The Miting (32 page)

She stepped away from the building and watched as the buggy drew closer. It was not Sparky, but she did recognize the neighbor’s black horse. His huge size and large head set him apart from all the other horses.

As the buggy drew nearer, the Amish man seated on the front seat threw up his hand in a friendly wave. The Amish commonly offered a greeting to the
Englisher
tourists—Leah had done it herself many times without even paying attention to who the people were, but as they passed Hannah and Leah, the Amish wife’s eyes grew large as she recognized their neighbor’s wayward daughter in her English clothing.

Leah felt an ornery tug and smiled as she called, “
Wie bisht du, Ruth und Erb?”

Hannah raised her hand in a friendly greeting, too. Ruth nearly twisted her neck getting a backward look at Leah as the horse pulled their buggy through the intersection and away from the store.

Hannah shook her head and giggled. “You know how the gossip mill is, Leah. It’s going to get around to everybody by morning that you were seen at the general store in your
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clothes, and had the nerve to ask Ruth and Erb how they were.”

Leah joined her in laughter as they walked slowly to the car. She stopped to take a long look around. The sun was starting to set, and the rosy hues of its dying rays spread over the summer fields like a thick blanket. She breathed deeply of the humid air and let out a sigh.

“This is nice. Thanks, again, Hannah.”

“Ready to go?”

“Yep. I am.”

Later that night, something seemed more settled in her soul. She read the Bible and asked the Lord to help her make it through. This time, she felt like she was reaching God. Leah felt His Spirit breathe on her and asked Him to send His peace deep into her heart.

As she turned out the white hobnailed lamp by the bed, she whispered another thankful prayer. Determined to shake off her blues and quit feeling sorry for herself, Leah decided it was time to nurture a little bit of hope. It felt awfully good to fall asleep with a smile on her face.

The next morning, before she went to volunteer at the Mission to Amish People offices, Leah decided to write her parents another letter. She wanted to tell them what she’d been doing since she left. Being seen by their neighbors the night before prompted her to write. She knew gossip would reach her family soon enough, and she wanted to have her letter in their hands not long afterward.

She’d just finished the letter and was putting a stamp in the corner when Naomi called down to ask if she was ready to go. Leah ran up the steps to join her and placed the letter in the mailbox at the end of the driveway.

The drive to MAP was similar to the drive with Hannah the day before, along the same roads and viewing the same rolling hillsides and lovely farmsteads. The MAP office building sat at the back of the church the Schrocks and Leah attended. The large room housed offices and long tables for volunteers to sit and grade papers or fold newsletters. The group needed many volunteers to hold the weekly children’s club and respond to the mail.

In one part of the building, shelves held gift bags of needed supplies to give to those who had just left the Amish—often with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The bags held deodorant, shampoo, and other toiletries, as well as material about MAP help.

A few ladies sat at desks, marking papers. Levi, who helped Matthew with MAP business, greeted her with a smile. It felt right, knowing she was doing something positive to help other former Amish as well as spreading the gospel message.

The day passed quickly as Leah moved from station to station doing whatever was needed. She prayed that God would always call volunteers to be willing to aid the ministry. She had seen for herself how much they helped her.

Later that evening, just after Leah finished helping with the dinner dishes, the phone rang. It was Sally Burns, wanting to know if she was still interested in a full-time cleaning job she had available in the evenings. A lady who’d been cleaning for Sally had quit that very day.

Leah hesitated because she wasn’t sure how to get herself there. Though she’d been saving, she still didn’t have quite enough money for a car of her own, not to mention she didn’t have her driver’s license yet.

“Don’t worry about a ride,” Sally offered. “I can pick you up on my way into town, and since we’ll be working together, you’ll always have a ride.”

“Then, yes! I’ve been hoping I could get a full-time job.”

“You’ll need to go into town and get a work permit since you’re still under eighteen, but that shouldn’t be a problem at all. Or do you have one for the houses you’re cleaning?”

“No. I didn’t know I needed one, but I can get it this week.”

“Okay. Call me when you have that, and we’ll plan to start as soon as that’s taken care of.”

“All right. And thank you, Sally.” Leah put down the phone and scampered into the living room to share the good news with the Schrocks.

“God is good!” exclaimed Matthew.

“Yes, He is!” agreed Naomi with a broad smile. Leah smiled back at them and felt a piece of the puzzle coming together for the first time since she’d left home.

Maybe I really can make it on my own here in this
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world.

“Why don’t I take you into Ashfield tomorrow morning?” Matthew suggested. “Then before you go clean Mrs. Lewis’s house, you can get your worker’s permit.”

“Great! Thanks, Matthew.”

Leah was relieved she would finally be able to help contribute more to her living expenses. What a gracious couple to let her move in and wait patiently for her to find a full-time job. She was glad God had blessed her with these friends.

Leah drummed her fingers on the door frame as she waited for Sally Burns to pick her up on her first night of the new job. The shift started at six because they were cleaning the offices of a science facility that closed at five thirty. She watched as Sally’s car pulled in the drive. Sally had red hair piled high on her head and long, dangling earrings. Her fingernails were painted bright pink. Leah wondered how she kept them in such good condition, considering she cleaned alongside her hired workers.

Leah got in the car and introduced herself. Though they’d chatted the night before on the phone, she hadn’t imagined the fun-loving lady who sat beside her now. Leah sensed working with Sally would be an experience she would not soon forget. Sally chattered a mile a minute, laughed often, and called Leah “honey girl” and “girlfriend.” How could a person not like Sally? Leah was enthralled and couldn’t help smiling.

Before the two ladies started work at the facility, they sat in the parking lot while Sally showed Leah how to fill in the forms she needed to file for taxes.

The job site was overwhelming with its many buildings, but Sally quickly explained their responsibility to clean only pertained to the office building. Now inside, she carried a set of keys that unlocked a large storage room, where a utility sink and all the cleaning provisions were located. Sally got out the buckets and mops and showed Leah where to find gloves to protect her hands from the harsh chemicals they used to disinfect the floors and surfaces.

Aha! So that’s how she keeps her nails so neatly polished.

Leah glimpsed a light spilling from an office down the hallway.

“Do we clean around the people who are still working?”

Sally glanced toward the back area. “Ah, that’s Mr. Sedak’s office. He works late every night. He’ll go down to the cafeteria to take a break and get some coffee when he sees us. You’ll hardly ever run into anyone else in here after six.”

She explained how to clean swiftly, yet thoroughly, and they passed the time together chatting about families, popular TV shows, and recipes. Leah was enjoying her new employer and thanking God He had helped her to get this job. Sally was not at all uncomfortable or bossy.

The summer days passed quickly and autumn showed itself in the cooler temperatures each evening and the changing leaves each morning. Leah continued studying for her GED, volunteering in the MAP offices when she could, and working her evening cleaning job. She also continued cleaning two houses during the day. It wasn’t that she was never homesick anymore, but keeping busy helped her handle moments of homesickness better. She also loved the Tuesday night Bible studies and enjoyed the new friendships she’d established there. But if she let herself dwell on thoughts of Bishop Miller or the
Ordnung
, a burst of anger and bitterness about the changes they had forced on her life shot through her. Best not to linger on those thoughts.

One sunny, crisp day, she rode into Ashfield with Naomi. It was an important milestone for Leah: she was going to take her written test to get her driver’s license permit. Though she had studied, she was still afraid of failure, and in the back of her mind, she had to admit her Amish teachings against cars were playing games with her mind. In her Amish church, driving a car was one of the worst sins she could commit.

There was no doubt
Maem, Daet
, and her Amish friends and neighbors would consider what she was planning to do an act of utter rebellion and rejection of the
Ordnung.
Leah’s parents would be convinced she was headed straight to hell by even considering driving a car.