The Promise of an Angel (A Heaven On Earth 1) (33 page)

Andrew motioned toward the house. “The center path is with me.”

Judith’s eyes watered. “
Ach
, Andrew.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “
Jah
, I’ll marry you.” Just as Tobias had told her, her eyes were opened—she understood the dream— the right path.

As they kissed, the snow began to fall. Wet snowflakes canvassed the sky and covered their heads.

“This is my dream, Andrew. Ice pellets were falling from the sky and—” She’d forgotten about Samuel.

“And what?”

“In that same dream, I saw Samuel, only he was frozen under a sheet of ice.”

“Shh . . . It’s okay.” He guided her head against his chest and rested his chin on her prayer cloth.

“I think I was wrong about Samuel walking.”

He lifted his chin and pulled away enough to look into her eyes. “Why do you say that?”

“My dreams were to show me you. You prayed for my eyes to be open, and I think they are
nau
.” A lump formed in her throat. “Andrew, maybe I’ve been wrong this entire time.”

“You’re not making sense. None of this means Samuel won’t walk.”

“I think it does mean that. Samuel never got his legs free from the ice in my dreams. God knows how many hairs are on one’s head, He knows how many steps Samuel will take.
Ach
, why am I just
nau
understanding this? Tobias said his steps are ordered, but he never said how many steps he would take.” She chewed her bottom lip. “I’ll tell your father I was wrong, and maybe he will give us his blessing.”

“Why do you say that?” His tone turned stern.

She turned her head, but he rested his hand on her cheek and guided her back to face him.

“Are you saying you didn’t see an angel?” He locked his gaze on her.

“No. I saw him. But the dream—” She paused when his jaw tightened. “I’ll tell your father I was wrong about Samuel walking.”

“No, you will not.” His brows furrowed. “He’ll want you to say you were wrong about seeing an angel.” He shook his head. “You’re not telling him that. We’ve got to stand on faith.” He tipped her chin. “We’ll pray for God’s mercy as long as it takes until we see Samuel walk.” He kissed her forehead, then peered into her eyes and smiled. “You might be patching holes in your dress, but we’ll keep praying.” He dropped to his knees and reached for her hand. “Let’s pray
nau
.”

Judith knelt with him. Andrew clasped her hands, and the cold ground no longer chilled her bones. Instead, her core warmed. As she closed her eyes, a golden glow filled her view. While Andrew prayed for her surety of her convictions and for Samuel’s complete healing, a faint hum of chanting sounds filled her ears.

“
Denki
, God.
Aemen
.”

Judith lifted her head. “I believe God gave me a new measure of faith.”

A wide smile spread across Andrew’s face. “Hold on to that belief,” he said, reaching for her hand to help her off her knees.

“
Jah
, I’m convinced. No one can change
mei
surety
nau
.”

He tugged her hand.
“Kumm
, let’s tell Samuel first about us getting married. I need to tell him that his prayers were answered.” Andrew chuckled. “He prayed that you wouldn’t leave the bus station until I reached you.”

“He knew that you wanted to stop me?”

“He knows I want to marry you too.” He tugged her arm. “He asked me to. He said something about having too many girls in the house.”

“
Ach
, so honorable of you to help him in his dilemma.” Judith looked up at the falling snow. “We had better hurry. At the rate of this snow
kumming
down, the roads will get slippery soon.”

Chapter Thirty

T
o Judith’s dismay, several buggies lined her parents’ driveway. “Why do you think everyone is here?” She pointed to the bishop’s buggy. “Your father’s here.”

Andrew reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “That’s
gut
. We’ll tell them together.” He parked the buggy next to the others and turned on the seat to face her. “Whatever happens, I love you. If they oppose us getting married and joining the church, we leave together.”

Judith nodded. “Whatever happens,” she repeated.

During the buggy ride, she had prayed for a miracle. She wanted to be accepted and wanted Andrew to be eligible for ministry. She asked God to show them the way. Andrew’s silence didn’t surprise her. A man after God’s heart, Andrew would have also continued praying. Judith smiled with the thought of knowing that even in silence, they were before God in one accord.

She accepted Andrew’s hand to help her from the buggy, knowing the menfolk were watching nearby. Andrew smiled without so much as a hint of fear.

“Lord, if it be Your will, show them the truth,” she whispered, then directed her gaze to the sky. “It’s snowing hard. Why do you suppose they’ve gathered outside the barn?”

Andrew shrugged. “Let’s find out.”

David came out of the barn and rejoined the other men. “He isn’t in there.”

The urgency in his voice caused Judith’s heart to pound wildly.

“How can a paralyzed boy go far?”
Daed
inquired. His slumped posture made him look years older. With his head bowed, his shoulders shook.

Judith increased her pace. “What’s happened?”

David rubbed his beard. “Samuel’s missing.”

“How can it be so?” She scanned the snow-covered yard. “Where’s Martha?”

David cleared his throat. “Don’t know.”

Andrew stepped closer. “How long have they been gone?”

“We came back from town and found the house empty.”
Daed
drew a deep breath. David’s arm came around his father’s shoulder. “I’ll keep looking. You should—”

“I cannot wait with the women while my children are missing.”
Daed’s
voice rose, but his mouth trembled with every word.

Zechariah cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should all pray.”

Certainly God had spoken to the bishop’s heart. Outside of service, she hadn’t heard him pray much. Usually he offered to seek the scriptures.

The bishop eyed each of them gathered, gave a stiff nod, then clasped his hands in front of him and bowed his head. The others followed.

She exchanged looks with Andrew, who lifted his right shoulder in a slight shrug. She bowed her head, but heaviness penetrated her limbs. She felt pulled away, and the bishop’s voice grew distant.

A golden haze lifted from the earth and shards of icicles sprayed a distant form. Moving closer, she could see Samuel. He pulled on his legs, then stopped. He took gasping breaths, his face contorted. Finally, as he began to recline, a voice called out, telling him to stand. Without effort, Samuel rose to his feet .
. .

Chanting sounds grew louder as the dream faded. Judith opened her eyes and scanned the area. Tobias stood at the edge of the apple orchard, beckoning her to come. Although the bishop’s prayer hadn’t ended, she took a step away.

Andrew grabbed her hand, his eyes wide and searching. She motioned with her head toward the apple orchard.

The bishop had just breathed
aemen
to conclude his prayer when Judith blurted, “Did anyone search by the river?” She pivoted without waiting for their reply and bolted from the group.

Andrew and David both kept stride while the others followed at a slower pace.

Once they reached the river, Judith slid to a halt. Martha was lying on the ground, and Samuel was seated alongside her, patting her back.

Samuel looked up. “Judith!” He pushed off Martha’s shoulder to stand and made a few tottering steps toward her.

Judith reached out her arms. “Be careful.” Then reality sank in. Samuel was walking. Taking steps without assistance. Tears flowed freely, clouding her vision, but nothing could take from the miracle happening before her.
Denki
,
God
.
Denki
.

Andrew boasted a wide smile.

“Look what God has done,” she said, turning to Andrew and David.

Andrew nodded. “
Ach
, what a glorious sight,
jah
?”

David’s mouth hung agape. Then, slowly moving toward Samuel, he released a pent-up sob. “Samuel, you’re walking!” He gathered Samuel into his arms and twirled him in a circle.

Daed
and Bishop Lapp arrived together.

“
Denki
, God.
Mei
boy is safe,”
Daed
choked.

The bishop stepped forward. “Is he all right?”

David nodded at the older men. “
Ach
, more than
fine
.” He gazed at Samuel and asked, “Feel strong enough to show them?”

“
Jah
, put me down.”

David gently lowered Samuel to his feet. “Watch him
nau
. You’ll see.”

The boy’s smile widened as he made his way toward his father.

“Ach!” Daed
covered his mouth with his hand and bent to one knee.

Bishop Lapp’s mouth hung open. He looked at Judith, but broke eye contact and lowered his head.

Andrew moved closer and tentatively patted Judith’s back. “It’s a
wundebaar
miracle, isn’t it?” He reached into his pocket, removed a handkerchief, and offered it to her.

Judith looked around the clearing. The long afternoon sun rays cast a golden hue over the freshly fallen snow, reminding her of the glow she’d seen in her dream. The light softened everyone’s features.
Daed’s
wet face held a sparkle as he cuddled with her little brother.

Then her eyes stopped on Martha, still lying on the ground. With all the excitement over Samuel’s miracle, Martha hadn’t moved. “Samuel, what happened to Martha?”

“She went to sleep. I couldn’t wake her.”

David rushed to Martha and jostled her shoulders. “Martha, can you hear me?”

Their sister moaned and fluttered her lashes a few times before she opened her eyes.

David helped her into a seated position.

Daed
brushed Judith’s shoulder. “Hold Samuel,” he said, passing her brother from his arms into hers. He knelt beside David and Martha. “What happened?”

Martha squinted, blinked a few times, then slowly shook her head. “It was odd. While I was praying for God to forgive me . . . I heard singing.” She looked up, scanned everyone, then locked on Judith. “I didn’t understand any of the words. They weren’t
Englisch
or
Deitsch
.” She turned to
Daed
. “Then I heard the door slam, and it brought me out of my stupor. Samuel wasn’t in his room. By the time I ran outside, I saw him
walking
—right beside a huge
Englischer
. I called out, but neither of them responded, so I followed them here.” Her eyes grew bigger.
“Daed
, when the
Englischer
turned to look at me, his eyes were mesmerizing.”

“Do you remember walking with a man, Samuel?”
Daed
asked.

Samuel lifted his head off Judith’s shoulder. “
Jah
, Tobias.”

“Who is Tobias?” the bishop asked.

The little boy beamed. “He’s the angel who told me I could walk.”

Daed
gulped. “Tobias, you say?”

“Jah.”
Samuel turned to Judith. “He came to me in
mei
dream. Only he had a golden glow surrounding him. I heard his voice telling me to stand, so I did. Then I followed him.”

Joy bubbled up from deep within Judith, and a sound between a sob and a laugh escaped her lips.

Andrew, eyes glistening now, breathed deep and smiled.

“He’s the largest
Englischer
I’ve ever seen.” Martha stood with David’s help. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Samuel walked.”

Her father shook his head slowly. “I don’t understand. The doctors said the nerve damage to his spine was too great. They were sure he would never walk.”

The bishop made a sweeping scan of the area. “Where is this Tobias?”

“He vanished.” Martha looked from
Daed
to David. “I saw a brightness reflecting off the snow.”

Samuel nodded. “
Jah
, I saw it too. And Martha fell down.” He pointed to the clearing. “He went that way. I wanted to go, but Tobias said to watch over Martha.” He looked at his sister. “I couldn’t wake you.”

Martha nodded. “
Jah
, the singing started again, and still I didn’t know the words.”

Bishop Lapp cleared his throat. “We’ve seen a miracle today. I suggest we go back to the
haus
where you can give us the details.” He turned, then after a slight hesitation, he walked up to Andrew and Judith. His gaze lifted to the sky. “Samuel’s steps were ordered by God.”

“Judith was right.” Samuel hugged Judith’s neck. “He was an angel.”

Bishop Lapp leaned toward Andrew’s ear and whispered something Judith wasn’t able to hear.

Andrew nodded.

Before his father rejoined the others heading back to the house, he held Judith’s gaze, nodded, then turned to his son and clapped his shoulder.