Living in Harmony

by Mary Ellis

  The other melancholy wedding attendee was Lewis. He talked softly with his sisters, listened to his brother’s enthusiastic plans for spring planting, and helped move benches and tables whenever necessary. But all the while he watched Nora from the corner of his eye with his broken heart glowing like a neon sign along the highway. What a shame Nora had lost interest in the handsome, hardworking shopkeeper’s son.

  But Amy shook away her disappointment. Her sister was a grown woman, capable and entitled to making her own choices. The overprotectiveness started by their mother and continued by her had done nothing but hobble Nora. To find her place in the world, she needed to stand on her own two feet.

  As though Nora knew Amy’s musing centered on her, she slipped an arm around Amy’s waist. “I believe the celery soup was a crowd-pleaser. The kettle has been scraped dry. There’s not a drop left. I think those seeds might just get planted this spring.” Nora leaned close to whisper. “Will celery even grow in Maine’s rocky soil, or did we just waste our money?”

  Amy hugged her tightly. “Thomas said it would do fine and that organic celery is the best. There’s always a good market for it in Boston.”

  “Sounds like you and John have discovered the perfect cash crop for your new farm.” Nora tightened the embrace. “Did you enjoy your special day?”

  “I did. Danki for all your help.”

  Nora waved her hand dismissively. “Think nothing of it. Daed would be pleased that the eldest daughter is finally married off.” She hooted with laughter.

  For a few minutes, they stood side by side as parents rounded up kinner and collected empty food containers. Young married men crowded around John to slap his back and offer last-minute advice to the new husband.

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll start for home,” whispered Nora.

  Amy’s head snapped around. “It’s still cold outside. We’ll all leave within the hour.”

  “I know, but the fresh air will do me good. I feel the start of a migraine. Besides, Lewis has already cornered me twice in conversation. He’s so nice, but I feel nothing but guilty when I’m around him. Be happy, my dear schwester.” Nora buzzed a kiss across Amy’s cheek and headed for the hallway for her cloak.

  As expected, Lewis watched Nora exit like a red-tailed hawk perched on a telephone wire. But Amy turned her attention on John, her new ehemann, who was coming toward her. He didn’t wrap her into a bear hug or plant a sloppy kiss on his bride’s lips—no demonstrations of affection were permitted in an Amish community. But his heart was also pinned to his sleeve, like Lewis’s.

  Amy felt certain their story, like a fairy-tale romance, would have a happy ending.

  Nora gazed over the frozen landscape of late March. Drifts of gray, dirty snow banked up to fence lines, while icy rivulets crisscrossed the acres from melting and refreezing snow. The sun rose higher in the sky each day but offered little warmth.

  None of the Waldo County farms had started plowing their fields yet, and certainly nothing had been planted. She wrapped her quilt around her shoulders against the morning chill and watched a world where nothing moved or showed the tiniest proof of life. Her breath on the cold pane created a fog of white. With the tip of her finger she drew the letter e on the glass, followed by an l, a, and then an m. She stared at the letters until they blurred and dissolved into condensation.

  “Missing me already?” Amy bustled into Nora’s room, interrupting her sister’s thoughts.

  Nora quickly rubbed the glass with her sleeve and pivoted in her chair. “You’re finally moving into your house? There isn’t another ceiling for me to paint or maybe more windows to wash?” She arched a brow.

  “I am going today. John has two wagons packed with our wedding gifts, the quilts and linens we sewed this winter, and everything I brought with me from Pennsylvania. Thomas gave John tools and implements that had been duplicates, so he won’t have much to purchase to begin farming.” Amy’s cheeks were especially pink today. “He will attend a livestock auction this Saturday to buy a pair of Belgian draft horses along with a mule. He insists we need a mule—I can’t imagine why, but they are rather cute critters, don’t you agree?” Amy dropped onto her twin bed.

  “I do, especially when they wear somebody’s old straw hat.” Nora wiggled her eyebrows.

  “I’ll look for a hat on Saturday. There’s a flea market near the auction barn.” Amy leaned back on her elbows, the picture of newlywed bliss.

  “What can I help you with?” asked Nora, feeling a rush of anxiety over what was to come.

  “Not a thing. Everything is ready to go.”

  A lot had happened to the newlyweds’ home since the wedding. John and Thomas had de-electrified the house, patched and replastered the walls, and then the whole family had painted every room. They pulled up the moldy carpeting and sanded, stained, and sealed the hardwood floors.

  “What was Sally carrying to the wagons in those crates? I saw her at first light from my window.”

  Amy rolled her eyes. “Goodness, that woman never stops. She talked the district ladies into donating canned fruits and vegetables, homemade noodles, dried herbs and spices, and a side of beef. Then she organized a potluck to start me off so I won’t have to cook for a week.” Amy stretched out her long legs. “I guess I’ll lounge around like an English movie star with everything already done for me.”

  They laughed at the absurd idea. “Enjoy yourself. Those casseroles and the pampering won’t last forever.”

  Amy sat up straight, sobering to her normal demeanor. “What you can do, Nora King, is explain why you refuse to move to one of our spare bedrooms. You know I have plenty of space and would love to have you close by. Do you still harbor hurt feelings from John’s behavior last fall?”

  Nora jumped to her feet. “Not at all. We made our peace the day he apologized. I never think about that anymore.” She paced to the other end of the room.

  “Then why do you choose to stay here with Thomas and Sally? Is it because of their sweet little boys? Someday, God might bless us with bopplin, and I’ll need your help because mamm is gone.” Amy had never sounded so earnest.

  Nora leaned her back against the rough-sawn pine door as a wave of sorrow washed over her. Someday, my dear schwester will give birth and I will be miles away. Yet no matter how many times she shuffled and reconsidered the repercussions, she couldn’t bring herself to stay in Harmony. “I pray He blesses you with a houseful of children,” she said. Nora drew in a quick breath to steady her nerves and blurted out the difficult words. “I’m not moving with you because I’m not staying in Maine.”

  Amy froze on the bed. “Go on.”

  “I haven’t been content here, Amy. That should come as no surprise, but I waited to see you happily married. After all, I couldn’t miss your wedding. Then I remained to help you ready your new home. Now that is done. Today I will help you move and then come back to pack my own possessions.” Nora pushed off the door and paced to the window. “I’ve already bought my bus and train tickets. The schedules and my traveling funds are in my purse.”

  Amy rose with the stately dignity of a matron. “Where will you go, dear heart? Back to Lancaster? I will soon join you there. Once John plants his seeds in the ground, we’ll be off on our wedding trip.”

  “Nein. I don’t want to live there, either.” Regrettable scenes of the young man she thought she’d loved flooded back, unbidden. She had given herself to him instead of saving herself for marriage. But his affections proved to be short-lived. Nora shook away the painful memory.

  “Where will you go?” asked Amy. A note of alarm shaded her words.

  “Missouri. I plan to go to Paradise, the town Sally came from.”

  “Whatever for? You don’t know a soul—” The sentence hung in the air as comprehension dawned on the elder King daughter. “Elam Detweiler. You’re going to see him?”

  Nora looked across the room at the woman she knew better and respected more than any other. “I love Elam. I want to see i
f I can share my life with him.”

  “Love?” demanded Amy, as though Nora had used the term in context with boa constrictors. “You don’t even know him, and yet you wish to travel halfway across the country?”

  Nora crossed her arms and leaned against the windowsill. “I do know him. I told you we had become friends during the fall.”

  Amy’s forehead crinkled into worry lines. “So you knew he’d taken the driver’s test and bought a car?” She whispered, even though no one was close enough to overhear.

  “I did.” Nora’s response couldn’t have been more succinct.

  Amy’s mouth pulled into a thin, tight line. “You knew he’d planned to leave Maine?”

  “Jah, but I didn’t know exactly when. That’s why I was blindsided when he actually made his move. I can’t blame him, of course. With this changeable weather, a person has to travel when they can or become trapped by a blizzard for weeks. I’m sure he’s not that good a driver yet.” Nora snapped her mouth shut, suddenly aware she was rambling.

  Nora could practically see the wheels spinning in Amy’s head. “This…friendship with Elam. Exactly how close did you two become?” They locked gazes. “You didn’t…”

  She didn’t complete the question. She didn’t have to.

  “No!” snapped Nora, “It was nothing like that. He really liked me and I liked him. And while getting to know him, I fell in love.”

  “I beg your pardon, Nora. I didn’t mean to imply anything.” Amy’s relief couldn’t be more apparent. “Have you written to him? Did he invite you to visit? Perhaps kin of Sally’s can put you up.”

  Nora exhaled a frustrated sigh as she paced across the room again. “He doesn’t know I’m coming. I want it to be a surprise. I’m not like you. I don’t need each i dotted or t crossed before I walk to the street for the mail. I want some adventure in my life!” Nora hadn’t meant to sound quite so abrasive.

  Amy’s reaction startled them both. She laughed and nodded in agreement. “You’re right, I do tend to overthink and overplan everything. I prefer my adventures to be on the pages of a book.” Amy walked to where Nora stood and took her hand.

  Feeling defenseless and vulnerable, Nora said in a low raspy voice, “I love you, Amy, and I will miss you terribly, but I must follow my heart. I want to see if my future lies in Paradise.”

  “Then go with my fondest wishes, but always remember—trains and buses and even slow-moving Amish buggies travel in both directions. You can come back anytime. There’s no shame in changing your mind. After all, it is a woman’s prerogative.” Amy kissed her forehead and then swept from the room like a whirlwind to finish packing the two wagons.

  But Nora remained where she was as tears streamed down her face. How she would miss Amy, the sole connection to their former life.

  Please, Lord, bless my sister and her husband as they corner the market with organic celery for folks in Boston.

  After sending up her heartfelt prayer, she wiped her face and dressed in her oldest clothes. Today was the big moving day. There would be no lurking on the sidelines or dodging work for Nora King.

  But before she headed down the steps, she whispered an addendum to her prayer.

  Wherever I go, no matter how far from family I am, may I never falter on my path to You.

  Sweet-and-Sour Red Cabbage

  Old German Recipe

  Rosanna Coblentz (Old Order Amish)

  ½ cup butter, divided into two ¼ cup portions

  4 medium apples, peeled and sliced

  ½ red onion, chopped

  1 head red cabbage, finely shredded

  1 cup apple juice (red wine optional)

  4 whole cloves

  1/3 cup brown sugar

  2 bay leaves

  ¼ cup vinegar

  Juice of ½ lemon

  Sliced or cubed cooked pork roast (optional)

  Melt ¼ cup butter in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Add apples and onion and sauté slightly. Add cabbage, apple juice, cloves, sugar, and bay leaves. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, and then add the remaining ingredients, making sure the last ¼ cup of butter melts and incorporates completely. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

  Note: For a hearty main dish, add sliced or cubed cooked pork roast, as much as desired, and add a half hour to cooking time.

  Sweet Potato Casserole

  Anna Beachy (Old Order Amish)

  6 medium sweet potatoes

  Butter for browning

  2 T. flour (white or whole wheat)

  Salt

  1 cup maple syrup

  Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Fry in butter (use enough butter to coat potatoes well while cooking) until browned. Then sprinkle flour over the potatoes while still cooking. Stir and add salt to taste.

  When the potatoes are lightly browned, place in a baking dish and cover with maple syrup. Bake at 350 degrees until potatoes are soft, about 30 to 40 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

  Amish Cream of Celery Wedding Soup

  4½ cups chopped celery

  1½ teaspoons onion salt

  9 T. butter

  6 T. all-purpose flour

  3 teaspoons salt

  1½ teaspoons celery seed

  1 teaspoon pepper

  3 cups rich chicken broth

  7½ cups milk

  Celery seed for garnish (optional)

  Cook the celery as desired, whether by sautéing or boiling, until it is soft enough to puree with the onion salt in a food processor, blender, or food press. Set aside.

  Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the flour, salt, celery seed, and pepper, stirring well until mixed. Remove the pan from heat.

  Add the chicken broth and milk, stirring with a wire whisk. Gradually blend in the pureed celery. Return the pan to the stove and simmer on low heat until the soup is desired consistency, stirring constantly, approximately 10 minutes. Serve hot with a dash of celery seed. Makes 18 servings.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Why do you think the Harmony bishop insisted that Amy and John wait before they marry and also before they took marriage counseling classes?

  2. Describe the mixed bag of emotions Sally experiences with the arrival of two women from Lancaster. How would you feel if you were in her place?

  3. Maine offers exactly what John is looking for, so why does he doubt Nora will be able to adjust to the new community? Why is he so eager to send her back to Pennsylvania?

  4. In the fabric shop, Amy discovers a quilt she’s certain had been sewn by her Aunt Prudence. How does this open a can of worms for Amy?

  5. Why does the English community of Waldo County welcome the Amish with open arms, and how is their agriculture very different than what John left behind in Lancaster?

  6. Still water runs deep with Thomas Detweiler. How do his duties as minister often conflict with his roles as husband and brother?

  7. Why do the district women hold Sally in such low esteem?

  8. Elam Detweiler is the quintessential fence-sitter. Why do you think it would be so hard for an Amish young man to leave his rumschpringe days behind?

  9. Nora finds someone inside the general store and organic co-op who puts Harmony in a different light. Why would his attraction cause such wardrobe problems for her?

  10. Receiving the death certificate from her late uncle gives Amy a mission to accomplish before her marriage. Why is the date so significant and how does this put her at odds with John?

  11. Why does John find Sally a poor role model for his bride-to-be and future sister-in-law?

  12. Prudence Summerton welcomes a visit from Amy, and yet she has no interest in moving back to Harmony. Why is she content to live apart from an Amish community?

  13. Nora’s attraction to Elam Detweiler runs deeper than good looks. What does he offer that the handsome Lewis Miller does not?

  14. John backs himself into a corner with Amy. How does one sinful act lead to another until he practically destroys the relationship he holds mo
st dear?

  15. What from Amy’s past in Lancaster prevents her from committing herself to John? And how does Aunt Prudence help free her from guilt?

  Don’t miss Nora’s continuing story in Book 2 of The New Beginnings Series by bestselling author Mary Ellis

  LOVE COMES TO PARADISE

  One

  “Are you lost, miss? This is the bus to Columbia.”

  Nora King almost jumped out of her high-top shoes. She turned to find a kind ebony face inches from her own.

  “I don’t think I am. Do you mean Columbia, Missouri?” She shifted the heavy duffel bag to her other hand.

  The bus driver chuckled, revealing several gold teeth. “It’s the only one we’ve got. You’re a long way from South Carolina. Want me to stow that in the underbelly, or do you want it in the overhead?” He pointed at her bag.

  The question dumbfounded Nora as people jostled past on both sides. “I’m not sure,” she murmured. In fact, there wasn’t much she was sure of since leaving Maine. Who would have thought it would be so hard to get to Missouri? It certainly hadn’t been such an ordeal to travel from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Harmony, Maine, last year.

  The bus driver straightened after stowing several suitcases into a large compartment above the wheels.

  “It’s a little more than two hours to Columbia from here, St. Louis.” He pointed at the ground, in case she truly was lost. “Is there anything you will need from your bag during the drive—snacks, reading material, personal items?”

  “Jah… I mean, yes.” Nora flushed as she lapsed into her Deutsch dialect. “Sorry, I’m Amish.”

  He offered another magnificent smile. “That much I figured out on my own. Because your bag isn’t too large and you’ll need things, feel free to stow it in the rack above your head. But you’ll want to climb on up and find a seat. It’s time to go.” The driver pointed at the steps and then resumed packing luggage into the compartment.