by Beth Wiseman
“I have some time now,” Jacob said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black jacket. “Do you want me to help you work on this place for a while?”
Levi thought about accepting his offer, but his need to be alone was too great. “Nee, but danki. I’d like to spend time in prayer for a while.”
Jacob nodded. “I’ll come by Monday after work.”
Levi smiled, knowing his brother was risking Beth Ann’s wrath for coming home late in the evenings. But it’d be both a help and good to spend time with him. “Danki.” He walked with Jacob to the front door, shook his hand, then closed the door behind him, having to give it an extra push for it to click into place.
He sat down in the rocker again and begged the Lord for guidance. I thought I was doing what You wanted me to do . . .
As he tried to focus on prayer, his stomach rumbled, and he realized he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. And he’d missed the big meal planned after the wedding. He briefly wondered what happened to all the food, but shook his head to clear the selfish thought, fueled by more stomach growling. He tried to think about something else, like how he planned to tend his ten acres. In Canaan, they had to make the most of their short growing season.
He forced himself up and went out the back door, which also stuck, and came back in with an armful of firewood he’d gathered earlier in the week. Building a fire in the roomy fireplace, he pictured Danielle sitting beside him, warming her hands, and he wondered if she could have lived in these conditions for a while. He swallowed hard, realizing that this would have been his wedding night. Instead he was alone. For the first time in his life. He already missed Betsy’s busy steps running up and down the stairs and the smell of his mother’s kitchen.
The old house was damp, dusty, and empty. Soon there wouldn’t be a need for a fire, but it was still chilly, and he was glad he’d cut wood a couple of weeks ago. Squatting, he watched as the timber caught fire, orange sparks shimmying up the chimney. As the oak began to crackle and pop, he knew he’d be warm on the outside tonight, but inside he felt cold and alone. And despite his misery, he was hungry as a man could be. He stood up when he heard a knock at the door, half hoping it was his mother with a basket of food. Even if it meant they’d have to have another conversation, hunger would undoubtedly win out.
But it wasn’t his mother waiting on the other side of the stubborn door.
Thirteen
DANIELLE BALANCED THE BAG OF FOOD ON HER HIP, shaking from head to toe. Partly from the chilly weather, but mostly because she was nervous. Levi’s jaw dropped when he opened the door, but Danielle focused on the dark circles underneath his weary eyes.
“I miss my best friend,” she said, swallowing hard, determined not to cry. She pushed the bag of wedding food toward him. “I need to talk to him because my husband-to-be did a very bad thing and I had to call my wedding off.” She blinked her eyes a few times and gave the bag a shake until he finally took it.
“Danielle . . .” Levi hung his head, shook it, and then sighed.
“Can I come in? I’m cold.”
“Uh, sure. I’m sorry.” He stepped back and yanked on the wooden door until it opened enough for her to step inside. She glanced around, feeling the warmth, but unable to fathom how she might have lived in this house. Until she looked into Levi’s glassy eyes. Him. That’s how she would have lived here, and together they would have made it into a home.
She looked at the two rocking chairs along the wall, the only furniture in the room, then stared at the fire glowing in the hearth.
“I figured you hadn’t eaten either.” She pointed to the food. “So there’s enough for both of us, if you feel like it. But first I’m hoping you can give me some sort of explanation as to why you were kissing Sarah.” She folded her arms across her chest and kept her chin raised as her bottom lip began to tremble. “Do you love her, Levi?”
He put the bag in one of the rockers and placed gentle hands on her shoulders. “No. I don’t, Danielle. Mei mamm invited her to supper, then I had to take her home . . .” He paused, his mouth opened, but no words came out for a few moments. “Then she kissed me. She was crying, but . . . I shouldn’t have let it happen.”
Danielle gazed into his eyes as she weighed his words, knowing in her heart that Sarah had set him up, just as Martha suspected.
“I love you,” he said. “I want to marry you. And I’m so sorry that this happened.”
She eased out of his firm grip, walked to the empty rocker, and sat down. “As my best friend, how would you advise me about this situation?”
Levi paced for a moment, not looking at her. “That’s not fair,” he mumbled.
“Because . . . ?”
He lifted a hand in the air. “Because I’d probably tell you to stay away from a louse like me. But as the man who wants to marry you, I beg you to forgive my part in this.” Levi dropped to one knee, and Danielle kept her eyes on his as he leaned close. “The kiss with Sarah meant nothing.”
Danielle thought about the few kisses she’d had with Levi, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Levi’s kisses with Sarah felt more romantic, not so awkward. She wanted to ask, but she didn’t want to know the answer.
“Can you forgive me, Ladybug?” He ran a thumb along her cheek, but she pulled away from him.
“It’s not fair to call me that.” She let out a huff. “Not today.” Nervous because of his proximity, she glanced around the house, dimly lit by the little bit of sun that was left outside. This was supposed to be my home.
But Levi remained where he was, directly in front of her. Gently, he cupped a hand behind her neck and pulled her closer. “Ladybug . . . ,” he whispered. Then he leaned down and as their lips met, something was different. More exploratory, still awkward . . . but in an okay way. If Danielle hadn’t been sitting, she might have gone weak in the knees. When he finally eased away, he lifted her hands in his and gently kissed them, still watching her.
“Wow,” she said, breathless, when he stilled. “That was quite the apology kiss.” She’d known when she came here that Levi would have an explanation and that she’d forgive him. She’d had several hours to think on it, and she just didn’t think he would have been so insistent on marrying her if he truly loved Sarah.
“Please marry me, Danielle. Be my fraa.” He lowered his head. “Otherwise, I might not ever have a decent meal again.”
She laughed, slapping him on the arm as he looked at her with an exaggerated pout. “I don’t know what makes you think you’d have a decent meal if we were married, Levi! You know I don’t cook.” She rolled her eyes, still smiling. “I’ve told you that.”
He reached for her hands and pulled her from the rocker, then pulled her close to him. “I really am sorry this happened. I’ll never do anything to hurt you again.”
She let him hold her tight, but said, “Sure you will. It’s the people who love us the most who can hurt us the most.”
He ran a hand through the back of her hair, then kissed her on the forehead before he eased her away. “Let’s get married now.”
She scowled. “What? Now? Where? How would we . . .”
Levi grabbed the bag of food from the rocker and headed toward the kitchen. “We’ll eat this when we get back. I’ll put it in the refrigerator.”
“We have a refrigerator?” she asked, following him.
“Ya, propane.” After he stowed the bag, he checked on the fire in the fireplace, then pulled her by the hand out to her car. And she didn’t put up a struggle.
She was apparently going to be Mrs. Levi Detweiler before anyone else tried to come between them.
AN HOUR LATER, Danielle and Levi stood facing each other in the Sangre de Cristo Chapel. Levi still had on the clothes he’d planned to be married in earlier—black trousers, a long-sleeved dark blue shirt, and a black jacket. But Danielle was wearing blue jeans, a white blouse, and her tennis shoes. Her hair was pulled into a loose side braid, and her green eyes glistened with anticipation. Levi d
idn’t think she’d ever looked more beautiful.
There was no one but the pastor and his wife in the church. And God. Levi expected to be nervous, to sense that Danielle was anxious too. Instead, a peace surrounded him as he and Danielle exchanged vows with an ease that could only mean that they were stepping onto the path that God paved for them. “I now pronounce you man and wife.” The elderly pastor smiled. “You may kiss your bride.”
And Levi did, knowing that he would spend the rest of his life loving Danielle. Taking care of her. And the baby.
IT WAS NEARING dark, and Martha was starting to get worried about Danielle. She suspected that those kids would fix things, but she hadn’t heard from her in a few hours. Even Martha’s anger at Levi had fizzled with time. He just didn’t seem like the type of kid to betray Danielle, and Martha suspected that Sarah or Vera had a heavy hand in this little setup. Martha was pacing the living room when Danielle called. She listened with a smile on her face as Danielle described their very private and small wedding that had taken place an hour earlier.
“I’m so sorry you weren’t there,” Danielle said after sharing the details. “It was just us, but it was perfect. And I’m happy.”
“That’s all that counts, sweetheart. You enjoy your honeymoon night, and we’ll worry about getting all your things to your new home tomorrow. Do you need anything?”
“Nope. My husband and I are going to curl up in front of the fireplace and eat the wedding leftovers that I brought.”
Martha laughed. “We are all going to be eating Swedish meatballs, mini quiches, and stuffed mushrooms for a long time to come. So let me know when you need some more.”
After they hung up, she turned to Arnold who was sitting in his recliner. “Well, they did it, went to the church on their own and got married.”
“Splendid,” Arnold said. “As long as she’s happy.”
Martha eased into her own recliner and propped her feet up on the worn ottoman. Smiling, she said, “Yep. I can hear it in her voice. She’s happy.” She shook her head. “Although I’ll bet Vera is going to flip her lid.”
LEVI HAD LAID a thick brown and yellow quilt on the floor in front of the fireplace, and after they’d eaten, he and his new bride had kissed a few times, but as much as Levi wanted to love Danielle the way a man loved his wife, there was something bothering him.
So instead of consummating their marriage, Levi had pulled out a bag of memories, and for the past couple of hours, they’d been digging through it, both of them recalling things that had happened since they’d known each other over the past year. Levi was surprised at how much they’d done together and shared with each other in such a short amount of time. No wonder she was his best friend. He corrected his thought . . . fraa.
They were facing each other on their sides, their heads propped up on their elbows.
Danielle laughed, a sound that was familiar, and it brought a smile to his face. “Remember that time we flew kites out in the field?” she asked.
Levi put his face down on the blanket for a moment and grunted before looking back up at her with fond recollections. “Ya. I felt dumm, but you said I should be more playful, and you couldn’t believe I’d never flown a kite.”
“We bought those cheap kites, and mine kept crashing to the ground.” She smiled again as she reached over and intertwined her free hand with his.
They were quiet for a few moments, and as Danielle bit her bottom lip, he could almost see her mind whirling like the winds on a stormy day. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“Just that this is all . . . different.” She glanced around the room, lit only by the glow of the fireplace. “And I was just wondering if you . . .” She shrugged. “If you’ve ever . . .” She captured his eyes with hers. “You know.”
“No.” Levi had been saving himself for marriage, and now, after twenty-two years, his bride lay beside him, and there was nothing that he wanted more than to take her in his arms. But something held him back.
She eased her hand out of his, touched her stomach, and avoided his eyes. “Obviously I have.” With teary eyes, she looked up at him. “Does that make me bad?”
Levi studied her beautiful face, and she’d never looked younger to him than at this moment, a child seeking approval. He cupped her cheek. “No, Ladybug. There is nothing bad about you.” He put his hand on her stomach.
“But you believe that sex should only come after marriage.”
It was true, but Levi wanted to tread carefully. “I believe God wants people to share His eternal and unconditional love through the act of marriage.” He paused and then placed a hand on her belly. “But this child remains a gift, no matter the circumstances. God blesses us all in different ways. And together we will be gut parents. A baby is the greatest gift God can offer. I’m thinking it’s our best wedding present.”
She smiled. “Your people—especially your mom—are never going to accept us being together.”
Levi worried about the same thing but shoved it away. “Sure they will.”
They were quiet again, the only sound the crackling of the fire. He snuggled up close to her, wrapped an arm around her, and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I love you, Danielle.”
“I love you too.” She leaned forward and kissed him this time, and each kiss came more naturally and with a passion that Levi had only imagined. Danielle was as tender and loving as he knew she would be, but he gently eased her away and yawned.
“Are you sleepy?” Danielle grinned, as if she expected him to say no.
“Ya. You ready to go to sleep?”
“Uh . . . okay.” She bit her bottom lip, and Levi turned and lay on his back before there could be any more talk about it. A thought needled at him, so tonight he would be content just cuddled next to his wife.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP was held at Jacob and Beth Ann’s house, but when Vera didn’t see Levi there, worry filled her heart. Levi never missed worship service unless he was ill, and she knew that yesterday had been a hard day for him. She managed to stay through the entire church service, but convinced Elam that they needed to skip the meal. He’d grumbled a bit, but Vera promised to make him a meal after she went to check on Levi, so she took Elam and Betsy home before she headed to Levi’s.
Vera made her way up the porch steps of her son’s new home, noticing a few boards had recently been replaced. So much work to do. She eyed the chipped paint, cracked pane of glass, and cobwebs hanging in the corners. Their people were all about hard work, but it was going to take a team effort and many long hours to get this place in order. She hoped the inside was better.
Vera couldn’t stand the thought of Levi living here alone with no one to tend to him. She’d take inventory when she got inside and see what all she could do to lend a hand.
She peered through one of the cracked windows and let out a small gasp. Her poor boy was curled beneath a blanket in front of the fireplace, with only a few embers still glowing at his feet. In a beam of sunlight, she could see one of Levi’s feet poking from beneath the covers. She’d never known him to sleep this late.
Shaking her head, she tapped on the door, which wasn’t entirely closed. It appeared stuck. “Levi?” she said, shoving it farther open.
“Levi? Sohn?” Vera pinched her lips together in a frown as a musty smell wafted up her nostrils. She shook her head. Men didn’t know a thing about cleaning. “Levi?” She squeezed through and stepped into the warmth of the living room. At least he hadn’t been cold during the night. She took a few more steps toward the bundled mass in front of the fireplace and gently tapped him with her black leather shoe. “Levi?”
When Danielle’s head popped out from beneath the covers, Vera brought a hand to her mouth and gasped. Then Levi raised his head too. “Mamm?”
“What is going on here?” Vera kept her eyes on her son as he sat up and ran a hand through tousled hair before rubbing his eyes. Try as she might not to look, her eyes veered to Danielle, whose long blond hair was a
tattered mess. They were both dressed, and for that, Vera thanked the Lord.
“Mamm, what are you doing here?” Levi stood up, dressed in black slacks, white undershirt, and black socks. Danielle stood up beside him, pushing back loose strands of hair from her face. Her white blouse was wrinkled, and she was wearing Englisch britches.
Vera could feel her face turning three shades of red, unsure which emotion was in the lead—embarrassment or anger at finding her son in this position. “You don’t get married, but you have a sleepover?” She pressed a palm against her chest.
“We are married.” Danielle actually smiled as she spoke.
Vera’s heart stopped for a moment, then painfully pounded. “Is—is this true, Levi?” She took a step backward, hoping she didn’t fall.
“Ya. We got married late yesterday afternoon.”
Vera swallowed hard and blinked back the tears that threatened to spill as Levi latched on to Danielle’s hand. She glanced at Danielle again, trying not to look at her stomach. The deed was done. They were married. And Vera had lost.
“I—I was worried because you weren’t at worship service this morning.”
Levi hung his head. “Ya. I feel badly about that, but I didn’t think to bring any towels to use for bathing, and Danielle doesn’t have her toiletries here. I think we’ll probably go shopping for things we need and groceries today.”
“On a Sunday?” Vera swallowed hard. It was already starting, his slow departure from their world. “I suppose you will be going in luxury, taking Danielle’s car?”
“I don’t know how luxurious my old clunker is,” Danielle said with a smile, and even with her hair in such a tangled mass, Vera had to admit that she was a pretty girl. But Danielle had used her beauty from the first day to woo Levi into a friendship, and now this entrapment.
“Ya, we’ll go in her car,” Levi said, avoiding Vera’s eyes. Then he smiled. “But no electricity.” He waved his arm around the room. “Maybe some solar panels, though, when I can afford it. I guess I’m still part-Amish.”
