Rebecca Kertz - Jedidiah's Bride

The man studied her with an intentness that made her nape prickle. His dark hair under his straw hat was cut in the style of Amish men. His bright brown eyes, square, firm jaw and ready smile made her tingle and glance away briefly.

Her gaze settled on his shirt. She couldn’t help noticing the way his maroon broadfall shirt fit under his dark suspenders and the long length of his tri-blend denim pants legs. She had to look up to meet his gaze. He stood at least eight inches above her five-foot-one height. His arms looked firm and muscled from hard work. Sarah felt her face warm and she quickly averted her gaze.

Thomas tugged on her arm. “Can we go back to our table now?”

“We promise to be gut and sit nicely in the chairs,” Timothy added.

Sarah studied them a moment, until she realized that they were sincere. “Go ahead. Make sure you listen to Mary Alice...and sit and behave!”

With a whoop of joy, the boys scampered back to their table. Sarah watched with relief as they kept their word and sat in their chairs. Mary Alice was busy selling baked goods. There were several people waiting in line to make a purchase. “I should get back—my cousin needs help selling our cakes and pies.” She also didn’t trust her brothers to behave for much longer. “Danki for rescuing the boys—”

He smiled. “Jedidiah Lapp.”

“And I am Sarah Mast.” She returned his smile. The intensity of his regard made her face heat. “I hope you sell everything you brought today, Jedidiah Lapp.”

“I hope all of your cakes and pies sell quickly,” he replied.

She was conscious of the man’s gaze on her as she hurried back to her table. A pie, she mused. She’d bring him a cherry pie in appreciation. Perhaps purchase some plants from him for their vegetable garden.

She chanced a quick look toward his table, watching as he helped a customer make a purchase. Jedidiah Lapp, she thought, intrigued. He remained in her thoughts as she worked with her cousin to sell the rest of her baked goods.

As the day went on, Sarah couldn’t help the occasional glance toward his table to see how Jedidiah was doing. Normal curiosity about the man who saved my bruders, she told herself when she caught herself looking toward him often. Or is it?

* * *

Later that afternoon, when she’d sold all of her baked goods but one, Sarah picked up the cherry pie she’d saved for Jedidiah and headed toward his table.

“I see you sold most of your items,” Sarah said with a smile as she approached.

With an answering grin, Jedidiah came out from behind the stand. “Most, but not all. What we don’t sell today, we’ll sell tomorrow,” he said. “Will you return?”

“Nay,” Sarah said, feeling suddenly disappointed. “We had a gut day, too. Sold everything we intended.” She handed him the pie. “I saved this for you. I hope you like cherry.”

Jedidiah looked startled. “It’s my favorite. How did you know?”

“I didn’t,” Sarah said, pleased by his reaction. “I’m glad to hear it.” The man’s eyes suddenly focused on something behind her. She turned and saw her young brothers as they approached.

“They don’t seem too upset by the experience,” Jedidiah said as he met her gaze.

“Not a bit,” she agreed with a half smile. “But I can’t say the same for you or me.”

“When are we going for ice cream?” Thomas asked.

Timothy jerked a nod. “Ja, when can we go?”

“Is that any way to greet Jedidiah?” Sarah scolded.

They looked at Jedidiah and grinned. “Hallo, Jedidiah. Have you seen the puppy?”

“Timothy!” Sarah exclaimed, embarrassed.

The man laughed. “I’m sure my brothers and I were just like them.” He tugged on the brim of the boy’s hat. “Afraid I haven’t seen the puppy, but don’t worry—I’m sure he’s all right.”

Both brothers looked relieved. “We don’t have a dog,” Thomas said. “We want one, but Dat said it wouldn’t be gut for Mam.”

Jedidiah studied her with a curious frown. Sarah looked away, unwilling to satisfy his curiosity. She wasn’t going to tell him about her ill mother. She’d come not only to give him the pie but also to make a purchase. “I’d like four pepper and three tomato plants.” She drew money from her apron pocket. “And that wooden bin.”

He quickly placed the plants in a plastic bag. After the exchange of money, Jedidiah picked up the vegetable bin. “May I carry this to your buggy?”

Sarah nodded, pleased. “That would be helpful.” She gestured to her brothers to follow and led Jedidiah to her family’s buggy, where Mary Alice stood outside waiting.

“Jedidiah, this is my cousin Mary Alice Troyer. Mary Alice, this is Jedidiah Lapp from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.”

“Jed,” Jedidiah invited, meeting Sarah’s gaze with a warm smile before turning toward her cousin. “Jed is fine.”

After her cousin and he greeted each other, Jedidiah leaned inside to place the bin toward the rear interior of the vehicle and straightened. “There you go.”

Sarah nodded her thanks. “Gut sales tomorrow.” She climbed into the buggy and took up the reins.

“Behave and keep out of trouble,” Jedidiah said with a smile to the twins, who assured them they would try. “You should mind your mam.”

“We will!” the boys said simultaneously.

Sarah urged the horse on and with a wave she steered the buggy out of the Spence’s lot, then left onto the paved road. She glanced back once to see Jedidiah—Jed, she thought—still standing in the same spot. She hesitated and then waved a second time. She saw Jed lift a hand again in a silent farewell before he returned to his stand.

As she steered the horse toward home, Sarah thought of Jedidiah and sighed with regret. Too bad I’ll never get to see him again.

Chapter Two

Saturday, after a day spent at the Sale, Jed and Arlin returned to their cousin’s house and pitched in to ready the Miller property for tomorrow’s church services. The bench wagon had been pulled up to the barn. Services would be held in a large open area in the new building. Jed grabbed a bench, carried it inside and set it down. “This in the right place?” he asked their cousin and host, Pete Miller.

“Ja, that is gut,” Pete said. “We’ll need all of the benches in the wagon and some of the chairs from inside the house. We have guests coming from another district. I hope we have enough room.”

Jedidiah studied the huge barn that had been cleared for tomorrow’s use and nodded. “Looks to me like you’ll seat fifty to sixty easily. Will there be more than sixty coming?”

“Nay.” Pete took off his straw hat and wiped his brow with his shirtsleeve. “Maybe just under fifty.”

“No need to worry, then,” Arlin said. “You’ll have plenty of room without the chairs.”

Jedidiah, Arlin and Pete made several trips with benches. Pete’s two eldest sons pitched in to help finish the job, as did two other churchmen who arrived a half hour after they had. It wasn’t long before the room was set up with benches on three sides facing the area where the appointed preacher would stand and speak. The women would sit on one side, the men on the other. Women with their children would remain together, listening and singing the hymns sung every church Sunday. After services, the church community would gather outside to enjoy the midday meal. The women had prepared food prior to Sunday, and cold meat, salads, vegetables and desserts would be shared among the families. The men usually ate first, with the women and children taking their meal afterward, but tomorrow would be different. The church elders had decided that families would be allowed to eat together this church Sunday.

After they’d finished with the benches and brought in the Ausbund hymnals, the men lingered outside and enjoyed glasses of lemonade from the pitcher that Pete’s daughter Lydia had brought them. As they quenched their thirst, they chatted about Sunday services, the weather and the crops they’d planted this year.