Under the Mulberry Tree: Book Three

by Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  Abby didn’t waste any time gathering a dozen cookies and putting them into a box to take with her to Jonah’s haus.

  “I hate to leave you here all alone, Aenti.”

  Lillian shooed her with her hand. “Being here was just what I needed to feel better. It might take some time for me to get back to my old routine, but I feel ready to try. Besides, your Onkel Seth will be back here in about an hour to pick me up. I think we might have to go around the community and gift some of these cookies and muffins and bread, but I’m alright with that. Go and talk to your bruder, and try to reconnect with Rachel. She needs her big schweschder right now. She’s at that delicate age where she’s working on becoming an adult, and she really needs you.”

  Abby hugged her aenti. “I know. She’s the biggest reason I don’t want to leave. I never had an older schweschder. You were the closest thing I had to that, and I’ll never forget how much it meant to me to have you around. I can’t take that away from her.”

  Lillian smiled. “Now you’re thinking straight. Pray some more about this. Gott will make things right. Maybe not in the way you see it, but in the way that is best for everyone.”

  Abby gathered the cookies and muffins and headed out into the snow toward Jonah’s haus, hope filling her that Gott would make things right.

  ****

  Lillian pulled the last of the loaves of fresh bread out of the oven and set them aside to cool. She’d finished most of the cleanup, and wrapped most of the loaves of bread. She’d heard a wagon pull into the parking lot a few minutes before, and tried to hurry so she wouldn’t make her husband wait. Just a few more dishes, and she would be done. If she knew her husband, he was probably talking to the horse rather than coming inside and talking to the women-folk. He had no idea Abby had left, but Lillian giggled at the thought of her husband talking to the horse anyway. A little cold weather and snow wouldn’t hurt him. Besides, she only had about ten minutes worth of work to finish. She knew if he got cold enough, he’d come in and stand by the stove to warm up. In the meantime, she had bread pans to wash.

  ****

  Seth knew his fraa would stay and talk even after she heard his buggy pull into the lot behind the bakery. She knew him well enough to know he’d choose talking to his horse over being a third party to women’s conversation. This, he knew, would afford him the time to set up the surprise he had for her, hoping to break through her shell of sadness. Thankful for the continuous snow, Seth set to work on the bottom of the snowman. He hoped he’d have enough time to finish it before Lillian came outside, but she knew he’d go inside the bakery to get her if he got too cold.

  The snow was packing very nicely, making quick work of the bottom portion. Next, he rolled the middle, making sure it was smaller, but not so large that he wouldn’t be able to lift it onto the bottom. Seth pushed the large bottom portion so it was centered with the large window in the front of the bakery. Next, he pushed the middle up onto the base, and quickly rolled a head for it. Plopping the head on top, he was satisfied with the height.

  Almost as tall as me.

  Pulling the stones from his pocket, he pushed them into the head to make eyes. He hoped Lillian would know that the stones came from the keepsake spice box he’d given her five years ago for her birthday. He hoped this gesture would remind his fraa of how much he loved and cherished her.

  Locating a couple of fallen twigs from the large maple tree in the lot, Seth pushed them into the sides of the middle for arms. Next he snapped off a few smaller branches and broke them into short pieces to make a large smile on the snowman.

  When he was satisfied the snowman was finished, he stood proudly beside him and waited patiently for Lillian to exit the bakery.

  ****

  Lillian took the baked goods out the back door of the bakery and placed them in the back of the buggy. Seth was nowhere around. Wondering if he’d gone in the front door, which would have been unlocked, she went back inside to check for him and make sure she locked the front door before leaving. Once inside, she called out her husband’s name, but he didn’t answer. Thinking it was strange, she went to the front of the store to lock the front door before searching for Seth.

  Stopping short of the front door, Lillian spotted her husband standing next to a large snowman similar to the one they’d made on their first date. Tears welled up in her eyes, and a lump formed in her throat. She opened the door and ran to him, jumping into his waiting arms. He spun her around before setting her down.

  “I can’t believe you did this for me. Are those the same rocks from the original snowman?”

  Seth took off his gloves and cupped her face in his hands. “As a matter of fact, they are. I wanted you to know how much I love you…how much I will always love you.”

  Seth pressed his lips to hers and kissed her, gently sweeping his cold lips across her warm ones.

  Lillian leaned into his kiss with a passion she hadn’t felt for a while. “I love you too, Seth. Can we go to the B&B? I’m ready to meet Ellie.”

  Seth let out a whoop, and picked her up and twirled her around again. He hadn’t felt this happy in a while, and it felt gut.

  **********************

  CHAPTER 24

  **********************

  Abby hung up her coat on the peg in Jonah’s kitchen. She could hear faint voices from upstairs, and decided to place the cookies on a plate and bring a pitcher of milk with her before going up to greet the three of them. She dreaded having to tell Jonah she wouldn’t be able to go to Florida with him right now, but hoped he would wait for her to straighten things out here with her familye first. She hoped he would understand and be willing to wait for her.

  As she neared the top step, Abby heard her siblings laughing. That was a gut sign. She stood in the doorway and waited for a break in the laughter.

  Caleb held his hand out to her. “Abby, kume. We need to talk.”

  Abby walked timidly toward them, noting that Jonah was sitting upright and looking like the color had returned to his face. She sat in the chair that her bruder had gotten up from, and waited for him to have his say.

  Caleb sat on the edge of the windowsill. “I’ve had a couple of hours for your news to sink in, and I just want to say I’m sorry for the way I reacted—or didn’t react. I’m also sorry for our little talk we had the other day in the barn. Why didn’t you tell me the truth then?”

  “It wasn’t my truth to tell. It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s not like it would have made any difference. There isn’t anything any of us can do about it.”

  She turned to Jonah then. “I’m sorry, Jonah, but I can’t go with you to Florida right now. I know I’m grown up, but that doesn’t mean I can run away from my familye again. I did it once, and it was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. The longer I was away, the easier it was to stay away, and I don’t want to do that again. I’ve missed too much time with my little schweschder already.”

  Rachel walked over and placed her hand on Abby’s shoulder. “I want you to go to Florida.”

  Abby’s heart sank. Did her schweschder want to be rid of her?

  “Why, Rachel?”

  “You’re my schweschder, and I love you. I’ll miss you terribly, but you must go so you can be happy. You can’t do that if you stay here. Seeing you here taking care of Jonah is the happiest I’ve ever seen you.”

  Caleb stood up. “Rachel’s right. I’d be honored if you’d marry my cousin. I can’t think of a better mann for you. Go. Be happy in Florida.”

  Tears filled Abby’s eyes as she looked over at Jonah. “Are you sure we can’t try to stay here?”

  Jonah had a mixture of emotion showing in his eyes. “I don’t see any other way for us to be together. If you go with me, I promise to make you happy.”

  Abby reached over and placed her hand in his.

  “You already do.”

  Caleb walked over to the tray of cookies and milk and started pouring the milk into the glasses. “Then let’s celebrate. The smell
of these cookies has been making my mouth water since you walked into the room with them.”

  Abby wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

  “How am I going to break the news to Mamm and Daed?”

  Caleb handed her a glass of milk and a cookie on a napkin. “I’ll help you. I think it might be easier if they know I support your decision. I’m curious about something though. Did Daed know about this all along?”

  Abby gulped down the milk in her mouth. “I’m afraid so. In all fairness to him, he went along with it to protect Mamm’s honor. His heart was in the right place, but neither of them had time to think it through. Bishop Troyer was a lot more strict back then. He pressed for the marriage more than either of them.”

  “I suppose it was what was best for everyone at the time, given the circumstances. That doesn’t make it right for your situation. I stand by what I said. I think your best chance of happiness is to start over in the community in Florida.”

  Abby smiled. “Denki, Caleb. As far as I’m concerned, no matter what the truth is, you’ll always be my bruder, and Jacob will always be my daed.”

  Caleb hugged her lightly. “In my heart, you’ll always be my schweschder.”

  Caleb offered Jonah a cookie and he turned it down. “I’m not sure my stomach can handle any solid food yet, no matter how gut they are.”

  Caleb stepped back over to the window and leaned against the sill again. “There’s one more issue we need to address.”

  He looked at Abby sternly. “I will stay here with Jonah overnight while he’s recovering, and you can take care of him during the day. That is if Rachel is in agreement to act as chaperone.”

  Rachel and Abby nodded in agreement.

  “Doctor Davis should be here soon. While he’s here, we can go home and talk to Mamm and Daed. I’ve had Rachel pack your things. You can come back in the morning.”

  Abby was happy for her sibling’s help with Jonah. While she couldn’t wait to start her life with Jonah in Florida, she dreaded having to tell her parents.

  **********************

  CHAPTER 25

  **********************

  Abby pulled the buggy into Becca’s yard. After the heart-wrenching talk she’d had with her familye the night before, she was ready for something cheerful. She couldn’t wait to see the new boppli, and give her the news of Jonah’s recovery. Levi let her in and led her to the bedroom where Becca was cuddling her new bundle.

  She approached Becca quietly, making sure she didn’t wake the boppli. “Gudemariye, wie gehts?”

  Becca sighed. “Still pretty tired, but I’m happy. How’s my bruder? Is he giving you a hard time, or is he being a gut patient?”

  Abby’s cheeks heated. “He’s doing much better, but I didn’t stay with him last night. My bruder took over watching him at night, and I’ll be watching over him for the next few days until the doctor gives him permission to be out of bed.”

  “Would you like to hold the boppli?”

  Abby eagerly held out her arms and reached for little Adam. She cradled him close, enjoying the new boppli smell. Boppli’s always had such a sweet scent that nothing could compare to.

  Becca straightened herself in the bed, trying to get comfortable. “I hear your Aenti Lillian is adopting a boppli.”

  Abby cooed at little Adam. “They haven’t decided for certain I think. But I’m hoping they will. I think it will be gut for them—and for the boppli.”

  Concern furrowed Becca’s brow. “I’ll be honest with you; when I heard what happened to your aenti, I told Levi I wanted the doctor in attendance for Adam’s birth. I wasn’t comfortable having just the midwife here. And it’s nothing against Miriam. I just wanted everything to go smoothly.”

  “From what Doctor Davis tells me, you aren’t the only one who feels that way. He’s had several requests for deliveries in the past month.”

  Abby handed the boppli back to Becca, and sat in the chair by her bedside. “There’s something I need to tell you before you hear it from someone else.”

  Alarm crossed Becca’s face faster than a lightning strike. “Is there something you haven’t told me about my bruder?”

  Abby held up a hand to stop her grief. “No, he’s going to be sore for a few days, but doc says he’ll recover. But this does have to do with Jonah—and me.”

  Becca let a gasp escape her lips. “Did the two of you kiss again? Oh no; by the look on your face, I’d say you did. Abby, don’t you know the two of you are going to get yourselves excommunicated.”

  Abby couldn’t help but fan her heated cheeks. “I’m not your cousin. I’m not Jonah’s cousin. And Jacob Yoder isn’t my real daed.” She’d spoken it all so fast she didn’t even stop to take a breath.

  “Slow down, Abby. You’re telling me you’re not related to me or my bruder?”

  Abby swallowed down the lump that tried to bring tears to her eyes. “It’s a long story, and I don’t really want to reveal the details right now, but it’s true.”

  “What do you plan on doing? Will you go to the Bishop and tell him?”

  Abby felt a tear roll down her cheek. “It’s not that simple. If I go to the Bishop, it will bring shame to my mamm and daed. It could get them excommunicated. They are getting older, and they need the community. But Jonah and I can start over in another community. He suggested Florida since your mamm’s bruder is there and he could help us.”

  Tears filled Becca’s eyes. “Florida is so far away. Jonah is the only familye I have left. How long have the two of you been planning this?”

  Abby suddenly wished she would have waited for Jonah to have this conversation with Becca. They’d been friends for fifteen years, but she and Jonah had been familye for a lot longer. She couldn’t bear to see Becca hurt, but she didn’t think she could wait until the end of the week and surprise her with the news at the last minute.

  “Jonah has been planning it for a week now. I thought he would have told you by now.”

  Becca sniffled. “He mentioned he’d like to go, but I thought he was only thinking about it. I never imagined he’d consider really going. I want little Adam to grow up knowing his Onkel Jonah. It breaks my heart that they haven’t even met yet.”

  “The Doctor practically had to strap him to his bed to keep him from getting up and coming to see you. He feels just awful that he can’t be here. And I’m sorry for telling you all of this; I thought you knew Jonah was leaving at the end of next week.”

  Becca placed the boppli over her shoulder to burp him. “Will you be going with him?”

  Abby paused before answering, hoping to gain some composure. “He asked me to go. At first, I told him I couldn’t go with him, but Caleb and Rachel talked me into it. And when I talked to my mamm last night, it was apparent that she had no intention of going to the Bishop on my behalf, so I’ve decided to go. It’s the only chance we have for having a normal life together. We plan to marry when we arrive in Florida.”

  “I’m going to miss your wedding?”

  Abby managed a weak smile. “I suppose it’s only fair since I missed your wedding. We will want you to visit once we’ve settled into the new community.”

  Becca sniffled some more. “All this time I thought you were my cousin, and now you’re going to be my schweschder-in-law. It’s funny how things work out.”

  Abby was glad Becca was taking the news as well as she was. Deep down, Abby hoped they didn’t have to go. Was it too unreasonable for her to hope that her mamm would save her from having to leave her familye and her best friend again?

  Please Gott, we’re going to need a miracle.

  **********************

  CHAPTER 26

  **********************

  Lizzie took hot kaffi out to the barn to Jacob, who had been making slow progress with the morning chores in Caleb’s absence. As she trudged through the deep snow, she pulled her coat close to guard against the wind, wondering if spring would ever come.

  Opening the barn door,
she searched for her husband, dreading the moment when their eyes would meet, for he would surely know her mood just by looking at her.

  Jacob reached for the kaffi, “Is something weighing on your mind? You’ve been quiet since last night just after Caleb left for Jonah’s haus.”

  Lizzie knew it was time to discuss this with her husband, so why was it so difficult for her to say the words? Perhaps it was because she already knew what she needed to do, and she needed Jacob’s approval.

  “The kinner had a talk with me yesterday late afternoon, and I need to discuss it with you. I wanted them to include you in the conversation, but they thought it was best if they spoke to me alone first.”

  Jacob leaned against the pitchfork he’d been using to clean out the stalls. “This sounds serious.”

  Lizzie lowered herself onto a milking stool and cupped her forehead in her hands, pausing for a deep breath. “I’ve made a mess of my life from the very day I left this community when I was eighteen, and it’s still affecting my dochder negatively. I made a mistake in judgment by trusting a young, Englisch buwe and I’m still paying for it all these years later.”

  Jacob set the pitchfork against the stall and went to his fraa’s side. “Lizzie, we’ve talked about this before, and you know that Gott brought forth the miracle of Abby when you strayed from His path. Gott always has a way of turning the bad things we do into gut—especially since He knows your heart is in Him. We might stray from the path, but He always brings us back to Him.”

  Lizzie began to get choked up. “I know that, but because of my sin, Gott has taken her from me once already. And now, it’s happening again.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Lizzie began to cry. “Our dochder is planning on leaving the community again and I have the power to stop her, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.”