The Wonder of Your Love - By Beth Wiseman Page 0,91

wear that butterfly clip in your hair when you get married, are you?”

Martha frowned, twisting to face her. “Yes, I am. It matches my dress perfectly.”

“I don’t think so. It’s pink.” Danielle shook her head, smiling, but she stopped and tipped her head to one side. “Do you think it’s okay with Arnold that I’m living here?”

“You two seem to get along well.” Martha grinned. “And he knew we were a package deal.”

“Arnold gets me. He’s a good guy.” She reached up and pulled her hair tight within the ponytail. “You don’t get me sometimes.”

Martha glared at her, but Danielle just chuckled and did the unexpected. She reached over and hugged Martha. At first Martha just sat there. After a moment, she put her arms around Danielle and they held each other for a while.

“I guess I’ll go take a bath.” Danielle eased away and started toward the door. Then she laughed. “I wonder when Arnold’s allocated bath time will be.”

The sound of the girl’s laughter warmed Martha’s heart, so she decided to ignore her reference to Martha’s most-reasonable rules. “I’ll tell you what . . .” Martha reached up and tightened her butterfly clip as Danielle turned around at the doorway. “I have a deal to make with you.”

“Really?” She eyed Martha, squinting one eye. “And what’s that?”

“You go to worship with me every other week, and I’ll buy you a car.”

“To that Amish church?” Her eyes grew round.

You’d think I just asked her to make a deal with the devil himself.

“Yes, to that Amish church.” She pointed a finger at Danielle.

“It’s either my church people, or you can go to church with Arnold, but he goes every Sunday, and they don’t have food afterward.”

“But his church is only an hour long. You’re gone like half the day when you go to the Amish church.”

“Well, Arnold’s church is almost thirty minutes away. So let’s see . . . thirty minutes there, thirty minutes back, an hour for Mass, no meal, gotta go every Sunday . . .”

“Fine! I’ll go with you.” She folded her arms across her chest. “That doesn’t mean I’ll change my mind about God.

Besides, you said it’s mostly in German anyway. I won’t even understand anything.”

“The Lord has a way of getting through to us when it counts.” Martha smiled, glad she remembered some German from her college days to combine with the Lord’s efforts.

“What kind of car?”

Martha cackled. “An old clunker, just like I had for my first car.”

“What?”

“Take it or leave it.”

Danielle sighed. “Fine. I’ll take it.”

Martha smiled as Danielle headed out the door and down the hall. The three of them were going to be a family.

Now she just had to figure out what to do about Katie Ann, who would always be like her daughter—but the girl deserved happiness. The kind of happiness that comes from a family who lives together under the same roof—loving, arguing, and growing together.

Hmm . . . She could feel the wheels spinning in her head.

Nineteen

KATIE ANN DIDN’T THINK GOD COULD HAVE BLESSED Martha and Arnold with a better day to get married.

Their wedding was a conglomeration of compromises. Arnold thought they should get married indoors, and Martha wanted an outdoor wedding. Arnold wanted a small gathering, just family and closest friends. Martha wanted to invite every single person she knew.

“It’s not like I get dressed up like this every day,” she’d told Katie Ann. “Seems everyone I know should see me at my best.”

Arnold wanted the priest to preside over the entire ceremony. Martha insisted the job be shared with Bishop Esh, who had agreed with some reluctance. Katie Ann figured the bishop went along with Martha’s request because Martha was as close to being Amish as any Englischer they’d all ever known—with regard to her faith only. Her flashy ways hadn’t diminished in the least.

Martha’s husband-to-be didn’t see the need for attendants, but Martha was clear about having Katie Ann by her side. Arnold wanted an evening wedding, but Martha said it would be an all-day affair beginning at eight o’clock in the morning.

“That way we get two meals out of the deal,” she’d said. “Like the Amish.”

In the end Martha won out on every detail, and Arnold had just smiled. “Whatever my Martha wants,” he’d said.

Emily and David offered to host the wedding. They’d recently moved into their new home, and they said they wanted to do this for Martha and Arnold. Martha had played matchmaker between them, and they both wanted to do