A Simple Wish

by Charlotte Hubbard

  As he sat down, Bishop Tom winked at him from across the table. “Looks like you’ve passed muster so far, Wyatt,” he teased. “Bob appears mild-mannered and harmless, but he’s a man to be reckoned with when he’s upset—or when his daughter’s welfare is at stake.”

  “Jah, Bob looks things—and people—over pretty closely rather than taking anything at face value,” Ben put in as he picked up his dirty dinner plate. “And from what I could tell, he thinks your face has value.”

  The men around him chuckled, and Wyatt did, too. Once again he felt he belonged among these honest, honorable men—and the expression on Rebecca’s face when she sat down told him she felt the same.

  “You did good, McKenzie,” she teased. “My dad thinks I should latch on to somebody younger and less likely to sway my opinions and affection with his money, but other than that he likes you just fine.”

  Wyatt laughed, extremely pleased with her candid remark. Rebecca was an independent young woman, but she was still her daddy’s little girl. The future looked a lot brighter now that father and daughter were on the same page and were willing to write him into their story, too.

  Chapter Twenty

  As Loretta and her sisters sat singing the opening hymns on Sunday morning, they were in the center of the women’s side, with the older women toward the front and the younger girls behind them. It was always a treat to attend services at Preacher Ben and Miriam’s house, because the windows were spaced to allow a crosscurrent of the breeze from outside. When some interior walls were removed, the entire congregation could be seated in the main room at the front of the house—which also had a gas-powered ceiling fan to provide more comfort on a stuffy, humid morning.

  Voices swelled in the final stanzas of the last hymn as Bishop Tom, Preacher Ben, and Preacher Henry emerged from the back bedroom where they’d held their usual meeting to determine who would preach. As Preacher Henry took his place among the men of the congregation, Tom and Ben positioned themselves on either side of Dat on the preachers’ bench that sat between the men’s and the women’s sides. Bishop Tom handed Dat a piece of paper, which listed the Bible verses he was to read later.

  As the last notes of the hymn lingered, Preacher Ben rose to begin the first sermon. He glanced at Dat with an expression that stilled Loretta’s heart. Was he going to expound upon whatever wrongdoing he and the bishop had discussed with Dat when they’d come to the house? Bishop Tom’s weathered face was composed yet taut, as though he was searching for words of wisdom—and maybe a warning—to share during the main sermon he would preach later.

  “Our Lord Jesus, early in His ministry, chose twelve disciples who would carry on His work after His death,” Preacher Ben began, “and those men were like us. Even after three years with the Son of God, they faltered, they went through times of doubt and disbelief about who Jesus was—and in the book of John, near the end of the sixth chapter, Jesus says, ‘Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?’”

  Loretta stopped breathing. Preacher Ben’s accent on the word devil had jarred everyone from their usual Sunday morning sense of well-being. Dat’s face went pale.

  “We know that Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane for thirty pieces of silver,” Preacher Ben went on, “and shortly thereafter he hanged himself, so great was his guilt. We believe that Jesus knew all along that Judas would betray Him, yet He chose Judas to serve—perhaps hoping Judas would see the light of God and be made clean and whole instead of carrying out his loathsome mission.”

  Preacher Ben bowed his head as though his words weighed heavily on his soul. When he looked up again, he spoke softly, pressing his point in a way that forced folks to listen hard. “Judas’ confession of sin and acceptance of God’s love would have altered the course of history—but we won’t go into that,” he added with a sigh. “I wish to speak to the point that even those who are chosen by God to serve sometimes make grave mistakes and display poor judgment. And I’m hoping that we can cast out this demon before it drives the one in whom it dwells to commit further sins—or to go the way of Judas Iscariot.”

  Loretta’s eyes widened as she looked at Rosalyn on her left and Edith on her right, grasping their hands. What could Dat possibly have done that Preacher Ben was apparently comparing him to the man who’d betrayed Jesus? Was Dat really in danger of being overcome by guilt and taking his own life? Suicide was a sin in itself, no matter what else he’d done to inspire today’s ominous sermon.

  Or is Preacher Ben warning all of us here that we, too, might be tempted enough by earthly gain to commit serious sins ? It happens to every one of us, as he said. Maybe another member besides Dat has strayed from the path.

  As the preacher continued, Loretta became aware that many in the room appeared uncomfortable—Preacher Ben had a way of making his sermons speak to each of them in ways they couldn’t ignore. After about twenty minutes, he concluded by gazing at the congregation, slowly looking many of them in the eye.

  “Each and every one of us possesses a Judas or two—demons that tempt us when we’re so lonely or desperate that we can’t see God right in front of us, trying to lead us into His light,” Preacher Ben reminded them earnestly. “And each and every one of us is responsible for helping his or her neighbors in their hour of darkness, to extend God’s love—or perhaps even to help those folks understand how their demons are leading them astray.”

  Preacher Ben smiled, yet he still appeared saddened by the hard truth he’d kept to himself. “It takes a lot of honesty and great faith to reach the level of love Jesus and our Father God intend for us to attain so we’ll be fit to dwell with Him in heaven when He calls us home,” he said, clasping his hands before him. “I pray that we’ll all be vigilant and take our part in His earthly kingdom seriously. We don’t know the day or the hour when He’ll come again.”

  As he sat down on the preachers’ bench, Bishop Tom rose to speak. “As we enter our time of silent prayer, let us search our souls and ask the Lord to help us find our way,” he said.

  Loretta went to her knees on the floor along with everyone around her. Folding her hands on the pew bench in front of her, she rested her head on them and closed her eyes. You alone know what-all Dat has done that’s displeased You, she began, focusing on her prayer despite the fears that spiraled in her mind, much like dry leaves caught in a whirlwind. If Rosalyn, Edith, and I can help set him straight, please show us how to do that, Jesus . . . because You know how Dat gets when we speak our minds.

  After several minutes, Bishop Tom’s steady voice guided them back to their worship as a group. “Hear our prayers, oh Lord,” he said reverently. “Incline Thine ear to us and grant us Thy peace.”

  As everyone rose to sit on the pew benches again, Loretta glanced at Dat. It was time for him to stand up and read the Scripture, and despite the breeze circulated by the ceiling fan, he appeared extremely uncomfortable. The men didn’t wear their black suit coats in the summertime—only their long-sleeved white shirts with black vests and trousers—but Dat’s face was flushed and sweaty above his beard as he glanced at the small piece of paper the bishop had handed him earlier. He nearly dropped the big King James Bible as he opened it.

  “Our first passage is found in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, verses twenty-five through twenty-eight. Hear the word of the Lord,” he said in a voice that sounded cautious and strained. He found his place on the page with his finger and began to read.

  “‘Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another,’” Dat said, reading more quickly than usual. “‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more,’” he continued with a nervous gasp, “‘but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.’”

  Loretta glanced at her sisters, whose eyes were as wide as hers. Was this their father, the deac
on who normally read aloud from the Bible with gusto and exuberance? As he noisily turned the large, thin pages to find the next passage he was to read, he appeared pale—and he had to flip back and forth to find the correct place. Without looking up at anyone, Dat continued.

  “From the book of James, chapter one, verses twelve through sixteen.” He cleared his throat as though a large lump were lodged in it. “‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man,’” Dat continued doggedly. “‘But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.’”

  Dat closed the Bible with a loud whump and quickly returned to the preachers’ bench. When he landed between Preacher Ben and Bishop Tom, he hugged the big book to his chest like a shield, as though he expected one of the men on either side of him to strike him. Folks in the crowd were shifting on the benches, wearing puzzled expressions. Not only had the passages seemed prickly, compared to their usual Sunday morning readings, but it was very obvious that they’d upset Dat in a way Loretta hadn’t seen since Mamm had died. Had Ben and Tom chosen the verses because they would put Dat on edge?

  As Bishop Tom rose to begin the main sermon, he glanced at Dat and then gazed at the congregation with an expression that made Loretta’s pulse pound heavily. Was he going to speak more directly about whatever wrongdoing he and Preacher Ben had discussed with Dat when they’d come to the house?

  “‘Every man is tempted,’” the bishop said, echoing the words Dat had read. “Every one of us falls prey to Satan’s whispers, whether the devil speaks to our need to own and conceal electrical devices our Amish faith doesn’t allow, or he lures us to the refrigerator to eat more than we need, or . . .”

  Bishop Tom paused to let his gaze linger on each side of the room. The congregation had become so silent that not even the brushing of women’s aprons against their dresses could be heard. “And sometimes Satan convinces us that because we are one of God’s chosen, or in a position of power, we can get by with a few little things, like spreading gossip—or big things, like stealing money, or shoplifting, or abusing the wives and children He has blessed us with.” Bishop Tom inhaled deeply and released the air slowly. “It seems almost ridiculous for James to tell us not to err, for to err is human, jah? But in our hearts, we know when we’ve crossed the line—when we’ve cheated others, or cheated God, and then lied to ourselves so we could go on as though we’ve done nothing wrong.”

  Loretta swallowed hard. Folks were shifting nervously on the pew benches, some of them looking down at their laps, as though to ask, Is it I, Lord? Even the young children were wide-eyed and quiet, sensing the bishop’s serious tone. Dat was licking his lips, brushing his hair back with a hand that trembled. As the sermon continued, he appeared to be breathing very shallowly so as not to draw attention to himself. Beside him, Preacher Ben sat calmly, yet his usual smile was missing as he occasionally nodded at points the bishop was making.

  “In closing, my friends,” Bishop Tom said several minutes later, “I will remind you that the antidote to our sinful human nature is confession. When we admit our wrongdoing—to God, and to those neighbors we have sinned against—we free ourselves of a burden that’s too heavy for us to bear alone. We release our sin! We offer it up as testimony to our weakness, and we can then dare to ask for understanding and pardon. We can beg forgiveness from those we’ve wronged.”

  Bishop Tom took one more look around at the crowd. “And then, my friends, we can follow Paul’s words to the Ephesians and work with our hands toward the common welfare so that folks in need will have enough to get by on—and to repay the debt we owe. May God’s love be in our hearts, and may His will be our guide, today and always.”

  The room seemed to exhale in relief as the bishop resumed his seat on the bench. Women began fanning themselves with stiff paper fans from the funeral home in New Haven or with folding plastic fans they pulled from their apron pockets. Some of the men glanced at one another as they blotted their foreheads with their handkerchiefs, questions in their eyes.

  Loretta didn’t dare whisper to her sisters, who appeared as chastised as she felt. Although everyone in the room was guilty of something, she had a pretty good idea that her dat had been the target of Preacher Ben and Bishop Tom’s unusually heavy words. Was the bishop going to call a members’ meeting after church and demand that Dat get on his knees and confess? As ominous as both sermons had sounded, she wasn’t sure she really wanted to know how far her father had fallen or what he was expected to admit.

  The service continued with a long prayer they read from a prayer book, the bishop’s benediction, and a final hymn. As the final strains of the song died away, folks sat expectantly to see if Bishop Tom was going to call a members’ meeting. He gazed around the room pensively. “If anyone cares to step forward and confess anything, now would be a gut time.”

  Everyone sat absolutely still and silent, only their eyes moving as they waited for someone to respond.

  The bishop smiled sadly, as though he hadn’t really expected any volunteers. “All right then, I for one am hungry for a simple meal and some fellowship,” he said quietly. “And I bet you kids are ready to run outside and play for a bit.”

  With a whoop, Annie Mae Wagler’s three little brothers ran for the door, followed by their young sister. The women quickly headed for Miriam’s kitchen to set out the food they’d brought as the men went to fetch the long folding tables.

  The talk was in loud whispers, and it rang with fearful curiosity. “What on God’s gut earth is going on, that the sermons were about a demon among us?” Savilla asked as she handed food from the refrigerator to the women waiting nearby.

  “I got the feeling that somebody’s in deep trouble,” Naomi Brenneman remarked softly. “Really makes me wonder what’s happened.”

  Loretta busied herself carrying platters and bowls of food out to the tables the men were setting up, and her sisters joined her. Her conscience tingled as though she had committed the heinous sins hinted at during the sermons—but she wasn’t about to mention Ben and Tom’s visit with Dat, which had happened nearly two weeks ago. There would be no living with her father if she or Rosalyn spoke up, so they kept their knowledge under their kapps. Sometimes it was just best to let God work things out His way.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Drew smiled to himself as he and the other men set up the tables in Preacher Ben’s front room. Some of them appeared very curious, while others were clearly concerned that the two sermons had been aimed at them. Cornelius had excused himself to use the bathroom—and Drew wondered if he would slip out the back door rather than remain for the meal.

  Drew thought Ben and the bishop had done an admirable job of preaching about Cornelius’s crime—and giving him a chance to voluntarily confess it—without naming him as the culprit in front of his neighbors. They had honored their part of the bargain by keeping his secret, but they had certainly made him sweat.

  The men made small talk as they handled the tables, but with Bishop Tom and Preacher Ben working alongside them, they weren’t going to speculate about the demon in their midst. Drew had heard rumors that a few of these fellows had been caught with televisions or radios hidden away in back rooms of their shops and plugged in to outlets attached to the solar panels on their rooftops. Rumor had it that Atlee Glick was using a cell phone to conduct business at the sale barn he managed. Although cell phones without Internet connections existed for Plain people, Bishop Tom had encouraged Willow Ridge residents to keep using their phone shanties because a cell phone was only one step away from other worldly temptations that led English folks astray.

  Finally, Adam Wagler spoke up. “Bishop, are yo
u going to give us any idea about what—or whom—you and Ben were preaching this morning?”

  Every man in the room got quiet.

  After a long moment, Bishop Tom smiled. “It’s always best for those who have sinned to confess of their own free will,” he replied as he met their gazes. “If any of you feel Ben and I were talking about you, now’s your chance to release your burden.”

  The men glanced around, but nobody replied. Drew wondered if they’d noticed how hastily Cornelius had left the room—or if they’d gotten ideas about his guilt while he’d squirmed and turned pale during the sermons or while he’d read the Scripture passages so nervously. As Loretta, Rosalyn, and Edith came from the kitchen with food, however, Drew’s thoughts changed direction.

  The worry on the Riehl sisters’ faces stabbed at him. Drew felt sorry that he was keeping information from them—yet he still believed they’d be devastated to learn the full extent of their father’s wrongdoing. He and Nora had agreed to let Bishop Tom handle this situation, so he was keeping his mouth shut.

  His mission for the rest of the day was to make Loretta smile. And say yes.

  Drew caught up with her before she returned to the kitchen, keeping his voice low. “I know you often sit with your sisters or the other women at the common meal,” he began, “but I’d be tickled if you’d sit with me today. And after we eat, I’d like to go for a walk—or for a drive. Whichever you’d like best.”

  Loretta’s face lit up with gratitude. “Jah, I’ll sit with you,” she replied happily. “And if we go for a drive, we catch a little more breeze than if we walk, jah?”

  And we leave all the prying eyes behind faster, too. Drew nodded. “Soon as I’ve finished eating, I’ll go hitch Raven to my rig and we’ll be off. I’ve been cooped up long enough today.”

  “Jah, the room ran out of air during church,” Loretta murmured sadly. “It’ll be a treat to go for a ride.”