The Baby Next Door

by Vannetta Chapman

  “Ah. You’re talking about the gossips in our community.”

  “It’s taken six months for them to finally move on to someone else. This will just stir them up all over again.”

  “‘Better to hold out a helping hand than to point a finger.’”

  “Really?” She stopped scrubbing mid-plate. “You’re quoting a proverb to me?”

  He smiled and patted her clumsily on the shoulder. “I appreciate your concern, but Grace is right about this. I plan to stand beside her and support her, and I know you will, too. As to what other people do... We have no control over that.”

  She pointed a soapy finger at him. “Just remember I warned you.”

  “Duly noted.”

  He thought they were finished with the topic, then Beth added, “Grace will fit right into this family. Stubborn, like everyone else.”

  “Including you.”

  His sister mock scowled at him as he walked out of the kitchen. Adrian considered sharing his schweschder’s warning with Grace that night as he drove her back home, but he couldn’t do it. She was so happy with his family’s response to her confession and their announcement. He couldn’t ruin this moment for her. Instead, he would pray that the people who Beth had spoken of would have a change of heart. And if they didn’t, then he would do what he’d said he’d do.

  He’d stand beside Grace.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The new-members’ class had finished the week before, and the next Sunday, each participant was to be baptized. Grace had shared the details of her past with her bishop. He hadn’t looked surprised, but he had assured her of Gotte’s promise to forgive all who repented.

  “Do you repent your past misdeeds, Grace?”

  “Ya, I do.”

  It had been as simple as that. It had always been that simple, only she hadn’t been ready. Now she was.

  She had asked for permission to address the congregation before her baptism, and Bishop Luke had agreed. He seemed to recognize that this was something she needed to do. He’d even given her a list of scripture to study. “And then if you still feel you should speak, of course you may.”

  Confess your faults one to another...

  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us...

  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

  Grace understood that by speaking the truth to her family and Adrian’s family and her bishop, she’d fulfilled her duty. But her heart needed to clean the slate. She’d lived under a false pretense for too long.

  Sunday morning came, and she remained convinced that a confession was the proper thing to do, the thing she needed to do.

  She barely heard the words of the sermon.

  And though voices rose in song around her, she found that her mind couldn’t focus on the lyrics.

  So instead, she prayed, and she waited.

  When finally the service was near its conclusion, Bishop Luke stood and addressed the group. As was typically the case, there were about three hundred people gathered on the benches that had been placed outside under the shade of the maple trees. This Sunday, they were at George and Becca Miller’s farm, which helped to calm Grace’s nerves. They were a kind family, and George had been a good friend to Adrian.

  “Our new-member class concluded this week, and I’m happy to share with you that we have eight candidates for baptism.”

  There were murmurs of “Amen” and “Praise God” and “Hallelujah.”

  “Before we begin, Grace Troyer would like to share a few words.”

  It wasn’t unheard of for a woman to speak in church. Contrary to what Englischers thought, women did have a voice in the workings of the congregation. However, it was unusual for a woman to formally address the entire group. Grace’s mamm reached for Nicole, but Grace shook her head and carried her doschder with her to the front of the congregation.

  “I want to thank you—my church family—for being so kind to me and to my doschder, Nicole, since we have returned from Ohio.”

  There were many nods and smiles, but Grace knew this didn’t mean they understood what she was saying. They considered Nicole her doschder, but they didn’t yet understand that she was her doschder. She could have stopped there, but then it wouldn’t be a confession. Would it? Grace swallowed, found Adrian’s gaze from the men’s side of the group and continued.

  “Today, before I’m baptized, I want to confess that I stepped outside the lines of our Ordnung when I became pregnant with Nicole. I was a single woman, and Nicole’s father was an Englischer. I should have controlled my emotions and my actions better. I should have acted in a manner that respected the way my parents raised me. My deeds and my words should have been above reproach.”

  Now she searched the crowd to find her mamm and then her dat. Her schweschders Georgia and Greta, were also there with their families. Technically, they belonged to another church community, but they’d wanted to be there for the celebration of Grace’s baptism.

  The group as a whole had gone suddenly quiet, as if they were waiting for Grace to offer a better explanation for her actions.

  “Moreover, I should have been honest from the day I returned. I have prayed to Gotte and sought His forgiveness, and today, before my baptism, I ask for yours.”

  She noted one, two, maybe three people who refused to meet her gaze, but overall, there were many nods of approval.

  Bishop Luke stepped forward. “Now if all the candidates will come to the front, we will celebrate the holy sacrament of baptism.”

  Grace’s mamm hurried up to where Grace stood and took Nicole. Grace and the others who were to be baptized sat in chairs that the deacons had placed near the front.

  One by one, Bishop Luke and George Miller moved down the row. When they came to Grace, she covered her face with one hand as she’d seen so many before her do. Luke had reminded them of the reason for doing so at their last meeting. The covering of your face indicates submission and humility to the church.

  George Miller was one of the deacons. He held the bucket of water, which he ladled out into Luke’s hands. The bishop poured the water from his hands over Grace’s head. He did so once, twice and then a third time. As he did, he prayed for Gotte’s blessing on her life, her child and her future.

  And in that moment, Grace finally felt cleansed.

  She understood that the water wasn’t special in and of itself. It was the fact that they were following Christ’s example. She was ready to live her life that way—for Nicole, for Adrian and for herself. She was ready to live a life that she wouldn’t have to apologize for.

  The next hour passed in a blur, with members coming up and congratulating her. Many promised to pray for her and Nicole. Through it all, Adrian stood by her side. They’d decided to wait a month to announce their intention to marry, but it was plain to anyone with eyes to see that they were in love.

  They sat with George and Becca as they ate. Together the four spoke of children, summer crops and their future plans.

  Grace and Adrian planned to wed in the fall.

  George and Becca were expecting their seventh child.

  All four were looking forward to attending the summer festival at the park the next weekend. They made plans to meet up and go together.

  So this is what it feels like to have friends.

  The thought seemed ludicrous, even to Grace. George and Becca had been their friends before her confession. But their kindness touched her heart, as did the kindness of others.

  One of the girls she’d attended school with walked up to Grace after she’d finished eating and invited her to attend a sew-in the following week.

  “All the mamms are working on quilts for the auction for the schoolhouse,” Anna Lapp explained. “Your Nicole will be attending before you know it.”

  She’d squeezed Grace’s arm, th
en pulled her into a hug before hurrying off to stop her son from attempting to climb on top of one of George’s goats.

  Perhaps the other mamms never had excluded her.

  Maybe Grace had excluded herself.

  There were only three people who were rude to her. The first had confronted her when Adrian was standing by her side.

  “It’s easy to confess a thing, but it’s another matter to change your ways,” Widow Schwartz had muttered, shaking her head and walking away.

  Adrian had pulled her closer to his side, but the widow’s words hadn’t wounded Grace as much as she had expected. She saw now that Widow Schwartz was simply lonely and perhaps hurting from some past experience that she’d never spoken of to others. Grace understood that sort of pain.

  Donna and Meredith Bontrager had turned their backs and refused to speak when Grace and Adrian had put their dishes in the bucket of soapy water. Adrian had wanted to say something, but Grace had touched his arm and nodded toward where the children were playing. “Let’s go check on Nicole.”

  So they had.

  She saw no reason to let two bitter women ruin her day. Donna and Meredith had always been gossips. Grace had tried for months to ignore them and not allow their rudeness to sting. She understood now that it was possible she would always be the recipient of their gossip. So be it. She couldn’t stop people from talking poorly of her, if they were so inclined.

  The day had gone better than she’d hoped.

  Most everyone was quite supportive, and the few who weren’t kind at least were in the minority. Grace decided she could live with that.

  It was while she was putting Nicole down for a nap on a blanket under the maple trees that Deborah King approached her. Grace took in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Deborah was Georgia’s sister-in-law. Grace’s schweschder had shared once that certain members of the family were quite strict.

  Perhaps if Nicole hadn’t been lying there, listening with wide eyes, Grace would have ignored the woman’s words. Of course Nicole couldn’t understand what she was saying, but that wasn’t the point to Grace. The point was that it was her job to protect Nicole.

  She wasn’t going to tolerate anyone being unkind to her doschder, and it was best to set people straight on that now. Anyone who thought they could be hurtful to Nicole would have to go through Grace to do so.

  Deborah stopped directly in front of Grace, wagging her finger and frowning. “I would think that you’d have the sense to at least move somewhere else, if not for your own sake, for Nicole’s.”

  Grace froze in the process of handing her daughter her favorite doll, a Plain doll with a lavender dress and white apron. She remembered sewing the clothes for the doll. The way that Nicole had smiled when she’d first showed her the matching dress. Now Nicole accepted the doll, clutched it to her chest and popped her two fingers into her mouth.

  Grace stood, straightened her dress and then faced Deborah. “I will thank you to not speak unkindly in front of my doschder.”

  “I was merely being honest and saying what others are thinking.”

  “Others are welcome to share their concerns with me privately, as you should have done.”

  “Well, I never...”

  “Never what, Deborah? Never made a mistake? Never regretted a moment of weakness? Never wished that you could go back and change something?” Grace’s temper rarely flared, but it was in danger of igniting. She pulled in a cleansing breath and remembered Bishop Luke pouring water over her head. She remembered the commitment of her baptism. “The truth is that I wouldn’t change that mistake I made—I will gladly carry the burden of the things I’ve done wrong—since it means I’ll have the joy of Nicole in my life.”

  “Humph.” Deborah pulled her purse string over her shoulder and strode away.

  And instead of feeling slighted or hurt or sad, Grace had the urge to laugh. She turned back to her baby girl, who pulled her fingers out of her mouth long enough to point and declare, “Adrian.”

  Grace turned and saw the man she loved walking toward her. She felt the sun’s rays on her skin, but it was what was in her heart that sent warmth through her. She’d faced the very worst that could happen, and put it behind her.

  Her heart felt lighter, so much lighter.

  As Adrian sat beside her on the quilt, she forgot about Widow Schwartz and Donna and Meredith. Instead, she let her thoughts drift over the people who had been kind, over her family and Adrian’s.

  Gotte had provided them with the people they needed.

  All that was left was to walk together into the future that was waiting just over the horizon.

  Epilogue

  Grace heard the delivery truck pull into their drive. She was moving more slowly these days. Her second child was due in two weeks. By the time she made it to the front porch, the delivery man was pulling away down the lane.

  But the box of books were there.

  Adrian must have heard the truck, or perhaps he was sticking closer to the house these days. He was certain their child would be born early. “Eager to meet everyone,” he’d said the night before. “Especially his big sister.”

  Which had started Nicole asking a dozen questions.

  Would she be able to play with him or her?

  Could they share a room?

  How did the baby come out?

  Would it be like the kittens in the barn?

  Nicole had turned four, and questions were her favorite thing.

  Adrian scooped Nicole up in his arms and hurried toward the front porch.

  “The books?”

  “Ya.”

  “Here. Use my pocket knife.” He opened the small knife and handed it to her, handle first. “Careful.”

  “Of course.” She slit the top of the box and let out a small gasp when she saw the covers. She’d seen them before, pictures of them, but this was the first time she’d held a copy.

  Plain & Simple Recipes

  By Grace Schrock

  The front cover showed a picture of their garden, with Nicole squatting and picking cherry tomatoes from a plant. Only the back of her kapp and dress showed, and her little hand reaching for the tomatoes. Peeking out of the corner of the cover was Kendrick the Llama—as usual, he was poking his head where it didn’t belong.

  “It’s a beautiful book. I’m so proud of you.”

  “Pride is a sin,” Grace murmured.

  “As you’re aware, I’m not a perfect man.”

  “Walk with me to Mamm’s?”

  “Of course.”

  Grace tucked one of the copies under her arm, and the three of them walked down the drive, down the lane and next door to her parents’.

  Grace remembered returning there when Nicole was just a babe. So much had happened since then—the tours, falling in love with Adrian, sharing the truth about Nicole.

  Their marriage.

  A new home built by their church community.

  The last two years hadn’t all been rosy. Adrian’s mamm had suffered a stroke and died a year after they wed.

  A tornado had come through the year after that and taken several neighbors’ barns.

  But those things had brought them closer together. They were a family, and Grace was so grateful for that. They had each another to depend on through the trials and tribulations, and of course, the joys of life. The baby inside her moved, and she covered her belly with her hand.

  “Everything okay?” Adrian’s voice was low and close to her ear.

  Nicole had stopped to pick a yellow flower. Yellow was still her favorite color.

  “Everything is wunderbaar.” She kissed her husband, then slipped her hand in his. As she did, she thanked Gotte for how far He’d brought her, for the way He had knit this family together, for His care and provision. She knew that was one thing she could always depend on—Got
te’s provision. No matter what lay ahead, she didn’t need to be afraid.

  * * *

  If you loved this story,

  pick up the other books in the

  Indiana Amish Brides series,

  A Widow’s Hope

  Amish Christmas Memories

  A Perfect Amish Match

  The Amish Christmas Matchmaker

  An Unlikely Amish Match

  The Amish Christmas Secret

  from bestselling author

  Vannetta Chapman

  Available now from Love Inspired!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from The Amish Teacher’s Wish by Tracey J. Lyons.

  Chicken Divan Casserole

  A Plain & Simple Recipe

  1 cup uncooked rice

  1 cup diced carrots

  4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  2 tablespoons butter

  3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  Salt and pepper to taste

  1 cup chicken broth

  ½ cup milk or half-and-half

  ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided

  1 pound frozen broccoli florets

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 12 x 8 inch baking dish.

  Prepare rice according to package, stir in carrots and spread mixture into prepared baking dish.

  Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Brown chicken breasts 2 minutes on each side. Arrange over rice.

  To prepare sauce, melt butter in saucepan. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth and milk. Cook and stir to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup cheese.

  Arrange broccoli around chicken. Pour sauce over top. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over chicken.

  Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 10-15 minutes. Broil for 2 minutes if crispy chicken is desired.

  Makes 6 servings