The Shunning (14 page)

He found the little kids and sent them to wash up and get downstairs before
Dat
came looking for them, and then he crossed the hall and looked in on Mary. She was still crying. "Mary, why are you pushing
Dat
? Didn't he tell you Saturday night that he was tired of you saying terrible things about Samuel?"

"I think Samuel Hilty is no good and
Dat
shouldn't trust him! I think you and everyone else in this family is blind."

"You'd better come up with a few 'I'm sorries' before
Dat
decides to treat you like a little girl and give you a
bletching
." Mark was hungry and he left the room to get to the table before grace was offered. He didn't want to find himself excused from the table like Mary.

"This is really good, Mrs. Miller," Samuel complimented the food.

"Thank you, Samuel. I'm glad you are enjoying supper. Have more; there's plenty on the table."

Sadie was so excited that Samuel was with them and she was pleased that her
Mamm
was able to talk
Dat
into inviting him. She wished the meal would last longer, but all too soon
Dat
was inviting Samuel to join him and the other males in the living room to talk. Sadie wished they could visit, but with Mary upstairs, Mama needed her help with the dishes. Sadie was willing to do that for her since she knew it was her
Mamm's
idea to have Samuel to supper. She hummed as she moved around the kitchen. The work seemed to take a bit longer than normal, and by the time she reached the living room, her
Dat
was already making hints that it was getting late, and Samuel would have to be up early. She was disappointed when Samuel got to his feet, prepared to leave. She walked him outside, and Samuel told her he treasured the few unexpected moments with her and her family. He gave her a chaste kiss, and then took his leave. Sadie decided to sit on the porch for a few moments, but it wasn't long before
Dat
called everyone for devotions.

When they were finished, he told her to go upstairs and send her sister down, and he made it clear that everyone was to go to bed. The younger children were already being hurried on their way by
Mamm
, and David whispered to Atlee and Sadie and Mark that their
Dat
was displeased with
Mamm
, and that was why they were all being sent to bed. They desired privacy to deal with a personal matter.

Sadie felt bad for her
Mamm
, but she also knew better than to mention to her that she knew she was in trouble with
Dat
. It was a personal matter between a husband and wife, and not to be shared with children, even if they were adults. She hurried on to the room she shared with Mary and quietly told her that
Dat
wished to see her downstairs.

"This is all your fault, Sadie. Mama invited Samuel after
Dat
told her 'no'. Ever since he came to this district you have changed. You are no longer dutiful, and you do not care how shamed
Dat
feels that you wish to court Samuel Hilty. He is not one of us, and I feel he is only pretending to join the Amish just to take you away, as his father did his mother."

"That is not true, Mary! You do not know what you are talking about."

"I know more than you think I do.
Dat
is unhappy, and it is only
Mamm
who is pushing this courtship!"

Their
Dat's
voice came from the doorway. "Mary, you are wrong about this matter. He took out a knife and handed it to her. You know what you are expected to do. I will join you in the barn shortly."

"But,
Dat
! This is not fair. Sadie can do anything she pleases. She is permitted to work, when I must stay home. She does not do her share of the chores around here, and she behaves disgracefully with Samuel Hilty!"

"Mary, we will discuss this in the barn. Now go." Sadie ran from the room crying again.

"
Dat
, are you ashamed of me?" Sadie asked. "Do you dislike Samuel?"

"If I disliked Samuel I would certainly tell you so, and I would tell you why. Samuel is about to be baptized and I think he has done all that I've asked him to do. You have obeyed my restriction, and I can ask no more. I think we all need to pray that Mary loses this bitterness that is filling her heart." He patted her shoulder and then said, "Please go on to bed now, daughter. Morning will come early, ain't so?"

"
Ja, Dat
," she replied, and once he left the room, she removed her clothing and put on her nightgown before brushing her long red hair until it fell around her shoulders and down her back. After climbing in bed, she offered more prayers; for Samuel, her family, and especially for Mary and her
Mamm
. It made Sadie feel bad to know that Mama disobeyed
Dat
to invite Samuel to supper because she missed him so much during the two weeks they didn't see each other."

The hours spent on her feet caused Sadie to quickly fall asleep, and she did not waken when a very subdued Mary finally came to bed.

* * *

"We need to have a serious discussion. Let's go out to the barn so the
kinner
will not overhear."

Martha knew when she made the decision to defy Levi that this moment would come, but she was a lot braver then than she felt now. The look of disappointment on Levi's face when he realized she'd gone ahead and invited Samuel to dinner had made her feel like a terrible wife and mother. She'd felt like crying all evening, and she didn't want her
kinner
to know that she'd done something so terrible.

Levi held out her shawl. "The night air is chill, wife," he said quietly. He walked her outside and lit a lantern so he could see her face when they talked. "Do you have a good excuse for defying me, Martha?" he asked with quiet dignity.

"I do not, Levi. I thought I did in the moment, but it was wrong of me to disobey you."

"Then why did you do it?" he asked of her.

"I understand how Sadie feels. I know how I felt when I was so in love with you during our courting days. I counted the minutes between the times I could be with you, and Sadie is so much in love with Samuel. I wanted us to show her we understood what she was going through. I don't know if I would have obeyed my
Dat
if he only permitted me to see you every two weeks, Levi."

"Are you telling me I was wrong to make sure that Samuel was baptized before permitting him to court our Sadie?"

"No. I agreed with you at first, but once Samuel proved he could be trusted, and he announced that he was being baptized with Sadie, I thought we could at least invite him to supper. I shouldn't have done so without your blessing, Levi, and for that I am humbly sorry."

"You have never been a disobedient or defiant wife, Martha. I do not wish to punish you, but I would be negligent of my duty to this family if I permitted you to behave in this matter, ain't so?" he asked of her.

"I know I earned punishment, Levi," she answered, tears of remorse filling her eyes.

"Let's have it done then," he stated, firm in his resolve to see it done. He stood and went to take down a leather strap that was seldom used. "Stand and bare yourself, Martha, and then place your hands on the seat of the bench."

Martha was trembling as she stood. "I am very sorry Levi," she whispered once again. She knew the words would not prevent her punishment, but she needed to say them anyway. She truly loved her husband and he did not deserve the disrespect she'd given him this evening. Another man might have felt justified in sending Samuel home and sending her to the barn for punishment in front of the
kinner
.

"I know you are sorry," he said. "And now we will deal with the matter and put it behind us."

Martha pulled up her skirt and slipped her panties down past her knees. It was embarrassing to place her hands on the bench and wait for the first lick of the leather strap. She knew that Levi would tend to his duty with thoroughness. Even though it had been a long time since he gave her a
bletching
, she well remembered how much it hurt when he did.

The first strike of the leather on her skin caused Martha to cry out in pain. Of course she expected it to hurt, but it was much worse than she anticipated. The second stripe caught her right below the first, and she could feel a welt rising on her skin even as it burned like fire! "Oh, Levi, this is terrible!" she cried out.

"That is the point, ain't so, Martha?" he asked, giving her a third, and wincing when she started sobbing.

"I am so sorry, Levi. If I could undo it, I promise you I would."

"I believe you, wife," he agreed, but it did not prevent him from giving her another stinging welt across her upper thighs. "You will not sit well tomorrow," he said softly.

"No, I will not," she tearfully agreed, bracing herself for another hard stroke. This one set her tender sit spots on fire and she could not bear the thoughts of another! "Please, Levi... I beg pardon. May this be enough? I have truly learned my lesson."

"I hope this is so, Martha. I would not wish to have to do this again anytime soon." He helped her pull up her panties and lower her skirts, and then he held her in his arms while she cried and continued to tell him she was sorry. "I know you are, wife," he said, offering comfort.

It was some time before she quieted, and then it was to say, "Thank you for granting me pardon, Levi. It hurt so much more than I remembered. I truly could not bear any more punishment. I will keep my promise and obey you. I was not proud of myself this evening."

"I regret not listening you the other day when you tried to talk with me on this subject, wife. If I'd heard you out this punishment wouldn't have been necessary. It will not hurt anything to invite Samuel to supper next week, and the two weeks after until they may court each other. I was being stubborn, and when a man fails to hear his wife speak, it is bound to end badly." He kissed her and then asked, "Have you forgiven yourself, Martha?"

"Yes, Levi."

"Then let's go and seek our bed and I will apply some healing salve on your bottom. This lesson is well learned, ain't so?" His voice was teasing now, and more than anything it served to let Martha know the matter was resolved. She would not argue about the healing salve, either, and she would reward him for being such a devoted and caring husband.

* * *

The morning of the baptism service dawned and Sadie was so excited she was ready to burst. For once her brothers did not tease her, and they left for services quite early, wishing for nothing to prevent them from being on time. It was being held at the Bishop's home, and he was on hand to welcome Sadie and to ask her if she was still sure of her commitment to the faith. She nodded and said she was positive, and the Bishop nodded in pleasure.

Samuel arrived early, too, and he wasn't a bit surprised to see that Sadie was already there. "You look lovely this morning, Levi's Sadie. Is this a new dress?" he asked, pretty sure of her answer.

"
Ja
, it is. Mama made it for me, saying it was a special day and she wanted me to look my best."

"You certainly do," Samuel agreed.

Levi greeted him then and asked, "Did you think this day would arrive, Samuel?"

"It seems like it took forever, sir," Samuel said truthfully.

"I want to thank you for respecting my wishes as far as Sadie was concerned. I will have no further objections after today's baptism. I believe you are a good man, Samuel." He shook his hand, and then walked away, a smile on his face.

It wasn't long before everyone was called together, and the baptism class met once again and the Bishop reminded each of them of what was expected. He also asked if anyone wished to change their mind, and not one young person spoke up. They were all seated in the front, and by the end of the service, the baptism had taken place, and both Sadie and Samuel were taken into the Amish faith. A higher standard of behavior would be expected of them now, and both felt ready to live up to those standards.

The meal was served immediately after the service ended and once they'd both eaten, Samuel asked Sadie to go for a walk along the creek that ran behind the Bishop's property. It was so nice to walk hand in hand and not have to worry that her
Dat
would disapprove. There were other young men and women who also took advantage of the weather and found it pleasant to be outside with other's of their age. Samuel drove Sadie home after their walk, and promised he would see her that night at the singing.

That night as he drove her home he asked, "How does it feel to be officially courted, Levi's Sadie?'

"Wonderfully
goot
," she answered.

On rainy days, Samuel took his lunch at the restaurant, and he was a frequent guest at the Miller's supper table. He took every opportunity to let Sadie know he found her special, and he also made sure that he treated her with respect. Samuel wasn't about to do one thing to disgrace himself in Levi's eyes.

A couple of months after the baptism, Samuel took Sadie for a buggy ride after dinner. They drove to the covered bridge that was closest to their farms and Samuel helped Sadie down so they could stroll through the bridge. "I love this place," he said. "It never makes me fail to think of all the blessings we have here. This bridge is not open to cars, but we can walk and drive through it if we wish."

"My family sometimes comes here for picnics. The last time we did, Hannah and Katie fell into the water and Atlee and David got all wet trying to fish them out. It cut our picnic short and
Dat
was not pleased with the two little ones for not obeying Mama."

"It must be wonderful to have such a large family, Sadie. I always regretted growing up alone, but now that I am an adult, I really miss having siblings. I would love to have lots of
kinner
," he said, looking at her. "Have you given that subject any thought?"