by Amy Clipston
OTHER NOVELS BY THE AUTHORS
Amy Clipston
THE AMISH HOMESTEAD SERIES
A Place at Our Table
Room on the Porch Swing
A Seat by the Hearth
A Welcome at Our Door (available May 2019)
THE AMISH HEIRLOOM SERIES
The Forgotten Recipe
The Courtship Basket
The Cherished Quilt
The Beloved Hope Chest
THE HEARTS OF THE LANCASTER GRAND HOTEL SERIES
A Hopeful Heart
A Mother’s Secret
A Dream of Home
A Simple Prayer
THE KAUFFMAN AMISH BAKERY SERIES
A Gift of Grace
A Promise of Hope
A Place of Peace
A Life of Joy
A Season of Love
A KAUFFMAN AMISH BAKERY YA STORY
Reckless Heart
STORY COLLECTIONS
Amish Sweethearts
Seasons of an Amish Garden
STORIES
A Plain and Simple Christmas
Naomi’s Gift included in An Amish Christmas Gift
A Spoonful of Love included in An Amish Kitchen
Love Birds included in An Amish Market
Love and Buggy Rides included in An Amish Harvest
Summer Storms included in An Amish Summer
The Christmas Cat included in An Amish Christmas Love
Home Sweet Home included in An Amish Winter
A Son for Always included in An Amish Spring
A Legacy of Love included in An Amish Heirloom
No Place Like Home included in An Amish Homecoming
NONFICTION
A Gift of Love
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE YA SERIES
Roadside Assistance
Destination Unknown
Miles from Nowhere
Beth Wiseman
THE AMISH JOURNEY NOVELS
Hearts in Harmony
Listening to Love (available September 2019)
THE AMISH SECRETS NOVELS
Her Brother’s Keeper
Love Bears All Things
Home All Along
THE DAUGHTERS OF THE PROMISE NOVELS
Plain Perfect
Plain Pursuit
Plain Promise
Plain Paradise
Plain Proposal
Plain Peace
THE LAND OF CANAAN NOVELS
Seek Me with All Your Heart
The Wonder of Your Love
His Love Endures Forever
OTHER NOVELS
Need You Now
The House that Love Built
The Promise
STORIES
A Choice to Forgive included in An Amish Christmas
A Change of Heart included in An Amish Gathering
Healing Hearts included in An Amish Love
A Perfect Plan included in An Amish Wedding
A Recipe for Hope included in An Amish Kitchen
Always Beautiful included in An Amish Miracle
Rooted in Love included in An Amish Garden
When Christmas Comes included in An Amish Second Christmas
In His Father’s Arms included in An Amish Cradle
A Love for Irma Rose included in An Amish Year
Patchwork Perfect included in An Amish Year
A Cup Half Full included in An Amish Home
The Cedar Chest included in An Amish Heirloom
The Gift of Sisters included in Amish Celebrations
A New Beginning included in Amish Celebrations
A Christmas Miracle included in Amish Celebrations
When Love Returns included in An Amish Homecoming
Kathleen Fuller
THE AMISH BRIDES OF BIRCH CREEK NOVELS
The Teacher’s Bride
The Farmer’s Bride (available June 2019)
THE AMISH LETTERS NOVELS
Written in Love
The Promise of a Letter
Words from the Heart
THE AMISH OF BIRCH CREEK NOVELS
A Reluctant Bride
An Unbroken Heart
A Love Made New
THE MIDDLEFIELD AMISH NOVELS
A Faith of Her Own
THE MIDDLEFIELD FAMILY NOVELS
Treasuring Emma
Faithful to Laura
Letters to Katie
THE HEARTS OF MIDDLEFIELD NOVELS
A Man of His Word
An Honest Love
A Hand to Hold
STORIES
A Miracle for Miriam included in An Amish Christmas
A Place of His Own included in An Amish Gathering
What the Heart Sees included in An Amish Love
A Perfect Match included in An Amish Wedding
Flowers for Rachael included in An Amish Garden
A Gift for Anne Marie included in An Amish Second Christmas
A Heart Full of Love included in An Amish Cradle
A Bid for Love included in An Amish Market
A Quiet Love included in An Amish Harvest
Building Faith included in An Amish Home
Lakeside Love included in An Amish Summer
Building Trust included in An Amish Family
Surprised by Love included in An Amish Family
What Love Built included in An Amish Homecoming
Kelly Irvin
AMISH OF BIG SKY COUNTRY NOVELS
Mountains of Grace (available August 2019)
EVERY AMISH SEASON NOVELS
Upon a Spring Breeze
Beneath the Summer Sun
Through the Autumn Air
With Winter’s First Frost
THE AMISH OF BEE COUNTY NOVELS
The Beekeeper’s Son
The Bishop’s Son
The Saddle Maker’s Son
STORIES
A Christmas Visitor in An Amish Christmas Gift
Sweeter than Honey in An Amish Market
One Sweet Kiss in An Amish Summer
Snow Angels in An Amish Christmas Love
The Midwife’s Dream in An Amish Heirloom
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Tell Her No Lies
Over the Line (available June 2019)
ZONDERVAN
An Amish Reunion
Their True Home Copyright © 2019 Amy Clipston
A Reunion of Hearts Copyright © 2019 Elizabeth Wiseman Mackey
A Chance to Remember Copyright © 2019 Kathleen Fuller
Mended Hearts Copyright © 2019 Kelly Irvin
Requests for information should be addressed to:
Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546
ISBN: 978-0-310-35271-6 (trade paper)
ISBN: 978-0-310-09870-6 (library edition)
ISBN: 978-0-310-35272-3 (e-book)
Epub Edition February 2019 9780310352723
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
CIP data is available upon request.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or t
ransmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America
19 20 21 22 23 / LSC / 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
Other Novels by the Authors
Glossary
THEIR TRUE HOME Amy Clipston Family Tree
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Discussion Questions
Acknowledgments
A REUNION OF HEARTS Beth Wiseman Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
Discussion Questions
Acknowledgments
A CHANCE TO REMEMBER Kathleen Fuller Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Epilogue
Discussion Questions
Acknowledgments
MENDED HEARTS Kelly Irvin Featured Jamesport, Missouri, Residents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Discussion Questions
About the Authors
GLOSSARY*
ach: oh
aenti: aunt
appeditlich: delicious
bann: a temporary period of excommunication intended to cause a change of heart and end errant behavior in a church member
bedauerlich: sad
boppli/bopli/ boplin: baby, babies
brot: bread
bruder: brother
bruders: brothers
bruderskinner: nieces/nephews
bu: boy
buwe: boys
daadi: grandfather
daadi haus/dawdy haus: a small house built onto or near the main house for grandparents to live in
danki: thank you
dat/daed: dad, father
Deutsch/Deitsch: Dutch
dochder: daughter
dochdern: daughters
Dummle!: hurry!
Englisch/English/Englisher: English: non-Amish person
eck: married couple’s corner table at their wedding reception
Fehla: sin
fraa: wife
freind: friend
freinden: friends
froh: happy
gegisch: silly
gern/gaern gschehne: you’re welcome
Gmay: church district
Gott: God
groossdaadi/grossdaadi: grandpa
groossmammi/grossmammi: grandma
Gude/guder mariye: Good morning
gut: good
Gut nach/gut natcht: Good night
haus: house
hund: dog
Ich liebe dich: I love you
jah: yes
kaffi: coffee
kapp: prayer covering or cap
kichli/kuche/kichlin: cookie, cookies
kinner: children
kitzn: cat
krank: ill
kuche: cake
kuchen: cakes
kumm: come
leib/liewe: love, a term of endearment
maed: young women, girls
maedel: young woman
mamm/mudder: mom, mother
mammi: grandmother
mann: husband
mei: my
Meidung: avoidance, shunning
millich: milk
naerfich: nervous
narrisch: crazy
nee: no
onkel: uncle
Ordnung: written and unwritten rules in an Amish district
rumspringa/rumschpringe: period of running around when a young person turns sixteen
schee: pretty
schmaert: smart
schtupp: family room
schweschder: sister
schweschdere: sisters
sohn/suh: son
Was iss letz?: What’s wrong?
Wie bischt?: How are you?
Wie geht’s: How do you do? or Good day!
wunderbaar: wonderful
ya: yes
*The German dialect spoken by the Amish is not a written language and varies depending on the location and origin of the settlement. These spellings are approximations. Most Amish children learn English after they start school. They also learn high German, which is used in the Sunday services.
THEIR TRUE HOME
Amy Clipston
With love and appreciation for Zac Weikal
and the members of my Bakery Bunch
FAMILY TREE
Featuring Characters from the Amish Homestead Series
Rosa Lynn (deceased) m. Elias Bawell
Marlene Bawell
Anna Bawell
Ada m. Jeptha Swarey
Rudy Swarey
Feenie m. Leonard Esch
Betsy Esch
Laura (Riehl) m. Allen Lambert
Mollie Faith
(mother—Savilla—deceased)
CHAPTER 1
Marlene Bawell hugged her body as she stared down the sidewalk at the stores that lined Highway 340 in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. Her heart seemed to turn over in her chest as the midmorning June sun warmed her cheeks. Had it truly been ten years since she’d walked down this road?
She smiled as wonderful memories came rushing back to her. Whenever she and her mother visited this street years ago, shopping for groceries and supplies, their friends would call out to them to say hello. She missed those days so much that her chest ached. She squeezed her eyes shut, working to keep her emotions at bay.
Of course, that was before Mamm had died and before Marlene’s father had moved her and her younger sister to Indiana in order to escape his own memories. While Marlene had cherished her life in Bird-in-Hand, Dat seemed to want to forget it all.
She shook the thought away and turned toward the front window of Lancaster Hardware and Supply. A Help Wanted sign caught her attention, and her stomach did a little flip. Although she’d headed to town this morning for groceries, she’d considered stopping by a few businesses to see if they were hiring.
This was what she’d prayed for: an opportunity to help her father. She’d hoped to earn enough money for her family to afford a house to rent in Bird-in-Hand so they could move out of her aunt and uncle’s home. If she could help her father pay rent, maybe she could convince him to stay.
Marlene squared her shoulders and pulled the door handle, and the bell above the door announced her entrance. As she made her way toward the front counter, the aroma of wood stain filled her senses. She glanced at a colorful display of birdhouses and bags of birdseed, then took her place in line behind an Amish man purchasing a hammer and several boxes of nails. The young Amish man behind the counter made small talk about the weather as he looked down at the cash register and rang up the items. He looked vaguely familiar to Marlene, but she couldn’t quite place him.
She fiddled with the strap of her purse and glanced around the store, ta
king in the aisles of tools and equipment. She’d have to learn how the items were organized, but doing so couldn’t be too difficult. After all, she’d worked in a market in Shipshewana, so she knew she could handle working at a hardware store. Now if only she could convince the owners to hire her, then she could get her father’s permission to work part-time—
“May I help you?”
Marlene’s gaze snapped to the counter. As the young man addressed her, she took in his dark eyes. He was so familiar. Had they gone to school together? Or perhaps he was in her youth group years ago?
“Marlene?” His milk chocolate eyes flickered with recognition. “Marlene Bawell?”
“Ya?” She nodded and then snapped her fingers when she recognized him. “Rudy Swarey!”
“That’s right.” He leaned forward on the counter as a smile turned up his lips. “How long has it been?”
“Ten years.” She hugged her arms over her chest as she studied his face. She was surprised to find it clean-shaven, indicating that he wasn’t married. He had to be twenty-seven like she was since they had gone to school together and been baptized into the church at the same time. But just like her, here he was—unmarried. Her pulse quickened at the thought. When they were teenagers, she’d had a secret crush on Rudy, but he’d never seemed to notice her.
“You moved to Ohio, right?” he asked.
“Indiana,” she said. “But mei dat, schweschder, and I are back now.” She rocked back on her heels.
He stood up straight. “Well, welcome back to Bird-in-Hand. Are you back for gut?”
“I hope so. We’re living with mei aenti and onkel right now.” She pointed toward the front window. “I noticed the Help Wanted sign.”
“Ya.” He pushed his hand through his thick, dark hair. “My two cousins work here part-time. One just got married and is taking over his father-in-law’s farm. My other cousin only works on days that his dat doesn’t need him at his furniture store.”
“Oh.” She touched one of the ribbons on her prayer covering. “So, you need someone part-time.”
“Right.” He quirked a brow at her. “You’re looking for a job?”
“Yes, I am.” She lifted her chin as a surge of confidence rushed through her. “I worked at a market in Shipshewana. I’m really good with a cash register, and I know how to stock shelves too.”
He nodded but appeared unconvinced.
Marlene approached the counter, preparing to make a case for herself. “I’m a hard worker, and I will do a gut job.” And I really need to help mei dat.
“Okay.” Rudy stepped around the counter and gestured for her to follow him. “Let’s go talk to mei dat about it. Ultimately he decides who we hire.”