34

Leah arrived home by bus three days before Ellie’s wedding, and Ellie was eager to see her. Thankfully, Leah didn’t make her wait long.

Spotting her out on the road from the front room window, Ellie rushed to open the side door. Then there she was, her precious friend, grinning as tears welled up.

“I almost rang the dinner bell, I’m so happy to see ya!” Leah said as she stepped inside and reached for Ellie’s hands. “But I didn’t want to alarm anyone.”

Ellie embraced her. “It’s wunnerbaar-gut you could get home. Mamm’ll be so glad to see ya, too. All of us will.” She laughed, looking at her friend. “You haven’t changed one bit. But me . . . well, I’ve got no eyebrows, like I wrote ya.”

“How much hair did your Mamm have to cut off to even it out?” Leah asked, hanging up her coat on one of the available wooden pegs around the corner. “In your letter, ya said you couldn’t even look at the hair falling on the kitchen floor.”

“I was actually holdin’ my breath. Like yours, my hair had never been cut, ya know.”

“Well sure.”

“Let’s just say that when I washed it and then brushed it out, it came to only partway down my back. Thank goodness I can still put it into a tidy hair bun.” She sighed. “Let’s talk about somethin’ else, okay?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.” Leah went on to say that her coming home was possible only because Carolyn’s parents agreed to travel to help with the children in Chambersburg for the week.

“I’m thankful for that,” Ellie said, leading her into the front room, where the heater stove kept the large area warm and cozy.

Mamm looked up from her stitching, and a big smile burst across her face. “Willkumm Heem, Leah,” she said, setting her handiwork aside.

“It’s gut to be back,” Leah said, sitting in a chair near Mamm. She expressed delight in seeing her, and they talked briefly about the pillowcase Mamm was cross-stitching. Then Leah said, “In my happiest dreams, Ellie was always my sister.” She glanced at Ellie. “Sol’s made a wunnerbaar-gut choice in a mate.”

“And Lyle and I are very pleased with our soon-to-be son-in-law,” Mamm said, which made Ellie equally glad. “He saved Ellie’s life in the fire.”

“He’s so humble that he won’t take credit for it,” Leah replied. “Says the Lord led him to find her lyin’ there.”

Mamm nodded. “We believe that wholeheartedly.”

Again, Ellie turned the conversation away from the fire. “Say, do ya need any help with finishing touches on your bridesmaid dress, maybe?”

“It just needs hemming, which I can do after Mamm pins it for me.” She smiled. “You have no idea how eager I was to get here. Had to drop my bags and come right down to see ya, Ellie . . . always the sister of my heart. Now part of our family in just three days.”

Ellie nodded, gazing at her. “How long are ya here for?”

“Thursday mornin’ I head back.”

“Your family must be awful happy to see ya.”

“I’m not so sure they’ll let me leave again. At least, that’s what Dat said first thing he saw me today,” Leah replied with a smile. “Sol was nodding along.”

“Can’t blame them. Wish there was a way for you to work round here instead.”

“That’s up to Reuben. Oh, before I forget, Sol wants ya to show me the set of china he bought for yous.”

“Sure. Come out to the kitchen pantry—the big box is in there. It’s a practical yet lovely engagement gift.”

Leah smiled. “Sol always seems to know what to choose, considering all the nice birthday gifts he’s given me and our Mamm over the years.”

In the walk-in kitchen pantry, Ellie showed Leah the pretty white dinner plates with a raised circular design along the rim. “It’ll be perfect for special occasions.”

Leah ran her finger over the lovely motif. “You’re right. My brother does have gut taste!”

After their short visit, Ellie walked with Leah down to the end of the lane. “I hate to see ya go,” she said.

“Oh, I’ll be down tomorrow if ya need any help.”

“Well, Mamm has everything assigned, but come. We can just relax and visit again.” Ellie went on to say they expected up to three hundred and fifty guests for the wedding feast. “So Dat and my brothers’ll be moving the partitions out of the house come Monday night to get ready. And Sol’s gonna slaughter thirty-six chickens over at Aendi Miriam’s house first thing Monday mornin’. Ain’t the most pleasant task for the groom, but it’s tradition, and Sol’s been practicing with the ax—one chop, ya know.”

“That sounds like him. Well, I’ll see ya tomorrow.” Leah turned to go up the road.

“Denki for comin’!” Ellie called, watching her almost-sister running now, skirt tail flying.

On the morning of her wedding day, Ellie rose very early and straightened up her room. She would soon welcome her darling there and wanted the place to look extra nice for their first night together.

Then she looked in the mirror at her eyebrows. They were still scarcely there, but at supper last night, Dawdi Hezekiah had tried to assure her, saying he doubted Sol would be fretting about her eyebrows today. “Your husband-to-be will be interested in makin’ his vows to you and God—and starting his new life with ya, Ellie.”

Later that morning, Ellie and Mamm headed up to her parents’ room, where Mamm closed the door and reached for her hands. With tears glimmering, she said softly, “May this be a most blessed day for you and Sol, dear. Ever since you were born, your father and I prayed for the young man who would one day become your life mate, and now this wondrous day has come.”

Ellie fought back happy tears.

Her mother kissed her cheek. “Remember who brought yous together.” She glanced upward. “And always remember to trust Him daily as Sol’s wife and, Lord willin’, the mother of his children.”

“I promise.” Ellie still struggled not to cry.

“Sol’s love for you is all over his face. ’Tis a beautiful thing to observe as your mother.”

Ellie’s heart swelled with joy. “Denki for prayin’ for this day, starting all those years ago—you and Dat. Knowin’ this is so precious to me.”

“One day you’ll tell Sol and your own children ’bout it.” Mamm smiled tenderly.

“I can only try to be as kind and loving as you’ve been to me and my brothers and sister, Mamm.”

Her mother gave her a pretty tatted hankie. “I carried this under my sleeve the day I married your father.”

Ellie admired the pink roses. “You kept it for me?”

Mamm nodded. “You might want to give it to your youngest daughter someday.”

Deeply touched, Ellie kissed her mother’s cheek.

Mamm wiped tears from her eyes, then slipped out of the room.

I’m truly blessed, Ellie thought, placing the delicate hankie under her left sleeve.

The congregation began to sing the third verse of the familiar Loblied German praise hymn as Ellie walked single file behind her groom. Sol followed Leah and his brother Aaron ahead of him as the wedding party began the procession through the house and narrow passages of the crowded room. Close behind Ellie were Sol’s cousin Jake and Ruthann, the other two attendants. Sol and his young men were clad in black suits and long-sleeved white shirts, just as they would wear to Sunday Preaching service, while Ellie, Leah, and Ruthann wore their new blue dresses, overlayed with white organdy capes and aprons.

It was the day Ellie had contemplated even as a young girl. Now she was delighted to see so many relatives and friends as she followed Sol to one of the six cane-back chairs set aside at the front, where the bishop and other ministers sat. And as instructed beforehand, she and Sol sat down in perfect unison, with Ellie, Leah, and Ruthann facing Sol, Aaron, and Jake.

During the second sermon, the main one, Ellie listened attentively as the bishop pointed out the well-known couples in the Old Testament—Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, and Ruth and Boaz. Then he read from the New Testament, “‘Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it,’” followed by another verse, “‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.’”

When the time came for Ellie and Sol to stand before Bishop Mast, Ellie’s heart was filled with love as Sol held her hand. Sol was to be honored and commended for his determination to be all he could be for her and for the Lord. And looking into his face, she felt truly grateful to be his bride.

After their vows were made and the bishop had prayed a blessing over them, Ellie felt her face warm as she and Sol returned to their seats. God’s presence is here, she thought.

One of the preachers gave a word of testimony, and then the deacon was invited to make remarks about the sermon, both ordained men in agreement with the Word of God. Last of all, the brethren gave their blessings for Sol and Ellie’s sacred union.

The service and the five-minute wedding ended with a prayer as all the People rose from their seats, turned, and knelt. Then after singing the final hymn, which referenced the glorious wedding of the Lamb—the Lord Jesus Christ—the official service was over, and the celebration of Sol and Ellie’s marriage was to begin.

Upstairs, Ellie and Sol met privately, as was the custom for newlyweds, where Sol took her in his strong arms and kissed her for the first time. She smiled sweetly, and he gave her another kiss, more ardently this time, and she wished they could stay right there forever.

“My precious bride,” Sol whispered. “I’m mighty happy.”

She searched his beautiful hazel eyes. “I know that feelin’.” Ellie remembered what Mamm had told her about praying with Dat for her husband. “God knew all along ’bout this day, jah?”

Sol smiled and reached to open the door. “He was leading us, every step we took, to each other.”

Ellie followed him down the hall and to the stairs, looking forward to the wedding feast and greeting their kinfolk and friends.

The start of our new life, she thought, holding her husband’s hand.