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  COPYRIGHT

  A Reunion in Pinecraft

  © 2017 by Shelley Shepard Gray

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

  Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

  Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Epub Edition April 2017 ISBN 9780718088323

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  CIP data available upon request.

  Printed in the United States of America

  17 18 19 20 21 LSC 5 4 3 2 1

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Glossary of Pennsylvania Dutch Words

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  An Excerpt from Summer Storms Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Other Novels by Shelley Shepard Gray

  About the Author

  Amish Living Ad

  This novella is dedicated to the wonderful group of ladies who joined me on my first ‘girlfriend getaway’ in Pinecraft. It was an amazing weekend, and your kindness and enthusiasm always leaves me speechless. Bless you all!

  Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.

  LUKE 6:37 (NLT)

  Things turn out the best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.

  AMISH PROVERB

  GLOSSARY OF PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH WORDS

  *THE GERMAN DIALECT SPOKEN BY THE AMISH IS NOT A written language and varies depending on the location and origin of the settlement. These spellings are approximations. Most Amish children learn English after they start school. They also learn High German, which is used in their Sunday services.

  ach—oh

  aenti—aunt

  appeditlich—delicious

  bedauerlich—sad

  bopli—baby

  bruder—brother

  bruders—brothers

  bu—boy

  buwe—boys

  daadi—grandpa

  daadihaus/dawdy haus—grandparents’ house

  daed—father

  danki/danke—thank you

  dat—dad

  dochder—daughter

  Englischer—English or non-Amish

  fraa—wife

  freind—friends

  freinden—friends

  froh—happy

  gern gschehne—you’re welcome

  Gmay—church district, community

  Gott—God

  gut—good

  haus—house

  Ich liebe dich—I love you

  jah—yes

  kaffi—coffee

  kapp—prayer covering, cap, woman’s head covering

  kind—child

  kinner—children

  lieb—love

  liewe—love, a term of endearment

  maedel—girl, young woman

  mamm—mom

  mammi—grandma

  mann—husband

  mei—my

  mudder—mother

  narrisch—crazy

  nee—no

  onkel—uncle

  rumspringa—period of running around

  schee—pretty

  schweschder—sister

  suh—son

  schweschder—sister

  sohn—son

  Was iss letz?—What’s wrong?

  wunderbaar—wonderful

  ya—yes

  PROLOGUE

  Dear Graham,

  Thank you for replying to my letter. What a nice surprise! It was so thoughtful of you to send me those packets of lavender seeds. Since it’s only January, I’ve planted them in a little pot in my room. And months from now, when they’re filling our back patio with a lovely scent, I’ll think of you.

  Sherilyn Kramer

  Dear Sherilyn,

  Thank you for your sweet note and get-well card. It cheered me up when I was suffering from the flu. I’m happy to tell you the flu has now left our house and none of us is too worse for wear. Only my sister-in-law, Katie Jo, was bedridden more than two days. But she is with child and my brother does dote on her, so that’s a blessing in itself.

  I hope this letter finds you still feeling well. Take heart. Winter is almost over! I’ll write more soon.

  Graham Holland

  Dear Graham,

  I know I sent a long letter earlier this week, but guess what! I talked to my sister, Sharon, and she wants to go to Pinecraft too! She said she rarely gets a break from her job baking, so this will be a great opportunity for her. That makes four of us able to go, including our two friends. We’re going to purchase our bus tickets tonight and will call tomorrow morning to get a room at the Orange Blossom Inn in Pinecraft.

  Sherilyn

  Dear Sherilyn,

  Wow, your sister’s name is Sharon. I bet that created quite a bit of confusion when you two were growing up!

  Anyway, when I talked to Beverly Wagler at the inn, she said she hosts an afternoon tea around three o’clock every day. Let’s plan on meeting then. I would come down to greet your bus since my friends and I will arrive in Pinecraft earlier than you will, but I’ve heard there’s always quite a commotion and swarm of people there. I doubt we’d get more than a moment to talk.

  I can’t wait to continue our acquaintance in person. Just think, soon we won’t have to wait days for replies to our questions. There’s no telling the things we’re going to find out about each other. Ha!

  Graham

  Dear Graham,

  This is a quick letter I hope you’ll receive before you leave. I wish you safe travels and lots of sunscreen. I’m for sure bringing a whole bottle for myself. Yes, I’ll see you for afternoon refreshments at the inn. And just in case you’ve forgotten what I look like in the last six months (ha!), I’ll be the girl with the red hair and freckles!

  See you in person in Pinecraft. I honestly can’t wait.

  Sherilyn

  CHAPTER 1

  “HUH,” SHERRY SAID, DISAPPOINTMENT THICK IN HER voice. “I thought Pinecraft would look different.”

  As Sharon Kramer followed her little sister out of the Pioneer Trails bus in the center of the small vacation community, she
hid a smile.

  She supposed, for someone as lovely and full of life as Sherilyn—or Sherry to pretty much everyone who knew her—Pinecraft, Florida, was somewhat of a letdown. From here, it wasn’t all that picturesque or darling. It looked a bit weather-beaten and stuck in a time warp.

  Then, too, they weren’t near the beach or even Pinecraft Park. They were standing in the middle of a large, crowded parking lot next to a tiny post office. Another bus was parked nearby, idling listlessly, casting off noxious fumes and no small bit of heat. That extra blast certainly wasn’t needed, given that the hot July sun was already beating down on them all.

  “It sure is hot,” Sherry continued. “Really hot.”

  It was so hot and humid Sharon could practically see steam rising from the pavement. But her main concern was that her sister sounded so disappointed, especially after all the exciting letter writing she’d been doing with her secret pen pal for six months. Sharon decided to try to console her a bit.

  “Even the best vacation spots have parking lots. I bet the rest of Pinecraft is just as charming as everyone said it would be.”

  “Maybe. I don’t know, though.”

  As Sharon scanned the great number of people who had come out to meet the bus, she added, “Oh, who cares? I know you don’t. We both know you didn’t come here to take in the sights.”

  Stretching her arms out in front of her, Sherry nodded with a sheepish smile. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I think I’m just tired. And neahfich.”

  “Nee apologies needed. I feel nervous too. And it was a long trip. I didn’t sleep more than a few hours of it.”

  “I’m exhausted too,” Sharon’s best friend, Vera, said as she tumbled out of the bus. Her arms were full of the two dozen items she’d claimed were necessities for the hour drive from their Amish community in Adams County to Cincinnati and the sixteen-hour bus ride from Cincinnati to the center of Sarasota, Florida. “I can’t wait to get unpacked, organized, and take a nap.”

  “There’s nee way I want to do any of that right now,” Carla declared. She was the fourth and final member of their group. “I’m excited to see everything. And to get a peek at Sherry’s mysterious pen pal.” She turned to her best friend. “Now are you going to tell us his name . . . finally? All we know is that you met him at the wedding in January.”

  “Oh, all right,” Sherry said. “His name is Graham Holland, and he’s from Sugarcreek.”

  Vera frowned. “That name doesn’t ring a bell.”

  “Maybe you’ll remember him when you see him. We met a lot of people those couple of days in Shipshe.”

  “I remember meeting Graham, but I don’t remember exactly what he looks like,” Carla said. “Do you, Sharon?”

  Sharon shrugged. “The name sounds kind of familiar, but there were over four hundred people there. I don’t think I could match any of their names with faces. They’ve turned into a blur in my brain.”

  “It’s nee wonder. Six months ago you were still getting over your breakup with John Marc,” Sherry said. “You didn’t pay much attention to anything.”

  “That is kind of true.” Less than two months before that trip to Indiana, she and John Marc had called off their relationship. It had been obvious that, although they were both nice people, a future together wasn’t meant to be. Sharon had supposed they were both disappointed about how things worked out in the end.

  That belief evaporated when, just a week before leaving for Indiana, Sharon saw John Marc flirting with Viola, one of her good friends. Then, days later Sharon learned the two of them had been quietly flirting with each other behind her back even before Sharon and John Marc broke up. Neither had wanted to hurt her feelings, they claimed, so they hadn’t said a word.

  Which, honestly, made no sense at all. John Marc had still cheated.

  She’d been so embarrassed—and angry too. She’d alternated between fuming and crying the whole journey to Indiana. Watching that happy couple recite their vows had felt excruciating. Though she had nothing but good wishes for them, witnessing their ceremony was a reminder that she was a long way from celebrating her own wedding day. She’d been so melancholy and hurt she’d barely talked to anyone.

  The only person she remembered in any detail was a man with sandy-brown hair and blue eyes. He’d been so nice and kind, and a little flirty. Handsome too. And for a few minutes, he’d helped her forget her disappointment and hurt. Ever since then she’d wished she could remember his name. But she couldn’t remember anyone’s name from that day, and she’d never even mentioned the incident to Vera, let alone to Sherry.

  Sherry, on the other hand, had been her usual self, making friends right and left. She’d come home with a list of people she wanted to correspond with, having boldly asked the host family for all their addresses. As the months passed, Sherry told Sharon about some of her pen pals, including the mysterious man she’d just identified as Graham Holland. But Sharon had never paid too much attention since they all seemed like strangers to her.

  As they waited for the bus driver to open the luggage compartments under the bus, Sherry scanned the area nervously. “Do you think he’s here? He said he wouldn’t come on account of the crowds. And I told him in my last letter, assuming he got it, that I’d see him at the inn. But maybe he’s here.”

  “If he said he was going to skip this zoo, I bet he did,” Vera said in complete confidence. “There must be over a hundred people here, all milling around. I’d avoid it if I could.”

  Sharon said nothing, but she nodded at Vera, letting her know she privately agreed with her.

  Sherry shook her head in exasperation. “You girls have nee sense of adventure. I shudder to think what’s going to happen to you when I’m settled and you have nee one to organize adventures.”

  “We’ll miss you prodding us. For sure,” Sharon said, thinking she really did need to start being a bit more like her little sister.

  It was all because of Sherry’s strengths as a correspondent that this whole trip had gotten off the ground. She and her mysterious man had begun writing letters to each other, and soon they were writing every week. Five months later, the two of them set up this trip for July, with Sharon, Vera, and Carla joining Sherry. Two of his friends were accompanying him here, too, as well as some others from his circle. Now they also knew they all hailed from Sugarcreek.

  Everyone had rented rooms at the large Orange Blossom Inn, and they were going to spend the next two weeks enjoying the beach and all the sights the area had to offer.

  Of course, Sharon also knew her twenty-year-old sister was privately hoping her many months of letter writing to Graham Holland were going to blossom into a summer romance.

  Although their parents had at first not wanted them to go, in the end they encouraged it. They knew both their daughters needed this trip to Pinecraft, giving them some time away to figure out what to do next in their lives. Sharon was completely over John Marc’s betrayal and was eager to meet new people. And though several men they knew had been attempting to call on Sherry, she wasn’t interested in any man except the one she was writing letters to.

  As the four of them walked to the side of the bus, where the driver and two burly men were unloading the luggage stored underneath it, Sherry was looking over her shoulder, scanning the thirty or so people standing closest to the new arrivals.

  Suddenly Sherry gripped Sharon’s arm and whirled them both around. “I think that’s him! He must have decided he couldn’t wait to say hello at the inn. Isn’t that something?”

  “Well, I think that means he’s smitten,” Sharon said, teasing her sister with a smile. She really was happy for Sherry. She had such a good heart, and it was so romantic to imagine that she and this Graham had fallen in love through a series of letters.

  Still staring across the parking lot, Sherry gave a little squeak. “Oh my heavens . . . It looks like he’s trying to find us.” When she turned to Sharon, a dozen imagined insecurities flickered across her face. “Do I look
okay?” She ran her hands over her apron.

  “Of course. Even after our long bus trip, you look perfect.” Sherry was animated—like she always was, especially when she was excited. Her dark-auburn hair was falling out of its pins. Her green eyes were sparkling. And her slim, athletic build was showcased in her clothes. She looked like she was ready for anything.

  “You look wunderbaar,” Vera said with a wink. “I’m certain this Graham is going to be real excited to spend more time with you. Why wouldn’t he want to?”

  Sherry brushed her fingers down the skirt of her pale-yellow dress. “I hope you’re right. I’m going to be so embarrassed if he’s disappointed. You know how some memories are distorted. He might have remembered me being prettier.”

  “He won’t be disappointed,” Sharon said. “Please don’t think such things. You are lovely, and more fun and vibrant than most girls we know. Just be yourself. You’re a wonderful-gut person.”

  Looking marginally more optimistic after that little pep talk, Sherry turned to Carla. “Will you walk over there with me?”

  “Try to stop me,” Carla teased as she grabbed Sherry’s hand and led her through the crowd.

  As they snaked their way through—Carla’s coral dress and Sherry’s yellow one mixing with the vivid colors of the other Amish summer dresses—Sharon smiled. Carla and Sherry were best friends and set off each other in the best ways. Carla was boisterous yet looked like a timid, perfect doll. Sherry, on the other hand, looked like a modern-day Amish Anne of Green Gables, ready to experience all Pinecraft had to offer.

  Sharon laughed. “What I would give for even a tenth of their exuberance.”

  “We’re only five years older than our sisters,” Vera said, “but they make me feel old as the hills.”

  “Hardly that.”

  “Well, older and stodgier. Look how cute and fresh they look too. I, on the other hand, feel like a wrinkled mess.”

  Pressing her hands on her hips, Sharon leaned to one side. “Me too. And I’m stiff and sore. Sleeping on a bus is not comfortable.”