The Shunning (4 page)

Sadie did not move. Her head was pounding and she couldn't think. Part of her wanted to go home and allow her Mama to take care of her, but the adult part of her said it would not be fair to leave the Yoders shorthanded.

Samuel shook his head and before Sadie guessed his intentions, he pulled her from the seat, sat down, and then pulled her down over his thighs and started spanking her with his hard hand. "We'll see if a good bletching will cure you of this stubbornness, Levi's Sadie."

"No! Someone could walk in, Samuel!" Sadie whispered loudly, trying to get up, only to find herself pinned. She couldn't protect her bottom while he was holding her so tightly. "Please let me rise!" she begged.

"I finish what I start, little girl," he stated, his voice firm. Her skirt was made of a thick wool fabric, meant to keep her warm. It also protected her backside too much. He calmly flipped up the heavy fabric, revealing her panties.

"Samuel!" Sadie cried out in shocked distress. "No! No! Ouch!" Her protests ended on a cry of pain. "Owwww! I'll go home with you! I'll go! Please, no more!" She was more than a little embarrassed. The spanking hurt, and she was terrified the entire kitchen could hear what was happening to her. The humiliation of being discovered would be much worse than the fiery heat Samuel was creating on her backside. "Please, Samuel! Have mercy! I must work with these people and I could never face them again if they saw me like this!"

"Will you cease being so stubborn, Sadie Miller?" he asked with a hard spank.

"Yes, I promise I will," she said, sobbing. "I am sorry," she added.

"If you are truly sorry, shouldn't you be accepting this punishment instead of fighting it?" he asked of her.

"I am afraid of discovery, Samuel," she told him. "I am truly sorry. Please let this be enough. I feel awful," she confessed.

Samuel decided that spanking her while she was so ill could be considered cruel. He had her promise to let him take her home, and that should be enough. He pulled down her skirt and then lifted her to her feet. She swayed and for a second he thought she was going to faint. "You are ill, little Sadie. Let me take you home now." He helped her with her shawl and with her boots, and he held her close as they walked out to his car. Sadie did not argue this time about getting inside the vehicle, and Samuel was thankful for his heater when she started shivering. "Lean back and rest, Levi's Sadie. I will have you home soon."

Sadie was too ill to make conversation, and Samuel seemed to know that. He was as quiet as she. After a few minutes of silence, she turned to him and angrily declared, "I am not a little girl, Samuel, and it is wrong for you to treat me like one!"

Chapter Three

Samuel looked at the feisty redhead who was glaring at him and he smiled. "I don't think you a child, Sadie."

"You treated me like one... for the second time!" she accused.

Samuel didn't know if the red stain on her cheeks was from anger or the fever that was making her ill. "I gave you a spanking because you were being stubborn and I do not believe in arguing when I know I am in the right. You are ill and you need to be at home in bed where your
Mamm
can take care of you. I don't see you as a little girl, either," he added quietly.

"Your actions say otherwise!" Sadie was insulted, and her bottom was stinging! He also saw her panties, and if she told her
Dat
, which she wouldn't, he would have plenty to say to one Samuel Hilty!

"Sadie, you need to calm down now, or I am going to think I didn't spank you long enough."

"You shouldn't have spanked me at all! I am not a little child! And, you are not my
Dat
!" She blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall. Her embarrassment was acute, and to make matters worse, she felt terrible! One minute she was hot and burning up, and in the next, she was freezing and shivering with cold. "Is your car heater working?" she asked, her voice sounding whiny to her own ears.

Samuel looked to make sure no one was behind him, stopped his car, and set the flashers for safety. Then he unhooked his seat belt, turned toward the back seat and grabbed a blanket. He then tucked it around Sadie. "Maybe that will help, Levi's Sadie," he said with a worried look in his blue eyes.

"
Danki
," Sadie whispered, grateful for the blanket. She watched as Samuel clicked his seat belt once again, and shut off the flashers as he moved on down the road. "I am still not happy with you!" she declared.

"Oh, Sadie, be happy you are ill right now and it is the fever making you so bold with your tongue. If not, I would pull this car over and give you a
bletching
that would make the other feel like love pats." Samuel wasn't angry. Sadie was ill, and he was sure she would be horrified when she was herself once again. Two seconds later he felt like the worst person alive; Sadie was crying! "I didn't meant to make you cry, little Sadie. I'm so sorry." He found the clean handkerchief he'd put in his pocket that morning and offered it to her. "Oh, Sadie, please don't cry!"

Sadie took the handkerchief and dabbed her eyes. "I am acting like a baby!" She was so embarrassed. "You are being so kind to me, and I am ungrateful and ill-mannered! I am sorry!"

"It is the fever, little Sadie. I know that, and I think you a lovely young woman. I am sorry you are ill," he offered sympathy.

"My
Mamm
says I am
baremlich
when I am ill. I act like a
boppli
!" Sadie wailed.

"Sadie, you are not terrible, and I'll tell you a secret... I act like a baby when I am ill, too."

"You do?"

"Yes. I expect to be waited on hand and foot, and I complain to anyone who will listen, and if I was as ill as you are, I wouldn't attempt to go and wait on tables. Yet, you are a responsible employee and you hid the illness, and you gave good service to your tables. I saw how wonderful you were with those children at the table close to me. Their parents were so pleased with you. They are tourists and you made lunch special for them. I couldn't do that if I was running a temperature."

"You are being nice."

"Is that so terrible?" he teased.

"No." Sadie looked at him and said, "My feelings get all mixed up when you are around me, Samuel. I don't know why I am always arguing with you!"

"I think we may be attracted to each other, Sadie, and I have to ask, are you seeing anyone special?" He shouldn't be asking her such a question, and he knew it, but he had to know before he let his feelings for Sadie get the best of him.

"No, there is no one special, but Samuel, that does not mean we can... My
Dat
and
Mamm
would never approve," she told him. "You are
Englisch
and not of the community."

"I intend to be of the community, Sadie, but it will take time for me to study the
Ordnung
and be ready to take my kneeling vows and join the church. I understand about 'unequally yoked'," he said softly, and then quoted the Bible passage, "'
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
' Corinthians 6:14."

Sadie didn't know what to say. Her head ached, her throat was sore, and her body was shivering. Her bottom was stinging and it hurt to sit without squirming.

"I know it will take a good while for me to prove myself to your
Dat
and
Mamm
. I didn't expect to meet you so quickly, Sadie." He could see the pretty redhead was too miserable to have a conversation, and he picked up speed to get her home so her
Mamm
could care for her. "I'm sorry you feel so rotten, Sadie," he said.

Sadie found his words comforting because she could sense he truly meant what he was saying. It was a relief when he pulled up to her home, and this time she remembered to wait until he came around the car to open the door; not that she felt like moving. Her legs felt like jelly. To Sadie's surprise, Samuel unfastened her seat belt and picked her up into his strong arms. She rested her head against his chest and did not murmur one word of protest. Being held in this manner felt good, and her legs were so weak.

The door was pulled open by Martha Miller and she gasped when she saw Sadie in Samuel's arms. "What happened to my Sadie, Samuel?" she asked as he carried her daughter inside the house.

"Sadie is ill, Mrs. Miller. She has a fever and needs to be in bed. If you will show me where her room is...?"

"Of course." Martha led the way upstairs and down the hall to the room Sadie shared with Mary. "This is Sadie's bed."

Sadie was aware of Samuel gently laying her down on her bed. "
Danki
, Samuel," she managed to croak.

"
Du bischt wilkumm
," he replied automatically, thinking it felt
goot
to speak his
Mamm's
language once again.

Martha began by unwrapping the blanket that Sadie was clinging to. "Sadie, let go," she scolded gently.

"Cold, Mama," Sadie insisted.

"I know,
meimaedel
," Martha said. "Is this your blanket, Samuel?" she asked, holding it up.

He stepped forward to take it. "
Ja
, Mrs. Miller. I went to have lunch where Sadie works, and when I realized how sick she was, I insisted she allow me to bring her home so you could care for her."

"
Danki
, Samuel. Mary is in the kitchen; she will give you a piece of shoofly pie and a glass of cold milk."

"
Danki
, Mrs. Miller. Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, worry in his blue eyes.

Martha looked at the young man and could see he was genuinely concerned. She felt a moment of panic, knowing full well her husband would not approve of his attraction to Sadie since Samuel was not of the faith. She politely shook her head and then shooed him out of the room.

Samuel went downstairs, and since he was reluctant to leave until Sadie's
Mamm
told him how Sadie was really doing, he went to the kitchen and found Mary baking cookies. "Hello," he said softly, not wanting to frighten her. She raised her head and smiled and Samuel relaxed.

"Hello, Samuel. It is good to see you."

"I brought your sister home; she's very sick," he explained.

"
Ja
, I overheard, and thought it best to stay out of Mama's way. Sadie is not so nice when she is ill," she whispered in a confidential way.

Samuel smiled and nodded. "
Ja
, this she told me after I scolded her for behaving like a stubborn child."

Mary giggled. "I am sure Sadie did not like that one bit! You are a brave man!" she teased him. "Sit down and I will cut you a piece of shoofly pie. You are lucky there is some left after
Dat
and the boys finished with lunch." She hurried to get him the pie, and then asked, "Would you rather have cold milk or sweet tea?" She reached for a glass and waited for him to reply.

"The milk sounds
goot
," Samuel answered. She poured the milk from a pitcher instead of a carton or plastic bottle. "Does your
Dat
have a dairy?" he questioned.

"
Ja
. We have
goot
milk all the time. And butter!" As she finished speaking, Levi Miller came into the kitchen by way of the back porch.

"Samuel, what brings you here today?" he asked quietly.

"I went to have lunch where Sadie works, and she was burning up with fever. I brought her home so her
Mamm
could take care of her," Samuel explained. "She didn't want to come; she is one stubborn young lady," he added, but smiled to take the sting from his words.

"Sadie is not her normal self when she is ill," the man explained.

"
Dat
, would you like some pie, or some milk and cookies fresh from the oven?" Mary offered.

Levi looked toward his daughter and smiled, "It is
goot
to see you helping your
Mamm
, Mary. I would like some of your cookies, please," he responded to her question. He took a seat at the head of the table and looked at Samuel, obviously trying to choose his words carefully. "Samuel, it would be best if you did not spend so much time with Sadie. Amish do not marry outside their faith," he stated bluntly.

"This I know," Samuel nodded. "I am planning to study the
Ordnung
, attend the worship services, and take my kneeling vows. My
Mamm
raised me as Amish as possible, even though we lived in the city. I know I will need to prove myself to you before I can court Sadie, but in the meantime, I would like to know her as a friend."

"And if she falls in
lieb
with you and you decide not to join the faith? No child of mine is going over to
Englisch
ways," Levi said firmly.

"I will not pull Sadie over to the
Englisch
ways, sir. I give you my word." He looked at Levi, but the man's face was set in lines of determination. "When and where is the next worship service?" he asked.

Levi told him what he wanted to know, but before he could say anything else, Martha came bustling into the kitchen. "It is
goot
you brought Sadie home, Samuel." She hurried to get a glass, took a jar of tea from the refrigerator and poured some into the glass. She added two teaspoons of honey and two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and stirred well. "This will help our Sadie," she said softly.

"Miracle tea," Samuel nodded. "My
Mamm
used to make that for me when I was ill."

"It will help Sadie to feel better. If she has a temperature tomorrow, I will take her to see a doctor." She bustled from the room, the glass of Miracle tea in her hand."

Samuel got to his feet and said, "I'd better be going. I have much to do this afternoon."

"
Danki
for bringing Sadie home, Samuel." Levi watched the young man leave and sighed. He feared that Sadie returned Samuel's affection and Levi knew that he couldn't bear losing her to the outside world. He would pray that
Gott
helped Samuel with his studies and he would come to accept the
Ordnung
and decide to join the faith. In the meantime, he would keep a vigilant eye on his Sadie.