Amish Breaking Point (8 page)
Read Amish Breaking Point Online
Authors: Samantha Price
Bailey’s memories were that he had strangled him, but he did not want to say that to his mom.
“Your dad lost two fingers in the fight. He got the knife off him by grabbing it.”
Bailey thought back to his father’s two missing finger tops. Bailey’s father had always told him that they got sucked into the wringer that squeezed out the water from the clothes.
“Are you all right to talk about this, Mom?”
His Mom sighed. “I should have told you long ago.”
“How did I come to be locked in a cupboard?”
“You saw your father fighting the man and then you ran. Your father chased you, carried you back to the house and locked you in. At first you wouldn’t stop screaming. I begged him to let you out, but he didn’t want you to see all the police and the ambulance that would be coming.”
Noticing his mother’s voice shaking, Bailey said, “You can tell me another time, you don’t have to tell me now.”
“No, best I tell you know and we can both forget about it. I never like to think about it. He threatened you to keep quiet and then you were quiet for a while. The police came, then the paramedics took him to the hospital and the body of the man was taken away. He wouldn’t let me let you out of the cupboard and I was too scared to cross him.”
His mother was quiet for a while then spoke again. “The first day he went back to work after that, I left him. I took you and went to your Granddad’s sisters’ house. Your Granddad gave me the address and said I’d be safe there.”
“Then you went back to him, after you left him for a time?”
“Yes, we were always on and off, he and I. He would leave and then the next time I would be the one to leave.”
“Tell me, Mom, did I ever go to the jail where dad worked?”
“He took you there. Sometimes they had children from juvenile centers visit the prison to show them that it wasn’t a good place to be. Your father wanted to show you the same. He wanted to show you what it was like, so you wouldn’t ever end up in a place like that.”
Bailey did not know what to say. Would he be able to be a good parent if he had no good role models? Perhaps he could behave the opposite to how his parents had behaved.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you the truth sooner, Bailey.”
“How long was I in that cupboard?”
There was a lengthy silence. “Only hours and that was the only time your father ever did that.”
Bailey took a deep breath and wondered if that were true. “Doesn’t matter now. You have a good time on your cruise. I’ll have a lot to tell you when you get back.” Bailey hung up the phone from his mother. He had always been closer to his grandfather than he had to either of his parents.
* * *
At the next widows meeting Silvie made sure she got there before Maureen and Emma. “Come in, Silvie.”
Silvie handed Ettie some coconut cookies. Mostly everyone brought some tasty treat with them for their get togethers. “I want to speak with both of you before Maureen and Emma get here.”
The three ladies sat in the living room and Silvie began. “Bailey has told me everything. Everything about his childhood and about his Grandfather.”
“How is Bailey?” Elsa-May asked.
“He’s better now that he’s told me everything. I knew something was troubling him and I thought that he might have changed his mind about me.”
“
Nee
, his
mudder
and he had it tough with their
vadder,”
Elsa-May said.
“And he witnessed a terrible thing for a child,” Silvie said.
Ettie pursed her lips. “We’re sorry we didn’t tell you when you asked us. You knew there was something troubling him, didn’t you?”
Silvie nodded.
“Is there anything you wanted to say to us,” Ettie asked.
“
Nee
, just wanted to let you know before the other two get here, that he’s told me everything. I didn’t want to mention it in front of Emma and Maureen because I haven’t told them anything about Bailey’s troubles.”
Chapter 15.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10
People overflowed Silvie’s small
haus
on the morning of her wedding.
“He’s coming,” Sabrina called out to Silvie from the door of her bedroom.
Silvie looked out her window and saw Bailey arriving in Jack’s buggy. Her heart thumped wildly. The day she was looking forward to for months was finally here.
“You look beautiful, Silvie,” Sabrina said as she straightened Silvie’s prayer
kapp.
“
Denke, schweschder
. It’s hard to believe this day is here.”
“I’ll go down and see what help I can be downstairs. You come down when you’re ready.”
When Sabrina left her room, Silvie raced to the window and watched Bailey walk to the house in the black suit that she had made for him.
Silvie made her way downstairs. All her furniture had been moved out of her house and in its place were rows and rows of wooden benches. Silvie looked out her front door and saw Bailey speaking to the bishop. He turned his head and saw Silvie and smiled. The bishop noticed his distraction and turned to look at Silvie. The bishop said something to Bailey and they both smiled then the bishop walked toward the house with him.
The bishop diverted to speak to someone and Bailey continued to walk toward Silvie. They met in the middle of the floor and Silvie had no words as she looked up into his face.
“You are beautiful, Silvie. I’m so happy that you will soon be my
fraa
.” Bailey said.
Silvie giggled. “Me too.”
Two hours later, after a sermon from the bishop and some hymns. The bishop performed the ceremony and Bailey and Silvie were pronounced married. Bailey gave Silvie a quick peck on the lips and that was the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the rearranging of the room for the wedding feast.
Bailey led Silvie outside. There were people outside listening to the service, as they could not fit inside the house.
“Is that Detective Crowley over there?”
“I invited him. Where is he?” Bailey said and followed the direction in which Silvie was pointing. “It’s my father. I mean Detective Crowley is standing next to my father.” Bailey turned to Silvie. “You stay here.”
As Bailey walked toward his father, Crowley walked away. Even though Bailey was filled with negativity and resentment toward his father, he was still pleased to see him there. His father was thinner and a little grayer, but there was no doubt that this man was his dad.
His father extended his hand. “Son, congratulations. You’ve turned out just like your granddad.”
Bailey shook his hand. “How did you know about the wedding? I haven’t even told Mom.”
“Crowley found me. I asked the right questions and here I am. I’ll get to the point of why I’m here. I’m here to apologize to you for being a bad father. I knew you’d turn out alright, you were always a good kid.”
“I was? You locked me in a cupboard. I’ve only just stopped having nightmares about that.” Bailey immediately regretted his words. His father had come to apologize, not have his wrongdoing rubbed in his face. Bailey’s wounds were deep and they were too fresh to speak to his father, but since his father had made the effort so too should he. “I accept your apology.”
“Thank you, son. That means a lot to me. I know this isn’t the place for it, but if you ever need to know about the man… well, if you ever have questions about certain things, I’ll answer your questions.”
Bailey nodded and his father was right, today was neither the time nor the place. “You said I was a good kid?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you take me to the jail and show me around it?”
His father breathed out heavily. “I wanted you to stay on the right track. I wanted you to know about consequences.” He scratched his head. “I know that’s rich coming from me, but I did want you to have a good life. I’m not the same person I was all those years ago; I’ve got regrets – I’ve got a lot of regrets.”
Bailey nodded and could see that his father’s words were genuine. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
His father looked down. “I better get going.”
“No, Dad. I want you to meet Silvie my wife.” Bailey waved to Silvie motioning for her to come over.
“You’ve gone back to the Amish. You’re Amish just like your granddad was. You were always like two peas in a pod you and he.”
After Silvie met Bailey’s father, he said, “I’d better go. I just came to say what I just said and wish you all the best. Congratulations to the both of you.”
“I’m glad you came, Dad.”
Bailey’s dad handed him a card with his name and address. Silvie and Bailey stood and watched him drive away in his car.
Bailey turned to Silvie. “I am glad he came. I feel light now. I’ve spoken to my mother and my father. There are no dark secrets now, I’ll tell you the things he said to me later. I feel I have a clean, fresh start.”
“You trusted in
Gott
; He never fails.” Silvie smiled and interlocked her fingers in his for just a moment. Then, they walked back toward their wedding celebration.
Blinking back tears, Bailey was overwhelmed with feelings of love and forgiveness in his heart.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,
upon them hath the light shined.
Isaiah 9:2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:1-2
“Come now, and let us reason together,” saith the Lord.
“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1:18
* * * The End * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thank you for your purchase of
Amish Breaking Point
Book 7 in the
Amish Secret Widows’ Society.
For updates on
Samantha Price’s new releases
and giveaways:
Book 8:
Amish Secret Widows’ Society.
The next Book in this series “Plain Murder”
When Silvie visits her sister, Sabrina, at the stables where she works, she stumbles across a dead body. Sabrina's boss, Mr. Caruthers, has been murdered. Trevor, the boss's son, becomes one of the many suspects, and is arrested.
Mr. Caruthers' other son, the handsome Jamie Caruthers, steps in to run the business. This upsets John Steele, the stable manager.
Bailey, ex-FBI agent and Sabrina's brother-in-law, is roped in to helping Detective Crowley, but does it prove too much too soon, given his recent breakdown?
Sabrina knows that Trevor and his father never saw eye to eye, but she doubts Trevor killed his father.
Sabrina seeks help from her widow friends to discover who really killed her boss, Mr. Caruthers.
Also in the
‘Amish Secret Widows’ Society’
series:
Amish House of Secrets: Book 5
Also by Samantha Price -
#1 BEST SELLING
‘
Amish Romance Secrets’
series:
About the Author
Having been raised in a strict Exclusive Brethren household, Samantha developed knowledge of the Amish way of life. The Amish and the Brethren have the same Anabaptist roots.
As a child, with no access to Television or regular social events that other children enjoyed, Samantha enjoyed creating her own plays which later developed into stories.
Samantha Price has written over thirty five books, and many have become best sellers. She writes stories of love intermingled with emotions, spiritual growth, and her characters' personal journeys. Her books are easy reading and always have a happy ending.
As well as writing, she can be found either gardening or painting. Samantha now lives in Australia with her husband and three dogs.
Samantha Price loves to hear from her readers.
Connect with Samantha at:
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http://www.samanthapriceauthor.com