The Farmers Son

[connertiernan]

Title: The Farmers Son
Author: ConnerTiernan
Pairing : Orlando/Viggo Rating: G - NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't know Orlando or Viggo. This is not real or ever would happen. I am not making any money of from this.
Summary: Orlando is a young Amish man getting ready to enter into his "Rumspringa" or running around years. Its a rite of passage every Amish person takes before joining the Amish Comminety and staring a family. Orlando hadn't planned on taking a rumspringa, but when a man enters into his life he can't help but want to spend sometime with him. Now Orlando must beside between his Amish family and beliefs and a man he might be in love with.
Notes: I have dyslexia, so my spelling and grammar is not great. I thought this idea for a story was a good one, and I wanted to share it so please forgive me. This frist part is bated by Thank you so much.
tweedle_-

Part One:  An accidentally Encounter

Part Two: Having Some Porblems?

Part Three: Rainy Day

Part Four: Dinner?

Orlando stopped when his father stepped out of the barn; he glanced up seeing Orlando standing in the yard and instead of going to the house where he thought he was head his father walked straight for him.

"Where have you been?" He asked Orlando in a sharp tone that the young man knew very well. It was the tone that his father always used when he was upset with Orlando. It was sharp and sent shivers down his back, because Orlando never knew just what his father would say or do.

Orlando bit his lip and looked down at the ground then back up at his father. It was in the Amish nature not to lie to anyone. In fact most of the younger children of community didn’t even know what a lie was. They grew up never hearing one uttered by the adults of the community, because lying about anything was a sin. You faced your problems head on; you didn’t run away and hide behind an untruth. It could be said that an Amish person couldn’t lie because they didn’t know how.

But as Orlando stood there looking at his father the thought crossed his mind to lie to him. It would make things so much simpler if he did. But as he looked over his father’s shoulder trying to decide what to say to him, he saw his mother making her way over to them. Lying to his father would be much easier than lying to his mother.

"I was over helping a friend, working on his barn." Orlando said with a nod of his head. It wasn’t a lie exactly, because he had been planning on helping Viggo with his barn, but instead, because of the rain, they had spent a few hours simply talking. It wouldn’t be his fault if his father didn’t ask who it was he was helping and just passed it off.

His father eyed him for a second and then glanced over at his wife who was now standing at his side with a smile on her face, looking at both man.

"I was over at the Brown’s this morning looking for you, but you weren’t there." His father said in that same sharp tone. Orlando sighed inwardly. Leave it to his father to remember the name and house of his only friend, and leave it to him to go there looking for him.

He thought about telling him it was to another house that he had gone. A young Amish family just starting out. But that wouldn’t make any sense. Why was Orlando over there helping with a barn, when most of the time it was the community that had huge barn raising parties for a new married couple.

Orlando glanced at the ground and then back up at his father taking a in a deep breath. "I was over at Aunt Beth’s house helping the new Englisher that moved in there. We were doing some repairs on the barn." Orlando said and took a step back away from his father, not sure if he would take a swing at him. He knew his father would be mad that Orlando had been spending the morning not helping with his father and brothers out in the fields but spending time with an outsider.

Orlando took a second to glance over at his mother. The small smile she had on her face was still there, but the older woman quickly looked from her son to his father. This wasn’t a good thing, if his mother was also upset with him for helping out.

Orlando’s father was looked at him like he had grown two heads somehow. His face was getting redder by the second, and his fists clenched at his sides. His mother reached over and laid a calming hand on her husband’s arm.

"He helped me the other day," Orlando blurted out, as if telling his father the whole story would help somehow. "When the car almost hit me. He found me walking on the side of the road and stayed with me until I had reached Aunt Beth’s house and allowed me to cut through the woods. He also was the one that found our mare, and left me a note where I could pick her up."

As Orlando told his story his father seemed to be getting more upset with every word. But his mother on the other hand seemed overjoyed by this news. She had blinked several time as Orlando told the story.

"So you thought because he helped you, it was only right that you help him in return?" His mother asked smiling lovingly at her mild child. This was wonderful news in her humble opinion. At least Orlando wasn’t helping the Englisher just for the sake of being around the Modern world like most young men his age did.

Orlando nodded his head, unable to go on. He didn’t want to blurt out the fact that he had enjoyed the time he had spent in the past few days with Viggo. So he just stood there silent. His mother seemed able to sense the tension building up in Orlando and his father, as they both stood there looking at each other.

"I think Yager, that perhaps we should see if this person would like to come to dinner." Orlando’s mother said, and both of the men turned to her like she had spoken something in a different language altogether. "He has helped this family in more then one way, by looking after Orlando when he was hurt, and by returning the mare to us. I think its only right that Orlando goes on helping his friend, and that we ask him here for dinner, so that we may repay the good deeds he did."

Orlando swallowed, hoping against all hope that his father would get even angrier and refuse to let Viggo come over for diner. Orlando knew it was only his mother’s Amish upbringing that was making her say that. The Amish believed that repaying of good deeds was the right thing to do.

Orlando’s heart sunk however when his father slowly nodded his head, muttered a yea, and then turned and headed back into the barn. Viggo was now invited to dinner, and Orlando’s heart almost stopped beating in his chest. Great good lord what had his mother done?

Orlando’s mother beamed over at her son, and moved closer to him. "Why don’t you run off and ask your friend to stop by this Saturday for dinner?" She asked him with a big grin on her face.

"Bu.." Orlando said trying to think up a reason why Viggo might not be able to make it, or why he shouldn’t come over. He couldn’t help but feel like Viggo was his. Not like he owned the older man or anything, but that he wasn’t quite ready to share him with the rest of the family, or anyone else for that matter. It seemed like if he did some of the magic he felt about going over there and spending the day with him would simply disappear.

"No buts about it." Orlando’s mother said with a slight chuckle. "He helped you, and now we want to repay the favor." Orlando’s mother glanced over to the barn and then back to her son. "Please Orlando don’t make this into a big deal. Just be happy that your father has agreed to it, now run along and ask your friend to dinner."

Orlando stood there for a few seconds looking down at his soft spoken, and loving mother. He then understood why she had invited the outsider to dinner, looking away from her he glanced to the barn, where his father had disappeared. Maybe he would see that Orlando was helping Viggo that because he had helped him, he’d see that Orlando wasn’t all that bad after all.

He nodded his head a little uneasy. "Thanks mother." He said quickly and she chuckled, but before she could say you’re welcome he had turned and was already heading back into the woods and wherever it was his friend lived.

Viggo was out on the small porch when Orlando walked back out of the woods. He blinked a few times, before moving to his feet and heading for the rail. The young man had only left his house a few hours ago, and he couldn’t decide if it was a bad thing or a good thing that the young man had returned so soon.

Viggo met Orlando at the door, Orlando was ready to reach up and knock on it when Viggo opened it before he could. He grinned at the look on the young man’s face, and glanced over his body to make sure the young man wasn’t hurt or something. Once he was happy that nothing was physically wrong with Orlando he looked back up into the young man’s eyes and blushing face.

"Unless I fell asleep out on the porch, I think you’re here a little too early to help me with the barn." Viggo said with a small chuckle, and a twinkle in his eyes, hoping that a joke might wipe away the unhappy look on Orlando face. It seemed to work a little, as a small smile pulled up the sides of his face.

"No you didn’t." Orlando said and looked down at his feet and then back at Viggo. "My family found out where I was and what I have been doing this morning." Orlando explained to Viggo.

Viggo’s face fell at that, and he felt his heart speed up. He hoped that Orlando’s family wasn’t mad at Orlando because of him, or that they had asked Orlando not to return to help him. He had liked spending the last few days with Orlando. First on the road after his accident, until now he had hoped he would have more time to spend with him as the weeks went on. "Oh," was all that Viggo could think to say.

"My mother has asked you to dinner." Orlando said with a small grin and then had to look away from Viggo to keep from laughing at the stupid look on his face. "She asked that I come back and ask you over to dinner at our place at 8:00 o’clock."

"I don’t understand." Viggo said after he got over the shock of the invitation. "I thought that the Amish didn’t like the Modern world and the people that lived in it, why is your family asking me to dinner?"

Orlando smiled at Viggo and shook his head. "Its not that they hate the English world." Orlando said. "We would just rather live apart from it, then in it. If we so choose we can have English friends. But you’re right; it’s very rare that we would invite one into our homes. It’s a great honor to be asked Viggo, and my mother is asking you to repay you for helping me and the family."

Viggo blinked a few times, as Orlando explained why his mother was inviting him over, and the older man shook his head. "There isn’t any reason for her to pay me back Orlando. I helped you, like I would have helped anyone else in your position. I didn’t do it to be paid back for it."

"I know that." Orlando said with a soft smile. The last few days had shown Orlando just how caring Viggo was. He wasn’t cold, and uncaring like most of the world out there, and he had never judged Orlando for any of the beliefs he held. "Please come Viggo, it would be a great honor to my family and me to have you there."

Viggo couldn’t help but nod his head after what Orlando said. It would be a great honor for Orlando if Viggo came over, that had made up Viggo’s mind for him. He grinned at the young man. "Yes, I’ll be there then." Viggo said, Orlando nodded his head and told Viggo he should hurry back home and let his mother know that Viggo had accepted the invite.

"Orlando," Viggo called after the young man now turned and looked back. "I don’t think you need to knock on my door anymore when you come over." He said with a grin on his face. "I trust you enough that you can just come in and make yourself at home."

Orlando blinked a few times at Viggo, feeling a great wash of warmth fill his body, at the trust that Viggo was showing in him. He nodded his head. "Ill do that Viggo and thank you."

"You’re welcome." Viggo called back, and watched as Orlando once again disappeared into the woods. It was proving to be a very interesting day.

Viggo picked up his phone and quickly dialed it. He sighed as it rang a few times, and then Sean picked up on the other line. He was desperate for some help, and knew that Sean was good person to call.

"Hey, long time no hear from." Sean said with a small chuckle in his voice. It had been several weeks since he had heard from his childhood friend. He was beginning to worry about Viggo, and had decided that if he hadn’t heard from him by this afternoon he would call him.

"Hey Sean, sorry about that." Viggo said flopping down on the small couch in his house. "I’ve been a little busy..." His voice trailed of not sure how to approach Sean with the kind of help he needed.

Sean paused as he was about to send a cheesy retort back to Viggo, but when his voice trailed off Sean could tell now wasn’t the time to be picking on the older man. In fact he decided that Viggo sounded upset or worried about something, and the sound of it in his voice told Sean there was something on Viggo’s mind he wasn’t quite sure how to talk about. He sighed a little. "So Viggo, what’s up?"

Viggo couldn’t help but chuckle at Sean saying that. The other man had picked up on Viggo’s uneasiness and knew that something was wrong. He knew that what’s up question was Sean’s away of telling him that he had the go ahead to tell him anything that was wrong. Viggo bit down on his lower lip and then glanced out the window of the living room. "I need some help." Viggo said simply enough knowing that Sean would ask him what kind of help he needed and was willing to do just about anything to make sure Viggo got it, so he kept going. "I was invited over to an Amish family’s home to have dinner with them."

Sean almost choked when Viggo said that. He knew that Viggo was in Lancaster County, the home town of one of the biggest Amish communities in the world, but still he didn’t think that Viggo would be calling to tell him that. "You’re not thinking about joining the Amish Community are you Viggo?" Sean asked with a teasing tone to his voice.

"No..." Viggo said with a small chuckle. "I don’t think they would ever have me, if they knew that, well....that I prefer the same sex as my own." He blushed a little at saying that he was gay that way, but sometimes it just seemed like the easiest way of doing it. He never thought of himself as being completely gay, but in the last few years it seemed he was heading that way.

Sean chuckled over the phone. "I didn’t think so, but you never know." He said. "But what’s going on, why do you need my help, and how did you get invited to dinner in the first place."

"Well..." Viggo said pausing for a second or two. He wasn’t too concerned with telling the truth to Sean. He was a very open minded man, and didn’t go around judging people for what they believed in, or did. But he wasn’t so sure how the he’d react to the news that Viggo had made a friend out of an Amish man he had found on the side of the road. "Will...I helped a young Amish man a few days ago that was in an accident, with his horse and buggy. It seems the mare had run off after it, and came to my house. So I had left him a note telling him where he could found her. When he showed up I was out in the barn working and had popped my finger out of place. Well to make a long story short, he offered to help me out with the repairs on the barn. His mother found out what had happen and has invited me over, to repay me for helping out the family."

"Jesses Christ Viggo" Sean blurted out. "Sounds like you have been having all kinds of fun in Lancaster County without me."

Viggo chuckled at Sean and shook his head. "Not really, but anyways, I don’t know what the hell I should wear over there. I don’t want to offend the family by dressing to much like an Englisher, and then to much like them. I just don’t know what to do."

Sean couldn’t help but laugh at Viggo again. "Leave it to you to worry about something like that." He said and the thought for a second of two. "You have a pair of black jeans right?" He asked Viggo and then quickly added. "And a dress shirt?"

Viggo thought for a second and then nodded his head. "Yeah, I have them."

"Well that’s what I would wear Viggo. Its not to dressy, and I think you have a pair of loose fitting jeans, that aren’t going to be hugging your ass to much."

Viggo chuckled at Sean’s remark. "Since when have you been looking at my ass?"

Sean grinned. "Oh here and there Viggo, you just never knew about it." He chuckled when Viggo didn’t say anything back to him about that. "You still on for me coming up at the end of the month?" Sean asked. "I wouldn’t want to interrupt you and your little Amish friend you got over there."

Viggo felt his face blushing at Sean remark, and didn’t understand why. Maybe it was the tone of voice Sean was using that left Viggo wondering if he thought they were a little more then just friends. Viggo shook his head. "Yeah, Sean still on for that, and you wouldn’t be. But I am still pissed at you for thinking I would be sleeping with an Amish kid, so I am hanging up now."

Sean almost died with laugher as Viggo said that. It was clear that he had struck a nerve with what he had insinuated was happening between Viggo and this friend of his. "Right, mate." He said grinning. "I’ll let you go so you can go pretty yourself up. See ya at the end of the month." Sean fell into another fit of laugher when Viggo didn’t say anything back and simply hung up.

"Orlando looks nervous." Viggo thought as the door to the Orlando’s family farm house was opened. A woman had answered it, but he could see Orlando standing just behind the woman peeking over her shoulder.

"Ello." The woman said with a soft voice and a smile on her face, or at least Viggo thought it was a smile. The woman stood off to the left of the door, with her head bowed slightly, making it hard for Viggo to see her face. "You must be Mr. Mortensen."

Viggo smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, but please just call me Viggo." He said glancing over the woman’s shoulder again and to Orlando, who shot him a small smile.

"I am Samthaea," The woman said still keeping her face hidden from Viggo. "Orlando’s mother, will you please come in."

"Thank you." Viggo said stepping inside, when the woman moved to the side, to allow him in. She closed the door behind him. He watched as Orlando ducked off into a side room, and he arched an eyebrow.

"Right this way Viggo please, and I’ll call Orlando inside." She seemed to smile again, but Viggo still couldn’t tell if she was, having her head still bowed slightly from his line of view.

"Thank you." Viggo said again, and was about to tell her that she didn’t need to call Orlando away from his chores on his account, when Orlando quickly stepped back into the hallway, smiling sheepishly.

"Orlando." His mother said, sounding slightly surprised to see him. "I was just about to call you in, your friend has arrived."

Orlando smiled down at his mother and thanked her. "I saw him walking up the driveway and decided to come inside."

Viggo blinked and tipped his head slightly to the side at Orlando, who in returned gave him a look, that said don’t say anything about seeing me. So Viggo didn’t and just smiled when Orlando’s mother led them into the kitchen, and offered a seat to Viggo. He thanked her again and reached out to pull out a chair for himself when Orlando stopped him.

"Not that one." Orlando said moving to Viggo’s side. "It’s customary for the head of the household to sit at the head of the table." The young man explained. "My father. The oldest son would be next on his right, but since you’re the guest you get that honor today." Orlando pulled out the chair for Viggo, who sat down in it. Thanking him for explaining all this to him.

Orlando smiled back and sat down across the table from him. They sat there for a few seconds in silence before Orlando’s mother brought over a pot of coffee from the stove and put a glass in front of each of them, pouring coffee into each glass. First Viggo’s and then Orlando’s.

"Thank you." Viggo said looking up at her with a smile on his face. He could see the blush on her face and quickly looked to Orlando to see if he had done something wrong. Orlando waited until his mother had turned away before shaking his head and mouthing the words "Your fine." to him.

Viggo sat in his chair unsure of what to do or say next. This all seemed a little odd to him. Orlando sitting across from him, as his mother busied herself around the kitchen. He was just about ready to ask if there was something he could help with, when she turned to them and said. "Dinners about done, I’ll run out and get your father and brothers."

Orlando moved to his feet looking to his mother. "I can do that mother, I don’t mind."

But the woman shook her head smiling at Orlando. "Its alright son, stay with your friend and we will be right in." By the way that his mother spoke to Orlando, he could tell how much she cared for him, it made Viggo smile as Orlando sat back down.

When Orlando’s mother left the house Viggo looked over at the younger man. "I hope I didn’t do anything wrong." Viggo said frowning slightly and Orlando smiled at him.

"No Viggo, you haven’t done anything wrong." He glanced over to the door and sighed. "It’s the Amish way for woman to be humble and meek. My mother keeps her head bowed and speaks softly when around people she doesn’t know to show them respect. She’s just not used to males thanking her for bringing them coffee, because it’s an Amish woman’s duty to bring them what they might need."

Viggo blinked a few times and then frowned. He hadn’t thought about that before, but then again he didn’t know why he would. It seemed he had a lot to learn about the Amish and their ways. He was about to ask Orlando a question, when he got to his feet again. "I should move." Orlando said looking at Viggo with a grin. He looked like he was about to say something, when the back door on the other side of the kitchen opened, and five men walked in, followed by three young women. They all smiled at Viggo and then excused themselves to get ready for dinner.

An older man lingered behind the group however and made his way over to Viggo. He held his hand out to Viggo with a grim look on his face. "I am Yager, Orlando’s father." The older man said, as Viggo took his hand and gave it a firm hand shake. "Welcome to my home Mr. Mortensen."

Viggo smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you very much for inviting me Mr. Bloom. I have been looking forward to it since Orlando asked me over."

Yager glanced over at Orlando not saying anything to the younger man and nodded his head. Then he turned muttering something about needing to wash up for dinner and then disappeared down the hallway.

Viggo glanced over at Orlando and couldn’t help but notice the frown painted across the young mans face. "I take it, they don’t get along well." Viggo thought to himself.

"The food was wonderful Orlando." Viggo said glancing over at the young man that rode beside him. "Will you please tell your mother that I completely enjoyed the meal, it was better then anything I have ever eaten?"

Orlando grinned and nodded his head at Viggo. "Yes, I’ll do that." During the dinner Viggo had seemed to pick up on the Amish traditions of women folk in the house. Women where supposed to be humble and look after the family. After seeing how much embarrassment it caused Orlando’s mother when he told her how good her cooking had been, or how wonderful her family seemed he had quickly stopped, to the joy of his mother.

It just showed how very kind a person Viggo was. Not wanting to make his mother embarrassed or uncomfortable in her own home, Viggo had changed his behavior to fit in with the rest of them. It might be that Viggo could read people well enough and know what they needed. What made it even more amazing to Orlando, was Viggo was willing to change his behavior, a lot of Modern people didn’t do that, not caring if the behavior upset the Amish person they where speaking to.

Orlando clicked the reins of the horse, moving the mare into a quicker paced walk. After dinner was over it was agreed on that Orlando would take Viggo home. The older man hadn’t driven his car over and had walked, but during the dinner the temperature dropped so much, that his mother was worried that Viggo might get lost or sick if he wandered the road by himself.

"It’s really great that your father agreed to let you keep working for me for anther month and a half." Viggo said as his teeth chattered from the cold air hitting him. During dinner it seemed Orlando’s father and Viggo had gotten along will. Telling stories about their childhoods, their children and everything in-between. It was delight for Viggo, and he was overjoyed when Orlando’s father had agreed to let Orlando come work with him until the end of the winter.

"Yes, it more then wonderful." Orlando said unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. He glanced over at Viggo again and frowned seeing the fog of breath leaving his lips, and the chatter of his teeth. "Are you cold?" Orlando asked him, realizing that Viggo didn’t have a heavy jacket on, but the thin shirt he had worn to dinner.

"A little." Viggo admitted and laughed at himself. "In my excitement to get to your place, I forgot my jacket back home sitting on the couch."

Orlando chuckled at Viggo and shook his head. "Here, why don’t you hold these?" He handed Viggo the reins to the buggy and grinned when Viggo took them without question and began driving the buggy. Turning slight in his chair Orlando reached behind himself. It only took him a few seconds to find what he was looking for, and pulled out a lap cover from behind the set.

"Here we go." Orlando said looking at Viggo. "You will need to move a little closer to me. That will help to keep us warm."

Viggo nodded his head and scooted closer to Orlando, who then spread the heavy cover out over there laps. Once that was done he gently took the reins from Viggo’s hands, and Viggo couldn’t help feeling slightly warmer as Orlando’s hands ghosted over his own.

"This is my brother’s courting buggy." Orlando said trying to explain why there was a blanket in the back seat. "I knew he would have something back there, to keep whichever girl he is courting warm."

Viggo chuckled and leaned back against the back railing of the buggy. "You don’t know who your brother’s dating?" He asked with a small grin, finding that hard to believe. Most people in the modern world knew everyone else’s business even who they where dating.

Orlando shook his head, and blinked when he felt Viggo’s hand brush against the side of his leg. He looked over at the older man.

Viggo blinked realizing what had made Orlando seem to tense up for a second. "Sorry." He said and Orlando shook his head again. "It’s fine, just surprised me is all. You can leave it there, might keep you a little warmer."

Viggo nodded his head slightly and moved his hand away from Orlando leg only a little. He found himself liking being this close to the young man. Telling himself only because it was so cold outside, and the younger mans body warmth felt good to him.

"But no, I don’t know who my brother is courting. In the Amish world we keep them kind of things secret until the wedding season which is at the beginning of November and runs into January. Everyone that was courting until then, places their names in a small book, telling who is getting married. Then everyone knows." Orlando grinned a little at the look on Viggo’s face; he looked a little shocked, but also in wonder.

"So no one knows until then? It must come as a complete shock, to the families." Viggo said. "Most of the time everyone in the Modern world knows who is seeing who and what not."

Orlando nodded his head listening to Viggo explain. "It’s not like that with us. The couple’s closest friends might know but that’s about it. No one else would. I am sure that some of the family members might know beforehand, so they can get ready for the wedding and everything. But I am not sure, as no one in my family had been married yet."

Viggo smiled at Orlando and nodded his head. "So what kind of things do you do when you’re courting?" He asked the younger man. "And who are you courting?" He didn’t know what made him ask that, but it seemed like Orlando would have half a million girls running after him to become his wife. The young man just seemed so caring, and nice not to have some girl not look his way.

Orlando shook his head looking away from Viggo, and for a second Viggo hoped he hadn’t insulted Orlando by asking the question. He was just about to apologize when Orlando answered him.

"Most of the courting done in the Community is done on Saturday nights. First you go to something like a Sing Song. Where most of the young couples gather together and sing, talk; drink punch and things like that. Then they pair off into twos and the males of the groups take the girls home. After that they are able to pick the girl up somewhere, where the courting is done mostly in an open buggy like this one." Orlando turned to look back at Viggo. "As for me, I was courting someone...but..." Orlando’s voice trailed off as he leaned back in the seat and clicked the reins to make the horse pick up her speed a little more. "She passed away about two years ago."

Viggo blinked his eyes widening at the news. He picked up his hand in fact and laid it on top of Orlando’s leg, offering a comforting hand to him. "I am so sorry Orlando. I...I..." He stumbled over his words. "I know I can’t say anything to make the hurt go away, but...I know how it feels to lose someone you love."

Orlando gave a small nod and closed his eyes for a second, not allowing the memories of that day to take him over, as he had done in the past. "I shouldn’t speak of the dead." Orlando said softly and sighed reopening his eyes. "It’s disrespectful, and she is in a better place, that at least gives me a little comfort to know that." Orlando glanced over at Viggo and gave him a small smile. He could feel the older man’s hand on his leg, but it didn’t bother him as much this time. They where sitting so close together, that it was uncomfortable for Viggo to sit any other way, that and he knew Viggo was only trying to give him comfort, something no one else had bothered to do.

"I had just asked her to marry me." Orlando went on even though he knew he shouldn’t. It wasn’t right to speak of the dead in the Amish community. It wasn’t even right to pray that God took her into his mercy and brought her up to heaven with him. "She had fallen very ill with the flu that winter, and her family tried doing the best they could do for her, but it wasn’t enough and she passed away." Orlando sighed, feeling his chest go tight with the memories of watching Kate slip away from him. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, when he felt Viggo squeeze his leg.

"You were going to get married?" Viggo asked feeling a tinge of jealousy pass through him, but he couldn’t quite understand why. Orlando nodded his head. "Yes, that November, our wedding was going to be the first of the season. She was so happy, and so was I, until she got ill. Now..." He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Now...I just can’t bring myself to go the Sing Songs and find someone else. Because there never will be someone quite like Kate." Orlando sighed again.

"I can understand that." Viggo said softly. "I felt the same way when my wife and I went our separate ways. But..." He said squeezing Orlando’s leg again. "I found that there might not be someone quite like my wife in the world again, but there is someone else out there that might come close. Sometimes it better to have one great love in your life, but not to forget about all the little ones out there that can bring you just as much...You know what I am saying?"

Orlando nodded his head and turned to smile at Viggo. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But I haven’t even found a little love that I would like to have." Orlando gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "Maybe it’s because I am just not ready yet. I don’t know."

Viggo smiled a little and nodded his head. He knew just what Orlando was saying. After his divorce he hadn’t been gung ho to go out on the town and find someone else. He had mourned his relationship with his wife for a year and a half before he did finally get out and began dating again. Granted his life wasn’t like Orlando’s, it was a little more complicated then most.

Viggo sighed softly to himself and glanced over at Orlando who seemed lost in his thoughts for right now. He decided to let Orlando have them, and not interupt his thinking, as he took in the younger man’s face. "He is wonderful to look at." Viggo told himself, taking in the tan complexion, the curly brown hair, and soft eyes. "More than that..." Viggo told himself and blinked. "You shouldn’t think that way." Viggo told himself. "You want nothing but friendship from Orlando, that’s all."

Orlando felt Viggo staring at him, but decided not to look over at him. He was beginning to feel little odd. They where in a courting buggy, and it dawned on Orlando, that Viggo and him were doing just what a courting couple would do. They would meet at first in a public place, they would speak together, and have fun with their friends, as they got into more of a special relationship then they would spend nights just like this one just driving down a lane, in order to get to know each other even better.

Orlando found himself blushing at his idea and hoped that Viggo couldn’t see it in the night. "Maybe one day we will find someone that will make us both happy." Orlando told Viggo as he pulled into the driveway that led to Viggo’s house.

"Yeah," Viggo said with a nod of his head and a slight smile. "I hope to be invited to the wedding when that happens"

Orlando chuckled. "Likewise." The young man pulled the mare to a stop outside Viggo’s porch door. Viggo carefully pulled the cover off his lap in order not to let the cold air touch Orlando, and then jumped down from the buggy. He turned and looked up at the young man.

"I’ll see ya tomorrow then?" Viggo asked him with a small smile.

Orlando nodded his head. "Ill be looking forward to it Viggo. Have a good night."

Viggo grinned. "You to, tell your mother thanks again."

Orlando nodded his head with a smile. "I will." He said and thought of asking after Viggo’s own family, but stopped himself. It seemed he didn’t want to let Viggo leave. He wanted to stay and speak to the older man until the morning, to get to know him better. To find out all the little thing that made Viggo, Viggo. But as he realized that, Orlando felt a tightening in his chest and shook his head. He wasn’t thinking right. He knew he could never allow himself such a gift from a Modern man or from any man at all.

"I’ll see ya later Viggo." He said quickly and clicked the reins sending the horse back down the lane. Viggo was about ready to call after Orlando and wave, but something stopped him. The look on Orlando’s face as he drove away scared Viggo, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

Part Five: Sunday

Sunday had come fast for Orlando as he worked the early mornings on his father’s farm and then spent the rest of the day working on Viggo’s barn. He knew that they would have gotten the barn done long ago if they hadn’t spent so much time chatting. To Orlando’s surprise however he found himself enjoying the time he spent with the other man.

They spent hours out on Viggo’s small enclosed porch just talking. Viggo was more then happy to explain the modern world to him, and Orlando did his best to answer any questions about the Amish world that Viggo had. It seemed like Viggo really enjoyed learning about Orlando’s world as much as he did Viggo’s and it made Orlando feel good to be able to teach the older man about something he had never knew before.

Orlando sighed as he thought about it and then glanced around the yard he was standing in. This Sunday had been a church Sunday, which meant that church sevice was held in one of the small farm yards that one of the Amish families in Orlando’s church district owned. For three hours he had to sit while the brethren of the church preached on about God’s mercy and love, but also the sins of the world around them.

The service had been alright, one of the better ones he had been listening to, but he couldn’t help fidget during it, anxious for the day to be over so that he could go back to work with Viggo. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it had been a none Church Sunday when they would spend time traveling between family and friends houses. At least he would have had someone to talk to, to take his mind off of where he really wanted to be.

"Why is it that I feel so connected to Viggo?" Orlando asked himself. "Why on earth would I think of us as a courting couple when I took him home?" He sighed to himself and half way closed his eyes as he thought about it. "Must be because I think of him more like a father then my real papa. I know it’s a sin, but I can’t help the way I feel about that."

Orlando glanced over his right shoulder to where his father stood chatting among a group of his friends, before looking back just in time to hear a question that his long time friend Matthew Brown was asking him:

"Orlando, what do you think of our new Old Order view bishipa?" The other young man asked.

Orlando gave a small shrug of his shoulders looking over at Matthew. "I think that both ways the Old Order and New Order of Amish thinking have their good points and bad one’s just like everything else." Orlando bit down on his lower lip when he saw Matthew frowning and then nodded his head off to Orlando’s right.

There beside him was standing the new preachers son. He could feel himself paling as he looked over. If the other young man went back to his father and told him that Orlando had spoken against him or had somehow insulted him, he could be kicked out of the Amish Community that he lived in or a temporary Shun would be placed on him, that could last anywhere between a week to a year.

"Not that I mean any disrespect to your father for his beliefs and views." Orlando said trying to back track the best he could. He could just about kick himself for being so lost in the thought that he hadn’t seen the preachers son walk up on him.

"It’s alright Orlando." The young man said with a small smile. "Everyone has a right to what they think." He gave a shrug of his shoulders, not seeming too upset by what Orlando had said.

One of the other men next to Orlando chuckled and then said: "Don’t mind him Zack I think Orlando’s a little distracted by who ever he’s been thinking about."

Anther boy chuckled and nodded his head too. "Yeah, I saw ya out by my house, in your courting buggy with someone." He added quickly as both of them laughed, and Matthew glanced over at Orlando arching an eyebrow at him, and wearing a hurt look on his face.

It had been Matthew’s younger sister that Orlando had been courting and planning on marrying before she passed away. It was a deep blow to Orlando, but on some levels he thought it was a deeper one for Matthew. He had always been overly protected of his younger sister, and it was an honor when Matthew had given Orlando his blessing to begin courting her. Sometimes Orlando thought that Matthew blamed himself for Orlando’s own broken heart at that passing of Kate, for setting the two up to court, but Orlando had never blamed him. He just thanked his lucky stars that Matthew had allowed him to know his sister as well as he had, before she went to The Lord and his judgment.

Orlando shook his head at Matthew letting him know that he hadn’t been out courting anyone, and turned to the other two boys. "I haven’t been courting anyone and you shouldn’t be talking about such things anyways!" He snapped at the two a little more harshly than he had might have, but for some reason he couldn’t help but feel the truth in their worlds, even if he wasn’t courting Viggo it sure had felt like it, and that bothered him more then anything the two boys could say.

"Gee’s claim down Orlando." One of them said shaking his head. "I know it was just that Englsher you where taking home." He held up his hands as if to dismiss it all, but the preacher’s son arched an eyebrow at Orlando.

"Great just what I need." Orlando thought to himself as he glanced at his feet and then back up at the preacher’s son. He sighed a little. "A few weeks ago my buggy was run off the road and the mare got away from me. An englisher had happen on the accident and helped me home. Later he found my horse and left me a note telling me where I could pick her up at. My mother wanted to pay him back for helping us, so we had him over for dinner, and I drove him home."

"Oh." He said with a smile and a nod of his head, before he turned and walked away.

Orlando glanced over at the two boys that had been teasing him and sighed inwardly. He knew that this wouldn’t be a good thing if their Old Order Preacher found out about his family having an englisher over to there house. But what could Orlando do he couldn’t lie.

Orlando turned looking over his shoulder to where the young man had gone, and frowned when he walked straight for his father.

Orlando glanced over at Viggo. They both stood on ladders. Between them they held a hard wooden two by four. Viggo was hammering his side in while Orlando held up his end and waited to do the same. They where putting up the last few boards onto the floor of the loft and Orlando knew that soon his time with Viggo would be over and he would have to return back to the farm.

The day had warmed up into a nice autumn day almost like a summer one with the temperature reaching into the high 70's. Both men had been working all day, and as the temperature went up both man had worked themselves into a heavy sweat. Orlando hadn’t found any relief from the sun in the barn, but it seemed Viggo had found some as he reached up pulling off his shirt.

Orlando realized that this was a modern world custom he wasn’t about to take part in. It was considered a sin to show too much skin in the Amish community. The one and only time you showed any skin, other then what’s shown when your clothing is on, was in the bedroom with your wife. There was no kissing or other such things before you got married. Such activities were frowned upon by all of the community. A young girl that was even suspected of flirting around before marriage could never hope to be wed one day or of raising a family.

But as Viggo worked around Orlando with his shirt off the young man couldn’t help stealing glances of the other man. He told himself it was only because he hadn’t seen anyone else so easy with showing so much of themselves.

"You look hot." Viggo said as he nailed the last nail into the wood, pulling Orlando from his thoughts.

The younger man smiled a little and nodded his head. "A little, but I am used to it."

Viggo smiled back. "How about we finish here and then go up to the house to find something to drink? Cold water sound good to you?"

Orlando nodded his head again and began nailing his end of the floor in. "Yeah, that sounds fine by me."

A little while later Orlando nailed the last of the wood into place and moved down from the ladder. He followed Viggo into the house and sat down while he got himself and Orlando tall glasses of ice cold water from the frig. He smiled a little as Viggo made his way to him and sat down placing the water before him.

"Viggo," Orlando said without thinking. "Why haven’t you remarried?" He blushed a little at his forwardness with the question, but knew by now that Viggo didn’t mind him asking them, and would do his best to answer whatever he asked.

"Why haven’t I remarried?" Viggo asked back blinking a few time. Orlando nodded his head and smiled a little.

"It customary for a widower to wait a year, to mourn for his or her partner, and then move on to find another. Granted some do not, and stay unmarried until they’re called to heaven, but most do. They feel it’s their duty to find another person and raise a family."

Viggo swallowed a few times and felt himself getting nervous, about the question that Orlando had asked him. He had never lied to anyone about liking other men. He had done too much of that for most of his life, to himself and the people that matter the most to him. But as he sat there looking at Orlando, he thought about it. Mostly because he wasn’t sure how the young man would react to his answer. He felt like they were good friends and hated the thought of losing Orlando over something like that. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair before looking back at the younger man.

"Orlando..." He said softly glancing at his hands. "I haven’t ever lied to you about anything, and I have always answered your questions with the utmost thought put into them."

Orlando frowned as he watched Viggo shift in his chair, moving from his light upbeat mood into a thoughtful fearful one in the blink of an eye. He wondered what would make Viggo change so quickly and had a funny feeling he might regret the question he just asked."Yes, you have." He said with a smile hoping to put Viggo as ease. "And I appreciate you doing that. If you don’t want to answer you don’t have to, it was just something rolling around in my head."

"No," Viggo said with a shack of his head. "I do want to answer you, I just don’t want it to change anything between us."

Orlando frowned, looking Viggo over and then saying. "Why would your answer change our friendship?" The younger man asked. "I value you and everything we have made in the last month to allow anything to change that."

Viggo smiled at Orlando and hoped that what he was saying was true, because if it wasn’t what he was about to say would crush everything they had built up until now. "Orlando the reason I got a divorce and why I haven’t remarried is..." Viggo’s voice trailed off and he fought with himself as he spoke. He didn’t know how to word it so that Orlando would get the gist of what he was saying without coming out and shocking him, so he simple said. "I like men."

Orlando couldn’t help but laugh at what Viggo had said. He shook his head. "Viggo, why would that change anything? I like men to, it’s always good to have friends of the same sex as you are. People the same age that can relate to what you’re going through."

"No, Orlando that’s not what I mean." Viggo said with a shake of his head. "I mean I LIKE them." He strung out the word hoping that Orlando would get his drift and he wouldn’t have to say the words outloud to him.

Orlando blinked a few times tipping his head to the side looking at Viggo. "You mean..." He asked his own voice trailing off as he realized what Viggo was getting at.

The older man nodded his head, reaching for his glass of water and downing it in one swallow. He didn’t want to look at Orlando right then, he didn’t want to see a look of disgust in the young man’s eyes, or of hurt. He wanted Orlando to realize he was the same person he had been, before he had known about "that." He had lost too many friends answering the some question Orlando had asked, and none of them meant as much as Orlando had meant to him.

"Oh.." Was all that Orlando could think of saying right then and there. He had heard that some males believed that they preferred the same sex as mates rather then female. But in the Amish community such things where frowned on, and a member would have been turned out of his family and friends if they acted on such feelings.

Viggo opened his eyes back up and glanced over at Orlando. He was glad when he realized that Orlando wasn’t looking at him any differently than he had before, but seemed a little more confused then anything. "What do you think of that?" The older man asked and he was surprised when Orlando shrugged his shoulders.

"I am not really sure...I...I think I’ll have to think about it...." Orlando was at a loss for what to say to Viggo. He knew what other people in the Amish Community would think but they also preached to love the sinner not the sin, to turn the other cheek. He just didn’t know what he should do.

Reaching out Orlando grabbed his glass of water and drank it. Yes, this was definitely something he would have to think about. He knew it didn’t change any relationship that he had with Viggo, because he didn’t feel any different about him. The bond that they shared seemed to grow stronger every day they spent together.

The thing that scared Orlando the most and what would happen when his time over at Viggo’s was over.