The Amish Widower's Twins--A Fresh-Start Family Romance by Jo Ann Brown

Author:Jo Ann Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-04-09T20:02:21+00:00

* * *

Everyone in the small plain community had gathered for the first graduation ceremony at the school that sat not far from the banks of Harmony Creek. The air of expectation sent the scholars racing from one group of adults to the next, so excited they couldn’t stand still.

Leanna slowed the family’s crowded buggy as she reached the small white building that was the community’s school. She held her elbows close so she didn’t bump her grossmammi. Usually there weren’t more than two or three of them in the buggy at once. However, today Juanita had insisted she needed to ride because she didn’t want to get dusty walking the half mile to school. Kenny had decided he shouldn’t walk, either, though he wouldn’t explain why.

So she and Grossmammi Inez sat in the front seat while Juanita and Kenny were cramped with Annie in the back. She was glad Miriam had decided to hold the graduation picnic earlier in the week instead of after the ceremony. Otherwise, there would be casseroles and desserts piled in the buggy with them.

“Hold on tight,” she said as she turned the buggy off the road and onto the uneven ground where the scholars played ball.

Hearing groans from the rear, as well as laughter, she turned the horse toward where other buggies were parked. She gauged the distance to the school. It was farther than she’d hoped. Glancing at her grossmammi, she faltered. To say she was worried about Grossmammi Inez walking would embarrass the older woman.

“Waglers?” came a jovial shout.

Looking out the buggy, she saw Eli Troyer striding toward them. The man, who’d been ordained as the settlement’s first minister earlier in the year, was married to Miriam.

“We saved a spot up front for you,” Eli said when he came to stand beside the buggy.

“Danki.” She made sure she was facing Eli when she spoke, so he could read her lips.

He’d become so adept at it that it was possible to forget he’d suffered a hearing loss in the tragic accident that had killed his sister and brother-in-law. He had to concentrate on what people were saying, but, as he’d joked more than once, it behooved a minister to pay close attention to what was being discussed.

“I don’t need special consideration,” grumbled her grossmammi.

“Of course not,” Eli replied, “but we wanted to make sure our graduates’ families had the best seats today. We’ll never have another first graduation, so we want to celebrate it.” With a wave, he motioned for Leanna to drive to the spot he’d pointed out.

“This sounds,” Grossmammi Inez continued to complain, “like an excuse he and Miriam devised to make sure I got to the graduation on time.”

“And we should always be grateful to those who treat us with unexpected kindness,” Leanna said as she maneuvered the horse and buggy through the crowd. “I’m sure I’ve heard someone say that more than once.”

“Me, too,” said three voices from behind her.

The older woman chuckled and shook her head. “I should have known my own words would come back to taunt me one day.

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