*
The following day, Cinnamon trotted with his head held high as Rachel sat next to Jarred in her family’s buggy. As she contemplated his unexpected visit and asking permission to take Rachel for a ride with him and Cinnamon in the country, she ran her fingers over the soft blue seats that smelled of fresh fabric. The black metal interior shone like it had just been polished. The October sun hovered next to a large, fluffy cloud as if deciding whether or not to disappear.
“Today’s one of the happiest days of my life.”
A combination of true satisfaction and happiness edged Jarred’s voice. As the breeze in the open carriage caused loose tendrils of hair to escape Rachel’s kapp, she turned a bit to better view his face. “I can tell.”
With a smile, he returned his attention back to the road and Cinnamon.
She wished she could be as contented as Jarred obviously was, but she couldn’t. Everything about him shouted happiness. His ear-to-ear grin. The enthusiastic lilt in his voice. The way he walked with a confident stride. How could he be so joyful when she was conflicted?
*
Later, Jarred parked the buggy near the Kauffman barn and led Cinnamon to the nearest water trough. While Cinnamon drew up water, Jarred tied him to a post. In the pasture, Paula looked over the wire fence.
He motioned Rachel to the bench at the side of the barn, where they sat down. As the October sun lingered above them, he took in the sad expression on her face.
“There’s a couple interested in buying my house.”
He noted the worry lines that crept over her forehead and decided to change the subject. “I want to tell you how grateful I am to you and your family, Rachel.”
She pressed her lips in a straight line and eyed him with a combination of appreciation and uncertainty.
“Spending time with your family and Old Sam, and especially being here with you, has made me see my life differently than I’ve ever looked at it. Remember our talk about moving to Ohio?”
She nodded.
“You said that a person’s roots make him or her complete.”
“It’s true.”
“It is. But something Old Sam mentioned the other night made me start paying deeper attention to memories and the future.”
After crossing her legs at the ankles, she lifted an inquisitive eyebrow. “What did he say?”
“That memories stay in our hearts, but the future is all about making new ones.”
Her lips curved in amusement. “He’s always right.”
“Rachel, there’s something I want you to know.” Before she could say anything, he went on. “I’ve given the transition a lot of thought, and I’ve finally realized that you’re my future. And I want it to be filled with memories of the two of us together.”
A combination of surprise and excitement flickered across her face. “But …”
He lowered his tone while they locked gazes. “I’m staying here.”
She breathed in before pushing out a deep breath of relief. Her eyes reflected great joy. She parted her lips in wonder and drew her arms over her chest in surprise. “Oh, Jarred! Are you serious?”
“I’ve never been more truthful in my life.”
“But your brother … All of your memories are in your childhood home.”
He shook his head. “That’s what I thought. Memories of Matt and me are right here.” He pointed to his heart. “And that’s where they belong. Wherever I am, I will always love my parents, but my place is here. With you. With your folks, and all of your nieces and nephews.” He lowered his voice. “And Old Sam.”
He chuckled. “How would we get advice from our wise mentor if we’re in Ohio?”
She giggled.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to stick with our original plan to join the church and get married. We’ll build close to your folks.”
“Oh, Jarred!” She placed her hands over her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I love you! You’ve made such a big sacrifice. For me.”
“Just like you gave me Cinnamon.”
She hesitated, as if digesting what he’d said.
“But I’m asking you a favor in return.”
“I’ll do anything for you, Jarred. Anything!”
“I want to know the rest of your dream.”
She dropped her hands to her lap. “It’s to celebrate my seventieth wedding anniversary with you.”
He paused before grinning, then let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot of years! So … we’d better get married soon!”
They laughed.
“Rachel Kauffman, you’re my future.”
“Jarred Zimmerman, you’ve made me the happiest girl in the world.”
“And there’s nothing that I’d like more than to please you. In fact, from this day forward, let’s start planning our wedding. The future is ours. I can’t wait to build a house by your folks.” He grinned in amusement. “One with lots of bedrooms.”
After a long, thoughtful silence, he went on. “I’ve been thinking.”
She looked at him to go on.
“Our lives will be filled with blessings from our Heavenly Father. And I will devote my life to making you happy.” He hesitated before adding, “I’ve thought of the perfect two words to describe our future.”
His voice expressed a combination of joy and excitement. “Our life will be a dream.” He paused before grinning. “Rachel’s Dream.”
Rebecca’s Bouquet
The last thing Rebecca Sommer dreamed her plan to marry would bring is a heart-wrenching choice. She thought she and her betrothed, William, would spend the rest of their lives in Illinois’s heartland, raising a family in their close-knit Amish hometown. But when he must travel out of state to save his ailing father’s business, Rebecca braves her relatives’ disapproval—and her own fears—to work by his side. And though she finds herself ever more in love with the dedicated, resourceful man he proves to be, William’s growing interest in English ways may be the one challenge even her steadfast faith can’t meet …
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Annie’s Recipe
Annie Mast and Levi Miller were best friends until his father was shunned by the church. Now, ten years later, Levi has returned to Arthur, Illinois, for a brief visit, and he and Annie discover their bond is as strong as ever. Spending as much time together as possible, Annie finds herself dreaming of a future with Levi. And Levi is soon dreaming of building a home on a beautiful local hillside—to live in with Annie. Yet their longings are unlikely to become reality …
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Turn the page for an excerpt from
Rebecca’s Bouquet …
His announcement took her by surprise. Rebecca Sommer met William’s serious gaze and swallowed. The shadow from his hat made his expression impossible to read.
“You’re really leaving?”
He fingered the black felt on the brim. “I know what a shock this is. Believe me, I never expected to hear that Dad had a heart attack.”
“Do they expect a full recovery?”
William nodded. “But the docs say it will be a while before he works again. Right now, they can’t even guess at a time line. In the meantime, Beth’s struggling to take care of him.”
While Rebecca considered the news, the warm June breeze rustled the large, ear-shaped leaves on the catalpa tree. The sun peeked from behind a large marshmallow cloud, as if deciding whether or not to appear. In the distance, a sleek black gelding clomped its hooves against the earth.
Pools of dust stirred, swirling and quickly disappearing. Lambs frolicked across the parcel of pasture separating the Sommer home from Old Sam Beachy’s bright red barn. From where they stood, Rebecca could barely glimpse the orange YIELD sign on the back of the empty buggy parked next to the house.
“I’m the only person Dad trusts with his business.” William paused and lowered his voice. “Beth wants me to come to Indiana and run his cabinet shop, Rebecca.”
The news caused a wave of anxiety to roll through Rebecca’s chest. She wrung her hands together in a nervous gesture. A long silence ensued as she thought of William leaving, and her shoulders grew tense. Not even the light, sweet fragrance floating from her mother’s rose garden could take away Rebecca’s anxiety.
When she finally started to respond, William held up a defensive hand. “It’s just until he’s back on his feet. This may not be such a bad thing. The experience might actually benefit us.”
Rebecca raised a curious brow. The breeze blew a chestnut-brown hair out of place, and she quickly tucked it back under her kapp. Her gaze drifted from his face to his rolled-up sleeves.
Tiny freckles decorated his nose, giving him a youthful appearance. But there was nothing boyish about his square jaw or broad shoulders that tried to push their way out of his shirt. Her heart skipped a beat. She lifted her chin, and their eyes locked in understanding.
William smiled a little. “One of these days, we’ll run our own company.” He winked. “Don’t worry.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. For one blissful, hopeful moment, she trusted everything would be okay. It wasn’t those simple two words that reassured her, but the tender, persuasive way William said them. The low, steady tone in which he spoke could convince Rebecca of almost anything.
The warm pink glow on his cheeks made Rebecca’s pulse pick up speed. As he looked at her for a reaction, her lips lifted into a wide smile. At the same time, it was impossible to stop the nervous rising and falling of her chest.
She’d never dreamed of being without William. Even temporarily. At the young age of eighteen, she hadn’t ever confronted such a difficult issue.
But her church teachers and parents had raised her to deal with obstacles. Fortunately, they had prepared her to be strong and to pray for guidance. As she stared at her beloved flower garden, her thoughts became more chaotic.
The clothes on the line rose and fell with the warm summer breeze. Their fresh, soapy scent floated through the air. She surely had greater control over her destiny than the wet garments, whose fate was dependent on the wind. She and William could get through this. They loved each other. God would take care of them, wouldn’t He?
She glanced up at William. The way the sun hit him at an angle made him look even taller than his six feet and two inches. He’d always been bigger and stronger than other kids his age.
The gray flecks in his deep blue eyes danced to a mysterious tune as he darted her a grin. When she looked into those dark pools, she could drown in happiness. But today, even the warmth emanating from his smile couldn’t stop the concern that edged her voice. “Don’t worry? But I do, William. What about …”
“Us?”
She nodded.
He leveled his gaze so that she looked directly at him. “Nothing has changed. We’ll still get married in November after the harvest.”
Rebecca hesitated. She couldn’t believe William would really leave Arthur, Illinois. But his reason was legitimate. His father needed him. She wasn’t selfish, and asking him to stay would be.
Circumstances were beyond her control. What could she do? The question nagged at her until frustration set in. Within a matter of minutes, her world had changed, and she fought to adjust. She nervously tapped the toe of her black shoe against the ground.
As she crossed her arms over her chest, she wished they could protect her from the dilemma she faced. Her brows narrowed into a frown, and a long silence ensued. She looked at him, hoping for an answer. Seeking even a hint of a solution.
To her surprise, William teased, “Rebecca, stop studying me like I’m a map of the world.”
His statement broke the tension, and she burst into laughter because a map of the world was such a far stretch from what she’d been thinking.
“Of course, you’ve got to help your folks, William. I know how much Daniel’s business means to him. You certainly can’t let him lose it. I can imagine the number of cabinets on order.”
Surprised and relieved that her voice sounded steady, Rebecca’s shoulders trembled as the thought of William leaving sank in. They’d grown up together and hadn’t spent a day without seeing one another.
She stopped a moment and considered Daniel and Beth Conrad. Nearly a decade ago, William’s mamma had died, and Daniel had married Beth.
He was a skilled cabinetmaker. It was no surprise that people from all over the United States ordered his custom-made pieces. Rebecca had seen samples of his elegant, beautiful woodworking.
A thought popped into Rebecca’s mind, and she frowned. “William, you seem to be forgetting something very important. Daniel and Beth … They’re English.”
He nodded. “Don’t think I haven’t given that consideration.”
“I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but how will you stay Amish in their world?”
He shrugged. “They’re the same as us, really.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course they are. But the difference between our lifestyle and theirs is night and day. How can you expect to move in with them and be compatible?”
William hooked his fingers over his trouser pockets, looked down at the ground and furrowed a brow. Rebecca smiled. She knew him so well. Whenever something bothered him, he did this. Rebecca loved the intense look on his face when he worried. The small indentation in his chin intensified.
What fascinated her most, though, were the mysterious gray flecks that danced in his eyes. When he lifted his chin, those flecks took on a metallic appearance. Mesmerized, Rebecca couldn’t stop looking at them.
Moments later, as if having made an important decision, he stood still, moved his hands to his hips, and met her gaze with a nod.
In a more confident tone, he spoke. “It will be okay, Rebecca. Don’t forget that Dad was Amish before he married Beth. He was raised with the same principles as us. Just because he’s English now doesn’t mean he’s forgotten everything he learned. No need to worry. He won’t want me to change.”
“No?”
William gave a firm shake of his head. “Of course not. In fact, I’m sure he’ll insist that I stick to how I was brought up. Remember, he left me with Aenti Sarah and Uncle John when he remarried. Dad told me that raising me Amish was what my mother would have expected. The Ordnung was important to her. And keeping the faith must have also been at the top of Dad’s list to have left me here. Nothing will change, Rebecca.”
Rebecca realized that she was making too much out of William’s going away. After all, it was only Indiana. Not the North Pole! Suddenly embarrassed at her lack of strength, she looked down at the hem of her dress before gazing straight into his eyes. He moved so close, his warm breath caressed her bottom lip, and it quivered. Time seemed to stand still while she savored the silent mutual understanding between them. That unique, unexplainable connection that she and William had.
“I’ve always read that things happen for a reason,” William mentioned.
“Me too.” Rebecca also knew the importance of the Ordnung. And she knew William’s mamma, Miriam, would have wanted him to stay in the faith that had meant everything to her.
As if sensing her distress, he interlaced his fingers together in front of him. His hands were large. She’d watched those very hands lift heavy bales of hay.
“Who knows? Maybe this is God’s way of testing me.”
Rebecca gave an uncertain roll of her eyes. “Talk to your aenti and uncle. They’ll know what’s best. After all, they’ve raised you since your father remarried.”
The frustration in William’s voice lifted a notch. “I already did. It’s hard to convince them that what I’m doing is right.” He lowered his voice. “You know how they feel. When Dad left the faith, he deserted me. But even so, I can’t turn my back on him.”
“Of course not.”
“Aenti Sarah’s concerned that people will treat me differently when I come back. She wants to talk to the bishop and get his permission. If that makes her feel better, then
I’m all for it.”
“If he’ll give his blessing.”
William nodded in agreement.
“But we’re old enough to think for ourselves, William. When we get married and raise our family, we can’t let everyone make up our minds for us.”
He raised a brow. “You’re so independent, Miss Rebecca.”
She smiled a little.
A mischievous twinkle lightened his eyes.
“Your decision shouldn’t be based on what people think,” Rebecca said. “If we made choices to please others, we’d never win. Deep down inside, we have to be happy with ourselves. So you’ve got to do what’s in your heart. And no one can decide that but you.”
The expression that crossed his face suddenly became unreadable. She tilted her head and studied him with immense curiosity. “What are you thinking?”
His gray flecks repeated that metallic appearance. “Rebecca, you’re something else.”
A surge of warmth rushed through her.
“I can’t believe your insight.” He blinked in amazement. “You’re an angel.” His voice was low and soft. She thought he was going to kiss her. But he didn’t. William followed the church rules. But Rebecca wouldn’t have minded breaking that one.
In a breathless voice, she responded, “Thank you for that.”
As if suddenly remembering the crux of their conversation, William returned to the original topic. “I’ve assured Aenti Sarah and Uncle John that I won’t leave the Amish community. That I’ll come back, and we’ll get married. They finally justified letting me leave by looking at this as an opportunity to explore Rumspringa.”
Rebecca grinned. “I guess that’s one way to look at it.” Rumspringa was the transition time between adolescence and adulthood when an Amish youth could try things before deciding whether to join the faith for him—or herself. She even had a friend who had gone as far as to get a driver’s license.
He paused. “Rebecca, I know we didn’t plan on this.” His voice grew more confident as he continued. “You’ve got to understand that I love you more than anything in the world. Please tell me you’ll wait for me. I give you my word that this move is only temporary. As soon as Dad’s on his feet again, I’ll come home. Promise.”
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