Mamm.”
“For as long as I am your mother and you are my only child, I will worry and hope and pray for you. Do not ask the impossible.”
Nathaniel nodded. “Then I ask you to let me choose my own path.”
Mamm’s expression changed, and she walked slowly around the table and took a closer look at Nathaniel’s wood. “You are a gifted carpenter. It will be a beautiful rocker. I hope the girl you make it for is worthy of such fine work.”
“She is. More than you know.”
“I hope so,” Mamm said. “With all my heart.” After giving him one solemn look, she walked to the door of the workshop. “I’m going to read to Dat for a few minutes. Then will you put him to bed?”
“Jah, I will be right in.” Nathaniel laid his hand on the piece of wood and looked up at his mother. “I love you, mei mutter .”
“I love you, too, Nathaniel.”
Mamm closed the door, and nothing but the hissing of the propane lamp interrupted the silence. The stillness amplified Nathaniel’s thoughts. He was fully aware that his heart galloped far ahead. What if Kate had succumbed to the temptations of the outside world? How well did he know her, really? Was she still the girl he fell in love with, or did he only think he loved her?
No, Nathaniel could not bring himself to believe that Kate was anything but the lovely, virtuous girl he had dreamed about for so many months. A simple change of location on her part could not change the person she was. In such a place as Milwaukee, she had experiences Nathaniel probably couldn’t even imagine, but he was certain deep in his soul that Kate had not cheapened herself in any way.
He carried his piece of wood to the saw table and began, carefully, to cut it to the size he needed.
Greater concerns tormented Nathaniel. His chance of failure was great. What if Kate chose another young man? Even though she was considered somewhat of an outsider, her beauty and kindness won over even the most hardened skeptic. The proof was blatantly evident at the gathering, where boys surrounded her all night. With so many eligible young men, Nathaniel was unsure of his ability to win Kate’s heart. But he could only be the person the Lord God intended him to be. If Kate couldn’t love him for the man he was, then he couldn’t see sharing a life with her.
His worst fear was that Kate would decide to return to the academy, leave the community, and be lost to him forever. The very thought of such a possibility threatened to drag him down into deep despair. His hopes had skyrocketed on the day of Kate’s return, but, as his mother warned him, he might be as worthless as a pile of wood chips come autumn. In spite of everything, he was determined to pursue a life with Kate Weaver until she chose differently.
But what if God chose differently?
Chapter Nine
“No one has ever taken me to the dairy on a date before,” Kate said. She sat under an ancient willow tree with Nathaniel, a small bag of cheese curds cradled in her lap. Even in mid-May, it was nice enough to sit outside. The lawn in front of the dairy store was starting to green up from winter dormancy, with plenty of room for tourists or locals to picnic. A footbridge straddled a small stream meandering through the grass, and more than one willow grew along its banks.
Nathaniel stretched out his long legs. “What? None of your Englisch boyfriends were clever enough to plan an outing to the dairy?”
Kate tapped her finger to her temple. “Let’s see. Since I can count the number of Englisch boyfriends I had on zero fingers, the answer is no. Just when did you develop this passion for cheese making?”
“I have always had a fascination for mold.”
Kate laughed then offered him her bag of curds. “These were worth the entire trip. My newly discovered favorite food: jalapeño cheese curds.”
Nathaniel made a face. “No, thanks. I feel like I am chewing rubber.”
Kate plastered him with an indignant eye. “I never would have let you
“For as long as I am your mother and you are my only child, I will worry and hope and pray for you. Do not ask the impossible.”
Nathaniel nodded. “Then I ask you to let me choose my own path.”
Mamm’s expression changed, and she walked slowly around the table and took a closer look at Nathaniel’s wood. “You are a gifted carpenter. It will be a beautiful rocker. I hope the girl you make it for is worthy of such fine work.”
“She is. More than you know.”
“I hope so,” Mamm said. “With all my heart.” After giving him one solemn look, she walked to the door of the workshop. “I’m going to read to Dat for a few minutes. Then will you put him to bed?”
“Jah, I will be right in.” Nathaniel laid his hand on the piece of wood and looked up at his mother. “I love you, mei mutter .”
“I love you, too, Nathaniel.”
Mamm closed the door, and nothing but the hissing of the propane lamp interrupted the silence. The stillness amplified Nathaniel’s thoughts. He was fully aware that his heart galloped far ahead. What if Kate had succumbed to the temptations of the outside world? How well did he know her, really? Was she still the girl he fell in love with, or did he only think he loved her?
No, Nathaniel could not bring himself to believe that Kate was anything but the lovely, virtuous girl he had dreamed about for so many months. A simple change of location on her part could not change the person she was. In such a place as Milwaukee, she had experiences Nathaniel probably couldn’t even imagine, but he was certain deep in his soul that Kate had not cheapened herself in any way.
He carried his piece of wood to the saw table and began, carefully, to cut it to the size he needed.
Greater concerns tormented Nathaniel. His chance of failure was great. What if Kate chose another young man? Even though she was considered somewhat of an outsider, her beauty and kindness won over even the most hardened skeptic. The proof was blatantly evident at the gathering, where boys surrounded her all night. With so many eligible young men, Nathaniel was unsure of his ability to win Kate’s heart. But he could only be the person the Lord God intended him to be. If Kate couldn’t love him for the man he was, then he couldn’t see sharing a life with her.
His worst fear was that Kate would decide to return to the academy, leave the community, and be lost to him forever. The very thought of such a possibility threatened to drag him down into deep despair. His hopes had skyrocketed on the day of Kate’s return, but, as his mother warned him, he might be as worthless as a pile of wood chips come autumn. In spite of everything, he was determined to pursue a life with Kate Weaver until she chose differently.
But what if God chose differently?
Chapter Nine
“No one has ever taken me to the dairy on a date before,” Kate said. She sat under an ancient willow tree with Nathaniel, a small bag of cheese curds cradled in her lap. Even in mid-May, it was nice enough to sit outside. The lawn in front of the dairy store was starting to green up from winter dormancy, with plenty of room for tourists or locals to picnic. A footbridge straddled a small stream meandering through the grass, and more than one willow grew along its banks.
Nathaniel stretched out his long legs. “What? None of your Englisch boyfriends were clever enough to plan an outing to the dairy?”
Kate tapped her finger to her temple. “Let’s see. Since I can count the number of Englisch boyfriends I had on zero fingers, the answer is no. Just when did you develop this passion for cheese making?”
“I have always had a fascination for mold.”
Kate laughed then offered him her bag of curds. “These were worth the entire trip. My newly discovered favorite food: jalapeño cheese curds.”
Nathaniel made a face. “No, thanks. I feel like I am chewing rubber.”
Kate plastered him with an indignant eye. “I never would have let you
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