“Charm’s overrated.” She bit her lip. “You’re not your bruder and besides, she’s not in love with Eli. She’s in love with you. So talk to her, fix whatever’s wrong. And do it right away. Don’t waste time. It’s too precious.”
She stroked John’s hair. “Eli and I found out the hard way what not working things out can cost.”
Gideon stared into John’s deep blue eyes. She was right. He was miserable. He didn’t want to waste another minute without her. He didn’t care where they lived after they were married. He just wanted to be with Hannah. If Emma was right that Hannah loved him, that she was unhappy without him, then maybe she wouldn’t care where they lived, either.
He had to find out.
“I think we’ll take a walk,” he said as he put John back in his stroller and headed for the door with him.
“You don’t have to take him with you,” she called.
He turned and grinned. “John’s going to help me get Hannah to talk to me. She might be able to resist me, but she can’t ever resist John.”
* * *
Hannah glanced over as the shop door opened and Gideon wheeled John in with his stroller.
“Excuse me just a moment,” she said to the customer she was helping. She rushed over to Gideon. “Is something wrong? Where’s Emma?”
“She’s working at my shop. We need to talk. John told me to come talk to you.”
Her jaw dropped. “Are you using John to get me to talk to you?”
“Why not? It all started with John.”
“Are you blaming him for what you said?” she demanded. “A boppli?”
He shook his head. “I just want a chance to explain that I bungled what I wanted to say to you. It has to do with John, so I thought we should come see you together.”
“I have a customer.”
“We can wait.”
He pushed the stroller over to the customer Hannah had been helping when he’d come in. “Ma’am? I apologize for interrupting you and Hannah.”
“Why no problem, young man.” She smiled at him. “What an adorable baby.” She bent to coo at John.
Hannah stepped up. “You had a question about the quilt kit,” she said, gesturing at the package in the woman’s hand.
They discussed the merits of the kit, and the woman decided to look at others in the display. Hannah glanced over and saw that Gideon had moved the stroller over to the crib where John took his naps. She watched Gideon talk to John as he lifted him from the stroller and lay him in the crib. Her heart melted when he gently tucked the boppli quilt around John. He was so gut with John. He’d make a wunderbaar dat one day…
Then she had to hold back a giggle as she watched John pop back up like a spring and laugh at his onkel.
Hannah walked over to the quilt kit display to see if her customer had any other questions, and after a selection was made, they moved to the shop counter to complete the purchase. They chatted as Hannah rang up the sale. Since the woman was a regular customer and local, she tucked a flyer about quilting classes into the shopping bag. Then Hannah watched as her sole customer left the shop.
She met Gideon’s gaze and knew she couldn’t put off talking to him. He was patting John’s back as the kind drifted off to sleep, then after a few minutes he walked over to her.
“What did you mean it all started with John?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest.
“In my own fumbling way I was trying to tell you that when I found out about John everything I had planned for my future had to change.”
“Why? He’s not your sohn.”
“John deserved a dat, and if my bruder wasn’t going to be one for him I was going to take that on.”
Her respect for him grew beyond measure. Stunned, she sank down onto the stool behind the counter. “You never told me that.”
He shook his head. “I had to wait to see what Eli would do. I’d hoped he’d step up and he did. But even then it didn’t mean I could go on the way I planned. What I was trying to tell you that day by the pond was that when our dat died he left the farm to both of us with the understanding that we’d always take care of Mamm. We agreed that the first to marry would take over the farmhouse and Eli would always work the land because that’s what he loves.”
“You told me that.”
“But I always thought I’d be the first to marry, since Eli didn’t want to settle down for a long time.”
Light dawned. “But then he did.”
Gideon nodded. “How could I ask you to marry me when we’d have no place to live?”
“Many couples live with the bride’s eldres until they can save for a place of their own,” she pointed out. “Are you saying you don’t want to do that?”
“Nee—ya—” he broke off when she glared at him.
He paced a few steps then turned to her. “I just want to provide for the woman I love. That’s why I took you to the pond that day, to explain that we needed to wait so I could save up. All I did was mess things up between us.”
“Ya, you did.”
“After our fight, my mudder convinced me that I needed to talk to you, explain things better. She said you’d probably rather be married and the two of us save up together than wait.”
“Your mudder is a wise woman.”
“Does that mean you agree with her?” He approached her cautiously and reached for her hand. “You wouldn’t mind our not having our own home when we marry?”
“Gideon, you haven’t asked me to marry you. That should come first, don’t you think? Before we discuss where we’d live?”
He leaned forward, met her gaze. “Hannah, will you marry me?”
“Ya,” she said and she smiled at him. “I will.”
Gideon gave a big sigh of relief and leaned over the counter to kiss her. She didn’t know how long the kiss might have lasted because she heard the bell over the shop door jangle and they sprang apart.
“Oops,” Cassie said. She laughed as Hannah felt a blush steal over her cheeks. Mischief sparkled in her eyes. “Shall I go out and come back in a few minutes?”
“No of course not.” She glanced at the clock. “You’re early for the quilting class.”
Cassie nodded. “I thought I’d do a little shopping first. Hi, Gideon.”
“Hi.” He glanced over at John sleeping peacefully. “I—uh—I’ll just be getting back to my shop. I’ll send Emma down for John.”
“No hurry.”
“We’ll talk later,” he told her meaningfully.
She nodded. “Later.” She watched him leave, then realized she was being rude standing there staring after Gideon and ignoring Cassie. “Sorry, what did you say?”
Cassie laughed. “I said I’m looking at a woman in love.”
Hannah felt herself blush again. She walked out from behind the counter. “I had better start a pot of coffee for the class.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to tease. He’s nice. Before I got my license, I was an assistant to Rhonda, the Realtor for the sale of the toy shop.”
Hannah nodded. “Gideon knew I wanted to start a quilt shop and let me know when this space came up for rent. He helped me set things up.”
Cassie just smiled and said nothing.
“Let me know if you need any help finding anything,” she said and escaped into the back room to start the coffee.
She’d just returned to the front of the shop when Emma walked in. She watched her glance at John and then their gazes met.
“So,” Emma asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “What’s new?”
“Doing a little matchmaking?” Hannah asked in a low voice so that Cassie couldn’t hear.
“Did it work? Gideon wouldn’t tell me anything, the meanie.”
Hannah was still reeling a little at Gideon’s proposal, but it was just too irresistible to tease Emma. She shook her head and forced an unhappy expression on her face. “I’m still so upset with him.”
Emma’s smile faded. “Oh no.”
&nbs
p; “I’ve asked you before—why is it that when someone’s in love they want everybody else to be?” she asked Emma.
“I guess we just want everyone else to be happy, too.” She sighed. “The two of you love each other so much. I know you do.”
Emma looked so disappointed Hannah felt guilty. After all, Emma had just wanted to help two friends who’d had a disagreement. And it was so hard to conceal her inner joy over Gideon proposing. She decided it wasn’t nice to continue teasing Emma.
A quick glance in Cassie’s direction showed her that the woman was absorbed in a book about quilting. Hannah leaned forward. “Actually, Gideon and I straightened things out.”
“Really?” Emma brightened.
She nodded. “Can you keep a secret?”
“Ya!” Emma said enthusiastically.
“Gideon asked me to marry him and I said yes.”
Emma whooped and Hannah immediately shushed her. “Emma!” Hannah glanced at Cassie but she hadn’t looked up.
“Sorry! Oh, I am so happy for you! You’re going to be my schwei! I’m so happy! I can’t wait to tell Eli.”
“So much for keeping a secret,” Hannah said drily.
“You can’t mean I can’t tell Eli!”
“Nee. But only Eli.”
“And Leah.”
“And Leah. I—” Emma broke off when several women came in.
“Quilting class,” Hannah told her. “You can join us if you want.”
“Schur, that would be fun. I’ll stay until John wakes up.”
Hannah welcomed the members of the class and waited while they settled into chairs around the table. It felt so strange to carry on with normal daily activities when she still felt the quiver of excitement over being engaged.
She’d started her day not speaking to Gideon and feeling discouraged about their relationship. Now she felt like she was walking on air.
Love. Who knew she could feel so happy?
Epilogue
Gideon took Hannah’s hand, helped her from the buggy, then kissed her.
“Kumm, lieb, I want to show you something.”
When he walked past the house and toward the path beside it, she looked at him curiously.
“I thought you invited me to supper with your familye.”
“I did,” he said, smiling at her. “We’re doing something first.”
Her eyebrows rose as he continued on to the path beside the weathered old barn.
“We’re going to the pond?” She grinned. “Aren’t you afraid of going there with me after what happened the last time?”
“Maybe I’ll push you in this time.”
“I didn’t push you in. You got in my way when I was trying to leave.” But she couldn’t help grinning as she remembered how he’d looked sitting there in the pond…
“Schur.”
The pond came into view, but he kept walking toward the back of the property.
“I don’t remember there being a path behind the pond,” she said.
“Me either. But Eli said to keep walking.”
“We’re meeting Eli? Why?”
“I have no idea. He was very mysterious about it.”
The path wound through the fields of corn due to be harvested soon. The deep green stalks rustled in the wind. Hannah inhaled the scent of ripening ears and hoped they’d have some for supper. She loved fresh corn on the cob.
She dug out a tissue from her pocket and wiped the perspiration from her forehead. The day was still hot, and she was having trouble keeping up with Gideon’s long strides.
“Slow down,” she said. “I’m burning up out here.”
Then she heard something. A kind’s high voice.
“I hear John,” she said. “Are we eating out here?” She hoped not. It was too hot for an outdoor picnic.
“I don’t know any more than you do.”
“Eli’s probably putting us to work. After all, it’s time to harvest.” He looked at her. “Just think, we’ll be married in just a couple of weeks.”
She squeezed his hand, and when he stopped and kissed her again, she smiled.
They walked a little farther. John’s voice got louder, but now Hannah could hear other voices, too—Eli’s, Emma’s, and Leah’s.
Now she was really curious. Were they going to have to work for their supper? She didn’t mind if they had to pluck a few ears of corn as long as they got to eat some for supper. There was nothing better than fresh-picked corn boiled and served slathered with butter.
Then they stepped into a clearing and saw Eli and Emma and John and Leah. John sat on a quilt on the ground, and he was stacking wooden blocks. When he saw them he grinned and chattered.
“Okay, Eli, we’re here,” Gideon said as he stopped. “Now, why are we here?”
“Well, you’re not the only one in the familye who can plan,” Eli told him. “I’ve been thinking. You don’t have to buy land. I went into town sometime back and did some research at the county government offices. You and I and the men in the community…we can build you and Hannah a house here. I’ll have my bruder and his fraa and their familye near. What could be better than that?”
“In the corn field?”
Eli chuckled. “We wouldn’t be planting corn in this section anymore.”
“But you need the acreage.”
He shook his head. “Nee. I don’t.”
“Eli, you’ll lose the money from the crops you could grow here,” Gideon pointed out, not schur Eli had considered that. His bruder pretty much walked around in a happy daze these days.
“Nee,” Eli repeated. “The farm will be just fine. And better yet, our familyes will all be together.”
Gideon turned to her. He looked as stunned as she felt. “What do you think?”
She took a deep breath. “I think I need to sit down.”
So she did, right on the quilt next to John.
“Think about it,” Emma said. “The familye gets to stay close but have their own houses. Our kinner will grow up playing together, working on the farm together.”
“We can start building after harvest,” Eli said. “Get as much done as we can before cold weather sets in. Work on the inside during the winter. This time next year you could be moving in.”
“A home of our own,” Gideon said. “Here, on Troyer land. You’re schur we can do this?”
“I checked. We can. So what do you say, Gideon? Hannah?” Eli prompted.
“I think it’s wunderbaar,” Hannah said slowly. “What do you say, Gideon?”
“I’d say this is beyond anything I could have dreamed possible. And maybe I need to sit down, too. My knees feel weak,” he admitted with a laugh. He’d be calling Cassie to tell her there was no need to look for a home.
Leah smiled. “That’s God for you. Always surprising us with something far better than we can dream.”
Hannah watched John struggle to his feet. He wobbled then took an unsteady step forward. She gasped, turned to see if the others saw what she did.
“Look at him,” Emma said so quietly her voice was almost a whisper. “Eli, look! John’s trying to walk.”
“Oh my.” Leah chuckled. “Once Eli started walking he was running me ragged in no time. You’re going to have your hands full with this one, Emma.”
John wobbled and fell down. But instead of crying he just laughed. He looked at his hands—of course he’d fallen forward into the dirt—and immediately stuck his fists into his mouth.
Leah swooped him up into her arms and started for the house. “I’m going to wash his hands. Supper in fifteen minutes.”
Gideon stood and held out his hand to help Hannah to her feet. Then he turned and grabbed Eli in a bear hug. “Danki for thinking of this.”
“Danki for helping me find my way,” Eli said. Hannah saw him swallow hard as he looked at Emma.
“Danki, Eli,” Hannah told him as she reached up to kiss his cheek.
She turned to Emma. “You knew and you kept the secret?”
&
nbsp; Emma laughed and shook her head. “Nee, he knew better than to tell me before today.” She glanced around and sighed. “It seems like such a wunderbaar idea. The four of us could have lived in the farmhouse and added on as we had more kinner. But this way you and Gideon get to have your own home.”
Gideon turned to Hannah. “So what do you think, Hannah? Ready to plan a house together?”
She gazed up at him. “Oh, I’m so ready to plan a future together with you, lieb.”
He cupped her face in his hands and stared deep into her eyes. “I can’t wait to begin it.”
“Kumm, let’s go on and leave these two so they can have some privacy,” she heard Emma say as they walked back to the house.
“Are they gone?” Gideon asked Hannah as he bent to kiss her.
“Ya,” she said, smiling.
When they finally started back to the house dusk was falling. The old farmhouse looked warm and inviting, with light spilling out the windows. Hannah studied the way it spread out, with additions built on as the familye had grown through the years. One day their house might look the same as they had kinner and needed more space.
The thought made her heart beat faster.
They climbed the steps and walked into the kitchen. John was sitting in his highchair watching as his mudder and grossmudder put food on the table.
Then John looked over and saw them. He enthusiastically banged his hands on his tray to greet them.
“So, John, what do you think about Hannah and me living close by?” Gideon asked him.
John laughed and bounced so hard Emma had to reach out and steady the chair.
“I think John’s happy you found a home,” Eli told him with a chuckle.
“Just like John,” Emma said simply, beaming at them. “Just like John.”
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Glossary
ab im Kopp—crazy
aenti—aunt
allrecht—all right
boppli—baby
bopplin—babies
braut—bride
breidicham—bridegroom
The Amish Baby Finds a Home Page 24