“Grace, are you up and about?” Becky yelled from the front door.
“In the kitchen. I’m almost ready, come on in.” Grace said with her mouth full of cookie.
“You must be so excited with everything that is happening,” Becky said.
Grace just shrugged.
“What is it, Grace? I’ve known you long enough to know when there is something troubling you.”
“Ach, it’s nothing,” Grace shook her head. “I just feel… well, I don’t know how I feel.”
“Grace, you are about to have the most important day of your life— to begin a life together with David. It’s the path that Gott has chosen for you,” Becky said. “Perhaps you are just overwhelmed or feeling nervous.”
“Perhaps,” Grace said, putting on her kapp and tying it. “I keep trying to convince myself of that.”
“What does David say?”
“He just keeps changing the subject. He must want to marry me if he asked me, but for some reason I get the feeling his heart isn’t in it,” Grace said, heading towards the door. “We better go or we’ll be late. I am sure I’m just over reacting and everything will be all right.”
* * *
Arriving at the Museum, Grace headed to the gift shop to get ready for the day.
“Grace, I need to talk to you,” David yelled from across the parking lot.
Grace stopped and smiled. “Sure, what is it?”
David ran across the lot then stopped in front of her staring at her like something was weighing heavy on his mind. Grace got the feeling that something was wrong. “Let’s go inside the gift shop.”
“I can’t marry you.” David blurted out once Grace closed the door.
“What?” she asked, turning. “Why not?”
“Grace, I really like you. We’ve been friends for years, and everyone expects us to marry —that’s why I asked you,” David said. “But if I listen to my heart, I don’t love you the way a husband should love the woman he is about to marry, and I don’t think it would be fair to you.”
Grace stood looking at him dumbfounded. It all made sense now. “That’s why you haven’t been interested in anything to do with the wedding, and why you always change the subject when I bring it up.”
David nodded his head. “I’m so sorry, Grace. I should have told you sooner. I don’t blame you if you are angry with me.”
“Ach, David, I’m not angry with you. Honestly, I feel the same way. I like you, but I don’t love you that way,” Grace said. “I’ve been fighting with my feelings for a long time.”
“Really? You have no idea how happy and relieved I am to hear that. I thought for sure you would be so upset with me,” David said. “I want you to be happy, but I know that if we don’t have a deep love for each other, our marriage would seem like work and it shouldn't. Gott would want us to be happy.”
“But why did you ask me in the first place if you didn’t really want to?”
“My parents were putting pressure on me to marry you. In fact, that’s all they talked about.” David shrugged. “I felt like it was expected. Anyway, I guess we better tell everybody right away,” David said. “I especially hate having to tell my parents. They were so happy that I was finally settling down and that they would soon have kins-kind.”
“Well, I’ll tell my parents, and you can tell yours,” Grace said. “I’m sure it will all work out, and you will meet someone you are deeply in love with.”
David gave Grace a quick hug. “And I wish you the same.”
After David left, Grace stood quietly, afraid to move. She wasn’t quite sure of how she felt at that moment. She was relieved that she wasn’t marrying David after all, but couldn’t help but wonder what her parents would say, and what the community would say. Everyone had been preparing for this wedding for weeks.
I can’t tell anyone until I speak with Mamm. She’ll know what to do and how to tell the folks,, she thought to herself. Would everyone feel sorry for her? Would they talk about her when she wasn’t around saying things like, ‘poor Grace can’t find a husband’? She wished David had never asked her in the first place.
Checking the clock, Grace gasped when she realized the Museum was opening in a half hour and she hadn’t gotten anything ready yet. Grace ran over to the counter and grabbed the file folder that listed what everyone was going to be doing today. Thankfully, she would be busy all day and wouldn’t have time to think about David or the fact that their wedding was not going to happen.
* * *
Chapter 12
Grace breathed a sigh of relief when the last customer walked out of the gift shop. It had been a non-stop day, and Grace couldn’t wait to go home and put up her feet. At least being busy took her mind off of her problems. Tonight she definitely needed to speak to her mother and tell her the wedding was off.
Noticing that one of the shelves was almost empty, she went into the stock room to grab another box of mugs. Her mind thought of the strange man that had shown up in the middle of the last tour of the day. He just appeared out of nowhere, never asked any questions and wore a baseball cap so low on his head that she couldn’t see his face. He never spoke a word, but Grace had a strange feeling she had seen him before. Shrugging, she found the box of mugs when she heard the jingle of the door, realizing she hadn’t locked it yet.
“I’m sorry, but the museum is closed,” she shouted as she picked up the box.
“Really? I was hoping to buy just one more gift,” came a male voice. Grace stopped what she was doing and slowly walked out of the stock room into the store. There standing in the middle of the floor, was the man with the baseball cap.
“James!?” she said in disbelief.
“Hello,” he said, lifting up the cap so she could see his face.
“What on earth are you doing here?” Grace said, running up to him. “Why didn’t you say anything during the tour?”
James laughed. “You looked so serious, and I didn’t want to put you on the spot.”
“Why did you come back?” Grace asked, putting the box down.
“Well, after I got back home, I tried to resume my life. I told my mother all about what I had found out about my birth parents and I told her all about you and your wonderful family,”James said, smiling. “My mother decided she wanted to come and see Winfield Falls and I just had to come by and see you.”
“You had to come and see me?” Grace said, looking confused. “Why?”
James reached out and took her hand. “Because I’ve missed you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I left.”
“I’ve missed you too, James.” She looked out the window. “Where’s your mother?” Grace asked.
“Oh, she’s back at the hotel,” James said. “I wanted to come and talk to you alone.”
“About what?” Grace asked, going over and sitting down on the stool.
“I wanted to know how serious you and David are,” James said, leaning against the counter.
Grace looked at him and chuckled. “I don’t think we ever were serious.” She proceeded to tell him everything that happened since he had left including about David breaking off the marriage that morning.
“So you see, in a few weeks, I should be getting married, only I have no one to marry,” Grace chuckled. “I should be upset, but I’m not really. I think I’m more upset about telling my parents.”
“Then marry me,” James said.
“What?” Grace looked at him in surprise. “But I can’t. You’re Englisch, and I won’t forsake my beliefs nor leave my community.”
“I know you won’t, but I am willing to become Amish,” James said. “Grace, I’ve done a lot of thinking since I left and I realized this is where I belong. I haven’t stopped thinking about you and realized I missed you terribly.”
“But what about your mother?”
James smiled. “I’ve talked to her, and she understands completely. She just wants me to be happy, and this is where I am happy. So will you be my wife? I
mean, not necessarily right now, but one day soon?”
Grace looked at him in shock. “I need time, James. It’s been a very trying and emotional day for me.”
“I understand completely,” he said, reaching out and taking her hand. “I’ll wait for as long as you want.”
* * *
Grace’s mind was in turmoil. She didn’t even say anything to Becky as she drove her home and found trying to act like nothing was wrong was very exhausting, especially while trying to avoid any conversation about the wedding.
“It looks like your parents are home,” Becky said as she pulled into the driveway.
“Jah, I’ll see you tomorrow. Danke, Becky!” Grace quickly jumped out of the buggy before Becky could answer her.
Walking into the kitchen, Grace found her mother peeling potatoes for supper. Barbara looked up. “How was your day? Everything went fine at the Museum?”
“Jah, it was a very busy day, but good,” Grace said, sitting down. “Mamm, I need to talk to you.”
Barbara looked at her daughter and noticed her eyes were filled with tears. “What is it, Grace?”
“Mamm, I’m not getting married. David told me this morning that he only asked me because he was getting pressure from his parents.” Grace’s eyes filled with tears. “He said he couldn’t marry me because he didn’t love me the way a husband should love his wife.”
“Ach, my dear, you must be devastated,” Barbara said, going over and sitting down beside Grace.
“Actually, not really, Mamm,” Grace said, wiping her eyes. “I’m more upset about all the work the folks have done to prepare. I thought I wanted to marry David, but deep down in my heart, I truly didn’t want to.”
“Then why did you agree to?”
“Maybe a bit of the same reason David was going to marry me. It’s what was expected,” Grace said. “But there’s more.”
Barbara stood up. “I think this conversation needs a good hot cup of tea,” she said, putting on the kettle. “What else could there be?”
“James is back in town.”
Barbara smiled. “James? Really? I hope he comes and says hello. Why is he in town?”
“He wants to marry me. He wants to convert to our faith and join the community.”
Barbara stood speechless. “Really? How do you feel about that?”
“Mamm, I really like James. In fact, before he left I was sure I had fallen in love with him,” Grace said, stirring her tea. “I keep wondering if this is the path Gott is telling me to follow. There’s a reason David said he couldn’t marry me. Was it because James is to be my husband?”
“That’s a question that only Gott can answer,” Barbara said.
Grace sighed. “Mamm, I’ve had a very exhausting day, and I’m not hungry. I have much to think about. I just want to pray and then go to bed. Would you let daed know about what happened?”
“Of course, dear. Get some rest.”
* * *
Chapter 13
Grace dragged herself out of bed the next morning, exhausted from her restless night. She spent most of it praying to God, looking for answers but still hadn’t received any.
Coming downstairs, she heard her parents in the kitchen. “Gut morning,” she said as she walked in.
“Morning, dear, did Gott answer your questions?” Barbara asked, getting a bowl of oatmeal for her.
“Nee, Mamm. I still don’t know what I should do,” Grace said, sitting down.
Samuel looked over at his daughter. “Affairs of the heart can be very complicated. Your mamm told me what happened and I’m sorry, but I have to agree that perhaps it is for the best.”
Grace nodded her head. “I think so, Daed. I’m not upset with David. I just wish he had told me sooner before folks began preparing but I appreciate him being honest with me.”
“A daed wants what is best for his dochtah. I want you to be happy and know that you will be taken care of by a man who loves and respects you,” Samuel said as he rose from the table. “I knew you weren’t excited when David finally asked you to marry him, but it wasn’t my place to say anything. That was between you, David and Gott.”
Grace blushed. “Well, I haven’t been getting any answers from Gott.”
“Perhaps that is because He has already given it to you,” Samuel said. “You just need to listen to your heart.”
* * *
Grace spent the rest of the day thinking about her father’s words. Was he right? Did she really need to listen with her heart? Is James the answer? Is it James who she is meant to be with?
The jingle of the door brought Grace back to reality. Looking up, she saw a middle-aged Englisch woman come in, smile at her and then proceed to browse around the store. Grace noticed how beautiful and well dressed she was.
“If there is anything I can help you with, please ask,” Grace called out to her.
The woman walked around quietly, admiring the figurines and dolls then slowly walked up to the counter where Grace was sitting.
“Excuse me, I’m looking for Grace,” the woman said quietly.
“I’m Grace,” she answered.
The woman smiled and held out her hand. “My name is Phyllis. I’m James’s mother.”
Grace looked at her wide-eyed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she answered, shaking the woman’s hand.
“So you are the girl who has stolen my son’s heart,” Phyllis said, smiling at her.
Suddenly, Grace felt very nervous. Was Phyllis here to tell her to stay away from her son? What should Grace tell her? She could feel the butterflies begin to flutter in her stomach.
Grace began to stutter, feeling very embarrassed, “I, I, umm…”
“Please relax, Grace. There’s no reason to be so nervous. I was the one who encouraged James to come back here and speak with you,” Phyllis said calmly. “He is quite taken with you.”
“But I can’t leave my community and that would mean if we were to marry, he would have to convert to our faith,” Grace cried. “That’s a big decision. I don’t want him to regret it.”
“Oh, my dear, my son has a mind of his own,” Phyllis said, reaching out and putting her hand on Grace’s. “I knew the day would come when he would find out about his past and want to know more. I was prepared for that. All a mother wants is for her child to be happy.”
Grace heard the jingle of the bell and turned to see her mother walk in.
“Mamm, this is James’ mother,” Grace said. “Phyllis , this is my mother, Barbara.”
“Oh, Barbara, thank you so much for taking care of James when he first came here. He told me all about your kindness and your hospitality,” Phyllis said, approaching Barbara.
Barbara smiled. “It was our pleasure to help him out. James is a wonderful young man.”
The front door opened again, and Grace looked up to see James standing in the doorway.
“Mother, there you are. I was wondering where you had wandered off to,” James said. “And Barbara, it’s so nice to see you again.” He gave Barbara a quick hug, then smiled nervously at Grace.
Phyllis chuckled. “I was getting tired of waiting for you so I decided to come in and make my own introductions. Grace seems like a very sweet girl. I can see why you were taken with her.”
Grace blushed and looked down, suddenly feeling very warm. She wasn’t used to being the center of attention.
“Barbara, would it be too much trouble to ask you to give me a tour of this beautiful village?” Phyllis asked.
“I would be honored to, Phyllis.” Barbara smiled and walked towards the back door. “I think these two need a bit of privacy.”
After the mothers had left, James smiled at Grace. “I hope my mother didn’t scare you when she came in. I had wanted to come with her and introduce you.”
“No, it was alright. I was a little worried at the beginning until she talked a little more and I realized she was friendly,” Grace said. “Where were you?”
“I was talking to your
father,” James said, walking closer to Grace.
“My father? Why?”
“To find out what I needed to do to become Amish…among other things.” James answered. “Have you thought about an answer for me?”
Grace looked at him dumbfounded. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? It’s a big change and not a commitment to take lightly.”
“I have never been more sure of anything in my life,” James said. “I belong here, and I belong here with you.”
“But, what about your mother? You will be turning your back on everything you have ever known.”
“My mother will always be my mother and we can visit her, and she can visit us,” James said, putting his hands on her shoulders. “I have her blessing, and…I have your father's blessing. The only answer I’m waiting on is you.”
“You have my father’s blessing? Then, yes… yes, James! More than anything in the world, I’d love to be your wife!”
* * *
Grace went into her bedroom and closed the door. Opening up the closet, she stared at her blue wedding dress still hanging on the hook. She reached out and felt the soft blue fabric between her fingers and sighed. Tomorrow was supposed to be her wedding to David. She smiled to herself as she flopped onto her bed and rolled onto her stomach, laying there admiring her dress. Her mother had been right; God had shown her the path she needed to take. She and James were to be married in three months, just enough time for them to finish their baptism study and get baptized into the faith. After they had spoken to the Elders, all the wedding arrangements were put on hold until they could be baptized. Thankfully, all of the preparations that had already been done could wait, so nothing was wasted.
She was so amazed at the way God had worked in her life. She thought about the Bible verse her father had read to her earlier— how that God’s thoughts were higher than our thoughts. How true that He will turn everything for our good, in ways we never would have dreamed, she thought. God had opened their path and together they would follow it because not only did they have faith in God, they had faith and true love for each other. Nothing was going to stand in their way.
AMISH ROMANCE: Three Amish Sisters Box Set: PLUS NEW BONUS BOOK - Grace's Hope Renewed! Page 17
