The Shunning (15 page)

"Oh, I want
boppli
, of course," Sadie answered. "It is the Amish way to have a large family."

"I am pleased to hear that," Samuel stated. "I always hoped the woman I loved would feel the same way about children." When she turned to look up at him in surprise, he asked, "Would you marry me, Sadie Miller? Would you have my
boppli
and become my family?"

"Oh, Samuel! Are you seriously asking me to get married?" Sadie demanded.

"I am. Are you going to put me out of my misery and answer me?" he demanded.

"
Ja
, I will marry you, Samuel. It has been my wish for some time now. I love you."

He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her tenderly. "I love you, too, Sadie, and you are worth every second of the wait." He kissed her again and then asked, "Are we going to keep our news to ourselves for a while?" he wanted to know.

"Atlee says it is best to do so or others will be watching us for signs of impropriety and carrying tales to the Bishop. I can't say I would care for that."

"We will keep it between each other for now, then," he agreed. Samuel was a happy man and the only thing that would make him happier was marrying Sadie and moving her into his home.

* * *

"I hope you planted plenty of celery this year," Levi held Martha close and whispered in her ear.

"I did, husband. I think we'll have need of it."

"
Ja
. Our Sadie is mighty happy these days, ain't so?" he teased.

"So is our Atlee," Martha announced. "I asked Sadie what she thought of her brother's likely intentions and she whispered that planting a lot of extra celery is a wonderful
goot
idea."

"Miriam Kaufman?" Levi guessed.

"Sadie says so."

"Two weddings!"

"Our
kinner
are growing up, Levi."

"Oh, don't you fret, Martha. Our two youngest are a long ways from being grown."

"Levi, I think there is going to be another little one around the time Sadie and Atlee are getting married," she revealed her news.

"We are truly blessed, Mrs. Miller," Levi whispered to her. "Now, aren't you happy you finally decided to share our secret with me?" he asked quietly. "You've never put off telling me before," he said.

"I did not know how you would feel about having another child at our age, Levi. We are no longer a young family."

"We are not so old either, Martha," he said with a chuckle. "Tomorrow I will take you to the doctor who delivered the last two and we'll make sure you are healthy. If we need to take precautions we will do so. The girls are old enough to take on a lot of the house and garden, Martha. If need be our Sadie will give up her job at the restaurant."

"I hate to ask her to do that. We will have extra expenses with the weddings and the new baby," Martha protested.

"There is some money put back, wife." He gave her bottom a couple of pats and said, "You let me worry about supporting this family, Mrs. Miller. We will manage just fine."

Mary was left in charge of fixing lunch for her brothers and supper for the entire family. She was there when the younger children arrived home from school, and quickly put them about their chores, wondering what was taking her
Mamm
and
Dat
so long. Sadie arrived home, and offered Mary some help. Mary wasn't happy that Samuel was invited to supper again, but she knew better than make a comment. Her
Dat
told her what to expect if she made Samuel feel unwelcome, and Mary finally came to realize that Samuel was Sadie's problem. When it was her time for courting she would make sure to look for a man who was completely the opposite of Samuel Hilty.

Samuel arrived before
Mamm
and
Dat
, and Sadie was concerned for her parents. It was not like them to be so late. Sadie made sure the table was set so that when they came they could all sit down to a hot meal, and Samuel gave her brothers a hand with the barn chores. When Martha and Levi arrived they were pleased to learn that there was nothing to do except wash their hands and take a seat at the table.

They all bowed their heads in silent prayer and once Levi raised his head he smiled at all of them. "
Mamm
fretted all the way home about being so late, and I am proud to show her that our
kinner
can manage.
Mamm
is going to need extra help over the next few months since we are to be blest with another healthy
kinner
."

Chapter Ten

Another
kinner
! Mary was not one bit happy, and it did not help matters that Sadie was smiling and excited over the prospect of an addition to the family. Sadie would be marrying Samuel and moving out of the house and she would not be the one expected to do all the work while
Mamm
delivered the baby and then recuperated. Mary would have charge of the little ones, the house, and the meals... and all because Samuel Hilty was going to take Sadie away. As it was, Mary had more than her share of the household responsibility while Sadie worked at the restaurant. It simply wasn't fair!

"Mary, have you nothing to say about the new
boppli
?" Martha asked, sensitive to her daughter's silence.

"It is not my place to say anything, Mama," she replied, trying to keep the anger and resentment she felt from her tone of voice.

"We will be happy to give you all the extra help you need, Mama; won't we, Mary?" Sadie asked, trying to cover for her sister.

"That is easy for you to say, Sadie. You are rarely home since you work so many hours at the restaurant and your evenings and Sunday's are spent with Samuel. You do less work around here than little Katie!"

"Your sister provides income for this family, Mary," Levi stated. "Her contribution is valuable, too."

"Then why can't I go and get a job,
Dat
?" Mary demanded. "Perhaps I would rather earn money than work in the garden or do laundry and clean this house top to bottom! Hannah and Katie are of little help, especially when they are in school, and the boys all work with you, and they enjoy farming! I want to get a job."

"The supper table is not the place for this discussion, daughter. After the dishes are done, you may come to me and we will talk about this." Levi's tone of voice was firm and Sadie was sure that Mary was in for another serious scold, if not for another
bletching
.

Samuel looked at Sadie and wasn't surprised to see the worry in her dark eyes. He knew that she was concerned about Mary and he certainly understood why. Mary was barely civil to him and he knew it was because the young girl thought he was wrong to punish Sadie. He had tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't hear him out before she flounced away. He didn't know what to do about Mary, but she was so full of anger toward Sadie that it bothered him. However, he was determined to treat Mary well and not give up on making friends with her. He was afraid that Mary's attitude would eventually come between Sadie and him. The conversation went on around him, and once they were done eating, Samuel leaned forward to look at Mary. "Mary, supper was wonderful
goot
. You take after your
Mamm
when it comes to cooking."

"It doesn't mean that I enjoy it, Samuel Hilty, or that I enjoy having guests at the table every night!" she snapped at him. "And now I suppose you'll suggest that you and Sadie go for a buggy ride, or a walk... so that I have all the dishes to do, too!"

"Mary!" Martha gasped, scandalized that the girl would speak so rudely. "That is no way to speak to Samuel... or to Sadie! You don't seem to realize that your sister is on her feet all day long, running back and forth to the kitchen, serving food. It is not an easy job, and she is not sitting in an easy chair doing nothing while you work! Your attitude needs mending and I've a good mind to take a hairbrush to your backside. Go upstairs and pray on this matter. Once the dishes are done I will come and talk to you and you'd better have a change of heart by the time I come upstairs... or else!" For Martha it was a harsh scold, but one she meant with all her heart. She looked at Levi after Mary ran from the room and stomped up the steps, slamming the door to her bedroom. "What are we to do with that girl, husband? Her heart is filled with so much anger and bitterness!"

"Mama, don't worry about Mary," six year old Katie spoke up. "Hannah and I will do the dishes," she offered, volunteering her sister, who promptly nodded as she jumped to her feet and started gathering dishes from the table.

"May I help you, too?" Sadie asked with a smile. "I will put away the leftovers," she offered.

Katie nodded, taking charge. "You can do that, Sadie, and I'll wash and Hannah can dry. Which one of you boys is going to put away the dishes? Hannah can't reach that high up!"

Samuel had to chuckle at the picture the little girl made with her hands on her hips as she gave her brothers a look meant to make them obey. "Maybe I could put them away if you will tell me where they go, Katie...?" he replied.

Katie looked at him consideringly, and then said, "
Ja
, you can help, Samuel. That way you can spend more time with Sadie and she will be smiling and happy, too."

Atlee and David looked at each other and burst out laughing, and soon they were all laughing, even though the younger ones didn't know why the older ones found them so amusing.

Levi led his wife into the living room and insisted she put her feet up and rest and let her children take care of the kitchen. He whispered that Sadie and Samuel would make sure that the two little ones were completely safe and not flooding the kitchen with running water.

Samuel kept up a lively discussion with the two little girls and he was impressed that they did indeed know how to go about washing up the dishes. Sadie assured him that they occasionally helped when they didn't have too much homework to do, and she praised them for realizing that their
Mamm
was going to need more of their help with some of the household cleaning.

"Samuel, why is Mary so mean to you?" Hannah asked curiously.

"What a question, Hannah!" Sadie scolded, embarrassed.

"Hannah, Mary thinks I was mean to Sadie, and she loves Sadie and worries. Hopefully she will see that I love Sadie, too, and only want the very best for her."

"I think you are nice," Hannah told him, and then gave him a hug, wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing.

"You are supposed to be drying the dishes, Hannah. Besides, Samuel is all Sadie's and she doesn't have to share," Katie stated sharply.

Samuel chuckled as he gave Katie a squeeze, too, not about to leave her out. She giggled, and they spent the rest of the time in the kitchen telling silly jokes and getting the dishes done.

* * *

Samuel was more than a little surprised when he looked out the window to see who was arriving at his farm so early in the morning and he spotted the Bishop climbing out of his buggy. He went to the door and opened it. "
Gudermariye, Bishop. Please come inside and have a cup of kaffi."

The Bishop nodded and took the seat he was offered, and he made polite conversation until Samuel joined him at the table. "Samuel, I have come to speak to you concerning a serious matter. There is much talk that you are thinking of leaving the community, that you are sorry you took your kneeling vows...?"

"What?" Samuel asked, smiling at what he thought was a prank of some kind. "Who has put you up to this, sir?"

"Samuel, this is not a joke; it is a matter of grave importance. If you are considering such a thing, then I must counsel you against courting Levi's Sadie. It would not do for you to yank her over to Englisch ways."

"Bishop, I am not considering any such thing," Samuel said quietly. "I am happy with my life and would change nothing."

"It is said you miss your car and have purchased another and hid it within your barns, and that you now have a cell phone to carry on your person so you can speak with your Englisch friends."

"None of that is true, Bishop. I have no telephone, and I sold my car ages ago and used the money to help pay for my horse and buggy. You are welcome to come and look through my barns. I cannot imagine where these stories are coming from."

"I have heard them from several sources, and the sources are members of the community who are afraid you are going to set a poor example for the younger people."

"It isn't true, Bishop. I have lived the Amish way since moving here on this farm and I am courting Sadie Miller in good faith." When the Bishop continued to eye him in disappointment, Samuel rose to his feet. "Come with me, sir. I'll gladly show you my barns. There is nothing to hide." The Bishop reluctantly followed Samuel over the farm and once they toured the last building he said, "Samuel, why would anyone go to the trouble of telling untruths about you?"

"I have no idea, sir. I didn't think I had any enemies, especially in our community."

The Bishop nodded, promised he would pray for Samuel, and then left. Samuel was upset and didn't know what to do. He decided he needed to see Sadie and tell her what was going on and see if she had any ideas. He was soon on the road and drove straight to the restaurant. He went in the back door and asked if he might speak to Sadie for a few moments and Hiram Yoder granted his permission.

Sadie was surprised to see Samuel standing in the kitchen of the restaurant. "Samuel, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I wanted to have a moment of your time, Sadie. Could you step outside with me?"

"Of course," she replied, wondering what was wrong. Once they were outside she asked, "Have I done something to displease you?"

"No. Someone has gone to the Bishop with lies about me. He was very upset and told me that he has heard rumors from several people claiming that I have complained of our Amish ways, and they even told him I have a car hidden somewhere and a cell phone."