“Jah, sorry Dat,” Eli squeaked.
“Oh, you'll be sorry all right,” Jacob Yoder threatened. “We are going down to Philip King's right now and I'm going to have some words with him. Get in the buggy.” Eli hesitated at his father's command. “Now!”
“No, Dat,” Eli dared to say. “I love Danika and I plan to marry her whether you like it or not.”
Danika could feel the eyes of all of her classmates on her.
“Don't be a fool, Son. Get in the buggy, I said,” Jacob demanded and grasped his arm; Eli had no choice but to obey.
Danika jumped out of her seat and ran out of the schoolhouse. She raced home on foot as fast as she could. Please, Lord, no! she silently prayed. Please don't let this happen, I beg you! Her heart had never been heavier.
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Jacob Yoder came stomping into Philip's herb shop with Eli behind him. “King, I want to talk to you,” Jacob said in a semi-controlled voice.
“Uh, let's step out back,” Philip suggested, not wanting to startle his customers.
“I found this in my boy's drawer.” He held out the lock of hair. “Your girl gave it to him,” he said angrily.
Philip said nothing. He could see poor Eli was trembling.
“What kind of girl gives a gift like that?” he stated more than asked. “And black hair too. She’s not our kind.”
Jacob Yoder was definitely a different man now than who Philip had known in the past. It was plain to see that bitterness had gotten a hold of him. Just then Danika ran up, panting. She and Eli locked eyes in horror.
“Philip King, you've given me more trouble than –” Jacob grasped his heart, obviously in pain, fell to his knees, and his face began turning white.
“Danika, quick, get the cayenne. He's having a heart attack!” Philip called to Danika who was closest to the herb shop.
“No, Dat!” Eli cried.
Danika ran back with a glass full of something red, and they gave it to Jacob to drink. After he had drunk the entire glass, they moved him into the house where he could rest. Eli went and stayed by his father's side. “I'm sorry, Dat.” He sobbed on his father's shoulder, while he lay on the bed.
Philip walked up behind Eli and touched his arm. “It'll be okay, Son,” he said comfortingly. Eli stood up and Philip embraced him while his tears flowed freely. “It's not your fault,” he stated.
Danika stood in the kitchen explaining the whole situation to Naomi and Cindy. Afterward, she went outside alone and prayed, Dear Lord, Please don't let Eli lose his dad. Not like this. It would be too much of a burden for him to carry. No matter what happens to Eli and me, please let his father live.
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“Hi, Danika,” Eli said, as he came and sat by her on the porch swing. “It looks like Dat's going to be okay.”
Danika gave him a big hug, and he held her tight. “I'm so glad, Eli.”
“Your Uncle Philip is in there talking with him right now. He's sharing the Gospel, can you believe it?”
“We must pray that he gets saved. Jesus is the only one that can heal his heart,” Danika stated. Eli took her hand and he prayed aloud.
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Philip poked his head out the door, and informed Eli and Danika, “Jacob would like to see you now. Both of you.”
They looked at each other with questioning eyes, then back at Philip.
“It's all right, kumm,” he reassured them. They followed him into the quiet house and he led them to the living room, where Jacob now sat on the small couch.
Jacob still appeared a little frail, but his countenance had changed somehow. Eli and Danika sat down on the two wooden chairs in the room. Jacob looked at Danika as if to be studying her. She did not look away. He then looked at his son and began to speak, “Eli...” his voice cracked, “I have been wrong.”
“'Tis okay, Dat.”
“No, my behavior was not okay. I have let my own pride stand in the way of truth. Because of it, I have become a despicable man. I am not only ruining my own life, but also the lives of those around me. I am ashamed that it had to come to this before I opened my eyes. Will you please forgive me for the grief I have caused you?” he asked, his eyes pleading.
“For sure and for certain.” Eli smiled at his dad.
Jacob then looked at Dani. “Danika, is it?”
She nodded her head.
“Please come here,” he requested.
She came and stood before him, quickly glancing at Eli.
Jacob took her hand and searched her eyes. “Forgive me for misjudging you, I was wrong. You and your uncle have saved my life. I am indebted to you.”
“All is forgiven,” she granted with misty eyes.
Philip broke his silence and spoke up, “Jacob, I would be honored if you and your family would join us for lunch this Sunday.”
“We would be honored to come,” he replied.
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Chapter 15 – The Surprise
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine...” Proverbs 17:22a
Danika couldn't think of a time in her life when she had been happier. Eli had taken most of the week off from school to help out at home. On Friday, he returned to class with the rest of the scholars. It was difficult for both of them to keep their minds on their studies. They were looking forward to this Sunday when their families would share in fellowship.
Eli escorted Danika home from school with the blessing of his father and Philip. They recounted all of the things that had happened since that first day in the woods. They marveled in the wondrous things that God had wrought, and how he had answered their prayers. God had never seemed more real in their lives than now, and they knew that they could trust Him with their future.
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Sunday came quicker than expected and Naomi, Danika, and Cindy were busy making preparations for the noon meal. Philip had brought an extra table into the kitchen to accommodate their guests and the ladies quickly set it. When the Yoders arrived, Jacob gave Philip a hearty bear hug. Smiles and laughter soon filled the house as friendships were restored.
When all of the guests were present and seated, Philip made an announcement, “Naomi and I have a surprise for Danika.”
Danika looked at them both inquisitively, and then glanced around the table to see if anyone else knew about it. They looked just as curious as she was.
Philip went to the bedroom and brought out a shiny red scooter.
“What in the world?” Danika asked in surprise.
“The scooter is not the surprise. It's in the basket.” Naomi smiled.
Danika reached into the basket and pulled out a white rectanglular envelope. She quickly opened it, a little nervous that all eyes were on her. She pulled out a card and read it silently, then read the words that were written by hand aloud: “Danika, we love you and we hope that you will be happy to be called our daughter. You are now officially Danika Morales King. Love, Your new Mamm and Dat.”
With tears in her eyes, Danika rushed to her new parents and embraced them. “Denki, I love you too.”
THE END
A sneak peek at Book 3 in the Amish Girls Series...
Chloe's Revelation
J.E.B. Spredemann
Chapter 1 - Anticipation
“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance...” Proverbs 15:13a
Ada Esh gingerly picked up her birthing supply bag, waved a quick farewell to her husband Daniel, then headed from the dawdi haus to the larger dwelling next door. Her granddaughter Chloe would possibly be observing her first birth today and Ada hoped she would eventually take over her midwifery duties in Paradise. Since Ada had passed her sixty-fifth birthday, she figured it was due time to train someone from the younger generation and pass on the art of “catching babies”.
“Hullo, Mary!” Ada greeted her daughter-in-law. “Is Chloe ready?”
Mary dried her hands on a dish towel and offered Ada a hug. “Jah, she is thrilled. That boppli is all she's been talking about lately. Sh
e should be down in a bit.”
Chloe quickly descended the stairs, “Grossmudder!” She gave her grandmother a quick embrace. “This is going to be so exciting!”
“Well, the two of us better get going before that boppli arrives without us. You know if that happens, Isaac Fisher will be beside himself not knowing what to do. We don't want the new dat to worry.” Ada warned.
“The buggy is all hitched up and ready to go!” Peter Esh hollered from the back door.
“Denki, Sohn.” Ada said as she and Chloe tromped down the back steps of the porch.
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Chloe grasped the sides of her apron with sweaty hands, emotions swirling in her mind. This was the most exciting time in her life. Today she would be assisting Mammi with her first birth, school was finally over and done with, she would be staying home and helping Mamm with the house and the kinner, and she would be attending her first Singing soon. Her transition from childhood into adulthood had finally begun and her expectations couldn't be higher. She quietly smiled to herself as she and Ada rode along in their buggy. Cayenne, her beautiful auburn-colored quarter horse, seemingly took forever to arrive at the Fisher residence, not at all how he usually performed when Chloe raced him with Joanna Fisher's Arabian stallion, Blueberry.
Upon their arrival, Chloe hopped down from the buggy. As Isaac took Cayenne out to the pasture, she and Ada hurried into the house to see Rachel. Chloe was surprised when she noticed her sister Rachel preparing a casserole for the evening meal. Rachel smiled at the two ladies as they entered her home.
“Wilkom!” Rachel's cheeks glowed with joy.
“How's Mamm and the boppli doing?” Ada asked.
“Ach, I thought he was ready to make his appearance, but it seems he or she has settled down now. I haven't had one contraction since Isaac called you.” Rachel sighed disappointedly.
“Appears to be false labor. Happens all the time, so don't feel bad. The boppli will come when he's good and ready.” Ada chuckled.
“Since you're here anyway, how about a cup of peppermint tea?” Rachel suggested.
Ada and Chloe glanced at one another and both agreed. “Might as well.”
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“Hey, Dat. What's Mother's Day?” Jonathan Fisher asked his father Gideon as they walked toward Beiler's Hardware store.
Gideon rubbed his beard, a confused look adorning his face. “Mother's Day? Why do you ask?”
“Well, I just saw a sign in the window of that store over there. It read 'Don't forget Mother's Day this Sunday'.” The ten-year-old explained bright-eyed.
“I reckon Mother's Day is a day the Englischers celebrate their mamms.” Gideon stated, hoping his simple answer would suffice his son's curiosity.
“How come we don't celebrate Mother's Day, Dat?” he wondered.
“Like I said, Mother's Day is a holiday for the Englisch. We don't need fancy days to show how much our loved ones mean to us. We show them everyday by our actions.”
While Jonathan thought that Mother's Day sounded like a good holiday to celebrate, he didn't argue with his father. Instead, he tried hard to think of something special he could give his mother to show her that he loved her. A smiled slowly crept across his face when he came up with an idea.
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“Jonathan, are you sure you know what you're doing?” Matthew Riehl asked nervously as the two boys entered the cemetery.
“Come on, Matthew. Don't ya wanna get somethin' nice for your mamm?” Jonathan smiled thinking of the look of delight on his mother's face when he would deliver his special gift.
“Jah, I guess so. But are ya sure this is okay?” He looked to his friend with a worried expression.
“Jah, of course. Matthew, do ya think I'd do something to get you in trouble?”
Matthew thought of the time when Jonathan talked him into helping him rope off the outhouse at school. Unbeknownst to Matthew, their friend Joshua Hostettler, also the bishop's son, was inside. Matthew had to stay after school a whole hour everyday for the next week and write an essay about the 'Golden Rule'. “Well – ”
“Of course, not.” Jonathan assured him. “The people here are all dead. They won't care if we take the flowers. Besides, the men that work here just throw the flowers away anyhow.” Jonathan spotted a large bouquet of brightly-colored artificial flowers and his eyes lit up. He quickly knelt down and took the flowers from the plastic vase.
“But, isn't that stealing?” Matthew gulped.
“Like I said, Matthew. The people are dead, they don't care about the flowers. Besides, isn't it better to give flowers to people that are living?”
“Well – ”
“Just think of how happy your mamm will be when she sees the flowers. Unless, you'd rather give her one of those big candles with a picture of Jesus on it. Na...that would probably be a graven image. Besides, how do ya suppose they know what Jesus looks like?” Jonathan mused aloud, not waiting for Matthew's answer. “Here's some nice flowers and they're purple too. Didn't you say purple was your mamm's favorite color?” Jonathan held out a small bouquet of silk lilacs to Matthew.
“Uh...okay. Do you think we should go now?” Matthew furtively glanced around.
“Jah, I can't wait till tomorrow!” Jonathan smiled as he and his friend walked out the cemetery gate.
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Danika's Journey (Amish Girls Series--Book 2) Page 9