right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” She hugged herself. No, I’m more than fine. Thanks to the joy dancing in my heart from your touch. “Kumme in. Are you ready for dinner?”
Grace lifted the lid on the worn wicker picnic basket and pulled out beef sandwiches and butter cookies. “It’s time to take a break.”
Mark dragged three chairs and a small table together in a circle in the middle of the floor. “A flood of people filled my store all at once. I had a line outside waiting to get in. I collected a pretty good sum of money this morning. I’ll have to carve more toys this week. My top shelf is almost bare.”
Grace readied three plates of food. “You’re off to a good start.” She handed Mark a plate.
Sarah clasped the handle of the white china pitcher and filled three glasses. She set them on the table and sat.
Mark bit into his sandwich. “Grace, this beef sandwich is tasty.”
“Mamm packed dinner for us today. I’ll pass along your danki to her.”
“Wait until you try her mamm’s famous butter cookies. She wrote out the recipe for me, but she must’ve left out an ingredient. Mine aren’t as sweet as hers.”
“She does make the best butter cookies.” Grace wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Mark, is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Not at the moment. It’s nice to know you’ll be next door if I need anything.” He met her gaze.
Her skin tingled and her body warmed. No, it wasn’t her imagination. He liked her, too. His eyes were like mirrors to his soul. She held a hand to her heart. Would Mark shun his bruder if he encountered him? Had Mark ever contemplated leaving the Amish life like his bruder? She swallowed hard and hoped not.
Mark added more toys to his shelves and contemplated meeting Grace’s parents. She’d be at church with her parents tomorrow. Maybe she or Levi would introduce him to her parents. If they didn’t, he would introduce himself. Would Mr. and Mrs. Blauch approve of him? Would they ask questions about his family? He told Grace about his bruder. Would she ask more questions about Abel? At least she understood since she was experiencing the same dilemma with her friend Becca.
The Ordnung came to mind. It clearly stated anyone who left the Amish order shouldn’t be mentioned and should be considered dead. He hung his head and scratched his chin. This law was the hardest for him to follow.
Mark reached for his razor and sharpened it on his leather strap Sunday morning. After he splashed his face with water, he lathered it with soap. Putting the razor to his neck, he shaved a small patch of yesterday’s growth. Wanting to look his best for Grace, he’d be careful not to nick himself.
Mark dressed in a crisp white shirt, pants, and suspenders. Grabbing a clean cloth, he wiped the dirt off his plain black leather boots. That should do it. Ready to attend church, he put on his black hat and headed to the barn to fetch his buggy.
He steered his horse to the church. Heart pounding, he prayed. “Dear Heavenly Father, please give me words to say to Grace’s parents. This I pray and ask in your name. Amen.”
The big two-story white barn stood surrounded by buggies and wagons in the middle of a green grassy field. A stable stood next to it for the horses. He handed the reins to the young Amish stable hand, no doubt selected by the bishop to handle the horses, and thanked him. He spotted Levi outside the front door. “Can you show me where to sit?”
“Jah. Kumme and I’ll introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Blauch.”
Mark’s heart thudded against his ribs.
The hay stacked in the loft and on the sides provided his favorite fresh scent. Men dressed like him in all shapes and sizes filled the structure. Husbands sat with their fraas and kinner, and unmarried men sat apart from the unwed women.
Levi gestured to Mr. and Mrs. Blauch. “I’d like you to meet Mark King. He is the man who bought the Stoltzfuses’ haus next to my place. You
“Yes, I’m fine.” She hugged herself. No, I’m more than fine. Thanks to the joy dancing in my heart from your touch. “Kumme in. Are you ready for dinner?”
Grace lifted the lid on the worn wicker picnic basket and pulled out beef sandwiches and butter cookies. “It’s time to take a break.”
Mark dragged three chairs and a small table together in a circle in the middle of the floor. “A flood of people filled my store all at once. I had a line outside waiting to get in. I collected a pretty good sum of money this morning. I’ll have to carve more toys this week. My top shelf is almost bare.”
Grace readied three plates of food. “You’re off to a good start.” She handed Mark a plate.
Sarah clasped the handle of the white china pitcher and filled three glasses. She set them on the table and sat.
Mark bit into his sandwich. “Grace, this beef sandwich is tasty.”
“Mamm packed dinner for us today. I’ll pass along your danki to her.”
“Wait until you try her mamm’s famous butter cookies. She wrote out the recipe for me, but she must’ve left out an ingredient. Mine aren’t as sweet as hers.”
“She does make the best butter cookies.” Grace wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Mark, is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Not at the moment. It’s nice to know you’ll be next door if I need anything.” He met her gaze.
Her skin tingled and her body warmed. No, it wasn’t her imagination. He liked her, too. His eyes were like mirrors to his soul. She held a hand to her heart. Would Mark shun his bruder if he encountered him? Had Mark ever contemplated leaving the Amish life like his bruder? She swallowed hard and hoped not.
Mark added more toys to his shelves and contemplated meeting Grace’s parents. She’d be at church with her parents tomorrow. Maybe she or Levi would introduce him to her parents. If they didn’t, he would introduce himself. Would Mr. and Mrs. Blauch approve of him? Would they ask questions about his family? He told Grace about his bruder. Would she ask more questions about Abel? At least she understood since she was experiencing the same dilemma with her friend Becca.
The Ordnung came to mind. It clearly stated anyone who left the Amish order shouldn’t be mentioned and should be considered dead. He hung his head and scratched his chin. This law was the hardest for him to follow.
Mark reached for his razor and sharpened it on his leather strap Sunday morning. After he splashed his face with water, he lathered it with soap. Putting the razor to his neck, he shaved a small patch of yesterday’s growth. Wanting to look his best for Grace, he’d be careful not to nick himself.
Mark dressed in a crisp white shirt, pants, and suspenders. Grabbing a clean cloth, he wiped the dirt off his plain black leather boots. That should do it. Ready to attend church, he put on his black hat and headed to the barn to fetch his buggy.
He steered his horse to the church. Heart pounding, he prayed. “Dear Heavenly Father, please give me words to say to Grace’s parents. This I pray and ask in your name. Amen.”
The big two-story white barn stood surrounded by buggies and wagons in the middle of a green grassy field. A stable stood next to it for the horses. He handed the reins to the young Amish stable hand, no doubt selected by the bishop to handle the horses, and thanked him. He spotted Levi outside the front door. “Can you show me where to sit?”
“Jah. Kumme and I’ll introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Blauch.”
Mark’s heart thudded against his ribs.
The hay stacked in the loft and on the sides provided his favorite fresh scent. Men dressed like him in all shapes and sizes filled the structure. Husbands sat with their fraas and kinner, and unmarried men sat apart from the unwed women.
Levi gestured to Mr. and Mrs. Blauch. “I’d like you to meet Mark King. He is the man who bought the Stoltzfuses’ haus next to my place. You
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