An Amish Christmas Wedding by Amy Clipston

Author:Amy Clipston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2020-10-06T00:00:00+00:00

13

One year later

Her nerves were showing. Leesa tried for the third time to pin up her hair with fumbling, shaking fingers. Loose strands tickled her warm cheeks and neck.

“Let me do that for you.” Mercy tucked her sleeping baby under a crib quilt in the middle of the bed that would soon belong to Henry and Leesa, husband and wife. The service was set to begin in a few minutes. Savannah did everyone a favor by napping while they prepared for this unusual December wedding. “You’re making a mess of it. Your cheeks are so red, you look like you’re about to melt into a puddle.”

“That would be wunderbarr.” Leesa let her sweaty hands drop to the lap of the opal blue dress she’d sewn for the occasion. “I can’t see straight.”

Nerves and lack of sleep both played a role in her current state. The last two days had been spent putting the final touches on the new home she and Henry would share with Tommy. They borrowed chairs and tables from family and friends. Mother and the other women did the cooking in Leesa’s new kitchen.

It would be a small wedding. Four feet of snow and more on the way saw to that, but Leesa and Henry agreed this was exactly what they wanted. He had only two brothers and a smattering of cousins, aunts, and uncles in Kentucky and Tennessee. None planned to make the trek. The majority of Leesa’s family lived in nearby Plain communities. They were accustomed to Montana winters. A measly blizzard wouldn’t stop them from attending.

“Why are you nervous? You’ve been waiting for this forever.” Mercy tucked and smoothed Leesa’s unruly hair under her prayer covering with expert fingers. “It’s about time, isn’t it?”

“I’m not nervous about marrying Henry.” Leesa’s nerves calmed under her sister’s ministrations. “But standing up in front of everyone . . .”

“It’s only five minutes, tops. You know everyone in the Gmay. They’re family and friends. Just pretend they’re your scholars. You stand in front of them and talk all day long.”

Good advice, but hard to take. “Do you think Henry’s nervous?”

“Everyone is nervous on their wedding day. Caleb said Henry hit his thumb with a hammer twice in the last week. Nothing shakes Henry, but this has.” Mercy stood back and cocked her head at Leesa. “There. All done. You’re ready.”

Ready or not, here I come.

She’d been ready for months, but the house had not. First they had to scrape together their earnings and save every penny they could. Then Henry and their friends laid the foundation and erected the framework. A fierce windstorm in July destroyed their first efforts. A second round had proven to be longer lasting. Once the frame was boxed, they had worked through rain, sleet, and snow.

Leesa sewed curtains and made quilts with her family and friends. Henry built their bed and a new table and chairs for the kitchen. Caleb contributed matching rocking chairs to be placed in front of the fireplace. Leesa’s dad built the kitchen cabinets.

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