had his way. Living at the edge of the Amish community, just like she had when their father had been alive, Judith had never felt welcome among the young people her own age.
But then, last fall, their lives had changed. Samuel had met Mary. The couple had wed in September, and Esther had moved next door to live with Mary’s sister and their aunt. Judith had joined them until she moved to Matthew and Annie’s home last week to help care for their growing family. Not only was she delighted to become reacquainted with Annie after their years of separation, her oldest brother, Bram, lived in the same community, and she was learning to know him again, also.
A tingling started in Judith’s toes and she tapped them on the buggy floor to warm them. Matthew’s shoulders were hunched, and he had pulled his chin into the collar of his coat like a turtle.
Dear Matthew. It had been his idea for her to live with him and Annie after the twins were born. Such wiggly, red, crying babies! Judith’s job was to fix meals and care for Eli, her eighteen-month-old nephew. She shivered again, but whether it was from the cold or happiness, she couldn’t tell. She had to pinch herself every morning to convince herself that her new life wasn’t just a dream.
Matthew turned the horse into the Stoltzfus farm lane and Judith leaned forward as they approached the large white farmhouse. A dozen or more buggies were lined up along the edge of the lane in front of the barn, the buggy shafts resting on the ground. Lights from the house shone onto the snow, and through the windows Judith could see a crowd of young people milling around inside the Stoltzfuses’ big front room.
Her grin grew wider. These girls would be her new friends. And, perhaps, some evening a young man would ask to drive her home from the Singing. A fine, upstanding Amish man who was looking for a bride to share his life with. Finally, the night she had longed for was here.
The barn door opened and closed in a beam of light as one of the young men led their horse into the warm shelter. Ahead of them, silhouetted against the lantern light from the barn, someone walked up the lane toward the house with his hat perched on the back of his head the way an Englischer would wear it.
“Is that Guy Hoover?” She nudged Matthew’s elbow. “I know I’ve seen him before.”
“It looks like it might be. He lives with the Masts on the farm across the road from us.”
“That’s right. He brought some milk over on Friday.” His smile had been enough to make her like him right away. “I don’t remember seeing him at meeting this morning, though.”
“He was there, but the Masts left before dinner. David said one of their cows wasn’t doing well this morning, and he wanted to get back to her.”
Judith smiled at the young man as the buggy passed him. He might have returned her greeting, but she couldn’t tell with his face wrapped to the eyes in a wool scarf.
“I’ll be back to pick you up at ten thirty,” Matthew said as he pulled his horse to a stop at the end of the walk leading to the house.
“What if some fellow asks to take me home?” Judith couldn’t resist teasing Matthew.
“Tell him he’ll have to wait. It’s my privilege tonight.” He helped her take the robe off her lap as she slid the buggy door open. “Have fun.”
“I will,” she said, but her attention was on the icy walk leading to the kitchen door.
Guy reached the back step the same time she did.
“It’s sure cold tonight, isn’t it?” His words were muffled by his scarf.
“Ja. Very cold.” She shivered, anxious to get into the warm house.
He pulled the scarf down, revealing a pleasant face and ready smile. “Do you remember me? Friday I saw you when I brought milk to the Beacheys.” He spoke in a mixture of Englisch and Deitsch words, turning his sentence into a jumble.
“For sure, I remember.” She remembered how his brown eyes had widened and then crinkled into a grin when she answered the door.
“In a hurry, you were...” He stumbled on the Deitsch words and switched to Englisch. “You were in a hurry on Friday.”
Judith changed to Englisch, too, as she reached the door. “You didn’t stay long, either.”
Guy opened the wooden storm door and followed her into the washing porch. “You surprised me. I didn’t know anyone but Annie would be there.”
“And then Eli was crying...”
“Those babies were, too.”
Judith unwound her scarf from her neck. “They always cry, but I don’t mind. There is nothing sweeter than a new baby, and the twins make things twice as much fun.” She glanced through the glass window of the kitchen door. The room beyond was crowded, and even though she longed for its warmth, she wished she had an excuse to stay here and continue visiting with Guy. She wondered why he didn’t seem comfortable speaking Deitsch, but how could she ask that question?
Suppressing a shiver, Judith settled for a smile. “It was nice seeing you again.”
Guy unwrapped his own scarf with one hand as he held the door open for her, then she was swept into the crowded kitchen.
Two girls stood between the door and the big kitchen stove, talking with each other, but turned to greet her.
“I’m so glad you came,” one of them said. “We met at church this morning. I’m Waneta Zook.”
“Ja, Waneta, I remember. It’s so good to see you again.”
“This is my friend Hannah Kaufman.”
“I saw you at meeting,” Hannah said. Her smile was friendly and welcoming. “You came with Matthew Beachey, didn’t you?”
“He’s my sister’s husband. I came to live with them last week.” Judith started to say how thankful she was that Matthew and Annie had opened their home to her, but Hannah’s face lit up.
“You’ve come to help Annie with the twins? What fun!”
Judith smiled as she untied her bonnet. “They are so sweet, but all they do is eat, cry and sleep. Annie keeps busy with them while I watch Eli and take care of the house.”
Waneta led the way to a back bedroom where Judith laid her shawl on top of a pile of other shawls and coats on the bed and set her bonnet on a table. She felt to make sure the hairpins were still holding her Kapp secure and ran her hand down her skirt to smooth out any wrinkles, then she followed Waneta and Hannah into the big main room. She found a spot against the wall with the other girls and watched the group of boys lounging along the opposite side.
Hannah leaned close to speak into her ear. “After the singing, I’ll have to introduce you to my brother. He’s that handsome one over there.”
Judith looked in the direction Hannah indicated. The young man was tall, and as good-looking as Hannah said. He glanced in her direction as he talked with some other boys who gathered around him, but Guy caught her attention as he stood off to the side, staring at her. He wore the same plain clothes that the other boys wore, but somehow, he looked out of place.
Before
