Their True Home (An Amish Reunion Story Book 1)

by Amy Clipston

  “That’s why I wanted to invite you over for supper tonight.”

  “Oh.” Marlene looked over at Rudy and found him frowning, his shoulders hunching as an apology spread across his face.

  “I’m making my special chicken potpie casserole. It’s Rudy’s favorite.” Ada leaned forward. “And I won’t take no for an answer. I want to thank you for making my Rudy smile again.”

  Marlene stilled. She’d made Rudy smile again? Was that true?

  “Please say yes.” Ada folded her hands as if she were praying.

  Marlene glanced at Rudy as he walked up behind his mother. “Well, I don’t know, Ada. It’s Monday, and—”

  “Please, Marlene,” Ada said again.

  Marlene met Rudy’s gaze, and his eyes pleaded as he mouthed the word, Please?

  Marlene looked back at Ada. “Ya, I’d be delighted to join you for supper.”

  “Great.” Ada clapped her hands.

  Behind her, Rudy mouthed a thank-you.

  Ada spun to face Rudy and patted his chest. “You bring Marlene home for supper tonight. I’m going to make her something special to thank her for being such a gut freind to you.”

  “Ya, Mamm.” Rudy gave her a quick hug, and Marlene’s heart swelled with admiration for him.

  “Well, I’m off to the market,” Ada said over her shoulder as she headed toward the door. “I’ll see you all tonight.”

  “Good-bye, Ada,” Marlene called after her.

  Rudy shook his head as he came up behind the counter to Marlene. “I’m sorry about her.”

  “Don’t be.” Marlene opened a bottle of water and took a sip. “It’s an honor to be invited for supper with your family.”

  “Just ignore her pushiness.” Rudy leaned against the counter behind him. “She means well, but she gets a little overexcited.”

  “I think she’s great, and you should be thankful to have her.”

  Rudy’s eyes widened, and he leaned toward her as he gasped. “I’m sorry, Marlene, I didn’t mean to—”

  “It’s okay.” She nudged his foot with hers. “I know what you meant, and I meant it when I said it is a privilege to be invited.” She walked to the back wall and picked up the phone. “I’ll leave a message for my family so they’ll know I won’t be home for supper. Tonight will be fun.”

  As she dialed the number, happiness bubbled inside of her. She couldn’t wait to have supper with Rudy and his family. Eating with him would be a new step in their special friendship.

  Rudy savored the delicious chicken potpie casserole as he looked across his mother’s kitchen table at Marlene. She was stunning as she smiled and talked about how much she enjoyed being back in Birdin-Hand. Her gorgeous green eyes seemed to sparkle in the natural light streaming in through the kitchen windows. She wore her kelly green dress—t he one he liked best on her—and her cheeks were flushed pink. He studied her, memorizing every line of her face and every intonation of her voice. She was perfect to him, beautiful inside and out.

  He was falling for her, and it scared him deeply. She was on his mind throughout the day, and she invaded his dreams at night. He felt a spark any time their hands brushed, and his heart swelled every time she laughed.

  The thought of losing her to someone else nearly ripped him to shreds. Yet nothing he could do would stop his emotions for her, which grew deeper as the days wore on.

  “Did you like Indiana?” Mamm asked as she scooped more casserole onto her plate.

  Marlene nodded. “I did. But Bird-in-Hand feels like home again.” She looked over at Rudy. “Thanks to your sohn.”

  “That’s gut to know.” Mamm winked at Rudy.

  “This is appeditlich, Ada.” Marlene pointed her fork at her plate. “I have to get the recipe. I think mei dat would enjoy it too.”

  “Oh ya.” Mamm wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. “I’ll be sure to write it down before you leave tonight.”

  “How do you like working at the store?” Dat asked Marlene. “You never seem to complain, but I don’t know if you’re just being polite.”

  Marlene gave a little laugh, and Rudy couldn’t hold back his grin.

  “I love working there,” Marlene insisted. “I worked at a market in Shipshewana, so I was used to retail. I enjoy interacting with the customers.”

  “You worked at a market?” Mamm leaned forward. “What kind of things did you sell?”

  As Marlene told tales about living in Indiana, Rudy looked down at his plate. He had to find a way to manage his feelings for her before he wound up with a broken heart, though he feared it was already too late. She’d already won him over, and now his parents were falling for her too.

  Rudy suddenly realized that his heart was doomed.

  “Everything was lovely tonight, Ada,” Marlene said as she dried a dish and set it in the cabinet. “Danki again for inviting me over.”

  “Gern gschehne,” Ada tossed over her shoulder. “I’m so froh you could join us for supper. I wanted to get to know you better since Rudy seems smitten with you.”

  “Oh, I don’t think that’s the case.” Marlene picked up another dish from the drying rack, and her hands trembled at the prospect of winning Rudy’s heart. “We’re just really gut freinden.”

  “Marlene, I’m not blind,” Ada said, scrubbing a dish. “I know mei sohn, and he definitely has feelings for you. He’s a little shy since he went through such a bad breakup years ago. I think he blames himself for the problems he had with Laura, but it wasn’t his fault alone. They were young when they got together, and they just grew apart after she lost her mamm and her best friend, Savilla. It has taken him a long time to heal from that, but I think he might finally be ready to move on, thanks to you.”

  Marlene shook her head. “He and I get along great, but I don’t think he wants to date me.”

  “Rudy is a very gut man,” Ada continued. “He has a gut heart even though he’s a little reticent when it comes to sharing his feelings. He’s a hard worker, and he’s going to take over his dat’s store someday soon. Jeptha has been grooming him for years. When the time is right, he’ll take this haus and we’ll build a little one for ourselves in the back.” She pointed to the window over the sink. “Just give him time, and he’ll tell you how he feels.”

  Marlene studied Ada as confusion swirled through her. Did Ada truly understand the situation as well as she thought? Surely she was misguided. Rudy had never even said he cared about Marlene.

  But Marlene didn’t want to hurt Ada’s feelings. Maybe it gave Ada hope to believe she’d welcome the grandchildren she prayed for sooner rather than later.

  Ada turned to face Marlene, her expression suddenly serious. “Don’t you have feelings for mei sohn?”

  Marlene opened her mouth and then closed it. How could she admit she cared for Rudy when she wasn’t sure he would ever share those feelings?

  “You know, Jeptha and I were gut freinden before we started dating. We knew each other in school and then youth group. We talked occasionally, but we didn’t start dating until we were around your age.” Ada turned back toward the sink. “Sometimes love takes a little longer to develop.”

  Love?

  Marlene swallowed as a ball of unease formed under her ribs. She had to stop this conversation before Ada starting planning their wedding!

  The back door opened and then clicked shut, and Rudy sauntered into the kitchen. As confusion trampled her like a team of horses, Marlene could only stare at him.

  Could she possibly love Rudy? Could he love her too?

  He stepped over to the counter and leaned against it before lifting an eyebrow. “What are you two ladies discussing?”

  “You,” Ada quipped, and Marlene cringed.

  “Really!” Rudy stood up straight. “I hope you’ve been saying gut things about me.”

  “Only the best,” Ada said as she scrubbed a handful of utensils.

  Rudy touched Marlene’s arm. “I’d better get you home before your family thinks I’ve ki
dnapped you.”

  “Oh.” Marlene looked at the drain board, which contained glasses and another pile of utensils. “I need to help finish with the dishes.”

  “No, no.” Ada dismissed her with a wave of her hand. “You go on. I can handle this.”

  “Are you sure?” Marlene asked.

  “Of course I am.” Ada gave her a knowing smile. “I’ll see you again soon.”

  “Danki for supper,” Marlene said before following Rudy outside.

  When she stepped out onto the porch, she said good night to Rudy’s father as he swayed back and forth in a rocker. Then she walked down the steps and climbed into Rudy’s waiting buggy.

  “I’m sorry if mei mamm was a bit blunt,” Rudy said as he led the horse toward the road.

  “She was fine,” Marlene said, settling back in the seat. “I had a lovely time.”

  “I’m glad.”

  They rode in silence for a while as her conversation with Ada spun through her mind. Possibilities consumed her as she considered what it would be like to date Rudy. Would he tell her that he loved her? Would Dat give him permission to date her? If so, would Dat allow her to continue working at the store if she and Rudy were a couple?

  The questions echoed through her mind as she stared out the window at the passing traffic.

  She glanced over at Rudy and found him also staring out the front windshield, seemingly occupied in thought. Was he thinking of her and imagining what a future together would look like? She desperately wished he would tell her how he felt.

  Marlene dismissed the thought and chewed her lower lip as her aunt’s house came into view. The ride home had been too short. She wanted more time with him, but she would see him again on Wednesday when she came to work. How would she manage without talking to him tomorrow? She was already too attached.

  Rudy halted the horse at the top of her driveway and then turned toward her. “The evening wasn’t long enough.”

  She smiled. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

  Leaning over, he tenderly pressed his hand to her cheek, and her pulse galloped. “I had a nice time tonight.”

  “I did too,” she whispered, her words vibrating within her.

  “Danki for coming over to have supper with my family.” His husky voice made her wonder if he were holding something back.

  A moment passed between them, and his nearness made her dizzy. Did he feel it too?

  When Rudy didn’t speak, Marlene knew she had to get out of the buggy before she confessed her feelings to him. She couldn’t bare her soul until she was certain he cared for her in return.

  “Danki for driving me home,” she said, breaking the moment in two. She touched his shoulder and pushed open the door. “I’ll see you Wednesday.”

  “I can’t wait,” he said. “Gut nacht.”

  She climbed out of the buggy and then hurried up the porch steps, her steps so light she felt as if she were floating on a cloud.

  Marlene ran into the kitchen and then stopped dead in her tracks when she found her father at the kitchen table, scowling. Anna and Betsy wiped tears from their cheeks as Aenti Feenie and Onkel Leonard looked on, their faces etched with concern.

  “What happened?” Marlene asked as her happiness dissolved.

  “My cousin Floyd called me earlier today and offered me a job at his shop,” Dat announced.

  “What?” Marlene’s voice cracked. “Floyd in Indiana?”

  “We’re moving back to Shipshewana next week,” Dat continued. “It’s all set. I’m going to rent a haus from him, and we’re going to—”

  “No!” Marlene cried as the floor dropped out from under her. She had to be dreaming. This couldn’t be real!

  “No, no, no! I don’t want to go back. I want to stay here.” Marlene gestured around the kitchen as dread poured into her. “We’ve made a life here, and we belong here. We’ve been reunited with this community after all this time. You can’t do this to me. You can’t make me leave.”

  “Marlene.” Dat stood and held his hands up. “Please calm down and listen to me. It’s all settled. Floyd is going to pay me a decent salary in Indiana.” His words shot across her nerves like shards of glass, cutting and fraying them.

  “No!” Tears rushed down Marlene’s hot cheeks, and she let out a sob. “I don’t want to go. I want to stay here.”

  Dat glanced at her aunt and uncle. “I appreciate all that Feenie and Leonard have done for us, but we belong back in Indiana.”

  “I don’t! I want to stay here!”

  Before Dat could respond, Marlene rushed into the mudroom, grabbed a flashlight from the shelf on the wall, and dashed out the back door into the darkness.

  CHAPTER 8

  Marlene dropped to her knees in front of her mother’s grave as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. She hadn’t stopped running until she reached the cemetery, then weaved through the headstones until she found her mother’s name.

  Reaching up, she ran her fingers over the cool concrete as her heartache rushed through her.

  “Mamm,” she whispered, “I need your help. Dat wants to take Anna and me back to Shipshewana, and I want to stay here. It’s comforting to be back here in Bird-in-Hand. I feel closer to you, and not just because your grave is here. The memories of the four of us together as a family make me froh. This is where I belong. This is home.”

  She sat back on her heels while pressing her fingers onto the gravestone. “I miss you, Mamm. I miss your voice, your laugh, and your hugs. I miss your patience and your sage advice. For the first time in years, I’m froh. I’ve met someone. I don’t know if you remember Rudy Swarey, but we grew up together. I had a crush on him when we were teenagers, but we were never close. We were barely acquaintances back then, but he’s my freind now. In fact, he’s my best freind, and I think I’m falling in love with him.”

  Her own words rang loudly in her ears, and she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. Her heart twisted with renewed grief at the thought of losing him.

  “I do love him, Mamm,” she continued. “When I’m with him, I’m happy. In fact, I’m happier than I’ve been in years. He’s different from Colin. He understands me in a way Colin never did. Rudy is handsome, funny, thoughtful, and genuine. I also feel this attraction that I’ve never felt before. Rudy is the man I’ve always prayed to find.”

  Her lip quivered as sorrow coursed through her. If only her mother could have seen Rudy and Marlene together.

  “And now that I’ve fallen in love—true love, for the first time—I have to say good-bye to him. I don’t know how to do it. Please help me. Please send me a sign. How do I make Dat realize that we belong here? How do I convince him not to take me away from my life here and a possible future with Rudy? Help me, Mamm. Please.”

  Hugging her arms to her chest, Marlene leaned forward and sobbed as a wave of anguish pulled her under.

  Rudy stepped out of the barn after stowing his horse and buggy and froze. He blinked to make sure he wasn’t imagining Marlene walking up his driveway with a flashlight guiding her way.

  “Marlene?” He rushed over to her, and his heart clenched when he spotted tears streaming down her face. “Marlene! Was iss letz?” He reached for her and swiped the tears away with the tip of his finger. “Tell me what’s wrong.” Alarm roared through him as she took deep breaths and sniffed.

  “It’s mei dat.” She looked up at him, and her lip trembled. “When I got home, he said he got a job offer back in Shipshewana. His cousin offered him a job and a haus to rent. He wants to go back there, says we belong in Indiana. I ran out of the haus and went to the cemetery to see mei mamm. Then I came here to tell you.”

  “No.” Rudy shook his head as dread pooled inside him. “No, you can’t go.”

  “I don’t want to go.” She sniffed as more tears leaked from her eyes.

  As he examined her tearful face, a new emotion burned through him. He knew in that moment that he loved her.

  He truly loved her, and he cou
ld not lose her.

  He was in love with Marlene Bawell, and he felt it to the marrow of his bones. He couldn’t let her go—not now, not ever.

  “You can’t go.” He rested his hands on her shoulders and took a deep breath as determination surged through him. “You can’t leave me, Marlene. I’m in love with you, and I can’t lose you.”

  She gasped as she looked up at him. “I love you, too, Rudy.”

  He pulled her to him and brushed his lips over hers. The contact sent liquid heat shooting from his head to his toes. Finally he understood. This is what love was supposed to feel like!

  When he broke the kiss, she rested her head on his shoulder. “I can’t lose you either, Rudy. Not when I finally have you.”

  He searched her eyes. “What do you mean?”

  “I had a crush on you when we were teenagers.” She gave a little laugh as she wiped at her eyes.

  “What?” He gasped. “I never knew you liked me.”

  “I know.” She shrugged. “You never noticed me, but I noticed you.”

  “I may have been blind back then, but I don’t want to let you go now.”

  “Ich liebe dich.” Her words were music to his ears.

  “I love you too.” He shook his head. “Look at us. We’re nearly thirty, and we’ve finally found each other. Remember when you said you feel old? Well, I do too.”

  “Does that make us late bloomers?” She smiled tenderly, but then it faded. “I hope it’s not too late, Rudy.”

  “It isn’t. I refuse to let you go.” He set his jaw as resolve gripped him. “Let’s go talk to your father. We have to convince him to stay.”

  “Okay.”

  “Let me hitch up my horse.” Threading his fingers with hers, he steered her toward the barn.

  “What are you going to say to mei dat to convince him to stay?” Marlene asked as they rode in the buggy to her family’s house.

  “I’m not sure.” A muscle in Rudy’s jaw ticked as he kept his eyes trained on the windshield. “Maybe we can ask him if you can stay with your aenti and onkel while he and Anna go back to Indiana.”