Linda stepped out onto Saul’s front porch and shivered as the autumn breeze caught her cloak.
“Do you need my coat?” Aaron offered, taking her hand in his.
“No, no.” She shook her head. “I’m fine.” She smiled up at Aaron. “The wedding was schee, ya?”
“It was.” Aaron gave her hand a gentle squeeze and led her to the far corner of the porch.
“Madeleine and Saul looked so froh.” Linda sat on the swing. “Even Emma was beaming as they took their vows. I know they will have a happy life. It’s amazing how God brought them together.”
“You’re right.” Aaron sank down beside her and moved the swing.
Linda turned toward Aaron and found him staring toward the pasture. He seemed to have something on his mind, and she wondered what he was thinking. She admired how he looked in his plain shirt and suspenders. He had been baptized a week ago, along with Madeleine and the rest of the new members of the church. It seemed like only yesterday that he had come back to the community, and now he was an official church member. Time had moved so quickly.
Aaron had been able to sell his half of the construction business to his partner in Missouri, and he had enough funds to start a new construction business in Paradise. He called it Ebersol Family Construction, inviting Solomon and Manny to be his partners. “Mei bruder is finally going to realize his own dream of building houses,” Aaron had told her. He had also hired helpers for his father on the dairy farm.
“I want to ask you something,” Aaron finally said, looking nervous. “We had to wait until I joined the church to make things more official. Now that I’m baptized, I can ask you what I’ve wanted to ask you since last spring.”
Her heart thudded. She knew he was going to ask her to be his girlfriend, and she held her breath with anticipation.
“Linda, I’ve loved you since that day you calmed me down and fed me kichlin after that emotional conversation with my dat.” He chuckled. “I’ll never forget how you accused me of not knowing how to speak Dietsch.”
She grinned despite her swirling emotions. “Well, you did take your time using the language again.”
“You are mei best freind,” he continued as he held her hands in his. “You’re the most amazing, schee, loving maedel I’ve ever met, and I can’t imagine my life without you. Now that I have a haus and our construction business going, I can ask you the question I’ve been dreaming of asking you for months.” He paused, and her breath hitched. “Will you marry me, Linda?”
She gasped in surprise, and her eyes overflowed with tears. Happiness consumed her as she laughed, “Ya, I will. I will marry you, Aaron.”
“I’m the happiest man on the planet!” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I have something else to tell you.”
“What?” Linda asked.
“I found some land for us, and I want you to help me design our haus.”
“Oh my goodness!” Linda cupped her hand to her mouth. She was certain her heart might burst with all of the excitement.
“What’s going on here?” Carolyn Glick’s voice sounded from behind her.
Linda and Aaron stood and found Carolyn, Joshua, Saul, and Madeleine crowded around the front door.
“Did you two sneak outside to have a private moment together?” Madeleine teased. “We were just looking for you.”
“Aaron just asked me to marry him,” Linda said as Aaron rested his arm around her shoulder.
Carolyn and Madeleine squealed and then ran over and hugged her.
“We have another wedding to plan,” Carolyn said. “That’s so wunderbaar!”
“I’m so froh for you,” Madeleine said.
“Danki. I want to tell Hannah. Have you seen her?” Linda asked.
“Ya, I saw her talking with Amanda and Lillian in the kitchen,” Carolyn said. “Let’s go find her.”
Linda looked up at Aaron, who was being congratulated by Joshua and Saul. “I’m going to tell Hannah. I’ll be back.”
He stepped away from the men and smiled down at her.
“Take your time.”
“You’ve made me the happiest woman alive,” she whispered. “Danki.”
“No,” Aaron said. “I need to thank you for leading me home.”
As Linda walked into the house with Madeleine and Carolyn, she couldn’t stop smiling. How grateful she was to God for the gift of her community, her wonderful friends, and someone to love.