The Ultimate Amish Romance Boxed Set Collection (1-8)

by Becca Fisher

  "You sure know how to warm a woman's heart. But seriously, I'm not going to let you flirt your way out of this conversation."

  "Look. I get to do the Lord's work by day, then come home to the woman I love. I can't imagine being any luckier than that."

  "Well, maybe a little luckier. But not much," Abigail insisted.

  Isaac wasn't liking what he saw all of a sudden. "Uh oh. That worry has returned too quickly to your face. Perhaps I know just the way to bring your smile back."

  Isaac then gave Abigail a deep kiss. Abigail's mind was suddenly focused on only one thing. The couple started kissing passionately, moving their way to the bedroom. But on the way, Abi back stepped into the kitchen table, knocking over an envelope.

  "What's that?" Abigail said, looking down at the envelope.

  Isaac looked deep into Abigail's eyes. "It can definitely wait."

  But there was no convincing Abi. She bent down and picked up the envelope. "Is this a letter? Who still sends letters these days?" Abigail then looked at the return address. "Lancaster County."

  "I was going to wait until later to show that to you," Isaac explained.

  Abigail was shell shocked. Worry returned to her face in a hurry. And any friskiness the couple felt instantly vanished.

  "I wonder what it says," Abigail asked.

  "You could open it and find out."

  "I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

  "Honey, it's from your family. You have to open it."

  "Have to is pretty strong phrasing coming from someone who was keeping this to the side."

  "Abi, I know this is hard for you, but it may be important."

  Abigail knew her husband was right. But that didn't mean she wanted to admit it. There was so much heart break in her past that she wasn't eager to line up for more. Deep down though Abigail knew she had to eventually know what was in that envelope.

  When she finally did, nothing but surprise was waiting for her. Abigail never thought she'd find herself invited back to Lancaster County, no less for a party. But just because she was invited didn't mean she was going to go.

  "So what do you think?" Isaac asked, seeing Abigail's face full of indecision.

  "Maybe this is the olive branch I never thought would come," Abigail said. "Or maybe that's just what I want it to be."

  "Abi, they wouldn't have sent you an invitation if they didn't want you to come."

  "It's one thing to send out an invitation. It's another to actually want me to accept it."

  "Honey, this could be what you've been waiting for all these years," Isaac suggested.

  "Or it could be an unmitigated disaster," Abigail fired back. "The thing is, if my heart were to get broken again, I'm not sure it would ever recover."

  ***

  Sleep did not come easy to Abigail. Not with all the thoughts ping ponging through her mind. She tossed and turned, but no answers came to her. So she turned to God for an answer.

  ***

  Abigail knew something was wrong when Delilah didn't show up to work. Delilah had a spotless attendance record. But Abigail had no idea just how bad Delilah's luck had turned.

  "Do you have any idea what happened to Delilah?" Abigail asked her boss in the break room.

  "Her father had a heart attack last night," Nicole said.

  "Oh God. Is he all right?"

  "The doctors say he should be fine, but apparently it was really touch and go for a while."

  "Wow, that's amazing."

  "I'll say," Nicole continued. "One minute you're watching TV, and the next they're carting you out."

  "I can't imagine what Delilah feels like right now," Abigail remarked.

  "Imagine what it would be like to almost lose your father."

  ***

  God had a plan for everyone. He just didn't always make that plan known. But sometimes when you least expected it, he'd give you a reminder of what was really important.

  Abigail couldn't get Delilah out of her head the whole rest of the day. How helpless Delilah must have felt. How quickly priorities could shift. How you could forget the importance of your family until you almost lost them.

  Abigail couldn't help but think about the relationship with her own father. How strained things had been. How explosive they ended up. And how devastated she would be if she lost him.

  Suddenly it didn't matter what words were exchanged in moments of anger. It didn't matter how contentious the past was. All that mattered was the promise of the future. Of mending fences. And appreciating every moment with her father before the Lord really did take him.

  When Abigail returned home, she only had one thing to say to Isaac.

  "I've made my decision."

  ***

  "This is so unfair," Beth said, jealous of her sister yet again.

  Just as Allison was finally getting the passion back in her marriage, her life was co opted by the sibling rivalry that wouldn't go away.

  "Honey, you just need to calm down so we can talk about this--"

  "There's nothing to talk about," Beth continued. "Patricia gets whatever she wants whenever she wants. It's always Patty, Patty, Patty. No one cares about me."

  "Beth, I care about you. I love both you and your sister very much," Allison said.

  But Beth wouldn't hear it. She'd gotten it in her head that no one wanted her around and was determined to do something about it.

  "Mother, nothing I do is ever good enough because I'm not Patty. You don't know what that's like," Beth yelled.

  But Allison knew exactly what it was like. Allison was a second child herself. She'd grown up in the shadow of her older sisters shadow. And she'd felt the same simmering jealousy that her daughter felt.

  Beth wasn't interested in hearing any of that though. She instead slid a suitcase out from under her bed and started throwing everything she could into it.

  "What are you doing?" Allison asked.

  "I'm running away. There has to be someone out there that cares about me," Beth insisted.

  ***

  "So that's it, you're just going to leave us like that?" Allison asked, as Beth stormed into the kitchen with a full suitcase.

  But Beth had as much anger as a seven year old could muster. "Don't try to change my mind."

  Lucas meanwhile was cool, calm, and collected. "And there's nothing we can do to change your mind?"

  "Nah uh," Beth replied, heading for the door.

  "Aren't you going to give us a kiss before you leave?" Allison asked.

  "Nope," Beth said.

  "You sure you don't want a sandwich before you go? Or maybe some milk and cookies for your trip?" Lucas asked.

  Beth shook her head in defiance before storming out.

  Lucas and Allison watched Beth run.

  "How long do you give her?" Allison asked.

  "I'll bet she's pooped out before she makes it to the Gregor's farm," Lucas replied.

  And Lucas was right. All the huffing and puffing left little energy left to run away, and before Lucas and Allison knew it, Beth was back at the door.

  "I guess maybe I could have a couple of cookies before I go," Beth said. "But don't try to change my mind. I'm definitely running away."

  After a round of milk and cookies though, energy escaped Beth, and she was totally pooped. Allison and Lucas tucked her in early for the night, despite Beth's insistence that she would run away in the morning.

  But although the melodramatic outburst had been averted, Allison and Lucas realized the problem was far from being solved.

  "What are we going to do?" Allison asked, hitting the sack a few hours later with Lucas.

  "Come on, you didn't really expect a seven year old to run away did you?"

  "You don't understand what's it's like to be a second daughter. To be second best."

  "Ally, where would Beth go? Everyone in this town knows her," Lucas said.

  "This isn't about Beth throwing a tantrum and wanting to run away. This is about her rivalry with her sister.
It's only going to get worse," Allison replied.

  "Well, you had quite a rivalry with you sister growing up. How did your parents deal with it?"

  "Honey, my parents haven't spoken to my sister in ten years. Obviously they dealt with it the wrong way. That's why I worry about us."

  "We'll figure it out," Lucas insisted.

  "Will we? What if it doesn't get better? What if we lose Patricia or Beth to the outside world? I can't imagine my life without my daughters in it."

  "We're not going to lose either of our daughters."

  "I'll bet my parents thought that too," Allison insisted.

  As Allison and Lucas spoke in bed, they didn't realize Patricia had been eavesdropping on their conversation the whole time. And Patricia couldn't believe her ears. Patricia had always just thought of Allison as mom. It never occurred to her that her mother had a life prior to giving birth. That her mother had felt exactly like Beth once. That her mother grew up feeling like second best.

  Four

  "You did what?" Daniel was not terribly excited about his wife's decision to blindly invite Abigail to the anniversary party.

  "Look, I just thought--"

  "I know what you thought Miriam. And that sweet heart of yours is exactly why I fell in love with you. But although you have the best of intentions, you may be the only one that shares them."

  Miriam tried to explain herself. "I don't know what it's like to lose a wife, but I do know what it's like to lose a sister. The only difference is your wife can't come back, and my sister just isn't invited back. It's such a shame."

  "That doesn't mean you can decide the fates of those around you though. Now I know you've been concerning yourself with your family reuniting. You've daydreamed about how great it would be to have your sister part of your everyday life again. The best case result of your actions has been at the forefront of your mind. But has the worst case scenario crossed your mind?"

  Judging by Miriam's hesitation, it had not. But suddenly, the horrible possibilities started wreaking havoc on her thoughts.

  "I'm sure it will be fine," Miriam replied, not even convincing herself.

  "For your sake, I sure hope so."

  "You don't really think the worst will happen, do you?" Miriam asked, not wanting to know the answer.

  "Honey, we're talking about two people that have been holding a grudge going on ten years."

  Suddenly, Miriam knew exactly what she had to do. "If you'll excuse me, I have some praying to do."

  ***

  Lancaster County had a history of amazing sunsets. The sun glistened off the fields and hills, painting the landscape with a breath taking brush. When you looked at the fiery red and purple hues over the horizon, you couldn't help but be reminded of God's brilliance.

  Samuel and Emma used to make a point to catch the sunset every day together. Those days were long gone. But that didn't mean magic couldn't be recreated. And with the couple's love milquetoast at best, Samuel took the opportunity to bring some romance back into his marriage.

  "It's beautiful," Emma said, watching the sun set slowly from their buggy.

  "I remember the first sunset we ever saw together," Samuel recalled. "You weren't sure how you felt about me. I was nothing but a big question mark in your eyes. Then I told you I'd never seen anything as beautiful as you."

  "Well, those days are certainly over," Emma joked, her graying hair and wrinkles front and center in her mind.

  "Darling, age has done nothing to diminish your beauty," Samuel replied.

  "Then why have you kept those words to yourself lately?"

  "Because I'm a fool. My obligation is to faith and family. But I've let work and worry rule my days."

  "Distraction is a part of all of our lives," Emma replied.

  "But that's just it. Being Amish is about living a life free of distractions. That's at the core of our being."

  "I would not argue about more attention directed towards me."

  "Nor should you. Forty years of marriage to me should come with some rewards."

  "Samuel, I don't believe you give yourself enough credit," Emma remarked.

  "It is you that deserves the credit for reminding me what's important."

  And with that, Samuel couldn't take his eyes off of Emma. The fire was back. And Samuel couldn't wait to kiss his wife.

  "Dear, we're going to miss the sunset," Emma said.

  "Trust me, the sunset is the last thing on my mind."

  Samuel smiled, then kissed Emma more passionately than he had in years.

  ***

  "I know with siblings a rivalry will always exist in some form," Allison said, with both Patricia and Beth in front of her. "But the bickering has to stop."

  "It's not my fault," Beth said.

  "Is too," Patricia replied.

  "Enough," Allison yelled. It was not often that Allison raised her voice, but when she did, everyone listened. "It's both of your faults. You two are sisters. Family. And family doesn't treat one another this way."

  "What about your sister?" Patricia asked.

  If Allison's fuse was short before, that was enough to set off a powder keg.

  "I would not mention my sister again if I were you unless you want to be grounded for the rest of your life," Allison scolded.

  Patricia and Beth had not seen their mother that angry before. And neither were eager to provoke her further. Patricia in particular was shaken up to no end. Almost as if the sass had been scared right out of her.

  But Allison wasn't done. "Regardless of what you think, I love you both equally. Regardless of what you feel, I want you both to succeed. But more than anything, I want you to get along. You don't know what it's like to lose a sister. And hopefully you never do."

  Five

  "You look happier than I've seen you in a long time," Miriam remarked, spotting Emma in the church parking lot.

  "What a difference an anniversary can make," Emma said, her face radiating from her romantic rekindling.

  "Anyway, I'm glad I caught you in a good mood," Miriam continued.

  "Uh oh. What's the matter?" Emma asked.

  "Nothing." Miriam looked around. "Where's Dad?"

  "He's congratulating Nathan Jones on his daughter's engagement. Now what are you trying to keep from your father?"

  "I'm not trying to hide anything. I've just been thinking a lot about Abigail lately."

  "Oh." Emma stopped dead in her tracks. Like someone had sucked the air out of the sky.

  "Don't you ever think about her?" Miriam asked.

  Emma sighed. "I try not to."

  Miriam started to panic, as her worst fears were being confirmed.

  "I can't help but wonder how she is though," Emma continued. "It's only natural. She's still my daughter."

  "I miss her too. It seems so wrong knowing she's right there in Philadelphia. But we act like she's in the South Pole."

  "Why did you bring this up?" Emma asked, with wounds from the past freshly opened.

  "I was just thinking, what if we could see her again?"

  "You should not invite trouble into your life. It just might accept the invitation."

  "What if she did come home though? Wouldn't you welcome her?"

  Emma's face clouded with worry. "Miriam, what have you done?"

  But before Miriam had a chance to answer, Samuel approached.

  "Did I come at a bad time?" Samuel asked, seeing both Emma and Miriam tense.

  ***

  Some things never changed. Especially in an Amish community. But for Abigail, that provided a great comfort. Abigail didn't know what to expect coming back home. She didn't know how she'd feel. But driving into the village was like opening a time capsule mixed with both bitter and sweet memories.

  The sensations rushed back in one big flurry. Abigail quickly became overwhelmed thinking about how her world had changed so drastically over time. How she was a very different person from the one that left town years earlier.

  Abigail's silen
ce put Isaac on edge. "You ok?" he asked.

  "No regrets yet," Abigail mustered.

  Abigail had spent so much of her childhood being groomed to one day run the family quilt shop. But she felt like such a stranger setting foot in there again. Like she was just a tourist. Until Miriam greeted her.

  "Oh my God. I can't believe you're really here," Miriam screamed with delight.

  Suddenly Abi felt right at home again as Miriam gave her a big hug.

  "I missed you too," Abigail replied.

  "Why didn't you tell me you were coming so early? I could have had my spare bedroom all ready for you."

  "Actually, Isaac and I have a room booked at the Miller's Ridge Motel--"

  "Oh no you don't," Miriam said. "You're not some tourist. You're family. And that's why you're going to stay in my guest room."

  "Miriam, that's really kind, but I'm not sure exactly how long we're going to--"

  "I insist," Miriam replied.

  ***

  While Daniel, Isaac, and Lucas met for the first time and got acquainted on Miriam's patio, the Kaufman sisters delved into the past in the kitchen.

  "I can't believe everything I've missed," Abigail said.

  "It's never too late to catch up," Miriam insisted.

  "It seems we've missed quite a bit as well," Allison remarked. "You and Isaac are great together."

  "You know, as hard as it was to leave here, I couldn't imagine my life without Isaac."

  "Well, it's clear he thinks the world of you," Miriam said.

  "As does your husband," Abigail replied. "Although I must admit it's rather odd to see a man by your side that isn't Jed."

  "It may be odd, but it was the right choice," Miriam said. "And I don't doubt it for a second."

  "I wish I could say regrets haven't been following me around," Abigail bemoaned.

  "You should tell my daughters that. God knows they won't listen to me," Allison joked.

  "Apparently daughters disobeying their parents wishes is a trait that runs strong in our family," Abigail said.

  "Far be it for that trait to skip a generation," Allison grumbled to herself.

  Miriam moved to changed the subject. "So, how is the big bad world anyway?"

  "Not as Godless as some people would have you believe," Abigail replied.

  "I'm not sure father would appreciate being referred to as 'some people,'" Allison joked.