AMISH ROMANCE: The Amish Bakery Boxed Set: 4-Book Clean Inspirational Box Set - Includes Bonus Book

by Rebekah Fisher

  The ground started to shake and the wind roared. The tornado was bearing down on them and John prayed for their safety.

  Gott, please help us. Give me the strength to get us through this.

  “I think it’s almost here!” He ducked his head, and put an arm around Lucinda, the other curled over the back of his head.

  “Don’t let go, John!” Lucinda cried, wrapping her arms around him.

  “I won’t. I promise. I won’t let go.” John’s need to protect Lucinda was keeping him calm. Having just found her again, he would do everything he could to keep her safe.

  John shut his eyes and hung on to her, pushing them both into the side of the ditch. The noise was deafening and the wind gusted across the ditch over and over. John could feel the dust and debris blowing across his back.

  It seemed to last forever and then suddenly everything was quiet. They stayed there unmoving for another minute.

  “Is it gone?” Lucinda asked.

  John looked to the side. The ditch was littered with debris, corn, alfalfa and pieces of wood that must have come from a white fence. “Jah. Are you okay?”

  “Jah,” Lucinda replied. “A little shaken, but I’m okay. You?”

  Blowing out a deep breath of relief, John nodded. “Still here.”

  * * *

  Chapter 5

  The tornado had passed. John climbed out of the ditch and then helped her up to stand next to him.

  “Can we get back to the wagon?” she asked turning around.

  They both looked towards the road. The wagon was gone. The trees farther down the road were gone too.

  John looked at her, holding up his hands. “No wagon.”

  “What do we do now?” Lucinda asked, realizing she was still very shaken.

  He turned, looking around them. “I guess we walk, Lucy.”

  She nodded and sucked in a breath. The movement caused a pain on the back of her head. Reaching back, she realized that her prayer kapp was gone and her hair had fallen around her shoulders. It was no wonder with the wind that had blown earlier.

  Off to the left was a wide swath cut through the alfalfa. The tornado had missed them and they had only suffered through the winds on the outer edges. John led her back across the alfalfa field. They slowed as they crossed the path scoured by the tornado. It was a stark contrast between the knee-high alfalfa and the gouges that were cut down to the soil.

  Lucinda couldn’t believe the devastation. “We just ran through here. Look at it now.”

  “I know,” John told her. “I can’t quite believe it either. In a matter of minutes, it’s all gone.”

  When they reached the road, John pointed and they started walking towards home.

  Lucinda almost felt dizzy, it all had been too much for her to think about.

  They hadn’t been walking long when John asked her, “earlier you said you felt bad because you hadn’t talked to me after my break up with Samantha?”

  “Jah. I had just broken off the courtship with Ezra, and it was all so uncomfortable.” Lucinda started to explain.

  “You ended the courtship?” John asked stopping in the middle of the road.

  “Jah. I did. Ezra told everyone it was mutual.”

  John started walking again. “Ezra told everyone it was mutual, but implied he was the one to really want it.”

  “I figured. He could be sweet and caring, but he didn’t like being wrong.” It had been part of why she had doubts about him.

  “I didn’t know your breakup had happened before Samantha and I ended our courtship.” He adjusted the bag on his shoulder. “I thought it happened after.”

  Lucinda shrugged. “Ezra wanted me to think about it for a little while before we totally called it off.” She shrugged. “I knew how I felt wouldn’t change, but I waited the two weeks anyway.”

  “I can understand him being upset. When Samantha came to me with her doubts about us courting, it upset me.” John admitted.

  “Jah.” Lucinda was surprised he was talking so much about it, but it made some sense. Out of anyone, she would understand what he had gone through.

  “It made me really think about how I felt about her.” John guided her past a tree branch that lay across the road. “Samantha was a sweet girl and she was very caring of others but there was something missing.

  “That’s how it was with Ezra and I. He was kind and responsible. I liked spending time with him but he didn’t seem to really listen or try to know me.” It was hard to explain how distant Ezra felt sometimes.

  John sighed. “Samantha was the opposite, she never talked about anything. I wanted to know her better and she didn’t have anything to say. I would ask what she wanted to do and she would say that whatever I liked was fine.”

  “And Ezra never asked.” Lucinda sighed. She rubbed the side of her head, it still felt like that hairpin was poking her.

  He nodded. “When she had doubts I told her that we didn’t really know each other and she decided to end it.”

  “You weren’t upset?” she asked him.

  “Nee.” John replied quickly. “Were you?”

  Lucinda looked over at John as they walked down the road. “Nee. I mean I felt bad that Ezra was upset, but I was fine with ending the courtship.”

  “Did you think it was strange when Ezra and Samantha started courting?”

  “Jah,” Lucinda agreed. “I didn’t really hear about them courting until the week before their engagement was posted.”

  “Ach! It was strange, when they started courting. I didn’t miss her or want her back.” he explained. “It seemed so soon.”

  “I felt the same way. Especially since everyone thought I should be sad that Ezra had moved on.” Lucinda had tried to stay home as much as possible to avoid people in town.

  “Our breakup really was mutual, but everyone thought I was devastated.” John chuckled. “It seemed rude to tell people that I didn’t care and that I was okay with her moving on with someone else.”

  “I’m glad that Samantha and Ezra are happy together.” Lucinda had always said he would make a very nice husband.

  “Jah. I’m glad for them too,” John replied.

  They rode along in silence for a few moments, each thinking about the other and wondering if there was any possibility of having a future together again.

  They had just turned a corner past a stand of trees when Lucinda saw something in the distance.

  “Look!” Lucinda pointed. “Is that Wildflower?”

  John looked across the field. “Jah. I think it is.”

  Lucinda clutched her hands to her heart. “I’m so glad that she’s alright. I have to admit I’ve been worried about her since we let her go.”

  “Wildflower!” John called out and then added a short whistle.

  The horse turned its head and trotted cautiously towards them. It stopped back from the road, its ears back as it looked around.

  “Should we go into the field to get her?” Lucinda asked him.

  John frowned and thought for a minute as they continued to walk. “Nee. I think maybe if we just keep walking she might decide that everything is okay. The storm spooked her and it might take her a bit to settle down.”

  Lucinda looked back at Wildflower. “What if she doesn’t?”

  “I’ll think of something different, although it’s going to get dark soon. If she doesn’t follow, I might have to come back with Aaron to fetch her.”

  John was hoping that someone driving down the road would happen upon them. He was tired and he knew Lucinda must be too. He had noticed her touch her head quite a few times. She had lost her prayer kapp and her hair had come loose in the gusting winds. He hoped she wasn’t uncomfortable about her hair not being pinned up, but he couldn’t help to notice how pretty she looked, even drenched from the rain. He had been thinking about the good memories from their courting days, and he recognized the familiar tugging at his heart whenever he thought about her, which was almost always lately.

&
nbsp; Suddenly he heard a noise behind them and took a quick look. Wildflower had come out onto the road and was following behind them.

  “I guess that’s a good sign.” Lucinda giggled next to him.

  “Jah.” John enjoyed hearing Lucinda laugh, and he liked that she seemed so happy all the time.

  A moment later she groaned. He looked over to see her holding her head. “Are you okay?”

  “Jah, I have just a bit of a headache. I had a hairpin caught earlier and I think maybe there’s another one.” Lucinda stopped walking. John turned to face her as she reached back to check for the pin.

  “Ouch!”

  He looked at her face. Her skin seemed to be turning white and the pupils of her eyes were large and black. All of a sudden he remembered the training he had received from a young man when he helped out after a barn fire two years ago. Her eyes were dilated and it could be a sign of a concussion.

  “Lucinda, are you feeling alright?’

  “Nee. I don’t think I’m okay,” she said, her voice getting softer as she spoke.

  “Alright Lucy, stay with me here.” He turned his head and came almost nose to nose with Wildflower. “Ach!” He rubbed the horse’s nose. “Hello pretty girl.”

  Lucinda looked up. “Hello, Wildflower.”

  He caught Wildflower’s halter while he pulled the reins from his bag, glad that he had brought them with him. John clipped the reins onto Wildflower’s halter. “Do you want to go for a ride?”

  “Sure.”

  He walked them over to a piece of fence, leashing Wildflower to the post. “Come over on this side.” She stopped and he slid the bag off her shoulder hanging it on a different post.

  Very carefully he lifted her up onto the horse. She was a little wobbly, but he hoped he would be able to steady her as they walked. That worked fine until Lucinda leaned down to rub the horse’s neck.

  “Okay, Lucy, sit up for me.” John took her bag from the post and set it in front of her on the horse. The bag was a little bulky and he remembered she had added the bag from the fabric store. The fabric had given him an idea and he pulled one of the longer pieces from the bag. He put the bag back in front of her. “Go ahead and lean forward if you want.”

  Using the long piece of fabric, he wrapped it around Lucinda and the horse’s girth. It wasn’t the best of solutions, as she could still slide off, but it would give him time to catch her if she did.

  John grabbed the reins and started to continue their walk down the road. He knew she wasn’t supposed to fall asleep so he kept talking to her.

  “Lucy, did you hit your head?” he had been trying to figure out what had happened.

  “Jah. I think so.”

  “I thought I had you covered well when we were in the ditch. I’m sorry.”

  “Nee, I think happened before we were in the ditch,” she said, her voice sounding a little sleepy. “Something hit my back when we were running towards the ditch.”

  Surprised, he looked back at her. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I don’t know. It didn’t really feel that bad,” she said, then reached for her head again.

  “Ach. It makes sense, we were more worried about the tornado.”

  “Jah.” She pulled her cloak around her a little tighter.

  John was worried about her. “Well, Lucy. I’ll get you fixed up, I promise.” They had survived the tornado and he would get them home. He didn’t plan on letting her slip away again. He couldn’t help the strong emotions toward her that were beginning to flood his heart. He could see now though that God had given him a second chance with Lucinda.

  After walking another couple miles, he stopped. There was a hill up ahead and John led the horse to the side of the road so that he could lean against the fence. He was tired and right then he couldn’t imagine being able to make it to the top of the hill without resting. They had already walked several miles and right after the panic of the tornado it hadn’t seemed like much. But now after a couple hours, he could feel the toll it had taken on him.

  John had a question on his heart, but was a little hesitant to ask her. He knew she cared for him, but to what extent, he wasn’t sure. Finally he gave in, and could not hold back any longer. “Lucy. What do you think?” He looked up at her. “After all of this, do you think you would like to go for a ride with me sometime? Maybe we could go back to East Hawthorne and eat at the restaurant across from the country store.”

  She sat up a little to answer, but they both looked up when a horse and buggy came over the hill.

  John stood up and walked wearily into the middle of the road. He was fairly certain that the driver had at least seen Wildflower. Her white coat usually stood out even in the low light of dusk.

  The buggy slowed down and stopped just beyond them. “We’ve been searching for you for hours!” Aaron called from the buggy. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  John nearly fell down with relief. “I’m so glad to see you, too.”

  * * *

  Chapter 6

  “Here.” Aaron handed John a large cup of water as he walked back into the waiting room of the doctor’s office.

  “Danke,” John said, and began to drink.

  “Has the doctor come out yet?” Aaron asked.

  “Nee, not yet.” John tried not to worry but it was difficult. Lucinda had been in tears by the time they got into town, her head hurt so badly.

  John had told Aaron everything that had happened on their way to the doctor’s office back in town. They hadn’t been too far from town; still several miles, but a short ride in the buggy. Aaron had helped him get Lucinda into the back of the buggy, and they tied Wildflower’s reins to the buggy so she could follow along.

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Aaron tried to reassure him. “The doctor is taking care of her. He’ll come talk to us as soon as he can.”

  “Jah, I know.” John wished he could see Lucinda. He needed to make sure she was alright. He was not good at sitting and waiting.

  They sat there quietly for a few moments. “You really care about Lucinda, don’t you?” Aaron asked.

  John nodded slowly, finally turning to his cousin. “Jah, I do. I was scared during the tornado. Seeing her crying in pain though was nearly more than I could handle.”

  Aaron nodded. The exam room opened and John stood quickly when the doctor emerged.

  “Doctor Wilson, how is Lucinda?”

  “She’s a little dehydrated and she does have a slight concussion, but she will be fine.”

  John let out the breath that he hadn’t realized he was still holding. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  The door to the doctor’s office opened and Lucinda’s parents walked in with her brother, Joshua behind them. Her mother rushed forward. “Is Lucinda alright?”

  The doctor held up his hands in a calming gesture. “Lucinda will be fine. She has a bump on her head and a slight concussion. I’ve applied ice to the bump and she will need rest and some medication for the pain. She’s also a little dehydrated but she will be perfectly fine in a few days.”

  “Thank you, Doctor.” Miriam Yoder clutched her hands to her chest.

  “Thanks to John, here,” the doctor told them as he looked over at John, “he recognized her symptoms and did everything correctly.”

  Doctor Wilson turned back to the Yoders. “I want Lucinda to rest for a little while longer here, but you’ll be able to take her home in a bit.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Miriam repeated.

  “Would you like to see her?” Doctor Wilson asked her parents, opening up the exam room door.

  “Jah, please.” Lucinda’s family followed him into the exam room.

  John had hoped to see her, but he understood her family wanting to see her privately. There didn’t seem to be any reason for him to stay now, so he decided it best for Aaron and him to leave.

  “John, we’re so grateful for keeping Lucinda safe. Danke,” Sol Yoder said to him. “I can’t imagine the day you’
ve had.”

  John shook his hand. “I did the best I could. It was by the grace of Gott that we survived.”

  Sol nodded. “This just proves that Gott has a gut plan for both of you.”

  John looked back towards the exam room. “Jah, I think He does.”

  * * *

  Lucinda stepped out onto the porch. It was a beautiful morning. The air was still cool before the summer sun would bring on the heat of the afternoon. She scanned the horizon quickly. It was now a habit to check the sky for clouds. It had been nearly a week since Aaron had found Lucinda and John on the road from East Hawthorne and the memories of surviving the tornado had been at the forefront of her mind, as had John. With each thought of John, she would feel her heart begin to flutter.

  Looking back, she was even more amazed by his strength and his ability to keep calm. As scared as she had been, she had never doubted that John would protect her and keep her safe. If John hadn’t been there she wasn’t sure she would have been so calm.

  Growing up, she had been taught about tornadoes; what to look for, where to go and what to do if you were caught outdoors. Lucinda didn’t know if she would have remembered what to do or that she would have even been able to find the ditch to shelter from the tornado.

  What Lucinda did know though, was that she had never felt so cared for and protected as when she and John had cowered in the ditch waiting for the tornado to pass. Then he had figured out that she had been hurt, and had taken care of her until Aaron had found them and took her to the doctor.

  “Are you ready?” Joshua asked from the doorway interrupting her thoughts.

  “Jah,” Lucinda told her brother. “I hope the doctor says that I can go back to work soon.”

  “The doctor said that you needed to rest for at least seven days,” Joshua reminded her. “A concussion can be serious. You need to be careful.”

  “I know.” Lucinda sighed and followed him down the steps. “It’s been hard this last week though; I’m not used to sitting around doing nothing.” Lucinda had been bored and she had missed seeing John while she was recovering at home.