The Miting (12 page)

“In the third step, the letter
C
stands for confess. This means we must confess our new faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9–10 says ‘if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, then you will be saved.’ It’s a simple plan, really, and we can pray a prayer tonight with anyone who needs this plan of salvation.”

Matthew spoke a little more about Christ, but Leah was barely listening. Instead she was wrapped in the words Matthew had read. Salvation was as simple as that? No rules to follow? No lifelong promise to obey the bishop and the church? No pressure to conform to the community and what was expected?

Leah glanced around the room, noting the relaxed faces and eager discussion. In her church, gatherings were often tense, especially for women. It wasn’t easy to speak out in a group when she knew her words would be weighed by the bishop and others. It all added up to exacting measures in order to be good enough to earn heaven. But these verses, stating so simply that Jesus Christ had already paid the price for her sins, were like honey to her, feeding her soul with sweet meaning and freedom.

The hour passed quickly before she was suddenly aware of headlights flashing against the window. A horn blared twice, bringing Leah back to the real world. She realized her ride had arrived and rushed to gather her things.

“Leah, who’s picking you up?” Matthew asked.

“Martha Mast’s boyfriend, Abe Troyer. I didn’t know how long this lasted, so I told them to come back in an hour. I’m sorry for interrupting.”

“No problem. I hope you can make it again next week.”

The group members told Leah good night and also encouraged her to come back.

As Leah hopped into the truck, Martha grinned. “So how was it? Feel pretty holy now?”

Leah laughed. “No. But it was good.”

“Did they feed you anything?”

“Brownies and coffee. Good goopy brownies with frosting.”

“Ahh … so the
Englishers
can bake?”

“I think Naomi made the brownies—”

“Oh yeah—I forgot, she’s Amish.”

Abe squealed tires as he maneuvered a corner. “That better not be no Amish house—with all those cars in the driveway.” He spat out a rough chuckle. “I can stir up trouble with a bishop, if it is.”

Martha punched Abe’s side. “You dummy! They aren’t Amish anymore.” She turned back to Leah. “Were they nice?”

Leah nodded. “Yes, very, and so were all the others there.”

Martha gazed out the windshield, saying nothing, but Leah saw the haunted look in her eyes. Her friend shook herself and waved a hand. “Not for me, though. I’m not getting mixed up with more religious fanatics. Dealing with Amish nuts is more than I can handle.”

Abe snorted. “You can say that again. Glad we’re getting away from them, babe.”

Martha kissed his cheek and turned challenging eyes to Leah. “Don’t go spreading that around, okay?”

“I won’t.” But as Leah met Martha’s gaze, she couldn’t keep a frown from creasing her brow. Martha broke the stare and flipped the radio on. Country music bounced from the speakers, causing Leah’s heart to thump in time with the beat. She was glad to see her lane ahead and was ready to get out of the truck cab as soon as Abe pulled to a stop under the shadow of an ash tree near the drive.

“Hey, don’t look so sour. Everything’s going to be A-okay. I’ll see you tomorrow if I can,” Martha promised.

Leah nodded. “Thanks for taking me tonight. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Good night!”

Abe pulled out, and as he sped away, the roar of the truck echoed through the silent countryside. She took a deep breath of the crisp night air and started home. Hoping that the evening wouldn’t be spoiled somehow, she couldn’t wait to get to her room and pull out the little New Testament so she could reread what Matthew had presented tonight.

The lights were off in the downstairs rooms, so her parents were probably in bed. She breathed a sigh of relief. As she climbed the stairs and passed her parents’ bedroom door,
Maem
called, “Is that you, Leah?”

She paused outside the door. “Yes,
Maem
.”

“Good. Have a nice time?”

“
Ja.
It was fun.” She wasn’t lying at all about that.

“Have a good rest. See you in the morning.”

“G’night,
Maem
.”

“Good night.”

She went to her room, got into her soft flannel gown, and lay down. She dug her head deep into her feather pillow, finding the perfect spot as she closed her eyes.

The room was quiet and still, and as the pale light from a buttery moon streamed in over the foot of her bed, she thought of how she had gone against
Maem
and
Daet.
The stress of sneaking out and lying to her folks had worn her out.
What a day. I’ll have to come up with an honest way to do all this.

She yawned. Just before drifting off to sleep, she remembered the reading materials Naomi had handed her as she went out the door. Getting up, she crossed to the corner where her apron hung and rummaged through the pockets until she felt the papers.

Better hide these.
She crept to her dresser, pulled back a stack of underclothes, and laid the study pages neatly under the pile.
Maem
rarely washed Leah’s laundry anymore, so it was unlikely she would find the study materials in the dresser.

In spite of her fatigue, Leah lay awake a bit longer, thinking over the evening.

How could she be happy to do something that the bishop,
Ordnung,
church, and her parents considered sinful? Was Satan taking over her mind, as many of the preachers often warned when other members had strayed from the Amish church? Surely it was so, if she had to lie her way to get there …

Yet all those people at Bible study seemed so joyful. What was missing from her life that they had?

At breakfast the next morning, Leah’s sister and parents were extra-absorbed in their scrambled eggs when she came to the table. No one lifted their eyes to greet her. Something was wrong. She tried to catch Ada’s eyes, but she uncharacteristically kept her gaze averted.

“Good morning,
Maem
and
Daet.
”

Maem
looked up, and the pain Leah saw on her face made her stomach drop. Something was definitely going on, but
Maem
said nothing beyond “
Gut morgen.
”

Leah ate her breakfast in silence, and for once, Ada was anxious to be off to school. She hurried through her breakfast and left. By the time Ada was gone and Benny had wiped the last of the jelly toast from his chin, grabbed his books, and dashed out the door, Leah was a nervous wreck. Neither of her parents said anything to her, and she wondered if someone had told them about her visit to the Bible study.

Once the three were alone in the kitchen, Leah stood to wash the dishes but
Daet
motioned for her to sit back down. Her parents’ expressions were grim and serious.

Daet
fiddled with his beard and sighed. He shook his head. “Leah, I’m not going to beat around the bush. The bishop came by this morning and told me someone saw you getting into Abe Troyer’s truck last night. He said Martha was in there, too. I’ll not waste time asking you if this is true. What I
am
going to ask you is why and where did you go?”
Daet
’s eyes never wavered from his daughter’s face, and his expression warned her not to even try denying it. She dropped her eyes, acknowledging the truth.

“I’m sorry,
Daet, Maem
. I went to the Schrocks’ Bible study, and well, Martha said she would give me a ride with Abe, so—”

“So you rode in the truck to an
Englisher
Bible study, and you lied and told your
Maem
you were going to Sara’s place. Is that right?”
Daet
’s voice was steely.

“
Ja
, and I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you,
Daet
—and you,
Maem
—but I did try to ask. I wanted to do it with your permission.”

“You wanted to go to an
Englisher
’s place—especially
that
man’s house—and you thought
Maem
and I should allow it? And since we didn’t, you lied and went anyway?”
Daet
reiterated, his anger growing.

“It isn’t that I wanted to disobey, but I do want to learn more about the Bible, and it is the only Bible study I can go to. None of the Amish have one.”

Daet
stood, pushing back his chair with force. “And may I remind
you
, young lady, that our church
Ordnung
does not encourage group Bible studies. You know that, Leah. We prefer to teach our own families in our own homes. And nowhere is there something that allows for you to be in a group of
Englishers
studying the Bible. It is forbidden for you to have that kind of connection. Forbidden! And to go to the Schrocks, of all people—the very people the bishop warned us about. You heard him yourself. That Matthew Schrock helps the youth leave their families and disobey their parents. He is a very bad influence, no matter how nice he seems.”
Daet
was pacing back and forth, his face puffed with anger.

“
Daet
, he and Naomi are
good
people, and all they’ve ever tried to do is to help me. I promise that’s all.”

He rushed to her, raising the flat of his hand as though to strike her. Leah flinched just as
Daet
caught himself and stopped. He swallowed a couple of times, obviously trying to control his rage at her disobedience and her defense of the Schrocks.

“I can guarantee that if you’re with them for long, you’ll want to leave, too. No!” He shook his head vigorously. “I have to be strong with you and forbid you to go to any more of these … these … Bible study things. No more, Leah. Furthermore, Bishop Miller will be watching you to make sure the Schrocks and Martha don’t influence you again.”

He towered over her. His wrath, spurred by disappointment, scared her in its intensity. “This is your last chance to do the right thing, Leah. The last warning.”

She lowered her chin, trying not to notice the slow burn that was growing inside her. Equal parts fear and resentment scalded her throat, forcing words to her lips she tried hard not to speak. She
knew
the
Ordnung
was wrong this time—the bishop was wrong. Even her parents were wrong. It was wrong to keep her from a Bible study. It was.

She clamped her mouth shut until
Daet
finally calmed down.

He walked to the back door, pausing before he went out. “Okay. I’ve said enough. I’ll need your help in the shop today, so go and get your chores finished. This is the last time we’ll discuss any of this.”

His tone was dismissive, as though he spoke to a child and not a young lady. She clenched her fists at her sides, pressing them against her skirt, knowing this wasn’t the time to fight back.

She glanced at
Maem
as she left the kitchen, but her mother kept her head down, refusing to look at her.

Leah hurried to her bedroom and set about her mundane tasks. She wanted to do as she was told with no back talk or sass, but the burgeoning feeling grew: she had to find freedom. Freedom to learn about what the Bible really said.

Leah sensed she would soon be forced to make a decision about her faith, something she’d never imagined she’d have to do. And considering leaving
Maem, Daet
, Benny, Daniel, and Ada was hard to imagine; her heart ached at the thought. Surely, she wouldn’t have to go away like the others who were at the Schrocks’ Bible study. Her parents were more reasonable than that. More concerned about the truth. She prayed the choice would never come.

When she came downstairs, Leah overheard her parents talking in the kitchen. She knew she shouldn’t, but she slipped quietly to the door so she could hear what they were saying, certain the discussion centered on her.