her own voice startled her. Perhaps from the outside looking in, the ways of the Amish seemed strange, even to someone like Harvey, who had lived among them for so long. Still, she felt inclined to protect the community, even the harsh bishop with his lack of emotion and compassion.
Among the Amish, the people were expected to live simple lives. The bishops of each g’may set the rules by which the people lived, the emphasis always focused on communal order and discipline. When those rules were broken, the consequences were accepted and followed. For some infractions, it meant a private confession. For others, it might be a public one. For the most serious transgressions, the perpetrator might fall under the bann , a shunning among the people until sins were properly confessed and repentance proved under way.
From the outside looking in, such a process might seem fierce and harsh. Yet everyone willingly agreed to live by those rules. There was no evangelism among the Amish, no pressure to join beyond that of parents pushing their children. However, no one fought the rules of the church. Indeed, had Amanda not met Alejandro, she would still follow those rules, despite not having taken her baptism. Now, because she had followed her heart, she had challenged the rules and, subsequently, the order of the g’may .
Oh, she understood it rather well now. The resistance that she had experienced on that very day from people who used to be considered friends as well as kin was a clear recourse spawned by her own actions and decisions. With the paparazzi stationed outside of her parents’ farm and wandering through Lititz, there was a conflict between the rule and order that the people wanted to follow and the intrusion of the outside world, the very world that they wanted so much to avoid.
Sighing, she sank down onto the bench at the table. With her eyes closed, she lifted her heart to God and prayed, begging for the strength to continue her journey. She prayed for Gelassenheit , complete submission to the will of God. Direct me, oh heavenly Father, she asked. Direct me so that I do the right thing for everyone: my schwester , my parents, my husband, and my community. I yield myself completely to your will, oh Lord.
Chapter Six
Please stay on the farm.
I don’t want you harassed.
It will only be for a few more weeks, yes?
How is your father doing?
When is Anna to arrive?
V.
It was Carlos who had reluctantly handed Alejandro the stack of magazines and tabloid papers at the condo while his boss was having breakfast. The sun was already high in the sky, a sky clear as can be, totally devoid of clouds. A perfect autumn day in California, he thought. The only thing missing was Amanda.
However, when he picked up the first tabloid, she was right there on its cover, staring back at him, as disoriented as a fawn in the headlights.
He set down his coffee mug and began to scan the article, the words repulsing him to his very core. The first paper had a photo of Amanda with the hired man by her side; the gossip columnist, Harris Perez, speculated that she had returned home for more than just helping her family. The next paper had the same photo on one side of the page and another photo of Alejandro arriving alone at the Teen Choice Music Awards the other evening. The headline infuriated him: “Viper’s Bite Too Much for Amish Belle.”
“Ay, Dios ,” he mumbled.
He didn’t need this. Not today.
“What time is the car picking me up?” he asked Carlos.
“It’s here already.”
Scooping up the papers, he shoved them into a black leather portfolio. “Make certain this gets into the car,” he demanded, thrusting the bag at Carlos. Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared through the sliding glass doors and hurried to his room to change.
The paparazzi thrived on speculation and controversy. That was a given. They took photos and published them out of context and with complete disregard for the truth. More celebrities
Among the Amish, the people were expected to live simple lives. The bishops of each g’may set the rules by which the people lived, the emphasis always focused on communal order and discipline. When those rules were broken, the consequences were accepted and followed. For some infractions, it meant a private confession. For others, it might be a public one. For the most serious transgressions, the perpetrator might fall under the bann , a shunning among the people until sins were properly confessed and repentance proved under way.
From the outside looking in, such a process might seem fierce and harsh. Yet everyone willingly agreed to live by those rules. There was no evangelism among the Amish, no pressure to join beyond that of parents pushing their children. However, no one fought the rules of the church. Indeed, had Amanda not met Alejandro, she would still follow those rules, despite not having taken her baptism. Now, because she had followed her heart, she had challenged the rules and, subsequently, the order of the g’may .
Oh, she understood it rather well now. The resistance that she had experienced on that very day from people who used to be considered friends as well as kin was a clear recourse spawned by her own actions and decisions. With the paparazzi stationed outside of her parents’ farm and wandering through Lititz, there was a conflict between the rule and order that the people wanted to follow and the intrusion of the outside world, the very world that they wanted so much to avoid.
Sighing, she sank down onto the bench at the table. With her eyes closed, she lifted her heart to God and prayed, begging for the strength to continue her journey. She prayed for Gelassenheit , complete submission to the will of God. Direct me, oh heavenly Father, she asked. Direct me so that I do the right thing for everyone: my schwester , my parents, my husband, and my community. I yield myself completely to your will, oh Lord.
Chapter Six
Please stay on the farm.
I don’t want you harassed.
It will only be for a few more weeks, yes?
How is your father doing?
When is Anna to arrive?
V.
It was Carlos who had reluctantly handed Alejandro the stack of magazines and tabloid papers at the condo while his boss was having breakfast. The sun was already high in the sky, a sky clear as can be, totally devoid of clouds. A perfect autumn day in California, he thought. The only thing missing was Amanda.
However, when he picked up the first tabloid, she was right there on its cover, staring back at him, as disoriented as a fawn in the headlights.
He set down his coffee mug and began to scan the article, the words repulsing him to his very core. The first paper had a photo of Amanda with the hired man by her side; the gossip columnist, Harris Perez, speculated that she had returned home for more than just helping her family. The next paper had the same photo on one side of the page and another photo of Alejandro arriving alone at the Teen Choice Music Awards the other evening. The headline infuriated him: “Viper’s Bite Too Much for Amish Belle.”
“Ay, Dios ,” he mumbled.
He didn’t need this. Not today.
“What time is the car picking me up?” he asked Carlos.
“It’s here already.”
Scooping up the papers, he shoved them into a black leather portfolio. “Make certain this gets into the car,” he demanded, thrusting the bag at Carlos. Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared through the sliding glass doors and hurried to his room to change.
The paparazzi thrived on speculation and controversy. That was a given. They took photos and published them out of context and with complete disregard for the truth. More celebrities
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