by Amy Clipston
“Are you okay?” Panic shot through her, and she stood and reached for him, not sure what to do to help him. “Do you want me to call the nurse?”
“I’m all right,” he said, his voice breathless. “My arm is killing me, but I’m thankful I didn’t break my back.” He cleared his throat. “What were you saying? Oh, right. You were talking about the night I realized I had to tell you about Seth. I had already told you I loved you, and I knew my feelings for you were growing. I decided I had to be brave and finally admit the truth.”
“Well, the truth is that I love you,” Veronica said as more tears trickled down her warm cheeks.
His eyes widened and he smiled. “I love you too, Veronica.” “I’m sorry I pushed you away.” Veronica looked down at the bedrail, and her thoughts fell into place. “After you told me the truth about knowing Seth, I went up into the attic looking for more recipes. I was trying to find a way to channel my grief, and cooking has always been the best way for me to cope. I didn’t find any other recipes, but I found a letter my mammi had written to my daadi when they were dating.”
She explained that her great-uncle had died in an accident, and he had been her grandfather’s best friend. She also shared about the letter her grandmother had written after her grandparents’ argument.
“In the letter, my mammi told my daadi that she realized she would always keep her bruder in her heart. She’d been afraid of moving on with her life because she didn’t want to disrespect her bruder’s memory. She also said her bruder would want her to be froh.” She met Jason’s gaze and found him watching her intently. “I think the letter applies to us.” She took his hand in hers. “I don’t have to put my life on hold because I lost Seth. I’ll always keep my memories of Seth alive in my heart, but you and I will make new memories together. We both loved Seth, and we’ll never forget him. And Seth would want us to be froh.”
He squeezed her hand. “I agree,” he whispered, his voice straining with emotion.
“Jason, I want to start over.” She pulled a plastic zip-up bag from her purse and looked at him with a smile. “Hi. My name is Veronica Fisher, and I’d like to teach you how to skip stones. Word around the community is that I’m the expert and you need some help.”
Jason chuckled and then winced before saying, “Well, Veronica Fisher, my name is Jason Huyard, and I’d love to have you teach me how to skip stones. I think we’ll have to wait until after my arm heals for you to give me lessons, but I’ll be froh to watch you skip them.”
“That sounds like a gut plan.” Veronica grinned. “I love you, Jason.”
“I love you too, Veronica.”
She leaned down and rested her head on his left shoulder and closed her eyes. She was thankful God had given her a second chance at love.
EPILOGUE
VERONICA HELD JASON’S HAND AS THEY STOOD BY THE pond on the Huyard farm two months later. She shivered as the early November wind seeped through her coat, and she hugged her arms to her chest while Jason chose a rock from a bag and flicked it out over the pond.
“Look at that!” Jason said, clapping his hands. “That was six skips before the rock fell into the pond. Can you beat that?”
“That’s great.” She smiled as her teeth chattered. “Can we go in now? I’ll make some hot chocolate, and we can sit by the fire and warm up.”
“Hang on.” He chose the last rock from the bag. “I’ve waited two long months to do this. I’m glad the break wasn’t as bad as it could have been. But, still, I thought that cast would never come off and therapy would never end.”
“Buwe,” Veronica muttered with an eye roll.
“I heard that.” He flashed his adorable crooked grin, and her pulse galloped through her veins. He flicked the last rock, and it skipped seven times before plopping into the water. “Did you see that one?”
“Ya, I saw it.” She tried her best to sound enthusiastic, but the cold was seeping into her bones. “Now can we go?”
“What’s the rush?” He took her hands in his. “We just got out here.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, it’s cold. You’re the weatherman, so you should’ve already known that.” She smiled up at him, taking in his handsome face.
The past two months had been wonderful as she and Jason had enjoyed getting to know each other better. Jason’s arm had taken two long months to heal, and he spent that time working in his father’s office instead of building sheds. His cast, however, didn’t hinder Jason from visiting Veronica. They spent as much time as possible together—taking long walks, going on picnics, and sitting on each other’s porches late into the night while talking about everything from their memories of Seth to their feelings for each other. Veronica enjoyed every moment with Jason, and she found herself falling deeper and deeper in love with him every time they were together.
“I’m not ready to go in yet,” he said before touching her nose.
“But you ran out of rocks.” She held up the empty bag. “See? No rocks left. We can skip stones again next spring, when it’s not freezing outside.” She stuffed the bag into her coat pocket, took his hand, and started to tug him toward the house. “Let’s go have hot chocolate with marshmallows.”
“No.” He gently pulled her toward him. “Let’s go this way.”
“Why?” Veronica asked with an exaggerated moan. “I told you, I’m cold.”
“Just walk and quit whining.” Jason grinned at her, and she complied. He squeezed her hand. “I want to show you something.”
“What is it?” she asked. “More dead grass?”
Jason shook his head. “No, it’s more than that. At least it will be.” He pointed toward the far pasture, beyond the pond. “Do you see that big tree out there?”
“Ya, I see it.” Veronica shivered again and leaned against him, hoping some of his body heat would seep into her coat and warm her to above frigid temperatures.
“That’s where I want to build our haus.” He kept his focus trained on the far pasture. “I’ve envisioned it would have two stories, a wraparound porch, and three bedrooms, but we can have more bedrooms if you want.”
Veronica blinked, and she was suddenly dizzy with excitement. Did he just say he wanted to build her a house? Had she heard him correctly? “What did you say?”
Jason gave her a warm smile and touched her cheek. “I want to build you a haus, but I need to ask you something first.” He cleared his throat and looked into her eyes as if they held all the answers he needed.
“I love you, Veronica. I’ve loved you since that first time I met you at your bake stand and you looked at me as if I were a lunatic. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to have a family with you, and I want to grow old with you. I’ve already gotten your father’s blessing, but I have to ask you something. Will you marry me and let me build you a haus on my father’s farm?”
“Yes,” she whispered as sudden tears flooded her eyes. “Yes, I will marry you.”
He placed his hands on her cheeks, leaned down, and brushed his lips across hers, sending her stomach into a wild swirl. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of his lips against hers. All her dreams had come true.
“I can’t wait until next season to get married,” he said. “Let’s get married a week or two after Christmas.”
“A week or two after Christmas?” she asked, her thoughts swirling with anxiety. “That’s barely two months away. There’s so much to plan, and I need to make dresses for my schweschdere and for me. And all of the baking.” She looked up at him and shook her head. “I don’t know, Jason.”
“Veronica, my accident taught me that life is fleeting. I can’t wait to start my life with you, and I don’t want to wait if I don’t have to.” He took her hand and led her back toward his parents’ house. “If you want to wait a year, then we’ll wait. It’s up to you.”
As they climbed the porch steps, Veronica could sense the disappointment in his voice. Excitement rushed through her as she thought of being Jason’s wife before sp
ring set into Lancaster County.
“Wait,” she said when they reached the top step. “I don’t want to wait to get married next year either, but I don’t think two months is enough time to get ready. How about February?”
“February?” His eyes flickered with excitement.
“Ya, that will give me enough time to prepare.”
“Yes!” Jason lifted her up and spun her around. “You’ve made me the happiest man on the planet.” He kissed her again, this kiss lingering longer than the first. Warmth swept through her body, and she suddenly forgot that it was November.
She took his hand and led him to the house. “Let’s go have some hot chocolate. We have some plans to make. I want to hear more about this haus you’re going to build for me.”
WHEN VERONICA TOLD HER FAMILY THE EXCITING NEWS, they were overjoyed, but her mother and sisters also agreed that they had a lot to do before the wedding. They began making lists of everything they needed to make and buy in preparation. Veronica was so thankful to have her sisters to help her plan her wedding and share in her excitement.
After supper Veronica helped her mother wash and dry the dishes while Emily spent some time in the store and Rachel and David talked on the porch. Veronica wanted to tell her mother about all the plans she and Jason had already made.
“Jason is going to build a haus for us on his parents’ property,” she told her mother while drying a pot. “He said he’s going to build a bake stand for me, too, so I can keep making pies. I think he wants me to make them for him, but he says I can sell them as well.”
“I’m so froh for you, Veronica.” Mamm smiled as she scrubbed a pan. “I had a feeling Jason was the one for you, but I wanted you to feel that way in your heart.”
“I do, Mamm. I’m so very happy. Danki.” Veronica stowed the pot in the cabinet. “You know, Mamm, I’m already thinking about what pies I’m going to bake for the bake stand next year—besides raspberry pies, of course. That is, if you’ll let us buy raspberries from you. Do you have more of Mammi’s pie recipes? I know she made several different kinds.”
“Veronica, you can help yourself to the raspberries. But I’m not sure if I have any more of Mammi’s pie recipes,” Mamm said.
“When we were looking for more recipes together in the attic, we got sidetracked with Mammi’s letter.” Veronica wasn’t sure she should mention the hope chest. “Would you help me look around up there some more?”
Her mother seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then said, “Ya. I’ll help you.”
Later, when Mamm said she was ready, Veronica grabbed flashlights and followed her mother up the spiral staircase to the third floor.
As she hummed to herself, she flipped open boxes and sifted through some books and papers. Mamm looked in some old dresser drawers.
Eventually Veronica found her way to the back of the attic and spotted her mother’s hope chest again, where she’d found both the forgotten, but all-important, raspberry pie recipe and her mammi’s letter. She glanced at her mother, remembering Mamm had locked it the last time they had been in the attic together. Would she allow her to look in the hope chest once more? There could be more recipes in there.
“Mamm? May we look in your hope chest one more time?”
Mamm nodded. “Ya. I brought the key up with me in case you asked.” She pulled the key from her apron pocket, unlocked the chest, and then slipped the key back into her pocket. “I’ll check for you.”
Mamm opened the lid and moved some items around, this time digging a little deeper. When she lifted a small, flat box near the bottom of one side a little too quickly, the lid fell off, and a brand-new, blue, newborn-size onesie spilled out onto the floor.
Veronica immediately picked it up and examined it, noticing a faded price tag hanging from the arm. She heard her mother gasp, and when she looked up, Mamm’s eyes had widened.
In an instant, questions swirled through Veronica’s mind. Why would her mother, who had given birth to three girls, have a blue onesie? Had the onesie belonged to another baby? But whose baby could it have been? Why was Mamm so shocked to find this? Didn’t she know it was in the chest?
She craved answers.
“Mamm,” Veronica began, “why did you—”
“Please give that to me.” Mamm snatched the onesie from Veronica’s hand.
“Where did it come from?”
“It’s just something I was saving.” Mamm stood, bent to fetch the box, and her fingers scrambled to place the onsie back inside and replace the lid.
Veronica stood beside her. “Why were you saving that?”
“I told you, I just was.” Mamm was obviously evading the question. “Let me put it back, and then we can talk some more about your wedding.” She returned the box to the bottom of the hope chest, locked it, pocketed the key again, and started for the stairs. “I don’t think there are any more recipes up here anyway.” Behind her, Veronica could see her shoulders rise and fall as she took a deep breath.
“I was going over your lists earlier, Veronica, and I thought we could go to the fabric store tomorrow to pick up material.”
As Veronica drew up beside her mother and tried to look into her eyes, she could tell Mamm was avoiding her gaze. She had no idea why she wouldn’t discuss the small garment. Was Mamm hiding something? Was she saving it for someone else? But Mamm had made it clear the subject was closed.
“I think blue will look lovely on you and your schweschdere,” Mamm said as they descended the stairs.
“Danki, Mamm. I agree, and Jason likes blue too.” Veronica followed her mother and pushed the confusion about the onesie and the locked hope chest away. Turning her thoughts to her wedding made her smile. She couldn’t wait to get started on all their plans, and she couldn’t wait to start her life with Jason.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
AS ALWAYS, I’M THANKFUL FOR MY LOVING FAMILY, INCLUDING my mother, Lola Goebelbecker; my husband, Joe; and my sons, Zac and Matt. I’m blessed to have such an awesome and amazing family.
I’m more grateful than words can express to Janet Pecorella, Lauran Rodriguez, and also my mother for proofreading for me. I truly appreciate the time you take out of your busy lives to help me polish my books. Special thanks to my Amish friends who patiently answer my endless stream of questions. Thank you also to Stacey Barbalace for her research assistance. You’re a blessing in my life.
Thank you to my wonderful church family at Morning Star Lutheran in Matthews, North Carolina, for your encouragement, prayers, love, and friendship. You all mean so much to my family and me.
To my agent, Sue Brower—you are my own personal superhero! I can’t thank you enough for your guidance, advice, and friendship. I’m thankful that our paths have crossed and our partnership will continue long into the future. You are a tremendous blessing in my life.
Thank you to my amazing editor, Becky Philpott, for your friendship and guidance. I’m grateful to Jean Bloom, who helped me polish and refine the story. I also would like to thank Katie Bond and Kristen Golden for tirelessly working to promote my books. I’m grateful to each and every person at HarperCollins Christian Publishing who helped make this book a reality.
To my readers—thank you for choosing my novels. My books are a blessing in my life for many reasons, including the special friendships I’ve formed with you. Thank you for your e-mail messages, Facebook notes, and letters.
Thank you most of all to God—for giving me the inspiration and the words to glorify you. I’m grateful and humbled that you’ve chosen this path for me.
Special thanks to Cathy and Dennis Zimmermann for their hospitality and research assistance in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Cathy & Dennis Zimmermann, Innkeepers
The Creekside Inn
44 Leacock Road
PO Box 435
Paradise, PA 17562
Toll Free: (866) 604-2574
Local Phone: (717) 687-0333
The author and publisher gratefully acknowl
edge the following resource that was used to research information for this book:
C. Richard Beam, Revised Pennsylvania German Dictionary (Lancaster, PA: Brookshire, 1991).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Jason is distraught when his friend Seth is killed in a work accident. When he sees Veronica at the visitation at Seth’s mother’s house, he feels compelled to share his grief with her. Have you faced a difficult loss? What Bible verses helped you? Share this with the group.
2. Veronica feels God is giving her a second chance when she falls in love with Jason. Have you ever experienced a second chance? What was it?
3. Emily quotes Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” What does this verse mean to you?
4. Veronica busies herself with baking raspberry pies as a way to deal with losing her fiancé. Think of a time when you felt lost and alone. Where did you find your strength? What Bible verses helped?
5. Jason believes he’s shielding Veronica from hurt when he fails to tell her he was friends with Seth. In the end, it’s still painful when Veronica finds out the truth. Do you think Jason’s intentions were justified? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? If so, how did it turn out? Share this with the group.
6. Near the end of the book, Stephen feels compelled to talk to Veronica about Jason to try to convince her Jason never meant to hurt her. Have you ever tried to defend someone who had hurt someone else? How did this situation turn out for you?
7. Veronica is afraid of opening her heart to Jason. By the end of the book, she realizes she is ready to love again and then agrees to marry him. What do you think causes her to change her point of view on love throughout the story?
8. Which character can you identify with the most? Which character seems to carry the most emotional stake in the story? Is it Jason, Veronica, Stephen, or someone else?
9. After his accident, Jason is eager to get married. He feels life is fleeting, and he doesn’t want to waste another day. Have you ever had a life-changing experience? If so, share this with the group.