Jacob felt both relief and annoyance with the situation. “There is a problem that has arisen out of this. Something neither of us could have foreseen.”
Bishop Troyer put up a hand to stop Jacob from saying anymore. “Like I said. Not much gets by me unnoticed. I know about the situation with Abby and Jonah. I understand they’re planning on going to Florida to be married, and you want them to be married here.”
Lizzie shook her head. “Jah. We don’t want her to have to leave the community. But we don’t see how the community will accept a marriage between them since they know them as first cousins, even though they’re not.”
The Bishop gave them a serious look. “Are the two of you prepared to make a public announcement about this? You don’t have to divulge personal information, but you will have to openly admit to the community that Abby is not related by blood to Jacob—that she isn’t his dochder.”
Jacob answered for both of them. “We’re prepared to do that for our dochder’s happiness.”
Bishop Troyer stood. “You can make the announcement at the services tomorrow, and then I will agree to marry them.”
Lizzie’s eyes filled with tears. Gott had answered her prayers despite her sinful actions.
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CHAPTER 30
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Abby smiled as she stood before the Bishop, who’d positioned himself between the mulberry trees in the school yard, waiting for him to perform the marriage ceremony for her and Jonah. Snowflakes touched her pink cheeks, but she didn’t care. She was finally marrying the only mann she could ever love. If it was possible, Jonah looked more handsome than ever on this snowy, February day. Wasn’t this the month of love? Even if it wasn’t for anyone else, it was for her.
Abby momentarily caught her mamm’s loving glance. With that one look, Abby tried to convey all the love and gratitude she felt because of her mamm’s brave confession. Abby knew it was because of Gott’s love and her mamm’s strength that she was standing here today, able to marry Jonah.
After a long talk with her mamm regarding the circumstances surrounding her conception, Abby finally understood why her mamm had felt the need to protect her in the manner in which she did. It was at that point that Abby stopped seeing her mamm as a liar, but as a strong woman who had endured a great hardship to protect her dochder. Abby admired her mamm for the strength it took for her to raise her alone in the Englisch world for the first ten years of her life. And for the courage it took for her mamm to return to the Amish community and face the consequences.
Abby quickly glanced at Jacob, who sat protectively at her mamm’s side. She had a new respect for him, too. For accepting the responsibility of becoming her daed, and for protecting her from the harshness of her Englisch heritage.
Abby’s eyes returned to Jonah, her love, and her future. She hoped that Gott would continue to bless her, and that she would be a strong fraa for Jonah, strong like her mamm.
Abby shivered a bit from the wind, but she was too excited to be here to care. There was no denying that a Florida wedding would have been warmer, but nothing could have warmed her heart more than being married to Jonah under the mulberry tree.
Under the Mulberry Tree: Book Three Page 10