“Here, let me make you a fresh mug of coffee.” She whisked his cup away and busied herself cleaning the coffeepot and filling it with fresh water and grinds. “You shouldn’t have heated that coffee.”
“I like it strong.”
Verity made a sound with her tongue, like a mother duck clucking her disapproval at her foolish kind. “There’s no need for you to drink stale coffee. You have a fraa now, someone to make sure you eat well and dress properly.”
He set aside the suspenders and fingered the woven cotton shirt on the bottom of the pile of clothing. It was made of rough woven cotton, snaps instead of buttons closing the front. He favored knit T-shirts in warm weather. “Dress properly, as in Amish trousers and a plain shirt?” He smiled at her, trying to keep their conversation light. “You know I hate wearing suspenders.”
She twisted around, her hands still busy adding soap shavings to the running dishwater. “But you are an Amish mann now. Plain. Love it or hate it, these are the clothes you’ll need to wear to please your daed and the community. Did you think you could keep dressing like an Englischer? You’re married, soon to be a member of this community. Changes have to be made.”
“I know.” His tone held more rancor than he’d intended. “I’d planned on buying suitable clothes the next time I went into town. I just never found the time.”
Verity turned back, abandoning the cup she’d been washing. Her eyes narrowed. “Remember, clothes don’t make the mann. You’ll have to change your way of thinking, too, to become a true mann of faith.”
He heard her sniff, saw her shoulders square as she turned back to the dishes. Was she fighting tears again? A tenderness came over him. Verity was a good woman. She should be sitting quietly, calming her frazzled nerves, not taking care of his needs. She’d been through a lot. Spirited or not, she had a gentle Amish heart. His guilt piled high, causing his head to pound harder.
“Take some ibuprofen. I can see your head is hurting again by the way you’re squinting.” She dried her hands and hung up the dishcloth. “There’s a bottle of tablets on the table, next to the napkins.” She pointed just past his hand.
“Thanks, but I’ve got something.”
Why didn’t she sit?
“I appreciate all you’ve done for me, for Naomi and for my vadder. You know that, right?”
She lifted the coffeepot, poured a steaming cup and handed it to him. “Today, I didn’t do any of it for you, Leviticus. I did it for Albert. He’s been good to me and never asked for anything back but kindness. Marrying you was the least I could do for him.”
Leviticus shook his head in regret. She was trapped in a loveless marriage thanks to his return. “I appreciate your sacrifice, Verity. I do. I promise I’ll try to be a good husband and love Faith as if she were my own child.”
Verity’s chin quivered as she spoke. “I’ll hold you to that promise. My dochder is not going to suffer because I made a pledge to an Englischer who’s playing at being Amish for the sake of his father.”
Her words stung, but he saw them as true. The main reason he had come home was to attempt a reunion with his father and brother, but his new awareness of God’s love had spurred him on, too. Marrying Verity and being a father to Faith had never been part of his plans. But he’d keep his promise to her or die trying. He owed her that much.
Verity pulled out a kitchen chair and joined him at the table. She slumped back, as tired as he suspected.
“We have more to talk about.” Her gaze didn’t meet his. “From the beginning, I need to make something clear.”
Her tone was much too serious for his liking. “Okay.” He braced himself for her words. His hand moved, pushing away the cup of coffee untouched.
“Our union may be blessed by Gott and the church.” She paused, took a deep breath and then continued on, “But I won’t be sleeping in your bed. We are no love match. Not anymore.” She smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle in the tablecloth in front of her, her gaze downward.
He understood her reluctance for intimacy only too well. “I didn’t expect anything more from you, Verity. All I need is kindness for my daughter. I’m satisfied with our arrangement and see no need for change now, or in the future.”
Her words didn’t hurt him. He’d built too many walls around his heart to be wounded.
Chapter Thirteen
The next morning, the first signs of an early fall blew in on a brisk, cold wind from the far north. Verity woke from a fitful sleep, disoriented at first, but the aroma of coffee brewing had her slipping out of bed before the rooster crowed. She threw on her robe, changed Naomi’s soaked diaper and then made her way to the kitchen for some much-needed caffeine and a bottle for Naomi.
Leviticus didn’t look any better than she felt as he greeted her with an unsure smile. “Guder mariye. I see from the bags under your eyes, you slept about as well as I did.”
Self-conscious, she silently nodded. She hadn’t bothered to repair her braid. Her hand went straight to her hair, but she noticed his blond hair was as wild and uncombed as her own must be.
She smiled and nodded her thank-you when he set a hot cup of coffee on the table for her. Doing battle with a squirming Naomi, she slipped the soon-to-be one-year-old into the high chair and poured out a handful of dry oat cereal for her to eat while her bottle heated.
Faith hurried into the kitchen without house shoes on her feet and hugged her mamm from behind, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she made her way to a chair.
“Did you sleep well, liebling?”
“Ya, but Naomi woke me just now with her crying.” Eyes as dark as Verity’s coffee shot her new schweschder an accusing glance.
Verity coughed against her shoulder, her allergies kicking up from the brisk winds blowing outside. She downed a gulp of coffee as she made her way to the refrigerator for milk. “She’s little, not quite a year old. You cried just like her when you were a boppli.”
Today was Sunday, their first real day of married life and the grove’s day to host members of the church for lunch. Word would spread, and she and Leviticus would be greeted as a married couple. Her nerves kicked up her stomach, but she fought down the urge to fall into dread.
It would be a cold breakfast for everyone, but first, Faith needed telling about the wedding before someone else informed her during the church service.
Leviticus worked on his own cup of steaming brew across from Faith while Verity downed the last of her coffee and gathered her courage to speak to her sleepy daughter.
“I have news I’m certain-sure you’re going to like, Faith.”
“Ya?” Faith said with about as much enthusiasm as Verity felt.
“Leviticus and I were married yesterday.”
Leviticus looked up, seeking her gaze, his expression priceless. He hadn’t been prepared for Faith’s bellow of joy and neither had Verity. No doubt, Faith’s explosion had woken Pinecraft and the outer edges of Sarasota proper.
Scared by Faith’s ruckus, Naomi let loose a squall of her own. Verity lifted the child from the high chair, comforted her and watched as Leviticus squirmed as Faith rained kisses on his face and gave him hug after hug.
“I knew you two were in love. I could see it in your eyes,” Faith said with a giggle.
Cool and controlled, Leviticus agreed. “Ya, it was love at first sight, ain’t so, Verity? You knew best,” he said to the child, with a forced smile he shared with Verity.
Calmed now, Naomi was set on a pallet near the table for her father to see to as Verity took down bowls and gathered her wits about her. All this talk of love unnerved her.
A secret glance back her husband’s way had her breath catching in her throat. Glowing with confidence, Naomi grabbed hold of her daed’s pant leg and pulled herself up like she’d been doing it for weeks. Her first tentative steps were cautious but without assistance. A smile lifted Leviticus’s mou
th and brightened his eyes. Keeping guard, Leviticus’s hands were there to catch Naomi when her tiny legs grew tired and she toppled over.
Leviticus cheered, but she held back a little of herself for fear she’d grow too fond of this normal setting of peaceful family life. Lord, keep me ever faithful to Your will.
* * *
Leviticus made a face, shaving under his nose and then critically examining the beginning of his pale beard. Pathetic! It would take some time for it to grow and even more time getting used to the look of it, but for now the itching on his chin was worse than the change in appearance. He dressed carefully, putting on one of the new homemade trousers and long-sleeved shirts he’d bought from Mose’s wife, Sarah, the night before.
Just as he’d rinsed his face and toweled it dry, his phone went off. Daed? He lifted the small thin device and placed it next to his ear. “Hello.”
“Good morning, Mr. Hilty. This is June Hillsborough, your dad’s morning nurse. Do you have a moment to talk?”
Nerves curled in Leviticus’s stomach. Each time the phone rang, and it was the hospital, he wondered if this was the call. Had his daed gotten worse? Perhaps even died?
“Ya, sure.” The beat of his heart increased in his ears to a deafening roar.
“I’m sorry to be calling so early. I know you have young children. I didn’t want to wake them, but I thought you’d be glad to know we’re beginning to see some marked improvement in your father’s lab work. He seems to be responding well to his new heart medication, and his diet is making a real difference in his kidney function. His kidney and liver functions are much improved this morning. Also, his blood oxygen levels are up. All good signs he’s beginning to progress.” The nurse cleared her throat. “Naturally we’ll be taking more blood through the day and continuing to monitor his oxygen levels to make sure he remains stable, but all and all we’re seeing good reports and plan to move him to a step-down room soon.”
Leviticus took in a calming breath and pushed it back out again. “Danki for calling me. Have you spoken to Solomon, my bruder, this morning?”
“Yes, I did just a moment ago. Like you, he seemed relieved. Well, I’d best get back to my patients. You have yourself a great day.”
“You, too,” Leviticus said, his relief laced in his voice. Punching the red icon on his phone and hanging up, Leviticus leaned against the dresser he’d used as a kind and groaned in relief, his head down, eyes closed. A tear slipped from his eye, and then another. He needed gut news. Needed something concrete like a good report to hang on to. But would his father’s recovery have Verity regretting their marriage vows already?
Five minutes later, after a moment of calming prayer, he strolled into the kitchen and couldn’t help but laugh out loud as he watched Verity try to catch Naomi, who was quickly crawling around on the kitchen floor, doing her best to avoid being picked up. Determination was written all over her chubby face, and his dochder’s dark curls and eyes shone bright in the early-morning sun. She scurried along toward him in an awkward crab-like crawl, her tiny body clad in the violet-colored dress he had watched Verity complete sewing the night before.
“If you’ll just catch her and hold her, I’ll finish dressing her,” Verity said, doing her best to place the kind’s kapp on Naomi’s head.
Holding the squirming boppli while Verity slipped on the child’s tiny apron, he grinned Verity’s way as she fought a mighty battle to hold Naomi’s twisting head as she adjusted her prayer kapp. He was surprised to see Verity putting small dabs of sticky molasses on each side of the child’s head before the final adjustment was made.
Verity grinned at him. “What? You thought kapps stayed on bopplis without a little help? She doesn’t have enough hair for pins.”
“A mamm always knows best,” he muttered and then nodded his approval as Faith came prancing in, fully dressed, proclaiming she’d gotten herself ready. Her apron was tied in a messy knot at the back, but Verity was obviously proud of her daughter’s accomplishments and let it be. “You did a gut job, Faith. Ain’t so, Leviticus?”
He nodded like a proud daed would, amazed at how well their first morning as a family was going. He’d expected... Well, he didn’t know what he’d expected, but not this feeling of delight.
“I’m the big schweschder now. I don’t need help dressing anymore.”
He sidled up to Verity as she poured round dry cereal in a bag for Naomi. “There was a call from the hospital.”
Verity froze in motion, her eyes searching his, brows knitting. “Is Albert all right?”
“It’s gut news, fraa. Calm yourself. His bloodwork is showing improvement and the nurse was decidedly more positive this call.” Leviticus watched the stress ease from Verity’s face and smiled. “Gott’s will for Albert’s life, ain’t so?”
“Ya, Gott’s will.” A smile blossomed on her face.
A few moments later, warm capes and kapps were put on and then Leviticus shut the back door behind them. He led the way down the stairs with Naomi squirming in his arms, finally feeling like an Amish family mann.
“Are you nervous?” Verity asked, walking close to his side along the gravel road.
“About?” he asked, and then realized what she meant. He was joining the church today. His stomach flopped, but he smiled anyway. “Nee, not nervous. More like relieved. I should have done this a long time ago.” What he was doing this morning felt right to him. Just like holding Faith’s hand when Verity took over the care of Naomi as they strolled along.
She hadn’t had time to digest the fact that his daed was improving. Soon enough he’d see if their marriage of convenience would work out or not. The thought of Verity tied to him all her life and regretting it worked on his nerves, but he knew how to pray nowadays. Prayer made a difference. Probably it always had, and he’d been too stupid to realize it.
Lines of men were already forming at the door of the church as they approached. He left Verity and the children with the ladies gathered on the grass and strolled up behind several married men in line.
Otto greeted him with a firm handshake, as he did all the men and women standing around, but while he held on to Leviticus’s hand he asked, “Is all well? A lot of changes have taken place in a short period of time for you, ain’t so?”
Leviticus nodded.
“Albert is better?”
“Ya, much better than we’d hoped. The nurse called while I was dressing. Daed’s improved. She said they would be moving him to a step-down room sometime today, but still watching his vitals closely.”
“Gut, this is progress.” Otto smiled his approval. “And Verity? She is well?”
“She and the children are fine.”
With a nod, Otto slipped to the next man in line and greeted him, leaving Leviticus with his thoughts. Happiness filled him. His father was improving, and Verity showed her relief at the news by being easygoing all morning. If someone had been watching them interact, they would have thought them a normal Amish family. But he had noticed Verity watching him with wary eyes a moment before, as if she expected him to morph back into the man he’d been when he’d first come home.
Keep me learning and growing, Gott. Bless my father with gut health. Return him to us.
* * *
Her mind dwelling on Albert’s improvement, Verity pushed away the jumble of nerves that had been eating at her. She peered out the kitchen door, and like a longtime married woman, looked around for her husband’s help. There were tables to be moved and benches to be put in their place. She’d been busy after they’d walked home from church and lost track of him in the growing crowd of hungry people. Where had he disappeared to?
She shut the door and skirted around several volunteers who’d come to help arrange food platters and containers of peanut butter brought for the after-service meal. “Excuse me.” Her mind was full of things still needing to be done. There were cold dr
inks to be made, a vegetable platter to be put together. But deep inside she was smiling like a silly bensel, content the kinner were happy and all was well. Albert was better, and Leviticus had finally become a member of the church.
A dark thought crept in, overshadowing her joy. What about the trap of marriage she’d stepped into? Would happiness remain? Content or not, she’d have to accept her lot in life until the day she died. Please, Lord, Your will for my life and for Leviticus.
It had been a while since she’d been able to check on Naomi. She hurried over to the corner and found the boppli still fast asleep in her mesh playpen cluttered with toys and a snuggle blanket.
Back at the kitchen sink a moment later, Verity washed dishes as her mind slipped away to that morning. Faith had been so thrilled to learn Leviticus was her daed. She smiled at the memory as she looked out the window and noticed Leviticus walking up the hill with one of the church pastors, deep in conversation.
A warm flush settled over her. Maybe it wasn’t contentment she was feeling. How could it be? She was married to a man she didn’t love. Didn’t really know. She fought to fight down the stress eating at her. Her mother had always told her to find something to be grateful for and she settled on, I’m grateful for my life as a mamm.
“Hand me a stack of those paper plates?” Sarah Fischer asked, bringing Verity back to the present. A moment later, her hands busy washing cutting boards and utensils, she returned to her musing. As they’d walked home from church, Leviticus had smiled so attentively at Faith as the kinner chattered on, telling him all about the swings she’d swung on the day before and how, now that they were a familye, they could go to the park and have a swinging contest of their own.
Leviticus enjoyed Faith’s run-on sentences and loud laughter. She was used to her daughter’s exuberance. The child had been a chatterbox since she’d started uttering single syllable words, but for Leviticus to be so kind and patient with Faith gave her hope for their future.
Their Convenient Amish Marriage Page 12
