Plain Proposal (33 page)

“I’ve missed you,” he said as he approached her side of the spring buggy, and as her face lit with a smile, he didn’t think he’d meant anything more in his life. He extended his hand to help her down. “I’m sorry I didn’t say bye on Saturday.”

“It’s all right.” She kept her hand in his as they stood facing each other. “You seemed upset that
mei mamm
was talking to Bishop Ebersol. I was wondering if she was talking about us.”

“Maybe. Maybe about our wedding. We should choose a date, then publish it.” He squeezed her hand.

Miriam’s blue eyes sparkled. “
Mamm
made some rhubarb soup the other day, and she put mint in it. It was her third time to try to make the soup.” Miriam crinkled her nose. “It was terrible—for the third time. She mumbled your name and gave it to the dog.” She brought a hand to her mouth, stifling a grin. “Know anything about that?”

Saul laughed. “I gave her that recipe when she was here.”

Miriam giggled, but then her smile faded. She looked down for a moment, then turned to him and asked, “What did she say to you that day, Saul?”

When he didn’t answer, she said, “I can’t wait to be your
fraa
, Saul, but are you sure you can be happy here? I still don’t understand why you’ve given up going to Pittsburgh, and I think
mei mamm
had something to do with it.”

Saul knew Rebecca wasn’t to blame for his decision. She might have destroyed his family’s reputation by talking to Bishop Ebersol, but Saul was making the best choices for his family. It just wasn’t God’s plan for him to leave here and pursue a life in the
Englisch
world. No matter how much he’d wanted it and prayed about it, there were just too many obstacles in his path. He remembered his mother saying once that if things are meant to be and part of God’s plan, then they come easily and without forced effort. So instead of praying for a new life outside of his community, Saul had been praying that he would accept God’s will for both him and Miriam, whatever that might be.

“No, Miriam. Your
mamm
didn’t convince me to stay here. I just ain’t ready to leave Ruben and James yet.” He clutched her hand with both of his.

Miriam squared her shoulders and stood taller. “Maybe we shouldn’t get baptized, then. Maybe we should wait and see if you decide to go to Pittsburgh later, in a few years.”

“You would do that for me? Wait?”

“
Ya
. I would.”

Saul heard her say she would wait for him, but her tone was reluctant, and he knew right then that he could never do that to her. He didn’t feel worthy of all the sacrifices she was willing to make for him, especially since she didn’t know the real reason why he couldn’t go to Pittsburgh. Now was the time to be completely honest with her.

He touched her chin, quickly glanced around the yard, then kissed her lightly on the lips, grateful that his father and brothers were already inside. “I love you, Miriam. I don’t want to wait to get married. We’re going to get baptized in October, then marry in November. Nothing would make me a happier man.” He smiled at her, then took a deep breath. “But there’s something I want to tell you.”

They both turned when they heard horse hooves clicking against the driveway.

“Bishop Ebersol,” Saul said and hung his head. “This is what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“About Bishop Ebersol? Why is he here?” The look of concern in her eyes made Saul’s heart ache.

“
Ya
. He’s probably here to talk to my father. . .”

“What? What are you talking about, Saul?” Miriam’s hand was on his arm.

Bishop Ebersol pulled in beside Miriam’s buggy before Saul had time to answer. He wasn’t sure what to tell her anyway. Miriam dropped her hand to her side, and Saul’s heart thudded in his chest as he watched the older man step down from his covered buggy, aided by a long black cane in one hand. Saul could feel his world getting ready to crash down around him.

Once everyone found out, his family would be avoided, shamed in the community. It wasn’t their way to judge, but Saul knew there would be plenty who would practice their own private form of shunning. He locked eyes with Miriam and wondered how she would be affected by it.
Will you still want to marry me?

“Hello, Saul.
Wie bischt?
” Bishop Ebersol extended his hand to Saul, then he turned to Miriam and nodded. “Hello, Miriam.” He stroked his long gray beard that ran the length of his chest. “I need to see your father, Saul. Is he inside?”

Saul was sure Bishop Ebersol could see his heart beating beneath his dark-blue shirt. He took a deep breath. “
Ya
. He is inside with
mei bruders
.” Saul gestured toward the house, then turned to Miriam.

“I should go.
Mamm
will be waiting for me to help with supper.” Miriam backed up a step and offered a weak smile. “Bye, Saul. Good-bye, Bishop Ebersol.”

“See you Saturday at the barn raising, Miriam.” Saul gave her a quick wave of his hand, and Bishop Ebersol again nodded at her. They waited a few moments until Miriam was heading down the driveway, then the bishop said, “I know it is near the supper hour, but it’s important that I speak with your father. I’ve not been well the past few days, or I would have come sooner.”

Saul knew there was no way to avoid the crisis at hand, but he didn’t want James and Ruben around when his father was humiliated. “I’ll go let
Daed
know you’re here, and I’ll ask James and Ruben to help me in the barn so that you can talk.”

“That will be
gut
.”

Saul’s steps were heavy as he walked into the house.
Daed
was reading but still in his work clothes, and James and Ruben were nowhere in sight.

“Where’s James and Ruben?” Saul asked when he entered the den.

His father eased his reading glasses off and smiled. “We all worked hard today, so I told them to go ahead and bathe. I’ll milk the cows later after supper. They deserve a break.” His father chuckled. “I’d give you a break too,
mei sohn
, and cook us some supper, but I’m not much
gut
in the kitchen.”

You’re a
gut
man. And now the bishop is here to humiliate you
.

“Bishop Ebersol is here to talk to you. Privately, I think.”

Daed’s
eyes clouded as his expression soured. “I wonder why.” Then he stood up. “The bishop is always welcome, of course.”

“I’ll go see if James and Ruben want to play basketball before I start supper, so you and the bishop can talk.”

His father nodded. Saul darted up the stairs and summoned James and Ruben, who were always happy when Saul challenged them to play a game.

But a few minutes later, as Saul aimed the ball for his first shot, he watched his father opening the door for Bishop Ebersol. He threw, but the ball didn’t go anywhere near the basket.
This is it
.

He saw Ruben toss the ball out of the corner of his eye, but he felt like his breath was being sucked out of him as he bent over and leaned his hands on his knees, wondering how this night would change all their lives.

A car coming up the driveway pulled his attention from the game. He waited and was surprised to see Noah Stoltzfus step out. Noah was Rebecca’s brother who ran a clinic for both
Englisch
and Amish in the area. He’d been shunned years ago for leaving the Order to become a doctor, but his contributions to the community had earned him respect, and over time hardly anyone recognized the shunning. This was bad timing, though, and he couldn’t imagine what Noah was doing here. He couldn’t recall Noah visiting before.

“Hi, boys.” Noah waved as he crossed the yard, hurrying across the grass and up the porch steps.

“Wait!” Saul called out to Noah as he ran toward him, dropping the basketball. “
Daed’s
got company. Bishop Ebersol is here.”

Noah spun around. “I know. I’m here to meet with them.” He offered a brief smile, then quickly turned, pounded up the stairs, and was inside the house before Saul could say a word.

“Why’s Noah here?” James asked as he ran to Saul’s side.

Ruben joined them within seconds. “And why is the bishop here?”

They are all here to destroy our lives
.

Friday morning Miriam, Shelby, and
Mamm
were busy preparing food to be served at the barn raising the next day. Miriam had been thinking about what had happened at Saul’s. She didn’t understand what Saul wanted to tell her or why Bishop Ebersol was at his house, but she suspected her mother knew something. She’d tried to catch her mother alone several times, but
Mamm
had been busy preparing for the barn raising. She’d also been teaching Shelby more Pennsylvania
Deitsch
. Her cousin seemed to enjoy learning new words and phrases, although Miriam wasn’t sure why. Miriam had noticed the two of them growing even closer, and they hardly noticed Miriam was in the room that morning, which was fine by Miriam. She was glad to see her cousin happy.

Shelby’s parents were due to arrive in a week, and Miriam was going to miss Shelby terribly, especially their late-night chats. It really was like having a sister.

Even with all of the windows and doors open in the house, the kitchen was still sweltering as they worked. Miriam could feel the sweat dripping down her back beneath her dress.
Mamm
wanted to get the cooking done early before it got too hot, but in August, it was hot all the time. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand as she leaned down to pull a lemon sponge pie from the oven.

“Someone’s here.” Shelby walked to the opened door in the kitchen and peered through the screen. “In a car.”

Mamm
joined Shelby by the door. “I don’t recognize that car.”

Miriam put the pie on a cooling rack, then went to peer over Shelby’s and
Mamm’s
shoulders. “Uh-oh.”

Shelby twisted her neck to face Miriam. “What?”

They watched the blond-haired woman balancing on heeled sandals as she made her way across the yard.

“What is Lucy Turner doing here?”
Mamm
asked in a whisper.

Lucy clicked up the stairs and stopped on the other side of the screen. “Hello, Rebecca. Can I talk to you for a moment?” She clasped her hands and held them against her sleeveless red blouse. “It’s important.”

“Of course.”
Mamm
pushed the screen door open, and Miriam and Shelby backed up so Lucy could come into the kitchen. “Let’s go into the den.”
Mamm
motioned with her hand for Lucy to follow her. Miriam knew
Mamm
preferred folks to enter through the den, but with two doors on the porch, it was hard to direct people to the actual front door. Plus, Miriam was sure Lucy saw them staring at her through the screen door in the kitchen.

“I can see that you’re in the middle of supper preparation, so I won’t take up much of your time.”

Miriam and Shelby didn’t move. Miriam held her breath as she strained to hear what Lucy had to say.

Shelby leaned close. “I think the shoofly pie is probably ready,” she whispered in Miriam’s ear.

Miriam put her first finger to her mouth and kept it there until Shelby shrugged. She leaned her ear toward the entryway from the kitchen to the den, straining to hear Lucy.

“I need to know how I can reach Katie Ann. I know this must seem awkward, but it’s important that I speak with her. So I was hoping that you could give me her address and phone number in Colorado.”

Miriam blinked as she turned to Shelby and whispered, “Why would she want Katie Ann’s address and phone number?”

“How should I know?”

Miriam put her finger back to her lip and leaned in again. It was her mother’s voice she heard next.

“Lucy, I’m not sure what to do about this matter, but our Katie Ann is still grieving, I’m sure. It might be best not to call her right now.”

“I understand, but what I have to tell Katie Ann, I would like to do in person. I’m planning to travel to Canaan to do so. I know from Ivan that’s where they lived, but I think it would be less shocking for Katie Ann if she knew I was coming as opposed to my just showing up on her doorstep.”

“I see.”

It was quiet for a few moments, and Miriam wondered if her mother was going to hand over Katie Ann’s phone number and address. She fumbled with the string on her prayer covering while she and Shelby waited, but when she heard footsteps moving in the opposite direction, Miriam knew that
Mamm
was ushering her to the door in the den that led to the front of the house.

Miriam heard their voices, but she could no longer make out what was being said. She heard Lucy’s car on the driveway before her mother returned to the kitchen. Shelby was busy pulling the almost-burnt shoofly pie from the oven as Miriam asked, “Did you give her
Aenti
Katie Ann’s address and phone number?”

Mamm
drew her brows into a frown. “
Mei maedel
, were you eavesdropping?”

“It’s hard not to hear when you’re so close by.” Miriam paused. “What do you think Lucy wants? Poor
Aenti
Katie Ann. I bet she doesn’t think fondly of Lucy or want to talk to her.” Miriam let out a small gasp. “I think it would be awful if Lucy just showed up on Katie Ann’s doorstep, though, without Katie Ann being warned.”