LITMIR.BIZ

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abusing the sink but went about her business, cutting fresh fruit into chunks. She didn’t say a word of greeting. There were dark circles under her eyes. Had Naomi kept her up crying? The first weeks he’d cared for Naomi, he’d had his own share of sleepless nights. Google called the problem a mix-up of days and nights. He’d called exhaustion a miserable way to live.

      Perhaps Naomi missed her mother. He thought of Julie, wondered how she was feeling now that the boppli was gone from her life forever. She’d had six months to bond with her own flesh and blood, even though the nanny seemed in charge of Naomi the day he’d been around. He’d never seen Julie pick up Naomi once or feed her, and she’d said no goodbyes to her when they’d left.

      Leviticus grabbed a cereal bowl out of the cupboard and took a spoon from the freshly washed dishes on the drain board and then pulled out a chair and sat close to his hard-of-hearing father. He grimaced as he poured cereal from the plastic container and noticed moon-shaped, colored rainbows coated in sugar.

      Verity stepped beside him carrying a cutting board of fruit. “You sure you don’t want oatmeal?”

      He shook his head. “Nee. This will do fine.”

      She put some of the fruit on his father’s hot cereal. Leviticus’s head lifted in surprise when Albert dug into the tan gooey mush with all the gusto of a small boy. Some things had seriously changed around the grove. When his mother was alive, his father had his oatmeal with brown sugar and lots of butter, but that was how she’d made it for her husband and his father never complained or asked for anything different.

      Leviticus ate a crunchy bite of the sickeningly sweet cereal and held back a groan of disgust. A sugar rush was just what he didn’t need, but he wasn’t going to be a bother to Verity. She had enough to do; besides, she was rushing around like she was in a hurry. “Where’s everyone?” He ate another bite of cereal, determined to make it through at least half the bowl.

      Verity flipped over a perfectly fried egg. “Solomon left for the grove over an hour ago, and Clara’s still sleeping. Solomon said she had a rough night of it. The boppli kept her up with all its movements.”

      His thoughts went back to Julie. He’d left for his six-month tour in Afghanistan right after she’d learned she was pregnant. While he was gone, he’d missed out on her strange cravings, the sight of her belly growing round with his child. He’d been cheated out of Naomi’s first few months of life, too. He could thank his injuries and lengthy hospital stay for that.

      Forget Julie. Naomi was home among family now. That was all that mattered.

      Albert tipped his coffee mug and drained the last drops of his dark brew. “I thought we’d take the ATV out and inspect the grove’s damage for ourselves. Solomon says it’s extensive, but until I see it for myself I can’t come up with a plan for how to fix it.”

      Verity cleared her throat and finished drying her hands as she spoke. “Solomon called Otto before he left. Seems the packing plant was flattened by the high winds. No one’s sure if they’ll be rebuilding it anytime soon.”

      Albert shoved back his chair and rose. “I’m certain-sure Thomas will do the right thing. He’ll put the building up again with the help of the community.” He edged toward the sink and put his bowl among the other dishes needing to be washed. “Amish and Englisch alike depend on him.”

      His shoulders dropped, his head shaking. “I don’t know what we’ll do if he chooses to close the business for gut.” Staring into space, he tugged at his beard, using the kitchen counter as support.

      Verity dusted down her apron and adjusted the cleaning scarf on her head. “Otto’s going to see how many men he can gather but warned he might not find enough to make much of a difference. There’s a lot of damage done to the houses in the district. Everyone’s busy caring for their own familye needs first. Some Plain folk have hired Englisch laborers.”

      Her concern for Albert showed in the dark circles under her eyes, the way her shoulders sloped from the heavy weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Had she considered what would happen to her job if the grove closed? Who would be her mainstay if it did?

      Albert grinned. “Don’t underestimate that ole bishop’s ability to gather a crowd. He can still be a persuasive man when the need arises.” Albert used the sturdy kitchen table as a crutch as he maneuvered back to his chair. “You send Otto along to me when he gets here, Leviticus. We’ll head out to the grove as soon as he comes.”

      Leviticus quickly finished the last spoonful of cereal he could stomach and rose, his eyes on Verity. “You’ll have time to see to Naomi’s needs?”

      She dished up a bowl of oatmeal for herself and sat on the far side of the table across from his daed. “Ya, she’ll be sleeping for a while yet. She took her bottle without a fuss at six and went straight back to sleep.”

      “I noticed you found the duffel bag of baby clothes I left by your bedroom door yesterday.”

      She poured milk over her oatmeal, added a heaping teaspoon of brown sugar and then tossed a handful of blueberries over the top. “I did. Danki.” She returned his gaze. “I hope the rain holds off. She’ll need the cloth diapers I have dried. I’ve used up most all the disposable ones you had in the diaper bag, and the spare store-bought ones I had left over from Faith.”

      “Speaking of Faith, when’s the kind coming home?” Albert poured himself a half-cup of coffee and splashed in milk.

      “Mamm said she’d bring her back this morning, but I figure I’ll see them later in the day.” Verity smiled Albert’s way. “Today’s cherry vanilla day at Olaf’s Creamery. It’s Faith’s favorite flavor. Mamm’s sure to get her a scoop before leaving town.” Verity’s smile brightened. “Mamm’s got a half-dozen grandkids and another on the way, but you’d think Faith was her only kinskind the way she spoils her.”

      Leviticus watched Verity’s eyes light up as she spoke about her daughter, saw the worried lines vanish from her face. She was the old Verity in that moment. The girl he’d once loved and never deserved.

      “Does your little girl like bopplis?” Would Verity have enough energy to see to two active kinner after the difficult night with Naomi?

      Verity sent a rare, genuine smile his way. “Faith loves kinner of any age. In fact, she’s always asking when I’m going to get her a baby schweschder.”

      Albert guffawed into his tall mug as he slurped down the last of his coffee. “You’ve got to lower your standards and marry again for that to happen.” His teasing expression was a welcomed sight, but he became serious once more. “No kind should grow up alone.”

      Rising, her hands on her hips, Verity looked poised to react negatively to Albert’s words, but the sounds of several ATVs and an Englischer van pulling to a stop on the graveled driveway outside stymied her words.

      Leviticus glanced out the window. Otto and Mose Fischer piled out of a black van and headed toward the house. Several men, some he didn’t recognize, followed close behind. Solomon got off his ATV and walked over to the bishop. He jerked his head toward the house, his face pinched, no doubt still fuming. Was his bruder informing Otto of his homecoming? The aging bishop looked toward the back door and nodded, his steps lively as he approached. Mose trailed not far behind. There would be questions asked. Hard ones. He prayed he’d have the right answers for the man of God.

      Albert slid out of his chair, his hand reaching for the door. He slipped outside just as the thump of their boots sounded on the porch. Pulling his gaze away from the window, Leviticus put his water glass in the sink and braced himself. As a young man, he’d gotten along with Mose Fischer, the bishop’s son, just fine. But Otto, the local New Order bishop? Not so much. They’d had their run-ins, and Leviticus knew he would have been shunned if he’d been a member of the church during his restless time.

      But he was different

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