Read Online Renewing Hope (In Your World #2) by Jennyfer Browne - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennyfer Browne
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what he said. I am sure you surprised him," he said, a slight smile on his face.
"Yes, I probably did. Which is just one more reason for him to be angry with me," I replied and poked at my food.
"What happened in class?" Emma asked, interrupting.
"The Bishop held the class in our language," Nathan explained. Emma's eyes grew wide.
"He did not! That is too much! What did you say to him, Katherine? Did you argue with him?" she asked, suddenly nervous.
I shook my head.
"She spoke. In our words," Nathan revealed.
Emma looked from me to Nathan in astonishment.
"Have you been teaching her?" she asked.
He shook his head and they both looked at me again.
"You know how to speak our language?" she asked, smiling.
"No. I took two years of German in high school. I know about enough to say my name and ask where the bathroom is," I muttered and stabbed at one of the meatballs on my plate.
"She knows more than that," Nathan said, grinning.
I looked up at them, frustrated.
"No, I really don't, Nathan," I retorted, my voice clipped. "I only understood about a third of what he said, and to be able to answer a question was nearly impossible. He knew it would be too much. Do you all speak it more than you have when I am around? I just felt like he was proving to me that I don’t belong because I will never learn everything."
John leaned in and put a calming hand on my own, looking at me with reassurance.
"Katherine, some of us speak it in our homes, but it is not who we are. We are whom you see, every day. Bishop Yoder had no right to do this. We speak both languages, and not knowing is no measure to keep you from learning our way," he said, his kind eyes offering some comfort.
I nodded and rubbed at my eyes, trying to keep from crying. I didn't want to show them how much this bothered me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful. I'm just worried he'll do anything to keep me out," I said.
"Something should be said regarding this," Emma declared and rose from her place.
I looked at her with wide eyes.
"No! You can't do that! Please, he hates me enough!" I pleaded.
Emma looked down at me with determination.
"I will not chastise him, Katherine," she started and then looked over her shoulder. "But I think you should speak with Elder Ezekiel. Perhaps he will say something."
I looked past her to see Elder Ezekiel sitting with the Bishop and the other Elder, Eli.
"I can't."
"No, not in the way you think, Kate," Nathan said and stood as well, a devious smile on his face.
He held out his hand and helped me up, looking toward the Elders, deep in thought before he nodded and steered me toward them.
"We will simply go over and speak with them, tell the Bishop we are happy to be in the class preparing for our life. And then you should thank him for his diligence in showing you properly. Leave the rest to me," he said and continued walking to where the Elders sat.
Ezekiel saw me first, smiling and waving us over. My throat was dry. I had no idea how this would go. I somehow knew the Bishop would make some excuse against me.
"Katherine! Welcome!" Ezekiel exclaimed and took my hand when I was close enough.
"Pleasant day, Elder Ezekiel. How are you today?" I said, trying to stall.
His smile widened and his grip tightened in mine.
"I am well, better having heard you started your classes today. How did you enjoy them?" he asked, glancing briefly at the Bishop.
I offered him my best smile.
"I learned much today. I am so appreciative for the Bishop's dedication to make sure I learn in the truest form," I said and felt Nathan step a little closer to me.
"It was certainly enlightening. I was surprised when you held the class in our language; we do it so infrequently now. And I had no idea Kate spoke German so well. How did you know, Bishop Yoder?" Nathan asked.
There was a tense silence, the Bishop looking at me with a mixture of irritation and fear, while the Elders looked at the Bishop in shock.
"Samuel?" Ezekiel asked,
"Yes, I probably did. Which is just one more reason for him to be angry with me," I replied and poked at my food.
"What happened in class?" Emma asked, interrupting.
"The Bishop held the class in our language," Nathan explained. Emma's eyes grew wide.
"He did not! That is too much! What did you say to him, Katherine? Did you argue with him?" she asked, suddenly nervous.
I shook my head.
"She spoke. In our words," Nathan revealed.
Emma looked from me to Nathan in astonishment.
"Have you been teaching her?" she asked.
He shook his head and they both looked at me again.
"You know how to speak our language?" she asked, smiling.
"No. I took two years of German in high school. I know about enough to say my name and ask where the bathroom is," I muttered and stabbed at one of the meatballs on my plate.
"She knows more than that," Nathan said, grinning.
I looked up at them, frustrated.
"No, I really don't, Nathan," I retorted, my voice clipped. "I only understood about a third of what he said, and to be able to answer a question was nearly impossible. He knew it would be too much. Do you all speak it more than you have when I am around? I just felt like he was proving to me that I don’t belong because I will never learn everything."
John leaned in and put a calming hand on my own, looking at me with reassurance.
"Katherine, some of us speak it in our homes, but it is not who we are. We are whom you see, every day. Bishop Yoder had no right to do this. We speak both languages, and not knowing is no measure to keep you from learning our way," he said, his kind eyes offering some comfort.
I nodded and rubbed at my eyes, trying to keep from crying. I didn't want to show them how much this bothered me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful. I'm just worried he'll do anything to keep me out," I said.
"Something should be said regarding this," Emma declared and rose from her place.
I looked at her with wide eyes.
"No! You can't do that! Please, he hates me enough!" I pleaded.
Emma looked down at me with determination.
"I will not chastise him, Katherine," she started and then looked over her shoulder. "But I think you should speak with Elder Ezekiel. Perhaps he will say something."
I looked past her to see Elder Ezekiel sitting with the Bishop and the other Elder, Eli.
"I can't."
"No, not in the way you think, Kate," Nathan said and stood as well, a devious smile on his face.
He held out his hand and helped me up, looking toward the Elders, deep in thought before he nodded and steered me toward them.
"We will simply go over and speak with them, tell the Bishop we are happy to be in the class preparing for our life. And then you should thank him for his diligence in showing you properly. Leave the rest to me," he said and continued walking to where the Elders sat.
Ezekiel saw me first, smiling and waving us over. My throat was dry. I had no idea how this would go. I somehow knew the Bishop would make some excuse against me.
"Katherine! Welcome!" Ezekiel exclaimed and took my hand when I was close enough.
"Pleasant day, Elder Ezekiel. How are you today?" I said, trying to stall.
His smile widened and his grip tightened in mine.
"I am well, better having heard you started your classes today. How did you enjoy them?" he asked, glancing briefly at the Bishop.
I offered him my best smile.
"I learned much today. I am so appreciative for the Bishop's dedication to make sure I learn in the truest form," I said and felt Nathan step a little closer to me.
"It was certainly enlightening. I was surprised when you held the class in our language; we do it so infrequently now. And I had no idea Kate spoke German so well. How did you know, Bishop Yoder?" Nathan asked.
There was a tense silence, the Bishop looking at me with a mixture of irritation and fear, while the Elders looked at the Bishop in shock.
"Samuel?" Ezekiel asked,
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