Promise at Pebble Creek

by Lisa Jones Baker

  Mary finally composed herself and looked at Hannah to continue. “Are you going to marry him, Hannah?”

  Hannah’s breath hitched. She wasn’t sure why. She’d thought a lot about being Marcus’s wife. But actually hearing the question seemed much different from merely considering it.

  “That’s what I really want to talk to you about, Mary.”

  A short silence ensued.

  “If you were truly in love with someone who was a Christian, but wasn’t Amish, someone you enjoyed being with so much it pained you to say goodbye, would you choose to let go of that person to stay in the faith? Or would you go outside of your faith to marry your true love?”

  Mary didn’t respond. As the fan blades made an airy sound and a bird chirped outside the window, Hannah went on to explain her feelings for Marcus. She began with their meeting and went on to tell Mary about her unusual, unexpected bond with the Chicago native.

  Afterward, she lifted two helpless palms. “Mary, I love him. And I know he loves me, even though he hasn’t actually said so. And he’s a Christian . . . though not Amish, as you’re aware. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?”

  As Mary sat back and folded her hands in her lap, Hannah breathed in a hopeful breath. Finally, in a soft, thoughtful voice, Mary smiled a little. “I’m certainly not Old Sam. Of course, no one is. But I knew him pretty well. To be honest, I’m not sure what he’d say, Hannah.”

  Mary stood and went to the fridge, where she poured more lemonade into her glass and Hannah’s. Hannah drew her brows together as she tried to read Mary’s thoughts.

  Without saying anything, Mary returned to her chair, returned the two glasses to their spots, and lifted her chin a notch. “Let me think on this.” She pressed her finger against her lips and narrowed her brows. “When I try to get something resolved, I like to be with my plants.” She smiled a little. “There’s something about them, Hannah, that help me know what to do. It’s like . . . they inspire me.” She sipped from her glass and continued holding the lemonade in front of her.

  “Your situation, Hannah—I know it might seem hopeless, but actually, it’s not that much different from what my parents went through before they were married. And Annie and Levi . . . you know, they faced a battle, too.

  “Let me see . . . I’m trying to imagine what Old Sam would advise if he were still here with us.” After a light sigh, she smiled a little.

  Suddenly, a surge of relief flowed through Hannah. Of course Mary would figure out what to do.

  Mary leaned forward, and her eyes lit up. “I just remembered something Old Sam used to say.”

  Hannah looked at her to continue.

  “It may be difficult to wait on the Lord, but it is worse to wish you had.”

  Hannah considered the advice and finally offered a nod of agreement. Mary reached across the table and Hannah touched her fingers in mutual understanding.

  “Hannah, this is something to pray about. And the answer is worth patience.”

  * * *

  It was hard to believe the first week of August was already gone. That evening, Marcus stood out in his backyard, contemplating the Milky Way. If God could create a galaxy so complicated, so amazing, why couldn’t Marcus decide his destiny with Hannah?

  As an oak leaf floated off a branch and to the ground, he acknowledged that Hannah might be wondering why he hadn’t checked on her. After all, he hadn’t seen Hannah since right after the robbery. But there was good reason for staying out of her sight.

  She might not realize it, but Marcus was in the midst of a very important decision: whether or not to join the Amish faith. And that choice determined whether or not he and Hannah would spend the rest of their lives together.

  But he didn’t feel guilty. Why can’t she join a different faith? He pressed his lips together into a straight, thoughtful line, because he knew the answer. She could.

  There were numerous denominations. Marcus hadn’t studied them, but he guessed that most if not all of them had the same goal. To serve God. Marcus wasn’t omniscient, but he believed with a fair amount of certainty that God didn’t allow members of only one faith into heaven.

  He looked up at the sky, where he glimpsed a jet’s puffy white trail. A large cloud appeared to open up and swallow the plane until the trail reappeared. Where are the passengers going? Where am I going? I thought life was complicated before coming here. Now, it’s even more puzzling than before.

  Follow your heart. His mother’s words sounded in his head, and he pressed his palms on both sides of his face to drown out the noise. If my dad had been Amish, would Mom have joined the church to be with him? If she hadn’t, would my father have chosen a different faith in order to spend the rest of his life with her? I think so . . .

  In awe, he fixed his gaze on the brightest star, marveling at what he’d learned about the Bible this evening. The more he prayed with the Lapp family, the more he learned from them, the more he admired and respected their faith.

  Tonight, as he enjoyed the cool breeze, he couldn’t rid his mind of the Scripture Ben had read from the Bible before they’d sat down for dinner. Before coming here, Marcus had known a little about the twelve disciples and other followers of Jesus, but he’d never really been aware of the monumental challenges they had faced because they’d followed Him.

  Marcus’s chest ached as he realized the extreme pain they’d endured to spread God’s Holy Word. In the book of Acts, Stephen had been stoned to death while preaching the Gospel. Peter had been crucified upside down.

  For a moment, Marcus squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head in disbelief and sadness. What was I doing my entire life that I missed out on all this?

  Marcus contemplated what he’d just learned. That is the true meaning of love. That admission led to a challenging question. Would I stand up for Christ if my life would be taken for doing so?

  He bit his lower lip. For the first time in his twenty-five years, he was acknowledging what being a follower of Christ truly meant. Without thinking of what he was doing, he automatically gazed in the direction of Pebble Creek, although he was unable to see the hill or the creek in the darkness. Suddenly, he connected the dots from the hill that was so out of place in central Illinois to Old Sam and the wisdom he so unselfishly offered to those who asked it.

  Realization warmed his arms, and that very warmth spread down to his fingers. He extended them a couple of times before interlacing his fingers together in front of him.

  The impact of his acknowledgment was so strong, it nearly pulled the air from his lungs. Again, he directed his gaze to the star-filled sky and drew in a deep breath of appreciation.

  Old Sam was a disciple. That must have been why God placed him here. He was the leader in this area who, through his strong faith and great wisdom, had had the ability to bring the community together, through the hope chests he made, to the advice he offered to those he loved, to his obvious devotion to his wife of nearly sixty years.

  Marcus closed his eyes a moment to think about the significance of Pebble Creek and Old Sam. This place is special. When he opened his lids, he blinked at the salty sting. In pleasant disbelief, he tried to absorb everything that had happened since his arrival at Arthur. And in one special, revealing moment, his mother’s advice began to make sense.

  Chapter Fourteen

  That evening, Hannah’s room seemed darker than usual. Automatically, she made her way to the window and gazed out at the starlit August sky. To get a better view, she shoved the light blue curtains to either side and fastened them to their hooks.

  The view in front of her pulled her breath out of her lungs. Gott created this incredible universe. How can people not believe in Him? To Gott, our problems must seem small.

  She smiled a little at that realization. Hugging her hands to her hips, she pressed her lips together and mentally reviewed Mary’s advice about Marcus. The wisdom that had come straight from Old Sam. “It may be difficult to wait on the Lord, but it is worse to w
ish you had.”

  There it was. Her answer. Or at least it was a temporary one. It now made sense that to do nothing when uncertain was much better than doing something. A move in the wrong direction would have lifelong affects.

  She glanced at the floor to the list of morning chores that needed to be done before Miracle would take her to Amish Edibles. I have to get up at four. But I’m dying to finish writing my adventure story because I can’t wait to decide the ending. Finally, she smiled a little. I’m used to being short of sleep. I’m going to pen the last scene of The Adventures of Hannah and Marcus.

  Hannah pivoted and stepped to her hope chest, where she bent at the waist to open it, reached inside for her notepad and black ink pen, and closed her eyes for a moment while she took in the pleasant scent. With great care, she traced her finger around the first commandment. Thou shalt not have any Gods before me.

  She looked up at the half moon and stepped to her usual sitting place on the rug next to her bed.

  In a slow, thoughtful motion, she sat down so her back was comfortable against the bed cushion. As she opened her notepad to the last scene, she lifted her chin with confidence.

  Leaving the lid open to admire the beautifully inscribed Ten Commandments, she lit the cinnamon-scented candles on the small bed tables on both sides of her. Because the only light was from the moon and her small portable battery light, which she’d clicked on. With great care, she moved the candles as close to the edges as she could to get light.

  Staring at the etched-in-wood Ten Commandments filled her with such a comforting sensation, she stretched her legs in front of her and wiggled her toes. In excitement, she began to write on the lined paper.

  She read the sentence where she’d left off. Hannah had tied the man’s hands.

  Moments later, police sirens filled the air. Two cars pulled into the Amish Edibles drive, and two neighbors rushed to help Marcus.

  Hannah’s heart pumped so hard, she feared it would jump right out of her chest. One of the officers held a set of handcuffs while the other officer put them around the man’s wrists over the ones Hannah had made.

  When the man was escorted to the cop car, the officer held out a hand to Hannah. “A neighbor spotted the three of you while he turned off on the blacktop down there.” He motioned. “He called for help right away. Do you mind if we get some details from you?”

  Hannah and Marcus nodded. They answered questions while Miracle whinnied. Afterward, the police waved goodbye, and Hannah locked gazes with Marcus. “He’s scared to death. Would you help me reassure him every thing’s okay?”

  Marcus grinned. “Sure.”

  After quick steps took them to the horse, Hannah stroked the long brown nose with great affection. “It’s okay, Miracle.”

  Marcus laughed while he stroked the spot behind one of his ears. “He certainly lived up to his name.” He gave a gentle pat between the brown ears. “You’re the real hero, boy.”

  Hannah agreed. “If it hadn’t been for you, our thief would never have dropped his gun.”

  As the four-legged beauty began to calm, Marcus lowered the pitch of his voice. “Hannah, I just realized something very important. Something we need to talk about.”

  “What?”

  She stopped. Suddenly, everything hit her at once.

  Marcus narrowed his brows and took her by the arm. “Let’s get you home.”

  Together, they hitched Miracle to the buggy.

  “Are you going to follow me?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’ll get my car later. I need to see to it that you make it home, safe and sound. Maybe your maemm will have some chicken and dumplings made.”

  Marcus helped Hannah into the passenger side. She turned and didn’t try to hide her surprised expression. “You know how . . .”

  Marcus gave a firm nod. “Thanks to Ben. He taught me everything about hitching and unhitching a horse.”

  As Miracle pulled them down the blacktop, Hannah turned to Marcus. “What were you saying? About something important?”

  He turned his attention back in front of him, but he spoke with gentleness and affection. “Hannah, I realized what a great team we make.”

  She waited for him to go on.

  And he did. “I’d like you to be my life partner. My wife.”

  The following evening, Marcus sat next to Ben in his buggy. As one of the Lapp family horses pulled them down the winding blacktop road that traversed the countryside’s soybean and cornfields, Marcus took in the animal smell. The gentle up and down of the buggy lulled him into peacefulness. In the far distance, the setting sun created a portrait of peace and untouched beauty.

  The miraculous scene in front of him should have comforted Marcus. But it didn’t. Nothing could. Because turmoil brewed within him. And it all had to do with wanting Hannah but not wanting to join a faith that would prevent him from doing what most reminded him of his father: driving his Chevy.

  To make conversation, he said, “The corn sure has shot up since I got here.”

  Ben darted him a friendly smile. “They used to say, ‘Knee-high by fourth of July.’” He laughed. “But these days, it’s double that tall.”

  “When I was young, I always dreamed of being a farmer.”

  “Jah?”

  Marcus offered a quick nod. “Yeah. The first gift my dad ever gave me was a remote Chevrolet. I played with it on our front drive. Tractors, trucks, and combines followed. They fascinated me.”

  As the horse let out a whinny and swished its long, brown tail, Ben glanced to the right. Marcus did the same.

  “Sounds like you and your dad were really close.”

  Marcus absorbed the statement and pressed his palms against his thighs. He turned briefly to Ben. “We were. We still are. In my heart. Right after my parents and I went to the Chevy dealership to buy my car, Dad and I took our first ride in it. That very evening, a semi hit my parents head-on. And they were gone.”

  Ben shook his head. When he glanced at Marcus, he took note of the moisture on his pupils. Marcus was touched. Because the man next to him seemed to truly care about him. Ben’s concern and thoughtfulness toward Marcus showed in so many ways.

  A long silence passed before Ben broke it. “I can’t imagine losing both parents at the same time.”

  “It was rough. To be honest, Ben, it still is. But in my own way, I’m keeping them alive in my heart.”

  “How do you do that?”

  “By focusing on things we did together.” Marcus waved a dismissive hand. For some reason, the seriousness of the subject made him uneasy. He wasn’t sure why. So he tried to end the conversation. “That way, I keep them in my life.”

  But to his dismay, Ben wanted to know more. “What was the favorite thing you did with your dad?”

  The question made the corners of Marcus’s lips tug upward into a wide smile. “Checking out the new Chevrolets when they came in. Test-driving them. And talking about which one I would purchase once I got my license. Ever since I was a kid, he and Mom helped me save for my first car. I did all sorts of things to earn money. Like stock shelves at Trader Joe’s.”

  When Ben didn’t respond, Marcus quickly added, “It’s a grocery store. But back to cars; Dad helped me buy my first Chevy. He cosigned for my loan.”

  Ben darted him a grin before returning his attention to the blacktop.

  A combination of hesitation and curiosity edged Ben’s voice when he started again. “The last thing I want to do is pry, but were they believers?”

  Marcus thought for a moment. He shifted on the bench for a more comfortable position. As cornfields loomed on both sides of them, Marcus focused on the question. But for sure, it couldn’t be answered right away.

  Finally, after using his reasoning skills, Marcus was sure he could answer correctly. “Believers, yes.” He shrugged. “I mean, I’m pretty sure they were.”

  He was quick to catch the sudden frown on Ben’s face as they pulled over to the side of the blacktop to
allow an oncoming car to go by. Marcus bounced in his seat as Ben steered the horse back into the middle of the narrow road.

  Marcus substantiated his claim by using his best logic. “When my brothers and I were young, we went to church. That must mean that my folks believed in God, right?” Before Ben could respond, Marcus went on. “If they didn’t believe, why would they take us to worship God?”

  “You know what I think?”

  Marcus narrowed his brows. “What?”

  “That your parents are in heaven. Our Gott is a kind and loving God. And of course, they must’ve believed if they took you to church. Maybe they never developed a personal relationship with Gott . . .” He offered a casual lift of his shoulders before continuing. “Or maybe they did. But by the grace of Gott, believing gets us into heaven. It’s all because of the cross, my friend. And that’s exactly why you should focus on eternity.”

  Marcus pressed his lips together in a thoughtful line.

  Ben went on. “You know what I mean. Live each day for eternity. Not for what is here on earth.”

  Marcus stiffened, surprised at how a casual ride in the buggy had moved on into such a serious, deep conversation.

  “Ben, you’ve really got me thinking.”

  “My brother, this earth only offers so much. And what it gives us is temporary. I’m sure it’s hard for you because you miss your parents, but eternity is forever. And the Bible is clear that those who believe shall have eternal life. And you’ll be with your parents again. That’s reason to rejoice.”

  “I don’t even know what to say.” As Marcus crossed his legs at the ankle, the horse trotted, head held high. The Standardbred expelled a loud whinny as the clomp-clomping of hooves made an uneven beat against the blacktop.

  “I mean, Ben, thank you.”

  “For what?”

  Marcus paused. A few seconds later, he lifted his palms in the air and contemplated his response. “For voicing what I needed to hear. You’re exactly right. I’ve been living as if I wasn’t going to be with my parents again. But I will. Because they were believers. And you’re also right about living for eternity. For God. Really, I guess we shouldn’t get so wrapped up in what happens here on earth. Because it’s temporary. But eternity is forever.”