Abigail's New Hope (33 page)

Abigail had no clue about the hierarchy of sin either, but she showed Rachelle the Ten Commandments in the Bible. “This is a good place to start,” she said. “These are the most important things to concentrate on. Oh, and the Golden Rule.”

Rachelle held up her hand. “Whoa, slow down. You mean there’s this list of commandments plus a whole other bunch of rules?” She crinkled her forehead with dismay.

“No, only one rule, but it’s important. Basically, it’s do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Rachelle exhaled with relief. “Okay, I’ve heard that one.” Relief washed over her face. “I’m going to copy down these ten before we go to the Bible meeting. I’m not walking in there empty handed.” She perched on Abby’s bunk to copy the list onto a sheet of ruled paper.

Abby glanced at the clock in the hallway, waiting patiently. They would be late, but she didn’t want to hurry the girl. When Rachelle stood at last with list in hand and handed Abby her Bible, they walked to the small chapel off the common room. Abby felt nervous anticipation begin to build.

“Come in, ladies. Have a seat,” said a woman at the table. “I’m Mrs. Jarvis, and we have just begun.” She had a gentle face, warm smile, and blue eyes the shade of a robin’s egg.

Abby and Rachelle sat, stealing surreptitious glances around the table. All of the faces were familiar, yet a few were a surprise in their current setting.

“Today we are studying First Corinthians, chapter thirteen, for some ways to improve your personal relationships while you are in here and to prepare you to rejoin your lives down the road. This chapter is commonly referred to as the ‘love chapter’ and is often read during weddings. But Paul’s instructions to the people of Corinth are helpful to improve
all
our relationships, including those with our mothers, sisters, neighbors, bosses, and even nasty coworkers who try to stab us in the back.” A few women giggled and nodded while Mrs. Jarvis’s gaze spanned the small room.

“Who was this Paul guy?” asked Rachelle, shifting in her chair.

Two women laughed aloud, while Abby felt mortified. But Mrs. Jarvis’ smile didn’t falter. “He was a man who once persecuted the followers of Jesus after His crucifixion. But God appeared to him while Paul was on a journey, and He talked to him. Paul spent the rest of his life converting people to Christianity like the other apostles. But we’ll learn more about Paul another day. Let me read what he had to say about Jesus’ message about love:

“‘If I could speak all languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.’” Mrs. Jarvis paused for a moment before continuing on to the end of the chapter.

Abby listened, absorbing the words like a dry sponge.

“‘If I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing…Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out…When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.’”

Abby found comfort and simplicity in Paul’s teachings. And the other inmates seemed to like them too because everyone had an interpretation. Some seemed off track, but Mrs. Jarvis encouraged the conversation and didn’t correct anyone’s application.

“You shouldn’t be jealous if you’re really in love,” said one woman.

“Being smart and a good talker aren’t going to get you places forever. If you forget to love anybody along the way, you have just wasted your whole life,” offered a multitattooed lady.

“You always need to be patient with your kids if you love them as much as you say you do.” This was spoken by a girl who looked not much older than a child herself.

Abby heard the practical applications only vaguely. Her head was spinning with new thoughts. She knew she could keep Margaret’s name out of her case. It wasn’t right to get the licensed midwife in trouble for a choice she had made, but what about the truth?
Love rejoices whenever the truth wins out…Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love
.

She loved Daniel and her children. She also loved her parents and respected their guidance over the years. She loved her Amish community, including the few women who tended to gossip more than sew at quilting bees. Hadn’t members of her district come to town for the candlelight vigil in her support?

Abby sighed. There was only one response to all that she had heard this morning. Although she loved her friend and mentor too, she had to tell the truth and pray that the English system of laws would be merciful with Margaret.

After discussing the women’s applications, the session was over. Abby wished it had lasted longer.

“Who would ever think we’d talk about loving people during our first Bible study?” asked Rachelle on their way back to their cell. “I figured we would learn more about Moses parting that ocean and all those chariots racing across the dry bottom. Then
whoosh
…this huge wave comes to swallow up the chariots after Moses gets his people on the other side. I saw it on TV.” She gestured wildly with her hands. “I always felt sorry for the horses. What did they do to deserve a watery grave?”

Abby shrugged, not wishing to picture drowning horses at the moment. “I liked the love chapter. It gave me something to think about while trying to fall asleep tonight.”

“That’s for sure. I’ll be planning my exit strategy with ol’ Al once I get out of here. That man is not capable of love. He’s always been about me-me-me. I need to live with only my kids for a while to get my head on straight. Then maybe I’ll think about falling in love with a
nice
guy for a change. Maybe he won’t turn out as boring as they all look.” Rachelle laughed so, Abby did too, but she wasn’t sure what boring men looked like. They had reached the door of their cell, but it wasn’t lockdown time yet.

“What are you going to do?” asked Abby. “I’m just going to read.”

“Oh, no, you don’t. This is our night to stick together. First, Bible study—I’m going again next week—how about you?” Without waiting for an answer, Rachelle continued, “Now we’ll both watch TV in the common room. Don’t worry. It’s a Hallmark Channel movie. Some guy gets this letter from his long-dead father and it changes everything in his life.” She hooked her arm through Abby’s elbow. “Sounds pretty good, no? It’ll be good to relax for a night.”

We haven’t done much other than relax in here
, Abby thought, but she smiled at Rachelle. “That does sound interesting. Okay, I’ll come with you. And I’m coming to Bible study next week too.” She patted her hand as they headed toward the sound of laughter and a loud television set. Abby ended up enjoying the movie and appreciated the company of her English roommate and friend. After lights out, she fell asleep with Paul’s words running through her brain like a skipping record.

The greatest of these is love
.

Try as she might, Catherine thought of no easy way to teach Isaiah about God. Hand gestures, pantomimes, and artistic sketches were woefully inadequate to impart so powerful a truth. The man needed to learn to read. There was no way around it. But first he needed a better grasp of common English words and phrases. His lip-reading seemed to improve each time they were together, but they weren’t together enough as far as she was concerned.
That is about to change
, she thought. Because she and Isaiah were adults, Daniel had no right to keep them apart.

Catherine marched toward the barn in search of her brother-in-law as soon as her laundry was hanging on the line. Her niece and nephew trailed behind her, trying to catch butterflies with little success.

The barn yielded nothing more than an amazing number of flies. Every cow and horse, and even the sow with her piglets, had opted for the outdoor pens on such a breezy day. “Stay close,” she instructed the children, “and mind where you step. We’re going in search of your
daed
.” The two siblings grasped hands and skipped along as though on a grand adventure.

Catherine spotted Daniel repairing the fence that separated a field of soybeans from the cow pasture. She waved and cupped her hands around her mouth. “May I have a word with you, brother?” Her heartbeat quickened upon noticing Isaiah a hundred yards farther down the fence line.

Daniel wiped his neck with a handkerchief as he walked toward them. “Is something wrong, Catherine?” His gaze flickered over the
kinner
with concern.

“No, nothing’s wrong, but we have run out of coffee, sugar, and mayonnaise. And we’re almost out of yeast, baking powder, and laundry detergent. Plus I need some personal items. I can’t postpone a trip to the grocery store another day.”

He swept off his hat to dab his brow. “I wish you would have told me sooner. I could have stopped on my way home from the bank yesterday.” His eyes focused skyward at a vulture soaring on wind currents. The sun had reached its zenith.

“
Danki
, but I prefer to do my own shopping. Besides, I need a change of scenery today,” she said. “And so does Isaiah. He needs a break away from farm chores. He kept working yesterday in the fields while you went to town on errands.” She tried to keep accusation from her tone.

Daniel cocked his head and narrowed his gaze. “I asked him if he wanted to ride with me and he shook his head no.”

“It’s not good for him to work without any leisure.”

“Leisure? We’re farmers, Catherine. We’ll have plenty of time for leisure in January when the fields are buried beneath a foot of snow.” He squinted at her even though the sun’s glare was at his back.

“Even so, I’d like to ask him if he would drive me to town. I’d prefer not to go alone because I’m unfamiliar with your horses.”

Daniel set his hat back on, nodding. “True enough. You can ask him, but I’ll take you if he doesn’t want to go.”

Somehow Catherine knew he would and so did Daniel. She marched to where Isaiah was pulling out rotted rails and stacking them in the wagon. She worked hard to pantomime the actions of driving the buggy and grocery shopping, and he readily agreed once her meaning became clear. They walked back to where Daniel was planing the end of a fence rail to fit snugly into the post, the children standing quietly by as they watched him work.

“He said he would take me,” she said, unable to hide her enthusiasm. Perhaps the fact Isaiah’s smile was wide enough to reveal most of his pearly white teeth had something to do with her joy.

“All right,” said Daniel, barely glancing up. “I’ll see you all at suppertime then.”

“You won’t, but I fixed a plate of roast beef and potatoes to reheat in the oven whenever you get hungry.”

His head snapped up with full attention. “Where will you be?”

“I’m dropping Jake and Laura off for the afternoon at the neighbor’s house. Mrs. Miller has invited them several times this summer to play with her
kinner
. I’d like Laura to play with other girls for a change and Jake with little boys. They spend too much time in only each other’s company. We’ll pick them up on our way home this evening.”

“
This evening?
I thought you said you needed to grocery shop.” His tone turned sharp.

“That’s right, but I also want Isaiah to practice his lip-reading. That would be easier to accomplish without little ones interrupting our talk.”

Daniel’s focus landed on Isaiah, who waited patiently during a conversation he couldn’t hear. “And how do you propose to teach him more English words?” He lifted one boot heel to the lowest fence rail.

“I intend to treat him to dinner in Shreve. Has he ever been in a restaurant? I’ll shape my mouth to form the names of common foods and point out the item on the menu. It might be the start of word recognition.”