happen.”
“I’ll go to your bishop if you want me to.”
Jake laughed. “And what makes you think he’ll tell you anything different from what I say?”
“It’ll probably be worse.”
“Probably.”
“Then you won’t help me?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t.”
“But you didn’t say you would either.”
“Tell you what I’ll do,” Jake said. “I’ll send Hannah down tonight to speak with her. I don’t think it’s the best way, but coming from a woman, it might be better received.”
“That’ll be fine,” Mr. Brunson said, a broad smile on his face. “But let’s be sure about this. I won’t be getting you or Hannah in trouble, will I?”
“Not if you behave yourself,” Jake said. “Hannah will speak to Mary tonight, and I’ll let you know her response next week.”
“I knew you’d come through for an old friend.” Mr. Brunson beamed. “I can never thank you enough for this, Jake.”
“Just remember you said that—when and if you begin learning how to be Amish,” Jake said with a smile.
“It will be worth it,” Mr. Brunson said. “Trust me.”
Jake shook his head, turning back to his shop as Mr. Brunson went out the front door.
Mr. Brunson got into his truck and headed home. As he drove past Mary’s now empty roadside stand he smiled confidently. Jake had agreed to his proposal, and he would soon know what Mary’s feelings were for him. That would make things so much easier.
Turning onto the gravel lane toward home, he drove past Jake and Hannah’s cabin, slowing his truck to cut down on the dust. Then it occurred to him. Why couldn’t he make his own case to Hannah instead of having the words go through Jake’s mouth? He knew Hannah well enough, and she had always treated him with the utmost respect. The other night she had been very sympathetic to his story. Surely that all figured in his favor.
But it might not be wise. Better to let Jake tell her, as they had decided. The Amish faith was still a mystery, and there was no sense in stepping into any hidden traps along the way.
Continuing to his place, the truck bounced up to his house. He unloaded the groceries and hurried on his aching legs to get the now warm eggs into the refrigerator. If they spoiled before he finished the carton, the stop to see Mary had still been worth it. Finishing the last trip he walked back outside, standing on the front porch to look at the mountains in the east, his eyes following the long rise and fall of the majestic ridges.
What would it be like to join the Amish? Surely it would be fun, if nothing else. He had already experienced a life of seclusion in these mountains in the years after Bernice and Elsie’s deaths. Going Amish shouldn’t be that much different. And as close as the Amish community seemed, he would certainly no longer be so alone. It might be a good thing, this Amish conversion.
With Bernice he had dreamed of cruises and travel to exotic places. They had never gone, except for the trip to Guam on their honeymoon, always pushing the dates back until the day they would retire. Now Bernice was gone. Could another woman ever take her place?
No, but Mary was a different woman. She wouldn’t be taking Bernice’s place at all. In fact, with Mary it was obvious there still would be no cruises ahead or travel to exotic places. Perhaps it was just as well. He sighed and turned to go back inside.
Thirteen
Hannah turned Mosey into the gravel lane and drove up the hill toward the cabin. Miriam, impatient, pulled the storm front open and leaned out of the buggy front to look eagerly around her.
“You’ll fall out if you’re not careful,” Hannah warned, hanging onto the lines as Mosey lifted his feet high, almost prancing at the sight of the barn.
“I have to look around,” Miriam said. “This is such beautiful country. And look at your adorable little cabin.”
“It’s small,” Hannah said, “but we like it.”
“I can see why,” Miriam said. “I
“I’ll go to your bishop if you want me to.”
Jake laughed. “And what makes you think he’ll tell you anything different from what I say?”
“It’ll probably be worse.”
“Probably.”
“Then you won’t help me?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t.”
“But you didn’t say you would either.”
“Tell you what I’ll do,” Jake said. “I’ll send Hannah down tonight to speak with her. I don’t think it’s the best way, but coming from a woman, it might be better received.”
“That’ll be fine,” Mr. Brunson said, a broad smile on his face. “But let’s be sure about this. I won’t be getting you or Hannah in trouble, will I?”
“Not if you behave yourself,” Jake said. “Hannah will speak to Mary tonight, and I’ll let you know her response next week.”
“I knew you’d come through for an old friend.” Mr. Brunson beamed. “I can never thank you enough for this, Jake.”
“Just remember you said that—when and if you begin learning how to be Amish,” Jake said with a smile.
“It will be worth it,” Mr. Brunson said. “Trust me.”
Jake shook his head, turning back to his shop as Mr. Brunson went out the front door.
Mr. Brunson got into his truck and headed home. As he drove past Mary’s now empty roadside stand he smiled confidently. Jake had agreed to his proposal, and he would soon know what Mary’s feelings were for him. That would make things so much easier.
Turning onto the gravel lane toward home, he drove past Jake and Hannah’s cabin, slowing his truck to cut down on the dust. Then it occurred to him. Why couldn’t he make his own case to Hannah instead of having the words go through Jake’s mouth? He knew Hannah well enough, and she had always treated him with the utmost respect. The other night she had been very sympathetic to his story. Surely that all figured in his favor.
But it might not be wise. Better to let Jake tell her, as they had decided. The Amish faith was still a mystery, and there was no sense in stepping into any hidden traps along the way.
Continuing to his place, the truck bounced up to his house. He unloaded the groceries and hurried on his aching legs to get the now warm eggs into the refrigerator. If they spoiled before he finished the carton, the stop to see Mary had still been worth it. Finishing the last trip he walked back outside, standing on the front porch to look at the mountains in the east, his eyes following the long rise and fall of the majestic ridges.
What would it be like to join the Amish? Surely it would be fun, if nothing else. He had already experienced a life of seclusion in these mountains in the years after Bernice and Elsie’s deaths. Going Amish shouldn’t be that much different. And as close as the Amish community seemed, he would certainly no longer be so alone. It might be a good thing, this Amish conversion.
With Bernice he had dreamed of cruises and travel to exotic places. They had never gone, except for the trip to Guam on their honeymoon, always pushing the dates back until the day they would retire. Now Bernice was gone. Could another woman ever take her place?
No, but Mary was a different woman. She wouldn’t be taking Bernice’s place at all. In fact, with Mary it was obvious there still would be no cruises ahead or travel to exotic places. Perhaps it was just as well. He sighed and turned to go back inside.
Thirteen
Hannah turned Mosey into the gravel lane and drove up the hill toward the cabin. Miriam, impatient, pulled the storm front open and leaned out of the buggy front to look eagerly around her.
“You’ll fall out if you’re not careful,” Hannah warned, hanging onto the lines as Mosey lifted his feet high, almost prancing at the sight of the barn.
“I have to look around,” Miriam said. “This is such beautiful country. And look at your adorable little cabin.”
“It’s small,” Hannah said, “but we like it.”
“I can see why,” Miriam said. “I
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