The Amish Baby Finds a Home

by Barbara Cameron

  “We won’t speak of it,” Abraham thundered and his face grew red.

  Eli drew himself up. “I want to make things right. I want to marry Emma, be a gut dat to John, and Emma wants you to be there, both of you, when we get married.”

  “Abraham, please calm down,” Lillian said putting a hand on his arm.

  Emma watched her dat walk to the door looking so shaky she feared they had upset him too much. She tugged at Eli’s arm. “Eli, please. Let’s go.”

  They stood there, two stubborn men she loved. “Eli, please.”

  Eli turned to Lillian. “Don’t you want to see your grosssohn?” he asked, appealing to her.

  Before she could answer Abraham wrenched the door from Lillian and slammed it shut. The noise made Emma jump.

  “I told you it was a bad idea,” Emma said, fighting back tears.

  “Emma, let me try to talk to him some more.”

  She shook her head. “It won’t do any gut. His mind is made up. And he scared me getting so red in the face. He shouldn’t get upset like that when he had the heart attack not long ago.”

  Turning, she rushed down the stairs knowing it was the last time she’d come here. If her eldres were determined to shun her there was nothing she could do.

  Her tears fell as they climbed into the buggy and began the drive back to his house. Eli kept telling her everything was going to work out allrecht, but she just tuned him out. She used her hands to wipe away her tears.

  Eli touched her arm. “Emma, I’m sorry.”

  She took a breath and it hitched in her chest. “I just want to get John and go back to the motel,” she said, not looking at him. “Can we do that?”

  “Schur. Once you’ve calmed down.”

  “Now, Eli. I want to go now.” She pulled away from him. Once they arrived at his house, she hurried up the steps of the back porch. She opened the door without knocking and went into the kitchen.

  “That didn’t take long,” Gideon began and then he saw Emma’s face. “Oh, nee, it didn’t go well?”

  “It didn’t go at all. My dat slammed the door in our face just like he did when I went to see them when I first came back. I told Eli it wouldn’t work but he wouldn’t listen.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “I need to get John.” She reached for a paper napkin kept in a wicker basket on the table, wiped her cheeks, and blew her nose.

  “Sit and calm down. You don’t want John to see you upset. Then he’ll get upset.”

  Emma took a shuddering breath and sank into a chair at the table. “Danki. But I can’t stay long. I just want to go back to the motel and think about what to do.”

  Gideon went upstairs calling for his mudder.

  She came out of her room. “What is going on? Why are you yelling for me?”

  “Emma’s downstairs. Her eldres upset her. Can you talk to her?”

  “Schur.”

  He followed her down the stairs as she rushed to Emma. “What’s wrong, kind?” she asked as she took a seat beside Emma.

  “We can’t get married!” Emma sobbed. “Eli and I can’t get married.”

  Glad to have his mudder deal with Emma’s tears—he’d never felt comfortable with a woman’s tears—he beat a hasty retreat to his room.

  * * *

  Eli stepped into the kitchen and found Emma sobbing in his mudder’s arms.

  For a moment—just for a moment—he wanted to turn on his heel and rush out to the safety of the barn. He didn’t do well with women in tears. Did any man? Then he caught the look in his mudder’s eyes and moved forward.

  “Emma, you’re going to make yourself sick if you keep crying,” he told her, patting her shoulder.

  “He’s right,” Leah said. “Here, lieb, dry your eyes and let me make you a cup of tea. The water’s still hot from when I boiled it a little while ago.”

  She poured a mug of hot water, set it before Emma, and pushed the little bowl of tea bags close.

  Emma opened a tea bag and dunked it into the hot water. Her breath hitched as she added sugar and then took a sip.

  “How can we get married?” she asked. “They won’t talk to me. So they’re schur not going to let us get married in their house.”

  “Then you’ll get married here,” Leah said.

  Eli stared at her. “We will?”

  “Schur. You don’t have to have the wedding at the braut’s house. You can have it at the breidicham’s. So, when shall we have the ceremony?”

  “The sooner the better,” Eli said emphatically. “Elmer said he could marry us next week if we want.”

  Emma gave him a watery smile. “Eli, even though we’d only have a few people it’s a lot of work for your mudder and on short notice.”

  “I don’t mind.” Leah got two pads of paper and pencils from a drawer, placed one set at Emma’s elbow, and then sat back down at the table. “Start a list of the friends you want to invite.”

  Then she began a list of her own. Emma saw she was writing down the food they’d serve. It was almost always the same: baked chicken, roasht, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables. A small wedding cake, of course.

  “The celery may not be ready yet,” Leah mused, chewing on the end of her pencil and staring off into the distance.

  “I’ll just leave the two of you alone.” Eli began backing away, but his mudder stopped him from leaving again with that look she was so gut at. She rose and got another pad of paper and a pencil. Eli wondered how many supplies she kept in that drawer. “Start a list of what you’re supposed to take care of. This isn’t all the job of the women, you know.”

  He was saved from the task of wedding planning when he heard John crying in the living room. “I’ll go see what he needs.”

  John was sitting up in the portable playpen his mudder had mysteriously come up with since John had first visited the house. He didn’t think it was one she’d used for him and Gideon because it looked too modern.

  “Hey big guy. Want to get up?” he asked and held out his arms. John lifted his own and Eli scooped him up and was surprised when his sohn wrapped his arms around his neck. His heart full, he walked back to the kitchen with him.

  Emma smiled when she saw them then she glanced at the clock. “I’ll have to work on this list some more later. John and I really should get going. We were up early and I have to work tomorrow.”

  “That’s fine. We’ll get it done. I’m schur Hannah will help and Gideon, too.” Leah gave her an encouraging smile.

  Emma sat there feeling overwhelmed by Leah’s generosity. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “You’re going to be my dochder.”

  “Schwardochder.”

  “Dochder,” Leah repeated firmly.

  That set off the tears again. Emma remembered a time when she’d been upset at finding herself pregnant and she’d told Rebecca she didn’t think Leah liked her. Must have been pregnancy hormones, she told herself. Leah had been nothing but warm and welcoming since she’d returned.

  They embraced and when they separated she saw that Leah had tears in her eyes as well.

  “Come to supper tomorrow and we’ll talk some more,” Leah invited. “Ask Hannah to come as well.”

  “I will.” She was sorry to leave the warmth and welcome of this home and go to the motel.

  “It won’t be much longer,” Eli said quietly as they walked out to the buggy. It was as if he could read her mind. “We’ll get married next week, and soon you and John will have a home here.”

  “It doesn’t seem real somehow.” She watched as Eli settled John into his seat then climbed in front.

  “Mamm’s already been cleaning and moving her things into the dawdi haus.”

  “She has?”

  Eli nodded. “I’m sorry about the way things went with your eldres, but I promise you are wilkuum in my family.”

  She leaned back in her seat and found she couldn’t stop yawning. It had been a long, emotional day. So she shouldn’t have been surpr
ised to jerk awake when the buggy stopped.

  “Sorry.”

  He chuckled. “You conked out before John did.” He got out and helped her with John and their things. “Shall I pick you up at the shop tomorrow or here?”

  “Actually I could call Liz tomorrow and ask if I can get a ride with Hannah and Gideon. Save you a trip into town.”

  “Sounds gut.”

  She walked into the room and lay a dozing John down in the portable crib. With luck he’d sleep until morning. Then she turned and went back to Eli. He reached for her hand.

  “Emma, I’m sorry for the way we’re getting married.”

  “You mean at your mudder’s house?”

  “Our house,” he said firmly. “It’ll be small because of circumstances. I hope you’re not disappointed.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not. Honestly, I’m not. It means a lot to me that your mudder would do this for us.”

  He touched her cheek. “I’m glad you feel that way. Get some rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” He leaned down and kissed her and then walked back to his buggy.

  Emma stood there for a moment watching as it rolled on out of the parking lot and down the road. Then she shut the door and locked it.

  She hadn’t been truthful, but what point was there in saying anything? Every maedel dreamed of her wedding day. Amish weddings were so rich with tradition and friends and family and the entire church community spent the day celebrating with food and games and socializing.

  Hers and Eli’s would be small, with just Hannah and Gideon as newehockers and the only familye other than Gideon would be Leah. Rebecca and Katie Ann would come. And Elmer’s fraa, of course.

  She walked over to sit on the bed and gazed at John. He’d be there, of course.

  She’d wanted to marry Eli before John had ever become part of her life. Never could she have dreamed that she could love anyone more than Eli. Now she knew she loved this kind more than him, more than life itself.

  She’d enjoy whatever the day of her wedding brought. Soon she and Eli and John would be a familye and that was all that mattered.

  * * *

  Eli climbed into his buggy and let Ned take them home.

  He went over what had happened when he’d gone with Emma to her eldres and tried to talk to them. How he wished he could have saved her from the pain of her dat rejecting her. She’d been a gut dochder to them, and his reckless night with Emma had cost her so much more than she should have paid for it.

  Well, it was their loss if they chose to continue to turn from her. Their faith was supposed to be about forgiveness, not judgment.

  He’d make it up to her somehow. Give her and John all the love he could give. Provide a safe, happy home for them.

  One day they’d have more kinner, God willing. And those kinner and Gideon’s would carry on the farm that had been in the familye for generations.

  Familye. If they never healed the rift with Emma’s it would pain her not to see her eldres and her bruders and schweschders. He regretted that so much.

  Well, if they didn’t want to host the wedding, see their dochder get married, be a part of their grosssohn’s life, he and his familye would be there for them. Be their familye.

  The moon was out and lit the way home. Cars whizzed along on both sides of the road, some passing too close and causing the buggy to sway in the rush of wind it created. Eli was glad he didn’t have Emma and John with him. Cars and buggies didn’t mix well on the road, especially at night when the buggies were harder to see.

  He pulled into his drive and parked near the barn. Ned was eager to get into his stall, have a drink of cool water, and settle in for the night. Eli grinned and patted his side. “See you in the morning.”

  Gideon and their mudder were still up when he went inside the house. Leah was working on the list she’d begun before he took Emma home.

  Eli hoped he could go to bed without having to start the one she’d wanted him to do earlier.

  Gideon looked up from carving a toy at the kitchen table as Eli walked in and hung up his hat. “I’m sorry Emma’s eldres behaved the way they did.”

  He nodded at his twin. “It hurt Emma. But Mamm saved the day. So, are you going to be my bescht man?”

  Gideon grinned. “Schur. Just as you’ll be mine when I get married.”

  “Right.” Eli rubbed his hand over his face and sighed. “I told Emma I was sorry that it wouldn’t be the wedding she’d hoped for. She said it didn’t matter and seemed to mean it.”

  “We’ll make it special,” Leah told him. “It’ll be small, but remember He will be here.”

  Eli looked at her. “‘He’?”

  “The Lord your God is in your midst.”

  He nodded. “You’re right.”

  “I’ll pitch in for some of the expenses. The food,” Gideon said.

  Surprised at the offer, Eli shook his head. “Danki, but you don’t have to do that.”

  “I want to.”

  “Let your bruder do it,” Leah said. She stood. “Well, I’m heading for bed. See you both in the morning.”

  Eli kissed her cheek. “Danki for being so kind to Emma tonight. It meant a lot to her.”

  “You know I’ve always liked Emma. Now I love her,” she said simply.

  She started for the stairs then turned. “I think I’ll go see Emma’s eldres tomorrow, talk to them.”

  “Do you think they’ll listen to you?”

  “I don’t know. But it’s worth a try.”

  “Danki, Mamm.”

  Eli got a glass, filled it with water, and leaned against the counter while he drank it.

  “Did you talk to Emma about Mamm’s idea? For us to make this place a home for all of us?”

  He shook his head. “It was too much to do on top of the upset with Emma’s eldres. We’ll talk about it later. I’m schur it won’t be a problem. She and Hannah are gut friends.” He set the glass in the sink. “Well, I’m heading to bed.”

  “Me too.” Gideon put the toy and his tools in the box and stored it in a cupboard behind him.

  They climbed the stairs together and then went on to their bedrooms. They’d shared a bedroom for many years even though there was room for them to have their own. Sometimes they’d fought over something and driven their mudder crazy and she’d make them go to separate rooms. But one of them always sneaked back and they made up and talked half the night.

  It wasn’t until they were in their late teens that they had finally decided to have their own rooms. But they’d never stopped being as close as zwillingbopplin could be. As he got ready for bed, he thought about what it was going to be like being with Emma and John and not being around Gideon so much.

  Things were definitely going to be different.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Hannah watched Emma walk into the shop pushing John’s stroller and looking happier than she had ever seen her.

  She knew why Emma was happy, but it didn’t seem fair to tell her Gideon had shared what had happened.

  “It’s not my day to work but I just had to come by and tell you. Eli and I set the date!” Emma blurted out breathlessly.

  John bounced in his stroller as he listened to his mudder’s happy tone.

  “You know I said yes but I didn’t know how things would work out—until they did!”

  “I’m so glad,” Hannah said, chuckling at John’s behavior.

  Emma lifted John from his stroller and danced with him around the room. John shrieked with laughter and patted his mudder’s cheeks.

  “Come sit down before you make John dizzy and tell me all about it.” She held out her arms for John and Emma handed him over and sat beside her at the quilting table.

  “It didn’t look gut,” Emma began and her expression sobered. “We went to see to my eldres and things didn’t go well. They refused to talk to us and my dat shut the door in our faces.”

  She took a deep breath. “Eli and I went to get John, and his mudder saw I’d been crying
. She made me sit down and tell her what happened. And Hannah, she said we could have the wedding at her house.”

  “That’s wunderbaar!”

  Emma nodded and smiled. “So will you be my maed vun ehr?”

  “I would love to. But Emma, do you think you should ask the friend who invited you to live with her in Ohio?”

  “Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. I guess I should call her and ask.”

  “I would be happy to help you with anything you need to do for the wedding.”

  “Danki. Let’s look at fabric. I think I know what I want.”

  They walked over to the display table where Hannah stocked some finer material that Amish brides often used for their wedding dresses. Blue was the most popular, so there were plenty of bolts ranging from the palest to the deepest shades.

  “What do you think of this one?” Emma asked, holding material the soft blue of violas up to her face.

  “I love it.”

  “This is the one I want. And this white for the apron.”

  “This one is popular, too,” Hannah told her. “I’m told it resists stains well. Naomi Rose told me someone got bumped at her wedding and spilled a glass of punch on her, and the liquid just rolled right off.”

  Emma considered it. “I’ll be holding John some of the day. You know how bopplin are.” She took the bolt of white fabric Hannah suggested and carried both to the cutting table.

  “You need a pattern,” Hannah reminded her.

  “It’s been so long since I sewed myself a dress.” Emma pondered the selection of patterns for modest Amish dresses. She chose one and carried it to the cutting table, measured out what she needed, and cut the lengths recommended on the pattern envelope. Then she returned the bolts, chose spools of thread and a package of straight pins, and walked over to the register.

  Hannah joined her but shook her head when Emma started writing up her purchase. “I want your dress to be my gift to you.”

  “Danki,” Emma said, tearing up. “It means a lot that you and Gideon have been such gut friends since I came back.”