The walnut creek wish, p.23
The Walnut Creek Wish, page 23
“Both. Dad hasn’t been the same since he bought that flashy-looking convertible.” Jeff groaned. “I’m convinced that he’s dealing with some sort of midlife crisis.”
“My mother must be going through one too because she’s definitely not thinking straight these days.”
“At least she hasn’t bought a convertible or taken in some hyper mutt.” Jeff let go of the steering wheel with his right hand and reached up to rub the back of his neck—one more hint that he felt stressed out.
“Please use both hands on the wheel. You don’t have good control with just one hand.”
His brows furrowed. “I do too. A lot of people drive with one hand on the wheel.”
“But they’re not driving my car.”
“Should I pull over so you can drive?”
Rhonda couldn’t miss her husband’s sarcastic tone. “Don’t be silly; we’re almost home.”
Jeff put his hand back on the steering wheel. “There, are you happy now?”
She combed her fingers through her hair and flipped it back behind her ears. “Are you angry about what I said, Jeff, or just taking your frustrations over your dad’s actions out on me?”
“Guess it’s mostly my feelings about Dad. Sorry for snapping at you, honey. I think we’ll both feel better once we’re in our own home where we can fully relax.”
“You’re right,” Rhonda agreed. “I’ll fix us a snack, and then maybe we can watch a movie together in your man cave.”
He glanced her way and grinned before looking back at the road. “That sounds great. Since we stopped for an early dinner on the way home, I’m not all that hungry, but in an hour or so, a snack might be nice. I’ll make some popcorn to go with whatever you fix.”
“That would be nice.”
As they approached their home, he reached for the remote to open the gate. “And the best part is that the two of us will be spending some quality time together.”
“It was nice we had a chance to spend some time fellowshipping with your brother, Samuel, and his wife, Esther, after the rest of the people went home today,” Lois commented as she and Orley headed for home in their buggy. “I still have some of my snack mix left over. It’s setting behind my seat in the red container.”
“There were plenty of snacks to nibble on earlier today, but I can always make room for a little more.” He chuckled.
“It was good to visit with some familiar faces while we ate and even afterward during the cleanup time in the kitchen.”
He bobbed his head. “Jah, since today is our off-Sunday, I’m glad we could attend church services with my brother’s church district this morning. It was also nice that it was held at Samuel and Esther’s home.”
“Speaking of homes … that one there is certainly beautiful.” Lois pointed up ahead.
Orley squinted. “And you know what? I believe that is Jeff and Rhonda Davis in the car going into that yard through the open gate.”
“How do you know it’s them?”
“The woman in the passenger’s side turned her head to the right, and I recognized her face.”
As Orley’s horse, Biscuit, approached the gate, he pulled back on the reins to make the gelding stop. “Jah, it’s them all right. Jeff parked the car by that big garage, and now he’s getting out. If I had a horn, I would give it a few toots.”
“Since you don’t, we should keep going.”
“Nope.” Orley handed the reins to Lois and climbed down from the buggy.
“What are you doing?” she called to him.
Ignoring his wife’s question, he stood outside the closed gate, cupped his hands around his mouth, and hollered, “Hello, Jeff Davis!”
A few seconds passed before Jeff looked his way and waved.
“He sees us.” Orley glanced over his shoulder at Lois before turning to look back at Jeff, who was now headed his way.
When the young man stepped up to the gate, Orley smiled and reached his hand over the top of the barrier. Jeff followed suit and gave Orley’s hand a firm shake.
“It’s nice to see you again,” Orley said. “I have driven by here many times but didn’t realize this was your place.” He gestured to the house. “It certainly looks grand from the outside.”
“Yeah, the inside’s pretty awesome too. If you have the time, you’re welcome to come in for a tour.”
“We have plenty of time. Lois and I are on our way home from my brother’s place, where church was held this morning, but we’re in no hurry to get home.”
“Okay then. I’ll open the gate and let you in.” Jeff pulled a remote from his shirt pocket, and when his thumb came down on it, both sides of the gate swung open. “You can pull your rig in and secure the horse to a section of our fence.”
“Sounds good.” Orley climbed back in the buggy and turned to face Lois with a grin. “We’re goin’ in.”
She tipped her head. “Into the Davises’ yard?”
“Jah, and then into their house. Jeff is gonna give us a tour.”
“But they just got home from somewhere,” she responded. “They might not appreciate us barging in.”
“Jeff extended the invitation, so I’m sure it’s okay.” He took the reins from Lois and guided his horse into the yard. When Jeff pointed to the place along the fence where he wanted him to go, Orley directed Biscuit to that spot, gave Lois the reins again, and got out. After the horse was secured, he waited for Lois to climb down from the carriage. Then they both walked with Jeff up to the house, where Rhonda stood on the front porch.
“Hello.” She offered them a smile, but it appeared as though it may have been forced. Or perhaps the pretty young woman was just tired. “Jeff said you would like to see our house.”
“That would be lovely,” Lois was quick to say, “but if this isn’t a good time, we can come by some other day.”
“No, it’s okay.” Jeff unlocked and opened the front door. “We just got back from Cleveland, where we went to return my dad’s truck that he loaned us after I hit the deer I told Orley about.”
“I was sorry to hear the sad story,” Lois said as she and Orley stepped into the spacious entryway behind Rhonda and Jeff.
“Is the vehicle you were driving to replace the car you wrecked when you hit the deer?” Orley questioned.
“Yes, it is,” Rhonda spoke up. “But I don’t like it as much as the one I used to have.”
Orley could not miss the disappointment in her tone, and he didn’t understand why she would be dissatisfied with such a nice car. Then again, many things confused him about the way some English people thought, not to mention all the modern, fancy gadgets they owned.
“Okay now, if you’re ready for the tour, we’ll start on the left side of the house.” Jeff’s comment pushed Orley’s thoughts aside.
“Yes, we are ready to see what your home looks like.” Orley glanced at Lois and was pleased when she gave a nod.
As the Davises showed them through each room in their beautiful home, Lois was astounded. She’d never been in a house so fancy before and wondered why this young couple had bought such a large place for just the two of them.
Each to his or her own, she thought. Unless Orley and I had a big family, I sure wouldn’t want a house that large.
When Jeff showed them a room at the end of the long hall he’d said was his “man cave,” Lois held both hands against her cheeks. “I’ve never seen such a large television screen.” She pointed to the place where it hung on the wall.
“I didn’t realize you Amish had TV’s in your homes,” Jeff commented.
“We don’t,” Orley spoke up. “But we’ve seen the television sets in some of our English neighbors’ homes. But none were as large as yours.”
Jeff shrugged his shoulders. “What can I say—I like to see what I’m seein’ in a big way.”
“He’s not kidding about that,” Rhonda interjected. “If there was a bed in here, I think my husband might sleep in this room.”
Jeff nudged his wife’s arm. “Very funny, Rhonda.”
His eyes narrowed into tiny slits, and Lois couldn’t mistake the look of irritation on the young man’s face.
“Now that you’ve had the full tour of the inside of our home, let’s go out back and I’ll show you around the yard.” Jeff looked at his wife. “Would you mind fixing us that little snack you had talked about before we pulled into our yard a while ago? We can eat it on the back patio.”
“That’s okay. Don’t go to any trouble on our account.” With a shake of her head, Lois held up her hand.
“It’s fine,” Rhonda said. “There’s a container of creamy cucumber dip that I made yesterday in the refrigerator. We can have it with some cut-up veggies and crackers if that sounds good to everyone.”
“It’s fine with me.” Orley was the first to respond and then looked at Lois. “We have your snack mix out in the buggy that we could contribute. Let me go grab it.” He turned and went out the front door.
While he was gone, Lois looked around some more. She noticed that while they’d toured the home, there were only a few antiques on display. Most of their furnishings were modern pieces that fit nicely with the house’s upscale designs. Lois asked Jeff when the house was built.
“When our Realtor showed us the place, she said it was five years old,” Jeff responded.
Soon Orley came back inside with the container and handed it to Lois. “Here you go.”
Lois thanked him and turned to look at Rhonda. “It’s filled with a few different types of crackers with nuts mixed in.”
“That sounds good.” Rhonda smiled.
“Is there anything I can help you with in the kitchen?” Lois asked.
Rhonda shook her head. “I can manage. Why don’t you go out with the men and look at our yard? There’s a table on the patio you can set your snack mix on so you can be hands-free while you take a look around.”
Lois hesitated a few seconds but finally nodded. As she stepped out the back door behind the men, her breath caught in her throat. “This yard is beautiful. The grass is so green, the flowers are lovely, and there’s even a pond with waterfalls.” She placed her container on the patio table and pointed in that direction.
“Let’s take a walk out there so you can see our fancy fish.” Jeff led the way.
Lois stood between Orley and Jeff, barely able to take it all in. The fish swam near the edge of the pond as though begging to be fed, and the cascading waterfalls, which Jeff had turned on, made Lois feel as if she were near a mountain stream.
“If I had a place like this, I’d never need to go anywhere for a vacation,” Orley commented. “Think I could set up a hammock and lie out here all day, listening to the gurgling water as it cascades into the pond.”
Lois had to agree. This yard was so relaxing. If Orley and I had a yard like this, during warmer weather, I’d sit outside and answer the letters that are forwarded to me from the newspaper for my Dear Caroline column. I bet I could think more clearly and give better answers if I had a place this serene to do my writing. Of course, she reminded herself, I’d probably never get any work done in the house or at our store. So, I will not allow myself to long for something that really isn’t necessary.
“Shall we go back up to the patio now and wait for Rhonda to bring the snacks out?” Jeff’s question broke into Lois’s thoughts.
“You two go ahead and relax,” she said. “I’d like to help Rhonda bring the refreshments out.” She hurried up to the house.
When she entered the kitchen, Lois said to Rhonda, “Your yard is beautiful and such a relaxing place to spend time outdoors.”
Rhonda set a tray of veggies on the table and turned to face Lois. “Yes, the yard and pond were one of the reasons we bought this home, but there’s a lot of upkeep that goes with taking care of it. Since both Jeff and I work five days a week, it’s hard for us to do all the things that need to be done in the yard or here in the house.”
“Have you considered hiring someone to help with the chores?”
“Oh, we’ve considered it all right, but it would be one more expense we don’t need at this time.”
“I understand.” Lois gestured to the paper plates and napkins on the counter. “Should I take those out to the patio?”
“Yes, please. You can set them on the table.”
“What else can I bring out?”
“Plastic cups are in that cupboard.” Rhonda pointed. “And there’s a jug of apple cider in the refrigerator. I’ll get a tray and bring out the crackers, dip, and cut-up vegetables.”
“Okay.” Lois gathered the items and took them outside to the picnic table, where the men sat talking. They glanced her way, smiled, and continued their conversation on the topic of antique clocks. Rather than interrupt them, she went back inside.
“Our husbands are talking about vintage clocks,” she told Rhonda.
The young woman lifted her gaze to the ceiling. “That figures. I’ve never been able to understand Jeff’s fascination with old things.”
“You don’t care for antiques?”
Rhonda shrugged her slender shoulders. “They’re okay, but a lot of them—at least the ones Jeff’s interested in—are quite expensive.” She moved closer to Lois. “Jeff hasn’t been back in your store looking to buy anything else, I hope.”
“Just that time when Orley mentioned that Jeff had come in, looking for an old piece of jewelry to give you for your anniversary, but Orley informed him that all the vintage jewelry had sold.”
Rhonda pressed her lips together a few seconds before speaking. “I believe my husband is addicted to old things, and it hasn’t done anything to help our marriage. Quite the opposite. His obsession has made things between us more stressful because he refuses to part with any of his collectibles.”
Lois was on the verge of saying something, when Jeff stepped into the kitchen, looking directly at Rhonda. “Are you about ready with the snacks?”
“They’re right there on the table. I was just getting ready to bring them out.”
“Great!” He grabbed the tray filled with crackers, dip, and veggies. “I’ll take them out for you.”
“Thanks.” Rhonda grabbed a few bananas and apples from the fruit bowl. “I’m trying to eat a healthier diet, which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables,” she told Lois as they followed Jeff out the back door.
Lois smiled. “Orley and I enjoy healthy snacks too.”
As they ate and drank their refreshments, Jeff noticed that Rhonda directed most of her conversation to Lois and barely looked at him, even when he asked her a question. Is she upset with me because I invited the Troyers in for a tour of our home? Or maybe she’s put out with me for suggesting that she fix us some snacks. Jeff chomped on an apple. But that makes no sense, since we’d already agreed that we would enjoy having snacks while we watched TV. Of course, it was supposed to be just the two of us. Maybe Rhonda resents the intrusion of two people neither of us knows very well.
“Say Jeff, I was wondering about that plaque I gave you for your anniversary. I didn’t see it hanging on the wall in any of the rooms we walked through on the tour of your house. Did you not like the gift?” Orley’s question jolted Jeff out of his contemplations. “Um … no, it was a nice gift. I just haven’t had the time to hang it yet.”
“I can understand why,” Lois interjected. “Between working full time at your restaurant and taking care of this big home and yard, I doubt you have much free time at all.”
“You’re right about that,” Jeff agreed. “Sometimes I wish I could sell my business and find a job closer to home.” He glanced at Rhonda, who sat with her arms folded. “You wish that too, right?”
She gave a noncommittal shrug and reached for her glass of cider.
“We should probably get going and let these two have what’s left of the day to themselves.” Lois gave her husband’s arm a nudge.
“Yeah, sure.” Orley pushed his chair back and stood. “Before we go though, I was wondering if I could get your phone number, Jeff. That way we can keep in touch.”
“Sure thing.” Jeff reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and small tablet. After he’d written his cell number down, he tore off the paper and handed it to Orley.
“Thanks. If I don’t call before, I’ll definitely let you know when winter sets in and there’s enough snow on our hill for sledding.” Orley grinned. “It’ll be fun to watch you try out that old sled you bought the first day you visited our store.”
Jeff smiled. “That’d be great. I’ll look forward to that call.”
Chapter 30
Autumn’s chilly fingers had blown away the colorful leaves on the trees in Jeff and Rhonda’s yard. Now the smell of an early winter drifted on the brisk breeze that had whooshed in last night and covered their yard with a blanket of fluffy white snow.
“Oh, boy.” Jeff rubbed his hands together in the anticipation of finally getting to try out his old sled on the Troyers’ hill. Of course, he wouldn’t go there without checking with Orley first.
This would be a good day for sledding, Jeff thought, looking up at the heavy snow coming down. Since I’m not working today, maybe I could drop by their house and see if Orley might be home.
“How come you’ve been standing in front of the kitchen window so long?” Rhonda asked, stepping up to him.
“Just watching the snow come down and wishing I could try out my sled.” He turned his head in her direction. “Since neither of us has to work today, why don’t we bundle up in warm clothes and take a ride over to the Troyers’ place?”
Her thick lashes fluttered like a bird in flight. “You’re kidding, right?”
Jeff gave a quick shake of his head. “Orley said when it snowed, I could try out my sled on that hill at the back of his property.” He rubbed his hands together again. “I’m just itching to give my old sled a try.”
“This is only the third week of November, Jeff. It won’t officially be winter until December twenty-first.”
“It looks and feels like winter, and by next month there might not be any snow, so I’d like to take advantage of it now.” He clasped her arm. “Come on, Rhonda, please say you’ll take a ride with me to the Troyer’s Place.”
