Finding Her Amish Love. Rebecca Kertz
Emma nodded.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Emma gazed at her, confused.
“For what was done to you.”
She smiled. “You’ve been very kind, and you’ve made a difference in my life from the first moment I met you.” Emma held her gaze. “You gave me food and the twenty dollars you left for me when I came back the next night.”
Leah arched an eyebrow. “What twenty dollars?” But there was warmth in her pretty blue eyes and a smile on her lips. Leah Yoder was genuinely beautiful inside and out.
Emma was relieved to be here with the young Amish woman. She’d never felt so safe since she’d been sent to live with the Turners. It was as if Leah was a true friend, and she definitely needed one. She thought of Daniel Lapp and the way he’d looked at her, as if she’d come to cause trouble for his cousin. But then his expression had changed as he’d watched her a little while later. As if he worried about her, despite his concern for his family. She was wrong. She shouldn’t have come back, bringing her problems to Leah. She just hoped for some advice, then she’d leave Leah in peace...and safety.
“How long is it before you turn eighteen?” Leah asked.
“Five weeks.”
“And you need a job,” the Amish woman said.
Emma nodded. “Yes.”
“And a place to live.” Leah looked thoughtful. “You also need a place where you can hide until you’re free of the foster care system.”
Looking away, Emma stood. “Yes. I’m not here to cause you trouble. You can imagine what my foster family is like. But you know the area well, so if you could point me in the right direction, I’ll get out of your hair.” Dread and sadness filled her as she stood. “I shouldn’t have come. You have your family to worry about.”
“Please sit down, Jessica.”
She blinked and obeyed.
“I have a solution to your problem.”
Hope flickered in her heart. “You do?”
“Henry and I need help. I’m going to hire you to work in the store. You can live with my parents, who have a spare room. I only ask that you help them with chores if they need it.” She paused. “Is that agreeable to you?”
Emma allowed the tears to fall. “Yes,” she whispered. “Very agreeable.” She inhaled sharply. “But I shouldn’t accept. If my foster father comes here looking for me...”
Leah covered Emma’s hands with her own. “I’m not worried about him. Besides, he won’t find out you’re here among us.” She smiled. “You’ll be a big help to me. Before long, I won’t be able to work for a while.” She patted her belly. “I’m having twins.”
“Twins!” Emma held her gaze. “You must be so happy about them.”
“I’m thrilled. I love Henry, and I already love our babies,” Leah said gently.
She grinned. “I’m happy for you, Leah. You deserve everything good life has to offer.”
“Danki.” Leah rose and went to the refrigerator. “Now before we do anything else, I’m feeding you, then you can take a shower.”
It sounded wonderful to her. She must have said it aloud because Leah laughed.
Emma hesitated. “May I wash my hands before I eat?”
Leah directed her to a small downstairs bathroom. Emma continued to fight tears as she washed her hands and face. Feeling overwhelmed and emotional, she experienced hope for the first time in a long time. Hope tinged with a feeling of concern for accepting her friend’s offer. There was no mirror in the room, but she could imagine how awful she must look after days on the road and having slept in the barn.
Emma managed to gain control of her emotions as she wolfed down the turkey sandwich Leah fixed for her. After she finished, she then ate the piece of an apple pie that Leah pressed on her.
“Come with me,” Leah said after Emma was done eating.
She followed Leah out of the kitchen, then upstairs to a bathroom with a shower. She glanced down at her dirty clothes and grimaced at the thought of putting them on again.
Leah turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature. “Wait here a moment.” She returned within minutes with clean clothes.
Emma eyed the royal blue Amish dress, and her throat tightened with emotion. “Leah, I can’t take your clothes.”
“Of course you can. Until we can get you several garments of your own.” To Emma’s surprise, Leah took her hand. “Jess, think about it. Hiding in plain sight, you can live among us freely. No one would suspect an Amish girl of being a runaway foster child.”
Emma hadn’t thought about that. “That does sound like a good plan.”
“Gut,” Leah said, pronouncing it with an accent. “Gut, not good. But don’t worry, I’ll teach you a few phrases that will make your place here convincing.”
“Thank you.”
“Danki,” Leah instructed.
“Danki,” Emma said, and the Amish woman beamed at her.
“When you’re done here, come downstairs. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Okay. Danki.”
“Ja, danki,” Leah corrected with a laugh.
Emma grinned at her before the woman closed the door, leaving her alone to ponder her new temporary life. She cleaned up and changed into the Amish clothes Leah had provided. She knew she wouldn’t have trouble fitting in. After all, she’d been raised in an Amish community until she was six years old. She knew how to speak high German, although she couldn’t let on. She’d have to allow the others to teach her a few words or they would suspect that she and her parents had left their Amish community for the English world and been shunned by their family and friends for their decision to leave.
“We need to come up with an Amish name for you,” Leah said. She looked thoughtful for a moment. “How about Emma? You can be my cousin Emma Stoltzfus from New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.”
“Emma?” she breathed, shocked by Leah’s choice.
Leah smiled. “Ja. What do you think?”
Emma smiled back. “I think it will be easy for me to answer to that name.”
“What’s taking them so long?” Daniel said. He’d brought a stranger into Leah’s life and home. He was worried, although Leah said she knew the girl.
“Knowing my wife,” Henry said, “she’s feeding Jess over a long conversation.”
“You’re not concerned?”
His cousin’s husband shook his head. “Nay, I know Leah. She has gut instincts. If she trusts the girl, then I do, too.”
“Maybe I should go up to the haus.” Daniel couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had come since the discovery of the girl in the barn.
“You’ll upset not only Jess but Leah as well. Do you want to upset your cousin?” Henry asked with a look of amusement.
Daniel couldn’t help a smile. Henry had hurt Daniel’s brother Isaac, who had been his best friend, and his cousin Leah had resented him because of it. Even though Henry and Isaac had become close again, Leah hadn’t liked or trusted Henry until she’d gotten to know the man’s true nature. After forgiving Henry, she’d