An Unexpected Joy Read online

  Copyright © 2015 by Ruth Reid

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

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  Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  ISBN 978-0-7180-4214-1 (eBook)

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  An Amish Christmas gift : three Amish novellas / Amy Clipston, Ruth Reid, Kelly Irvin.

  pages cm

  Summary: "Naomi's Gift by Amy Clipston -- Naomi has started to think that she isn't meant to find love, but she might receive more than she ever hoped for this Christmas.Twenty-four-year-old Naomi King, who has been burned twice by love, has all but given up on marriage and children. As Christmas approaches--a time of family, faith, and hope for many others--Naomi is more certain than ever her life will be spent as an old maid, helping with the family's quilting business and taking care of her eight siblings. Then she meets Caleb, a young widower with a 7-year-old daughter, and her world is once again turned upside-down. An Unexpected Joy by Ruth Reid -- Abigail has driven other suitors away, but can Micah find a way to show her he cares? Abigail Kemp has managed to frighten off every bu who's ever driven her home from a singing. Sure she will live to be an old maid, Abigail starts saving her money to buy a horse so she can at least have some independence. Micah Zook is looking for a caregiver for his grandmother, and Abigail needs a new job. He never expected that Abigail would talk so much. or that his grandmother would keep finding ways to set the two of them up. Despite Abigail's constant chatter, she and Micah become friends--until Micah makes a decision that leaves Abigail feeling betrayed. With Christmas in their midst, can Micah find a way to reconcile with Abigail and to reveal what's on his heart? A Christmas Visitor by Kelly Irvin -- Frannie Mast returns to Bee County for Christmas, but her heart stays back in Missouri with an Englisch farm boy. Frannie knows her parents have the best of intentions when they send her back to Bee County, Texas, to live with her aunt Abigail and her husband Mordecai. After all, she knows nothing can come of a relationship with Rocky, the handsome but Englisch farmer boy back in Missouri. It's best to put those feelings aside, no matter how hard it is. But all bets are off when Rocky follows Frannie to Texas to plead his case. Could he be the Christmas gift to end all gifts?"-- Provided by publisher.

  ISBN 978-0-7180-3965-3 (paperback)

  1. Amish--Fiction. 2. Christian fiction, American. 3. Christmas stories. I. Clipston, Amy. Naomi's gift. II. Reid, Ruth. Unexpected. III. Irvin, Kelly. A Christmas visitor.

  PS648.A45A34 2015

  813'.01083823--dc23

  2015015189

  15 16 17 18 19 20 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

  CONTENTS

  Glossary of Pennsylvania Dutch Used In Central Michigan District

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Recipes

  An Excerpt from A Christmas Visitor

  To Betty Reid (Memaw), my cherished mother-in-law. You’re a blessing!

  GLOSSARY OF PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH USED IN CENTRAL MICHIGAN DISTRICT

  ach—oh

  aenti—aunt

  boppli—baby

  bruder—brother

  bu—boy

  daed—dad

  danki—thank you

  Englisch or Englischer—a non-Amish person

  fraa—wife

  geh—go

  guder mariye—good morning

  gut—good

  haus—house

  hiya—a greeting

  jah—yes

  kaffi—coffee

  kalt—cold

  kapp—a prayer covering

  kumm—come

  maedel—young woman

  mamm—mother

  mammi—grandma

  mariye—morning

  mei—my

  nacht—night

  nau—now

  nay—no

  nett—not

  onkel—uncle

  Ordnung—the written and unwritten rules of the Amish

  Pennsylvania Deitsch—the language most commonly used by the Amish. Although commonly known as Pennsylvania Dutch, the language is actually a form of German (Deutsch).

  schul—school

  sohn—son

  wedder—weather

  welkom—welcome

  yummasetti—a traditional casserole common in Pennsylvania and Ohio Amish communities

  CHAPTER 1

  Abigail Kemp emptied her savings from the Mason jar onto her bed and began sorting the coins into piles. She counted her money each time she added to the jar and kept a detailed journal recording of each deposit—every cent—since last December. Once she realized she may never marry, she began selling baked goods and quilted potholders to save for a horse. In St. Joseph County, Michigan, an unmarried woman at twenty-two was more likely to get run over by a buggy than find a good man to marry—at least that was the joke at the youth singings. She met that milestone over a year ago, and now any offers to drive her home after the Sunday singings had dried up.

  Footsteps clomped outside the bedroom. Her sister Elizabeth stormed into the room. “The next chicken that marks its territory on my dress sleeve is going in the fryer.” She pulled the pins from her dress and slipped if off, letting the garment drop to the floor. “Do you want to trade chores this week?”

  “Picking eggs for sweeping and mopping? Absolutely.” Now that the weather had turned colder, the chickens weren’t laying as many eggs. Besides, doing chores first thing in the morning offered more time to prepare and deliver her baked goods without interruptions. Orders for her fruitcakes were already coming in, and with Christmas only a few weeks away, she would be busy just trying to stay ahead.

  Elizabeth scanned her side of the closet, pulled out a blue dress, looked it over, then exchanged it for the dark-green one.

  “Are you going somewhere special?” Abigail had only seen her sister fuss over what dress to wear for
Sunday singings.

  “James is giving me a ride to work.”

  Elizabeth was two years younger and fell in love with James the first time he offered to drive her home from a singing. He was kindhearted and Father liked him. Elizabeth would get married first. Abigail pushed the thought aside. Jealousy would not rob her joy.

  Abigail counted a stack of quarters and jotted the dollar amount on a piece of paper. “If you talked with the chickens more, they’d be less likely to perceive you as a threat.”

  “Change your mind about swapping chores?” Elizabeth fastened the front of her dress with pins.

  “Nett at all. I talk to them all the time and they don’t soil mei clothing.”

  “You’re the only person I know who can carry a one-sided conversation. And with chickens, of all creatures.” Elizabeth shook her head.

  Abigail chuckled. “They’re a trapped audience. They have to listen.”

  Elizabeth plopped down on the bed and motioned to the jar. “You’re always counting your money. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were worried Sadie or I were going to steal it.”

  “I’d never think that.” She clutched her chest, pretending to be appalled by the suggestion, but a giggle erupted. “I would accuse one of the boys first.”

  “You should rethink leaving it in plain sight and tempting our bruders.” Elizabeth smiled. “Unless you want to give someone an early Christmas gift, and if that’s the case, let it be me.”

  Elizabeth had worked at the quilt store in town since last summer, and she spent all of her paychecks on fabric. She probably owned every shade of dress color acceptable in their district and was likely the only woman to own a half-dozen pairs of black shoes—unlike Abigail who owned one well-worn pair of everyday shoes and five dresses. Her two nicer dresses she saved for Sunday services and youth singings; the other three she wore the remainder of the week, saving the brown one for messy chores.

  Abigail finished tallying her cash, then leaned against the pillow and smiled. “I almost have enough.”

  “You said that last month too.”

  Eight-year-old Sadie pushed open the bedroom door. “Mamm said it’s time for breakfast.” She continued down the hall, her shoes clacking against the wood floor. Her voice rang with the same announcement to the twins, Peter and Daniel.

  Abigail scooped the money into her hand and deposited it in the jar. “I should have mei driver by the first of the year if mei baked goods keep selling the way they have.”

  “I don’t know why a horse is so important,” Elizabeth said. “If you concentrated on finding a bu, your transportation problems would be solved.”

  Abigail laughed, although even to her own ears, it sounded insincere. She had been dreadfully focused on securing a husband ever since she started attending the youth singings at seventeen. But for whatever reason, every bachelor who had driven her home never found the courage to ask to drive her again. Don’t dwell on it. She prided herself on finding solutions rather than bemoaning her unfortunate situation. Buying the gelding from Mr. Troyer would allow more freedom, not to mention the time she would save walking to Centreville to sell her cookies. She wasn’t sure her boots could handle another Michigan winter.

  Abigail set the Mason jar on the chest of drawers and followed Elizabeth out of the room and down the stairs. The scent of bacon grew stronger as they neared the kitchen, and Abigail’s stomach rumbled. Mamm and Sadie were busy at the stove, Sadie spooning oatmeal into the bowls and Mamm flipping eggs in the frying pan.

  Abigail grabbed a stack of plates from the cabinet and placed them on the table while Elizabeth came behind her with the utensils.

  The boys clamored down the stairs, cleaned up and ready for school. They took their places at the table as the back door opened. Daed and her older brother, David, entered the house.

  Daed set the milk pail on the counter, then went to the sink and washed his hands. “Something smells gut.” He smiled at Mamm.

  “You say that every morning, Emery.” She winked at him and brought the platter of eggs and bacon to the table.

  Breakfast was Abigail’s favorite time of the day. She enjoyed the playful banter between her parents and the lively chatter during the meal. The day wouldn’t be the same if the boys didn’t complain about having to go to school, or Sadie didn’t prod them along to eat faster so they wouldn’t be late. Her younger sister loved school while Peter and Daniel couldn’t wait to finish their last year.

  Daed took a sip of coffee and cringed.

  “I should have warned you. We’re out of sugar.” Mamm turned her attention to Abigail and lifted her brows.

  “I’m sorry. I made extra batches of oatmeal and more peanut-butter cookies to sell at the market.”

  Her mother’s brows remained arched.

  “And four apple pies, but I’ll pick up more sugar when I’m in town today.”

  Mamm nodded. “Okay, but next time at least leave enough for your father’s morning kaffi.”

  “I will.” She glanced at her father’s scowling face. “I promise.” She waited a moment for the deep lines between his eyes to soften. “Can I borrow your horse and buggy to take mei cookies and pies into town? I won’t be gone long, and I’ll feed and brush Molly when I—” She glimpsed at her mother’s stern expression. The one she made when Abigail started rambling. According to her mother, Abigail’s mouth buzzed like bees. Lately Mamm had begun making buzzing noises whenever she thought Abigail was talking zealously. Abigail sucked in a breath and took a half-second to let her mother believe she was organizing her thoughts better, then opened her mouth to continue.

  “I already asked to use it.” David shoved a forkful of fried potatoes into his mouth.

  Her father nodded toward her older brother.

  Abigail sank lower in her chair. Ever since her brother’s horse became pregnant, David had dominated her father’s horse when it wasn’t in use. Knowing David, he wasn’t heading into town either. The entire family expected him to announce his engagement to Sally by Christmas.

  “James is picking me up,” Elizabeth said. “You can ride into town with us.”

  Normally she avoided being the third wheel, but carrying the extra pies would make the five-mile hike to town unbearable. “Danki,” she said softly, demonstrating enough reserve to make her mother’s lips stretch into a tight smile.

  Abigail stood and collected the dirty dishes from the table. She wanted to clean the kitchen before James arrived.

  A short time later, the washed dishes were drying on a dish towel, and Abigail was busy sweeping the floor when Elizabeth announced James’s arrival. Abigail emptied the dirt from the dustpan into the trash can. “Can I mop later, Mamm?”

  “Jah, geh on.” Mamm made a shooing motion with her hand, dismissing her and Elizabeth.

  Abigail put on her cloak and scarf, then grabbed the basket of baked goods. “Guder mariye, James.” Abigail climbed into the backseat.

  He flicked his brows at Elizabeth seated beside him, then offered a polite but tight smile to Abigail. “Where are you off to today?”

  “Gingerich’s Market, please.” Abigail hugged her basket. Perhaps if she increased the price of the fruitcakes, she would reach her goal faster and wouldn’t have to tag along on rides. “Are you getting ready for Christmas?”

  “Oh, I think so.” This time when he glanced at Elizabeth, his face was flushed.

  The trip into Centreville would have been silent had Abigail not kept the conversation going. She talked about the weather, the frozen pond where the youth gathered to skate, and how their town came to life during Christmastime with its lampposts decorated w
ith wreaths and bows.

  “Well, here you go.” James stopped the buggy next to Gingerich’s.

  “Danki for the ride.” Abigail climbed out. “I’ll walk home. Mei basket will be empty.” She also didn’t want to wait in town until Elizabeth’s shift was over at The Quilter’s Square. She waved at her sister as the buggy jerked forward. If she read James’s expression right, her younger sister would be engaged by Christmas. Abigail sighed. Next year would be a busy wedding season if her brother and sister both became engaged. Where had she gone wrong? She tapped her basket and proceeded into the building. At least she would have her own horse soon.

  The bell above the door jingled as she entered the small country store. The woodsy scent of evergreen made her inhale appreciatively. Fran, the owner’s daughter, loved changing the scented candles to match the season. The pumpkin spice during the fall was nice, but Abigail much preferred the evergreen. She approached the register, stood a moment, then proceeded toward the supply room at the back of the store, the wooden plank floor creaking under her feet. Abigail stopped midstep when she overheard Fran’s voice coming from behind the row of dry goods.

  “Maybe you should ask Elizabeth Kemp, Micah,” Fran said. “I know she doesn’t get too many hours at The Quilter’s Square. She might be able to help you out.”

  Abigail’s ears perked at the mention of her sister’s name. She hurried around the corner and, not paying attention, ran into a wooden barrel of kidney beans. The nearly empty barrel wobbled, and Micah Zook grabbed it before it tipped.

  “You okay?” He steadied the bin.

  “Jah—I, ah . . .” Heat rushed to her face. I overheard you talking about mei sister. She pivoted and faced Fran. “I brought more cookies and four pies. They’re all apple. Do you think they will sell? I figured everyone had their fill of pumpkin with Thanksgiving only a week ago.”

  Micah cleared his throat. “Danki for the suggestion, Fran.” He took a few sideways steps toward the door. “I’ll stop back later to pick up—”

  Abigail covered the space between Micah and her in a few quick steps and stared at her older brother’s best friend. “Why were you talking about Elizabeth?”