Miriam's Secret (4 page)

“We're always short on money,” Shirley said with a shudder. “Why can't
Daett
deal with the tourists like everyone else?”

Mamm
's gaze followed her second daughter as the seventeen-year-old went into the kitchen. Turning back to Miriam, she said, “I'm sorry things are the way they are, but your
daett
and I are grateful for everything both of you girls do for us. Life's not fair sometimes, but the Lord will reward you greatly for your sacrifices.”

Miriam glanced away.
Mamm
's praise might cause a burst of tears if she thought on it too long, and that wouldn't be helpful. She was the eldest daughter and had her responsibilities. Things were what they were.

Mamm
gave Miriam another hug and left for the bedroom. Miriam walked into the kitchen where Shirley had set plates on the table. She didn't look up when Miriam opened the utensil drawer to help.

After a few moments Miriam said, “You shouldn't complain so much about our money problems. It's not right.”

“I'm not a saint like you,” Shirley snapped.

Mamm
appeared in the kitchen doorway with a weary look on her face.

Miriam rushed over to slip her arm around her
mamm
's shoulder. “You'd best sit, okay? I'll help finish lunch.”

Mamm
took the chair with relief on her face. “You'd think this would get easier after ten children. You're the one who should be babied right now, not me.”

Miriam ignored the comment. “Are you having complications perhaps?”

Mamm
shook her head. “Just the normal pains and tiredness. And now I'm wondering about…well, you know.”

Money. There is always the money,
Miriam thought.

Shirley moaned and declared, “As for me, I think I might just marry a rich man!”

“That's not a wise thing to say,”
Mamm
scolded. “There's not a better man around than your
daett
. You would do well to find such a decent husband.”

“I suppose,” Shirley allowed, but from the look on her face Miriam knew she'd still try to find both—a husband who was decent
and
well off. With Shirley's success with men, that wasn't out of the realm of possibility. She had options Miriam didn't.

Mamm
cleared her throat. “You know, Miriam, there's some other bad news you need to know about. It's been said that Ivan Mast took Laura Swartz home on Sunday evening.”

Miriam looked at the floor. “
Yah
, Lee told me.”

“Ivan's only a day laborer at the Beachy's store,” Shirley offered before
Mamm
could respond. “That's not much of a loss, if you ask me.”

“Shirley!”
Mamm
scolded again. “Ivan is a decent man, and I had hopes something serious would come of his…his friendship with Miriam.”

“I'm only teasing,” Shirley protested. “Sort of.”

Miriam busied herself with placing silverware on the table. “I'll get over him,
Mamm
. Don't worry.”

Mamm
didn't say anything as the washroom door slammed and happy chatter crept into the kitchen.

Thankfully
Daett
, along with Lee and Mark and the younger children who weren't in school, had chosen this moment to enter the washroom. The talk about Ivan could now end. Miriam let out a sigh of relief.

Shirley opened the washroom door and hollered out, “Dinner!” Lee and Mark roared their protest at Shirley's loud greeting, and Shirley laughed heartily.

“She only does that because you jump,” Mark told Lee.

“
Yah.
I'm getting a quiet wife, that's for sure.” Lee came in and took his seat at the table.

“She has to be pretty, of course,” Shirley chirped.

“That goes without saying.” Mark made a wry face. “I wouldn't date a girl if she wasn't pretty.”

“Just so she's quiet,” Lee repeated with a glare at Shirley.

“That's not a nice thing to say about your sister,” Shirley pouted.

Lee grinned. “I guess it would be okay if she were both pretty and quiet.”

“You're so mean.” Shirley made a face at him.

“Okay, enough of this talk,”
Daett
interrupted. “Let's pray and bless the food.” He led out in a prayer of thanksgiving for the noon meal.

Miriam peeked at her
daett
as he prayed earnestly as if there was a sumptuous fare laid out on the table when, in reality, there was only a simple beef stew served with homemade bread. That was more than enough when a person was hungry. And Miriam had never starved a day in her life. Food, a roof over one's head, simple clothing, and love from your family. Wasn't that all a person needed? Of those there was plenty in this home. She was very thankful.
Bless You, dear Lord, for being so
gut
to us
, Miriam breathed silently.

A moment later
Daett
pronounced, “Amen.”

Chapter Four

S
oon after the dishes had been cleaned and put away, Miriam hitched Mindy to the buggy with Shirley's help. The two climbed in and drove out of Possum Valley toward Berlin.
Mamm
had heard there might be a job opening at the Berlin Gospel Bookstore. On the long climb up the hill into the little town, Mindy hung her head and slowed down until there was barely any forward motion at all.

“Come on, girl! We've got to get there!” Miriam called through the windshield.

The horse perked up and picked up her pace.

Shirley seemed to be in no hurry. “Miriam, let's take our time. I need to talk with you.”

Miriam glanced at her sister. She'd been sober-faced ever since they left the house. It was as if a switch had been thrown since lunchtime when she'd bantered so easily with her brothers. Miriam held the reins firmly in her hands and waited.

Shirley seemed to gather her courage before she spoke. “Miriam, I've been seeing Jonas Beachy in town when I shop for
Mamm
on Tuesdays.”

Miriam sat up straight on the buggy seat, turned toward Shirley, and stared. “You're seeing Jonas?
How?
”

When Shirley didn't answer, Miriam pressed on. “How did you get close enough to Jonas Beachy to start seeing him? His whole family went
Englisha
years ago. And then his
daett
made money and is now one of the richest men in Holmes County. Where did you run into him?”

“Their family was Amish way back when,” Shirley countered.

“They're not
now
, so don't get any ideas,” Miriam shot back. “And they attend a terrible, liberal church where Jonas's
daett
is like an elder or something. They've long forgottton Plain ways. And they live in that huge mansion between Berlin and Sugarcreek along State Road 39.”

And
“
mansion” was a mild word to describe the house, Miriam thought. She'd never been inside the place, but her cousin Marvin Yoder had worked with the Amish crew who framed the house. He said the main ceiling in the living room was more than thirty feet high. She couldn't imagine anything like that, but the gorgeous, landscaped exterior was clearly visible from the road. Jonas's
daett
must have more money than the bank in Berlin. No wonder Shirley had been tempted. She probably dreamed of all that money. “You shouldn't even think about Jonas!” she continued. “That family doesn't live like us. And even in
rumspringa
, you shouldn't start out like this.”

Shirley crinkled her nose and responded, “It's not like you think, Miriam. And when Jonas came over and spoke with me last week, he was just like an ordinary person.”

Miriam jerked her head around. “You…you
spoke
with him?”

A smile spread across Shirley's face. “See! You
are
impressed, after all.”

Miriam settled back into the buggy seat. “I'm going to calm myself now. Okay, so you spoke with Jonas Beachy. That's not a big deal, but you still shouldn't tempt yourself.”

“How do you know I'm tempted?” Shirley's voice was serious.

Miriam tightened the reins a bit, and Mindy slowed down even more. Maybe they did need to take the time for a lengthy conversation. But from the sounds of things,
Mamm
should be having this conversation with Shirley, not her.

Shirley voice was insistent. “There's nothing wrong with Jonas Beachy, Miriam. And I think he likes me.”

Miriam tried to relax. “Just because a boy speaks with you, that doesn't mean anything. Why, look at Ivan and me for your example on that.”

Shirley stared straight ahead. “There's more to it than that, Miriam. I'm trying to tell you—if you'll listen.”

Miriam drew in her breath. “Okay. What happened?”

“I took a ride in his car.” Shirley gave Miriam a quick glance. “And I didn't think I'd feel guilty about it, but I do.”

“You did
what
?” Miriam heard herself shriek. She subconsciously pulled on the reins, and Mindy came to a dead stop.

“I had to tell you,” Shirley admitted as she winced.

“Okay, Shirley, I'm sure there's more you're not telling me. Out with it. Like every detail!”

“Well…” Shirley began with a lilt in her voice.

She's a bit too animated, Miriam thought.

“Well, it happened like this. I drove into the parking lot at the German Village Market like usual one Tuesday. And as I got out of the buggy, Jonas parked his car right near me.” Shirley's eyes gleamed. “The car is a late-model convertible…some kind of
classic sports car. Anyway, as soon as Jonas got of his car, he said, ‘Hi, Shirley!' Miriam, he knew my name! And, of course, I knew his. Jonas Beachy!” Shirley spoke the last two words reverently.

“Surely you didn't say it like that to him!” Miriam exclaimed horrified.

“Hush!” Shirley chided. “It's my story.”

“You're the limit!” Miriam cut in. “Remember, you're Amish even if you are in
rumspringa
. He isn't even Mennonite, he's…” Miriam searched for the words. “He's more like
Englisha—
but worse.”

Shirley ignored her. “I said ‘hi' back and complimented him on his neat car. Then he asked if I wanted a ride in it. A convertible, Miriam! I said I did, of course. I am on
rumspringa
, after all. And we were right out in plain sight where everyone could see us. There wasn't anything wrong with it.”

Miriam groaned. “
Yah
, you were out where everyone could see you. And I'm sure they did.”

“So he took me for a short spin,” Shirley went on. “We weren't gone long. And then when we got back, Jonas came inside to help me with the groceries. That's how I made it back in time so
Mamm
didn't know I'd been doing more than shopping. I wasn't a minute late.”

Miriam moaned.

“He's a nice man!” Shirley continued. “There's nothing wrong with Jonas. He had the best manners I've ever seen in a man. He even held the car door open for me—like the
Englisha
do for the people they care about.”

How Shirley knew what the
Englisha
did for their loved ones was beyond Miriam. What a day this was turning out to be! First Mr. Bland's death, and now her sister had stepped way out of the boundaries of
Mamm
and
Daett
's vision of
rumspringa
for their children. If
Mamm
found out even a whiff of this…

“You must forget about Jonas Beachy starting right now,” Miriam stated.

Shirley gave her a long look. “Jonas asked if he could see me some evening. He said he'd pick me up at the end of the lane right after dark. I said I couldn't.”