Whispers of a New Dawn by Murray Pura Page B

the field from Henry Parker, knowing it would take him at least five minutes to get over to them. The propeller hadn’t even stopped spinning before she jumped clear of her cockpit and began tugging at the straps holding Moses safe in his seat.
    “What is it?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”
    “Hurry. I want to show you something.”
    He followed her around to the side of the aircraft that was out of Henry Parker’s sight. Then she pulled off her helmet and goggles so her blond hair flew loose around her face and shoulders. Moses didn’t move. She ripped off his helmet, goggles with it, and kissed him full on the lips as hard as she could. His arms found her back and he brought her against his chest and jacket, kissing back with more and more strength until suddenly his lips were over her eyes and her hair and her throat. Now she was the one who began to laugh.
    “Look at you,” she teased. “A wild Amish man.”
    “Shh. This is not the time for words. Es ist eine Zeit zum Berühren .”
    “What?”
    “ It is a time to touch .” He kissed her again and when he pulled away she gasped for breath. He smiled.
    “How…how do you kiss like that when you have never had a girl?” she managed to say.
    “It comes naturally…with you. Like the laughter coming out of my stomach. And then I can’t end it.” His fingers played with strands of her hair. “This is just like the sun. There is no difference. A woman’s crowning glory is her hair. Now I must marry you, you know.”
    “Is that how it works?”
    “That’s exactly how it works among the Plain people.” He put his hands on both sides of her face and kissed her slowly and softly. “You see? That is how we do it. No rush. No hurry. No English.”
    She closed her eyes and tilted up her face. “Please. I want some more Amish.”
    “My pleasure.”
    He kissed her again, slowly and deeply. Neither of them pulled away even when they heard the sound of hoofbeats and the jangle of harness and the creak of wheels. Only when Bishop Zook boomed, “ Wie geht es Ihnen? ” did they stop the kiss, but even then they didn’t step apart or take their arms from around each other’s waists.
    “Hello, Grandfather,” Moses greeted him. “We are good, thank you.”
    “Bishop Zook,” said Becky. “I’ve never been better.”
    The bishop climbed down from the buggy and so did Henry Parker, whom the bishop had picked up and driven to where Becky had landed the Jenny. The bishop pushed his straw hat back on his head.
    “So, so. Up in the air. Flying around. Barnstorming.” He smiled at them through his white beard. “What shall we do with you, hmm?”
    “Grandfather, Rebecca is rumspringa . She has not taken her vows.”
    “I know she is rumspringa . But what are you?”
    “I? I’m in love with her.”
    “I see that. A hundred wagons coming up that road couldn’t have made you two end that kiss.”
    “Not a thousand, sir.”
    “Hmm.” He stroked his beard and turned his gaze on Becky. “So. Rebecca. What do you say?”
    “He wanted to fly. Just like you flew twenty years ago. And me? Now that I have been in the air with him I want to marry him. Even if it means I must keep both feet on the ground.”
    Moses looked at her. “What? You want to marry me and you aren’t teasing? Just like that?”
    “It’s not just like that . We were in the sky for thirty minutes.” She hugged him. “And I have been praying about it all summer. I don’t want you shunned or repenting of being up in a plane with me. Let the Jenny stay on Mr. Parker’s runway from now on. You and I can plant our crops and have a farm, and our marriage can be what takes us into the clouds. Okay?”
    “But you love flying planes—”
    “Shh.” Her fingers moved to his lips. “But I love you more.” She glanced at Bishop Zook. “I want to take my vows and be baptized.”
    His thick eyebrows moved upward. “ Ja? There will be a period of instruction.”
    “I’m fine with