A Season of Love (6 page)
“Really?” Jessica sounded curious. “Why? Did you get in trouble for something? Is it like being called to the principal’s office?”
Lindsay rolled her eyes. When would her sister take the time to learn more about the Amish lifestyle?” No. It’s not like that at all. I’m going to ask him if I can be baptized in the fall with
my friends. I’ve missed some discussions, so I want to try to make up the lessons. If I miss this opportunity, I’ll have to be baptized next year with another church district. The baptism discussions are only held every other year.”
“Oh,” Jessica said. “You’re serious about this?”
“Yes, I am,” Lindsay said. “I’m comfortable with my decision, and I wanted you to know about it.”
“Let me know how it goes,” Jessica said.
“I will.” Lindsay continued to wind the cord around her finger. She couldn’t help but smile. She was certain her sister would lecture her on how she shouldn’t join the church without going to college. However, to her surprise, Jessica had accepted her choice.
“Other than your cold,” Lindsay began, “how are things?”
“They’re okay,” Jessica said. “I’d love to see you, but I need to pack and get back to Richmond. Classes start soon.”
“Are you stopping by here on your way back to school?” Lindsay asked.
“I don’t think I’m going to have time,” Jessica said. “I need to finish up a few projects at work, but I’ll see.”
“It would be great to see you, and maybe you could see Jake. You didn’t leave things on a good note with him, and I imagine you never called him. Am I right?” Lindsay fiddled with the phone cord while she waited for her sister’s response.
Jessica sighed again. “You’re right. I haven’t called him, and he hasn’t called me either.”
“Have you thought about calling him?”
“I’ve thought about it.” Jessica sneezed and then coughed.
“Jess,” Lindsay said with a frown, “you sound terrible. Have you been to the doctor?”
“No.” Jessica moaned. “I need some of Mom’s homemade soup.”
Lindsay’s mouth formed a sad smile. “I wish I could whip some up and bring it to you.”
“I do too.” Jessica coughed again. “I guess I better go. I feel like crashing on the couch with a good movie.”
“I think you need sleep more than you need to watch a movie,” Lindsay said.
“Yes, Mom,” Jessica responded with a weak laugh. “I’ll talk to you soon. Give my love to Rebecca, Daniel, and the kids.”
“I will. They send their love to you too. Bye, Jess.”
“Bye,” Jessica said.
Lindsay hung up the phone, grabbed the flashlight from the counter, and headed back to the house. While stepping into the kitchen, Lindsay smiled. She’d finally gotten Jessica to accept the fact that she was going to be Amish. Bridging that gap of understanding between her and her sister was a weight off her shoulders. Perhaps Jessica would finally respect Lindsay’s decisions.
It’s about time.
Katie smiled while walking between Lindsay and Lizzie Anne through the streets of Bird-in-Hand Saturday afternoon. “I’m so glad
Mammi
could come over today and take care of
Aenti
Rebecca so the three of us could go out.”
“I agree,” Lizzie Anne said. “It’s been too long since we’ve all been.”
Lindsay pointed to a bookstore. “Can we stop in here? I wanted to get something for
Aenti
Rebecca since I didn’t bring her a gift from Virginia.”
“That’s a great idea,” Katie said. “I know she loves to read to pass the time. I’ll get her a book too.”
“Wunderbaar
,
”
Lizzie Anne said. “Let’s shop!”
For the next thirty minutes, Katie, Lindsay, and Lizzie Anne browsed the store, holding up Christian novels and comparing the covers.
Katie perused the bookshelves, glancing at the non-fiction books beside the rows of novels. When she found a baby name
book, she lifted it and grinned. “Lizzie Anne and Lindsay,” she called. “Look at this. Should we get it for
Aenti
Rebecca?”
Lizzie Anne took the book. “Oh ya,” she said, playing along with Katie’s joke. Let’s look at the girls’ names.” She flipped through the pages. “How about Tiffany? What do you think of Tiffany Kauffman? Isn’t that Amish?”
“My turn,” Lindsay said, grabbing the book. “I found a boy name. How does Colby Cody Kauffman sound?”
Lizzie Anne and Katie laughed so loud that other bookstore customers turned to study them.
“Let me look,” Katie said, and Lindsay handed her the book. “I’ll see if there’s a better girl’s name since I have a hunch
Aenti
Rebecca is going to have a girl.” She turned back to the section of girls’ names. “I got it. Paris Brittany Ashley Kauffman.” She and her friends had to wipe tears from their eyes after their laughter ended.
“That is the best Amish name yet,” Lindsay said.
“I agree,” Lizzie Anne said.
Katie noticed other customers were still watching them while they made their way back to the inspirational novel section. “We better pick out a few books before we’re asked to leave for being too rowdy,” she whispered.
“
Ya
, but it was fun,” Lindsay said. “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.”
Lizzie Anne nodded in agreement. “That’s why I love our shopping trips the best.”
“I do too,” Katie said.
They studied the shelves of Christian novels, comparing covers and titles. When they narrowed their search to three books, they made their way to the cashier. Each of them bought one book as a surprise gift for Rebecca.
“
Aenti
Rebecca is going to be so excited when she sees these books,” Lindsay said as they headed down the sidewalk.
Katie pointed toward a restaurant. “Can we grab a quick lunch before heading back to
Aenti
Rebecca’s?”
“That would make this day absolutely perfect,” Lindsay said.
They sat at a small booth and glanced at the menus. After ordering their food, they each sipped from their cups of ice water.
“I think we should’ve bought that baby name book as a joke,” Lizzie Anne said. “That could’ve been fun.”
“But a waste of money, ya?” Katie said. “But fun all the same.”
Lindsay shook her head. “I guess I shouldn’t be laughing since I have the most un-Amish name here.”
“Maybe your name will become Amish because of you,” Lizzie Anne said with a shrug. “You’ll start a new trend.”
“Ya
,
”
Katie said. “I’ll name my future
dochdern
Mary, Rachel, Anna, Fannie, and Lindsay.”
The three girls laughed, and Katie noticed they were yet again drawing attention.
“I fear we may be asked to leave the restaurant now because we’re having too much fun,” Katie said.
“There’s no such thing as having too much fun,” Lizzie Anne said. “That’s what friendship is all about.”
“That’s so true,” Lindsay said.
Leaning across the table, Katie touched her friends’ hands. “It’s so
gut
to spend time together like this. We need to do this more often.”
“Ya
,
”
Lindsay and Lizzie Anne said in unison before laughing some more.
Katie smiled. This was the best afternoon she’d enjoyed in a long time.
½ cup butter or margarine
1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter and sugar, then add one egg at a time. Beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Add vanilla. Pour in greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Let shortcakes cool and then top with strawberries and whipped cream.
S
unday afternoon, Katie followed Lizzie Anne and Lindsay out to the pasture at her aunt Kathryn’s house after the service and noon meal. The warm sun kissed her cheeks and caused her to squint.
“It’s lovely out today,” Lindsay said, smiling.
“Ya
,
”
Katie agreed.
“Ach!”
Lizzie Anne exclaimed, pointing across the pasture. “They’re picking teams for volleyball. Let’s go play!”
Katie spotted a group of young men and women gathered around the volleyball net. Her brother Samuel and Matthew stood together while Matthew held the volleyball. Katie loped alongside her friends as they raced toward the net.
“I want to play!” Lizzie Anne announced, approaching the net. “Pick me.”
“I do too,” Lindsay chimed in.
“We’ll take Lizzie Anne,” Samuel told Matthew.
Matthew smiled at Lindsay. “I guess we’ll take Lindsay then.”
“What about me?” Katie said as her friends lined up with their teams.
“I’m sorry, but we’re full,” Samuel said with a frown. “You’ll have to play next time.”
“Oh.” Katie glanced at Lindsay, who mirrored Samuel’s frown in response.
“I’m sorry, Katie,” Lindsay said. “You take my place next time around, all right?”
“That’s fine.” Katie sank onto the warm grass. She hugged her knees to her chest and watched her friends laugh while bumping the ball back and forth. She wished she could be part of the camaraderie, but instead tried to smile and enjoy the game. After all, it was a beautiful day and she was with her church community.
When the game was finally over, Lizzie Anne and Lindsay rushed over, panting and laughing.
“You really missed that shot, Lizzie Anne,” Lindsay said with a chuckle. “Did you fall asleep on the court?”
“No!” Lizzie Anne said with feigned annoyance. She pointed to Samuel. “It was his fault. He missed the pass, so I missed the shot.”
“No,” Samuel responded as he and Matthew walked over. “That was all your fault, Lizzie Anne. You were asleep just like Lindsay said.”
“I’m thirsty,” Lindsay said. “Let’s all get a drink, ya?”
Matthew gestured toward the barn. “That’s a
gut
idea.”
“But I was going to play volleyball,” Katie said, falling in step with her friends.
“We’ll play again,” Lindsay said. “Maybe this time Lizzie Anne won’t miss the shot.”
“You missed one too, Lindsay!” Lizzie Anne said, tapping Lindsay’s arm.
Katie smiled, wishing she could participate in the conversation. Although she’d watched the game, she didn’t quite see the humor they did. She assumed she would’ve been able to feel a part of it if they’d had room for her on one of the teams.
Katie climbed the steps behind her friends and trailed them to the kitchen where they filled plastic cups with cold water from a pitcher. They moved to the family room, which was full of people, and crossed to some empty benches in the corner.
Lindsay and Matthew sat on one side while Lizzie Anne and Samuel sat across from them. By the time Katie reached the table, there was no room for her.
Lindsay frowned. “Oh, Katie.” She squeezed over toward Matthew and patted a sliver of bench. “Sit here. I’ll make room.”
“I can make room too.” Lizzie Anne also revealed a small section of bench that wouldn’t be enough for even one of Katie’s legs.
“That’s okay.” Katie glanced around the room and spotted her sister Nancy sitting with some of the younger girls. “I’ll go sit with Nancy. I’ll see you later.” She forced a smile and turned to go.
“Katie, no!” Lindsay called. “We can make room.”
“Really, I don’t mind.” Katie waved and then crossed the room to her sister’s table. “May I join you?” she asked Nancy.
“Ya!”
Nancy said, scooting over for Katie. “Sit down. We were just discussing how cute Andrew Smucker is.”
“Danki.”
Katie sat on the bench and glanced back toward her friends as they laughed and talked together without her. She moved closer to Nancy, trying in vain to ease the hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“I can do this,” Lindsay muttered as she sat next to Daniel in the buggy. She stared at the bishop’s large white house and sucked in a breath. “I can do this,” she repeated. “I know I can.”
Daniel smiled. “
Ya
, you can do it, and I’ll go in with you to give you support.”
“Danki
,
”
she said. Seeing the bishop’s house caused her to doubt herself and wonder if she should just go to the youth gathering without meeting him first. She was thankful her uncle insisted on supporting her through this important meeting.
Lindsay climbed from the buggy and then headed up the porch steps toward the bishop’s front door with Daniel. She’d
spoken to the bishop numerous times since coming to live in Bird-in-Hand, and he’d always been pleasant during their brief encounters. However, now she was going to ask permission to enter into something sacred. Lindsay touched her prayer covering and then smoothed her black bib apron over her best purple frock. She had tried to look her best for this very important meeting. Mustering all of her confidence, she knocked on the door and mentally rehearsed what she’d told Daniel and Rebecca she’d say.
The door swung open revealing Bishop Abner Chupp dressed in black trousers, a brown shirt, and suspenders. His gray hair matched his long beard, and the wrinkles on his ivory face suggested he had to be close to his eighties.
“
Wie geht’s
, Abner,” Daniel said.
“Hello,” Lindsay said.
“
Gut
evening,” Abner said. He glanced between Daniel and Lindsay with a confused look in his small brown eyes. “Is everything okay at your farm?” he asked Daniel. His expression turned to worry. “Is Rebecca doing well today?”
“She’s doing quite well,
danki.
” Daniel pointed to the row of four rocking chairs by the porch railing. “May Lindsay and I speak with you for a moment?”
“Of course.” Abner stepped onto the porch and made a sweeping gesture toward the seating arrangement. “Please have a seat.”
Lindsay sank into a chair and took a deep breath while meeting the bishop’s curious gaze. She turned toward Daniel, and he nodded with a reassuring expression that told her to begin talking.
