RV so he’d be closer to the outhouse we no longer use.”

  Her eyes widened. “He’s staying?”

  “Jah. We talked awhile, and he seems like a decent enough person.”

  Heidi pursed her lips and, placing her hands on her hips, she stared up at him. “Ron’s going to use the outhouse?”

  “He probably won’t use it himself, because there’s a bathroom in his motor home. But the holding tank is getting pretty full, so I suggested he empty it in the outhouse.” Lyle took off his straw hat and hung it on a wall peg. “I agreed to let Ron stay a few days, and told him he could get water from our garden hose.”

  Heidi fingered her apron band, wondering if she should express her opinion or remain quiet. She wouldn’t usurp her husband’s authority. Still, she had the right to express her opinion, since there were times she’d be here by herself. Sometimes, her husband could be too trusting.

  Lyle lifted Heidi’s chin with his thumb. “You’re not pleased with my decision to let him stay, are you?”

  “We don’t know anything about Mr. Hensley.”

  “You’re right, he’s a stranger, but I don’t believe he means us any harm.” Lyle slipped his arm around Heidi’s waist. “He’s down on his luck. Maybe the Lord sent Ron to us for a reason. We need to show him God’s love.”

  Heidi remained quiet. She would pray Ron got his vehicle fixed soon and could be on his way to wherever he was going.

  Ron’s stomach growled as he leaned against the pillow on his bunk and drew a deep breath. The sandwich from lunch had worn off, and all he could think about was the pie he wished he’d gotten for dessert. Once he had taken care of the RV and gotten himself settled, all he’d eaten for supper were a few crackers and cheese slices, which weren’t nearly enough to fill his growling belly. The compact refrigerator in his tight kitchen area was practically empty.

  Shoulda used what little money I had left to buy some food when I was at the market in Berlin today. Jaw clenching, he groaned. Sure can’t drive over there now, or anywhere else, for that matter. The Troyers would figure out I lied about my rig not running right. If there’s another market close to their place, I’ll walk over there tomorrow. I need to find a way to make some money, too.

  Ron crumpled the cracker wrapping. This old vehicle not only eats up gas, but I’ll need to get more propane for the stove and water heater soon.

  Since he’d shot off his mouth and asked if he could stay here until he got his rig fixed, Ron would have to walk everywhere until he moved on. He’d have to pretend he was working on the rig, or it might look suspicious. If I can find a ride into town, maybe I’ll buy a new set of spark plugs when I get my retirement check at the end of April. Then, when I’m ready to move on, I can replace the old plugs and say my rig’s running good again.

  Ron had to admit the Troyers seemed like nice people. Their farm wasn’t elaborate, but at first glance he noticed it was well kept. It was especially nice to be parked at a place where he could stretch his legs and breathe in the country air. Open space was what he needed. It helped him feel less claustrophobic.

  “Sure can’t say the same about this tin can on wheels,” Ron grumbled, looking around his tightly confined home. Even though his bunk wasn’t as comfortable as a real bed, at least it was someplace to lay his head. From his position at the back of the rig, Ron saw all the way through to the driver’s seat. The small kitchen area was directly behind the driver’s seat, with a table and a bench that folded down from the wall. These could be made into an extra bed, but Ron never bothered, since he had the bunk area in the back. If he chose to, the passenger and driver seats could be swiveled around and used with the table when eating. Since Ron was always by himself, he didn’t bother to do that, either.

  He grimaced. Even if I wanted to, it would be impossible to entertain in this sardine can. I can barely move around in here myself.

  One nice feature in the motor home was a decent-sized closet. Ron kept a lot of his things there and in the storage box attached to the outside of the vehicle.

  The small bathroom sufficed, with a shower, sink, and toilet. And here, in the area where he slept, a dresser had been built into the wall, with several drawers where he stored clothing.

  Ron wadded the cracker wrapping and threw it toward the garbage bag by the side door. It missed by inches. Great! Story of my life. No wonder the Amish couple agreed to let me stay here a few days. All they had to do was look at me and this junk heap I’m driving to figure out I’m hard up.

  Determined to put his problems out of his mind for the night, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. Things might look better in the morning. After a good night’s rest, maybe he’d have a clearer head and could decide what his next move should be.

  Tap! Tap! Tap!

  Ron’s head jerked as his eyes snapped open. Unexpected noises always put him on alert. Once he figured out someone was knocking on the outside of his rig, he leaped up, nearly tripping over the garbage sack. He combed his fingers through his hair. Get ahold of yourself. Ron forced a smile and opened the side door. “Hey, what’s up?”

  Lyle blinked and took a ste
p back. “If you haven’t already eaten, I thought you might like some of Heidi’s lentil soup. She made a big batch and we had plenty left over.” He held out a lidded container. “It’s still warm, if you’d like to eat it now. She also wrapped two slices of homemade bread for you.”

  The mention of soup caused Ron’s stomach to rumble. “Yeah, I’d appreciate it.” He took the soup gratefully, noticing a nice-looking dog sitting by Lyle’s feet with its ears perked and head tilted to one side. It looked almost like the critter was trying to figure Ron out.

  “By the way …” Lyle pointed to the animal. “This is Rusty. He’s pretty friendly once he gets to know you.”

  “Okay. Umm … tell your wife thank you. Oh, and I’ll bring the container back to your house in the morning. Will that be soon enough?”

  Lyle nodded, and Rusty’s tail wagged. “Have a good night, Ron.”

  “Same to you.” Ron closed the door, grabbed a spoon, and took a seat at the table. Opening the lid, he dug into the soup, not bothering to get a bowl. From where he sat, the fridge was easy to reach. Fortunately, he still had a little butter left. Spreading some over the soft slices of bread, Ron couldn’t wait to take a bite. “Lyle’s wife is some cook. If I play my cards right, I might get to sample a lot more of her cooking.”

  Chapter 4

  Today’s the big day, jah?”

  Lyle’s question startled Heidi. She hadn’t realized he’d come in from doing his morning chores.

  “Yes, it is a big day for me, and I’m a little naerfich,” she admitted.

  He walked over to the table where she’d been going over the list of things she wanted to cover during the first class. “There’s no reason to be nervous. I’m confident you’ll do fine.” Lyle placed his hands on Heidi’s shoulders, massaging them a few minutes before leaning down to kiss her cheek. “More than fine, in fact.”

  She smiled. Her husband had a positive attitude and always offered encouragement when she felt discouraged or had doubts about something. Was it any wonder she’d answered with a confident yes when he’d asked her to marry him? In addition to his pleasant personality, Lyle was a fine-looking man. He’d caught her eye the moment she’d first seen him at a young people’s singing in Geauga County. Noticing his thick brown hair and dark brown eyes, Heidi had found it difficult to look away.

  Lyle had been working at his uncle’s farm in Middlefield the summer they’d met, and by the end of August, when he returned to his home in Holmes County, Heidi was head over heels in love. Afterward, they’d kept in touch through letters and phone messages, and Lyle came back to her house several times to visit and get better acquainted. Heidi felt as though they were meant to be together and had no doubts about leaving Geauga County and moving to Holmes County to spend the rest of her life with Lyle.

  Glancing at the clock, Heidi rose from her chair. “I’d better get breakfast started. Soon it’ll be time for my students to arrive.”

  “Why don’t you keep it simple this morning? You won’t have as much kitchen cleanup to do.” He opened a cupboard door and took out a clean mug. “In fact, coffee and toast would be enough for me.”

  “But I usually fix ham and eggs most Saturday mornings. Since you have an auction today, a big breakfast is a good way to start your day.”

  “I don’t need it, Heidi.” Lyle poured himself a cup of coffee. “But if you insist on fixing more, I’ll settle for a bowl of cold cereal to go with the toast. If I get hungry later on, there’ll be plenty to eat at the auction. In fact, if you’d like, I can bring something home for supper.”

  “Okay. We both have a busy day ahead of us, and it would be a treat if you brought something home. Danki for offering, Lyle.”

  “You’re welcome. Life has many small pleasures, and getting a take-out meal now and then is one of them.” The look Lyle gave her was no less than adoring. She watched her husband open the pantry door and take out a box of cereal. “Think I’ll fix a bowl and take it out to Ron.”

  With her lighthearted mood twisting in a different direction, Heidi released an exasperated sigh. “I can’t believe he’s still parked behind our barn. Isn’t he ever going to get his vehicle running well enough to leave?” Tugging on the narrow strings of her head covering, she frowned. “Ron originally asked if he could spend a few days, but he’s been here a week already.”

  “He doesn’t have money for the parts he needs.” Lyle set the cereal on the table and took three bowls down from the cupboard. “Ron’s done a few chores to help me outside this past week. The least we can do is offer him a few meals and a place to stay until—”

  “Until what, Lyle?” Heidi crossed her arms. “If he has no money to fix his motor home, how is he going to earn any staying here? I’m beginning to wonder if Ron plans to stay on our property indefinitely. Doesn’t he have a job or a family to call for the help he needs?”

  “Ron’s made no mention of family, but he did say the RV is his only home. He also said he has no job, only a small monthly retirement check.”

  “If he has no home, then how’s he getting his mail?”

  “A post office box, but he didn’t say where.”

  Heidi touched the base of her neck, feeling warmth beneath her fingers. “How can we be sure he’s telling the truth? Maybe he’s a drifter who uses people to give him money and food.”

  “I haven’t given him any money.”

  Heidi felt relief hearing that much at least. Still, she had to wonder how much longer it would be before Ron moved on.

  “Are you okay with me giving him a bowl of cereal?” Lyle nudged her arm.

  “Jah. While you’re out there, though, would you please find out how much longer he’s planning to stay?”

  Lyle nodded. He went out the door a few minutes later, and Heidi got out the bread to make toast. As much as it bothered her to have Ron parked in their yard, she needed to be kind and put her Christianity into practice.

  Sugarcreek

  Loretta scurried around the kitchen, hurrying to get breakfast made for the children before her pastor’s eighteen-year-old daughter, Sandy, came over to watch them while she attended the cooking class. She’d been worried about finding someone to watch Conner and Abby and felt grateful when Sandy offered.

  Loretta poured Conner’s favorite cereal into a bowl then took out the kind Abby liked best. After placing a hard-boiled egg and a piece of toast on a plate for herself, she joined the children at the table. “It’s time to pray.” She clasped both of their hands. “Dear Jesus, thank You for this food we are about to eat. And thank You for Sandy, who will be coming here soon to spend time with Abby and Conner. Help them be good and have a fun time while I’m at the cooking class today. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Abby echoed.

  Grinning, Conner bobbed his head. “Amen.”

  Loretta smiled. How thankful she felt for her two little ones. They’d become even more precious to her since Rick died. Closing her eyes, she added a brief silent prayer: Help me be the kind of mother my children need, and show me how to guide them down a path of humility and simplicity.

  Mt. Hope

  “Are you okay in there?”

  Kendra groaned as she stared at her pale face in the mirror. “I’ll be okay, Dorie. Give me a few more minutes and I’ll be out.” Bile rising in her throat, she turned toward the toilet and vomited a second time. When her stomach emptied, she rinsed her mouth and wet a washcloth to wipe her cheeks. She’d hoped the morning sickness would have passed by now, but this past week it seemed even worse. In addition to her stomach doing flip-flops, some mornings she’d experienced dizzy spells or awakened with a pounding headache. Fortunately, nausea was the only symptom plaguing Kendra so far today.

  “Wish I could eat something in the mornings without feeling sick to my stomach,” she muttered, pushing her short auburn hair behind her ears. Since she’d become pregnant, most breakfast foods and some of her other favorite meals, like pizza, upset her stomach.

  Many times when K
endra was growing up, her mother would make dippy eggs and toast for breakfast. For now, until the morning sickness passed, she’d switched from eating eggs or even pancakes, to having saltines and mint tea. Usually by lunchtime, Kendra was able to eat without getting sick.

  Taking a deep breath, she left the bathroom and joined her friend in the kitchen. “Sure hope I can get myself together. I should be leaving for the cooking class soon, and if I keep feeling this way, I won’t be able to go.”

  Dorie opened a cupboard door and took out a box of saltine crackers. “I’ll fix you some tea while you nibble some of these.”

  “Thanks.” Kendra massaged the bridge of her nose, hoping a headache wasn’t forthcoming.

  “It’s good you don’t have to drive far to get to the Amish lady’s house.” Dorie gave Kendra a cup of tea then finished eating her scrambled egg and bacon sandwich.

  “Yeah, it’s only about nine miles from here. If traffic is light, I should be there in ten minutes or so.” Kendra had to take a few more deep breaths as she chewed; then she swallowed the cracker. She loved bacon, but this morning even the smell of it on Dorie’s sandwich made her queasy. “Sure hope I don’t get sick while I’m at the class. Think how embarrassing it would be. And what if the Amish lady’s only bathroom facility is an outhouse?”

  “Don’t worry; I’m sure their house will have an inside bathroom.” Dorie poured herself a glass of tomato juice. The site of the thick reddish-colored juice made Kendra’s stomach turn, and she had to look away.

  After Dorie drank her juice, she got up and took her dishes to the sink. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

  “I’m gonna take a few crackers with me, too.” Kendra opened a drawer and took out a sandwich bag. “What if the odor of whatever she teaches us to cook makes me feel nauseous?”

  “You worry too much.” Dorie stepped behind Kendra and massaged her shoulders. “I’ll put some mint tea in a thermos, and you can take it along.”