The Hope of Refuge Read Online Free PDF Page B

losses. Besides, Ada was determined not to burden anyone.”
    While peeling potatoes, Deborah felt old grief wash over her. It didn’t hurt like it used to, but it always stung. Thirteen years ago she lost her mother in the same accident in which Mahlon lost his father. Becca’s husband died too and six others from their community. All in one fatal van accident. The Amish of Dry Lake had hired three Englischer drivers to take them to a wedding in Ohio. They were caravaning when one of the vehicles crashed. No one made it to the wedding. At the time there had been thirty families in their district, and nine of them lost a loved one. It’d taken Deborah years to push past feeling that they were cursed.
    Becca placed the last plate in the cabinet. “So, will Ada live with you and Mahlon?”
    “Ya. It’s not Mahlon’s favorite plan, but he can’t afford two places, one for us and one for her. I don’t know why the idea bothers him. Ada will be nothing but a blessing all her days.”
    “Which will be a lot of days, because she’s young. What, forty-three?”
    Deborah nodded.
    Becca laid the dishtowel on her shoulder. “It seems odd to me that she’s never remarried, but as long as you don’t mind sharing a home with her, there will be peace in the house.”
    “The hardest part of living with Ada will be that both of us love to cook. I’m hoping one of the places has a huge kitchen. And then we can both have a workspace, and we could have some cookoffs, and may the youngest cook win.”
    Becca giggled. “Ada better watch out. It seems to me she’s spent years teaching all her best cooking secrets to an ambitious young woman.”

    For the first time in quite a while, Deborah recalled her one-time dream of owning an Amish restaurant. But they lived too far away from the flow of tourists for it to be practical. Although Hope Crossing had a more touristy Amish community, her family always needed her to live at home to help out. Besides, she’d been in love with Mahlon since she was ten, and she couldn’t imagine living elsewhere. But his mother gave her a way to do the next best thing—bake desserts for profit. Ada had taught her how to make all sorts of sweets, and together they made baked goods for a bakery that sent a driver to fetch the items three days a week.
    “Anytime you need a kitchen to bake in, you’re more than welcome to come here.” One side of Becca’s mouth curved into a smile. “Of course, what’s cooked here stays here.”
    Deborah chuckled. “But not for long… before it’s eaten.”
    Becca laughed. “Go fetch your horse. Maybe Ephraim will leave the shop long enough to help you hitch it to the carriage.”
    “You sure?”
    One of the twins started wailing as if she’d pinched a finger or the other one had taken a toy.
    Becca glanced into the room before she wagged her finger at Deborah. “You better go while the going is good. Your sister Annie has a good bit to learn to be the kind of help you are, but at fourteen and with you marrying this fall, it’s time she gets more practice, no?”
    Deborah nodded. “Mahlon said if the grounds aren’t too wet today, we’ll lay plow to the garden again late this afternoon when he and Ephraim get back from a job.”
    “He’s right. What we’ve planted isn’t enough to help provide food for a wedding feast come fall. So while you’re out, go by the dry goods store and pick up more seeds, especially packages of celery and carrots. And buy the crates so we can get seedlings started first. We’ll need a lot more veggies than usual come fall.”
    Deborah’s cheeks ached from smiling. “This is simply too exciting.”
    Becca’s eyes filled with tears. “Ya, it is. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for you. You’ll be missed something fierce, but your Daed and I are really happy for you. I’m surprised you’ve waited this long.”

    Deborah wouldn’t tell her that Ephraim had quietly but firmly said they had to wait.