Uncle George chuckled.
“The Bible is the best marriage handbook there is. That’s where I’d find my answers.” Will smiled. “And I do hope to be married…someday, Lord willing.”
The girls looked at each other and smiled.
“You must be real smart,” Rosy said.
“William is an intelligent young man, you can be sure of that,” Uncle George agreed, his chest puffed out a little.
Will shook his head and changed the subject. “Who made these delicious whoopie pies?”
Pink momentarily stained Clara’s cheeks.
“They’re wonderful. Is this one strawberry?”
Clara nodded.
Will looked at his uncle. “We need to get the recipe for these so Marita can make some for us.”
Uncle George agreed with a grin.
Will briefly wondered if his attitude toward the Amish had changed any since their visit. He’d have to ask him about it later.
“Is Marita your fraa?” Lucinda asked. “Your wife.”
Uncle George chuckled. “No. I’m not married. Marita is my employee. She cooks for us and cleans the house.”
“Oh. We cook and clean too, but we don’t get paid.” Rosy frowned.
“If you’re good at it, you can get a job doing those things for other people,” his uncle suggested.
“Jah. But Mamm needs help here. ’Specially since Dat died,” Mary said.
“Is there anything I can do?” Will volunteered.
He felt his uncle’s disapproving stare heavy upon him. “You have your studies,” he reminded.
“I’m aware of that, Uncle George. I do have some free time as well.”
“We could use help harvesting the corn,” Clara said.
“When? What would you need me to do?”
“You’ll have to hitch up the team first,” Clara explained.
“The horses?” Will frowned. “Someone might have to show me how to do that.”
“Well, John Yoder can come over and hitch up the team for ya.” Her cheeks darkened.
“She likes John, but John likes Saloma,” Rosy said.
“Rosy! Nee” Clara scolded her chatty sister.
Will’s brow shot up. “Saloma?”
“Jah. But Clara’s hoping he’ll ask to court her now that Saloma’s gone.” Rosy continued, “Besides, Saloma has Elam now.”
“Rosy,” Rosemary warned. She spoke a few words in Pennsylvania Dutch, directed at the girl.
Just the thought of Sally with someone else jerked Will’s heart. But he couldn’t think of her the same way – he mustn’t. She’s my sister he reminded himself.
“How is she doing?” he asked.
“Gut” Lucinda said. “She likes teaching, but I think she misses home.”
I miss you too, Sally. Oh, how I miss you!
Chapter 22
Will scanned the pages of his mother’s journal in search of clues to the past. He wished she’d written more about his biological father. He desired to know more about this man. Was he like his father in any way? Did he inherit any of his father’s traits, other than his eyes, and apparently, his kindness? The latter part gave him a sense of pride. It was indeed a blessing to have a goodly heritage.
He stopped cold when the words leaped off the page.
> Received a letter from William’s father today, but I refuse to read it. My life is perfect now and I feel the contents could possibly upset that somehow. I forgave Elam for leaving long ago, but I do not wish to open old wounds. I will save it. Perhaps William will want to read it someday.
A letter? He frantically began searching through the file Uncle George had given him. He hadn’t seen a letter anywhere. Had Uncle George removed it? He carefully sifted through each document, but came up empty. Where could it be?
He sprang from his bed and headed toward the den.
“Uncle George, do you know anything about a letter?”
His uncle removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Letter?”
“Yeah, from my father, Elam.” He thrust his mother’s journal in front of his uncle.
Uncle George returned his glasses to the perch on his nose and read where Will’s finger pointed. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, William. I don’t recall seeing a letter among your mother’s things.”
“How about a photograph? Didn’t my parents at least take wedding photos?”
“I don’t know, William. Your father had been Amish. There’s a good chance they didn’t take any together. At least, I don’t remember ever seeing one.”
Will felt like pulling his hair out. Couldn’t he just have one photo of his father? Just one.
“But she said that she saved the letter for me. If it’s not in the file, then where would it be?”
"If I knew, I’d tell you.”
“Are you sure this is all we have of my mother’s belongings?”
“We donated her other things to charity, remember? Peter kept the important items. As far as I know, you have it all now.”
Will sighed in defeat. “Okay. I just thought that maybe…”
Will yearned to have a piece of his father. What would it have been like to grow up with Elam Troyer as his dad? He’d most likely have learned more physical skills. Would he be a farmer right now? A carpenter? He couldn’t help but imagine how it would have been if his parents had stayed together and raised him.
Of course, he would never regret having Peter Griffith as a father. Peter had taught him the ways of the Lord, leading by example. As the son of a preacher, Will wished his father had been home more often than he was. But Will understood that other people were counting on his father too.
If Elam had raised him, there would be a good chance that the two of them would have worked side by side every day. And, although Elam had left the Amish, Will realized he probably would have kept many of their customs and traditions. As it turned out, though, Elam kept all their traditions. Even if it meant leaving his mother alone to rejoin his Amish group. He briefly wondered if his parents ever discussed the possibility of his mother becoming Amish.
But, then, if his parents had stayed together, then Sally and her sisters wouldn’t exist. It was peculiar how God wrought a unique tapestry from all their mismatched threads. Will wondered what it would look like when He was finished.
<><><>
Saloma took her latest letter from her sister Clara and tucked it into her apron pocket. She’d already read it, but desired to read it again to savor every word. As she walked down the secluded country lane, she thought of home. Being around her cousins wasn’t the same as being with Mamm and her sisters, and she sorely missed their fellowship.
She thought of the words Clara had written. To think Will had been inside her home! Well, his home. She wondered what he’d thought about the place. He’d only ever been outside in his Jeep to pick her up for work or one of their dates. How she missed spending time with Will. She now wondered if they’d ever be able to have a brother-sister relationship. The fact that her sisters had opportunities to be around him provoked envy.
Her sisters had all loved him, as she assumed they would. She could feel Clara’s subdued excitement as she wrote about Will, their ‘new Englisch brother’, she’d called him. She mentioned that he’d complimented her whoopie pies. All of the girls were pretty good at baking, but it seemed Clara had always had a natural knack for making things taste delicious.
Picturing her mother, sisters, and Will sitting around the supper table made her long for home all the more. What would happen if she returned home? Would seeing Will be too difficult? Over time, they’d get used to a familial relationship, wouldn’t they?
But what about the deal she’d made with Will’s uncle? Would he hold her to it? She hadn’t been the one to reveal the truth to Will, his uncle had. And now that Will knew that he owned the property and that he was part of the family, he surely wouldn’t make their mother and sisters move. Saloma was certain of it.
Cha
pter 23
Will sat at the desk in his uncle’s library, attempting to concentrate on his studies. He glanced up at his uncle, who sat on the sofa reading the daily newspaper. He looked back down at his text book, scribbled a few sentences in his notebook and sighed. This wasn’t working at all. Maybe he should take the remainder of the semester off and re-enroll when he could focus better. There was no way he would pass his exams if he didn’t get some clarity.
“Is something wrong, William?” Uncle George must’ve perceived his meandering thoughts.
“This is frustrating. I realize that Sally and I are related, and nothing can ever become of us, romantically speaking. What I can’t understand is why on earth I can’t get her out of my head.”
“William, just because your circumstances have changed that doesn’t mean your feelings will automatically change as well. You know in your head that you must let her go, but your heart doesn’t want to. It is like breaking up with a girlfriend. You think and dream about what could have been, but you know there’s no chance of getting back together. But, in your case, getting back together with Sally is not simply unlikely, it is impossible.”
“But how do I get her off my mind?”
“Read your Bible. Focus on your studies.”
“I’ve tried all that. Nothing works. I’m thinking of taking some time off.”
“From school?” Uncle George folded his newspaper and set it down beside him.
Will nodded.
“But you’re almost done.” Alarm creased his uncle’s brow.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever get through this semester if I can’t concentrate on my coursework.”
“Why don’t you start dating other women?”
Will adamantly shook his head. “No. I can’t do that. It wouldn’t be fair to the girl.”
“Who knows? Maybe you’ll fall in love.”
“I’m not ready for that.”
“What about a project?”
“A project? What do you mean?”
“Why don’t you and I build something?”
Will grimaced. “I don’t know if I’d be good at something like that.”
Uncle George laughed. “Neither do I, but that wouldn’t be the point. It would be something to occupy both of our minds, something out of the ordinary that would challenge our normal skills. I think it would be good for us.”
Will shrugged and lifted a brief smile. “I guess it couldn’t hurt. What will we build?”
“I’ll let you decide.”
“We could build a gazebo.”
“Uh, that’s pretty ambitious. For our first project, why don’t we start out with something a bit more simplistic?”
“How about a picnic table? We could give it to the Troyers if it turns out.”
“We’re trying to get your mind off Sally, remember?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“I think a picnic table would go nice in the backyard.”
Will nodded. “And if we enjoy making it, maybe we can build other things too. I think a couple of park benches would look great in the yard. Don’t you?”
Uncle George nodded and smiled. “William and George, the carpenters.”
“Sounds good to me.” Will laughed.
<><><>
Will perused the lumber, trying to decide which would be best to use for a picnic table. He noticed an Amish man looking at the lumber as well. Maybe he’d know.
“Excuse me, may I ask your advice?”
The man nodded.
“I’m building a picnic table and I have no idea what to use.”
The man smiled. “Redwood makes a nice picnic table. Or you can use cedar or pine. Pine would probably be your most economical choice.”
“I should probably use pine then, just in case I mess it up,” William chuckled.
“What kind of picnic table are you making? Just a standard rectangular table or a fancy octagon?”
Will shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about different styles.”
“Those fancy octagon tables sure do look nice.”
“We’ll probably just keep it simple. I’m not too handy with power tools just yet.”
“I see.” The man tipped his hat. “Well, then, God be with ya.”
“Thank you.”
Ten minutes later, Will overheard the same Amish man conversing with the cashier.
“Hello, Amos! How are you doing?”
“Hi, Minister Fisher.” The cashier shook the man’s hand. “Rosabelle and I are doing great.”
“How are the little ones?”
“Gut. Gut.”
Will attempted not to listen to every word, although one thing did catch his attention. The man he’d been talking to was an Amish minister. Perhaps he could help Will with some of the questions that had been racing through his mind.
He quickly paid for his purchases, then hurried out the door in hopes of catching the minister. “Excuse me,” Will called out, “but I overheard that you’re a minister. Do you mind if I ask you a question about the Bible?”
The man finished loading the lumber in the back of his work buggy and offered Will his undivided attention. “Not at all. I love discussing the Bible!”
“Okay, the Bible says that nothing is impossible with God, right? And that with God all things are possible? But practically speaking, can God really work out impossible situations?”
“First of all, what we are asking of God must align with His will. God isn’t a puppet. However, I believe that if we love God and are truly seeking His will and following His Word, that He wants to grant our requests. Think about this verse: Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. The ‘also’ refers to the verse before it, which says Trust in the Lord, and do good. The way I see it, that can mean one of two things. Either God will give you what you desire if you delight and trust in Him, or He will place His desires in your heart so that your desires and His are one and the same.”
“Wow, I’ve never thought of it that way.”
“He also said that the Father delights in giving His children good gifts. But God sees the future; in fact, He sees the entire picture. He knows what is best for us. He knows what we need and what we don’t need. We often think that we know what we want or need. I think that’s because we’re following our heart or feelings. How many people have followed the path of their heart’s desire, only to find that it leads to heartbreak? God’s ways are not our ways.”
“I don’t think I even got your name. Are you an angel or something?”
The man laughed out loud. “Wait until my Susie hears what you said! She probably won’t believe me.” He chuckled. “Or Bishop Hostettler, he’ll love that one.” He shook his head and the light caused a sparkle in his eye. “No. I’m Jonathan. Jonathan Fisher.”
“That sounds familiar. I’m William.”
“About your impossible question – let me ask you something.”
Will nodded.
“Can God bring dead bones to life? Can God defeat one hundred and twenty thousand men with an army of just three hundred? Can God open up the sea and let His people walk through on dry ground? Can God make the sun stand still? Can God make this beautiful world by nothing other than His voice? Can He make the blind to see?” Jonathan placed a hand on Will’s shoulder. “Yes, God can work out the impossible, William. And He will, if it is His will.”
“Do you know Saloma Troyer?”
“I believe she belongs to Bishop Mast’s group, ain’t so?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“No, I don’t know the Troyers too well. Didn’t Elam Troyer pass away just recently?”
“About six months ago, I believe.” Will frowned. “He was actually my father.”
“Your father?”
“Yeah, I just recently found out too. That’s kind of what my question was about. See, Saloma Troyer and I were dating. I had in mind to marry her when I learned that she and I are actually half-siblings.”
“Ouch.”
“I know. So, that was my impossible question.”
“That’s definitely a tough one, I’d say. Who knows, though? God’s done some pretty miraculous things. He can make a way where there is no way, just like He did for the Israelites in the wilderness.” He shrugged. “Pray about it. The worst God can say is no, right?”
“I guess.” Will sighed. “Listen, thanks, Jonathan.”
“You’re welcome. Just remember that God knows best and He has a plan for your life. Sometimes it’s difficult to accept what we don’t understand.” Jonathan lifted a half smile. “I’ll say a prayer for you too, William.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“It was gut meeting you.” Jonathan touched the brim of his straw hat and nodded as Will watched him drive off in his buggy.
Will couldn’t help but feel this meeting had been orchestrated by God.
Chapter 24
Saloma raised her voice in song with the other young folks at the Singing. She glanced across the table, and Elam caught her eye and winked. His enthusiasm confirmed his excitement for the evening ahead. While Saloma enjoyed their buggy rides immensely, she felt like she was just using Elam as a distraction.
She sighed. Elam was too good to just be a distraction…for anybody.
Elam must’ve noticed her musing, because he’d stopped singing. When she realized he had, she looked up and he nodded toward the barn door. Usually, they’d stay and chat with the others and enjoy snacks. Would others talk if they left early together?
Two minutes later, she met him outside by the other end of the barn, where the horses were hitched. He’d already began hitching up the buggy.
Saloma could still hear the others singing inside the barn. She wouldn’t mind staying, but there was no use if she had no mind to participate.
“Saloma?”
She cocked her head at the sound of Elam’s voice.
An Undeniable Secret (Amish Secrets--Book 4) Page 11