Jacob's Daughter (An Amish, Christian Romance) Read online

  Jacob’s Daughter

  WRITTEN BY

  Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  Copyright © 2011 by Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  Cover/internal design by Livingston Hall Publishers

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form either written or electronically without the express permission of the author or publisher.

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and are therefore used fictitiously. Any similarity or resemblance to actual persons; living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or publisher.

  All brand names or product names mentioned in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names, and are the sole ownership of their respective holders. Livingston Hall Publishers is not associated with any products or brands named in this book

  Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  Jacob’s Daughter 27 Chapters

  PLUS two bonus chapters at the end of this book of

  AMISH WINTER WONDERLAND: Book Two

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  CHAPTER 1

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  “I’m what?”

  “You heard me, Abby. Now hurry up and put this dress over your head before we miss our bus.”

  Lizzie Barlow stood her ground. She could feel no sympathy for her daughter at the moment. They had to get on that bus to Indiana, and there was no time for the temper-tantrums of a ten-year-old to complicate their already life-threatening situation.

  “I’m not Amish! You take that back!”

  Lizzie pursed her lips. “Actually, Abby, you are Amish because I’m Amish.”

  Abby placed her hands on her hips in defiance.

  “I’m not Amish! Why do I have to dress like them?”

  Lizzie shushed her daughter, who was practically screaming.

  She stamped her feet. “I want to go home right now!”

  Lizzie firmly grasped her daughter by her arms and forced her to look at her. “We don’t live there anymore. We have to go to Indiana. We’ll make a new life there, and you’ll love it so much you’ll never want to leave.”

  Tears pooled in Abby’s eyes. “If it’s so great in Indiana, then why did you leave?”

  The question pricked Lizzie’s heart, and she was growing impatient with her daughter.

  “It’s complicated, Abby.”

  “Is it because of my father?”

  Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Lizzie bit her lower lip to keep from giving in to her child’s whims.

  “We are not having this conversation right now. We’re running out of time. Get dressed and we can talk once we arrive safely in Indiana.”

  “Why do we have to wear these awful clothes, Mom?”

  Lizzie looked in the faded mirror in the bathroom of the bus depot, trying to wipe the remaining makeup from her face. “They aren’t awful. And we’re wearing them so Eddie’s friends won’t notice us if they should come looking.”

  “But I wanna wear my Hello Kitty shirt!”

  Lizzie sighed. “Please don’t make this harder than it already is, Abby. Slip this dress over your head, and hurry before we miss the bus.”

  She’d begun making the Amish dresses secretly, being careful to hide them from Eddie, Abby’s drug-addicted father, so they would have them for their escape. Finding out he was Abby’s father only three months ago, he’d threatened Lizzie that he’d kill her and take Abby if she wouldn’t give him large sums of money to pay off his debt and support his drug habit. Lizzie didn’t intend to stick around long enough to find out how much worse the situation with him would get. For weeks, she’d planned her escape from Eddie’s threats, until the day he was found dead from a drug-induced, car accident that totaled Lizzie’s car.

  Dating him only two short weeks when she was still only seventeen, Lizzie tried to convince herself he was “the one” when they’d met, but she knew deep down she needed to end it with him so they could keep the passion between them respectable because he was a pushy Englischer. Sadly, she knew she could never really love him as much as a person ought to in order to take their relationship to the next level. She’d given her heart to only one man in her life, and she knew she could never feel that way for another. But when Eddie took advantage of her, she was left pregnant and ran from him.

  Despite changing her name, Eddie still managed to locate her. And that’s when the threats began. He demanded money from her to keep quiet about being Abby’s father, and started threatening her when she wouldn’t give him any more. Trying to spare her daughter from knowing the ugly truth of how she came into the world, she gave in to Eddie’s threats until she just couldn’t take it anymore.

  Lizzie didn’t make much money as a pharmacy technician, and when Eddie learned of her employment after coming into the pharmacy to try to redeem an illegal prescription for pain meds, he tried to force her to steal prescription medications for him. Out of fear of what he might do, she’d promised him she would do it, even though she had never stolen anything in her life, and she wasn’t about to start. She’d managed to keep him at bay for a couple of days by telling him she hadn’t found a way around the cameras in the pharmacy, but when he began showing up at her job, threatening her and her fellow employees, Lizzie was fired. It was too late for her to wish she’d moved farther away from him than the next small town over.

  That same day, Eddie stormed out of the pharmacy in a rage of anger, and then totaled her car that he’d been borrowing by running it into the side of a tree, ending his battle with drugs—and his life.

  Lizzie hadn’t even cried. It wasn’t that she was heartless, or didn’t care that he’d died—she’d done her crying ten years earlier when she decided to leave him after he violated her. In truth, it was over between them the day that he drugged her and stole her innocence.

  Still, she could feel little more than relief that her nightmare with him would be put to rest along with his remains. Though Eddie’s pain and suffering was ended, her anger over the mountain of debt she was left with due to his reckless behavior had all but destroyed her. Not to mention the threats from the men who wanted her only child in exchange for a debt she didn’t owe.

  Because she’d let her car insurance policy lapse to give money to Eddie, she was stuck with a car that was no longer drivable, but was still responsible for the payment. And when those thugs started threatening her over the money that Eddie had borrowed from them and for drugs he had never paid for, Lizzie knew it was time to leave this life of debt and pain behind—for Abby’s sake—and for her own peace of mind. Her mistakes in judgment had caused her ten-year-old daughter more harm than she was capable of understanding at her young age, and Lizzie knew what she had to do; it was time for her to face the sins of her past, and suffer the consequences to spare Abby from being caught in the middle of her poor choices any longer.

  Losing her job, her car, and the threats from the drug-dealers all in a week’s time was too much for Lizzie to handle. She’d seen the men before, and even witnessed them roughing Eddie up one night outside of her small, rented house. That’s when she heard him promise them Lizzie could get them drugs. And that’s when she decided the only way to get away from the thugs that were threatening her was to continue her original plan and find a place to hide from Eddie’s mistakes; a place no one would ever think to look for her.

  The Amish community.

  No one knew of Lizzie’s past—not even her own daughter. Given the nature of the events that prompted her to flee from the only way of life she’d ever known, sh
e determined over the years to keep her past hidden, and had even practiced continuously to lose her German accent, and pattern her life after the Englisch. She determined, however, to maintain the teachings of her upbringing–even if only in secret. So far, she’d managed to keep her past hidden all these years, and now she was about to walk right back into it with Abby in tow.

  Lizzie pulled the plain shoes and stockings from the backpack where she’d kept them hidden for weeks, and handed a pair to her daughter. “Put these on. We have to hurry and pin your hair up in the back.”

  Abby was busy texting her friends, probably telling them how unfair her only parent was being at the moment, and Lizzie knew it was going to be an even bigger argument when she broke the news to her daughter that the phone would soon be turned off due to non-payment. She reminded herself that it was for the best, since she wouldn’t take any chances that Eddie’s drug-dealing friends could use the device to track them down. She would have to wait for a while to get a new phone; necessities were the only thing they had money for until Lizzie could find a new job.

  She would also worry about getting a cheap car once they got to Indiana; she would use a portion of the money she’d gotten from selling all of their things on Craig’s List. She would need a car to look for work so she could find a small house to rent for her and Abby to start over.

  Lizzie pulled her hair up and twisted it at the base of her neck, pinning it in place. She placed a prayer kapp over her head and handed the other one to Abby.

  “Where did you get these weird hats?”

  “They’re called prayer kapps, and I made them.”

  “How do you know how to make this stuff?”

  “YouTube has a video for everything; you know that.” She wasn’t exactly lying. YouTube did have a how-to video for practically everything, but Lizzie already knew how to make the prayer kapps, but she wasn’t ready to tell Abby the entire story of her past just yet. She would save it for when they were far enough away from Ohio that she could relax enough to tell her everything.

  When they were completely dressed in their disguises, Lizzie took one last look in the mirror. She never intended to wear Plain clothing again—let alone to walk back into Amish territory, but it was out of necessity that she would brave this move.

  Without makeup, Lizzie thought she looked well beyond the twenty-eight years that she was, and getting pregnant at seventeen had not helped matters. It was more likely that all the hardship of the past years had aged her. Deep down, she knew some fresh air and a good dose of home-cooking was all it would take, and she’d be good as new.

  As they exited the bus depot restroom, Lizzie looked over her shoulder to make sure no one had followed her and Abby. Just a few more minutes and they would be on the bus and on their way to Indiana where Eddie’s friends would never suspect to look for them.

  She had to go back home.

  It was her only chance of escaping from her life with Eddie for good. Lizzie’s own mother had died when she was Abby’s age, and if her father had known about Abby, he would have shunned her. It was probably the best thing for her at the time to assume she’d been shunned, since it forced her to grow up and go to college. But even her education couldn’t save her now from the damage Eddie had done.

  They boarded the bus, but only when it pulled away from the depot, did Lizzie begin to relax a little. Their immediate future was unsure, but her destination for now, was the Miller Bed and Breakfast just off County Road 27, near the home where she grew up.

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  CHAPTER 2

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  Jacob Yoder tossed the basin full of water out the barn door, and put a hand to his freshly shaved chin. His skin felt funny after having worn the beard for the past ten years, but it was time to end his mourning period for Nellie. They’d been married only ten months before she died, and Jacob had suffered more with the guilt that he’d married her on the rebound, than with the pain of losing a wife that was dear to him. His guilt only magnified when she died giving birth to his son, Caleb. She was a good woman and did not deserve the fate she’d been dealt when she married him. The only good thing to come from their marriage was Caleb, and it was time for Jacob to try to put the sins of his past behind him—for Caleb’s sake. He would no longer hold onto the past or wish for what could have been; he would honor his fraa’s memory and do right by their son.

  He married Nellie when he was just eighteen years old, even though he was still in love with Lizzie. He and Lizzie had been best friends since they were ten years old. Her father had refused to allow her to court like other girls her age. So they did what most of the Amish teenagers did at the time, and saw each other secretly. Being the only daughter of Hiram Miller, Lizzie’s activities were constantly monitored by her two older brothers, especially after her mamm had died from complications after miscarrying a child that came along unexpectedly when Lizzie was only ten years old.

  Despite the strict ties on Lizzie, she and Jacob still managed to sneak in some time together, until her bruder, David, caught them and reported back to her father. From that day on, they were forbidden to see each other again. Because of the risk of seeing each other and getting caught, Jacob longed for the day she would turn eighteen and marry him. But when her bruder, David came to him with the news that she no longer wanted to see him, he was devastated.

  One month later, Jacob began to court Nellie, and Lizzie ran off with some Englisch friends. It had broken his heart to learn that she’d left Indiana after sending word with her bruder, David that she no longer wanted to see him just a few short weeks before, but his future with Nellie was already set in motion. If only she’d had the guts to say it to his face, he might have had the chance to talk her out of her decision.

  Jacob pushed the memories away, putting them back where he’d kept them for the past ten years—locked away in his numb heart, where he refused to let himself feel them. Lizzie was his past, and he needed to stop thinking about her. He had several acres of corn that needed to be harvested, and a young son that was itching to learn to be just like his daed. Jacob had spent too many years thinking that the sins of his past were responsible for his fraa’s death. But now, he was determined to put all of it behind him and be the best father the boy could have.

  Caleb wandered sleepily into the barn, the sun barely up. He took a step back at the sight of Jacob standing before him—beardless. “Daed, is that you?”

  “Jah, I shaved my baard.”

  It was an outward sign to end his mourning period, but it wouldn’t quiet the guilt that had eaten away at him for so many years. That was something he would have to work on to get rid of—for Caleb’s sake.

  Caleb thought about it for a minute and then looked to the ground. “Does this mean you will be getting married again? When Jonah Beiler’s daed shaved his baard, he got married, and now Jonah has a new mamm.”

  Jacob put a hand on top of his son’s head and gave his thick, blonde hair a shake. “You’re not getting a new mamm, and I’m not getting married.”

  Caleb smiled up at Jacob. “It wouldn’t be so bad having a mamm.”

  Jacob sighed. He didn’t intend to get married again, despite the fact that there were presently two women his age in the community who never married. He’d gone to school with both of them as a young boy, but had never had any other contact with them since. They’d attended church services and community outings, but Jacob never paid them any mind because he had no reason to consider them for anything other than part of a working community—no matter how much prompting he’d had from friends and family to take a second look at them.

  Jacob’s only focus now would be his son and his farm. If the sudden change in weather would be any indication of the winter ahead of them, he would need to bring in his crop in record time. He knew the task would easily be accomplished with the help of his family and neighbors. He was happy that Caleb was taking an active interest in the harvest, and Jacob was determined to t
each him to be a good farmer. Though he didn’t want to add to the chores the boy already did, he knew that he needed the experience if he was to take over his father’s land one day.

  Knowing the single women of the community would attend the harvest, Jacob was suddenly wary of his decision to shave off his beard so soon. It had been a shield for Jacob for the past ten years, and now the entire community would think he was in the market for a fraa—especially with wedding season upon them. Panic filled him, and he whispered a short prayer while Caleb ran off to feed the chickens.

  Just as he ended his prayer, Jacob could hear the clip-clop of the horses pulling buggies full of the menner who were traveling up the lane to begin the harvest. Soon, the day would be underway, and the men would bring in the crops while the women prepared food and visited.

  Jacob put a hand to his chin and rubbed at the bare skin. It was too late to rethink his decision, but it wasn’t too late to guard his heart against any of the women who would show an interest in him. He would have to keep his eyes toward the ground when the food was served, and he would keep his company contained to that of the men in the community. Even though he’d been a widower for ten years, there had been room in his heart for only one woman, and he had never found room for any other—not even for his own fraa.

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  CHAPTER 3

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  Lizzie stepped off the bus in Elkhart, Indiana, feeling full of hope for the first time in months. Though she knew it would be a challenge to be in her old stomping ground after so many years, she was excited to see her Aunt Bess again. It wouldn’t be the same as seeing her daed or her brieder, but with her aunt running the B&B, it would be easier to blend in since she catered to the Englisch. She wondered if her aunt would accept her as an Englischer after all these years, but the phone conversations they’d had recently gave Lizzie hope that she would be able to make the transition easier for Abby. Not only would it be easier for her to have help from a family member, but she looked forward to introducing her daughter to her aunt, and finally telling Abby of her family history.