Plain Proposal (31 page)

Rebecca knocked on the bedroom door, then pushed it open before Shelby had time to answer. “Shelby?” She stepped into the room, and her heart dropped. “What are you doing?” Rebecca eyed Shelby’s packed suitcases. Her young cousin was sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes swollen and red. Rebecca sat down beside her. “Shelby?”

Shelby sniffled as she kept her head hung. “I figured you would be ready for me to leave. I know I still have a couple of weeks, but after what happened—” She started to cry.

Rebecca put a hand on her shoulder. “Shelby. The fire in the barn was an accident. We are thanking the Lord that you are safe. That everyone is safe. Child, we hold no ill will toward you.”

Shelby still didn’t look at her. “I’m so sorry, Rebecca.”

Rebecca twisted to face her. “Shelby, look at me.” When Shelby finally did, Rebecca cupped her cheek in her hand. “Sweet Shelby, please don’t leave yet.”

A tear rolled down Shelby’s cheek. “I would be leaving soon anyway. And I know you don’t like me here, and—”

“That’s not true.” Rebecca lowered her hand and gazed into Shelby’s eyes, realizing they’d never really had a heart-to-heart conversation. “I—I was worried when you arrived, Shelby. We’re not used to having
Englisch
living in our home, and I admit. . .” Shame fell over Rebecca as she thought about the blame she’d mistakenly placed on Shelby in the past. “I was fearful.” She lifted Shelby’s chin, then smiled. “But you are part of this family. And I know that you have been a
gut
influence on our Miriam.” Rebecca frowned. “Even if we’ve questioned her choices.”

Shelby turned on the bed, bent one leg underneath her, then stared hard at Rebecca. “I think Saul loves Miriam very much. But I can understand why you wouldn’t want her to leave here.” Shelby looked away, stared at the wall for a moment as if remembering something, then said, “It’s a scary place out there.”

They were both quiet for a few moments. Rebecca finally stood up and folded her arms across her chest. “Young lady, you get busy unpacking those bags.” Shelby looked up at her. “Because you haven’t lived until you’ve experienced an Amish barn raising.” She grinned. “Do you really want to miss that?”

Shelby’s eyes teared up again. “You don’t want to send me away? Seems like every time I did something bad, my parents were ready to ship me off. This wasn’t the first time. When I was thirteen, I got sent to my aunt’s to live because I failed two classes.” Shelby paused, swiping at her eyes. “There were other times.”

Rebecca sighed as she lowered her hands to her sides. “No, my dear. No one is shipping you anywhere, except perhaps outside to help serve tea to the neighbors helping us.”

A grin tipped the corner of Shelby’s mouth. “Yes, ma’am.”

Rebecca folded her hands in front of her and stood taller. “Now, get these bags unpacked, and I’ll see you downstairs.” She winked at Shelby, then headed out the door.

Once downstairs Rebecca grabbed a pitcher of tea from the kitchen table and headed out the back door—just in time to see Bishop Ebersol pulling up. She’d prayed about this situation with Zeb and the boys, and now she knew that she must talk to the bishop. She took a deep breath and walked outside.

Saul stopped dead in his tracks with a handful of burnt wood when he saw Rebecca at the side of the house talking with Bishop Ebersol, and twice the bishop glanced toward Saul’s father. There was no doubt in Saul’s mind that Rebecca was telling the bishop about his
daed
. It would only be a matter of time before the entire community found out. How could she do this after Saul promised to stay here in the community? Clearly Rebecca’s ultimate goal was to make sure that Saul didn’t marry Miriam, here or anywhere else.

And I’m here helping your family while you go destroying mine?

He dropped the wood on the pile of debris and turned again toward the bishop, locking eyes with him briefly until he saw Miriam walk up beside him.

“I wonder what
Mamm
is talking to Bishop Ebersol about.” Miriam handed Saul a glass of iced tea.

Saul accepted the tea, took a long drink, then shrugged. First, his dreams of going to Pittsburgh had been shattered, and now he couldn’t help but worry that Miriam would change her mind about him once she found out about his father.

“Saul, no matter what, I still think we should go to Pittsburgh, like we planned.”

“I told you. We can’t. Because of Ruben and James.” Saul didn’t mean his words to sound so harsh, but it was hard to watch everything falling apart right before his eyes.

“I—I don’t understand that. Your father will take care of Ruben and James, and—”

“I can’t talk about this right now.” Saul walked away, thinking it was only a matter of time before Miriam didn’t want anything to do with him or his family. He couldn’t look back.

Miriam stood completely still as she watched Saul walk away. Maybe he’d decided against marrying her after all. Maybe he couldn’t deal with her meddlesome mother. She turned toward Bishop Ebersol and
Mamm
and watched them for a moment. Bishop Ebersol was stroking his long gray beard as her mother did most of the talking. She didn’t see her father walk up beside her.

“I can’t stand to see you leave here,
mei dochder
.”
Daed
frowned as he spoke. “But I can’t stand to see you unhappy either.”

Miriam didn’t say anything.

“You love that boy?”

She turned to face him. “With all my heart,
Daed
.”

Her father shook his head and stared at the ground. “You don’t know anything about the
Englisch
world,
dochder
.”

Miriam kept her eyes on her mother and the bishop. “And apparently I’m not going to.”

“What would be so terrible about you and Saul staying here, raising a family here?”

She turned to face her father. “Because Saul has a dream,
Daed
. A dream he’s had for a long time. I would be the same person,
Daed
, whether I’m here or in Pittsburgh. I love God. I can love Him from anywhere.” She lifted one shoulder, then dropped it. “But Saul is so unhappy right now, I don’t even know if he still wants to marry me.”

“If he loves you, he should want to marry you no matter where you live.”

Miriam’s mouth dropped for a moment. “You and
Mamm
should love me no matter where I live too.”

Daed
put one hand on his hip as he rubbed his forehead with the other, then he sighed. “Of course we will always love you, Miriam.” He gazed at her with soft eyes and a gentle smile, and Miriam felt like a little girl all of a sudden.

“Then what is it,
Daed
? Why can’t you stand the thought of me leaving with Saul?” She moved closer to him. “My faith will go with me wherever I go. Don’t you believe that,
Daed
? You’ve raised me
gut
.” She touched his arm. “Please,
Daed
. Have faith in me.”

“I do.”

Miriam kept her eyes locked with his and waited for him to go on.

“I would just—just miss you. So very much.” He covered his eyes with one hand, and Miriam realized she’d never seen her father cry. Until now.

Miriam put her arms around him and cried with him for a moment.

I would miss all of you too.

Rebecca finished her conversation with Bishop Ebersol, then headed toward the house. Before going inside, she stopped and lowered her head to pray that she’d done the right thing. When she looked up, Aaron was standing right in front of her.

“This could all backfire on you, especially when Zeb finds out.”

She lifted her head. “I have to believe I did the right thing, Aaron. I’ve prayed about this, and it’s just not right—what’s goin’ on over there.”

Her husband shook his head, then glanced around until he saw Zeb carrying a stack of wood, a smile on his face. “I know we don’t know Zeb and the boys as well as we should, but it wonders me if it’s right to interfere in a man’s life like that, even if we’re trying to do
gut
for everyone involved.” He edged closer and stroked his beard. “He’s here helping our family, and you’re telling his family secrets.”

“Secrets that can cause harm to his children.” Rebecca’s voice cracked as she began to second-guess what she’d just done.

“I hope it doesn’t bring shame to Zeb’s family. That’s all I’m saying.”

Rebecca bit her bottom lip for a moment, then eased closer to her husband. “You know that’s not why I’m doing this.”

“I know, Rebecca. But what you are doing is going to cost us something very precious.”

Rebecca realized that there would be a cost for what she’d done, but in her heart she believed it was the right thing for everyone. She could only hope and pray that she’d helped the Fishers, even if they never saw it that way. Just the same, her own actions frightened her, and she blinked back tears.

“Don’t cry, Rebecca. Please don’t cry.” Aaron discreetly reached for her hand and squeezed. “We will pray extra hard about this.” He paused when Shelby walked by them toward the barn. He waited until she was out of earshot before he asked Rebecca, “Where’s she been?”

“She was upstairs packing. She thought we were going to send her home early because of what happened.” Rebecca shook her head.

“She didn’t mean to burn down the barn. It was an accident.”

“That’s what I told her.” Rebecca watched Shelby join Miriam and take two glasses of tea from a tray, then pass them out to the fellows nearby. “I worry about her. I think divorce must cause all kinds of problems when there are
kinner
involved, no?”

“I don’t know, Rebecca. Divorce or not—it seems odd to me that her folks don’t call or check on her more often.”

Rebecca couldn’t agree more.

Shelby wound her way around the crowd, careful to avoid Jesse. She’d stopped going to lunch with him and hadn’t made an effort to get in touch with him. She was leaving in two weeks, and they’d already become much too close. Saying good-bye was going to be hard enough.

She missed their lunches and talks about books, but she knew Miriam was right. If she were to get close to Jesse, it wouldn’t be fair to either one of them, even if Jesse had hinted that he had a curiosity about the world outside of this safe community. He belonged here, and although she didn’t want their friendship to come to a halt, she’d rekindled another relationship. Her time with the Lord brought her a sense of peace that she hadn’t had in a long time. She credited Miriam and her family for reconnecting her with God, but Shelby knew that through prayer, He was changing her life.