The Amish Suitor

This time she didn’t look away like a frightened rabbit. She met his eyes. The bits of voices he could discern faded as he became lost in the connection between them. Every instinct told him to tear his gaze away. He didn’t.

Was it confusion he saw on her face? Was she as baffled and uncertain about this invisible bridge that spanned the distance between them?

Eli had no time to puzzle that out because she looked toward the other end of the tables. Just as everyone else did. Belatedly, he copied the others’ motions.

Caleb had risen to his feet. He was smiling as he spoke, but Eli caught only two words.

“Fire department...”

He didn’t know what else Caleb had said. Whatever it was must have been important because the other men were sitting back, considering Caleb’s words. Eli waited for one or more of them to ask questions so he could discover why Caleb had mentioned a fire department.

“Volunteers...?” asked LaVon.

“Ja.” Caleb smiled as he sat again and folded his arms on the table. When Eli strained, he picked out the words, “With more houses...Harmony Creek...more volunteers. We’re here during the day. That...gut for the department.”

Eli understood. Or hoped he did. The local fire department was looking for more volunteers, especially those who were at home during the day. From what he’d learned about Salem, most people worked in other towns, some driving more than thirty miles each way. A fire during the day would get out of control without enough volunteers to fight it. The arrival of the Amish who worked on their farms was the perfect solution to the quandary.

“Interested?” asked Caleb as he looked in Eli’s direction.

“Ja. I volunteered in Delaware.” He wished he hadn’t jumped on the chance when he saw Miriam frown in his direction.

He understood what she didn’t say. Kyle had told him about the sirens that had sped past on the main road, the ones Eli hadn’t heard when he went to talk to Miriam about the schoolhouse plans. No wonder she looked puzzled that he was volunteering to be a firefighter.