Amish Love

Published by: eXtasy Books

Author : James J Gregoryk

ISBN :978-1-4874-4129-6

Page :70

Word Count :38289

Publication Date :2024-03-22

Series : #

Heat Level :

Available Formats : Amish Love (epub) , Amish Love (mobi) , Amish Love (pdf) , Amish Love (prc)

Category : Contemporary Romance , LGBTQIA+ Romance , Romance , What's New

Product Code: 978-1-4874-4129-6

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When their two worlds collide, their love is doomed. Can they ever resurrect it?

Jarrad was kicked out of his family’s home at sixteen for being gay. He struggled to survive until his adoptive family found him nearly dying in their church. They helped him get well and loved him. Jarrad studied hard and got into college. He chose nursing and planned on becoming a midwife. One afternoon after class, he got in his car and accidentally set off the car’s horn. This startled a man dressed in all black who had been sleeping on the bench in front of Jarrad’s car.

Jeremiah was an Amish on his Rumspringa. They became fast friends and then eventually, over time, became lovers. Their love was deep and seemed endless. Jarrad came home to celebrate the end of Rumspringa and to share the passing of his nursing boards, only to find Jeremiah was gone without a trace.

Jeremiah hadn’t just left. He had written a letter. Jarrad found no letter.

After much heartache, the two moved on. They married and had families. Neither of them ever forgot the other and always wondered what had happened. Nearly twenty-eight years later, Jarrad saw paintings of himself in a quaint little Amish store—Jeremiah’s store.

Jarrad Stewart grew up on a farm in North Dakota. One of six boys, he was number three. His parents were not overly religious but still attended mass every Sunday and holy days. They taught their sons good, solid values and how to respect themselves. They grew up working hard but still knew how to play. Jarrad felt loved.

That was, until he dropped the bombshell at fourteen that he was gay. His parents suddenly changed. They were cold and distant. Even his brothers saw the change in them. When he turned sixteen, they told him to move on with his life and that he needed to live elsewhere. There were no harsh words, no angry scenes. They basically told him that they were done with him and that he needed to go and not come back. He left with his suitcase and the three thousand dollars he’d saved. He traveled and worked odd jobs until he finally ended up in Dayton, Ohio. He lived on the streets and took shelter where he could. He didn’t want to be where he was, but given his circumstances, he had little choice. Jarrad did any job that was offered to him. However, he never allowed himself to get to the point where selling his body was an option.

Seven months later, on November second, some punk kid coughed on him, and he got sick. Every day he got a little worse. The day before Thanksgiving, he knew he was very sick, but there was nothing he could do about it. He barely eked out food. He knew that he’d never afford a doctor. Jarrad was pretty sure he was suffering from pneumonia. He could hear his chest gurgle and wheeze. He knew that he was going to die. He worked his way up the street to St Mary’s Catholic Church. He hoped that at least he’d get a proper burial. It took him nearly two hours to walk the couple of blocks to the church. He snuck in and lay down on one of the back pews. He collapsed into unconsciousness.

When Jarrad awoke, he heard a very soft-spoken woman gently stroking his head and telling him, “You’re okay. You're going to be all right, and you’re safe.”

“Mama?” He looked at the woman and knew. “You’re not my mom. I should’ve known better.” He started to cry.

“I’m Sally, child. You got a name?”

“Jarrad Stewart. Dakota is what everyone calls me around here.” He tried to sound tough, but it didn’t seem to work.

“Again, I’m Sally, Sally Cable, and this is my husband, Fred. We found you in the church and brought you here. We need to contact someone. Do you have a family?” The woman’s voice felt soothing, her smile was warm, and she had the most caring eyes.

“I do, but I’m dead to them because I’m gay.” The tears just started to pour. He started sobbing and then coughing. He thought she was leaving when she stood up by his bed, but instead, she wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

“Child, if your parents kicked you out because of the fact you’re gay, then there’s a special place in hell for them. Do you have a number I can call?”

He hoped beyond hope that maybe they would reconsider and realize what a huge mistake they had made. He gave his parents’ number to her. She dialed it right there in his hospital room so Jarrad could hear what she said. The phone rang several times, and then one of the boys answered. Sally explained what was happening and that she needed to talk to his mom or dad.

He and Sally heard, “Mom, Jarrad’s in the hospital and very sick.” It sounded like his little brother Reed on the phone.

He listened to his mother’s voice for the first time in months. “I’m sorry we don’t have a son named Jarrad, and if you bother us again, I’ll call the police and file harassment charges.” His mother was cold and distant.

Jarrad saw the visible anger come pouring out of Sally.

She exploded. “Fine, lady, just go ahead and call the police, but in Ohio, abandoning a sixteen-year-old is a state crime, and I will be filing. So, you know, bitch, North Dakota and Ohio have reciprocal agreements regarding child abuse. You’d better get an attorney.” She slammed the phone down. Looking to her husband, she said, “Call Harry and sic him on that fucking bitch. I want custody of this boy by tomorrow, and I want her arrested. Somehow, someway, I want her to spend a few nights in jail at the very least.”

The paperwork arrived by a special carrier two days later. Jarrad’s parents had officially given him away. He wasn’t their son anymore. He heard Fred tell Sally that the kids were with their grandparents, and the grandparents had pretty much disowned the parents. He also told Sally, “That bitch wailed and screamed all the way to the patrol car. She’ll spend the night in the slammer.”

Sally laughed until she saw Jarrad's tormented face.

“They don’t want me, do they? They just threw me away like old garbage.”

“I want you.” Sally’s words were soft and loving, and then her arms engulfed him.

His head started spinning, his chest hurt, and tears rose, “But why would you want me? I’m nothing even to my family.”

“Because the good Lord led us to you, and I take that as a gift from him. So, buster, you better start acting like you’re something special, as the good Lord never makes mistakes.” She and Fred wrapped him in their arms. Jarrad heard Sally say to Fred. “He gave us a child.”