“Are ya sure it wasn’t just a dream?” Gabe joked, searching the ground with me for the stump.

“Guess I should’ve marked it.” Oh, I wished I had!

For several minutes, we walked south, traveling along the stone wall.

“Maybe it’s farther up,” Gabe said.

I shook my head, wondering what had become of it, and looking all the more carefully.

“Wait . . . what’s this?” Gabe said, pointing to where a piece of paper was protruding from the wall. He walked forward and tugged on it, managing to loosen it.

Befuddled, I peered at the folded paper.

“Let’s see what this says.” He opened the paper and began to read aloud. “To my dearest Anna Beachy. I’m certainly not the letter writer Dawdi Eb was, but I can easily write the words I love you and say that I don’t want to live a single day of my life without you in it. Will you join your heart with mine and be my wife?”

By now, I could scarcely see for the tears, and I pulled out a hankie from my dress pocket. “I will,” I said, smiling now. “I wondered when you might ask me, Gabe, but I never dreamed it would be in such a meaningful way.”

Gabe glanced both ways quickly, then took me into his arms for the first time. “I’ll tell ya a little secret,” he whispered.

“Jah?” I said, eager for our wedding day, when we could lip-kiss.

“It was Dawdi Eb’s idea for me to propose to you like this.” Gabe kissed my cheek. “I daresay he’s the hopeless romantic in the family.”

“Well, you should talk!” I reached around his neck and hugged him again.

“Are ya ready to start baptismal instruction?” he asked as we walked back toward his horse and buggy.

I said I was.

Gabe took my hand in his. “You’re sacrificing so much for me. And for Emmie.”

“But oh, what I’m getting in return!” I said, looking into his eyes as he gently helped me into the passenger side of his carriage.

That noon, at Sadie and Glen’s dinner table, I shared about my engagement. They smiled nearly in unison. “I called my parents to tell them my happy news, too,” I said, “but I wanted you to be the next to hear it.”

Glen was grinning now and pulling on his suspenders. He looked Sadie’s way.

“We couldn’t be happier for ya, Anna,” Sadie said, eyes glistening. “Ain’t so, Glen?”

He bobbed his head, clearly moved to the point of not being able to speak.

“Looks like I’m going to be a permanent part of your community,” I said. “Come next September’s baptism Sunday, I’ll be one of the People.”

“The Good Lord brought you and Gabe together, I do believe,” Glen said, finally finding his voice.

I smiled. “And little Emmie, too. A family of three.”