they would have their rainy days and their sunshiny days.
Stephen got to his feet quite suddenly, pulling her up with him. His hands closed firmly around hers, and she felt the difference in him as he placed her hands around his waist. Her own heart beat with his, and it was the most natural feeling she had ever experienced. This beating of two hearts together was as light as a moth and as powerful as a large magnet.
Lizzie raised questioning eyes to him. The lights from the back porch reflected the love in his blue, blue eyes. As naturally as their hearts beating, he slowly bent his head, and their lips met in an honest-to- goodness kiss of love.
It wasn’t that the world stood still, the way the books said. But the dark sky, the apple tree, the soft summer night’s breeze, disappeared for a very short time. In that moment, there was only Stephen and this all-consuming love she felt for him.
“Lizzie, I love you so much,” Stephen said, his voice shaking. “Thank you for promising to be my wife.”
“I do love you, too, Stephen,” she said.
And she did.
The spoken words, that mutual kiss empowered Lizzie, drowning any doubts or fears she had ever felt. They would stand together, in love, with God at the helm, and even if they stumbled and fell sometimes, he would pick them up.
After a moment, Stephen pulled back.
“You know, Lizzie, I don’t have a lot of money. I have very little saved up, but I think if we had a bit of land, we could borrow the money from the bank to build our house.”
“Do you really think we can borrow the money?” Lizzie asked. “I mean, how do you know we could even qualify?”
“We probably won’t unless we own an acre of land,” Stephen answered.
Then he laughed softly. “Here we are, planning our house as if our life depended on it and acting as if our relationship—actually getting married—is of no consequence. Do you think we can get along?”
“Oh, of course,” Lizzie said airily. “We don’t always agree on everything now, so I’m sure there will be times when we don’t agree in the future. And you know me. I can’t keep my thoughts and opinions to myself, and I might get a bit loud and judgmental, don’t you think?”
Stephen laughed. “Yes, definitely.”
“And,” Lizzie continued, “you’ll just stay quiet and never say what you think but do exactly as you please, no matter if I fuss and carry on like a wild person.”
“Not always. Not if I love you as I should,” he said soberly.
Lizzie was amazed at that statement. He must have read his Bible about that subject as well, which was very good. Stephen was not the type of person to be verbal about God or what certain passages in the Bible meant. He was taught to keep his faith to himself, as most Amish youth were. They were instructed to live their beliefs and let their lights shine, which was good.
Stephen did not think highly of himself or his opinions, especially when it came to spiritual matters. Lizzie had realized early in their relationship that he was not comfortable with speaking about God. Lizzie had mentioned this to Mam, and Mam said that it was nothing to worry about. That would come in time, as he matured spiritually, which was comforting to Lizzie.
Lizzie clasped her hands, sighing joyously. “Oh, I can hardly believe this! Really, Stephen, are we actually going to live in a new house? How did you know I always wanted a new one? You know I’m not like Emma. She always wanted an old house with old quilts and stuff. I’ll even have new kitchen cupboards, won’t I? And I’ll get to pick out the color of my linoleum, no, not my linoleum, our linoleum,” she said, laughing happily.
So they sat and planned, talking about many different subjects, until Stephen said it was past his usual time to leave.
“You ask your dad about the land, all right?” he concluded.
“No, you come over Wednesday evening, and we’ll ask him together,” she corrected him.
“You know, it’s
Stephen got to his feet quite suddenly, pulling her up with him. His hands closed firmly around hers, and she felt the difference in him as he placed her hands around his waist. Her own heart beat with his, and it was the most natural feeling she had ever experienced. This beating of two hearts together was as light as a moth and as powerful as a large magnet.
Lizzie raised questioning eyes to him. The lights from the back porch reflected the love in his blue, blue eyes. As naturally as their hearts beating, he slowly bent his head, and their lips met in an honest-to- goodness kiss of love.
It wasn’t that the world stood still, the way the books said. But the dark sky, the apple tree, the soft summer night’s breeze, disappeared for a very short time. In that moment, there was only Stephen and this all-consuming love she felt for him.
“Lizzie, I love you so much,” Stephen said, his voice shaking. “Thank you for promising to be my wife.”
“I do love you, too, Stephen,” she said.
And she did.
The spoken words, that mutual kiss empowered Lizzie, drowning any doubts or fears she had ever felt. They would stand together, in love, with God at the helm, and even if they stumbled and fell sometimes, he would pick them up.
After a moment, Stephen pulled back.
“You know, Lizzie, I don’t have a lot of money. I have very little saved up, but I think if we had a bit of land, we could borrow the money from the bank to build our house.”
“Do you really think we can borrow the money?” Lizzie asked. “I mean, how do you know we could even qualify?”
“We probably won’t unless we own an acre of land,” Stephen answered.
Then he laughed softly. “Here we are, planning our house as if our life depended on it and acting as if our relationship—actually getting married—is of no consequence. Do you think we can get along?”
“Oh, of course,” Lizzie said airily. “We don’t always agree on everything now, so I’m sure there will be times when we don’t agree in the future. And you know me. I can’t keep my thoughts and opinions to myself, and I might get a bit loud and judgmental, don’t you think?”
Stephen laughed. “Yes, definitely.”
“And,” Lizzie continued, “you’ll just stay quiet and never say what you think but do exactly as you please, no matter if I fuss and carry on like a wild person.”
“Not always. Not if I love you as I should,” he said soberly.
Lizzie was amazed at that statement. He must have read his Bible about that subject as well, which was very good. Stephen was not the type of person to be verbal about God or what certain passages in the Bible meant. He was taught to keep his faith to himself, as most Amish youth were. They were instructed to live their beliefs and let their lights shine, which was good.
Stephen did not think highly of himself or his opinions, especially when it came to spiritual matters. Lizzie had realized early in their relationship that he was not comfortable with speaking about God. Lizzie had mentioned this to Mam, and Mam said that it was nothing to worry about. That would come in time, as he matured spiritually, which was comforting to Lizzie.
Lizzie clasped her hands, sighing joyously. “Oh, I can hardly believe this! Really, Stephen, are we actually going to live in a new house? How did you know I always wanted a new one? You know I’m not like Emma. She always wanted an old house with old quilts and stuff. I’ll even have new kitchen cupboards, won’t I? And I’ll get to pick out the color of my linoleum, no, not my linoleum, our linoleum,” she said, laughing happily.
So they sat and planned, talking about many different subjects, until Stephen said it was past his usual time to leave.
“You ask your dad about the land, all right?” he concluded.
“No, you come over Wednesday evening, and we’ll ask him together,” she corrected him.
“You know, it’s
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