The Brethren (6 page)

Following dessert, Dad asked her to join him in his pri- ,. vate study. The secluded room was lined with custom cherry ,

66 wood built-ins on nearly every wall. Louisa sat in her father’s favorite wingback chair, a maroon, hunter green, and tan plaid. It was the only piece, along with a coordinating area rug, that had been chosen by her mother for the decor of Dad’s home office.

Louisa settled into the comfortable chair, propping her feet up on the matching ottoman. She enjoyed the fire in the gas fireplace and was amused by her father’s ritual of selecting a cigar from his cigar box, lighting up, then leaning back in his leather desk chair, his eyes closing for a moment, his chiseled face breaking into a familiar smile. “Well, daughter dear, not only did I miss out on a son-in-law, but I lost a promising young law partner, also,” he remarked. Then for effect, or so Louisa thought, he blew the smoke into defined grayish-white rings.

By his tone, she knew he was not angry, only interested in talking about her plans for the future. No doubt he hoped she might say she was resuming her engagement with Michael. “Oh, Daddy, surely you know Michael and I will never be more than friends now.”

His smile turned solemn. “Is there no hope for the dashing Mr. Berkeley?”

“I don’t see how.” After Sam, I cant begin to imagine it… .

He puffed on his cigar. “It’s difficult to understand what went wrong between the two of you.”

“I’d rather not go into it.”

“You’re upset,” he said, narrowing his gaze.

She wouldn’t reveal the reasons too late for that. “The Amish have an apropos saying: ‘What’s done is done.’”

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He nodded “Fair enough.” He studied her, then studied his cigar. “You might not know it, but Michael left my firm to become a public defender in a low-rent district.” He scratched his spread, grimacing. “I tried to talk him out of it, but he was so eloquent. And adamant.”

“Really?” s}he said. “Then a partnership with Michael is evidently not in the cards for either of us.”

“He’s already getting established in his new area of interest.” Dad shook his head again. “Any idea why he would make such a monumental career change?” The twinkle in his eye suggested she ought to know the answer, or was the answer.

Trying to get rny attention, maybe? That’s presumptuous. Reaching for the cigar box, she opened the lid and selected a cigar, “Don’t worry, I have no intention of smoking this.” She took a long whiff, sliding it beneath her nose, breathing in the? rich scent. “Honestly, I don’t know what I want where mer are concerned. I wish Michael hadn’t been so impulsive, leading you in the lurch, Daddy.” He raised his? eyebrows. “Look who’s talking.” Mother was .calling from the hallway, carrying coffee on one of her sterling silver trays, Louisa assumed. She rose to her feet, thinkin;g Saved by cafe au lait.

Later that evening, Louisa and Courtney sat on Louisa’s funky black-speckled sofa, flipping through fashion and entertainment magazines. After quoting an article about a celebrity wedding Courtney declared she was absolutely sure Michael was goir general to call Louisa for a lunch date. “I’d bet money on it.”

“Better watch your gambling habit,” Louisa joked, but she couldn’t disagree more. “You didn’t see him playing it cool at my art studio.”

“Oh, I’ve got it all figured out, girl.” Courtney’s pretty green eyes shone with knowing.

Louisa laughed and reached for her can of pop.

Courtney was insistent, turning a page and swishing her thick shoulder-length brown hair away from her face. “You’ll see I’m right.”

Wanting to change the subject, Louisa asked, “Ever hear of this?” She looked down at the magazine she’d been reading. “This says that washing your hair with very hot water gets the blood circulating.”

“So?”

“It’s supposed to really get the creative juices flowing.”

Courtney leaned back, pulled her hair in a bunch, then let it go free. “And why does someone as wildly creative as you are need a crutch?”

“I think we all need a boost on low days.”

“You have down days? No way.”

“You haven’t been around when I’m staring at the foreground of a canvas, trying to pull my thoughts into one cohesive idea.” Louisa shook her head. “It’s not the easiest

thing in the world to create day in, day out.”

“Okay, so you boil your head,” Courtney said. “How’s that supposed to help?”

“It gets the blood flowing to the brain.”

Courtney hooted. “And this is a good thing?”

“Wunderbaar-gut, as the Amish say.” Louisa reached down for Muffin, lugging him up onto her lap. “I’ll have to

69 tell Annie about it, won’t I, boy?”

Courtney’s expression became serious. “You ever going to get all that Plain nonsense out of your system?”

“Maybe. Haven’t decided yet.”

“Well, whatever you do, make sure you say yes when Michael calls.”

“We’re back to this?”

“Full circle, baby. That’s why I’m here, you know. I’m your guardian angel, English style.”

To that, Louisa laughed. “You’re a dreamer.”

“What, and you aren’t?”

Louisa stroked her pretty kitty, whispering in his ear, “Tell Court to go soak her head.”

70 At breakfast on Friday, Annie helped little John by cutting his sausage into small bites. Then she poured some more fresh milk for Zach. Both boys were exceptionally quiet this morning, and she wondered if they’d heard something of their father’s plight.

Esther talked about having seen Julia again. “Your cousin’s inviting us to attend prayer meeting sometime.”

The brethren weren’t so much opposed to prayer gatherings as they were to Bible studies, Annie knew. She had never understood why the Amish ministers were outspokenly opposed to the study of Scripture. “I could baby-sit while you go,” Annie said.

Essie looked at her. “You’re not much interested, then?”

“Oh, I don’t know, really.”

“I do wish you’d go with me.” There was pleading in Essie’s voice. “I wish …” She stopped abruptly.

“You wish I’d accept your faith?” Annie finished for her.

Essie smiled, nodding her head. “You know me well, and jah, I surely do.”

” Ach, I’m already beginning to feel a bit cut off from the

71 People,” Annie confessed. She lowered her voice so as not to involve the children, “Livin’ here … since you’re under the shun and all.”

“I wondered if that was goin’ to be a struggle.” Annie reached over and clasped her friend’s hand. “You know I’d do most anything for ya, don’t you, Essie?”

Essie smiled. “It must be hard, you stayin’ here … being the preacher’s daughter, too. That can’t help things. Folk expect more from you.”

Annie couldn’t disagree with that. “I see changes in you, Essie. When you speak of you-know-who, well, I don’t notice as much bitterness anymore.” She was careful not to spell it out too directly in case Laura and Zach should under’ stand she was speaking of their Dat.

“God is giving me the ability to endure this hard trial day by day.” Essie paused to drink her coffee, then slowly she began again. “Without His love, I could not be so calm … or forgiving.”

Annie shook her head. “You mean you honestly forgive him?”

“Yes. Forgiveness is proof of love.”

Annie was stunned. Zeke had treated Essie and the children horribly and now claimed to be a murderer. Could Essie simply overlook that? “Well, your God must be different than mine.” At least, the Jehovah God I grew up knowing.

“He’s filled me up with His loving’kindness,” Essie said. “And that’s all I can tell you.”

Never before had she seen the likes of Essie’s attitude. She supposed that if Zeke ever got out of jail, his wife would ;

72

as H as

take him back with open arms. The thought made her worry all the more.

“Oh, you would not believe the changes happening in the Amish world,” Louisa told Michael by cell phone. She was driving to the studio, having left the house a bit early, as she wanted to work on her own project before her students arrived. Michael had caught her as she was making the turn into the little strip mall where her studio was located. Now she sat in her car, wondering why he had really contacted her again. Was Courtney right, after all?

“I read somewhere that Amish women are using cell phones, recharging them at their craft shops in town.” Michael laughed softly. “Is that true?”

“Yes. Some of the less traditional bishops are allowing them, but only for work-related business.” Saying this, she almost felt as if she were betraying a confidence. “They aren’t to use their phones for personal reasons.” Even so, she had heard some of the women talking fast in Dutch and laughing on occasion. Of course, she hadn’t ever questioned Annie on the subject, though she’d wondered. “Why do you ask?” Louisa was curious as to why he would bring this up.

“Ever since you moved to Pennsylvania, I’ve been noticing articles coming out about the Amish in Lancaster County and in Holmes County, Ohio.”

“I’m impressed! One’s the original Anabaptist settlement and the other is the largest community of Amish in the entire world.” She smiled to herself and added in her best

73 announcer voice, “For two tall lattes, can you tell me which

is which?” ”’;. .?’.

Michael paused. “Uh … no.”

“Wrong answer. Pennsylvania’s Plain community came first, in the early I700s.”

He chuckled, then asked, “Why Pennsylvania?”

Is he really interested? she wondered. Still, she answered seriously, “William Penn offered land to people who wanted sanctuary from persecution, such as Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites. Some of the original Amish communities migrated to Ohio many years later from one of the original Pennsylvania settlements in Somerset County. I’ve read up a lot on Annie’s people, as you can tell.” She waited for his response and was somewhat surprised when he said he’d like to continue their discussion over lunch.

So this was where he had been leading her. “I’m busy with students all day today,” she said, which was true.

“I can wait till you’re free,” he said quickly. “You pick the day.”

She flinched. “Michael … we really don’t want to do this, do we?”

“Do what? Have a harmless lunch for old time’s sake?”

Harmless, my eye.

“C’mon, Louisa, what can it hurt?”

She didn’t know how to answer. His changing career paths did have her curious, though. It was hard to believe he had walked away from the lucrative position offered him by her father.

“We can put a cap on it, if that would make you feel better,” he offered.

74

“Like what?”

“A one hour lunch. No longer. How’s that?”

She paused, then agreed. “All right. I’ll meet you for lunch next week. How’s Wednesday?”

She felt his exuberance through the phone. “Wednesday it is.”

But after his call, she realized he hadn’t specified the place. Which will give him another excuse to phone again, she thought.

Walking up the sidewalk to her studio, she was reminded once again how shrewd her former fiance had often been. Why am I agreeing to see him, anyway?

Annie quickly finished up mending some odds and ends of clothing for Essie before midmorning. After folding and putting away the children’s items, she had a hankering to write to Lou. She had begun to miss her desk back home, wishing at times like this she’d had Yonie haul it over here. Instead she made do with a book in her lap and her stationery placed on top, as she had before.

Happily, she began to write to her beloved fancy pen pal.

Dear Lou,

I hope you don’t mind me using the nickname Yonie and I picked for you. It might seem peculiar seeing Lou written at the top of my letter now that you’re back teaching your art students again, back in your modern world. Tell me if it bothers you, all right? Also, tell me if you’d rather I didn’t bring up your connection to Sam, which must cause you many different feelings nowadays. (If you’re anything like me, you’re

terribly lonesome for him, just as I am for Ben, though everyone one knows it but you.)

Wel enough about that, You W( MKhael letters, so I guess i’m wondering how he fia into your ,fe now that you’re a fancy girl again, if he does ŤA Oh, ths „so hard trying to share with you on paper, when we became so cbse face to face!

I rmss our talks and all the laughter. It seems like months s,nce you were here. How’s Muffin? Is he settled back into his cozy place everyone your apartment? I wonder if he misses being here.

Annie paused, looking out the window. “I’m rambling,” she wluspered Never before had she experienced difficulty everyone expressing herself while writing a letter. Never to Louisa

anyway. ‘

She tried to picture the pretty apartment where Lou Wed and the studio where she instructed her eager students. Sighing, Annie resumed her writing.

I’ve begun marking off the days on the calendar, and lm sure you can guess why. On July I7 my promise to Daed will be up and , have phns to start painting again. Are you surpnsed? lm sure my father would be… and furious with me besides. There are rumors that the preacher’s daughter is caus7

a Sm ammS5t the PPle. ŤŤŤ my an published on that magazine co,er AND my staying here unth shunned Esther. And now the preacher’s son driving a car, too’ Add to tfc Zeke saying he lulled his brother, and all of Paradise seems to be in an uproar.

I went to see Mamm a few days ago and it felt odd to be a visitor in my old home. I haven’t gone to Preaching since movmg here to Essie’s, but ,fl were to go, can only lmagine