Chapter 3
Joanna was a homebody and didn’t like leaving her grandparents’ place for one night, let alone for two weeks.
Even more so, she didn’t want to leave Jacob.
But Mandy’s grandparents—Elaine and Daniel—were going to Florida for the last two weeks of January and had invited Mandy and Joanna to go with them before Mandy married Caleb in March.
Mammi Lu told Joanna she’d never regret going to Florida. Mammi and Dawdi had vacationed in Pinecraft a few years before but didn’t feel up to going now. That was okay with Joanna. She didn’t think they should all be away from home at the same time.
Joanna left with Mandy and her grandparents and arrived at the shopping center parking lot in Lancaster just after noon on Monday. They all wore long coats and boots, which they wouldn’t need in Florida.
Her heart pounded as the bus turned into the parking lot.
Joanna and Jacob had just started courting.
Their ice cream date in May had led to conversations on their lunch breaks.
But by the end of June, he was giving Miriam rides home from church and activities.
Joanna had been disappointed but remained composed.
Nevertheless, she couldn’t stop thinking about Jacob, and honestly, she had been jealous of Miriam. But it was no surprise. Miriam was pretty and outgoing and a lot of fun.
But for some reason Miriam and Jacob’s relationship had ended in September.
Mandy said Miriam had decided Jacob wasn’t right for her, but when Jacob began chatting with Joanna more at work he’d said Miriam was too wild for him.
That endeared Jacob to her again. She wasn’t surprised he’d been attracted to Miriam initially, but he’d seen things for what they were. Miriam wasn’t right for him after all.
In November, he went back to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Joanna feared he wouldn’t return, but he did. In early December he asked to drive her home from the Youngie singing. Then he asked to drive her home from church. Soon, Joanna’s favorite place to be was in Jacob’s courting buggy.
Sunday before last, Jacob had pulled her close. “We’ve been friends long enough, don’t you think?”
All Joanna could do was nod. She didn’t exactly think of him as a friend—she didn’t know him well enough yet—but she wasn’t as convinced that she needed to be friends before courting him as she once was.
Her mother once said that she hadn’t known Joanna’s father very well before they married, and Joanna believed that showed in their relationship.
But she could get to know Jacob as they courted just as well—she wouldn’t rush into a serious relationship.
If she’d learned one thing from her parents’ relationship, it was to take her time.
And Jacob didn’t seem to be the type to rush into anything either.
Being with Jacob made her feel seen. Others in the community took notice of her because of him.
She’d observed him working hard, cooperating with the team, and learning from Ike.
He was ambitious—he’d mentioned once, in private, that he’d like to buy Ike and Becky’s business, once they were ready to retire, and also run his uncle’s farm.
Maybe she knew Jacob as well as she needed to.
His face had fallen when she’d told him she was going to Florida for two weeks. She just hoped he wouldn’t drive someone else home while she was gone. Or start seeing Miriam again.
Joanna pushed her thoughts aside as she boarded the bus.
She and Mandy sat next to each other, with Elaine and Daniel across the aisle.
They’d barely left the city limits before Elaine started gossiping.
“Did you hear about Paul’s Laura?” she asked.
People were often identified by their father’s name—Joanna had been Nehemiah’s Joanna most of her life, even though there hadn’t been another Joanna in the district she grew up in.
Elaine added, “Laura’s the youngest in that family. ”
“A few years older than I am?” Mandy asked.
“Jah. She’s marrying a man from New Holland.” Elaine lowered her voice. “It’s quite rushed, if you know what I mean.”
“Mammi!” Mandy glanced around. Joanna hoped no one was listening. Daniel was already snoring, so he hadn’t heard. Joanna dug her book out of her bag and opened it.
As the hours passed she would read some and then watch the landscape for a while.
First the snow-covered fields of Pennsylvania.
Then the hills of Maryland and Virginia and the forests of North and South Carolina.
At each stop, Joanna took off a layer. Her coat.
Her fleece. Her boots. Her sweater. By the time the bus crossed from Georgia into Florida, she wore only her cape dress, apron, and tennis shoes.
She dozed as the bus traveled west across Florida.
When she awoke, they’d reached Sarasota.
Palm trees swayed in the morning breeze and Englischers wore shorts and T-shirts. A few minutes later she spotted an Amish couple wearing sandals. Then an older Amishman driving a golf cart. Joanna stared, guessing he was from a district with different rules than she was used to.
The bus turned into a parking lot and stopped.
“We’re here.” Elaine stood. Mandy and Joanna did too.
Daniel waited until they started toward the front of the bus and then followed.
As they stepped onto the asphalt, Joanna took in a welcome breath of warm air.
Once she had her roller bag, she turned toward the street, where a small group of people had gathered.
“Joanna?”
She squinted into the sunshine.
“It’s me.” Adam Slaybaugh stood fifteen feet in front of her.” He wore a short-sleeved shirt and his pants were rolled up a few turns.
“Adam!” Elaine grabbed Mandy’s arm and hurried toward him. “We were hoping we would see you.”
Daniel stopped beside Joanna. “Who is that?”
“Becky and Ike’s grandson.”
Daniel hooked his thumbs through his suspenders. “He needs a haircut.”
Joanna laughed. He did. Maybe life in Florida hadn’t changed Adam that much.
“Elaine and I both thought he would have returned to Lancaster County by now. Ike and Becky need him close—perhaps you girls can convince him to move back.”
Joanna doubted that.
Mammi Lu, Becky, and Elaine were all in a quilting bee together, although Joanna didn’t know how Becky had time to quilt.
But, no doubt, she participated more for the gossip—or rather, fellowship—than for making quilts.
She imagined the women all talked about their grandchildren and wanted as many of them as possible to live close by.
Daniel spoke quietly. “What’s Elaine up to?”
Joanna whispered, “I don’t know.”
Elaine was speaking loudly, although Joanna couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying, and gesturing wildly with her free hand. Daniel dropped his voice even lower. “Mandy and Caleb are getting married in March.”
Joanna nodded. Their wedding hadn’t been formally published yet—it would be when they returned home—but that was all she’d heard about from Mandy for the last couple of months.
Mandy turned and motioned to Joanna.
“Go,” Daniel said. “Rescue the girl.”
Joanna left her suitcase by Daniel and stepped forward. “Hallo, Adam,” she said. “How are you?”
“Gut!” His grin was as warm as the Florida sun. “What a surprise!” His bright blue eyes were definitely on her, not Mandy. It appeared he’d forgiven her for being brusque with him in May. He asked, “How long are you here for?”
“Two weeks,” Elaine answered before Joanna could. “Maybe you could show Mandy, and Joanna of course, around.”
Adam kept his eyes on Joanna. “I’d love to. There’s a singing in the park tonight. Want to come?”
Joanna, caught mid-yawn, put her hand over her mouth. As she took it down, she smiled at his audacity, and then said, “I think we’ll be too tired—”
As Elaine said, “Denki, Adam. What time?”
“Six o’clock. There’s a potluck at five but don’t worry about bringing anything. You’ll have another chance next week.”
Elaine said, “We’ll see you then!”
Joanna turned back toward Daniel. The Amishman driving the golf cart had stopped beside him. As the man loaded their bags onto the back of the cart, Daniel asked, “Is it okay if I drive?”
The man gave him a curt nod and climbed into the passenger seat. Elaine struggled onto the back seat as she called out, “Walk behind us,” to Mandy and Joanna. Then she rattled off the address in case they couldn’t keep up.
Joanna nudged Mandy and pointed at Daniel driving the golf cart out of the parking lot. “What is going on?” she squeaked. Daniel Troyer would never be allowed to drive a golf cart back home.
Mandy laughed. “Have you ever heard the saying ‘What happens in Pinecraft stays in Pinecraft’?”
Joanna hadn’t, but it made her laugh. Daniel, as a bishop, wouldn’t break the Ordnung. The rules in Pinecraft seemed to be as opposite the ones back home as the winter weather was.
The cabin had two bedrooms, and the owner had stocked the fridge with groceries Elaine had ordered. Once they’d unpacked, Mandy and Joanna decided to walk around while Daniel and Elaine took a nap.
Mandy had come to Pinecraft with her grandparents and Miriam a few years ago, so she led the way to the ice cream shop. “Lots of the Youngie hang out there,” she said. “Maybe we’ll see Adam.”
“Shouldn’t he be at work?”
“It seems like people have weird schedules here,” Mandy said. “Lots of things are different than back home.” That was for sure.
Adam wasn’t at the ice cream shop and neither were any other Youngie. Families with little kids were, though. And older people. Lots of older people.
Joanna thought of Jacob back in Lancaster County, and her heart constricted. She hoped he was thinking of her—not Miriam—too.