Abram's Daughters 04 The Prodigal (34 page)

BOOK: Abram's Daughters 04 The Prodigal
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"That's right fine, as long as you're goin' to repent." Then1 it was again. Dat knew he best not be talking for too lonjj with his wayward son unless the Gobbler's Knob bishop allowed it.

"I have to know something from you directly," said Jonas, "Why was my brother sent to Ohio . . . forced to leave behind his sweetheart-girl?"

Dat's eyes grew suddenly small and a deep frown tunneled into his brow. "Not your concern." j

"I beg your mercy on this, Dat. Jake's awful ferhoodkd . , j he loves a girl here. He wants to marry her he told me so."

"Abram Ebersol's daughters are off limits to my sons. No i exceptions," Dat bellowed, hands clenched. Jonas heeded tinflinching muscles around Dat's mouth and whiskers, the Inv in his eyes as he uttered the terse explanation. "The family':, tainted. Leah's a bad seed, 'cause of her illegitimate birth. Bui I don't need to be tellin' you that. Look how she tricked yon."

Jonas was shocked that his father could refer to one mi lovely in spirit as deceitful, even wicked. "How can you s;iy that?"

"The woman betrayed you by gettin' you to join chuivli

329^Prodigal

ftlli her over there in Gobbler's Knob, that's what." His idler inmlr an attempt to explain his view of the entire probjiiu Ihiit I call's deception Jonas's taking the baptismal vow R IhT church had set him up for eventual shunning, when liii- iliiinpcJ ya and went for that other fella."

"Uk! IVachey, ya mean?" Jonas asked, knowing from Login's K-iicr to him that Leah had never married Gid. ^n Is, in fact, still a maidel." ^Hhc news was evidently not a surprise to Dat. ^Hfou honestly blame Leah for all this?" Jonas asked. ^HMm-.iiu, the skunk, carries the full weight of blame," his ^H9 u-plk'd, making it mighty clear that had not Abram HBhI his liome, and Ida her arms, to "that witch of a sister, II < I Vrnneman, back when she was in the family way with|i i husband, you would never have been put under the Lu Nt-vor!"

I I 'it's shout startled the mules, and a small cloud of dust !< mill ihe air as the animals' hooves stamped and dug into li i'ii hi ml. "That's enough talkin' for now. You best be ititlin' in see the minister!"

I W1111 i hat'Dat turned away as one did to the shunned, niuiijih doing so did not conceal the rapid rise and fall of Imhi'i's shoulders. I Will Iw turn his back on me . . .yet again? .

I "Ach, she's as perty as a rosebud," Leah breathed, cradling iiil'V Kuih's newborn daughter in her arms.

Mm y Kui h nodded drowsily in the birthing bed, all smiles. S |i I It- from our Lord to us," she said, dabbing at her perspired

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face and neck with a damp towel.

"What's her name?" Leah looked down at this precion, tiny person, holding her gently near.

"Ruthie," replied Mary Ruth, glancing up at Robert, wlm leaned his head against her own.

Leah kissed Ruthie's wee face and reluctantly passed I in to Aunt Lizzie, who was clearly itching to get her hands on the sleeping bundle. "Suits her fine, seems to me," Leah said,

"It surely does," said Lizzie, eyes alight.

Leah stepped out into the hallway, glad for such an easy birth for her sister. She was also grateful to Dan and Doll if Nolt, who had insisted Robert and Mary Ruth come to their home for the midwife-assisted birth, although the idea behind that was so Mary Ruth could be within "calling distance" of Dr. Schwartz should anything go wrong.

Whispering a prayer of thanksgiving, Leah donned I in' shawl and slipped out the back door, pleased to walk bencaih j the brilliant canopy of colors toward home.

Blazing autumn foliage caught Henry's attention as he rose from his desk and stared out his window. He noticed the young Amishwoman strolling along the road, swinging her arms and enjoying the afternoon sun. He was intrigued by her grace and the lilt of her gait back straight, head high, ;uu| feet bare, even though temperatures had turned chilly in llio night. Leah was a beauty to behold, and he wished he had notdisappointed such an upstanding person with his selfish stupidity.

The phone rang in his office, and he went to his desk lo

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i" I up I he receiver. "Dr. Schwartz speaking."

I Pml, you're a grandpa!"

I 'Well, what good news, Robert! How's your little missus?"

li mkril lirst about Mary Ruth.

I 'Oh, she's fine . . . happy as can be."

| 'And the baby?"

I 'A little girl six pounds, eight ounces, and only nine-

|> 'i Indies long. But she's real healthy and the prettiest baby

1 I'VtT seen."

1 'No doubt it's true." He chuckled, recalling Robert's own

Rlilh mid i he rapturous feeling of seeing his firstborn child for

IP first lime. "Congratulations, son," he said. "And give

iHwiy Ruth our love."

I Robert urged him to come over right away. "Bring Mother

kkiliH to see little Ruthie . . . her given name. It's not a nick-

Hi," he insisted. "This is Mary Ruth's idea, and I like it!"

Hwjcnry could certainly hear the joyous cadence of Robert's

He, niul he assured him they would soon be over. "Thanks

^Hhc phone call," he said before hanging up.

^H*k' returned to the window, wondering if Leah was still in

HB, Sliiring in*o the near-neon oranges and golds of the

pl'iiusive willow oak shade tree and silver maples, his

II"

j I- Irnrly chosen to keep from the world ... at least for now.

I dart' not press my good luck, he thought.

News of his first granddaughter mingled with his former t'Hlections on Jake, his first grandson. In a second of momentuiiN decision, he reached for a pen and wrote two words on IiIh note pad: Early retirement.

I le determined his future right then a future that would hp his choice no matter what Leah decided to do. He would

332~ lO e o e r L lj JL~> e lo i i

turn his clinic over to Ron Burkholder, the young intern ptv.s ently assisting him, and retreat from his faithful patients. I If would punish himself, since no one else had . . . effectively locking himself up by withdrawing from his greatest passion in life, however much longer it might endure. He would announce this to Lorraine tonight at supper, after they'd cooed over and held their new grandbaby.

"Ruthie," he whispered, already fond of the name Mury Ruth had selected.

Once more his thoughts returned to Jake . . . and to Deny, M31 son will never know either his own son or his niece. Henry was again humiliated that Derek bore the Schwartz name. ()i perhaps, on further recollection, Derek was merely a reflection of the worst part of himself. Henry shuddered.

333-M'^Z'^ *-

JtiftHN was convinced he'd borrowed his father's slowest drivliiM horse, but he wasn't in the mood to gripe, even to himself,

11" niyh he was in a tremendous hurry. He had left his father " ill awful bad way, back there in the barn, Dat having been

1 -ill jjlad and reluctant to see him. Regrettably there had

1 'ii no other way to handle that initial encounter, and the i i icmained that he had needed transportation to get to i ' I uip Bontrager's.

I he truth c^ame home to him that his father believed I 'i nm's daughters were at the very root of the problem beseti ii \\r, I lie Masts. First Leah . . . and now Lydiann.

Poor Jake, he thought, wishing he could do something to i limitfc things for his brother. But knowing their father. . . mul hardheaded Abram, there was only one way to unravel Mirh a thorny matter.

I lurrying the old mare, Jonas leaned forward in the Mast l.imily buggy, as if doing so might encourage the horse i inward, up the long, steep grade to Gobbler's Knob.

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Years ago Leah had memorized the tree that marked the halfway point between the Nolts' house and the Ebersol Col tage. She looked curiously at the bent old spruce, wondering what had happened to cause its deformity. Surely not lighl ning or hurricane-gale winds, although they'd had a few scares with such violent weather in past summers. Today the autumn air was as calm as the atmosphere encircling a newborn infant, and she felt as though she could still smell and for I Mary Ruth's new little one. "Ruthie Schwartz," she said, smil ing at the memory of Robert's face upon holding his daughtei for the first time.

I will enjoy everyone else's babies, she thought, though mil sadly, merely accepting her own lot. I'll love each one . . . spoil 'em, tool

Watching the birds flit from tree to tree, several groups of them playing chase across the road and back again, she got lo thinking about the days, not so long past, when Lydiann and Abe were completely dependent on her loving care. The ye;ii\s had flown away and both children had reached adolescence, eager to stretch their youthful wings. Especially Lydiann . . ,dear, heartbroken girl.

She could only hope for the best where Lyddie was concerned . . . Abe, as well. She, Dat, and Aunt Lizzie had surely given their all to instill obedience to God and the church, along with a full measure of honesty, kindness, and a humble spirit. The children had heard more Scripture than she ever had growing up, and for this she was beholden to Dat. Leah was endlessly thankful he had embraced Mamma's and Lizzie's faith as his own. Really, it had changed his attitude toward a lot of things. ',... '.".,'

Feeling compelled to wander from the road a ways, she

335^Prodigal

Ifmihd a large rock beyond the shoulder and sat there still as LimiIiI he, enjoying the birdsong that was certain to quiet with Kit'r|i iiiiHimn and, soon to come, the cold winter. She rememlfcii*l rd I lie surprise in Dat's eyes when she had shared about l||lc l.idybugs congregating on the side of the barn. "Jah, a Iflglil linrsh winter this one'll be," he'd said, confirming her |.|U plcioMs.

I Pondering nature's splendor all around, she heard the lit Hind of a horse and buggy but did not turn her head to look. Illoupiis of carriages and horses came and went up and down [thin road sometimes she could almost tell which horse |'bvl"Hm'i'd to which family before ever actually laying eyes on ||l, Presently she concentrated on the rattle of the hard [wheels, the clip-d'clop and gait of the horse. Whoever it was |\v,i.'.n'l from Gobbler's Knob.

When the horse was but several hundred feet away, she mined out of curiosity. Squinting, she saw the features of a I in in led man who seemed familiar somehow. She was drawn hy his appearance but knew better than to stare at a married Hum, lor pity's sake! Yet there was something more to him I lie way he (held the reins, the tilt of his head than simply his looks.

The closer the horse pulled the carriage toward her, the nil ire she stared. She ought to look away, but a sudden knowIn^ llooded her.

Jonas? But surely she must be mistaken. This man had a I mini Had Jake gotten his information off beam in his letters in Lydiann?

Her own indecision was resolved when the man glanced her way, a look of puzzlement on his face.

Suddenly he pulled on the reins and called out, "Whoa!"

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93.

ly t

When the horse had obeyed and come to a halt, he leaped down and walked toward her. "Leah? Is that you?"

This was Jonas. There was no mistaking his voice, or those azure blue eyes.

Removing his hat, he said softly, "I didn't expect to sec yn out here on the road."

And 1 didn't expect to see you ever again, she thought in wonderment. It was her turn to nod, her turn to say sonic thing anything but she was unable to speak. Jonas was hen'I He stood only a few feet away, holding his hat, eyes shining,

"Nice day for a walk, ain't?" he said.

His casual tone took her off guard, and a thousand answers cluttered her mind, none of them making sense at all.

"Jah, a perty day, for sure," she murmured, still staring ;il his beard.

A long, awkward moment passed as Jonas held his hat in his hands, turning it repeatedly. Neither of them seemed to know what to say.

"I'm on my way to see the bishop," he said at last, gesturing toward the buggy. "Would ya care to ride a ways with me.1"'

She was again mindful of his beard. "But. . . Jonas, you're married."

He chuckled a bit. "These whiskers don't mean what you think." And he explained the Ohio custom, apparently mighty eager to clear up that niggling detail.

She felt like laughing but squelched her giddiness. She wasn't a bit sure what she was doing . . . couldn't think clearly, not with those adoring eyes of his staring down at her thai way.

"You must be mighty surprised to see me, Leah."

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"Well, I'll have to say I am. Uh, but I best not ride withyiiii," (the said quickly.

He 11 owned for a moment and then smiled. "I'm here to I M up ii lew important things."

hnuis is a shunned man. . . .

'Arc y:i headin' to the bishop's to talk 'bout lifting the I mil on you, maybe?" she asked.

I It* paused, his eyes locked on hers. "He and I have plenty i II.Hcuss." His smile was the next thing to beautiful. "I came I I, rijjjht away when I heard. . . ." He shook his head, as if .. 'iisidering his reply, nearly twirling his hat in his hands

IP >\V,

I liming, he looked at the horse and carriage. "I say you

141 ui I have some catchin' up to do."

She eyed the buggy, wishing she could agree to go along HlitI sir beside him in the first seat the way they used to in his m|in) courting buggy when they were teenagers. Lydiann's age, nln- ilmught.

Was she willing to risk getting in trouble with the brethifn, accepting a ride before the bishop had his say with Jonas?

"If the bishop or one of the ministers should happen along iiiul see me ridin' in your buggy, wouldn't I be considered disolu-ilient?"

He grinned. "All of that. . . and much more."

She couldn't suppress her smile. "I don't mean to be diffiinil "

"Then don't." Again, the smile that made her heart flutIcr. "Please, won't ya get in the carriage, Leah?"

She took a deep breath. I've waited forever for this moment.

"I want to talk to ya further," he said more softly. "I've missed you terribly."

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