Buch lesen: «Courting Her Prodigal Heart»

Chapter One
Goshen, Indiana

With the reins in hand, Eli Hochstetler drove his vater’s supply-hauling wagon through Goshen in the early-June sun. Dutch’s hooves clip-clopped on the pavement.

Daniel Burkholder sat on the seat next to him. “Have the church leaders given you permission to purchase a computer and make a website?”

Eli shook his head. “I haven’t asked yet.”

“Why not? The summer is going to be over before you know it.”

“I need to have more items made first.” Eli had branched out his blacksmithing from the practical horseshoes, weather vanes and herb choppers to decorative items like napkin holders, door knockers and small animal figures. This second group of items would be marketed toward Englishers, hence the need for a computer and website. Not everyone who requested such privileges were granted them.

“Shouldn’t you make sure they’ll let you before you go to the trouble?”

“I want to show them I have a need and meine work can support a business. I also need to learn about websites and such.”

“You can’t create your own website. They wouldn’t allow that. You’ll need an Englisher to do that.”

“I know. I’m not sure how to go about finding one.”

“Doesn’t every Englisher know about computers?”

Eli shrugged. “I think so. If I know a little, I’ll know how to talk to an Englisher about meine website.”

His attention gravitated toward Rainbow Girl. That was what he called the young woman with rainbow-colored hair. His gaze automatically followed her.

For the past six months, he’d seen this same girl every time he came to town, without fail. Her multicolored hair made her hard to miss, but she held herself differently today. Not the usual bounce in her step. Not the usual head held high. Not the usual carefree swing of her arms. Her head hung low, and her shoulders hunched over. Her fancy black knee boots scuffed the sidewalk, and her body shook as though she was crying.

What drew him to this stranger? An Englisher, no less. It made no sense.

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Ne, this verse didn’t apply.

Not for an Englisher. Therefore, not his responsibility. And none of his business.

“You aren’t going to ask her for help, are you?”

Daniel’s question brought Eli back to his right mind. “Of course not.” He snapped the reins to hurry up Dutch. He had errands to complete and work to do.

“What is it about that Englisher that makes you stare?”

Eli shook his head. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“The last three times I’ve ridden into town with you, you’ve watched her. You don’t do that with other Englishers.”

Eli hadn’t realized he’d been so obvious. “Who wouldn’t notice someone with hair like that? You’ve obviously noticed her also.”

“That’s different. You stare like you’re trying to figure her out.” Daniel’s assessment was too accurate.

Eli struggled to figure out what drew him to this one Englisher. He didn’t want to talk about her anymore. “We should get the lumber first, then the feed.”

A while later, with his errands done and the wagon loaded down, Eli drove back through town. Would he see Rainbow Girl once more? He hoped not. He didn’t want Daniel bringing her up again.

But there she sat. Alone. Huddled on the curb in front of a sandwich shop with her arms wrapped around her bent legs.

He guided Dutch into the small strip mall parking lot, pulled the draft horse and wagon through two adjoining spaces and hauled back on the reins.

Daniel elbowed him. “What are you doing?”

“I’ll be right back.” After setting the brake, he jumped down and headed toward Rainbow Girl.

He hesitated a few feet away. What did an Amish man say to such a person?

One side of her hair had been cropped very short while the other side hung down to her shoulder. The short side shone bright red, and her ear had five earrings. Purple bangs swooped across her forehead and partially covered one eye. Then came sections of blue, green, yellow, orange and around to the red again. All of it had about an inch of brown close to her head. Why would anyone do that to her hair?

Her jeans had several large holes up and down the entire fronts in various sizes. With her legs bent, her black-net-covered knees poked out the biggest openings. A green army-style jacket hung loose over a baggy T-shirt.

Englishers were strange.

His heart raced being this close to her after all these months and now contemplating speaking to her. He should leave, but instead, he said, “Are you all right?”

Slowly, her head rose, and she stared at him as though she’d seen something out of the ordinary. Perhaps she had. Amish didn’t normally talk to Englishers like her.

Her lips were purple, similar in color to the hair that covered part of her face. Above her upper lip sat a dot of silver metal. She had a small silver hoop hanging from the one eyebrow he could now see. Heavy black makeup encircled her eyes as though she’d used soot. Below them, the black had run and smeared. Why did Englisher women choose to cover up their beauty with so much paint?

“I’m fine. Leave me alone.”

All her makeup couldn’t disguise the pain in her eyes. Pain that came from deep inside. From her heart and soul. “You don’t look fine.” There must be something he could do. Why he felt a need to help her, he didn’t know. He pointed to his own face. “Your eye... The black stuff... Never mind.”

She wiped her fingers below each eye, further smearing the inky mess. “I’m fine.”

This woman obviously didn’t want anything to do with him. He shouldn’t bother her any longer. He should leave. Instead, he sat on the curb near her, keeping a respectable distance, at least four feet. He glanced toward Daniel, who shook his head.

Eli needed to make sure she was all right. “My name is Eli.” He’d never imagined ever being so close to her. The nerves in his fingers and toes tingled. He clasped his hands together to dull the sensation.

She turned toward him and raked the purple hair from her face with her hand. “What are you doing?”

He wasn’t sure himself. “You’re clearly upset about something. Maybe you need some company.”

“I am, and I don’t.”

Even though she dismissed him, he couldn’t bring himself to sever the tenuous connection with her and stand. “What’s your name?” Something about her struck him as familiar, but he couldn’t imagine what. Probably by seeing her frequently, he’d become accustomed to her.

“If you weren’t Amish, I’d think you were some sort of creepy stalker.” Did she have a lilt of an accent?

He placed his palm on his chest. “I mean you no harm. Won’t you tell me your name?”

She changed her focus to her purple painted nails and picked at them. “Dori. Why did you sit down with me? That’s not very Amish.”

He gave a chuckle. “You probably won’t understand this, but I felt Gott leading me to come over to you.”

She chuffed out a breath. “God? God doesn’t care about me.”

“He does. Very much.”

Her words rushed out. “Then why has my boyfriend kicked me out? I lost my stupid low-paying job. And I have no place to live. Trust me, God does not care about me.”

“What about your family? You could ask them for help.”

She pulled a tight smile. “Trust me, my family doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Have you asked them?”

“There’s no point.”

“You don’t know until you try. Your family may be waiting to hear from you. Waiting for you to come home.”

She shook her head. “It was nice of you to stop and try to help. You’ve done your good deed. You can go now.”

Gut deed? Was that what she thought? If he simply needed to complete a gut deed, he had many neighbors he could help.

This had not been his idea. But had he done all that Gott had in mind for him to do?

She inclined her head toward his wagon. “Your friend is waiting for you.”

“He will wait.” Eli considered her. She had no job and no place to live. That likely meant she had nothing in her stomach. He stood and took a retreating step. “Come.”

She glanced over her shoulder and up at him. “Why?”

He poked his thumb behind him at the sub shop. “I will buy you a sandwich.”

The one visible eyebrow shifted down. “What? Really?”

“Ja. Come in and pick out what you want. If you don’t, I’ll pick for you.” He reached for the door handle.

“You’re serious.” She scrambled to her feet.

He held the door. “Pick whatever kind of sandwich you want.” With his other hand, he held up his index finger to Daniel to let him know he’d be a minute.

The male server behind the counter pulled on clear plastic gloves. “Welcome. What can I make for you?”

Rainbow Girl’s voice came out small and uncertain. “I’d like the sweet onion chicken teriyaki.”

“Six-inch or twelve?”

Rainbow Girl said, “Six—”

Eli spoke over her. “Twelve-inch, please.”

She looked at him sideways.

He knew she had to be hungry. She could eat the other half later if she didn’t want it now. She chose her bread and veggies.

He ordered two more twelve-inch sandwiches, one for himself, the other for Daniel, and got them all chips and chocolate milk. He set her food and drink on a table but didn’t sit.

“I need to go now.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate this.” Her mouth curved up a little bit, and his insides responded happily. “I won’t tell anyone you helped the strange Englisher—” she lifted her hands and flipped them around in tight circles “—with the colorful hair.”

He should do more but didn’t know what. “You should talk to your family. I’m sure they miss you.” Englisher parents had to love their children too, didn’t they?

“I’m sure they don’t. I’ve done things they’ll never be able to forgive.”

This poor woman had next to nothing.

“Give them a chance.” He dug in his pocket and put a ten-dollar bill on the table. “Spend this on food.” But there was no guarantee she would.

She stared at him.

Though he wanted to stay longer with her, he turned and hurried out before she could refuse it. He cast a glance over his shoulder. What was it he felt for this stranger? Pity? Ja. But there was something more to it. Compassion? Ja. But still more. He continued to mull it over as he approached the wagon, and the impossible truth hit him. Attraction.

How could that be? It certainly wasn’t her appearance. It had been when she’d thanked him and smiled. It had caused his insides to wriggle like a fish trying to get away.

He couldn’t deny it. She was someone he wanted to get to know better, but that would be ill-advised. The best thing to happen would be to never see her again.

Dori. Knowing her real name dispelled some of the mystery about her. He would always think of her as Rainbow Girl though.

He suspected it would be a while before he could shake her from his thoughts.

Something inside Dori ached for the handsome Amish man to stay with her a little longer. He headed out the door and toward his horse and wagon. Eli Hochstetler hadn’t recognized her. Nor had the other Amish man with him. Just as well. She’d worked hard to erase any trace of her former Amish self. Eli made her long for...for... What? Something more. But what was that something? Craig? No. Then what? She stared after his retreating wagon and wanted to call him back.

How weird to see and talk to an Amish person. She hadn’t done so in four years, avoiding them whenever possible.

Eli had surprised her when he bought her—an Englisher—a sandwich. He had always been kind even though a bit rigid and unbending with people’s actions, like his father and her grandfather. The three of them would have plenty to say about all her poor choices. Choices that had been right for her at the time.

He likely had many thoughts about her hair, makeup and clothing. And what had he thought of her piercings? She chuckled to herself. If he had recognized her, no doubt he would have been horrified and wouldn’t have spoken to her at all. She’d thought she’d blown it by calling herself an Englisher, but it seemed to have sailed right by him. She was glad he hadn’t recognized her. This way she could keep this little moment she’d had with him special.

He’d looked so uncomfortable talking to her. It had been kind of cute. Eli had always been appealing. His intense brown eyes still captivated her. She’d almost told him who she was and that she knew him, but she feared it would have put him off, and she’d appreciated his kindness. He would have judged her actions as vulgar and unacceptable, but as an Englisher, anything she did would be viewed as merely an example of their strange ways.

Tears welled in her eyes at the thought of him being repulsed by her if he knew. She desperately didn’t want him to think poorly of her. She wanted him to like her again. What was she thinking? It must be her out of whack hormones.

With her stomach satisfied and the other half of the sandwich tucked inside her backpack, she headed down the street.

After two weeks of morning sickness and fighting with Craig, Dori had packed suitcases with her clothes, books, and various items from around the apartment, and checked herself in at a women’s shelter. How pitiful her life had become.

How could Craig not want his own child?

The following morning at the shelter, she shoved her damp toothbrush into her backpack in preparation to leave for the day. Her hand hit something hard. She gripped the cold, curved metal and pulled it out. At the sight of the iron door knocker, she froze. Even though she had put it there, it surprised her. Why? Because she’d seen and talked to Eli yesterday? He’d created this in his forge. She gripped it hard. The prodigal son story came to mind.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father—

She sucked in a breath. No, she could never go back there. Would her father even let her return? He might, but her grandfather never would. Amish had a propensity for forgiveness, but her grandfather had quit speaking to her even before she’d left because of her wild ways. If he saw her now, would he even recognize her? Would any of them? Eli hadn’t. She smiled at his sweetness yesterday. Thoughts of returning to the Amish people were Eli’s fault. He’d put the idea in her head.

Dori shoved the iron door knocker back into her backpack.

—and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.

Boy, had she ever sinned.

Even shunned, as she would be if she returned, the Amish would treat her better than this. They would feed her, give her a clean bed and take care of her, even if she had to eat at a separate table from the rest of her family. Though no one would be allowed to talk to her, she would be provided for. Her child would be treated well and taken care of. Her child wouldn’t go hungry if Dori was forced to remain there for an extended period, nor would it go without clothes or a bed, and it would have a roof over its head. What more did either of them need right now?

She would go back to the community until she could get a job and support herself and her child. Only a temporary solution.

And she would get to see Eli again. That thought made her insides smile.