“Tea, lemonade or water would be wunderbaar. We also have a few cinnamon rolls and cookies left over. Our wives and Abram’s mamm made them.”
“You must know my weakness!” Looking at his wife, the bishop nodded at her expression. “Only a couple cookies or one roll, Mary. I promise.” Looking at their guests, he enlightened them. “I suffer from diabetes, so I have to be careful what I eat.”
As the men drank and ate, they talked about what had happened with the Beilers since Zeb had been approached by the elders. “He is very angry. Nee, that isn’t a gut description. He is in a towering rage. His wife had to flee their home and stay with neighbors. She is still there and not sure what is going to happen after tomorrow.”
“Has he repented?” Joseph was hopeful, but the tone in his voice indicated that he knew that would not happen.
“Nee. He got mad at us. He stayed barely this side of respectful. But he told us that as the head of the home, he had ‘the right’ to ‘discipline’ his wife and family as he saw fit. We gave him the opportunity to repent, but he has not sought any of us out. So...we have the meeting tomorrow after services and lunch.”
Abram swallowed several times, trying to dislodge the sudden hard ball of nerves in his throat. He coughed a few times. “Bishop, has he figured out who named him?”
“He hasn’t. But, when he sees you, your bishop and Mr. Yoder, he’ll figure things out very quickly. Why don’t you tell me what you experienced?”
Abram did so, and then explained how his actions toward Hannah had become abusive. “I don’t want to be this way, bishop...like my uncle is. I’ve been working with the Peer Council in Peace Valley. I’m also in outpatient counseling.”
“Whoo! If your aunt and uncle had gotten this opportunity, I wonder if they would have taken it.”
Abram shook his head. “Nee. He doesn’t see that what he’s doing is destructive and wrong.”
“Mr. Yoder, what is this peer council about? Can you explain?” Bishop Stone was definitely curious.
Eli explained the makeup of the Council, its purpose and how it worked with families and couples in need. “We have been able to help couples like Abram and Hannah. One couple has managed to address the husband’s history of abuse and his resulting mental health diagnosis. Several dating couples have been helped so that if they decide to marry, their relationships with each other will be loving and free of all abusive interactions.”
“We may be interested in starting something like that here.” The bishop’s voice was quiet, but sure. “The Beilers aren’t the only couple having troubles.”
“If my cousins have remained here, they are as well.” Abram was sure of this.
“Ya. Two of your girl cousins and one of your male cousins are here. They have had encounters with our elders. Law enforcement, too.”
Abram’s face twisted in pain. “How about Davey? Has he had problems with violence?”
“Oddly, nee. He hasn’t. He’s the youngest, right?”
Abram thought and counted in his mind. “Close to. There are two kinder after him. Is he angry that his daed is being brought before the community?”
“Nee, he’s relieved. He has told them many times to get help. He’s tried to bring Emily to his house when his daed has been raging and violent.”
“‘Raging.’ it’s interesting you use that term. Do you think Zeb suffers from a mental condition?”
“I don’t know. He is just always angry, from what I can see. He uses that anger to intimidate others.”
“Where is my aunt?”
“She’s been staying with Luke and Ann Hoffstetter. They have welcomed her in and tried to help her calm down and feel better about her situation.”
“And they know my uncle might be banned?”
“Oh, ya. They do. They have told her she is more than welcome to stay with them, no matter what.”
“Hmmm. Because, if he’s banned...” Abram didn’t need to complete his thought. Everyone in the house knew the consequences.
THE THREE PEACE VALLEY men attended the next day’s meeting, with Joseph being invited to preach. Eli and Abram sat together in the men’s section, listening to the singsong High German preaching. At lunch, Abram forced himself to eat, feeling his uncle’s glare boring into the back of his neck.
Finally, it was time for the community to join together as they discussed the Beilers’ situation. Abram sat nervously at one end of the bench, listening to the charges being read against his uncle.
“Emily Beiler, you can speak.” Bishop Stone moved to the side of the large room.
Emily stood and walked nervously to the center of the room. Sitting, she tried to shrink into herself. And she told her story. All of it made Zeb look overbearing, highly abusive and bad.
Next, Abram spoke. He recounted his experiences as a child and teen, when he spent summers with his uncle and auntie.
Then, Bishop Kurtz spoke, explaining how the elders became aware that Abram had been abusing Hannah and how they encouraged him to get the help he so badly needed. “He still has a way to go, but he has worked so very hard. His level of insight is astounding and he has been able to apply his learning to his own situation.
Chapter 6
“He was aware enough last week that he was in a bad state. He told Hannah, his wife, that she and their daughter would have to stay with her parents until he was calm and safe to be around. I believe I can say that, eventually, with Gott’s help, he will beat this. He has eagerly used the techniques and tools that his therapist and the Peer Council have given him.”
Next, Zeb was called to the center of the room, where he heard the charges against him. He was allowed to speak. All his defense consisted of was blaming Emily and their daughters for being disobedient to his will.
Finally, the elders directed Zeb to another room so the community could weigh everything it had heard and make a decision. After thirty wrought minutes, the community decided unanimously that he was to be given the Meidung.
“Bring Zeb Beiler back, please.”
When Zeb came back into the room, he sat, as directed by Bishop Stone. “Mr. Beiler, after listening to everyone we had asked to speak, we have decided that you are to be given the Meidung—” The bishop couldn’t go any further.
Zeb began yelling and screaming that the elders hadn’t called any witnesses for his side of the situation. “I have witnesses who can say that Emily and my daughters have been disobedient to my words, to my will! Where are they?”
“Mr. Beiler, we offered that chance to you. We asked you to bring people who could back up your side of this situation. You ignored us. That means that either there is nobody, or you just didn’t bother to ask them to speak up on your behalf.”
Zeb rushed toward the bishop with both fists raised in the air. Several shouts and screams rang out, and several men grabbed him, pulling him away. Bishop Kurtz, Eli and Abram all surrounded Bishop Stone. Emily screamed and sobbed, pushing herself into Ann Hoffstetter’s arms.
“Take him to his house and make it clear that he isn’t to come after anyone!” The bishop gave this order to the elders who were pushing Zeb out of the room.
Zeb broke free of their strong grips and, looking around for Abram, ran toward him. He swung one fist back.
Abram faced Zeb, straight backed. As Zeb swung at him, Abram avoided the large fist by ducking and weaving. That’s all he did—weave and duck, eventually wearing Zeb down. Zeb tried to connect with one more wild swing. Once again, Abram ducked, and then seeming to stumble forward, he straightened up unexpectedly. As in his dream, the top of his head connected sharply with Zeb’s chin, pushing him up and back. As Zeb’s back and the back of his head slammed into the floor, everyone gasped. Abram’s forward momentum continued as he took a few more stumbling steps. Gripping the top of his head with one hand, he finally managed not to sprawl onto his stomach. Wheeling around, he saw his uncle lying, woozy, on the floor.
Now, the elders were able to remove a dizzy, subdu
ed Zeb. They pulled him out and pushed him into one of their buggies and took him home.
THAT EVENING, ABRAM, Bishop Kurtz and Eli were enjoying a light supper. They planned to stay one more night before returning home to Peace Valley. After supper, the men, along with the local bishop’s wife and their youngest daughter, sat outside, enjoying the warm breeze. They chatted quietly, all of them feeling sadness that it had been necessary to ban a long-time member of the community. The quiet of the summer evening was broken when a buggy with two lathered, heaving horses careened into the front yard and onto the wide lawn.
“Bishop! Where is my mupsich nephew? I want to have words with him! I also want to have a discussion with his bishop. Abram! Get over here!”
Abram sat, frozen with shock that his uncle would dare to confront them in that manner. As Zeb approached him and grabbed his shoulder, he deliberately kept his muscles from responding. This forced Zeb to exert much more effort in pulling him out of the Adirondack chair. As Abram remained essentially non-responsive, his glass of tea spilled, landing on Zeb’s shoe.
Finally, Zeb succeeded in getting Abram out of his chair. Letting go of him, he made a fist and pulled it back.
Abram saw his uncle’s fist coming toward his face. Something was keeping him from responding. Even his eyes stayed open as his uncle’s fist met painfully with his nose. That’s when Abram finally responded, wheeling away from his uncle and putting distance between them. As he moved, he held both hands over his nose, which was beginning to spurt blood.
“Hey! Zeb! Stop that!” Both bishops and Eli grabbed Zeb by the arms and around his neck, pulling him away from Abram.
“Wife, call the police! He’s out of control.” Bishop Stone panted as he helped to hold Zeb back. As he struggled, he realized that Zeb was either really strong or that his anger had given him an abnormal level of strength.
Bishop Kurtz and Eli grunted as they helped Bishop Stone pull Zeb away from Abram. Finally, Eli swept one foot in front of Zeb’s, forcing him to trip and fall face forward. As Zeb fell, Eli kept a tight grip on the other man’s bicep and around the opposite side of his neck. Both bishops followed Zeb and Eli down, landing on top of Zeb when he hit the ground.
“Get off me! He deserves a beating for what he did to me!”
All three men grimaced as they tried to stay on top of Zeb.
“They’re on the way, husband! Shall I get rope from the barn?”
“Ya, that would be gut. He is abnormally strong!”
Ten long minutes later, two police units finally rolled up, pulling into the Stone yard. Leaving their doors open, the officers ran out toward the clump of struggling men. “Officer Swann. What’s going on here?”
The younger man clapped handcuffs on Zeb as he listened to the events. “So, he was banned today and just came into your yard and attacked him over there? It looks like he may have a busted nose. He should be seen in the emergency room tonight.”
“Ya, we’ll take him after this one is taken care of.”
Bishop Stone explained the day’s events to the officers. “He was banned precisely for what he just did to his nephew, Abram Beiler.”
“Got it. Thanks.” He turned to Zeb, “Mr. Beiler, you’re under arrest for assault and battery.” Officer Swann read Zeb his Miranda rights as he and the three other officers dragged Zeb to one of the patrol cars. All four of them forced Zeb into the back of the car, locking him inside.
Before the police officers left, they took a full report from everyone. “He’ll be held overnight until someone pays bail to have him released.”
“Nee, that won’t happen. It would violate our Ordnung and the purpose of the ban. We can’t give him money, and paying this bail would be, in effect, giving Mr. Beiler money.” Bishop Stone was definite in the community’s refusal to interact any further with Zeb Beiler. By the next morning, this would become a moot point.
After the police officers had left with Zeb, Bishop Stone sighed. “I’d better go to the Hoffstetter’s and let Emily know what just took place. Abram, after that’s done, I’ll take you to the emergency room so we can get your nose looked at and set. Come.” The bishop was physically tired, and he was also hurting emotionally.
“Bishop, do you mind if Bishop Kurtz and I go with you?”
“That’s fine, ya. I don’t know how Emily will accept what we have to tell her.”
AT THE HOFFSTETTER’S, Emily was shocked to hear what her husband had done. It seemed to be just one more piece of bad news for her to add to the pile already tottering high above her head. She sighed, shaking her head. “So, he won’t be coming out of jail? Because of the edict against passing money or anything of value to him, ya?” Emily was much sharper and more intelligent than she or Zeb had ever acknowledged. This would prove to be a strength that Emily came to rely on in coming months.
In the urgent care center, Abram underwent an exam and X-ray that showed Zeb had broken his nose. “All we can do is place a bandage over the bridge of your nose to keep the bones stable after we set them. We’ll also prescribe a medication for the pain...” The doctor paused in her explanation as Abram raised a finger.
“I’m taking this medication.” Abram pulled the bottle out of his jacket pocket. “Will a painkiller have any bad effect on this medication?”
The doctor grimaced when she saw that Abram was taking an anti-anxiety medication. “Unfortunately, yes, it will. I’m glad you told me about this. You’re going to need to rely on acetaminophen and this numbing gel, then. Use a cotton swab to put it inside your nose. They won’t be as effective as the painkiller, but you need to keep taking your anxiety medication. From what I understood, you experienced some violence at your uncle’s hands. That could set off some anxiety reactions for you.”
The doctor’s words were prophetic. That night, Abram kept dreaming of Zeb’s fist coming toward him. Only, in his dream, he wasn’t himself. He was Emily. Sitting up after one of the nightmares woke him, he sat on the edge of the bed, wiping sweat from his forehead and panting.
Eli, hearing Abram from the other bed, stirred. “You okay, son?”
“Nee, but I will be. Nightmare.”
“Let’s go outside so we don’t wake anyone.”
Abram obeyed, needing to talk to someone. Downstairs, sitting on the back porch, he detailed his nightmares for Eli. “In the dreams, I’m my auntie Emily, not me. Eli, I experienced exactly what she goes through when he beats her up!”
“Abram, are you angry, or just scared?”
Abram considered the question carefully and examined his emotional reactions to his nightmare. “A little of both, honestly. Scared because I got hit by him again. And angry because now I know what my aunt went through. And Hannah, when I hit her.”
“Do you need to walk?”
“Ya, I do.” Abram set off at a fast pace with Eli. As they walked, Abram told Eli what he was feeling. “I don’t need to hit pillows. This anger comes because I realize what victims of domestic violence actually go through as they are being assaulted.”
“You’re gaining insight, Abram. Too bad it happened because Zeb assaulted you again. Do you feel like he’s still your relative?”
Abram was silent as he paced up the road, still moving fast. Finally, he answered. “Nee. Daed and Mamm taught us all to respect others. I lost sight of that when I came home that summer, when I was just a teen. The confusion was such a big part of my mind when I was getting ready to marry Hannah. Do I invite her opinions when we are facing a big decision? Or do I essentially force her to sit on her thoughts and intelligence just so I can be the head of the family?”
“No matter what happens to Zeb, your auntie will need your support until she is able to get her feet under her. She’ll have to find a way of supporting herself.”
AS THE THREE MEN WERE finishing breakfast before heading back to Peace Valley, they heard a knock at the door. Bishop Stone’s wife answered the door. Seeing the sheriff on their porch, she called her husband. “It’s the she
riff!”
Bishop Stone’s face was quizzical as he gazed on the sheriff’s solemn face. “Sir. Come in. Coffee?”
The sheriff nodded his head. “That will come in real handy, thanks.” Sitting at the kitchen table, he took a huge swig of the hot, black brew. Then, he sighed. “This isn’t easy, the news I’m about to give you.”
Everyone, hearing the sober tone of the lawman’s voice, stilled, then sat with him. Bishop Stone was the first to speak. “Tony, what is it? Come on, man, speak!”
Tony sighed. “Well, after we got Mr. Beiler to the jail and processed in, he got quiet, and then he would burst out and shake his cell bars. This went on all night long. Our guards checked him, as well as our other inmates through the night. At about three this morning, they heard all kinds of commotion from the other inmates. When they went back, they found...”
“What? Sheriff, what did they find?” Abram had a really bad feeling.
“He...had taken the sheets from his bed and created a noose. He hung himself. He was still alive when they got him down. But, on the way to the hospital, he died.”
Abram gasped, rocked by the news. He felt Eli’s hand on his bicep.
“Abram, this isn’t on you. Not at all, because you did what Gott wanted you to do. Understand?”
Abram nodded. “Ya, I understand. It’s not guilt I feel.” He looked up, his sadness reflected in the blue of his eyes. “It’s sadness. What he did, what he became...it was such a waste. He could have been a strong, loving member here. Instead, he destroyed the lives of his family. He nearly destroyed me. Does my auntie know, sheriff?”
“Yes, she does. I went over to the Hoffstetter farm first. I’m glad you told my deputies where she’s staying. She was pretty upset.”
“Ya, it’s kind of hard to forget the love, even when your spouse does what he does.” Eli’s voice was quiet.
Amish Love Be Kind 3-Book Boxed Set Page 20