Epilogue
Eight months later
Tabitha stood at her kitchen table, arranging calf vaccines in her insulated bag. Today, she’d be going to the Yoder farm to vaccinate some new calves that had been born recently to their herd.
Moses and Miri were settling into married life just fine, from all appearances, and Tabitha was happy for her cousin.
She and Moses had gotten married about three weeks after Tabitha and Jonas.
And according to The Budget newspaper, Christina and her widower had also gotten married that same fall.
Tabitha had been delighted with that little detail.
It was proof that Gott was working for all of their good.
Outside, snow swirled past the glass. It was a cold February day, and the black wood stove was pumping heat into their little rented house.
In the spring, they’d start construction on their house on the plot of land Jonas’s parents had given them as a wedding gift.
Nathaniel was staying true to his word and had given them enough land to start that herd of sheep.
In the meantime, Jonas was still helping his father on the family farm.
Jonas’s boots sounded on the steps as he stomped off the snow, and he came in with a rush of frigid air.
“The buggy is hitched up for you,” Jonas said. “And I’ll be headed to my parents’ place soon.”
He left a little trail of snow as he crossed the kitchen to kiss her. He put a hand on her rounded belly, and the baby inside of her wriggled.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi.” He smiled down at her. “Oh, I almost forgot. I checked the mail, and you got a letter.”
He fished an envelope out of his coat and handed it over. Tabitha looked at the return address.
“It’s from that lawyer,” she said as she tore it open.
It was a forwarded letter, by the looks of it, since Tabitha had never given Kelsie her address. Jonas looked over her shoulder, reading along with her.
“What does she want?” Jonas asked.
“I’m not sure.”
Dear Tabitha,
I’m sorry to bother you. I just wanted to let you know that you made a big impact on my life, whether you realized it or not. We have a strange connection, you and I. Michael and I ruined your life, and I don’t think I fully appreciated that until recently.
But you forgave me. That’s what really got me thinking.
You were able to forgive the woman who helped tear apart your marriage, and that is nothing short of miraculous.
I started going to church after our last visit, and I not only faced what I did to you, but I found Jesus too.
I don’t think I could have faced my own guilt if I hadn’t found God’s forgiveness.
I don’t know if you believe me or not, but I’m a changed woman.
I’m forgiven, and I’m living a Christian life.
I have joy and hope now, where before I only had ways to try to fill the gaps, trying to come out on top and win at all costs.
But life isn’t about winning, is it? And that’s something you knew all along.
I can’t even express to you how deeply sorry I am for all the pain I caused in your life.
Michael was not mine to take, and I’m so sorry that I encouraged him to leave you.
I have a small idea of how devastating that was for you, and I take responsibility for it.
Thank you for forgiving me when you did, and please know that I am a better person for it.
I invested in a copper teapot, a little like yours.
I want to start my own legacy of faith. I’m single right now, and I intend to stay that way until God brings me the right man.
If he does. And in the meantime, I intend to cultivate some friendships and encourage other women not to make my mistakes.
God can use this for good, and I want my kitchen table to be a place where women feel welcome to come as they are and find Jesus like I did.
May God bless you, Tabitha, and make up for the pain I’ve caused you!
Kelsie
Dumbfounded, Tabitha looked up at Jonas, who remained silent.
“It looks like Gott did use my mistakes for some good. She’s found Jesus—that’s amazing!”
“It really is,” he said, tugging Tabitha a little bit closer. “Did Gott make up for your pain?”
“Completely.” She smiled up at Jonas and tugged on his short beard to bring him down for a kiss. “Entirely.”
Jonas gave her a peck, and a smile split his face.
“That’s what I want to hear,” he said. “I’d better get going. Will you be okay on those roads?”
“Jonas, I’m fine,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll let you know when it gets to be too much. But we aren’t there yet.”
Her baby gave a little kick, and she rubbed her hand over the spot lovingly.
Lately, she’d been thinking of the Twenty-third Psalm that her mother had embroidered and hung in their home growing up.
It had etched its way into Tabitha’s heart and into her life over the years.
But it was the last verse of that psalm that echoed through her heart as she looked down at that letter written by the woman who had once torn apart Tabitha’s life.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Gott’s goodness and mercy had spread out to cover all of them .
. . her and Jonas, Amanda and Menno, Rose and Aaron.
It was there for Daet, who still loved them just as fiercely as ever, and it covered Miri and Moses, too, who had found a forever love in spite of the drama surrounding Old Tom’s will.
It had covered over Christina in Ohio as well.
And out there in the Englisch world, beyond the protective fence of Amish life, there was a woman who had made big mistakes, who had hurt Tabitha the most deeply, and Gott’s goodness and mercy were chasing after her too.
Thank you, Gott.
Surely Gott’s goodness and mercy were for all of them. For always.