Katie Opens Her Heart (36 page)

Ruth huffed, “And I suppose you’re the expert on catching men. That really worked out with Daniel Kauffman, didn’t it? Or are you more experienced now?”

“I seem to be doing just fine,” Emma said, meeting Ruth’s baleful glare head-on.

“You don’t know anything about pecan pies,” Ruth snapped. “At least it’s
gut
to see you’re admitting your sins.”

“Catching a man? That’s a sin now?”

Ruth glared.

Emma tapped the edge of one of the rocker’s arms. “I know my sins, Ruth. But they aren’t what you think they are. I did wrong with Daniel Kauffman, and I’ve repented of that. I haven’t forgotten my actions that day. They weren’t appropriate,
yah
. But
Da Hah
sent me Ezra…and then Katie. I didn’t deserve either of them or their love. Now He’s sending me Jesse and his love. I won’t turn him away or go against
Da Hah
’s will. As for my sins,
yah
, they are many perhaps. But
Da Hah
knows I’m sorry for what I have done.”

“And you should be.” Ruth was huffing and puffing again. “Why, the way you’ve raised that girl is sin in itself. Drawing her into your little world and away from the community. I’m surprised the ministers haven’t done something about you and your situation a long time ago. It’s a scandal, I tell you. And now you have Jesse and his children in your clutches. How can you raise his children? You couldn’t even raise Katie right. The last I heard, she’s running with the Mennonites! Think sensibly, Emma! You are not right for Jesse, and you are certainly not right for his children.”

Emma rose. “You don’t understand me at all, Ruth. If you did, perhaps I’d listen. I just told you I haven’t done things right in my life. I was wrong in keeping myself and Katie away from the community after Ezra’s death. I’ve worked it out with
Da Hah
, and I’m bound to changing now, Ruth. That’s what you’re not seeing.”

“So that’s why you cast your net for Jesse?” Ruth looked triumphant. “You want your marriage to him to redeem you in the eyes of the community? You see him as your way out of your… isolation.”

“
Nee
, Ruth. If I’d gone after Jesse, I’d say you might be right in your accusation. But I did not. Katie wanted a
daett
, and Jesse wants a
frau
. I wasn’t the one who went looking for anything. Jesse came to me with
Da Hah
’s blessing. Now that it’s happened, I can also see
Da Hah
’s hand in this situation. He means it for my good too, not just Katie’s and not just Jesse’s and not just Jesse’s children. And,
yah
, Jesse is a decent catch. Too decent for me to think I could have snagged him on my own. Daniel Kauffman at least taught me that much.”

Ruth snorted. “You didn’t think yourself too
gut
for Daniel, Emma. Don’t tell me you’ve changed since those days. You’re still the same person you’ve always been.”

“Perhaps we will leave that to
Da Hah
then.” Emma pointed toward the door. “Katie’s coming home soon, and you really should be going. I don’t want her or anyone else to know you’ve come here. Think how it’s going to look once I’ve said the vows with Jesse if it gets out how desperate you were.”

Ruth leaped to her feet. “I only have the best interest of Jesse’s children in mind. I have thought little of how I would benefit from this situation. Thinking of others is one lesson I’m sure you aren’t paying much attention to.”

Emma sighed. “If Jesse wanted your hand in marriage, Ruth, I wouldn’t blame him one bit. But he wants mine, so why shouldn’t I accept?
Yah
, marriage to Jesse will improve my life and certainly will improve Katie’s. It will also improve Jesse’s and his children’s. Do you blame me for that? With Jesse’s help, we will raise all six children in the fear of
Da Hah
. I can do that as well as the next woman. Now, I think you’d better go.”

Ruth stalked out the door, slamming it behind her. She should never have come, she told herself. It was only the softness of her heart and concern for Jesse’s children that had led her here. Some things simply couldn’t be helped. She’d done all she could do now, and she would wash her hands of the matter. She untied her horse and climbed into the buggy. She drove out the lane without a backward glance.

Chapter Forty-Three

Katie watched through the living room window as Jesse’s buggy came down the lane.
Mamm
rushed around the kitchen before making a quick dash toward her bedroom. She came out with a new apron on, brushing out any imaginary wrinkles.

“You can finish the last of the dishes,”
Mamm
told her before she went outside. “We’ll be out on the porch.”

“Okay,” Katie agreed, watching
Mamm
go down the front steps and run toward Jesse’s buggy. For a moment Katie thought the two love birds would give each other a hug right there in plain sight. Jesse had gotten out of the buggy with his arms wide open. Instead,
Mamm
stopped just before she got to him. Her arms were clasped in front of her, but she was leaning forward. Jesse came close enough to touch
Mamm
’s face with both hands.

Katie knew she shouldn’t be watching, but she couldn’t help herself. Was Jesse going to kiss
Mamm
?
Mamm
was laughing now, and Jesse dropped his head closer, evidently to whisper something. There was no kiss.

Jesse turned around moments later to tie Lucy to the hitching post. Then
Mamm
and Jesse walked together toward the house. Katie rushed away from the window. It wasn’t likely they would see her watching them, but she didn’t wish to take the chance either. Spying on them was embarrassing enough without getting caught at it. Katie busied herself in the kitchen as she listened to the sounds of the two of them taking their seats on the porch swing. She could hear the low murmur of their voices rising and falling but couldn’t make out the words.

Katie let her thoughts drift.
Mamm
had told her about Ruth’s visit a few days ago.
Mamm
had also told Jesse. The result was that Jesse determined their wedding date should be set as soon as possible to stop anymore interfering by that woman—and to stop tongues from wagging about something that was no one’s business but theirs.

On the very next Sunday, to the surprise of most in the community, Bishop Jonas gave the announcement of the upcoming wedding. It produced every bit the shock Jesse and Emma had expected it would. Ruth had looked quite pale afterward, as if she’d still entertained hopes that the marriage wouldn’t occur. Talk about the tables being turned! Ruth had accused
Mamm
of not being able to let go of her old flame, and here she was doing the same thing.

Katie had attended another Mennonite youth gathering, but this time she told her new friends that she was going to stay home for awhile to help prepare for her
mamm
’s wedding. They all understood and were excited for her.

The preparations were in full swing.
Mamm
was so lost in the details that it was like she came up only for brief gulps of air. Katie smiled as she glanced at the letters lying on the kitchen counter.
Mamm
had written to her brothers, enclosing personal notes with the wedding invitations. They should have been mailed out yesterday, but they would probably still get there in time if mailed today. The news of
Mamm
’s wedding would have reached the families by now anyway, the word being passed through the Amish grapevine after Bishop Jonas’s announcement in the church service.

Aunt Betsy would be arriving a few days before the wedding,
Mamm
had said last night. She was
Mamm
’s sister-in-law with the fewest children, so she was the one most able to leave her family in someone else’s charge for a few days.
Mamm
’s youngest brother, Darrell, would arrive the day before the wedding, along with the rest of
Mamm
’s brothers and their families.

Mamm
was still on
gut
terms with her brothers, even if they hadn’t seen her in several years. That’s the way Amish families were. They’d all grown up together so the ties were close. That was an experience Katie would never have, even if Mabel changed her attitude—which didn’t seem likely at this point. Katie refused to entertain any regrets. It did bother her that her
daett
’s side of the family hadn’t been invited to the wedding. They couldn’t be,
Mamm
said. It wasn’t proper. Katie understood that, but the connection with her
daett
’s family was still strong inside her heart. Katie would always be her
daett
’s daughter. She consoled herself with the fact that she would surely get to see all of them at a family reunion sometime in the near future.

Katie brushed away the tears as
Mamm
and Jesse’s laughter reached clear through the house. They must be having a grand time together. And
Mamm
should have a grand time, Katie decided. Unlike Mabel, Katie had no negative or hard feelings about the upcoming marriage.

Katie stopped washing dishes moments later when the sound of the front door opening reached her.

“Katie!”
Mamm
called. “Will you come out here for a minute?”

Katie peeked around the kitchen doorway. “I’m coming. I’ll be there in a minute.” She went back to the sink to return the dishcloth. Then she wiped her hands on her apron.
Mamm
had waited for her at the front door. When Katie got there,
Mamm
led the way outside. Jesse was still sitting on the porch swing with a big smile on his face. He folded his arms casually as
Mamm
sat down beside him.

“Ah, Katie.” Jesse looked at her with joy in his face. “I asked your
mamm
if I could speak with you.” Jesse paused and shifted his weight on the swing.

Katie tilted her head and waited.

Jesse cleared his throat. “Perhaps you will want to sit. What I have to say may take some time.”

“Oh! Of course!”
Mamm
jumped to her feet. “I’ll go get a chair for her.”

Katie stopped her. “I’ll sit on the porch rail,
Mamm
. It’s plenty comfortable.”

Jesse smiled as
Mamm
sat down again. “Your
mamm
has been telling me how well you’ve been taking all the changes coming your way. I wish my children were doing as well. I’ve noticed Mabel hasn’t been very nice to you at church.”

Katie shrugged. “I understand her point of view. She still misses her
mamm
. This has to be hard for her.”

Jesse nodded. “
Yah
, but it still isn’t right for Mabel to act this way. Much is going to change once you and your
mamm
arrive at our house. We will begin anew as a family. Neither your
mamm
nor I have wished things to be unsettled as they are. In our thinking, Millie and your
daett
should never have passed away. But
Da Hah
didn’t ask us what our thinking was. And He knows the whys of His decisions. We can only trust that
Da Hah
’s choices were—and are—always for the best.”

Katie didn’t offer any comment when Jesse paused.

“I believe that the love your
mamm
and I have for each other is a sign of
Da Hah
’s grace and favor. He wants us to go on with life and live in acceptance of His will. With that in mind, Katie, I want to tell you what a great delight it will be for me to have you living at my house. Not only living at my house, but living there as my daughter. I will love you, Katie, just as much as I love Mabel and Carolyn and my boys.”

Katie lowered her eyes, grateful to hear such words from a man who desired to fill the empty hole in her heart. “Thank you for that,” she whispered.

“I know not much has changed yet,” Jesse continued. “Mabel, and even Carolyn, still struggle with accepting Emma as their
mamm
. Such things take time. I’m confident that once they see the love your
mamm
and I have for each other, they will also be much affected. That is the way love works, Katie. And I hope that someday an Amish boy will ask to bring you home to our house. That will be a great day for me, Katie. I will rejoice because much joy will come into your
mamm
’s and my hearts. It will be a day of great honor, for me equal to the honor when an Amish boy brings Mabel home for the first time.”

Mamm
had tears in her eyes, and Katie caught her breath, sliding down the side of the rail to sit on the floor of the porch.

Jesse continued. “Our faith is a great one, Katie. It goes back hundreds of years to a time of persecution and testing. Over the years our faith has been tried against the world and the devil and the weaknesses of our own flesh. It has stood the test of time. I will count it a great joy to raise and protect you in our faith. Someday I will joyfully give your hand in marriage to a young man who shares our faith and who is worthy of you.”

Mamm
held on to Jesse’s arm. Tears sprang to Katie’s eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Jesse said. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, Katie.”

“Her tears aren’t from sorrow, Jesse. You’ve touched her heart. Isn’t that right, Katie?”

“
Yah, Mamm
. Jesse, I don’t know what to say. My heart is overflowing. I have much to think about.” Katie’s mind raced as she thought of her love for her Mennonite friends and, at the same time, her lack of Amish friends her own age. Would Jesse’s words ever come true? Would a young Amish man ever come to love her? Would Ben Stoll be the one?