Lifted Up by Angels

by Lurlene McDaniel

  He made a face. “You are right. That would be horrible.”

  She punched him playfully.

  By now they were walking through one of the better department stores. Ethan stopped short in front of a rack of swimsuits. His eyes grew large as he looked at an assortment of bikinis.

  “Something wrong?” Leah asked.

  “Do girls wear such things out in public?”

  Leah was trying hard not to giggle at the expression on his face. “Only girls with great bodies,” she said, holding one up. It was red, speckled with white stars. “Kind of patriotic, don’t you think?”

  He gulped. His gaze fell on the price tag. “We could feed a dairy cow for months on that much money.”

  Leah dangled the suit in front of her. “Well, I certainly don’t want to cheat a poor cow out of her food.”

  Ethan’s gaze flew to Leah’s face. “You would not wear such a thing, would you?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with wearing a bikini,” she said defensively. “And yes, I’ve worn one. I guess you’ve never lain on a beach and sunbathed, have you?”

  “Is that why girls wear them? To get a suntan?”

  Leah started to tell him that bikinis were fashion items in today’s world. She also knew that tanning had never been the main reason she and her friends had worn bikinis. Boys noticed them in bikinis. She didn’t want to admit that to Ethan. Feeling irritated, she hung the suit back on the rack. “I’m sorry, Ethan. I was teasing you, and I shouldn’t have.”

  He stepped out of the main aisle and the flow of foot traffic. “You do not have to apologize,” he said. “And I did not mean to sound so disapproving. But I believe that a woman’s body should only be shared with her husband. She should not show it off to other men.” He averted his eyes. “And I will also tell you that it bothers me to think that other boys look at your body.”

  “You’re jealous?”

  He pondered her question before answering. “No. Jealousy is wrong. It serves no good, so I am not jealous. But it does hurt my heart to think about sharing you with others. You are beautiful, Leah. I hope you will not wear bikinis, but I would never tell you what to do.”

  With his words, Leah felt her irritation dissolve. “I know we’re coming from different places, Ethan. And I know it’s hard for you to understand this crazy modern world. I guess I don’t give much thought to it myself—maybe I should. Just please remember, I really do respect your values. And I don’t want you to think badly of me just because we don’t see eye to eye on something like clothes.”

  Ethan raised his eyes, and a smile softened his face. “Many of my friends tell me I am too old-fashioned. I am trying to ‘lighten up.’ ”

  “I’ll cut you some slack then,” she said, taking his hand. “And you needn’t worry about me parading around in a bikini. I won’t do that either. If I’m going to spend this much money, I’d rather buy something that covers a lot more territory!”

  Ethan laughed hard. “Oh, Leah, you are very funny.”

  It was good to hear him laugh. But Leah felt troubled. No matter how much time they spent together, it still seemed as if they were worlds apart. She had thought that over time, they might grow closer in the way that each of them viewed the world and how to live in it. At the moment, she wasn’t sure if that would or could ever happen.

  ELEVEN

  After grabbing a hamburger in the food court, Leah and Ethan returned to cruising the mall. Ethan stopped in front of a large toy store. “Let’s go in here,” he said.

  Leah hadn’t been into a toy store for years, but she found walking through the aisles with Ethan fascinating. His gaze darted everywhere, absorbing the array of toys and playthings like a sponge soaking up water. He stopped by a model train display. He bent down, examining from every angle the perfect replica of an old-fashioned steam engine, tracks, countryside and miniature town.

  “Cool, isn’t it?” Leah asked.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “It runs on electricity,” she reminded him.

  “Why would someone build this?”

  “For a hobby, I guess. For fun.”

  He shook his head. “This person has too much spare time.”

  Leah didn’t want to get into another discussion with him about what was and wasn’t practical. She wandered off and started sorting through a table filled with marked-down items. She picked up a bright pink plastic egg left over from the store’s Easter merchandise. When she pushed a button on the side of the egg, the top half popped open and a small, fuzzy chick popped up and made a peeping noise.

  “Ethan, look.” Leah took it over to him for a demonstration. “Isn’t this cute? I’d like to buy this for Rebekah. Do you think she’ll like it?”

  “She has real chickens.”

  “So what? This is really cute. And girls like cute little things.”

  “But what is the purpose of this toy?”

  “Purpose! Does everything have to have a purpose for you? Can’t you—” Leah was just warming up when she realized that he was teasing her. “I should slug you,” she said.

  He threw up his hands in mock surrender. “I would rather have a kiss.”

  She stalked to the counter and bought the plastic egg.

  Out in the mall again, Leah paused at a store window and pointed. “Here’s a hair salon. Were you serious about getting a different haircut?”

  Ethan craned his neck to peer past posters for hair products. “I see only women in there.”

  “The salon is unisex. For both men and women,” she explained. “We could talk to a stylist. Look through some books. Then you could decide.”

  He licked his lips nervously. “No one will laugh at me?”

  “No way. It’s their business to make people happy with their haircuts.”

  “We could talk to one …,” he said hesitantly.

  Leah caught his arm. “It might cost some money. I mean, more than you think it’s worth.”

  “I have money.”

  “Then let’s go talk to them.”

  An hour later, Ethan’s thick blond hair had been washed, cut and dried into a sleek new style. It was still conservative, but it looked modern, not home-done, like his original cut. His expression throughout the process was one of stoic resignation. He never even closed his eyes during the shampoo portion. “Relax,” the stylist told him.

  But when it was over and he saw himself in the mirror, Leah saw a grin creep out around the corners of his mouth. She thought he’d never looked more handsome, but she knew flattery would only embarrass him. Once they were out in the mall, she said, “I like it. Do you?”

  “Yes. But back home, I will be teased by my friends.”

  “If they don’t have anything better to do than tease you about a haircut, then tell them to get a life.”

  Ethan grinned. “I will tell them.”

  Leah looked at her watch. “It’s almost nine. I think we’d better start back.”

  In the car, Ethan said, “Today was fun, Leah. I liked being with you. I liked the adventure.”

  She thought it odd that he’d consider a visit to a hospital and a mall adventurous. Then she reconsidered. He’d probably never spent a whole day doing things that didn’t revolve around his family or farmwork. The Amish probably thought that shopping without a specific purpose was frivolous. “Anytime you want another adventure, tell me,” Leah said. “I liked being with you today too.”

  It was after midnight when they turned onto the Longacre property. “Stop the car here,” Ethan said. “I will walk the rest of the way to the house.”

  Leah turned off the engine. “Good thinking. We don’t want to wake anybody up.” She asked, “You won’t get in trouble, will you? With your father, I mean.” She hadn’t forgotten their raised voices the day she’d stopped by to tell Ethan about her doctor’s appointment.

  “If you are asking if Papa is angry at me for leaving today, the answer is yes.”

  Leah winced. “I’m sorry. I di
dn’t mean to make him mad at you.” She played with her fingers in the dark. “I know he doesn’t like me.”

  “That is not true. He has not forgotten your kindness to Rebekah when you were in the hospital together.”

  “Okay, so he tolerates me. But he doesn’t like your hanging around with me.”

  “He has reasons,” Ethan said, not bothering to deny that Leah’s observation was correct.

  “Such as?”

  Ethan didn’t answer, and the silence stretched into a long, awkward minute. “I cannot say. But it is not you as a person, Leah.”

  His refusal to tell her was infuriating. Still, she was determined not to nag him. “Look, I know you get up at five-thirty. And I’ve got to go to work in the morning also.”

  “Leah, I am not keeping a secret to make you angry, or because I do not care about you,” he said, as though sensing her feelings.

  “You don’t owe me any explanations, Ethan. I am English and you are not. I guess in your father’s mind, that’s reason enough.” She started the engine. “I hope you don’t catch too much flak about your hair.”

  Ethan opened the car door and stepped out into the weak pool of light cast by the car’s interior lights. “Wait,” he said, before she could pull away. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small package. “This is for you. I told you I was going to buy you a present.”

  “When did you buy it? We were together the whole day.”

  “That is a secret. Open it.”

  She took a small box from the bag. In the box, nestled in cotton, was a porcelain lop-eared rabbit, not more than a few inches long. It glowed alabaster white in the light from the dashboard. “Oh, Ethan. It’s beautiful.”

  “It is small. It is cute. You said girls like such things.”

  Leah realized that she couldn’t hold a grudge against Ethan. Her annoyance with him evaporated. “You’re a very thoughtful, kind person, Ethan. Thank you—not just for the present, but for going with me today. It meant a lot to me.”

  “You are welcome. You make me happy, Leah. Happier than anything else I have ever known.”

  Leah watched him walk toward the old farmhouse and back into his Amish world. She drove off, to return to hers.

  The next day, Mrs. Stoltz asked Leah to go out to the Longacre farm to buy fresh vegetables for her kitchen. “They have the best in the whole area,” she told Leah, “and I know you’re friends with them.”

  Leah figured Kathy must have said something to Mrs. Stoltz about Leah’s knowing the Longacres. She was happy to have an excuse to see her friends.

  “I like Ethan’s haircut,” Charity said as she and Leah walked in the garden, picking ripe vegetables. Colorful flowers, used as natural insect repellants, grew between the orderly rows.

  “Everyone noticed it then, I guess.”

  “Yes. It was noticed.”

  “Did your family approve?”

  “Rebekah and I approved.”

  “But your parents didn’t?”

  “Not Papa. He told Ethan that he looked fancy.”

  Knowing her fears had been realized, Leah asked, “What did Ethan say?”

  “He told Papa that it was his hair and that he could do with it as he liked.”

  “You mean they argued about it.” Leah couldn’t understand what was so bad about Ethan’s getting his hair cut differently. He’d done nothing wrong.

  “Not an argument,” Charity said, answering Leah’s question. “Papa does not argue. But you know when he is not pleased.”

  “I’ll bet,” Leah muttered. She couldn’t accept Mr. Longacre’s stern ways.

  Charity lifted the stalk of a tomato plant, plucked several rosy red ripe ones, and put them in the basket she carried. “Let’s not talk of Ethan’s haircut,” she said. “Let’s talk about the carnival and campout. Ethan says that you will come with us.”

  “It sounds like fun.” Leah hoped she sounded sincere.

  “I am excited. It is something we all look forward to while we are growing up. This is my first year to be old enough to go.”

  “Will you go with Jonah?”

  Charity had been pulling green beans from climbing vines. At the mention of Jonah, her hands grew still. “Yes. But no one knows except you.”

  “Don’t you think kids will figure it out when they see the two of you together? Why keep it such a big secret?”

  “We go as a group, not as couples,” Charity said. “Jonah will be there. I will be there. That is all.”

  “But you and Jonah know that the two of you are really together, right?”

  “That is right.”

  Leah couldn’t fathom this logic, but she knew it was important to Charity to pretend that she and Jonah were just part of the group, nothing more. “I won’t tell a soul,” she said.

  Charity handed the basket to Leah, gathered the corners of her apron to make a bowl, and tossed a handful of green beans into it. “I have a favor to ask of you, Leah.”

  “Sure. Just name it.”

  “I want you to help me change my appearance for the campout.”

  “Like how?”

  “I want to dress English for that night.”

  Warning bells went off in Leah’s head. “Why can’t the other Amish girls help you?”

  “I could ask some of them, but I don’t want to. I want you to help me. You are real English. They are not.”

  “I’ve seen some of them dressed up, and they look pretty real to me.” It wasn’t that Leah didn’t want to help Charity—she did. It was that she didn’t want to get into any more hot water with Mr. Longacre. She was afraid he might forbid Charity and Ethan to see her anymore. Leah knew that would make her miserable.

  “Also,” Charity continued, “I cannot buy any different clothes. I will have to borrow them. And I have seen how many beautiful clothes you have. I was hoping you would let me borrow some for that night. Because it means so much to me to look pretty.”

  Leah felt boxed in. But she knew she wouldn’t refuse Charity. “Sure. If that’s what you want.”

  Charity’s face broke into a bright smile. “Oh, Leah, thank you. I knew you would help me. You are a true friend.”

  Leah hoped she was doing the right thing. “What if your parents find out?”

  “Who would tell them?”

  Leah could think of several who might let it slip—not to hurt Charity, but to hurt Leah. Still, she’d already said she would help. “Have Ethan bring you by my place this weekend. We can go through my closet and try on some stuff. See what you like. And what looks good on you.”

  “Yes. Yes,” Charity said. “And makeup too.”

  Leah took a deep breath. “Sure. And makeup too.”

  TWELVE

  On Saturday, Ethan brought Charity over to Leah’s apartment. When Ethan had left to do errands, Leah and Charity sorted through Leah’s closet. “I left most of my stuff back home,” Leah said, tossing pieces of clothing onto the bed. “And with working every day, shopping hasn’t been high on my priority list.”

  Charity only stared wide-eyed at the heaps of tops, shorts, skirts and slacks.

  “Oh, this is cute,” Leah said, holding up a colorful striped T-shirt and matching shorts. “Try it on.”

  “I do not think I would feel comfortable in shorts,” Charity said.

  “What am I saying? Of course you wouldn’t. How about this?” Leah held up a pair of white jeans.

  “I don’t know.” Charity fingered the material.

  “Try them on.”

  Charity slipped into the bathroom to change.

  “You look great,” Leah said when her friend emerged.

  “They are tight.”

  “But you have a cute figure. They look good on you.”

  Charity viewed her backside in the full-length mirror hanging on the bedroom door. “This is not the way I wish for everyone to see my bottom.”

  Leah giggled. “All right. We’ll try something else.”

  Eventually Ch
arity settled on a long, colorful peasant skirt and a cotton top. Leah even owned a pair of sandals that matched the outfit and fit Charity. “This is perfect,” Charity said after spinning in front of the mirror.

  Leah leaned back on her elbows on the bed. “You look terrific.”

  Charity’s eyes sparkled. “I did not want to wear plain jeans like so many of the other girls will wear. I want to look different. Special.”

  Leah jumped up. “Time for hair and makeup.”

  Leah sat Charity on a chair, took down her thick hair from the bun at the nape of her neck and brushed it out. “How about a French braid?” She worked quickly, then tied the end with a red ribbon. Next she artfully applied blush, powder, mascara and pink lip gloss to Charity’s smooth skin.

  “What do you think?” Leah stepped back and let Charity see herself.

  Charity stared at her image. “I can hardly believe it’s me.”

  “It’s you, all right.”

  “My friends won’t know me.”

  “I thought that was the point.”

  Charity turned to look at Leah. “Will you help me dress on the night of the fair?”

  “Sure. Now it’s time for you to help me,” Leah said. “I don’t have a sleeping bag. And I don’t know what’s expected of me on this campout.”

  “Ethan and I will bring you a sleeping bag. We own several. As for the party, here’s what I know about it. After the fair, we will all ride over to the Yoder farm and build a campfire. Everyone will bring food to cook and share. The sleeping bags are for those who wish to sleep. But few sleep. Most stay up all night.”

  “What should I cook?”

  “I will bring enough for both of us. My sister Sarah has told me that mostly everyone eats, talks, visits. Some will bring radios, so we will dance. In the morning, we will remake the fire and eat again. It will be wonderful fun. You will see.”

  Leah had attended many sleepovers before, but never a coed one. She thought it ironic that her first all-nighter with guys and girls together would be with the Amish. “You know,” she said, “except for you and Ethan, I don’t have any friends in your group.”