Last Bride, The (Home to Hickory Hollow Book #5) (26 page)

Lloyd and Hannah King, Marcus’s parents, were also at the feast and the afternoon Singing offered by the youth for the older folk. The youth sang two of Tessie’s favorite faster songs, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “He Leadeth Me.”

While they sang, Tessie considered the wisdom of her mother, who’d encouraged her to seek out Lloyd and Hannah to invite them to be involved in Marcus’s and her child’s life . . . when the time came. Lloyd had humbly apologized to Tessie Ann that day for saying she’d lied about eloping with his son. And Tessie had shaken his hand, encouraged by this change in their relationship.
Marcus would have been glad to
see it
, Tessie thought, remembering.

Ella Mae Zook sat there in the front room with her daughter
Mattie and son-in-law David, singing along and obviously enjoying the lovely old hymns, moving her little head slowly from side to side, eyes closed.

From her place next to Levi, Tessie noticed Dawdi Dave glance over at the Wise Woman every so often. She couldn’t help but smile at the sweetness all round.

She turned her attention back to Levi, and her new husband looked fondly at her. Oh, she could scarcely grasp the many blessings of this never-to-be-forgotten day.

Tessie remembered the psalm her father had read at family worship just last evening and embraced it as her own:
He healeth the broken in heart, and
bindeth up their wounds.

A
couple days after the wedding, I was just itching to go and visit Mandy. Passing by the old tree, I made my way into the familiar house. It wasn’t until then I realized I’d failed to look up longingly at my old oak.

I found my sister sewing the prettiest baby quilt in the kitchen, near a big black pot of stew simmering on the stove. “That’s real perty,” I said, eyeing it.

“Well, it’s for
you
.” Mandy held up the cradle-size quilt, displaying both sides. “For your baby, I mean.”

My heart dropped. “Oh.”

“Wrong color, maybe?”

“Ach, not at all.”

“
Gut,
then, ’cause that’ll leave me plenty-a time to make one for
my
little one, too.” Mandy smiled mischievously.

“Puh, aren’t you a tease!” I pulled out a chair and sat down beside her, reaching for her hand.

“If the midwife’s correct, our baby’ll come in December.”

“A wee Christmas gift?”

“Close to the day, maybe.” Mandy nodded. “And just think, my little one will only be a few months younger than yours, Tessie Ann. Our two should be dear, close cousins, jah?”

I leaned to embrace my sister. “I’m ever so happy for you.”

“Sylvan’s been walkin’ around like we’re havin’ twin boys or some such thing.”

“Twins, really?”

“Might be. Mattie Beiler says she doubts it’s only one baby I’m carryin’.”

It wondered me how the midwife could know this so soon, but I didn’t question. Mattie had delivered oodles of babies, so she would know, if anyone did. Besides, twins would surely be a double joy for my sister after her long wait for a babe of her own.

When my labor pains grew on that early July afternoon, Levi fairly flew out to the phone shanty. Soon enough, our good driver, Thomas Flory, arrived in his van and rushed us to the hospital, where in just a few more hours we welcomed tiny pink May Sarah Smucker into the world, named for both Levi’s Mamma and mine.

I remembered the
gut
doctor’s advice, and a week later Levi and I took our baby to the Strasburg clinic to be screened for genetic diseases. Wonder of wonders, little May was as healthy as could be, free of the dreaded genes that might’ve caused her brain damage, terrible pain, or even eventually taken her life.

Dat and Mamma reckoned it a divine miracle, and Levi
pronounced it an added
Sege—
blessing. I held baby May close to my heart as we rode back home, then placed her in the rocking cradle Levi had made. It was soothing to me, watching her sleep and breathe, and I offered up a prayer of thanksgiving in gratefulness for this answer to the many prayers I’d offered these past months. How this day might’ve turned out, bringing with it a far different outcome! But really, what mattered most was trusting our heavenly Father.
“The trials only come to
make us stronger,”
Cousin Emmalyn had encouraged me recently.

There was more to living a devout life than striving to follow rules—trying to do everything right. Jah, ever so much more.

I knelt at the cradle, rocking it slowly and gently. And I peered down with wonder at this precious new life. “I’m here to love ya, baby May,” I whispered, eager to teach her to trust wholly in the Lord and to appreciate the power of patience.

And to embrace and know the beauty of grace—God’s glorious grace.

P
ieces of my heart must surely reside in Hickory Hollow, at least part of the time—the story people who “live” there are that precious to me. Perhaps, if you haven’t had the opportunity to view the footage of this lovely and very real setting (with a fictitious name), you’ll want to watch “Glimpses of Lancaster County with Beverly Lewis” on YouTube. The area is splendid, if not heavenly.

I am grateful for the continued encouragement and insight of my editors, David Horton and Rochelle Glöege. Thanks, as well, to my most supportive first reader, David Lewis, my novel-writing husband, partner, and collaborator for our upcoming book,
Child of Mine
,
which releases June 2014.

My heartfelt appreciation also goes out to the Amish and Mennonite parents and children who suffer with severe genetic diseases. From them, I was blessed to glean not only vital information but plentiful doses of sweet-spirited consideration. I am forever grateful, as well, for the reams of enlightening
information I consumed over many months prior to the writing of this story, numerous articles (found in the
American Journal of Medical Genetics
) by renowned Dr. D. Holms Morton and his wife, Dr. Caroline S. Morton, as well as Dr. Kevin A. Strauss and others, each associated with the remarkable Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

The character of Ella Mae Zook, Hickory Hollow’s Wise Woman, has been inspired by two devout and endearing women, members of my father’s Lancaster congregation when I was growing up: Edna Keller and Helen Kline. Not only were they particularly wise, but they were warm and wonderful in all respects. Even now, I am taken by the extraordinary way Jesus’ love was extended through each of them to others. Their legacies continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew them—and in the imaginary narrative and wit of Ella Mae Zook.

May we daily demonstrate the tender compassion the dear Wise Woman offers so readily to Tessie and Mandy in this book, and to others in the novels I’ve set in Hickory Hollow. There, perhaps, in that very special place, we can meet ourselves anew.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Beverly Lewis
, born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, is the
New York Times
bestselling author of more than ninety books. Her stories have been published in eleven languages worldwide. A keen interest in her mother’s Plain heritage has inspired Beverly to write many Amish-related novels, beginning with
The Shunning
, which has sold more than one million copies and was recently made into an Original Hallmark Channel movie. In 2007
The Brethren
was honored with a Christy Award.

Beverly has been interviewed by both national and international media, including
Time
magazine, the Associated Press, and the BBC. She lives with her husband, David, in Colorado.

Visit her website at 
www.beverlylewis.com
 for more information.

H
OME
TO
H
ICKORY
H
OLLOW

The Fiddler • The Bridesmaid • The Guardian

The Secret Keeper • The Last Bride

T
HE
R
OSE
T
RILOGY

The Thorn • The Judgment • The Mercy

A
BRAM
’
S
D
AUGHTERS

The Covenant • The Betrayal • The Sacrifice

The Prodigal • The Revelation

T
HE
H
ERITAGE
OF
L
ANCASTER
C
OUNTY

The Shunning • The Confession • The Reckoning

A
NNIE
’
S
P
EOPLE

The Preacher’s Daughter • The Englisher • The Brethren

T
HE
C
OURTSHIP
OF
N
ELLIE
F
ISHER

The Parting • The Forbidden • The Longing

S
EASONS
OF
G
RACE

The Secret • The Missing • The Telling

The Postcard • The Crossroad

The Redemption of Sarah Cain

October Song • Sanctuary
(
with
David
Lewis
)
• The Sunroom

Amish Prayers

The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook

www.beverlylewis.com

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