A Gift of Grace (20 page)

Jessica stared at the doorway after he left, his words echoing in her mind. Was he right that Morgan and Brian weren’t true friends? But they’d been through so much together in school—bad teachers, bullies, broken hearts. How could they just drop Jessica like yesterday’s midterms?

The office phone rang and Jessica bounced back to reality. She had to push aside her heartache and concentrate on work. At least she could look forward to chatting with her true friend, Jake Miller.

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D
aniel’s footsteps crunched across the gravel driveway while he headed from the barn to the house. He glanced up at the sky and blew out a frustrated sigh. The dark, threatening clouds overtaking the sky reflected his mood.

In less than an hour, he’d have to feign happiness while his family descended upon his farm to celebrate the birthday of a child who did not belong in his home.

He wondered how much longer he’d have to endure this façade. For two weeks he’d avoided any conversation with his wife in hopes that she would listen to him and consider sending the girls to live with Trisha. He knew in his heart that the girls belonged in Virginia in an English home with their English friends. Keeping them in Bird-in-Hand wasn’t good for them or for the Kauffman family. They were just delaying the inevitable—when the girls left and broke Rebecca’s heart.

Glancing at the house, Daniel’s thoughts turned to his wife. Before the girls came to live with them, their lives were close to perfect. They were happy, despite their inability to have children. He and Rebecca rarely quarreled.

However, since the girls had arrived, their lives had been turned upside down. Of course he still loved his wife, but he missed the way things had been.

It didn’t make sense that Grace, who had left the community to marry and live among the English, would want her children raised here. She’d said she wanted them to experience her heritage. It would’ve made more sense to have the girls come and visit rather than send them here to live. Grace claimed in her letter that Philip prevented her from visiting. Daniel snorted with disagreement at the thought. He found that hard to believe, considering how headstrong and strong-willed Grace and Rebecca were.

The clip-clop of a horse slammed Daniel back to the present. Glancing up, he wondered who had arrived early. He met the buggy at the end of the driveway, and his stomach twisted as Abner Chupp emerged from the rig. When the bishop arrived unannounced it could never be good. Daniel’s worst nightmare was playing out right before his eyes.

“
Wie geht’s
,” Daniel said, hoping his stomach would ease.

“
Wie geht’s
,” Abner echoed, tethering his horse to the post by the barn.

“What brings you out here this evening?” Daniel asked, leaning back on the fence.

“A situation has been brought to my attention that I need to discuss with you.” Abner’s expression was impassive.

“Oh.” Daniel glanced toward the house and then met Abner’s gaze, his shoulders tightening. “What seems to be the situation?” He took a deep breath, preparing for the tongue lashing.

“I’ve heard your niece’s behavior is causing quite a bit of concern among the People.” Abner folded his arms across his portly frame.

“My niece?” Daniel asked, even though he assumed he knew what the bishop was referring to. “I can’t imagine what my nieces could have done to upset anyone.”

“
Ya
. Jessica.” Abner paused as if gathering his thoughts. “A few members of the community have told me that she is behaving like a harlot. She’s forced her rock music and the Internet on your niece Katie. She was seen going out alone with Jake Miller and later kissing him. Plus, she was seen wearing hardly any clothes while working in Rebecca’s garden on a Sunday.”

Abner’s expression transformed to a frown. “And she was caught alone in Robert’s barn with Samuel. When Robert discovered them, Samuel was holding her hand and Jessica was covered in hay.”

Daniel’s body trembled while white-hot anger roared through him. Speechless, he grasped the fence post. How dare members of his community make such heinous accusations about an innocent child? He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts.

“Jessica is
not
a harlot!” he said through gritted teeth. “Maybe she doesn’t understand our ways, and she does not belong here, but she’s still a child. She’s a good girl. She needs guidance and understanding while she learns her way around our community.”

“As the head of the household, it’s your duty to keep your family members in line,” Abner continued. “The girl needs to learn boundaries. She must learn to respect our ways and obey our rules.”

“I don’t appreciate these cruel accusations about my niece,” Daniel said, his voice quaking with ire. “This is nothing but cruel gossip. All children need to learn boundaries, but she also is still learning our culture. She can’t be expected to learn our ways overnight.”

“You must keep your family under control.” Abner wagged his finger at him. “The community is very
concerned
about things that are going on in your house.”

Daniel pursed his lips. He could read between the lines, and he knew what could happen. If the community turned against him, he’d be an outcast, possibly shunned. He couldn’t risk that. If he were put under the ban, he could lose the rest of the Kauffman family and possibly his place in the shop.

If he lost his job, he and Rebecca would lose everything.

Daniel refused to let that happen. He’d worked too long and too hard to build this life for him and Rebecca. It was his job to take care of his family, and Rebecca was his family. She mattered most to him. She was his life. Daniel folded his arms across his chest in the hopes of stopping his body from trembling with rage. How could his community turn on him over a teenager’s actions? This was absurd!

“I understand your concerns,” he whispered. “However, I’m offended that members of my church district would bring these horrible accusations to you without consulting me or giving my niece the benefit of the doubt. She’s merely a child.”

Abner sighed and rubbed his beard. “
Ya
, she’s a child, but she’s your responsibility. If the community is feeling threatened then they turn to me.”

“Threatened?” Daniel’s voice rose. He gestured wide with emphasis. “How can a sixteen-year-old girl threaten them? Our history is full of stories of persecution! We’ve survived religious genocide. We’ve met in secret and fled countries in order to keep our beliefs alive. Why on earth would a teenage girl cause the community grave concern?”

The bishop studied him, his eyes narrowing to slits and his expression becoming stony. “Daniel, it’s your duty as the head of the household to keep your family in line. If you can’t, then the community will have to handle this for you.”

Daniel grimaced. He knew a veiled threat when he heard one. “I’ll take care of it.”

“
Gut
. See that you do. Quickly.” Abner patted Daniel’s arm, and Daniel bristled at the gesture.

Daniel scowled. “
Danki
for bringing it to my attention.” His voice was void of emotion.

Abner untied his horse and opened the door to his rig. “You’re a good man, Daniel. I’m sure the rest of the community would be happy to see your family back on track.”

“
Danki
.” Daniel held his breath while Abner climbed into his rig and his horse trotted down the driveway. Once the buggy was gone from his sight, he turned his gaze toward the house.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and a droplet of rain trickled from the brim of his straw hat. Irritation roared through him. Rebecca brought this onto the house. She was the one who refused to let the girls go back to Virginia.

Gritting his teeth, he stomped toward the back door. It was about time he made Rebecca know just what was at stake. It was time he took charge.

Rebecca hummed while slathering icing on the cake. The smell of the chocolate permeated her senses. She couldn’t wait to see Jessica’s smile while they sang to her. She had a feeling tonight would be a turning point in her relationship with her niece.

Maybe things would get back on track and they could finally be a real family. She smiled at the thought. God had given her children. She was so blessed!

The back door slammed, and Rebecca jumped. She swiped more icing from the bowl and moved it across the last section of cake.

“Rebecca,” her husband’s voice boomed. “Rebecca!”

She spun, and her gaze collided with Daniel standing in the doorway, a furious scowl twisting his handsome face while droplets of rain streamed from his hat.

A shiver of panic raced through Rebecca. Something was wrong. “Daniel,” she said. “Did someone arrive early? I thought I heard a horse.”

“Someone was here but not for Jessica’s birthday.” His tone was laced with venom.

Her mouth dried. “Oh?”

“It was Abner Chupp.” His gaze was unmoving, and his scowl deepened.

“The bishop,” she whispered.

“
Ya
.” He took off his hat and stuck it on the peg by the door with a jerking motion. “We need to talk.”

“We’ll talk later,” she said, turning back to the cake. “Your family will be here any moment, and I have a lot to—”

“Now,
Fraa
!” he shouted. “
Kumm
.” He stalked up the stairs.

“Aunt Rebecca?” Lindsay said, appearing the doorway from the living room. “Is everything okay?”

“
Ya
.” Rebecca placed the knife in the sink. “I’m going upstairs to talk to Uncle Daniel for a moment. Would you please finish the cake?” She wiped her hands on a rag. “And I believe your lemon meringue is done too. It looks
wunderbar
.”

“Sure.” Lindsay gave her a confused expression.

“
Danki
.” Rebecca hurried up the stairs and down the hall to the bedroom, her stomach tied in knots. She could only imagine what Abner had said. It was probably about Jessica. Everything was going to come to a head right now, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready for this.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the bedroom where her husband stood glaring at her. She shivered with trepidation.

“Close the door,” he grumbled.

She pushed it closed with a quiet click. “What did he say?” she asked, her voice hushed and timid.

“What do you think he said?” Daniel stood near the window, his arms folded across his chest. “He said I need to get my household under control. Apparently gossip about her behavior was brought to Abner’s attention, and now I’m the laughingstock of our district.”

“No, you’re not.” She stepped toward him. “No one is laughing at you.”

“Yes, they are.” He made a sweeping gesture for emphasis. “Jessica has ruined my standing in the community. She’s been seen alone in the barn with Samuel, out alone with Jake Miller,
kissing
Jake Miller, and out wearing nothing but a tiny top and shorts while weeding the garden on a Sunday. Do you know how this makes me look?”

Biting her lip, Rebecca prayed he’d open his heart and listen to her. “Those are all exaggerations,” she began. “Jessica is a good girl. She’s made a few unwise decisions, but she’s not the person they think she is. She and Jake are only friends. She told me that they briefly kissed once but they—”

He smacked the top of the dresser, and she jumped. “It doesn’t matter now, Rebecca! The damage is done. Jessica is considered a detriment to the People.” He seethed with frustration vibrating in his voice. “It’s time for you to listen to me.” He raked his hand through his hair. “It’s time that the girls go back to Virginia where they belong.”

Rebecca stared at him for a moment. She’d never seen him so forceful or upset. But she would not give in. The girls meant too much to her, and it was time he respect her wishes and her feelings.

This was Grace’s last wish.

This was God’s will.

Her legs wobbled with the apprehension trickling through her as she took a deep breath from the depths of her toes. “No,” she said.

“What did you say?” his voice rose.

“I said no, Daniel.” She hugged herself in hopes of stopping her shivers. “I will not send them back, and I insist that
you
respect
my
wishes.”

“Respect your wishes?” He shook his head. “You’re talking foolish. It doesn’t make sense for them to stay here. Jessica has caused enough trouble, and it’s time for her to go. If it doesn’t stop, I’ll be shunned.”

He slammed his hand on the dresser again for emphasis. “Do you want that for us? Do you want us to lose the community support? Do you want me to lose my job?”

Shaking her head with disbelief, she studied his eyes. “You’re the one not making sense. No one is going to put you under the ban. You’re very well respected in our district, and Jessica has done nothing wrong.”