But it was exactly what she had been thinking. Maybe not consciously, but underneath. Deep in her heart, she’d been afraid. Terribly afraid of losing Nancy again.
She backed away from Seth, her eyes wide. “I have to talk to Nancy.”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Go on,” he whispered.
“Thank you.”
She turned on her heel and raced back to the house, rushing into the kitchen.
When she burst through the door, Nancy and Esther and Margaret all gaped at her.
“Nancy? Can we talk?” she asked, panting.
Nancy’s brow creased. She shot a glance at Esther and Margaret, and then looked again at Faith.
“Jah.” She wiped her hands on her apron and brushed past Faith, leading her out to the porch.
She sat down in a rocker and indicated the other chair with a nod of her head. “Is everything all right? Is something wrong?” Her voice resonated with apprehension.
Faith pulled her chair close. “I’m sorry, Nancy,” she said, a sob catching in her throat.
“You’re leaving.” Nancy said the words with a horrid finality.
Faith shook her head. “No. Not yet. But—”
“You won’t be taking Amish instruction.”
Faith let out her breath in a heavy sigh. She shook her head.
Tears filled Nancy’s eyes. “I didn’t think you would.”
Faith reached out and grabbed Nancy’s hand. “I meant it when I told you I was interested.”
Nancy blinked. “I know you did, child.”
“I think…” Faith swallowed hard. “I think I was afraid.”
Nancy looked surprised. “Of what?”
“Of losing you again.” Faith began to weep.
Nancy leaned forward. “Ach, child. Nee. Why would you lose me?”
“Because—” Faith’s voice broke, and she tried again. “I was afraid that if I didn’t become Amish, I’d lose you and Debbie and Gracie and the rest. I can’t, Nancy. I just can’t lose you again.”
Nancy got up from her chair and knelt beside Faith, taking her in her arms. “Never,” she whispered. “Never. We will never lose each other again.”
“But … if I’m Englisch…”
“It don’t matter,” Nancy said, her voice strong. “You’re my daughter. You’re always welcome in this house.”
“But…”
“There ain’t no buts, child.”
“It’s just that I have my other family, too.”
“I know you do. And they’re wonderful people.”
Faith nodded. The tears pooled on her cheeks and trickled into her mouth. “Can I come here often?”
Nancy squeezed her. “Of course. Whenever you want. As much as you want.”
They remained that way for a while, Nancy holding Faith close. Both of them crying. Faith snuggled deeper into Nancy’s shoulder, feeling her warmth. Her love.
“Nancy?” Faith sat upright and sniffed.
“Jah?”
“Can I call you Mamm?”
Nancy sucked in her breath with a gasp. Then she smiled and nodded. “Jah. Jah. That would be wonderful gut.”
“Thank you,” Faith murmured, looking into Nancy’s eyes. “Thank you, Mamm.”
Nancy reached out and caught her up in another hug.
“Seth told me I could have both worlds.” Faith smiled against Nancy’s shoulder. “In a way, he was right, wasn’t he?”
Nancy nodded.
The screen door opened and banged shut. Faith turned to see her mother come out on the porch.
“Is everything all right?” she asked.
Faith nodded. “Jah.” She looked at Nancy and grinned. “Better than all right. Everything’s perfect.”
The End
Continue Reading…
Thank you for reading Faith’s Story! Are you wondering what to read next? Why not read The Mother’s Helper? Here’s a sample for you:
Nancy Slagel cradled the baby in her arms. She felt the sting of tears pushing against her eyelids and held the child closer. Why couldn’t this child be hers? She was twenty-one, plenty old enough.
If only Mark hadn’t…
She shuddered. She couldn’t let her mind wander down that road. She just couldn’t. She was sick to death of tears.
But why had he done it? And with her own sister? Her father had tried to make excuses for Susan. “She’s always been so tender-hearted,” he told her. “When Mark was hurt, and you were gone … well, it was a work of the Lord Gott.”
Really? Having her beau stolen by her own sister had been God’s work? Hardly. And it wasn’t like Nancy would have been gone for good. She’d been away for one night visiting her grandmother. One night! It just couldn’t have been so simple. Susan must have had designs on Mark from the start.
And Mark? To be able to deflect that easily?
It didn’t bear thinking about.
Nancy cuddled the sleeping babe. If it didn’t bear thinking about, then why did her mind continually go there? Why did she torture herself with thoughts of Mark’s betrayal? She blinked hard, willing her tears not to fall. Nobody wanted to be around a cry-baby. Especially when that cry-baby was twenty-one years old. In truth, Nancy was beginning to detest herself for her continual weeping.
If only she could stop it…
“Nancy?” her cousin Irene tiptoed into the room. “He asleep?”
“Jah.” Nancy kissed the fluffy hair on top of the baby’s head. “Shall I put him down?”
“Go ahead. He should sleep for a while now.”
Nancy moved gracefully to the crib and lowered the child to the mattress. Zeke stirred, but only for a second. Then he put his thumb in his mouth and sucked earnestly, his eyes still closed.
The two cousins tip-toed out of the room.
“You need to rest,” Nancy said. “Go on, now. I’ll start supper. Where’s Debbie?”
Irene yawned and rolled her shoulders as if they were paining her. “She’s downstairs playing with her blocks. I shouldn’t leave her for more than a second or two.”
Nancy put her hand on Irene’s arm. “I’m going down. You get a nap in while you can.”
“A nap? It just don’t seem right when there’s so much to do.”
“Irene,” Nancy scolded her, “that’s the reason for a mother’s helper. Now, let me earn my keep.”
Irene smiled, stifling another yawn. “All right. But I won’t sleep long.”
“Sleep as long as you like.” Nancy smiled and slipped out of the room. She hurried downstairs and went immediately to the front room to check on Debbie.
The two-year-old was rolling on the floor, her arms stretched wide. The blocks were strewn all over the rag rug.
Nancy squatted down next to her. “Come on, Debbie. Want to help me work on supper?”
“Jah!” Debbie said with a giggle. She got right up and toddled toward the kitchen. Nancy laughed and followed her.
That evening, Nancy used the left-over meatloaf to make thick sandwiches. She served them with coleslaw, a bowl of pickles, fruit salad, and gooey chocolate cookies. Irene’s husband, Philip, smacked his lips when he was finished.
“Mighty fine supper, Irene.”
“Weren’t me that made it,” Irene said. “I slept the day away like a regular heathen.”
“Nonsense,” Nancy said. “You nursed the baby while I finished up. It was nothing.”
“Well, I won’t argue about who’s responsible. But, thank you, kindly,” Philip said.
Debbie sat in her highchair, smooshing a pickle over the tray. She patted the resulting juice with glee, splashing Irene who sat next to her.
“Ach, Debbie!” Irene cried. “Stop that, now.”
Nancy jumped up and circled the table with her cloth napkin. She mopped up the juice and took the pickle away. “I think you’re full, Debbie. What do you say?”
Debbie grinned up at her.
“Let me red up the kitchen,” Irene said.
/> “We’ll do it together,” Nancy replied, taking Debbie out of her highchair.
“Ach, Nancy, I forgot,” Philip said, standing. He walked to the bureau at the side of the dining area and picked up an envelope. “You got a letter today.”
Nancy took the envelope from his hand. She dreaded looking at the return address. She didn’t want to hear from home—she’d rather pretend her home didn’t even exist.
“From your sister, I believe,” Philip said, confirming Nancy’s suspicions.
Susan again? Nancy had already received two letters from Susan, begging her for forgiveness, but Nancy wasn’t having much success with that, God help her.
She glanced down and was surprised to see that the letter wasn’t from Susan. It was from her younger sister, Linda. Relief swooshed through her. “Thank you, Philip,” she murmured.
“Go on then, and read it,” Irene said. “I’ll start the clean-up. I’m sure you’re eager to hear any news from home.”
Nancy’s gaze flew to her cousin. Irene met her eyes, and her face took on a sheepish look as if she’d just remembered why Nancy would not be eager to hear news from home—as if she’d just remembered why Nancy had been so anxious to leave home and become a mother’s helper in the first place.
“Or read it later,” Irene added lamely. She held Debbie in one arm, and the platter of cookies in the other. “Whatever you wish.”
Irene ducked into the kitchen, leaving Nancy standing there, holding the letter. Philip had already gone into the front room. Nancy released her breath in a long sigh. She might as well get it over with. With any luck, Linda wouldn’t mention either Susan or Mark.
The late April weather was unseasonably warm for central Indiana, so Nancy pushed through the screen door and went out to the front porch. She sat down on the porch swing and reluctantly opened the envelope. It was a thin letter, only one sheet of stationery.
Bracing herself, Nancy began to read.
Dear Nancy,
We’re missing you here in Linnow Creek. Lots of people asked after you at the last youth singing. Mostly, though, the house seems empty without you. Mamm and Dat are fine. Although, Dat coughs a lot. He assures me that it’s nothing, but sometimes in the night, I hear him.
Amos and Peter are fine, too. But brothers are never gut company like sisters are. I think of everyone here, I miss you the most.
Are you having warm weather in Hollybrook? We’re not that far away, so I imagine our weather is about the same. I’ve already been leaving my window open at night. The bed seems mighty empty without you in it with me. Did you know that you can stretch wide and just barely touch the edges of the mattress?
Nancy paused and smiled. Leave it to Linda to make something silly out of having a bed to herself. Nancy hadn’t minded sharing a room or a bed with Linda. They used to whisper long into the night about everything and nothing. It was a comfort to have such a close sister. Nancy’s chest constricted. Truth be told, she missed Linda. But avoiding her home unfortunately meant avoiding Linda, too.
How is Cousin Irene? And little Debbie? And Zeke? Oh, he must be so precious. I’m envious of you in a way. I would love to be caring for a boppli. Maybe I can be a mother’s helper someday for—
And here Linda had written something that she’d erased. Nancy swallowed. Had she written Susan’s name and then smudged it out? Had she? Did this mean that Susan was engaged? Nancy sucked in her breath. No. That couldn’t be. It wasn’t yet the season to be published. But was she secretly engaged, and she’d let Linda in on the secret. Nancy dropped the letter in her lap and stared out over the front yard. The willow tree spreading above the freshly-cut grass was already fully leafed-out, and the clumps of daffodils below were in full bloom. It made a pretty picture: serene, colorful, full of new life. But Nancy didn’t revel in the beauty as she usually would. Her mind was churning.
She forced herself to keep reading.
…Irene when she has her next boppli. Or you…
Ach, I’m sorry, Nancy. I shouldn’t be talking about bopplis and such. I know your heart is still hurting. I’m so sorry. I should be with you. I miss you so much. You know I love Susan, too, but it’s not the same. She never was that close to us, was she? I’ve often wondered about it.
She’s hurting, too, Nancy. I think she’s right sorry for how things turned out. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive her. And then, our family can be whole again.
Mamm is sometimes weepy…
Nancy stopped reading. Susan … sorry? Nancy didn’t think so. If she was so sorry, she’d break it off with Mark, wouldn’t she? If she was so sorry, she’d show it with her actions. Nancy licked her lips. Besides, she wasn’t even there in Linnow Creek anymore, so her relationship with Susan shouldn’t be a topic of concern.
She was now in Hollybrook, doing God’s work, helping her cousin. No one could fault her for that, could they? And Nancy could hardly be blamed for breaking up her family. That was just Linda’s sense of the dramatic.
In truth, Nancy’s leaving had helped her family. She’d removed herself from a horrible situation. By exiting herself, she’d taken away the source of tension and conflict.
Nancy looked down at the letter again. She’d finish it later. She simply didn’t have the heart to finish it right then. Nor did she have the heart to write back. She opened the screen door and went back inside.
“Irene?” she called. “Is Zeke ready to be put to bed?”
Irene popped her head out from the kitchen. “I’m going to nurse him in a minute, and I’ll put him down. If you could get Debbie ready for bed, that would be wonderful.”
“Of course. Glad to,” Nancy said. She heard Debbie in the front room squealing about something. Then she heard Philip’s deep laughter, and her heart caught.
She wanted a family of her own. A husband of her own. A child of her own.
Putting on a cheery smile, she entered the front room and swooped Debbie up into her arms.
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Nancy’s Story #1: The Mother’s Helper
Betrayed, Nancy Slagel flees to Hollybrook to become a mother's helper. However, she doesn't count on meeting Luke Rupp. She notices his good looks and charming demeanor, but he is restless and rebellious, and more than a little disturbing. Nancy came looking for peace and healing, but what she finds is so much more...
Greta’s Story #1: Replacement Wife
Isaac Wagner gapes at his dying wife. Does she really expect him to marry Greta Glick after she dies? How can anyone replace Betty as his wife? How can anyone replace her as the mother to their son? Isaac can’t even begin to think such thoughts. All he wants is for his wife to live. But Isaac’s prayers aren’t answered.
Greta’s Story #2: The Promise
Greta and Isaac promise Isaac’s wife that they will marry each other upon her death. But when Betty dies, Isaac leaves the state. Greta is left in turmoil, harboring her secret love for Isaac. Having no choice, Greta moves on with her life and meets Todd Fisher. He brings laughter to her life and life holds promise again. Isaac returns, now, what will happen? Will Isaac expect her to carry out the promise? Or will he set them both free?
Greta’s Story #3: T
he Wedding
Greta gapes at her fiancé. Isaac doesn’t want an Amish wedding? Greta can’t help but wonder whether she’s doing the right thing to marry him. Todd Fisher watches closely as the wedding arrangements go forward. He knows the real reason behind Greta’s engagement, and he doesn’t approve. He loves her--does Isaac? Todd isn’t about to stand by and let the wedding happen without trying again.
Rhoda’s Story #1: The Amish Beekeeper!
People consider Rhoda Hilty an established spinster, which never bothered her—until Aaron Raber comes to town. When he approaches her to rent her beehives for his struggling orchard, Rhoda’s world turns upside down. But how can she be interested in him when she’s so busy caring for her aging senile mother? Besides … Aaron’s interest in her is strictly business. Isn’t it?
Rhoda’s Story #2: The Accident!
Rhoda Hilty struggles to keep her promise to her elderly mother. But when a tragic accident occurs, Rhoda is forced to break her promise. In addition, Rhoda has to care for her sister’s family as well as her mother. When will it be Rhoda’s turn? How will her handsome neighbor Aaron Raber ever see her as more than a spinster daughter and sister?
Rhoda’s Story #3: Coming Home!
Rhoda Hilty’s heart cries out as she watches her mother refuse food. Winnie is wasting away, and Rhoda feels helpless. And now Rhoda’s sweetheart, Aaron Raber, is gone. Writing letters to him is better than nothing, but Rhoda yearns for him. Aaron has promised that when he returns, they will court. But will he ever be free to come back to Hollybrook? It doesn’t appear so.
Faith’s Story #1: The Adoption!
Faith Baldwin’s birth mother is Amish and lives somewhere in Indiana, and she’s determined to find her. Pretending she’s a tourist, she digs around for clues. While there, she becomes enchanted with the Amish and their way of life. But things don’t go as smoothly as she hopes. Her boyfriend unexpectedly shows up; every lead goes dead; and the one old woman who might have answers for her won’t talk.
Amish Romance: Faith's Story: Three Book Box Set Page 22