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  “Ah, was that why you had such a temper toward me?”

  Blake smiled. “I was running away from God’s call on my life. I guess I might have been resisting Him and taking it out on you.”

  “You don’t have to be Amish for your life to be right with God. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m sure there are different paths to the one God. You don’t have to join the community.”

  Blake flicked his eyes up to the ceiling and said, “I know what you’re saying, but I feel it’s right for me and the only way I can get rid of the ties that bind me to earthly things. I need a complete cut off, a complete break. Everything clicked for me when you told me about your childhood. I want Leo to have the best life possible. I miss having a family, a proper family. There’s something I haven’t told you yet; I paid a visit to your bishop on Saturday afternoon.”

  “You did?”

  Blake nodded. “We had a long talk. I have respect for your bishop; he’s an insightful man.”

  Olive stared into his face and wondered if he was joking. “What did he say?”

  “I found out what I have to do to join the Amish.”

  Olive blew out a deep breath. Is this really happening? Or, is he a man who is prone to whims?

  “I won’t disappoint you. I’m a changed man and I’ll keep changing, improving until I’m the best I can be.”

  This was everything for which she had hoped.

  He cleared his throat. “You know, the bishop said that it would be at least six months before we could court. I wouldn’t have to give up my business, but he suggested trading it for something that would cause me fewer headaches. I could sell my business interests and do something else. Anyway, business aside, would that be long enough for you to learn to like me enough to court you—six months?” Blake asked.

  Olive wanted to tell him exactly how she felt, but instead, she asked, “What does your mother say about it?”

  “My mother approves of anything involving you. That’s why she’s agreed to watch Leo for the day. I’m determined to prove myself to you.”

  Olive stared at him open-mouthed.

  “Olive, I’m a practical man. All I’m asking of you is one date before I join the Amish. Leo and I will have to live with a family for three months. It will be another three months before I’m permitted to court you, so that’s six months at least before I can prove myself worthy. Will you have lunch with me today before I embark on that journey?”

  “So, you have decided to join us? You really want that? I mean, have you truly thought through every aspect?”

  “Yes. Come to lunch with me and we’ll talk about it?” Blake asked once again

  Olive looked into his pleading dark eyes and smiled. “All right, I guess one lunch couldn’t hurt. But, only if we’re clear that it is not a date; it’s just a lunch.”

  He put a strong arm around her and hugged her close.

  She looked up at him, and asked, “Does this mean I’ll be losing my job?”

  He wrapped his other arm around her and held her tight. “You’ll be getting much, much more. That is, if you’ll want me in six months’ time. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure you do. I’m not the impossibly awful man you first met. I’m not like that deep down inside.” He shrugged a little. “I’ve had too many worries. I’ll show you the real me and if you’ll accept me, I’ll look after you and give you a good and happy life.”

  Olive looked into his dark eyes and sent a silent prayer of thanks to Gott for answering her prayers better than she could have hoped.

  When she did not answer him, Blake said, “You’ll have time to get used to the idea of marrying me, and I’ll have time to be the person I was meant to be.”

  “Marrying? Do we even know each other well enough?”

  “I know what I want. I’ve always known what I want, and I want you. My sincere hope, is that in time, you’ll feel that way about me too.”

  Olive knew he was just like his mother and would not take no for an answer. In her heart, she felt she knew the real Blake. Glimpses of him had shone through. Smiling, Olive said, “If you’re serious about me, I’ll wait those six months.”

  A smile lit his serious face. “I am. And, when I move in with the Hiltys like your bishop has arranged, you’ll see that I’m serious. First, I’ll have to break the news to my mother. One chance is all I’m asking from you. One chance and to wait for me until I fulfil all I need to do to be baptized into your community.”

  “I’ll wait, of course I will.”

  He nodded, still smiling.

  Everything always turns out just the way in which it was meant. Olive couldn’t wait to tell everyone. The first person she’d tell would be Jessie.

  The next Saturday, Olive arranged to collect Jessie and take her into town to meet the girls. Olive had allowed her younger sister, Naomi, to go with her as long as she was quiet and didn’t dominate the conversation at the cafe.

  When Jessie got into the buggy, Olive blurted out her news. She’d wanted to wait until all the girls were together, but she couldn’t help telling Jessie.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Jah, I am.”

  “Nee.”

  “It’s true. I can hardly believe it either.”

  Jessie was silent for a couple of moments and Olive hoped she wouldn’t disapprove.

  “This is the best news ever. And, he proposed?”

  “Well, I guess it was a proposal. He said he wants us to marry but he knows there are things he has to do first.”

  “Olive, things like this just don’t happen. Well, I suppose that’s wrong, they do.”

  “I’m glad you’re pleased.”

  “I am. Did you tell him about Gott?”

  “Nee, he started talking first. He’s been searching for Him.”

  Jessie leaned over and hugged Olive, causing Olive to giggle. “I’m so happy for you. Wait ‘til the other girls find out. They’ll be so surprised.”

  “I know.”

  * * *

  Once the girls were all sitting down at the coffee shop, Olive contained her news while they all shared what was going on in their lives.

  “I don’t know how long I’ll have my job for,” said Claire.

  “Why not?” Amy asked.

  “It’s the daughter-in-law. She keeps staring at me and correcting everything I do. She wants to get rid of me I just know it.”

  “Don’t worry,” Lucy said. “You’ll get something else if you have to leave.”

  Claire looked down into her coffee and stirred it. “Jah, I know I will. I just like the old couple, you know?”

  “I like the people I’m working for too,” Amy said. “Only thing is, I’m certain … I’m not certain, but I think Dat doesn’t like me working for Englischers and he could tell me to leave at any time.”

  Olive listened to the girls talking and felt bad having good news. Then Jessie said, “I’m starting a new job soon at a bed-and-breakfast.”

  “That’s so good, Jessie,” Amy said.

  Jessie then hushed all the girls as two of them started to talk at once. “Olive has good news.”

  They all looked at Olive and she giggled. “I don’t know how to say this or where to start.”

  “Just say it or I’ll say it for you,” Jessie said.

  “You know what news she’s got, Jessie?” Amy asked.

  “She does,” Olive said. “I couldn’t keep it in. Blake is joining our community and he wants to marry me.”

  A hush of silence swept over the girls. Their faces were expressionless, except for Jessie who’d been smiling since Olive told her the news.

  “What do you think?” Olive asked.

  Amy’s face was the first to break into a smile. “We’re stunned. Really?”

  “Jah, really,” Jessie said, on Olive’s behalf.

  Naomi couldn’t help herself. “Jah, our folks said they’re pleased, but they’re being cautious until he actually joins us officially.”

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sp; Olive gave her a look, that said, ‘keep quiet,’ and then said to the girls, “By the time he told me, he’d been to the bishop and everything.”

  Amy jumped up, walked over and hugged her. “This is wunderbaar news. I’m so shocked, that’s all.”

  Olive giggled. “I was surprised too. I expected to hear I was fired, but it’s really happening.”

  Then all the girls hugged Olive and congratulated her.

  “It’ll be some time before we can get married, that is, if he stays. He could find it all too difficult.”

  “From what you said, he’s a businessman with a brain in his head. He would’ve made a calculated decision,” Amy said.

  Olive nodded. “That’s true, but living it can be difficult. You don’t know what something’s like until you’ve lived it.”

  “We’ll all believe for you, Olive. This is so wonderfully romantic. Don’t let doubts creep into your heart.” Claire covered Olive’s hand with hers.

  The girls all agreed and Olive looked around at their faces and silently thanked God she was blessed with such friends. And soon, God willing, Blake would be her husband and she’d have a readymade family with her stepson, Leo.

  Chapter 14

  Jessie Miller’s heart pounded as she rushed to the B&B to get to her new job on time. She knew Mrs. Billings was a stickler for everything including punctuality; she’d told Jessie as much in the job interview.

  Her boss had seen Jessie’s job flyer at the farmers’ market some time ago and asked her to come for an interview. Mrs. Billings said she was prepared to give her four days a week, and if she did a good job it would become five days.

  Mrs. Billings had once employed an Amish girl, so she knew they were hard workers and was happy to employ another. Since Jessie had never worked as a maid before, Mrs. Billings said she’d arrange for her to ‘shadow’ one of the other maids for the first week.

  Jessie stepped through the open double doors and looked directly into the pale brown eyes of Mrs. Billings. She was a tall slim lady with platinum blonde hair swept up on her head; everything about her was neat and perfect.

  “Miss Miller, right on time. Come, I’ll show you where the cleaning room is—where you’ll be working from.” Without waiting for a reply, Mrs. Billings strode down the wide hallway talking as she went. Jessie exchanged smiles with the receptionist and followed Mrs. Billings. “You’re working with my best maid, Linda, today. If you do exactly what she tells you, you’ll get along just fine.” At the end of the hallway, Mrs. Billings stopped and looked down. “These steps lead to the cleaning room. You might have to dip your head.” Mrs. Billings walked down the steps, opened the rough wooden door, and then walked through.

  Jessie followed and looked around the room to see two big machines, brooms of all sizes, mops, buckets, and a variety of solutions.

  “This is where we keep all the equipment you’ll be needing. If you wait here, I’ll send Linda to you.”

  “Very good, thank you. I’ll work hard for you, Mrs. Billings.”

  Mrs. Billings spun around and looked her up and down without a hint of a smile. “I expect nothing less.” With that, she spun back and walked out the door.

  Jessie rubbed her forehead. Mrs. Billings had seemed much nicer during the job interview.

  “Hello, Jessie.”

  Jessie looked toward the door at a heavy-set woman with a pleasantly plump face and a ready smile. Jessie guessed her to be around thirty-five years of age. “You must be Linda.”

  “That’s right. I’ll show you the ropes. First thing every mornin’ we fill up the carts.” Linda grabbed the handle of one of the two carts at the side of the room. “We push ‘em from room to room. That way, we don’t go runnin’ back to the cleaning room all day long. We have everything we need in the cart.”

  “Got it.” Jessie nodded.

  “Have a look at how this cart is set up. This is what you’ll need.”

  As she had a good look at everything in the cart, trying to commit it to memory, Jessie noticed Linda staring at her.

  “Done anything like this before, have ya?”

  “I’ve done plenty of housework at home; I’ve never cleaned for someone else. This is my first job.”

  “Old Mrs. Billings is okay to work for as long as you don’t go getting on the wrong side of her. She likes everything just so. The beds all have to be made exactly the same way, with the folded over corners and no wrinkles. Anyway, I’ll show you how to make a proper bed.”

  “Oh, I know how to do that.” Jessie frowned.

  Linda scoffed. “Not the way Mrs. Billings likes ‘em you don’t. Now, you’ll get along fine in this place if you do everythin’ the way she tells you. Some people haven’t lasted a day.”

  Jessie felt her shoulders tighten with tension. She was usually confident, but the thought of working away from the community and for people she didn’t know had sapped the confidence out of her. “I’ll do what you say.”

  Smiling, Linda finished filling up the second cart. “Now, we have to lift the cart up those stairs, and it’s a job for two. We won’t need the second one today. She’s not making you wear a uniform then?” Linda asked in the midst of their struggle with the cart.

  Glancing at Linda’s black and white striped dress and then down at her own Amish clothing, she shook her head. “Mrs. Billings never said I’d have to wear a uniform. I couldn’t wear something other than what I’m wearing anyway.”

  “Amish?”

  “Yes.” Jessie found it hard to speak while she pushed the cart up the stairs.

  Linda pulled the cart from the top of the stairs. “I suspect she might have known you couldn’t wear anything else. We had an Amish girl working here some time ago.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Billings told me that.”

  “Let me give you a hand, Linda,” a male voice said from behind them.

  Jessie looked up to see who belonged to the deep, rich voice. He was in his late twenties, with soft brown eyes.

  Linda stepped back. “Mighty kind of ya, Donovan.”

  He heaved the cart up in one go.

  “You should do this every morning for us. Better still, tell yer mother it’s not practical to keep the carts down there. It’s too hard to bring ‘em up and down each day. I’ve been tellin’ ‘er that for years and she hasn’t listened to me. You should talk to her.”

  With his eyes fixed on Jessie, he said, “You know what she’s like. There’s no space unless she loses one of the bedrooms, and she’s not about to do that since it means she’ll be losing money.” He glanced over at Linda and then back to Jessie.

  “Donovan, this is Jessie. It’s ‘er first day—maybe ‘er last when she sees how hard your mother works us.”

  “I don’t mind hard work; really I don’t. I’m quite used to it.” Jessie walked up the stairs to join them.

  “You are?” Donovan stared at Jessie with a lopsided smile on his face.

  She tried to work out why he was staring at her with such amusement.

  Linda gave Jessie no time to respond. “She’s Jessie, like I said, and we’ve got work to do. We can’t stand around and natter all the daylong. C’mon, Jessie.” Linda walked away quickly with one hand wheeling the cart behind her. Jessie had no choice but to follow Linda even though she would have much rather stayed and talked to Donovan.

  Linda knocked on the first door at the other end of the hallway and when no one answered she unlocked the door and walked in. “Come in, Jessie. Now, we leave the cart outside, and the first thing we do is empty the trash and strip the beds.”

  “Was that Mrs. Billings' son?”

  “Yeah, Donovan. He owns the restaurant.” Linda stopped what she was doing and took one step closer to Jessie. “He’s a player. You’ll do good to keep away from that one. He’s friendly and all that, but he’s not the kind of man who’d be right for the likes of you.”

  Jessie frowned. “Oh, no. I wasn’t thinking of anything like that. Just curious, that’s all.”
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  Linda gave her a long hard look. “Just warnin’ ya.”

  * * *

  The morning was taken up with learning how to make beds the ‘Mrs. Billings way’ and finding out what cleaning products to use for each particular task. Jessie had to remember exactly how Mrs. Billings preferred everything arranged in the rooms. The bath towels had to each be folded into a fan shape, and they were to be arranged just so on the beds with three rose-shaped pink soaps on the top of each. The end of each toilet paper roll was to be folded into a triangle; the washcloths and hand towels had their own hanging bars and had to be perfectly square with a washcloth precisely centered over each hand towel.

  “One whole hour for lunch is what you get. Or you can take half an hour and leave half an hour earlier in the afternoon. We’re fifteen minutes’ walk to town, or you can stay ‘ere and eat on the grounds.”

  “I brought my lunch with me.”

  “I’m driving into town if you wanna come with.”

  “Thank you, but I’d rather stay here.”

  Linda shrugged. “Please yaself.”

  At lunchtime, Jessie took her sandwiches out into the garden. In the distance, she saw a white wooden bench under a spreading willow tree. “That’s where I’ll eat today,” she said aloud.

  She sat down on the seat, pleased with the silence as she unwrapped her chicken sandwiches. It was far more difficult cleaning for someone else than it was for her mudder. Her mudder was only concerned that everything was clean. There were no little decorations and fancy things at home like there were at the B&B. Neither were there set routines on how things should be performed and particular places in which things should be placed.

  She looked up to see Donovan striding toward her.

  “Hello, Jessie, how was your first day?”

  “Hello. It isn’t over yet. So far, it seems to be fine.”

  “Going from that response I’d say that you have not had much to do with my mother today, would that be right?”

  Jessie gave a polite laugh. “Just when I got here this morning.”