Seasons of an Amish Garden by Amy Clipston

Author:Amy Clipston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2018-11-02T16:00:00+00:00

Clara heard a knock on the back door as she chewed a mouthful of green beans. She swallowed and glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was almost six o’clock. “Are you expecting company, Dat?”

“No, are you?” Dat’s gaze bounced between Clara and Mamm.

“No,” Mamm said.

“I’ll see who it is.” Clara set down her fork and hurried through the mudroom to the back door. The air in her lungs stalled when her eyes met Jerry’s. Had he forgiven her for pressuring him?

Maybe so, because his eyes seemed to plead with her as he folded his hands as if saying a prayer. “May I talk with you, please?”

“Hi, Jerry. Ya, of course.” She slipped through the door and pointed to the rocking chairs. “Let’s sit here.” She sat down on her favorite one and turned toward him, her pulse quickening as she took in his expression full of uncertainty.

“I want to apologize.” He angled his chair toward her and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “I’ve been terrible to you, and I hope you can forgive me.”

“Of course. I forgive you. It’s our way.”

“I know that, but I really need your forgiveness.”

“You have it, and I hope you’ve forgiven me too.” She studied his handsome face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is right. It’s never been this right before.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I realized something today, and I need you to hear me out.”

“Okay.” Should she be worried? Was he here to tell her goodbye?

“I went to Ivan Smucker’s haus today to fix his kitchen sink. Did you know he married Lorene Fisher?”

Clara nodded. “Ya, I did. Why?”

“They’re expecting a boppli, and they’re really froh.”

She scrunched her nose as worry gave way to confusion. “What’s your point, Jerry?”

“I want everything they have. I want a haus and, if possible, children, and I want to have it all with you, Clara.” He reached forward and took her hands in his. “I love you. I love you with my whole heart, and I’m sorry it took me so long to figure this out.”

She gasped as tears pooled beneath her eyes. Was she dreaming? Had he truly told her he loved her? But what about the church? This couldn’t happen if Jerry wasn’t Amish.

“I realized you were right all along, Clara. I do need God in my life, and he’s been calling me to join the church. I also realized he wants me to be a family with you! I just wasn’t listening.”

She wiped her cheeks dry as happiness swelled inside her.

“As soon as I left Ivan’s haus,” Jerry continued, “I went to see the bishop and asked him if I could join the next baptism class. He said yes. So I’m here to ask you to wait for me. I want to be baptized, and then I want to marry you and start a life together. Mei onkel asked me to be his assistant manager so I can take over the business when he retires. I struggled with that decision, too, but I’ve decided to accept his offer.

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