They walked down the lane, at first in silence, but then Samuel spoke. “Sarah, I’m sorry I deceived you all these years.”
Sarah hurried to reassure him. “I know you had no choice; it was Mamm’s wishes.”
Samuel nodded, and after they had wandered down the winding lane for a while, he indicated they should sit on a fallen tree branch, which was nestled amongst a tangle of rhododendron and laurel thickets. It was a Box Elder maple, and the fallen branch, which had obviously fallen some time ago, was still sprouting leaves and green branches. Sarah sat on the smooth bark and looked at the young branches. It was then that she had a thought. She was like a young, green shoot, and her daed was the branch, strong and stout. He may not have been her biological vadder, but he was her vadder just the same, equally so.
“Sarah,” her father began, in a faltering voice, “I had two reasons for not telling you the truth after your mudder died.”
Sarah turned to look at him expectantly.
“The first reason was that I was afraid of your reaction when you found out that I’d been deceiving you all these years, and the second reason was that I was afraid you wouldn’t love me any more when you found out that I was not your real vadder.”
“You are my real vadder,” Sarah said quietly.
“Denki.” Samuel looked at Sarah and smiled.
Sarah smiled too. She wanted to hug him, but her parents had never been demonstrative with their feelings.
“Do you hear that?”
Sarah put her head to one side. “It sounds like someone playing a flute. What is it?”
“It’s the male wood thrush,” Samuel said. “He makes the most beautiful sound of all birds.”
Sarah had to agree. “It is such a melodic sound. But Datt, I didn’t know that you knew anything about birds?”
Samuel chuckled, and a rare grin spread across his face. “Birding was my hobby as a child and a young man, but your mudder said it was a waste of time. Oh, I don’t mean to criticize your mudder.”
“Oh no, I understand.” Sarah watched as a pretty, cinnamon brown bird with brown spotting against a cream background on its chest flew into the tree above her with a large worm dangling from its mouth.
“That must be the mother wood thrush,” Samuel explained. “The females do not sing.”
Sarah thought how parents care for the kinner; even the parent birds looked after their young. She thought of the Scripture from the Gospel of Matthew that the ministers often read: Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Sarah truly understood that Scripture for the first time.
A small stream meandered beside the road, and obedient ducklings were following their mother along the bank. Sarah looked out over the gently rolling hills, over the lush, green fields with contented cows grazing on them, to the white-painted, red-roofed barns in the distance.
Sitting there with her daed, was a treasure. Being with familye was one of the simple pleasures of life, and one of the most important.
Proverbs 31:10-31.
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
Chapter 20
Sarah had enjoyed the week, with her vadder visiting for dinner with the Millers every night. The day before he was to leave, Sarah returned from taking sewing to Mrs. Hostetler in the late afternoon to see her vadder and Mrs. Miller sitting at the kitchen table, talking.
Samuel smiled at Sarah. “Sarah, Benjamin is waiting for you down by the pond.”
“He is?” Sarah was puzzled, and saw both her vadder and Mrs. Miller exchange a smile.
“Off you go then, Sarah; don’t just stand here with your mouth open.” With that, Mrs. Miller shooed Sarah out of the haus.
Sarah made her way down to the pond, wondering why Benjamin was waiting for her. Her mind felt clouded, but the day was beautiful, and she walked slowly, enjoying the scent carried along on the gentle breeze of the blue-topped rosemary and lavender bushes in the herb garden, and by the deep red, old English roses that bordered the fence. She looked up at the glorious blue and brown colors of the purple martins chirping happily from their martin houses. Spring was filled with bright colors and charming sounds, and filled with the promise of endless possibilities.
Sarah was a little nervous as to why Benjamin was waiting for her, but she figured it must be a gut thing. If he had been dating someone else, he would surely have told her already; after all, he had plenty of chances to do so at the café and the mud sale. Little tingles of excitement ran through her as she made her way down the winding, dirt road that ran by the pond.
As Sarah approached the pond, she saw Benjamin standing there. He was everything she loved; he was kind, he was good, he was a mann of Gott. Sarah walked up to stand in front of him.
“Have you been baking?”
Sarah nodded; she had not expected to hear those words. “How did you know?”
Benjamin laughed, and with one finger, wiped flour off the tip of her nose. “Flour,” he said, smiling.
Sarah smiled too. She felt the presence of Gott in this calm, tranquil place, with the mann she loved standing in front of her. All seemed at once right with the world.
Benjamin took both Sarah’s hands in his. “Sarah Beachy, would you honor me by agreeing to become my fraa?”
Sarah gasped and then stood there with her mouth open. She had certainly not expected this. The most she had hoped for was a buggy ride, which he still had not mentioned. She looked at Benjamin and saw disappointment and concern on his face so she hastened to say, “Jah, of course I will marry you, Benjamin.”
Benjamin’s face lighted up like a chorus of angels. “Oh thank goodness,” he said with relief.
Sarah too was relieved, as well as beside herself with delight. This was all she had ever wanted, but she was still puzzled. One question remained unanswered. “Benjamin, why haven’t you ever asked me on a buggy ride?”
Benjamin flushed red. “I’m very shy, Sarah.”
“Shy?” Sarah looked up into Benjamin’s big, brown eyes. “But I always thought you were confident.”
Benjamin shook his head. “Nee, not when it came to you. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, but I was far too shy to ask you on a buggy ride. I was afraid you’d say No and I wouldn’t have been able to bear that.”
Sarah frowned. Silly as it seemed, she wanted that buggy ride. “We can go on a buggy ride though, can’t we?”
Benjamin laughed. It was the loveliest sound Sarah had ever heard. “Of course. We will go on a buggy ride tomorrow, and we will go on as many buggy rides as you would ever like, for many years to come.”
Benjamin drew Sarah to him. As their lips met tenderly, Sarah silently thanked Gott for blessing her so abundantly.
* * *
Some years later on a summer evening, Mrs. Miller sat looking at her married dochders, Hannah, Esther, Martha, Rebecca, and Sarah—for she considered Sarah a dochder—with their husbands and their kinner: Hannah’s twins, and another two girls, Esther’s three boys, Martha’s two girls and one boy, Rebecca’s three girls, and Sarah’s two boys.
Gott had truly blessed the Millers with a large familye.
Mrs. Miller smiled across the room at her gut friend, Betsy Yoder, whose dochder, Jessie, was despairing over her two cute yet mischievous, little boys. They had snatched the little, wooden toys from Sarah’s two boys and were trying to hit them over the head with them. Their vadder, Nash, who had long since gone back to his birth name of Eli, was trying to discipline them. “I don’t know why they’re always so naughty,” he complained.
Mrs. Miller thought back on the previous years, from the time of
the buggy accident until now, and was amazed how Gott had turned all their sorrow into laughter. “No matter how it looks at the time, all things work together for good for those who love Gott,” she said aloud, and everyone said, “Amen.”
* * * The End* * *
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The Next Book in this Series.
This was the last book on this series. Ruth hopes you enjoyed it. See below for more books by Ruth.
Other Books by Ruth Hartzler.
The Amish Millers Sisters’ Christmas
Did you love the series, The Amish Millers Get Married?
Find out what happens next!
In The Amish Millers Sisters’ Christmas, the whole Miller family meets for Christmas, all the Miller sisters with their husbands and young children. Their peaceful time is shattered by their two guests, Sarah’s friend, Beth, and the Hostetlers’ cousin, Mark. Why do Beth and Mark dislike each other so much? Will their constant disagreements ruin the Millers’ Christmas?
How will the arrival of an abandoned kitten change everything?
#1 Best-selling series, The Amish Buggy Horse, by Ruth Hartzler.
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For years, Nettie looked after her aged mother Elma, a demanding woman who did not want any involvement with the community.
Now that her mother has died, Nettie is alone. She is regarded with suspicion by the local townspeople, and has had no visitors from her community for some years.
Nettie’s buggy horse has gone lame and has had to be retired, but Nettie cannot afford a new horse. Just as Nettie is despairing about not having any means of transport, a lost horse appears in her driveway, bringing with him far-reaching consequences.
Daniel Glick is drawn to the lonely figure of Nettie, but Nettie wants to be left alone.
However, when Jebediah Sprinkler tries to force Nettie to hand over her house, Daniel springs to the rescue.
As Nettie’s struggles mount, she has to decide whether to take the law into her own hands.
And what will Daniel do when he discovers the secret that Nettie is hiding from him?
#1 Best-selling series, Amish Safe House, by Ruth Hartzler.
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Off the Grid (Amish Safe House Book ONE)
Kate Briggs is a U.S. Marshal who works in WITSEC, the federal witness protection program. After an attempt on her life, her boss sends her to live in a small Amish community until the mole in the agency is found. Will Kate, who is used to the ways of the world, be convincing as a sweet Amish woman?
When a murder is committed in the community, how will Kate assist the handsome police officer heading up the case without revealing her true identity?
And will Kate be able to leave behind her English ways as she finds herself off the grid in more ways than one?
About Ruth Hartzler.
Ruth Hartzler’s father was from generations of what people refer to as “Closed Open” or “Gospel Hall” Brethren. Ruth’s mother, a Southern Baptist, had years of struggle adapting to the cultural differences, and always cut her hair, which was a continual concern to Ruth’s father’s family. Ruth was raised strictly Brethren and from birth attended three meetings every Sunday at the Gospel Hall, the Wednesday night meeting, and the yearly “Conference,” until she left the Brethren at the age of twenty one. Ruth still has close friends in the Brethren, as well as the Amish, both groups descending from Anabaptists. Ruth’s family had electricity, but not television, radio, or magazines, and they had plain cars. Make up, bright or fashionable clothes, and hair cutting were not permitted for women. Women had to wear hats in meetings (what others would call church meetings) but not elsewhere. The word “church” was never used and there were no bishops or ministers. All baptized men were able to speak (preach, or give out a hymn) spontaneously at meetings. Musical instruments were forbidden, with the exception of the traditional pump organ which was allowed only if played in the home for hymn music. Even so, singing of hymns in accompaniment was forbidden.
Ruth Hartzler is a widow with one adult child and two grandchildren. She lives alone with her Yorkshire Terrier and two cats. She is a retired middle school teacher and enjoys quilting, reading, and writing.
Finding the Way (The Amish Millers Get Married Book 5) Page 8
