Everlasting Amish Love (Amish Romance): Amish Love Stories Series: Emma & Benjamin
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EVERLASTING AMISH LOVE (AMISH ROMANCE)
Amish Love Stories Series - Book 1
Emma and Benjamin
Author: Joshua Elliot James
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Smashwords Edition
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright 2014 J.E. James
All Rights Reserved
Published in the United States by Joshua Elliot James
Published 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of this material in any way. You must not circulate this book in any format. Joshua Elliot James does not control or direct users’ actions and is not responsible for the information or content shared, harm and/or actions of the book readers.
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Other books by Joshua Elliot James:
Everlasting Love: Amish Love Stories Series
Emma & Benjamin
Gloria & Samuel
Archaeological Mystery Thrillers
The Perfect Killing Machine
The Ruby Red Eyed Beast
The Stolen Da Vinci Manuscripts
The Ancient Gate Into Another World
Contents
Copyright
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Checkout Other Great Books By J.E. James
About the Author
Prologue
“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.”
Song of Solomon 8:7
Chapter 1
“I think you’re really going to like it here Emma.” Ruth smiles at her niece as they both sit in the back of the black horse drawn buggy. The dark haired, younger woman doesn’t feel quite so sure however. She just smiles weakly back at her fair haired ant, before returning her focus to outside of the buggy’s window, watching the rolling farmland out there, with horses dotting the landscape every now and again as they plow the fields with their modestly dressed drivers.
“Well, just take your time.” Ruth goes on kindly. “I know you’ve had your troubles back in the city, but you’re coming to live with me and your uncle Jonah now. We can put all of that behind us. Gott would want that. Maybe that’s even why he’s bringing you here.” Emma looks down at her own clothes now, a denim jacket only narrowly covering a logoed t-shirt, slimly fitted blue jeans and brand name trainers. All of them are reminders of her life in the city, and just how much different she is than her ant and uncle, dressed in their plain outfits of black and white.
Emma wants to believe what Ruth is saying, but that’s easier said than done with the disregard for her faith she’s received growing up in the city with her parents over the years. They made the decision to leave the Amish community before she was even born, but they still upheld their religious beliefs. That was harder for Emma as she grew up in an area so void of faith everywhere else she looked. Even now as a young woman of sixteen she’s feeling discouraged by her own wavering faith in God because of that past. She doesn’t have the heart to tell her ant and uncle that however. She just hopes she’s going to have enough faith left not to disappoint them whenever the topic comes up.
“It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” Jonah, her uncle, calls from the front of the buggy where he sits steering the horse. He’s misread Emma’s silence caused by deep thought and instead taken it as her being overwhelmed by the vastness of the countryside she was looking over. “But you’ll get used to all of this.” He continues when the young woman looks to him this time. “We all know each other out here, like one big family. Once you’re a part of that, helping out one another, you’ll find that this is a gut way of life.”
“We shouldn’t expect too much of her too soon Jonah.” The mann’s wife laughs at his enthusiasm. “You and I both know living out here is a big step from living in the city. Why, I still remember the times my sister and Mathew used to come back and visit when they first moved away. They couldn’t get their heads around how we go without all the modern conveniences they had back home. Dinner was never meant to take ten minutes to cook and come out of a plastic packet.” She shakes her head fondly at the memory of the young couple’s whining at how hungry they were while they helped out with working on dinner.
“Maybe so.” Jonah smiles at that memory too. “But Emma here’s going to have all the time she needs. Besides, as I recall Mathew and your sister couldn’t deny that the meal we all put together was more filling than those ‘TV-dinners’. It tasted better too, I remember them saying, so it was worth the wait. Don’t let their nonsense discourage you Emma.” The mann tells his niece in a fatherly manner.
“I won’t.” The girl says quietly. She likes the friendly exchanges between her ant and uncle, but she doesn’t know if she can ever be a part of that. Maybe her faith’s dwindled too much to let her be a part of this family they talk about folks being all involved in around here.
“Give it time dear. Give it time.” Ruth speaks up again, though it’s not exactly clear whether these words are meant for her husband or Emma. Taking them upon herself nonetheless, Emma stares out of the window again, but with more hope this time than before. As she looks out across the dusty wheat fields, basked in the bright light of the mid-morning sun, she truly feels a desire to be a part of this beautiful life.
* * *
“Hello there.” A bearded middle-aged mann Emma doesn’t know calls out to her from his rickety porch, where he sits, as she steps down out of the buggy only after her ant has left. He seems friendly enough as he smiles her
way with sincerity, his crisp white shirt adding to the invitation, but still the girl shies away from saying anything. She quickly catches up to Ruth instead, as she has already greeted this mann and continued on her way. Jonah has started driving the buggy away again, so returning there isn’t an option for Emma.
“I suppose you’re waiting to introduce yourself at the dinner tonight.” The fellow decides understandingly as Emma makes her way past.
“What?” She asks, stopping in her tracks to look at the mann this time, but with her green eyes widened.
“To welcome you to our community dear.” Ruth informs Emma, coming back to stand by her side. “This here is Jonathan, a gut friend of ours. He’ll be bringing his whole family over this evening for that celebratory dinner.” The mann nods in confirmation of the woman’s words, but the thought of this only terrifies Emma further. She doesn’t know how she’s going to get used to being around all these new people so suddenly when she still hasn’t gotten fully accustomed to her ant and uncle she’d never previously met. “We should get going; there’s a lot to prepare for tonight.” Ruth gently tugs the young woman, as she seems to be frozen to the spot now, to continue walking to the haus she’ll be living in for as long as she needs.
“We’ll be seeing you then.” The mann waves at the two women as they both depart. Emma only just manages to smile back at him, whilst clinging onto her Ant’s sleeve, as she’s taken to her new home. She’s left bewildered by everyone else they walk past, talking amongst themselves so openly and taking part in so many activities she’s never seen first-hand before.
* * *
“Denke for letting me stay here.” Emma breathes a sigh of relief once she’s safely in the haus of her relatives. The building of grey stone, with its worn, wooden porch is so much different from the city apartments she’s lived in all her life that she can tell even this is going to take some getting used to. She hopes she’ll get to visit the nearby stables later though, animals being a lifelong love of hers, despite her urban upbringing.
“Ach, you’re welcome dear.” Ruth says. “Well, we should get to work.” She rolls up her sleeves and heads into the kitchen.
“But...” Emma trails off as she follows her ant. “I was hoping to unpack and get some rest after the long journey.” She finishes, once she’s by her ant’s side.
“Oh? Well, that’s fine. I can show to your room if you like.” Ruth starts preparing some dough regardless as she says this. “It’s just that this is going to be a lot of work for me to do on my own, putting together the dinner for tonight. I haven’t even invited any of the other women over to help this time, thinking it was something we could do together. You know, another way of welcoming you into our way of life.” She dusts the flour off of her hands and onto her purple apron, before turning to Emma with a big smile on her face, even if she had sounded a little disappointed by her niece’s request.
Emma groans slightly at the position she’s found herself in. She hadn’t wanted a celebratory dinner put together for her in the first place, but she has to appreciate the thought. And now she’d feel guilty not agreeing to help Ruth out with the cooking and preparations.
“That’s okay. Unpacking can wait.” Emma assures the woman instead and makes her way over to the sturdy wooden counter. She looks over all the different recipes around and foods to be prepared silently for a few moments, before speaking up again. “But I’m going to need a lot of help with this; my parents aren’t exactly culinary experts anymore.” She laughs, coming out of her shell a little, at least around her ant.
“Ahah. That’s what I’m here for.” Ruth can’t deny her niece’s disadvantage, but is dedicated to making this an enjoyable experience for the both of them.
She offers Emma a white apron of her own and the two women start on preparing a meal fit for this special occasion. They bake bread, roast enough chickens to go around the full table and peel and cook the vegetables Ruth had earlier harvested. Waiting for the stove to heat and preparing all of the foods for cooking from scratch, Emma can see why her parents would have complained about having to wait for so long before eating all that time ago.
The cooking might have taken a little longer than usual because of everything being so new to Emma, but it all turns out to be worthwhile in the end. The full spread of the meal is laid out just as the sun is setting and guests are due to arrive.
“For your first time doing this, you’ve done really well.” Ruth tells her niece, happy with the effort the girl has put in and also happy that she did get to spend time with her after all. “Well, I can finish up here. You go and get ready for when Jonah and everyone else gets here; it won’t do welcoming you into our community if you look a mess.” She laughs.
It’s true. Even with the apron, Emma has gotten some food down her hooded jacket and jeans from when the women had been preparing the meal. She guesses that might just be another aspect of her being so unused to this work, but it’s something easily taken care of.
Once Ruth’s shown the girl to her room, Emma starts to unpack, wondering what she can wear to an event like a celebratory dinner. None of the clothes she has packed seem to fit in with those of the rest of this Amish community and she’s not keen on the idea of drawing any more attention to herself than is necessary on her first day here.
Something that almost escapes Emma’s notice is the frock neatly folded upon a hand carved chair, tucked away in the corner of her new room. This must have been left here by her ant, as she must have guessed the decision Emma’s now facing. Picking the black, knee length dress up to take a closer look, she can tell already that this must be just the right sort of outfit to wear, when coupled with the long white socks and pristine, black buckled shoes she soon discovers under the chair.
Still there is dissatisfaction in Emma’s heart once she has put the dress on as she spins around once, taking in the subtle movements of the frock as she does so. She can already hear so many people entering the haus, talking jovially as they await the celebration’s commencement. Emma isn’t ready to face any of them yet, in this dress her ant so thoughtfully left out for her or not. Knowing that this will only disappoint her ant and uncle, Emma can’t help but sneak out of the haus, unnoticed by the many guests as the festivities begin to take place.
Chapter 2
“Where are you taking us Benjamin?” The dark haired mann speaking leans into the front of the grey buggy with some concern over his younger friend’s apparently lost sense of direction. “My daed’s farm is back that way.” He points in the direction of the fields currently being plowed by heavy horses, reminding the younger lad of the destination the pair are meant to be headed, to offer their own help working the land for the day.
“I know that.” Benjamin tells him, not bothering to turn the horse around or even look back at the close friend he’s known since he was a boppli, as he continues down the road starting to lead out of the Amish county of Lancaster. “But I’ve been thinking lately. I’ve been thinking so much about leaving this place behind, and seeing the world. You can understand that, can’t you Joshua? Today’s the day I’m going to do it. We’ll go to the city maybe, and see how they live. Maybe we’ll even like it so much that we want to stay.”
“Now hold on there Benjamin.” Joshua says, attempting to climb into the front of the buggy himself now to join his restless friend; The boy’s been feeling this way a lot recently since he’s been given the chance to fully explore his freedom, Rumschpringe this adolescent time of life is called. Benjamin’s never attempted to up and leave before now however, to the best of Joshua’s knowledge. In the end, the older mann gets out of the buggy altogether and jogs alongside for a better chance of climbing into the front with Benjamin.
“Whether your heart’s set on this decision or not, you’re not taking me with you out to the city.” Joshua makes clear, taking the horse’s reins from Benjamin. He begins steering the horse back the way they came. Benjamin lets his friend do this, but only grudgingly. He doesn�
��t say anything to indicate his acceptance of what has been said, so Joshua continues with his lecture. “I’m needed here, to help out my family around the farm. And you and I both know we can all use all the help we can get with the busy harvest season upon us. Wait until the winter time, once the harvest’s over; that’ll be the best time to leave for the city.”
“I don’t want to wait that long.” Benjamin stops his sulking long enough to say this and pout at his friend’s suggestion. Joshua’s blue eyes widen comically in response to this declaration as he stares at his friend for a moment, rather than the road ahead of him.
“My, my Benjamin. Don’t tell me the only reason you’re wanting to leave for the city is to get out of the work and responsibilities you’ll be leaving behind here.” Joshua teases his friend lightly, knowing Benjamin well enough to know that he’s not going to take the accusation personally. That’s why he’s surprised to hear his friend give a sigh of defeat so quickly as a response this time.
“No. That’s not it.” Benjamin tells the mann, looking longingly over his shoulder at the dirt path he had been steering the pair of them down. “It’s just… I don’t know Joshua.” He sighs again, but with a little more frustration than dissatisfaction this time as he turns to his trusted companion for guidance. “Haven’t you ever felt the same way I do now? Have you ever been tempted to leave all of this behind way of life behind, if only temporarily, just to see what else is out there for us? Surely Gott wouldn’t have created such a big world if he didn’t intend for us to explore it all firsthand.”