The Crow’s Call: Amish Greenhouse Mystery Book 1
Page 31
“What’s going on? Where’s Helen?” Belinda asked as Amy and Jared approached the greenhouse. “I thought she was supposed to pick you up after your dental appointment.”
“She met me outside the pharmacy where I went to get an antibiotic for my abscessed tooth.”
“Your tooth is that bad?”
“Jah, but we can talk about it later.”
Belinda listened with puckered brows as Amy told her about Helen’s father.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. I’m sure she must be quite worried about him.”
“Jah. I asked her to call and let us know how he’s doing.”
“So how is it that you ended up bringing my daughter home from town?” Belinda looked at Jared.
“When I saw her walking along the shoulder of the road, I stopped and asked if she’d like a ride.” The grin on Jared’s face looked like it might never come off.
“And what a ride it turned out to be.” Amy glanced at Jared then back at Belinda.
“What do you mean? What kind of ride?” Belinda questioned.
“I’ll let Jared explain.”
As Jared told Belinda what had happened with the car that passed and his horse getting spooked when the driver of the vehicle blew the horn, Belinda stood speechless.
“But I finally got Dandy under control, and your daughter and I are both okay.”
Belinda’s tense muscles began to relax. “I’m ever so glad.”
“So are we. It could have ended in disaster.”
“Do you think that young fellow tooted the horn on purpose to see if he could scare the horse?”
Jared shrugged. “I don’t know, but it’s a definite possibility. Some teenagers, even those who are Amish, think it is fun to fool around and do mean or destructive things. Like the vandalism that’s been done to you good folks.”
Belinda met Amy’s gaze. “You told him about it?”
“Jah, Mom, but he already knows some of the things because Henry blabbed it some time ago. I also explained how Henry’s been acting and that we are concerned about him. I figured if Jared and I are going to begin courting again, there should be no secrets between us.”
Belinda’s eyes opened wide. “You’re back together?”
“Yes, we are, and if you would kindly give us your blessing, Amy and I would like to be married next fall.”
Belinda placed one hand on Jared’s arm and the other one on Amy’s. “You most assuredly have my blessing. Oh, how I wish Vernon, Abe, and Toby could’ve lived to hear this wunderbaar news.” Her eyes misted.
Jared felt such relief when Belinda gave her approval, although to him next fall seemed like a long time to wait. But they would need about a year to plan for a proper wedding.
“There are still a lot of things that need to be worked out,” Jared said in a confident tone. “But together, and with the Lord’s help, we’ll figure it all out.”
Amy leaned heavily against him and sighed. “As our bishop said during the last church meeting, ‘With God, all things are possible.’”
“That’s for certain,” Jared agreed. He wasn’t 100 percent sure what all had caused Amy to change her mind about them being together, but he was ever so pleased that she had. With them courting, Jared would be coming around more, which would give him an opportunity to check on things and make sure the women and Henry were safe. I hope I can help Henry in some way to have a better attitude and be there for support in case any more weird things should happen around their place.
That evening, Amy sat at the kitchen table going over the books to see where they stood financially with the greenhouse. Thanks to the fall plants Mary Ruth had given them, they had remained in the black.
It was hard for Amy to concentrate with Jared on her mind. All she could think about right now was her future with him. Although the future of their family business might be uncertain and even though they still did not know who had vandalized their property, Amy felt confident that things would go better for them now. If Henry was the one behind the damage done to their property, she hoped he would stop doing it and own up to his misdeeds.
All she and the rest of her family needed to do was to put their faith and trust in God, asking Him with prayerful and humble requests to protect and provide for them.
Caw! Caw! Caw!
Amy tipped her head toward the kitchen window. This time the annoying crow’s call didn’t bother her at all. As long as Henry kept feeding the bird, it was bound to keep coming around, so she would have to get used to its noisy ruckus. Perhaps in some strange way, God had sent the crow to warn them of things to come. Or maybe it was just a coincidence that Charlie the Crow had appeared when he did.
In an hour or so, Jared would be here for supper and their courting days would resume.
Amy sighed and repeated Psalm 56:3, a verse she’d read in her Bible last night. “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”
Recipe for Amy’s Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and both sugars in large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in separate bowl. Add to butter mixture and mix well. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet before removing to wire rack. Yields about 4 dozen cookies.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever suffered a catastrophic loss like the King family did? How did each of the main characters in this story cope with their loss? Which character do you think handled it the way you would?
2. Do you think Amy’s refusing to continue a courtship with Jared was a reasonable way to handle things? Could she have continued the courtship and still worked at the greenhouse and helped at home?
3. Was there anything Jared could have done to win Amy back? Did it appear that he gave up too quickly?
4. Sylvia went into deep depression after her loss. Have you ever suffered from depression? What did you do to get better?
5. Henry became rebellious and uncooperative after his father and older brother died. Were you a disobedient teen? Do you have a rebellious teen at home? How can you help a defiant teen?
6. Why do you think the Kings’ new neighbor, Virginia, was so unaccepting of the Amish way of life? Have you or someone you know dealt with people who are prejudiced?
7. Belinda was unsure of who was vandalizing them and wondered if it could be her own son acting out his frustrations. Do you trust your children? Can doubting them with no solid proof damage your relationship with them?
8. Ezekiel struggled with whether he should move back to Strasburg to help his family or remain in New York, where his home and growing business were located. What would you do if you were in a similar situation?
9. What would you do if a homeless person like Maude came and took vegetables out of your garden without asking? Would you be angry or offer to help them?
10. If someone caused vandalism on your property, what would you do? Would you get a watch dog, an alarm system, or call the sheriff? Do you think Belinda did right by not notifying law officials and not wanting anyone outside their immediate family to know about it?
11. Amy’s friend Lydia kept a secret from her parents. Is there ever a time when keeping secrets is okay?
12. Did you learn anything new about the Amish way of life by reading this story? If so, what did it teach you? Were there any particular scriptures that spoke to your heart or helped with something you might be going through?
About the Author
New York Times bestse
lling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written more than 100 books translated in four languages. With over 11 million copies sold, Wanda’s stories consistently earn spots on the nation’s most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.