A VOW for ALWAYS

CHAPTER 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Epilogue

About the Author

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing:
thou hast put off my sackcloth
,
and girded me with gladness
.
P
SALM
30:11

I
s it true, Eddie? Do you really remember your name?” Susan asked excitedly as she
rushed into the living room. “I just got home from my shift at the hospital, and Grandpa
gave me the good news.”

He looked up at her from his seat in front of the fireplace and nodded. “I’m pretty
sure my name’s Luke.”

“Luke’s a biblical name.” Susan smiled as a sense of hope welled in her chest. “Do
you know your last name, Luke?”

He shook his head, a look of defeat clouding his turquoise eyes. “You’d think if I
could remember my first name I’d know my last name, too, but I don’t. I still can’t
remember anything about my past.” Luke groaned. “It’s so frustrating.”

Susan knelt on the floor beside him and touched his arm. “It’ll come to you, Eddie—I
mean, Luke. Just give it time. Remember what the doctors have told you. Your memory
could return slowly. It’s been about nine months since your accident. I think it’s
a positive sign that you’re beginning to remember.”

He stared at the fire. “You really think so?”

“Of course. Seeing Grandpa’s pocket watch jogged your memory. With more time, other
things will pop into your mind.” Susan hoped she sounded more confident than she felt,
for she really wanted to offer him hope. For that matter, she needed hope, too—that
Luke would remember everything about his past and that they wouldn’t discover he was
married.

Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania

Grasping a can of insect repellant, Jonah sprayed all around the buggy shop, watching
as several spiders came out of nowhere.

“This should have been done a whole lot sooner,” Jonah mumbled as he finished spraying.
Usually they had this job done before October, but life had gotten in the way. So
that morning, Dad had been bitten by a black widow spider. Besides pain and redness,
Dad had developed some muscle cramping, a headache, and nausea. At the hospital, he’d
been treated with an antibiotic, given some cream for the spider bite, and kept overnight
for observation. The doctor had assured them that Dad would be alright, and luckily
he didn’t have a severe allergic reaction. His hand would probably be sore for a few
days, and he was advised not to do any work in the shop until it felt better. Now
it was Jonah’s turn to carry the load, but he would do it gladly, just as Dad had
done when Jonah broke his ankle.

Woof! Woof!
Jonah smiled as Herbie, his folks’ frisky border collie, darted into the shop with
a small squash in his mouth and promptly dropped it on the floor at Jonah’s feet.

“That’s not a ball for you to play fetch with,” Jonah scolded while he washed the
bug spray off his hands. “Mom’s not gonna like it when she finds out you’ve been stealing
things from her garden.”

Herbie looked up at Jonah with his big brown eyes, as though waiting for him to pick
up the squash and throw it. When the dog got no reaction, he leaned down on his front
legs, tail wagging in the air, and pushed the squash toward Jonah with his nose.

Jonah chuckled. “You don’t take no for an answer, do you, boy?”

Woof! Woof! Woof!

He picked up the squash, placed it on the workbench, and looked for Herbie’s rubber
ball. He found it on a shelf near the door and cleaned it, too. “Here you go, boy—fetch!”
Jonah pitched the ball out the door, and Herbie tore across the yard, yipping until
he snagged the ball.

Jonah quickly shut the door so he could get back to work. As he finished up the buggy
he and Dad had been working on, his thoughts went to Meredith. He still couldn’t believe
she’d agreed to let him court her, and he couldn’t wait to spend more time with her.

Ronks, Pennsylvania

“It’s been nice visiting you,” Meredith told her mother, “but Levi and I really should
go. I want to stop by Elam and Sadie’s place on the way home and let them know that
Jonah and I will be courting.”

“I hope it goes well,” Mom said, leaning over to kiss the top of the baby’s head.

“I hope so, too.” Meredith gathered her belongings and carried Levi out to her buggy.

When she arrived at the Stoltzfuses’ place a short time later, Elam was home, but
Sadie had gone shopping.

“Do you know when she’ll be home?” Meredith asked.

Elam shook his head. “You know my Sadie. She likes to shop, and if she ran into any
of her friends along the way, she’s probably gabbing like a magpie.”

Meredith smiled, wondering if she should tell Elam her news and let him relay the
message to Sadie. It might be easier. If Sadie had anything negative to say, at least
Meredith wouldn’t have to hear about it today.

“Why don’t ya come in and have a seat?” Elam opened the door wider. “We can visit
before Sadie gets back.” He grinned. “It’ll give me a chance to hold my
kinskinner
without Sadie hogging him the way she always does.”

Meredith didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was true; whenever Sadie had the
chance to hold Levi, she was reluctant to let him go.

“I guess we could visit awhile,” Meredith agreed. “Although if Sadie doesn’t get here
soon, I’ll have to head for home and get supper started.”

“You could stay and eat supper with us,” Elam suggested, leading the way to the living
room.

“I appreciate the offer, but I invited my friend Dorine and her family over for supper,
so I’ll need to go pretty soon.”

“Can I hold the
boppli?”
Elam asked.

“Of course.” Meredith smiled, seeing the look of joy on her father-in-law’s face.
She’d just handed Levi to Elam, when Sadie entered the room.

“We didn’t hear you coming,” Elam said, holding his grandson gently, as if he were
afraid the little one might break. “Look who stopped by for a visit.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” Meredith said, smiling at her mother-in-law. “There’s something
I want to tell you and Elam.”

Sadie’s eyes narrowed. She looked directly at Meredith. “If it’s about you and Jonah
courting, I already know. What I don’t understand is why you kept it from us.”

“I was planning to tell you. That’s the reason I’m over here now.”

Sadie’s mouth turned down at the corners. “It’s too soon for you to be courting. Luke’s
only been dead nine months.”

“I realize that, but it’s not like I’ve agreed to marry Jonah. We’ll just be getting
to know each other better.”

“Courting can lead to marriage, and it often does.” Sadie’s voice was edged with concern.
“You may not realize it, but I’m sure Jonah has marriage on his mind.” When she looked
over at Elam for his support, he merely shrugged. “Do you love Jonah?” Sadie questioned,
turning her attention back to Meredith.

Meredith dropped her gaze to the floor. “I think I do, although not the way I did
Luke.”

“Humph!” Sadie tapped her foot. “Guess there’s nothing I can do about that, but I
don’t have to like it.”

Meredith felt sick at heart. She’d known the feelings of others would have to be considered,
and instinct had told her that Sadie wouldn’t take the news well. But did she have
to be so rude? Meredith wished everything could be like it was when Luke was alive.
She wasn’t the type to think only of herself. But things were different now. She had
a son to consider. Would Sadie ever accept the idea of Meredith being with any other
man than Luke?