A Place of Peace

by Amy Clipston

  He grinned. “You know, that’s always been my dream. I’ve considered turning part of my shop into a little bookstore.”

  “Lilly would love that,” Miriam said. “I would imagine she has enough books stuffed in her bureau to start a little book corner in your shop, with the bishop’s permission of course.”

  “That sounds doable.” He rubbed his chin and stared off toward the dark field. “Lilly Lapp has always loved me. I never knew it. I’m stunned.”

  “Give her a chance, Zach. You have my blessing.”

  He nodded. “I’ll talk to her.”

  “Danki.” She smiled. “I’d be froh to see you with my sister. You’d be a gut husband to her.” Stepping back, she smiled. “Danki for supper. Gut nacht.”

  “Gut nacht.” He descended the stairs and climbed into the buggy.

  Miriam stood at the railing and watched the buggy disappear into the darkness. Stepping into the cabin, she found a lonely lantern burning in the kitchen. She glanced toward Edna’s room and assumed Edna had gone to bed earlier. Miriam hoped Edna was feeling well. She snuffed out the lantern, retreated to her room, and changed into her nightgown.

  Crawling into bed, she said her prayers, adding an extra special one for Zach and Lilly. As she fell asleep, she imagined celebrating Lilly and Zach’s wedding with the community.

  24

  Two weeks later, Miriam’s hands trembled as she sat on a bench near the front of the room during a regular Sunday service held in her father’s house. The walls in the downstairs were moved to make room for rows of benches. More than a hundred members of her church district were there for the service. Today was the day she would be baptized and would truly be Amish. Her heart thumped in her chest and her eyes filled with tears. Oh, how she wished her mother were here to celebrate this life-changing moment with her!

  Earlier that morning, Miriam and her baptism classmates had met with the ministers one last time while the congregation began singing hymns. After their meeting, they filed into the church service together, first the young men and then the young women, and took their seats on the benches reserved for them at the front of the congregation near the ministers.

  Miriam and her classmates bowed their heads and covered their faces with their hands as a symbol of their willingness to submit to God and the church.

  She did her best to concentrate through the two sermons based on the book of Acts; however, her mind buzzed with thoughts of how much her life would change once she was a member of the church. She would follow in the traditions of her ancestors. She would participate in the fall Communion service coming next month. It felt so right, and her heart soared. This was her home. This was where she belonged, not in Indiana.

  Once the sermons ended, the deacon left the room to retrieve the pail of water and a cup.

  “Go down on your knees before the Most High and Almighty God and His church if you still think this is the right thing to do to obtain your salvation,” Bishop Gideon Swartzendruber instructed Miriam and the rest of the candidates.

  The bishop stood by Miriam first. Her body trembled. The moment had come.

  “Can you renounce the devil, the world, and your own flesh and blood?” the bishop asked.

  “Ya,” she said, her voice a quavering whisper.

  “Can you commit yourself to Christ and His church and to abide by it and therein to live and to die?”

  “Ya,” she whispered.

  “And in all the order of the church, according to the Word of the Lord, to be obedient and submissive to it and to help therein?”

  “Ya,” she said.

  Miriam closed her eyes and tried to calm her heartbeat as the bishop moved to the next candidate. Once he was finished asking the questions to each one, he asked the congregation to stand. He read a prayer from the traditional Swiss Anabaptist prayer book before the congregation sat again.

  The bishop, his wife, the deacon, and his wife stood before Miriam. The deacon’s wife removed Miriam’s prayer covering. Miriam’s body shook anew as the deacon poured water into the bishop’s cupped hands before it dripped onto Miriam’s head. The water was cool and refreshing; she truly felt reborn!

  Bishop Gideon Swartzendruber then extended his hand to Miriam and she rose. She closed her eyes while he recited a prayer.

  “May the Lord God complete the good work which He has begun in you and strengthen and comfort you to a blessed end through Jesus Christ,” he said. “Amen.”

  The bishop’s wife kissed Miriam as a symbol of the “holy kiss” before Miriam placed her prayer kapp back on her head.

  Miriam closed her eyes and prayed while the baptism was completed for the rest of the candidates. When the process was complete, the bishop reminded the congregation to be obedient.

  Once the service was over, Miriam greeted her friends and family members and accepted their handshakes and words of encouragement. She was now a member of the church. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of her mother and how pleased she would’ve been.

  “I’m so froh for you,” Hannah engulfed Miriam in a warm hug. “Mamm would’ve loved to have been here.”

  “I was just thinking that,” Miriam whispered into her sister’s ear while still holding onto her. “But it’s better late than never, ya?”

  “Ya.” Hannah kissed her cheek and then stepped back from the hug. “You look beautiful.”

  “Danki.” Miriam touched her new black dress. “Aenti helped me make the dress. We’ve been working every night for a week. I needed a few dresses of my own now that I’m back.”

  Lena Joy sidled up to her mother. “Hi, Aenti Miriam. You look pretty.”

  “Thank you.” Miriam touched her arm. “How are you feeling?”

  Lena shrugged. “Gut. Danki. I’m looking forward to finishing up that dress we started last week. I can’t wait until you come over on Tuesday.”

  “Me too.” Miriam touched her cheek. “I love spending time with you.”

  “I do too.” Lena Joy glanced up at Hannah. “They need your help in the kitchen. Aenti Lilly asked me to come and get you. They need you to help serve the food.”

  “Oh. I better go then.” Hannah smiled at Miriam. “Go talk to the other guests. I’m sure they want to congratulate you.”

  Miriam shook her head. “No, I’ll help serve the food too.” She followed her sister and niece into the kitchen, where they served the lunchtime meal to the men first. Miriam and her sisters had spent days preparing to host the service in the house. They planted flowers, cleaned the house, and cooked. Miriam and her sisters wanted to make their mother proud by having her home perfect for the special occasion.

  After the men were finished eating, they went outside to socialize and the women and children ate. Miriam sat with her sisters, and they talked and laughed while eating. After they finished, Lilly excused herself and went to check on Abraham, who had retreated upstairs for a nap.

  Beth Anne approached Miriam and shook her hand. “I’m so glad you invited me to come and witness your baptism. I’m so very froh for you. Welcome to the church.”

  “Danki.” Miriam smiled. “I’m glad you came.”

  “It was a beautiful service.” Beth Anne sat next to Miriam on the bench. “I enjoy coming to services at other districts.”

  “I do too,” Hannah said while picking up a cookie and handing it to Mary. “It’s fun to hear another bishop speak.”

  “Ya,” Beth Anne said, nodding. “Are you coming to work tomorrow, Miriam?”

  Miriam nodded. “Ya, I’ll be there. Hannah is going to watch out for Daed tomorrow.”

  “Gut.” Beth Anne smiled at Hannah. “Your sister is a wunderbaar baker.”

  “Ya.” Hannah agreed. “She learned from Grossmammi Lapp.”

  Beth Anne and Hannah discussed their favorite recipes, while Miriam scanned the crowd of friends and family members. During the service and the meal, her mind kept wandering to thoughts of Timothy. She’d secretly hoped Beth Anne extended an invitation t
o him. Miriam also hoped Lilly had invited Naomi to come, and Naomi had invited him.

  However, Miriam hadn’t spotted Naomi or Timothy, and she was disappointed. Today was the most important day of her life. Miriam had pledged her life to God, and she wished she could share her excitement with Timothy.

  But Timothy is marrying someone else.

  Shooing away the thought, Miriam glanced toward the stairs, where Lilly stood with a wide grin. Tilting her head, Miriam spotted what was causing her sister’s mirth—Zach standing across from her while talking and smiling.

  Warmth flowed through Miriam. Although she might never have her true love, she was witnessing love in the making.

  God is good.

  Miriam turned back to Beth Anne, deep in a discussion about apple pie recipes with Hannah, who nodded in agreement about the best-flavored apples to use in the pies. They discussed recipes for a while longer until Beth Anne stood.

  “I better get back home,” Beth Anne said. “Danki for inviting me. My mamm wanted to come, but she was hosting a social in her home today.”

  “I understand.” Miriam gave her a quick hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Beth Anne headed through the crowd toward the back door, and Hannah stood. “I better go check on my kinner. Then I’ll get started cleaning up the tables.”

  “I’ll get started out here.” Miriam collected the dirty paper cups and plates from the surrounding tables and then started toward the kitchen. She was approaching the doorway when a hand tapped her shoulder.

  “Miriam,” Lilly said, her voice brewing with excitement. “You’ll never guess who just talked to me.”

  “Who?” Miriam set the dirty cups and plates back onto the table and faced her sister, who was grinning ear-to-ear.

  “Zach!” Lilly’s cheeks flushed. “He came over to me and told me I looked nice. He told me all about his business and how much it’s been booming. He told me he loves reading, and we spent about fifteen minutes discussing our favorite authors. He told me he always wanted to open a little bookstore, and I told him that was my dream too!” Her grin was electric. “He asked me to have supper with him tomorrow night. Can you believe it?” She bit her bottom lip. “He’s so handsome, Miriam. I can’t believe he finally noticed me.”

  “That’s wunderbaar.” Miriam hugged her younger sister. “I’m so excited for you. I wish you all the happiness in the world, Schweschder.”

  Lilly pursed her lips and eyed Miriam with suspicion. “Wait just a minute. You don’t seem all that surprised.” She wagged a finger at her. “Did you have something to do with this, Miriam Lapp?”

  Miriam shrugged and picked up the dirty cups and dishes again. “I would imagine Zach Fisher finally got his head screwed on right and realized what an amazing person you are.”

  “Miriam …” Lilly grabbed her arm. “I have a feeling you’re playing matchmaker.”

  Miriam gave her a knowing smile. “I may have suggested he talk to you, but he asked you to supper on his own accord. He is his own man with his own mind. His interest in you is genuine.”

  Lilly clasped her hands together and made a soft shrieking noise in her throat. “I feel like I’ve waited a lifetime for this.”

  “It’s worth the wait.” Miriam carried the dirty plates and cups into the kitchen and dropped them into the large trash bag by the door.

  A group of women cleaned up the kitchen while talking about friends and family members. Miriam grabbed a wet rag and traipsed out into the living room to begin wiping down the tables. She glanced across the room and found Lilly and Zach talking in the corner. She smiled and continued her task.

  “Miriam,” Zach called. “Come here and tell your sister how well I cook. She doesn’t believe me.”

  Chuckling, Miriam joined the couple.

  Timothy followed Naomi up the porch steps to the front door of Abraham Lapp’s house. While he was happy Miriam had joined the church today, he wasn’t convinced it was appropriate for him to be here sharing this personal time with her. Considering how he still cared for her, he was worried his presence might make her uncomfortable —especially in front of her boyfriend.

  Dread filled him at the thought of having to witness Miriam and Zach together. He wondered if Zach knew how blessed he was to have Miriam.

  Timothy stepped into the living room behind Naomi. He nodded greetings to familiar faces as they made their way through the knot of people toward a small group back toward the door leading to the kitchen.

  His abdomen tightened when his eyes focused on Lilly, Zach, and Miriam. The three were laughing and talking, and his stomach roiled when Miriam reached out and patted Zach’s bicep.

  Couldn’t she save the touching for a private location?

  “Hi,” Naomi rushed over and hugged Lilly. She then turned to Miriam. “Welcome to the church. I’m sorry we couldn’t be here to see your baptism. We had some obligations to fulfill in our district.”

  “Danki for coming.” Miriam met Timothy’s gaze, and her expression became … anxious? ”Gut to see you, Timothy.”

  “I was froh to hear the news,” Timothy said, shifting his weight on his feet. “Beth Anne mentioned today was the day, and then Naomi invited me to come. I’m glad to be here.”

  Miriam nodded, her gorgeous brown eyes sparkling. She looked radiant, as usual.

  “Gut to see you, Timothy.” Zach held his hand out.

  “You too.” Timothy hesitated and then shook the man’s hand.

  Jealousy is a sin.

  And why should Timothy be jealous? He was marrying Naomi, a woman who loved him. Devotion shone in her eyes and on her face. Timothy was a fool to pine for Miriam.

  His sister Sarah Rose’s words from the past echoed in his mind—You can’t help whom you love.

  Ya, he loved Miriam, but she was with Zach while he was with Naomi.

  “Would you like something to drink?” Lilly offered. “Maybe a snack? We have plenty of desserts left. I think we went a bit overboard with the food.”

  Timothy shrugged. “Sure. Danki.”

  “I’ll walk with you,” Naomi said.

  Lilly and Naomi chattered away while they headed to the kitchen.

  Timothy cleared his throat and faced Miriam and Zach.

  This couldn’t get any more awkward …

  Looking between the two of them, Timothy wondered why he had come. “How’s your daed?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

  “Gut.” She gestured toward the stairs. “He’s taking a nap. Today was a lot of excitement for him. Lilly checked on him earlier, and he was doing just fine.”

  “That’s wunderbaar.” He scanned the room and found a few familiar faces. He wondered if Beth Anne was still there since she’d mentioned she was going to come. “Did my sister come by? She told me she was going to visit.”

  “Ya. She left already.” Miriam smiled, and his heart thumped. “I was really froh to see her. She’s a gut friend.”

  He nodded and looked at Zach. “How’s business?”

  “I don’t mean to brag, but it’s booming,” he said with a grin. “I got an order for fifty saddles from a couple of English horse farmers the other day. I was really thankful. For a while, things had slowed down, but I may need to hire a helper now. How’s the furniture shop?”

  “The same,” Timothy said. “We’ve been so busy my dat hired another carpenter. We can’t seem to get caught up. The orders just keep coming.”

  “That’s gut.” Zach nodded toward a long table in the corner. “Why don’t you two have a seat? I’ll go give Lilly and Naomi a hand.”

  Miriam shot Zach a shocked expression, and he shrugged in response before heading toward the kitchen.

  She then met Timothy’s gaze. “Shall we have a seat?”

  He followed her to the table and sank onto the bench across from her. He studied her eyes, wishing he knew what she was feeling toward him. She seemed very uneasy. He hoped his presence didn’t make her that way. He remembered the da
ys when they could say anything to each other. He missed those times so much that his heart ached.

  “Naomi came to visit a couple of weeks ago,” she said, lacing her fingers together. “She brought us a basket of breads. It was very nice.”

  “Ya, she told me.” He rubbed his chin and then rested his arms on the table. “I was glad to hear she came out to see you.” He knew lying was a sin, but he couldn’t admit the truth to Miriam. He’d not been happy when he heard she’d come to the house and Miriam was there. He hoped she hadn’t spoken about the wedding the whole time.

  “She mentioned how excited she is about your upcoming wedding,” Miriam said, a frown stealing her soft expression.

  Timothy swallowed a groan. Naomi had done exactly what he’d feared.

  “I’m froh for you,” she said, but her eyes betrayed her words.

  “Danki,” he said, his voice sounding soft despite the neighboring conversations whirling around them.

  Their eyes locked, and he could’ve sworn he saw tears in those deep pools of chocolate beneath her long, gorgeous lashes. But why would she cry over him? Their love was in the past. Right?

  She studied him, her gaze unmoving and her expression intense. His breath was ragged as memories of their time together assaulted his mind. He longed to reach for her, take her in his arms, and tell her he still loved her.

  But he’d made a promise to Naomi, and Miriam was courting Zach.

  Their time was gone. It was lost in the past.

  However, he had a hunch that similar thoughts were floating through Miriam’s mind. Her expression seemed to mirror the regret seeping into his soul.

  “I hope you still like chocolate chip cookies,” Naomi said, snapping him back to the present. “There’s a mountain of them in the kitchen.” She placed a plate of cookies in front of him. “I got you some ice water too.”

  “Danki,” he said, grabbing a cookie from the plate. “They smell appeditlich.”

  Zach sat next to Miriam with Lilly at his other side. “These cookies are wunderbaar. Did you make them, Miriam?”