by Sarah Price
“Vell, Kate,” Samuel began slowly. “Your daed has that grossdaadihaus, ja? I know it hasn’t been lived in for a while, but I would fix it up for us to live there. It might be small, but it would certainly do for a few years. Then when the time is right, when Miriam and Becca are settled down, your parents can claim their life right and move there while you and I live in the main house.”
A soft gasp escaped her lips. “Oh,” she whispered.
“I’ll work the farm alongside your daed and buy the farm when he is ready to sell. Besides what money I’ve already saved, some of my labor will go toward the purchase of the farm, of course.” That he already had a plan didn’t surprise her, for she knew that the Amish always maintained honor among deals. In addition, the farm was larger than anything Samuel could have afforded otherwise. “Your daed was right pleased with the idea.”
“But what about David . . . ?”
Samuel took a deep breath, clearly not as enthusiastic about this aspect of his plan. “Your parents have harbored guilt, Kate. Just as you have. Now that we have confessed our sins, I’m hoping that they can move past this. David, too, will need to learn that his disability does not mean that he cannot contribute to the well-being of the family.”
While she’d love to believe that was possible, she held doubt that it would actually happen.
“The bishop is stopping by, too, Kate,” he added, a solemn edge in his voice. “When I went to the bishop and told him what I wanted to do, I explained the reasons why. The bishop had no idea of the extent of the issues and reassured me that the matter would be addressed after the worship service. He said he would stop by this afternoon, Kate. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to take you for a ride earlier than usual.” He reached for her hand one more time. “That and to find out what your answer is to my proposal. I don’t want to presume anything, Kate. Will you marry me in October?”
She blinked her eyes, feeling the tears welling up and threatening to spill over. For a moment, she felt as if she would wake up only to realize that this was nothing more than a dream. How had so much happened in just a few months? From David’s accident to accepting her fate as a maedel, a young woman destined to never marry, to suddenly courting Samuel, everything felt surreal. Not only had the truth come out, it had set her free from the chains of self-condemnation. Now Samuel was asking for her hand.
When she realized that Samuel was still waiting for her answer, she laughed and wiped at the tears in her eyes. “Yes, Samuel,” she heard herself say, a warm feeling growing in her heart. “I will most certainly marry you in October.”
He grinned, reaching out to pull her into his arms. She relaxed in his embrace and felt his heart pounding against her chest. That was when she realized that, despite appearing calm and at ease, he had been nervous. Had he actually feared that she might refuse him?
With his arms around her, she felt protected and safe. She knew that there would be many challenges ahead of them, especially since they would remain on the Zook farm. However, she knew that, together, they would face the hard times and, as long as they continued to abide by their faith and honor their love for God, grace would surely follow them.
EPILOGUE
She stood at the window, her eyes scanning the grayish sky. The dark clouds and crisp air indicated the inevitability of the winter’s first snow. As she stood there watching, she caught movement near the barn and turned her attention in that direction. When she realized that it was Samuel, hurrying through the shadows toward their house, she smiled and moved to the door to open it for him.
He shivered as he walked into the house, slapping at his arms to warm up. “Sure is cold out there!” With his pink cheeks and bright eyes, it was clear that he was glad his day was over.
“I have coffee ready.” She helped him take off his coat and hung it on the hook by the door.
“First snow tonight, you reckon?” He set his hat on the bench by the door and sniffed at the air. “Something smells right gut, Kate,” he said as he followed her into the kitchen.
They had moved in the previous week, just two weeks after their wedding. Everything still felt unusual and different, not just the fact that they were living in the grossdaadihaus, but that they were married at last.
Hurrying to the stove, Kate poured him a cup of coffee and set it on the counter before turning to the refrigerator for the milk. He washed his hands at the sink and, as he dried them on a dishtowel, leaned against the counter to watch her. She knew she was being observed, which made her feel nervous as she prepared his coffee: two sugars and a dash of milk, just the way he liked it.
“That warms up a fellow, all right!” he said as he accepted the mug. He peered at her over the rim as he sipped the coffee. “And you, Kate Esh. How was your day, my fraa?”
She tried not to smile at his playful tone. Over the past few weeks, she had learned a lot about her husband: the foods he liked, the way he worked, and the manner he teased. Their first weeks together had been nothing less than heaven on earth as far as Kate was concerned. His attentiveness to her, not just as his wife but also as his friend, warmed her heart each and every day.
“It was just wunderbar,” she said. “Worked some more on my quilt. Maem came over for an hour to help.”
“Wonder that she managed the long journey,” he teased.
Kate laughed, especially since the main house was separated from the grossdaadihaus by two doors and the large gathering room used for worship service. “She’s invited some of the women over for Saturday next to finish the quilting. I’m just sorry that we didn’t have it ready before the wedding.”
“Before or after,” he said. “Doesn’t much matter as long as we’re warm at night.” Setting down the coffee mug on the counter, he reached his hand out to take hers. “I have good news,” he said as he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as he stared down into her face. He brushed back a stray hair that had fallen from her kapp. “We have a breakthrough with David,” he said, not able to hide the pride in his voice.
“Oh my!” Kate was genuinely curious. “Do tell!”
Samuel nodded. “Ja! A real breakthrough. I managed to convince him to help with the afternoon milking. He takes the milk to the refrigeration container and brings back the empty buckets. Actually saves us some time, which, given how cold it is, was much appreciated.”
“How wunderbar!”
Brushing his fingers along the side of her neck, Samuel studied her face. “I think those meetings he’s been having with the deacon are finally helping, Kate. We may have turned a corner at last. He never complained once.”
That was, indeed, good news. “Praise the Lord, Samuel.”
Indeed, things seemed to be changing for the better over the past few months. For Kate, the summer months leading up to her autumn wedding had passed far too quickly. Besides her regular chores during the day, she’d kept busy spending more time with Samuel.
His presence at the Zook farm increased, particularly in the evenings and on Saturdays. Besides helping Daed with haying, he spent time working on the grossdaadihaus. While it didn’t need major renovations, Samuel insisted that the floors be refinished, the walls repainted, and the kitchen updated with newer cabinets and appliances.
For the first few weeks after their wedding, Samuel remained at his parents’ farm. The grossdaadihaus wasn’t finished and he wanted to help his daed with filling the silo. On the weekends he stayed at the Zook farm so that he could help her daed, work on the house, and attend worship with Kate. It was customary for the newly married to not live together right away, usually not until spring. But once the grossdaadihaus was finished, Samuel saw no reason to delay the move to their new home.
For the first few days, Kate had felt shy and awkward, fixing Samuel a breakfast that she was used to seeing her maem fix for Daed and her siblings. When Samuel came home for the noon meal, she tried to have somethi
ng special prepared for him but, after a few days, they both agreed that they would share the noon meal with her family next door. It was hard to cook for two people, she decided. Plus, she missed the interaction with her parents.
Pulling back, Samuel glanced around the kitchen, noticing the set table and lantern burning. With the propane heater on, the kitchen felt warm and inviting. “I smell fresh bread,” he said, smiling like a mischievous boy. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure yet, Kate Esh!”
“And a snitz pie!”
Samuel looked genuinely surprised. “Snitz pie? That’s my favorite.”
“I know.” His maem had shared that information with her during their visit the previous Sunday afternoon. “That’s why I made it.”
“And to think,” he teased, “I was worried about your cooking way back when we went for that hike. Figured you had to have a flaw somewhere. With nothing else in sight, I guessed it had to be your cooking!”
She flushed. “No one is perfect, Samuel. I have plenty of flaws.”
Good-naturedly, he nodded his head. “Ja, I know,” he said. “But I’m sure glad I don’t see them!”
Kate laughed and her cheeks flushed at the compliment. Samuel took his seat and looked over the table with satisfaction as steam rose from the food she’d prepared. His blue eyes met hers, and together, they bent their heads for a silent prayer.
A few minutes later, she looked up to see the first few snowflakes beginning to fall outside the window. She almost pointed this out to Samuel, but then noticed that he was already gazing at the flurries coming down. When he turned to her with a reassuring smile, she knew that despite the arrival of winter, which brought back all the memories of the previous year, she had nothing to fear. With Samuel by her side, she could finally feel safe and protected from all of life’s unexpected storms.
GLOSSARY OF PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH
aendi
aunt
Ausbund
Amish hymnal
boppli
baby
bruder
brother
Daed, or her daed
Father
danke
thank you
Englische
non-Amish people
ferhoodled
confused/daydreaming
fraa
wife
g’may
church district
grossdaadihaus
small house attached to main house
gut
good
gut mariye
good morning
ja
yes
kapp
cap
kinner
children
kum esse
come eat
maedel
a single woman
Maem, or her maem
Mother
nee
no
onkel
uncle
Ordnung
unwritten rules of the g’may
rumschpringe
period of “fun” time for youths
schwester
sister
sitz g’may
members’ meeting after worship
vorsinger
choir director
wie geht’s?
what’s going on?
wunderbar gut
wonderfully good
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Preiss family emigrated from Europe in 1705, settling in Pennsylvania as the area’s first wave of Mennonite families. Sarah Price has always respected and honored her ancestors through exploration and research about her family’s history and their religion. At nineteen, she befriended an Amish family and lived on their farm throughout the years.
Sarah Price splits her time between her home outside of New York City and an Amish farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where she retreats to reflect, write, and reconnect with her Amish friends and Mennonite family.
Find Sarah Price on Facebook and Goodreads! Learn about upcoming books, sequels, series, and contests. You can contact the author at [email protected]. Or visit her online at sarahpriceauthor.wordpress.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fansofsarahprice.