Katie's Forever Promise (34 page)

Carolyn stared at the ceiling for a few seconds. “I'd want to open with a bang. Maybe by announcing the birth of Jesus right from the start. Wouldn't that be fun and different?”

Katie pasted on a smile and tried to concentrate. Right now she really didn't care about putting on a program. But
yah
, that did sound like a
gut
idea. “Carolyn, I knew I asked you to help me for a
gut
reason.”

Carolyn beamed as they continued to work, laying out a rough sketch of poems and Scripture readings which would be
memorized by the students. Since Carolyn had been a student last year, she knew the pupils well enough to help match the parts with the right children.

“Jane and Clarice should each say a long poem,” Carolyn declared. “Clarice's piece could be on the hope of the coming Messiah, and Jane's could be on the dark times before there was a Savior born. Don't you think so, Katie?”

“That's fine with me,” Katie said. “But shouldn't that come before the opening about the birth of Jesus?”

Carolyn shook her head. “Everyone knows the story, Katie. It doesn't matter. The effect is what will carry the day. You have the first graders announcing the birth of the Jesus in their little squeaky voices—hopefully getting them to smile a lot. Right after that, you have Clarice and Jane stepping out with their parts. People will follow with no problem at all.”

Katie couldn't help asking, “Did Ruth do this any of the years she taught school?”

Carolyn laughed. “
Nee
. That's why I'm interested in something different. She always followed the story from the beginning to the end without fail. Every year the same thing.”

“Then it's fine with me,” Katie declared. If Ruth never did this, then that was exactly the thing she wished to do. That was a contrary attitude and quite unchristian, but right now that was how she felt.

They worked through the afternoon, and
Mamm
came to join them until she heard Jesse's buggy come down the driveway. When Jesse walked in, Carolyn and Katie heard some whispering. Carolyn looked away, holding her ears with both hands. But Katie listened as Jesse answered
Mamm
's questions.

“
Yah
, I told Norman what I had to say.”

“Mabel didn't accuse him of anything?”

“
Nee
, and I don't know why. She acted like nothing had
happened. She was all smiles when I got there, and she stuck up for him the whole time. She even said she'd fallen by accident. Norman did admit they'd been arguing, and he may have gotten a little loud. But that he was trying to catch Mabel from falling, and that's where the marks on her arm came from.”

Mamm
's soft sobs came next and were followed by silence.

“Can I open my ears now?” Carolyn whispered.

“
Yah
.” Katie smiled faintly. “Everything's okay, I think. For now.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Ben parked his bicycle beside his
daett
's barn. Dusk fell early now, but he had lights on his bicycle and a flashlight so he figured he'd be okay. More than a week had passed since he'd been at Katie's for Thanksgiving. The
Englisha
people were beginning to put up their Christmas decorations in their living rooms, but he hadn't paid a lot of attention while driving past the houses. His mind was occupied with other things. It was time he made another trip to see Bishop Miller. He couldn't make things worse for Katie, could he? How could a simple talk harm anyone? And it might help.

Someday this legal mess would be over, and things could settle down to normal. Until then, there was little any of them could do about the situation. Katie had her meeting with the school board members last week, and Ben wanted to ask his
mamm
how things had gone. He should have gone over to see Katie sometime this week, but he'd been afraid of making things worse. Katie claimed he wouldn't, but he wasn't convinced.

“It's good to see you, Ben!” his
mamm
hollered from the front porch, interrupting his thoughts. “We just finished supper.”

“I'll be right in,” Ben hollered back. His
mamm
was waiting for him when he came up the steps.

“Have you had supper?” she asked.

Ben nodded. He'd made sure he'd eaten beforehand. He knew
Mamm
would be tempted to invite him in otherwise. Bishop Miller might not say anything about his eating at home, but why run the risk? He had pushed things far enough by spending Thanksgiving at the Mast's place. He was thankful his
daett
allowed him the use of Longstreet and the buggy during his visits to the farm.

“We're having devotions,”
Mamm
told him, seeming to read his thoughts. “You can stay for those, surely?”

Ben answered by following
Mamm
inside and taking his usual seat on the couch. He gave a quick smile and nod to his siblings.
Daett
read the Scripture, and Ben listened to the familiar words from Luke, chapter 14: “And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden…” The text was a parable about a man who was invited to a feast. This didn't relate to Ben's situation. He'd hoped the selection would perhaps be a message to him from heaven to give him direction, but it didn't seem to be.

Daett
finished reading and closed the Bible.

Ben knelt along with the rest of them as
Daett
prayed, asking for safety and blessing on all of them and thanking
Da Hah
for all the grace already given. When they stood up, Ben followed
Mamm
into the kitchen.

“Have you heard anything about Katie and the situation at school?”

Mamm
's eyes grew large. “Don't you know?”

Ben frowned. “I haven't stopped by to see Katie this week. I'm afraid I'm making enough trouble for her as it is.”

Mamm
smiled sadly. “You're probably right, Ben. The school board is letting Katie go after Christmas. I'm sorry to be the one who has to tell you such bad news.”

“Is it because of her relationship with me?”

Mamm
shrugged. “Partly, I suppose. But there are other reasons. There always are.”

Ben moved toward the door. “I'm going to speak with Bishop Miller right now. I told him I wasn't going to testify at the trial, why wasn't that enough?”

Mamm
touched his arm. “Ben, these things have to run themselves out. People will get over it.”

“But Katie's being let go. How is she going to get over that?”

“I don't know, but Katie's not the only one who has trouble in the world. You're looking at going to jail again if you don't testify.”

“I know,” Ben said. “I'm ready for that, if it happens.” He retreated to the living room. He nodded to
Daett
, grabbed his coat, and went out the front door. It might not do much
gut
to stop in at Bishop Miller's now, but he would have to try. Getting Longstreet out of the stall, he threw the harness on and led him out toward the buggy. Twenty minutes later he pulled into Bishop Miller's lane. The bishop and his
frau
were sitting in the living room with the gas light burning bright in the window. Laura retreated into the kitchen when he knocked on the door. She could have stayed to listen for all he cared, but perhaps Laura was tired of listening to all the troubles brought to her husband's ear. Bishop Miller, on the other hand, had to listen whether he wanted to or not.

“
Gut
evening, Ben,” Bishop Miller said, answering the door and motioning him inside toward the empty rocker.

Ben nodded. “
Gut
evening.” He took the seat the bishop offered.

“So what's wrong now?” Bishop Miller wasn't wasting much time getting to the point.

Ben's face was grim. “It's Katie I'm concerned about.
Mamm
says she's being let go from her school teaching job and partly because of me.”

Bishop Miller grimaced. “You aren't all to blame, Ben. But you do bear some of it.”

“I said I wouldn't testify. Doesn't that count for something?”

Bishop Miller shook his head. “The best thing you and Katie could do is stop seeing each other until you get yourself straightened out with the community and the church. But neither of you seem willing to do that.”

Ben leaned forward. “So Katie could keep her job then? If I didn't see her again? At least until the trial is over?”

Bishop Miller didn't say anything for awhile. He stared out the living room window into the darkness. “I don't think that will help much since there are other issues involved. Questions about Katie's judgment. I suppose it couldn't hurt though, so
yah
, maybe you should stay away from her. For the
gut
of both of you, but especially for Katie.”

“What a royal mess,” Ben muttered.

“The way of the transgressor is hard, Ben.” The bishop's voice was sorrowful. “And many innocent people are usually affected. You should have thought of that sooner.”

“You don't have to rub it in, Bishop. I already know.”

The bishop didn't back down. “Few people learn it well, Ben—except when they're in the trouble.”

Ben hung his head. “
Yah
, I suppose so. But can't you do anything for Katie? I'm willing to do my part by staying away from her. And by not testifying in court even if I have to go to jail. Is there anything else that can be done?”

Bishop Miller cleared his throat. “I can't promise anything, Ben.” The bishop paused before asking. “How's the condition of your own soul? How are you with
Da Hah
, to say nothing of the
church? We still hope that you will join us someday. Even with what you've been through.”

Ben kept his voice even. “I'd best not speak on those things now. My actions will have to speak for me. That seems to be the way things are these days.”

Bishop Miller nodded. “Just remember, your soul is your first priority, Ben. Take much thought about that matter and consider well changing your ways. We never know how much time we have to make things right, do we?”

“I
have
changed, Bishop,” Ben said. “And Katie has played a large part in that. But I'd best not go into that. There will be plenty of time later—once this is all straightened out. I won't take up more of your time. Thank you.”

Bishop Miller's smile was thin. “I'm here for what needs saying. And I'm glad to hear you've worked on getting right with
Da Hah
. Would you be going over to see Katie now?”

Ben didn't hesitate. “
Yah
, and I will tell her we must stay apart. Until…well, I don't know when. And I won't disgrace the community at the trial, I promise.”

“These are
gut
choices, Ben. But right now you must live them and not expect to reap benefits right away. I am sorry that things have come to this point, but they have.”

“Goodnight.” Ben left. As he guided Longstreet out of the lane, he noticed that Laura was back on the rocker. He almost waved to the two of them but decided not to. From now on he must stay out of the sight and mind of his people until his ordeal was over. He had done enough damage already—to himself, to
Mamm
and
Daett
, and, above all, to Katie. Ben drove north to the Mast place, pulled in the lane, and tied Longstreet to the hitching post. The lights were still on in the house, and Ben walked up the sidewalk and onto the porch to knock. Carolyn opened the door, gasped, and vanished without welcoming him in.

He took a step backward as footsteps sounded inside. Katie jerked the front door open. She looked like she was going to fly into his arms, but she stopped herself in time. “Oh Ben, I've been so hoping you would stop by!”

“Katie…” He touched her hand. “Can you go for a short ride with me?”

“I want to talk with you for hours, Ben. I have so much to tell you.”

He tried to smile. “Can you come, please?”

“Let me get my coat.” Katie disappeared for a moment, returned with her coat on, and followed him out to his buggy. He was untying Longstreet and ready to climb up on the seat beside her, when he changed his mind. They might as well stay right here in the driveway. Retying Longstreet, he pulled himself up into the buggy and slipped in next to Katie. She found his hand in the darkness.

Ben couldn't keep the tremble out of his voice. “
Mamm
told me about the school board letting you go. And I went over at once to speak with Bishop Miller. He's telling me the best thing I can do is stay away from you until this gets straightened out.”

“Is this how you feel, Ben?” Katie whispered.

“Of course not!”

“Ben, this is so hard.”

“I know, but there's no other way.”