growing in her eyes. At eighteen,
Hannah was young and pretty, the slight up curve of her nose giving her face a playful
look. Since both sisters were younger than Anna, they ran with a different set of
friends. But Anna always had thought kindly of both young women, even if they were
more animated and lively than most Amish women.
From the kitchen, Leah called out, “ Ja , her bruder !”
“Her . . . bruder ?”
Anna felt her heart skipping a beat as she held her breath for a few seconds and
forced herself to remain calm. The last thing she wanted was to appear curious. Surely
they didn’t mean Freman, for he had left Charm, Ohio, almost immediately after Anna
refused his offer of marriage. The grapevine did not speak of his sudden departure,
at least not in the presence of Anna. And, given the rest of the Eicher family’s
tendency to focus on themselves, and not on other individuals that they deemed less
interesting, she heard of no scuttlebutt in the community divulging his whereabouts.
That had been years ago.
Hannah glanced at her sister and a secretive look passed between them. “Leah heard
his name is Freman and he’s quite handsome,” she went on, quickly dodging the hand
towel that was thrown in her direction.
“Why would you notice, with Caleb calling on you!”
Hannah flushed at the mention
of her second cousin, Caleb Wagler. While some Amish youth kept their courtships
private until such a time when the wedding was announced by a deacon right after
worship, apparently Caleb was not one of them. Not only did he bring Hannah home
from every youth singing, but he also had made clear to other potential suitors that
he had every intention of marrying Hannah. While she remained silent about her own
feelings on the matter, no one doubted that she shared Caleb’s sentiments.
“I’m promised to no one!” Hannah retorted quickly but without credence. “I suppose
I still may ride home with any young man who asks me!” “Girls!” Salome chastised
them with her voice, but her eyes held a sparkle that clearly indicated that she
too hoped that the younger brother of Sara Coblentz might come calling on one of
her dochders . But wouldn’t Freman be married by now?
Anna felt as if the walls were closing upon her. The lightness in her head was as
intense as the heaviness in her chest. Despite the continuation of the visit, including
two more invitations to supper which she declined, her mind remained focused on one
realization: Freman was returning to Charm!
It wasn’t until later that evening, as she sat upon the edge of her bed, staring
at the empty white wall before her, that she became aware of something even more
consequential: his physical absence had not lessened the emotional turmoil that
she felt, even after so many years, upon hearing his name.
Chapter Three
W HEN HE WALKED into the worship service, Anna Eicher had to catch her breath.
For the past week, she had tried to prepare herself for this moment, the moment when
her eyes would fall, once again, upon Freman Whittmore—for the first time in eight
years! She had thought herself ready, her inner discourse aimed at rehashing the
reasons why, despite herself, she had rejected his proposal: Daed thought him too
reproachable, and Lydia thought him not worth risking her daed ’s disapproval. And
Anna found their arguments too persuasive.
Yet, nothing could have properly prepared her for when she once again saw his face.
She recognized him immediately when his tall form followed the other Amish men walking
single file into the room, their Sunday hats casting shadows over their brows so
she couldn’t see his eyes. It didn’t matter. She knew that he wasn’t glancing around
the room in order to catch her gaze. He probably didn’t even know that she was watching
him moving through the line of empty pine benches, waiting until the men stopped
and sat down, sliding the length of the bench to make room for each other.
He looked the same, she
Hannah was young and pretty, the slight up curve of her nose giving her face a playful
look. Since both sisters were younger than Anna, they ran with a different set of
friends. But Anna always had thought kindly of both young women, even if they were
more animated and lively than most Amish women.
From the kitchen, Leah called out, “ Ja , her bruder !”
“Her . . . bruder ?”
Anna felt her heart skipping a beat as she held her breath for a few seconds and
forced herself to remain calm. The last thing she wanted was to appear curious. Surely
they didn’t mean Freman, for he had left Charm, Ohio, almost immediately after Anna
refused his offer of marriage. The grapevine did not speak of his sudden departure,
at least not in the presence of Anna. And, given the rest of the Eicher family’s
tendency to focus on themselves, and not on other individuals that they deemed less
interesting, she heard of no scuttlebutt in the community divulging his whereabouts.
That had been years ago.
Hannah glanced at her sister and a secretive look passed between them. “Leah heard
his name is Freman and he’s quite handsome,” she went on, quickly dodging the hand
towel that was thrown in her direction.
“Why would you notice, with Caleb calling on you!”
Hannah flushed at the mention
of her second cousin, Caleb Wagler. While some Amish youth kept their courtships
private until such a time when the wedding was announced by a deacon right after
worship, apparently Caleb was not one of them. Not only did he bring Hannah home
from every youth singing, but he also had made clear to other potential suitors that
he had every intention of marrying Hannah. While she remained silent about her own
feelings on the matter, no one doubted that she shared Caleb’s sentiments.
“I’m promised to no one!” Hannah retorted quickly but without credence. “I suppose
I still may ride home with any young man who asks me!” “Girls!” Salome chastised
them with her voice, but her eyes held a sparkle that clearly indicated that she
too hoped that the younger brother of Sara Coblentz might come calling on one of
her dochders . But wouldn’t Freman be married by now?
Anna felt as if the walls were closing upon her. The lightness in her head was as
intense as the heaviness in her chest. Despite the continuation of the visit, including
two more invitations to supper which she declined, her mind remained focused on one
realization: Freman was returning to Charm!
It wasn’t until later that evening, as she sat upon the edge of her bed, staring
at the empty white wall before her, that she became aware of something even more
consequential: his physical absence had not lessened the emotional turmoil that
she felt, even after so many years, upon hearing his name.
Chapter Three
W HEN HE WALKED into the worship service, Anna Eicher had to catch her breath.
For the past week, she had tried to prepare herself for this moment, the moment when
her eyes would fall, once again, upon Freman Whittmore—for the first time in eight
years! She had thought herself ready, her inner discourse aimed at rehashing the
reasons why, despite herself, she had rejected his proposal: Daed thought him too
reproachable, and Lydia thought him not worth risking her daed ’s disapproval. And
Anna found their arguments too persuasive.
Yet, nothing could have properly prepared her for when she once again saw his face.
She recognized him immediately when his tall form followed the other Amish men walking
single file into the room, their Sunday hats casting shadows over their brows so
she couldn’t see his eyes. It didn’t matter. She knew that he wasn’t glancing around
the room in order to catch her gaze. He probably didn’t even know that she was watching
him moving through the line of empty pine benches, waiting until the men stopped
and sat down, sliding the length of the bench to make room for each other.
He looked the same, she
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