Planted with Hope (45 page)

Seeing him rush in, her eyes widened, and then she glanced around as if making sure she wasn't doing anything wrong.

“Emma, I need you to come with me.”

“But the puppies… ” She pointed. “I think they're almost done.”

“You can come back to this. There's something… someone you need to see.”

“Someone?” Instead of excitement, Emma's brows furrowed, causing Jonas to second-guess himself. What if it wasn't Hope after all? What if it was someone else—someone new to their community? His stomach sank, and more than anything he didn't want to break his daughter's heart.

“Well, Uncle Matthew said there's someone in the garden. We should go and see who it is. Then, while we're there, we can look around and make some plans for planting a garden.”

Instead of the smiles he'd seen in Pinecraft, Emma's lower lip rose into a pout. She stood, but her shoulders sagged. And it seemed to take all her strength to slip her smaller hand into his larger one.

They walked together, and Jonas couldn't help but walk faster than normal. Thankfully, Emma kept up without asking any questions. She stared into the unplowed field with a far-off look, and he wondered if she was thinking of Hope and their garden back in Pinecraft. He had no doubt she was.

They stepped out of the barn and walked along the side of the house. Matthew was nowhere in sight, and Jonas guessed he'd gone inside to pour himself a cup of coffee and sit in the front room near the window to get a better view of the garden. Jonas knew his brother-in-law well.

They rounded the front of the house. In the garden there was one lone figure, bent down, sitting on her haunches. Her white
kapp
contrasted with the dark brown of the soil. He couldn't see her face or the color of her hair from this angle, but his heart leapt at the color of her dress. It was coral, a color that wasn't common around these parts, but a color he'd seen often in Pinecraft.

Jonas paused and then swept down and picked up Emma. She was heavier than he remembered—when was the last time he carried her like this? It had been too long, for Emma looked at him with wide-eyed surprise.

Jonas pointed to the garden. “Emma, look!”

Emma's eyes widened. Her small lips opened with a gasp. She stretched her arms in the direction in the garden, and her legs began moving as if she was already running. Jonas chuckled and then put her down. Emma ran full speed to the garden, and Jonas jogged along, not too far behind.

“Hope. Hope. Hope!” Emma's voice filled the air.

Hope stood and turned. She placed a hand on her
kapp
and smiled. Her eyes moved to Emma first and her smile grew. Then she looked to him, and uncertainty filled her gaze.

Jonas's steps slowed, and he gave the two of them space. He
watched as Hope bent down and opened her arms up to Emma. The small girl plowed into Hope's arms, nearly bowling her over.

Hope's laughter rang out. Emma was talking, but he couldn't make out her words. Then, with slow steps, he approached.

“My, my. That wasn't what I expected to find in my garden today.”

“It's not really what I expected either.” Hope stood and held up her hand. In it was a rotting carrot. “Jonas Sutter, you left and went to Pinecraft and you still had root vegetables in the ground. The least you could have done was alerted your neighbors. They could have dug them out instead of letting them go to waste.”

“
Ja
, you're right. It was a split-second decision, you see. Ruth Ann needed my help in Pinecraft, and Emma and I needed some sunshine, but you're right. It's such a waste, but I'm not sure what I can do about it now.”

“I'll tell you what you should do.” Hope's voice softened. “You should get a gardener—someone who will dedicate her time to this space.” She swept her arm toward the field beyond the garden. “This is too much for you to tend, especially when you have all that land to cultivate.”

Jonas smiled, ready to play along. He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. “I know. I tried, but there is really only one gardener who I trust with this space, but she told me plainly that she's not ready to make the move.”

“First, she was a fool for saying that. Second, she changed her mind.” Hope took a step forward and reached for his hand. “And that's why she caught a ride this direction and urged the driver to drive through the night. She wants to apologize.”

“So is that a yes, Hope—”

“It's two yeses. First, the garden.”

“And second?” He pulled her hand up and placed it on his heart.

“And second, I do want to be part of your family forever.”

A small giggle erupted, and Jonas remembered then that they were not alone. Emma stood right behind him. Hearing the news, she grabbed his leg and then peeked around his side, as if suddenly shy.

Hope leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees. Her face was even with Emma's. “That is, if you do want me as part of your family, Emma.”

The girl's eyes grew wide. Then she lifted her arms up and wrapped them around Hope's neck. “Yes, Hope, yes!”

Tears came to Jonas's eyes, overflowing and unexpected. He quickly wiped them away, but not before Hope noticed them. Hope lifted Emma and placed her on her hip. Emma's long legs hung below Hope's knees, but he could tell from the grin on his daughter's face that she liked the idea of having a mother.

Hope put Emma back down and stepped closer to him.

“Are you okay?” Hope asked him. “I didn't mean to surprise you… I mean, I did, but I didn't think that it would be hard for you… for me to be here, that is.”

“Oh, Hope.” He sighed. “That's not it at all. These are happy tears. God has given me more than I hoped for. I never thought I'd have this… you…
us
like this.”

“I'm glad they are happy tears, but I want you to know that sad ones are okay too.” She looked down at the soil. “I can't think of anything more beautiful than tears watering a garden.” She sighed. “Sometimes the most beautiful things come after the tears.”

“I'd agree with that.”

“So do you think we should wait for November for a wedding? It's the typical Amish way,” she asked.

“I don't know about you, but I can't wait that long, Hope. How about next month? It'll be beautiful in Pinecraft, in your garden.”

“It's not my garden any more. It's the school garden and the community's garden too. But I do think it'll be a beautiful place for a wedding. And when we return here—come home—I'd like to consider inviting some of the local children to garden with me.” She turned to Emma. “Would you like that?”

Emma nodded, still clinging to Hope's skirt. “Ja.” Then her smile brightened. “Want to see the puppies?” Emma asked next, as if the decisions that had just been made in the last two minutes were the most natural thing ever. In a way they were.

God had given Jonas a reason to hope again, and he'd done that through a beautiful woman by the same name. He'd also brought joy to his little girl, something he wanted more than anything.

They walked to the barn in one line. Hope held his hand on her right, and Emma's hand on her left. As they walked he noticed violets poking up near the front door steps and a cardinal hopping around on the dewy front lawn looking for worms. Together they walked under a dogwood tree toward the barn. Jonas allowed himself to look into the future and imagine the moments to come: newly washed clothes on the clothes line, two faces—and later more—looking through the eight-paned windows as he drove this buggy down the lane. He imagined Hope and Emma barefoot in the garden, leading the way for other barefoot children.

When Sarah was struggling to cling to life Jonas had found himself afraid to think of the future without her. And after her death he found himself looking back—thinking of all he'd had and lost. But Hope had come into his life, not only filling up his days, but giving him something to look
forward
to.

That was what hope was about, wasn't it? A promise of what was to come, and with these two by his side Jonas couldn't imagine anything more promising than that.

Epilogue

A
nna Miller knew what was in the small package. It had to be the Victory Journal. What else would Hope send Priority mail?

She opened the box. A letter sat on top. Before she even glanced at the journal, Anna excitedly tore open the letter from her daughter. Hope had left in such a hurry, and Anna wanted to know how she was doing. The fact that it had been a week, and Hope hadn't come back, proved that Hope had been welcomed by Jonas. And maybe this letter would include information about a wedding. Anna had warmed up to that idea. Jonas was a good man, even though he'd been married before. And Hope was happy… that was what mattered most.

Dear Mem,

I know you've been asking for a chance to look at the Victory Journal. I've sent it back and I ask you to return it for me. I've written to Janet to tell her again how much her mother's story influenced mine. I'm changed from reading it. I've discovered elements of myself I never realized. I've learned what it means to love.

But before you give it back, I've marked a page that I want you
to especially take note of. Jonas, Emma, and I plan to return in July. When you see the page you'll understand.

Love,

Hope

Anna opened the journal to the page marked by a white ribbon. It was a recipe. She was confused until she saw what type of recipe. She closed the journal and hurried to the backyard where her husband sat. He had work to do. He had a community garden to ready for a most special event.

 

Wedding Cake

4½ cups (1 pound) sifted cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cloves

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. mace

1 pound shortening

1 pound brown sugar

10 eggs, well beaten

½ pound candied cherries, cut into halves

½ pound candied pineapple, diced

1 pound dates, seeded and sliced

1 pound raisins

1 pound currants

½ pound citron, thinly sliced

½ pound candied orange and lemon peel, sliced

½ pound nut meats, chopped

1 cup honey

1 cup molasses

½ cup cider

Sift flour, baking powder, and spices together 3 times. Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, fruit, nuts, honey, molasses, and cider. Add flour in small amounts, mixing well after each addition. Turn into cake pans which have been greased, lined with heavy paper, and again greased. Bake in a very slow oven (250°). For large loaves, bake in 8×4×3 inch pans about 4 hours. For small loaves, bake in 6×3×2½-inch pans about 2½ to 3 hours. For 8½-inch tube pan, bake 4 to 5 hours. Test with toothpick or cake tester before removing from oven. Makes 10 pounds fruit cake. Spread Ornamental Icing on top and sides of cake and decorate with simple
borders, festoons, and rosettes of Ornamental Icing. For a terraced cake, bake in pans of several sizes and use a pastry tube to decorate.