Ben’s calm, low voice brought Marcus back to what he was doing. Rather, what he was about to do. He clutched the Bible on his lap. “Almost there. And Marcus, I want you to know how glad I am that you’re with us.”
“Me too,” chimed in small voices.
As the warm summer air floated through the buggy, Marcus smiled a little. Because worshipping with this family was a true blessing from God. His heart warmed at the thought of the boys. Of Ben and Ruth. And he swallowed an emotional knot. Because he realized that he truly considered them family.
* * *
That evening, in her bedroom, Hannah closed the door behind her and reflected on the day. Most especially, she thought back on how she’d felt having Marcus at church. As the moonbeam floated in through the window and the warm breeze came in with the smell of the outdoors, Hannah retrieved her notepad and pen, sat down on her floor rug, and rested her back against her soft quilt.
She expelled a small sigh as a myriad of thoughts floated through her head until she finally closed her eyes and took a deep breath to relax. Marcus being at church had felt right. He seemed to fit in. Despite Hannah’s sentiments, though, she’d taken note of how a small group of women had frowned at him.
Of course, Hannah had not been surprised at the stir of conversation prompted by an Englischer from the city joining their congregation of two hundred and some people. Hannah wondered how many of her church friends actually thought Marcus had played a role in robbing King’s Bakery. She was glad she didn’t know, because she would be extremely disappointed in them.
She narrowed her brows pensively and looked down at where she’d stopped in her own fiction. Where did I leave off in The Adventures of Hannah and Marcus? She strummed her fingers against the paper and finally gave a slight nod of her head. It’s where the thief points a gun at Marcus and then at her. Hannah’s still holding the extinguisher.
The rest of the story began to take root in her mind, and Hannah put pen to paper.
The gun was pointed directly at Marcus. The tip almost touched his nose. Hannah drew in a breath as her heart pumped a million miles a minute. The Halon extinguisher slipped from her hands. But Gott sent a blessing. Miracle let out a loud whinny that broke the dead silence.
At that very unexpected moment, the man holding the gun glanced in the direction of the sound. The second he did so, Marcus lunged toward the intruder, and, with one swift motion, shoved him to the ground. He proceeded to kick the gun out of his hands.
Immediately, Hannah rushed for the weapon and kicked it farther away from the intruder. As she did so, her entire body shook.
When she turned around, she saw that the thief was pinned facedown under Marcus. The two were engaged in what appeared to be a wrestling match.
Hannah had an idea.
As she rushed to the men, she pulled a piece of strong twine from her pocket. It was from a box she’d opened earlier. Remembering a scene from Sydney and Carson, she quickly created a handcuff knot with two loops. She slipped the two loops around the intruder’s ankles as Marcus held him down. She pulled the loops tight, but not so tight that it would cut off his circulation.
No doubt this would keep him from moving. Marcus rolled the intruder onto his back and had the thief’s hands.
“I’ve got more string! I’ll tie his hands.”
Marcus held the man’s hands, palms facing out, while Hannah did another handcuff knot around the man’s wrists. And prayed that Gott would send help right away.
Chapter Ten
Marcus’s heart was leading him in a straight path to Hannah Lapp. But the more definitive his dream became, the more impossible reaching it seemed. Midday the following Saturday, Marcus sat at his small kitchen table eating a chicken salad sandwich. The longer he lived in this house, the more he appreciated Ruth’s cooking.
Today’s barn raising had been canceled due to the forecast for rain. As he chewed a bite, Marcus closed his eyes in delight and swallowed.
It didn’t take him long to devour the remainder of the salad on his plate and push his paper dining wear to the side. In its place he opened up his new automobile magazine. It had come in the mail that morning, and he couldn’t wait to look through it.
A warm, comfortable breeze came in through his opened window screens. Every once in a while, thunder rumbled in the distance. Rain was in the forecast, but not until later. Today, he just wanted to enjoy his free time. To appreciate that God had given him life.
It was nice to have a moment to absorb everything that had happened since his move from Chicago. He attempted to make sense of his feelings for Hannah and apply good logic to why he should immediately erase her from his mind.
There was no doubt he was falling in love with her. The longer he convinced himself that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, the more difficult it would be in the long run to give her up.
He emptied the remaining contents of the plastic bottle down his throat, returned the bottle to the spot in front of him, leaned back in his chair, and extended his legs.
He bent to grab the new magazine, removed the rubber band around it, and turned the pages to the newest Chevy SUV model. As he stared at the shiny black vehicle, he vividly recalled the last time he and his dad had taken their family car for a cruise on I-94.
Salty tears stung Marcus’s eyes. But he didn’t blink. Instead, he took the sting and prayed with his eyes open. “Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive my parents of their sins and bless them with eternal life in heaven. Please ease my pain because I miss them so much, it hurts. Amen.”
As he stared at the vintage Chevy, he smiled a little. He vividly recalled his last ride with his dad. The smile on his father’s face imprinted its mark in Marcus’s thoughts as the warm summer breeze had floated in from all four open car windows.
The image seemed so real. Marcus bit his lower lip. Since his parents passed, a part of him had been missing. To his astonishment, this was the first time he had acknowledged it. He wanted his good life back. Yearned for it so much, he could almost feel it.
Follow your heart. He’d given his mother his word he’d carry out her advice. Of course, when he’d promised, he’d been young. At the time, he hadn’t the faintest clue what a complicated request he’d committed to. Still, he’d given her his word. And a promise was a promise.
Following his heart was proving to be the most difficult task he’d ever undertaken. Because when he’d so casually committed, he’d had no idea that he would fall in love with an Amish woman. That a life with her would involve giving up what had bonded him and his father together. Their love for Chevrolets. Working on them. Talking about them. Driving them.
How could I ever give that up? It would be like emptying my dad from my life. He gave a frustrated shake of his head. Afterward, he considered his mother and Hannah. And how they were similar in personality. Would Mom approve of Hannah?
He nodded. The answer came easily. And Marcus had no doubt she would love Hannah’s quilt. The raspberry jelly she made at home and sold in Amish Edibles. Even her love of adventure stories. Marcus grinned at a memory of his mom with a paperback in her hands.
Each night in the Jackson home, while his dad had watched the evening news, the mother of four had held a mystery in her hands. The memory of his mom’s love of reading reminded him of Hannah.
Yes, Hannah would definitely have fit right in with his family. In many ways, she was so like his mom. However, that her faith didn’t approve of driving made her much, much different. Amazingly, living without electricity was much easier than he’d imagined. In fact, Marcus hadn’t really given up that much since moving into Ben’s rental.
He still had night lighting, thanks to the gas line that ran along the kitchen ceiling. He didn’t have a washer and dryer; still, he could, if he wanted. The Amish didn’t use electricity; however, they compensated in other ways that were compatible with their Ordnung.
The sound of laughter prompted him to stand and step to the window.
Outside, in the distance, the four Lapp boys raced their bikes up and down the long drive that connected his house to theirs.
Watching them tugged at his heartstrings until a knot blocked his throat. He swallowed to rid himself of the discomfort. He wasn’t sure why his reaction was an odd combination of happiness and sadness. He finally reasoned that the happiness was because they reminded him of when he and his brothers had been young with two living parents.
And sadness because that carefree life was gone. Now a sense of urgency filled him because he feared for his brothers’ life paths . . . not only here on earth, but also in eternity. Did they even believe in God?
The last thing he wanted to do was to judge others; however, their actions caused him to think that they probably didn’t. Yes, Isaiah, David, Samuel, and Mervin reminded him of a time in his past that had been nothing less than blissful.
Be optimistic. He lifted his chin a notch. He was thankful that he’d been proactive in his move to live for God. He expelled a sigh that was a combination of satisfaction and relief. At the same time, I feel stuck. How can I feel stuck if I’m relieved I’m where I am?
Which direction do I head to serve my Creator? There are numerous churches, many of which have much more lenient rules. My family used to attend a Methodist church. But obviously, what my brothers and I learned there didn’t stick. Follow your heart.
A chill ran up his spine, and he shook his shoulders to ease the uncomfortable sensation. His mother’s advice was beginning to drive him crazy. Had she known, at the time, that her words would be so difficult to carry out?
He cleared a knot from his throat before praying in a soft, urgent voice: “I believe that You’ve given me Hannah and her family to ease my pain. And Lord, You know I love her. And I love everything the Amish stand for. But even if I joined their church, deep down inside, I don’t know if I could ever be the man Hannah deserves. At the same time, Father in heaven, you know it’s important to me to keep my commitment to my mother.”
He hesitated, contemplating his promise to her. Then he continued in a hoarse tone, finally squeezing his lids closed with a sense of desperation. “You know I can’t alter how I’ve lived the past two and a half decades, and You are aware of how difficult it would be for me to give up driving my Chevrolet, the very thing that emotionally connects me to my dad. Even changing the oil makes me feel close to him. And I don’t know if I could ever give that up. So, I’m asking You to please let me know Your will. And I pray that You will save my brothers and that we’ll all spend eternity with You. Amen.”
I’m here on this earth to serve God. I’m not here for me. I am trying to move on with my life. But the two roads from which I can choose lead to two totally different worlds. One has Hannah; one doesn’t.
Unfortunately, Marcus hadn’t been privy to Old Sam’s wisdom, but something Hannah had mentioned gave him a silent nudge. She’d said that whenever Old Sam had been unsure about what to do, he’d gone to the Bible.
Narrowing his brows thoughtfully, Marcus stepped toward his only piece of living room furniture, a small oak stand, and stared at the leather cover in front of him. The Holy Bible.
His instincts told him that every answer he needed was in these pages with bold print. But this book has many, many pages. He stopped to put his logic to work. How will I even begin to find what I’m looking for?
* * *
She needed to be here. She just did. That afternoon, as her mother ran the shop, Hannah took in the wonder of Pebble Creek. At home, her yeast bread was rising. Emotion tugged at her heart while she contemplated every feeling whirling inside her. The thief who’d robbed King’s Bakery still hadn’t been caught.
While Hannah thought long and hard about the theft, uncertainty swept through her chest until it ached. She’d allowed the police time to do their jobs. But so far, nothing.
So it was gut to be alone to sort things out. To Hannah, this place was sacred. Longingly, she fixed her gaze at the top of the hill, where Annie and Levi Miller had placed their sitting stones years ago, and where Old Sam had asked his wife of nearly sixty years, Esther, to spend the rest of their lives together.
Nothing bad has ever happened here. At least, not that I’m aware of. On the contrary, great memories were made at Pebble Creek. Will Gott bless me with something so precious that I will one day call Pebble Creek my special place?
Today, Ben had canceled the barn raising. Apparently, they were ready to lay cement, which would have to wait until after the rain that was predicted. So Hannah had time to reflect. And that was exactly what she intended to do.
Because so much had happened since Marcus Jackson had stepped into Amish Edibles and purchased her raspberry jelly, she wasn’t sure what to think any more. She’d allowed her heart to go where she’d never imagined. And now she acknowledged that they were emotions without direction.
As large, white, fluffy clouds moved across the sky, Hannah looked up at the top and smiled a little. She put her hands on her hips and pressed her lips together thoughtfully. I need to sort out my feelings for Marcus.
At that, she started her way up. She hadn’t seen Marcus since Sunday, but she’d thought about him all week. About them. About the sense of familiarity and satisfaction that had filled her while she’d been at church with him.
She’d barely said two words to him, and he’d spoken very little to her. However, she was fully aware that he’d been trying to protect her, and for that, she loved him even more. But she needed to protect him. From unfounded speculation that he’d robbed King’s Bakery.
And that was why she’d decided to take this walk up Pebble Creek. To make clearer her feelings for Marcus and where to go with them. And to decide the best way to catch the person who’d robbed King’s Bakery so people would stop thinking Marcus had done it.
A fly buzzed close to her ear, and she swatted it away. Wonder if Maemm could get this one. She stopped for a moment, contemplating her parents. She loved her maemm with all her heart. But she’d never been able to please her. At least, that’s what Hannah believed.
But her daed . . . Hannah drew her arms across her chest and pulled in an emotional breath. Her daed loved her unconditionally. Always had.
The sound of light footsteps made her turn. Startled, her jaw dropped. “Marcus, gut afternoon.”
“Hello, Hannah. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
She hesitated, considering his statement. “Same here.” After a lengthy silence, she decided to go for complete honesty. “I have a lot on my mind. Pebble Creek is where Old Sam found answers. Levi and Annie, too. So, I figured . . .”
“You might find answers here, too.”
She nodded. At the same time, they started walking. Thunder crackled. “Rain’s coming.”
Hannah nodded. “Jah.” She pointed to the sky. “Not till later today, though.”
She considered the way he seemed more pensive than usual. His set jaw. “Marcus?”
He looked at her.
“Is something wrong?”
After a slight hesitation, he asked, “Hannah, do you ever get the feeling that you’re supposed to do something, but you don’t know what it is?”
She laughed. Because that mimicked her sentiment. “That’s how I feel right now.”
“Me too.”
Hannah decided on brutal honesty and tried for the best words to speak what was on her mind. “Marcus, I’ve been praying for us.”
He glanced down at her and narrowed his brows as they stepped up the hill.
“I have strong feelings for you, and, well . . .”
She paused for a moment. “Ever since we met, I’ve been thinking about you.”
Sincerity filled his voice. “Me too, Hannah. You’re on my mind all the time. I told you about the promise I made to my mom.”
“To follow your heart.”
“It was really important to her because she’d married my dad when they were young, despite her parents’ disapproval. Apparently, they’d
wanted her to wed someone who provided a better living for their daughter. And at the time they married, my dad was working on the roads for the state of Illinois.”
Hannah contemplated his words.
“It was one night before bedtime. I promised my mom I’d follow my heart.” He offered a slight shrug of his shoulders. “At the time, I had no idea what I was committing to. To be honest, Hannah, with you, it’s not simple.”
Immediately, she understood. Because she felt the same way. “I know, Marcus. I mean, you’re a Christian. I’m a Christian. But our lives . . .” She offered an uncertain shrug as she lowered her voice. “I realize that it would be hard for you to live the way I do. You surely plan on going back to the city, don’t you?”
A long silence ensued before he finally responded. “I don’t know.”
His response stopped her. In fact, what he’d replied gave her hope that he might stay and join her faith.
“Hannah, I love it here.”
For long moments, she took in the deep green of his eyes and the flecks that hovered in the background. She’d never felt like this about a man. Even so, she was fully aware that she and Marcus Jackson were still worlds apart.
Finally, they continued up the hill in a silence that was a strange combination of comfort and uneasiness.
Hannah’s maemm had always told her not to be so straightforward. But Hannah’s nature wasn’t to be shy. And today, she was true to herself. “Marcus, do you suppose you could join our church?”
Before he responded, she took a small breath and went on in her most logical tone. “When you were at church with us last Sunday?” She shrugged and darted him a half smile that was edged with a pinch of hopefulness. “It just seemed so right.”
She hoped he’d agree. But Hannah was fully aware that she couldn’t make him want to be who she wanted him to be. Still, she waited for some sign of agreement. Moments later, he stopped and looked down at her.
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