Abram's Daughters 01 The Covenant (16 page)

According to Adah, she hadn't been able to pin Leah down about riding over with them. Seemed Leah preferred to go with Sadie. If so, would Leah meet up with Adah later? Did Leah mea to say she might give Gid a chance at being the young man to drive her home? The question had nagged him ever since Adah reported back about her quiet conversation with Leah out near the pond some days ago.

And what of the note he'd sent, delivered by Adah, where he offered his sympathy for Leah's hurting ankle? He would've gladly done more than simply pen a get-well message. If things weren't so downright awkward, what with both Dat and Abram plotting to set things up between himself and Leah, well, he might've gone over there to visit her awhile. Maybe even played a tune for her on his harmonica, having learned another

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new melody from Dawdi Mathias Byler. He and Dawdi Mathias liked to spend their evening hours practicing the mouth organ whenever they could. Dawdi would play his while Gid stumbled along, letting his ear tell him whether to slide up or down on the notes. Of course, the bishops wouldn't approve of their playing hoedown music at singings or whatnot, encouraging dancing and all. Still, it was all right for them to play in their homes, for their own enjoyment "or our amazement," Dawdi Mathias would say with a chuckle and a twinkle in his eyes. Both Dawdi and Mammi Mattie Sue enjoyed having their grandchildren come for visits. "Come over whenever you like," Mammi always said, coaxing the three of them to spend the night on the Byler dairy farm, where they'd fall asleep to Dawdi's rhythmic serenade.

Thinking back to Leah, Gid was more than certain that Dawdi and Mammi would wholeheartedly approve of her, though he hadn't breathed a word of his affection to a soul, except to Adah, though ever so subtly, asking her to be a messenger girl just that once.

From now on, though, he planned to handle things on his terms. Very simply, he would have to draw Leah into conversation quickly at her first singing, be the only one to win her consent to see her home in his carriage. If not, he might lose his chance to court lovely Leah at all. With her winning smile and ways, she would be a magnet for any number of

young men.

On the other hand, Sadie Ebersol if she was to accompany Leah to the singing was downright difficult to figure out. He honestly hoped Sadie might have other plans or be too busy at home to go along with Leah, which would give him a better prospect. Sadie just didn't seem to care much for

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him. Not romantically, of course, but just in general. She had looked down her nose at Gideon on several occasions lately, though he didn't know why. This struck him as odd, since both Hannah and Mary Ruth and Abram and Ida, too were as friendly and nice as Leah had always been. There was just something different about Sadie. Though she was ever so fair and had the most unusually blue eyes, well ... he could almost surely put his finger on the root of the problem. Leah's older sister was plumb full of herself. She seemed to think rules were made to be broken, too. He'd heard tell from some of the youth; it was rumored that Sadie might be seeing someone outside the fold of the People. This was hard for him to accept, what with Sadie having bowed her knee before the bishop and the whole church membership after the Preaching service over at Moses Stolzfus's house several weeks ago. The sacred act firmly signaled the end of her rumschpringe. But none of this added up, not if Sadie was being untrue to her vows immediately after making them. But time would tell.

Secretly he had watched Leah while her sister was standing in line, ready to kneel and make her promises to God. Leah's perty faee had twitched uncontrollably, as if she were fighting back tears. But why should she be sad at her sister's baptism? Were they tears of joy, maybe? He would never pry, wasn't his place, yet he did wonder sometimes what Sadie was thinking joining church when she seemed to lack the genuine goodness and spirit of honesty so evident in her sister Leah and others. Maybe someday dear Leah would share her feelings on all this. Then again, maybe not.

Sadie insisted to Leah that she was much too weary to attend singing on the following Sunday afternoon.

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"Are ya sure?" Leah asked.

But Sadie only shook her head. No amount of pleading was going to change her mind. She said she planned to retire early this evening a new twist for certain, Leah thought. And something Sadie ought to do more often, seeing as how she was awfully worn out. Yet she was staying home all the time, hadn't sneaked out of the house once lately. Leah was relieved and wondered if joining church had changed things for the better. Could it be?

Yet one thing still troubled Leah. She found it peculiar that she'd never heard an explanation for Sadie's disappearance that one afternoon, just days before her baptism. Where had her sister gone when she was supposed to be looking after the produce stand? No one not even Dat and Mamma seemed to know, or care. And if they did, they were keeping it hush'hush.

Well, all of that aside, the most important and blessed thing had happened at last. Sadie was an official member of the Old Order Amish church. Baptized and set apart.

Struggling not to be put out with Sadie for refusing to go to singing with her, Leah was determined to have some good fellowship, with or without her sister. Finished with both indoor and outdoor chores, she told Mamma where she was headed.

Then Leah hurried over to visit Adah round three o'clock, taking the shortcut through the meadow. She would have to find out from Adah if Gid really would drive them over to the Grasshopper Level singing.

But Adah seemed overjoyed at the idea that Leah should ride with them. "Such wonderful-gut news!" Adah said, beaming. "And don't worry about the little bit of distance. I'm sure Gid won't mind at all."

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I Giggling, they grabbed each other's hands and pranced ll'uund the bedroom Adah shared with Dorcas. And praise be, lyoung Dorcas was nowhere in sight. Which was a very good [thing, too. Leah surely didn't want to stir up any mistaken lilorions that she was soon to be courted by their only brother, Iwho, just now, was out past the barnyard splitting logs with her own father and the smithy.

It turned out Leah and Adah rode in the second seat in ihe courting buggy, behind Gid, who wore a euphoric grin, reins in hand. She and Adah whispered to each other nearly |(lll the way there. Gid was silent for the most part, joining in Ithc conversation only occasionally to inquire of a particular lirmle youth who might also have turned the appropriate age nor the singings . . . but not a young woman, which Leah Hound interesting. It was as though Smithy Gid was bent on voiding any talk of another girl having caught his fancy. I Of course, She kept her thoughts to herself about what ICid might be thinking. Wasn't her business to second-guess. He had every right to pursue any of the girls who might be in ttendance tonight. She wouldn't stand in his way; that was fcertain.

Young people from several church districts were already ^inhering at the big barn when Leah and Adah stepped down

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from Smithy Gid's buggy. Almost immediately, Gideon unhitched the horse and led him up to the barn. Later, Adah told her, he would head off in the direction of a group of boys, playing the part of older brother not only for his sister Adah's benefit, but also for Leah's, since she had no brother to accompany her to the singing. There was the unspoken agreement that just because she had consented to ride with Gid and Adah didn't mean she was obligated to return home in the same buggy.

Leah's dearest hope was that Jonas Mast might show up tonight. She would be heartbroken if he didn't. Yet something within her assured her he would be here. And with a smile on his handsome face, just for her.

Ach, it was ever so nice to see so many young folk all in one place. And the boys, well, if they didn't look spiffy! It was as if they were attending preaching service, with hair clean and brushed, straw hats in hand, wearing long-sleeved white shirts, tan suspenders and black ties, and such fine black suits free of the slightest wrinkles or dust.

On the way up the lane, she'd taken special notice of the buggies lined up on the side yard, all shiny and neat. Some of the horses, she'd seen on the ride over, had too many reflectors on the bridles, just for show.

The girls were equally well-groomed for the occasion, many of them wearing their for gut blue or purple cape dresses, including a clean, long black apron. She had chosen her purple dress, just as Adah had.

"C'mon," Adah whispered to her, "let's gather round the table. It's time to begin, looks like."

Leah, feeling suddenly timid, followed her friend to a long table set up on the barn floor, swept clean for the evening.

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The boys were expected to sit on one side and the girls on the other. So far, the girls were getting seated first. The boys were straggling over, three and four at a time, as if they might be sizing up the situation seeing what new girls were here.

She felt prickly all of a sudden, a tingle of anticipation going up her spine. She still hadn't spotted Jonas, but Sadie, of all people, had cautioned her not to appear too eager for a particular boy. "If Jonas comes, you'll know he's lookin' to take you home and no other," Sadie explained. Leah assumed her sister was probably right.

The singing began almost before Leah realized what was happening. Several girls announced the first hymn, blew a pitch pipe, and got the melody going. They seemed to sing only the faster ones, and sometimes words were put to different songs than they sang at Preaching service. This was all new to Leah, but she caught on quickly and found herself joining in, singing heartily, just as Mamma always did in church, singing right in Leah's ear. Ever so joyful Mamma was at such times. Just as Leah was now, especially because Jonas Mast had just caught her eye, a long ways down the table.

Jonas is here! she thought, her heart gladdened. But she was careful not to look his way too often, lest both Adah, next to her, and Smithy Gid, directly across from her, might know there was really no chance she'd be riding home with the village blacksmith's son. None whatsoever. Yet she would be cautious not to hurt their feelings his and her best friend's, both.

Between the selection of songs, there was enough time to talk to the boys across the table or, in Leah's case, to Adah and two other girls nearby. By the time ten o'clock rolled around, there were enormous bowls of popcorn brought in

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and soda pop and lemonade. Another whole hour would pass, with plenty of visiting and joking and boys already doing their best to line up a girl to take home.

"If we instruct our children well, they won't forsake the truth." Mamma's words rang in Leah's ears as she sat there observing over a hundred young people, some moving away from the table, already pairing up.

Getting up, she looked around for Adah, who had disappeared. She was mindful of Gideon, but didn't want to be found standing alone, didn't want to be too available for Gid to approach her. Then she spied Adah way over on the other side of the barn, talking to a boy from their church district, of all things. So Adah had abandoned her for a boy on the first singing. But she didn't much care. Because, in the end, she was rather glad to be standing there alone, under the rafters where two cooing pigeons had perched high overhead.

Jonas sneaked up behind her and said in her ear, "Hullo, Leah."

She spun round and greeted him. "Nice to see you again," she said, grinning and wishing she might say more, but hoping they had the rest of the night to talk together.

"Saw you rode over with Adah Peachey and her brother," he said. ;

"Jah .. .'cause Sadie's not feelin'so well."

He showed some concern. "Is it the flu, then?"

"Must be. Both she and Mamma have it something awful."

Then he touched her elbow gently, guiding her to a more private spot under the haymow where they could talk without being overheard. "Leah, I was hoping . . ." His blue eyes were blinking fast. "What I mean is ... would you like to ... uh,

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will you allow me to see you home after a bit?"

Smiling, she gave her answer. "Jah, that'd be awful nice. Denki for asking."

His face lit up as if he wouldn't mind asking her the self' same question for a good many singings to come. As if he was right now ready to leave and go driving with her. Of course, ho shared with her what was expected. They would stand round and visit together, munch on popcorn and other snacks, watch some of the boys pull practical jokes on each other and other antics. Then, close to eleven o'clock, couples would pair off and head outside to the buggies for a nice, slow ride home under the stars.

Hearing from his lips how the evening was supposed to be, she could hardly wait for the rest of it. Yet it would be unthinkable to wish to rush the next full hour, knowing she had Jonas's full attention, and him right here by her side. Jah, her best dreams were coming true this very night.

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In the morning Leah took charge of cooking breakfast, since both Mamma and Sadie were resting quietly, a rare thing for Mamma, at least. Sure was taking a long time for both of I:hem to get back on their feet, Leah thought. But she was more than happy to help, to have another practice run at frying up the eggs and bacon, especially after the last time. Her family had been oh so polite, not saying a word about how awful bad the fqod tasted, sinking like a stone in the stomach. Come to thinlTof it, maybe her sorry cooking had added to Mamma's and Sadie's digestive miseries. Could be. But today would be different. Maybe she would try her hand at poaching eggs for Sadie and Mamma instead of frying them. For Dawdi Brenneman, too. Might be more soothing. That and a bit of oatmeal.

She was setting the table, thinking back to last night's singing . . . and dear Jonas, when here came Aunt Lizzie, wanting to help. "Mamma's upstairs," she told her, "still not so gut."