Where Love Grows

by Jerry S. Eicher

  “Gut afternoon,” he said cheerfully.

  “Gut afternoon yourself,” she replied as she climbed in and snuggled against his shoulder.

  “Now,” he said, as he turned onto the main road, “I think I need a kiss since you’re a baptized saint.”

  “Up to your tricks again, are you?” she accused, not moving away from him.

  “Of course. You have to be welcomed properly into church membership.”

  “Bishop Henry’s wife already did that.”

  “Not the way I will.”

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  He bent his head sideways, keeping both hands on the lines to control his trotting horse.

  “That’s it!” she said pulling away.. “You get no more kisses until we say the wedding vows.”

  He smiled and looked very smug.

  Susan playfully slapped his arm before leaning against his shoulder again.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  The early morning mist had lifted from the road, burned away by the sunlight glaring brightly. Susan stood inside the front door of the house, with Steve right beside her. The last of the buggies had passed the living room window twenty minutes ago, and it would soon be time for them to leave for the barn.

  Her dark-blue wedding dress rustled when she glanced down at her clasped hands. The day had finally arrived. She was going to say the sacred vows with Steve Mast. She was going to take her place by his side for their walk through life together, in gut times, in bad times, in sickness, and in health.

  “It’s time to go!” Mamm said, her hands fluttering about. “I can hardly stand it! The last of my daughters is getting married! Daett and I will be lost by ourselves down at the dawdy haus.”

  Susan reached over to squeeze Mamm’s hand as Steve opened the front door. He had on a new, shiny black suit, brushed so not a single piece of lint was to be found. The first set of witnesses went out the door. Steve and Susan followed. Susan took a deep breath before they started across the lawn. Behind them came the soft footsteps of the second couple, who would sit with them in the front row.

  All heads turned toward them as they approached the barn door. Every cobweb had been swept off the day before. Every beam was scrubbed. The haymow door had been closed, and every piece of straw picked out of the rough boards. Susan kept her head up, her eyes on the backs of the couple in front of her.

  Her heart pounded as the three couples took their places and stood in front of the foremost bench. All of them waited until Steve made the move to sit down. Mamm had insisted they practice last night, like James and Teresa had, but Steve said he wouldn’t. He wanted the experience to be fresh, he claimed, even if they made a few mistakes. Mamm had sputtered protests, but she’d eventually given in. Steve was that way. He was firm when he knew what he wanted. Now all six of them had taken their seats in perfect unison, following Steve’s lead. It couldn’t have been done better if they had practiced a thousand times.

  The singing started, and minutes later the ministers stood to walk to the house. Again Susan and the rest of the wedding party waited until Steve moved before they rose. They left the others walking back to the house, following the ministers upstairs and took their seats on the chairs Susan had placed there this morning.

  Bishop Henry nodded toward Steve and Susan. He cleared his throat. “It’s gut that another wedding day has arrived for us, and I suppose especially so for Steve and Susan.” The bishop smiled. “When Da Hah first created mankind, he called the union of man and woman a necessary thing because it was not gut that man should be alone. We find this to be true even in our day. It’s fitting that each man should seek a wife of his own to live with her in humility and tenderness, and to rule his house well.

  “Out of this union children are to be born—if it pleases Da Hah. If not, then grace will be given to bear even childlessness. We know that such a couple shall not be without blessings from Da Hah. So I wish to express to you, Steve and Susan, my joy that you have come this far and that you have been found faithful to the will of Da Hah and that of His church. May you continue along this path until the day when time shall be no more, and we are all gathered home to be with the most high God. Now, if the others wish to express themselves, they may do so at this time.” Bishop Henry waved his hand at the other ministers.

  Susan listened as Minister Emery went first, and then more comments came from around the circle. They gave little pieces of advice. How to be patient with each other. How Steve and Susan thought they knew each other well, but they really didn’t. That life lived together had a way of bringing out surprises in the other person—surprises you never expected to find. That Da Hah requires faithfulness on each of their parts. He expected forgiveness when harsh words were spoken and forbearance for the weaknesses of the other.

  Steve smiled when Deacon Ray told the story of the time his wife used his best work shirt as a rag, thinking he no longer wore it.

  “It did have a few holes,” Deacon Ray acknowledged with a smile, “but nothing that couldn’t have been fixed.”

  The other ministers chuckled along with him.

  “You have to work together. Learn how to work together,” Deacon Ray concluded. “Learn to know what the tastes and wants of each are. The years will teach you this, if you allow love to continue growing even in the rough times, as well as in the gut times, of course.”

  Bishop Henry dismissed them when everyone was done speaking. Steve held Susan’s hand going down the stairs, but she pulled away from him when they came in sight of people.

  “I was enjoying that!” he whispered.

  “Someone might see us.”

  “We’re almost married!” he whispered back.

  “I was thinking, back there listening to them talking about all your faults, that I still have time to change my mind.”

  His eyes got big as he stared at her.

  “I’m joking!” she said with a giggle.

  “This is no time for joking,” he said, pulling the edge of his black suit jacket straight.

  They quieted as they went out the door, passing two of the women returning to the house to check on something. The singing was in full volume, even though people turned their heads to watch again when they approached.

  Teresa was sitting beside her mother. All of Susan’s sisters, even the ones from out of state, were scattered around the women’s section, but she only caught a glimpse of several. No one was sick or had been called away to a funeral or other event. It was amazing that Donald was here. And he had his mother and Charles with him. Mamm had made sure all three of them received invitations. Steve’s family was there too. Susan spotted Elizabeth in the women’s section and noted she was crying gently.

  Steve stood still in front of his chair, waiting for her. When Susan was in place, they sat down together. The ministers returned by the end of the song, and the preaching began. Bishop Henry had the main sermon, stopping just before noon. He turned toward Steve and Susan.

  “Now, if our brother and sister still wish to exchange the holy vows, will they please stand?”

  Susan kept her eyes on Steve’s hands and rose with him.

  “And now, do you, Steve,” Bishop Henry intoned, “still believe it is Da Hah’s will that you take our sister Susan as your wedded wife?”

  Steve said, “Yah.” His voice firm.

  Susan answered the same question, her voice shaking.

  “Now do you promise, Steve, to remain faithful to Susan in sickness, in health, in good times, and in bad? That you will cherish and protect her as you would your own flesh?”

  Steve said, “Yah,” a slight smile on his face.

  Susan gathered her courage and said “Yah” when Bishop Henry asked her the same question.

  Bishop Henry took both of their hands in his. “And now in the name of the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, I declare you man and wife.”

  The bishop let go of their hands, and they sat down. Susan kept her head down, not looking at Steve. It
was done! She was Steve’s frau! It was almost too much to take in, the wonder of it. Feelings were rushing through her, but she had to stop thinking about it or the tears would come. And tears were not a gut thing right now.

  Someone started the closing song, and when it was over, Steve stood again. Susan and the other couples followed him outside. Together they walked across the lawn and down the road to Ada’s place, where the tables were set up in their new barn.

  Steve didn’t say anything, even when the couples in front and behind them began chattering about the day. He kept stealing glances at her. Susan reached over to find his hand. He was her husband now, and they could freely do this while people watched.

  Susan saw a smile break over his face. She would have kissed him then and there if it weren’t for the scandal that would have resulted. Some things just couldn’t be done in public even if a couple was married.

  They took their places behind the center table, reaching across to shake hands with those who came past to wish them Da Hah’s blessing.

  Donald and his mother, Ruthann, came together. Both of them were smiling ear to ear. Charles was nowhere in sight.

  “It is so good to be here,” Ruthann gushed. “I’ve never been to an Amish wedding before. What a privilege! And you are such a lovely couple.”

  “Thank you,” Susan said.

  “We’re very glad you could come,” Steve assured her.

  “And all this food!” Donald said. “I had forgotten how much food there is at Amish weddings.”

  “I see why you wanted to come back!” Ruthann said with a laugh. They smiled as they moved on to greet other people and find their table.

  Bishop Henry announced prayer, and the building became silent. After the words were spoken, the volume rose again, quieting only when the waiters appeared with the bowls of food.

  “You look lovely, my darling,” Steve whispered into Susan’s ear.

  She smiled and squeezed his hand under the table.

  Many hours later, after supper and the hymn singing had passed, Susan sneaked a glance at Steve’s pocket watch as he held it up in the dim light, the hands showing nearly midnight. For an Amish wedding, it was still early—at least for the bride and groom. The hymn singing had ended a long time ago, the young folks scattering soon afterward. But the married couples had stayed around, talking and coming by to give their last best wishes.

  Steve and Susan stood outside the barn, watching the last of the old folks’ buggies pulling out. Above them the stars blazed. Mamm and Daett had left minutes ago, their forms still visible as they walked across the fields toward their dawdy haus.

  “Well,” Steve said, “it’s down to us, I think.” They walked hand in hand toward home.

  When they arrived, they paused. Susan looked at the house in the twinkling starlight. The place where she had been born. The house where she had taken her first steps. The door out of which she had run on the first day of her school years. Here she had learned to cook, to sew, to wash clothing, to can food, and to love. Here she had lost so much and gained it back twice over. This was now her place. Their place. Their house, their fields to call home and perhaps someday pass on to another generation, if Da Hah didn’t return before then. “I’m so happy I could cry,” she whispered.

  “Then I hope you learn how to be happy without crying because I plan to be very happy with you for many, many years.”

  “Steve, you’re too gut for me.”

  “No, you’re too gut for me. And do you know what I’ve been waiting for all day?”

  “What?” she teased.

  He turned toward her, and Susan threw her arms around his neck as he pulled her into a kiss.

  “Mmm…” he said, long moments later. “We may have to stay out here all night doing this.”

  “Yah,” she whispered.

  About Jerry Eicher

  Jerry Eicher’s bestselling Amish fiction (more than 400,000 in combined sales) includes The Adams County Trilogy, the Hannah’s Heart books, and the Little Valley Series. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies. Jerry lives with his wife, Tina, and their four children in Virginia.

  Visit Jerry’s website!

  www.eicherjerry.com

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