Whispers of a New Dawn (9 page)

“Okay. I know.” Becky swiped at both eyes. “It’s just that so much is going on. So many big changes.”

“Yes. It’s true. So we should pray a bit more.” Grandfather Kurtz had his large black German Bible open by his teacup. “We are told that if we fix our minds on the Lord Jesus Christ—I think of nailing a board securely in place or having the bit firmly and safely in the horse’s mouth—he will keep us in perfect peace,
nicht wahr
? So let us do that now.”

He began to pray in High German. Becky bowed her head and was annoyed with herself when tears fell into her lap and onto her folded hands.

It’s a time for happiness. Stop it, Becky Whetstone. You wanted to fall in love and now you have. You wanted to marry the man you fell in love with and now you are
.

She understood certain phrases Grandpa Kurtz used. She recognized when Moses came into the prayer and also Nate. And her. Just as at other times when she had sat quietly and listened to prayers in
languages she did not know, Becky felt calmness and strength work its way through her. When
amen
was pronounced she lifted her head—
I love you
, she mouthed at Lyyndaya. Lyyndaya responded with the lip movements for
I love you too
.

Aunt Ruth got to her feet, went to the stove, and returned with the large coffeepot. “Who will have another?”

Jude held out his mug. “Might as well. The bishop and pastors are late.”

Ruth poured. “It’s just as well. God’s timing is better than ours. We had much to talk about.”

“And we’re still not finished.” Grandmother chuckled. “But when are we ever finished in this family? And when is God ever finished with us?”

“Amen.” Ruth went back to get the teapot for Grandfather Kurtz and placed it by his elbow. “There, Papa. You can drink all you like.”

“If I drink all I like I will be in the washroom the whole time the bishop is here.”

Each of them heard the whinnying as their horses in the paddock by the stables called out to horses arriving in the farmyard. Ruth glanced out the window and then returned to putting oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies on a plate. “They have all come in one buggy.”

Grandfather Kurtz sipped his tea. “They have been meeting at Bishop Zook’s before coming here.” He winced. “A man could start a fire with this tea.”

Ruth wiped her hands on a towel. “I thought you liked it hot.”

“Hot, sure, but I don’t drink tea with the devil.” He got up. “I will get the door.”

The bishop and pastors came in, put their straw hats on hooks, and were welcomed to the table, where they each took a seat. Coffee was poured, the teapot passed around, and the plate of cookies placed in the center of the table. Greetings were warm, but Becky felt the men brought a weight into the room as well as good cheer. Bishop Zook spied a newspaper her father had left by the sink.

“I have not looked at the news in days,” he said. “But I like to pray about the world.”

“The Germans are surrounding Kiev. I think the Russian resistance
in the Ukraine is about finished. In the north they are moving on Leningrad and Moscow.”

The bishop shook his head. “How soon will they be at Leningrad?”

“What is it now? Almost the end of August? A week. Ten days. Moscow in another month.”

“
Ach. Es ist schwer
—it is grievous.” The bishop was going to lift his cup of coffee then placed it down again. “Twenty years ago there was another war with Germany.”

“But America is not in this one.”

“I pray it may remain that way.” He stared at Jude.

“I am not going in again, Bishop Zook. Even if something happens and the United States gets involved.”

“No. Of course not.”

“Like you, I pray. And I pray also there may be no persecution if America does take up arms.”

“Amen.” The bishop drank his coffee and looked at pastors Stoltzfus, Miller, and King. Then he nodded at Jude. “That is how this strange arrangement began. You went to war. You were shunned. Once the reason you went to war was understood, that you were trying to protect the Amish in Paradise from further persecution, the ban was lifted—and a great deal of tolerance was extended toward you and Lyyndaya. For years you were permitted to return and visit your father, Adam, and Lyyndaya was allowed to join you and spend time with her father and mother. You worshipped with us, broke bread with us. Even though all the time you were flying your Curtiss Jenny and performing air-shows. Even when you went to Africa and the Caribbean the door was always open here, although you no longer embraced the Amish way or the
Ordnung
.”

“We know this.” Jude folded his hands on the table. “We have always expressed our gratitude.”

“But have never returned to us to stay. Or live as Plain people once again.”

“No.”

The bishop drummed his fingers. “As bishop I have the final say in these matters. All the ministers discuss it with me and pray, but it is for
me to say what will or will not be under the Lord and under the
Ordnung
. For years, decades, we have the four of us agreed to let things remain as they were, to permit you to come and go freely. Eyebrows have been raised among the other Amish in Lancaster County. Bishops from other communities have expressed concern. Three years ago when you came to visit us after leaving Africa and were on your way to the Caribbean, I thought to say something, to tell you that you must decide if you would take up your baptismal vows again and live as God has called the Amish to live.
Ja
, that you must decide, and if you could not decide, to understand that you could not return. It was the pastors here who asked me to wait.
Ja, ein wenig länger warten
—wait a little bit longer. Pastor Miller was most persuasive and most passionate. So we have waited. I have waited.”

He looked at Becky. “But now your daughter wants to take instruction. She wants to be baptized. She wants to marry my grandson, a fine boy. So I put this now to you, Jude, and to you, Lyyndaya. Rebecca Whetstone wishes to become Amish—what will you do?
Werden Sie jetzt als Amisch mit ihr zurückkehren?
Will you return to being Amish with her?”

Jude did not reply but looked down at his hands. Finally Lyyndaya spoke up. “We are praying about this very thing—should we be elsewhere or should we be here with Rebecca and my family and our people?”

Pastor Stoltzfus cleared his throat. “And you have no clear sign from God on this?”

“Not yet. We continue in prayer.”

Pastor Miller rubbed his thick gray beard. “We would like to have you return and live among us. Very much.”

“
Danke
.”

“It has been so very long.”

Lyyndaya nodded and put a hand on her mother’s hand. “Yes.”

“You see, it has come to this.” Pastor King’s face tightened. “If you leave us again, you leave for good. If you stay, you stay for good.” He looked around at all the faces at the table. “It has come to this.”

“Of course.” Jude offered a thin smile. “I knew it must. I regret
putting you men in this awkward position. You have been more gracious than any other Amish community would have been. I thank God for you all.” He turned his empty coffee mug over in his hands. “It’s true, as Lyyndy says, that we’re still praying this through. Last evening I went to my father’s grave and thought about Rebecca and Nate and about the Lapp Amish.”

Bishop Zook nodded. “Your family has much opportunity to pray. There are so many things in your hands.”

“Rebecca is a woman, not a child. She is making her own decisions before God. Lyyndaya and I are happy she wants to marry Moses—happy she wishes to become Amish and stay here with all of you. That is a blessing—
das ist ein Segen
. And while our minds are not completely made up, I know Lyyndaya and I would like nothing better than to stay here with her, with all of you, and take up the Amish way once again. There is a very good chance that is what we will do.”

Bishop Zook smiled, fingers in his white beard. “You would give up the flying? The planes?”

Jude glanced at Lyyndaya and she nodded. “Yes. She would. I would.”

“Never to fly again? Never?”

“Never.”

Becky found herself wanting to smile and wanting to cry, excited that her parents might live with her in Paradise for the rest of their lives, upset that they would give up soaring in the sky to do it. She rubbed her fingers under her eyes and brought a tissue from her dress pocket but did not use it.

“We must know.” Pastor King again. “When will this decision be made? Next week? Next month? When?”

Jude shrugged. “Tomorrow morning we might say yes. Or a week from now. But we are here until Becky is baptized for sure. By then we will tell you.”

Pastor King grimaced. “That’s next spring. Almost a year away. That is too long.”

“No, I will not be baptized next spring, Pastor.” Becky stared at
the four men. “I ask permission to take my vows at Thanksgiving. Or sooner. I will be an attentive student. You will see.”

“We do not baptize in November,” replied Pastor King.

“But you marry in November and December. I cannot wait a year to follow the Amish faith. And I cannot wait a year-and-a-half to be married to Moses Yoder. I ask to complete my instruction this fall. I can do it. I will apply myself.”

The pastors were silent. Bishop Zook plucked a cookie from the half-empty plate. “And the flying is over, Rebecca?”

After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “Yes…
Ja
.”

“It is over for good? No more crop-dusting?”

Becky nodded.

“I don’t need a vow from you. Not yet.” The bishop bit into the cookie. “Well, well, we shall see. If your progress is good, if the Lord’s hand in all this is unmistakable, who knows? Maybe a November baptism followed by a December wedding. Your teachers will decide.”

“And who will they be?” asked Becky.

“The ministers. And their wives. Oh, yes. Six teachers.” He winked at Becky. “And myself. No, we cannot leave out the bishop. How does this number seven suit you, hm? Seven Amish teachers.”

Becky’s eyes were sharp and green and stayed on his. “So much the better.”

S
EVEN

I
have never milked a cow. I’m a grain farmer.”

“Look. You just do this. Okay?”

“It seems crazy.”

“My Aunt Ruth will be here in a few minutes. Come on.”

Moses held the lantern away from the cow and toward Becky’s face. “If she will be here in a few minutes then I’d rather do something I can’t do when she’s around—like maybe a milking kiss?”

Becky stared up at him from her stool. “A milking kiss? What are you talking about?”

He knelt beside her. “It’s the least you could do for bringing me out here at four in the morning.”

“I thought you wanted to come.”

“Sure. But not for the cows.” He set the lantern down carefully and put a hand on each side of her face. “I love you.”

He began to kiss her slowly but deeply. At first she remained turned toward the cow she had started to milk. After a few moments she moved to face him and put both arms around his neck. Moments later she pulled away.

“You never know when to stop. How can I marry a man who wants to kiss me from morning to night and do nothing else? I won’t last a year.”

He put his lips against her cheek. “How were your classes last night?”

“The usual hard time from Pastor King and his wife. Pastor Miller always runs to my support.”

“But you knew your Bible verses.”

“Yes, I knew my Bible verses. And my German words. After three weeks of this I’m getting pretty good at my German.”

“
Ja
?
Ich kann ohne dich nicht leben
.”

Becky slapped him on the chest. “Too many words. You’re telling me there’s something you cannot do but I’m not sure what it is.”

“Well, I’ll say it again in a week and maybe you will understand it then.”

“What? I can’t wait a week. Tell me.”

“
Nein
.”

“Tell me!”

“
Guten Morgen
, you two. This is not a fight, is it?”

Becky and Moses jumped to their feet as Ruth entered the barn. “Oh, good morning, Auntie. No, it is just that Moses will not tell me what he said and I don’t know enough German to understand it.”

Ruth lifted a dark eyebrow at Moses. “And what did young Moses Yoder say?”

Moses shrugged and repeated the words. Ruth smiled and bent over to pick up a stool.

Becky glared at her. “Well? Are you going to be part of this whole game of his too?”

“I suppose I am.” Ruth settled herself by a cow several stalls over. “It’s not for me to tell you what his words mean. But they are very nice.”

“I can’t believe this!”

“Moses.” Ruth glanced up. “You have not worked dairy before, have you? So sit beside me here and I will teach you.”

Becky put her hands on her hips. “I was showing him.”