Plain Peace (A Daughters of the Promise Novel) (6 page)

Jacob changed his shirt before he went downstairs. His excitement about Anna asking him to the singing had provided a welcome distraction from his troubles. But knowing that she was using him put a damper on the plan. Had everyone really been so fearful of her grandfather that they hadn’t asked her out? Jacob would have gladly faced off with her grandfather for a chance to go out with her. But he sure wished the circumstances this afternoon were different.

His mother and the twins were in the living room knitting when he walked in, and he figured his brothers were outside.

“Where’s
Daed
?” Jacob poked his head into the kitchen before his mother answered but saw no sign of his father.

“He’s resting right now.”
Mamm
didn’t look up.

“He’s
always
resting.” Jacob shook his head as he pulled his hat from the rack.

She looked up but ignored his comment. “I think it’s wonderful that you’ve found someone to take to the singing already.”
Mamm
glanced at Anna Mae and Mary Jane. “Maybe your
schweschdere
would like to go?”

“This is a date,
Mamm
.” Jacob put one hand on his hip and shifted his weight. “But you know I’ll take the twins if they want to go.” He glanced at his sisters, wishing they would go—and wishing they wouldn’t go. They both shook their heads, leaving him relieved and sad.

By the time he arrived at Anna’s house, his stomach was churning. He hoped Anna would wait for him outside, but after everything he’d heard about her grandfather, he was sure it wouldn’t be that easy. Once Bolt was tethered, he walked across the yard and up the porch steps. Anna’s house was big like his own and appeared freshly painted. The porch decking was light gray, and two white rocking chairs sat on either side of a plain white table. Not surprisingly, there were no wind chimes or other decorations on the porch, but it was nice to see the colorful assortment of blooms in the flowerbeds.

He knocked on the door, stood taller, and took a deep breath. Anna answered right away. She wore a burgundy-colored dress beneath a black apron, and she was smiling. Jacob couldn’t get over how pretty she was. She could have anyone that she wanted, someone far better looking and more suitable than him. But this was God’s plan, he supposed, so Jacob would do his part—letting the district know that her grandfather would let her date.

His stomach lurched as Anna stepped aside so he could come in.

“
Mammi
and
Daadi
would like to meet you before we go.” She was still smiling, and Jacob wished they were going out under different circumstances. A
real
date.

“
Ya
. Sure.” Jacob crossed the threshold, and he recognized the aroma of freshly baked bread mixed with something else he couldn’t quite identify. Their living room was the plainest he’d ever seen, and his own family was going to be in trouble if this was how Bishop Byler expected everyone’s home to be. There was a small, tan couch, two wooden rocking chairs, a simple coffee table, two lanterns on the mantel, and . . . He glanced around. That was it. No propane lighting, no wall decorations whatsoever. Not even a clock. He quickly looked to his right when heavy footsteps grew louder.

Bishop Byler hadn’t looked all that scary at worship service earlier. But now that the man was in his own home, scowling, Jacob could see what all the fuss was about. The bishop was a tall man with slumped broad shoulders, and as he looped his thumbs beneath his suspenders and frowned, Jacob wondered what he was in for.

“
Mei maedel
does not kiss on dates, and she must be home by seven o’clock.” Bishop Byler raised his chin, stroked his gray beard, and peered at Jacob. “Understood?”

Jacob felt his face reddening. A quick glance at Anna found hers to be a bright crimson as well.

“
Ya
. Yes, sir.” Jacob pushed back the rim of his hat and nodded, hoping this portion of the date would go quickly. “I will have her home by seven.”

Bishop Byler folded his arms across his chest. “And what else?”

Jacob glanced again at Anna, who was now hanging her head. “I—I . . . uh . . . no kissing.”

“
Ach
, good grief, Isaac. Leave the boy alone.”

Jacob had met Marianne Byler earlier in the day, and he was glad to see her entering the room now. “Nice to see you again,
Jacob.” She gave his hand a squeeze and smiled at Anna. “You
kinner
go on now, and have a
gut
time.”

Jacob waited for a cue from Anna, and when she waved for him to follow, he did so quickly.

Marianne closed the door behind Anna and her date, then whipped around to face her husband. “Why did you embarrass them both like that?”

Isaac raised his chin, frowning. “Why did you speak to me in such a way in my own home, in front of the
kinner
?”

“I’m sorry, Isaac.” Marianne softened her voice to appease him. “But don’t you ever wonder why no young lads have come calling for Anna? They’re scared of you. And now, finally, a new boy in town comes a-courtin’, and you’re gonna scare him off.”

Her husband walked to the couch and sat down. He picked up his Bible and his reading glasses, slipping the spectacles on his face. “He needs to be scared. Not just any young man deserves to be with our Anna. This Jacob must prove himself worthy first.”

Marianne sat down beside him and touched him gently on the leg. “My dear, Anna must make her own choice for a husband, but if you scare away all her options, she’ll have to settle for whoever is brave enough to face you. Do you want that?”

He turned the page in the Bible and pushed his glasses up on his nose before turning to face her. “I was a young man once. I know how they are.”

Marianne grinned. “
Ya
, I know. I remember how
you
were too.” She tapped a finger to her chin. “And if I recall,
mei daed
was just as worried about me as you are about Anna. But you must trust
her to make
gut
decisions.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Why don’t you take a nap, and I’ll cook us some supper.”

“A nap does sound
gut
.” Isaac pulled his glasses off and put them on the coffee table. “See you in a bit.” He kissed her before heading to their bedroom, and Marianne hurried to the kitchen. She pulled out a tub of leftover stew and quickly set it on the stove, turning the knob to low.

Once she could hear Isaac snoring, she tiptoed to the basement entrance, eased the door open, and hurried down the stairs.

A
NNA WISHED SHE
’
D NEVER ASKED
J
ACOB TO THE SINGING
. He was sure to tell people what her grandfather had said. And even if her friends saw her on a date, they’d eventually learn the truth—how Anna had asked Jacob out.
Why didn’t I think of that?
But the silence in the buggy was too awkward not to say something and try to make the best of it.

“
Danki
for taking me to the singing. And I’m sorry about
mei daadi
.” She turned to face him, wishing this was a real date—one he’d asked her on because he was interested in getting to know her better.

“
Ach
, it’s okay. He’s just looking out for his little girl.” Jacob flashed his perfect smile, and she again wondered why he even agreed to this. He could easily have gotten out of it by just saying he didn’t have his own buggy.

She pulled her eyes from his. “It was just so embarrassing.” She let out a heavy sigh, but Jacob chuckled. She lifted her head. “What’s so funny?”

“I was just thinking how goofy I must have looked. I could feel my face turning red, and I wasn’t sure what to say.” He clicked his tongue until his horse picked up the pace.

Anna twisted slightly in the seat to face him. “Under the
circumstances, I think you did just fine.” She paused, twirling the string from her
kapp
around her finger. “Are you going to tell everyone what my grandfather said?”

His smile faded. “
Nee
, Anna. I won’t tell anyone. I don’t want to blow your chances of someone asking you out.” He paused, still not smiling. “I’ll tell everyone—Rubin and Ben included—that it was very easy, taking you out and facing your grandfather.”

The edge in his voice was confusing, but Anna cringed just the same. “Ew. I don’t want to go out with Rubin or Ben, so I really don’t care what you tell them.”

“So do you have someone else in mind?”

Anna kept her eyes on him, even though his gaze was straight ahead. He wasn’t even pretending this was a real date. Part of her had hoped he would, even if just for the afternoon. No one in her district was as handsome as he was, plus he’d raced after her when she was upset and been brave enough to face her grandfather. She sighed. It would still be nice getting to know him, even though she knew he’d end up with someone who was a better match. Like Emma.

“There’s no one in particular I’m interested in,” she finally said.
Except maybe you
. At one time she’d had a crush on Jesse Dienner. He’d married a girl named Shelby, someone new to their district, so that had ended that. But maybe if Jacob stayed true to his word and didn’t mention her grandfather’s grilling, someone unexpected would ask her out.

They were quiet for a while as the buggy rolled down the gravel road. The Huyards were hosting the singing, and they lived about six miles outside of Paradise. Whoever held worship service usually hosted the singing in the evenings, but Sadie and Kade
didn’t have children old enough to participate, so the Huyards had offered to have the gathering at their house.

With two miles to go, the tension was thick, so Anna spoke up again. “Emma said she thought you moved from Middlefield, Ohio.” She paused. “I guess that would explain this black buggy, as opposed to the gray ones we all have.” She’d also noticed the slight differences in his clothing, and she was glad her grandfather hadn’t mentioned anything about that. Usually a new family was given time to adhere to the rules of a new district.

“
Ya
. We moved here a couple of weeks ago.”

“What made you move to Lancaster County?”

He shifted his weight in the seat, his eyes forward, and just shrugged. “Needed a change.”

Anna pursed her lips together, knowing she could be a nosy Nellie sometimes. But curiosity won out. “Did you leave family behind?”

“Ya.”

Hmm . . .
“I bet that was hard.”

“Ya.”

Anna released the string of her prayer covering and dropped her hands to her lap. “I’ve never been outside of Pennsylvania.”

“You’re kidding? Not even on a vacation?” Jacob turned to face her, frowning.

“We don’t go on vacations.” She twisted in her seat. “Have you traveled a lot? Have you been on an airplane? What about Florida? Lots of folks around here vacation in Florida.”

“I’ve traveled a little, and yes, I’ve been on an airplane.”

She gasped slightly. “Really? Where did you go?”

Jacob pulled back on the reins and the buggy slowed. He
reached in his pants pocket, apologizing as he put a cell phone to his ear. Anna had never had a mobile phone, and while they’d been widely accepted by Bishop Ebersol, eight months ago her grandfather had forbidden them completely. She knew that many members of the community still used them for business but kept them hidden.

Anna watched as Jacob’s eyes widened. He pulled back on the reins until the horse was completely stopped. “I’m on my way.” He glanced at Anna. “I have someone with me.” He paused, nodding. “Okay.”

“Is everything all right?” she asked as he set the phone on the seat in between them.

“
Nee
. I have to go home. Right now. It’s
mei bruder. Mamm
said something is wrong with him, but she was crying and I couldn’t understand her.” He slapped the horse with the reins and yelled for him to take off. “I’m closer to my
haus
than yours. Do you mind coming with me? I’m sorry about this.” His mouth was tight, his jaw clenched.

“Of course not. Do you need to call an ambulance? Or I know some drivers for hire.”

“I don’t think so.” He shook his head. “I mean . . . I don’t know. I don’t know what’s wrong.”