Danika's Journey (Amish Girls Series--Book 2) Read online

  Danika's Journey

  Amish Girls Series – Book 2

  J.E.B. Spredemann

  Copyright 2012, 2013, 2014 by J.E.B. Spredemann

  All incidents and characters in this book are completely fictional and derived by the authors’ imagination. Any resemblance to actual incidents and persons living or dead are purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this work/book may be copied, transmitted, or stored in any form or by any means, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without prior written consent from the author/publisher.

  Disclaimer: The herbal information in this book was derived by the author’s (J.S.) education and experience as a Nutritional Herbologist, but is written for fictional and informational use only. No herbal information in this book is, in any way, meant as a prescription or medical advice. This information has not been approved by the FDA, AMA, or any other government agency. It is your constitutional right to prescribe for yourself, if you choose to do so. The author assumes no responsibility for the treatments in this book, if you should choose to implement them. Therefore, the government requires the recommendation that you see your health care provider if you have any medical concerns/issues.

  Published in California by Blessed Publishing.

  http.//amishbooks.wix.com/jebspredemann

  All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, are not subject to copyright laws, and may be freely copied and/or quoted

  Cover design by J.E.B. Spredemann.

  Smashwords Edition

  BOOKS BY J.E.B. SPREDEMANN *J. Spredemann

  AMISH GIRLS SERIES

  Joanna’s Struggle

  Danika’s Journey

  Chloe’s Revelation

  Susanna’s Surprise

  Annie’s Decision

  Abigail’s Triumph

  Brooke’s Quest

  Leah's Legacy

  NOVELLAS

  Amish by Accident*

  An Unforgivable Secret*

  A Secret Encounter*

  Learning to Love – Saul's Story*

  NOVELETTES

  Cindy's Story – Amish Fairly Tale

  To our Loved Ones who have gone on before us…

  Grandpa Alcorn, Grandpa and Grandma Tufts, Grandma Klein, Uncle Hal, Cousin Bobby, Oma and Opa Spredemann, Cousin Veronica

  Your lives have touched us in ways we don't even realize and you'll be forever remembered in our hearts

  Authors’ Note

  It should be noted that the Amish people and their communities differ one from another. There are, in fact, no two Amish communities exactly alike. It is this premise on which this book is written. We have taken cautious steps to assure the authenticity of Amish practices and customs. Both Old Order Amish and New Order Amish are portrayed in this work of fiction and may be inconsistent with some Amish communities.

  We, as Englischers, can learn a lot from the Plain People and their simple way of life. Their hard work, close-knit family life, and concern for others are to be applauded. As the Lord wills, may this special culture continue to be respected and remain so for many centuries to come. And may God's light of salvation touch their hearts.

  Unofficial Glossary of Pennsylvania Dutch Words

  Ach – Oh

  Ausbund – Amish hymn book

  Bloobier – Blueberry

  Boppli – Baby

  Bopplin – Babies

  Bruder – Brother

  Dat, Daed – Dad

  Dawdi – Grandfather

  Denki – Thanks

  Der Herr – The Lord

  Dochder – Daughter

  Dokter – Doctor

  Dummkopp – Dummy

  Englischer – A non-Amish person

  Ferhoodled – Mixed up, Crazy

  Fraa – Woman, Wife

  Gott – God

  Gut – Good

  Gross Dawdi – Great Grandfather

  Haus – House

  Hullo – Hello

  Jah – Yes

  Kapp – Prayer Cap

  Kumm – Come

  Lieb – Love

  Liede – Song

  Mamm – Mom

  Mammi – Grandmother

  Mein Liewe – My Dear

  Mudder – Mother

  Nee – No

  Ordnung – Rules of the Amish Community

  Rumspringa – Running around years

  Schweschder – Sister

  Vadder – Father

  Vorsinger – Song Leader

  Wunderbaar – Wonderful

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 - Tragedy

  Chapter 2 – Pennsylvania

  Chapter 3 – Adjustments

  Chapter 4 – Chores

  Chapter 5 – Church

  Chapter 6 – First Day of School

  Chapter 7 – The Englisch Holiday

  Chapter 8 – The Conflict

  Chapter 9 – Friends

  Chapter 10 – The Secret Meeting

  Chapter 11 – The Locket

  Chapter 12 – Special Delivery

  Chapter 13 - Cindy

  Chapter 14 - The Confrontation

  Chapter 15 – The Surprise

  Chapter 1 - Tragedy

  “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die...” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a

  Ri-i-i-i-ing. The seventh-grade students at Lincoln Middle School all took their seats in Ms. Harris' classroom. “All right class, put your books away. Today we are going to have a math quiz.” Danika Morales groaned along with the rest of the students. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and a piece of folded lined paper fell into her lap. Danika looked up to make sure Ms. Harris didn't see. She opened the note under her desk and read, Is your cell on silent? She quickly wrote back, Yes, and then passed the note back to Cindy as she placed her book in her desk and removed her pencil for the test. She felt her phone vibrate in the front pocket of her hoodie and took it out to glance at the text message. It read, Math is so boring. Danika grinned. Cindy hated math as much as she did. I know how you feel. I don't know how I'll ever make it through medical school! Can't wait till next period, she quickly texted back.

  <><><>

  “Hey, Dani, can you come to my house after school today?” Cindy asked during lunch.

  She loved spending time with Cindy, especially since her parents owned a nice cottage a block from the beach. Many times the two of them would take their surfboards out to ride some waves, or just sit on the sand and watch the tides roll in. Danika thought for a moment. “No, I don't think I can today. My dad said I need to get caught up with my assignments. I hate homework.” She rolled her eyes. “Besides,” she added in a more serious tone, “Dad's having another treatment again today. I can't wait until he's done with all that stuff.”

  “Yeah, me too. I've heard it can be rough,” her friend sympathized. “And now that you mention it, I should probably catch up on my homework too.” Cindy sighed. “I can't believe my mom and dad are getting a divorce. They were getting along just fine. I don't know what happened. Why does life have to change?”

  Danika hugged her friend. “I don't know. Don't worry. I won't change, I'll be your friend forever,” she promised.

  <><><>

  When Danika walked through the door of her suburban two-story home, she quickly dropped her backpack on the couch and walked to the refrigerator to find something to eat. After she finished making herself a PBJ sandwich, she picked up her backpack and headed for her room. Since dad won't be home for a while, I can check my email real quick and then finish my homework, Dani
ka thought, as she searched through her backpack to find her smart-phone. She tried to keep her mind on her studies but her thoughts often drifted to her father. She couldn't help but worry about him.

  He was at the hospital again today. He had been diagnosed with cancer six months ago and was having another chemotherapy treatment session. The doctors said that the chemo would help him get better, but it definitely didn't make him feel or look any better. When he came home from his treatments, he seemed even worse: he was constantly vomiting, he could hardly eat, and he had begun to lose his hair too. She didn't understand how that could make him get better. It just didn't make any sense. But his oncologist insisted that this was the only way to go, that is, if he wanted to stay alive. Eventually, he'd said, her father's cancer should go into remission.

  Danika sympathized with her dad; she couldn't help but bear some of the suffering he was going through. He didn't complain, but she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was in constant pain. She was sure he was just trying to be brave for her sake. After all, he was all she had left. Her mom had passed away in childbirth when Danika was eight years old. Not only did she lose her mother that day, but a much-anticipated baby brother as well. She couldn't bear to lose her father too. Where would she go? How would she survive on her own?

  <><><>

  Two hours later, her dad came through the door, assisted by the neighbor who had taken him to his appointment. Today, he had come in using a walker for the first time. This was not a good sign. Danika rushed to him as she noticed his weakened state. “Are you okay, Dad?” she asked, her concern evident.

  “I'll be all right, Pumpkin,” he answered bravely. “I just need to go lie down and rest a while.”

  To Danika, it seemed as if that's all he ever did lately. He'd come home from his treatments, rest, get really sick, start to feel better again, and then go to another treatment. It was a vicious cycle.

  “Danika, I want to talk to you about something. Please come and sit on the couch by me,” her father requested as he rested on their tan sofa. The neighbor had left and promised to come back again when she was needed.

  “What is it, Daddy?”

  “Honey, I feel like my body is weakening. I…I don't know how much longer I'll be around.” He paused, drawing a labored breath.

  Tears filled Danika's eyes. “Please don't talk like that, Dad. You're going to be fine. The doctors said –”

  “Shh...it'll be okay.” Her father's hand gently stroked her thick nearly-black hair. “I love you, Pumpkin.”

  “I can't live without you, Daddy. Please don't leave me here by myself.” She sobbed.

  “Danika, I want you to listen to me. You have to be brave. You will get through this. Do you remember your Uncle Philip? He's your mom's brother – the one that came to Mom's funeral from Pennsylvania.”

  Danika tried to recall the man. “No, Dad, I don't remember.”

  “Philip is a good man. After I'm gone, I'd like you to go and live with him,” her father stated wearily, taking her hand.

  Danika shook her head in denial. “But Daddy, you're not going anywhere. You're staying here with me. You have to! You have to!” Danika cried, holding her father's now-limp hand. “Daddy? Daddy?” She shook his shoulder to try and wake him up, but there was no response. She panicked, breathing heavily. “No-o-o!” She wept uncontrollably, as she realized her father was gone.

  <><><>

  Chapter 2 – Pennsylvania

  “...ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16b

  As Danika stepped off the airplane and into the Harrisburg airport, she glanced around. Really, she didn't even know who she was looking for, just that his name was Philip and he was her uncle. A handsome man approached her wearing a full beard with a straw hat, a blue shirt, black pants, and a pair of suspenders. She could see her mother's kind face in his and instantly knew he was her uncle.

  “You are Danika, jah?” the man asked in a slight Pennsylvania German accent.

  Danika looked at the man with questioning eyes. “Yes, I am. And you're my Uncle Philip, right?”

  The man nodded and held out his hand. “Yes, I am Philip King, your mamm's bruder. Gut to meet ya.” He smiled.

  “Hi.” Danika shook his hand timidly, choked with memories of her mom. Uncle Philip looks so much like Mom. Oh, how I miss her!

  “I guess you probably don't remember me. It's been awhile. You've grown quite a bit too,” Philip said, as they headed toward the baggage claim area.

  “Oh, there's my bag,” Danika stated, pointing to a large pink suitcase with a hibiscus flower design. Philip grabbed the feminine bag off of the conveyor belt.

  “My gut friend Tobias will be driving us to Lancaster. We'll be picking up my rig from his place,” Philip said as they approached a black car. He placed Danika's bag into the trunk and took the front seat next to Tobias. “We should be in Paradise within two hours.”

  “Okay. Um...Uncle Philip, do you mind if I take a little nap? I'm kind of tired from the plane trip.” Danika couldn't help the yawn that escaped her lips. In the two weeks since her father's passing, she'd been too anxious to get a decent night's sleep. Thoughts had continually swirled in her mind somewhere between the deep sense of loss over her father to the instability of her pending future, or lack thereof. She fastened her seat belt and leaned onto her small carry-on bag next to her. In minutes, her eyes drifted shut and the male voices in the front seat faded.

  “Well, here we are,” Philip announced as they pulled up to a white two-story in the country.

  Danika sat up and rubbed her eyes. “Wow, I can't believe I slept the whole way.”

  “We're not home yet. We still need to drive to Paradise. Why don't you head on over to the barn and I will get your bags. You can wait in the rig if you'd like.”

  Danika shrugged. “Okay, cool.” She walked over to the barn and opened the large door. She had to wait a minute until her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior. Her eyes roamed the barn in search of Philip's vehicle, but it was nowhere in sight.

  Philip walked in behind her and noticed her looking around.

  Danika turned to her uncle. “I don't see your truck anywhere,” she said.

  “Truck?” A puzzled look crossed Philip's face. He raised his eyebrows and nodded knowingly, then gestured to the far side of the barn. He walked up to an open black, horse-drawn carriage and placed the suitcase in the back seat. Danika's jaw dropped open and she just stood there, staring in disbelief. Philip escorted her to the buggy and helped her up onto the front seat.

  “Oh wow!” she gushed, looking around inside the buggy. “This is so cool! I've always wanted to ride in one of these things. Did you rent this just to pick me up?”

  Philip seemed to be at a loss for words. “Uh, well –” he stammered.

  “You are so thoughtful! You really didn't have to go to all that trouble,” Danika continued excitedly. “That is too sweet. Oh, this is awesome! I can't wait to tell Cindy about this.”

  “Well, I actually didn't rent the buggy – it belongs to me.”

  “Oh. So you give other people rides then? Could you give my friends and me a ride in it sometime? I've never ridden in carriage, so this will be my first time. I've seen them in movies before, and I've always wanted to, but I've never had the opportunity. This is going to be so cool!” She bounced on the seat felicitously.

  Philip smiled at her enthusiasm, knowing it would be short lived. “I don't exactly give people rides, this is how we get around.”

  “Oh, so what about your car?” She cocked her head to one side. “Is it in the shop or something?”

  “Nee. No. I mean, this is how we always get around,” Philip said, as he clicked his tongue to signal the horse to move. The brown mare started out in a gentle trot, and then slowly picked up speed as they merged onto the road.

  “Whoa whoa whoa...wait a minute, what do you mean?” Danika asked, not sure
she was fully comprehending what he was trying to tell her.

  “We – I don’t own a car. We do not drive automobiles,” Philip stated emphatically. “We use this spring buggy when the weather is nice and the enclosed gray buggy when it turns cold.”

  “You mean...” Realization slowly dawned on her. “This is your car?”

  “In a way, yes,” he affirmed.

  “Oh, not as cool as I thought.” She grimaced.

  Wow! This is going to be interesting. I've got to call Cindy, Danika thought as they traveled toward Paradise...at a very slow pace, she realized. “Do you mind if I use your phone to call my friend when we get home? My cell phone is dead and I need to charge it,” she asked.

  “We don't have a telephone. However, there is one in the herb shop, but it has only been approved for business use. Considering the circumstances, I suppose it'll be okay for you to use it this one time,” Philip offered, referring to the health food store that sat next to the house on their property.

  “Nah, that's okay. I'll just shoot her an email,” she said decidedly.

  Philip shrugged.

  No phone! Oh my, this is going to be an adjustment. First, no car. Then, no phone. What's next, no television? Danika felt herself spiraling into panic mode.

  As they pulled into the yard, an obviously pregnant woman came out of the house with two small children in tow. One of them, a little girl, seemed to be about four or five years old. She was dressed in a plain, dark-green dress with a black apron that matched the woman's. The other child, a little boy that appeared to have just started walking, matched Philip – suspenders and all!

  “Danika, this is my wife, Naomi. And this is Katie and Philip Jr. - we call him PJ for short,” Philip said.

  Naomi reached out her hand to shake Danika's. “Nice to meet you, Danika. Why don't you come on in and get settled?” the kind lady offered, as she led the way into the house.

  As Danika followed Naomi into the house, she noticed that there were no lights on inside. Now she was really starting to worry. “Uh, Mrs. King, why are all the lights off?”