The Shunning (21 page)

* * *

Sadie couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Mary when Mark received his courting buggy on their sixteenth birthday. He was so excited, and he took a lot of teasing from his older brothers. He offered to take everyone a ride, and they all took turns in the new buggy... everyone except Mary. She was upstairs in her room, crying.
Dat
and
Mamm
told her she would have her special birthday next year when she was hopefully more mature. Sadie knew the punishment was earned, but it had to be hard on Mary.

* * *

The weeks passed, and Martha grew big with child. She was unable to be on her feet for long periods of time and Sadie practically took over the running of the house while they planned her wedding. Mary was no longer complaining, and she was helping Sadie as much as possible. She also fussed over their
Mamm
and took on the garden so that Martha wouldn't feel pressured to handle the weeding and harvesting of all the vegetables. The little
kinner
helped after school, and Mary made a game of the work they did.

Samuel was a frequent visitor, and so was Miriam. She and Atlee were getting married two weeks after Sadie and Samuel, and the family was delighted to get to know Miriam better. Atlee and his
Dat
and brothers were working on a house for the two of them to live in, and it was coming along nicely. Martha was frustrated with all the changes, but mostly because her body wasn't able to help as much as she liked. Her husband and her
kinner
all did their best to make her life easier, and she did appreciate all of them, but she decided she would be very happy when her youngest was born and she could carry the
boppli
in her arms and not inside her. She smiled as the
boppli
kicked inside her, making her tummy ripple underneath her dress.

"Is the little one kicking,
Mamm
?" Mary asked.

"
Ja
! Would you like to feel?" Martha offered, and was pleased when Mary quickly came to her. Mary had grown up in the last few months and Martha planned to ask Levi if they could rescind the year long suspension and allow Mary to start her
rumspringa
and attending the singings every other week. Mary had done her share of the work and her attitude was in keeping with their beliefs. Martha felt that she and Levi should acknowledge the changes she'd made.

"Does it hurt you, Mama?" Mary asked as she felt the
boppli
kick. She simply couldn't imagine what it would be like to carry another life within her body, and have it rolling around and kicking like crazy.

"No, it doesn't hurt, Mary. There are times it keeps me awake, but when it is your child, you are thankful for the movement because it means your baby is healthy."

Mary smiled as the
boppli
continued to kick and she said, "I believe this one is very healthy,
Mamm
. Probably a boy," she added with a grin.

* * *

Sadie didn't know why she was out of sorts, but she was. She was anxious for her wedding day, and yet, Samuel seemed to grow more distant the closer it came for them to be wed. When she questioned him, all he would say was that he was very busy. Sadie was frustrated. She was seeing more of Miriam than she was of her own intended. She couldn't help but wonder if he was regretting his offer of marriage. Her mood was cantankerous when she heard the kitchen door open and she saw a muddy pair of feet tracking in dirt on the floor she'd just scrubbed. "Can't you see that you're tracking in mud?" Sadie growled before she looked up. She'd expected to see Atlee or David, but not Samuel. "You!"

"I was hoping for a bit friendlier greeting," Samuel said with a grin.

"You've been a stranger for the last several weeks, Samuel Hilty, and then without a bit of warning, you come by and expect me to be ready to fall all over you? Hardly!"

"Whoa now, Sadie. Where is my sweet girl?"

"She is tired of waiting on you to realize she is alive." Sadie gave him her back as she went back to scrubbing the floor on her hands and knees.

"Would it be too much trouble to offer me a cup of
kaffi
?" Samuel asked, his eyes full of good humor in the face of Sadie's ill-temper.

"
Ja
! This is not a restaurant, Samuel Hilty! I am busy."

"You sound like a little girl who needs a good spanking."

"You sound like a take-it-for-granted know-it-all who just needs to go on home!"

"Sadie, now that sounds downright hostile." Samuel was losing his patience. "You come here and talk to me and tell me what is causing you to act like this."

"No."

"Okay, that tears it. I have been working hard for weeks now, just looking forward to the day I could have some time to spend with you, and now you're acting like you don't care one whit for me. I have a right to know why."

"You can't ignore me for weeks at a time, Samuel Hilty, and then, when it is convenient for you, come on by like I have nothing better to do than drop everything."

"Okay, when will you have time to spend with me?" Samuel asked quietly.

"I don't know." Sadie's green eyes were flashing fire.

Samuel immediately realized that the feisty redhead was testing him. He decided to put an end to her bad mood right away.

Sadie was sure that Samuel would pick up and leave, but instead he pulled her up from the floor and then propped his foot on the rung of a chair and then he dropped her over his bent knee.

"You let me go, Samuel Hitly!"

"Oh, I think this is exactly what you are begging for, Levi's Sadie," Samuel answered, bring the flat of his hand down on her rounded bottom. He continued to spank her, ignoring her indignant cries of outrage and pain.

"You let me go!" Sadie kicked her legs back and forth, her temper causing her to raise her voice. "I mean it, Samuel Hilty! I won't marry you if you keep ignoring me!"

"Why, Sadie, I'm not ignoring you," Samuel replied, grinning when she cried out in frustration. "In fact, I'm paying you a lot of attention right now, ain't so?"

"I can do without this kind of attention!" Sadie argued. "Please stop!" she begged.

"Are you ready to settle down, Miss Sadie, and talk to me like a woman who loves her fiance talks?" he asked. When she didn't immediately answer, he said, "I guess you need a little more persuading, young lady."

Sadie cried out in genuine distress when Samuel spanked her hard. Samuel's hand was strong from all the hard work he did, and it lent him strength when he spanked her. Sadie was soon in tears and promising she would behave. He seemed to ignore her, however, and he permitted her to cry a bit longer before he stopped the painful spanking.

"Well, Sadie, are you ready to behave now?" he asked, resting his hand on her upturned bottom.

"
Ja
! No more
bletching
, please!" she begged. When he helped her down, she threw her arms around him and hugged him close. "I've missed you so much, Samuel! I thought you didn't love me anymore!"

"Now what silliness is that?" he asked, holding her tight. "I've been working extra hard so that we might have time after our wedding, Sadie. I want so much to make you happy and I've been doing my best to plan a surprise for after the wedding. I'm sorry I've ignored you, sweet Sadie. If I'd known how unhappy you were, I would have come by sooner. Will you forgive me?"

Sadie nodded. "I love you, Samuel."

"I love you, too, sweet Sadie." Samuel kissed her and then kissed her again. His Sadie was the kind of woman who needed a man's firm hand every now and then.

Sadie was savoring his strong arms and the kisses he gave her when she heard a cry from upstairs. "Mama!" she whispered, then lifted her skirts as ran as fast as she could. "Mama, what is it?" she asked as she ran into her parents' bedroom.

"The
boppli
is coming, Sadie. Get your
Dat
and call for Wade to come fast."

Chapter Fourteen

Sadie held her baby sister in her arms and pushed the rocking chair back and forth with her foot. Little Rebecca was so tiny, but she gave their
Mamm
a difficult time being born. Martha had to have an emergency C-section, and her recovery was going to be a bit slower than expected, but Sadie was thankful that her
Mamm
was alive. It was touch and go for a while, with all of them holding hands and praying in the waiting room. Sadie was so thankful to have Samuel with her, offering his strength and support to her entire family. Miriam came, too... as did the Bishop and other close friends, and waited with them to hear news of Martha after little Rebecca's successful delivery. Martha was in the recovery room for some time, and then moved to ICU, where she could be monitored closely.

All of that was four weeks ago, and Martha was now home, and doing well, even though she still tired easily. Levi spent as much time with her as he did working their farm, thankful to still have his wife by his side. Their neighbors and friends within the community came and helped them harvest their crops, and now Levi and his sons were going around to their farms and giving them help to show how much he appreciated their loving concern for his family in their time of need.

"There you are!" Martha said with a smile as she entered the living room, walking slowly. "I woke and realized that it was long past time to hear from Rebecca."

"I was putting clean sheets on the boys' beds and heard Becky wake up, Mama. I snatched her up so you could sleep a bit longer. Do you wish to sit here?" Sadie offered. She knew how disappointed her
Mamm
was that she was in the hospital longer than her
boppli
, and that her care had fallen to Sadie and Mary. She was doing her best to spend as much time as possible with her youngest now, caring for her, bonding with her, and letting her know that
she
was her
Mamm
.

"
Ja
," Martha shyly admitted. "Oh, Sadie... I lost so much time with this precious child. I am so relieved that you and Mary were here to care for her, but it was
my
responsibility, and I feel like I failed Rebecca."

"You did no such thing, Mama!" Sadie scolded as she got up so her Mama could sit in the rocking chair. "You nearly died, and that certainly wasn't your choice or doing. You did nothing wrong, and Rebecca loves you and she knows you are her
Mamm
," she added, reassuring her
Mamm
. She placed Rebecca in her mother's arms and Rebecca smiled prettily. "See, Becky loves you and is happy to see you. She might not be able to speak, but her eyes and that smile prove she recognizes you."

Martha's eyes filled with tears. "I have so much to be grateful for, daughter.
Danki
for reminding me of that."

"Now, what are these tears?" Levi materialized in the doorway and his eyes met Sadie's for one moment, reflecting his approval and letting her know that he'd overheard the conversation. "You are too pretty to be crying on such a beautiful day, Martha. How is our little
boppli
?" he asked, putting out his finger for Rebecca to grasp.

"She is truly fine, Levi," Martha answered, and smiled when Sadie quietly slipped from the room to give them privacy. "Our Sadie has grown into a wise woman, husband. She made me ashamed of myself for feeling jealous of my own daughters for caring for their sister while I was unable to do so. I was afraid that Rebecca would not recognize me as her
Mamm
, but she does." Martha looked up at him and smiled.

"Of course she does, my
lieb
. You are her
Mamm
and Rebecca loves you. The girls did a good job with her, and her brothers helped, too. We all saw to her needs as we all saw to you and helped you. That is what a family does for each other."

"I wish I was able to help more with Sadie's wedding, Levi. It is drawing close, and there are many things I should be doing that Sadie and Mary are shouldering."

"No one expects you to be doing more, wife. We nearly lost you, and we aren't going to allow you to exert yourself. You need to relax. The main thing that Sadie cares about is that you are still here with us and you will be able to witness her marriage to Samuel. The rest is nothing compared to that."

"You always know what to say to make me feel special and loved, Levi.
Danki
," Martha whispered emotionally.

Levi bent down and kissed her tenderly, giving thanks once again to God for sparing his wife and allowing him to keep her at his side for a while longer. "I love you, Martha." He promised himself not to let one day pass without telling her of his feelings for her. She was truly precious and he couldn't imagine his life without her, and he didn't want to think of it, either. He felt Rebecca's hand squeeze his finger and he wondered if she shared his thoughts since the look in her eyes was so solemn. He smiled at her and then kissed her on her baby soft cheek. He and Martha could have no more children... but they were truly blessed to have this little girl and all their other children. They were a good family.

* * *

Samuel politely tapped on the door before walking into the kitchen. He could see that Sadie was at the stove, and he didn't want to startle her. She turned and then smiled when he came inside. "You are a pretty sight this morning, Levi's Sadie," he said.

"
Danki
, Samuel," she answered, blushing. "Would you stay for lunch?" she asked. "I am making vegetable soup and it will be done soon."

"I was hoping for an invitation," he replied, grinning. "I have been shopping this morning."

"You have?"

"
Ja
. Do you want to know what I bought for you?" he asked.

"
Ja
...?" She put down the spoon she was using to stir the soup and looked at him expectantly.

"Sorry, you will have to wait until we are wed," he replied, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"That is
so
unfair, Samuel Hilty!" she fumed, and he laughed even harder. "You can just go on home and fix your own lunch!"