Epilogue

July 14, 1894
Dovie

My father extended his hand and helped Ardella down the step from the train. She took her place beside him while he held out his hand to me. A full year had passed since I’d departed the colonies, but everything looked exactly as I remembered. “Don’t forget what I’ve told you, Dovie. You can change your mind at any time.”

I scanned the platform and sighed. Though I knew Berndt would be delivering bread in East Amana when we arrived at the train station in Main Amana, I had secretly hoped to see him waiting here when we arrived. I tried to hide my disappointment as I perched on my toes and kissed my father’s cheek. “That’s the same thing you said to me when we arrived at this train station a little more than a year and a half ago.”

My father chuckled. “You have a good memory, but I want you to be absolutely sure before you commit the rest of your life to a man who plans to live his entire life in the colonies. I know you love him, but I hope you understand that the changes in your life will be enormous.”

“I know, Papa. Remember, I lived here for eight months, and I am prepared to create a new life with Berndt here in East. In fact, I am probably as eager as you were to marry Ardella.” I smiled at the radiant woman who had married my father only a few months ago.

I had expected the twosome to wed immediately after the one-year anniversary of my mother’s death, but Ardella had insisted on waiting longer. Though I had assumed I would dislike Ardella, I had been surprised. She was nothing like my mother. Instead of a quiet, melancholy nature, Ardella, who’d lost her husband and both of her children in a train accident five years ago, discovered joy in most everything that touched her life.

When I’d asked how she managed to deal with the grief, she’d taken my hands in her own and said, “I have much for which to be thankful, Dovie. I refuse to let bitterness rule my life. After the death of my family, the Lord showed me that it is much better to rejoice in what I have than to dwell on what I’ve lost.”

Ardella’s explanation made perfect sense, and I decided that instead of dwelling on the loss of my mother, I would be pleased that my father had found a new wife who could make him happy—and that God had led me to a life in the colonies, where I could find my own happiness with Berndt.

My father went inside the depot to arrange for a buggy to East while Ardella and I remained on the platform with the baggage. She gazed around the village, and I did my best to answer her questions. Prior to our arrival, I’d tried to explain the different way of living and appearance of the villages. Now she was to see and experience the colonists’ unique way of life for herself.

The conductor sounded two short blasts of the whistle as the train chugged out of the station. Moments later, my father strode to Ardella’s side. A broad smile enhanced his good looks. Since meeting Ardella, he appeared ten years younger. There was no denying she’d had a good effect upon him. I glanced toward the station. “Is there a buggy to take us to East?” I’d been waiting a year to see Berndt, and I was more than ready to end our separation.

“Yes, but it will be a little while, so I said we would go over and get settled at the hotel.” My father grinned when I sighed. “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little longer before you see your intended. I thought we could unpack and the two of you could change clothes for Karlina’s wedding. That way we won’t need to return to the hotel prior to the ceremony. We’ll have more than sufficient time to visit with the family before the wedding.”

My heart warmed at my father’s reference to Karlina and her parents as “family.” During the past year, we had embraced the decisions of one another, and that acceptance had strengthened and enlarged our relationship. My father was eager for me to find happiness with Berndt, and I was thankful he’d begun a new life with Ardella.

After signing the register, he carried the baggage upstairs and gestured toward the door. “I believe it might be best if I remain out of the way while you and Ardella change and unpack.”

After placing a fleeting kiss on Ardella’s cheek, he hurried down the steps. “I’ll let you know when the buggy arrives. No need to come down before then.”

I arched my brows at his sudden decision to leave us to the unpacking, but Ardella waved him onward. Apparently she’d decided it would be easier to prepare for the wedding without my father pacing about. She lifted a pink day dress from the trunk and held it in front of her. “Now that we’ve arrived, I’m not certain this dress was the right choice. I don’t want to offend anyone.”

“No one will be offended by your choice of clothing, Ardella. Even though the people who live in the colonies choose to wear only dark clothing, they don’t expect the same from outsiders.” I smiled, lifted another dress from her trunk, and hung it in the wardrobe.

“Don’t fuss with unpacking the clothes right now, Dovie. We both need to hurry and get dressed for the wedding. We don’t want the buggy to arrive before we’ve changed.”

Over an hour passed before my father tapped on the door and entered. “Don’t you two look lovely.” His gaze swept over both of us. Ardella in her pale pink dress and me in my plain dark calico—complete opposites on the outside, yet two women who cared deeply for this wonderful man. He turned to me and winked. “The buggy has arrived, but I need to speak to Ardella for a moment. Why don’t you go downstairs and tell the driver we’ll be there shortly?”

“Of course, Papa.” I hurried down the steps and hoped they wouldn’t take too long. I’d been waiting to see Berndt for a year, and the time since our arrival had seemed to drag on forever. The driver was standing near the window with his back toward me. My shoes clicked on the wood floor as I approached. He turned.

“Berndt!” My heart raced at the sight of him. Forgetting all decorum and proper behavior, I ran to his arms and reveled in the warmth of his embrace. “Oh, how I have missed you!”

He pressed a kiss to the top of my head, and I held tight to him, enjoying the strength of his arms around me until I heard a tapping sound across the room.

We continued to cling to each other, but the tapping grew louder and the hotel clerk finally cleared his voice. Berndt and I turned to the old man who stood behind the desk. He pointed his finger at us. “This is not a gut way to behave! You should know better.”

At his strident reprimand, we jumped apart. I mumbled an apology and was thankful to see my father and Ardella descending the steps. A wide smile spread across my father’s face. “Were you surprised to see who I hired as our driver?”

Berndt grinned. “I’m not the driver. Brother Ackermann wouldn’t agree to let me take charge of his buggy, but he gave me permission to ride along.”

I looked back and forth between my father and Berndt. “How did you arrange for Berndt to meet us?”

My father’s eyes sparkled. “I can’t tell you all of my secrets. If I did, I’d have no way to surprise you in the future.”

His words had a soothing effect upon me, for I had worried that once I returned to Amana, he would completely withdraw from my life. I grasped his arm and smiled up at him. “Then in the years to come, I shall look forward to being surprised by you.”

“Good. Now we best be on our way. We don’t want to be late for Karlina’s wedding.”

Karlina

I sat on the edge of the bed and traced my fingers over gray pinstripes of my navy blue dress, which was carefully spread across the bed. Perhaps I should press the skirt one more time to assure myself that it was completely free of wrinkles. Even though my dress wasn’t a white satin wedding gown like those worn by outsiders, I had created it with as much love and attention as any lace-laden white gown. Besides, in the colonies white was worn only for burial—as a symbol of purity for the soul that ascended to God—never for weddings or other ceremonies.

I pictured myself walking forward to meet Anton in my navy blue dress, and I knew that no matter what I wore, Anton would think me beautiful. Hadn’t he repeated those very words to me throughout the past year? Still, I didn’t want to look down and see a wrinkle in the skirt of my dress. It was my hope that everything would be perfect when I took my vows and during the large reception that would follow.

Mother had worked feverishly over the past weeks. She’d arranged for flowers to decorate the tables, and along with supervising the preparations in our Küche, she had enlisted the help of the other Küchehaases in East. There would be plenty of food, of that I had no doubt. Wedding ceremonies might be simple affairs in the colonies, but the reception that followed was always a party to be enjoyed by everyone.

“Karlina! What are you doing up there?” My mother’s voice drifted up the stairs, and I jumped up from the bed. “I hear the wagon coming. You should be down here to welcome Dovie, ja?”

I pushed aside all thought of pressing my skirt and ran through the parlor and down the stairs. “My window was open, but I didn’t even hear the train whistle.”

My mother chuckled. “Because you spend all of your time lost in daydreaming. The train passed through Main Amana more than an hour ago.” She grabbed my hand and together we walked outside.

After stepping down from the buggy, Brother Ackermann turned and tipped his hat. “Guten Tag, Sister Louise and Sister Karlina.” He extended his hand to help Dovie out of the buggy. “Some of your wedding guests got here just in time, Sister Karlina.” With a glance over his shoulder, he shot a grin in my direction.

“I thank you for bringing them, Brother Ackermann. Since you won’t be here for the reception, perhaps you should step into the kitchen. One of the ladies will be pleased to cut you a piece of pie.”

He chuckled and nodded. “I thought you would never ask.”

I hurried forward to welcome Dovie. We had corresponded regularly since her departure last year, but it seemed forever since I had seen her. “You look wonderful. I’m so glad you’ve arrived.” As I drew her into an embrace, I glanced up and met her father’s gaze. I stepped back. “It is wonderful to see you, as well, Mr. Cates. And . . .” I hesitated as a lovely woman stepped to his side. I switched and spoke in English. “And I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Cates.”

Dovie hurried to introduce her stepmother and smiled with pride when the older woman answered in German. “She speaks quite well, don’t you think?”

I could see the relief spread across my mother’s face. Dovie’s stepmother would feel more included if she could understand the language. My mother ushered us into the Küche and suggested we visit in the upstairs parlor. “With all the baking and decorating, there is too much activity down here.”

Once upstairs, Dovie and I retreated to my bedroom. There wasn’t a great deal of time before the wedding would take place, and I wanted her to help me with my dress. “What do you think?” I nodded toward my dress on the bed.

Dovie stepped closer and examined the fine lace I’d tatted and attached to the cuffs and collar. “It is beautiful, Karlina. Anton is a very lucky man.”

I giggled. “He is wonderful, Dovie. I am so very happy that today has finally arrived, and we can soon begin our life together.”

“The elders have assigned him to remain in East permanently?”

“Ja. We will live here with Mutter and Vater. There is enough space, and it will prove easier for Vater. The elders said that it would be best for all of us.”

I hadn’t been surprised by the decision. Our house had enough bedrooms. Still, most couples received housing that included a private parlor, but Anton had agreed it would be easier to remain in a house not far from the sheep barns. His choice had warmed my heart. Once my father was certain of the decision, he made plans to rearrange the rooms. Anton and I would share my bedroom and the current parlor, while Anton’s former bedroom would become the new parlor for my parents.

I quickly explained the arrangement to Dovie. “I think it will be perfect for us.” I didn’t admit it, but I felt like a little girl who would soon begin to play house. “How are the rooms at the hotel?”

“The rooms are quite nice. We will be comfortable there.”

In her recent letter, Dovie had told me she would stay at the hotel with her father and his wife until her wedding. “I wish you could stay here until the wedding, but soon you and Berndt will be living—” I clapped my hand over my mouth. Berndt had told me that he wanted to tell Dovie about their living arrangements.

Dovie inched closer. “We will be living where? Tell me, Karlina.”

“I promised Berndt I would not say. He should be the one to tell you. But I can tell you that the elders assigned you to work with Mutter in the Küche. I hope that makes you happy.”

Dovie sighed. “I was very worried they might assign me to Sister Fuch’s Küche. I’m sure I could do so if I had to, but I have been praying they would assign me to work with Cousin Louise and the other sisters that I already know.”

“Then your prayers have been answered.” I gestured toward my dress. “Do you see any wrinkles in the skirt?”

Dovie lifted the dress from the bed and held it before her. “No wrinkles. It is perfect. And you must get dressed or you will be late for your own wedding.”

“I don’t think Anton would appreciate that, do you?”

We burst into laughter and soon my mother tapped on the door. “You need to stop chattering and get dressed, Karlina. This is not a day to be late. Elder Adler will not be happy if you keep him waiting in the July heat.”

Dovie helped me into my dress and insisted upon combing and fashioning my hair in a delicate knot at the nape of my neck. After seeing that the point of my shawl was centered, she gave a firm nod. “Perfect. You look beautiful.”

“Will your father and stepmother be shocked when they see me wearing a dark dress for my wedding?”

“I have explained everything to them. When I returned to Texas and told my father and Ardella that I planned to marry Berndt, she was eager to help me find fabric for the perfect wedding gown.” Dovie chuckled. “I think she was disappointed, but she understands that I will be wearing a dark dress for my wedding and the ceremony won’t be lavish.”

“For sure, that is true.” I leaned forward and kissed Dovie’s cheek. “I am thankful you have returned to live here. We may not share the same house, but we will always be friends.”

A tear glistened in Dovie’s eyes and slowly rolled down her cheek. “You are the sister I never had, Karlina.”

I wiped the tear from her cheek. “Ja, we will now be sisters in every way.”

Anton smiled at me as we walked to the front of the meetinghouse. I could see the joy that shone in his eyes as he pledged his love and stated his desire to marry me. He grasped my hand as Brother Adler bowed his head and prayed a blessing on our marriage. When the prayer ended, the elder declared our lives joined as husband and wife, but we knew there could be no kiss. Not in the meetinghouse, for that was forbidden. We returned down the aisle and exited through the doors at opposite sides of the meetinghouse.

Once outside, Anton raced toward me and scooped me into his arms. Twirling in a circle, he kissed me soundly and then lowered me back to the ground. “It is a wonderful day because I can now call you my wife.”

My father shook Anton’s hand and offered congratulations to both of us. “Now I think we should enjoy some of the gut food we left in the Küche.” He patted his stomach. “I am ready to eat and celebrate.”

Anton stole several kisses as we walked toward the Küchehaas, but I longed for time alone with him. Time when we could savor the presence of each other without interruption, but that wouldn’t happen until much later.

By the time we returned, friends and neighbors had already arrived for the reception. The women had decorated the dining room of the Küche with flowers they’d cut from their gardens or wild flowers from the surrounding fields. The tables were laden with tortes, pies, and cakes of every shape and size. Many had been baked in the other Küchehaases and delivered for the party. The long wooden tables had been moved outdoors, pitchers of grape and cherry juice sat on the tables for the children, and a barrel of grape wine sat at the ready for the adults.

I motioned for Dovie and Berndt to join us at one of the tables. Dovie carried several pieces of cake to the table and placed them in front of us. “You need to have some of this good food.”

I touched my hand to my stomach. “I am too excited to eat. In two weeks, you will know exactly how I feel.”

A wide grin split Berndt’s face. “It cannot come soon enough for me.” He leaned closer to Dovie. “I hope she feels the same way.”

Dovie giggled and rested her hand on Berndt’s arm. “You know I do.” She looked across the table and met my gaze. “Berndt has told me we will have the extra apartment in the house with his parents, but you already knew.”

“Ja, but I did not tell.” I arched my brows. “Does this make you happy?”

“Yes. I think it will be perfect. Berndt can bring me to the kitchen in the bread wagon each morning.”

“It is a gut arrangement, and I think you both will be happy.” I grinned. “Maybe not as happy as Anton and me, but you will be happy.”

The four of us laughed and talked, but soon other guests sat down to visit. A short time later, Anton took my hand and we slipped away and found a secluded spot beneath one of the large cottonwood trees.

In the shade of the low-hanging branches, he drew me into his arms. His lips traveled down the length of my cheek, and I dragged in a quick breath. He lightly kissed my neck and then captured my lips with his own. As if perfectly fitted, our lips melded together. I leaned into him and gave myself fully to his kiss.

He inhaled a ragged breath as we drew apart. Cupping my cheek in his palm, he looked into my eyes. “You have helped me to become a better man, Karlina, and I want to do everything I can to make you happy. I hope you believe that I will always love you.”

My heart fluttered at the sweetness and sincerity of his words. “It is God who has made you into a better man, Anton. I have thanked Him many times for bringing you into my life.” I tenderly touched my hand to his cheek. “I love you more than you know.”

His lips curved in a slow grin, and his eyes sparkled. “Then perhaps it is time for you to show me.”

“Perhaps I should!” Pushing caution aside, I stood on my toes until our lips touched in a gentle caress. Slowly he took command and claimed my lips with another kiss that left me breathless.

He smiled down at me. “That is a gut beginning.”