An Amish Wedding (37 page)

“We’re looking for a book about hiccups,”
Mamm
said to a library clerk when they entered the large room filled with rows and rows of bookshelves.

“Okay . . .” The young woman, about Priscilla’s age, motioned with her hand for them to follow, but then stopped. “What exactly are you looking for?”

Mamm
stood taller and repeated herself. “A book about hiccups.”

“Like how to get rid of them?” The woman’s mouth tipped up at one corner, and Priscilla was embarrassed. But
Mamm
was undeterred.

“No. What causes them.”

“Oh. Okay. Follow me to the computers. I’ll see what I can find.”

“Thank you.”
Mamm
smiled, and she and Priscilla followed the woman to a row of computers on the far wall. After a few minutes, they were given the names of three books.

“That’s a general health book.” The librarian pointed to the second book on the list. “That’s probably the best one. I’ll show you where to find it.”

Once
Mamm
had the book in her hand, she thanked the woman and walked to a long table and sat down. Priscilla sat next to her and folded her arms. This was a waste of time.

“
Mamm
, everyone gets the hiccups. I don’t know why we’re doing this.”

Her mother didn’t look up as she flipped a page. “But not everyone believes that their hiccups are a warning of something bad to happen.” She glanced at Priscilla and narrowed her eyebrows. “I don’t think God would like that.”

Priscilla sighed. “I’m not trying to make God mad. It just seems like more than a coincidence that—”

“There are no coincidences in life, Priscilla.”
Mamm
glared at her for a moment. “Everything is His will. You know that.”

She knew her mother was right, and there was no point in arguing, so she sat quietly while her mother flipped through the pages. She glanced around the room at the few patrons whose heads were buried in a book. Occasionally, one of the
Englisch
would nod in her direction and whisper to someone, but overall folks in Lancaster County were used to seeing Plain People.

Mamm
tapped her finger to one of the pages in the book. “Here you go. Read this.” She slid the hardcover book in front of Priscilla. She scanned the page, but followed her mother’s finger when she leaned over. “Right here. Read.”

Priscilla leaned her face closer to the page.
The most common triggers for short-term hiccups are: eating too much, drinking carbonated beverages, excessive consumption of alcohol, sudden temperature change, worry or emotional stress
.

Mamm
started talking before Priscilla could process the information. “You eat like a bird, so that’s not it. You don’t drink sodas or alcohol, so rule that out. And there’s been no sudden change in temperature. So! There you have it.”
Mamm
slammed a pointed finger down on the page. “Stop
worrying
, and your hiccups will go away.” She stood up. “Ready to go home?”

Priscilla sat in the chair and stared up at her mother. “That’s it? Just stop worrying, and no more hiccups?” It couldn’t be that easy.

Mamm
frowned as she slid back into her chair. “Priscilla, worry is a sin, and it blocks the voice of God.”

“So He’s punishing me by giving me the hiccups.” She regretted her sarcastic tone and knew right away from the scowl on her mother’s face that she didn’t appreciate it.

“You know that’s not true. But you have worried about this wedding of yours since you were a little girl. Do you remember the large weddings your dolls used to have? You would place them in their proper positions all over your bedroom. Then you would go through the ceremony. And you’ve always had the perfect plan for your own wedding.”

Priscilla smiled as she remembered.

“But, Priscilla, only God’s plan is perfect. So worrying about what might or might not go wrong before, during, or after this wedding is doing you no good. Everything is in His hands.” She squeezed Priscilla’s hand. “Do you love Chester and want to be with him the rest of your life?”

“Of course.”

“Then stop worrying. Not only will your hiccups stop, but you will hear God’s plan for you more clearly. Just follow Him, Priscilla.”
Mamm
stood up smiling, as if she had conquered the evils of the world. “Now, let’s go.”

Priscilla, still skeptical, followed her mother out of the library.
God, is she right? Is worry troubling my heart and keeping me from trusting Your will?

Chapter Nine

P
RISCILLA SAT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE AS HER MOTHER
paced in the kitchen. She was still seeing Chester at the phone shanty on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but they’d only spent a short amount of time together. Chester looked exhausted each time, but insisted he was fine. She knew he was still upset about losing his job and frustrated by the slow progress of their house.

“Naomi has everything ready to make your cake on Monday.”
Mamm
read from a list and checked as she went along.

“Where is Naomi? She seems to go missing a lot.”

Mamm
tapped her finger to her chin. “Zeke Lapp was here the other day. I didn’t think too much about it, but now it wonders me if maybe they haven’t taken a fancy to each other. But now, of course, he’s back in Middlefield looking after his
daed
. You know his father cut his leg while chopping wood.”

“Ya
, Chester was disappointed that Zeke had to leave, so he’s planning to ask his friend John to fill in as an attendant.”

Mamm
was back to her list. “And everyone knows their duties as far as the food preparation. It will be a busy day on Monday with everyone coming here to get things ready. The extra propane ovens will be delivered on Monday also.”
Check
. “Your father and several other men are finishing up the temporary structure next to the house for the reception.”
Check
.

Priscilla nodded. Her family had a large farmhouse with an especially big living room to host the service, but like most Amish homes, theirs wasn’t nearly large enough to accommodate almost four hundred guests. So her father, cousins, and friends of the family had built a framed structure right next to the house, and today they would cover the top and the sides with heavy blue plastic to keep it warm for guests. Additional tables and benches would be set up underneath. It was a common practice in their district, and Priscilla was glad to see that the temporary shelter hadn’t blown away. She shook her head to clear the negative thought as her mother went on.

“You said you finished your wedding dress,
ya
?”

Priscilla nodded.

“And Naomi and Rose have both tried on their dresses?”

“Naomi has. Rose is coming over this afternoon to pick hers up.”

“Make sure she tries it on.”

“I will.” Priscilla fidgeted with the ties on her prayer covering. She was thankful that she hadn’t had a case of the hiccups since their trip to the library, but things still weren’t coming together as she’d hoped. Chester said there was no way the house would be finished in time for them to move in two weeks after the wedding. She’d cringed when he told her it could be a couple of months, or longer. She knew that many newly married couples spent the first few months with the bride’s parents, but Chester had built them a lovely new home, and she was anxious to begin their life together in their own house.

Chester, his father, and even Abe with his broken wrist had been working late into the night on the new home. But Chester said to be prepared for an extended stay with her parents. Another thing that wasn’t in her plan.

She took a deep breath.
God, I know that everything is in Your hands, and I will not question You
. It was a prayer she had repeated daily, but she sometimes still felt disappointed. But she figured disappointment was better than worry. Worry had gotten her nowhere, it was a sin, and she knew her mother was right—it blocked the voice of God. She was resolved in knowing that her wedding and her life were in God’s hands.

“Your father, Chester, and Abe will oversee the group arranging the benches, tables, and chairs.”
Mamm
walked into their large living room, then returned to the kitchen. “Naomi, Rose, and I will make sure the
eck
is positioned correctly for you, Chester, and your attendants.”

Members of the church district would spend most of the day on Monday cooking, getting things ready, and also show up at six o’clock the morning of the wedding to help.

“Oh. I also wanted to ask you if you want
Aenti
Mary Katherine to bake her special red velvet whoopee pies? I know Naomi will be making a special cake, and there will be lots of other cakes and desserts, but . . .”

“Everyone loves
Aenti
Mary Katherine’s whoopee pies. I think that would be
gut
.”

“Great. Let’s see . . .”
Mamm
tapped her pen to the pad, but they both looked up when they heard a buggy coming up the driveway. Priscilla walked to the kitchen window and peered outside.

“It’s Rose.” Priscilla pulled the wooden door open and watched through the screen as Rose walked across the grass—clawing at her arms with both hands. She pushed the screen open and stepped aside so that Rose could come in.

“Why are you scratching yourself like that?” Priscilla cringed as she watched her friend rubbing both arms atop her green dress.

Rose shook her head as she continued to scratch. “I’ve got this horrible rash all over my arms.” She lifted one sleeve of her dress to show Priscilla the red bumps covering her arm from the elbow down. “It’s on both arms.”

Mamm
walked over. “How did you get this, Rose?” She eased Rose’s sleeve up farther and inspected.

“It’s a long story, but let’s just say that a bouquet of flowers unexpectedly had some poison ivy in it.”

“Are you putting anything on it?”
Mamm
asked as she lowered Rose’s sleeve.

“
Ya. Mamm
got me something at the drugstore.” She pinched her eyes together as she began to claw at her arms again.

“Wait right here, Rose.”
Mamm
turned to leave the room, but glanced over her shoulder. “I have something that will help.”

“I have been itching all morning.” Rose’s face twisted into a deep frown.

Priscilla watched as Rose scratched, and a minute later both turned as Priscilla’s mother came back into the room.

“This is from the natural doctor, a blend of herbs and ointment.” She handed Rose a small plastic container. “Take this with you. Sarah Mae wandered into some poison ivy last year. This helped her a lot.”

Priscilla remembered how miserable her sister had been. “How long will the itching last?”

“I don’t know.” Rose lifted her sleeve again. “See how bad it looks.” She shook her head.

Mamm
patted Rose on the shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Rose. I hope it’s better by the wedding so you can enjoy yourself.” She smiled. “Use the salve. It should help.”

After her mother excused herself, Priscilla went to get Rose’s dress. She returned a minute later and handed it to her friend. “
Mamm
said you should try it on.”

Rose scratched at her arms. “I’m sure it’s fine, Priscilla. Do you mind if I don’t try it on right now? I am itching so much, and I want to go home and try this ointment.”

Priscilla shrugged. “Sure. I understand.”
It probably won’t fit because that just seems to be how things are going
. She struggled to push the negative thought out of her mind.

After Rose left, Priscilla pulled a loaf of bread from the oven, then tinkered about the kitchen. She put two glasses in the sink, wiped down the counter, and thought about what the next few weeks would be like.

As was traditional, she and Chester would help with cleanup the next morning, and it was always the new bride and groom’s duty to wash all the clothes and linens. Her mother had laughed and said it was usually the only time an Amish man would do the laundry during his lifetime.

She turned around when the screen door in the kitchen slammed and Naomi entered. Her sister walked straight to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of tea. She poured herself a glass and sat down at the table with a sigh.

“Too bad Zeke had to go back to Middlefield,” Priscilla said. “Have you heard from him?”

Naomi took a drink. “Why would I have heard from him?”

“Oh, I just thought you might have.” She grinned at her sister.

“I’m not going to talk to you about this, Priscilla.” Naomi hurried toward the living room, but there was a new bounce in her sister’s step. Priscilla smiled. Naomi had been playing matchmaker for everyone else for as long as Priscilla could remember. She hoped that Naomi had found someone special.