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to show for all that time spent doing what he hated—dairy farming.
    He crossed the parking lot to the hitching post, removed the leather reins, and mounted his horse. With the click of his tongue, he was on his way.
    Hope tried to spring up inside him, but heavier realities overrode it. A feeling of griminess had taken up residence inside him long ago. His thoughts, emotions, and even the blood that pumped through his veins felt as layered in black soot as the rooftops and porches of homes near industrial smokestacks. He didn’t suppose he’d ever be free of it. But he had a plan that would bring as much joy as someone like him could expect.
    He stopped in front of the appliance store where he worked, tethered his horse at the post, and went inside.
    Aaron walked the narrow aisle, enjoying the business ideas pulsing through him. The cash in his pants pocket gave him a sense of power over his future. A smile tugged at his face. The idea of owning and operating this store fit who he was, and in spite of the weight of his past that he carried, he could see a good life ahead of him.

    A middle-aged Old Order Amish couple stood at the sales counter. The man plunked cash into Leo’s hand while his wife wrote their address on the invoice so they could have the new wringer washer delivered.
    A dusting of eagerness lifted his spirits. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d been excited about anything. Owning this business felt more right than anything he’d ever done.
    If he signed the papers and put down earnest money today, he could own the shop in about two and a half months. Well, he and the bank. Leo would still hold the note, but he’d retire come September, leaving Aaron as the proprietor. Aaron had to be ready to take over by then.
    As he walked through the display area, the wooden floor creaked. Only natural light illuminated the room, and open windows were the sole source of ventilation. Leo wasn’t Plain, but he handled his business in a way that made the Plain folk feel right at home. There were living quarters above the store, large enough to house Aaron and his parents comfortably until he could afford better.
    Thoughts of his parents dampened his mood. An Amish couple well past their prime with only one surviving child—who’d ever heard of such a thing? If his older sister hadn’t died last fall, and if his parents’ six other babies had survived, they would have other children to rely on. Aaron didn’t doubt he’d still be the black sheep of the family, but at least they’d have white sheep to help them. Instead they had only him.
    And he wouldn’t let them down. Not again.
    Shaking off the negative thoughts, he studied the many types of wringer washers, cookstoves, hot water heaters, and stoves for warming a home. Not one appliance in this store needed electricity. Depending on which sect of Amish or Mennonite the buyers were, they might use solar energy, coal, wood, battery, various types of gas, or diesel fuel. The store had some of those items in stock, and others could be ordered through a catalog.

    Though Aaron had been working here for four months, he didn’t know much about running a store or about appliances. But he’d grown up on a dairy farm, and he knew how to work hard. Besides, he’d always been a quick study when his heart was in it. And his heart was definitely in this.
    Leo shook hands with the customers, promised a delivery time, and told them good-bye. The bells on the door jangled as the couple left.
    Aaron stepped up to the counter. “I have the earnest money, and I’m ready to sign the papers.”
    While putting money into the register, Leo’s eyes lit up. He and Aaron had been talking about the possibility of this for at least eight weeks. “A man with a plan and money to back it up—I can’t argue with that. However, there’s one thing we haven’t talked about. My lawyer friend brought it up last night while he was drawing up the papers. A cosigner.”
    Aaron found