LITMIR.BIZ

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Schrock’s Shop, so the house is as gut as ours.”

      Anna’s mind was reeling. She and Fletcher owned a house? On one hand, getting married and setting up her own household was a desire she’d harbored for years. On the other hand, with every new piece of information revealed to her, she was becoming increasingly uneasy at how seriously her life was intertwined with the life of a man who seemed like a virtual stranger, albeit, an appealingly thoughtful and stalwart one.

      Pinching the bridge of her nose, she admitted, “I’m confused about the timing. In Willow Creek, it’s customary for most Amish couples to keep their courtships as private as they can. They wait until July or August to tell their immediate families that they intend to marry. Their wedding intentions aren’t published in church until October, and wedding season follows in November and December, after harvest. Yet Melinda says it’s now March. Why did we already tell our families we intend to marry next fall?”

      “We actually intend to marry next month,” Fletcher responded. “You don’t recall, but last October, Willow Creek was struck by a tornado. So many houses were damaged that Bishop Amos allowed those betrothed couples who needed to help their families rebuild to postpone their weddings until April. Of course, you and I were just getting to know each other last October, so we weren’t yet engaged, but by January, we were certain we wanted to get married. We decided to take advantage of the bishop’s special provision allowing for spring weddings this year.”

      “We only met in September and we’re getting married in April?” Anna asked, unable to keep her voice from sounding incredulous. Six months was a brief courting period for any couple, and it seemed especially out of character for her. She had walked out with Aaron for over two years. As fondly as she dreamed of becoming a wife and a mother, lingering qualms had kept her from saying yes to Aaron’s proposals, no matter how many times he asked. How was it she’d decided so quickly to marry Fletcher?

      “Jah,” he stated definitively. “As we confirmed to the deacon, we fully and unequivocally believe the Lord has provided us for each other.”

      Anna understood the implications. Prior to making their engagements public, Amish couples underwent a series of meetings with the deacon during which time the couple received counseling on the seriousness of entering into a marriage relationship. Although Anna had no recollection of those meetings, she knew if she and Fletcher completed the series and announced their intentions, it meant they were resolute about getting married.

      “Have the wedding intentions been published in church?”

      “They were announced on Sunday,” Fletcher replied. “We’ll be wed on Tuesday, April 7, five days before Easter and a week before Melinda and Aaron get married.”

      Anna inhaled sharply. “Melinda and Aaron are getting married?”

      “Uh-oh,” Fletcher said, smacking his forehead with his palm. “I assumed Melinda already told you.”

      “She probably didn’t want to upset me.”

      Fletcher cocked his head. “Why would Melinda marrying Aaron upset you?”

      “I d-don’t know,” Anna stammered. “I have no idea why I said that.”

      She was far more concerned about her own wedding than Melinda’s. I might as well be marrying the prince of England as this man, for as foreign as he is to me, Anna thought, deeply disturbed. Perhaps I should consider canceling our upcoming nuptials?

      “You were so excited after the intentions were published that you mailed the invitational letters to all of our out-of-town friends and family members first thing on Monday morning,” Fletcher said. “Of course, the leit at church were invited and I extended several personal invitations on Monday evening, as well.”

      Upon hearing just how far their plans had progressed, Anna felt as overwhelmed by the prospect of calling off the wedding as she was by the prospect of carrying through with it. She silently prayed, Please, Lord, if I really do know and love Fletcher Chupp and believe he’s Your intended for me, help me to remember soon. If he isn’t, please make me certain of that, too.

      * * *

      Fletcher noticed Anna’s face blanched at his words and he worried she might cry—or faint. “This must be a lot to take in,” he said, trying to reassure himself as well as to console her. “The doctor said your physical well-being is the priority, and if you get enough rest your memories should take care of themselves.”

      Fletcher could always tell when Anna’s smile was genuine because she had a small dimple in her right cheek. He saw no sign of it as she responded, “I can’t imagine there will be much time for me to rest, with two weddings planned. I wonder how Naomi has been faring.”

      From his discussions with her, Fletcher knew how concerned Anna had been about her stepmother ever since Anna’s father died. Naomi, who periodically suffered from immobilizing depression, was so grief stricken in the months following Conrad’s death that Anna had almost single-handedly managed their household, with sporadic help from Melinda. In addition to caring for Eli and Evan, comforting Naomi and tending to the cooking, cleaning, laundering and gardening, Anna also worked at a shop in town so she could contribute to the household expenses. Her cheerful diligence was one of the qualities Fletcher most admired about her.

      “I know you can’t remember this,” Fletcher said, “but Naomi began to regain some of her...her energy in January when you confided our decision to marry to her. You told me she embraced the distraction of planning for a wedding. She said it gave her something hopeful instead of dreadful to think about, and rather than wringing her hands, she could put them to gut use preparing for our guests.”

      “That sounds like the old Naomi, alright,” Anna remarked and for the first time, her dimple puckered her cheek. But her smile faded almost as quickly as it appeared. “So then, if she is doing better, did I return to working at the shop full-time?”

      During Naomi’s period of bereavement, Anna reduced her working schedule from full time to part-time, much to the dismay of the shopkeeper, who valued Anna’s skills. But as efficient as she was at assisting customers, Anna told Fletcher she drew more satisfaction from meeting her family’s needs at home. She worked in the store only as much as was necessary to contribute to their living expenses.

      “Neh, you’re still only working there part-time.”

      A frown etched its way across Anna’s forehead. “If I helped pay the property taxes for the house with my savings, and I’ve still only been working part-time, how has my family been managing financially? Furthermore, what will Naomi do when I move? Raymond’s salary as an apprentice won’t be enough to cover their expenses.”

      “Jah, you’re right. That’s why I asked my onkel to promote Raymond to a full-fledged crew member and to allow me to apprentice Roy. Raymond had already been satisfactorily apprenticed by your daed and there have been plenty of projects in the aftermath of the tornado, so Isaiah readily agreed. The arrangement has worked well for them and you’ve been happy that instead of needing to work full-time, you’ve been able to continue helping Naomi, er, recover, especially as you prepare the house for the weddings.”

      Averting her eyes toward the window, Anna responded in a faraway voice, “It sounds as if we’ve thoroughly addressed all of the essential details, then.”

      That’s what I thought, too—until I received your message. Fletcher agonized, chewing the inside of his cheek to keep his emotions in check. He knew this wasn’t the time to broach the subject, no matter how desperately he wanted Anna to allay his suspicions about her note.

      “Supper’s ready,” Melinda announced from the doorway. “Ant Naomi says you’re wilkom to join us, Fletcher.”

      “Denki, it smells wunderbaar, but I need to be on my way,” he replied. As little as he’d eaten lately, Fletcher felt as if there were a cement block in his stomach and he doubted he could swallow even a morsel of bread.

      As it was, Anna said she felt queasy and she wanted to go lie down.

      “May

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