“Gut mayrie,” Sadie shouted in her usual booming voice.
“Morning, Mamm.”
“I’ve got things to do.” Sadie announced as she patted Jane’s arm. “I’ll see you later, Jane.” No sooner had Sadie spoken than she disappeared back into the house.
Matt walked toward Jane and she walked down the two porch steps to meet him. He had barely changed. The years had only served to make his features more manly. When he got closer, she saw the tiny lines that fanned out from the corners of his eyes.
He stretched out his arms and she didn’t know what to do. As much as she wanted to hug him and be held in his arms, they’d never hugged before and she wasn't ready for it now. Not yet. She reached out her hand and he looked down and took hold of it with both hands. When she looked back into his face, she saw his lips turn upward into a smile. “You look good, Jane.”
“So do you. You haven’t changed a bit.”
“Let’s go. I’ll take you back to my house where we can talk.” He walked over and opened the buggy door for her.
She climbed in and waited for him as her heart pounded in her chest. When he was seated, he picked up the reins and smiled at her. “Denke for coming all this way.”
“Of course I would. It sounded important and I’m always there for my friends.” She was not going to admit her feelings until he did.
He gave a small nod, then moved his horse and buggy back down the driveway. “It is important. I think through our letters we’ve grown even closer since you left.”
“I’d say that’s true.” Nervousness kept her talking. She didn’t want him to know that she’d guessed he was going to propose. “While I’m here I’m hoping to see a lot of Jessica. It’s been years since I’ve seen her and she’s got two kinner that I’ve never met.”
“That’ll be good. I don’t want to take up all your time. You should enjoy yourself while you’re here.”
While you’re here? She analyzed those words. If they married, wouldn’t she be staying here with him forever?
From the tone of his voice and his words, it sounded more like she was only there for a vacation. She quickly berated herself for letting her mind travel to the very worst possibility.
He hasn’t even said why he wants me here. I've got to be more positive. He wouldn’t want me to come all this way for nothing, she told herself.
“As you can see, nothing much has changed around here since you’ve been gone.”
She looked out at the fields they were passing. “I know. I was thinking that on the drive to your mudder’s haus yesterday, in the car from the bus stop.” A moment later, she said, “You never told me you took over your old family home.”
He glanced over at her. “Didn’t I mention it?”
“Nee.”
He chuckled. “I’ve told you nearly everything else going on in my life.”
“I know, and I you.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t mention it. Perhaps I wanted to show it to you as a surprise, but there aren’t many surprises when my mudder is around. She does like to talk.”
Jane smiled. “She doesn’t talk too much.”
“She does. It’s true.” He grinned. “Anyway, I didn’t want you to come all this way to talk about her. We were always close even as children and here we are still friends in our thirties.”
“We were best friends right up until we were twelve, or so, and then people were worried about us being too close.”
He chuckled. “We were encouraged to keep away from each other for a few years there. Then you moved away and we started writing. They never could keep us apart, not really.”
She didn’t correct him, but she hadn't moved away until she was a grown woman of twenty five. He’d ignored her for those last few years before she left, when she was in her late teens and early twenties. He spoke as though she’d moved away as a young teenager.
As he chattered about times gone by, she wondered if he was driving to his home to propose to her this very day. That was how she’d always pictured it in her mind. Not exactly in his old home, but exactly which house he proposed in didn’t matter. What mattered was he realized they were meant to be together, and finally he was doing something about it.
When they drove down the long driveway, the sprawling farm house appeared. It was almost as she remembered it. The only difference was, all the pretty and colorful gardens were gone.
“I’ve always loved this place.” Jane sighed wistfully, hoping that one day soon she’d have the gardens to work on. She’d bring them back to how Sadie once had them.
“I feel the same about it, and that’s why I had to buy it when Mamm was talking about selling it to buy a smaller place. Come inside and I’ll show you what I’ve done with it. There’s still so much more to do. Mamm would never allow any of us to work on it after Dat died and the place fell into disrepair.”
Jane nodded, wondering why Sadie would have done that.
“I didn’t realize just how large it was until I started work on it,” he said as he brought the horse to a halt.
They stepped down from the buggy and headed to the house. He pushed the front door open for her.
“This door was dark red or brown wasn’t it?” She stepped into the house recalling he’d never once mentioned in his letters that he’d been painting. He had written mostly about their mutual friends, she realized at that moment, and what they were doing.
“It was. Nearly everything inside and out has been painted. I hope you’ll like it.”
The words send a thrill throughout her entire body. All she could think was that he’d fixed the place for her. “I don’t know where you found the time with your horse-food business keeping you so busy.” He laughed. “Mamm calls it my 'horse-food business.’ You’ve been listening to her. It’s a produce store.”
“Ach. I’ll remember that.”
He proceeded to show her around. “I lifted up the old, gray linoleum not knowing what I’d find, but do you know these are the original timber floorboards from when the place was built in the 1800s?”
“They are beautiful.”
“Denke. It was a chore getting rid of the glue. Someone had glued the linoleum right onto the wood.”
“That would’ve been hard to remove.”
“It was, and it took a long time because we were being careful not to damage the boards. I used the same workers to fix the barn with mortise and tenon joinery.”
Jane didn’t know what that was, but it sounded impressive. He continued the tour, showing her the changes he’d made.
“There are six rooms in this place, and thanks to my vadder there are two bathrooms so far. With some careful replanning, I could make each so that it would have its own bathroom.” He rubbed his chin. “I’ll let you in on a secret I’ve been tossing around. I could make this into a bed and breakfast.”
“That’s why you wanted this place, all the rooms?”
“Nee. I love it here, and it’s my family’s home where I grew up. I’ve been thinking about it these last couple of days. I won’t need to grow crops. I could lease the land—part of it to one of my brothers. One of them is looking for land. I’d be much more suited to running a guest house than trying my hand at farming. I could even increase the guest capacity by transforming the attic into a large room, even fit in another bathroom up there.”
“And, three of the bedrooms have fireplaces. Ohh, that would be so cozy. What about your horse feed business? Oh, I'm sorry, I mean your produce store.”
“I can put in a manager to run it. I hardly need to be there as it is. The place practically runs itself. I can see myself playing host to all the tourists and guests who’d stay here. I’d make sure their stay was a comfortable one, and the cooking would be wunderbaar.”
“You could use your mudder for the cooking.”
Matt laughed. “I don’t see things that way. Now, I have something important to say. Sit down with me.”
“At last. I’ve been dying to know w
hy I’m here.”
He pointed to the couch in the corner of the living room. She sat, smoothing down her apron as she did so. He then sat down next to her, but not too close. Then he twisted to face her and she did the same, mirroring him.
“Jane, I have the utmost respect for you.”
“And I feel the same about you. Even when I moved away I was so happy we came back together through our letters.”
“That’s right and out of anyone apart from my mother and my siblings, you know me best and it’s because of that I need to ask you something very important.”
This was the big moment.
A lump formed in the back of her throat and her head swam a little. If she’d been standing, she’d surely have needed to sit. Not wanting to forget any second of the next few moments, ones that she wanted to treasure for the rest of her life and tell their kinner, about she pulled her mind to attention. “You … you have something to ask me?”
“Jah.” He smiled. “You know I do. That’s why you’re here.”
“What is it?”
Everything inside him wanted to ask her to marry him. But, what if she said no? The word no was so final, so brutal. His best chance was sticking to his original plan. “I need your help with something very important.”
Jane stared at him and blinked a couple of times. It was an unusual approach for a proposal. He wanted her help—as in—he wanted her to be his ‘helpmeet?' He wanted her help with starting a marriage and then a family? “Of course I’ll help you. What do you need my help with?”
“Marriage. I want your help in selecting a bride.”
She replayed the words in her head. Had she heard right? The word 'marriage' had been one of the words she’d been waiting to hear, but ‘selecting a bride?’
Chapter 3
Never could she have imagined he’d say those words to her, never at all—‘selecting a bride.’ They were never in her dreams. Her help with selecting a bride? But, she was sitting right in front of him. It didn’t make sense. She could only utter … “Wh … what?”
He repeated his earlier words. “I value your opinion. I need your help with choosing a bride.”
Her heart sank even further, and she tried not to let it show on her face. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.” One thing she was pretty sure of—he didn’t want to marry her.
He breathed out heavily and moved further back into the couch. “I’ve come to the age where I need to give marriage consideration. Nee. That’s wrong. It’s hard to talk about this.” He coughed as though he was embarrassed.
“It’s okay,” she assured him. “You can tell me anything.”
“I know, that’s why you’re here. I’m not giving marriage consideration. I’ve decided to do it. I need your help in selecting a bride. I want to be married by this Christmas. I’ve set myself a task, a goal.”
A task? This time she couldn’t help frowning. His approach to love and marriage seemed so cold. If he didn’t want her, then didn’t he know who he wanted? She wished he’d never brought her here. “Oh, I wish you’d told me all this before I got here.” Jane had no interest in helping him choose her replacement.
“I’m sorry but it’s something I didn’t feel comfortable putting in a letter.”
She stared at his handsome face. Was all hope for her gone? “How do you think I can go about selecting you a bride?” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. It’s all a bit strange. I haven’t been here for years and I don’t know the women here all that well.”
“I haven’t explained things properly. There are five women. Two I like and three who are clearly … well, they’ve expressed an interest in …”
“I see.” She nibbled on a fingernail and stared at the striped rug on the floor. Why didn’t it occur to him that she might be an option? Was she that awful, that ugly, that abhorrent?
“I’m sorry. I know it’s weird,” he said. “Maybe I shouldn’t have asked you. I just really want your help. I value your opinion so much and you know me better than anyone.” He took hold of her hand. “Jane, I know I’m asking a lot, but would you do it for me?”
She stared into his dark eyes and couldn’t refuse him. After a huge gulp swallowing all her hopes and dreams, she could only nod. What else was she to do?
His face lit up. “You will?”
“Jah, I’ll do it.” She blinked back her tears, refusing to be embarrassed.
“Denke, Jane. This process will be so much easier with you helping. It’s time I married. I’ve left it far too long.”
She forced herself to remain calm. All she wanted to do was burst into tears and get on the first Greyhound back to Ohio. “How am I to do this? Do I choose someone for you and you’ll go along with whomever I name?”
“Nee. I want you to get to know these women and give me your recommendation. Of course, they’ll know nothing of this. You’ll be my friend who’s visiting.”
Once more, she looked at the striped rug and the lines moved turning into zigzags. She inhaled deeply and looked back at him. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“I’ll forever be grateful. My mudder is so happy you’re staying with her. You’ve always gotten along with her.”
“Who wouldn’t? She’s lovely and she’s always so happy.”
He grimaced. “She talks a lot and some people can’t take that.”
“Hmm, she doesn’t seem to talk too much. I don’t think so. Anyway, do I know any of the candidates?”
His forehead furrowed. “Candidates?”
“Your possible future brides.”
“Ah, I see. Well, you know Abigail Fisher.”
There were many Fisher families in the community. The only Abigail Fisher she knew was only a young girl when she’d left for Ohio. “Rebecca and Stephen’s dochder?”
“That’s the one.”
“Isn’t she too young?”
“She’s old enough.”
Jane added up the years. Abigail was twenty one. “She’s eleven years younger, as far as my math skills tell me, or even more.”
“She’s delightful. She makes me feel a certain way that no other woman has made me feel.”
Maybe that was where she’d gone wrong. She had always been too much of a friend and that was why there was never any room for romance. Abigail had always been a pretty girl—honey colored skin, big brown eyes, and golden spirals of hair that sometimes managed to escape her prayer kapp. She would’ve grown into a beautiful woman. “And the second front runner?”
“Marcy Bright.”
“I don’t think I know anyone by that name.”
“You don’t. She moved here last year with her family. She’s Abigail’s cousin, closer to us in age.”
Jane didn’t feel any better with that news. If she was Abigail’s cousin, she might be just as pretty. What chance did she have? “They’re cousins? Keeping it in the family?”
“Not really. I’ll only be choosing one of them.”
“I know that. I meant … I don’t know what I meant. Don’t worry.”
“Shall I tell you about the other three?”
Jane couldn’t take anymore. “Some other time. Could you take me back to your mudder’s? I feel a headache coming on.”
He leaned over and touched her arm. “Are you ill?”
“Jah. I will be okay if I can lie down. I’ve never been a good traveler and the trip took a lot out of me.”
He stood up and held her hand until she stood. Then, he guided her out of the house with his hand on her arm. “I’m so selfish, Jane. I’ve been so excited about you helping me with this I haven’t considered your feelings.”
It didn’t matter what her feelings were. If he had any notion of her being his bride, he never would have chosen her for this task. “I’m happy to help if that’s what you want.” They continued walking toward the buggy and when they climbed in, Jane said, “I can stay as long as you want.”
“Excellent because I’d like to be married by Christmas.” He gave her a beam
ing smile and then took hold of the reins.
She wished he’d stop talking about marriage. All she wanted to do was cry. There was no other man for her, only him. Trying to keep it together, Jane pressed a fingernail into the palm of her hand. It hurt, and she was sure she was drawing blood, but it helped to stop the tears that were threatening.
Going along with her claim of a headache, she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. It hadn’t been a lie about the headache. Now she was feeling an ache in her head for real.
“We’re here, Jane,” he whispered about fifteen minutes later.
She opened her eyes to see they were back at Sadie’s house. “I’ll have a lie down and I’m sure I’ll feel a lot better.”
“I’m coming for dinner tonight. I hope you’ll be better by then.”
Why was Gott torturing her? This was cruel. “I’m sure I will. You’re not coming in now?”
“Too much to do today.”
“I see. Just as long as you don’t find a sixth contestant. Five is enough, I’d say.”
He laughed. “I agree. Five is quite enough.”
She stepped down from the buggy. “Bye, Matt.”
“I’ll come in with you.”
She frowned. He’d just said he had too much to do. “Nee. I’ll be okay. You go and do what you have to do.”
“Bye, Jane. Have a good rest and I hope your headache’s better soon. I can see you at dinner. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”
“That’s right. You’ve been keeping many things from me.”
He smiled at her. “And denke for saying yes to this. It means such a lot.”
“Of course.”
“Mamm knows nothing of this yet.”
“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
As Jane walked toward the house, she saw the door swing open.
“That was fast.” Sadie looked between Jane and the horse and buggy moving away.
“It was. I need a lie down if that’s all right. I have a headache.”
A pained expression took over Sadie’s face. “Oh, Jane dear. That’s awful. Do you get these often?” She raced to put her arm around Jane's shoulder and moved her into the house.
Amish Christmas Bride Page 2