Seeing Your Face Again (33 page)

Ida retreated and whispered to Debbie once they were outside. “The man needs more help around here than I imagined.”

“Looks like you'll have your hands full,” Debbie agreed. “Now you have farm work to add to your duties, besides a husband and six children.”

Ida's face glowed. “I will be doing
Da Hah
's work by taking care of a man who needs me.”

“He'll have you up before dawn and working till the sun goes down,” Debbie said with a smile. But that was typical Amish life, and she knew that if this were Alvin instead of Melvin she would be gladly getting up with him at four in the morning and working until the last rays of sunlight. Her smile would be just as goofy as Ida's was right now. Debbie pushed the thought away. Alvin had left for the world she'd retreated from.

And Alvin would never have a chance to run a farm like this, especially now that his dad's place was under the church committee's direction. There was even talk on Sunday that the committee might force Edwin to sell his place. That would be the ultimate shame, judging from the sound of the whispered women's voices who shared the news with each other. Debbie supposed she shouldn't have eavesdropped, but the women had become so used to her presence they no longer made any attempt to keep appearances up and their words quiet when she was around. Maybe it was another sign she was being accepted into the community. Her thoughts brought a feeling of peace to her heart—even if Alvin wasn't here to enjoy this life with her.

They arrived back at the garden, and Ida contemplated the strings they'd set up to mark the rows. When she didn't move for several minutes, Debbie tapped her shoulder. “Wake up, dreamer!”

Ida laughed. “
Yah
, that's what I was doing. Who would have
thought
Da Hah
would give me a gift like this—a husband who wants me to work alongside him? I'll be so happy here, Debbie!”

“I'm very glad for you,” Debbie said. “We'd better get busy or this garden is never going to get done.”

That galvanized Ida into action. “We'll do carrots in this row, followed by two rows of red beets.” Ida's voice choked for a moment. “Oh, Debbie, just think how
wunderbah
it's going to be. And once I can't help in the fields…” Ida colored again, but she continued on. “The oldest boy, Willard, will be able to help his
daett
with the evening chores by then. And he'll be out of school before we know it. Have you noticed how strong the boy is and how tall? He'll reach well above his
daett
's height before he's done growing.”

“Yes, that's fine, Ida. But please, let us focus,” Debbie said. “We have to get this garden in.”

That seemed to rally Ida's attention, and it didn't waver until Lily brought out glasses of lemonade for them. Lonnie and Lisa were along too. Lily left them to play in the dirt when she went inside again. From the wearied look on Lily's face, the chance to leave the two children with someone else for a few moments was as great a relief as the knowledge her brother's garden was being put in.

Ida cooed to Lisa every time they came near that end of the garden, but the children didn't need much attention, Debbie noticed. They seemed able to entertain themselves. They were sweet children, that was obvious. It was no wonder Ida had fallen in love with them and this place, just as Ida had fallen in love with Melvin.

When Lily hollered from the house that she had lunch ready, Melvin came in from the barn with Amos and Ephraim in tow. Ida and Debbie joined them, Ida walking at Melvin's side as the two boys tagged along with Debbie.

“Ida's nice,” little Amos said.

“Of course she is,” Debbie said. “Your father wouldn't marry anyone who wasn't.”

Melvin stopped at the washroom door. His smile was grateful. “Ida tells me the garden's coming along well.”

“Ida's a hard worker,” Debbie said.

“She's
wunderbah,
I know.” Melvin gave Ida a loving glance, and then motioned for the women to go inside first. Ida blushed as they entered and washed their hands. Amos and Ephraim waited patiently for their
daett
to finish and did a good job with their hands and faces. Ida stayed behind to fuss over the two boys as Debbie followed Melvin into the kitchen.

Lily had sandwiches and a delicious-looking soup set out on the table.

Melvin took a long whiff over the bowl before he sat down.

“Don't do that!” Lily protested. “They'll think you have no manners.”

Melvin laughed as Ida joined them in the kitchen with the two boys in tow. “I'm just a farmer, Lily. Nothing is going to change that.”

“Debbie's been college educated.” Lily gave Debbie a quick sideways glance.

“That makes no difference,” Debbie said.

“What were you talking about?” Ida asked as she settled into a chair.

“Melvin sniffed the soup bowl,” Lily said.

“I hope he likes mine that well!” Ida said, not missing a beat.

“You'll be spoiling him silly, I see.” Lily took her place at the table. “I, for one, will be glad to see it. Melvin's been alone with these children for much too long.”

Gratitude for Lily's praise flashed across Ida's face as Melvin bowed his head and led out in prayer. When he finished, Ida made sure the children were served before she took any food for herself. Debbie noticed Melvin and Lily exchanged pleased glances. She was so glad for Ida. Now if the Lord would bless her with such love for a man—and one who would love her back. But she mustn't complain. She'd already been blessed above what she deserved.

Thirty-Two

T
wo weeks later Debbie drove Buttercup toward Verna and Joe's place. The previous evening Saloma had heard Debbie mention how she longed for a long talk with Verna. Saloma had insisted on the spot that Debbie make plans to drive over in the morning.

“But I need to help with the Saturday cleaning!” Debbie had protested. “And all the work for the wedding, which is coming up soon, remember!”

“Sometimes other things are also important,” Saloma replied with a tender look.

Debbie figured Saloma knew how much this visit would mean. This last month hadn't been easy for Debbie, what with the rush at the Beiler household over Ida's wedding preparations. Plus the other things that crowded Debbie's mind—the continued heartache over Alvin and the pressures that came with attending baptismal instruction classes. The first class had been last week. Debbie thought her knees would give out once the moment came to stand up in front of the congregation and follow the other applicants upstairs with the ministers.

Three boys had risen to their feet first, all of them much younger than she was. Before she stood, Debbie had left a decent pause to make sure no other boys were attending the class that morning. Ida had told her no one knew exactly who would apply to join the church until it happened. Debbie had dared take a brief glance over her shoulder as she followed the boys up the stairs. “Please,
Da Hah
, let there be another girl following me,” she'd whispered. Apparently the Lord had other plans because there had been none.

Debbie had taken her seat across from the ministers and moved her chair so there was a wider space between her and the obviously nervous boys. She relaxed once she knew she wasn't the only tense person this morning. Though her facial muscles had almost gone into knots when she'd caught Minister Kanagy's gaze upon her. She guessed he was noting her appropriate dress and the space she'd created between her and the boys. He smiled slightly, so he must be pleased with both of her choices. Perhaps she hadn't done all that bad.

Debbie jerked herself out of her thoughts and back to the present as she approached a stop sign. She pulled Buttercup to a stop and checked carefully for cars before she asked the horse to move forward. As the steady beat of hooves filled Debbie's ears again, her thoughts drifted. That first morning in the baptismal class Bishop Beiler put his baptismal applicants at ease.

“This is all a little new for you,” Bishop Beiler had told them with a smile. “We ministers have been through this before.” Here the bishop motioned toward the other ministers with a nod. “Everyone has always gotten out of here alive.”

This produced a few chuckles from Minister Graber and Deacon Mast. Minister Kanagy had even cracked a smile, although it quickly vanished as he studied the baptismal articles of faith he held in his hands. It was out of this little book, Ida had told her, that the applicants would be instructed. Bishop Beiler cleared his throat and had taken a moment to hand them all their own copies. He asked all of them to give a brief reason why they wished to join the church.

The boys had answered in the shortest of terms, words to the effect that they had now come of age and had the desire to make things right with God and the church. Debbie thought she should make a stronger case for herself. She took a deep breath and began. “I've lived next door to Bishop Beiler all my life, growing up around his girls and the rest of the family. For years I longed for something more than I was experiencing. I wasn't sure what that was, so I followed the instructions of my family, which included attending and graduating from college.”

Minster Kanagy frowned at the mention of college, so Debbie had rushed on.

“Mom was most insistent that I attend the university even though I didn't wish to.” That she'd graduated with top honors she didn't mention. Minister Kanagy wouldn't be happy with that information. His frown had faded at the reference to her mother, Debbie noticed. The Amish had great reverence for the wishes of parents, even when those wishes disagreed with their values. She'd scored a point on that one, Debbie told herself. Thankfully she knew enough about Amish ways to know some of the things that held value to them and some of the ones that didn't.

“After I finished college,” Debbie continued, “I faced life in my world and things became clear to me. I didn't want to live in that world, even if that was what my parents wanted. The time had come for me to make my own choices.”

Minster Kanagy nodded.

“I asked Bishop Beiler and his wife if I could board with the family. I didn't ask to join the church right away as I felt my way along. I wanted to feel certainty about my decision to join the community. I didn't want the decision to be based on the emotions of the moment.”

Minister Kanagy, Minister Graber, and Deacon Mast had slight smiles on their faces. Debbie decided she was hitting the right buttons this morning. Now if she could just make it to the end. If
she didn't stop this speech soon, they might think her too forward. She took a deep breath. “The Lord has been with me and has blessed me. I've gotten rid of my car, and now I am ready to go all the way in making a commitment to the Lord and to this community. That is, if you will accept me.”

“Thank you, Debbie,” Bishop Beiler said. “I know your story well, but it's
gut
that you've told the others.”

She purposely hadn't mentioned anything about Alvin Knepp, and she hoped they wouldn't either. For now, Minister Kanagy wasn't frowning, and Debbie wanted to keep it that way. She also realized she needed to get her mind off worrying what Minister Kanagy and Minister Graber was thinking. She couldn't go through six months of instruction classes analyzing the men's every move. She didn't know Minister Graber well, but she had to push thoughts of Minister Kanagy out of her mind to focus on Bishop Beiler as he read the first article of faith from the instruction booklet.

When he was finished, each minister commented on what was read, and 30 minutes later Debbie followed them and the boys back downstairs. Everyone was staring at her, she was certain. But she kept her gaze appropriately downward and hoped her ears weren't burning bright red.

Again Debbie brought herself back to the present when Buttercup made a sharp turn on the road. She hung on to the lines until the road straightened out again. Buttercup settled into her normal pace, and the miles continued. Something Ida had told Debbie last week buzzed in her head. Lois was dating an
Englisha
man named Doug. Could that by chance be the Doug who had been her boyfriend? That seemed unlikely, but yet how like her mother it would be to introduce Lois to Doug. That was perfectly possible.