"She should not have visitors when she is supposed to be working," Fater said.

"You have not been listening. He came on Wednesday and worked all day. He mowed and mucked out the stalls and fixed the barn door."

"It does not matter. I will not have him or anyone else coming around. We take care of our own family."

Rebecca pursed her lips. She could have predicted exactly what Fater would say. Why did Mamm think she could stand up to him?

"Amos," Mamm said with more authority than Rebecca had ever heard, "close your mouth and bite your tongue and let me speak, or I promise I will hitch up the buggy and go stay with my sister. I have no call for a husband who interrupts me every five seconds."

Rebecca had to strain to hear Fater's answer. "Now you are being childish."

"Bite your tongue now, Amos."

Rebecca couldn't see, couldn't guess the looks exchanged on the other side of the door, but Mamm must have won the contest of wills.

"It is high time we let Rebecca receive suitors," Mamm said.

"That does not mean-"

"Husband," Mamm threatened.

"Just let me say- Erla, what are you doing?"

"Going to hitch up the wagon."

Rebecca moved away from the door as she heard the bed creak.

"Get back into bed," Fater said, his exasperation evident. "I promise I will listen."

"Without interrupting."

"Jah. I will not interrupt."

"With humility," Mamm said.

"Jah. Whatever you want."

Mamm was silent for a minute, probably staring at Fater before she spoke. "It is only natural that Rebecca will have suitors. She is of the right age, and she is very pretty. But she is tied to this house and farm because of all the work. If she cannot go to the boys, then the boys must come to her. This boy wants to prove himself to her. To us. How can he do that if we forbid him from the farm?" Mamm paused. "You may speak."

Fater waited, as if formulating the perfect sentence-the only one he might be allowed to utter. "She can meet boys at gatherings."

"That is not good enough. Rebecca is an unusual girl. She won't be courted in the usual way."

Rebecca almost smiled. Mamm had no idea how accurate her words were.

"Amos, you will allow this boy to come every week and see our Rebecca and work if he is so inclined."

Fater started to speak, and Mamm cut him short. "If you do not, everyone will say you are being selfish with your girl and you are purposefully trying to keep her from marrying."

"Of course I am not keeping her from marriage. She is free to marry."

"Is she?"

"Jah."

"Then do not tell her when she can and cannot see boys."

"I do not approve of boys coming to our house."

The bed creaked as if Mamm were waving her hands in the air. "You must give her freedom, Amos. Just because it is not your way does not mean it is not right. And if you rob her of this opportunity, the consequences will be on your head."

Rebecca held her breath as the silence lengthened. She waited so long that she began to wonder if they had both fallen asleep.

"I will allow him to come," Fater finally said. "But I want to know more about him. What is his name? Who is his family?"

"I do not know," Mamm said. "I will have Rebecca bring him to meet me."

"I must meet him also."

"You will. Now go make yourself some raspberry-leaf tea. You look to have a sour stomach."

Rebecca stood up and tiptoed to the kitchen. In a daze she started to wash the dishes but felt her knees get weak and sank into a chair instead. Things were worse than ever. Levi would be allowed to come to the farm, but as soon as her parents met him, the farm dates would be over. When Mamm didn't know, when her brothers and sister assumed he was Amish, then Rebecca felt justified in pretending. But after Mamm met him and wanted to know him better, Rebecca could not lie about who Levi really was. She could not make up a family for him or hire parents to adopt him. And Fater would put a stop to the relationship faster than a squirrel could run up a tree.

It shouldn't matter. Once Rebecca learned how to ski, she and Levi would go their separate ways and never cross paths again.

But it did matter.

Rebecca caught her breath when she realized how much it mattered to her. The thought of Levi absent from her life was as painful as the thought of losing her right arm.

She shook her head. Rebecca refused to attach herself to anyone. Levi was an Englischer. An Englischer with a rough past who couldn't possibly take hold of her heart. Rebecca simply regretted losing his company and his strong hands and his skills on her farm. She regularly bore her soul to him, but he wasn't the only friend she had. He was handsome, to be sure, but there were other interested boys. Amish boys. Like Marvin.

Marvin Yutzy-whose company was much like conversing with a cardboard box.

What would it hurt if Levi came one more time? She would at least get to be with him. And once he met Mamm and revealed his true identity, Rebecca could still see him on Friday nights, the one night she reserved to be free of her family. Mamm and Fater need never know whom she met.

Rebecca ran into her bedroom and locked the door. After retrieving her phone from under the windowsill, she sent Levi a text.

Fater is allowing you back. Do you still want to come on Wednesday? You don't have to. Fater wants to meet you and so does Mamm. So I am afraid this visit will be your last.

To her surprise, her phone vibrated almost immediately after she sent her message.

I'm like a beggar. I'll take whatever I can get. Maybe it will work out with your fater. Do you like apricots? I hate them. LOL. Buy some sugar. I'll be there on Wednesday.

Before she could turn off her phone, it vibrated again.

How do you feel about roller coasters?

Chapter Seventeen.

On Wednesday morning at six o'clock sharp, Rebecca opened the front door to Levi, who stood on the porch with two red roses and a can of tuna fish in his fist. He smiled so widely, Rebecca thought he might burst into laughter at any moment.

"This is for you," he said, handing her one of the roses.

She gasped with excitement then immediately chided herself. She shouldn't give Levi encouragement by accepting his gift. But Rebecca found roses irresistible. She didn't want to refuse it-even if her acceptance did raise his hopes.

"Oh, denki," she said breathing in the fragrance. "I love roses."

Levi studied her face and grinned. "I can tell." He gave her the can of tuna. "For Danny. And"-he held up the other flower-"this is for your mom."

Rebecca swallowed the oversized lump in her throat. "My mamm?"

"Is she awake?"

"You want to give it to her now?"

Levi screwed his lips into a funny line. "Might as well get kicked off your property early in the day-avoid the suspense that way."

Rebecca instantly felt sick to her stomach. "Jah, the suspense is killing me."

She invited Levi into the living room and directed him to sit on the sofa draped with an afghan Rebecca had crocheted last winter. It was pink and green, the colors of the rosebush outside her window. In the kitchen, she rummaged through the cupboards to find a suitable vase for her flower. Once the rose held a place of honor in the middle of the kitchen table, she went to see if her mamm was awake. With any luck, she had slept in and wouldn't want any visitors today.

Opening the door to Mamm's room, Rebecca abandoned all hope. Mamm sat straight up in her bed, her hair carefully combed and tucked beneath her kapp. She wore her emerald-green dress with the black apron and shoes. Her bed was made, and she sat on top of the quilt as if waiting to be fetched for a party.

Rebecca stared at her mamm. "How did you make your bed?"

Mamm laced her fingers together. "With much effort," she said. "Oh, Rebecca, you look a little pale. Take some cayenne pepper."

"Levi is here."

With trembling fingers, Mamm smoothed the nonexistent wrinkles in her dress. She was nervous? Certainly her anxiety paled in comparison to Rebecca's, who just knew she was going to throw up.

"Is he in the living room?"

"Jah, but I can bring him in."

Mamm frowned at such a thought. "Receive an important guest in my bedroom? What are you thinking, heartzly? Go, go, and I will come out."

"I can help you."

Mamm waved her hand dismissively. "Go and wait for me. I am coming by my own power."

With a doubtful look, Rebecca turned and trudged down the hallway like she was going to her own death.

She entered the living room and sat next to Levi on the sofa.

Levi leaned close to her ear. "Don't worry. In case you haven't noticed, I can be quite charming, kid."

"Charm will not get you very far with a protective Amish mutter, Scout."

"Scout? Nice. Like Davy Crockett."

Rebecca let out a sigh that originated from her toes. "Your overconfidence is very comforting."

She listened with growing anxiety as Mamm shuffled her feet down the hallway. Levi actually put his hand over hers and squeezed reassuringly. She relished the warmth of his touch before snatching her hand away and folding her arms tightly around her waist. No good for Mamm to see them holding hands.

Levi stood as Mamm entered the room, hobbling on her cane with pain etched in the wrinkles of her face. She took one look at Levi and her face brightened considerably. Rebecca should have known. Every mother loved to have a boy pursuing her daughter, but a good-looking boy was reason to be especially proud.

Rebecca stood also. "Mamm, this is Levi Cooper," she said.

Levi handed Mamm the rose, and she breathed in the flower's fragrance. "Denki, Levi. Rebecca tells me you have done good work for us. We are grateful."

Levi flashed those white teeth that made every girl swoon. "I come to help Rebecca with the heavy lifting. She's very capable. I have to work hard to keep up with her."

"Cum," Mamm said. "Sit."

Mamm eased into the rocker and motioned for Rebecca and Levi to sit on the sofa.

"There are other boys interested in my Rebecca. Marvin Yutzy, Peter Stoltzfus, Giddy Yoder..."

Rebecca wanted to crawl under a rock.

"Rebecca's fater does not usually allow others to help with the farm," Mamm said.

"Yes, I understand. Rebecca told me."

Rocking slowly in her chair, Mamm studied Levi's face. "But this is a special circumstance between you and Rebecca."

Rebecca felt her face grow hot. Mamm made it sound like they were a couple.

"My husband has granted his permission for you to be here."

"I'm glad," Levi said, winking at Rebecca.

Rebecca pretended not to notice. How could every gesture, every look from him, prove so unnerving and so invigorating at the same time?

"I brought a power sprayer to remove the chipped paint from the barn. Max and Danny have agreed to help. Rebecca said she could get paint for it next week."

Levi quickly rose to his feet, no doubt in hopes of postponing a conversation that could only end in disaster. "But now I should run and get that power sprayer out of my- I should run and get that sprayer and the apricots. My mother's friend has a tree, and she said I could have all I wanted as long as I picked them."

"Sit, sit," Mamm said. "No need to be in a hurry." She shifted in the rocker and laid the rose in her lap. "Tell me about yourself, Levi. Who is your family? Do I know your parents?"