that.”
“All things must be done in accordance with the Ordnung .”
“Of course.”
“Usually we have our baptisms in the spring. Marriages in the late fall or early winter. Well after harvest.”
“Perhaps if I’m an exceptional student the timetable might be altered slightly?”
“Oh–ho—you think so?” He laughed. “I will talk to the ministers. Then I will decide. We should come to your place tomorrow morning after chores. Is that all right with you, Rebecca?”
“Yes.”
“I will need to talk to your mother and father about it right away. Can I offer you two a lift back to your buggy? You should go home first, Rebecca. You should be talking to them about what is going on before I do my bishop speech. And Moses, you must talk with your mother.”
“What about the plane?” asked Moses.
Henry Parker cleared his throat and stepped forward. “If someone will give the prop a twirl I’ll get her back to the hangar and loaded up for a run over my apple orchards. You don’t need to worry about Jenny.”
Becky gave the old man a strong hug that startled him. “Thank you so much, Mr. Parker. It was a dream to be up in the air again. And to have Moses along. A dream. I’m so grateful.”
Moses shook his hand. “I can’t thank you enough. Your loan of the aircraft has changed my life completely.”
Henry Parker smiled. “You’re welcome. She’s never been put to better use than she was this morning.”
“Let me give the propeller the spin, Henry.” Bishop Zook handed his hat to Moses. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“I keep my gear under the pilot’s seat.” He pulled out his jacket and helmet and began to tug them on. Then he climbed on board and adjusted his goggles. “Any time now, Bishop Zook.”
The bishop smiled, spat on his hands, and gripped a propeller blade firmly. He threw down on it with all his might, and the engine sputtered, made a choking sound while he stood back with a worried look on his face, then rumbled and roared. Henry Parker tossed him a salute and steered the Jenny into the wind. He lifted into the air, circled once, and headed north to his farmhouse and the landing strip. Hands on his hips, Bishop Zook watched him go.
“If I could make horses fly,” he murmured. He looked at Moses and Becky. “Well, shall we head over to your horse and carriage?”
The three of them climbed into the buggy and headed off to where Moses had parked. Moses and Becky sat holding hands in the back. She leaned forward.
“Bishop Zook.”
“Mm?”
“I hope there will not be a great deal of trouble for Moses over this.”
“The flying? There will be some mutters and scowls. But it will all pass like a sun shower the moment I announce you are going to take instruction for baptism and are leaving planes behind for good. Once it’s made clear Moses intends to marry you when the baptism is over, and that you have every intention of being a good Amish bride, it will be as if the flight this morning never happened.” He smiled back at them. “Except in your own hearts.”
When they reached Moses’ buggy, where Milly patiently cropped grass in the ditch, the bishop handed Becky a packet of letters once she had climbed down. “These came for your family just yesterday.”
Becky turned them over in her hand. “Who are they from?”
“I don’t know. Two of them have come a long way. First to Africa, then the Caribbean, finally to Paradise.”
Becky examined the postmarks. “Why, those two are from the Hawaiian Islands. We don’t know anyone there.”
He shrugged. “Someone knows you. One has an army seal on the envelope.” He squinted up at the sun. “You get started. I will show up fifteen minutes after you arrive at the Kurtz home. Is that enough time?”
“Yes,” responded Becky. “I think so.”
Once they were seated side by side Moses flicked the reins and Milly started along the road into Paradise. Becky leaned her head on his shoulder and squeezed his
“All things must be done in accordance with the Ordnung .”
“Of course.”
“Usually we have our baptisms in the spring. Marriages in the late fall or early winter. Well after harvest.”
“Perhaps if I’m an exceptional student the timetable might be altered slightly?”
“Oh–ho—you think so?” He laughed. “I will talk to the ministers. Then I will decide. We should come to your place tomorrow morning after chores. Is that all right with you, Rebecca?”
“Yes.”
“I will need to talk to your mother and father about it right away. Can I offer you two a lift back to your buggy? You should go home first, Rebecca. You should be talking to them about what is going on before I do my bishop speech. And Moses, you must talk with your mother.”
“What about the plane?” asked Moses.
Henry Parker cleared his throat and stepped forward. “If someone will give the prop a twirl I’ll get her back to the hangar and loaded up for a run over my apple orchards. You don’t need to worry about Jenny.”
Becky gave the old man a strong hug that startled him. “Thank you so much, Mr. Parker. It was a dream to be up in the air again. And to have Moses along. A dream. I’m so grateful.”
Moses shook his hand. “I can’t thank you enough. Your loan of the aircraft has changed my life completely.”
Henry Parker smiled. “You’re welcome. She’s never been put to better use than she was this morning.”
“Let me give the propeller the spin, Henry.” Bishop Zook handed his hat to Moses. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“I keep my gear under the pilot’s seat.” He pulled out his jacket and helmet and began to tug them on. Then he climbed on board and adjusted his goggles. “Any time now, Bishop Zook.”
The bishop smiled, spat on his hands, and gripped a propeller blade firmly. He threw down on it with all his might, and the engine sputtered, made a choking sound while he stood back with a worried look on his face, then rumbled and roared. Henry Parker tossed him a salute and steered the Jenny into the wind. He lifted into the air, circled once, and headed north to his farmhouse and the landing strip. Hands on his hips, Bishop Zook watched him go.
“If I could make horses fly,” he murmured. He looked at Moses and Becky. “Well, shall we head over to your horse and carriage?”
The three of them climbed into the buggy and headed off to where Moses had parked. Moses and Becky sat holding hands in the back. She leaned forward.
“Bishop Zook.”
“Mm?”
“I hope there will not be a great deal of trouble for Moses over this.”
“The flying? There will be some mutters and scowls. But it will all pass like a sun shower the moment I announce you are going to take instruction for baptism and are leaving planes behind for good. Once it’s made clear Moses intends to marry you when the baptism is over, and that you have every intention of being a good Amish bride, it will be as if the flight this morning never happened.” He smiled back at them. “Except in your own hearts.”
When they reached Moses’ buggy, where Milly patiently cropped grass in the ditch, the bishop handed Becky a packet of letters once she had climbed down. “These came for your family just yesterday.”
Becky turned them over in her hand. “Who are they from?”
“I don’t know. Two of them have come a long way. First to Africa, then the Caribbean, finally to Paradise.”
Becky examined the postmarks. “Why, those two are from the Hawaiian Islands. We don’t know anyone there.”
He shrugged. “Someone knows you. One has an army seal on the envelope.” He squinted up at the sun. “You get started. I will show up fifteen minutes after you arrive at the Kurtz home. Is that enough time?”
“Yes,” responded Becky. “I think so.”
Once they were seated side by side Moses flicked the reins and Milly started along the road into Paradise. Becky leaned her head on his shoulder and squeezed his
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