Abram's Daughters 01 The Covenant (11 page)

The kitten in her lap was not one bit interested in being moved or set free. Not when the sun's rays had found both Leah and the cat there in the haymow, where Dat had spoken some mighty important words, letting her know that he knew she was no longer a tomboy but a young woman. Truly, she was.

Goodness, she felt like jumping up and running round the barn. Glory be! she thought, grinning for all she was worth. Such gut news.

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At sunset Gobbler's Knob was one of the pettiest places in all of Lancaster County, Sadie felt sure, with its view of the farmland below, dotting the landscape, shadowed in the gray-blue dusk.

She had become braver in her visits to the knoll, not waiting for Derry behind the barn any longer. She didn't feel the need to be led into the depths of the woods. After so many weeks, she knew the way to the hunters' shanty. Sometimes she arrived a half hour or so before Derry did, perched on the wooden ledge hewn into the wall. Or she might move to the windowsill, where she sat silently, peering out of the tiny square window, waiting for her beloved as darkness gathered over the forest. Often she remembered Derry's cautious yet compassionate remarks, told to her on one of the first nights they'd walked together amidst the brambles and undergrowth, all the things in the knoll that were dangerous, even deadly. Things like poison oak, wild orange mushrooms, a certain genus of herbs . . . and if you weren't careful, the way the darkness could creep up suddenly, almost out of nowhere, catch you unawares. "You can easily get turned around in here," he'd said, looking up at the dense trees, "or even lose your way completely." At the time she thought it was ever so kind of Derry to point out such things. She still did. It was as if he was looking after her, caring for her in a way that other boys wouldn't think to.

Oh, how she cherished everything he was to her, living for the hour when they each of them left their individual societies behind and sneaked away to the woods. To their secret place against an unforgiving world. They shared an unspoken pact now, a lovers' promise that she belonged to him and he to her. There was no one else for Sadie in all the

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ivorld. And she was more certain than ever that Derry felt [he same way.

I Not even the coming rain, the wind high in the trees, Illsiurbed her eagerness for the arrival of her beau tonight. IX/hen she and Derry Schwartz were together, she was able to forget who she was, really to play a trick on herself and dispiiss the truth that she was Abram and Ida Ebersol's firstborn, that sooner or later she would join church, marry within the Confines of the Amish community, give birth to numerous children, carry on amidst countless work frolics with fifty or lo other women, dress Plain forever, and live a life with strict rules and regulations set down by a bishop she scarcely knew. I Yet the reality of her future faded when she was with perry. Then, and only then, was she free to be herself. Somepine her own mamma would never even recognize, probably ... a seething yet fragile spirit that knew no bounds. r\nd when it came time for Derry and her to part, she attempted to grasp each precious moment, wishing she could lengthen the span of time, resenting the walk home alone, knowing she wo ld gladly do anything he said, even run away

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with him, never looking back, she was convinced. She was frustrated at what she might have to face if Leah happened to pe awake again when she tiptoed past their bed, slipped into per long white cotton nightgown, her beloved Derry long lince having returned to his own separate world, his "I love you" still resounding deep within her heart. I You could lose your way. . . .

I With trembling fingers, she traced the embroidered butlerfly on the corner of her handkerchief, made by Hannah, phe wished she might one day be like this butterfly and fly

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away, to just where, she didn't know. A place called freedom, maybe.

Counting the seconds now, she wondered how much longer before she'd see Derry running through the drenched woodlands, fast as can be, to her side. Would he ask her about her Plain life and heritage this time? Whisper of his anticipation for their future together? With all her heart, she truly hoped that maybe tonight he would.

The next day was a shining afternoon, and what a good opportunity to visit Leah's dear friend, once all the barn chores were finished. It felt wonderful-gut to have some mobility back, though her ankle was still tender certain ways she walked. Together she and Adah walked slowly through the moving meadow grass toward Blackbird Pond, out behind the Peachey barn and stables.

Leah shared her newfound joy of sewing and quilting, talking up a blue streak about all she'd learned in the last few weeks. Of course, she didn't share a thing of her hopes and dreams concerning Jonas, not with Adah thinking she might like to have her best friend for a sister-in-law and all.

"Wouldn't it be ever so much fun to live like real sisters?"

Adah said. "Then I wouldn't feel so much like I'm the middle child, sandwiched in between Gid and Dorcas."

"I know how that feels," Leah replied, bypassing the real question. "Sometimes I think I'm nearly invisible in my own family."

"Ach, you, Leah?"

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"Oh jah. I've always felt a bit lonely somehow. I don't iIghlly know how to explain it, really. Maybe it's . . . well, a lltrlc like the way Aunt Lizzie must surely feel."

"Seems to me middle children don't have any idea how important they are to their families," Adah said.

Leah bent down to pick a white snapdragon, growing wild in ilie expanse of grassland and flora, where meadow-foam i;ivw to be five feet tall, striking the sky with pink cottonmndy-like blossoms in June. "Children comin' along behind I he firstborn have their opinions, too, but seldom are heard ... or understood," she said softly, unsure why she'd said such a thing.

" Tis awful sad to feel lost," Adah replied, reaching for Leah's hand. "You don't feel that way now, do ya?"

"Well, no ... not when we're together." And this was ever so true. Leah and Adah were as close as any two sisters i ould hope to be. Sometimes she even wished Adah was a real sister to her. The only reason to even consider marrying ()ideon, maybe.

Handjln hand, they came upon the glassy pond, where many a happy winter day had been spent skating and playing with the Peachey children. Even now, as teenagers, they would all be out sledding and skating here once winter's first hard December freeze came and stayed through February. Wouldn't be safe to skate on Blackbird Pond otherwise, since I he water was mighty deep. Leah knew this was true, because ( ud had held his breath for forty-five long seconds just so he could dive to the bottom and touch the muddy pond bed one summer when they all were little. "It's spring fed, for sure," he'd told them after a huge gasp of air, his face raspberry red

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from holding his breath longer than he ever had in his young life.

"We'll be together at our first singing soon," Adah spoke up.

"Jah, won't be long now."

Adah brightened. "We could ride to the local singing with Gid, in his open buggy."

"Best not."

"Well, now, what're you saying?" Adah demanded, letting go of Leah's hand.

"Just that I thought . . . well, that I'd like to go to a different one."

"Not our church district?"

"No, guess not."

"Well, we could still all ride together. Gid will take us wherever we want." Adah paused a moment, "Who you end up with after the singing . . . well, that's your business."

Still, Leah was worried Gid might think she would simply ride home with him, too. But that wasn't the way she'd planned things in her head. She must have a semblance of freedom, in case Jonas was in attendance, and she thought he would be, remembering how they'd talked together a week or so ago, when Dat and Mamma took all of them over to pick apples.

The morning spent in the orchard had started out ever so murky, she recalled, but by the time the Mast children and Cousin Fannie, along with Leah, her sisters, Mamma, and Aunt Lizzie had gone out to the apple trees with bushel baskets in hand, the fog had begun to lift slowly, allowing the sun to peek through. Leah had never had such a pleasant time picking apples, though they went to Grasshopper Level113

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to Jo so every single year. She guessed her happiness had moii1 in do with Jonas and his faithful observing of her all the whilr. Jah, that surely was the reason. Even now, as she remembered the day, her cheeks were warm with the memory.

Jonas had come right out and asked which of the October Sundays was she going to singing for her first time. And wlu-ir? She had been at ease enough with him to tell him ihm i be very first singing "after my birthday, I'll go. Prob'ly lienr (irasshopper Level." To this, Jonas had grinned, nodding his head, as if to say that was ever so fine with him. She'd tiken bis response as a not-so-subtle indication he'd be there hlmsi'lf, and if so, maybe he would ask her to ride home with him in his buggy. Well, if that happened, the way she thought ii might, Smithy Gid would be out in the cold. Which, in her mind, was right where he'd been all along. Unknown to Dat,

nl course.

Sighing just now, she told Adah, "Denki for asking me, luii I'll ride to singing with Sadie, prob'ly."

"So Sadie's goin' back to singings, then?" Adah seemed

11H > eager to know.

Leah wasn'i"sure what was going to happen in the next weeks. Hoping against hope that Sadie might surprise everyone and follow through with joining church, Leah had I In night of asking Sadie about Sunday singing here perty Moon. Maybe she would tonight if Sadie stayed home for a change.

"I think you're gonna see a lot more of my big sister from now on." She said what she herself hoped might be true.

"Oh, at singings, you mean?"

"I have a feeling Sadie misses goin'. Honest, I do."

"Then, why'd she ever quit?"

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Leah kept walking, didn't want to stop just because they'd come to the giant willow on the north side of the pond where she and Adah always liked to stand in its shade and skip pebbles, watching the ripples swell out across the blue-gray water. "Sadie's got her own opinions, same as we do" was all she said.

"I 'spect so," Adah answered. "It's all part of growing up, Mamma says."

"Ain't that the truth." With that, Leah tossed away the snapdragon she'd picked and sat down in the dirt beneath the willow tree.

"What're ya doin'?" Adah eyed her sitting there.

"Just come sit beside me . . . 'fore we grow up too quick."

Adah was nodding her head. "Jah, lest we forget who we are, who we always were."

Leah smiled, lifting her face to the sweet sunshine. Sitting here with Adah, she felt wonderful-gut all of a sudden, the cares of life falling off her back, tumbling into the plentiful grazing grass under the crooked willow and a wide blue sky.

At the corn-husking frolic that afternoon, Ida brushed off the remark made by Preacher Yoder's wife, Eunice, that Sadie had missed the next-to-last baptismal class. Seemed Ida's daughter's forgetfulness or downright apathy had caused more than one eyebrow to rise askance. Lest the gossip focus too much on her family, Ida quickly turned the women's attention to her most recent visit to Grasshopper Level. "Abram and I took all the girls -and Lizzie, too over to pick apples

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^H |ny ecniHliW orchard here lately. You should've seen us Hikr i|iikk work of 'cm trees." I "Whai kind of apples?" asked one.

H "Mt Iniiish. Wonderful-gut for applesauce-makin', ya low." She went on, talking too much about the sweetness Hill texture of the apples found over at Peter Mast's orchard Hill felt downright peculiar going on so. Especially with all H^fN on her, waiting . . . wanting a response to the preacher's BlfrVi comment.

I Their gaze was on her, boring ever so deep with unan-

wri'od questions. Why would a girl continue in her

JliiNchpringe at the same time she was preparing for church

Hnpiism? Made no sense. Preacher Yoder the bishop, too

Would have every right to confront Sadie with simple laziness

m? cvrn worse, indifference, if this wasn't nipped in the bud.

The brethren might exclude her from baptism altogether. Ida

new that shoddy behavior and tendencies were to be

eported, and goodness' sake, folk were already beginning to

Biilk. She'd have to confide in Abram about this as soon as

IpOiS.sible. Sadie's future in the community was in jeopardy.

I Frightened, even distraught by her daughter's seeming

IliK'k of concern, Ida felt ever so lonely just now, yearning for

Sadie to acknowledge her as a sounding board for whatever

' Was ailing the girl spiritually. Not looking up at the women

ii( all, she kept on husking ears of early sweet corn, hoping

and praying there was some way to divert the conversation

away from her ferhoodled and defiant daughter.

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IL/eah couldn't help but recall the conversation she'd over-

Hcard between her cousin Rebekah Mast and her sister Mary

Ruth that hot Sunday afternoon back toward the end of

B^ugust. Seemed downright ironic that here she was driving

fcor.se and buggy over to help Anna Mast put together a wed-

ing quilt on a Saturday, and both Mamma and Sadie sick in

fted with stomach flu. It wasn't that she was filling in for

Ither of them. She would've come along today, no matter.

She was truly looking forward to her first quilting frolic.

I A hint of fall was in the air. The horse snorted and dip-

Hopped along, and boastful blue jays shrieked at sunflowers

rowing near the road. Enjoying the short ride to Grass-

Blopper Level, Leah was mindful of how this horse had been

m balker back when Dat first bought him from Uncle Noah

Brenneman. The steed had been doing fairly well the past