The Miting (10 page)

Wanting to meet Martha’s unspoken challenge, Leah blurted out her plans to sneak away to a place her parents had forbidden her to go.

Martha sat up straight, intensely interested. “Really? Where?”

Leah scuffed the toe of her shoe into the dirt floor, wishing she had never answered her friend’s dare. There was no going back now.

“I heard about an English Bible study. I want to go, but
Maem
and
Daet—
”

Martha burst out laughing, her troubles momentarily forgotten. “Oh, Leah! I should have guessed. You’re so funny! You talk of
Bible
studies? Whoa, you
are
rebellious!” She held her sides as more laughter rocked her.

Leah’s face warmed, but she chuckled a little at her naive ideas. “You know it’s forbidden; even if it is just reading the Bible. It will get me into trouble if I go. It’s at an
Englisher’s
place, and the Schrocks have a reputation of leading away Amish kids.”

Martha caught her breath, slowly sobering. “I know of the Schrocks. They have a phone number you can call if you need help.” She wiped tears of laughter from her cheeks. “I’ve heard of kids who leave the Amish, and the Schrocks try to help them. I’ve thought of calling them before.” She held her finger up in the air. “Wait a minute. Maybe I should go to this Bible study, too. I could check them out—see if they’re on the up and up, maybe find out if they can help me.”

Was she serious?

Martha continued, “Do you think you could sneak over to Raysburg General Store on Tuesday?”

“I don’t know. If
Maem
thinks I’m going there—”

Martha shook away her first idea. “No. Wait. I know something better. You could tell her Sara wants your help with the wedding plans, like the girls are getting together to help her with a quilt or something. Then you could meet me and Abe—he has his truck—and we could go on over to the Bible study.” Her eyes lit with excitement.

Leah wasn’t as excited as Martha seemed to be about the lies she’d have to tell. But she’d gotten Martha into trouble with the bishop, so it was only fair to help her find a way out. Besides, she could check out the Bible study, too. She chewed her lip trying to decide what to do.

“Okay. I’ll be there a little before 6:30. How will you let me know about what the bishop decides, Martha? Can you come by after you hear?”

“
Ja
. I’ll need to get the mail at the post office sometime tomorrow. If I know anything by the time I go, I’ll tell you.”

“And Martha, I really am sorry. I hope it all turns out for the good.”

“No matter. Abner has had it coming for a long time. Now, at least, he knows I’ll tell on him. Maybe that’ll be enough to keep him away from me and from my sisters.”

Leah glanced out the window and noticed people were leaving. “I’d better go find
Maem
and
Daet.
Looks like things are breaking up.”

She said a hasty good-bye to Martha and slipped back into the crowd.

As she approached her family,
Daet
turned. “Where have you been? We need to get home, Leah.” He looked around suspiciously, but as his gaze settled on Martha clearing the tables, his shoulders relaxed.

“I stretched my legs,
Daet.
Preaching goes on so long sometimes.” Though she had made a remark against the preachers, she grinned to hide her feelings about lying. To her surprise,
Daet
nodded in agreement.

“
Ja.
We picked a few long-winded ones this time, for sure,” he whispered.

On the way home, the family chatted and laughed. It was unusual for
Daet
to be so calm and happy after church—he usually had something to chew over that he’d heard from the other men.

She had a lot to think about as they drove home, so it took her by surprise when
Daet
turned around.

“You might want to make sure you get to the singin’ on time tonight. I heard Jacob Yoder say he will be there, and he might be looking for you.” He smiled at
Maem
, and she giggled like a girl.

All eyes focused on her. Ada grinned and gave her a friendly slap on the arm, while Benny hooted and kept it up until
Maem
admonished, “That’s enough now, Benjamin.”

Leah looked out the back flap, and all thoughts of her secret plans with Martha scattered like dust behind the buggy’s wheels. All she could think about was tonight. Would Jacob ask to take her home? Could this night be the start of a new life for her? A life that would be satisfying. A life of contentment with her Amish heritage. A life filled with love for Jacob—and his love for her. Could the questions and desires that burned in her be settled by the love of a good Amish man?

C
HAPTER
S
IX

A
fter a relaxing day of reading, playing games, and napping, Leah’s family had supper. It had been a typical church Sunday. Visits to family and friends usually happened on the off Sundays—the days when church services weren’t scheduled. Most of the time, church Sundays were quiet days.

Leah and Ada washed the
suppah
dishes, and as eight o’clock drew near, Leah went up to her room to get ready for the youth singing. She made sure her
kapp
and dress were wrinkle and spot free, and tucked in a few wayward strands of hair. Finally, it was time to head to the Masts’ place again. Daniel took her in his buggy, since he planned to meet Sara there.

A large crowd had already gathered when Leah and Daniel arrived. The church’s young people, age fifteen or sixteen and older, gathered in the barn and talked for a while before Anna Mast called them in to the kitchen. They sat across from one another, boys on one side, girls on the other, and sang through song after song. Jacob caught Leah’s eye from time to time, and she saw him whisper to his friend John. She wondered if he would send John over to ask if he could take her home.

Though she longed to have Jacob’s attention, she was nervous. What if he wanted what Martha did with boys? Leah was sure she wasn’t ready for any of that.

As the singing slowed and the popcorn and apples were passed, she watched John head her way.

He grinned as he came near. “Hey, you think you’d like Jacob Yoder to take you home tonight?”

She glanced around, wishing he had waited until they were outside. Right here, in spite of the mingling and loud chattering, she felt conspicuous. “Um … I guess that would be okay.”

John chuckled. “Just okay? Should I tell him that?”

Leah flushed. “No—I mean, yes, I’d like that.”

“Got it. He said to wait for him near the side door, and he’ll bring the buggy along.”

“Okay.”

Nervous energy held sway with Leah the rest of the evening. She didn’t know what Jacob’s family expected: Did they hold with bed courtship? She was pretty sure most of the church folks in her district did not like bed courtship. Would he expect her to sit on the couch with him and kiss? She had heard such stories from older girls, but now that it was her turn, she was petrified of doing too much or too little. It was just as shameful to back away from courting as it was to go too far.

Maem
hadn’t been much help. She had never told Leah a thing about dating, courtship, marriage, or even about a woman’s monthly cycle. She’d learned it all from friends.

At least when it’s Ada’s turn, she can ask me questions.

Finally the party broke up, and Leah tried to sneak off to the dark corner of the side door. But as she hurried away, Martha called to her. “Don’t stay up too late, Leah. And make sure you keep a light going in the kitchen.” She snickered when Leah shook her head. The girls gathered around Martha, gawking as Jacob pulled the buggy alongside her. When they rode off, she heard laughter and squeals from their peers.

The dark lane swallowed them in shadows quickly, and Leah was relieved that part was over.

Jacob reached around her and pulled a sweet-smelling quilt over her lap. So he had prepared. She smiled into the darkness at his thoughtfulness.

“Are you warm enough?”

His voice, deep and friendly, filled her with happiness. “Yes—I’m plenty warm.”

They listened to the night sounds, punctuated by Bingo’s hooves. He was proud of his rig and his horse. He took care of his animal and was gentle—unlike some she knew who drove their horses too hard and fed them scanty meals.
Daet
said it didn’t make sense to treat horses that way: all that did was guarantee the need for a new horse sooner, rather than later. From what she’d seen, Jacob followed the same practice with Bingo.

“I hope you ignore Martha’s teasing. And I want you to know up front that my family doesn’t agree with bed courtship. ‘Course, we don’t go around spouting off about it, but none of my brothers or sisters did that. I plan to spend some time with you, get to know you, and leave. I know some people think being against bed courtship is too high church or proud, but my
daet
thinks it’s too much temptation for
jungen.
” He turned Leah’s way. “Besides, I have to get up too early to stay out until four in the morning like some of these fellas do, and I need my sleep.” He winked.

Leah breathed a sigh of relief and returned Jacob’s smile.

Once they pulled into Leah’s lane, the butterflies increased in her stomach. She noticed the lights were out in the house, except for a lone glow coming from the kitchen. Jacob let her off and then walked his horse to the hitching post. True to his word, he didn’t unhitch Bingo and lead him to the barn. Instead he gave the horse water and then walked with Leah to the kitchen.

After she poured mint tea for both of them, they sat at the table and talked. He shared his dreams of having his own farm one day, and she listened as carefully as she could.

Every now and then, her heart lurched at his future plans, wondering if he was truly considering her a part of them. But she also knew there was something holding her back.

She still wasn’t sure where her future lay—or even if she wanted to be Amish. But there was no denying the attraction she felt for Jacob. He was most definitely a different kind of Amish young man. Warm. Kind. Friendly. Not domineering or coarse. No bad language, and to her knowledge, no drinking or smoking.

As the clock chimed the midnight hour, Jacob scraped back his chair.

“I’d better get going. I’m glad you accepted the ride. See you next time, Leah.”

“Yes—thanks for asking me.”

She walked with him, and as he held the screen open for a minute, he seemed to consider something, but then grinned, put on his hat, and turned to leave. At the last minute, he leaned close and gave her cheek a quick kiss.

Out he flew into the barnyard, unhitched Bingo, and hopped into the buggy. Smiling, she waved him off, and closed the door.
That wasn’t so bad. Made it through my first buggy date.

All day Tuesday, Leah waited for Martha to send word about what the bishop and the elders had decided to do with Abner. She did her chores, went to the shop, helped
Daet
put his accounts in order, and prepared lunch, but still had no word from Martha.

At lunch, Ada kept looking at her but not saying anything. Once the dishes were put in the sink, and Ada began helping Leah clean them up, Ada leaned close and whispered, “I want to go, too.”

Leah shushed Ada and frowned, ignoring the remark.

“Leah, I want to go with you tonight.”

She shook her head, pressing her lips together firmly.

“It’s not fair,” Ada whispered fiercely. “I’m old enough to decide what I want to do—next year, I’ll be out of school. I don’t see why you won’t let me come along tonight. It’s just a dumb old Bible study.”

Leah folded the damp towel neatly over the towel bar to dry and turned to face her sister. “Just how do you know I’m going? And why do you want to go if, as you say, it’s a dumb Bible study?”

“I don’t know—just want to is all. And you told me, remember? You told me the day and everything.” She shrugged. “I just figured you’d find a way.” She wrinkled her brows. “How are you getting there, anyway?”

Leah was annoyed. “Martha’s boyfriend has a truck.”

Her eyes widened.

“Now stop talking about it.
Maem
has already said I’m a bad influence for you. You can’t come with me because I’ll just get into the biggest trouble ever.”

Ada rolled her eyes and gave up begging, but Leah wasn’t so sure she’d really given in, and wondered what would happen when—or if—Martha came by with news. Would Ada try to figure out where they were going to meet?

Later that afternoon as Leah walked back from the mailbox, she spotted Martha on her bike. Her hair was covered with a work kerchief, but a few strands here and there pulled loose in the breeze and created a halo around her face with the sun behind her. Leah waved and smiled as her friend approached. When Martha didn’t smile back, she feared the worst.

Martha brought the bike to a stop at the edge of the road where the driveway met the pavement. She leaned on the handlebars. Small sweat beads lined her face, and she tented her hands over her brows to shade her eyes from the bright sun. “He’s going to be banned for six weeks, Leah. Then he’ll be allowed to come back to church. Six lousy weeks—that’s all they’re going to do to him. And he looked at me like the cat that swallowed the canary.” She was breathing hard, and tears rimmed her eyes.