Abram's Daughters: The Betrayal Part 15

The peace of Millersburg had caught her off guard, and s<> had Jonas Mast. "Well, jah, I s'pose it is."

"Anytime you're homesick and want to take a walk, jusi let me know. After all, we're soon to be brother and sister, ain't?"

She was a bit startled by his disarming smile and cordial ways. "Denki," she managed to say. "I'll let you know."

Weary from a long and busy day cleaning the clinic win dows, Leah headed upstairs after evening prayers and win. quite surprised to discover a small notebook lying open on hu bed.

"What's this?" she whispered, picking it up and realizinc it was the makeshift diary Hannah wrote in most every day. The note, attached with a paper clip, caught her eye.

Dear Leah, 1 feel anxious and peculiar asking you to read one of my recent diary entries, but when you do, I hope you'll understand. I've wanted to share this with you for a few days now, but I've been back and forth with the notion ... ever so confused, really.

Maybe we should talk privately after you read this.

With love, Your sister Hannah Well, she'd never encountered this before. What could U so important her shyest of sisters should invite a peek at In i secret musings 188 189lO et r a y a I ' ' it }.)iiiry, I'his i% a sad day for our family. How awful strange not know what to think or do first. So I'm writing what I know, litdlt'Vt' (o know, in this notebook.

To hfi'jn with, 1 innocently overheard my eldest sister say ni< friyliwning="" things="" to="" baby="" lydiann="" this="" morning="" while="" 'hhtui="" was="" gone="" from="" the="" house.="" sadie="" was="" holding="" lydiann="" 1="" vr="" rtrtfix,="" talking="" ever="" so="" softly="" about="" another="" baby.="" a="" baby="" .sfldiv="" had="" supposedly="" birthed="" but="" he="" had="" died="" for="" some="" on,="" she="" said.="" i'm="" guessing="" i="" must've="" heard="" wrong.="" surely="" ".in'="" of="" this="" is="" true.="" is="" my="" sadie="" suffering="" in="" the="" head?="" i'm="" thp(t="" so="" worried="" for="">

N(W 1 fear I must tell Mamma ... or Leah, maybe.

1 uiwrwise, I cannot live with this knowledge. Please, dear I < hi/="" (="">ud heavenly Father, may Sadie understand that by my ii i tndhig these words here, I am doing what I believe to be )if< p="">

Respectfully, Hannah Ebersol f r.ili looked around the room she'd shared with Sadie her Ir lilc. The place seemed too empty just now. What am 1 " .'.In-wondered.

"n she knew she must nip in the bud those things HanI UK I overheard. She took the diary notebook with her and h% down the hall to Hannah and Mary Ruth's bedroom. i cull knocked and poked her head in after one of them "('nine in." Turned out both twins were dressed for bed, M;uy Ruth had begun brushing her strawberry blond I l.innah was sitting on the cane chair near the dresser, 190.

-ly J2< removing="" her="" white="" head="" covering.="" "what="" is="" it?"="" she="" asked,="" glancing="" nervously="" at="" mary="">

Leah motioned with her finger, trying not to call ton much attention to herself, carefully keeping Hannah's diary behind her back. "Can you come to my room for a minute.'" She hoped Mary Ruth wouldn't trail along as she often did. Where one twin went, the other seemed content to follow.

Once Leah had quietly closed her door, she opened Hannah's notebook to the revealing page. "I just read this. You did the right thing, sharin' with me this way."

Hannah was silent, brown eyes blinking.

"Best keep mum about this for now." She paused. "No need worry in' Mamma and Dat."

Hannah nodded, seemingly willing to keep both her diary closed and her lips locked tight.

Such a sorry situation this was. Not only did Naomi Kauffman and Adah Peachey know something of Sadie's sin, but now Hannah knew and knew the worst part of it. Goodness'sake, Leah thought, it won't be long before everyone knows!191l-'H-

es-t,

<2->

^Htl next to Abram in the front seat of the open spring ^K Inooding over Sadie, now absent more than a week. ^Hn was exceptionally warm for the second to the last day PmRtist, and there was precious little breeze as they rode to In hopper Level for a Sat.u.r.day afternoon visit with Peter Li l.imiie Mast. Ida was awful glad to have received word [i>> Millersburg, though not directly from Sadie. Vera Mel i i, David's wife, had taken time to pen a quick note, sayI'.Ml is well here with your eldest. We'll take care to see she l-ii./'. church with us, as well as Bible study on Wednesday Zip.

I I icither Ida nor Abram had figured Jonas was involved in ili i forward-looking church. The Amish here shied away lin organized study of the Bible. So now Sadie, too, would liii tending a more open-minded community. Still, Leah had ii i >nas spoke favorably of the bishop there, so Ida tried to I .t-.it.lc her concerns and simply look forward to Sadie's nun in time for the Mast-Ebersol wedding. She would pray lv;is well with her dearest girl.

192.

lu J2e In the second seat of the wagon, Leah and Aunt Lizzie sal together, with Hannah and Mary Ruth on the bench behiml them. The wide cart was still full despite having a bit more breathing room, given Sadie was absent and Dawdi John h;ul decided to stay home and rest. In no time Lydiann fell asleep in Mamma's arms, lulled by the swaying and the peaceful dip clopping of the horse's hooves.

Leah watched the landscape drift slowly by plentiful trees, songbirds, gra.s.sy fields, and acres of cornstalks standing sentry. She wished she might relive the day she'd gotten hei self so mixed-up in the forest embarra.s.singly lost. Thinkini: back on it, she felt downright peculiar about Gid making ovn her like he had. She hoped to goodness he hadn't gotten iInwrong notion from her. Still, it was awful kind of him to fiinl her and help her home, weary as she'd been.

Sighing, her thoughts flew to Sadie, as they often did now, and her sister's final words to her at the Strasburg trolley. I'll be missing your baptism... . Sadie had said it so convincingly, as if it truly mattered she wouldn't be a witness to Leah's lidcovenant.

She wondered how long before a letter from her sisu-i might arrive. After all, Sadie had offered to write, and LimIi was glad about that. She felt she might burst into tears, I Inwhole of it was such a troubling thing, even now.

Aunt Lizzie touched her arm, patting it gently. "Best nui fret, Leah," she whispered.

Leah knew she must trust in the Lord G.o.d heavenly Father on behalf of Sadie. She would try harder to pray more often for her sister. That and encourage Jonas in her very next letter to look after Sadie, though there was little time 193.

^Hmi-In be home for his baptism. She could hardly wait! ^wliii: Jonas back even for a weekend would lift their spir^Hsull dl ihem for he would surely tell how Sadie was get^Bf nliing at the Mellingers'.

^B'1-' i lie minutes wore on she watched the clouds glide WM<>< itc="" sky.="" how="" eager="" she="" was="" to="" see="" and="" hold="" cousin="" mie's="" twin="" babies.="" she="" and="" mary="" ruth="" would="" be="" the="" ones="" i{="" captivated="" by="" the="" twins'="" sweet="" babyhood,="" she="" was="">

'iiiiiih, on the other hand, was somewhat unsure of herself nhMiinl young ones, infants especially.

Mamma must have been thinking along the same lines, ti it he said, "Girls, be extra careful if you hold either of Fan!!lt'(K babies. 'Specially Jake. He's not nearly as robust and In iilfhy as his sister Mandie. Nor Lydiann, neither one." fe,"We promise to be gentle, Mamma," Mary Ruth quickly ^Hicil from the back of the spring wagon. ^HC luce they arrived Dat let them off within a few yards of ^B hick door, then drove up to the barn. Peter Mast was ^Hting there to help unhitch and water the horse. "Hullo, ^Btim. I see you've got one less mouth to feed," Peter was ^M to say.

^HLeah paid little mind to his comment and walked across i!<> yard and up the back steps, along with Mamma, Aunt I ' ie, and the twins. Cousin Fannie, all rosy cheeked, greeted 11" in splendidly as always. Leah had to grin, wondering why ili' y didn't visit here more often, so pleasant it was. Fannie, II i mother-in-law'to'be, was smiling at each of them, offering mi1 ice-cold peppermint water for "whoever's thirsty." Imagining rhe wedding-day feast they'd be putting on before long, I i .ih clasped Fannie's outstretched hands.

194.

"Just look at you," Fannie said, eyes aglow. "How's oin next young bride?"

Leah felt her cheeks turn instantly warm, and Mamm.i spoke up right softly. "Best not be sayin' such things just yd."

Fannie gave a nod of the head. Leah, ever so glad none i >l the Mast boys were within hearing distance, went and sat ;il the table with her cousins Rebekah and Katie. Young Martini came over quickly and perched herself on the edge of the lon(, bench, eyes alight with curiosity. Surely Jonas's family h;ul some idea of their plans to marry, though it wasn't their ens torn for couples to speak openly of their engagement thin many weeks before the wedding season.

"Didja pick your bridesmaids?" Rebekah piped up, surpris* ing them all. i Thankfully Mamma intervened yet again. "Now, Becky..." Her eyes turned solemn and her voice a bit p.r.i.c.kly, Aunt Lizzie added more tenderly, "Let's just wait on that," with a peculiar, even restrained, smile.

Jonas and the upcoming wedding aside, the high point of the visit was all of them tiptoeing upstairs to have a look-sro at Jacob and Amanda. "Ach, they're but wee ones," Ainil Lizzie was first to say, reaching with outstretched arms for fiiii haired Mandie. She received her from Fannie and set to cou ing like a contented mamma chick. Mamma's arms were full up with Lydiann, who looked nearly twice as big as Fannies twins, though she was younger.

Leah was hesitant to step up when Fannie held up the next bundle, one a mite smaller tiny Jake. "Do you mind if I hold him first?" she asked Hannah and Mary Ruth.

194 195; >i C A e Id et r a y a I iR p clucked warmly at this, and Mary Ruth frowned, 'ti(uttlent for her turn.

' ii'i awful cute, Leah quickly decided, cradling him and 'U ilnwn at his miniature b.u.t.ton nose, closed eyes, and vrtl-nhupcd mouth. His fingers were the smallest she'd " Hi, his nails nearly the size of raindrops.

' ' mnall but mighty," Fannie spoke up, coming over to Ilitt wrinkled brow with her pointer finger. "His squeal -imr me out of the deepest slumber right up out of bed t.i.t) tny feet! Peter thinks he'll catch up with his twin it no time." She paused for a moment, then "We were 'iiri'led at the outset, truth be told."

li, why's that?" Mamma was next to Aunt Lizzie, with ii I (linking her bright little eyes at her youngest girl if hud quite a lot of trouble ... couldn't suckle so UNl awful tiny didn't seem ready to face the world.

twins weren't said to be premature." th noticed Hannah's eyes grow wider with Cousin Fanif ry remark. "Do you think ... um, Mandie took away i the nourishment from Jake ... that is, before they um/"

' u!e Hannah scarcely ever spoke up, all of them turned i iim-icIs toward her at once. "Well, now, I gather that's 'her possible," Fannie replied. "I never thought of it ay."

I iiiinm nodded in agreement. "Jah, there are times when 'Mil s.n.a.t.c.hes the food away from the other during the luplng. But such was not the case with you and Mary

195 196.

Ly e

Leah couldn't help but smile. Mamma's eyes sparkled witli love just now.

Quietly Leah slipped out of the room and into the hall way, still holding Jake, who was beginning to stir. Aunt Becky Brenneman in Hickory Hollow had once said and quite adu mantly that talking about an infant in front of him or hci "makes for a self-conscious and shy child," and she felt sinought to spare baby Jake.

"Just look at you," she whispered, smiling down at him, his eyes blinking up at her. "I think you're right handsome myself ... ev'ry bit as healthy as any baby round here. So what if you're small. Babies are s'posed to be, ain't so?"

He gurgled at her, wiggling, too. She wandered down the hallway, cooing all the while, thinking it providential Sadie was in Ohio instead of here with Fannie's babies.

"My turn." Mary Ruth tapped her on the shoulder.

"Aw, I just got him," Leah protested but reluctantly handed over the sweet bundle. "Careful, now."

Mary Ruth nodded. "Didja forget already that I help with Lydiann ... and Carl Nolt?"

"I know," she replied, still eyeing the full head of brown hair framing Jake's miniature face. Her heart was ever so drawn to the delicate boy, and she wished she could help pr<> tect him somehow, though it wasn't her place. Still, if she ami Jonas lived at all closer, she had the feeling she would be over here quite often.

"In all gut time I 'spect you'll have your own little ones in love, jah?"

Leah truly hoped so. Many a bride gave birth nine mom I in after the wedding day. But whenever the Good Lord saw fil I < i="" 197hk="" hfi="" future="" union="" was="" right="" fine.="" truth="" was,="" she="" wouldn't="" pd="" huving="" a="" son="" first,="" someone="" to="" carry="" on="" the="" respected="" ii="" tuiini1="" and="" help="" with="" jonas's="" carpentry="" work="" or="" yard="" work.="" i="" then="" ;i="" ;;iin,="" she="" refused="" to="" do="" as="" dat="" had="" done,="" wishing="" hard="" lor="" a="" boy="" and="" getting="" another="" girl="" like="" when="" she="" bit-iilnng="" after="" sadie.="" no,="" she="" would="" be="" grateful="" for="" any="" son="" i="" jliiii^liter="" the="" sovereign="" lord="" chose="" to="" give="" her="" once="" she="" li="" 11="" was="" were="">

H 11 icy had all gone walking, the five of them Leah, the Hiii,, mid Rebekah and Katie Mast. They talked and strolled ^m-limi ncross a low ridge near the barn, past the windmill, ! up id the high meadow, leaving the farmhouse far behind. Kii;hi off they talked about piling into the pony cart for a luug good time. But both Katie and Rebekah suggested tin , I'cst not be too rowdy, what with the Lord's Day just in miihI the bend. Leah could hardly disagree, and they heeded ^jt' t all of prudence and headed toward the apple orchard for Ht:li I hearted romp through the trees.

H Kcbekah was grinning as she asked, "When do you's start Hn' barefoot over in Gobbler's k.n.o.b in the spring, I Hum"

Hj "Whenever it's warm enough." Mary Ruth was first to ^wer. ^B"My feet are so callused it scarcely matters," Katie spoke ^B"Well, let me tell you when Mamma says we can run 198lO e u> e r I y JU e w> I s .

barefoot," Rebekah said, walking just ahead of Leah and Hannah, with Katie and Mary Ruth on either side of her. "We wait till the b.u.mblebees fly," Rebekah announced as if it were some important revelation. "You know, the big, fat ones?"

"Our mamma says the same," Mary Ruth added.

Leah agreed. "Jah, 'cause too soon in the season, and your toes might get frostbit."

To this, the girls let out a peal of unrestrained laughter. They felt a convincing sense of freedom out here, far from the ears and eyes of their elders.

"Looks like we'll be seein' each other several times this year ... with Jonas and Leah's weddin' coming up," saiil Rebekah, glancing at Leah.

" 'Course, us girls and Dat and Mamma, too are s'posed to be in the dark about it," said Mary Ruth, grinning now. "But as fast as Jonas's letters keep comin', well, we'd all have to be blind not to see the handwritin' on the wall."

"Just think," Katie spoke up, "once they marry, our parents will be in-laws together 'stead of just cousins. But wh;ii will that make us girls?"

Mary Ruth clapped her hands. "Second cousins and then some, I'm thinkin'. Glory be!"

Leah smiled with delight. The Mast girls were evidently eager to be as closely connected as they could be. After all, Cousin Peter and Fannie Mast, along with their ten children, were soon to become her second family. Five more sisters. And four brothers a first!

When they'd quieted down a bit, Rebekah asked, "What's Sadie doin' out in Ohio?"

Leah's heart jolted. She bit her lip and remained silent.199 ^B would wait for either Hannah or Mary Ruth to say what ^t liiul shared with all of them. She guessed Mary Ruth ^MjlJ be the one to answer.

^H Aiul Mary Ruth it was. "Most everyone, at one time or ^BtiicT, needs some thinkin' time. Sadie will be home soon, li'll see."

^M I t-;ih was relieved. Seemed Mary Ruth most certainly had ^Hfptcd their father's explanation hook, line, and sinker.

^M "hut ain't it strange she should be livin' so near to your ^Hn, Leah?" Rebekah said, turning around and looking right ^H "I low do you know this?" Leah asked, standing still with ^M others.

^H Rebekah seemed eager to volunteer the information. HMhsi Mellinger, Mamma's cousin's wife, wrote and said how hi>rricd she was over Sadie."

"Jah, Sadie cries most ev'ry night, Vera writes," Katie tillled, joining arms with older sister Rebekah. "Just why v mid that be?"

"Could be she's missin' home, but if so, why'd she go all In way out there in the first place?" Rebekah asked, eyes >v.. -.

Leah shook her head and was starting to speak when Mary Mmh said, "There's nothin' wrong with Sadie that a little rest wi in't help. And that's all there is to it."

"The same kind of rest your aunt Lizzie Brenneman Beded back when she was a teenager?" said Rebekah.

R Perplexed and uneasy, Leah said, "Seems to me we're rl.ilkin' foolishness now. What can you possibly mean?"

"Well, if you don't know, I best not be the one to say."

200.

Lu J2e With that Rebekah spun around and headed on her way.

"Come back!" Mary Ruth called to her, exchanging bewil dered glances with Hannah and Leah.

"There's only one reason your parents would semi :t courting-age daughter away!" Rebekah hollered back. "Thinl on that."

Heartsick anew, Leah suggested she and the twins return to the house. "Let Rebekah say what she will," she said softly, "Come, let's go."

Mary Ruth and Hannah followed, but Katie Mast turned and bounded after Rebekah, deep into the orchard, the oppo '. site direction from the house. "What do you s'pose she meant to imply about Aunt Lizzie?" Mary Ruth asked. I "I wonder ..." said Hannah. Leah felt she ought to put a halt to this. "Sadie needs our ; understandin', not hearsay."

For a short while they trailed the creek as it fell over rock, and twig, looping past small oak trees and patches of moss. ; Then, when the house and barn were again in sight, Haiv nah stopped walking. "Last year Dawdi John told me the " strangest thing," she said. "Did either of you know Aunt Lizzie lived in our Dawdi Haus at the tail end of her rumschpringe?" j Mary Ruth looked startled. "You sure?" J "Since Dawdi has a clear mind and wouldn't think of 1 lyin', I tend to believe him," Hannah replied. "He said Lizzie ; joined church in Gobbler's k.n.o.b 'stead of the Hickory Hollow : district." i "News to me," Leah said. "Did Dawdi say why that was?" : "I guess 'cause for a time, Lizzie needed Mamma's love to 201.

i I !'? through some rough days. Just what... I don't know." Ill it once Hannah turned pale.

I Wlnit is it?" asked Leah, her own mouth suddenly dry. I Vim don't s'pose .. , the reason Aunt Lizzie never married I'

I 'I l , don't let's be speculatin'!" Mary Ruth interrupted, I1 iu r crimson red.