Always Close to Home Read online

  Books by Jerry S. Eicher

  THE ADAMS COUNTY TRILOGY

  Rebecca’s Promise

  Rebecca’s Return

  Rebecca’s Choice

  THE BEILER SISTERS

  Holding a Tender Heart

  Seeing Your Face Again

  Finding Love at Home

  EMMA RABER’S DAUGHTER

  Katie Opens Her Heart

  Katie’s Journey to Love

  Katie’s Forever Promise

  FIELDS OF HOME

  Missing Your Smile

  Following Your Heart

  Where Love Grows

  HANNAH’S HEART

  A Dream for Hannah

  A Hope for Hannah

  A Baby for Hannah

  LAND OF PROMISE

  Miriam’s Secret

  A Blessing for Miriam

  Miriam and the Stranger

  LITTLE VALLEY SERIES

  A Wedding Quilt for Ella

  Ella’s Wish

  Ella Finds Love Again

  THE ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY AMISH

  A Heart Once Broken

  Until I Love Again

  Always Close to Home

  OTHER STAND-ALONE TITLES

  My Amish Childhood

  The Amish Family Cookbook

  (with Tina Eicher)

  HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

  EUGENE, OREGON

  Cover by Garborg Design Works

  The author is represented by MacGregor Literary, Inc.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALWAYS CLOSE TO HOME

  Copyright © 2017 Jerry S. Eicher

  Published by Harvest House Publishers

  Eugene, Oregon 97402

  www.harvesthousepublishers.com

  ISBN 978-0-7369-6591-0 (pbk.)

  ISBN 978-0-7369-6592-7 (eBook)

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Eicher, Jerry S., author.

  Title: Always close to home / Jerry S. Eicher.

  Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, [2017] | Series: The St. Lawrence County Amish; 3

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016026998 (print) | LCCN 2016034144 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736965910 (softcover) | ISBN 9780736965927 (ebook)

  Subjects: LCSH: Mate selection—Fiction. | Twin sisters—Fiction. | Amish—Fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Christian / Romance. | FICTION / Christian / Romance. | GSAFD: Christian fiction. | Love stories.

  Classification: LCC PS3605.I34 A79 2017 (print) | LCC PS3605.I34 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016026998

  All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author’s and publisher’s rights is strictly prohibited.

  Contents

  Books by Jerry S. Eicher

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Discussion Questions

  Don’t miss the first two books in the St. Lawrence County Amish series…

  Ready to Discover More?

  About the Author

  About the Publisher

  Chapter One

  Lydia Mast slipped into her upstairs bedroom in the old farmhouse and closed the door behind her. In the stillness of the room she hesitated, but she heard no footsteps following her in the hallway. And why should she? Her twin, Laura, was busy in the kitchen, and both of her brothers, Nelson and Lester, were in the fields with Daett. That only left Mamm. But Mamm wouldn’t sneak around the house—even if she knew her daughter had a letter addressed in a man’s hand tucked into her dress pocket.

  Lydia was thankful that she, and not Laura, had collected the noon mail at the end of their driveway on Lead Mine Road. Laura would have opened the letter addressed to Lydia, because the twins had few secrets between them. But even Laura didn’t know about the great ache Lydia had held in her heart ever since Laura had begun to date John Yoder last year.

  Wasn’t it about time she dated too? Didn’t twins do things together? Why couldn’t she have someone special to call her own now that Laura had John?

  Laura and John were so in love, and Lydia certainly wished them no ill. She simply wanted to experience that same joy by bringing home a young man from the hymn singings on Sunday evenings. And not just any young man, but none other than the handsome Milton Beiler.

  Lydia paused as the vision of Milton’s face danced in her mind. Milton barely knew she existed. Yah, he had returned her smiles a few times at the Sunday services, but Milton returned all of the single girls’ smiles. Even so, she still dared to imagine there was something special in the attention Milton paid her. With such a desire in her heart and with many a prayer on her lips, surely Milton must feel a little of what she felt. Didn’t Milton see her spirits lift whenever he was around her? And now, with this letter, had Milton finally noticed her? Who else would write a letter to Lydia Mast and not disclose his return address?

  Lydia took a deep breath. She must stay practical and out of dreamland. She must think sensible thoughts because this letter could be from someone else. Some other single man in the community. Didn’t most men leave their return addresses off of a courtship proposal? Otherwise they would advertise their intentions to the curious eyes of family members who might see the letter before its arrival in the hands of the intended. Yah, this could be from any unmarried man in the community who had taken a fancy to her—someone with whom she didn’t share such feelings.

  Lydia breathed a quick prayer as she reached into her dress pocket and pressed the smooth paper between her fingertips. “Oh, let it be Milton, dear Lord.” She pulled the envelope slowly out of her pocket and studied the handwriting. She had never seen Milton’s penmanship, but he had to write better than this. Every letter was malformed, with bends this way and that. Ho
w could this be Milton? If she hadn’t been so breathless before she would have noticed.

  Lydia lowered the letter to hang loose in her hand. How wise she had been to bring the letter up to her room. Disappointment always showed plainly on her face. Mamm and Laura would comfort her, but she didn’t want sympathy. She wanted Milton to ask her home from the hymn singing.

  Why couldn’t he? Hadn’t she and Laura both decided earlier in the year to end their rumspringa time and join the fall baptismal class? Yah, she and Laura would say their sacred vows in only a few weeks. Wasn’t that a virtue Milton should take into account when he decided on what girl to pick as his frau? Most of the other girls her age wouldn’t make that choice until next year, or not until they had secured a boyfriend.

  Lydia stared down at the letter. And here was another point. Milton wouldn’t write a letter! How had she missed that? Milton would speak to her directly if he wished to take her home from the hymn singing. Milton wasn’t intimidated by girls. He wouldn’t hide behind the printed page.

  So what were the other options? Wendell Kaufman, perhaps? But that didn’t fit either, even though she had caught Wendell this past Sunday with his gaze fixed on her and a slight smile on his face. She had given him a glare, but the man’s smile had only grown broader. Wendell’s self-confidence was unbounded.

  Not that long ago, Wendell had been determined to win Laura’s affections, but she had chosen John. Now Wendell apparently planned to settle for second best, and with such a step down, a letter was all he considered her worthy of. Or perhaps he felt this was the best way to get each word just right so he could slip past her defenses.

  Lydia glared at the letter. Whoever this was, it was not Milton, and she must face the first advances from a man with a firm no. This wasn’t what she had hoped for, but the Lord seemed to have a mind of His own. No doubt she had much to learn and needed the humiliation. Was not humility of spirit always a worthy lesson?

  Lydia tore the top off the letter and pulled out the single piece of white paper. She flopped down on the bed quilt and focused on the crooked writing.

  “Dear Lydia,” she began to read.

  Greetings in the name of the Lord. I can say with King David that His glory fills our lips with many praises. As you’ve no doubt heard, your Aunt Millie has borne our fifth child last week. Little Moses is healthy and squalling like all the rest did. He’ll soon grow out of his colic, I hope, but that is not why I’m writing you. Your cousin Sarah is here for a few days to care for Moses, so that base is covered. What I need help with is my roadside stand this fall. We have an extra acre of pumpkins out, to say nothing of the potato patch and carrots. We are in our third year with the stand, so I’m expecting plenty of Englisha people to buy from us again. Could you come live with us and help with the work, at least until Christmas? I would appreciate it very much. I can even pay you some. Not much, but a little. At least more than you’ll make working at home.

  And we have some handsome young men in our district, and I have hired on one for the season. Just teasing.

  Your Uncle Henry

  The page slipped from Lydia’s hand and fluttered to the bedroom floor. This was not a letter from Wendell or Milton or from any single man, but rather from Uncle Henry in the adjacent district who needed help with his roadside stand. The Lord had said no to her prayers again. When would she learn her lesson? She had best accept this rebuke with all the humility she could muster.

  Lydia rose to her feet and retrieved the paper from the floor. She stood again and set her face. Slowly she opened the bedroom door, and with an unsteady step made her way down the stairs.

  “What’s wrong?” Mamm asked as soon as Lydia appeared in the kitchen doorway. Yah, nothing could be kept secret from Mamm.

  “Nothing.” Lydia steadied herself on a chair. “Just this.” She held out the letter.

  Mamm reached for the page, and her eyes raced over the words. “Well, this is surprising news. Do you want to accept the offer?”

  “What offer?” Laura asked, stepping closer to snatch the letter from Mamm’s hand.

  Lydia seated herself on the chair while Laura read quickly and then glanced at her sister. “And I bet you thought this was something else,” she teased. “That’s why you tried to sneak upstairs with the letter.”

  “So you knew?” Lydia admitted. “Yah, I had proud thoughts, and I was going to turn Wendell Kaufman down if it was him. He’s been watching me lately.”

  “An offer from Wendell Kaufman would be nothing to be ashamed of,” Mamm said.

  Laura sniffed. “I’d turn him down too.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with Wendell,” Mamm repeated.

  “I suppose not,” Laura allowed with a shrug. “If it’s not Lydia or me he’s asking.”

  “Laura!” Mamm warned. “We are to have humble thoughts about ourselves and seek the Lord’s will at all times.”

  “Thank the Lord I have John then!” Laura proclaimed, busying herself with the pot of potatoes simmering on the stove.

  Mamm gave Laura a look but didn’t say anything more.

  “I’m accepting the offer,” Lydia said, jumping to her feet. “Maybe it will be goot for me.”

  Laura sent Lydia a sly smile. “Like Uncle Henry said in the letter, they have plenty of handsome young men in his district. In our district, there’s no one left since I’ve taken John.”

  “Laura!” Mamm warned again. “I fear John’s attentions have gone to your head. That’s not goot.”

  “Yah, Mamm,” Laura replied.

  Mamm looked worried. “Lydia, are you sure you want to go? This is kind of sudden.”

  “I’m ready for something sudden,” Lydia said. “Don’t you think it’s about time?”

  “Well, I sure do,” Laura volunteered.

  Mamm silenced her oldest daughter with a sharp look. “That’s enough out of you, Laura. Lydia, we’ll have to speak with Daett about this. If he has no objections, you can accept the offer.”

  “He’ll have no objections,” Laura said.

  Mamm muttered something but didn’t look up from her work at the stove. Mamm knew that Daett was normally agreeable when they tried new things around the farm. For example, take the gate behind the barn that opened into the pasture. Nelson had fixed the old sagging one with new boards this summer and then announced that the gate needed green paint. Nelson hadn’t said anything about bright green, which was the color he had chosen.

  Daett had grinned when he saw the final product. “That’ll be the first bright-green Mast pasture gate we’ve ever had,” he had said.

  Laura gave Lydia a meaningful glance. “I like what Uncle Henry said about hiring a handsome young man. You know what that could mean.”

  “Hush, girls!” Mamm said. “I want my daughters settled on a husband with thoughts of home and kinner in their hearts, but you don’t have to traipse all over creation for that. The Lord will provide.”

  “Mamm,” Lydia protested. “I’m not going to Uncle Henry’s because of…” She let the words dangle as she considered that she could ask Uncle Henry to hire Milton. Could she make such a request? Where would she find the nerve? From somewhere. She would have to!

  “Okay, Mamm,” Lydia concurred. “Maybe Laura’s partly right, but you know you can trust me. I came back from my rumspringa time on my own free will. You have nothing to be concerned about.”

  Mamm tried to smile. “I’m thankful for that. But I still don’t understand why you don’t accept Wendell’s advances. He’s right here in our district, and he’s obviously interested in you.”

  “Mamm,” Laura chided, “that’s an awful thought. Are you forgetting that Wendell pursued me and I wouldn’t have him? Now you want Lydia to accept him?”

  “I’m sorry,” Mamm said. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I don’t expect you to be second best, Lydia, but isn’t there something you can do? You’re getting older, you know. You do smile at the men, don’t you?”

  Thankfu
lly Laura came to Lydia’s defense. “Yah, she does smile at them. You just aren’t looking at the right time.”

  Lydia shook her head. “I’m not taking Wendell, even if he’s the only one who seems interested in me.”

  “Wendell would be better than working for Uncle Henry,” Mamm said with another weak smile. “Any husband is always better than a job away from one’s home and district.”

  “Lots of unmarried woman take short-term jobs away from home,” Lydia protested.

  Mamm continued with her work at the stove and didn’t respond.

  Laura gave Lydia a sympathetic smile.

  “We will see what Daett says,” Mamm repeated, oblivious to the signals sent between the two girls. She took a quick look at the kitchen clock. “Hurry up, girls, and get lunch ready. We’ve been chattering long enough.”

  Lydia busied herself with setting the table, but her mind was racing. She must be bold and brave. She would tell Uncle Henry she’d come if he’d hire Milton. After all, Milton was Uncle Henry’s nephew on his frau’s side of the family. That would serve as a goot excuse.

  Chapter Two

  Lydia set the last plate on the kitchen table with the utensils lined up properly on either side. Daett and her two brothers would be in any minute now for their lunch of cold cut sandwiches and hot soup.

  The pot of potatoes Laura was simmering at one end of the stove was for the meal tomorrow. They would eat at the barn-raising for Deacon William, and the whole Mast family planned to attend. At the other end of the stove, Mamm was stirring an equally large batch of a vegetable soup. They would eat their fill today, but there would be plenty left for tomorrow. Any soup that remained from the barn-raising would be brought home and consumed at future lunchtimes. Nothing would be wasted. That rule was never broken.

  Lydia straightened the tablecloth as she heard the washroom door rattle and the men’s heavy footsteps shuffle inside. They would emerge from their time in front of the washbasin, Daett’s beard still dripping and her brothers brushing back their hair with their fingers. Her family always brought a smile to her face. She would miss them when she went to work for Uncle Henry. Nelson and Lester were both handsome young men. Nelson would be even manlier once he said the vows with Emily Byler and allowed his beard to grow. Nelson had snagged a goot catch in Emily. Lester was the youngest of the family and a decent young man. When all things were considered, Lydia had much to be thankful for.