by Sarah Price
After tucking them into bed, Amanda gave Nicolas and Sofia a kiss and got up to leave.
“Mami?”
She paused at the door and looked over her shoulder at her son. “Ja, Nicolas?”
“Do you think I’ll like going to the school tomorrow? It’s not forever, right?”
She smiled and shook her head. “Of course not. Our home is in Miami. And so is your school.”
Sofia made a scoffing noise as she started to roll over. “Miami isn’t as much fun as here.”
Amanda’s eyes widened in surprise as she stood in the doorway. She stared at her daughter, wondering whether she should respond. She knew that Sofia was getting along well with Hannah and Rachel. She even seemed to like playing with Sylvia and Elizabeth, although she didn’t pay much attention to Samuel. But Amanda couldn’t believe that she had just heard her daughter favor Lititz over Miami. A week ago, she never would have believed it was possible.
“It’s just new and different,” Amanda replied at last. “Everything is much more exciting when you experience it for the first time. But home will never change.”
“It changed for you when you married Papi,” Nicolas pointed out. “This was your home first, no?”
Amanda stared at him, amazed that such a wise observation had come out of her youngest child’s mouth. Quickly, she replied, “That’s different.”
And yet, she wasn’t so sure whether it was different.
Yes, it had been a new experience when she had left Lititz to travel with Alejandro. A life-altering experience. Quite exciting, to say the least. And while she loved Alejandro and the children with all of her heart, she was increasingly aware that she did not equally embrace their lavish Miami lifestyle. Coming home had reminded her of too many things that she missed: the scent of freshly baked bread in the oven, the sound of buggies rattling down the road, and the feeling of closeness with her family. She didn’t want to think of their visit drawing to an end. Not yet, anyway.
“Now go to sleep,” she said, hoping that Nicolas hadn’t sensed her doubts. “You have to get up early if you’re going to school with Hannah and Rachel.”
As she shut the door, leaving it open just a crack so that Isadora wouldn’t wake them when she went to bed for the night, Amanda sighed. Yes, she had wanted her children to experience the other side of their heritage. But what she hadn’t counted on was how much they would come to enjoy it. What would Alejandro have to say about that? Oh dear, how would Alecia react if they were to stay a little bit longer?
After returning to the kitchen, Amanda joined Lizzie and Isadora on the sofa, where Lizzie was crocheting by the propane light, her granddaughter watching with quiet curiosity. After the supper meal, Alecia had promptly excused herself, escaping to the solace of her room to call her friends with the latest updates, Amanda suspected. Her mother-in-law appeared to be the only person in the family who wasn’t fully embracing the country lifestyle. Amanda was sure she was counting down the days to when she would be on her way back home to Miami and her own kitchen.
“It was wonderful, Alejandro,” she said, hardly able to contain her enthusiasm. “Isadora just walked right off with that girl . . .” She tried to think of her name. “Barbie King, I believe.”
“Oh sí?”
In the flickering light of the kerosene lantern, Alejandro took off his sweater while she rubbed lotion on her hands and arms, preparing for a good night’s sleep. She wore a plain white nightgown, a robe tossed over her shoulders but not fastened. The room was cold, the heat from downstairs not quite reaching it. But she didn’t mind. She was too focused on the events of the day.
“It was so wunderbar gut to see her interacting with young girls who don’t want something from her,” she added.
He made a noise deep in his throat as he tossed his sweater onto the ladder-back chair.
“And, my word!” Amanda started to laugh as she remembered the quilting bee. “You should have seen Isadora stitching with those girls! Why, she took to quilting like a duck takes to water.”
“A duck?” He raised an eyebrow at her and made a face. “I don’t see our Izzie being a duck out of water anywhere.”
“Exactly!” Amanda exclaimed. “She fit in with all of those girls. They even made plans to do something tomorrow while Sofia and Nicolas go to the school with Hannah and Rachel.”
Alejandro walked over to the bed and knelt before her. “That will be good for them to see an Amish school,” he said softly.
“Nicolas fusses so, but I think he’s excited, too.” Amanda smiled as she remembered how he had complained about going to school. “And Sofia. She wasn’t as partial to the quilting, but she seems to get on quite well with her cousins. Did you know that they made sugar cookies after we returned from the quilting?”
He reached out and touched her legs, resting his weight on them. “Sugar cookies? I did not know that, no.” He watched intently as he listened to her relating the events of the day. But she barely noticed as she continued.
“I shouldn’t be surprised. I caught Nicolas sneaking some when he thought I wasn’t looking.” She laughed softly. “Oh! And then the four of them went outside and played until you and Jonas came home for milking. They were out in the field for a long time, just running through the paddock!”
For a long moment, he didn’t say anything as he gently caressed her thighs through her white nightgown. She didn’t pay attention as she thought back on the day. How glad she was that they had come to Lititz for Christmas! To see the transformation in her children made it all worthwhile. And despite some initial lack of enthusiasm, even Alecia had seemed to calm down and relax—something Amanda had never thought she’d see.
“It’s just so amazing,” Amanda gushed, still focused more on her thoughts than on his touch, “how they just adapted so fast! It’s as if they’ve lived here all their life! Especially Izzie. I mean, none of these girls care a shake about social media and followers or even that she’s Viper’s daughter. It’s as if here, she’s free to be who she truly is. She doesn’t have to live behind a façade of who people expect her to be. And to think that there’s no paparazzi! What freedom they have, especially Izzie. It’s like she’s removing a mask that’s been hiding her true feelings.”
He stood up and gave a little groan as his knees creaked. Then, he reached behind her head to start removing the pins that held her bun at the nape of her neck. “You seem so happy, Amanda,” he said as her hair cascaded down her back. He combed his fingers through it, his thumb gently brushing against her neck. “Do you ever wonder . . . ?”
When he stopped in midsentence, she looked up at him. “Alejandro?”
He shook his head and walked over to the small dresser, his back to her as he placed the pins on a little plate atop a hand-crocheted lace doily. “Nada, mi amor.” After another pause, he turned around to face her. “It’s good to see you so happy, Aman-tha.”
She knew that tone.
Aman-tha. The way that her name rolled off his tongue made her bite her lower lip. He stared at her, his gaze smoldering. Even after all of these years, Amanda never tired of her husband’s attention. She stood up and crossed the room to where he stood by the dresser. For a moment, she remained silent. Raising one hand, she brushed her fingers up his arm and let them rest on his shoulder. She could feel his muscles twitch, and she suppressed a knowing smile.
“I like being happy,” she said softly, moving her hand to gently brush aside a loose lock of hair that hung over his forehead. “But, Alejandro, I’m always happy, as long as I’m with you.” Gently, she ran her hands along his chest and hooked her fingers over his belt, giving it a slight tug. “You,” she said, “make me happy.”
“Umm.” He took a step, gently moving her backward and toward the bed.
She felt the side of the mattress hit the back of her knees and without thinking, she sat down.
“You like me happy?” he mumbled as he began to slowly unbutton his shirt, his eyes still holding her
gaze. “I like you happy.” The way he enunciated each word made her look up. He raised an eyebrow as he began to slide his shirt off his shoulders. “We are the perfect couple, no?”
“Ja, we are,” she whispered.
“And it doesn’t matter where we are, does it?” he said, looking at her as he tossed his shirt on top of his sweater. He lowered himself over her, slowly crawling onto the bed and forcing her to lean backward. She placed her hand on his shoulder, bracing herself as he hovered above her. “I do, however, like that we are here.” He leaned forward and kissed her shoulder. “In this room.” Another kiss on her neck. “By ourselves.” Her ear. “Until morning.”
She smiled at his words and shut her eyes. “That’s a good place to be, ja?” she asked in a soft voice.
“Sí,” he purred into her ear. “I’ve thought about you for a long time today.”
“A long time?” she teased.
“Sí. All day.”
“All day?”
He stroked her cheek with his thumb and nodded.
“That is a long time, then.”
“You have no idea, Princesa,” he murmured in mock despair.
“Well, I’m here now.”
“And I intend to take full advantage of the long night ahead of us.”
“I love you, Alejandro,” she whispered as she raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck. “Thank you for bringing us all home for Christmas.”
He paused for just a moment, his lips barely touching hers. But then, he whispered back, “And I love you, Amanda.”
Just as his lips found hers at last, she realized that she had called Lititz her home, and she wondered if that was why he had hesitated. But as he held her in his arms, his gentle kisses distracted her, and she forgot about her blunder. After all, her home would always be exactly wherever Alejandro was.
Chapter Fourteen
The following afternoon, as she was tidying the upstairs bedrooms, Amanda heard a soft knock on the door.
“Amanda?”
She turned around and smiled at Rachel, who stood in the doorway on one foot, her other tucked up and hooked around her knee as she balanced on one leg.
“Home already from school?” she asked as she finished fluffing a pillow and placing it at the top of the bed.
“Mamm says you need to come downstairs,” she announced in Pennsylvania Dutch.
Oh help! Amanda thought as she quickly hurried out of the room and down the stairs. Anna must be having contractions again.
But when she made it to the landing, she was surprised to see Anna standing by the sink, peering out the window. Even more startling was the fact that she was not alone. Lizzie and Alecia were both there, their shoulders touching as they struggled to look outside.
“What on earth?” Amanda asked.
At the sound of her voice, all three women turned around in unison and stared at her. Lizzie and Anna wore astonished expressions on their faces, while all of the color had drained from Alecia’s.
“You have to see this, Amanda,” Anna said, waving her arm frantically for her sister to join them. “You won’t believe he’s done such a thing.”
“Who’s done what?” Amanda asked as she joined them at the window.
Alecia stepped aside to make room for her. “That son of mine,” she said, her voice clearly expressing her displeasure. “I don’t understand why he would do such a crazy thing. My son is too generous for his own good.” Then, under her breath, she added, “It’s not even his farm.” When Amanda met her eyes, Alecia shook her head and walked away.
Outside, a large truck and trailer were parked in the driveway. Alejandro stood with Jonas as they talked with the driver while another man emerged from the back of the trailer, leading a horse. Carefully, the man turned as he tugged on the lead rope, and the horse, hesitantly at first, jumped down and took a few steps along the driveway before stopping in front of the other three men. The younger children were running around the yard, their lunch pails tossed on the ground near the front walk.
Amanda gasped. “A Dutch harness horse!” She had always liked that particular breed of horse, with its majestic gait when it pulled the buggy. A well-bred one had a coat so black that it almost looked dark blue in certain lights. And this one had a full white blaze running from between its eyes to the tip of its nose.
Amanda watched the horse as the man walked it in a small circle while Jonas pointed at its legs and said something.
“He’s beautiful!” She turned and looked at her sister. “Why, Anna! I didn’t know Jonas needed a new horse. Did he buy it yesterday, then?”
No one responded.
She looked over her shoulder and frowned. “Anna?”
Anna pressed her lips together, suppressing a secretive smile, and shrugged. “Nee, Jonas did not buy a horse yesterday.”
From the other side of the room, Alecia made a noise of displeasure.
Returning her attention to the men and the horse, Amanda saw Alejandro step forward and run his hands along one of the animal’s shoulders and then down its leg. “I don’t understand,” she said. “If Jonas didn’t buy it . . .” And then it dawned on her. For the second time since she had walked into the room, she caught her breath. “Alejandro bought it?” She looked at her mother, who averted her eyes, and then at her sister, who looked far too amused to suit Amanda. “Whatever was he thinking, Anna?”
“I’m sure I can’t answer that. But he certainly can.”
Amanda scowled at her sister’s teasing tone and headed toward the door without another word. It made sense now why Alecia was so unhappy.
It was cold outside, even though the sun was shining. In the distance, a few clouds were forming, and the wind sent a chill through her. She hadn’t stopped for a coat so she rubbed her arms with her hands as she walked over toward her husband.
“Princesa!” he said with a broad smile. “You like?”
She stopped in her tracks, her mouth opening as if to say something, and then she shut it again. He looked so happy, totally elated, as he stroked the luxurious coat of the horse.
“Now this,” he said teasingly, “this is real horse power.” He winked at her. “Better than my Porsche, sí?”
“Alejandro?” she managed to say, trying her best to remain calm. “What is this all about?”
But he did not respond to her question. Instead, he walked around the horse, examining it from the other side. “Gorgeous. Just gorgeous,” he muttered more to himself than to Amanda, completely absorbed in the moment.
While she couldn’t argue with that statement—for the horse was, indeed, magnificent—she still wanted an answer to her question. “You bought a horse, Alejandro? For what purpose?”
He raised his head, his concentration broken by Amanda’s voice, and looked at her over the horse’s withers. From the expression he wore, Amanda realized her question genuinely surprised him. “For driving, Princesa,” he responded as if it was the most sensible answer in the world.
“Driving what?”
“Our new buggy.”
“What?” she exclaimed, incredulous about how casual he was behaving over an acquisition that she thought utterly crazy.
After patting the horse’s shoulder, he walked over to Amanda, placing his hands on her arms. He knelt just enough so that he could look directly into her eyes. “Amanda . . .”
None of this made sense. For a moment, she wondered if he had gone insane. “What do you intend to do? Ship the horse and buggy to Miami so you can drive it to the studio?” She knew the answer to that question without him responding. She gestured toward Jonas. “Are you expecting him to tend to it when you aren’t here, Alejandro? Which, might I remind you, is always.”
He shrugged and added sheepishly, “Mayhaps we need to visit more often.”
She leaned forward and whispered, “You don’t need a horse and buggy for ‘more often.’ It’s a burden on them to have to tend to it. And you know that, Alejandro.”
“Sí, sí,�
�� he said dismissively, returning his attention to the horse. “We can talk about this later.”
“I wish you had talked to me about this before, to be perfectly honest.”
Alejandro reached up and took her chin in his hand, still looking directly into her eyes. There was a tender expression on his face, and he hovered so close to her that, for a moment, Amanda thought he might kiss her. “Surprises, Princesa. It keeps everything fresh.”
“Fresh, perhaps, but these types of decisions need to be planned, Alejandro. Who will care for this horse when we are no longer here?”
He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against her cheek. “A minor detail, mi amor. Now, let me settle with the driver, and then Jonas and I will take the horse for a drive. But afterward, I want to take you out.” Once again, he leaned over, and this time, he brushed his lips against hers as he whispered, “Alone.”
Dumbfounded, Amanda stood there, staring after Alejandro as he returned to the other men. He kept looking at the horse, his eyes shining with delight at his new acquisition. What was going on? It was as if Alejandro was transforming into another person right before her very eyes.
Back in the house, Amanda avoided Lizzie and Anna. Instead, she joined Alecia in the sitting area. “What is going on with Alejandro, Alecia?”
Her mother-in-law shook her head, her lips pressed together in a tight line. “I have asked myself that question many times over the years. As if I would know the answer. I only know that when my son gets an idea in his head, there is no changing his mind.”
“But a horse! He bought a horse!” she exclaimed in disbelief.
Cheerfully, Anna added from the kitchen, “And a buggy.”
Amanda looked at her, astonished that her sister seemed so pleased at having apparently kept the secret. “You knew?”
With a sheepish smile, Anna quickly turned and began wiping the counter, confirming the answer through her silence.