Love Comes to Paradise

by Mary Ellis

  Yet apparently it hadn’t made a difference to him.

  Nora believed a woman should excel at something to be worthy of a man’s love, or at least prove herself organized, efficient, and resourceful. She’d demonstrated none of those traits to Lewis in Maine, and here she hadn’t had much opportunity. But he seemed to like her anyway, just as she was. That realization lifted a burden from her shoulders, one as heavy as a plow blade. Her mamm once said each person is unique and special in their own way. Lewis had turned empty words into something meaningful.

  When she left the steamy bathroom fifteen minutes later, he was leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed. “Ready to go, Miss King?” he asked. Strength and energy practically radiated from his skin.

  “Don’t you have to hitch up the buggy?” Her breath caught in her throat.

  “Jonas already switched horses for us.”

  “Didn’t you want a bite to eat first?” Nora felt as though it was the first day of school.

  “Whatever Josh sets out will be enough, don’t you think?” Lewis grinned and bobbed his head toward the door.

  A mournful train whistle sounded in the distance, distracting her. “I should take something for the dessert table and not show up empty-handed.” Nora rubbed the backs of her fingers.

  “Goodness,” interrupted Emily. “You’re not thinking of baking now, are you? Take the cupcakes I made for tomorrow and stop being so afraid.” Emily thrust a Tupperware tote at her. “Lewis promises not to bite.” She made a clucking noise, like a chicken.

  “Danki.” Nora grabbed her sweater and purse.

  “Are you afraid, Nora?” he asked, once they reached the buggy. “I’m curious to know what of.”

  She waited to respond until inside the vehicle. “I don’t know. Maybe that you’ll discover the true me and won’t like her.” With his hat brim low, she couldn’t read his expression.

  “Why don’t we fix that? Tell me about yourself. Start with growing up in Pennsylvania. What were you like in school? I’m guessing you were the teacher’s pet.”

  Nora relaxed against the bench and talked of her sisters and grandparents and her beloved farm in Lancaster. He shared details of his youth while growing up with four sisters. “It’s nice here in Paradise, jah?” she asked. It was their first lull in the conversation. “Couples are allowed to court instead of being constantly supervised.”

  He thought for a moment while someone’s dog barked from a nearby front porch. “Jah, it’s nice here, but for better reasons than that.” Lewis patted her arm. “It will be nice to have several hours alone to get better acquainted. Then all your hidden, loathsome tendencies will undoubtedly come out.”

  She smiled. “The Gingerich sense of humor seems to have spread to their boarders. That’s a good thing.” Suddenly, the dog from the porch bolted across the yard and barked a happy greeting. Recognizing Daisy, Nora realized they were passing Violet’s house.

  Her best friend…who might not know about tonight’s bonfire.

  A woman who longed to socialize with people her own age.

  A selfish thought flitted through Nora’s head and then vanished. “Stop, Lewis. Please turn up this driveway. I know we just talked about spending time alone, but I’d like Violet to join the fun. She’s my best friend, and she doesn’t get out often enough.”

  Lewis tipped his hat back and pulled the harness hard to the right. “I don’t mind. Sounds like you’re a nice woman—despite your opinion to the contrary.”

  Violet Trask took no time to decide and only five minutes to get ready. Her brother walked her out to the buggy, stowed a cake pan in the back, and helped her step up. When Violet climbed into the front seat, she shoved Nora so hard she practically landed in Lewis’s lap.

  “I could sit in the backseat,” offered Nora.

  “Nein.” The other two answered in unison. “It’s a bit snug, but we fit,” said Violet. “That might be a different story after I hit the dessert table.”

  “What did you bring, Violet?” asked Lewis, leaning over Nora.

  “I grabbed two loaves of pumpkin bread my mamm plans to serve tomorrow. I’m hoping one of my sisters baked today, or I’ll have to break into Grain of Life for half-priced leftovers.”

  “Stealing on the Sabbath?” Nora tilted her head to the side.

  “Of course not. I’ll have Emily deduct the price from my check and owe her money on payday. But you two continue talking as though I’m not here.” She ran two fingertips across her lips. “I’m happy just to tag along.”

  “And we’re happy to have someone to break the ice, so to speak. It takes the pressure off Nora and me.”

  Nora peered at him from the corner of her eye. Elam had resented it whenever Violet accompanied them and would never have said something sweet. She relaxed against his side, amazed by a man both strong as a bull yet tenderhearted.

  “Nora was about to reveal what she’d been like in school in Lancaster.” Lewis bumped shoulders with her as a prompt. “I guessed she was the teacher’s pet.”

  “I’ll bet she was a tomboy.” Violet bumped Nora from the other side.

  “You’re both wrong. Amy was the teacher’s favorite. She always had the correct answer and caught on to everything quickly. My younger sister Rachel was good at volleyball and kickball and softball too. And she’s so pretty the boys didn’t mind if she asked to join their game. I have yet to discover what makes me unique in the world.” Nora shrugged as best she could on the crowded seat.

  For two seconds the buggy was dead silent. Then Lewis and Violet started to speak nonstop, as though competing to banish Nora’s misconceptions. Several terms were thrown out, such as best cookie baker, nicest friend in the world, prettiest complexion in Paradise, and patience of a saint, along with humble, cheerful, devout, trustworthy, and kind to animals. The volume reached din level.

  “Stop, please,” pleaded Nora. “I get it. You both like me so that it makes up for any shortcomings. Well, I think you’re both pretty special too.” Impulsively, she grasped Violet’s hand and reached for Lewis’s.

  He wrapped his fingers around her small hand to complete a three-way handshake. “Whew, I’m glad we got that settled since we’re almost to Josh’s.”

  Up ahead, Nora spotted flames and sparks from the bonfire shooting high into the sky. She froze, momentarily unaware of conversation or anything else. Again, the sight, the smell of wood smoke, the voices raised in excitement transported her back to an evening more than a year ago—the night her parents perished in a house fire. Nora’s stomach churned while her heart rate increased two-fold.

  Lewis tightened his grip on her fingers. “Relax, Nora, and breathe. All is well. It’s just a fire to cook hot dogs and marshmallows. You’re safe with me.” His soothing words broke through her anxiety.

  She inhaled and exhaled until her heart stopped slamming against her ribcage. “I’m better now, danki,” she murmured.

  “We’re here,” crowed Violet as Lewis parked in the line of buggies. “Set up my wheelchair, please, so I don’t slow down this parade by trying to walk. Let’s head straight to the barn with our desserts. I have no intention of getting my clothes smoky smelling.”

  “That is a great idea,” agreed Nora. The three found Josh, Albert, and Seth inside the barn, carrying full plates to the picnic table. Hot dogs, burgers, and corn had already been cooked and were piled high on plates, so they didn’t need to venture down to the fire. They fixed their supper and joined Lewis’s new friends. Violet ignored her food and struck up an immediate conversation with the man across from her. Later, when Josh announced it was time to load the hay wagon, Lewis offered both girls a hand.

  Violet shook her head. “I’m happy as a clam right here. You two run along.” She turned her attention back to Seth. “We’re discussing breeds of horses, of all things, which I happen to be fascinated with.”

  Nora bit back her laughter as they exited the barn. “Did you know your friend was interested in horses?
” asked Lewis, helping her into the wagon.

  “I believe it’s a brand-new fascination.” Nora peered around. Few sitting spots remained except for a cozy bale in the back row.

  “How about that one?” he asked.

  “It looks stable enough, with no great danger of falling off.” Nora sat primly on the straw. But once the wagon started to roll, Lewis snaked his arm around her waist. The team of high-spirited Belgians turned down a dark lane, away from the barn and bonfire. Soon courting couples snuggled close to gaze into the panoply of constellations overhead. “I can’t remember a lovelier evening.” Leaning against his shoulder, Nora sighed with contentment.

  “Something else we agree on,” he whispered. Lewis’s breath smelled of peppermint and tickled her ear.

  Memories of Pennsylvania tragedies vanished, along with insecurity about her future. This was turning out to be the best night of her life so far.

  Just as a crescent moon broke free from the clouds, Lewis turned her face toward his. “I’d like to kiss you, Miss King. But if you allow such a liberty, it means you’re officially courting me and me alone. So think long and hard before you agree to such—”

  Nora had had enough idle chatter. She arched her neck and kissed him first, brief but squarely on the lips.

  He smiled as she drew back. “You call that peck a kiss? This is what I had in mind.” Lewis kissed her in a fashion no one would describe as a peck. Then they settled back against the wagon slats to watch the passing fields, cloaked in shadows.

  Nora’s heart began to race for the second time that evening, but not due to grim memories of her loss.

  These heart palpitations were for a different—and entirely delightful—reason.

  Sunday

  When Solomon entered the house hosting the preaching service, every spot on every bench was filled. No one had stayed home with a cold or bellyache from an overindulgence of one sort or another. Clusters of men and women talked with far less exuberance before the service began.

  Strange, what a plague of locusts could do to the attitudes of believers. Men who normally mumbled raised their voices in hymns of praise from the Ausbund. Women who usually craned their necks to observe each other bowed their heads to listen meekly to opening Scripture readings. When Solomon was asked to preach the first of two sermons, he took his place before the congregation, filled with the fervor of his youth. He glanced at the women’s benches and spotted the kind eyes of his fraa and the hopeful gaze of Violet. They depended on him for guidance. Sol then observed the men’s side of the room and caught a nod of encouragement from Deacon Gingerich. Jonas sat next to the newest entry into their Plain community, Lewis Miller. Jonas and the other younger minister looked to him for leadership. Sol hoped he was up for the challenge.

  “By now we have assessed the damage done to our crops by the locusts,” he intoned solemnly. “And we have taken steps to salvage whatever we can of the next harvest. Maybe we inquired about bank loans to carry us through the lean months ahead, or we might have decided to sell livestock or equipment to pay future bills. I hope we have given as much attention to the spiritual message of the bizarre event.” He paused for a moment. “There are some who will say the locusts were nothing more than a freak of nature, just like the heavy rains and flash floods last month were simply bad weather. But the faithful recognize so-called natural disasters for what they truly are—acts of God, due to His displeasure. The Old Testament is filled with examples of God’s wrath. We must wipe out sin and return to lives of isolation and devout contemplation, as intended by our forbearers. Only then can the curse levied on this part of the state be lifted.”

  Murmurs and mumbling rose in the back of the room, but Solomon paid them no mind. “Pray for forgiveness!” he shouted. “Pray for direction! And pray that God shows mercy on our town of Paradise. His power is absolute. Nothing is beyond His scope, not the wind, not the rain, or any creature large or small.”

  Solomon clutched his Bible to his chest. “We must pray not less than three times a day so our children will be spared His wrath. Let’s look to the book of Daniel for a perfect lesson today.” He cleared his throat and organized his thoughts to be as concise as possible. “While the Israelites were held captive in Babylon, King Darius appointed Daniel chief of his advisers because he was the favorite. This action infuriated the other counselors, and they schemed to snare Daniel in a wicked plot. Because it was Daniel’s custom to kneel and pray to God three times a day, the evil men devised a new law. Any man caught praying or honoring anyone other than the king would be thrown into the lion’s den. King Darius signed the decree into law without realizing the implications. When the other advisers spied and caught Daniel giving thanks on his knees, they brought him before the king. Darius realized he’d fallen into their trap but felt helpless. After Daniel was thrown into a pit of ferocious beasts, Darius prayed that Daniel’s God would save him. The next morning, when soldiers removed the stone sealing the pit, Daniel climbed out unscathed. The Lord had sent an angel to close the lions’ mouths. King Darius rejoiced and issued a decree that everyone should worship the God of Daniel. Then the king threw the evil schemers to the lions, where they were quickly consumed…along with their wives and children.”

  Several women gasped audibly, while a couple of kinner started to cry.

  “Let us bow our heads in prayer that we will turn from our evil ways before it’s too late.”

  Every head, young and old, bowed. Solomon prayed for his district with the zeal of the ancient prophets. Dark days required a firm hand from a minister who would neither vacillate nor hesitate if this area were to break free from the curse gripping Missouri for years.

  THIRTEEN

  Ever since by faith, I saw the stream

  Emily walked from the preaching service in a daze. It seemed as though Minister Sol had directed his message at her. Everything he said weighed heavily on her heart. Daniel had fallen to his knees three times each day to give thanks for God’s blessings. Surely, his workday in the king’s court had been busier than hers, running a small bakery only open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, yet Daniel never neglected to pray. Although she prayed before bed, when was the last time she had started her day in the same fashion? Always busy, always in a rush…as though baking batches of cookies was more important than her eternal soul. And her silent prayers before meals were little more than “Thanks for the food.” When was the last time I initiated a personal conversation with my Maker?

  Suddenly, Emily felt a soft touch on her arm. She raised her head to see Margaret, the wife of the young minister, at her side. “Stirring words today, jah?”

  “Whew, that’s for sure.” Emily peered around the room. Men were moving the benches to the backyard. Afterward, the benches would be stacked in the wagon and taken to the next family to host the church service.

  “Let’s get out of their way. We can help set out lunch.”

  Emily and Margaret joined a queue of women carrying bowls of salad and platters of meat, cheese, and bread from the kitchen to tables in the shade. Young girls mixed giant jugs of iced tea and lemonade. Soon the men formed a line to fix sandwiches, while the women followed soon after. Throughout the simple meal, Emily noticed that most people remained subdued and left shortly after the Morgansteins’ yard had been cleaned up. She sighed with relief when Jonas suggested they do the same.

  “Ready to go?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Let me find Nora and collect my potato salad bowl.”

  “Lewis will bring her home later. They want to drive around the township a bit.” Jonas squinted into the sun.

  “Sounds good to me.” Emily practically ran to retrieve her side dish. She joined him at the buggy before he could finish hitching up the gelding. While waiting, she dabbed her face several times with a handkerchief and fanned herself with her apron.

  “Something troubling you, fraa?” asked Jonas, once they were rolling down the drive.

  “Certainly I’m troubled.
Aren’t you? I didn’t know all the details about Daniel and the lions.”

  Jonas tipped his hat back. “Jah. It’s sorrowful the wives and kinner of the evil advisors suffered the same fate as the men. I suppose that’s what is meant by ‘sins of the father.’” He settled back, loosening his grip on the reins.

  “You’re not upset by the sermon?” Emily faced him on the bench.

  Jonas barely reacted. “I don’t like women and children being eaten alive any better than you, but I cannot question the sovereign authority of God.”

  “I’m not talking solely about the book of Daniel, Jonas. Aren’t you upset by Sol’s conclusion?”

  He finally looked at her. The lines around his eyes deepened into a complex web. “What conclusion would that be, fraa?”

  She stared at him. “That we have only ourselves to blame for the terrible events happening in this part of Missouri.”

  “We, meaning the Amish of Paradise?” His tone remained calm. “The Englischers’ crops were also heavily damaged by the recent floods and horde of grasshoppers. Are you saying the English must suffer because of us? Sort of like the unfortunate family members of the king’s advisors?”

  She blinked, unnerved that he asked that with no greater concern than enquiring for the time of day or her menu for supper. “Not necessarily, but for some reason these counties have attracted evildoers and thus have drawn God’s wrath in retribution.”

  Jonas stared at her as though she were speaking Chinese. “These counties?”

  “Please, ehemann, stop repeating my words or this will take all day. You aren’t aware of the horrible things that have gone on in Randolph, Audrain, and Boone Counties. Not just the woebegone group of Old Order from Iowa a century ago, but many other strange events and acts of unspeakable cruelty.” Emily pressed her sweaty palms on her knees, trying not to sound smug. “I have studied the history of this area while you have not.”