I Don’t Want a Stepmother!

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Emma’s challenges of being a stepmother wasn’t easy. Here’s an excerpt from her story.

Michael sucked in a steadying breath as he held his soon-to-be bride close, the gentle librarian who charmed everyone frequenting the Park’s library. Her shy nature made her approachable and inviting for those seeking assistance among the bookshelves. Behind her reading spectacles, her gaze held a depth of knowledge and empathy. She was slow to speak and always ready to provide a listening ear to those in need. How someone hadn’t won her heart before now was a mystery and a gift.

Somehow, in God’s great mercy, he had won her heart! He wanted to jump up from that bench and shout it to the world. Instead, he sat next to her, quietly thanking the good Lord for her.

Dressed in modest yet tasteful attire, Emma’s soft-spoken mannerisms were complemented by her warm and understanding mahogany eyes. Despite her gentle disposition, she also harbored a curious strength. When faced with challenges, Emma exhibited resilience and determination, just what she’d need to be a lightkeeper’s wife and a stepmother.

Best of all, her love for literature and the pursuit of knowledge made her all the more interesting. That’d be welcome on those long winter nights. He’d come to love her for all of it.

But a weight settled on Michael’s shoulders as he pondered how this gentle and shy librarian would handle the challenges that awaited her on tiny Rock Island. She’d voiced her apprehensions, valid ones he shared, about the responsibilities of being a lightkeeper’s wife. But she hadn’t mentioned her role as a stepmother to his twelve-year-old daughter, Ada. That worried him the most.

Though he should discuss the matter with her, he hesitated, the weight of the unspoken words pressing on him. He had wanted to savor this perfect moment, to bask in the joy of their love before broaching the topic.

He shifted to face Emma who stared at the lighthouse across the water. The sparkle in her eyes mirrored the radiance of the sun, and for a moment, Michael found himself captivated by the beauty of the scene and the woman beside him.

Her thin, narrow face, tiny turned up nose, and full pink lips reminded him so much of Ada. So did her thick auburn hair. Why, they could pass for mother and daughter.

But how would Emma feel about that? How would Ada?

Could Emma be happy with life on the tiny island, the duties of being a lightkeeper’s wife, and her role as stepmother to his twelve-year-old daughter? Though they’d talked about Ada several times, Emma had yet to meet her. His daughter lived over one-hundred-fifty miles away while in school in Rochester, living with her grandparents. And now she’d be home for the summer.

About Emma’s Engagement:

Emma Row embarks on a journey that will test her resilience and love. She marries Michael Diepolder, the Rock Island Lightkeeper and widower, a man who seeks a companion for both himself and his eleven-year-old daughter, Ada. But as she steps into the role of lightkeeper’s wife with a heart full of hope, little does she know that the idyllic setting conceals challenges that will shake the foundation of her happiness. Isolation creeps in, compounded by Ada’s determination to keep her father all to herself. As a storm looms, Emma must grapple with the difficulties of being a stepmother and lightkeeper’s wife. Will she find her place, or will the tumultuous waves of doubt and isolation tear them apart?

For Michael, Emma is not just a wife but the hope for his future. But the lighthouse life and being a stepmother proves harder for Emma than he ever imagined, and Ada’s animosity only intensifies it. When the lighthouse inspector questions Emma’s place due to her Canadian heritage and Ada become deathly ill, the very foundation of their family is shaken. Can their family find solace and unity on this tiny island? Amid the swirling tempest of challenges, Emma, Michael, and Ada must discover the strength within themselves and each other to weather the storm. Emma’s Engagement is a poignant tale of love, resilience, and the enduring bonds that can form in the most unexpected places. This fictional story is based on the actual lives of Michael and Emma Diepolder.

Mark A. Wentling, a descendant of the Rock Island lightkeepers, says, “Although I never met my ancestors Michael and Ada Diepolder, I truly felt transported into their time by Susan’s story. I thoroughly enjoyed imagining their world and the moments they might have shared through Mathis’s storytelling.”