“You’ve guessed how the latest bid turned out, jah?” Nate murmured.
Martha’s hand went to his smooth-shaven face as she blinked back tears. “Jah, your expressions told the tale.”
“Burns my butt the way it happened, too,” Bram remarked. “Some fella in fancy clothes said his company was gonna build a tire factory there! Outbid us big-time, by the looks of him.”
“A tire factory?” Despite her best effort, Martha choked back a sob. “Why, that’s not even—what’ll the neighbors think of that?”
Nate sighed and clasped her hand. “I get the feeling that man doesn’t much care about the neighbors. Even though the place seems like a major investment to the likes of us, it’s probably small potatoes to him because land here’s so much cheaper than most other places.”
“And he’s buyin’ the place with other people’s money.” Bram shook his head as he gazed at Mary, who sat beside him in the front seat. “I’m real sorry, honey-girl. I was hopin’ to have all kinds of celebratin’ to do these next couple of days.”
Mary gazed out over the passing countryside, which was alight with afternoon sunshine. “Maybe this is God’s way of telling us we were getting too big for our britches, thinking we could handle two new marriages and three businesses at our age. Maybe—”
“But we at least made your uncle Abe a happy man,” Martha piped up with forced cheerfulness. “We told him yesterday we were ready to take our instructions, so we could join the church.”
“Jah, he won’t be reporting our kissing in the barn to Vernon Gingerich, our bishop.” Mary muffled a giggle as she hooked her hand around Bram’s arm. “That little sin has been forgiven, now that Dat’s told him we’re courting. Puts me on the higher road, you know.”
Nate slung his arm around Martha’s shoulders, gazing into her eyes. “And you’re still sure about joining the church? Even with this news we got today?”
“Jah, we’re positive. It’s just a matter of sooner rather than later for us,” she confirmed. She loved it when Nate thumbed away the tear dribbling down each of her cheeks . . . how he was offering her a way out of the arrangement they had all agreed upon so quickly. “Our folks like it that we’ve all got plans that make us happy while we start our families. And they’re real glad we twins will be in the same house. So if you . . . well, if you still want to hitch up with—”
“You’re beating me to the punch, but jah,” Nate rasped as he grabbed her and murmured into her ear. “I want you for my wife, Martha. Will you have me?”
Her body shivered with the thrill of this moment, dreamed of since she was a girl. Had there ever been a handsomer fellow than Nate Kanagy? Or another man who would respect her desire to work at something besides having a family? “I’m yours,” she whispered.
In the front seat, Bram cleared his throat ceremoniously. “You girls aren’t the only ones who have taken that step,” he announced. “Our Preacher Tom was mighty glad I told him I was ready for my instructions, too. And the parents are acting like a Christmas miracle has taken place.”
“They’re really eager to meet the two girls who set us along this path to getting hitched—and to getting Bram into the fold,” Nate added playfully.
Mary tugged at the lapel of Bram’s leather jacket. “Well, would you look at this! I thought I saw broadfall pants and suspenders under this English coat—and that’s a pretty purple shirt, too. We’ll have you looking Amish in no time, ain’t so?”
Martha’s heart felt lighter and the mood in the buggy lifted. Wasn’t it a fine thing, the way the three of them had committed to the Old Order faith, practically on the same day? “This calls for a treat!” she declared as she opened the big box near her feet. “Cookies and candy will sweeten up the news about the farm, too.”
“But I’ve got to tell you, I could already see myself baking in that new kitchen and chatting with guests in our inn,” Mary said wistfully. She took the cookie bin from Martha and placed it on the seat so Bram could choose something, and then dug a piece of paper from her apron pocket. “Dat even sat down with us to sketch out a house like we’ve been talking about—”
“So when the right property comes along,” Martha chimed in, “we’re ready! There’ll be no stopping us then! Show them, Mary.”
When Bram had gazed at the drawing, sighing over it, Mary passed it back so Nate could have a look. He traced a finger over the rough lines of a house with two wings on either side of a taller center section.
“You girls are the best,” Nate murmured. “We’ll just keep believing in this sketch, and in this whole project and the way you’ve helped us make it even better than Bram and I had imagined.” He closed his eyes over his first bite of fudge.
“Jah, we were thinkin’ we might have to mop a couple buckets of tears during the drive home,” Bram remarked. “I’m thankful the two of you can see beyond the clouds to the rainbow. Means a lot.”
Martha shared a smile with Nate. Had that remark come from the same Bram Kanagy who had coaxed her and Mary to jump the fence, share an apartment, and live in dubious circumstances?
“You know, if we cut up this next county road, we might make it to the real estate office before Ken closes for the day,” Nate suggested, gesturing off to the right. “It’ll save somebody a trip to fetch our check.”
“Gut idea. No need for that much money to be sittin’ around with Ken over the holiday. Geddap, Felix!” Bram pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket and entered a number with one thumb . . . listened as it rang. “Jah, Ken—Bram Kanagy here. We’ve picked up the Coblentz girls and I’m wonderin’ if we can swing by your office for our earnest money, say, in half an hour?”
Martha settled against Nate’s shoulder, lifting her chocolate chip wreath to share it with him. We’re making the best of this situation, Lord, she prayed, so help us accept Your will for us and move on to whatever You’ve got in mind for our future. How could she remain downhearted with such a fine man holding her close, his dark eyes shining with the promise of wonderful things to come?
The four of them chatted for the next several minutes as early evening settled over the countryside. The snow-capped silos and barns took on the pale blue shadows of coming nightfall, a reminder that no matter what had happened with the farm they had wanted so badly, their dreams would rise again as surely as the sun would come up tomorrow. Wasn’t it a blessing to know that the same God who had set order to the nights and days was watching over them?
It was a comfort, too, when Martha realized that she and Mary no longer needed to play little tricks or trade places to get what—and whom—they wanted. Their lives and loves were playing out just as they were supposed to. Such a thought made her smile in the warmth of Nate’s embrace: she’d come a long way in a short time.
Chapter Fifteen
As they pulled into the parking lot, the lights shone in the windows of Ken’s office. Nate noticed a black SUV parked close to the door and wondered who else might be conducting end-of-the-year business, but mostly he wanted to duck inside, retrieve their check, and get back on the road. No need to dwell any longer on the fact that this transaction hadn’t worked out the way they wanted it to. When Bram pulled the rig around to the side of the building, Nate hopped out. “Be back in a few.”
He wasn’t expecting Ken Carnahan to open the door just as he got there, wearing a mysterious smile. “Nate, I’m glad you fellows could stop by again—and your girlfriends are with you?”
“Jah, they are.” He gestured toward where the buggy was parked.
“And is that frosting on the corner of your mouth, by chance?”
Swiping at his face, Nate flushed. “Mary brought along cookies, so we were sweetening up the bad news about not getting the farm—”
“Perfect! How about if all four of you come inside,” Ken said quietly, glancing back toward his office. “And if you’ve got any cookies left, bring them in. It might be worth a few minutes of your time.”
What could Ken possib
ly mean? Nate sensed he shouldn’t question the agent’s suggestion, so he fetched Bram and the girls from the buggy. “I’ve got no clue as to what Ken might be cooking up, but what have we got to lose by going along with him?” he said. “Toss the blanket over Felix, just in case it takes a little while.”
The realtor held the door, smiling at the four of them as they went inside.
“This is Mary and Martha Coblentz,” Nate said, and then he couldn’t help but grin. “They’ve both agreed to be our wives, so it’s been a real gut day even if we don’t yet have a place to live.”
“Congratulations! It’s a pleasure to meet you girls,” Ken replied as he shook their hands. “I’ll take your coats and then there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
When Bram and the girls questioned him with their glances, Nate shrugged. It felt like the agent might have something up his sleeve, yet he knew better than to get his hopes up. The Amish didn’t believe in Santa Claus . . .
And yet, as the twins smoothed their aprons and kapps, Ken Carnahan’s expression put a shivery sensation in his stomach. The realtor opened the door and gestured for the four of them to precede him into his office.
“I’d like you kids to meet Carlene and Travis Westview,” he said as a middle-aged man and woman rose from their chairs. “The farm you bid on belonged to their parents, and they’re settling up the estate now.”
After they were all introduced, Ken asked them all to sit down. He gazed first at Mary, Martha, Bram, and Nate before looking at the Westviews. Again, Nate had to wonder why Ken wanted them to meet these folks face-to-face . . . with cookies.
“Bram, after I informed you that I had received a higher offer—and then heard you were stopping by—I felt I should bring Travis and Carlene here so they could see why I was so . . . unsettled about accepting Mr. Dana’s bid.”
He sat down at his desk, addressing the Westviews. “While Mr. Dana can probably convince our congressmen to arrange the rezoning required for his factory, as a homeowner who lives down the road, I hate to see the havoc such a plant will create. We’ll need a new road to accommodate the construction traffic, not to mention city sewers and other infrastructure that would substantially raise our taxes,” he pointed out. “And then there’s the disruption of the peace and quiet we came to the country for, and the possible rerouting—or contamination—of the creeks and groundwater we and our livestock depend upon.”
Travis smoothed his thinning hair as he glanced at his sister. “As the executor of Mom’s will, I’ve got to follow her wishes—and answer to our other brother and sister about getting the best possible price for the farm, too,” he insisted.
Carlene nodded, scooting to the edge of her chair. “While we understand your concerns about how the area would change, we can’t let sentiment affect our—”
“And what sorts of businesses did you kids say you wanted to start, if the farm became yours?” Ken prompted, gazing at Nate and Bram.
His younger brother didn’t need to be asked twice. “I’m an auctioneer,” Bram replied with a smile. “I plan to construct a sale barn—”
“And I’m a horse trainer in Willow Ridge,” Nate continued, encouraged by what seemed to be happening. “This place is perfect for us because we can raise the hay we need for our animals and put the rest of the acreage to gut use, too.”
“And once we marry these fellows,” Mary said, fishing the sketch from her apron pocket, “our dat, Amos Coblentz the carpenter, plans to build us a double house that’ll have a bed and breakfast in the center of it. See?” She walked over to let the Westviews have a look.
“Jah,” Martha chimed in, “and I’ve been taking classes to manage the business end of things, while Mary will cook and see to our guests. We’ve even got some of Mary’s goodies along with us. Here—take a taste!”
Carlene and Travis looked like a couple of deer caught in a car’s headlights, but Nate understood now what Ken was trying to do—for the four of them, and for the dreams they had shared with him. While Travis bit into a brownie and looked at the house plans with his sister, the girls stood back a bit. They understood that English sometimes couldn’t figure out how to react to Amish folks.
After a moment, Carlene glanced up at the twins. “But a house like this must surely cost a fortune. And how will you boys afford this farm?” she asked.
Mary smiled politely. “Ah, but the land’s to be a gift from the boys’ parents, while our folks have promised us girls homes as our wedding present,” she explained. “We Amish are all about families staying together, helping each other out.”
Carlene glanced at her brother. She succumbed to a sugar cookie from the bin as she looked at the house plan again.
“Mr. Kanagy has also told me that he plans to pay in cash, so you could settle up with your siblings very quickly, while Mr. Dana’s money would have to make its way through corporate channels, out of state,” Ken pointed out. “And you’d have nothing to defend to your brother and sister if you accepted the boys’ offer, because their latest bid is quite a bit more than the assessed value of the land.
“It’s your decision, of course,” the realtor went on in a low voice, “but I wanted to offer you a chance to foster local, home-grown businesses that will support two new families.”
After a few moments of silence, Ken smiled at Nate. “I expect the Westviews will want a chance to talk this over, so—”
“Jah, we’ll be on our way, then.” Nate offered his hand to Travis. “Thanks for hearing us out. And Happy New Year to both of you.”
“It’s a big job, settling up amongst your kin,” Bram remarked as he, too, shook the land owner’s hand. “We hope it all gets worked out with everybody still speakin’ to each other.”
“You’ve got that right,” Travis replied with a short laugh.
The four of them returned to the entryway and started putting on their wraps. Ken joined them, closing his office door behind him with a big smile. “You kids handled this exactly right,” he murmured. “I can’t guarantee that they’ll decide in your favor, but—”
“Well, at least you gave us another shot at it, and that was mighty kind of you.” Nate gripped the agent’s hand. “Keep us in mind for other places, if the Westviews take Dana’s offer.”
Mary held out the cookie bin. “We’d like to leave you some of these goodies as our thanks, and—”
“I bet there’s paper towels in the restroom to wrap them in,” Martha said as she went toward a door in the hallway.
“—we’re really grateful for the way you took our side today, Mr. Carnahan. Come and stay a night with us when we get our inn built, on the house.”
It was Ken’s turn to look stunned. “What a generous, thoughtful offer. I wish you kids all the best, wherever you make your new home.”
While Ken chose some cookies, the girls put on their coats and bonnets. Nate’s pulse thrummed with fresh hope even as he reminded himself not to get caught up in how this surprise meeting had gone. He heard two voices on the other side of the office door, but resisted the temptation to listen in. After all, didn’t he already have the yes that mattered most, from his Martha? With that important piece of his future in place, the rest of the details would surely present themselves when God decided he should have them.
“Happy New Year,” Bram said as he opened the outside door. The girls walked out, exclaiming over the fresh snow that was falling, and Nate brought up the rear. They remained quiet as they passed the lighted office windows . . . tugged the blanket from the horse’s back . . . tucked the cookie bin under the dashboard . . .
“Kids, wait! The Westviews want to talk to you!”
Nate had never seen Mary and Martha’s faces light up so brightly. Bram laughed and clapped the girls’ shoulders, steering them toward the office door, where Ken was leaning out, grinning like a kid on Christmas Day.
Inside the lobby, the two Westviews stood side by side, watching them enter. “Mom detested big business,” Travis admitted i
n a raspy voice.
“We’d feel bad every time we drove by, seeing a factory where our home used to be,” Carlene joined in. “I have a feeling you kids are going to make the most of this place, so we want you to have it.”
Mary and Martha grabbed each other, hopping up and down. “Oh, but this is just the best surprise—”
“And we thank you ever so much!”
Nate gripped Travis’s hand between his. His eyes were burning and his throat was tight, but he saved his show of emotions for later. “This is a dream come true for us, Mr. Westview.”
“Jah, it’s like we got the twins for Christmas,” Bram chimed in, “and now we’ve got a home forever. How could anything top that?”
Laughter filled the lobby as they shook hands all around. They returned to Ken’s office so he could print out the initial sale paperwork, and while Travis was asking Bram about his auction barn, Carlene requested Mary’s recipe for sugar cookies. Too excited to sit down, Nate stood in the doorway drinking in the enthusiasm that filled this room. Just as his marriage to Martha had snapped into place like the fastener on Clyde’s sleigh bells, the farm that had seemed like a lost cause was suddenly theirs.
Nobody but You could’ve worked it out this way, God, he mused gratefully. Denki for helping me keep the faith, and for bringing Martha, Bram, and Mary into the membership, too. From there, everything was a go.
When they got back to the buggy an hour later, Nate lit the lanterns while his brother brushed the fresh snow from Felix’s back.
“Wait till the folks hear this!” Bram crowed. He hadn’t stopped grinning the whole time they were inside, and as he reached for Mary she squealed and grabbed him around the neck.
“Jah, we should give Mamm and Dat a call, too,” Martha agreed. “Might get somebody to answer the phone while they’re out doing the horse chores—”
“It can wait.” Nate wrapped the redhead in his arms and lost himself in blue eyes that sparkled like crystals on a pond. “Seems like we should seal this deal with a kiss.”
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