A Season of Love

by Amy Clipston

  “I was wrong.” Abner frowned.

  “What?” Sadie’s eyes flew open with shock. “What do you mean you were wrong?”

  “Katie did nothing wrong the day I saw her on the street corner,” Abner said. “One of my neighbors witnessed the whole scene and explained it all to mei fraa. Katie was attacked by three men, and Jacob saved her.”

  Sadie gasped. “She was telling the truth,” she whispered, tears trickling down her chubby cheeks.

  “What do you mean he saved her?” Robert asked, looking unconvinced.

  “He drove up and stopped the men,” Abner said. “He held up a piece of wood and threatened them and then the men left.”

  “I only hugged Katie to calm her down. She was terrified,” Jake said, hoping to keep his voice even despite his frustration. “I was trying to help her, Mr. Kauffman, because I care about her.” He looked between her parents. “Katie needed to be consoled, not blamed for what those men did to her. And if I hadn’t come along, the situation could’ve been much worse.”

  Sadie wiped her tears and shot Robert an accusing look. “How could you not believe your own dochder?” she said.

  “Don’t speak to me in that tone, fraa,” Robert bellowed. “I will not be spoken to that way by my own fraa in my own haus!”

  “Where’s Katie now?” Jake asked. “Where did you send her?”

  “She’s gone,” Robert said. “And you have no right to interfere. You will stay out of this family’s business.”

  “You’re wrong, Robert,” Abner said. “Katie doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.”

  Robert shook his head. “I’ve heard enough. You have no business telling me how to raise mei kinner.” He stomped from the kitchen toward the back of the house.

  Jake stared after him. His stomach twisted as he wondered what to do. How would he ever find Katie? He turned to Abner. “I’m too late. She’s gone.”

  Frowning, Sadie touched Jake’s arm. “She’s heading to Robert’s cousin’s house in western Pennsylvania tomorrow,” she whispered. “She’s gone to Elizabeth Kauffman’s haus for the night. Please go get her and bring her heemet.”

  “I’ll stay here and try to talk some sense into Robert,” Abner said. “Go to your maedel.”

  “Danki,” Jake said before rushing out the back door. He jogged over to his truck and stopped. Driving his pickup over to Elizabeth’s was counterproductive to proving to Katie he wanted to be Amish. He turned toward Matthew’s sister’s house and spotted a light glowing in the kitchen.

  Jake walked over to the kitchen door and knocked.

  Betsy opened the door. “Jake,” she said with surprise. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes. At least, I think it will be,” he said, wringing his hands. “I’m sorry to bother you, but is Matthew available?”

  “Ya,” Betsy said. “Come in.”

  Jake stepped into the kitchen while Betsy disappeared into the family room and called her brother. Jake paced back and forth in front of the kitchen until Matthew appeared in the doorway.

  “Jake?” Matthew asked, looking concerned. “What’s going on?”

  “I need your help,” Jake said. “May I borrow your horse and buggy?”

  “Of course, but what’s wrong with your truck?” Matthew asked.

  “Nothing,” Jake said, starting toward the door. “I’ll explain while we hitch the horse up.”

  “This sounds like an interesting story,” Matthew quipped, following Jake to the door.

  24

  Less than ten minutes later, Jake climbed into the buggy and nodded toward Matthew. “Danki, freind. I’ll bring your horse and buggy back as soon as I can.”

  “Gern gschehne,” Matthew said, grinning. “We’ll have to work on your Amish before you get baptized.”

  Jake raised his eyebrows. “I think I do pretty well.”

  “I’m just joking.” Matthew gestured toward the road. “Go get Katie. We’ll celebrate your decision to join the community later. I know there will be a lot of froh people when they hear the news. We already consider you one of us.”

  “Danki for your friendship, Matthew,” Jake said. “I mean that.”

  “Go on,” Matthew said, gesturing again. “Get out of here. Katie’s waiting for you.”

  “I hope so,” Jake said with a nervous frown.

  “You know she is,” Matthew said. “See you later.”

  Jake waved as he left. He gripped the reins with both of his hands and sent up a silent prayer as he guided the horse toward Elizabeth Kauffman’s house. He hoped Katie would be as happy to see him as he was to see her and tell her his news.

  Katie wondered where Jake was and if he was thinking of her while she stood at the sink and washed the dishes after finishing dessert with her grandparents. She insisted on doing the dishes while her grandparents retired to the family room. Cleaning up the kitchen was the best way Katie knew to stay busy and try to not dwell too much on her problems.

  Despite her grandparents’ insistence that everything would work out for her, she couldn’t escape her heartbreak over losing her family or her worries about her future. She dreaded her trip to western Pennsylvania and her new life with a family she’d never met before.

  The sound of hooves drew her gaze to the small window above the sink. Peering out, she spotted a buggy moving up the driveway toward the back door.

  Katie moved to the doorway leading to the family room, where her grandparents sat reading. “Mammi, were you expecting more company this evening?”

  Her grandmother looked up from her Amish novel and shook her head. “No. Why do you ask?”

  “There’s a buggy pulling up to the house,” Katie said as a knock sounded on the back door.

  “I wonder who that could be?” her grandfather asked, glancing up from The Budget newspaper.

  “Go on,” Elizabeth said. “You may answer it.”

  “I will.” Katie headed to the door and wrenched it open. She gasped when she found Jake standing on the porch smiling at her. “Jake?” she asked. “What are you doing here?” She looked over her shoulder and then stepped out on the porch, closing the door behind her. “You shouldn’t be here.” She shivered.

  “You need a coat.” Jake removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “It’s freezing out here.”

  “You need to go,” she said. “I’m in so much trouble now, and your being here will only make it worse.”

  “I know all about it,” he said, frowning. “Your father sent you away, but Abner Chupp is at your house right now trying to talk some sense into him.”

  “What?” Katie asked with surprise. “Why is the bishop at mei haus talking to mei dat?”

  “I went to see the bishop when I left the party today,” Jake said. “He and I talked about a lot of things, and he knows the truth about the day you were attacked.”

  Katie stared at him, wide eyed. “What are you saying?”

  “One of Abner’s neighbors witnessed the whole scene and told Mrs. Chupp what happened,” Jake explained. “Abner told your dat he was wrong to punish you because you did nothing wrong that day. You hugged me because I saved you from those horrible men.”

  Katie’s heart swelled with hope that father would forgive her. “What did mei dat say?”

  Jake shook his head, and Katie’s hope deflated.

  “Abner is working on him,” Jake said. “But your mamm is very upset. I think she believed you all along, but your dat overpowered her.”

  Katie glowered. “He always does.”

  “But there’s hope,” Jake said, touching her arm. “The bishop and your mamm believe you, and they both think your dat overreacted today. Your mamm told me to bring you home.”

  Katie clapped her hands together. “I can go home!”

  “Yes, but we need to talk first.” Jake took a deep breath.

  Katie’s heart fluttered with anticipation of what he might say.

  “I’ll be brief,” Jake began. “First, I want to apolo
gize. I never meant to hurt you today. Jessica wanted to talk to me outside because I’d been so busy worrying about my relationship with you that I hadn’t returned her phone calls.”

  “I don’t see what that has to do with me,” Katie said, hoping to keep her voice even despite the emotions raging within her.

  “When I told Jessica I cared for her, I only meant I would be her friend no matter what.” Jake’s expression pleaded with her. “I loved Jessica a long time ago, but I don’t love her anymore. I only love you, Katie. You’re the love of my life.”

  Katie bit the inside of her lip to keep it from trembling. “It’s too late, Jake. We can’t be together. Our lives are too different.” She started to back up toward the door. “I really want to get ready to go home. I should go tell my grandparents the good news.”

  “I don’t want you to be shunned either.” He followed her and took her hands in his. “Please listen to me.”

  “We shouldn’t do this,” Katie whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

  “Yes, we should.” Jake took a deep breath. “My mother was Amish, as you know. She felt in her heart that she had to leave the church when she met my father.”

  “I know all this,” she said, frustration building in her voice. “Why are you telling me this again?”

  “Please.” His expression begged her to listen. “Let me finish. You are the one I want to be with. And God has put it in my heart that in order to do that, I need to change. I need to become Amish.”

  “What?” Her voice cracked. “You’re just playing a cruel trick on me. This can’t be true.”

  “It is true, Katie,” Jake said. “I’m going to join the Amish church. I’ve prayed about it for quite awhile, and I know the choice is the right one for me. That’s why I went to see Abner Chupp tonight. After I saw you in the barn, I knew I needed to do something so we could be together. I can’t live without you, and I can’t stand to watch you suffer anymore.”

  Katie shook her head. This is too good to be true. “I don’t understand.”

  “After I had Bishop Chupp’s blessing to join the church, he and I went to visit Bishop Swartzendruber,” he continued, holding her hands. “I’m going to join Bishop Swartzendruber’s baptism class next spring and be baptized in the fall with his district. Once I join the church, I want to marry you, Katie. I want to start a life with you. We can buy some land and have a little farm and someday have a family.”

  She felt tears pool in her eyes while his words sank into her heart. Can this be real? Is Jake truly going to be Amish?

  “I never meant to hurt you, Katie,” he said, pulling her closer to him. “I only want to be with you.”

  Katie couldn’t contain her tears. His words filled her with a mixture of happiness and fear. She was happy to hear he loved her and wanted to convert, but she was afraid that it was all too good to be true.

  He studied her eyes. “Are you crying because you’re happy or because you’re sad?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “All I know is that I’m confused.”

  “Please tell me why you’re confused,” he said.

  “Earlier this evening, I was certain you and I would never be together,” she began. “When mei daed sent me away, I prayed and asked God to heal my broken heart and guide me toward the path I’m supposed to follow. All evening long, I’ve struggled because I couldn’t stop believing the path would lead to you. And now here I am standing with you, and you’re telling me you want to be Amish. I think God is telling me the path has led to you all along.”

  Before she could speak another word, Jake leaned down and placed his finger on her lips. “I love you, Katie Kauffman,” he said. “I want to be with you. My path has always led to you.”

  “Ich liebe dich too.” Her smiled suddenly faded as she thought of her parents. “What do we do about mei daed? We can’t meet in secret until you’re baptized.”

  “No, we can’t.” He nodded toward the back door. “Let’s get your things and then I’ll take you home. We’ll go talk to your dat right now.”

  “No.” Her stomach twisted as she shook her head. “He’ll never accept us before you’re baptized. It’s not a gut idea.”

  “I have to do this,” Jake said. “I have to make things right with your parents or we can never be together.”

  She hesitated, and he tugged her toward the kitchen door. Together, they walked into the family room. Katie’s grandparents both looked stunned.

  “Jake,” Eli said, standing. “What brings you out here?”

  Elizabeth also stood and looked curious.

  Jake stood erect with a confident expression on his handsome face. “I came to tell Katie I love her, and I’m going to be baptized into the Amish faith in Gideon Swartzendruber’s district next spring.”

  “You’re going to become Amish?” Eli asked.

  “When did you decide this, Jacob?” Elizabeth asked. “This is a very serious decision.”

  “I know.” Jake smiled at Katie, and her heart swelled with love for him. “I want to be with Katie, and I can’t stand watching her suffer because of me. This is the only way we can be together. I don’t want her to be shunned, and I don’t want her to leave the family and community she loves. Instead, I’ll sacrifice my modern way of life and become Amish. I want to do this for her. I can’t bear living without her.”

  “Danki,” Katie whispered, her eyes filling with fresh tears.

  “That’s wunderbaar!” Elizabeth said, clapping her hands together.

  Katie smiled as her grandmother hugged her. “The Lord found a way to bring us together, Mammi,” Katie whispered. “It was meant to be all along.”

  Elizabeth smiled and touched Katie’s cheek. “I’m so froh for you.”

  Eli and Jake shook hands.

  “Mei mamm told Jake to bring me heemet,” Katie said.

  “She did?” Elizabeth looked surprised again. “What happened to change her mind?”

  Jake explained his visit with the bishop and how the bishop knew the truth about the day of the attack. He told Katie’s grandparents the bishop went with him to visit Katie’s parents.

  “What a miracle,” Eli said. “My son may soon see the light and realize he’s mistreated Katie all along.”

  “I hope so.” Katie motioned toward the kitchen. “I’m going to get my things and try to make things right with mei dat. I can’t stand the distance between us anymore.”

  Elizabeth touched Katie’s arm. “Go.” She smiled at Jake. “Take gut care of my Katie Joy.”

  “I will,” Jake said with a tender smile. “I promise.”

  Katie’s stomach fluttered with excitement and worry as she and Jake climbed out of the buggy in her father’s driveway. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she said. “Mei dat was so angry with me earlier. I can’t handle more yelling and accusations.”

  Jake’s expression encouraged her. “Have faith, Katie,” he said. “You said you believed God led you to me. Don’t you think He’ll also lead your parents to support our relationship?”

  Her hesitation vanished while she gazed into his determined eyes. “Ya, I think you’re right.”

  “Gut,” he said. “Let’s go tell your parents about our future.”

  Although Katie knew in her heart she and Jake belonged together, her father’s warning echoed in her ears as they headed toward the back porch.

  When they reached the back door, Jake stopped and faced her. “Remember, Katie, have faith. We’re in this together.”

  Katie attempted to force a smile, but her lips formed a grimace.

  Jake pushed open the door and motioned for her to follow him. They found her mother and her sister Nancy sitting at the kitchen table.

  Her mother’s eyes widened and she jumped up. “Katie! You’re heemet.” She pulled Katie into her arms and hugged her, and Katie thought she might pass out from the shock.

  “Danki, Mamm,” Katie said. “It’s gut to be home.”

  “It’s gut to see you
,” Nancy said, hugging Katie.

  “Danki, Nancy,” Katie said. “Where’s Dat?”

  Sadie motioned toward the door. “He went out to the barn after the bishop was taken home. I think he’s contemplating everything the bishop said to him. They had a very intense conversation.”

  “Do you want me to go get him?” Nancy offered.

  “No,” Katie said. “I will.”

  Jake looked surprised. “Are you certain?”

  Katie nodded. “I am certain. I need to face him and tell him my plans for my future with you.”

  Jake smiled. “I like the sound of that.”

  Katie started out the door and met her father coming up the porch steps. “I was just coming to see you. Jake and I want to talk to you.”

  “Go back in the haus,” he said. “I’m coming in.”

  With her hands trembling, Katie stepped back into the kitchen, and her father followed. Nancy shot Katie an encouraging smile before slipping into the family room and out of sight. For a brief moment, Katie wished she could follow Nancy, but she knew she had to stay in the kitchen and face her father once and for all.

  “Why are you back here, Katie?” Robert asked, pulling off his heavy coat. “You know you’re no longer welcome in this haus.”

  “I told Jake to go get Katie and bring her heemet,” Sadie said, her voice loud and confident. “We need to listen to her, Robert.”

  Katie met her mother’s gaze, and her mother winked unexpectedly. Katie smiled in response and was thankful for her mother’s encouragement.

  Her father looked stunned while facing Sadie. “You’re going to tell me what to do, Sadie?”

  “Ya,” Sadie said. “I am. For nearly twenty-five years I’ve stood by you, Robert, and I’ve never doubted your decisions. Today, however, is the first time I can’t stand here and listen without disagreeing. Katie has been through enough during these past few months. Let’s give her a chance and hear what she and her freind have to say. It might be something you’d like to hear.”

  Katie held her breath while her father studied her mother. She prayed he would agree to her request, but in her heart, she doubted he would overcome his own stubborn nature for once in his life.