Holding a Tender Heart (11 page)

The bishop sighed again. He was already weary from his thoughts all week. His head ached with the trouble Lois had caused with her desire to plunge into the
Englisha
world. And then Debbie from next door had come over with her wish to board at their place. Saloma had claimed Debbie was considering joining the faith, which was hard to imagine. An
Englisha
hadn't become part of their Amish community in a long time.

He should give Debbie an answer soon, and so far nothing definite had presented itself. If he said
nee,
he risked offense to a
potential convert. If he said
yah
, trouble might also lie ahead. A convert always ran into rough waters when he or she attempted to live out the faith. It was hard enough to live by the
Ordnung
when one was born into the faith.

And was he willing to accept the responsibility of having the young woman live in his own home? That would magnify any issues that might arise a hundredfold. But perhaps he shouldn't be thinking about the end of the road before Debbie even began the journey. She had only asked to board at their place. She had always been very respectful of their ways and beliefs. Debbie might be the answer to his problem with Lois. He had to consider that possibility too.

He walked toward the hitching post as the horse and buggy turned in the driveway. He met Deacon Mast as he climbed out of the buggy. “
Gut
afternoon.”

“
Yah
, I suppose so,” the deacon grunted.

A smile flitted across Bishop Beiler's face. This wasn't funny, and he'd sighed himself not moments ago. But he couldn't help but smile at the look on the deacon's face. Perhaps shared misery indeed reduced sorrow. “Is it that bad?” he asked.

“Enough that I thought you should know about it. You might even wish to make a visit yourself this afternoon.”

Another sigh was ready to escape his lips, but Bishop Beiler thought better of letting it out. Church work must go on, and he must bear it with fortitude. Especially in front of a deacon who appeared weary himself. Sometimes church work was too much for any man to carry with joy.

The deacon glanced down before looking at the bishop. “It's Henry Yoder again. He bought himself a brand-new hay cutter. And he was seen running it in his field last week using his
Englisha
neighbor's tractor.”

“Not again!” Bishop Beiler groaned.

“
Yah
, I'm afraid so. And he had the same story as before. Claims he borrowed it only for a few rounds. When I mentioned that he'd
used the tractor almost half a day, he didn't deny it. Seems every time he buys a new piece of machinery this comes up.”

“There's no rule against new machinery,” Bishop Beiler mused. “But maybe there ought to be in Henry's case.”

“
Yah
, I have thought of that.” The deacon nodded his head with vigor. “But how would such a thing be handled?”

“That can't be done, of course,” Bishop Beiler said. “We can't make a special rule for one man. And Henry knows that.”

Deacon Mast looked away. “There's more to it, Bishop. Henry refuses to repent this time. He wants our understanding for this habit of his. He wants an exemption.”

“We can do no such thing! If we did soon the entire community would want exemptions from the
Ordnung
!”

“That's what I told him, but Henry's not budging. Said he wants to speak with you himself. He claims your family isn't living right either.”

“This cannot be!” Surprise covered Bishop Beiler's face. “I do not play favorites, David. If my family is in sin, then I wish to be told.”

“I told him that,” Deacon Mast said at once. “But don't let him get to you, Adam. Henry's trying to stir the hornet's nest. Get a few loose bees flying around so we leave him alone.”

Bishop Beiler stared across the open fields. “Everyone knows the problem I have with Lois. I'm not hiding a thing there. And with the other children, I believe they're innocent of any wrongdoing.”

The deacon regarded him for a moment. “Have you forgotten about Joe Weaver, Adam? He's dating your Verna, isn't he?”

Bishop Beiler ran his hand across his face. “
Yah
. But Rosy dumped Joe. I don't like Joe coming around, but that's not an
Ordnung
matter the last time I checked.”

Deacon Mast chuckled but said nothing.

“So what is Henry accusing my family of?”

“He wouldn't say, Adam. That's why I think you should go speak with him.”

Adam pulled back a step. “You think I'm hiding something?”

Deacon Mast shook his head. “
Nee
, but someone else might be. And there's no way to find out but by hearing the man out. Better done on a Saturday afternoon, I think, then have him announce the supposed transgression at a members' meeting some Sunday morning.”

“
Yah
, you're right there,” the bishop allowed. This was all he needed—some violation by one of his children of which he was unaware. There were few ways a leader could lose the people's confidence faster—a bishop who couldn't see the sins of his own children.

“Perhaps it's a small thing,” Deacon Mast ventured. “Something unworthy of mention once it sees the light of day.”

Bishop Beiler shook his head. “Henry knows better than to make a fuss over nothing.”

“Then you will see to it? Before tomorrow morning, I would hope?”

Bishop Beiler sighed again. “It's not like I had plenty of idle time this afternoon.”

“
Da Hah
's vineyard sure grows weeds quickly, does it not?” Deacon Mast said as he climbed back into his buggy. He didn't wait for an answer, but jiggled the reins. His horse moved forward and plodded out the lane.

Truer words couldn't be spoken, Bishop Beiler thought, as he watched the buggy drive down the road. Now he had something else he needed to look into on top of all the other decisions already on his mind. Well, he shouldn't complain, he supposed.
Da Hah
always gave grace for every trial. Somewhere, sometime the light of God would shine on this one.

Bishop Beiler headed for the house, and entered the washroom. After washing up, he found Saloma hard at work in the kitchen.

She glanced up at him. “That was Deacon Mast,” she commented as she searched his face. “Was it very troubling…the news the deacon brought?”

He didn't answer her. Instead, he asked, “Are any of our children misbehaving? Besides Lois's focus on the
Englisha
, I mean.”

“Not that I know of, Adam. You know they try hard to follow the
Ordnung
and honor your position as bishop.”

“What could it be then?” he asked as he stroked his beard.

She touched his arm. “What news did Deacon Mast bring you?”

“That there has been mention of something amiss in our family. I wish I knew what it was specifically, Saloma. That's what I must find out.” He thought for a moment. “It must be Verna's dating that Joe Weaver.
Yah
, I knew I never should have allowed that.”

“You're not talking sense, Adam,” she said. “What's going on?”

He didn't answer as he turned, looking back long enough to say, “I'll be back before long.”

“What about Debbie?” she called from the washroom door. “You must make up your mind and soon.”

He paused to call back, “I'll think about it some more when I come back.”

That seemed to satisfy her because she closed the washroom door. Bishop Beiler found his horse, Milo, in the barnyard. He snapped a tie rope onto the halter and led him inside. There the bishop threw on the harness, and minutes later he was ready to hitch Milo to the buggy. Just as he led Milo out, a buggy turned in the driveway.

The bishop paused with a sigh on his lips. Now who had come to cause more trouble? As if in answer, the buggy stopped near him and Alvin Knepp jumped down. “
Gut
afternoon, Bishop.”

“
Gut
afternoon to you, Alvin. Do you need something?”

A slight grin played on Alvin's face. “I'm not going to cause church problems, if that's what you're thinking. I was wondering if I could borrow your singletree for the week. I broke mine, and it's in the repair shop.”

Bishop Beiler felt his face relax into a smile. “I have an extra one in the barn. You're welcome to it. If you'll hold Milo, I'll go get it for you.”

“I can find it, I'm sure. Don't let me hold you up. I see you're going somewhere.”

The bishop accepted the offer with a nod of his head. He climbed into the buggy and took off. He glanced back to see Alvin tie his horse at the hitching rack. The bishop turned his thoughts to Henry Yoder and his church-related trouble. Surely there was some simple answer to this problem. But with Henry nothing was ever easy. The bishop settled in the buggy seat for the twenty-minute drive. Each second dragged along like a plow in heavy soil. He thought the matter over in thorough detail and was more convinced than ever. Whatever Henry had to say about his family surely involved Joe Weaver. There could be no other explanation. None of the children other than Lois had been misbehaving. He watched them too closely not to know.

Emery and Lois were still in their
rumspringa
time
,
so if either of them had done something he didn't know of, it wouldn't be a matter of grave concern. But even Emery was having a quiet
rumspringa
time by most standards. And Verna and Ida always kept themselves under strict control. Neither girl had really taken advantage of their
rumspringa
time before they joined the church, for which he was grateful. In Emery, he had full confidence. This fall when the next baptismal class began, Emery might even join the church.

The bishop pulled back on the reins and slowed Milo for the turn into Henry Yoder's driveway. He stopped beside the barn, jumped out, and tied Milo to the hitching post. He rapped on the barn door and pushed on in when he received no answer. Barns were different from houses. You were expected to enter and check. The owner might well be at work somewhere inside and not hear the knock.

“Howdy there!” Bishop Beiler hollered out. He stood still as he waited for an answer.

A faint shout came from the direction of the haymow. Moments later a man's legs appeared, and the rest of Henry soon followed. He slapped at the straw on his pants and took his hat off to shake it.
Henry grinned. “Haymow's about empty. I'll sure be glad to see the first hay cutting put up.”

“
Yah
,” Bishop Beiler agreed. “It shouldn't be long now. Maybe in a week or so.”

Henry leaned against the wooden ladder. “Thought I might try a little practice cutting myself last week. Had to pick up a new machine. You know how that goes.”

Enough of this skirting of the issues, Bishop Beiler decided. He glanced down at the barn floor before he spoke. “Deacon Mast came by to say you had something against me, and that I'd better look into it.”

Henry didn't appear pleased. “That's putting it a little harshly. You know how things get mangled up between mouths. I thought it was you who had something against me.”

Bishop Beiler didn't hesitate. “We have to uphold the
Ordnung
, Henry. There's nothing new about that.”

Henry dropped his head. “Each man has his weakness. Mine is that I can't keep away from the neighbor's tractor.”

“And for three or four hours it sounds like.”

Henry winced. “Remember how things get mangled up, Bishop.”

Bishop Beiler met his gaze. “It's time you became a better example for your family and the community, Henry. Your children are growing up and looking to you for lessons on how they should behave. We can't have this kind of thing going on all the time. Maybe it's time for a knee confession. Perhaps it would stick then.”

Henry frowned. “Why would you say such things with what's going on in your family?”

Bishop Beiler stepped closer. “Deacon Mast told me you had something against me. Maybe you'd better tell me what it is, Henry.”

“I'm sure the church would also wish to hear about it, Bishop. So maybe I should tell them first?”

Bishop Beiler sighed. “That's not going to work, Henry. I'll tell
the congregation I offered to make things right, but you held out so you could embarrass me in front of everyone.”

Henry swallowed hard. “Okay, I'll tell you. Your eldest daughter's boyfriend, Joe Weaver, also seems to have a liking for
Englisha
vehicles. He's been driving them around at the auction barn in Belleville for quite some time now. How's that for being a bad example to our young people? At least I keep my things hidden behind the barn for the most part.”

Bishop Beiler gathered his thoughts. “And you know this for sure, Henry?”

Henry glared. “I saw him myself, Bishop. Quite a few times.”