Until I Love Again
Read Until I Love Again Online
Authors: Jerry S. Eicher
T
HE
A
DAMS
C
OUNTY
T
RILOGY
Rebecca's Promise ⢠Rebecca's Return
Rebecca's Choice
T
HE
B
EILER
S
ISTERS
Holding a Tender Heart ⢠Seeing Your Face Again
Finding Love at Home
E
MMA
R
ABER
'
S
D
AUGHTER
Katie Opens Her Heart ⢠Katie's Journey to Love
Katie's Forever Promise
F
IELDS OF
H
OME
Missing Your Smile ⢠Following Your Heart
Where Love Grows
H
ANNAH
'
S
H
EART
A Dream for Hannah ⢠A Hope for Hannah
A Baby for Hannah
L
AND OF
P
ROMISE
Miriam's Secret ⢠A Blessing for Miriam
Miriam and the Stranger
L
ITTLE
V
ALLEY
S
ERIES
A Wedding Quilt for Ella ⢠Ella's Wish
Ella Finds Love Again
T
HE
S
T
. L
AWRENCE
C
OUNTY
A
MISH
A Heart Once Broken ⢠Until I Love Again
O
THER
S
TANDALONE
T
ITLES
My Amish Childhood
The Amish Family Cookbook
(with Tina Eicher)
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Cover by Garborg Design Works
Cover photos
©
Chris Garborg; Bigstock
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
UNTIL I LOVE AGAIN
Copyright © 2016 by Jerry S. Eicher
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-6589-7 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-6590-3 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Eicher, Jerry S., author.
Title: Until I love again / Jerry S. Eicher.
Description: Eugene Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, [2016]
Identifiers: LCCN 2016000193 (print) | LCCN 2016004506 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736965897 (softcover) | ISBN 9780736965903 ()
Subjects: LCSH: AmishâFiction. | Mate selectionâFiction. | GSAFD: Love stories. | Christian fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3605.I34 U58 2016 (print) | LCC PS3605.I34 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6âdc23
LC record available at
http://lccn.loc.gov/2016000193
All rights reserved.
No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any meansâelectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherâwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author's and publisher's rights is strictly prohibited.
Contents
(free sample) A Heart Once Broken
S
usanna Miller pulled back on the buggy reins, and her horse Charlie came to a halt as the traffic light turned red. Susanna casually looked to her left and suddenly let out a gasp, not believing her eyes. When the light changed to green moments later, Susanna's gaze was still on the illuminated sign in the parking lot of DeKalb Seed and Feed. It took the honking of the car horn behind her to break Susanna's trance. She let the reins fly as Charlie lunged forward.
As she drove by, she glanced over her shoulder at the sign one final time.
Yah
, it said what she thought it said: Happy Birthday, Susanna Miller. Susanna groaned. If
Daett
or anyone else from the community saw this, there would be questions she didn't want to answer.
Susanna hung on to Charlie's reins as he trotted out of town and made the sharp turn off of Highway 17 onto Maple Ridge Road. Perhaps the fact that she was on the final days of her
rumspringa
would make any explanation more acceptable. She had been given free rein by
Daett
, but that was about over now. And this sign might be the straw that would break the proverbial camel's back.
Daett
had
allowed her freedom in the hope that her
rumspringa
time would accomplish its intended purpose.
Yah
, she was supposed to taste what lay out there in the
Englisha
world, and in so doing, come to realize why those things were not allowed among her people.
But
Daett
hadn't intended things to go as they had. Things like her friendship with Joey Macalister. She had kept that hidden from everyone, because, really, Joey was only a friendânothing more. She need not alarm her family. Her
rumspringa
was almost over and she was ready to settle downâor was she? That was the question. She had told herself she was done with the
Englisha
world⦠but when she was with Joey, she wasn't so sure. When she was out with him, the world outside the Amish fence beckoned, tossing her emotions back and forth each weekend.
The birthday sign she had passedâif she was honestâwarmed her heart as much as it alarmed her. Joey had placed the words there himself, or more likely, he had asked his cousin Marisa, who worked at the seed and feed, to set up the birthday greeting. Joey meant no harm, but an Amish girl's name should never be seen on an
Englisha
sign whether she was on her
rumspringa
or not. Such a thing would obviously mean she was a close friend and perhaps more than a friend with some
Englisha
person.
Daett
would wish to know who that was, and all the details.
Her friend, Emma Troyer, claimed that one's
rumspringa
in her aunt's community in Ohio allowed for friendships with
Englisha
people, but Susanna couldn't imagine that here. Amish life in New York's North Country was a controlled affair.
Daett
had already given her more freedom than anyone in the community thought was appropriate.
Susanna sighed and pulled back on the reins as Charlie approached the Millers' driveway. She turned in with a quick look
around the barnyard.
Daett
's buggy wasn't there. It was just as well. She didn't want to see him at the moment. Not with the memory of the illuminated sign still haunting her.
Daett
would understand neither the sign nor her friendship with Joey. No,
Daett
would want to end her
rumspringa
time if and when he learned of this. He would no doubt put pressure on her to attend the community's upcoming spring baptismal classes.