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Authors: Jerry S. Eicher
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was coming soon, and cold chills ran up Hannah’s spine at the thought. Miriam was looking for a relationship. This is too horrible to even contemplate! If Miriam falls for Dennis, and he for her, what will happen? Surely Miriam wouldn’t join the Mennonites — but then Rebecca hadn’t wished to either. It was her man who did.
Was there time yet to warn Miriam? She would arrive soon. Even a rushed phone call would not reach her in time. And would she believe her anyway? What would she tell her mom? Something like, “I noticed again how handsome one of our young unmarried boys is, and I’m suspicious of him because his brother criticized Jake’s preaching today.” What sense did that make, except that she might be sore at him because his brother spoke against Jake? And Miriam would laugh anyway. She had yet to meet a boy who impressed her, and she had seen lots of them in Indiana. The young folk gatherings were crawling with Amish boys, and there were always plenty of visitors. Certainly not like Montana, which saw Amish visitors only once in a blue moon.
No, there was no use in warning Miriam. She wouldn’t listen anyway. Regardless, their mom had given her blessing to the trip, and that was that. Perhaps Miriam would have enough sense not to fall for Dennis once she arrived. She was a sensible sister most of the time, but love did seem to bring out the strangest qualities in people.
Elizabeth squeezed her hand again, and Hannah got to her feet. Behind them the benches had already emptied out, the women heading toward the kitchen. Hannah followed them, pausing when Betty grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bedroom. Several young children lay sleeping on the bed, with two babies lying on the floor, one with his eyes open, staring at them while he sucked his thumb.
Betty shut the door behind her.
“I can’t believe Will would do something like that,” Betty whispered. “That was another of Jake’s wonderful sermons, and Will was completely out of line. The man ought to be rebuked and called out in front of the church for his transgression.”
“Jake asked him for his testimony,” Hannah said. “And I guess he gave it.”
Betty jerked her arm, “Don’t be trying to butter things up, and don’t you go counseling Jake to be soft on Will when Bishop John wants to deal with the man. I saw your face afterward. And did you hear Rebecca sobbing? The poor woman. Will broke her heart in pieces, and this after we thought their problems from last year were over with.”
“It’s the Mennonite meetings that are causing the problem,” Hannah said.
“I think so too,” Betty said. “It’s disturbing the life of the community.”
“That’s not the worst thing,” Hannah said. “I just had the most horrible thought after church. I was thinking, what would happen if Miriam falls for Will’s brother, Dennis? She’s coming here hoping to find someone.”
Betty’s eyes widened and she clucked her tongue. “Yes, it’s going to be a hard time ahead. I do indeed feel it in my bones, child.”
Nine
Jake drove silently, his eyes on the road ahead. Hannah glanced briefly at him as she rubbed her forehead. A pounding headache was forming and promised to burst into full bloom.
“I’m sorry it went so late,” he said. “But the ministry needed to talk.”
“How are you doing?” she asked, touching his arm.
“Okay,” he said, not looking at her.
“What does Bishop John think should be done about Will?”
“He’s going over to visit him tonight.”
“That’s better than sending you like he did last year.”
“I guess I failed in my mission.”
“You didn’t, Jake. It’s those Mennonites. They are the problem.”
“Don’t say that,” Jake said, turning to look at her. “We shouldn’t blame other people for our own failures.”
“But you didn’t fail.” Hannah squeezed his arm. “You gave Will excellent advice that night. I was there and I heard it and Will listened. You
Was there time yet to warn Miriam? She would arrive soon. Even a rushed phone call would not reach her in time. And would she believe her anyway? What would she tell her mom? Something like, “I noticed again how handsome one of our young unmarried boys is, and I’m suspicious of him because his brother criticized Jake’s preaching today.” What sense did that make, except that she might be sore at him because his brother spoke against Jake? And Miriam would laugh anyway. She had yet to meet a boy who impressed her, and she had seen lots of them in Indiana. The young folk gatherings were crawling with Amish boys, and there were always plenty of visitors. Certainly not like Montana, which saw Amish visitors only once in a blue moon.
No, there was no use in warning Miriam. She wouldn’t listen anyway. Regardless, their mom had given her blessing to the trip, and that was that. Perhaps Miriam would have enough sense not to fall for Dennis once she arrived. She was a sensible sister most of the time, but love did seem to bring out the strangest qualities in people.
Elizabeth squeezed her hand again, and Hannah got to her feet. Behind them the benches had already emptied out, the women heading toward the kitchen. Hannah followed them, pausing when Betty grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bedroom. Several young children lay sleeping on the bed, with two babies lying on the floor, one with his eyes open, staring at them while he sucked his thumb.
Betty shut the door behind her.
“I can’t believe Will would do something like that,” Betty whispered. “That was another of Jake’s wonderful sermons, and Will was completely out of line. The man ought to be rebuked and called out in front of the church for his transgression.”
“Jake asked him for his testimony,” Hannah said. “And I guess he gave it.”
Betty jerked her arm, “Don’t be trying to butter things up, and don’t you go counseling Jake to be soft on Will when Bishop John wants to deal with the man. I saw your face afterward. And did you hear Rebecca sobbing? The poor woman. Will broke her heart in pieces, and this after we thought their problems from last year were over with.”
“It’s the Mennonite meetings that are causing the problem,” Hannah said.
“I think so too,” Betty said. “It’s disturbing the life of the community.”
“That’s not the worst thing,” Hannah said. “I just had the most horrible thought after church. I was thinking, what would happen if Miriam falls for Will’s brother, Dennis? She’s coming here hoping to find someone.”
Betty’s eyes widened and she clucked her tongue. “Yes, it’s going to be a hard time ahead. I do indeed feel it in my bones, child.”
Nine
Jake drove silently, his eyes on the road ahead. Hannah glanced briefly at him as she rubbed her forehead. A pounding headache was forming and promised to burst into full bloom.
“I’m sorry it went so late,” he said. “But the ministry needed to talk.”
“How are you doing?” she asked, touching his arm.
“Okay,” he said, not looking at her.
“What does Bishop John think should be done about Will?”
“He’s going over to visit him tonight.”
“That’s better than sending you like he did last year.”
“I guess I failed in my mission.”
“You didn’t, Jake. It’s those Mennonites. They are the problem.”
“Don’t say that,” Jake said, turning to look at her. “We shouldn’t blame other people for our own failures.”
“But you didn’t fail.” Hannah squeezed his arm. “You gave Will excellent advice that night. I was there and I heard it and Will listened. You
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