The Miting: An Old Order Amish Novel, page 12
“Honestly, my head is on fire with pain, so if it’s okay with you, I would like to go home.”
He nodded, obviously trying to mask the disappointment of not spending the rest of the day with her. “Okay. Let’s go.”
She followed Jacob to the throng of black buggies lined up by the barn and climbed up into his. The two-mile drive was quiet for both of them, and when he pulled into the lane in front of her house, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Jacob. You took good care of me today. I do appreciate you.”
“I’m glad to, Leah. Go in and get some sleep now. You’ll feel so much better once you rest, and I’ll be sure and tell your maem about your headache. Maybe, if you feel better later on, you could get someone to bring you back out.”
She shook her head. “There won’t be any cleanup tonight, so I’ll just skip the dinner and singing. I don’t think people will care if I miss tonight or not since I’m such a bad influence on all the kids. They might even be relieved.”
Her complaint sounded petty, even to her ears, but Jacob leaned in, and barely brushed her lips with a kiss.
“Don’t let the gossip hurt you. They just don’t know you. I know you, and you’re not a troublemaker. Maybe a little feisty …” He grinned.
Leah’s cheeks warmed at the touch of Jacob’s lips on hers. She leaned away slightly, to gauge his expression. His brown eyes sparkled as he lifted a hand to her face.
“Your cheeks are rosy. Is there a reason for that?”
She pulled back more, and his hand fell to his side. A puzzled frown slipped over his face. “Are you upset because I kissed you?”
Leah shook her head, and a slow smile grew as she fastened her eyes on his. “No. I’m not upset. But I am wondering how your daet and maem will feel about you and me … being together.” She felt the flush deepen as she pondered the kiss. Did he truly have serious plans for their future?
A relieved sigh escaped his lips. “Whew. You had me worried there, you know. As for my parents and their feelings about you, neither one has ever said anything bad about you. My parents don’t gossip, but even if they’re worried over hearsay concerning your connections to Martha, they would make up their own minds and not judge you by that alone. They’ve seen you in church. Maem considers your maem her friend. They’ve been around your family and you for years and years. They aren’t worried.”
“But maybe they don’t know about us.” Leah tilted her head, curious for his reply. Had he talked about her at home?
Jacob chuckled. “Oh, I get it! You’re fishing for information, eh? No, seriously. They like you, Leah. Daet even teased me once about going after a wife with such spark.”
Leah lifted her brows. “Wife?” She pursed her lips in mock disapproval. “Taking my approval of you as husband material for granted, aren’t you?”
He grinned.
“But you may be biting off more than you can chew with me, Jacob Yoder. I’m feistier than you know, I’m afraid.” She frowned, thinking of her growing desire to let go of everything Amish.
Jacob shook his head. “I don’t believe that. Go rest and try not to fret. I’ll come by in the morning to take you back over to the Wengerds’ for cleanup.”
“Thanks, but Maem already said we were going to walk over together to help with the cleanup, so if you need to do something else, it’s okay.”
“I’ll still try to get over there. They may need someone to run the dishes and borrowed things back.”
“Jacob, thanks again,” she said sincerely.
“Bye, Leah. See you tomorrow.”
She hopped down from the buggy and watched him pull away. In spite of Jacob’s unexpected kiss and the talk of their future together, her head felt like it could explode from the stress of overhearing the gossip about her. She couldn’t wait to get in her bedroom and lie down.
Even on a wonderful day like this, gossips have managed to spoil it. Why?
The day after the wedding, Leah got up early and went down to breakfast. The Raber women would be going back to the Wengerds’ to finish redding up, and some of the other church members would be there, too. She was hoping to see Martha, who hadn’t come to the wedding. Leah was worried something had happened to her.
At the table, Maem didn’t say anything about her being absent from most of the wedding celebration after lunch, and she hoped her parents wouldn’t think she’d been with Martha.
Benny suddenly spoke up. “Why did you go away from the wedding, Leah?” His quizzical look made her smile, and she reached out and rubbed his towhead.
“I had a bad pain in my head, and I wanted to come home and take a nap for a little while.”
“You wanted to take a nap?” he asked incredulously.
They laughed at his expression, and Maem said, “Sometimes grownups need to rest, too, Benny.” She looked at her daughter with a tiny smile, and the word grownup was not lost on Leah.
After a few more minutes in the kitchen, breakfast was finished, and Maem sent Benny out to help Daet in the shop while the girls walked back to the Wengerds’ place.
Leah entered the already steamy hot kitchen, seeing that the big job of cleaning the dishes used at the marriage dinner was underway. The bride and groom were already awake and busily washing the china, silverware, and borrowed dishes. In deference to the bride and groom’s privacy on this first morning after their wedding, only the bridal party worked with them.
Leah didn’t see Jacob anywhere, and since she didn’t really want to be a fifth wheel with the couples helping the newlyweds, she wandered out to the barn to see if the workers out there wanted her to wipe off the benches and tables before they were put away. Three bench wagons were parked near the barn doors, and young men and boys were diligently pulling the cleaned benches out of the barn to stack them back into the wagons.
Church was coming up Sunday, and the wagons needed to be at the proper homes in preparation for the services. Since the Wengerds had hired two extra wagons from other church districts, there was even more work to do. The older boys and men were back at their jobs or in the fields, so she went into the barn to lend a hand with the tables and benches.
The barn was cooler than the kitchen, but it was still warm enough to break a sweat with the bending and scrubbing she was doing to the tables. She used her apron to fan herself several times. While she was working, she saw Martha talking to Miriam at the door of the house. Anna Mast was with her and joined the other ladies in the kitchen. Soon Martha hurried to the barn.
“Martha! There you are! Where were you yesterday?”
Martha pulled her friend to the side, out of earshot. “I had to go to town to sign a rental lease with Abe.”
“You’re kidding!”
“No. It’s a very cute apartment downtown.” She giggled. “Abe told me to pick out a kitten—we’re allowed to have a pet.” Her eyes were lit up with happiness. Leah tried to think back to when she’d last seen Martha so excited.
“I’m going to miss you, Martha.”
“I’ll still be around. Don’t worry. Let me help you with the tables.”
While they worked, the two friends whispered about Martha’s plans to leave the Amish by the end of the next week. Leah, her brain buzzing with the news that Martha seriously meant to leave home soon, tried to focus on the conversation. Her stomach churned when she realized she would soon have to say good-bye to her friend. Leah tried to talk Martha into not going—at least, not so soon.
“When I think of not being able to see you at church, Martha, my heart breaks, and you’ll be shunned, too—not officially, but they still won’t like me seeing you.”
“I know, but when has anything the church or the elders or the bishop have done made me not speak to you or come find you? I’ll be out here, calling your name and sneaking you into my car. Just you wait.”
She laughed, but Leah did not join in. Somehow, Martha’s rebellion seemed hardened and bitter. I hope I’m not going down that path. I don’t feel as carefree about leaving as she seems to feel. Does dabbling in the English world lead to that?
Martha sobered. “My only fear is that Abner will soon go back to looking for another victim, and that means maybe my little sisters will suffer what I have.”
Leah shuddered. “Isn’t there something we can do?”
“Abe thinks I should go to Child Protection Services once I’m out of here, but I don’t know.”
“Don’t you think that will make everything even worse for them?” Leah exclaimed. “The bishop and the church wouldn’t like that at all.”
Martha chewed her lip. “I wish I knew what might happen. I have no idea what the law would say or do if I go to them.”
“If you leave next week, will your maem and stepdaet call the sheriff to have you brought back?”
“I’m not of age, so they could if they wanted to, but I have a feeling they’ll just go along with shunning me and leave it be. They’ve had enough of me this past year.”
Even though Martha said this with a flippant attitude, Leah sensed her friend was truly hurt.
“Do you have a job lined up or anything like that?”
“Abe says he’ll help me find work. I’m pretty sure I could get a job at a fast-food place or even clean houses and factories if I have to, and I want to get my driver’s license soon, too.”
“Have you thought any more about contacting the Schrocks?”
“Abe said he knows a few of the former Amish who have gotten help from the Mission to Amish People ministry the Schrocks started. He said we might be able to get some clothing or household items if we need it.” She made a face. “But he isn’t into the church stuff they want people to do, so I don’t think we’ll ask them for too much.”
They continued cleaning in silence, but then Leah hesitantly asked the question that had been troubling her. “Martha, are you afraid you’ll die and go to hell if you leave?”
Martha sat down on a hay bale stacked in the corner out of the way. “This past year has been so bad, Leah, I think I’d rather die as a heathen Englisher than live the rest of my life as an Amish person going to heaven.”
Leah sputtered. “Martha! You don’t mean that!” She wanted to tell Martha not to be so hasty, but she held back, knowing she was thinking some of the same things about the Amish life. But would I ever want to be shunned or know I was going to hell?
“Honestly, I just don’t care much anymore if I’m breaking the Ordnung. It makes no difference to me whether I live like a heathen or not. Abe has taken me to some parties the ex-Amish have at their places, and it’s fun to have a beer or two and loosen up a little. It doesn’t hurt me, and I feel like I’m in control of my life for the first time.”
“You mean you’ve been drunk?”
Martha laughed. “Not really, silly! I just feel a little bit good. I don’t use the drugs that can be there, but some of the kids do.”
Leah shook her head. The rumors were true then. She worried Martha was going to get hurt or get in big trouble if she kept up with these practices.
“Leah, you just don’t understand. If you ever decide to leave, you’ll find out there’s way more to life than being stuck out here on farms.”
Martha regarded Leah for a moment. Then she stood and shook the dust and hay bits off of her skirt. “In case you don’t know, some of the Amish kids are coming to these parties, too. You’d be surprised how many of them hide cell phones in their pockets.” Martha laughed. “They like to be called and told where the next big party is going to be.”
Leah walked with Martha to the doorway of the barn, thinking about how naive she was in comparison to her friend. In her heart, Leah knew if she ever decided to leave their Amish life, it wouldn’t be for parties or drugs or alcohol. Those things held no attraction for her. But having freedom—the freedom to learn more about Gott, and the ability to live a modern and less burdened life—to be able to live without constantly being worried about the Ordnung—those were the things that made her secretly dream about the English world.
“Leah …” Martha hesitated. “By this time next week, you may not be able to spend time talking with me like this anymore. If I leave, remember you have my cell number. You can call me anytime, and I’ll be sure to answer. If you want to leave, too, call. Okay?”
Tears came to Leah’s eyes as she realized her friendship with Martha was likely never going to be the same. “Be careful.”
“You know it! Life is going to get much more exciting for me!” Her friend waved and darted off.
“I’ll miss you,” she whispered.
Martha got on her bike, turning to wave as she pedaled out of the driveway. Leah had a feeling this was the last time she would see her friend in Amish clothes.
She sighed and went to look for Ada. She had to talk to someone about what Martha was planning to do—this kind of news she couldn’t keep to herself.
CHAPTER TEN
The family slept a little later the Saturday morning after the final cleanup day at the Wengerds’. When Leah came down for breakfast, everyone was gone except for Ada. She was slumped at the table, her hair a mess, and her yawns coming one after another as she tried to eat her oatmeal.
“Where’s Maem?” Leah asked as she poured a cup of coffee.
“She went out to the shop to see if Daet needs her to get anything for him at Home Hardware today. We’re going into Ashfield to shop.” Ada glanced out the window. “At least the sun is shining. I’d hate to go into town as cold as it’s gotten overnight without sunshine to warm us up.” She took another bite of oatmeal and glanced at her sister. “You coming along?”
“Sure. I don’t mind getting away from this house today. With all the work we’ve been doing for the wedding, we haven’t had time to buy groceries or anything for a couple of weeks.”
“Did you really have a headache on the wedding day?”
“I did, but I was also upset.”
“About what?”
“I overheard some of the church ladies talking about Martha Mast. They said she was a bad influence … and then they started talking about me.”
“What?” Ada’s eyes grew wide and she frowned. “What were they saying?”
“That I’m also a bad influence and hooked up with the awful Schrocks.”
“Those women and their nahsich noses!” Ada exclaimed, but Leah didn’t miss the worry creasing her sister’s brow.
The back door opened, and Maem called into the kitchen, “Are you girls ready to go?”
They exchanged looks and quickly rose to get ready. Ada called back, “I have to get my hair put up, Maem. We’ll be out in about fifteen minutes.”
Leah whispered, “Ada, don’t let Maem know about the gossipers at the wedding, okay?”
“I won’t, and they should be ashamed of themselves, but please, Leah, don’t give them anymore cause to talk—I’d hate for people to talk about us the way they prattle on about the Masts!” Ada stomped up the stairs.
“I’d hoped somebody would be on my side,” Leah muttered as she went to the hooks by the back door and pulled down her shawl. “I guess Jacob is on my side.” She smiled when she remembered how kind he had been the day of the wedding. She would have to be sure to thank him again.
Maem drove the buggy to the hitching post behind the hardware store, and Leah helped Benny water the horse before they left him. It might be a longer shopping day than normal, so she also gave the horse a feedbag. Benny pranced and twisted his way through the parking lot until Maem told him to mind himself.
They went into the hardware store first. Leah told Maem she’d like to look through the kitchenwares, just for the fun of it, and started up the aisle. Right in front of her was Naomi Schrock. It seemed she ran into one of the Schrocks each time she went to town. Was God trying to tell her something?
Naomi stopped to greet her, then greeted Maem too, but Maem gave a short nod and kept walking. Leah blushed and tried to make up for Maem’s curt behavior by returning Naomi’s greeting with a broad smile.
“Wie gehts, Naomi?” Leah asked politely.
“Gut. How are you and your family, Leah?”
“Doing well.”
“Your brother just got married, didn’t he?”
“Yes. Just this week, to Sara Wengerd.”
Naomi nodded her head toward Maem’s retreating back. “Is your Maem adjusting to his being out of the house yet?”
“Not so much. But we’re happy for him and Sara.”
Benny ran up, grabbing Leah’s hand and trying to drag her away. “Maem says to hurry along ’cause she has a lot of shopping to do.”
“Benny! Don’t be rude. You interrupted our conversation.”
“But Maem said, Leah,” Benny whined and stamped his feet as Ada came up behind him.
Turning to Ada, Leah asked, “Do you mind taking him back to Maem? As wild as he is today, he’s liable to break something.”
Ada nodded and grabbed Benny’s hand, which he promptly tried to pull away. She gripped him all the harder and marched off with their ornery brother in tow, warning, “Wait until Maem hears about your behavior.”
“I’m sorry, Naomi. He’s full of wild oats today because we’ve had to do so much for the wedding the last few weeks. I’m afraid he’s been overlooked and overworked.”
Naomi chuckled. “No problem. I’ve got two sons so I know how much energy they can build up.”
Leah glanced around to see if Maem was lingering at the corner, but noticing she was out of earshot, she leaned closer to Naomi. “I enjoyed the Bible study. I sure wish I could come to another one, but I’d have to go against my daet to do it. I was wondering if you have more worksheets—or study sheets—to loan to me. I’ve been trying to read my Bible at night, but sometimes it’s hard to understand what the words mean. A study sheet would help a lot.”
“We have special Bible lessons you can sign up to receive through the mail, Leah. Would your parents object to you studying the Bible if you didn’t actually attend the Bible study?”
