“It’s not you, not really. It’s just, we do things differently than the world.”
Furrows etched in his forehead. “You sound like my Amish family.”
“You have Amish family?” Her eyes widened.
“Yeah, my grandparents are Amish. My dad used to be, but left when he was a young man. He wanted a different way of life.”
“Do you ever see them?”
“My grandparents?” He shrugged. “Occasionally. Wesley knows them better than I do.”
“Oh. Why is that?”
“Too much drama for me. You know, the whole shunning bit. It’s ridiculous. People should be able to do whatever they wish. It’s a free country. Why would anyone allow themselves to be manipulated and controlled like that?”
She could see she’d struck a nerve. But she had no idea what he was talking about. Her knowledge on the Amish was virtually zero. Now didn’t seem like the right time to discuss the issue. And this certainly wasn’t the place. “Maybe we can talk about that. Sometime in the future? You can write me when you’re in college. If you have time.”
“I could do that.”
“Good. Now back to the issue at hand.” She smiled. “I care for you, Randy. I want this to work between us—”
“You do?” She caught the excitement in his voice.
“I do. But we need to go about it in a good and honorable way. Do you understand?”
“So, no secret meetings?”
“No secret meetings.”
“Wes was right. I am a bad influence on you.” He chuckled.
She smiled. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. You are who you are. That’s part of why I like you. You’re different.”
His eyes sparkled with something akin to mischief. He leaned close and whispered in her ear. “I’d take your hand right now and kiss it, if you’d let me. Then I’d take each of your fingers and kiss—”
She abruptly stepped away, her heart fluttering. How did he do that? Just the thought of his lips on her skin, even if it was just her hand, made her breathless. But she couldn’t let him continue lest she transform into tomato pulp right there in the store.
“I love to see you blush.”
“I-I better finish my shopping,” she stuttered.
“As you wish, little lady.” He was back to his southwestern drawl again.
No, it was not as she wished. As a matter of fact, she fought very hard against what she wished to do right now. She wished she could abandon her shopping trip altogether and leave with Randy. Enjoy lunch together. Maybe walk down by the river together, holding hands and talking. Retreat to his warm car. Laugh together. Allow him to pull her close and, for the first time in her life, experience what it felt like to let a handsome young man press his lips to hers. To indulge in moments she’d only ever read about, dreamed about.
But she wouldn’t. She couldn’t. Not when Mom and Dad were trusting her to keep her pledge—to stay pure until marriage. Because Randy was the kind of boy, no man, who could get her into all kinds of trouble. And trouble only led to heartbreak. She’d seen it over and over again with her friends who dated casually. She’d already decided she didn’t want that. Especially not with Randy. She wanted something deep, genuine. Not just superficial infatuation. Real love.
She needed to do better at guarding her heart. Because, at this moment, Randy Stoltz held it in the palm of his hand. And she wasn’t so sure that was the safest place for it to be. If Randy broke her heart, she might not ever be able to recover.
A voice drew Holly’s attention.
“Attention, everyone!” Randy had climbed up onto one of the metal DVD bins.
Oh no. Her eyes bulged. “Randy! What are you doing?” she called in a distressed but firm whisper.
Randy ignored her protests and continued his monologue. “See this beautiful young woman here?” He gestured toward her with his outstretched arm. “I’m falling madly in love with her.”
“Randy!” She called out again in a whispered voice. “Stop.”
She noticed other shoppers halt in their tracks, their attention riveted on the crazy guy standing a good four feet above everyone else. She moved behind one the aisles to hide, but peeked around the corner.
“I’m going to marry her someday,” he continued.
She would have laughed if she wasn’t so bewildered. What on earth was he doing?
“Uh, sir, you’re going to need to get down from there.” Holly heard one of the workers say.
Randy made a show of jumping down, and she heard the employee issue a stern warning about being escorted out of the store.
“I couldn’t help myself,” Holly heard Randy say.
A moment later, he caught up to her, a grin reminiscent of a crescent moon plastered on his face.
She shook her head. “What did you—”
A male voice from behind them interrupted. “It looks like my gross sohn might need some lessons on love.”
Holly spun around to see an older Amish couple walking up behind her. The man seemed to be chuckling.
Did Randy know these people? Because she had no idea who they were. Had never met any Amish actually.
Randy’s previous mirth immediately evaporated. His eyes narrowed. “If I need to learn any lessons on love, it certainly won’t be from you.”
Holly tried to process the scene in front of her. What was going on?
“I don’t think causing a young woman embarrassment in public is the best way to do it,” the Amish man said, stroking his hoary white beard. An older woman in Plain attire accompanied him. They seemed pleasant enough.
“Like I said, I don’t need or want your advice.” Randy turned away from the man and looked at her. “Let’s go, Holly.”
“Uh, okay.” She glanced at the older man apologetically, then followed Randy to another area of the store.
“I’m sorry about that,” he said, once they were out of earshot of the Amish couple.
“Who was that?”
“Remember I mentioned my Amish grandparents?” He frowned.
Her jaw went slack. “And you don’t get along with them…at all? I didn’t realize…”
He shook his head. “I have no respect for them whatsoever.”
Holly’s eyes widened.
Randy continued, “They have treated my father poorly for most of his adult life.”
“Why?”
“He’s shunned. Remember I said he’d left the Amish when he was a young man?”
“I’m not familiar with the Amish. What does that mean exactly?”
“Well, for starters, he wasn’t even welcome on their property. They wouldn’t even talk to him. He wrote them letters but they were returned unopened. They treated him like he was dead. Probably wished he was.” He spat the angry words out. “They hadn’t met my mom until a couple of years ago.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “Really? That’s sad. Why?”
“Stupid religion.”
“Randy.” She shook her head. “You shouldn’t—”
“Can we just change the subject, please? I do not want to talk about this right now.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, okay. If that’s what you want.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spoil our time together.”
She suddenly recalled the stunt he’d pulled just minutes prior, and couldn’t hold in a giggle.
“What?” Randy’s smile finally returned.
“You, that’s what!” She pushed him playfully. “I can’t believe you did that.”
He laughed now. “I couldn’t help myself. You make me crazy.”
“Oh, so you’re blaming me now.” She fisted a hand on her hip.
“Oh, yes. It’s definitely your fault. I’m usually perfectly sane.”
“I can’t believe you almost got kicked out of the store.”
“It would have been worth it just to see that pretty blush on your face.”
She hung her head, fighting a smile. “Do you, like, do this with every girl?�
�
“Only one.” He winked. “Told you I’m crazy about you.”
She laughed. “You’re crazy alright.”
~
Holly couldn’t seem to get the interchange between Randy and his Amish grandparents out of her head. It was all she could think of as she lay in bed waiting for sleep to come. What had happened that made Randy lose all respect for his grandparents? They’d seemed friendly enough. But even if they weren’t, they still deserved respect. Honor. For their position, if nothing else.
Randy’s reaction to them bothered her. Big time.
How could he make a good husband to someone if he harbored bitterness in his heart? Didn’t the Bible call bitterness a root? If that was true, then she’d have to dig deep to help Randy yank those roots out. Otherwise, it would spread and spoil other relationships in his life as well.
Holly didn’t know how, but she was determined to help him. Maybe she would talk to Shannon about it. Did Wesley hold the same disdain for his grandparents? If not, why?
Although Holly and Shannon hadn’t gotten along initially, they’d become fast friends once they worked out their differences. Holly had practically turned green the day Wesley Stoltz walked into church with Shannon and her siblings nearly two years ago. And seeing him with an adorable baby in his arms hadn’t helped matters. But once she’d seen the error of her ways, and how perfect they were for each other, she’d gotten over her jealousy.
EIGHT
Holly closed the door to her room, sunk into the pillows on her bed, and scrolled her cell phone for Shannon’s number. Perhaps her friend would have some insight into Randy’s relationship with his grandparents. Had Shannon ever met them? Did she and Wesley get along with his Amish grandparents?
She shook her head at the thought of not getting along with one’s grandparents. Maybe she’d just been blessed with two sets of good ones. She loved her grandparents dearly, and they in turn, cherished each of their grandchildren. And they had a lot of grandchildren to cherish.
“Hello?” Shannon’s voice answered on the other end.
“Hi, Shannon. It’s Holly. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something.”
“Sure. Do you want to come over? Or, better yet, I could meet you at the coffee shop in Versailles later. Wesley said he’d be home early today and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind watching the kids. And I’d love to get out of the house for a few minutes. I could use a break.”
Holly smiled. She could imagine needing a break when tending to small children full time. Her former employment at the daycare center had taught her that. “Okay. What time?”
“Let me talk to Wesley and I’ll text you back. Will that work?”
“Sure. Any time is good for me. Just let me know.” Holly disconnected and pondered the situation at hand.
Randy would be meeting with Dad tomorrow before church and she felt a little sorry for him. She didn’t guess that Dad would go easy on him, but she suspected nothing was going to scare Randy away. He seemed like the kind of guy that would not give up easily if he didn’t get his way. Was that a good or a bad trait to have? She supposed it could be either, depending on how it was implemented.
All she knew was that she needed to pray. Because if Randy wasn’t who God had planned for her, she didn’t want to begin a relationship with him. But hadn’t she already? She knew how she felt when Randy was around. Vibrant and full of life. And aside from the confrontation with his Amish grandparents, he seemed to always have a smile on his face. Granted, it was usually a mischievous smile, but a smile nonetheless. And she didn’t doubt that she smiled quite a bit whenever she was in his presence as well.
Could her happily-ever-after be with Randy Stoltz? Or was this mirth just a temporary circumstance that would eventually lead to heartache?
Her phone vibrated and she glanced down at the message.
Can you meet me in thirty minutes?
She quickly texted Shannon back. I’ll be there.
~
Twenty-five minutes later, she rolled to a stop in front of the small café. She didn’t come here too often, but when she did, she loved it. It reminded her of some of the coffee shops she’d read about in books. Many times, it was where the main protagonists met for the first time or where they connected. She wondered if Randy ever stopped in here to indulge in something delicious.
And there she went, thinking of Randy again. She was hopeless.
Shannon pulled up beside her in an SUV and waved.
Holly stepped out of the car and they briefly embraced one another in greeting. “Whatever you want. My treat.” She grinned.
Shannon smiled. “Must be my lucky day. Unfortunately, I can’t indulge in coffee right now.” She rubbed her flat abdomen.
Holly’s eyes expanded. “Are you expecting again?”
Shannon nodded and put a finger to her lips. “You’re only the second person I’ve told.”
She guessed the first must have been Wesley. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
They walked toward the entrance and stepped into the cozy establishment.
“We want to tell Wesley’s parents and the kids at Christmastime. It’ll be a nice surprise for everyone.”
“I’m sure they’ll be thrilled.” Holly inhaled deeply. “I just love the smell in here. It’s inspiring, isn’t it?”
Shannon laughed. “I guess I’ve never thought of a café as inspiring.”
“I just think it would be the perfect setting for a book.”
“You like to read a lot, don’t you?”
Holly nodded and they placed their order with the barista.
“I enjoy it too, but I have so little time. And with a husband and kids, I feel like I rarely have the energy to do anything else but keep the household going.”
They found a seat on a small sofa. “Are you usually low on energy? Because my mom swears by blackstrap molasses.”
Shannon’s face wrinkled. “Blackstrap molasses?”
“Yeah. I guess it’s really good for getting your iron up.”
“I do usually get low on iron when I’m pregnant. At least, I did with Olivia.”
“She’s a little doll, isn’t she?”
“She is, but she’s into everything now that she’s walking. And then her and Melanie together? It’s impossible to keep the house from looking like a tornado blew through. Wesley’s very understanding, though, and he’s a big help.”
“That’s good. He always seemed like a good guy.”
Shannon smiled knowingly. “So what’s this I hear about you and Randy?”
Holly couldn’t hide her smile. “What do you think of him?”
“Randy? He’s a big kid. He’s fun. The kids love their Uncle Randy.”
Holly frowned. Not exactly what she wanted to hear. Fun was good, but did that mean he was irresponsible? She shook off the thought. “He does seem to have the ability to make people smile.” Except her father.
Their order was up. Holly quickly retrieved their drinks from the counter and offered Shannon’s tea to her with a couple packets of honey.
“Thanks.” She smiled. “Was there something specific you wanted to talk about?”
“Yes, actually. Do you know Randy’s Amish grandparents?”
Shannon’s smile grew large and a look of fondness passed over her features. Nothing like Randy’s reaction. “I love his grandparents, Dawdi Christopher and Mammi Judy.”
“And Wesley does too?”
“Oh, yes. They actually had a hand in getting Wesley and me together, sort of.”
“Really?”
“It’s a long story, which I’m sure you’ll hear one day. But Jaycee mistook Dawdi Christopher for Santa Claus.” She shook her head. “Apparently, Jaycee had climbed up in his lap while he was waiting for Mammi Judy and told him what he wanted for Christmas.”
Holly laughed. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.” She took a sip of her tea. “And then a week or so later, they showed up on our doors
tep bearing gifts.”
“That sounds so sweet.” She shook her head, imagining it all. “And Wesley came with them?”
“No. Wesley and I met at the restaurant I used to work at. It wasn’t until later that I discovered they were related. It was certainly one of those ‘it could have only been God’ moments.”
“Wow. So, Randy? He doesn’t get along with them?”
Shannon frowned. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, we ran into them in Walmart the other day. It wasn’t a happy exchange.”
“I think Randy must’ve been hurt at some point in time. At least, that’s my guess. Because I think there’s more to it than their father being shunned.”
“Yeah, he’d mentioned the shunning.”
“I think maybe Randy may have shut off a part of himself. He acts like it’s no big deal, and brushes it away claiming he doesn’t want to get caught up in all the, and I quote, ‘Amish drama.’ But I really think he’s hurting.”
“I thought it might be something like that.” Holly frowned.
“We all deal with things our own way. I think his being angry with them is how he copes.”
Holly nodded. “I was shocked at his reaction to them. He wasn’t very respectful.”
“Yeah. He pretty much avoids them during the holidays, which I think is sad. Wesley’s just glad that they’re coming around more now.”
“And how do their parents feel?”
“They’re grateful. Dawdi Christopher and Mammi Judy are really taking a risk when they visit. I think they do it in secret.”
“Oh.” Holly frowned, sipping her light decaf soy mocha. “Really? Why?”
“Well, it goes back to the whole shunning thing. It’s supposed to make those who left want to return. But I think they finally see that that isn’t going to happen with Wesley and Randy’s father. And instead of losing out on that relationship for the rest of their lives, they stepped out in faith—and against their church’s Ordnung—and offered the right hand of fellowship to them.”
“Ordnung? What is that?”
“That’s the ordinances, or rules, that the church members are required to follow.”
Unlikely Sweethearts (An Amish Christmas Story) Page 5