An Amish Reward Read online

  “That old goat?”

  “Aunt Lucy, Ezekiel’s a couple of years younger than you are.” Becky pointed out.

  “Even so…ach, men!”

  Becky giggled as she climbed the stairs to go change out of her wedding dress. Who knew? Maybe Der Herr had a plan for Aunt Lucy and Ezekiel too. Only time would tell.

  Either way, it would be a fun topic of discussion for her and Isaac on their date tonight.

  TWENTY-TWO

  “Just two more weeks. Can you believe it?” Isaac’s excitement grew with each day their wedding date came closer. He reached over and grasped Becky’s hand.

  She glanced out at the scenery, seeming to enjoy the hills and lush landscape like he did. Kentucky was surely a beautiful state. “Jah,” she looked at him, sparking that familiar thrill in his heart. “I can’t wait.”

  “Is there anything you need? Anything we should buy since we’ll be in town?”

  “Ach, I don’t think so. I haven’t gone through my soap shipment yet. I think I’ll wait until after we’re married to begin my soapmaking.”

  “I imagine you’re busy now, with making your dress, sending out invitations, and what not.”

  Ezekiel had mentioned something about suspecting the ladies were up to wedding shenanigans, whatever that meant.

  “Jah.” She smiled. “I had a thought.”

  “About?”

  “Well, I know they’re older, but what do you think about asking Aunt Lucy and Ezekiel about being our side sitters?”

  He scratched his head, contemplating the idea. “I wouldn’t mind, but I’m thinking they’ll be much too busy with food and everything.”

  “Ach, you’re right. I hadn’t thought of that.” She frowned. “Is there someone else you can ask?”

  “Perhaps. We’ll see. But don’t worry about it. We’ll figure something out.” Actually, he already had something in mind but he wanted it to be a surprise for his future fraa.

  “Okay.” She shrugged.

  He leaned and lightly nudged her shoulder with his own. His mouth curved into a smile. “So, you’ve noticed it too? The attraction between Ezekiel and your aunt.” His brows raised twice in quick succession.

  “Ach, jah. What do you think?”

  He lifted his shoulders. “I could see it work. Maybe.” He laughed. “I don’t know. Your aunt would be a handful.”

  “But Ezekiel keeps her on her toes. You should have seen them earlier.” She shook her head.

  “It would be interesting for sure and for certain.”

  “Jah.”

  He maneuvered the buggy to the side so a vehicle could pass. “So, what’s on our to-do list still?”

  “I need to finish making your pants and vest. You said you already had a shirt, ain’t so?”

  “Jah. And, technically, I could use my Sunday meeting clothes.”

  “Nee, I want to make your wedding clothes.” She smiled.

  “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

  He loved her shy smile. “Jah. But you can tell me again. I don’t mind.”

  Ach, he wished he could share the exciting news he’d heard today, but he’d just have to be patient. Becky would find out soon enough. Just one more week.

  ~

  Isaac sat on his shoeing stool, continuing the task at hand. He picked up the horse’s hoof and examined it. “Hey, Ezekiel, you ever think about getting hitched?”

  Ezekiel’s brow shot up and it seemed like he nearly let the horseshoe slip from his hand. He recovered with a casual shrug. “Sure. When I was your age or younger. I mean, doesn’t everyone think about that at one time or another?”

  “I suppose so.” Isaac stared at him. “And now?”

  “Now what?”

  “You ever think about it now? You know, with Becky and me getting hitched and all.”

  Ezekiel sneered. “I’m too old to be thinking on things like that.”

  “Says who?”

  “Everyone.”

  “Who cares what everyone else says or thinks. If I thought that way, I wouldn’t have ever met the most wonderful woman alive. And I certainly wouldn’t be marrying her.”

  “Jah, but you’re still young. I’m old enough to be a grossdawdi.”

  “My father was older than you when my mamm had me.” Isaac shrugged.

  “Nah, marriage isn’t for me.”

  “Why not?” Isaac challenged.

  “I already told you. Besides, there’s no woman alive that would have me. Old bachelors are too much work.”

  Isaac laughed. “Not for the right woman.”

  Ezekiel huffed. “Jah, if you say so.” Isaac caught the sarcasm in his tone.

  “What about Aunt Lucy? You two seem to have a friendship of sorts, ain’t so?”

  He shook his head. “She ain’t lookin’ for someone like me.”

  “How do you know? Did you ask her?”

  “Nee. And I’m not about to.” Ezekiel tossed the horseshoe onto the ground and walked out of the barn.

  Isaac smiled. Well gut, at least Ezekiel was thinking on it now.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Becky walked into the kitchen. Supper should’ve been ready about now. But it was strange. There didn’t seem to be anything cooking at the moment. The men should be coming in soon and they’d be hungry for sure and certain.

  “Aunt Lucy.” Becky walked to her aunt’s room. “Did you need me to make supper tonight? I didn’t smell anything in the kitchen.”

  “Oh, no. Abraham said that Ezekiel’s providing supper this evening.” Aunt Lucy’s brows shot up. “A man making supper. This should be interesting.”

  Becky chuckled. She did admit that she was curious about what Ezekiel would be bringing.

  She turned at the commotion near the door.

  “You women ready for some good eatin’?” Isaac grinned at Becky when their eyes met. He held a pie tin in his hands. Ezekiel walked behind him with a large covered pot and a smile on his face.

  “What is it?” Becky followed the male crew to the kitchen.

  Isaac’s expression widened even more. “Venison stew. Just wait.”

  Ezekiel smiled. “It’s always been Isaac’s favorite.”

  “Ach, really?” Becky gasped. “He didn’t tell me that.”

  Isaac shrugged. “Never came up. Besides, Aunt Lucy’s been doing most of the cooking.”

  “I’ve never made venison stew,” Becky admitted.

  “Well then, maybe Ezekiel here will show you. He makes the best. Well, after my mamm’s.”

  “Your mother didn’t have a recipe?” Becky frowned.

  “Nee. Do you like to use recipes?”

  She shrugged. “For things I don’t know how to make.”

  “I can teach you how to make venison stew, Becky.” Aunt Lucy entered the kitchen. “There’s nothing to it.”

  “That’s just ’cause you don’t know how to make it right,” Ezekiel challenged.

  Aunt Lucy planted a fist on her hip. “We will see about that.” She pointed to the pie tin. “And what’s that? Minced meat pie?”

  “Nee, schnitz.”

  “You made a schnitz pie?” Aunt Lucy didn’t even attempt to mask the skepticism in her tone.

  “Ain’t too bad if I do say so myself.” Abraham interjected as he entered the kitchen.

  Becky took the bowls from the cupboard and placed them at each setting on the table, along with a spoon. “I think your bread will go well with this stew, Aunt Lucy.”

  “Bread is perfect with it.” Ezekiel said looking at Aunt Lucy. “Is it fresh?”

  “Baked this morning.” Aunt Lucy nodded.

  “Shall we sit down to supper now?” Abraham suggested.

  “Did everyone wash their hands?” Aunt Lucy asked before finding her own chair.

  After an affirmative answer, they each bowed their heads until Abraham completed the silent prayer.

  The stew was dished out and passed around and each person got a slice of bread.
r />   Ezekiel didn’t eat yet, but watched eagerly while Becky and Aunt Lucy took their first bites.

  Becky’s eyes widened at the explosion of flavor in her mouth.

  Isaac grinned and squeezed her fingers. “See what I mean?”

  “Ach, Ezekiel, this is very gut.” Becky gushed.

  All eyes turned to Aunt Lucy.

  She nodded slowly. “It’s…pretty good, Ezekiel.”

  “Pretty good?” He sputtered.

  Aunt Lucy shrugged. “Not bad for a man.”

  “Well then, you’ll just have to show me how it’s done.” Ezekiel insisted.

  “Challenge accepted.” Aunt Lucy nodded.

  Becky and Isaac exchanged a glance.

  Ezekiel took a bite of his bread slice. “You’ll have to teach me how to make this too.”

  Aunt Lucy nodded. “And manners, it seems. You shouldn’t speak with your mouth full.”

  “Goodness, woman. You sound like you are mei fraa.” He shook his head. “Why don’t I just marry you?”

  Becky’s eyes widened and she glanced at Isaac, who grinned.

  Aunt Lucy’s shocked expression and loss for words was priceless. She sputtered a moment then found her tongue. “No woman in her right mind would marry you.”

  “Oh yeah, why not?” Ezekiel challenged.

  “Why not?” She shrugged. “Well, there are a lot of reasons.”

  “Like?”

  Abraham, Isaac, and Becky sat silently as they exchanged amused and perhaps slightly worried glances.

  “Like…like…well, first of all, you don’t just say Why don’t I marry you? You ask properly.”

  “And…that’s it?”

  “Well, give me time to think, for crying out loud.” She pointed at her bowl of venison. “Your soup.”

  “What about my stew?” He was clearly attempting to suppress a grin.

  “It…it needs…salt.”

  “And that’s a reason not to marry me?”

  She dipped her head.

  Ezekiel reached for the salt, stood from the table, then walked around to where Aunt Lucy sat. He handed her the salt.

  “What’s that for?”

  “You said you wouldn’t marry me because the stew’s not salty enough. Here you go.”

  She refused to take it.

  Ezekiel sprinkled salt into Aunt Lucy’s bowl. “Is that better?”

  “You are being ridiculous.”

  “Taste it.”

  She acquiesced and took a bite. “Yes, that’s fine.”

  “Gut.” Ezekiel leaned down, bent his head, then boldly kissed her on the lips. Right in front of everyone. “Now, Lucy, will you marry me?”

  Aunt Lucy’s mouth hung open and she sat speechless.

  Becky’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she looked at Isaac, who didn’t seem the least bit surprised. Had he known about this?

  “Well?” Ezekiel stood in place, staring at Aunt Lucy.

  “I…I…” Aunt Lucy shook her head. “I guess I’m all out of reasons.”

  “Jah, you are.” Ezekiel grinned. “Did you want to try to think of more?”

  “Nee.”

  “So, does that mean you’ll marry me?”

  Aunt Lucy turned and stared at Ezekiel, just stared at him as though she were studying him, as though she’d just really seen him for the first time. “Yes, Ezekiel.” Tears surfaced in her eyes. “I do believe I will marry you.”

  Becky turned at the sound of clapping. Abraham wore a huge grin on his face. “It’s about time, my friend.”

  Isaac joined in the clapping, then they all burst into laughter.

  “I think we need some schnitz pie to celebrate,” Abraham suggested.

  “Jah, jah we do.” Ezekiel bent down, briefly kissed Aunt Lucy again, then moved to get the pie.

  Becky sat in quiet amazement. Who knew that Der Herr would provide spouses for four people in just a short span of time, and out of the blue, nonetheless?

  Ach, denki, Gott.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  “Isaac!” Abraham walked over and stood directly in front of him.

  Isaac blinked. “Uh, jah?”

  “You haven’t heard a word I said, have you?”

  “Uh…no. Sorry.” He grimaced.

  Abraham grinned. “You know, I like Rebekah. A lot.”

  “You do? Me too.”

  “I can see that she’s been gut for you.” He nodded.

  “Jah, she is.” Isaac sighed dreamily.

  “But she isn’t gut for you while you’re supposed to be working. Half the time you’re not paying attention.”

  “What was that, Dat?”

  “Ach, you’re hopeless, sohn.” Abraham shook his head. He chuckled. “I guess I was the same way when I was courtin’ your mamm.”

  Isaac stared out toward the house.

  “Why don’t you go ahead and take the rest of the week off. You and your future fraa have a lot to prepare for your wedding, ain’t so?”

  “Jah.” Isaac grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Denki, Dat.”

  “Isaac?”

  “Jah, Dat?”

  “You didn’t happen to have anything to do with Ezekiel’s proposal, did you?”

  “Maybe just a little bit.” He held up his nearly pinched thumb and forefinger.

  “Jah, I thought so.” Abraham nodded. “Now, that is going to be an interesting marriage.”

  Isaac laughed. “Jah, for sure.”

  “With both you and Ezekiel getting hitched, I don’t see any work getting done on this ranch anytime soon.”

  “Nee, likely not.”

  Abraham shrugged. “Oh, well. I guess it is what it is.”

  “You asked for it.” Isaac grinned.

  “Jah, I guess I did. Didn’t I?” Abraham chuckled.

  ~

  Rebekah moved along the kitchen table, carefully pouring melted wax in each small jar. While her specialty was soapmaking, she enjoyed making candles occasionally too. She and Aunt Lucy had agreed that small candles would be perfect as favors for their wedding guests.

  “I just hope we have plenty. I really don’t know how many people to expect.” Becky glanced at Aunt Lucy.

  “Well, with the g’may and possibly their Englisch clients attending, it could be a rather large affair. Abraham and Isaac are pretty well-known throughout these parts, it seems.”

  “Ach, I just wish Mamm and Dat could be here.”

  “Have you heard from them lately?” Aunt Lucy followed behind her, sandwiching the wicks between popsicle sticks so they wouldn’t fall over.

  “I spoke with Mamm briefly the other day. They’re doing well.”

  “And that bruder of yours?”

  “Still up in Montana, as far as I know.”

  “We need to find him a maedel so he’ll settle down.”

  Becky shrugged. “Maybe he already has his eye on one up yonder.”

  “You think so? Is that what’s keeping him there? That would make sense.”

  Becky pointed to the candles she just poured. “Make sure those wicks stay in the middle. We don’t want any lopsided candles.”

  Aunt Lucy turned back to the task at hand, then glanced toward the window. “Did you hear a buggy? I think Ezekiel might be here.”

  Becky smiled. She still couldn’t get over Gott’s provision. “You know, I wasn’t sure if you would take to Ezekiel like you have. Isaac said he’s been a bachelor all his life.”

  “The way I see it, a man that’s been single that long is less work than the young ones. Think about it. They’ll know how to do laundry, at least be able to make a decent sandwich, should be adept at washing dishes, and the list goes on. Jah, they might be set in some things, but you gotta take the good with the bad.”

  “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

  They heard a knock at the door.

  Becky giggled and pointed to the door. “A knock. He knocked. It looks like you’ve got him trained already.”

  Aunt Lucy
rubbed her fingertips on her shoulder, then blew on them. “Yep. Bachelor Trainer Extraordinaire at your service.”

  “Anyone home?” Ezekiel peeked his head around the door. “You ladies aren’t hanging up undergarments or anything, are you?”

  Becky laughed.

  Aunt Lucy gasped. “Well, he still has a little ways to go.” She walked out of the kitchen. “Come on in, Ezekiel. No undergarments this time.”

  “Whew!” Ezekiel swiped his hand across his forehead. “Hey, it smells real purdy in here.”

  “It’s pretty, Ezekiel, not purdy. And pretty isn’t a smell, it’s a way to describe the way something looks,” Aunt Lucy corrected.

  “I don’t understand all that fancy talk, woman.”

  “Just say it smells nice. And I do have a name.”

  “But what if I think it smells better than nice, Lucy? What if I think it smells purdy, Lucy?”

  “Ach, you are incorrigible!”

  “I have no idea what you just said. But I’ll take it as a compliment.” Ezekiel’s grin widened and Becky caught a twinkle in his eye.

  Becky giggled. She loved being an observer when Aunt Lucy and Ezekiel…communicated. If that was what one could call it.

  Ezekiel stepped close to her aunt. “And I think you’re pur—pretty.”

  Aunt Lucy glanced at Becky. “Close your eyes, Becky, because I’m going to kiss this man right now.”

  “I do have a name, you know,” Ezekiel murmured.

  “Ach, you! Just kiss me already.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  TWENTY-FIVE

  “Becky, kumm!” Isaac called her from downstairs.

  She quickly tucked her journal away. Ach, she’d have to start a new one of a different kind once they were married. “Coming,” she called.

  What was Isaac so excited about, anyway? Not that they didn’t have a lot to be excited about. Nee, she couldn’t wait for their wedding day. It was just less than a week now.

  She hurried down the stairs.

  Isaac caught her hand the moment she touched the ground step and pulled her toward the door.

  Becky giggled. “What is it?”

  He bent down and snatched a quick kiss. “You’ll see, lieb.”

  Her mouth dropped as soon as she stepped outside. Tears rushed to her eyes as she stared at the large passenger van. Dat, Mamm, her brother, Laban, two of her sisters, Janie and Ruby, and their spouses, all poured out of the van.