SummerHill Secrets, Volume 2 (37 page)

Nancy blushed bright red. “We ain’t here to point blame at ya, Merry, but, well…” She paused, adjusting her shawl.

Ella Mae continued. “Didja give Rachel them modern clothes to wear?”

I shouldn’t have been surprised that they suspected me. “I loaned her a pair of jeans and a sweater last Monday, but I don’t know where she got that short skirt…or that low-cut blouse.” I shook my head, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t even own clothes like that. Honest.”

“Okay, then,” Nancy said. “We believe ya.”

I took a deep breath, wondering what more they had to ask. Hopefully, neither of them knew about the photo shoot in the hayloft. Or the forbidden visit to my high school.

“Our parents will be comin’ home tomorrow,” Nancy volunteered. “Rachel oughtn’t be struttin’ around in such awful getup.”

I nodded. “Oh, I’m sure she’ll put her Amish dress back on. She wouldn’t want to show disrespect to your parents.”

“Well, I don’t know already,” Ella Mae said. “She’s been terrible haughty the last couple-a days.”

“Jah, I can’t figure what’s come over her,” Nancy replied.

I walked to the window, glancing out, and then turned to face the girls. “You’ve heard of Rumschpringe, right?”

Nancy’s face pinched up. “ ’Course. But, Merry, it don’t hafta be this way. Not all of us sow wild oats.”

“That’s true.” I knew lots of Plain young people held devotedly to their upbringing. “But…does Rachel have a strong faith?”

Ella Mae looked puzzled. “In God?”

“Why, sure she does,” Nancy said. “We
all
do. It’s part of bein’ Amish.”

Her answer left me hanging. Sounded to me like Nancy assumed that if you were Amish you were automatically a Christian. “Well, I’m sorry you have to go through this with Rachel. She just seems sorta mixed up, I guess.”

“Jah, ferhoodled,” Ella Mae muttered.

“You can say that again,” Nancy agreed.

I didn’t tell them their sister was so out of it that she’d gone out with one of my favorite guy friends. That she was willing to entertain him by spouting off alliterated phrases, sneaking out of the house to meet him at corner cafés.

Thinking they were about ready to head back home, I invited them to have a cup of hot cocoa.

“Denki,” they said, staying seated.

Awkwardly, I shuffled my feet and twiddled my thumbs.

Then Nancy, who looked rather glum, spoke up. “To top it off, Matthew Yoder stopped by yesterday,” she said. “Such a right nice and thoughtful boy, he is.”

“Jah.” Ella Mae was shaking her head.

I listened, wondering why these girls thought so much of their big sister’s boyfriend.

“He came over in his new open buggy,” Nancy whispered.

“Jah, it’s unheard of. No fella in his right mind wants to be seen callin’ on a girl in broad daylight. Courtin’s done in secret—at night.”

I chimed in. “So I’ve heard.”

“But Matthew came right up to the front door,” Nancy explained. “‘And Rachel wasn’t home.”

Because she was having sodas with Jon
, I thought.

“What do you think Matthew wanted?” I asked.

“Rachel…he wanted to see Rachel. We told him she was off to town.” Ella Mae was grinning now, her fingers running along the loose strings of her Kapp.

“Did he come to ask her for a date…or whatever?” I said, fumbling for the correct Amish word.

“Ach, he seemed upset—wanted to know why she was actin’ so peculiar lately,” Nancy said. “Probably wanted to drive her to the next singin’ in his new buggy. Jah, that’s what he wanted with her.”

“But I thought the girl’s brother is supposed to take her to the singing.” I said.

“The big brothers usually do, but Curly John’s married now, so I guess Matthew don’t wanna wait around for young Aaron to grow up.” Nancy looked sharply at me, and a peculiar expression crossed her face. “ ’Course, if Levi were home here where he belongs,
he
could be takin’ Rachel…and lettin’ Matthew drive her home. That’s the way it’s s’posed to be done.”

I shivered a bit. Felt as if they were blaming
me
for Levi not living at home anymore—helping his father farm the land, helping his sister snag a husband….

“It was never my idea for Levi to go away to college,” I said softly.

“No…no. It’s nobody’s fault, really.” Nancy looked more sad than mad. “Guess we’d best be leavin’ now.”

The conversation had gone in circles. Nothing had been solved. As far as they were concerned, Rachel had only one night to get her act together—to prepare her clothing and her attitude for her parents’ return.

What could I do to talk sense into her?

I struggled with that question long after Rachel’s sisters left. Finally, with my head spinning with ideas and more worries than could fill an apple barrel, I put on my jacket and headed outdoors.

Fortunately, Mom was in her sewing room making phone calls to several antique dealers. I found that out when I told her I was going for a walk. She pointed to her long list, smiled, and waved me on.

I must say that I was glad she hadn’t happened in on my not-so-friendly discussion with our Amish neighbors just now.
That
was definitely something to be thankful for.

Outside, the air was frosty and sweet. Deciding to walk up the hill toward Chelsea’s house, I hummed a worship song. I thought of Jon and how he’d hurt me. Again. When would I ever learn my lesson?

Switching to someone more dependable, I thought of Levi. I could hardly wait for him to write back. He should’ve gotten my letter by now, I guessed. And surely he’d have some advice for me. Because I was desperate.

Just then, up ahead, I saw a horse and buggy coming toward me. The horse’s hooves against the snow-packed road sounded more like muffled thuds than the
clippity-clop
s of summer.

I prepared to wave at whichever Amish neighbor might be coming. What a surprise to see that Matthew Yoder was the driver. And the girl? The girl was definitely
not
Rachel Zook!

Trying to be polite, I smiled, refusing to stare at Rachel’s competition. “Hi, Matthew!” I called, waving.

“Hullo, Merry. How are ya?” His voice floated off, out to the cornfield as the carriage passed me.

“Just look what you’ve gone and done, Rachel,” I whispered to myself.

Instantly, I knew why Matthew Yoder was out parading his “date” on SummerHill Lane in broad daylight.

Spinning around, I slid back down the hill. Maybe there was time yet to help Rachel with the afternoon milking. More important, hopefully, there was still time to help her get her head on straight.

I ran all the way through the snow, even taking the shortcut through the willow grove. Rachel looked surprised to see me as I dashed breathlessly into the barn.

The smell of hay was sweet in my nose, but my heart trembled at what I had to do. “Rachel, I have to talk to you.”

She stopped wiping down the cow’s udder and stood tall, staring at me. “What is it, Merry?”

“I hate to be a bearer of bad tidings, but I think you should know something.”

“Jah?”

“It’s about your Amish boyfriend.” I told her everything—about Matthew and his new buggy and his new girl.

Rachel took the news mighty hard at first. Tears sprang up in her eyes. She turned and tried to conceal them, but I saw them just the same.

She wiped her face on the back of her sleeve, and we talked some more. After rethinking the situation with Matthew and herself out loud, she was more positive.

“Maybe he
was
just tryin’ to get my attention. And that other girl—wish I knew who she was.”

We started to laugh about it. “Jealousy is a cruel taskmaster,” I said, speaking for myself.

She nodded in agreement. “Guess I oughta be thankin’ ya, Merry. I’m glad ya told me.” Her face was serious and drawn now. “I best be givin’ back these jeans of yours,” she was quick to say.

I didn’t go inside with her when she invited me but said my good-byes out by the milk house. “Hope it’s not too late for you and Matthew,” I called back.

She shook her head. “Don’tcha worry none.”

Running toward the main road, I felt that I’d done the right thing for Rachel—at last! Of course, telling her about Matthew wasn’t going to benefit only
her
. Matthew, if he hadn’t truly found someone new, might be real glad to take his old girlfriend back. That is, if she decided to forget about her “running around” nonsense and embrace the Old Ways once again. Surely he would if Matthew loved Rachel as much as she thought he did.

After supper, Levi called. “I got your letter, Merry.”

I was startled for a moment. “Uh…it’s nice to hear your voice, Levi, but I didn’t expect you to call me.” Now I felt funny having written for his advice.

“It’s not a problem. Honest, it isn’t.”

His “ain’t” is missing
, I thought. The sign of a truly educated man.

“How’s everything at school?” I asked.

“I’m always busy with studies, but the Lord is good. I’m learning to trust Him daily.”

I couldn’t get over how different he sounded, even since I’d last seen him. “I’m glad you’re happy there.” I really didn’t know what else to say.

“About your letter, Merry—I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say that I suspect the person in your letter is my sister Rachel.”

Surprised at his words, I just listened.

“Rachel’s impulsive now, that’s all…doesn’t quite know where she’s headed.”

“You’re probably right, but she’d never forgive me if she knew I told you,” I admitted.

He breathed softly into the phone. Then, “My best advice to you is to pray for her.”

“Does she ever read the Bible?” I asked, knowing that most Amish read only the Old Testament.

“Now that I’m not home, I couldn’t say.”

I went on to tell him about her visit to my school. And her interest in modern clothes. “I wish she’d settle down a bit,” I said. “I can’t get used to
this
Rachel.”

He laughed softly. “And to think that you had to go through all this—on some level—with me last summer, Merry.”

“Oh, it wasn’t so bad.”

“My searching brought me to the Lord Jesus. I’m ever so thankful.” Then he asked about my dad. “Is he feeling better?”

“Dad’s doing fine now, but he’s been talking about an early retirement. Actually, I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

“Really? Maybe he’ll have time to travel more. He’s always wanted to go on at least two mission trips a year,” he said.

I grinned. “He told
you
about that?”

“Missionary work is a topic dear to both your dad’s and my heart,” he remarked.

“Just tonight at the table, Dad suggested that I come with him and Mom on a trip to Costa Rica over spring break.”

“Do it!” Levi exclaimed. “You won’t be sorry.”

“Dad thinks I’d be a good photojournalist for the church.”

“I hadn’t thought of that, but he’s right.” His voice grew softer. “Maybe
that’s
where your ‘call’ lies, Merry.”

I’d never thought of my “call” from the Lord coming in the form of something I loved to do as a hobby. But now that Levi mentioned it, it made good sense.

“I’ll think about it,” I told him.

“Good, then. We’ll talk soon, I hope.”

“Thanks for calling, Levi.”

“I miss you, Merry.”

My heart nearly stopped. And I knew I missed him, too. More than ever.

“Oh, about talking in alliterated sentences,” he added. “I’ve tried a few myself. I’ll e-mail them to you if you give me your address.”

Quickly, I did. “I’ll look forward to that.”

We said good-bye and hung up.