Whoopie Pie Bakers: Volume Five: Special Friends (Amish) Read online

  “Still every other Sunday?” Jacob asked, and she nodded in agreement.

  “Will you be coming?” she asked as she raised her head and angled her eyes to meet his sweet gaze. “You can ride with me.”

  His brow wrinkled. “Gina has invited me, and I truly don’t want a feud. She was the first to invite me, so I will see if she wants me to ride with her,” he explained in a dry tone.

  “Forget it. I get crazy ideas all the time, and I was just thinking about the past,” Esther cleared her throat, “you held me like you cared about me, Jacob.”

  “I’m sorry,” he replied.

  “I’m one of the older girls, so I’m used to it, Jacob. Its fine, I promise. I just needed to know where we stand,” she said before lowering her head. “When we girls reach a certain age, we forget about reality and fall where we shouldn’t fall.”

  “I see. I better let you run to the store before the roads get bad,” he said, and she looked up and forced a smile.

  “Have a gut day, and remember one thing is for certain in this life,” she held a firm gaze, “it’s not whom you fall in love with on this earth that matters, but whom you fall in love with in heaven.” She smiled and walked away.

  Had he heard her correctly? He was lost and of the world. He needed a reality check just as well as she had needed one when she had fallen into his arms. He was too handsome, warm, and caring to miss heaven’s glory.

  Esther had finally told him how she felt, and it felt as if someone had taken a heavy weight off her chest. She’d wanted to expose her feelings but felt she shouldn’t because of him being a man.

  However, she felt guilty for being a woman and talking like that to one of the menner. Would Gott punish her for her words? Surely not, for she was trying to get him to heaven.

  ~*~

  Jacob waited for Esther to disappear into Troyer’s Market. He had hurt her feelings. He had the right to choose his future fraa, Amish or Englisch. It was a big decision and one he did not take lightly.

  Nevertheless, his words had welled tears in her precious eyes. It could not feel gut to be rejected. If he told the truth, he would hold her in his arms to get even with her for trying to entice him into her scheme to move to New York.

  After he held her a second time, he really enjoyed it, thus he kept holding her repeatedly. She was so proper and businesslike at the bakery, loose spirals of charcoal hair delicately framing her bright peach-toned face; she never messed up an order.

  Not even Gina’s order.

  Now, she was competing with Gina for his love, and he had to admit that he was curious as to how exactly the competition would play out. She tried to accept his rejection in a proper way, hiding her embarrassment by looking down at the ground. However, would she really drop out of the race for love?

  Jacob did not think so, for she seemed very interested in him. In a way, it was cruel of him to act like his fellow Englisch friends and treat cuddling as a past time. It was wrong, and he knew that no Amish man would have done such.

  His plans were falling into place to take Gina to the city with him. She had already been there with him on several occasions and enjoyed wearing blue jeans and loose tee shirts.

  In addition to wearing no kapp.

  He did not know why, but the later item seemed to separate the Christian women from the non-Christian women, and he could not see Gina not wearing a kapp. He walked through the automatic doors of the store and made a mental note to sit down and discuss the matter with Gina.

  Jacob grabbed a shopping cart and proceeded to the deli counter. Esther was probably at the checkout already since she had said she would be getting ginger. She very rarely spent money on herself. What a shame! She deserved something nice every now and then.

  He had almost made her cry, so it was the least he could do to buy her a cold ginger ale. He nodded at Helen Troyer and said, “I’m leaving my cart here. I’ll be right back.”

  To the soda cooler, then to grab some cheese crackers and he was on his way to the checkout where Esther was checking out. “Esther, I’m getting you a ginger ale and some crackers. Please wait on me.

  Heads turned in the nearby aisles as they did at the checkouts. Lancaster gossip needed another line of traffic. Jacob tried to avoid blushing, but he felt the heat rush to his checks. He was not thinking much before he yelled out after her. Would they think he was dating two women?

  If truth were told, he had been leading two women on, and it was wrong, but Esther had deserved such plight since she wanted to use him to get to New York City. Any man would do what he did! It was justifiable in his eyes.

  Not in the eyes of the Amish woman, who stood in the nearby aisles, looking at him, waiting for an explanation of his bad behavior.

  He turned his head away from the aisles to ignore the women. The cashier gave Esther her change, then nodded toward Jacob. “Isn’t he dating Gina Yoder? I heard she is leaving the Amish. Is that true?”

  Esther gave a genuine smile and tipped her chin up confidentially. “I don’t keep in others’ business, but Jacob is joining the Amish again if I have anything to do with it. He needs to be in church every other Sunday where the Lord wants him and not with someone who’s not grounded in the faith.”

  Everyone turned and looked at Jacob for an answer. Unfortunately, most eavesdroppers were Amish, so Jacob knew if he disagreed with Esther’s suggestion he would see eyes roll and heads shake in disgust. The Old Order

  “I’ll be at church this Sunday, Esther.” He held up the ginger ale and crackers as she Esther turned and looked at him. Her face relaxed and had a warm, inviting glow.

  Just like, it had when he had held her in his arms.

  It was mean of me to lead a beautiful, sweet girl on like Esther. I bet she is already shopping for a husband, and I was an option who turned away. Jacob thought as walked up to the cashier.

  However, he didn’t have to turn away. He knew that, but Gina was willing to leave the community and start a life with him.

  However, where was the question.

  As he watched the cashier ring up the woman in front of him, reality sat in like the first survey of crops after a strong hailstorm. He was going nowhere. Sure, he had a nice, expensive truck and an apartment in the big city reserved for him and Gina after they married, and he had money in the bank. He had a life planned of doing as he wished, which consisted of New York City plays, fine dining, and beautiful furnishings and electronics for their upcoming home.

  However, he didn’t have Gott, and he knew it. When he’d breathe his last breath, he was gone for gut.

  Nowhere. It was a sad, dark word.

  Life hadn’t always resembled a thick darkness; it was bright before he’d become Englisch. He’d sat in the backless pew on the men’s side and reflected on how the greatest day was yet to come: a day in heaven, surrounded by circles of beautiful angels and a Man who had once worn thorns for humankind.

  He could still feel the exciting electricity that ran down his arms as he’d taken in the Bishop’s words of a promise of Jesus and the grace that He provides for the lost. That zeal for the Lord, the hunger for Gott’s Word had faded away every step he took towards an Englisch life.

  Nowhere. What a sad, dark word!

  “You okay Jacob?” The cashier giggled and smiled as she brought his busy mind back to store level. “You look heavy in thought.” She extended her hands to accept the ginger ale and package of crackers. “I do that on rainy days when the store is slower.”

  “Jah, I think we all do,” Jacob said sluggishly. Had the cashier forgotten about him calling after Esther? He’s had enough embarrassment for today!

  She hadn’t.

  The cashier’s brow wrinkled, and she drew an accusatory glare. “How’s Gina?”

  Gina? Oh, she was fine.

  He wasn’t, and he knew it. He wasn’t madly in love with Gina, although he seldom admitted it. Was it time to face up with the stabbing feeling that had taken over his gut since they became spe
cial friends?

  No, not yet, he thought, as he handed the cashier a fifty-dollar bill, and she nodded towards the customers in line behind him before giving him his change. “You and Gina will make a happy couple.”

  “Danki!” Jacob had to hold back the giggle that was tickling his throat. Gina was no more than a way out, someone to lean on when he left the Amish so he wouldn’t feel like he did now. He wouldn’t feel alone.

  He made his way out and saw Esther sitting in her buggy, head bowed.

  Lost in prayer.

  Amazing! His heartstrings danced downward, yanking his mind into reality. He’d held her in his arms when he shouldn’t have enticed her. She was grounded, a godly woman.

  How reckless! He had stood back and let his Mamm mock the very religion that he’d been firmly rooted in, brought up in. What had gotten into her? Mamm needed redirection, and he didn’t need to run.

  Nevertheless, he still would, only because he’d planned this for a while. It was too sad that he didn’t have the backbone to strengthen his own familye. Where was a Christian bruder when he needed to talk?

  He’d chose to leave, so most menner didn’t talk to him, although some spoke in secret, so was Elijah Miller, a man who wore a relaxed expression and was good friends with Esther’s bruders.

  The outlaws, the transgressors, the lost sheep, if they were still considered sheep. The Bann lowered one’s self-esteem and make them slip lower, do worse than gut.

  The Bann was hard, but so was a woman who was attracted to someone she could never have. Jacob sighed, watching his breath disappear before his eyes. His heart hurt as he saw Esther reluctantly lift up out of prayer.

  Esther slowly turned her head towards him and snapped her head back when her eyes met his eyes. He’d embarrassed her! Why, there was nothing wrong with a woman of Gott talking to the Maker in front of a man.

  He strode through the silvery snowflakes and felt the heat press against his cheeks. What could he say to her?

  At the buggy window, he saw tears flow down her cheeks. He’d broken her heart, but it wasn’t his fault. She had lied to him to get into his truck to get to the city. “You weren’t honest with me, and what I did wasn’t a gut thing, but you did the same–jah?”

  She blushed and slumped down into the seat. Her eyelashes flickered as she sat in silence.

  “Well?” Jacob pressed, and she snickered and crossed her arms. Turning towards him, she gave a hurt look. “You really hurt me, Jacob. You held me like you loved me!” Her brow narrowed. “It wasn’t right!”

  Jacob found her to be a beautifully mad woman. Silver flakes of snow lined her forehead and flickered around her thick eyelashes. She was speaking from her heart.

  “I’ll give you a chance!” He uttered, hoping Gina wouldn’t find out.

  Esther narrowed her gaze as snow spiraled down from heaven and splashed against the asphalt around the buggy. “I’m not leaving my faith! We’ll talk later.” She flicked the reins, “Giddyap!”

  Gracie obeyed, and trotted out of the parking lot as winter latched down on beautiful Lancaster. Tourists stopped at the lit four-way stop, the snow being too heavy to aim good pictures.

  Esther pulled the reins. “Whoa!” Gracie bucked a bit, but her shoed feet slid to stop. Gracie needed new shoes. When it was their turn, Esther flicked the reins and guided Esther onto the two-lane road.

  ~CHAPTER EIGHTEEN~

  Emma’s stomach tilted as she sat cross-legged on the rooftop outside her bedroom window. “Make Esther fall in love with my Jacob so she can move to the city and not Gina,” Raymond had instructed her.

  It wasn’t that easy. Esther lived and breathed the country life. Emma had seen many country folks flock to the city only to miss the tranquility of the farm life.

  Moreover, New York was hard. Sometimes you cried. A lot. People were busy and had little time to develop close friendships. Long work hours and a constant coming and going on the bustling city streets made city dwellers camp out in front of the television or between the pages of a fashion gossip magazine.

  Emma turned around and eyed the wooden bookrack on her bedroom wall. The Young Companion was to the left, Keeper’s at Home, a magazine for Mamms and older schwesters, was to the right, its edges rugged.

  Would Esther even want to be a homemaker? She seemed clung to Mamm, content on the farm. Independent and happy, Esther seemed not to need the attention of a man.

  She’ll probably laugh all the way home when Jacob tells her he likes her, thought Emma, as she strode over and felt the shiny front of the Keeper at Home magazine. There was no dust. Someone had kept the room immaculate.

  Probably Mamm, thought Emma, as she turned, strode to the door, and made her way down the hallway, listening to the wood creak under her bare feet. Didn’t Daed keep the floors repaired?

  Back in New York, they had house cleaners and butlers. Country life felt old-fashioned, so much that Emma felt cold chills prick her skin. She reached up and ran her hands over her chilled arms. It would be nice to have a fireplace in her room. Could Daed build one?

  Maybe a team of builders from the Amish church could lend a hand. In New York, construction teams were quick and thorough.

  “Emma, I hear you, my boppli!”

  Emma didn’t know as much Amish dialect as Esther and Mamm, but she knew she wasn’t a boppli. A boppli was a baby, and she had passed that stage years ago.

  Before her bruder and the outlaw kidnapped her.

  If it was even kidnapping, thought Emma, as she braced the banister with her right hand and made her way down the steps. The house smelled like cinnamon and apples. Maybe apple pie, thought Emma as her cold feet touched the bottom of the stairs.

  Mamm entered the living area through the open doorway with a gentle smile on her face, humming a familiar tune. “How is my girl? I bet it feels good to be home–jah?” Her eyes were light and her tone relaxed as if everything was perfect.

  It wasn’t, but Emma didn’t have the heart to retort, “I don’t like it here. I want to go back to my apartment overlooking the bustling New York traffic and sip a hot chocolate from The Corner Café beside the fireplace.”

  Emma pressed her back up and replied in a respectful tone, “It is a pleasure to be back on the farm, Mamm.”

  Mamm must have caught the hesitation in Emma’s voice because her brow narrowed, her eyes gazing at her daughter. “You’re not Amish anymore. Raymond has influenced you, hasn’t he?”

  “What?” Emma huffed. How could Mamm blame Raymond for something that wasn’t wrong? He’d introduced her to plays, fine dining, and a comfortable fireplace were good things in life. Raymond had done well. “Raymond had a gut life for me.”

  Mamm shook her head in disagreement. “That’s not gut. Being away from Gott is not gut, Emma.”

  Emma laughed, ignored Mamm’s terrified glare. “The city people have Gott too. They go to mass twice a week and take communion every Saturday.”

  Mamm motioned for Emma to stop speaking, appeared disturbed by her comments. “I don’t want to discuss this anymore. You are still a child, and you will obey an Amish home’s rules,” Mamm’s nose flared, her eyes deepened, “I want to be clear that you may do as you see fit when you reach the age of sixteen.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” Emma pouted. When would sixteen come? Not soon enough, thought Emma as she followed Mamm’s motion for her to follow her to the kitchen. The sounds of honking taxis, the smell of steaming hot cocoa, and the warm touch of her bruder’s hand against her shoulders hurt her heart. As soon as she could, she would return home.

  Return home to Raymond.

  ~CHAPTER NINETEEN~

  Speckles of icy splashed against the windshield of the buggy as Gracie proudly carried it down the road. Gracie’s silver coat reflected a Christmas snow, but it wasn’t Christmas yet.

  To get handsome Jacob’s heart by Christmas was Esther’s dream as she flicked the reins. “Giddyap!” Gracie obeyed, moved faster.

  Like Gracie
, Esther felt the menner had forgotten her, pushed her aside. It didn’t feel gut to not have a special friend at her age.

  What if Gott wanted her to stay single? She’d honor the Lord’s will, but she really had gotten close to Jacob.

  Life was cold.

  Being single was like living in a brick of ice, pleading for someone to let you out, to be warmed, and loved. Would it ever happen?

  Emma was home. Gott had brought her back safely. An inkling of guilt forced its way into Esther’s chest as tears streamed down her cheeks. How could she be so selfish, asking for much?

  Emma was everything. A happy, healthy family should create a grateful heart. Why didn’t it? Esther didn’t know why, but she hoped to find out why she felt an empty spot in her heart.

  Since Jacob had held her.

  Gina was so mean, so greedy, to want to take such a sweet man away from the Amish community. Esther vowed to do anything to get Jacob to convert as she led Gracie down the snow-covered road.

  Red sweet gum leaves and orange blossoms were only a faded memory as the slender snow-caped trees lined the sides of the road, their brittle branches bending down to almost kiss the frozen earth.

  “I shouldn’t have fallen into Jacob’s arms,” Esther scolded. “We are not special friends.” Had she hidden feelings for Jacob?

  He’d been a friend to the familye for years, and her bruders used to go to Friday night youth gatherings with him before they left home for a brighter future.

  Bright wasn’t always best, thought Esther, as she recalled how Emma had changed since she was a little girl. Her eyes looked wilder, more curious to leave the nest. Emma had a sassy tone, a face unlike an Amish child.

  Mamm was gut at molding kinner into godly children. Esther hoped that Mamm could undo the cultural damage that Raymond had caused. They already have two lost souls; they didn’t need three.