“What’s the matter, Ezekiel? Is there something wrong with your gaul?”
“Nope. My horse is fine and dandy.” Ezekiel reached across the seat and took Michelle’s hand. “I’m not sure I’ll be fine though—least not till I ask you a question.”
“Oh? What is it?”
He leaned closer, and his voice trembled a bit. “I—I love you, Michelle. And I was wondering … That is, would you be willing to marry me in the fall?”
Overcome with emotion, all she could do was nod. Then as tears slipped from under Michelle’s lashes, she finally found her voice. “I love you too, Ezekiel, and I’d be most honored to become your wife—as soon as tomorrow if it was possible.”
She could hardly wait to share this good news with Mary Ruth and Willis. Michelle felt certain they’d be happy for her and Ezekiel. She wasn’t sure about Ezekiel’s parents though. Today, they’d said they were glad she had joined the church, but what if they didn’t approve of her as their son’s wife? If they didn’t give Ezekiel their blessing, would he change his mind about marrying her?
Clarks Summit
As Brad sat at a table inside a family restaurant, he reflected on his week at school, and how glad he’d been when the weekend finally came. It felt good to be free of his studies for a while and not have a textbook staring back at him. He’d called Sara last night, but only reached her voice mail. The last time they’d talked, the evening after he had gotten back from Strasburg, she’d seemed kind of distant. He figured she was either preoccupied or might be irritated about something.
Brad had hoped to try calling again, but the week ended up more hectic than he had anticipated. He’d delved into his studies each day when classes were over until he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Even when Brad took lunch in the cafeteria, he had one of his textbooks open.
One afternoon, Brad had seen Terri sitting at the far end of the room with her nose in a book. Does Sara believe there might be something going on between me and Terri? He’d thought he’d made it clear the day he left for Clarks Summit that he had no interest in Terri other than friendship. Each night before Brad fell asleep, Sara was the only one on his mind.
Brad drummed his fingers on the table, waiting impatiently for his food to arrive. He glanced at his cell phone. I wish Sara would return my call. Should I try calling her again? I’d like to hear how Michelle’s baptism went today.
Brad was about to punch in her number, when his phone buzzed. Hoping it was Sara, he answered without checking the caller ID.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Brad. Your dad and I haven’t heard from you since you went back to school after your spring vacation. We’ve been wondering how you’re doing.”
Staring into his cup of coffee, Brad offered his mother a heartfelt apology. “Sorry, Mom. I’ve been really busy, but then that’s no excuse. I should have called to see how things are going with you and Dad this week.”
“It’s all right. We understand your studies come first right now.”
Brad dropped his arms to his sides. He’d taken the time to call Sara but had neglected his own parents. He felt like a heel.
“Are you still there, Brad?”
“Yeah, Mom. I’ll try to keep in better touch.”
“How was your trip to Lancaster County? Did you get to see the young woman you told us about?”
“Yes. Sara and I spent a fair amount of time together. I’m eager to see her again.”
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Mom made a little hmm … noise. He could almost picture the look of curiosity on her face.
“What do you think I’m not telling you?” Brad asked.
“Is there something serious developing between you and Sara? That is her name, right?”
“Yes, Mom, but I’m not certain yet about the direction my relationship is going with her. Like I told you the last time we talked, for now, Sara and I are just friends.”
“Well, don’t rush things, Brad. Remember to pray about the direction God would have you take, and He will direct you down the right path.”
“Yeah, good advice.”
“Don’t forget, we still want to get together with you. We owe you a birthday meal.”
“Okay, Mom, we’ll work something out.”
The waitress came with Brad’s meal, so he politely told his mother that his food was here and he needed to go. “I’ll be in touch soon,” he added. “Take care, Mom, and tell Dad I said hello.”
When Brad clicked off the phone, he bowed his head and said a silent prayer. Heavenly Father, please give me wisdom and a sense of direction where Sara is concerned. If it’s not meant for us to be together, let me know.
Strasburg
“Would you like a cup of hot chocolate, Sara?” Grandma asked, getting up from her chair. “I’m going to fix one for your grandpa and me.”
Sara pulled herself into an upright position. “That would be nice. Can I help you with it?”
Grandma shook her head. “It won’t take me long. Please, stay here and rest. You look awfully tired this evening.”
Sara didn’t argue. She was tired; but more than that, her depressed spirit weighed in on her like a heavy blanket. The battery in her cell phone had died last night, and she wouldn’t be able to charge it until she got to work tomorrow morning. But Sara’s depression wasn’t because of that. It was on a much deeper level. She had convinced herself that Brad was interested in Terri Conners, even though he’d assured her they were only friends. She also couldn’t seem to stop thinking about the lie she’d told Brad. Only Michelle knew the truth, but Sara wished now she’d never admitted her lack of Christianity.
She lay down again, pushing her head against the throw pillow. What if Michelle uses that information to put distance between me and my grandparents? But what would be her reason for doing such a thing? Sara closed her eyes and tried to squelch the negative thoughts.
Several minutes later, Grandma entered the room. “Here we go.”
Sara opened her eyes and sat up, watching as her grandmother placed a tray on the coffee table. In addition to three mugs of hot chocolate and napkins, the spicy smell of sliced gingerbread on a plate reached Sara. Grandma handed one of the mugs to her and gestured to the gingerbread. “Please, help yourself.”
Sara took the smallest piece and ate it. “Yum … This is delicious, Grandma.”
“Thank you.” Grandma smiled and handed a mug to Grandpa.
“Danki, Mary Ruth.” He took a sip. “Ahh … This sure hits the spot.”
Taking her own mug, Grandma seated herself on the end of the sofa. “Today was a special day indeed.” She looked over at Grandpa.
“It was a nice baptismal service,” he agreed.
“I’m so happy Michelle joined our church.” Tears welled in Grandma’s eyes. “We had always hoped our daughter would get baptized, but Rhoda had other ideas. Unfortunately, she did not want to be Amish.” With a wistful expression, she looked over at Sara. “If your mother had joined the church and remained here with us during her pregnancy, you might be Amish now too.”
Is Grandma trying to make me feel guilty because I’ve shown no interest in becoming Amish? Sara drank some of her hot beverage, cringing when she burned the end of her tongue. Or is Grandma having a few moments of wishful thinking that have more to do with my mother than me?
Chapter 36
I have some good news to share with all of you,” Michelle announced Monday morning at the breakfast table. She clasped her hands tightly together, hardly able to contain her excitement.
Mary Ruth leaned forward, eyes all aglow. “What is it, Michelle? I’m always eager to hear gut neiichkeede.”
“Same here,” Willis agreed. “There’s too much bad news in our world today, so we need something positive to focus on.”
Michelle couldn’t hold back a smile. “Last night, when Ezekiel took me out for a ride, he proposed marriage.”
Mary Ruth clapped her hands. “Now that certainly is goo
d news.”
“I hope you said yes.” Willis reached for a piece of toast and spread apple butter on it.
Michelle nodded. “A year ago, I would never have imagined I could be this happy.”
“April fools, right?” Sara said without smiling.
“No, I would not tease about something this important.” Michelle’s stomach fluttered as she looked at Sara. I wonder what made her say such a thing. Isn’t Sara the least bit happy for me?
“Well then, I guess if it’s true, congratulations are in order. I hope you and Ezekiel will be happy.” Although Sara spoke with sincerity, her words seemed as if they were forced.
“We will be happy. I feel it right here.” Michelle clasped both hands against her chest. “We’re going to plan for a November wedding.” She paused to add a spoonful of honey to her bowl of baked oatmeal. “I would have told you when I got home last night, but everyone had gone to bed, and I didn’t want to wake you.”
Mary Ruth reached over and placed her hand on Michelle’s arm, giving it a few tender pats. “Since you have no family living in the area, I hope you will allow us to help with the wedding.”
Willis bobbed his head agreeably. “My fraa is right. We want to help you make all the arrangements, and I’m sure Ezekiel’s parents will help too.”
“Ezekiel and I will talk more about it when he picks me up after work this evening,” Michelle said. She’d be working the afternoon and evening shifts at the restaurant today and wouldn’t be riding with Sara. Earlier, Willis had offered to take Michelle to work, as he had some errands to run this afternoon. Since Ezekiel would be picking her up in his horse and buggy, Michelle didn’t have to hire a driver.
With the exception of Sara’s little April Fool’s comment, Michelle’s week had started out well. Now if she could just figure out a way to help Sara see the need to forgive her mother, everything would be nearly perfect.
Soon after they finished eating, Sara left for work and Mary Ruth began washing the breakfast dishes.
“I’ll go out and get the mail,” Michelle offered. “Oh, and I can also stop at the phone shack to check for messages.”
“That’d be great.” Willis picked up the newspaper lying on his end of the table. “That’ll give me time to check the news before I go out to feed the hogs.”
“I’ll help you with that chore as soon as I get back to the house,” Michelle said.
He waved a hand. “No, that’s all right. I can manage on my own this morning.”
“Okay then. I’ll be back shortly with the mail and a list of any phone messages you may have received.”
Michelle opened the back door and stepped outside. Her mood matched the beautiful weather. But even had it been a dreary day, her spirits would not be dampened.
Last month, spring had officially arrived. Michelle could hear it with the birds singing from the trees where leaves slowly sprouted. A sunny, blue sky greeted her, and as Michelle stood breathing in the fresh air, she lifted her head and looked up. Thank You, Lord, for all the good things that have come into my life. I feel so undeserving, but I am grateful that You are a generous, loving God. Please be with Sara today and soften her heart toward things of a spiritual nature.
When Michelle finished praying, she hurried down the driveway to the mailbox. She was surprised to discover that it was empty. Normally, the Lapps had at least a few pieces of mail. Maybe the mailman hadn’t been by yet. Or perhaps on this rare occasion, he had no mail for them at all.
“Oh well … no mail means no bills.” Michelle had quoted that more than once when she lived on her own. It was always a relief when bills didn’t come, because money was sometimes scarce.
Pushing the memory aside, Michelle headed back up the driveway and stepped into the small wooden building that housed the Lapps’ telephone. She had no more than taken a seat on the folding chair to check the answering machine, when the phone rang. She quickly reached for the receiver before the answering machine kicked in. “Hello.”
Clarks Summit
Brad was surprised to hear Michelle’s voice. “Hey there. I didn’t expect anyone to answer. Figured I’d have to leave a message, like usual.”
Michelle explained that she had entered the phone shack to check for messages when it rang.
“Ah, I see. Guess that’s bound to happen once in a while.”
“Yes. Call it good timing.”
“So how are you doing?”
“Couldn’t be better. Yesterday morning, Ezekiel and I got baptized and became members of the Amish church. It was a meaningful day for me.”
“I can imagine. And that’s really fantastic. I’m happy for both you and Ezekiel.”
“Something else special happened on Sunday.”
“What was it?”
“Ezekiel came by in the evening to take me for a buggy ride, and he surprised me by asking if I would marry him.”
“Wow! What was your response?”
“I said yes, of course.” She giggled.
Brad heard the excitement in Michelle’s voice. She had certainly changed from the troubled young woman he’d first met. “Congratulations! When will the wedding take place?”
“We hope to be married in November, and Ezekiel and I would be pleased if you could come to the wedding.”
“You bet. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Brad paused briefly, looking at his watch. “Say, I don’t mean to change the subject so quickly, but I have a class starting in half an hour. I need to ask though—how’s Sara? I tried calling her over the weekend, but all I got was her voice mail.”
“That’s because her cell phone battery went dead.”
“I see. I thought it was strange that she hadn’t responded to my messages and wondered if everything was all right.”
“Sara will probably call you when she gets to work and is able to charge her phone.”
“Okay, but if I don’t hear from her by this evening I’ll try calling again.”
“I’ve been praying for Sara, and it would be good if you did too.”
Brad’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean? Is there a problem?”
“Sara seemed despondent all weekend, and I have to wonder if it had anything to do with a discussion the two of us had last Saturday.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what was it about?”
“Sara mentioned her mother, and how she resents the fact that she didn’t find out about her Amish grandparents until after her mother died,” Michelle replied. “She’s holding resentment and feels bitter about this.”
Brad scratched his head. “I did notice Sara wasn’t her cheerful self when we were together the last time. I thought it might have something to do with me running into a friend from the university.”
“No, I believe it had more to do with me asking Sara if she was a Christian.”
“What’d she say?”
“Sara admitted that she is not a Christian, and even though I offered to help her become one, she showed no interest.”
Squeezing his eyes shut, Brad rubbed the middle of his forehead. This made no sense.
“Brad, are you there?”
“Yeah. I’m just trying to process what you said.” He lifted his hands and stared at his palms as though they held some answers. “Are you sure Sara said she was not a Christian?”
“I’m positive. It was right before you came to pick her up for your date.”
It felt like someone had punched Brad in the stomach. Why would Sara lie to me about being a Christian? Did she tell me she was because she thought that’s what I wanted to hear? He blew out his cheeks as he released a puff of air. If she’s not a believer, we can’t have a relationship that goes beyond friendship.
In addition to Brad taking to heart the scripture found in 2 Corinthians 6:14 that read, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers,” he was preparing for the ministry. The last thing he needed was a wife who didn’t share his beliefs.
Strasburg
“Good m
orning. Did you have a nice weekend?” Karen asked when Sara entered the flower shop.
Sara nodded briefly. “How was yours?”
“Ours went well. Saturday was busy here at the store, but Sunday we were able to relax awhile. Then while I got a few things done around the house, my hubby mowed the lawn.”
“Sounds like a busy weekend.” Sara put her purse under the counter and plugged her cell phone into the outlet on the wall behind her.
“It was, but we like to stay busy.” Karen shook her head. “I’m not the kind of person to sit around doing nothing, and neither is Andy. So on that note, I’d better return to what I started before you came in. We just got several orders for a funeral service, so there are a lot of flower arrangements to be made yet. You know where we’ll be if you need anything,” Karen called over her shoulder as she headed for the other room.
“Will do.”
Before looking over the books, Sara did a walk around the shop, making sure everything was in place. Then looking at her watch, she glanced out the door before flipping the metal sign over, from CLOSED to OPEN.
Looking up and down the sidewalk, she noticed that, except for a little traffic as people headed to work, all looked quiet.
Maybe being around all these cheerful colors will brighten my mood, Sara thought, inhaling the flowery scent of the store. I certainly need something to get me out of these doldrums I’ve been in lately.
Once Sara got her cell phone charging, she checked her voice mail for messages. She saw that there were two from Brad and one from her brother, Kenny. I wonder what Kenny wants. He rarely calls.
Returning Kenny’s call could wait awhile, so Sara decided to call Brad first and let him know that her battery had been dead. She would have to leave a message, since at this time of the morning he was probably in class.
Sara picked up her phone, and was about to punch in Brad’s number, when the phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Kenny.
That’s odd. I wonder why he would be calling me at this time of the day. I would think Kenny would be in school right now. She swiped her thumb across the screen to answer. “Hi, Kenny. I’m surprised to hear from you on a school day.” This was Kenny’s last year in high school, and in a little over two months he’d be graduating. Sara hoped he hadn’t done something foolhardy, like dropping out when he was this close to finishing.
The Forgiving Jar Page 25