A Hopeful Heart (19 page)

She looked up toward the front of the room and found an altar with two large vases
filled with a spray of purple and white hyacinths and orchids. Although they were
beautiful flowers,
they seemed out of place to her since there was neither an altar nor flowers in the
Amish church tradition. Hannah turned her gaze up toward the large stained glass cross
hanging over the pulpit and wondered what her children would think of the beautiful
display. The cross gave the large room a warm feeling. She could almost feel God’s
presence above her, and the thought gave her a chill.

“Good morning.” A man leaned down and shook Trey’s hand. “It’s good to see you back
here.” He looked at Hannah and smiled.

“Hi, Tony.” Trey gestured toward Hannah. “This is my friend, Hannah. She wanted to
come to worship with me today. Hannah, this is Tony.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Tony shook her hand. “Welcome to Paradise Community Church.
We’re happy to see you here.”

“Thank you.” Hannah pushed the ribbons from her prayer covering behind her shoulders.
She smiled at a few members of the congregation who made their way past Tony and nodded
a greeting to her.

Tony and Trey chatted about the weather for a moment, and Hannah turned her attention
back to the bulletin. She read a lengthy prayer list that warmed her heart. It was
wonderful to see members of the congregation praying for their family and friends.
She perused a list of the weekly events, taking in the different church committees
and organizations that were active there.

Suddenly the organ sounded, and Hannah jumped. The music was another foreign element
to Hannah. No instruments were ever played during Amish services. The voices swirling
around Hannah faded to a murmur as if on cue. The knot of people loitering in the
aisle filed into pews.

Trey leaned over to her and Hannah enjoyed the familiar scent of his aftershave. “Are
you okay?”

“
Ya.
” She nodded. “I was startled by the organ, but it’s beautiful. I’m enjoying the music.
It’s different from what I’m used to, but I like it.”

When the music stopped, the minister took his place in the pulpit. He was a tall man
with a warm voice and pleasant smile. He looked to be in his early fifties. Although
Hannah was used to hearing Pennsylvania
Dietsch
and German during her community’s services, she felt at ease listening to his greeting
in English.

She glanced around and found the other members of the congregation nodding and smiling
while the minister spoke. Hannah marveled at how comfortable she felt.

The organ began playing again, and the congregation stood. Trey handed Hannah a hymnal
and she flipped through it to find the appropriate hymn listed in the bulletin and
on the board at the front of the sanctuary. The congregation began to sing, and Hannah
listened for a few moments, enjoying the warm rich sound of Trey’s voice beside her.
She smiled up at him and he winked, causing her heart to flutter. She joined in with
the hymn singing, enjoying the opportunity to worship the Lord with a new song. Happiness
filled her heart.

Once the hymn was over, the congregation sat and a woman approached the pulpit and
read aloud the lessons for the day. Hannah folded her hands and concentrated on taking
in God’s Word. The verse in Psalm 62 struck a chord in her: “Trust in him at all times,
O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

The verse echoed through her mind while the reader finished the lesson and continued
to float through her thoughts
during the minister’s sermon. The minister’s message of hope and trust through adversity
spoke to her heart, just as the psalm had. It seemed as if God was blessing her through
this small church. Although the building and the service were foreign to Hannah, she
felt at home.

Once the sermon was over, Hannah followed along with the remainder of the service,
singing the hymns and reciting the prayers. When the members of the church lined up
to go to the front of the sanctuary for communion, Hannah touched Trey’s arm. “I’d
like to stay here. I’m not comfortable taking communion.”

“That’s fine.” Trey smiled. “Only do the things that feel right to you, okay?”

“Okay.” She nodded.

After one last hymn, the service ended, and Hannah followed Trey into the aisle, where
they stood in line to meet the minister. A few people walked over to greet Trey, and
he introduced Hannah to them. Each person welcomed her to the church and invited her
to come back. She smiled and thanked them for their kindness.

They reached the front of the line, and Trey shook the minister’s hand. “Pastor Bob.
This is my friend Hannah Glick. She wanted to come to church with me today. Hannah,
this is Pastor Bob.”

“Hello.” Hannah shook his hand. “I enjoyed your service today.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Hannah.” The minister’s smile was genuine and his handshake
was firm. “Welcome to our church. I imagine this was a very different service than
what you’re used to.”

“
Ya.
” Hannah nodded. “But I truly enjoyed it. Your church
has a very warm and homey feeling. I can see why Trey enjoys coming here.”

“That’s very true,” Trey said.

“We hope to see you again, Hannah.” The minister smiled. “May God bless you.”

“Thank you.” Hannah followed Trey toward the exit. “This was very nice. I really enjoyed
the service.”

“I did too, and I enjoyed having you beside me in the pew.” His smile was full of
tenderness and caused her heart rate to surge. “May I take you to lunch?”

“That would be lovely.” Hannah looked up at him and wished that the day would never
end.

T
rey sat across from Hannah at a small sandwich shop and watched her while she studied
the menu. He was captivated once again by her bright red hair and deep emerald eyes,
which were complemented by her green dress. She looked so beautiful that she seemed
to glow. He’d been stunned ever since she called this morning. It was as if she could
read his mind since he was thinking of her when the phone rang. He’d worried about
her ever since their conversation last week. And today, she’d fallen right back into
his life as if they’d never parted ways.

“I think the Reuben sounds good.” She glanced up and her expression became curious.
“Why are you staring at me?”

“I’m sorry.” He lifted his glass of water. “I was lost in my thoughts.”

“Have you decided what you’re going to have?” She placed her menu on the table.

“I think I’ll have a BLT.” He sipped the water and then put it back by the napkin
dispenser. “So you liked the service?”

Hannah nodded. “I loved the music, and the sermon really touched me. I think that
your minister is wonderful.”

“Do non-Amish ever attend your services?”

“It’s rare to see them at a regular Sunday service, but I’ve seen
Englishers
at weddings.” She swirled the straw in her glass of water while she spoke. “But I
assume they don’t enjoy it much since they can’t understand what the ministers are
saying.”

Trey studied her ivory complexion and wondered how she felt about him. He wanted to
ask her if the same intense feelings haunted her that haunted him.

“May I take your order?” A young woman appeared at the table with a notepad. “What
would you like today?”

Hannah ordered a Reuben sandwich with chips, and Trey ordered a BLT with chips and
a Coke.

“How are things at the farm?” Trey sipped his water again.

“They’re good. We hired a young man to help Joshua.” Hannah folded her hands on the
table while she talked about the farm.

Trey enjoyed studying her while she spoke. He wanted to commit to memory every detail
of her beautiful face just in case this wound up being their one and only date. He
was afraid that after today she would be forbidden from seeing him and the community
would find a way to prevent their friendship permanently. The thought caused his stomach
to twist. At that moment, he knew he was falling in love with her and couldn’t bear
the idea of never seeing her again.

The waitress arrived with their food. After she placed the plates in front of them,
Hannah bowed her head in silent prayer. Trey followed suit and thanked God for the
opportunity to enjoy a meal with her.

Once the prayers were over, Hannah grabbed a chip from her plate. “You haven’t told
me the latest about the house you want to buy. Did the owner accept your offer?”

Trey nodded while eating a chip. “Yes, the owner accepted it. I’m hoping the inspection
can be done quickly. If it goes well, we should be closing soon since I’m preapproved
for the loan.”

“That’s wonderful.” Hannah ate another chip. “I hope it works out for you. Have you
thought about what you’ll name the bed and breakfast?”

Trey shook his head. “I haven’t come up with any good names yet. I was thinking about
doing something with my last name.”

“Is the house in Paradise?” She lifted her sandwich and took a small bite.

“Yes, it is. It’s not far from the church.”

“Peterson’s Paradise.” She laughed, and the sound was a sweet melody to his ear. “I
guess that’s a bit silly.”

“No, not really. I kind of like it.” He lifted his sandwich and bit into it.

“I’d like to see it. Maybe we can take a quick ride past it on the way home.”

He finished chewing and then wiped his mouth. “I’d like that.”

They talked about the weather and the best places to eat in Lancaster County while
they finished their meals. Trey felt as if he’d known Hannah for years instead of
only a little over a month. She shared stories about her life growing up on a dairy
farm, and he told her more of his memories from his grandparents’ horse farm.

Soon they were finished eating, and Trey paid the bill before following Hannah out
to the car.

He looked at the clock on the dashboard as he started the engine. “It’s a little after
one. Do you still have time to see the house?”

“
Ya
, if we make it quick. I want to be certain I’m home before my children.” She shook
her head and grinned. “I feel like
a teenager who’s sneaking around and worried about getting caught by her parents.”

He raised his eyebrows with feigned concerned. “Did you sneak around a lot as a young
lady, Hannah?”

She swatted at him. “No, I didn’t. I never defied my parents. Did you?”

“Would you still like me if I admitted I did?” He slipped the car into gear and steered
toward the parking lot exit.

“
Ya
, of course I would. How could I not like you?”

Her warm smile caused his pulse to skip. Could she possibly love him the way he loved
her? A relationship like theirs was almost a modern day Romeo and Juliet story. Yet
her words from earlier rang through his mind. She’d said she believed their friendship
was from God. If that were true, would their relationship be doomed to fail?

Trey pulled up to the house and parked in the driveway. “This is it.”

Hannah climbed from the car. “This is beautiful, Trey.” She tented her hand over her
eyes as she looked up at the three-story clapboard house. “How many bedrooms does
it have?”

He walked around the car and stood beside her. “There are six on the second level,
but there are also a couple of rooms in the finished attic. I’m not certain if I’ll
use those for the business, but it will be great for storage.” He pointed toward the
far side of the house. “It also has this little apartment with another four rooms
and a separate kitchen. It’s huge on the inside.”

“Does it have electricity?”

“Yes, it does.” He nodded toward the row of barns. “It even has electricity in that
big barn over there.”

“It must’ve been Amish at some point. It has the apartment
for the grandparents.” She gestured toward the house. “I love that porch.”

“It reminds me of yours.” He watched her study the property and thought about their
conversation the day they shared a cup of coffee. He wondered if she would ever consider
running the bed and breakfast with him. She had so many wonderful ideas about the
business. She could cook Amish meals and tell the guests about the culture. He knew
it was a far-fetched idea, but he couldn’t let it go. It would be a dream come true
for both of them, and he longed to share this new life with Hannah.

She stepped over toward the fence by the pasture. “It’s breathtaking. I can see why
you fell in love with this place first.”

“It feels like home.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I wish I could show you
the inside, but it’s locked up. The rooms have a primitive charm. They are simple,
but elegant.”

Hannah smiled. “You mean they look Amish?”

He laughed. “From what I know about the Amish, yes, they do.”

“Sounds like home to me.” She gestured toward the car. “I better get back to the house.
My children may be home soon.”

They continued discussing the house on the way back to her farm.

He parked in her driveway and cut off the engine. He then faced her while wishing
that they had at least a few more hours together. “I had a great time today.”

“I did too.” Her smiled faded. “The day flew by too quickly. It seems as if you only
just picked me up.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.” He tapped the steering wheel. “Hannah, I really
care about you. Where do we go from here?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

He waited for her to continue, but she was silent. He wished she would open up more.
Did she care about him too?

“May I see you again?” he asked.

“I care about you too, but I don’t know what to do. I need to figure out some things.”
She gripped the door handle. “You’ll be at the hotel for a little while longer, right?”

He nodded. “Yes, I’ll be there until I close on the house. That’s if the sale works
out, of course.”

“
Gut.
” She pushed the door open. “Thank you again, Trey. I look forward to seeing you soon.”

“I look forward to seeing you too.”

Hannah exited the car and then walked swiftly up to the porch. She turned and waved
before disappearing into the house. And at that very moment, he knew he was deeply
in love with Hannah Glick, and his heart would break if he was forbidden from seeing
her again.

Later that afternoon, Hannah sat in the family room and tried to concentrate on a
Christian novel while she awaited her children’s arrival. She’d scanned the same page
more than a dozen times, but she couldn’t seem to absorb the words. Her thoughts were
focused only on Trey and his church. She couldn’t stop the confusing thoughts spinning
in her mind. She’d enjoyed her time with him more than she’d ever imagined, and she
wanted to see him again soon. But how could she continue to sneak around like an out-of-control
teenager?

“
Mamm?
” Amanda’s voice sounded from the kitchen.

“I’m in the
schtupp.
” Hannah closed the book and placed it on the end table beside her.

Amanda stood in the doorway. “How are you?”

“Fine.” Hannah stifled a yawn with her hand. “Excuse me. I’m a little tired.”

Amanda frowned. “Maybe you need to lie down for a while. Lily and I can serve supper.”

“Don’t be
gegisch.
I’ll take care of supper.” Hannah patted the chair beside her. “Tell me about your
visit.”

“It was
gut
.” Amanda sat on the chair. “
Mammi
and
Onkel
Josh said they were disappointed you didn’t come, and they hope you feel better.”
She studied her fingernails. “I really didn’t want to go without you. I’m still upset
about everyone talking about you.”

Hannah touched Amanda’s arm. “
Danki
, but you have to forgive everyone, including your
mammi.
She thinks she knows what’s best for our family. She means well even if what she
does is sometimes misguided.”

Amanda looked up at her. “Is
Mammi
the real reason you stayed home? You can tell me the truth. I won’t share it with
anyone.”

Hannah couldn’t lie to her daughter. “
Mammi
was part of the reason.”

“What was the other part?”

“I had an uncomfortable conversation with your
onkel
Joshua Thursday night, and I’d like to let things settle between us for a couple
of days.”

“Oh.” Amanda wrinkled her nose as if she were trying to figure out a difficult puzzle.
“Does it have to do with how he feels about you?”

Hannah tried to hide her surprise. “How did you know that?”

“I’ve noticed things.” Amanda shrugged. “It’s kind of obvious. If you watch someone’s
body language, you can figure out what they’re feeling.”

“How did you learn that?”

“Nancy read a book about it.” Amanda suddenly frowned. “I’m not going to go to the
youth gathering tonight for a similar reason.”

“
Was
iss letz?
”

Amanda ran her finger over the arm of the wing chair, which had been Gideon’s favorite.
“I sort of had an argument with Nancy.”

“You did?” Hannah sat up straighter. “What did you argue about?”

“Hannah!” a voice called from the kitchen.

Amanda popped up from the chair and moved to the door. “Hi, Ruth. My
mamm
is in here.”

Hannah stood as her friend entered the family room. “Ruth. What a nice surprise. I
wasn’t expecting to see you here today.”

Ruth smiled. “I’ve been thinking about you ever since we talked on Wednesday.”

“Please, have a seat.” She gestured toward the sofa, and Ruth sat down. Hannah then
turned to Amanda. “Would you please go check on your siblings?”

“Of course.” Amanda hurried off to the kitchen.

Ruth folded her hands on her lap. “How are things going?”

Hannah hesitated. Although she’d always enjoyed talking with Ruth, she was worried
Ruth might criticize her for not visiting her family today and instead spending time
with Trey.

“I’m not here to chastise you.” She touched Hannah’s hand. “I’m here to offer support.
No matter what other people may say, I support you. You’re
mei freind
, Hannah, and I treasure
mei freinden
, especially dear ones like you.”

“
Danki.
I treasure you too, Ruth. You seem to always listen without judgment and I need that
right now.”

“And I promise you I always will.” She tilted her head. “Did you see the bishop Wednesday
after work?”

“
Ya
, I did.” Hannah explained her visit with the bishop.

Ruth nodded her head while she listened. “You did the right thing, Hannah. I’m
froh
you spoke up about the rumors and explained yourself. I’m certain he kept his word
and spoke to Elizabeth Beiler about giving Lillian a chance for the teaching position.”

“He did. Elizabeth went to see Lillian at work and told her that she’d recommend her
to the board for the teaching position.”

“That’s
wunderbaar
!” Ruth clapped her hands together. “Everything worked out the way it should.”

Hannah shook her head while she thought about the day she’d spent with Trey. “I’m
not certain about that.”

Ruth frowned. “This sounds serious.”

“It is.” Hannah looked toward the doorway and then moved her chair closer to Ruth.
“What I’m going to tell you must stay between us and only us.”

“Of course it will remain between us.”

“I stayed home today while the
kinner
went to see Barbie. I couldn’t imagine spending the day trying to make small talk
with her after knowing how she feels about me.” Hannah shook her head while guilt
rained down on her. “I had planned
to stay home, but once the
kinner
were gone, the house was too quiet.” She paused, wondering how she could admit what
she’d done.