Soon supper was served and Annie called everyone to come and eat.
“Your vadder and Levi will be right in,” Mam said. “I’m going to get your grosseldre.”
“What’s for dinner?” Peter asked as he passed his mother and entered the room. Annie gestured toward the table. “Meat loaf!” he cried, sounding pleased.
Josiah came in behind him and reached down to snag a piece of bread. “Looks gut.”
“Josiah!” Barbara scolded. “Save some for supper.”
Josiah gave her a look. “This is supper time, sister.”
“Smells wonderful,” Levi said as he pushed Dat into the room and into position at the table.
Soon Mam had returned with Annie’s grandparents, and everyone was seated and ready to eat. The meat loaf was passed around, followed by the vegetables and bread.
“Levi.” Mam handed him the dish of peas. “How long has it been since Rebecca passed on?”
Annie heard her sister gasp from beside her.
“Two years,” Levi murmured.
“It must get lonely in that big house of yours.” Mam smiled as she spooned mashed potatoes onto her plate.
“Ja, it can be,” the preacher admitted.
Annie frowned. Levi had lost his wife in childbirth along with their baby. The preacher had no family left in Happiness. His parents had passed away ten years ago, leaving Levi and his five siblings. His two sisters had married and moved with their husbands to Indiana, while his eldest brother had died three years after their mother and father. Not long afterward, Levi’s two living brothers had left Happiness and followed his sisters to Indiana.
Levi hadn’t minded when his family moved away, for he had met and happily married Rebecca Troyer. Rebecca and Levi had wanted children, and at first it seemed that it wasn’t meant to be. After five years of marriage, Rebecca and Levi had rejoiced that they were finally to have a child. Only it had all gone wrong, and Rebecca, who had suffered a difficult pregnancy, had endured a childbirth that had taken her life and their baby’s.
Much to Annie’s relief, her father changed the subject and asked Levi about the preacher’s corn harvest.
Levi smiled. “Ja, it has been a gut year. The weather was fine for us. Now we have to think of next year. I was thinking of trying to plant some...”
The conversation turned to farming and from farming to this visiting Sunday.
“You will come tomorrow, won’t you, Levi?” Barbara asked.
“With all the fine food you provide? Ja, I’ll come.” Levi had finished his plate and taken seconds. Mam rose to remove his dish when he was done.
“Annie made chocolate cake and cherry cobbler,” Mam said as she carried the dessert to the table.
Levi smiled at Annie. “They both sound wonderful, but I’d like a piece of cherry cobbler.”
“Annie is a gut cook, Levi. She will make some man a wonderful wife.” Mam continued to extol Annie’s talents, causing Annie’s face to redden.
“Mam—”
“’Tis true, Annie,” Mam said.
“Ja, you do cook well,” Levi told her gently.
“She will make a fine wife, ja?” Mam asked.
Annie could feel the intensity of Levi’s regard. “Ja.” He appeared thoughtful, and she wished she could be anywhere but here at this moment.
“Miriam,” Dat said, “you are embarrassing the girl, and you are forgetting your youngest daughter. Barbara is a fine cook, as well.”
Annie was suddenly grateful that the attention had shifted to her sister, who didn’t seem the least embarrassed by it. She frowned. What is Mam doing? She gasped. Trying to make a match! She closed her eyes. This wasn’t the way to find a husband!
The preacher was a nice man, it was true, and he was attractive with his golden-blond hair and blue eyes. And she did feel comfortable around him, but something inside her rebelled at her mother’s interference in matters of her heart.
Later that night, in her room, the memory of that moment mortified her. Levi Stoltzfus? Annie shook her head. She couldn’t think of this now. She couldn’t. Was her mother so determined to get her out of the house that she would push her toward Levi when the man wasn’t ready to court or marry again?
“Annie?” Barbara’s voice came out of the dark.
“Ja?” She stared up at the ceiling, not seeing anything but the images inside her head.
“Do you like him?”
“Who?” Annie rolled to face her.
“Preacher Levi.”
“Ja, he is a nice man.” He was more than a nice man, she thought, but she didn’t want to be pushed into a relationship by her mother or her sister.
“Mam seems to think he should be for you.”
Annie sighed. “That was obvious at dinner.”
“What are you doing to do?”
She thought long and hard before answering. Levi would make her a fine husband, but he would have to be the one to show interest in her. “What can I do? ’Tis God’s will that will decide.”
* * *
Monday morning, Jacob was hanging up his hat in the shop when he heard a sound behind him.
“Jacob.”
He spun, startled to see her. “Annie! You’re here early.”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
Jacob became concerned. Annie looked exhausted; there were dark circles beneath her eyes and a look of anxiety in her expression. His worry for her grew. “What’s wrong? Is it Joe?”
She shook her head. “Nay, Dat is doing well. He goes back to the doctor this week.”
“What’s wrong, then?”
She blinked up at him, then looked away. “You’ll think it’s silly—”
“Something is worrying you, and I doubt it’s silly.”
She wandered about the room, running her fingers over the items on the worktable: a metal fire poker...different sizes of tongs and cross-peen hammers.
“Annie—”
“I think my mudder is trying to make me a match,” she rushed to say.
“A match?” He stared at her. With whom? “You think she’s trying to find you a sweetheart?”
“Sweetheart, nay.” She stopped fidgeting to face him. “A husband.”
“Your mudder wants to marry you off?” Jacob thought of other families within the community. It was possible. Not everyone was like his mam and dat, who had married for love and were happy to see their children discover the same happiness on their own.
“Preacher Levi comes to the house every week for supper,” she began.
Jacob nodded. The preacher came to their house often, as well.
“The last time Levi ate with us, Mam suddenly mentioned his late wife and how long it had been since Rebecca had passed on—”
“Surely it was just an expression of concern for our preacher,” he suggested as he reached for his leather apron. He slipped it over his head and tied it in the back at his waist.
Annie shook her head. “After reminding Levi how lonely he must be in his big house, Mam praised my cooking.” She looked horrified, and he fought not to smile. “And then she told him what a wonderful wife I’d make.” She blinked back tears. “It was humiliating.”
“You said that you’d wanted to marry an older man.” He gathered his tools and placed them within reach. “Levi is older. What’s wrong with him?”
“There is nothing wrong with him,” she said. “He’s a kind man. Once he is over his late wife, I believe he will make someone a wonderful husband.”
Jacob felt his heart skip a beat as she spoke. Levi Stoltzfus sounded like the perfect husband for her. “Then I would consider what you want and take your time to decide,” he said.
“I could do that. It’s not as if they will force me to marry him.” Annie smiled and looked relieved. “That is sound advice. Danki, Jacob.”
He nodded as he watched her closely.
Annie glanced about the shop. “I don’t see any food in here. Would you like coffee and a cinnamon bun?”
She flashed him a look that told him she didn’t mind his teasing. “I’ll bring your coffee and roll.” She suddenly looked mischievous. “Or I’ll send Barbara out with hard-boiled eggs and castor oil.” She laughed as she left, and the sound of her laughter was like music to his heart.
Jacob felt a burning in his stomach. He didn’t like the idea of Annie marrying Levi; he didn’t like the idea of her marrying anyone but him. But if he had to pick an older husband for her, then Preacher Levi would be his choice.
He sighed. He seemed destined for heartbreak. He’d thought he could work in the shop and keep his emotions under control, but he’d lost that battle. He loved Annie. He wanted her for his wife. If being friends with her was his only choice, he’d take it. Friendship was better than having no relationship with her at all. But would he feel the same after she married someone else? Could he endure watching her with another man, holding his children? He wanted Annie to be happy and if her happiness meant her marriage to Levi Stoltzfus, then he would pray to the Lord to help him accept it.
* * *
Preacher Levi Stoltzfus wasn’t the only man that Mam invited to take supper with the family. The following Wednesday, Joseph Byler arrived, much to Annie’s surprise. Joseph was a young man who tended to be overeager in everything he did. He was the son of Edna and the late John Byler. He was single, eighteen, and while he was attractive, he irritated Annie.
Joseph’s presence, along with Mam’s questions and comments regarding Annie’s cooking skills, made Annie realize that Joseph was only the second in what could potentially be a long parade of prospective husbands invited by her mother.
Annie confronted Mam after Joseph went home. “What are ya doing?”
Her mother shrugged. “You promised to consider any man who showed an interest in you.”
“But Joseph Byler? I can’t possibly spend time with him. He is...annoying.”
Mam stared at her. “Annie!” she scolded.
Annie stood at the sink, drying the last of the supper dishes. “Would you want his attention?”
“He’s a nice young man.”
“Ja, too young. I want an older husband. I’ll not accept him if he asks to court me. It wouldn’t be fair to give him hope.”
Her mother sighed, apparently accepting defeat. “I agree he can be overwhelming.”
“Trying, you mean.” Annie wrinkled her nose.
Mam gave her a look. “You need to think seriously about your future. If not Joseph, you must consider someone else.” She paused. “What about Levi?”
“I’m not sure he’s over his late wife.”
“But you like him.”
Annie nodded. “Ja. He is a kind man.”
“There are other available men within our church community. All hope isn’t gone yet,” her mother assured her.
Annie raised her eyebrows. “I never thought it was.” She frowned. “Ya think I’m so awful that no man would ask to court me on his own?”
“Nay, daughter. But you can’t live in the past. You’re getting older, and I’d like to see you settled with a husband and children.”
“Miriam!” Joe called from the other room.
“Coming!” Mam touched her cheek. “Things will work out for the best, Annie. They always do.” And she left Annie wiping the countertop, wondering what she would do if she didn’t find a man with whom she could be content.
Levi Stoltzfus was definitely a better choice than Joseph Byler.
Please, Lord, give me the courage to accept Thy will and be happy.
* * *
The church community put on another fund-raiser for Horseshoe Joe, this one a breakfast. Jacob stood along one wall, looking for the best way to lend a hand. Today, the breakfast was to be held in the firehouse. Jed’s boss, the firefighter who had arranged the use of tables and chairs for the dinner, had come to the bishop and offered the use of the large hall. Seeing the merit in the size of the room and the location, Bishop John accepted the offer. With the breakfast announced on the sign outside, Jacob knew the fund-raiser would be a success.
This morning the tables were lined with rolls of paper. It was 7:00 a.m., and soon people would arrive to eat.
Jacob saw his two sister-in-laws and Annie setting up. The cans of cooking fuel beneath the stainless-steel chafing dishes were lit and ready to go. His mam, Mae King and Miriam Zook were cooking scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon and ham. Jacob made his way to the kitchen. The scents coming from the room were wonderful. They made his mouth water.
“Need any help?” he asked.
“Jacob! I’m glad you’re here.” His mother gestured toward a large metal pan on the worktable. “Would you take the sausage to the food table?”
“Ja, Mam.” He lifted a metal lid to inspect the contents. He hadn’t eaten yet this morning, and the delicious aroma wafting up from the breakfast sausage patties made his stomach rumble.
“When you’re done with that, there’ll be a dish of pancakes ready,” Mae King asked.
“I’ll be back soon.” Jacob picked up the chafing dish and carried it out to the dining area. He passed Annie as he made his way out.
“Jacob,” she said. “What do you have there?”
“Sausage.” He enjoyed taking stock of her.
Her cheeks were flushed from rushing about, preparing for the event. “Rachel will tell you where to put it.”
Jacob inclined his head. At the food table, he set the full serving dish into a rack, as instructed, and as he headed back to the kitchen, he experienced an awareness of Annie across the room.
* * *
Annie watched Jacob chat briefly with Rachel before he set down the breakfast meat and left. With lingering mixed feelings, she scrutinized the food table. Everything was as it should be. She went to the kitchen and picked up the scrambled egg pan. She hurried toward the dining room and stumbled against Joseph Byler. “Joseph, you startled me!” she gasped, stepping back.
“Let me carry that for you,” he said.
Annie kept a firm grip on the dish. “It’s not heavy. I can manage.”
“I insist.” Joseph observed her with gleaming eyes as he started a tug-of-war with her over the metal pan.
Annie inhaled sharply and released it. “Take it to Rachel, please.” She hurried back to the kitchen, eager to be away from the young man. “Are the pancakes ready?” she asked Mae as she entered the room.
“Ja.” Mae wiped her hands on her cooking apron. “Dish is almost to the brim.”
“I’ll take these out to keep warm,” Annie stated as she picked up the pan of pancakes. She hesitated then sighed. “Here comes Joseph Byler.”
“He is a nice young man,” Mam insisted.
“I’m not interested.”
Joseph made a beeline in her direction as soon as he saw her. Annie managed a weak smile. “Next to the sausage,” she instructed as she handed him the pan.
“I’ll take care of it.” He looked serious before he turned and left.
Annie watched him walk away, then sighing, she went to the drink table where she checked the large container of iced tea. She set out plastic cups and placed a hot mat where she would put out a thermal coffee decanter later. Another would be used for hot water for tea or hot chocolate. She eyed the area to decide what needed to be brought out now and what should wait until later.
As she turned, she saw Joseph Byler heading her way. She closed her eyes briefly and prayed. Dear Lord, please grant me wisdom, patience and understanding so that I may deal kindly with Joseph Byler. When she opened her eyes, Jacob Lapp was in her line of vision. She sent him a pleading look as she glanced pointedly toward Joseph. Jacob grinned and followed the young man as he approached.
“Annie, how else may I help?” Joseph asked.
“You can give Isaac and Eli a hand as they set up the last of the chairs.” Jacob
gestured toward the other side of the room. “I’ll stay and help Annie.”
Joseph opened his mouth as if to object, but then he nodded politely and left.
“May I carry something?” Jacob teased, his golden eyes twinkling.
Annie made a face at him and then laughed. “Would you like to?” she asked seriously.
“Ja, but I don’t want to seem overeager like Joseph.” Jacob glanced in the other man’s direction.
“You’re not Joseph,” she said and felt her face heat. “I can use the help.” She felt an odd sensation along her spine as he took her measure.
“What do ya want me to do?” he asked.
“We have several more food dishes in the kitchen. You can help me carry them out to the dining room.” She examined the buffet tables. “More breakfast meat,” she decided. “And fried eggs, if they’re ready.”
“Lead the way, Annie, and I will be happy to carry them for you.”
Annie felt a tingling at her nape, overly aware of his strong presence behind her, as she preceded him into the kitchen.
“Back so soon?” Mae King asked.
“Came for the fried eggs,” he said. He picked up the large metal dish.
“Mam, are there more muffins and sweet rolls?” Annie asked.
“Ja, in the backroom.”
Katie wiped her hands on her cooking apron as she moved from the stove. “After you take those out, Jacob, would you help Annie by carrying the jams and jellies for the breadbaskets?”
“Ja, Mam. Anything else?”
“You can make sure the girl eats breakfast before we open the doors to our guests,” Mae said.
Annie felt the warmth of Jacob’s regard. “I will,” he promised, and Annie looked into his twinkling golden eyes and blushed before she quickly headed into the other room for the breadbaskets.
“I don’t see Joseph,” Jacob said a short time afterward as they reentered the large dining area together. “Would ya like me to find him for you?”
Halting, Annie shot him a look. “Not funny.” He shrugged and then chuckled. She responded to his good humor and joined in the laughter. “Come, Jacob, we need to put these on the other buffet table.”
Love Inspired March 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: A Wife for JacobThe Forest Ranger's RescueAlaskan Homecoming Page 9