Read Online A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Vannetta Chapman
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A scowl replaced the smile as Samuel thought of his younger self. He’d been so sure he could work hard and make progress on Timothy’s farm in one year. But like most things in his life, it seemed that God or fate had been dead set against him. When the rains had come, they’d nearly flooded the crops. The southern fields had needed replanting, and the harvest had been late. The work was too much for two men, but Timothy refused to hire additional workers, refused to even ask for help from among the local brethren.
Things were different here than they had been in Pennsylvania. Perhaps he’d been wrong to move here alone, but the memories back home had been painful after his daed’s death. Then his mamm had remarried, and Samuel knew he needed to leave. He’d thought starting over would set things right. Meeting Katie had offered him his first glimmer of hope.
Where was his hope now?
A year later he was doing the same chores Timothy had assigned him when he’d first come. The man refused to trust him with more responsibility. He felt as if he were treated like a boy just out of eighth grade rather than a man.
Nineteen years old and he was still living in the little room back behind the barn. Next week would bring few changes. He’d be allowed to sleep in the house, with Katie, but their room would be small with very little privacy. The other rooms were all brimming with Katie’s five younger sisters.
Seeing an Englisch rest area ahead on the road, he pulled the buggy over into it.
“Is there a problem with the mare?” Katie asked, concern coloring her voice.
“No, it’s not that.” Samuel secured the horse, helped Katie out of the buggy, and commenced pacing.
“What is it? You’re not having second thoughts are you?”
“I would never have second thoughts about marrying you. How could you think that? Are you going to question my every move?” His anger spiked, and he felt the desire to punch something, anything. The weeks had slipped past like a noose settling around his neck. He had to think of a way to fix this, and he could only think of one. Pulling in a deep breath, he pushed the anger down, forced a smile on his face. “Katie, darling, do you love me?”
“You know I do. Samuel, what’s wrong?”
“And do you trust me?” He sat beside her at a picnic table, pulled her hands into his, and rubbed his thumbs over her fingers, which had grown cold.
“Of course I trust you.”
“I want us to go north, to marry there. I want to work in the RV factories near Shipshe.”
“But — “
“Hear me out. I have a delivery to make for your dat tomorrow. Tell your mamm you want to ride along. Tell her you want to visit your
aenti
for a couple of days. Doesn’t she live in Middlebury?”
“Ya, but— “
“We’ll see your
aenti
but you won’t stay there. That will give us time to marry. I’ve asked some friends, and we can do it with these papers.” He touched the envelope that she still clutched, the one they had signed for in town. It was to be used at their wedding, in Goshen, next week. It was to be used with the bishop.
“An Amish wedding?”
“No. You’re not listening!” Samuel stood again and resumed pacing.
“You want us to marry outside the church?”
“God will understand. Katie, there is no other way that I can see. Your father is a hard man — “
“My father is a gut man.”
“He is that.” Samuel stopped in front of her, rubbed at the headache pulsing in his temples. “But he sees the old ways and no other. He doesn’t remember what it’s like to be our age. He doesn’t remember how it feels to be young, to be starting a family. He clings so hard to the old that he won’t even accept the changes the bishop allows. It’s why your life is so hard. Why your mamm struggles so with the work and your schweschdern.”
“He loves us,” Katie whispered.
Samuel waited ten seconds, then twenty. Waited until she raised her gaze to his. “Ya, I know he
A scowl replaced the smile as Samuel thought of his younger self. He’d been so sure he could work hard and make progress on Timothy’s farm in one year. But like most things in his life, it seemed that God or fate had been dead set against him. When the rains had come, they’d nearly flooded the crops. The southern fields had needed replanting, and the harvest had been late. The work was too much for two men, but Timothy refused to hire additional workers, refused to even ask for help from among the local brethren.
Things were different here than they had been in Pennsylvania. Perhaps he’d been wrong to move here alone, but the memories back home had been painful after his daed’s death. Then his mamm had remarried, and Samuel knew he needed to leave. He’d thought starting over would set things right. Meeting Katie had offered him his first glimmer of hope.
Where was his hope now?
A year later he was doing the same chores Timothy had assigned him when he’d first come. The man refused to trust him with more responsibility. He felt as if he were treated like a boy just out of eighth grade rather than a man.
Nineteen years old and he was still living in the little room back behind the barn. Next week would bring few changes. He’d be allowed to sleep in the house, with Katie, but their room would be small with very little privacy. The other rooms were all brimming with Katie’s five younger sisters.
Seeing an Englisch rest area ahead on the road, he pulled the buggy over into it.
“Is there a problem with the mare?” Katie asked, concern coloring her voice.
“No, it’s not that.” Samuel secured the horse, helped Katie out of the buggy, and commenced pacing.
“What is it? You’re not having second thoughts are you?”
“I would never have second thoughts about marrying you. How could you think that? Are you going to question my every move?” His anger spiked, and he felt the desire to punch something, anything. The weeks had slipped past like a noose settling around his neck. He had to think of a way to fix this, and he could only think of one. Pulling in a deep breath, he pushed the anger down, forced a smile on his face. “Katie, darling, do you love me?”
“You know I do. Samuel, what’s wrong?”
“And do you trust me?” He sat beside her at a picnic table, pulled her hands into his, and rubbed his thumbs over her fingers, which had grown cold.
“Of course I trust you.”
“I want us to go north, to marry there. I want to work in the RV factories near Shipshe.”
“But — “
“Hear me out. I have a delivery to make for your dat tomorrow. Tell your mamm you want to ride along. Tell her you want to visit your
aenti
for a couple of days. Doesn’t she live in Middlebury?”
“Ya, but— “
“We’ll see your
aenti
but you won’t stay there. That will give us time to marry. I’ve asked some friends, and we can do it with these papers.” He touched the envelope that she still clutched, the one they had signed for in town. It was to be used at their wedding, in Goshen, next week. It was to be used with the bishop.
“An Amish wedding?”
“No. You’re not listening!” Samuel stood again and resumed pacing.
“You want us to marry outside the church?”
“God will understand. Katie, there is no other way that I can see. Your father is a hard man — “
“My father is a gut man.”
“He is that.” Samuel stopped in front of her, rubbed at the headache pulsing in his temples. “But he sees the old ways and no other. He doesn’t remember what it’s like to be our age. He doesn’t remember how it feels to be young, to be starting a family. He clings so hard to the old that he won’t even accept the changes the bishop allows. It’s why your life is so hard. Why your mamm struggles so with the work and your schweschdern.”
“He loves us,” Katie whispered.
Samuel waited ten seconds, then twenty. Waited until she raised her gaze to his. “Ya, I know he
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