Her Forgotten Amish Past

by Debby Giusti

  Zeke helped Becca down from the buggy. She was so light in his arms. He wanted to hold on to her forever and never let her go.

  She glanced up at him questioningly.

  “Go inside and get warm,” he encouraged. “I’ll take care of Sophie.”

  “Give her an extra treat for working so hard to get us down the mountain.”

  Zeke nodded, grateful to have heard the first spark of lightness in Becca’s tone.

  “Oh, Hattie.” Becca glanced down at the green dress, as if seeing the smudged dirt and tears in the fabric for the first time today. “Look what I have done to this beautiful dress.”

  Hattie rubbed her hand over Becca’s shoulder as if to soothe her worry. “We can always make more dresses, dear, as long as you are with us.”

  Becca smiled and followed Hattie into the house.

  Zeke looked at the falling snow, feeling cold and alone and fearful of what Becca would decide to do with her life.

  She was Englisch.

  Amish men only marry Amish women. Zeke had some soul-searching to do tonight.

  After feeding Sophie and ensuring the mare was warm and dry, he hurried inside. Becca had gone upstairs, claiming she was too exhausted to eat.

  He missed her already. What would he do if she left him for good? The thought cut to his heart.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Zeke sat by the woodstove in the rocking chair after Hattie had gone to bed, reading from her Bible. The house was quiet, the only sound the crackling fire. Using the end iron, he rearranged the burning wood and threw another log into the stove, watching as the bright embers danced around the flames.

  He shut the cast-iron load door and settled back in the rocker, turning again to Hattie’s Bible, the worn pages bringing comfort.

  Glancing up, he saw Becca standing in the open entryway to the kitchen. He placed the Bible on the side table and stood. “I did not hear you come downstairs.”

  “Hattie told me you were still up.”

  Becca’s hair hung free around her shoulders. Her green eyes were filled with question.

  “Hattie also told me that which I’m searching for may be right before me.” She stepped closer.

  “Decisions take time, Becca. Do not rush yourself.”

  “I wanted to know about my past so I would understand my future, but what I found confused me more.”

  “Your past is not important.”

  “Perhaps not, but you still need to know some of what I’ve remembered. I was born in Birmingham and my grandparents came from Ethridge, Tennessee.”

  “An Amish community is located there.”

  She straightened her spine and pulled in a deep breath. “I never knew my father. My mother was imprisoned in Montgomery for a drug offense and released last year.”

  “What about you, Becca?”

  “I’ve held a number of jobs—waitress, supermarket cashier, retail clerk—before I took the seamstress job with Montcliff. When I put in my notice to leave the studio, my supervisor said she was pleased with my work and was ready to increase my pay.”

  “Then you plan to stay?”

  “Not at Montcliff. Hattie said she enjoys my presence here.”

  He stepped closer. “There is someone else who enjoys your presence and everything else about you.”

  She tilted her head.

  “You don’t know much about me, Zeke.”

  “I know how you make me feel, Becca.” He touched her hair and ran his fingers down her cheek. The confusion he had read earlier in her green eyes softened.

  “I want to talk to your father.”

  He waited, not knowing what she else would say.

  “I need to know if his district would welcome me.”

  “You wish to be baptized?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Why would I look elsewhere when everything I’ve ever wanted is right in front of me?”

  He smiled, his heart nearly bursting with joy. “I plan to talk to my datt, as well.”

  “Baptism?” she asked.

  He nodded.

  She touched her hand to his chest. “You will bring joy to your father’s heart.”

  “And to my own. My only hesitation was not knowing what you would do.”

  “And now you know. Does that change anything?”

  “It only makes me a very happy man.” He gazed into her eyes and found them filled with longing. “If we are both to be Amish, we will have time for courting. Perhaps you would allow me to take you on a buggy ride?”

  She laughed. “Only if you promise no trips to Lover’s Leap. I want to stay away from waterfalls and icy roads.”

  “But Amish Mountain? You could live there?”

  “Yah, I will stay with Hattie for now if her invitation stands.”

  He took her hand. “That is the near future, Becca, but I am looking far ahead.”

  She stepped closer. “What do you see?”

  “I see my life as an Amish farmer, with children to bring laughter to my home, land to work, a faith to sustain me. Most important, I see a beautiful woman to walk with me into the future.”

  “Tell me more about the woman you see.”

  He touched her cheek and trailed his fingers around her neck. “I see chestnut hair and green eyes, high cheekbones and full lips that are meant for kissing.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He nodded, then lowered his lips to hers. All the love that filled his heart burst forth like the bright embers in the fire.

  He pulled her closer and kissed her again, deeply, and again and again, never wanting anything to pull them apart.

  Finally, she eased back. Her lips were swollen, her eyes soft and inviting, her cheeks flushed.

  “I love you, Becca Troyer or Becky Taylor.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Cross my heart.”

  Then he pulled her deeper into his embrace and continued to kiss her. The fire crackled and warmed the house all the while the snow fell outside and covered the world with a blanket of white. No matter what would come in the future, they would always be secure with Gott’s love and their love for one another.

  “Marry me, Becca. I want to be with you for as long as Gott gives us.”

  “Oh, Zeke, that’s what I want. To be with you always. The past is over and the only thing that matters is today and tomorrow and what we make of the future.”

  “A future together,” he whispered before he kissed her again.

  EPILOGUE

  Sunshine poured through the bedroom window as Becca finished whipping the hem on the wedding dress, pleased with the blue-green fabric she and Hattie had found in town.

  “It accents your eyes,” Hattie had said, then insisted on paying for the material. “Plus, the wedding will be held at my house. It is the least I can do. You and Zeke have brought much joy to my life.”

  Warmed by Hattie’s generosity, Becca held the dress up and smiled with approval at her own workmanship. Not taking pride but appreciating all her grandmother had taught her. She thought again of her loving mammi who had been that source of refuge in Becca’s early life.

  Over the last few months, her memory had slowly returned with a clear picture of the dysfunction that had surrounded her early years. Some memories had been hard to accept, yet with Hattie’s and Zeke’s help and with prayer, she had come to understand her wayward mother better and had forgiven her for the havoc she had created in Becca’s younger days. If not for the firm foundation provided by her Amish grandparents, Becca’s life would have turned out so differently.

  “I am grateful,” she said aloud, thinking of how the Lord had protected her and brought her to Amish Mountain. She hoped someday she and her mother would reconnect, if it was Gott’s will.

  Stepping to the window, she saw Zeke hauling lumber toward th
e new house next door. As if sensing her gaze, he glanced up and smiled. She waved, her heart nearly bursting with gladness.

  She hung the dress on the wall peg and hurried downstairs. The smell of fresh baked pastry filled the house with an aroma that made her mouth water.

  “I finished the wedding dress,” she announced as she entered the kitchen. Hattie pulled a pie from the oven, and Becca raced to place the cooling rack on the counter.

  “Zeke and I can never thank you enough, Hattie, for all you’ve done and for insisting we have the wedding here.”

  “It gives me a reason to cook, yah? Less than a week away, and there is much to do. So many people will be here. Old friends, relatives. Everyone wants to take part in the celebration.” Her eyes twinkled. “But I like a full house. Zeke’s father is coming for lunch today. You can talk more about the wedding with him. I invited Annie Shrock.”

  “The widow who hosted the quilting I attended?”

  “Yah. Her husband died last year. She is lonely. So is Zeke’s father. He has mourned for my sister too long.”

  “And what about you, Hattie? Levi Gingerich seems to be stopping by more often these days since he asked forgiveness and returned to the faith.”

  Hattie blushed and turned back to the stove. “We were friends in our youth. I am glad to have him as a friend again.”

  “He seems like a new man.”

  Hattie nodded. “Thanks to Caleb’s insistence that he go to a cardiologist. The medicine for his heart helped. He feels better and is able to do more.”

  “He is also happy about the way Zeke and Caleb repaired his home and the fences on his farm.”

  “Yah, and Caleb is helping him more and more. The young man remains Englisch, but we will see what the future will hold. At least he got rid of his sports car.”

  The future. Becca smiled, thinking of sharing her life with Zeke. “Do you need any help, Hattie?”

  The woman made a shooing motion. “The midday meal is almost ready. Tell Zeke his father will be here soon.”

  Becca hugged Hattie, then raced outside to where Zeke was sanding a piece of wood. She stopped a few steps away to once again take in the house that would be their new home after the wedding.

  Sensing her presence, he turned, dropped the sandpaper and opened his arms. She ran into his embrace, smelling the fresh cut wood and newly plowed Georgia soil in the distance.

  “I did not know my future husband would be such an accomplished carpenter. You can do everything, Zeke. I have heard the townspeople talk. You climb mountains, you turn struggling acreage into a productive farm. You help your neighbors and have brought joy back to your father’s heart. They also talk about how you and your dad worked with the new producer at Montcliff to ensure the studio provides wholesome films and a good working environment for its employees.”

  “Are you listening to town gossip, Becca?” His lips twitched playfully.

  “I listen only to the truth, Ezekiel Hochstetler.”

  “Soon my time will be taken up with other endeavors,” he teased.

  She raised a brow. “What are you talking about?”

  He winked. “A new husband must ensure his wife is well loved.”

  Her cheeks warmed and her heart skittered in her chest. “You are making me blush. What would your father say?”

  “He would encourage me all the more. As he told me after church last Sunday, he is eager for grandchildren.”

  She snuggled into his arms. “Children will come in Gott’s perfect time. You told me to take each day as it comes, although I must admit our wedding cannot come soon enough.”

  “Another few days,” he said. “The house will be finished just in time.”

  “Do Amish husbands carry their new brides over the threshold as the Englisch do?”

  He laughed. “If this is something you want, I would be happy to carry you anywhere.”

  “The only place I want to be is with you, Zeke. As confused as my early life was, everything worked together to bring me to Amish Mountain. Looking back, I am able to accept my past because I know Gott was leading me to you and to this moment.”

  He looked down at her, his eyes filled with love that she knew would last forever. “And you are the reason I returned to the mountain, Becca. I knew in my deepest core that I would find you someday. You told me I had built a wall around my heart. You were right. You broke down that wall and saved me from becoming a bitter man. I was dying, but you brought me back to life.”

  “Just as you and Hattie gave me shelter and saved me when I didn’t even know my name.”

  “We no longer need to look back, Becca, but only enjoy today and tomorrow and all the days ahead.”

  He gazed for a long moment into her eyes. The world stood still, and all she could see was the righteous man she loved. Then ever so slowly, he lowered his lips to hers.

  A weaker woman would have died from the burst of love that exploded in her heart, but Becca had been strengthened by adversity and was strong in her commitment to make a wonderful life for her soon-to-be husband and the children Gott would provide.

  Then she stopped thinking of anything except the warmth of Zeke’s embrace and his kisses that, she knew, would continue to thrill her for the rest of her life.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this story look for these other books by Debby Giusti:

  Amish Rescue

  Amish Christmas Secrets

  Amish Safe House

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Deadly Christmas Pretense by Dana Mentink.

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed Her Forgotten Amish Past. When reclusive farmer Ezekiel Hochstetler finds a battered woman in an Amish dress wandering on a dark mountain road late at night, his peaceful world turns upside down. The fact that she doesn’t know her name or anything about her past adds to his confusion. The last thing Becca Troyer remembers is being chased through the dark woods. Untying her past puts Zeke and Becca in danger not only of losing their hearts but also their lives.

  I pray for my readers each day and would love to hear from you. Email me at debby@debbygiusti.com or write me c/o Love Inspired, 195 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007. Visit me at www.debbygiusti.com and at www.Facebook.com/debby.giusti.9.

  As always, I thank God for bringing us together through this story.

  Wishing you abundant blessings,

  Debby Giusti

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense story.

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  Deadly Christmas Pretense

  by Dana Mentink

  ONE

  Maggie Lofton punched the speed in her twin sister’s Corvette as a car rounded the corner behind her a little too fast. The twisting road cut along California’s central coast was lit only by the moon and her headlights. Was the person behind her a random stranger or the man she’d been warned about? Tammy’s terrified phone conversation from late the night before rang in Maggie’s memory.

  “I took something from my boss’s house...but I had a good reason. I hid it in Driftwood with someone I trust. You have to get it before his nephew Virgil Salvador does.”

  “His nephew?” Maggie had tried. “Why would he...?”

  “Mags, I’m in trouble. Deep trouble.”

  “The police...”

  “No. I’ll be arrested.
Just pick up my car at Fine Motors Garage and meet me at the lighthouse near the Roughwater Ranch on Thursday night. I’ll tell you everything. Don’t talk to anyone. No police. Please, Mags.”

  “Where are you now?”

  “I’m safe.”

  Maggie had gripped the phone tightly at the fear in her sister’s voice. Then the call had been abruptly cut off.

  Oh, Tammy. Why do you get yourself into these jams?

  A smile quirked her face as she imagined Tammy’s reply. “Because I fire first then aim, just like Daddy always says.”

  Everything from bad romances, getting kicked out of her apartment, taking jobs that sounded too good to be true and were—Tammy had fallen into all of them and Maggie had been there to pick up the pieces. As she would be this time as well, if she could just figure out what new kind of trouble Tammy had landed herself in.

  The car behind her edged closer, further proof that it wasn’t someone out for a leisurely evening drive. Was it Virgil, the nephew? She knew Tammy had taken a job caring for the elderly Bill Salvador in the nearby town of Sand Bar, but Maggie had never met Bill or his nephew.

  The whole situation made no sense.

  She had to get away from whoever it was long enough to make the meeting with Tammy and sort out the details. If it was the person her sister feared, he must have caught her trail as she’d blown into town. Further, if he believed the woman driving the green Corvette was Tammy, that meant her sister was still safe, in hiding maybe, waiting for Maggie to arrive for their rendezvous. But if Tammy was fine, why had there been no answer to Maggie’s follow-up texts and calls?

  The car behind her was large. Black. So close now that the headlights blazed in her rearview mirror. The road was slick from a December frost. Dark. Was that a train whistle? Quickly she rolled down the window as the tires struggled to grip the icy road.

  “Don’t they believe in streetlights here in Driftwood?” she mumbled, pressing harder on the accelerator. She knew every spark plug and bolt in the car, having given it a complete tune-up a month ago after she’d paid the outstanding loan and gotten it out of repossession for her sister.