She and Harley were Amish and had known each other all their lives. One would have thought that everything between them would be perfect and easy, but it wasn’t.
So, did that mean that everything wasn’t meant to be . . . or that they still had more work to do in the relationship department?
When Mrs. Warner dabbed at her eyes again, Marie knelt by her side. “Mrs. Warner, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“Believe you me, these are happy tears.” She sighed. “I’m sure you already know this, but I can’t help but think that Andy is smiling from up in Heaven.”
John laughed. “He might be smiling, but I know if he thought I could hear him, he’d be telling me one thing.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
“That it was about time.”
Mrs. Warner’s eyes got big, then she burst into laughter. “I’m afraid you’re right. That boy never could keep his opinions to himself.”
• • •
An hour later, when they were walking home, John said, “That was a good visit.”
Katie nodded. “I thought so, too. Before I go over, I’m always a little worried about how the visit it going to go, but it’s always so nice. Mrs. Warner is really a special lady.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Marie mused. Holding up the box that contained the remains of the cake, she added, “Here we were coming over, hoping to do something for her, when she turned the tables and did something really special for us.”
Continuing the walk, Katie stuffed her hands in the pockets of her coat. “Your engagement really is wonderful news. The rest of the Eight are going to be so excited.”
“Thanks,” Marie said. “You looked shocked when we shared our news. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”
“It’s your engagement,” Katie replied. “I think you should do whatever you want.” She realized then that she’d just given some advice that she, herself, needed to take. There was no “perfect” way to start a relationship or get engaged. It was up to the people involved and the Lord’s timing. She needed to stop worrying so much about her and Harley and simply start appreciating the change in their relationship.
As they continued to walk, Katie said, “Tell me what your wedding is going to be like.”
“Oh, boy,” John murmured. “You might need to sit down for this.”
“Why? Is everything okay?” Katie asked, already thinking of the worst. “Is someone upset?”
“Oh, it’s nothing like that. Instead, it’s a strange combination of my mother intent on planning the wedding of her dreams and John’s family determined to invite every person they know.”
“That ain’t quite true,” John said. “I think it’s only about half.”
“It’s a lot of people. Not that I have any reason to talk. At least your mother isn’t going to insist on chair covers and engagement photos.”
“Erm, probably not. That ain’t the Amish way,” John said.
Katie burst out laughing. “So you two are telling me that it’s going to be the wedding of the year.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Marie murmured. “It’s just going to be a three-ring circus. I’m hoping we’ll all survive it.”
“You will, because you have each other,” Katie said.
“Don’t forget, we’ll have Tricia and Logan’s ceremony first,” John said.
“It’s going to be an Amish wedding though, and small, on account of Andy,” Katie pointed out. “Tricia told me that she’s really happy about that.”
“I bet,” Marie said. After they walked a couple more yards, Marie broke the silence. “What about you and Harley?”
Katie wasn’t sure she was ready to share too much yet. Especially not with John standing there. “Oh, you know.”
“I know he took you out for a buggy ride on Sunday,” John said. “And that neither of you seemed to care that it was raining.”
“The rain had stopped,” she pointed out, not that it really mattered.
Marie chuckled. “Katie, what happened? Did you have fun? Was it romantic?”
“It was gut.”
John stopped. “Gut? That’s it?”
Thinking of that kiss, of their many kisses, she smiled. “Fine. It was wonderful-gut.”
Marie leaned toward her. “Will you share more when it’s just girls?”
Katie laughed. “Maybe.” Who knew? Maybe by the time she got together with all her girlfriends, she would have even more news to share.
She certainly hoped so.
THIRTY
“Oh, calm down,” Harley said. “It wasn’t like it was an episode of Amish kids gone wild. We all got dressed in a hurry. And nobody had any beer.”
Logan chuckled. “Well, nobody had any beer after it was all gone.”
SATURDAY
“Don’t forget to do at least three loads of laundry,” Gabby’s mother called out as she continued to toss a couple of sodas and a bag of pretzels in the canvas tote bag she always carried to work.
“I won’t.” Gabby hated going to the Laundromat, but she would do it.
“And watch out for your brother.”
Like he needed watching. He was sixteen and was at least twice her size. “I will.”
“And no boys in the house.” Her voice hardened. “Do you hear me?”
“I hear you, but I don’t know what you think I’m going to do even if I did.”
“You’re eighteen years old. Don’t act like a child.”
“I wouldn’t do anything. Besides, Lane is here.”
Her mother picked up her keys. “I don’t have time to talk about this, but we both know why I brought it up.”
“No. I really don’t.” She was irritated by the warning, too. “The only time I’ve ever had anyone over was when Kyle stopped by, and we told you what happened. He just happened to be in the neighborhood.”
“I’m not sure if you really believe that or if you think I’m that stupid.” Once again, her mother shot a knowing look her way.
“Mom, what have you been hearing?”
“All right. Fine. More than one person has told me that you’ve been seen around town with an Amish boy. Like you have any business hanging out with one of them.”
One of them? Sometimes she really disliked her mother. “I’ve been spending time with Kyle, but you knew that.”
Her mother popped a hand on a hip. She was wearing tight black pants and black strappy heels that always made her feet hurt, but she wore them anyway. “I knew Kyle was your friend,” she said sarcastically, “but that don’t mean I understood it. I still don’t.”
“All right.”
“No, not all right. What I’m saying is that I really don’t like it when one of my customers at the shop takes the time to tell me that they saw you turn into his driveway. You shouldn’t have gone over there.”
Gabby didn’t even want to know how one of her mother’s clients knew where the Lambrights lived.
Pushing that thought away, she said, “Kyle lives at home with his family. I went over there last Sunday afternoon.”
“And?”
“And nothing. It was nice. They were nice.” What did her mother care, anyway? She was never around on her day off, and Lane was usually hanging out with one of his friends on the team.
“They were nice, huh?” She shook her head, like Gabby had disappointed her. Which, she probably had. “I guess you’ve already made up your mind about spending time with those people.”
Gabby ached to finally tell her mother exactly what she thought about her being so narrow minded and prejudiced. But it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. Her mother was who she was, and Gabby needed to keep living at home until she finished high school, at the very least. “I’ll watch Lane.”
“Good. Don’t forget to fix him dinner while you’re at it. I left you thirty dollars on the kitchen counter.” While those words rang in the air, she turned and walked out the door.
Staring at the closed door, Gabby trie
d hard to fight the sting of tears that were threatening. But still one slid down her cheek.
Swiping it angrily away, she told herself that it was useless to get so upset. Her mother was a bitter woman who’d been hardened by a difficult life.
She’d also had a fling with some teenaged Amish boy in the middle of his rumspringa who had gotten her pregnant, and then had gotten baptized and pretended not to know her. Because of that, her mother’s parents had called her a liar and had pretty much thrown her out when she was sixteen.
Even though she’d later been briefly married to Rick, who was Lane’s dad, the experience, Gabby reckoned, had already changed her.
Or maybe it was just she didn’t like seeing Gabby, because she was a reminder of all that had happened.
Did it really even matter?
“Boy, she’s in a bad mood today,” Lane said as he came out of his room. “Do you think it’s worse than usual?”
Looking over at her tall, handsome brother who was wearing an old pair of black gym shorts and a tight T-shirt, she shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe?”
“Wonder what happened? Do you think she broke up with that Trent guy?” Lane yawned as he stared out the window. “He’s not much of a prize, but he could be worse.”
Lane was right. Trent was their mother’s latest boyfriend. He worked at a car dealership, made pretty good money, and best of all, never looked at her and Lane with anything besides surprise that their thirty-something mother could have two teenagers. Some of her mother’s men over the years had been total losers.
“I don’t think so, but I’m not sure. You know she doesn’t tell me much.” Not much, besides what chores needed to get done, she thought bitterly. “You could’ve asked Mom yourself if you would’ve ever come out of your room, you know.”
Lane smirked. “No way. She already gave me a list of chores to do and told me to get my homework done. Besides, you know I had a game last night.”
“I know. You looked great making those two tackles. I bet your coach was happy.”
“I guess,” he replied, though his tone told her he was pleased.
That was Lane. He loved to play football and was good at it. But he also knew that the sports fees and equipment cost a lot and that getting a college scholarship wasn’t a foregone conclusion. Scouts could always change their minds or they could only pay him a percentage of his tuition. He’d also told Gabby more than once that he felt bad because he knew that she had to bear the brunt of the chores until the season was over.
“Hey, do you really have homework?” Her brother was the king of procrastination, which meant he was constantly in a nighttime panic, trying to get all of his assignments done. “Please don’t tell me that you have a project due on Monday morning.”
“Nah. Just a test in world history.”
“Well, you can bring the textbook along when we go to the Laundromat.”
For a minute, she thought he would refuse to go, but he nodded. “Yeah. All right. Want to get it over with?” Looking at the clock on the microwave, he said, “It’s still early.”
Which meant that they might have a chance of missing most of the creepy men who hung around in the parking lot. “That sounds good. Go get your backpack together. I’ll grab the laundry bag.”
Fifteen minutes later, both had backpacks on their backs, she was holding a big bottle of Tide, and Lane was holding a really big bag of laundry, which was mostly filled with his uniforms and sweaty gym clothes. “Ready?”
Lane nodded. “Let’s get it done.”
She was proud of him. Oh, he wasn’t a child anymore, and she knew she shouldn’t expect him to fuss or whine, but she was still grateful that he never tried to get out of doing chores like this. If he’d been mean, it would’ve made everything they had to do ten times harder. And sometimes she thought . . . well, sometimes, that if that happened, she might not have been able to survive the way that she did.
Pulling out her keys, she locked the front door and then handed them to Lane so he could pop open the trunk.
Just as they started down the steps, a guy riding a black bicycle stopped in front of their place.
Lane grinned. “Look who’s here.”
“Don’t say anything to Mom.”
“I won’t.”
Kyle walked over and looked up at them. “Oh no. Were you two about to leave?”
“Yep,” Lane said. “We’ve got a date with the Laundromat.”
“How come?”
“Uh, because we like wearing clean clothes?” Gabby asked.
Realizing how rude she’d just sounded, she said, “Sorry. Going to the Laundromat is just about my least favorite thing to do. It always puts me in a bad mood.” After taking a breath, she gestured to her brother. “Kyle, this is my little brother, Lane. Lane, this is my friend Kyle.”
Kyle smiled at Lane. “You ain’t so little.”
Lane grinned. “I keep telling Gabby that, but I think she introduces me that way to make herself feel bigger.”
Kyle was still smiling when he stared at her directly. “You know . . . we have a washing machine at my house and it’s a sunny, warm day. You could hang your clothes on the line.”
“Um, I’m glad for you.”
“What I’m trying to tell you is that I think you should bring everything over to my house. You can do it there.”
Just as Lane was about to take him up on it, Gabby shook her head. “I couldn’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Well, first of all, that’s rude.”
“Not really, because I asked you over. So, I’m thinking if I ask you politely and you say no to that, then that’s rude.”
Lane grinned at her. “He has you there, Gabby.”
Still unsure, she blurted, “But what would your mother say if I show up to do laundry?” Remembering that Kyle had once told her that his sisters help a lot around the house, she said, “Or your sisters? What are they going to say?”
Instead of making a stupid comment, Kyle considered it. “I don’t know. Maybe that they’re sorry you don’t have a washing machine at home?”
“He has you there again, Gab,” Lane said.
“But—”
“Look. If you want to go to the Laundromat and spend a bunch of money and sit there and watch it get clean, I’ll go with you. But if you’d rather be at my house while it’s going to save your money, it might be a good idea.”
“Are you sure no one will care that I come, too?” Lane asked.
“Not at all. Plus, we have some baby chicks. You can hold one.”
Gabby glanced warily at her brother. But instead of looking like he’d rather eat chicken than hold a baby one, Lane stared at Kyle. “Your parents would let me?”
“Of course, Lane. My parents are going to be happy to have you. They’ll probably let you do most anything you want.”
And that did it. Now she knew that she’d do just about anything with Kyle if he could make that innocent look of happiness appear on her brother’s face. “I guess it’s settled, then.”
Kyle’s blue eyes lit up. “So, that’s a yes? You’ll come over?”
She nodded. “Everything you said made a lot of sense. Thanks.”
“Anytime.” Looking back at his bicycle, he said, “I’ll ride home and meet you there.”
“We’ll head out in a half hour.” She wasn’t sure how long it would take to ride a bike from her house to his, but she was pretty sure it wouldn’t take any longer than that.
“Sounds good,” Kyle said before taking off.
After Kyle disappeared from sight, Gabby looked at Lane hesitantly. What was he going to say?
But all he did was open up the back door and toss the bag of laundry on the floor of the car. “Awesome. Now I can get something to eat. I’m starving. Want some eggs, Gab?”
Laughing in relief, she said, “Yeah, sure. I’ll make the toast.”
THIRTY−ONE
“I can’t believe you did that,” Tricia utter
ed, sounding shocked.
Looking completely the opposite, Kendra sighed. “I can’t believe I missed it.”
“What is all that?” Betty asked the minute Kyle walked Gabby and Lane into their kitchen.
Gabby was right by his side. Lane was holding the laundry bag and obviously trying hard not to stare at Betty, who was dressed in a dark pink dress and flip-flops. She looked like she was on vacation in Pine Craft instead of standing in front of the stove and stirring a pot of chili.
As usual, she was also sorely lacking in social niceties.
After shooting her a warning look, Kyle said, “Betty, you remember Gabby, jah?” After Betty nodded, he continued. “This is Gabby’s brother, Lane, and their laundry bag.”
Gabby smiled. “Hey, Betty.”
Betty kind of half-smiled at Gabby before turning back at him. “Why are they here?”
“Because we have laundry to do,” Lane replied. “Is that okay with you?” He was kind of smirking at Betty. It seemed her rudeness wasn’t phasing him in the slightest.
Kyle shook his head as Betty stared at Gabby’s brother like she’d never seen an Englisch boy before. “Lane, this here is my little sister, Betty. Sometimes I think my parents found her in the woods.”
Lane tossed the bag on the ground as he stepped forward. “Hi.”
Betty blinked. “Hi, back.”
While Gabby turned to Kyle and raised her eyebrows, Lane kept talking. “It’s really nice of you to let us use your washing machine. Are you sure your mom won’t mind?”
“Mind about bringing over your laundry?” Betty asked, rather stupidly, Kyle thought.
“Well, yeah.” Lane smiled softly.
“Nee. She won’t care. I’m the one who does most of the laundry, anyway.”
“We still appreciate it,” Gabby said quietly. “Thanks.”
Betty turned to Gabby. “Oh, it’s no problem. You two just caught me off guard. Kyle didn’t tell me that we were having company over today.”
“It was kind of a sudden thing,” Kyle interjected. “I’ll go tell Mamm that we’re here. Can you help them get started?”
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