An Amish Wedding (40 page)

Chester finished towel-drying his hair, tossed the towel into the hamper, and sat on the bed. He noticed Rachel’s envelope on the nightstand. As he picked it up and ran his finger along the seam, he remembered how he promised Rachel that he wouldn’t open it until the day of his wedding. Smiling, he put it back down, then fluffed his pillows and got comfortable in bed. A subtle breeze blew through the opened window, enough for him to crawl underneath the covers. He slept so well when the nights were brisk. He wondered if Priscilla liked to sleep with the window cracked this time of year.

He snuffed out the lantern, pulled the covers up to his neck, and stared at the ceiling. A glimmer of moonlight spilled through the window and into his room, producing tiny specks of light on the ceiling. He connected the dots in his mind as he thought about how this was the last night he would sleep in this house as a single man. That was the plan anyway. He sure hoped Priscilla wasn’t having doubts. Despite his determined attitude that he wouldn’t let worry plague his thoughts, the nasty emotion kept creeping up on him just the same. He squeezed his eyes tight as if to will it away.

I trust You, Lord. I’m not going to worry
.

But an hour later he was still awake, and still playing connect-the-dots above his head. They were supposed to be at Priscilla’s house at six o’clock to help with last-minute setup, and the wedding would begin at eight o’clock. He finally dozed off around eleven, but awoke with a startle at three. His eyes bolted open as he tried to recall the dream he’d just had. As he sat up in bed, he remembered. They were at the wedding, and Priscilla was crying. It was raining on her special day, and the food was cold because they ran out of propane. Naomi dropped the special cake she’d made for Priscilla. His heart raced.

Please, dear Lord, don’t let all that happen
.

He lit the lantern and ran a hand through his shorter curls, glad his mother had cut his hair the day before, then edged his legs over the side of the bed. Rubbing his arms to warm himself, he shook his head. He didn’t believe in premonitions or predictions of doom and gloom, but the dream felt so real that it shook him up. Was this what he had to look forward to in a few hours?

Deciding that sleep was out of the question, he got dressed in his wedding clothes. A new crisp white shirt his mother made, black slacks, and . . . he picked up the black vest he’d planned to wear, but hung it back on the rack and chose the clothes Priscilla had made. He slipped on his black suit jacket and walked to the mirror carrying the lantern. He placed it on his chest of drawers while he looked in the mirror and carefully fastened his bow tie. Today he and his attendants would don the bow ties, as was tradition. He finished off his outfit by putting on a brand-new black hat with a three-and-a-half-inch brim.

Dressed and ready to go, he still had two hours before he needed to leave. Abe had already said that he would take care of the morning chores today. Chester sat down on his bed, his stomach churning with anticipation, excitement—and a tinge of worry. Then he remembered Rachel’s envelope. He picked it up and slid out a single sheet of paper, expecting one of the pink-colored pictures Rachel was known for. He pulled the lantern closer. It was pink all right. But it wasn’t a picture. And Chester’s eyes filled with water as he read the words scribbled on the page.

P
RISCILLA AWOKE TO THE SOUND OF
R
USTY THE
R
OOSTER
crowing. Sarah Mae had named the rooster, who was clueless about when he was supposed to crow. Every other rooster they’d had announced a new day when the sun came up. Not Rusty. He sang when he saw light. Any light. And that meant that someone was already up downstairs with lanterns lit. She glanced at her clock, which showed four a.m. She was much too anxious to try to sleep for another hour or so.

After she cleaned up and brushed her teeth in the bathroom, she dressed for her wedding. As she slipped her dress on, she was pleased. Every stitch might not be as perfect as her first dress, but the navy blue dress fit well. She pulled her hair into a tight bun, then pinned it beneath a new black
kapp
, a gift from Hannah. She eased to the mirror in her room with the lantern in her hand. She looked at herself in the mirror in her black prayer covering, which was to differentiate between the white
kapp
she normally wore.

I am a bride. Today is my wedding day
.

She smiled, walked back to her bed, and sat down. As she pulled on a new pair of black socks and new high-topped black shoes, she sighed, knowing she was dressed way too early. Folks wouldn’t start arriving to help for another couple of hours. She carried the lantern out into the upstairs hall, glad that Rusty must have gone back to sleep, but she wondered if anyone was up downstairs. She eased down the stairs, careful to skip the creaky third step on the way down. There was a lantern lit in the kitchen, but no one was downstairs at the moment, so she walked back upstairs and sat down on her bed, unsure what to do with herself.

Her muscles tensed. Despite her prayers and communion with God, she couldn’t seem to shake the apprehension that festered within her heart. She bowed her head.
I know in my heart that You have a plan for me and that I shouldn’t worry so much about what this day might bring, so please, God, wrap Your arms around me and Chester today, and let us not lose sight of what is most important
.

Priscilla lifted her head as she recalled the times in her life she’d heard the voice of God. In those instances, she had known that she was right with God in her heart and mind, fearful of her Lord, but without fear in her heart of human actions and reactions. She knew the difference, and she knew that human fear and worry had overcome her as of late, as hard as she’d fought it. She lowered her head again and prayed for renewed faith and total trust in God and His plan for her. When she was done, she stood up and decided to go back downstairs. There still wasn’t anyone in the kitchen, but maybe she’d try to eat a bowl of cereal. She didn’t think she could stomach a big breakfast this morning.

When she got to the doorway, she turned around and looked back at her bedroom, knowing that tonight Chester would share her room. She walked toward the bed, placed the lantern on the nightstand, then pulled up her covers on the bed and smoothed the wrinkles. She loved her Lone Star quilt with its brilliant red, but her mother had made her a new quilt to take to her new home—a lovely white wedding quilt with the traditional intertwined rings. She only wished she didn’t have to wait months to start keeping house in her new home.

Her head swirled with thoughts. She was excited and nervous about spending her wedding night with Chester, but she loved him with all her heart. No sooner did she have the thought when she wondered if Chester would for sure show up today.

Of course he will
.

She took a deep breath. Then she noticed Rachel’s envelope on her nightstand.
Sweet Rachel
. And Priscilla had kept her promise. She picked up Rachel’s envelope, slid her finger along the seam, and gazed at the white piece of paper with large pink lettering. Then she began to cry. How could Rachel have possibly known that this what exactly what she needed to hear at this very moment?

C
HESTER READ
R
ACHEL’S SPECIAL GIFT THREE MORE TIMES
.

God say you shoud not be scard Chestr. True
lieb
stop scaredness. You
lieb
wont be perfect if you scared Chestr.

Following the written words were two pink hearts, and underneath Rachel signed it,
I lieb you, Chester
.

Chester smiled as he blinked back tears. He knew the Scripture well.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love
.

At that moment, worry and fear fled his heart and mind, and all he wanted to do was get to Priscilla. Even if it was four o’clock in the morning.

Chapter Twelve

P
RISCILLA BROUGHT
R
ACHEL’S LETTER TO HER HEART AS A
tear rolled down her cheek. God used someone so simple and pure as Rachel to speak to Priscilla through Scripture. She read it again.

To Pre-Ceelia, I
lieb
you. Today is you happy marreage day. I happy two. God go befor you and withs you and He not gonna let u down. So dont be scard Pre-Ceelia. I think it Gods perfect plan.

Priscilla swiped at another tear as she translated Rachel’s message.

And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee; neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed
.

She closed her eyes and wept, knowing she was going to marry Chester Lapp come rain or shine, and no case of the hiccups or any other unplanned occurrence would make her wedding any more perfect than the love that she and Chester shared. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, that this day would be perfect no matter what, because it was a union to be blessed by God. Her heart filled with gratitude as she pressed Rachel’s letter back to her chest.

Then she heard a noise outside, and next thing she knew, her windowpane broke. Tiny pieces of glass spilled onto the hardwood floor. She stepped back and wondered if a bird hit her window, but then she saw . . .
a rock
?

Easing slowly toward the window, she heard someone calling her name. She edged around the broken glass, then heard her name again.
Chester?

“Priscilla, are you up there? I have to talk to you. It’s important.”

She peered out the window. “Chester, what are you doing?” It was a loud whisper, but she wasn’t sure he heard her, so she spoke a little louder. “You broke the window. What are you doing?”

“I have to talk to you, Priscilla.”

A few hours ago she might have wondered if Chester was here to call off the wedding, or she would have worried about what he had to say. “I have to talk to you too.”

Her bedroom door flung open, and she spun around to see her father standing in the doorway, barefoot and in his long pants and pajama shirt. His hair was sticking up on the top of his head, and he had a scowl on his face.

“Tell that boy to come into the house like a normal person.” He turned to leave, scratching his head, but turned back. “And tell him I expect him to replace that window.” He narrowed his brows, but a grin shone on his face. “You two only have a few more hours before you’re married and together all the time. He had to break
mei
window?” He shook his head and left.

“Chester! I’ll meet you downstairs.”