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She was willing to do anything to accomplish that for baby Samuel’s sake.”
    â€œIt still makes no sense to me,” Maurice whacked at some spiderwebs spun around a beam.
    â€œI guess I’ll have to tell you our secrets.” Susan sighed. “There was quite an uproar when Teresa first came—about her having a child without a husband.”
    â€œI’m not surprised. I always thought Teresa’s desire was a wild goose chase. But she had her heart set on her dream.”
    â€œThe solution one of the ministers came up with was to have Teresa accept Yost’s offer to marry her—once she was baptized, of course.”
    â€œSort of nip any problems in the bud?”
    â€œI guess,” Susan said. “I’m sure you think this sounds old-fashioned and unfair.”
    â€œAnd Teresa went along with the plan?” Maurice wasn’t sweeping any longer.
    â€œMuch too willingly, I thought. I guess she didn’t think she had any choice if she wanted Samuel to be raised among the Amish. Even after the ministers saw how sincere Teresa was and backed off the marriage requirement, Teresa stuck with the plan. And then James stood up for Teresa, which upset his father. James’s father is a deacon. He objected so strongly to James and Teresa’s budding feelings for each other that Teresa was even more determined to avoid trouble by sticking with her plans to marry Yost.”
    â€œOh, the ways of mice and men,” Maurice muttered. “But I can’t blame anybody really. I suppose an unwed girl coming in from the outside with a child in tow could seem to threaten your way of life.”
    â€œAt least it got worked out satisfactorily,” Susan said. “And Teresa’s faith is awesome! She really trusts God. She’s been a great example to me…and to all of us.”
    â€œYou can sure say that! Even to her old mother.” Maurice stopped to wipe cobwebs from her face. “I’m glad to see Teresa happy and living among such sincere people.”
    â€œWe’re not perfect,” Susan assured her.
    â€œYou try to be,” Maurice said. “That goes a long way with me. So what is this old man like? He must not be too bad for Teresa to tolerate him.”
    â€œShe’s a saint, remember?”
    â€œI’ll still be looking forward to meeting the old fogy. He must be something.”
    Susan laughed. “His house took about as much cleaning as these beams are taking. His place was a major mess, and he desperately wanted a wife to cook and clean for him. That was about the list of requirements. Trouble is, no Amish women wanted him. Sometimes that happens with certain people. They develop a reputation—justified or otherwise—and never quite succeed in shaking it. At least Yost finally has found someone, from what it sounds like anyway.”
    Just then Teresa jerked open the barn door and paused for her eyes to adjust before exclaiming, “I can’t believe you’re out here, Mom, cleaning barn beams for my wedding.”
    â€œIt’s good exercise,” Maurice said. “And I had to get away from all those women with their Betty Crocker cooking skills. I was ready to burst into tears from shame.”
    â€œMom, you don’t have to impress anyone,” Teresa said.
    â€œWell, I have to do something. I didn’t come here to just sit around while others work hard on your wedding preparations.”
    Teresa stared across the barn before taking a few steps forward. “Come over here, Mom. I want you to see where James and I will be getting married.”
    Maurice followed Teresa with a puzzled look on her face.
    â€œWe’re going to stand right here ,” Teresa said, stopping to motion with her hand. “The barn doors will be open, the sunlight will be flooding in on people’s backs. There will be women seated over on this side, and men seated over there. The little boys on the