“Pick Any Wife For Free” The Judge Laughed – “I’ll Take The Obese Amish Girl”

Chapter 5

The sun rose harsh and bright over the Colorado hills, promising another scorching summer day. Abby stood at the kitchen window, watching dust devils dance across the yard while she prepared a quick breakfast. Her hands trembled slightly as she worked.

Today, they would make their arrangement official before God and the townspeople.

Luis came in from the barn, his shirt already showing sweat marks from the morning chores. He nodded to her, accepting a cup of coffee. “Wagon’s hitched. We can leave after breakfast if you’re ready.”

“Yes,” Abby replied softly, smoothing her best dress. It was plain black, as her faith required, but she had pressed it carefully the night before. “I am ready.”

They ate quickly, neither speaking much. The magnitude of what they were about to do seemed to fill the kitchen, pressing against the walls like the summer heat. When they finished, Luis helped her into the wagon with careful hands, then climbed up beside her.

The horses set off at a steady pace toward San Miguel. The morning heat built as they traveled, making the air shimmer above the dusty road. Abby held her bonnet against the breeze, watching fence posts tick past. Beside them, meadowlarks called from their perches, and a red-tailed hawk circled lazily overhead.

“Might be some folk who don’t understand,” Luis said finally, breaking the long silence. “But what’s between us and God is our business, not theirs.”

Abby nodded, touched by his concern. “I learned long ago not to let others’ cruel words shake my faith. God sees our hearts.”

The church came into view as they crested a small rise — a simple white-painted building with a modest steeple. Several wagons and horses were already tied up outside. Luis helped Abby down, then offered his arm as they approached the steps.

Inside, morning sunlight streamed through plain glass windows, creating patterns on the wooden floor. A few early parishioners turned to stare as they entered. Abby heard the whispers start immediately — shocked murmurs about the strange pair they made.

“Did you hear the rancher and that Amish girl?”

“What could he be thinking?”

“Poor Luis must be desperate indeed.”

Abby kept her eyes forward, though her cheeks burned. Luis’s arm tensed under her hand, but he too ignored the whispers as they made their way to the pastor’s study.

Reverend Matthews greeted them with genuine warmth, his weathered face creasing in a smile. “Welcome, welcome. Come in, please.” He ushered them into his small office where morning sunlight made the dust motes dance. “The Lord brings people together in His own way,” the pastor said kindly, noting their discomfort. “I’m glad to help make your union official.”

He took them through the necessary paperwork, his pen scratching as he recorded their names and details in the church registry. Then he led them to the front of the sanctuary, where more townspeople had gathered, drawn by curiosity.

The ceremony itself was brief but dignified. Reverend Matthews spoke of duty, respect, and building a life together in God’s grace. When it came time for the vows, Abby’s voice rang clear and steady through the church.

“I, Abigail Yodar, take thee, Luis Boon.”

Luis spoke more quietly, but his grip on her hand was firm and respectful as he repeated the words. When the pastor pronounced them man and wife, a few polite claps echoed in the sanctuary, though Abby noticed several women whispering behind their hands.

After signing the final documents, they stepped out into the harsh sunlight. Luis suggested they visit the general store for supplies while they were in town. Abby agreed, though her heart sank at the thought of facing more scrutiny.

The bell above the store door jangled as they entered. Mrs. Peterson, the storekeeper’s wife, was helping several other women with fabric selections. Their conversation died abruptly when Abby and Luis walked in.

“Well, if it isn’t the happy couple,” one woman said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The others tittered, casting sideways glances at Abby’s plain dress and substantial figure.

Abby lifted her chin and moved purposefully through the store, selecting flour, coffee, and other necessities. She could feel their eyes following her, hear their poorly concealed snickers, but she focused on her task. Luis worked silently beside her, his jaw tight with suppressed anger at their cruelty.

Mrs. Peterson at least maintained a professional manner as she totaled their purchases. “Will that be all today, Mr. Boon?”

“Yes, thank you,” Luis replied shortly, paying for the supplies.

He carried the packages out to the wagon, helping Abby up before climbing in himself. As they left town, the road wound past the creek that fed their ranch. Abby noticed a group of men in neat suits standing along the bank, driving wooden stakes into the ground. Their brass surveying equipment gleamed in the sun.

Luis’s hands tightened on the reins. “Railroad men,” he muttered darkly, “marking their territory like wolves.”

He clicked to the horses, urging them to move faster past the surveyors, who barely glanced up from their work. The sight cast a shadow over their ride home. Abby could feel the tension in Luis’s silence, knowing he was thinking about the neighbor’s warning from the night before.

The railroad’s presence so close to their water source was an undeniable threat.

When they reached the ranch, the afternoon heat had become oppressive. Abby went straight to the kitchen to prepare supper while Luis unloaded the supplies and saw to the horses. She could hear him moving around the barn, his boots striking the ground harder than usual — a sign of his worry.

She put extra care into the evening meal, making dumplings to go with the stew. When Luis came in, the kitchen was warm with good smells, and the table was neatly set. He washed up at the pump outside, then took his seat with a weary sigh.

“Thank you,” he said quietly as she served him. “For everything today. Can’t have been easy, facing all those gossips.”

“Their words cannot harm us,” Abby replied, though her heart warmed at his concern. “God knows our purpose here.”

After supper, Luis settled at his desk with the ranch ledger, his face grave as he studied the columns of numbers. Abby cleared the table and washed the dishes, then took up her mending in the chair by the window. The scratch of Luis’s pen and the whisper of her needle filled the comfortable silence.

Outside, heat lightning began to flicker on the horizon, illuminating towering thunderheads. The air felt heavy with coming rain, matching the weight of uncertainty that hung over them. Yet, despite the growing storm and the challenges they faced, the house felt different now — more settled, as if their official union had strengthened its foundations.

Abby’s needle moved steadily through the fabric as she watched Luis work. His broad shoulders were tense with worry about the railroad’s threats, but he had stood beside her proudly today, defending their unusual marriage against the town’s judgment.

Whatever storms approached, they would face them together.