“Looking for you and wanting to hear this great secret Betty says you have.”
“I’m glad she didn’t tell you,” Miriam said, her eyes back on the mountain range. “Although I expect it must have been hard for Betty to keep such gut news from spilling out.”
“So what exactly are you up to? If you don’t tell me soon, I’ll scream.”
“How did your doctor’s appointment go?” Miriam asked with a straight face.
“Fine,” Hannah said. “Tell me. Now!”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Miriam said. “It would have been awful to hear bad news from the doctor on the morning your sister tells you of the biggest, the best, the most wonderful news she has ever had to share in all her life.”
“Just say it,” Hannah said, leaning forward over the mare’s slim neck.
“I’ve had to spend all week convincing Betty,” Miriam said. “That woman is the limit. It would be easier to convince a porcupine to take in its quills than for that woman to change her mind. If you ever say a doubtful word about this in her presence, then I’m sure she’ll flip right back and you’ll have undone my hard work. So you have been warned.”
“Miriam,” Hannah said, “I have work to do at home. Get to it.”
“I know,” Miriam said, a look of sheer joy filling her face. “And so do all of us. Dennis and I are getting married early this fall. Right here in Montana. Betty has agreed to have the wedding at her place.”
Thirty-Eight
Hannah was setting the table as the sound of Jake’s buggy came up the lane. She paused to listen for a long moment before turning back to the cabinet drawer for the forks and spoons. Jake was home. Would he have news to share? Maybe. With the way things were going, Mr. Brunson might have stopped by the shop and announced his wedding plans!
Sliding the potato and meat plates out of the oven, Hannah placed them on the table on hot pads. Jake hadn’t had a meat-and-potato supper all week, and he deserved it more often. He might think she was celebrating once she told him Miriam’s news, but the supper preparations had been started early in the morning even before she knew about Miriam and Dennis’s plans.
Walking to the cabin door, Hannah waited until Jake was on the porch before she stepped out and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug.
“Well, this is a nice welcome! Good news, perhaps?” he asked, holding her at arm’s length.
“Yes,” Hannah whispered. “Gut news all day and then some. I don’t know if I can handle anymore…if you happen to have some.”
“The only news I have is a letter from my mom.”
Hannah glanced up at his face. “I hadn’t thought of that. Surely your mom wouldn’t send bad news after your nice letter to her.”
“No,” Jake said, “probably not. I haven’t read it yet, but she would not send bad news, I’m sure. But you should be full of news about your doctor appointment. Did it go well?”
“Yes, everything is fine and on schedule. No problems at all. Now, come eat your supper. It shouldn’t get cold. We can read the letter afterward.”
Jake said, “There is some other good news. I brought home the plans for the new log house.”
“Gut. Then we’ll look at the plans too—after we’ve eaten.”
“I hope you like them,” Jake said as Hannah took off his hat and laid it by the front door.
“I’m sure I will. Now come,” Hannah said, leading him by the hand.
Silently Jake sat down at the table and bowed his head in prayer. Hannah held her breath as Jake prayed out loud.
“Great God in heaven, the Maker of all the world, we humble ourselves tonight in Your presence, giving You thanks first of all for Your Son Jesus, and for the grace You bestow upon us each and every day. We are especially thankful for the news that Hannah has received at the doctor today. That our child is still healthy, and that Your will still is that he should be born and bring joy and happiness to our home.”
Hannah found Jake’s hand under the table, squeezing it as he continued praying. When he was finished, she lifted her face to his, making no attempt to hide her wet cheeks. “Thank you,” Hannah whispered, “for caring enough to give thanks for the bobli.”
“You and the child mean a lot to me.”
“And now you really must eat,” Hannah said through her tears. She dished a large helping of potatoes onto Jake’s plate.
“You shouldn’t spoil me, even if I’m starved,” Jake teased.
Hannah waited until he had dipped the gravy onto his potatoes before she took potatoes for herself.
“There is more news besides the baby,” she said softly. “A lot more gut news.”
Jake glanced questioningly in her direction.
“Betty claims there have been no more of our people attending the meetings and that Ben is discouraged. She doesn’t think he’ll be back again next year.”
“That is gut news, and I suppose Betty has her information correct. I haven’t been told anything by Bishop John.”
“She is usually right, at least on such things. She’s not always right on some others, like who should marry whom.”
“You’ve never forgotten that, have you?”
“It’s not just us. She was also wrong about Miriam. Dennis asked Miriam to marry him on Sunday night right here in our living room. Miriam said yes!”
Alarm filled Jake’s eyes, his spoon stopping halfway to his mouth.
“Dennis is not leaving the Amish, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Hannah said. “In fact, he was very impressed with Bishop John’s decision not to excommunicate Ben and Sylvia Stoll. I think that’s what pushed Dennis to make a commitment and ask Miriam to marry him.”
“That is gut news. Bishop John made a wise decision.”
“You played your part,” Hannah said, squeezing his arm.
“It was all by the grace given from Da Hah,” Jake said. “We must not take credit for ourselves.”
“I know,” Hannah said, rubbing his arm.
“I think you ought to eat your supper,” Jake said.
Hannah turned back to her plate with a smile.
“Perhaps I should since Miriam and Betty are coming over later to talk about the wedding. Is that okay?”
“I’d like to show you the prints for the new cabin before they come.”
“Then the dishes can wait,” Hannah said.
A few minutes later Jake had finished and Hannah took her last bite. “While I clear the table, why don’t you bring in the plans from the buggy, and if Miriam and Betty show up before I get to the dishes, they can help with the dishes while we talk.”
“That sounds like a gut idea,” Jake said. He went out to get the plans while Hannah quickly cleared the table. When she heard him come in again, she joined him in the living room. Jake was seated on the couch staring at several white sheets of paper spread out in front of him on the floor.
“You haven’t opened the letter from your mom yet,” Hannah reminded, sitting down beside him.
Jake smiled at her. “Let me show you these first. Look at this.”
Hannah followed the point of his finger as he traced the outline of the proposed log house. “Do you think it will be large enough?”
“I suppose it depends on how many children we’re having,” Hannah said, leaning tightly against him.
“Only Da Hah knows that, but we can plan for a dozen.”
“I think we’d better take them one at a time,” Hannah said, trying to make sense of the plans before her. “How do I tell what size the house is? It looks huge on paper.”
“It’s just a simple design,” Jake pointed again. “Nothing fancy at all. Just a house with a rectangular shape, but I think inside we can take the stairs up to the loft with a landing in between which will add a nice touch.” Jake turned the page, revealing details of the first floor. “When you walk in, there will be a large living room with a high ceiling. There will also be a large bedroom and two smaller rooms besides the kitchen on the first floor. The upstairs wil
l have four rooms, two on each side of the stairs.”
Hannah drew in her breath, “It sounds awfully big. What will we do with so much room when we get old and are all by ourselves?”
“We’ll worry about that when it happens. For now we can shut off the upper level until our family grows. So what do you think?”
“If you like it, then so do I. But you know I really am happy right where we are.”
“I know—and I’m thankful for that. In fact, that may allow us to move a little slower than I had thought at first. Perhaps I could put the foundation in this fall, and then get the logs up early next summer.”
“Or the next,” Hannah said.
“Once you see the logs going up, you’ll want to move in right away.”
Outside, the rattle of buggy wheels on gravel turned both of their heads.
“Miriam and Betty,” Hannah said. “And we haven’t read the letter from your mom yet.”
“I can read it while you women plan the wedding,” Jake said, getting up. “I’d better go out and help them unhitch.”
“They’ll just tie up,” Hannah said, glancing out the window. “I don’t think they’re staying that long.”
Jake laughed. “Remember who’s here and why—Betty and Miriam and you to plan a wedding.”
“Then I’ll shoo them out of the house when it gets too late,” Hannah said, opening the door.
Betty was coming up the walk at a fast pace with Miriam close behind. “I couldn’t wait to come,” Betty said. “I already started planning things on the way over, but Miriam made me quit, and now I feel like I’m going to explode.”
“I wish Mom were here to be part of this,” Hannah said, holding the door open for them.
“I do too,” Miriam said. “But we can’t do anything about that.”
“Good evening, Jake,” Betty said, glancing at the prints lying on the floor. “Did we interrupt something?”
“Not really,” Jake said. “Hannah and I were looking at plans for our new house.”
“Then we can wait a little while,” Betty said. “I’d love to see what you’re planning to build.”
“Ah, no—not now,” Hannah interrupted. “We’d better start planning the wedding. And I still have the dishes to do.”
“Then we’ll help while we talk,” Betty said, marching resolutely toward the kitchen. Miriam shrugged her shoulders and followed. Hannah gave Jake a quick smile and whispered, “I want to see your letter after they leave.”
Betty was already pouring hot water from the pot on the stove. She said over her shoulder, “You really have to get a gas water heater for your new house, Hannah. I hope Jake has that on his list of improvements.”
“I’m sure he does,” Hannah said with a laugh. “But I don’t mind things as they are. I guess I’ve gotten used to it.”
“Well that’s all fine and dandy,” Betty said, adding soap. “But if we don’t get busy with these plans, we’ll have a wedding only half put together. Hannah, your wedding should serve as an example of what not to do. It was close to a wreck, and we had plenty of warning for that. Can’t you Miller girls get your minds together in a way that causes less planning grief?”
“It’s not my fault,” Miriam giggled. “How can you plan the meeting of the man of your dreams?”
“Well, it’s just not very sensible,” Betty said. “And you’ve caused me almost as much heartburn as Hannah did. And believe me, I thought she was the limit with her disaster with Sam. Walking out on a wedding. You’re surely not planning to do that, are you, Miriam? Because if you are, I’m going home right now and not putting in one more lick of work.”
“No one plans to walk out on a wedding,” Hannah corrected. “Now be quiet before Jake hears us. We’re supposed to be talking about Miriam’s wedding.”
“Just reminding us all of what happened in the past,” Betty said, washing the plates. “That’s the only way we’ll keep a level head on ourselves, and even then it might be hard.”
“So what about Mom?” Miriam asked, rinsing the first plate and drying it. “I’ve already written her, but I didn’t go into details about what I’m expecting of her.”
“If she shows up for the wedding, you ought to be thankful,” Betty said.
Miriam laughed. “I don’t think it’s that bad.”
“Don’t worry,” Hannah joined in. “Mom will tell us soon enough what she wants to do. If we get our plans together on this end, she can decide when to come out to help.”
“I want the wedding to be in Betty’s barn, near the same spot where Hannah had hers,” Miriam said. “I still haven’t forgotten how wonderful that was.”
“We could at least have it in the house instead of the barn,” Betty said.
“No, I want the wedding in the barn with the horses I’ve learned to love. I want the barn doors open so I can see the mountains when we say our vows. Oh, Hannah, I can’t thank you enough for coming to this wonderful place and giving me the chance to meet such a wonderful man.”
“You’d better get the stars out of your eyes,” Betty said. “It can turn cold here in the early fall, and that barn door will need to be shut tight. That’s why I say we squeeze everyone into the house and be done with it.”
“I won’t have it,” Miriam said, shaking her head. “We have to take the chance, even if it turns cold.”
“You’re stubborn enough, I see,” Betty said. “Just like your sister. Well, let’s start with the planning then. I want names of all the table waiters, so we can contact them right away. That is unless you’re using the young people from around here.”
Miriam wrinkled her brow, “Dennis said he doesn’t care, and we can’t use most of his family anyway. That’s sad, but it’s just the way it is.”
“Stop the moaning,” Betty said, sitting down at the kitchen table. “Bring me a pen and paper, Hannah. We’re going to start on the list of who you find acceptable.”
Hannah retrieved the paper from the living room desk, pausing to give Jake another quick smile. He was seated on the couch, his mom’s letter in his hand, a soft look on his face.“ Gut news?” she asked.
He nodded. “They’re coming for a visit.”
Thirty-Nine
Hannah and Jake stood waiting at the Greyhound bus station in Libby, with Mosey hitched to the surrey borrowed from Betty. Hannah’s heart was racing as she glanced nervously down the road toward the south.
“What is your mom going to say about me? She wrote you a nice letter, but she didn’t mention anything about me.”
“Mom has nothing against you,” Jake said, leaning against the buggy wheel. “The only problem she ever raised about us was our church’s belief in the assurance of salvation.”
“She probably thinks I led you into that belief,” Hannah said with another quick look down the road.
“Perhaps we can get that straightened out while they’re here,” Jake said. “I don’t want to lecture them, but if they ask, I can answer their questions.”
“Please don’t say anything,” Hannah said, taking his arm. “I so want this stay to be a pleasant one for them. This is their first visit since the wedding, and I want them to feel welcome here. I want them to want to come back. Especially since they will soon have a grandchild here.”
Jake stared off toward the mountains in the distance. “How fast things change. It’s seems not that long ago I got off the bus here as a confused Amish boy, not sure where I was going to end up. Da Hah must have had His eye on me even when I was unaware of it.”
“Of course He did. Oh, here comes the bus! I’m so nervous I could break out in a cold sweat.”
“Mom always liked you,” Jake assured her.
“Did she tell you so?”
“Not in so many words, but I can tell. Come, let’s meet them.”
Jake took Hannah’s hand and led her across the parking lot toward the bus as it bounced in from the main road and came to a stop with a deep roar of its engine.
Hannah let go
of Jake’s hand and clasped her hands tightly.
“Are you cold?” Jake asked.
“No, just scared out of my wits.”
The door of the bus opened and Englisha streamed out. Hannah tried to catch a glimpse of black hats and bonnets through the bus windows and thought she saw something.
“Here they come!” Jake stepped forward, taking Hannah with him. “Mom!” Jake said, shaking her hand.
Hannah clung to his arm, forcing herself to step forward and shake Ida Byler’s hand.
“Hannah,” Jake’s mom said, taking Hannah in her arms. “My, you are far along already. I guess I knew that, but seeing you makes it all the more real!”
Jake shook his dad’s hand. “It’s not something we’ve kept a secret from you.”
“I guess seeing for myself is different from hearing about it,” Ida repeated. “And I am so glad we could finally come to visit you. I told Uriah we had to come before the baby did because you’ll soon be knee-deep in diapers and won’t have time for two old people like us.”
“You know we always have time for you, Mom,” Jake said. “So did you have a good trip?”
“Really gut,” Uriah said, stroking his long, white beard. “I must say these mountains make me feel young again. One forgets such beauty when one becomes old.”
“You were out here for the wedding,” Ida reminded. “You remember that, don’t you?”
“Of course. I used to come hunting in these mountains too. Way back before I was married.”
“Really?” Hannah said. “Jake did some hunting last year.”
Jake’s dad smiled. “Perhaps Jake can take me hunting for a day if there’s enough time.”
“I didn’t know you used to hunt here,” Jake said. “But I’m afraid the hunting season isn’t for another month or so. Maybe you can come back then?”
Ida laughed. “No, we’re not coming back for an old man to go tramping about the mountains and getting himself killed. We’ve come to see our family.”
“Well,” Uriah said. “I guess that takes care of my hunting plans.”
“I guess it does. Well, let’s get your luggage, and we can head to the cabin,” Jake said, walking to the side of the bus. His dad followed, pointing out two suitcases stacked in the luggage compartment.
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