Harvest of Blessings (19 page)

“My word, it’ll be a busy Sunday and a long Members’ Meeting,” Rhoda remarked. “My Andy has finished takin’ his instruction, and that’s the day everybody’ll vote on whether he can become a full member of the Amish church.”

“I don’t know a soul who’s gonna say no to
that
,” Miriam remarked. “What with him runnin’ the clinic and his kids takin’ to our ways so quick, it’s like the Leitners have lived here a long time.”

“And then ya can set your wedding date!” Rachel piped up as she grabbed Rhoda’s hands.

“Shall we make it before ya birth your baby, or after? I couldn’t have anyone but
you
for my side-sitter, Sister,” Rhoda replied. Then she chuckled. “I’ve been havin’ odd dreams about the wedding, where ya let out a holler and then Andy has to deliver your wee one right there in church. Kind of crazy.”

As laughter filled her kitchen, Miriam put her hand on her swelling belly, where the baby was kicking, joining in their mirth. Mothers and daughters . . . was there a deeper, sweeter bond on this earth?

While the younger women kept visiting, Miriam poured a couple of gallons of chicken broth into her stockpot and turned on the burner beneath it to start cooking her sliced carrots. It seemed that while she was trying out a new recipe for soup, their little group had cooked up a fresh understanding of what it meant to nurture each other . . . to strengthen their relationships, which in turn strengthened their faith.

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. And for that, Miriam was grateful.

Around ten thirty on Sunday morning, Nora started toward Ben and Miriam’s house for what she sensed would be a monumental day in Willow Ridge. The low gray clouds intensified her unsettled mood as she walked up the county highway. She could have attended the Amish church service, but her presence would’ve set her
dat
on edge and thereby upset her mother. She’d watched Luke and Ira walk this way a few hours ago.

The new Hooley house was built on what had once been part of the Glick farm. Selling this property had probably provided the largest lump sum her parents had seen since Dat retired from raising crops several years ago. The income from renting out several acres of his land to the mill was a godsend, but Nora suspected her parents had jars of home-canned food on their cellar shelves and meat in their deep freeze mostly because Lizzie and Atlee—and other families around town—had shared what they’d preserved from their gardens and what they’d butchered. The Amish took care of their own, even as they believed God would provide for their needs.

Singing drifted from the open windows of Ben and Miriam’s home—the final hymn. Soon the nonmembers of the congregation would step outside while her father’s fate was decided. Nora intended to join Millie, Luke, and Ira when they came outside—not to eavesdrop, exactly, but hearing the words of the Members’ Meeting would prepare her for the events to come.

After the hymn ended, Vernon Gingerich delivered the benediction in his rich, resonant voice. Nora was grateful that he was assisting with the service, providing his calm wisdom. While she hoped her father had experienced a change of heart since she’d last seen him, she asked God to guide all of those present as Dat responded to the kneeling confession Bishop Tom had prescribed.

“As the nonmembers leave the room,” Tom said, his voice carrying through the windows, “let’s prepare ourselves for the two very important matters before us today, the consideration of Andy Leitner as a new member of the Old Order, followed by Gabe Glick’s confession.”

The back door flew open and several little boys whooped as they ran into the yard. The girls were more demure but equally eager to be playing after a three-hour church service. A few teenagers come out next, followed by a nice-looking fellow and then Ira, Luke, and Millie.

“Nora, this is Andy Leitner, the nurse who runs the new clinic down the way,” Luke spoke up. “Andy, Nora has bought Hiram’s place—”

“Ah, the gal who’s to open the new store,” Andy said as he shook her hand. “Sounds like you’ve taken quite a step, coming back to Willow Ridge.”

“And you’ve made quite a life change, joining the Amish church—and bringing your medical expertise to town,” Nora replied as she took in his black broadfall trousers, matching vest, and white shirt. While his Sunday clothes and straw hat made him appear Plain, the final decision wasn’t his to make. He’d taken a considerable risk to come this far in his quest to join the Amish faith. “I wish you all the best.”

In the house, one male voice followed another as the members voted on whether to accept Andy into the church. “Aye . . . aye . . . aye . . .”

It was gratifying to hear lifelong Amish folks accepting an Englischer, after Andy had sold his previous home—given up the life he’d always known—and taken his instruction in the Amish faith so he could marry Rhoda Lantz. Soon the vote continued on the women’s side of the room, and Nora’s heart thrummed as the ayes kept coming. It gave her hope that this community might accept
her
presence even if she couldn’t follow the strict doctrines and principles that formed the backbone of the Amish faith.

The Hooleys’ back door swung open. Rhoda stepped outside, beaming as she wiped her eyes. “You’re to come inside now, Andy,” she announced. “You’re one of us! A member in
gut
standing.”

Rhoda and Andy’s embrace made Nora envious of the affection this couple shared—and when a school-age boy and girl who resembled Andy ran over to join their hug, the family picture was complete. Nora shared a smile with Millie as Andy and Rhoda went inside.

“That’s fabulous,” Nora murmured. “You can feel the love and the respect they have for each other. They just
glow
.”

“
Jah
, it’s
gut
to see that everybody wants Andy here,” Millie agreed. “He’s had half of the clinic building made over into their new home, so things would’ve gotten sticky if he and Rhoda couldn’t get hitched after all Andy’s given up to be with her.”

Nora nodded. She found it heartening that a good man like Andy Leitner had sacrificed so much to be able to marry the woman he loved. Such things did happen, even if she’d not had them happen in
her
life. As Bishop Tom’s voice rose again, she listened closely.

“We’ve a more serious issue to consider now, concernin’ the return of the Glicks’ daughter, Nora,” he said in a solemn voice. “More than once Nora has asked for her
dat
’s forgiveness for the circumstances surroundin’ her unwed pregnancy, but Gabe’s turned away from her. Because this goes against Jesus’s teachings about forgiveness, I’ve asked him to give a kneelin’ confession today, to cleanse his heart so their family can reunite in God’s love and—”

“But see, that’s where I’ve got a problem with this whole procedure.”

Nora’s eyes widened at the defiant edge in her father’s voice. She heard a lot of whispering because Dat had dared to interrupt the bishop, and to defy him.

“What do you not understand?” Vernon’s voice rose above the murmuring of the crowd. “You’ve spent most of your life as a preacher of the Old Order—”

“And Tom here was a preacher just like me when I sent Nora away,” her
dat
protested. “He and Hiram went right along with sendin’ Nora to her aunt’s house to have her baby. It’s still the way we separate these girls, to give them time to consider their sin and to find a home for the child. So if my decision was right back then, why am I gettin’ called out for it now?”

“Ah, but let’s remember that ya sent Nora away without consultin’ me or Hiram or Jesse Lantz,” Bishop Tom pointed out. “And
jah
, while it’s the way we’ve historically handled that situation, the issue
now
is that Nora has asked ya to forgive her, and you’ve refused. More than once.”

“Not my doin’ that she came back,” her father retorted. “And not my doin’ that she dumped Millie on Atlee’s porch instead of adoptin’ her out, either.”

Wincing, Nora slung her arm around Millie’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry you heard that,” she murmured.

“This is just wrong,” Luke muttered as he and Ira huddled around Nora and her daughter. “I can’t believe Gabe’s picking at these straws.”

“And the way I see it,” Vernon spoke up in the house, “God’s will has been at work all along. Where would you and Wilma be, if it weren’t for your granddaughter caring for you? And Nora, who was lost to you for so many years, has returned, wanting to reunite with your family. I see that as a tremendous blessing.”

“Had she done it right all those years ago—come home and joined the church, like she was supposed to—we wouldn’t be havin’ this discussion,” Dat ranted.

“Forgiveness, Gabe. It starts with
you
,” Bishop Tom stated. He sounded a lot less patient now.

“Our faith is all about forgiveness,” Vernon chimed in. “Forgiveness and following God’s will rather than being misled by our own willful ways. You’ve been given this chance to start fresh, Gabe. What’s your response to God’s call?”

Nora held her breath as silence ensued—until the back door flew open and her father limped out. Anger contorted his weathered, wrinkled face when he saw the four of them standing together. “Eavesdroppers, the lot of ya!” he spat as the sunlight flickered on his glasses. “No respect for your elders or the ways of the church.”

When Dat lurched, Nora started over to catch him, but Luke held her fast. Her father regained his balance by leaning against the side of the house for a moment. Then he hobbled toward the lane to walk home.

“He’s gonna fall,” Millie whimpered as she watched her grandfather’s unsteady progress.

“And whose fault is that?” Luke muttered. “But for you, Nora, I’ll see that he makes it to the house.”

Nora watched, her heart in her throat, as Luke caught up to her father—and then saw Dat swat away the arm Luke offered him. She turned to follow the words that were drifting through the window.

“Much as I regret takin’ this course of action,” Bishop Tom was saying, “I warned Gabe that he’d be shunned for six weeks if he didn’t confess. I’m askin’ everyone to keep Wilma and Millie, Lizzie and Atlee, and Nora in your prayers during this difficult time, and I’m askin’ God to shine His light on Gabe’s heart and soul.”

As the Members’ Meeting adjourned, chatter rose inside the house. Nora had thought she was immune to Dat’s bitterness by now, but when she saw the anguish on her daughter’s face, she reminded herself that this shunning wasn’t about
her
. Mamm and Millie, as the ones who saw to Dat’s day-to-day living, were the most affected. The most
afflicted
. How would they handle the in-house separation that shunning required? Dat’s meals were to be served at a separate table, and they were to limit their speaking to him, except to exhort him to seek the path of salvation.

Men emerged through the back door carrying long tables to be set up for the common meal, talking earnestly among themselves about what had just taken place. It had been unusual enough when Hiram Knepp, their previous bishop, had been cast out—and now, less than a year later, a retired preacher had been shunned, as well. It didn’t look good that longtime leaders of the Willow Ridge church district needed such discipline.

Nora saw her mother slipping out the back door, her hand at her mouth as though she were ready to cry. She and Millie hurried toward her with Ira following close behind.

“Mamma, I heard it all from out here,” Nora murmured as she grasped her mother’s hands. “I—I’m sorry I’ve caused so much trouble—”

“Puh! The trouble is inside your
dat
’s hard head. There’s been no gettin’ through to him of late,” Mamm muttered as she also reached for Millie. “I wanted to crawl in a hole. I can’t be in that house with him after what-all he’s said today. He’ll have to make do by himself until he comes to his senses.”

Nora gasped. Her mother had always followed the Old Order ways of a submissive wife who obeyed her husband and the church’s leaders. Mamma looked worn around the edges, yet she showed no sign of backing down from the stand she’d just taken.

Millie licked her lips nervously. “Where’ll we go, Mammi? What about when Dawdi needs meals or his clothes washed or—”

“He’ll have to humble himself and ask someone for help—or live hungry, in his own stink,” Nora’s
mamm
answered. “I’ve wasted all the breath I’m goin’ to on that impossible man. Don’t know what’s come over him.”

“Come to my house,” Nora blurted. “I’ve got plenty of room for both of you.”

“Or you can stay with Atlee and Ella and me,” Lizzie said as she joined them. “This is just—I can’t believe Gabe’s let it go this far.”

Mamma stared at the grassy ground for a moment. “I’m not sure Atlee’ll be any too happy to have me under his roof—”

“Well, it’s my roof, too,” Lizzie insisted as she shifted Ella to her other shoulder. “After all the times I’ve urged Atlee to spend more time at your house, helpin’ with things, it’s only right that he provide ya a place. It’s only for the six weeks of Gabe’s shunning, after all.”

In the expressions that flickered across her mother’s drawn face, Nora detected a hint that her parents’ separation might not end when the shunning did. She felt surprised at her mother’s determination, but it stemmed from a deep desperation that appalled her even more. Her heart faltered when her mother gazed up at her.

“Are ya sure it’d be all right to stay at your place, Nora?” Mamm asked in a breathy voice. “I don’t want to impose—”

“It’s all settled,” Nora insisted. “You can stay as long as you need to.”

“
Denki
, Daughter,” her mother murmured. “When Gabe launched into his hardheaded excuses, all I could think was how I could
not
endure six weeks of his attitude,” she added in a rising voice. “He brought this on himself. I’m not lookin’ after him again until he apologizes to you girls and gets himself right with God. And if I get shunned for disobeyin’ my husband, well—so be it.”

Nora held Millie’s wide-eyed gaze as they both gripped Mamma’s withered hands. She certainly hadn’t anticipated her mother’s declaration of independence—nor had she figured on having two houseguests, although the idea made her smile. “I’d better not help you with your packing. Dat’ll accuse me of luring you into my English ways.”

“I’ll help ya,” Ira insisted. He’d been listening to their conversation from a respectful distance. “I’ll go in with ya while ya pack, and I’ll have a rig ready to take ya to Nora’s. I think it’s a great idea that you’re goin’ to her place, considerin’ how Gabe won’t let her into your house. The three of ya can catch up with each other—as well ya should.”

Nora appreciated the heartfelt, sincere way Ira wanted to help them. Was it her imagination, or had he matured a lot in the past few weeks? As it sank in that three generations of Glick women would be together at last, Nora knew she could be ready—knew she could somehow put her new consignment store together, as well—while they all weathered this emotional storm.

For the first time in years, Nora felt she had a family who loved her and would stand by her, just as she would shelter them during their time of trial. It seemed right somehow, and she intended to make the most of the time she’d share with two people she wanted to know a lot better.