Between Two Promises (10 page)

David, who had at one time not too long ago sought Aiden’s company, sat with a group of other boys in the back hallway. Samuel sat in the front section with the elderly men. Elisabeth cradled Gretchen alongside Moriah and Grace on the women’s side, while Rachel sat next to Leah near the front, her junior-sized wheelchair wedged between the wall and the bench.

Once everyone settled in their seats, the gmay sang from the
Ausbund
, the centuries-old Amish hymnal, while waiting for the ministers to descend from the upstairs with Mark and Heidi and their newehockers. The singing helped Aiden assuage his nerves. He followed along, singing fully, unconcerned with the glances cast his way. He supposed if the community refused to accept him, he might as well assert his rebelliousness. Ironically like the Amish hymn writers, imprisoned for their beliefs five hundred years ago, had done.

Shortly, Mark and Heidi descended the stairs, followed by Daniel and the other three newehockers. They took their seats at the special benches in front of the pulpit. Mark wore a black suit and crisp white shirt and black bowtie. Heidi was in a simple, calf-length plum dress with white cape and heart-shaped prayer kapp. Her two maydels wore simple dresses of light blue. Aiden smiled watching Daniel, so dapper, take his seat next to Mark. Pride filled his lungs as he thought about how Daniel belonged to him. If only he could proclaim his love to those around him.

His heart fluttered like an injured bird when Reverend Yoder, long bearded and broad shouldered, followed three other ministers from the upstairs in taking their seats at the pulpit. Reverend Yoder approached the lectern first. He acknowledged the gmay with a nod and began the ceremony like any regular Amish service on a Church Sunday. Aiden had attended an Amish church service once before, when the Schrocks had hosted last summer. Like last time, the reverend avoided any eye contact with the gmay throughout his sermon. Piercing blue eyes burned holes into the leaves of his Bible.

The other two ministers took their turns at the lectern, speaking mostly in Pennsylvania German, like Reverend Yoder, except when reading from Scripture, which they read in High German. Bishop Hershberger, the last to step up, gazed down his auburn beard at the congregation that flowed around him, some even into the kitchen. The bishop smiled lightly at the wedding couple. He was the first to directly acknowledge them.

He called them forth to kneel before him. Only at this time did the service resemble anything like a typical American wedding. Staring at them keenly, Bishop Hershberger read passages from the Bible that highlighted the importance of marriage and fidelity.

“Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled….”

“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife… and the twain shall be one flesh.”

“…ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

“The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband that not power of his own body, but the wife.”

Turning to Heidi: “Let it not be a concern outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, wearing of gold, or putting on apparel. Ye should be known for the beauty that comes from within.”

And to Mark: “…honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life….”

A train of thoughts passed through Aiden’s mind while he listened to the bishop read from Scripture. He hated to acknowledge his emotions, but there was no doubt. Jealousy pinched him. Much of what the bishop read from the Bible applied to Aiden and Daniel. But would he and Daniel ever have the chance to declare their love and commitment to one another openly, like Mark and Heidi now were?

His and Daniel’s love was genuine. As much as anyone’s. As much as any Amish couple’s. They had yielded their bodies to each other that night at Glacier National Park six months ago. God and nature had borne witness to their coming together as one.

How unfair they had to keep their love silent.

The bishop took Mark and Heidi’s hands in his and looked at them fixedly.

“You will care for each other, in sickness, in adversity, in pain, in tragedy, for the remainder of your lives, until death?”

Without hesitation, Mark and Heidi nodded.

A lump rose in Aiden’s throat. He longed to have Daniel seated next to him to at least sneak a loving gaze, or nudge his fingers closer to his strong thigh, to tap into his warmth and strength. They were so squeezed together on the benches, no one would’ve noticed.

Was Daniel’s head full of the same tender ruminations, watching his brother take his vows?

The bishop’s face softened, and he asked for the couple to stand. Still holding their hands, he said, “Go forth in da Hah’s name, and love each other as He loves you.” He paused, as if considering his next words, weighty like stones. Licking his lips, he finally said, “You are now man and wife.”

Gently turning them to face the gmay, Bishop Hershberger grasped their shoulders to bring them closer together and—without applause, kisses, or the exchanging of rings—officially presented them to the community for the first time as a married couple.

“I
T
WAS
a nice ceremony,” Aiden said to Daniel after he had come down from the upstairs. The newehockers had disappeared with the ministers and Mark and Heidi once the services had ended. Aiden had worried Daniel might never come down. Standing alone against the wall by the kitchen, smiling at the women scurrying about preparing lunch, he’d begun to feel even more uncomfortable. Aiden wanted to tell Daniel how handsome he looked, but he knew better than to utter such words around Daniel’s friends and family.

“Weddings are all the same,” Daniel said. “I don’t care much for all the pomp.”

“This is nothing.” Aiden chuckled. “You should see the extravagance of an English wedding.”

“I been to an English wedding before,” Daniel said. “One of our neighbor’s sons. All seems like a waste of money to me.”

“I think it’s kind of nice to declare your love for someone in front of friends and family.”

Daniel shrugged. “I understand all that, but why do they have to have these big receptions afterward? I’d just as soon as go fishing.”

Aiden chuckled. “I kinda like that idea too.”

They stood side by side, silent. Rachel passed them, carrying a large tray full of celery sticks and carrots. By the time she passed them again, Aiden and Daniel had yet to speak. Aiden had never been at a loss for words in Daniel’s company since they’d taken up housekeeping together. Resentment seared his cheeks.

“You promised me you wouldn’t push me away,” he said.

Through clenched teeth, Daniel murmured, “Don’t start, will you, not here.”

“You said you’d spend time with me.”

“I’m with you now.”

“Strangers at bus stops are more sociable.”

“I’m doing the best I can.” Daniel nudged him toward the front door. Outside, the sun shone over the farm where snowdrifts had melted into small piles. The sun’s brightness and warmth eased the acrimony.

Aiden forced a tight smile while he and Daniel roamed around the front yard. Wedding guests chatting with each other—relatives and friends Daniel probably hadn’t seen in years—nodded and smiled as they passed. Aiden wondered what they might be thinking, especially those who knew him to be the outsider who had attempted to dig up dirt on Kyle Yoder’s alleged suicide. Any one of them might’ve been the one who’d left him those two threatening messages and thrown a pumpkin at his old bungalow. Who was friend or foe? Mightily as he tried, he was unable to shake the irritability.

Suddenly, Aiden wanted to get away. Squinting, he looked up at Daniel. “I think I’ll wander over and watch the horses in the field,” he said. “I’ll bump into you later, I guess.”

“A second ago you were complaining I wasn’t spending any time with you. Now you want to run off?”

“You want to mingle,” Aiden said. “You should go and catch up with your friends and relatives. I’m in the way. You don’t want to go up to them with me around, I can tell.”

“Aiden, it’s not like that. You know how it is,” Daniel said. “Please, don’t be so sensitive.”

“I’m okay, really. Now go visit with everyone. I’ll see you later.”

He left Daniel standing by the mailbox and ambled over to the wooden fence that bordered the dormant oat field. With one foot propped on the fence, he watched the horses nibble on hay. An armful of children building a snowman from one of the remaining snow piles eyed him. He grinned at the children before they went back to their game, but his smile faded when it failed to release those good sensations smiles were supposed to.

A ruckus from the side of the house stole his attention. Mark’s friends were carrying him by his arms and legs toward the oat field. Mark laughed and mildly protested. Aiden stepped back, away from the circle of people who had followed them out of the house. Laughing, his friends stepped to the fence and, with one heave, dumped Mark over the side. The crowd cheered. Mark stood and wiped the wet straw from his pants. Nimbly, he hopped back over the fence.

“Now I’m officially grown up, ya?” he said to the cheering crowd.

Next Heidi and her two bridesmaids hollered for everyone to gather around Rachel’s fallow garden. From the fence, Aiden watched a woman lay down a straw broom and Heidi step over it with the guest’s jubilant approval. Aiden had never seen such traditions and had no idea what any of it meant. His ignorance only reinforced that he was an outsider.

Once the crowd dispersed, Aiden stayed behind, sulking by the fence. The barn looked inviting. Animals, always good companions, were much kinder than people. He made his way to the barn, looking forward to seeing the miniature horses, mules, and the guests’ stabled horses.

He nearly ran into Reverend Yoder, who stood smoking a pipe by the small windmill, away from the others. Too late to avert his eyes—the reverend had already spotted him. They were close enough to speak to one another. Forcing a smile, Aiden said, “How are you, Reverend?”

Reverend Yoder sucked on his pipe and visibly inhaled. “I’m goot, and you?”

“Fine, thanks. Very nice service today.”

“Danke.” He blew out a cloud of white smoke. Aiden was surprised when he spoke more. “It’s always nice to see our young people marry,” he said, watching the nimbus of smoke disappear into the blue sky. “Especially when they’re clearly so right for each other.”

“Yes, sir, they do make a nice couple.” Like him and Daniel, he wanted to add, almost defiantly. Keeping his cool, he reminded himself that this was Mark’s wedding. No place to confront the man whom he suspected had murdered his son nine years ago.

He still had little doubt Reverend Yoder was responsible. He had no concrete facts to support his hypothesis. Still, his initial suspicions never wavered, not even a little bit. Based on the physical evidence at the scene and the condition of Kyle’s body, it was impossible the teenager could have committed suicide. Unless he was made of rubber or stood fifteen feet tall. No one could hang himself from the highest rafter of a barn the way Kyle had been found. Someone must’ve killed him, then hanged him in the barn, like a side of beef. The reverend had been the first to find his body. And he also had a motive.

All arrows pointed to Reverend Yoder, the imposing minister with the cutting blue eyes, standing before Aiden now, sucking on a pipe and staring into the warm winter sun as if he were as innocent as the sparrows pecking at the seeds under the birdfeeder in the front yard.

Oddly, the reverend had to have known about Aiden’s investigation last year while he’d worked for
The Henry Blade
. Everyone knew. Surely Reverend Yoder, who kept watch over the flock like a hawk, had been aware of what was going on. Even Daniel had once warned Aiden the ministers might want to speak with him about his snooping into the community’s affairs.

Yet, even stranger, the reverend had not even a nervous twitch. He would have to be evil to not care about having done something as horribly malicious as killing his own son, even if by accident. Nagging uncertainties aside, Aiden found the reverend more engaging than anyone else had been thus far. Desperate for human interaction, he wanted to keep the reverend talking. Maybe he might even get him to slip up and utter something self-incriminating. After a moment of silent contemplation, courage filled him.

“Nice that the weather cooperated for the wedding,” Aiden dared to say. To Aiden’s surprise, the minister turned to him with a wide grin, his pipe clenched between big white teeth. Somehow he managed to keep his piercing blue eyes away from Aiden. Whether he turned his gaze upward, downward, or sideways, his eyes somehow managed to avoid direct contact.

“Ya, it is indeed a moment when we can realize God is smiling upon us,” Reverend Yoder said, turning his face back to the sun.

Following his gaze, Aiden said, “God created something amazing when he came up with the sun.”

“Ya, that He has,” the reverend said.

“The way we circle around it so fast,” Aiden said. “It’s hard to imagine sometimes.”

Instead of an agreeing nod and warm smile like before, the minister shot Aiden a harsh glare, his icy blues meeting Aiden’s eyes for the first time.

“Circle the sun?” Reverend Yoder said.

“Well, yes….”

“The earth does not circle the sun, my young English friend. It is the sun that circles the earth.” The minster puffed at his pipe and, without any further words, left for the house.

A jolt of realization struck Aiden as he stood alone by the windmill and watched the reverend stomp through the soggy grass and up the stone footpath. He understood what an ultra-orthodox world Daniel had come from. Although he was certain most of the Amish believed the earth circled the sun, as did Daniel, they still held on to staunch Biblical teachings that would be impossible for Aiden to live by, whether or not he believed in God.

Then and there, Aiden realized he and Daniel living together freely in that world would be impossible, not if they wanted to remain a couple. There was much he liked about Amish culture too… the subsistence lifestyle, the old-fashioned ways, the dedication to family and community.