Home to Paradise

by Cameron, Barbara;

She laughed. “You don’t know me well. I get in trouble all the time for being a smart aleck.”

  They went inside, and he poured them glasses of iced tea. “I thought we could start in the kitchen.”

  They filled a box with mismatched plates and cups and glasses. Evidently Neil hadn’t cared about fancy matching sets. Brad saved an old glass pitcher he said his mother had loved. He tenderly wrapped it in old newspapers and placed it in a box. They moved from room to room with boxes marked “Brad,” “John,” and “Donate.”

  Brad’s hands shook as he took down a framed photograph of his father with one of his horses. She patted his back as he packed it into a box to take with him. A few other personal things went into his box from the living room and dining room, and then he looked around. “The rest is for you and John and charity.”

  “That’s all you’re taking?”

  He nodded. “I cleared out his bedroom and took photos and a few of his books. John helped me take Dad’s clothes to a thrift store the other day.”

  “I don’t think I was much help.”

  The kitchen door opened. “Brad?” John called out.

  “In the dining room.”

  “You said he’d be gone.”

  “He must be back early.” Brad shrugged.

  John walked into the room and stopped dead when he saw her. They both turned on Brad and gave him accusing looks.

  “I think the two of you could benefit from my mediation skills.” He sat at the head of the table and gestured at the other chairs.

  “I think you could benefit from a cold dip in the creek,” John growled.

  “Now that would be assault and battery—” Brad began.

  “I have money saved. I’ll pay for a lawyer to get you off,” Rose Anna offered.

  “The court wouldn’t look kindly on such an act of aggression,” Brad told John. “I’m just trying to mediate a painful situation between two people I care about.”

  “He’s just trying to manipulate us,” John told her. “Like you said you did, Rose Anna.”

  She winced.

  “But isn’t it true that you did it out of love, Rose Anna?” Brad asked her.

  Without waiting for an answer, Brad turned to John. “And isn’t it true that you asked her to marry you, that she didn’t ask you?”

  “Well—”

  “And isn’t it true that there isn’t another man, Rose Anna?”

  When she hesitated, he looked at her sternly. “You’re under oath here.”

  The corners of her mouth lifted, but she schooled her expression. “No, there isn’t another man.”

  “And isn’t it true that both of you have been miserable since you sent him away the other day, Rose Anna?”

  She nodded, and tears slipped down her cheeks. “But I did set out to bring him back home. I wanted him to come back to the church. Back to me.”

  “Because you love him.”

  It was a statement, not a question.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes.”

  “Then I pronounce you guilty, Rose Anna. The sentence is a lifetime with this man. For better or worse, for richer or poorer . . .”

  John barely heard Brad as he moved to take her into his arms.

  They never heard him leave the room.

  ***

  Rose Anna and John clasped hands and waited for the minister’s signal. Then they walked down the aisle toward him.

  Friends and family sat on each side of the big room in her haus created by pushing the movable interior doors.

  There was Kate, sitting on the women’s side, crying as she always did at weddings. She had to put on a tough look in her job as a police officer, but she confessed to melting at weddings. Her husband sat on the opposite side with the men, and he was looking at her with such love it warmed Rose Anna’s heart.

  Jenny and Matthew Bontrager were both in attendance. Rose Anna had been young when they married, but she still remembered how brave Jenny had looked as she struggled to walk without a cane not that long after surgery to repair damage from the overseas car bombing that had sent her here to recuperate. Another love story, thought Rose Anna. Jenny had reunited with Matthew, the boy next door to her grossmudder’s haus. Now their kinner and their grosskinner were there.

  So many friends. So many love stories better than the romance novels Rose Anna loved to read. Hannah and Chris, Naomi and Nick, Mary Katherine and Jacob, Anna and John. The two sets of twins Rosie and Katie, Ben and Mark, and Rosie’s mann, Jacob.

  And Leah and so many cousins and friends who attended church as well as some Englisch friends like Carrie were here.

  As Rose Anna and John drew closer to the front of the room, she saw Lavina and David and little Mark and Mary Elizabeth and Sam and her parents and Grossdaadi. And of course Waneta and Amos who beamed from their seats on each side of the aisle. John and Amos seemed to be getting along better.

  Brad had brought a friend, a woman he introduced in a way that told Rose Anna that she was very special to him. And she felt Neil’s presence as surely as if she saw him in the flesh.

  Rose Anna and John stood here in her childhood home before friends and family and listened as the minister began the ceremony to join them.

  The road to this time and place had seemed so long and hard. Rose Anna had so often doubted she’d ever stand here and be married.

  She remembered how she’d decided that God needed a hand and sat down on her bed to write in her journal and begin a list to plan how she would convince John to return to the community to marry her.

  Her schweschders had reacted with mock-horror and relentless teasing when she’d slipped and said God needed her help. But she was glad she’d done it now, even if it had caused her and John to almost break up.

  She glanced at Brad, and as if he knew what she was thinking, he gave her a wink that reminded her so of his fun-loving dat.

  There were hymns and prayers and finally it was over. They were mann and fraa.

  Men began moving the hard pews that were taken from haus to haus for biweekly services and converted them to tables. Women began loading the tables with baked chicken, roasht, vegetables, breads, and so much more.

  Rose Anna and John sat at the eck, the corner of the wedding table, and enjoyed the good wishes of friends and family.

  Kinner darted around, laughing and playing and being lured to join in games in a corner of the room.

  The day passed in a happy blur. She ate but had no idea what as John gazed at her with such love.

  After the evening meal guests began to drift out, heading home. Brad and Joanna were among the first since they had to drive back to Philadelphia because of their work schedules.

  “I felt like your father was here today,” she whispered to him as she stood and hugged him.

  “I did, too.”

  He and John exchanged the hug and slap on the shoulder that told her they’d become more like bruders than friends.

  She turned to Joanna and clasped her hand. “I’m so glad you could come.”

  “Me, too. It was lovely. Just lovely. I hope we’ll see you again very soon.”

  Rose Anna glanced up and saw Brad watching them. He nodded and winked at her, and she understood his silent message. They would see them soon, and she felt they would have their own happy news to share.

  She sighed. It wouldn’t be much longer before she and John could start their new life at the horse farm. How lucky they were. So many couples had to live with their parents and wait to buy or build their home.

  God was so gut bringing them together and in giving them a beautiful place to live for years to come and hopefully raise many kinner.

  “I have a surprise for you, Lieb,” John told her. He led her outside, and there in the drive sat a brand new buggy. Willow was hitched to it and wore white ribbons woven into her mane.

  “I bought it with the money from the sale of the truck. And a little more cash.”

  “I hope you won’t miss the truck.”

/>   “Never,” he said. “Never.” He helped her into the buggy. “Let’s go home.”

  “Home,” she said. “That sounds just perfect.”

  The End

  Favorite Amish Recipes from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

  Amish Yumasetta

  1½ pounds ground beef

  Salt to taste

  ¼ teaspoon pepper

  8 ounces wide noodles, cooked and drained

  ½ cup diced celery

  1 (10½-ounce) can cream of chicken soup

  1 (10-ounce) can tomato paste

  ½ pound Cheddar cheese, grated

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Brown meat and season with salt and pepper. Drain grease. Cook and drain noodles.

  Place a layer of noodles in a 2-quart casserole, then one layer each of meat, celery, soup, tomato paste, and cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients are used, ending with a layer of cheese. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

  Serves 6

  Creamed Celery

  (often served at Amish weddings in Lancaster County)

  1 quart finely chopped celery

  water

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ cup sugar

  2 tablespoons vinegar

  1 tablespoon flour

  ½ cup milk

  2 tablespoons mayonnaise

  Cover celery with water in a saucepan, and add salt, sugar, and vinegar. Cook until tender. Drain. Combine flour and milk and bring to a boil. Cool. Stir in mayonnaise. Add cooked celery and mix until blended. Serve hot.

  Serves 6

  Roasht

  (Chicken Filling or Dressing)

  4 tablespoons butter

  1 cup chopped celery

  1 loaf bread, cubed

  1½ cups cooked chicken, diced

  3 eggs, beaten

  ½ teaspoon salt

  pepper to taste

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Melt butter in a large skillet. Add celery and sauté until soft. Toss bread and chicken together in a large bowl. Pour celery and eggs over bread mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well.

  Pour into a greased roaster or a large baking dish. Bake uncovered for 1½ to 2 hours. During baking, stir occasionally, stirring bread away from sides of pan to prevent overbrowning or burning.

  Serves 6

  Amish Apple Butter Bars

  1 cup butter, melted and divided

  ½ cup chopped nuts

  2 cups whole-grain flour, divided

  2 cups apple butter or pear butter

  ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  ½ cup rolled oats

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ cup oat bran

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Mix together ½ cup butter, chopped nuts, and 1 cup flour. Press into an 8 x 13-inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Leave oven on.

  Top cooled crust with apple or pear butter.

  Mix together the remaining butter, baking soda, oats, the remaining flour, salt, and oat bran. Press mixture gently onto apple or pear butter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool, cut into bars.

  Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

  3 cups all-purpose flour

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

  1 tablespoon ground ginger

  1 tablespoon ground cloves

  2 cups firmly-packed dark-brown sugar

  1 cup vegetable oil

  3 cups pumpkin purée, chilled

  2 large eggs

  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided

  3 cups confectioner’s sugar

  ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

  8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin purée and whisk until combined. Add eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla and whisk until well combined. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

  Using a small ice cream scoop, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

  For the filling: Sift confectioner’s sugar into a medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioner’s sugar and remaining vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)

  Assemble the Whoopie Pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When the cookies have cooled completely, spread filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving. Cookies may be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

  Shoofly Pie

  ⅔ cup firmly packed brown sugar

  1 tablespoon solid shortening

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  ¾ cup boiling water

  1 egg, beaten

  1 cup molasses

  1 (9-inch) pie crust, unbaked

  Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  Mix brown sugar, shortening, and flour, and set aside ½ cup for topping.

  Combine soda with boiling water, then add egg and molasses. Stir well to create a syrup. Add crumb mixture, except for ½ cup reserved mixture. Pour into unbaked pie crust and cover with reserved crumb mixture.

  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes (until firm). When cut into, the bottom may be “wet.” This is okay. It is also called a “wet bottom shoofly pie.”

  Serves 6-8

  Glossary

  ach—oh

  aenti—aunt

  allrecht—all right

  boppli—baby

  bruder—brother

  daed—dad

  danki—thank you

  dat—father

  dawdi haus—a small home added to or near the main house into which the farmer moves after passing the farm and main house to one of his children

  dippy eggs—over-easy eggs

  dochder—daughter

  eck—the corner of the wedding table where the newly married couple sits

  Englisch—what the Amish call a non-Amish person

  fraa—wife

  Gott—God

  grossdaadi—grandfather

  grossdochder—granddaughter

  grosseldres—grandparents

  grosskinner—grandchildren

  grossmudder—grandmother

  grosssohn—grandson

  guder mariye—good morning

  gut—good

  gut-n-owed—good evening

  haus—house

  hungerich—hungry

  kapp—prayer covering or cap worn by girls and women

  kind, kinner—child, children

  kumm—come

  lieb—love. Term of endearment

  maedel—young single woman

  mamm—mom

  mann—husband

  mein—my

  mudder—mother

  nacht—night

  nee—no

  newehocker—wedding attendant

  onkel—uncle

  Pennsylvania Dietsch—Pennsylvania Dutch. A dialect spoken by the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

  roasht—roast. A s
tuffing or dressing side dish

  rumschpringe—time period when teenagers are allowed to experience the Englisch world while deciding if they should join the church

  schul—school

  schur—sure

  schweschder—sister

  sohn—son

  wilkum—welcome

  wunderbaar—wonderful

  ya—yes

  Discussion Questions

  Spoiler alert! Please don’t read before completing the book as the questions contain spoilers!

  1. Many Amish believe God has set aside a marriage partner for them. Do you believe this? Do you believe in love at first sight?

  2. Rose Anna has been waiting for John, the man she feels God has set aside for her, for a long time. Have you ever become upset with God when His timing isn’t yours? What did you do?

  3. John left home after he couldn’t get along with his father. He’s had to find whatever jobs he can to support himself. Have you worked at a job you didn’t like or felt is not what you want to do with your life? How did you handle it?

  4. What was your relationship with your parents when you were growing up? Good? Troubled with conflicts? How do you get along with them now as an adult?

  5. Have you ever had to walk away from a relationship with a family member or a good friend who felt like family? Why? What happened? How did you handle it?

  6. Rose Anna finds her work volunteer teaching quilting classes to be fulfilling. Have you ever volunteered? What did you do?

  7. Rose Anna gets a second chance with John, and their relationship seems back on track. But John doesn’t feel he has anything to offer her—Amish men are traditional and believe they should support their wives. What did you think of Neil’s advice?

  8. John finds a mentor—a father figure—in Neil. Have you ever had a mentor or been a mentor to someone else? How did this relationship change your life?

  9. When Neil has a sudden health crisis, John and Neil’s son must come together. Have you ever had a situation where you had to do this? What did you do?

  10. Neil’s death changes John’s life. Have you ever lost a parent or parent figure?

  11. Sometimes family is made up of our mother, father, and siblings. Sometimes it’s made of friends or others like Neil and Brad who become family. Do you have friends who are family to you? How did this happen?