“No, I didn’t.”
“It might take a while before some don’t question your motives.” Rachel studied the dress. “Yes, it’s a mite big on you. But that’s easily fixed.”
“Mammi Rachel, the best motive in the world is what’s moving me to do this.”
“I pray you find clear direction, then.” The older woman smiled at her.
“Thank you.” She almost hugged Rachel, then reconsidered.
With that, Natalie got back into her car and continued on her way until she reached the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico. So much water reminded her of how small she was in the scheme of things. Did it matter what she wore? Yes, and no.
She pulled off her flats and walked barefooted onto the sand, warm from the day’s heat. This was another reason she wouldn’t live in Ohio. Maybe, when the time was right, she’d tell Jacob and the children of her decision. Maybe, if it wasn’t too late for her and Jacob, but she didn’t linger on that thought.
She couldn’t make a change like this, just for Jacob. She’d told the Mennonite bishop that to her, joining the church felt like coming home again. Her parents had done the best they could while raising her.
Dad, now, she hadn’t called him to tell him of her decision. Openminded though he was, she had a few reservations about his reaction. However, Dad being Dad, would fill her in on all the details of his new family. She didn’t begrudge him his happiness. Not anymore.
She wanted the same second chance for Jacob, if not with her, then someone else. Although Jacob hadn’t sounded very enthusiastic at the prospect of Anne Troyer, who she’d heard was very much available in Ohio. If he stayed there, which he likely would, his world would remain undisturbed. Life would go on. Hers had.
Natalie wiggled her toes in the sand and inhaled the air. She had the beach virtually to herself, with a few beachcombers down by the water. People were at work, children in school. No one paid her any mind, her wearing her mother’s cape dress. She walked to the water’s edge to see if any shells worth collecting had washed ashore. Much as she used to enjoy swimming in the ocean, she wondered if the Mennonites swam. Wasn’t there some super-modest swimwear available? She imagined there was.
She’d attended several services at the Mennonite Church and found warmth of new friends. She enjoyed the simple yet profound Bible teaching, the earnest testimony and prayers. The bishop and his wife weren’t too much older than her and had a gaggle of children whose energy reminded her of Zeke and Rebecca. Yes, there were a few single men at the church, but she paid them no mind.
Maybe she couldn’t be Amish, but she could meet her family halfway. In this new fellowship, she felt like part of her had come home, the part that had always longed for a circle of family. If only Jacob—
Her phone warbled, the mysterious Sarasota number that had once turned out to be Jacob’s. Her heart leapt.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Natalie.” Jacob! He continued to speak, his voice cutting in and out because of the breeze whipping the phone’s mouthpiece.
She had to hold the phone completely against her ear to make out what his words. “I can’t quite hear you, Jacob?”
“I said, did you find any shells?” a familiar voice sounded behind her, plus echoed in her ear.
“What?” She turned. It couldn’t be him. Not here. “You—you’re here.”
Jacob had hopped the next bus to Siesta Key, as soon as Mammi had told him where Natalie was headed. He easily found her car, its Pathway to the Stars Circus School decal on the back window, in the parking lot. However, scanning the beach at first, he didn’t see her.
Then he saw a lone figure wearing a cape dress and kapp, at the water’s edge. Surely not—
So he’d found her number in his phone and pushed the button, glad he hadn’t erased it.
The look on her face made him smile now.
“Yes, I’m here. Two days on a bus, and I’m here.” He almost reached out to touch her cheek. “Natalie . . .”
“But the children? Did they come, too?”
“They’re in Ohio. I came—I came to set things right between us. I’ve been talking to Henry . . .”
“You have?” He couldn’t discern the expression on her face, but he was still pondering the idea of seeing her wear a cape dress. He had a flashback of the curves he knew existed underneath, and swallowed hard. Easy, man. She isn’t your wife.
Natalie nodded. “Me too. I’m . . . I’m going to the Mennonite church now. Um, it’ll be quite a while before I’m eligible to be baptized as a member, but I like it. The bishop and his wife are kind, the others as well. I feel at home there.” Her cheeks shot with pink. “The Mennonite school needs a teacher’s helper, so I’m going to work there instead of the circus school. I think that’s a good compromise. I’m downsizing, too. Grace and her husband are going to rent me a room. Until I can find something closer, in the village.”
“I spoke to the Mennonite bishop by phone.” This time, Jacob took her hand in both of his. “He talked with my Ohio bishop. It seems, uh, there are special cases sometimes where an Amish from Ohio can attend the Mennonite church here in Sarasota, and it’s not considered leaving the Order.”
“I would have never, ever asked you to do that. All I ever wanted was a compromise, but I didn’t know how.” Her voice trembled.
“And I didn’t believe it was possible, either.” Jacob frowned. “I wasted precious time . . .”
“Stop, Jacob. You needed time, as did I. So, does that mean . . . ?”
“The children and I will be moving to Florida as soon as school is over this spring. Henry needs me here, and I can make more money than I did in Ohio to support us.” Us. He liked the sound of that.
“You’re moving, here? To Sarasota, and Pinecraft?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I said.”
The wide smile he loved spread across Natalie’s face. She threw her arms around him. “Oh, Jacob!” He held her close, breathing in the scent of her hair. Whatever shampoo or soap it was, he hoped she wouldn’t stop using it.
“We likely can’t marry until our proving time is over,” he murmured in her ear.
“I can wait . . . I think.” She clung to him. “Not that it’ll be easy.”
“No, it won’t. I think” He allowed himself to kiss her. “But the wait will be worth it.”
“I’m sure it will.” She gave him a saucy look of her own. “I’m ready, Jacob. This is what I know is meant for me. I have no doubt.”
The church would have questions for them, to be sure, during their proving time. Were they both sincere? They would go through their proving, for them to join the Mennonite church. He gave her a long look after the kiss.
He held her close once more, not trusting his voice. He never imagined the tragedy of nearly six months ago would have led them to now, but he knew he would thank God every day for the remarkable gift who had shown up in a hospital room at Christmas time.
He finally found his voice again. “I loved you fancy, Natalie Bennett, and I love you Plain.”
“Jacob Miller, I love you, too.”
THE END
The village of Pinecraft in Sarasota, Florida, is indeed a real place where thousands of Amish and Mennonites from across the country like to spend time during the winter. Yoder’s Restaurant, Big Olaf’s Creamery, and Emma’s Village Pizza are very real places. The Haiti Benefit Auction is a winter highlight annually.
However, the characters in this book are fictional except for the mention of a man named Henry, an Old Order Amish man who makes a fabulous cowboy stew. The character of Imogene Brubaker is loosely based on a Pinecraft resident who is an avid photographer and blogger.
My research was thorough during my visits to Pinecraft; however, any inaccuracies in the Amish and Mennonite lifestyles portrayed in this book are completely due to fictional license, and Pinecraft is unlike most other Amish-Mennonite communities.
Ach—oh
Aenti—aunt
&
nbsp; Boppli—baby
Bruder—brother
Daadi—grandfather
Daed—father
Danke—thank you
Dietsch—Pennsylvania Dutch
Dochder—daughter
Englisch—non-Amish
Gotte’s wille—God’s will
Gut—good
Kaffi—coffee
Kapp—prayer covering
Kind—child
Kinner—children
Mamm—mom
Mammi—grandma
Mudder—mother
Naerfich—nervous
Nein—no
Onkel—uncle
Ordnung—set of rules for Amish living
Rumspringa––running around; time before an Amish young person has officially joined the church, provides a bridge between childhood and adulthood
Verboten—forbidden
Ya—yes
1. Who was your favorite character in the village of Pinecraft?
2. Illness and other troubles don’t take holidays, as the Miller family knows. What are some ways to celebrate holidays during a time of illness and other personal stress?
3. Jacob struggles with what he believes are worldly compromises while living in Pinecraft. How do you decide what’s harmless and what’s compromise?
4. What is your favorite theme in A Season of Change?
5. Natalie deals with a blended family. What advice would you give her about maintaining a relationship with her father, stepmother, and much younger half-sibling?
6. Betsy Yoder decides to stay in Pinecraft in the hopes that Jacob will notice her. How would you counsel a young woman wanting to make such a potentially life-altering decision?
7. Natalie has never quilted before, but she learns how to quilt from Rachel Miller. What new skill have you learned that you’ve never tried before?
8. What is the most surprising thing you learned about the Amish in this book?
9. Rebecca Yoder is a rather precocious, adventurous child. What kind of things did you get into when you were a youngster?
10. The Haiti Benefit Auction has a wide variety of food made by the Amish. What’s your favorite Amish meal or dessert?
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A Season of Change Page 27