Smicksburg Tales 1,2 & 3 (Amish Knitting Circle, Amish Friends Knitting Circle & Amish Knit Lit Cirlce ~ Complete Series: 888 pages for Granny Weaver Lovers and 30+ Amish Recipes

by Karen Anna Vogel

  Lizzie greeted them warmly, her eyes lingering on Roman. “Since it’s Good Friday, we’re only having cold cuts and soup I made yesterday.”

  “I’ll just have a sandwich,” Granny said.

  Jonas, Granny and Roman took a seat at the kitchen table. Lizzie looked out the window. “Daed, you did put the ‘closed’ sign on the store door?”

  “Jah, I did.”

  “We invited Melvin and Fannie over. We all need to talk.” Roman said, smiling at Lizzie. ”Stopped at Fannie’s before we came here, and glad that Melvin was visiting.”

  Jonas kept thinking he needed to give his utmost, not knowing what to think, but he did feel more change was in his future, and his head started to spin. He closed his eyes. Lord, give me strength.

  Lizzie led Melvin and Fannie into the kitchen, offering them a sandwich, which they both denied, having already eaten lunch.

  Roman cleared his throat. “This morning, during fasting time, I had an idea. A plan that would involve all of you.” He looked over at Lizzie. “When my mamm had the same idea, I knew it was some kind of sign that I was on the right path.”

  Jonas tilted his head back, bracing himself for the blow. “Go on…”

  “Well, I think we have a solution to everyone’s problems. Fannie and Melvin, do yinz really want to move to New York?”

  “Nee,” they said in unison.

  Roman turned to Jonas. “Do you want to keep the store and run it?”

  “Jah, but I was being selfish.”

  Roman looked at his mamm and grinned. “Well, just hear us out, because we have a goot plan, if everyone’s in agreement.” He looked around at everyone, hopeful. “Jonas, what if Melvin and Fannie bought your house and you kept the store part.” He turned to Melvin. “We could get some buddies together and build a shop for your clocks on the other side of the house.”

  Jonas gawked. “Roman, are you still fasting? Need something to eat? You’re not making sense.”

  Fannie walked over to Jonas and put a hand on his shoulder. “I think I understand. Jonas, you want to keep the store, jah?” She turned to Melvin. “If we bought this house, Jonas could live with us, or in a side dawdyhaus and keep his store.”

  Fannie kissed Jonas’ cheek. “I have store experience and we can play checkers and Dutch Blitz all winter.”

  Melvin cracked his knuckles one at a time. “But I told my daed I’d be moving up to New York and would be helping him.”

  Granny stood up. “He can hire milkers, jah? And so many Coblenz’s moving up there, he’d have help.”

  Fannie went over to Melvin and put her arm through his. “It’s your daed’s dream to farm, not yours.”

  Lizzie put a hand up. “Let me understand this. Fannie and Melvin would buy this house, and my daed would live with them? And not us?”

  Roman got up and put his arm around Lizzie. “This could all be temporary-like. If Jonas doesn’t like it, he has a home with us.”

  Melvin sighed. “I don’t have money to buy this place.”

  Jonas knew this was an answer to prayer. He felt like skipping, if he could. “How about yinz sign a land contract? No interest. Say, for twenty years?”

  Melvin stared at Jonas for a long while as silence filled the room. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Jah, course I am.” He turned to Lizzie. “Darlin’ I know it’s hard for you to care for me. I need a man who can lift.”

  Melvin stepped forward. “I can help, Jonas. Not a problem.”

  Granny got up and put her arm around Lizzie too. “Your daed will be fine. You’re not losing him, remember?”

  Roman kissed Lizzie’s cheek. “You’ll be gaining a new daed and mamm when you become Mrs. Weaver.”

  Fannie kissed Melvin and jumped up and down. “I didn’t want to move, and God heard my prayer.”

  Lizzie looked at Roman, bewildered. “Where will I live when Fannie and Melvin marry? Here in the house too? It’s not that big. And is Nathan still coming?”

  “Honey, there’s nothing stopping us from having a spring wedding, since your daed won’t need to make any changes. “He looked at Jonas. “Isn’t that right? With you happy here, with your store, there’s no reason for Lizzie and me to wait until fall.”

  “Nee, there isn’t.”

  Fannie ran over to Lizzie, still jumping. “We need to start working on your wedding, now.”

  Jonas saw the shock on his daughter’s face. “I say we all pray about this and sleep on it. If we’re all in agreement on Easter, I say let’s do it. But if anyone feels too rushed or confused as to what to do, we’ll know it’s not right, and need to wait further, until everyone’s in unity. Agreed?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “Wise words, Jonas,” Granny said.

  “I’m trying my utmost, “Jonas mused, “to see a higher path.”

  “What are you talking about, Daed?” Lizzie asked.

  “Ach, something between me and the Lord.”

  ~*~

  Fannie and Lizzie got out of Marge’s red sports car. “I still don’t see why the Amish get married with an apron on.” Marge crowed.

  “It’s a reminder our hands are always ready for work,” Lizzie said. “Anyhow, a nice white apron is pretty.”

  “Jah, I can’t wait to wear mine.” Fannie nearly skipped as the three made their way into Punxsy-Mart. “My dress is mint green to bring out my eyes.”

  Lizzie gawked. “You shouldn’t talk like that.”

  “Why?” Marge asked.

  “Because it sounds vain.”

  Fannie rolled her eyes. “Nee it does not. I want to look pretty on my wedding day. Took me long enough to think I wasn’t fat and ugly.”

  Marge put her hand on her ample hips. “You thought you were fat? How come?”

  “Comparing myself to others and looking at magazines here in the store. Suzy showed us how the computer changes the images.”

  Marge clasped her hands. “But you thought you were ugly? You’re gorgeous.”

  “Danki,” Fannie said. “I still work on that. The not feeling ugly part. Still compare myself to others, but it’s getting better.”

  Lizzie walked immediately over to the mauve material. “Do you think this brings out my eyes,” she teased. “How silly.”

  Marge guided Lizzie over to the mirror and held the material up to her face. “See the burgundy flecks in your eyes?”

  Lizzie leaned closer. “Jah, I do.”

  “Mauve brings out that color and makes your eyes look bigger. Of course, since they’re brown, a brown dress would do the same.”

  “Nee, not brown,” Lizzie said. “So you think mauve would be goot?”

  Fannie brought a bolt of wine colored material over. “I think this would look best. Your eyes are dark and so is this shade.”

  Lizzie held the material up. “I see what you mean.” She turned to Fannie. “Who have you picked for attendants?”

  “Can you believe I still haven’t picked anyone? Can’t choose one friend over another.”

  “But your wedding’s in three weeks, jah?”

  “Well, I wanted you in it Lizzie, but not with you getting married too.”

  Marge sighed. “I’m confused. Are you talking about your bridesmaids?”

  “What that?” Lizzie and Fannie asked in unison.

  “You know. The girls who walk down the aisle before you.”

  “We don’t walk down the aisle.” Fannie chuckled. “Why would we do that?”

  “So everyone can look at the bride…see her gown…I see. You don’t want attention because it shows pride?”

  “Nee. We sit in the front with our attendants. We have two, and the groom has two. Sometimes we pick couples we’d like to see together, since the attendants spend most of the day with each other.”

  “So it’s like being a matchmaker?”

  “If you want to,” Fannie said. “But it’s usually just best friends. I just can’t narrow it down. Don’t want to hurt anyone’s fe
elings.”

  “Why not narrow it down by groups? Say you’re going to ask only sisters or friends who all do the same things together,” Marge said.

  Fannie’s eyes grew round. “Knitting circle friends. But I can only pick two…”

  “You better pick them soon.” Lizzie said, still looking in the mirror. “Sure wish we could put flowers in our hair like the English.”

  “Why don’t you?” Marge asked.

  Fannie gawked. “Only our husbands are supposed to see our hair, not other men.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Marge gasped.

  “It’s our custom,” Lizzie said. “It says in the Bible that a woman’s hair is her glory. We never cut ours or show it to anyone, but save it for our husbands.”

  Marge sighed. “That’s kind of romantic…I like that. So what do you wear on your wedding?”

  Fannie pointed to her head. “A prayer kapp, like this one, but always white.”

  “And where’s the wedding?”

  “At the bride’s house. Her mamm’s usually the one who puts on the wedding feast…”Fannie took Lizzie’s hands. “I know you miss your mamm.”

  “I’ll have Granny as a mamm, when I’m married.”

  “So will your wedding be put on by Granny?” Marge asked.

  “Roman and I are trying to figure things out. For now, we’re just hoping by tomorrow we’ll all be in agreement so we can wed in a few weeks.”

  ~*~

  Luke shielded his eyes from the sun pouring into Micah’s room. The same question went through his mind, like it did every morning. When will Ruth and I share the marriage bed again? A woman’s heart, once betrayed and broken, took longer to heal than anything. But it was the nature of Ruth’s heart he loved, and it was something he knew to cherish and protect in the future; to serve her like Jesus did the church, like Jeb told him….like the Bible said to do.

  The smells of coffee and bacon drifted from the kitchen. He hoped to get up sooner and make her breakfast on Easter, but she was always up early with the birds, binoculars in hand to see her feathered friends. Well, at least he’d finished the white gourd feeder, just like the one Jeb made for Granny. Ruth admitted she’d felt cherished by him taking the time to make it. Cherished. That’s how he wanted his wife to feel and he hoped soon, her wounded heart would be healed.

  One thing about morning he didn’t miss was the dark dread that rushed at his mind. Anxiety always showed up at the crack of dawn, but since he was on medicine, he woke up thinking clearly. His doctor was right; medicine allowed him to be himself. How isolated he used to live, never telling a soul his struggles. He’d isolated Ruth too, remembering Zach telling him she was a bird in a cage. It was like he used to cling to her like a child, his favorite toy. when sick. But now he and Ruth had lots of family and friends. He needed to stop looking backwards, like Granny said. If you look back, you’ll turn into salt, like Lot’s wife.

  He quickly got dressed, being careful not to awaken Micah and headed out to the kitchen. “Happy Resurrection Sunday, Love.” Luke kissed Ruth on the cheek. “Danki for breakfast. Quite a feast.”

  “Easter’s my favorite day. Flowers coming up from the ground, just like the resurrection.”

  “Jah, God gives us all a second chance…a new beginning?”

  Ruth wrapped her arms around his neck. “Jah, he does.”

  Luke gently kissed her lips and told her to sit down. He took a basin out of their pantry and filled it with water. He knelt at Ruth’s feet. “We’ll all be washing each other’s feet at the Gmay today, but I’ve never washed yours. Men only wash men’s feet….”

  Ruth leaned forward and cupped his cheeks in her hands. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “You don’t want me to?”

  “Nee, I’m just saying you don’t have to do everything Jeb tells you he does for Granny.”

  “Jeb never said anything about washing his wife’s feet…”

  Luke took her black knee sock off both feet and put them in the water. How petite and beautiful her feet looked. He thought of Christ washing the disciples’ feet, an act of a servant. He silently prayed that as he served his wife she would open up just like the blossoming trees all around them.

  Tears filled Ruth’s eyes. “This must be the sign I was praying for.”

  “What?”

  Ruth took his hand and led him back to her bedroom. He was not prepared for what he saw. She had the bed covered with the double-ring wedding quilt he bought her for a wedding present. He remembered the very day she ripped it off the bed and told him that the overlapping rings on the quilts stood for unity, and she didn’t see it in their marriage. The quilt was a constant reminder of what their marriage lacked. But now?

  She put her arms around his neck. “Luke, I’ve been so afraid of getting hurt again. You know, if I let you get too close. So I asked God to give me a sign. Something to let me know we should share the marriage bed again. By washing my feet…well.” She kissed him fondly. “That was it. I’m not afraid anymore.”

  Luke scooped her into his arms and twirled her around. “I love you, Ruth.”

  “I love you too…”

  ~*~

  Granny sat on the front bench at church. She knew if she sat in the back she’d fret, not being able to help notice Nathan looking over at Lavina. Nee, she would not fret about Nathan, having cast her love for him on God. Her love for Lavina too.

  This would be Lavina’s first time celebrating this long yet wonderful day, when unity was celebrated with communion. She thought back to the day she wrote the letter to her knitting circle. She feared no one would come and word would get out that she was a lonely old woman. She didn’t realize she was a little lonely, now that her life was so intertwined with the girls. Roman and his girls filled her days, and she was grateful Jeb was still in good health. But when all the other sons moved, there was a void, and her knitting friends filled it. Yes, she had many reasons to sing the first hymn with all her strength.

  ~*~

  As the second hymn, the Loblied, was sung, Maryann closed her eyes to keep her tears from spilling over. How she praised God that He was her provider, like the song reminded. She’d stared death in the face and God provided the grace she needed, and the friends.

  With Lavina on one side, and Becca on the other, she felt blessed beyond words to have two girls from the knitting circle as constant companions. Granny was right all along, women were stronger spun together, just like her wool when made into yarn. What would she have done having cancer without the help of her knitting friends?

  When her favorite part of the hymn was sung, asking God for wisdom, she concentrated on each word, sung slowly, intentionally. As a mamm of eight, and trying to advise Lavina, she sang it often.

  Open the mouth of Thy servants, Lord,

  And give them wisdom also,

  That they may rightly speak Thy Word

  Which encourages a devoted life.

  She couldn’t help but notice Lavina sang louder, as if praying for wisdom. Yes, Lavina needed wisdom. No progress yet between their bishop and the one in Troutville. Her old boyfriend would not confess to immorality or say the twins were his. How could this man remain Amish? How could Lavina’s daed not be plagued by nightmares of his daughter confessing to the whole congregation to not knowing who the daed was, as if she’d been immoral with more than one man?

  Well, Lavina was welcome to live with them as long as needed. Cancer had taught her many lessons. Life was short and love was needed. She aimed to live each day extending love to anyone in need, and not listen to her judgmental mind. She was grateful her knitting friends had shown her a better way to live.

  ~*~

  When Jeb preached the first sermon, reading from Exodus about Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Ella held her own baby Moses tighter. She’d read that the Nile was full of crocodiles, and for the mother of Moses to let him float down it in a basket took lots of faith. She looked over at Lavina. She’d done the
same thing, giving her twins to strangers so they’d have the life she never had. Hers was filled with violence and abuse, and it took courage to stand alone and do what her heart demanded.

  How thankful she was to be the home the twins floated into. Seven years of being barren made her love them even more. They were a gift from the Lord Himself. Sermons from the Old Testament would fill the morning, and most likely Abraham and Sarah would be spoken of. How she used to fret that she’d never have kinner, just like Sarah. She pursed her lips to hide a smile. Sarah had a kinner at ninety and called him Isaac, which meant laughter. She’d laugh too if she got pregnant, and she was young.

  But thoughts of being barren didn’t plague her anymore. She had her twins and it all started when she let other women know how distressed she was; she needed more help than she’d thought. Through the long journey of finding the twins to her fears of losing them, she couldn’t have made it through if it wasn’t for her knitting circle friends. She thanked God for them daily, and especially Granny, who saw her pain and opened her home to a circle of friends.

  ~*~

  Fannie sat next to Granny, her stomach rumbling. Since there were no formal breaks today, a meager lunch was provided; nothing was to stop the seriousness of this holy day. She elbowed Granny as she pat her stomach.

  Granny’s brow furrowed. “Are you sick?” she whispered.

  “Starving. Want to go back and get something to eat?”

  Granny turned to Lizzie and asked her if she wanted to join them. She agreed, so the three made their way to the back of the large barn where a table of light refreshments were being served. After a few bites, they made their way to the outhouse.

  Fannie clenched her fists. “I can’t concentrate on the preaching.”

  “Why?” Lizzie asked. “Jeb preached goot.”

  “I keep thinking of New York. We’ll have to move if we’re not all in agreement.” She took Lizzie by the elbow. “Has your daed made up his mind?”

  “He didn’t say anything to me. Just keeps reading his Oswald Chamber’s book and saying he’s trying his utmost to make the right decision.”

  “He said we’d all talk after the service,” Granny said, before she shut the outhouse door.