An old friend

Chapter One

“Alex!!” My twin, Isabella, yelled.

“What Bell?” I complained sticking my head out of the shower.

“Hurry up. Elizabeth just called.” She told me and I washed the rest of my hair out.

“Alex!!” Mom yelled, “Somebody’s here to see you.” She told me and I jumped.

“Who’s supposed to be here today?” I asked Isabella.

“I don’t think anybody. We’re meeting Elizabeth by the lake and then…” She trailed off, “We’re just coming back to fix dinner right?” It was our birthday, our seventeenth birthday, and so Mom gave us the day off to do with what we wanted. We had been given permission to sleep late too but we’d been unable to do that. We were Amish and from the time we were three we’d been expected to get up with the sun and work until the sun went down. We were in a very modern community though and were allowed to do a lot, like have showers, that most Amish could not.

I finished my bun sticking my kapp on right over it leaving the strings hanging. I ran downstairs and straight into the kitchen, “Andy…” I whispered and he smiled. We had been courting up to six months ago and then his family had moved to a different community and since he’d only been twenty at the time and unmarried he’d been expected to move with them and so we’d been writing letters but we were not officially courting anymore.

“Alex.” He smiled happily, “You look just as lovely as ever.” He promised and I blushed looking down.

“I’ll leave you two alone and let Bell know that she should probably leave alone?” Mom suggested and I nodded.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as soon as she was gone.

“I’m twenty-one now.” He told me and I nodded. I had sent him a card and had present a month ago for his birthday. “I’m allowed to move back.” He told me, “And I was hoping that since I’m moving back…” He cut off quickly and straightened when the door swung open.

“Andrew?” Dad smiled taking his hand.

“Hello Mr. Carmicle.” Andy smiled happily.

“It’s nice to see you back in town. Maybe you can convince this daughter of mine to enjoy herself again.” Dad suggested and I blushed again looking down. Andy and I had promised to try and be happy without the other when he’d moved and if I was being honest I was failing miserably.

“I will try.” Andy promised touching my knee softly under the table so that Dad would not see.

“Well…” Dad started.

“Honey.” Mom chastised walking into the kitchen, “He just got here. Let him and Alex talk for a little bit before you steal him away.” Dad mumbled something but left with Mom and I smiled.

“Alex?” Andy whispered guiltily.

“I’m trying Andy.” I promised, “It’s just hard.”

“I know.” He sighed, “I’m not having any luck either. Hence the reason why I’m back.” I smiled at that and he smiled back. “Will you go to the singing with me tonight?” He asked and I nodded quickly. “Thank you, Alex.” He smiled and I smiled back.

“I missed you.” I promised him quickly as he stood up.

“I missed you too.” He smiled and sat back down realizing that I was not anywhere near ready to let him leave again.

“You know since it’s my birthday…” I started and he smiled. He had always said when we were courting that my birthday was his favorite day of the year. “Well Mom and Dad have given me the day off.”

“You deserve it.” He smiled.

“Well Bell, Elizabeth, and I are going to spend the morning at the lake. Do you want to come?” I finished quickly knowing that it was not right to invite him to a picnic with all girls. In fact it was breaking a law for the community that had been put into place to protect a woman’s image.

“Let me see if I can get any of the usual gang to come.” He told me slowly and I sighed. “You go have fun though and even if I can’t get them I’ll meet you at the singing.” The guy was not allowed to pick up the girl to go to the singing but he did bring her home.

“Goodbye, Andy.” I sighed as Mom walked in signaling the end to the visit.

“Goodbye.” He smiled walking out but when I looked out the door I saw him heading to the barn.

“So are you still going to the lake?” Bell asked running downstairs and I knew she wanted to know what Andy had come back for. I nodded and we walked outside.

“We should tell Dad we’re leaving.” I smiled at her and she shook her head but let me lead her into the barn.

“I’m not sure if that’s very smart…” Dad was saying and I looked at Bell.

“Daddy?” Bell asked quickly even though I was trying to get her to stay quiet.

“Bell… Alex?” Dad asked and we walked back to his workshop.

“We were just coming to let you know that we’d be at the lake.” I promised him.

“For your picnic.” He nodded but looked only at me. I quickly hugged him and smiled happily. “You two be careful.” He warned and we nodded.

“We’ll try.” Bell promised.

“Then go have fun.” He smiled and we took off running again.

“Why couldn’t you stay quiet just long enough to find out what Andy was asking Dad?” I chastised as soon as we were out of hearing range.

“Because it was obviously a private conversation that wasn’t going the way Andrew wanted it to go.” She pointed out and I just sighed. “Now what’s Andrew doing back?”

“He’s moving back to the community.” I smiled happily, “The break-up was going as well for him as it was for me.” She smiled at my smile and then Elizabeth showed up.

“Wait…” Elizabeth whispered, “I can’t believe Dad didn’t tell me… Andrew’s back.” She smiled and I nodded. Elizabeth’s dad was one of the bishops and therefore when Andy had asked to move back he would have been at the meeting.

“We’re going to the singing together tonight.” I told them and then smiled, “And he might be bringing the guys and joining us for lunch.”

“Okay.” They nodded and then we took off our shoes hitched up our dresses and waded into the water.

“Could you imagine what would happen if we ever got caught doing this?” Bell asked me and I shook my head. Dad was also a bishop.

“Wait?” I jumped as the thought came to my mind, “Since Dad’s a Bishop… he knew before I did that Andy was coming home.” I frowned.

“He was the deciding vote.” Andy’s voice came from the trees and I ran out of the water and over to him. He smiled pulling me into his arms and just holding me close.

“He should have told me.” I told him.

“I asked him not to.” He shrugged and I slapped his back so that I would not have to move. “What was that for?”

“Making me wait to find out that you were coming back.” I sighed closing my eyes as I relaxed into his chest.

“Are the guys coming?” Bell asked.

“Yes they’ll be here right… about… now.” He gestured as both Elizabeth’s and Bell’s beaus joined us. “I’d like to discuss something with you.” Andy whispered in my ear and I nodded. He pulled away taking my hand and we walked away together.

“What’s wrong?” I asked when we were sitting down with me in between his legs.

“Well the Bishops set up guidelines for me to follow if I am going to stay here.” He started.

“Okay.” I nodded.

“The main one is the fact that they want me married by the end of the wedding season.”

“This year?” I whispered. We had already gotten permission from Dad to marry before he left and so I was not surprised that he would be talking about the date of the wedding we had chosen. Dad had wanted us to wait until I was eighteen and so we had been planning for the first date of next season.

“Yes.” He nodded.

“But Dad said he wouldn’t let me marry before I was eighteen.”

“I know.” He whispered refusing to look at me and I pulled away.

“Andy, what are you doing?” I whispered knowing the look. He was breaking up with me again.

“I’m sorry Alex. I have no choice. I asked your dad to reconsider the date. To let us marry a year early and that I wouldn’t touch you like a married man until next year…” I felt the tears start and just stood up.

“Goodbye Andrew.” I whispered and I ran back to the picnic.

“Alex…” Bell and Elizabeth immediately saw me and ran over to me pulling me into a group hug.

“What happened?” Elizabeth asked after they’d made their beaus leave.

“Daddy told him we couldn’t marry this year.” I whispered.

“We all knew that.” Bell told me worriedly.

“The bishops told Andrew that he had to marry this season in order to stay.” I managed to get out and their holds tightened. I would be losing Andy again. I would either have to watch him leave and never see him again or watch him get married to another woman. I suddenly decided that I could not do either. I pulled away and started running for the house.