CHAPTER
thirty-seven

Monday morning, once the clothes were pinned to the line, Sylvia and her father rode over to Preacher Benuel Zook’s to talk with him together. Several inches of snow had fallen in the night, and the mare’s hooves on the road made muted sounds as they went.

When they arrived, Rebecca welcomed them into her toasty warm kitchen and pulled a third chair over to the side nearest the coal stove. Then she left the room, although Sylvia wished she might stay, sweet as the woman was.

Dat and Preacher Zook made small talk about the wedding season getting off to a strong start with weddings having taken place each Tuesday and Thursday since the first week of November. Meanwhile, Sylvia sat quietly, wondering if Andy’s father had any idea that she, too, once planned to get married this very month. He surely wouldn’t bring it up, even if he did. . . .

After they had talked about the weather and the upcoming farm auctions, Dat said, “Sylvia’s half sister has asked her to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next May.”

Preacher Zook glanced at Sylvia. “Is it your desire to do this?” he asked, looking rather serious all of a sudden.

“Jah,” she replied and held her breath for his answer.

“Do ya know anything about Englischer weddings, Sylvia?” he asked, his hands folded on his lap.

“Not a speck,” she replied.

He continued to regard her. “You might encounter worldly temptations you never have before. Are ya prepared to make wise choices?”

“I am.”

“And are ya still committed to bein’ baptized next year?” Preacher Zook asked.

She nodded. “Honestly, I’d be ready now, if it were the right time,” she told him, saying she was sorry now for not following through back in September. “I’ve repented in prayer for being impulsive and upset,” she said. “And thoughtless, too.”

The preacher’s expression softened, and a small smile appeared over his straight brown beard. “I appreciate your honest heart, Sylvia.”

Dat nodded his head in agreement.

She didn’t smile outwardly, but inwardly she felt sure Preacher Zook would not discourage her from going to Adeline’s wedding.

“So I expect you’ll be followin’ the Ordnung, even though you’ll still be in Rumschpringe?” Preacher Zook asked.

“Jah, I’m followin’ it even now,” she said. “And content to be.”

During their first counseling session, Adeline soon realized that Brendon wasn’t kidding about his leaning in the direction of becoming a Christ-follower, as his engaging friend Pastor Todd referred to Christians. Allegiance to Christ, she thought, paying close attention to how the pastor described it.

After the session, they arrived back at her apartment and discussed further what they had learned, comparing Scripture verses each of them had individually discovered in the book of John, which apparently they’d both been reading.

At one point, Brendon shook his head at the seeming coincidence of their both finding faith at this time in life.

She leaned close to kiss him. “All that matters now is that we’re on the same page,” she whispered.

“The same path.” He chuckled, and they talked about getting involved with Pastor Todd’s church. “How would you feel about that?”

“Sure, and we could ask him to marry us,” Adeline suggested.

Since they had earlier decided on a civil wedding, Brendon reiterated that he normally was not a second-guesser. “But, in this case, I’ll gladly make an exception,” he said.

She smiled, nestled in his arms, and admired her quilted wall hanging across from them, recalling the combined effort on the final stitching. United as family, she thought of Sylvia and Rhoda, knowing that she and Brendon were also united now in that same love of Christ.

Heavy snows fell that December. Sylvia was glad to receive frequent mail from Andy Zook, whom she saw every weekend, double dating with Cousin Jessie and her serious beau, Yonnie. On the coldest, most blustery Saturday evenings or Sunday Singings, Andy thoughtfully borrowed his father’s enclosed carriage for their use, making sure there were hot bricks on the buggy floor and plenty of heavy lap blankets for all of them. Yonnie brought blankets, too, and Sylvia had seen him and Jessie snuggled close in the seat behind her and Andy.

Sylvia most enjoyed going sledding and skating with Andy as part of a larger group of youth. As Christmas approached, there were indoor activities, too—table games, including Dutch Blitz, and Ping-Pong tournaments, dessert gatherings, and the annual caroling.

She also made time to create practical gifts for everyone on her list and keep up with Adeline’s letters, relieved to hear about her openhearted talk with Brendon some weeks ago. Sylvia wrote that she had already sewn the new black dress and matching apron for the wedding. She also confided that she hoped to have a proposal of her own someday, though because Andy was already baptized, he couldn’t propose to her until she, too, had joined church. Adeline’s letter in response to that had come more quickly than some of the others. So you must think he’s the man you want to spend your life with, Adeline had written.

Sylvia definitely felt that way and told Adeline so in her very next letter.

On the evening of Christmas Day, Andy arrived as planned to take Sylvia in his father’s carriage, and they rode the short distance to the farmhouse where Mahlon and Mamie Zook had lived for so many years. Mamie had since moved to the Dawdi Haus, and tonight it was Preacher Benuel Zook and his wife, Rebecca, who had invited Sylvia to supper.

Sylvia had heard of other couples sharing meals with each other’s families during holidays, or even of the beau visiting his sweetheart-girl in her parents’ home, but until now, she’d never done that. She wasn’t expecting anything romantic but knew without question that she was falling in love with Andy.

He’s considerate of my thoughts and feelings, she mused as they rode. And his endearing looks were enough to know that Andy also enjoyed her company very much.

“My family’s lookin’ forward to having you with us at Mamm’s table tonight,” he said as they pulled into the snowy lane.

“I’m happy to spend time with all of yous,” she said, smiling with anticipation.

“Susie’s already asked to sit next to you—Mammi Zook has claimed your other side. You’ll find you’re quite popular tonight,” Andy said as he helped her remove the heavy lap blanket. “Wait right there.” He got down and tied the mare to the hitching post and covered her with a horse blanket, then hurried around to stand below where Sylvia would step down, offering his hand. “I hope this is your best Christmas yet, Sylvie,” he said as she got out of the carriage.

She thanked him, and he escorted her to the back porch, where Rebecca warmly welcomed her, showing her where to hang her coat and scarf and outer bonnet. “You’ll be sitting across from Andy,” she said, which Sylvia thought was nice. So we can look at each other.

The doorway that led out of the kitchen into the next room was decorated with garlands of Christmas cards, and two tall red candles with greenery at the base already lit the table.

After the silent blessing, Rebecca passed a platter of savory meat loaf to her husband, who then passed it to Andy’s brother Michael, next to Andy. As Andy had indicated, Sylvia sat between Mamie and Susie, two of her favorite people. Sylvia had become well acquainted with Susie at the Singings in the past months.

“It’s nice to have ya with us,” Susie whispered.

With a nod, Sylvia agreed.

Mamie seemed to have a perpetual smile on her dear face, and it reminded Sylvia of Ella Mae’s cheery disposition.

Rebecca’s spread of food was as plentiful as if they hadn’t already had their Christmas dinner at noon. A large bowl of Basque potatoes sprinkled with parsley was within reach, and Rebecca invited her to help herself, after which Sylvia passed the bowl to Susie. Another large dish of cut corn, some pickled green tomatoes, chow chow, and dinner rolls still warm from the oven rounded out the delicious meal.

“Mamm outdid herself again,” Michael said from where he sat over near his father.

“Twice in one day,” Mamie agreed.

“She had lots of help,” Preacher Zook said, glancing at Mamie and Susie.

Andy nodded, lifting his gaze to Sylvia just then and grinning.

“Well, it’s Christmas, after all.” Rebecca leaned forward to smile at Sylvia. “And we have ourselves a special guest.”

“Denki,” Sylvia was quick to say, then smiled at Andy, who seemed to be looking at her each time she glanced his way.

During the course of the festive meal, Susie asked Sylvia if she was doing any quilting this winter. Sylvia first thought of the wall hanging she and Mamma had helped Adeline finish, but instead she mentioned the quilted potholders she had made as gifts for her aunts and many girl cousins.

“Sounds like you’ve been real busy,” Susie said, reaching for her glass of water.

“What ’bout you?” Sylvia asked. “Any quilting?”

“Oh jah. Mamma, Mammi, and I are workin’ on something,” said Susie, turning to glance at Rebecca. “It’s a surprise, though.”

Andy winked at Sylvia, and she guessed she had better not ask anything more about that.

Michael mentioned her father’s new clock shop in Bird-in-Hand. “Does he plan to have the same amount of inventory in town as at your shop over yonder?” He tilted his head in the direction of Sylvia’s house.

“Actually, more in town now, because of all the tourist traffic,” she said, wondering why he’d asked. “You could drop by sometime and see the place. It’s small but just the right size, really.”

Mamie was fairly quiet throughout the meal, although she did make a point of saying how blessed she had been by Sylvia’s parents after Mahlon’s passing. “They went far beyond the call of duty for me.”

“Well, we think of you as family,” Sylvia said, truly meaning it.

“Mahlon thought the world of your Dat.” Mamie gave her hand a pat. “I’m sure ya knew.”

Preacher Zook nodded his agreement, and his eyes grew misty. He didn’t say how pleased he was that his son was dating Earnest’s daughter, but there certainly seemed to be that undeclared understanding.

After the meal, Andy invited Sylvia into the front room, and they sat near the coal stove alone together while the other women cleaned up the kitchen.

“I think it’s safe to say that my family is quite fond of you,” Andy said.

“Well, I like them, too.” She was so happy to have this special time with him on Christmas night.

Just then, Andy leaned over and picked up something from the floor on the opposite side of the sofa. “Here’s a little somethin’ for you,” he said, giving her a wrapped present. “Merry Christmas, Sylvie.”

What a surprise!

“Open it,” he urged, leaning closer.

Carefully, she removed the pretty green and silver bow and the wrapping on the rectangular box. Opening the lid, she found a whittled piece of wood with these words carved into it: Love believes all things . . . hopes all things.

She looked at Andy. “Denki. Es is schee . . . so perty.”

He smiled. “Glad ya like it.”

She was delighted by the craftsmanship. “I know just where I’ll put it . . . on my dresser,” she told him. That way I can see it first thing in the morning.

“I chose First Corinthians, chapter thirteen, because I know you’ve endured some hard things where love is concerned.”

How well he understood her! “You know, whenever I might be tempted to wish I could change certain things in my life, I realize that the sadness and heartache eventually led me on the path to you.”

Andy’s eyes searched hers as he reached for her hand. “I love ya, Sylvie. I truly do.”

The sweetest words, she thought. Tears of joy pricked her eyes as she leaned into him, knowing she would remember this night forever.