by Tricia Goyer
“I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait that long, Hope. How about next month? It’ll be beautiful in Pinecraft, in your garden.”
“It’s not my garden any more. It’s the school garden and the community’s garden too. But I do think it’ll be a beautiful place for a wedding. And when we return here—come home—I’d like to consider inviting some of the local children to garden with me.” She turned to Emma. “Would you like that?”
Emma nodded, still clinging to Hope’s skirt. “Ja.” Then her smile brightened. “Want to see the puppies?” Emma asked next, as if the decisions that had just been made in the last two minutes were the most natural thing ever. In a way they were.
God had given Jonas a reason to hope again, and he’d done that through a beautiful woman by the same name. He’d also brought joy to his little girl, something he wanted more than anything.
They walked to the barn in one line. Hope held his hand on her right, and Emma’s hand on her left. As they walked he noticed violets poking up near the front door steps and a cardinal hopping around on the dewy front lawn looking for worms. Together they walked under a dogwood tree toward the barn. Jonas allowed himself to look into the future and imagine the moments to come: newly washed clothes on the clothes line, two faces—and later more—looking through the eight-paned windows as he drove this buggy down the lane. He imagined Hope and Emma barefoot in the garden, leading the way for other barefoot children.
When Sarah was struggling to cling to life Jonas had found himself afraid to think of the future without her. And after her death he found himself looking back—thinking of all he’d had and lost. But Hope had come into his life, not only filling up his days, but giving him something to look forward to.
That was what hope was about, wasn’t it? A promise of what was to come, and with these two by his side Jonas couldn’t imagine anything more promising than that.
Epilogue
Anna Miller knew what was in the small package. It had to be the Victory Journal. What else would Hope send Priority mail?
She opened the box. A letter sat on top. Before she even glanced at the journal, Anna excitedly tore open the letter from her daughter. Hope had left in such a hurry, and Anna wanted to know how she was doing. The fact that it had been a week, and Hope hadn’t come back, proved that Hope had been welcomed by Jonas. And maybe this letter would include information about a wedding. Anna had warmed up to that idea. Jonas was a good man, even though he’d been married before. And Hope was happy… that was what mattered most.
Dear Mem,
I know you’ve been asking for a chance to look at the Victory Journal. I’ve sent it back and I ask you to return it for me. I’ve written to Janet to tell her again how much her mother’s story influenced mine. I’m changed from reading it. I’ve discovered elements of myself I never realized. I’ve learned what it means to love.
But before you give it back, I’ve marked a page that I want you to especially take note of. Jonas, Emma, and I plan to return in July. When you see the page you’ll understand.
Love,
Hope
Anna opened the journal to the page marked by a white ribbon. It was a recipe. She was confused until she saw what type of recipe. She closed the journal and hurried to the backyard where her husband sat. He had work to do. He had a community garden to ready for a most special event.
Wedding Cake
4½ cups (1 pound) sifted cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. mace
1 pound shortening
1 pound brown sugar
10 eggs, well beaten
½ pound candied cherries, cut into halves
½ pound candied pineapple, diced
1 pound dates, seeded and sliced
1 pound raisins
1 pound currants
½ pound citron, thinly sliced
½ pound candied orange and lemon peel, sliced
½ pound nut meats, chopped
1 cup honey
1 cup molasses
½ cup cider
Sift flour, baking powder, and spices together 3 times. Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, fruit, nuts, honey, molasses, and cider. Add flour in small amounts, mixing well after each addition. Turn into cake pans which have been greased, lined with heavy paper, and again greased. Bake in a very slow oven (250°). For large loaves, bake in 8×4×3 inch pans about 4 hours. For small loaves, bake in 6×3×2½-inch pans about 2½ to 3 hours. For 8½-inch tube pan, bake 4 to 5 hours. Test with toothpick or cake tester before removing from oven. Makes 10 pounds fruit cake. Spread Ornamental Icing on top and sides of cake and decorate with simple borders, festoons, and rosettes of Ornamental Icing. For a terraced cake, bake in pans of several sizes and use a pastry tube to decorate.
Ornamental Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup water
3 egg whites
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
½ tsp. vanilla
Boil sugar and water (without stirring) to 242° or until a small amount dropped from tip of spoon spins a thread. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and pour on hot syrup in a thin stream, while beating constantly. Add cream of tartar and vanilla and beat until thick enough to spread. Cover cake smoothly with part of the icing and beat remaining icing until cool and stiff enough to hold shape when forced through pastry tube. When coating on cake has hardened decorate as desired with remaining icing forced through pastry tube. If icing becomes too thick to spread smoothly, add a few drops of hot water.*
* Ruth Berolzheimer, 250 Superb Pies and Pastries (Culinary Arts Institute, 1940), 41.
About the Authors
Tricia Goyer is a busy wife, mom of ten, and grandmother of two. A USA Today bestselling author, Tricia has published over 50 books and has written more than 500 articles. She’s well-known for her Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors Amish series. For more information visit Tricia at www.TriciaGoyer.com.
Sherry Gore is the author of Simply Delicious Amish Cooking and Me, Myself and Pie and is a weekly scribe for the national edition of the Amish newspaper The Budget. Sherry’s culinary adventures have been seen on NBC Daytime, Today.com, and Mr. Food Test Kitchen. Sherry is a resident of Sarasota, Florida, the vacation paradise of the Plain People. She has three children and is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite church.
About the Publisher
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To learn more about books by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore or to read sample chapters, log on to our website:
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
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