by Susan Vail
Amish Valentine
(A Fairfield Amish Romance)
By Susan Vail
Copyright © 2016 Fairfield Publishing
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Except for review quotes, this book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the author.
This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is purely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Amish Valentine
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue
Amish Love Letters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Free Preview of The Decision
Appendix: Amish Vernacular
Introduction
Thanks for buying Amish Valentine. As a special surprise, I have also included my short story Amish Love Letters. It isn’t strictly a Valentine’s story, but it is a sweet love story that I think is very much related. I hope you enjoy them both.
When you’re done reading Amish Valentine and Amish Love Letters, I want to give you an opportunity to get four more books – for FREE. All the information is at the back of the book.
Amish Valentine
However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9
Chapter 1
“Are those cookies finished yet?” Elijah King asked with a big smile as he walked through the bakery kitchen, sitting two empty cookie trays on the counter.
“This tray is almost finished,” his daughter, Rebecca, said as she stopped frosting a heart shaped cookie to look up at him. “But there is a finished batch over there.” She pointed to the counter across the room.
“We need to hire someone to help us,” he said happily. “I didn’t expect to be this busy! Gott has blessed us almost more than we can handle!”
He took the tray and headed to the door. “Bring that tray up front when you’re finished,” he said glancing back. When Elijah got to the door he stopped and looked back at his oldest daughter once more. When did she grow up, he wondered? Wasn’t she just a baby not that long ago? How could this beautiful, young woman be his little girl?
Rebecca looked up to see her father staring at her, his eyes glossing over. “Daed,” she said with compassion in her voice. “Are you ok?”
“I’m fine,” he said turning away so she didn’t see the tear that was forming in his eye. “I’m just so thankful. Gott has been very gut to me. He’s given me far more than I deserve.”
Rebecca smiled as she watched him leave with the tray of cookies. Her father had always been a sentimental man, very soft hearted and kind. But he seemed even more so lately.
She knew he was appreciative of the bakery. It had been his life long dream to have his own. Their family had been selling pies and other sweet treats at the farmer’s market for years. During tourist season they even sold them right out of their house. A simple sign on the front lawn listing the pie of the day brought dozens of tourists in each afternoon.
When the bakery in town went up for sale, the whole family prayed about it for months. Finally, one afternoon after praying, Elijah King felt in his heart God give His blessing. He had originally planned on offering the owners less than what they were asking, but after finding out the owner was a widow, he paid full price, praying God would provide and make the business successful.
They closed on it just a month ago and prayed they would at least break even. And now here they were, busier than they expected, and they couldn’t be happier.
Rebecca glanced down at the cookie she had just finished. In her daydreaming she had made a mistake. She sighed as she looked it over. It was supposed to say “Love”, but the “v” looked more like a “u”. She set the cookie aside with two others that didn’t turn out to her liking. She knew she was a bit of a perfectionist but she couldn’t help herself. She wanted everything she put in the display case to be as perfect as she could make it. Amish men were known for their craftsmanship in building, and Amish women were known for their craftsmanship in their baking. She had never seen her mother serve anything that wasn’t impeccably made, and she wasn’t about to do that either.
After finishing up the latest batch of Valentine cookies and bringing them to her father, she returned to the kitchen to start a batch of chocolate chip cookies. But first she surveyed her small pile of cookie rejects. She knew she shouldn’t eat all three of them, and yet they were calling her name. It had only been four weeks since they opened the bakery and all ready she had to loosen her dress twice. Thank goodness Amish dresses are fastened with pins, and not buttons or zippers like Englisch clothes, she thought to herself. How can the Englisch eat so much and still fit in their pants?
She decided to eat just one cookie and bring the other two home to her younger sisters. They were always complaining that they didn’t get to come to the bakery and help. Instead they had to stay home and do the chores around the house. Rebecca knew the girls just wanted to eat the baked goods and didn’t want to actually help with anything at the shop. At nine years old, the twin’s idea of working in a bakery differed greatly from her and her father’s.
Out of all the things at the bakery that had to be made every day, cookies were Rebecca’s favorite. She knew she would never forget the first time she walked into the bakery kitchen and spied the giant oven. She had never seen anything like it before. It could hold twelve cookie sheets at a time. Her father had laughed at her for being so excited about the oven and he teased that the awe she had for it would wear off once she had to use it day in and day out. But Rebecca was just as excited to use it today as she had been that very first day.
There were several times she had secretly wished she could use the same equipment and electricity at home that they used at the shop. It made everything so much easier and faster. One day, while at home, she made the mistake of complaining to her mother about how long it took to make dinner without using appliances like hand mixers and food processors. Her mother’s threats to not let her go back to the bakery if she ever complained again rang clear in Rebecca’s mind.
~~~
Soon it was five o’clock and time to close the bakery. Her father joined her in the kitchen as she cleaned every surface from top to bottom. She loved the way the stainless steel appliances and counter tops shined when she was done. She glanced back at them one last time before she turned out the light.
When she was little her mother always told her at the end of the day the kitchen should be spotless. She said it was their way of thanking it for a job well done. Then they would turn out the gas lamp and let the kitchen “rest”. She smiled at the memory. She quietly thanked God for the bakery and its beautiful kitchen. “Rest well,” she whispered into the darkness. “Tomorrow will be another busy day.”
Chapter 2
“I have a surprise for you!” Rebecca said smiling, with her hands behind her back.
Her sisters, Anna and Abigail, ran to her, screeching to a halt before nearly crashing into her. For a split second Rebecca wondered if she should give a sugar filled treat to girls who clearly had more than enough energy all ready. But after seeing their excited faces she gave in and handed them the hea
rt shaped cookies. They squealed with delight and ran to show their mother.
Even though the cookies were set aside earlier in the day because she had made a mistake when decorating them, she still couldn’t give her sisters a less-than-perfect cookie. When she had a few spare minutes at the bakery she had carefully scraped the white letters from the red layer of frosting beneath. She replaced it with the names of her sisters. Abigail’s name was too long so she shortened it to Abi, but she knew her sister wouldn’t mind. Her family had called her by that name since her birth.
She changed her clothes and freshened up a bit, then joined her mother in the kitchen to help with dinner. After being on her feet all day at the bakery she was tired and her legs ached but she didn’t complain. She knew when she started working with her father that she would still have to help out at home. And really she didn’t mind. She enjoyed helping her father during the day and her mother at night.
“That was nice of you to bring your sisters a cookie,” her mother said when she walked in the kitchen. “The writing is beautiful. I wish I had a steady hand like you.”
Rebecca thought back to the white icing she had scraped off (and eaten so as not to waste any of it). She thought about telling her mother how many mistakes she made each day but decided to save it for another day. She feared her mother would ask her what she did with all the cookies with mistakes on them and she didn’t want to tell her she ate most of them.
“So what are we making for dinner tonight?” She asked changing the subject.
“Well,” her mother said slowly. “I was thinking maybe I’d let your sisters cook dinner tonight and you and I could talk.”
Rebecca’s heart began to beat faster and she felt her blood rush to her head. She knew what this conversation was going to be about and she didn’t want to have it…again. “Maemm,” she said gently. But her mother wouldn’t let her finish.
“Rebecca, we’re having this conversation whether you like it or not.”
Rebecca sighed and gave in. Her sisters were soon busy in the kitchen and she and her mother made their way to the living room. She sat in a large chair in the corner and let her body sink into its cushions. She wished it would swallow her up and she could fall into some other world like the book she read about a girl named Alice. Since she knew that wasn’t possible, she took the large quilt from the back of the chair and draped it over herself, hoping it would somehow shield her from her mother’s words. The softness of the chair and the warmth of the blanket made her feel safe.
Her mother sat on the couch and stared at her lap for a moment. She knew her mother was praying. Even though she dreaded the words that were coming next she hoped her mother would say them soon. If she sat there much longer she was afraid she would drift off to sleep.
“Rebecca,” her mother started, startling Rebecca a little as she had dozed off. “I know you don’t want to hear this again but…” Her mother stopped talking for a moment and looked at her daughter. She looked so tired. Someone her age shouldn’t be that exhausted, she thought. “My sweet daughter,” she said gently. “You are so young. You should be looking for a husband and not slaving away all day and night at that bakery.”
There they were – the words that begged her to find a husband. What could she tell her mother that she hadn’t told her already? She knew her mother meant well but these conversations left her feeling hurt. Should she tell her that? She had never done so before.
Rebecca sighed and leaned forward. “Maemm…”
Rebecca’s mother braced herself for her daughter’s answer. She had it memorized by now. She would start out by saying she was happy helping her father in the bakery, then she would say how she still had plenty of time. She would remind her mother that she was only eighteen years old and there was no reason to rush marriage – that God would provide a husband when He saw fit. All of these things sounded just fine, but it still worried her that her daughter was not only unmarried, but not even courting anyone – nor had she ever.
But instead of getting the usual response, a tired looking Rebecca asked her a question instead. “What boy has ever pursued me?”
Her mother sat there silently, shocked by the unexpected question. She stuttered for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. To make matters worse, Rebecca stared at her mother as if waiting for an answer.
Once the shock wore off, Rebecca’s mother’s heart filled with pain. The realization hit her hard. What boy had ever pursued her daughter? She couldn’t think of one. Suddenly her heart was broken for her daughter. She had always viewed the situation to be her daughter’s fault; never had it crossed her mind that her daughter might marry if a boy would just ask.
Her mother looked into Rebecca’s eyes and saw a pain she had never seen before. Or had she seen it and she just misinterpreted it as something else? She heard herself saying the same thing her daughter told her each time they had this conversation – the same words that would irritate her, even though she knew they shouldn’t. “All in Gott’s time.” What she once thought was just an excuse from her daughter, now sounded like Godly wisdom.
Rebecca pulled her tired body from the chair and gave her mother a hug. Her mother felt her linger a little longer than she normally did. She wanted to think it was because her daughter was tired, but she knew it was because she was hurting.
“Gott has a plan for you,” her mother whispered in Rebecca’s ear while smoothing her prayer cap. “And Gott’s plan is gut. We both need to trust in that. I won’t ask you about it anymore. Instead we’ll both wait on Him.”
Even though Rebecca’s heart was heavy, she was thankful the conversation was over and hoped it would be the end of the topic for good.
~~~
The next day at the bakery was as busy as expected. Valentine’s day was just a week away and the King’s bakery had orders for cakes a mile long. As Rebecca prepared each one she thought about the conversation the night before with her mother. She saw the pained look in her mother’s eyes when she asked her the question. Guilt washed over her. She didn’t want to upset her mother but she wanted her to see what was actually going on. It wasn’t that Rebecca didn’t want a husband; it was that no boy seemed to want her for a wife.
She used to go to the socials and the Sunday night singings but had stopped months ago. Her mind brought back memories of her standing next to the boys her age, no -not just standing, but towering over them. She inherited her father’s height and always felt that it intimidated the boys, even though no one ever said so. She hoped she was wrong, but if she was, then what was it then? Her features were plain, soft brown eyes, a small nose and thin lips. There wasn’t anything striking about her – nothing about her that would make a boy take a second look. She woke up every morning and prayed that her heart and attitude would be beautiful and a blessing to the Lord. Maybe she should’ve prayed for long eyelashes like Emily Yoder, or a big smile like Leah Troyer.
She laughed at the ridiculousness of it. She could never ask God for those things. He had made her exactly as He wanted to – thin lips and all. She quietly thanked God for molding her as he saw fit. She knew she was beautiful in her creator’s eyes.
With the cakes in the oven, Rebecca looked down at her schedule for the day. Next came the cupcakes. She quickly made them and set them aside to wait their turn in the giant oven.
The morning went quickly as it usually did. Rebecca kept busy in the kitchen baking and decorating while her father manned the counter out front. He baked the bread each morning but after that he took his place at the counter to serve the customers. He enjoyed visiting with them and getting to know the regulars.
Shortly after the lunch rush was over he peaked his head into the kitchen. “Rebecca, can you watch the front for me? I have to run to the bank.”
Rebecca didn’t feel as comfortable up front as she did in the kitchen but she knew she didn’t have a choice. She removed her apron and set it next to a cake she was decorating. “I’ll be back,” she said to
the cake as if it would worry if she walked away and didn’t return for a while.
She took her place at the counter and shook her head at its condition. Crumbs lay here and there with cupcake sprinkles interspersed between them. She sighed. Her father was more concerned with the customers than he was with the state of the counter. She quickly began cleaning up, wiping down the counter and the inside of the display case. She rearranged the cookies into nice, neat rows and refilled the napkin dispenser, taking a minute to wipe the fingerprints from its surface so that she could see her face smiling back at her. There was something about cleaning that made her feel at peace.
The bell clanged against the glass door, letting her know a customer was walking in. She looked up from the napkin dispenser to see a man in his mid-twenties. The first thing she noticed was his sad eyes.
“May I help you?” she said concerned.
The man swallowed hard and took a minute to compose himself. “I was supposed to pick up a cake today,” he said to her quietly. “I was wondering if I could cancel the order.”
“Well, normally we don’t accept cancellations on such short notice,” she said remembering their policy. “Which cake was it?”
“It was a heart shaped cake that said ‘I love you.’” He stared off into the distance for a moment then finally said. “I was going to give it to my girlfriend today and ask her to marry me.” His sad eyes met hers. “But she broke up with me this morning.”
Rebecca’s heart flooded with sympathy for the poor guy. “I’m so sorry,” she said gently. “Of course we’ll cancel it. I’ll give you your money back right away.”
She removed the money from the drawer and counted it back to him. She was sure he didn’t hear a word she said. He took it and walked out, leaving Rebecca to wonder if she should’ve said more to him. Should she have told him she would pray for him? Give him the lecture she always gave her mother about how God had a plan? She knew that nothing she could say would’ve healed the hole in his heart though.