LITMIR.BIZ

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I could not ask you to do that. If you did sew, I would pay you like anyone else.” She realized what they were saying.

      Her mother-in-law spoke. “Charity, it is a blessing to us to help you. I love to quilt and we have many women in the church who will be delighted to help quilt.”

      “I know and you are one of the best quilters I have seen, but ---”

      “But nothing,” Joshua spoke, “Jeremiah is my grandson, too and you are still my daughter-in-law. That makes you my child, too. I want to do what is best for you. At this time you need more room and Jacob and I are going to see that you get it.”

      Charity knew they spoke the truth and she was touched and grateful that they wanted to help. Her independent streak came out and she declared, “I hate to be a burden forever on all of you. I need to take care of myself and provide for Jeremiah.”

      “Adam would be so proud of you,” his mother, Leah, spoke with a smile. “We all are. You have worked hard to keep house, put out a garden, work in your store and take care of your precious gift from God, your son. We love you and want, no, we insist on helping you. It is not a burden to us.”

      Her mother quickly agreed. “Several of the women in church have commented on you and their pride in you. There will be many willing hands when you get the frame up and quilters can gather around it in comfort.”

      “I will think about it and I am grateful to everyone. I am glad you came tonight for I have been wanting to discuss something with you.”

      She turned to Jacob. “Daed, do you have cousins in Indiana? I am especially interested in Shipshewana, Indiana.”

      At that moment Matthew and Deborah walked in. Matthew laughed, “Mine schwesechder wants to go so far away from home when we are lucky to get her into the next town. What is up?”

      “Your little sister knows what she is doing,” Charity laughed and went to hug her beloved brother and sister-in-law.”

      “I was just telling everyone I want to go to Shipshewana to visit their big store where everything is sold. I would like to know how they manage, where they get their supplies, and ---- I am full of questions.” She laughed.

      “I think it is a gut idea,” Matthew said smiling at Deborah.

      “We will be glad to keep Jeremiah for you,” Deborah said hopefully. Everyone loved the little boy. Matthew and Deborah had not yet had children and they were anxious.

      “That is so gut of you and I do appreciate it. I am not worried about Jeremiah because I know there are many of you to take care of him. I just hate to leave him. We have never been apart.”

      “He will have a great time. I will teach him to use a bat and ball,” Matthew assured her.

      The next day being a Sunday with no service meant visiting or working on hobbies. Charity was reading a children’s book with Jeremiah when she heard buggy wheels and the clop of a horse’s hooves. Jeremiah had learned to read quickly and didn’t want to give up his time with his mother whom he loved dearly and knew she loved him.

      Charity was delighted to see Benjamin and Angela Lapp and their three boys. Jeremiah was delighted to see the boys and hurried outside to play with them.

      Coffee was kept going in most Amish homes and Charity was no exception. She soon had coffee and pecan pie on the kitchen table where they sat to talk and relax.

      They talked about Clint and Purity Kime expecting their first child and about the death of some older members. They spoke well of Moses Yoder as the Bishop and knew he was doing a good job.

      Charity finally told them of her wish to go to Shipshewana and check out the big Yoder store there. They thought it was a great idea and offered to help any way they could while she was gone.

      “Thank you so much, but I have a big family willing to help with the store, this farm and my precious son.” she laughed. “They will have their hands full with Jeremiah.”

      At that moment the four boys ran in asking for cookies and lemonade. Angela poured drinks while Charity sat out three kinds of cookies; Amish walnut kisses, Whoopie cookies and Springerle. (The recipes for all of these can be found in Amish Dilemma)

      The time passed too quickly and the Lapp family went home.

      Charity took Jeremiah by the hand and walked across the field to her parents’ home. They were just returning home from visiting other families. Jenna Mae insisted on getting nachtesse for everyone, so Charity stayed to help her mother and share a supper meal with them.

      She told her family of her plans. “I have decided to go the first week of September because school will have started and Jeremiah will be busy most of the time. Rosemary and the Zook twins have agreed to mind the store and Rosemary can bring her baby with her.”

      “How will you travel, dochder?” Jacob questioned. “Do you need money?”

      “Nee, daed, danki. I have money thanks to you and daed Joshua, I have a good bank balance. I will go by bus because it does not cost as much and it will go straight into Shipshewana.”

      “But you will get hungry,” Jenna Mae said. “On the train you could sleep and eat.”

      “I will sleep all right on the bus and I will take food with me, at least enough to last until I get there. I feel comfortable that everything is covered. The train doesn’t go close to there, but the bus does.”

      They talked until it was getting dark. Jacob walked them home. He hugged Charity and told her again how proud he was of her. He blew a raspberry in Jeremiah’s neck and got him excited.

      “Oh, I will have a time getting him settled for the night.” Charity laughed.

      She bathed Jeremiah and then read the Biewel to him. The Bible was important in every Amish home.

      “Would my daed have read to me and tucked me in?” Jeremiah asked as he had many nights.

      “Yes, mine lieb. He loved knowing you were on the way and could hardly wait to welcome you. It was a senseless and evil accident that took him away from us. He was on the way to meet you at the hospital and was excited to bring you home. He loved you then and I am sure he is so happy that you are such a good boy.”

      They went up to bed. She tucked Jeremiah in, listened to his prayer and kissed his cheek. “Sweet dreams, my little man.”

      She then did as she had many nights. She walked out and looked up at the stars. “Adam, I still love you so much. It has been a little over six years and I feel you would approve of all I have planned. By now we would have had more bopplis. It is Gottes wille and we are not supposed to understand, I guess.” God’s will was important to them.

      “Gut nacht mine lieb,” she whispered her usual good night.

      

      

       Chapter Two

      

      Charity finally, and prayerfully, agreed to teach Lisa Kennedy how to keep her financial records. Lisa was so heart broken because her husband and his family had caused so much grief for Charity and the community. She wanted to prove she could be trusted and would be faithful to Charity, as well as never talking Charity’s business in public.

      She placed Rosemary as manager of the store and kept the willing workers they had. She knew Rosemary could be trusted.

      Jeremiah could not comprehend that his mother would be gone for a short time. He had never spent a night away from her and had a lot of questions. Everyone, with whom he talked, assured him that he is loved and would be well cared for and his mother would return in a short time. He would stay with Matthew and Deborah, but would be free to go to other relatives homes as he did now. Besides school would start soon and he was too excited to contain his exuberance.

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