Hannah has a good life. A beautiful home, a loving husband, and a wonderful Amish community are only a few of her daily blessings. But she has carried a heavy burden for years: a secret that no one must know. When tragedy strikes, her secret threatens to be revealed, jeopardizing everything she's ever loved. Will Hannah be able to face her greatest fear and find God's purpose for her life? Stand-alone, Christian fiction
Excerpt (c) J.E.B. Spredemann
Prologue
It is a secret I intend to keep buried forever. But like all secrets, it begs to be told. Nobody knows. Only me. And if I had my way, not even I would know. The secret is powerful. It has the potential to destroy my life. On the other hand, if revealed, could it possibly bring a sense of peace to my soul? But I will never tell a soul. Ever.
Chapter 1
Exhausted, Hannah Stolzfus clambered down from the buggy. Dat met her at the barn and led Winnie to the water trough. "Another busy day at the candle shop?" Dat's bushy eyebrows rose.
"Jah, Dat. Lots of Englischers today. I guess the kinner are out of school now that it's summertime and it seems lots of folks are visiting Lancaster for their holidays this year," Hannah said.
"It wonders me why the Englisch find our ways so interesting." Silas Stolzfus stroked his beard with his thumb and forefinger.
"I think maybe they want to be like us. I saw another new book at Yoder's Market yesterday. It had a woman on the cover with a kapp, but the hair was all wrong. Looked pretty funny to me. Ach, I can't imagine what Mamm would say if I cut my hair short across the front like the Englisch."
"If they want to be like us, why don't they give up their fancy cars and their electric?" Dat added, "Nee, I'm afraid it would be difficult giving up something you've known your whole life. I, for one, would not want to give up my farm."
"That's because you are a gut farmer and a gut steward of the land Gott has given you."
"Demut, Hannah. It is only by the strength Der Herr gives me that I can work this land." Dat leaned over and placed a hand on Hannah's forearm. "You are a gut daughter, and wise to think such things."
"If I am wise it is only because of what you and Mamm have taught me," Hannah deflected with a smile before making her way toward the back door of the house.
Silas released a contented sigh and grinned as he watched Hannah enter the house. Out of all four of his daughters, she was certainly the most well-grounded and levelheaded. His youngest daughter, on the other hand, was quite a different story. He knew how often Deborah sneaked out of the house at night but was glad that she often roped Hannah into going with her. He got the feeling Hannah only went to keep her sister from dabbling in too much mischief.
~~~
"Hannah," Deborah whispered, shaking her sister's shoulder. "Hannah, wake up."
Groggily, Hannah turned over on her side. "What is it, Deborah?"Hannah groaned.
"Leah can't go with me tonight. You have to come. I told Peter I would meet him at the movie theater. Leah's beau canceled and now she doesn't want to go," Deborah said pouting.
"I'm tired, Deb. We had customers non-stop today and I barely had enough time to complete my chores before bed," Hannah reasoned.
Deborah rolled her eyes. "Hannah, you're eighteen years old and you're acting like Mammi."
"I am not," Hannah snapped back. "And if you had a mind to get yourself a job, you might find yourself a little tired too. Instead, you do everything you can to get out of work."
"I do not. I'm in my rumspringa. I've got a right to have a little fun," Deborah said, pulling up a pair of jeans under her dress. "Fine.If you won't go with me, I'll just go by myself."
Hannah sighed and rolled out of bed. "Okay, I'll come with you but I'm not wearing Englisch clothes."
"Jah, Dat. Lots of Englischers today. I guess the kinner are out of school now that it's summertime and it seems lots of folks are visiting Lancaster for their holidays this year," Hannah said.
"It wonders me why the Englisch find our ways so interesting." Silas Stolzfus stroked his beard with his thumb and forefinger.
"I think maybe they want to be like us. I saw another new book at Yoder's Market yesterday. It had a woman on the cover with a kapp, but the hair was all wrong. Looked pretty funny to me. Ach, I can't imagine what Mamm would say if I cut my hair short across the front like the Englisch."
"If they want to be like us, why don't they give up their fancy cars and their electric?" Dat added, "Nee, I'm afraid it would be difficult giving up something you've known your whole life. I, for one, would not want to give up my farm."
"That's because you are a gut farmer and a gut steward of the land Gott has given you."
"Demut, Hannah. It is only by the strength Der Herr gives me that I can work this land." Dat leaned over and placed a hand on Hannah's forearm. "You are a gut daughter, and wise to think such things."
"If I am wise it is only because of what you and Mamm have taught me," Hannah deflected with a smile before making her way toward the back door of the house.
Silas released a contented sigh and grinned as he watched Hannah enter the house. Out of all four of his daughters, she was certainly the most well-grounded and levelheaded. His youngest daughter, on the other hand, was quite a different story. He knew how often Deborah sneaked out of the house at night but was glad that she often roped Hannah into going with her. He got the feeling Hannah only went to keep her sister from dabbling in too much mischief.
~~~
"Hannah," Deborah whispered, shaking her sister's shoulder. "Hannah, wake up."
Groggily, Hannah turned over on her side. "What is it, Deborah?"Hannah groaned.
"Leah can't go with me tonight. You have to come. I told Peter I would meet him at the movie theater. Leah's beau canceled and now she doesn't want to go," Deborah said pouting.
"I'm tired, Deb. We had customers non-stop today and I barely had enough time to complete my chores before bed," Hannah reasoned.
Deborah rolled her eyes. "Hannah, you're eighteen years old and you're acting like Mammi."
"I am not," Hannah snapped back. "And if you had a mind to get yourself a job, you might find yourself a little tired too. Instead, you do everything you can to get out of work."
"I do not. I'm in my rumspringa. I've got a right to have a little fun," Deborah said, pulling up a pair of jeans under her dress. "Fine.If you won't go with me, I'll just go by myself."
Hannah sighed and rolled out of bed. "Okay, I'll come with you but I'm not wearing Englisch clothes."
