Read Amish Circle Letters II: The Second Circle of Letters for Free Online Page A

bring it to you but I best not be trying to make it!”
    She peered at him over the rim of the coffee mug and, shyly, asked, “And you, husband. Did you sleep well?”
    Another laugh. “I suppose it will take some time getting used to sharing a bed with someone else,” he said and then, with a mischievous smile on his face, he added, “Especially one who likes to steal the covers!”
    “Oh!” The color rose to Mimi ’s cheeks and she buried her face into his shoulder, hiding herself.
    Pleased with her modest response, Steve placed his hand on her leg and leaned over, gently kissing her on the forehead. “I ’m teasing you, Mimi. I slept just fine, especially knowing that the most wonderful gift from God slept beside me.” He lifted the mug to his lips and drank the coffee before setting the mug on the nightstand.
    Glancing around the room, he sighed. It was no different than his sister ’s rooms had been at his own house: plain white walls, hooks behind the doors to hang her dresses, a simple dresser, and a needle-point wall hanging with the Hostetler family tree. There were touches of Mimi in the room, too. Her prayer kapp was next to her hairbrush by the kerosene lantern. On top of the dresser was a pale green glass bowl to hold the straight pins that she used when she put on her dresses. There were no buttons or zippers on her dress. Instead, it was kept together with carefully placed pins.
    He shook his head and turned to look at Mimi. His pulse quickened at the sight of her, her hair hanging over her shoulders and the crimson blush on her face. “I can see that I shall have to fix up that grossdaadihaus after all. I can’t imagine living apart from you for months at a time, only to see you on the weekends.” It was true. After all, he had spent a lifetime alone. Now that he had a wife, he didn’t want to waste one more minute apart from her.
    Mimi smiled at his words. A new eagerness seemed to overtake her and she sat up straight in the bed. “Really?” she asked, enthusiasm in her voice. “Oh Steve! That ’s wunderbaar gut news! What needs to be done?”
    What doesn ’t need to be done? Steve tried to push that thought from his mind but couldn’t hide the frown that covered his face as he tried to remember. It had been a long time since he had been in the grossdaadihaus . He had no reason to visit it. When he had bought the farm, he had been much younger. At the time, he knew that it was his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Farms tended to pass down through the family. To find one across the lane from his parents’ farm was a dream come true.
    Without a moment ’s hesitation, Steve had bought the farm. He had rented out the main house to an Amish family that couldn’t afford to buy their own farm. Between the rent and the money that Steve earned by having his own herd of cows there, he was able to pay back the loan each month. However, at no time during the years had he ever bothered looking at the house and considering its upkeep. The tenants kept up the main house and there was no reason to even bother with the grossdaadihaus .
    Now, he regretted that decision to not fix it up from the beginning.
    “ Vell ,” he slowly began, still searching his memory. “I seem to recall that there is an issue with the walls in the bedroom from a leak in the roof. And the windows need to be replaced.” He glanced at her. “Know of any stores where I might get new windows?”
    She tossed a pillow at him and he laughed.
    “We can look at it together, Mimi,” he said. “We have all weekend. We can place an order for what is needed with your daed when I bring you back here on Sunday.” He stood up from the bed and reached down to collect his coffee. “But we can only do that if you get up from this warm, sweet bed and get ready to help your mamm clean up downstairs. I’ve already helped your daed with the benches and furniture. We can return to my daed’s farm as soon as the rest of the house is in