Just as she finished speaking, Noah moved closer to Hannah. Suddenly his eyes were directly in front of Hannah's, and then he lowered his face toward hers, so that their foreheads pressed together.
"Are you certain you are okay, Hannah?"
Hannah wrapped her fingers around the nape of his neck. "I am," she assured him. Then she closed her eyes and kissed him on the nose. "How can I not be, with you here?"
"And your younger schweschders," Noah said, after taking in a deep breath, "are you certain Martha, Esther and Rebecca are okay?
"Jah, they will be, Noah."
The mist pressed in on the hospital window. Hannah pulled back from Noah and looked searchingly around for the park, which had vanished under the haze of silver. The only thing visible in her world now was Noah, though she wondered if that had not always been the case. Noah pressed his lips against Hannah's and she melted into his kindness and warmth, certain had she never felt such peace before in her whole entire life, though knowing this peace was hers to feel everyday for the rest of her life with Noah.
The End
Book 2. The Way Forward .
Romans 2:15-16.
They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them, on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Chapter 1 .
Esther tucked a loose curl under her prayer kapp, turning her gaze onto the pleasant summer afternoon. Laughing children sat among the bluebells, the faint breeze ruffling their dark and simple clothes. The older boys worked with their fathers in the great barns strung along the blue horizon, while the older girls worked in the gardens with their kind and honest mothers. The sight sent a shiver along Esther's spine. Since the accident, when a car had driven into their familye buggy, she had not been able to help her mother as much as she had wished.
"Lost in thought?" Esther jumped as Jacob Hostetler settled on the warm grass next to her, placing a string of wheat between his lips and stretching out his golden limbs. "Where do you go, Esther, when your mind drifts, I wonder?"
"I was thinking of my familye," Esther replied, honestly.
"Ah." Jacob took the wheat from his mouth. His smile was crooked, and Esther had always found it charming. "You mean, you were thinking about our familye?"
That was true. Esther's older schweschder, Hannah, had married Jacob's older bruder, Noah, only recently. Hannah had beamed that morning, as she slipped on her blue linen dress, before she had married her best friend. After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed a feast of roast chicken, mashed potatoes and creamed celery and coleslaw, lemonade and ice cream and cherry pie. The celebration, the Singing, and the square dancing, had gone on well into the night.
"That's true. Anyway, what are you doing, Jacob? I thought you'd be helping your vadder and bruders with the farming at this time of the afternoon?"
"Jah, they do need my help, but Mamm sent me to check on you and your schweschders. How is everyone? I must say, it's nice to see you up and about again, Esther. I missed my little friend."
"I'm well, denki. I can even start to help with all the chores soon." The thought made Esther very happy indeed. "It'll be good to help Mamm around the haus and garden, since Martha and Rebecca aren't ready to do a lot of the chores. We're all looking forward to the day we can get back into our routine."
Esther gazed searchingly at the lake, where the early summer breeze played among the weeds, and ducks struck across the glimmering surface. She remembered the winter morning when Noah Hostetler had struck her familye buggy with his borrowed, ancient car when on his rumspringa. The accident was not his fault, given that the road was icy and the morning full of mist, and Hannah, who was the least injured of the four Miller schweschders, had not only finally forgiven him, but had married him. Still, Noah's familye had felt quite protective over the Miller schweschders since; perhaps that was why Jacob's mudder had sent him to check up on her, Martha and Rebecca.
"I'm glad to hear it," drawled Jacob.
Esther turned her attention back to Jacob. "How are your two younger bruders, Moses and Elijah?"
Jacob laughed. "We're as loud as ever. Mamm's always talking about the noise. She likes that about us, though I do think she's glad to have a dochder in the familye now. Did you ever think Noah and Hannah would marry?'
"In a way," Esther replied, "I suppose I always did."
"Jah." Jacob lay down on his back, letting the warm sunlight press into his handsome face. He truly was handsome, Esther thought, but then again all of the Hostetler brothers were. They were also compassionate and hardworking. All the girls in the community melted at the sight of them. Now that she thought about it, Jacob would probably be the next to marry. Esther wondered which of the lucky girls it would be.
Suddenly Jacob sat up, frowning. "What?" he said.
"I never said a thing," Esther said, defensively.
"I know you, Esther Miller." He ran a large hand through his sweep of golden hair. "You were thinking something about me, and I'm sure it's something I wouldn't approve of."
Esther pouted at him. "Was not!"
"Hmm," Jacob said, furrowing his brows. There was a cheeky twinkle in his eyes. "You're marrying me off!" he cried, all of a sudden. "Can't a mann sit by the lake with his oldest friend, without her plotting out his entire future? Go on, then. Who are you setting me up with in that romantic mind of yours, Esther?"
"I hadn't picked anyone specifically," she conceded. "I just thought you might be the next bruder to marry, seeing as Noah's happily married to my schweschder."
"I knew it." Jacob sighed. "At the very least, can you set me up with someone who's kind? Perhaps you could pick someone with a lot of siblings. I love all my bruders, so it would be nice to marry a girl who understood how important siblings are."
Esther bit her lip. "Who has a lot of siblings?" she wondered out loud. "Oh, I know; there's Sarah Hilty. She has three bruders and a schweschder. I can actually see you married to her. You'd make a very fine couple."
"Sarah Hilty's very nice," said Jacob, scrunching up his nose.
"But?"
"She must have more than just siblings. I also want a woman who's sweet, who thinks about her familye, and who would always see it in her heart to forgive those might have made a mistake."
"What about Jane Graber?"
"Jane!" Jacob sat up again with a startled expression on his face. "Why on earth would you think of Jane Graber?"
Esther grinned. "You seem a little too against Jane Graber. Do you have a secret crush on someone else, Jacob? Look, you're blushing now. I've never seen you blush before."
"Nee, nee," said Jacob, scratching his chin. "It's just that I also want a girl who has a good imagination."
"But Jane's ideal then," Esther exclaimed, with a triumphant cry. She startled the ducks in the lake; they flapped their wings and vanished into the line of trees. "She's a very imaginative person."
Jacob sighed. "Nee," he replied. Now he turned the full brilliance of his eyes onto Esther. "I wasn't thinking of Jane at all."
Matthew 6:6.
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Chapter 2 .
The fluffy yellow ducklings followed their parents across the calm surface of the lake, with all the speed and determination of tired snails. Esther, Martha, and Rebecca sat on the bank, the water lapping pleasantly against their bare toes. It was good to shrug off the heavy woolen cloak worn in the cool winter months, Esther thought, as she threw a bread crumb toward her new friend, a duck with only the one leg. It felt nice to sit in the sunlight with two of her three schweschders.
"But you did like him," Martha insisted. She and Rebecca had been teasing Esther about Jacob Hostetler for the past ten minutes, and Esther was trying her best to ignore their jokes.
; "You had a crush on him for ages and ages," Rebecca chimed in, much to Martha's delight. "Handsome Jacob and his crooked smile; Martha and I thought you'd marry him without a thought."
Esther shook her head. No matter what she replied to her cheeky little sisters, neither would believe her protestations. She threw another crumb of bread to her aquatic friend. Like Esther, Rebecca and Martha were not yet quite well enough to return to their full chores, although they had all but recovered from their injuries received when Noah ran into their buggy. Their mother had given Esther half a loaf of bread and told her three youngest daughters to go and feed the ducks, happy to see them on their feet again after the accident.
"You definitely did like him," said Martha.
"Look at the pretty green on that big duck," Esther murmured. "Don't you just love the purple shine on his feathers?"
"Who do you have a crush on then?" Rebecca said, growing a little annoyed now. She was the most persistent of the Miller sisters, and the youngest, and she was still learning how to be patient with the feelings of others.
"Okay, I used to like Jacob," Esther conceded.
"We knew it!" Rebecca swapped a smile with Martha. "I knew we'd get it out of you in the end. Imagine if you married Jacob, then you and Hannah would be very happy."
Esther shook her head. "I don't like him any more. I was young and silly then, and we're only good friends. He's one of my best friends, now I come to think of it. But that's all, Rebecca."
Her little sisters exchanged glances once more. Rebecca opened her mouth to speak but Martha threw a piece of bread at her. The two of them collapsed into helpless giggles, but then Martha's face turned serious. "Esther, I'm sure Jacob really likes you. Don't encourage him."
Esther chuckled. "Oh, Jacob doesn't like me like that - we're just friends. Anyway," she continued, ignoring Martha's raised eyebrows, "why all the questions? You can have him if you want, Martha."
"Who me?" Martha was aghast. "I'm not going to date any Amish boy. I'm waiting 'til I go on rumspringa, then I might find myself a nice Englisch boy; who knows!"
Esther's mouth fell open. "Martha, you can't!"
Martha squared her jaw. "Why not? I want my own chocolate business and I'll need a computer for that. Anyway, just because you and Hannah didn't want to go on rumspringa, doesn't mean I don't. I want to see what the Englisch world's like. I want to put on make up and wear Englisch clothes, and drive a car, all of it. I want to play video games and watch television. I don't know why you're so against it."
Esther thought for a moment. There was a good reason the youth were allowed to go on rumspringa. Why, bishops and the whole communities approved of it, so who was she to make any comments? "No, you're right, Martha. Just because I didn't, doesn't mean you can't, of course. Just don't do anything reckless."
Martha simply giggled and threw more crumbs to the ducks, who were vying for every piece of bread. "Just as well you don't like Jacob Hostetler then," Martha said, "as you know how Mamm feels about the Hostetlers, ever since Noah ran the car into our buggy."
Esther stood up, somewhat stiffly, taking care not to hurt her back. "Nonsense, Martha. Hannah and Noah Hostetler are married now. Mamm's over all that these days." Even as she said the words, Esther knew they weren't quite true. She was sure her mudder still held some resentment toward the Hostetler familye. Just as well she did only see Jacob as a friend, as she was certain that her mudder would not permit another of her dochders to marry one of the Hostetlers.
Deuteronomy 29:29.
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Chapter 3 .
The second Esther laid eyes on the handsome Amos Troyer sitting on her porch, she knew that her mudder was up to her old matchmaking tricks again. Of course, Esther had known Amos since childhood, but the Troyer and Miller familyes had never been overly close. Esther supposed that her mudder was alarmed by the fact that her oldest dochder had already married a Hostetler boy, and there were three more eligible Hostetler boys remaining.
"Amos is here for dinner," Mrs. Miller announced.
Esther simply raised her eyebrows and nodded. "Hiya, Amos."
"Hullo, Esther."
While her mudder chatted to Amos, Esther took the opportunity to study Amos more closely. He was tall, with broad shoulders and blonde, almost wavy hair. His blue eyes contrasted attractively with his tanned face. He's good looking, that's for sure, Esther thought, but I don't get that feeling that someone should get, despite what the ministers say. The ministers were always saying that feelings were less important than the qualities of humility, hard work, and piety in a prospective marriage partner.
Mrs. Miller waved a quart saucepan at Esther. "Esther, give your back a rest. You too, Rebecca. Martha can help me in the kitchen." Mrs. Miller and Martha left for the kitchen, leaving Esther relieved that her mudder hadn't summoned Rebecca too, leaving Esther alone with Amos. That was the sort of thing she'd normally do.
Was it Esther's imagination, or did Amos look longingly in Martha's direction after she left? Perhaps Mamm should put her matchmaking efforts toward Amos and Martha, Esther thought.
Martha returned carrying a tray with three lemonades and set each glass of lemonade on the porch table. After everyone had thanked her, she said somewhat dramatically, "You're welcome. Sit and relax, as you two had back injuries; I only had a broken arm and two broken legs." Martha disappeared through the door in a fit of indignation.
Esther caught her breath at Martha's rudeness, but Amos laughed out loud. "Your schweschder has spirit."
"Jah." Esther didn't know what else to say. Amos gave her a beaming smile and she smiled back politely. Perhaps I was wrong about him liking Martha, she thought. He does seem to be smiling at me a bit too widely. What will I do? I don't want Amos to court me.
The conversation flowed awkwardly, despite both Esther and Rebecca making an effort to include Amos in the conversation. Amos, Esther noted, seemed a little nervous. He kept rubbing the back of his neck and scratching at his chin.
Finally Martha poked her head around the door to tell everyone to come inside for dinner. Esther inhaled deeply as she smelled the delicious odor of the Six Layer Dinner, one of her favorites, wafting through the door. She and her sisters had peeled the potatoes and sliced the onions earlier, in preparation. There was nothing nicer than a meaty aroma mixed with onions, tomatoes and green peppers. Esther's mouth watered at the thought.
Just then, her daed came over from his woodworking workshop, and he and Amos exchanged greetings. Esther saw Noah's buggy leave and the big, black horse was going along at a good speed, his hooves making a rhythmic clip-clop. Noah must be in a hurry to get home to Hannah, she thought, amused. Noah and Hannah lived not far away, in a little haus that adjoined the Millers' property. Normally, they would spend their first few months as a married couple in the Millers' haus, but Hannah's broken leg had not healed as well as the doktor had liked and he had ordered Hannah to spend six weeks of complete rest prior to her marriage and insisted she that she must not walk up stairs for the best part of a year, possibly longer. The Hostetlers had then purchased a little haus for Noah and Hannah. The haus had been built by Englischers and was conveniently adjoining the Millers' property. It was ideal, as it was all on one level and had no stairs, apart from two on the porch, and given the fact that Noah worked in Mr. Miller's woodworking business, he only had a short distance to drive the buggy to work each day.
The Miller familye and Amos sat down at the table, put their hands in their laps, and bowed their heads for the silent prayer. Mr. Miller was the first to speak to Amos. "So, how's the construction business going?"
Amos smiled. "Gut, denki."
"So, what sort of construction do you do, Amos?" As soon as she spoke, Esther silently chastised herself. She didn't want to appear too interested in Amos. After all, she didn't want to give him the wrong id
ea.
Amos's fork halted half way to his mouth. "Gazebos, mainly. The Englischers love them. It's hard to keep up with demand."
"Wunderbaar," Mrs. Miller exclaimed. "It is gut that your business is going so strongly, and you being such a young man. You will be a gut provider to your fraa one day."
Esther sank down low in her chair. I can't believe Mamm said that; how embarrassing, she thought. She noticed that Amos appeared to be a little embarrassed too.
Martha appeared oblivious to the slight tension that had descended over the table. "So, these gazebos, Amos. You make them out of wood?"
"Wood, but sometimes even vinyl," he said. "We use pressure treated wood that isn't affected by fungus or even termites. We don't use arsenic; it's all environmentally friendly."
As Amos went on at some length about the virtues of laminated posts versus other types of posts which crack, and the problem of damp wood which is fixed by kiln drying, Esther found her mind drifting away. Her mudder was determined to find her a mann. Hannah was now married and Esther was the next dochder in line. Esther remembered the lengths her mudder had gone to, to try to set up Hannah with the unsuitable David Yoder. And now Mamm's starting on me, Esther thought with dismay.
"Esther!"
Esther looked up and saw all eyes on her. "Sorry, Mamm, what did you say?"
"I told Amos that you were the one who mainly prepared the dinner."
Esther went to protest, but her mudder's withering stare abruptly put a stop to that. "Jah, Esther's a wunderbaar cook," Mrs. Miller continued. "Esther made the dessert, Cottage Pudding with butterscotch sauce; wait 'til you taste it. She'll make some mann a good fraa."
Esther could have died with embarrassment right on the spot. Oh well, I have to look on the bright side, she thought, as her cheeks flushed red and her ears burned. Wait 'til I tell Jacob; he'll have a good laugh over all this.
The Amish Millers Get Married BOXED SET Books 1-3 (Amish Romance Book Bundle: The Way Home, The Way Forward, The Narrow Way) (Boxed Set: Amish Millers Get Married) Page 9
