The Trespasser (Amish Country Brides)

by J. E. B. Spredemann

  ~

  “Mommy, Mr. Silas is here!” Bailey called from the open door.

  Kayla turned from the cabinet where she’d been putting groceries away. “Are you sure?”

  “Jah,” Bailey tried her Amish word. “For sure.”

  Kayla smiled, then quickly closed the cabinet door. She’d seen Silas only this afternoon at lunchtime, but it seemed like it had been ages ago. The day had been trying and, to be honest, their shopping excursion couldn’t have ended soon enough. It’d been difficult sitting and listening to Mrs. Miller’s opinion of her. It had been even more difficult not defending herself or saying something she might regret in the future. Because, like it or not, if she and Silas ever ended up marrying, then Mrs. Miller would be her mother-in-law and Bailey’s grandmother. Although she’d attempted to not get offended and remain friendly outwardly, inside the unkind words had stung.

  Mostly, because they were true. Being pregnant and alone at sixteen had not been easy by any stretch of the imagination. She’d had to drop out of school and devote all her time to motherhood. Not that she would have done anything differently, she adored her daughter. But it would have been really nice to have someone beside her, who loved and cared for both of them, other than her parents. And now that Silas was here and offering to step into that role, it almost seemed like a dream come true. Especially since she’d learned of Josiah’s demise and the death of the fantasy that she’d played out in her mind since she’d first met him.

  “Hello?” Silas called from the home’s entrance.

  “Mr. Silas!”

  Kayla walked into the room just in time to see Bailey catapult herself into Silas’s arms. She felt like doing the same thing. And maybe a little more.

  Silas looked up and eyed her. “Ach, you’re still here.” He grinned.

  “Did you expect me to be gone?”

  “I hoped not.” He frowned. “I heard about the shopping trip.”

  Kayla blew out a breath and glanced at Bailey. “Sweetheart, why don’t you go clean your room now? You need to put your books and doll away like Mommy asked you to earlier.”

  “But Kathy’s still reading.”

  “Kathy will have to take a nap now. She can finish reading later.”

  Bailey looked like she would protest, then glanced back and forth to Silas and Kayla. “Okay.”

  They watched as she skipped off to her room.

  “I’m sorry for whatever mei mamm might have said.”

  She’d said plenty, but there was no need for Silas to feel bad about it. Kayla sighed. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

  “My mother can be pretty protective of her family.” He removed his hat and placed it on a hook near the door.

  “So I’ve learned.”

  “She didn’t scare you off?”

  Kayla stepped close. She reached up and touched his cheek, gazing into his eyes. “I don’t scare easy.”

  He leaned toward her and brushed her lips with his. “Gut.”

  Kayla closed her eyes and indulged in the too-brief moment.

  “Ach, let’s not get carried away again, jah?”

  She nodded reluctantly. The truth was, she liked getting carried away with Silas a little too much.

  He stepped back. “I’ve got a surprise for Bailey. I hope it’s okay.”

  “What is it?”

  He winked. “You’ll see.”

  “Bailey, come here when you’re done. Mr. Silas has a surprise for you,” Kayla called in the direction of her room.

  Bailey bounded into the room not five seconds later. “A surprise? For me?”

  “Yep. Kumm. It’s in my buggy.” Silas led the way, and Kayla and Bailey followed along.

  The sound echoed before they could see it.

  Bailey beamed. “A kitty!”

  Silas opened the door to the carriage to let the small feline out. He glanced at Kayla. “Is this okay?”

  She smiled.

  “Is it for me? Do I get to keep her?” Bailey held the kitten close and stroked its fur.

  “It’s a him. And that’s up to your mamm. But it’ll have to stay outside.”

  “Is it okay, Mommy? Please, please, please say it’s okay. I love her already. Him. I love him already.” Bailey turned to Silas. “What’s his name?”

  “He doesn’t have one yet. It’s your job to give him a name—if your momma says it’s all right.”

  He eyed Kayla and she nodded.

  “What will we feed it?” Bailey was so mesmerized by the kitten, she didn’t even look up.

  “Ach, I forgot food. I’ll go call Paul and ask him to bring some by.”

  “Are you staying a while?” Kayla smiled. “You want to join Bailey and me for dinner and a movie? I even bought popcorn.”

  “A movie?” He frowned.

  Was he even allowed to watch movies? She should have considered that.

  “Yeah, I bought one at Walmart. I haven’t used my laptop and the battery has a full charge, so a movie will be no problem.” She stared at him. “Unless you’re not allowed to watch it.”

  He shrugged. “I’m not allowed to own it myself. And, technically, even the bishop watches television when he’s at a restaurant. I’ve seen him. I think it is probably okay. Spending time with you and Bailey sounds wunderbaar.” He lightly grazed her fingers with his. It was a small gesture, but that didn’t stop anticipation from jolting through her body.

  “I think I’ll call him Sandy.” Bailey examined the kitten, oblivious to the fireworks sparking between her mom and Silas. “Is that name okay for a boy kitty? He looks like the color of the sand at the beach. Don’t you think so, Mommy?”

  “He does. Sandy sounds like a good name to me.” She smiled, then mouthed a thank you to Silas.

  His head dipped slightly. “Well, you two get Sandy settled, and I’ll go make that phone call. Hopefully, Paul will get the message before it gets too late.”

  They watched Silas stride off to the phone shanty.

  Kayla thought of what she’d prepared for the evening meal. “Do you want to help me with dinner, or would you rather stay out here and play with the kitten?”

  “I wanna play with Sandy.”

  “Okay, but I want you to take him to the side yard and play with him there. I don’t want you in the barn or playing by the driveway, okay?”

  “Okay, Mommy.”

  ~

  Silas walked back toward the house with a spring in his step. Amazingly, Paul had been at the shanty and answered the phone right away. That rarely happened. He’d be stopping by after dinner with a bag of cat food. Now, though, Silas needed to release Strider and turn him out into the field to graze. Since he didn’t plan to leave till late tonight or early morning tomorrow, his horse would be happier if he had a chance to roam free.

  Bailey came up behind him after he closed the gate. “Mr. Silas, where will Sandy sleep if he can’t live in the house?”

  “Outside. Probably in the barn or he’ll find a nice sunny spot on the porch.”

  “You’re silly, Mr. Silas.”

  “I am?” He scratched his beard and laughed. “Why’s that?”

  “’Cause the sun doesn’t shine at night when we’re sleeping.”

  “Cats are nocturnal.”

  “Is that an Amish word?”

  Silas chuckled. “No.”

  “What does it mean?”

  “It just means that they are active more at night and sleep during the day.”

  “But how can I play with him if he’s sleeping?”

  “Oh, you’ll get to give him plenty of attention. No need to worry about that.”

  “I wish he could sleep with me.”

  “Nope. He stays outside, or he’ll have to go back home,” Silas warned.

  Her bottom lip jutted out. “But I love him.”

  “Well, I love Strider too. What do you think your mamm would say if I asked to bring Strider in to sleep in the house?”

  She giggled. “She’d t
ell you no. But Sandy’ll get scared by himself.”

  “He’ll be just fine. Gott made animals to live outside.”

  “Oh.”

  The door squeaked and Silas and Bailey turned their attention toward the house. Kayla poked her head around the screen door. “Are you two hungry? Come wash up. Dinner’s ready.”

  Silas’s grin broadened. Ach, it almost seemed like the three of them were a real family. Soon, he hoped, they’d all become family indeed.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Silas set down the dish-drying towel the moment he heard the clip-clop of a horse.

  “Your bruder’s here!” Bailey announced from the door.

  Silas turned to Kayla. “I don’t remember teaching her that word.”

  “She probably overheard it or learned it from one of your sisters.”

  “Ach, you’re right. Seems like she’ll be able to pick it up pretty quickly.”

  “Children have a higher acumen for learning languages than adults do.” Kayla finished putting the last dish in the cupboard.

  “May I come in?” Paul’s voice echoed beyond the front door.

  Kayla and Silas both made their way into the front room.

  “Perfect timing. We just finished up the dinner dishes,” Kayla said.

  “I left the cat food on the porch.” Paul gestured to the door he’d just walked through.

  “Is he going to watch a movie with us too?” Bailey’s smile widened.

  “A movie, huh?” Paul’s brow arched, and he looked from Bailey to Kayla to Silas.

  “Yes. Kid-friendly movies are the only kind we watch,” Kayla informed him. “But we always choose one that sounds interesting to both of us. It’s actually a Hallmark movie.”

  “I don’t know what that is.” Paul shrugged then looked to Silas. He shrugged as well.

  “Well, I guess you’ll just have to find out then.” Kayla smiled.

  “Do you mind, bruder?” Paul eyed Silas.

  “It’s fine.” He nodded.

  “Gut. Because Mamm sent me over here to chaperone you.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope.”

  “She must not know you very well,” Silas jabbed.

  “Well, she apparently knows you,” Paul retorted.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Silas chuckled. “I’m the good son.”

  “I’m afraid you’ve been dethroned, bruder.”

  Kayla stepped in. “Do either of you know how to make popcorn on the stove? I’m afraid I’ve only ever made it in the microwave.”

  “Jah.” Paul winked. “We’ll show you how it’s done. Come on, bruder, to the kitchen.”

  Silas reached for Kayla’s hand. “Nee, I’ll just stay here.”

  Paul grasped Silas’s suspender and urged him toward the kitchen. “Kumm. See, this is why Mamm wanted me to chaperone.” He let the suspender snap to Silas’s back.

  “Ach, little brothers.” Silas shook his head.

  Kayla laughed at their exchange, then followed them to the kitchen.

  ~

  “Mommy, can Sandy watch the movie with us?”

  “Remember what Mr. Silas told you? He needs to stay outside.”

  “But Sandy wants to watch the movie too.”

  “Honey, Sandy is a kitten. He doesn’t care about movies.”

  “What does he care about then?”

  “Well, he likes to play outside and chase things. I’ll tell you what. Next time we go to the store, we’ll get Sandy some toys to play with.”

  “I think he would like that.”

  Kayla’s attention was diverted at the sound of hooting and hollering from the kitchen.

  Bailey’s eyes widened. “What are they doing?”

  Kayla laughed. “Being brothers. But it sounds like we better go check on them.”

  “Jah, we should. They sound like they’re into mischief.”

  “What do you know about mischief?”

  “Not much.”

  “Good. Let’s keep it that way.” She reached for her daughter’s hand. “Come on.”

  Kayla and Bailey stepped into the kitchen just in time to see a handful of popcorn flying through the air.

  An ‘O’ formed on Silas’s lips when he noticed them, then his grin widened. “Uh, Paul, we’d better get this mess cleaned up. We wouldn’t want Dan Yoder to come home and see this.”

  Kayla shook her head, surveying the untidiness. But she couldn’t suppress the smile that threatened.

  “Ach, Yoder will never see it.” Paul dismissed.

  Silas cleared his throat, then reverted to Pennsylvania Dutch. Kayla could only guess what he was saying.

  Paul turned around and discovered Kayla and Bailey standing at the kitchen’s entrance. His face blossomed with color. “Uh, jah, you’re right, bruder. We need to do a really gut job, otherwise Dan Yoder might not let anyone stay here.”

  “Is the popcorn about done? We’re ready whenever you two are.” Kayla smiled.

  “Uh, just a few more minutes. You and Bailey can go wait while Paul and I clean up.” He looked into the pot and grimaced. “And make more popcorn.”

  Kayla laughed. “Okay, but we’ll be waiting.”

  ~

  Silas snuggled close to Kayla on the couch while the movie credits rolled upward then disappeared off the screen. Bailey had sat between them for half the movie until she dozed off and Silas carried her to her bedroom. Ach, this night had been like a dream.

  Truth be told, he enjoyed some of the Englisch ways. A night like this was something he and Sadie Ann had never experienced.

  “Time to go. Morning will come soon enough and we’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.” Paul tapped Silas on the shoulder, then stood from the couch.

  Silas growled, then repositioned his arm around Kayla. “Nee, I want to stay here tonight,” he murmured.

  “Kumm, bruder. You don’t want to make Mamm worry any more than she already is.”

  “I don’t want to go,” he insisted. He locked eyes with Kayla, his mouth curving into a satiated smile.

  “Silas, nee.” Paul’s tone held warning.

  He hated that his little brother was right. Staying here would be a mistake and would cause Mamm anxiety. And probably rightly so. His mind didn’t seem to work right when he was near Kayla. Was this how Josiah had felt when he’d been around her? He couldn’t fault his friend for falling hard for her. Because that was exactly what Silas was doing.

  “Ach, okay,” he finally acquiesced. He hated leaving Kayla. Oh, for the day when he’d be able to stay with her permanently! To hold her in his arms for as long as he desired. To fall asleep and wake up with her beside him. To kiss her goodnight. Every. Single. Night.

  Jah, he’d need to talk with Jerry Bontrager soon. The sooner the better.

  ~

  Silas decided to leave his horse and buggy at the Yoders’ place, since Paul had agreed to drop him by tomorrow. Paul now flicked the reins, urging his mare along, then glanced at Silas. “You’d better cut ties with her before you end up doing something stupid.”

  “I won’t do anything stupid,” Silas insisted.

  “I think you actually believe yourself when you say those words. But seeing you two together…” he whistled low.

  “And I’m not cutting ties with her.” He frowned.

  “You need to have a care, bruder. You’re playing with fire.”

  “I’m not saying that I’m not tempted. But she already has Bailey and, with what happened with Josiah, I just wouldn’t do that to her.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I do.” He lightly punched his brother’s arm. “Some of us do have the ability to exercise self-control.”

  “Maybe. But you’re still a man and subject to fall.”

  “Now you sound like Mamm. And I know.” He blew out a breath. “I plan to talk to Jerry Bontrager tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow? About what?”

  “Marrying her.”

  “You can’t be
serious, Silas. I thought this was just a fling for you. A fantasy.”

  “I already told you it’s not.”

  “Don’t you need to think this through a little more?”

  “I already have.”

  “You’re serious.”

  “Jah, I am. I want to be a husband to Kayla and a father to Bailey. Be what Josiah couldn’t. I think that is what Der Herr would have me to do.”

  “Der Herr? You keep saying Der Herr, but I just can’t see it.”

  “Jah, Der Herr. It was as clear as day. I prayed to Gott and asked what He would have me do. I asked to be His hands and feet.”

  “And?”

  “Right after I prayed, I opened Gott’s Word for my daily reading. I read about Gott being a father to the fatherless and taking care of widows.” He shrugged. “I found my answer. I needed to be a father to Bailey and marry Kayla. But at the time, I had no idea how that would happen since she was an unbeliever.”

  “And then…what?”

  “Well, we had a conversation. I told her about Der Herr. I really didn’t know if she’d be receptive or not, but after she learned of Josiah’s death, something inside her seemed to break. Gott used that tragedy, I believe, to bring her to Him.”

  “Wow. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anything like that.”

  “I know. Me neither. But it was like Der Herr spoke directly to me. Almost like He was saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’”

  “I have to admit that’s amazing, Silas.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Silas sat across from Jerry Bontrager. He’d always liked the friendly older man and considered him an advocate, which was why he’d approached him and not the deacon.

  “You are asking for an Englischer to join in with our people?” His brow shot up. “I admit that this situation does not come up often.”

  “Is it possible?”

  “I think it may be, but it will not be easy.” His fingers steepled in front of his chin. “Here is the problem I see. Many years ago, before your family moved into the district, we had a “seeker” who expressed an interest in joining the church. We allowed it, but I fear it was a mistake. This person caused much disunity among the brethren, and we lost several families because of it. It was a difficult time for everyone, and the leaders decided that it would be better to simply disallow anything of the sort again.”