The Wish by Beverly Lewis

Author:Beverly Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC053000;FIC042000;FIC026000;Amish—Pennsylvania—Lancaster County—Fiction;Female friendship—Fiction;Christian fiction;Love stories
ISBN: 9781441230713
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2016-07-21T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

24

Leona was all packed when there was a knock at the guest room door. “Comin’,” she said, hurrying to open it.

There was Gloria, still in her waitressing outfit—trim black skirt and white apron. “Hampton let me off work early so I could spend a little more time with you.”

“Such a gut surprise . . . come in.” Leona closed the door behind them.

“I don’t feel bad leavin’ since the supper crowd has thinned out.”

Leona sat on the bed, and Gloria pulled a chair over, removing her shoes and socks and resting her bare feet on the bed quilt.

Suddenly, Gloria’s eyes were bright with tears. “I really don’t know what to do about Darren.”

Leona held her breath. Please don’t ask me.

“I think I need some space . . . time to think about where my life is heading,” Gloria said, wiping her eyes. “I came close to confiding in you earlier today, but I couldn’t follow through. Then when Darren showed up for our lunch date, I felt strange, because even though I’d really wanted you to meet him, I was actually sorry when you did.”

Leona went to get Gloria a tissue from the box on the dresser and handed it to her.

“Thanks,” her friend said through her tears. “You always seem to know just what I need . . . which is why I wrote to you in the first place. I trust you, Leona, and I need you to help me think this through, because if I say yes to marrying Darren, I’ll be stuck being English for the rest of my life.” Gloria sighed heavily. “On the other hand, if I walk away from him, I’ll never know what I could have had with him. He’s a pretty great guy . . . so generous, and he has such a great future ahead. . . .”

Leona had no words to counsel her, because Gloria was missing the most important ingredient: What did God want for her?

“What should I do?” Gloria pleaded, her makeup all smudged.

“Well, surely ya have a gut idea what I will say, ain’t so?”

“Yes, even after all this time apart, you’re still my closest friend.”

Leona drew a breath and considered Gloria . . . and everything Leona had observed since arriving in Arkansas. “All right. S’pose to start with, you could ask yourself how you feel now, livin’ as an Englischer.”

Gloria looked miserable. “When I think ahead to having a family and . . .” She couldn’t seem to finish.

“And what?”

“Well, to raising my children outside the faith of my Amish heritage.” The words seemed to tumble out, and Gloria herself looked surprised.

“You sometimes wonder ’bout your wee ones and the kind of life they might have as Englischers?”

Nodding slowly, Gloria’s tears welled up again. “It keeps me awake at night, Leona. I’m worried sick I might do the wrong thing for my own future, as well as that of my children.” She dabbed her eyes with the tissue, then added, “I know Darren would be a good provider.

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