Forever Amish by Kate Lloyd Page B

her eyes set on him.”
    â€œAre you one of them?” I figured no subject was off-limits between us after the emails she’d sent to lure me here. Or had she? Pops had remarked I had an overly active imagination. But I wasn’t imagining his opposition to this sojourn.
    â€œArmin is like a Bruder to me,” Lizzie said. “And he’s too old. Thirty-seven.”
    â€œHe’s not so old,” Rhoda said, then turned to me. “He could be living in his own house and farm. Unfortunately, he and his older brother, Nathaniel, have been at odds ever since Armin wouldn’t get baptized then moved to New York State, leaving Nathaniel to work the family farm.”
    â€œHe could be courting someone for all I know. Around here, we often keep things hush-hush until the minister announces it.” Lizzie scoured the bottom of another pan.
    â€œWeddings take place in late fall, after the harvesting’s done,” Rhoda said.
    â€œThere will be many a wedding this next year, starting in November,” Lizzie said. “I can’t wait. ’Tis such a gut time.”
    â€œTo those baptized in the Amish church.” Rhoda’s voice turned serious. “So we don’t have to worry about our Lizzie getting married yet.”
    â€œBut she’s so young,” I said.
    â€œNot around here I’m not.” Lizzie spoke over her shoulder. “Two of my friends are married and already have children. Such cute little fellas.”
    Meaning she thought I was over the hill? “Do you wish you had grandchildren?” I asked Rhoda as she poured me tea.
    â€œBetween Lizzie’s two older sisters, who live in Indiana with their husbands, I have seven grandchildren.”
    I halted my rocking. “I assumed Lizzie was the eldest.” She was bossy enough.
    Lizzie lifted her chin. “They treat me like I’m the youngest, because I’ve waited to get baptized until I tried my hand working in the Englisch world for a while.”
    â€œYou’ve had four years to join the church,” Rhoda said. “This summer—please tell me you’re planning to take baptism classes.”
    Lizzie gave her hands a quick dry on her apron. “I will. Most likely.” She moved to my side. “I’ll come back to finish the kitchen after Dat is done reading. Don’t ya lift a finger.” Her skirt swaying, she followed Rhoda into the living room.
    Here I was, closing in on thirty and unwed. What must they think of me? Who cared? I did, or I wouldn’t be seeing myself through their eyes.
    I propelled the chair again. I envisioned Lizzie’s grandma sitting here doing embroidery or quilting, two womanly tasks I never learned. I was struck by the fact I didn’t even have an aunt or uncle, let alone a grandmother. Pops and I were a dynamic duo, we’d always joked. Maybe I should get online and search for our relatives. But Pops claimed he’d tried without success, and he was adamant I not waste my money or energy. And Donald’s mother was ecstatic she’d be our kids’ only grandmother. She’d never once asked me about my parents’ families.
    Through the kitchen door, I heard Reuben’s somber voice reading the Bible in High German. Was he using Scripture to rebuke Lizzie for working rather than saddling herself with a husband and children at her young age? She seemed immature, but apparently not around here.
    Reuben switched to English, for my benefit no doubt, his volume expanding, quoting from Romans 12:2. He cautioned believers not to conform to the world, which I supposed included me. Had he chosen the passage for Lizzie or his whole family, so none would get too chummy with this outsider? An explanation of why he hadn’t welcomed me as Rhoda had.
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CHAPTER 6
    Nestled on the rocking chair in the kitchen, my toes tapped a comforting rhythm. The swaying motion lulled me to a dreamy state. I ignored