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hope that’s not the case.” She reached over to touch the Bible on the nightstand beside their bed. “Proverbs 22:6 says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ We did our best to teach Faith and the rest of our kinner about God’s laws and His ways, so now we must trust that she has come back to those teachings.”
    “Jah, that’s all we can do. Trust and pray,” he mumbled as his eyes drifted shut.

    As Faith helped Melinda get ready for bed that night, her head pounded like a blacksmith’s anvil at work. It had been all she could do to keep from telling her folks and the bishop what her true intentions were, but she knew Melinda would never adapt to the Amish way of life unless Faith stayed for a while and helpedher fit in. It would be too traumatic for both of them if Faith left the child with strangers. No, the best thing was for her to pretend she was home to stay until she felt the time was right for her to leave. She just hoped she wouldn’t be pressured to join the church, because that would be impossible if she planned to leave.
    “How come everyone in your family kept starin’ at me during supper?” Melinda asked from where she sat on the bed. “And how come they dress different than us?”
    “They were probably staring because you’re so cute and they were happy to meet you.” Faith tweaked her daughter’s turned-up nose. “And they dress different than we do because they’re Amish and they believe God wants them to wear simple, plain clothes, not fancy things like so many other people like to wear.”
    Melinda’s forehead wrinkled. “Maybe some were happy to see me, but not Grandma Stutzman. She frowned when you told her who I was.”
    “That’s because she was so surprised.” Faith sat on the edge of the bed and took hold of the child’s hand. “As I told you before we left Branson, I hadn’t seen any of my family for ten years, and they didn’t know I had a daughter.”
    Melinda sat with a sober expression, as though she were mulling over what Faith had said. Then her face broke into a smile. “Susie’s real nice, and I think she likes me.”
    Faith nodded. “I’m sure she does. I believe you and my little sister will become good friends in no time at all.”
    “When we went out to the barn after supper, she let me pet the baby kitties and even a couple of the horses.” Melinda crawled under the covers and snuggled against her pillow. “I’dbetter go to sleep now so I can get up early and help Grandpa Stutzman milk his cows.”
    Faith smiled and bent to give her daughter a kiss. It was seriously doubtful that Melinda would be awake early enough to milk any cows, but it made Faith feel hopeful about things, knowing her father had shown an interest in Melinda. Too bad he hadn’t taken much interest in Faith when she was a child.
    As Melinda drifted off to sleep, Faith lay on her side of the bed, wondering how she would handle being separated from her daughter when the time came for her to leave. Would she be welcome to return for visits? How long would she need to stay here in order for Melinda to fully adjust?

Chapter 4
    N oah looked forward to going to church at his friend Isaac Troyer’s place. Isaac and his wife, Ellen, had been married four years and already had two small children. Noah enjoyed spending time with other people’s children. He figured that was a good thing, since it wasn’t likely he’d ever have any of his own.
    “Got to be married to have kinner,” Noah muttered as he scrambled a batch of eggs for breakfast.
    “Couldn’t quite make out what you were saying, but I’m guessing you were talking to yourself again, jah?”
    Noah turned at the sound of his mother’s voice. He hadn’t realized she had come into the kitchen. “I guess I was,” he admitted, feeling a sense of warmth cover his cheeks.
    “You’ve got to quit doing that, son.” Mom’s hazel-colored eyes looked perky this