Becoming Bea
Page 30
Ben and I married in May. It was a small celebration, by our Plain standards, with just family and our closest friends, including Albert and Willa. We didn’t have a big place to host it, just the bookstore that Mamm had gifted us a down payment toward. We scooted all the bookcases along the walls and held the service in the open space and then the dinner too.
Mamm returned from Montana to help us celebrate, along with Molly and Leon and their two-month-old baby, Anna Bea.
I was a little miffed that Molly used Mamm’s name, which meant I wouldn’t be able to, but once I saw the little one, I was so smitten I thought the name perfect for her. And I couldn’t help but be honored they’d used mine too.
I couldn’t wait until I had a baby of my own. Ben and I planned a trip to Montana the next fall. Hannah said she’d watch the Olde Book Shoppe for us and, jah, we’d take the train. I was up for an adventure—as long as Ben was at my side.
Mamm announced on our wedding day that she would return to Montana with Molly and her little family, but she’d be back by winter. We had a room for her in our upstairs living quarters.
Besides Anna Bea, little Wally—still a babe-in-arms himself—and the triplets, who were the same size as their nephew, all attended our celebration, which soon spilled out onto the lawn in the warm spring weather. I counted my blessings, over and over, as Ben and I thanked our guests.
That night, after we sent everyone home, saying we’d finish the rest of the cleaning ourselves, the scent from the spring honeysuckle outside the open window filled the room. As I swept, Ben stepped beside me, as if dancing. I put the broom aside and fitted into his arms.
“Ach,” he said, drawing me close. “I’m so glad you’re Bea.”
“Jah, that’s me,” I answered. “At least who I’m becoming.” I wanted to be the strong woman God had created me to be. Not the critical girl I’d been. And not the nice girl I’d tried to be.
And here I was, in my favorite place, in the arms of my favorite person—the man I loved with all my heart, so much so that I had absolutely nothing to protest. “H-A-R-M-O-N-Y,” I spelled.
He grinned. “L-O-V-E,” he replied.
Pulling him toward the stairs, I spelled, “A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N.”
We both laughed, and then he said, “Ach, imagine that. I let you have the last word—once again.”
Acknowledgments
I’m humbled by all the people it takes to make a book successful—early readers, resources, agents, editors, publishers, marketers, printers, salespeople, distributors, booksellers, readers, bloggers, and reviewers. I am grateful to each person who has had a part in this process.
As always, I am especially grateful to my family. My husband, Peter, and children, Kaleb, Taylor, Hana, and Thao, keep me writing—both through their physical and emotional support and through the many ideas they toss my way. Thank you!
Early readers for this story included my critique group—Melanie Dobson, Nicole Miller, Kelly Chang, Dawn Hill Shipman, and Kimberly Felton. Laurie Snyder read the manuscript multiple times and Libby Salter also read for me. I’m grateful for all of you!
Another special thank-you goes to Marietta Couch, who read for me and also answered my many questions about Plain living. I’m so grateful God connected us at a book signing—and for the friendship that’s resulted. (Any mistakes are mine, and mine alone.)
Kerri Brown Scott also deserves a mention for giving me a great idea, during my visit to her book group, as far as wrapping up one of the details of the COURTSHIPS OF LANCASTER COUNTY series. Thank you, Kerri for suggesting another baby for Laurel. I truly treasure feedback from all my readers.
The entire team at Bethany House Publishers has my thanks for all they’ve done for my books. Dave Long, Karen Schurrer, Jenny Parker, Steve Oates, Noelle Buss, and Amy Green are just a few of the many people I am grateful for.
I’m also very appreciative of my agent, Chip MacGregor, who has guided me through over a decade of writing. From the beginning he supported my crazy idea of retelling Shakespeare plays in Plain settings. I’m very thankful for his ongoing support.
Leslie Gould is the coauthor, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 CBA bestseller The Amish Midwife, a 2012 Christy Award winner; and the author of CBA bestseller Courting Cate, first in the COURTSHIPS OF LANCASTER COUNTY series, and Beyond the Blue, winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice for Best Inspirational Novel, 2006. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She and her husband and four children live in Portland, Oregon.
Learn more about Leslie at www.lesliegould.com.
Books by Leslie Gould
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THE COURTSHIPS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
Courting Cate
Adoring Addie
Minding Molly
Becoming Bea
Resources: bethanyhouse.com/AnOpenBook
Website: www.bethanyhouse.com
Facebook: Bethany House