Never Far From Home (The Miller Family 2)

by Mary Ellis

  “One indulgence per year won’t hurt you or our wallet.” He grabbed the candle and headed for the checkout counter. Hannah and Phoebe trailed after him exchanging shocked looks along the way.

  It was an expensive extravagance, but he could afford twenty-five dollars to please his hardworking wife. They bought the candle and some bulk items and then started for home, stopping for a pizza supper in Winesburg. Even that bread-and-tomato pie tasted better than usual.

  When he went out to chores that evening, Seth Miller was a content man. He had much to be thankful for, and that night, he didn’t wait until bedtime to send up his prayers of thanksgiving.

  Late September

  A huge flock of birds settled in the harvested cornfield, scavenging the kernels left behind. Emma watched them in the thin light of dawn from her bedroom window. They squabbled and fussed while feeding and then rose into the air like a dark cloud. This was just the beginning of the fall migration from Canada as flocks paused briefly in the fertile farmland of central Ohio.

  But Emma had better things to do than watch birds.

  Today was her first real date with James since her parents had agreed to let them court. He usually stopped on his way to or from someplace to sip iced tea on the front porch or push her in the swing that hung from the tree.

  But mamm always hovered nearby, either darning socks with her bad hands or reading a book. The one time they walked down to the creek and back, Leah had been forced to tag along. Her parents had meant every word of “you shall not compromise your reputation with this Englischer.” But at least they were able to see each other.

  James was taking her to the Swiss Cheese Festival with Sarah Hostetler and Sam Yoder—just the four of them, no hawkeyed parents watching their every move. It was all Emma could think about as she bathed, dressed, and helped Leah cook breakfast. She decided to eat later because anticipation had turned her stomach upside down.

  “Remember, there will be plenty of Plain people in Sugar Creek to observe any improper behavior,” Julia had warned at least three times.

  Simon grunted and huffed while he ate his fried eggs. He said, “Make sure you’re back by ten o’clock. No excuses.” That particular phrase had been repeated more than once too.

  Emma selected her favorite dress, a beautiful shade of deep rose, and applied her lip gloss and cheek blusher using a hand mirror. Leah watched her curiously while sitting on their bed. “I can’t believe you’re courting an Englischer,” Leah said. “Nothing good can come from that.” She flicked a piece of lint off her skirt.

  Emma turned to meet her gaze. “That sounds like something daed would say.”

  “Jah, that’s where I heard it,” Leah admitted, blushing.

  “James is a wonderful man. You would like him, I’m sure.”

  “But if you turn English, we’ll never get to see each other,” Leah wailed. “You’re the only sister I’ve got! I would miss you so much.”

  Emma sat down on the bed and slipped an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Who says I’m turning English? I haven’t decided anything like that.”

  “You will if you marry him. English boys never turn Amish. It’s always the other way around.” Leah pulled from Emma’s embrace and ran from the room, her face pinched and teary.

  With a sigh Emma finished getting ready and hurried downstairs. She ate a bowl of oatmeal to prevent getting carsick and was waiting on the porch when James pulled up the driveway and jumped out. “Hi, Emma,” he called.

  He was wearing dark blue jeans, a navy-and-white plaid shirt, and cowboy boots. His damp hair had been combed straight back from his face, accentuating his strong jawline and high, suntanned cheekbones. Emma thought him the handsomest man alive.

  “Should I speak to your parents before we go?” he asked upon meeting her halfway down the pebble walkway.

  “No, I’ve already said goodbye for both of us. Let’s get going. I have to be home by ten.” Emma hurried down the path, not mentioning how unhappy her folks were over the trip to Sugar Creek.

  James pulled open her door. “Your carriage awaits, Cinderella.”

  “I beg your pardon?” she asked, climbing into the truck. She had heard of the book character but couldn’t remember much of the story.

  “Never mind. It’s good to see you, and you look extra pretty today.” James leaned over to tug a kapp string.

  “Hello,” she said to Sam, who was sitting in the backseat. “And you, keep your distance,” she directed at James. “I’m sure mamm is watching from the window. I’m surprised she didn’t want to ride to the Hostetlers with us and then walk back home.” As soon as she uttered the spiteful words, Emma regretted them. She hung her head. “I have no idea why I said such a mean thing. My mother’s only worried ’bout me, that’s all.” She glanced into the side view mirror as her farm faded from view.

  “I know you love your family, Emma. What you said is already forgotten. You’re just a little nervous. I am too.”

  She breathed deeply to regain her composure. How did James manage to stay so calm? He surely didn’t seem nervous. But soon Sarah had climbed into the truck and they were on their way to the most enjoyable day of Emma’s life.

  They reached the quaint town nicknamed “Little Switzerland” in less than thirty minutes. The main streets had been closed to traffic. Everywhere, people were standing around and talking. They appeared to be waiting for something. Emma couldn’t wait to join the throng. Booths had been set up that showcased more varieties of cheese than she thought existed. Girls dressed in Swiss costumes passed out free samples, while children in pigtails and old-fashioned outfits sang in street corner choirs.

  An elderly gentleman, looking very distinguished, welcomed them and handed Emma a brochure of the day’s events. James found a great spot to watch the grand parade, and soon people of all ages marched past singing and dancing and nodding like old friends. Emma imagined this is what a European village must look like, perhaps in Bavaria. Pretty young women, who were competing for the Festival Queen title, strolled by smiling and waving to the crowd.

  “Do you want to listen to yodelers in the pavilion?” James asked when the parade concluded. “Later, there’ll be square dancing and polka bands.”

  “What is a polka band?” she asked quietly, so Sam and Sarah wouldn’t overhear.

  “It’s a type of music with an accordion player that people dance the polka to.”

  Emma thought better than to question this further. “You do know that Plain people don’t dance,” she said instead.

  “Yeah, I know,” he said close to her ear. The gesture tickled her already heightened senses. “If you’d rather, we could watch the Swiss cheese judging or find the midway where they have amusement rides.”

  Emma smelled the fried donuts, heard the music beginning to play, and felt the joy of a thousand people surrounding her. It swelled in her bloodstream like a tonic to an anemic man. She turned toward him, their noses only inches apart. “Let’s see everything, James. I want to taste every kind of food and hear every type of music. And I want to see this Steintossen.” She pointed to a picture in the brochure of a man hurling a boulder. “Plus, I want to see which girl is crowned the Festival Queen.”

  James peered over her shoulder at the brochure and laughed. “That looks bizarre.”

  Emma clapped her hands and impetuously grabbed his arm. “Maybe so, but I don’t want to miss anything!” She knew she was behaving like a child, but she couldn’t help herself. For the first time, Emma knew how a horse felt when finally released from its stall to an open pasture.

  James clamped his hand over hers. The warm touch of his fingers raised her heart rate into the danger zone. “All right. Let’s hope Sarah and Sam can keep up with us!”

  The foursome walked from booth to booth and from one exhibition hall to the next. Sam tried his hand at yodeling. James won a stuffed giraffe by knocking down milk bottles. Sarah accurately predicted which beauty would win the Miss Swiss crown. Emma
bought a huge round of cheese that James carried on his shoulder for half the day. And all of them became queasy from the quantity and combination of food consumed.

  When they couldn’t walk another step and collapsed at a picnic table to rest, James pulled four tickets from his shirt pocket. “I’ve got a surprise for us. I bought these the day after Emma said she would come with me today.”

  “What are they?” Three voices chimed in unison.

  “Train tickets. We’re going to sit back and watch the world go by.” He hooked his thumb at the passenger cars waiting on the tracks at the edge of downtown.

  Sam and Sarah jumped eagerly to their feet, but Emma felt frightened. It was one thing to come to Sugar Creek for the festival. She’d been here with her aunt many times before. But it was quite another to get on a train and ride to parts unknown without telling her parents.

  “I don’t know, James. I didn’t tell my folks I’d be traveling somewhere other than here,” she said.

  James patted her shoulder. “Not to worry. This is just a scenic tourist train. We’ll go down to Baltic, turn around, and come right back. Will that be okay? If not, I’ll give our tickets away and we can watch more of the fair.”

  Emma thought for a moment. She’d never been on a train. Since they really weren’t going anywhere, she didn’t see any harm. “Okay, but don’t forget that I must be home by ten.”

  The two couples walked toward the train station and then stood in line to board. “I wouldn’t forget,” James said softly. “I plan on doing everything possible to get on your father’s good side.”

  A pig has a better chance of learning to ride a bicycle.

  Once the train pulled out of Sugar Creek, a strange sense of wonder settled over Emma just as it had when she had been in the canoe. Towns, houses, and farms—all quite ordinary when observed from the road—were much more interesting when viewed from the train car. She loved peeking into strangers’ backyards and gardens. Even laundry hanging from clotheslines became curious discoveries. One untidy yard was a veritable junkyard of broken farm implements and tractors. Another home had an enchanted garden of gazebos, topiaries, and flower beds. Farm fields stretching to the hills rippled with a bounty of oats, corn, and hay. Soon the train rounded a bend and crossed a river on a wooden trestle bridge. When Emma peered into the deep valley below, she slid back from the window and bumped into James.

  “Sorry,” she murmured. “I just realized I’m not fond of heights.”

  “Other than heights, what do you think? How do you like traveling?” he asked, snaking an arm around the back of her seat.

  Most likely, her face expressed her opinion better than words. “Oh, James, I love seeing the world like this. I’d like to ride all the way to California and see the ocean! I’ve never been anywhere other than Ohio and Pennsylvania.”

  James took her hand. She didn’t pull it back. “I love you, Emma, and I want to marry you when I finish college. I hope you’ll wait for me, and that you’ll have me for a husband someday.” His face shone with delight.

  Emma glanced over her shoulder. Sarah and Sam were absorbed in their own discovery of the backcountry of Tuscarawas County. “I love you too, James. And jah, I’ll be your wife.” Her mouth went dry after speaking the words. “I’ve got no problem with waiting. I’ve still got plenty to learn,” she added, remembering her younger sister was already a better cook and baker than she.

  James leaned over to kiss her lightly and sweetly on the lips.

  Emma slid back against the window glass. “You are so bold,” she said, hoping the other two were still distracted.

  “I don’t mean to embarrass you, Emma. I just wish we were older, that’s all.”

  Emma felt she might float up to the ceiling of the train car. “Me too,” she whispered hoarsely. She grinned so much her face muscles started to hurt.

  “You’ll love living on Hollyhock Farm. You can move your flock in with mine.”

  She shook her head. “It isn’t much of a flock.”

  “It will be once we join the two together and babies start to come. We won’t sell off any spring lambs until we have a respectable number.” His fingers interlaced through hers. “And I’ll build us our own house on the property, any style you wish—low and rambling or tall and stately—four, no five bedrooms. Would you like that, Emma?”

  She felt nervous energy run up her spine. “I don’t rightly know. Sounds like a lot of rooms to keep clean.” Maybe it was the motion of the train, along with the strange assortment of food she’d eaten, but something was churning her stomach.

  James squeezed her hand. “Sorry. I’m throwing too much at you at once. We’ll have plenty of time to figure things out. For right now, you just think about where to go for our honeymoon trip—maybe California to see the Pacific Ocean, or we could hop on a jet to Paris or Rome. Wherever you like.”

  “I’ll give it some thought,” she said, smiling. But truthfully, Emma was grateful when the train stopped to switch over in Baltic. They had reached their destination, and the engine at the other end would bring them back to Sugar Creek.

  Emma tried concentrating on the scenery during the return trip. Thankfully, James talked about smaller topics than the rest of their lives. It was a lot to digest—too much for one afternoon. But her younger sister had been right about one thing: James automatically assumed she would turn English when they wed.

  And that was another frightening thing to consider.

  Yet in the back of her mind, a picture of herself in blue jeans and a sleeveless top riding in a train car to California started to grow.

  Who-wee, Sarah,” Sam Yoder said. “That was some kiss. I believe we’ve just witnessed something momentous.”

  James and Emma immediately pulled back to a respectable distance. “It is a momentous occasion,” James declared. “Miss Emma Miller has agreed to be my wife.” James turned around just in time to catch a startled expression on Sarah’s face, but she managed to recover quickly.

  “Best wishes,” Sarah said, placing a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “I take it we’re the first to hear the good news.”

  “Jah, you are,” Emma said. “And for now, I’ll thank you not to tell anyone. We won’t be formally announcing our engagement yet.”

  She sounded more frightened than James would have thought, but he reminded himself that she was only sixteen.

  “Congratulations, Jamie!” Sam cried enthusiastically. “But why does this not surprise me? You’ve been acting strange ever since you met Emma, or at least stranger than usual. And you’ve been off the farm more times this summer than in the past two years put together.”

  Everyone laughed, but Emma’s laughter sounded forced.

  “Will your daed announce your engagement by Christmas?” Sarah asked. “Once the harvest is in and things settle down?”

  Emma glanced back at her friend and then focused her attention out the window. “No, we’ll wait a little longer than that.”

  “I’ve got college to finish before we get hitched,” James said, starting to doubt the wisdom of telling anybody their good news. He should have allowed Emma time to adjust to the idea.

  Sarah stared at James in disbelief as the train clattered into Sugar Creek. “You expect an Amish gal to wait four years for you, James Davis?” She lifted an eyebrow with a mischievous grin.

  “She’ll only be twenty years old, Miss Hostetler, not exactly a senior citizen.” James tried his best at indignation.

  “Hmm,” Sarah taunted. “You better be nice to my girlfriend. I’m not sure if any fellow is worth that long a wait!”

  “Hey, what about me?” Sam asked, pretending to be offended.

  Sarah punched him in the arm. “Not by a long shot.” General tomfoolery ensued as the train braked to a screeching stop in the station. The foursome exited the train in high spirits—all but Emma, that is.

  “Why are you talking about me like I’m not here?” Emma asked, sounding peeved. “I’m standing right in front o
f you.”

  “Of course you are, sweet girl,” James said, slipping his arm around her waist. “We didn’t mean anything by it. We’re just having fun.”

  Surprisingly, Emma didn’t shrug off his protective arm as they walked through the station and back to where the Swiss Cheese Festival continued in full swing. People strolled on the street carrying things they had either purchased or won from one of the midway booths. Music could still be heard coming from the pavilion. The sun, about to drop behind the western hills, bathed the streets of Sugar Creek in a magical, golden glow.

  “I’m hungry again,” Sam announced to the utter amazement of the others. “Let’s get some bratwurst sandwiches.” He rubbed his stomach with a circular motion.

  “Oh, my, not for me,” moaned Emma, looking stricken.

  “We’ll wait for you over there,” James said as he pointed to an out-of-the-way grove of trees. A park bench sat temporarily unoccupied.

  “I’ll stand in line with you,” Sarah said to Sam, “but I’m not eating another thing until tomorrow.” The two strolled toward the vendors.

  James and Emma walked hand in hand away from the hubbub. They didn’t talk, but her head on his shoulder felt better than he could have imagined. “I’m glad you promised to wait for me, Emma, because Monday I move into the dorm on campus.”

  “Your classes have already started?” she asked, her blue eyes flashing with alarm.

  “Yeah. I’ve been commuting back and forth, but I’m getting behind on my homework. I promised my folks to take school seriously and study hard. So it’ll probably be a few weeks before I can come home for the weekend.”

  Emma nodded while her smile vanished into an unreadable expression. She appeared to be giving his news serious thought. “You probably shouldn’t have told Sarah and Sam our plans…considering it’ll be a while before we marry.”

  “Sorry. I’ll remind them again not to spill the beans when I drop them off. I just couldn’t stop myself. You made me the happiest man on earth when you said you loved me.”