A Place Called Eden

by R. H. Hull

  At about that same time, Sarah and Rebecca were pulling into their church parking lot where Jacob was already waiting. Sarah drove her car next to Jacob’s plain black car and stopped while Rebecca climbed out and quickly entered the passenger side of his car. “Be back in two hours, Sarah,” Rebecca called out of the car window, “In exactly in two hours, or a little sooner. I am depending on you!”

  “I’ll be here. Have good planning!” Sarah called back. “I’ll be thinking about you and wishing the best!” she said brightly. Jacob and Rebecca drove out of the parking lot to the south, and Sarah drove to the north out of the parking lot and back to her house, feeling that all was going well with their afternoon plans.

  Jacob drove his car toward Fall Meadow Farms so that they could, he felt, park with greater security off of the side of the gravel road so that he and Rebecca could talk and make their plans for him to meet her father and mother. He pulled over to the side of the road in the shade of trees about a quarter of a mile past the Swenson’s driveway in an area where he felt they would be less visible.

  When he had stopped his car, he looked at Rebecca, hoping that she perhaps had developed workable plans for their introduction of him to her parents. Instead, she looked intently into Jacob’s eyes, took his hand, and gently kissed it. Jacob then pulled Rebecca toward him, and they kissed.

  Chapter 24

  At about that same moment Rebecca’s parents were already on their way to search for their daughter. They decided to first drive to Sarah’s house to see if her parents knew where they were going, or they hoped that perhaps Rebecca might be there. They drove to Sarah’s house, parked by what appeared to be the back door, got out of their car and walked to the door and knocked. As they walked to the back door, they noticed that Sarah’s parents’ family car was parked by the house, so Sarah must have driven Rebecca here. They assumed that they both must be inside. At the knock on the back door, Sarah’s mother came to the door and greeted Elizabeth and Abraham Yoder.

  “Hello Abraham and Elizabeth. It is good to see you! What brings you to our house this afternoon? And, won’t you please come in?” Rather than entering their house, the Yoders simply asked if she knew where Rebecca and Sarah were. “We thought they might be here.”

  Sarah’s mother, looking somewhat surprised, responded by saying that she had not seen Rebecca, but Sarah was here at home. She had just arrived a few minutes earlier. She said that Sarah had driven to their house earlier to see Rebecca, and had just returned. “Is something wrong?”

  “We are looking for Rebecca,” her parents responded, now looking somewhat concerned. “We want to find her!”

  Without pausing, Sarah’s mother called for her to come to the door. Sarah promptly came to her mother, and was startled to see Rebecca’s parents standing there! “Can you tell us where Rebecca might be?” they asked. “We thought that she would be with you.”

  Sarah hesitated, stammered, wondering what to say. She had not expected that Rebecca’s parents would come to their home!

  With greater urgency, Rebecca’s father said, “Again, Sarah, can you tell us where Rebecca is?” Sarah once again hesitated, not sure what to say. Rebecca’s parents waited patiently for a response as Sarah’s neck and face begin to turn a dull crimson. Her mouth was open, but no words were uttered.

  “What is wrong, Sarah?” her mother asked while looking directly at Sarah. “If you know where Rebecca is, tell us!”

  Sarah now knew full well that she and Rebecca had been caught! Tears began to fill her eyes, and then she sobbed while she revealed the story of Rebecca and Jacob’s attempts to be together, and their meeting today to plan how they will introduce Jacob to her father and mother so that they can be together without hiding.

  Rebecca’s father and mother listened carefully as Sarah tried to explain. When she was finished, Sarah’s mother sternly told her to go back into the kitchen. “We need to talk—now!” her mother said loudly and sternly. Sarah, head was down and her eyes still filled with tears, walked back into the kitchen. She knew that she was in very deep trouble!

  Without saying a word regarding Sarah’s confession, Abraham told his wife Elizabeth to get into their car. “We are going to find Rebecca and bring her home!”

  Rebecca’s mother and father returned to their car and drove back onto the main gravel road in search of Rebecca who they now felt was probably somewhere in the vicinity, and probably in Jacob’s car.

  As they drove up and down the dirt and gravel roads of the area surrounding the local farms, Rebecca, or perhaps a car that seemed in any way to be out of the ordinary in regard to chrome or color could not be found. Rebecca’s parents then decided to drive near the Swenson’s Fall Meadows Farms. Perhaps they would be found near there. As they approached Fall Meadow Farms, in the distance they saw a plain black car that was parked on the side of the road in the shade under some trees. Although it looked like a car that would be driven by one of the members of their Order of the Eden River Mennonite church, they slowed down to see who was in the car, if anyone. As they drove slowly passed the parked car, they both saw Rebecca cradled in a young man’s arms!

  Rebecca’s father stopped the car, quickly put it in reverse, and in a cloud of dust backed alongside the black car that was apparently owned by Jacob Swenson. Abraham rolled the car window down nearest the driver’s seat of the black car and gave the car horn a quick blast. Rebecca, startled, turned and jumped away from Jacob, looked at the car that pulled next to them, and cried out, “Father! Mother!”

  Abraham Yoder signaled Jacob to roll down his car window, and then said loudly through their open window, “Rebecca! We want to talk to you at home—now! Get in our car—this minute!”

  Rebecca, now physically trembling, her deceit exposed, left Jacob’s car and walked slowly to the back door of her parent’s car. As she approached her parent’s car, her mother put her hand on her husband’s shoulder, and as he turned to her, she pleaded, “Abraham, please do not be too harsh with Rebecca. She is young and in love.”

  “She has lied to us!” Rebecca’s father said loudly—a harshness in his voice his wife had never heard before!

  “No, she hasn’t—not really,” Elizabeth replied. “She has deceived us, but…”

  “And,” Rebecca’s father said firmly—through clenched teeth, “Deceit is as sinful as outright lying!”

  “She didn’t really lie,” her mother replied quickly in Rebecca’s defense. “She was with Sarah, at least for a little while before meeting Jacob in order to be with him,” she pleaded. She repeated, “It is young love, Abraham. I am sure that Rebecca knew no other way to be with him since you have been so absolutely against her seeing a young man who is not of our faith. She cares so very much for Jacob. She feels that she needs to be with him!”

  Rebecca, obviously shaken—ashen faced, tears streaming from her lovely blue eyes, opened the door to the back seat of her parent’s car and sat, head down, still sobbing. The drive home was filled with dreadful silence. Not a word was spoken. Her mother looked intently at her husband, hoping that a word of hope or kindness might be spoken. But there were none.

  As Abraham Yoder drove the family car up to their house, Rebecca had her hand on the latch of the car door, ready to run into their house. As the car came to a stop, she opened the car door and quickly ran into their house and up the stairs to her room. She closed the door and stood momentarily with her back to the door, breathing deeply, still trembling. She walked slowly to her bed and sat on the edge, gripping the soft comforter that had kept her warm at night for so many years and had provided her security on stormy nights. She had not intended to lie—to deceive her father and mother, but the only way she could think of to see and be with Jacob to plan for his introduction to her them was to make up a story—a way to talk with him, and Sarah was willing to help! And, now she has probably also been caught!

  As she sat on the edge of her soft bed, her thoughts were racing. Was she now to simply move away from h
ome where she wouldn’t have to worry about lying and deceit? Her father did not seem to waver in his feelings about Jacob, so what was she to do? But she felt so young—so helpless. She didn’t really want to move away from home. Where would she go? If she moved to her Grandmother’s house, there would essentially be no difference in attitudes or confinement!

  Her thoughts drifted back to the earlier part of the afternoon when she was with Jacob. She felt so warm and cared for in Jacob’s arms. They had talked and had begun to make plans about how to introduce him to her parents, hopefully in such a positive way that they would welcome him into their family. But they had not been able to determine how that would be done. She just wanted to be cradled in his arms. She felt safe there.

  A gentle knock was heard at her door—not a firm knock as would have been made by her father, but a quieter, gentler knock. She rose from her bed and opened the bedroom door ever so slightly. She saw her mother standing there. Next to her was her brother Tom. Both asked if they could come in. Of course, Rebecca agreed that they were welcome. Her mother sat down on the bed and patted the comforter, indicating that Rebecca should sit down next to her. Rebecca walked slowly to her mother and sat down, tears still glistening on her cheeks. Her brother came over and sat on the other side of her.

  “Tom has been talking with me and your father,” Rebecca’s mother quietly said. Rebecca listened, looking down at the floor. “Tom has stressed to us once again the goodness and strength of Jacob’s family, and how Jacob reflects that goodness in his actions and his work at home and at school. His family is not of our faith, but that, as Tom has stressed, does not make him any less than us. He comes from a strong church going family, and he reflects those strengths and beliefs. He has waited quietly and faithfully for nearly two years to be with you, Rebecca, to go places with you, to attend church with you, or just to go out for a soft drink, and to simply talk and to be with you.”

  Rebecca looked into her mother’s eyes, and then to her brother Tom, “You both seem to understand my feelings, and the goodness and sincerity of Jacob. But father seems to only retain his feelings against Jacob—that Jacob is not as good as we are because he and his family are not of our Mennonite Order!”

  “Yes,” her mother replied, “Your father is furious, and he is on his way to the Swenson farm to tell them that Jacob is not to see you again. In fact, I think he is leaving this very moment, Rebecca. I could not stop him!”

  Abraham Yoder had stormed out of their house and walked quickly to his pickup truck. He brought the engine to life and drove down their long driveway in a cloud of dust and gravel as he sped to the main road. His destination was Fall Meadow Farms! His goal was to tell Jacob’s parents that Jacob was not to see Rebecca again!

  Rebecca, her mother and brother Tom heard the engine of the truck, and as they looked through the window of Rebecca’s room, they saw clouds of dust rising behind the truck as he sped onto the main road.

  Rebecca watched through her bedroom window, tears once again welling into her eyes. She turned and cried out, “Oh mother! What can we do? I just know what father is going to do! What can we do?” she pleaded. Her mother put her arms around Rebecca as she sobbed onto her mother’s shoulder. Her mother responded quietly, “At this point, I don’t know what to do. We will just have to wait and hope that your father will somehow come to realize that Jacob is a fine young man who comes from a good family, and who obviously cares very much for you.”

  As Rebecca’s mother continued to hold her close to her, she said in a confident way, “I just cannot believe that your father would do or say anything that would destroy a potential relationship with that young man. If he does,” she said again with confidence, “then he will have me to reckon with! You can believe that, Rebecca! I may be a quiet and obedient wife, but I will take care of my children and make sure that things are right in their life to the degree that I can! I will not allow your father to destroy a relationship between our daughter and a fine young man!” However, Elizabeth Yoder was still doubtful that she could change her husband’s mind. She only hoped that something would happen that day that would change his mind without her having to attempt to intervene again.

  Chapter 25

  Rebecca’s father reached the Swenson farms and drove down the long driveway into their farmstead. It was only four miles from their house, and he had driven much faster than usual. But he wanted to arrive quickly. He knew where they lived, but had never actually been there.

  As he drove down the long driveway, he stopped in front of a beautiful, stately white colonial two and one-half story house. Four Roman columns lined the front of the house. He had no idea that a farmhouse such as that existed in their community! The picturesque scene that was before him was obviously an image that revealed a history of successful and profitable farming. In fact, the farmstead was immaculate—so well groomed, revealing a great deal of pride and care. He couldn’t help but be impressed with its well maintained and stately appearance. How beautifully designed it was!

  Abraham left his truck and walked quickly and with purpose to the front door of the Swenson house. The house had heavy doors and large windows that would allow ample sun to enter their house—just what Elizabeth, his wife, had dreamed of in order to raise blooming flowers inside of their home. The house revealed an air of success without extravagance.

  As he turned and gazed from their porch, he could not help but be impressed with the expanse of the well-groomed front yard, and the landscaping. He had absolutely no idea that the Swenson family lived in such a beautiful and obviously well cared for estate. He paused at the door before knocking in order to view once again the expanse of the farm stead.

  Instead of knocking on the front door which he felt uncomfortable doing, he walked around the outside of the house to locate the back door. He was going to knock, but then he happened to notice a small button that could be pushed. He had never seen one before, but he guessed it was what he had heard about, possibly what was called a doorbell. He pushed it and heard the sound of a loud ‘gong’ inside of the house. Momentarily Mrs. Ruth Swenson opened the door and warmly greeted him. After Abraham introduced himself, she welcomed him and invited him into their kitchen.

  As Abraham walked inside, he noticed that the interior seemed as immaculately kept as the outside of the house. The kitchen was large and beautiful, an apparently wonderful experience for someone who liked to cook. He knew that Elizabeth, his wife, would be in absolute awe. The aroma of freshly baked pastry and hot coffee greeted him as he entered.

  Abraham said as he walked into the kitchen, “Mrs. Swenson, I have come to see your husband, I must talk with him.”

  She paused for a moment, but did not ask why he seemed to feel that seeing Milo, her husband, was an urgent matter. So, Ruth Swenson continued in her pleasant way, “Please, won’t you sit down Mr. Yoder? My husband Milo is just outside. I’ll get him for you. In the meantime, I’ll pour you some coffee. I just took a cherry pie from the oven, if you would like a piece with your coffee.”

  Before Abraham could say anything more, Ruth Swenson placed a cup of hot coffee on the table in front of him. She continued, “My husband and Jacob have been doing some light work around the farm today. Jacob just returned, and Milo needed his help to lift some fence posts into the holes that he dug earlier this morning. I told them that the cherry pie was almost ready, so they should be in shortly,” she said with a smile and a happy sounding voice.

  As Abraham Yoder heard that happy voice, it dawned on him that he had not heard a truly happy sound in Elizabeth or Rebecca’s voice for some time now. He used to hear it fairly frequently, but recently they had both become rather silent.

  Ruth Swenson went to the back door and called her husband Milo and son Jacob to tell them to hurry, that Abraham Yoder was there, and that the pie was out of the oven and waiting for their afternoon snack. Milo Swenson knew Abraham Yoder simply from living in their community. Jacob only knew him from the brief introduction and con
versation at the Eden General Store, and knew of course that he was Rebecca’s father.

  As Abraham sat at the table, his original intent for being there was still fresh in his mind, that was to confront the Swensons and inform them that Jacob was not to see his daughter again—ever! He wanted to get that conversation over with as quickly as he could!

  When Milo and Jacob Swenson came into the kitchen, Milo walked quickly to Abraham with hand outstretched in greeting. Abraham rose from the chair where he had been seated, and they shook hands. As Jacob entered the room, he likewise came forward somewhat hesitantly, but with a warm smile and his hand outstretched to greet Rebecca’s father.

  Jacob’s and his father’s smile and warm greeting touched Rebecca’s father. In fact, the entire setting was not what he was expecting. The immaculate farm that was obviously developed with great forethought. The warm greeting by Jacob’s mother and father, and the mature and manly greeting by Jacob were all somehow unexpected and had caught Abraham off guard.