SummerHill Secrets, Volume 1

by Beverly Lewis

  “What’s that got to do with anything?”

  “Absolutely everything! You have no idea what you’re saying, so if you don’t mind, I think we better end this conversation now before—”

  “Merry, listen to me!”

  I clammed up. She was making me mad.

  Her voice grew softer. “Don’t do anything, Mer. Okay? I’ll be right over.”

  “Don’t you dare!” Now I was furious. “And don’t treat me like a kid,” I blurted. “I’m old enough to decide things like this. Besides, you said I could do better than Jon, remember?”

  She exhaled into the phone. “Why do you take everything so literally? I didn’t mean you should go off and marry some Amish guy.”

  “Excuse me? Who said anything about that?”

  “But have you thought this through? Have you considered the consequences?” she asked.

  If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought she’d been playing Jon’s alliteration game!

  “Trust me, Chelsea. Levi’s just a good friend. I like spending time with him,” I said.

  “Well, you can bet on this, I’m going to do whatever it takes to bring you to your senses!”

  And with that, she hung up. Before I could even say good-bye.

  Chapter

  17

  Levi was long gone from the cornfield when I finally wandered over to the Zook farm. From his side of the willow grove, I could see the gas lamp burning in the kitchen and assumed they were having supper. Amish farmers worked outdoors as long as there was light, then ate a hearty meal as dusk approached.

  Lily White’s soft little head and paws hung out of the pocket of my light jacket. She purred loudly as she rode there—next to my heart.

  I strolled past the new white barn and out to the pond and the spacious meadow where the willow grove ended. Wide and very deep, the pond stretched across a large area, embracing both the Zooks’ property and ours.

  Sitting down on the cool grass, I freed Lily White, letting her roam as she pleased. It was almost nighttime, but it wasn’t dark. The sky was filled with tiny lights, as if someone had flicked a paintbrush across the universe. And the longer I sat there, the brighter the dots of lights became.

  I found the broad, luminous band of the Milky Way and the moon—a fat sliver. Its light cast a splendid ribbon across the pond.

  Relaxing there in the grass just yards from the placid water, I began to pray as I faced the sky. “Lord, you know how things are with Levi and me. I don’t have to tell you that he’s my friend… and I like him. But honestly, I don’t know whether to say yes or no.” I sighed. “I’ve never gone out with anyone before. This is all so new to me.”

  I breathed in the fragrance of lilacs and continued. “Dad didn’t give me such a horrible time about Levi. I really thought he would. And Mom? Well, you know how moms are.”

  I stopped. Someone was walking toward me.

  Squinting into the dim light of dusk, I recognized the long strides and the tall, lean silhouette as Levi. My heart sank. Not because I didn’t want to see him, but because he’d probably ask for my answer. Again.

  Quickly, I prayed some more, having a difficult time finishing. Levi could not be in on what I was saying about him to God. Not that it was bad or anything. Actually, it was just the opposite.

  “Hi, Levi,” I said as he came swishing barefoot through the grassy meadow.

  “Merry.” He said it softly. “I thoughtcha weren’t gonna come.”

  “Something came up.” I didn’t mention Chelsea’s phone call. What she’d said didn’t matter anyway.

  “Well, you’re here now.” He sat beside me, a long piece of straw hanging out of his mouth.

  Lily White came over and sniffed his bare feet. I laughed and reached for her. I cradled her furry body in my arms. “You remember Lily, don’t you?”

  “How can I forget?” Levi grinned at me.

  Side by side, we listened to the sounds of night. Loud, chirping crickets, and the flutter of wings as purple martins flew home to roost in the Zooks’ multileveled birdhouse.

  “Remember the day you saved my life?” Levi asked unexpectedly.

  “As clear as yesterday.”

  He laughed softly. “I was nine and you were only eight.” He took the straw out of his mouth and tossed it on the ground. “I knew it then, Merry.”

  My heart pounded. What had he known?

  Levi turned his face to the sky. “Have you ever seen a more beautiful sky?” He seemed to like asking questions that didn’t require answers. I smiled, appreciating his love for God’s creation. Wishing the question about being his girl could go unanswered, too.

  We sat very still, gazing at the twinkling lights overhead. I don’t know how long we sat there, but it was long enough for the moon to climb halfway up the silo.

  Suddenly, Levi stood up. “Look there!”

  I saw it, too. A dazzling stream of light falling across the sky.

  “Quick! Make a wish,” he said, and our eyes followed the star’s journey as it topped the barn and fell over the horizon.

  “Come, let’s walk,” he said, and I settled Lily White inside my pocket once again. Levi laughed as I got Lily situated. “Aren’tcha supposed to catch a falling star and put that in your pocket?”

  I looked at him and smiled. “She’s as white as any star up there.” Then I turned my gaze to the sky. “What a truly beautiful sight,” I said, referring to the falling star. “I don’t know when I’ve seen such a thing.”

  “It means something, jah?”

  I knew some Amish were a little superstitious. For instance, a bride and groom wouldn’t think of singing on their wedding day because they believed that singing today meant weeping tomorrow.

  “What on earth could it mean?” I asked, not realizing how naïve I sounded until the words were out.

  Levi stopped walking. “Think of it, Merry. We sat there by the pond just now where my life nearly ended. I would’ve drowned that day without you.” He looked up at the sky, making a sweeping motion with his hand. “And then the star falls right before our eyes. It surely must be providence, Merry. Nature’s telling us something.”

  I almost laughed at the way he was making such a big deal of this. “You made a wish, right?”

  “Did you?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “I don’t believe in falling stars. I’d rather pray about my dreams and wishes.”

  He touched my arm. “You can make my wish come true.”

  The air was filled with sweetness, and I thought this was as perfect a night as any I’d ever experienced.

  “Levi Lapp loved Mary Smith,” Levi was saying as we began to walk again. “Levi and Mary. Don’t you see? History repeats itself.”

  “Are you saying that we belong together just because our ancestors had the same names?” I couldn’t see the logic in this.

  “Oh, it’s much more than that, Merry,” he said emphatically.

  “It’s providence.”

  “Well, I’m not as sure about this as you are.”

  “I know,” he said softly, “but maybe you will be someday.”

  The moon was high in the sky now. It was late, and Mom would worry. “Guess I’d better head for home.”

  “I’ll walk ya,” he offered.

  “That’s okay, I know the way.”

  I was surprised, but he let me go. And all the way home, his words echoed in my brain. Levi and Mary.

  Levi and Merry.

  Chapter

  18

  So this is how it’s going to be, I thought as I stared into my locker the next morning. Chelsea’s going to snub me because of Levi.

  She’d made things instantly clear on the bus this morning. “In case you didn’t know it, Merry, you’re making a major mistake if you go out with that Levi boy,” she said flat out.

  “It’s none of your business.” I could be just as stubborn.

  Chelsea had turned away, acting offended. In fact, she ignored me the res
t of the ride, but I didn’t let it bother me.

  Later, after English, I was rushing to change books at my locker when I noticed her talking to Jon in the hallway near the principal’s office. Lissa was hovering nearby, too, obviously interested in what was being said.

  It struck me as strange. Why would the three of them be hanging out together? It didn’t add up. Besides that, Ashley Horton hurried over to join them as though she was expected to show up, too.

  I found my social studies notebook on the top shelf of my locker. It was bursting with information for the Hanson family history.

  Quickly, I deposited my English books and, without another glance at the foursome, slammed my locker door and hurried off to class.

  Moments before the bell rang, the four of them rushed into class, and when I caught Chelsea’s eye she looked rather sheepish. I pretended not to notice and gathered my outline and family reports as I waited for the teacher to begin.

  “All family histories are due on Tuesday,” she said, reminding us that this Monday was Memorial Day. As if we needed reminding! “Please be prepared to give an oral report, as well.”

  No problem. My work was basically done. All I had left to do was enter my data on Dad’s computer over the weekend and print it out.

  During the last half of class, we were allowed to work together with our partners. I motioned for Chelsea to come to my side of the room so we could confer on things. Reluctantly, she came.

  “Are you done with your interviews?” I asked as she sat in the desk across the aisle from me.

  “All but two.” She leaned over to look at my sketch. “Hey, what a cool coat of arms.”

  “Oh, that,” I said, pushing the sketch behind some other papers.

  “It’s the family crest for a friend of mine.” I didn’t tell her it was a gift for the Zooks.

  “So where’s yours?” she asked.

  I shuffled through my papers. “Here.” I held it up. “I plan on painting a larger version and putting it on tagboard. What do you think?”

  She took the sketch and studied it for a moment. “This is really good. You could be a commercial artist someday.”

  “It’s not that good, but thanks.”

  She found her family interviews and had me proofread them for spelling errors. Grammar, too. I liked the format she’d used to set up the questions and answers on her computer.

  “This looks really professional,” I told her.

  She slumped down in her chair. “If only I didn’t have to mention my great-aunt Essie.”

  “Lots of kids would probably like to have someone as colorful and fascinating in their family tree.”

  She pushed her hair back from her face. “What? Like Amish traitors?”

  I didn’t like the way she emphasized traitors, as though I might be one myself. “My great-great grandfather made a choice for love,” I explained in a whisper. “It wasn’t easy for him to leave the Amish.”

  She nodded her head, patronizing me. “Right. And what about you and Levi? Did you see him last night?”

  I nodded, egging her on. “It was enchanting, really. You should’ve seen the stars.”

  “Spare me the dramatics.”

  I felt frustrated. “Nothing you can say or do will make a difference. It’s my choice.”

  “Well,” she said slyly, “I guess we’ll just have to see about that.”

  I had no idea what she meant, and to tell the truth, I really didn’t care.

  Mom was waiting for me on the front porch as I came up the side yard. “Merry,” she called. “You have new baby cousins. Uncle Pete just called from the hospital.”

  I hurried up to the white-columned porch and sat on the step. “The babies came early,” I said, hesitating to ask about the sex of the twins.

  “They’re four weeks premature,” Mom said. “Not too bad for twins.”

  “Are the babies healthy?”

  She nodded, smiling. “Benjamin and Rebekah are doing just fine.

  So well, in fact, they’ll be released from the hospital tomorrow.”

  “A boy and a girl?” This was truly amazing.

  “One of each,” she said. “And the proud parents couldn’t be happier.”

  “So…whose clothes are you gonna send them? Mine or Faithie’s?”

  She leaned forward suddenly. “Which do you prefer, Merry?”

  I thought we’d already had this conversation. “It really doesn’t matter, Mom. Do what you want.” She’d never dressed us alike as babies. The look-alike thing came later in grade school, and then only on special occasions like birthdays and Easter.

  I could see it was going to be a tough decision for Mom, choosing whose baby things—Faithie’s or mine—to give away. She had that distant look in her eyes again, and it made me wonder if she would ever get over Faithie’s death.

  “I’m starved,” I said, getting up and going inside.

  Mom followed and insisted on peeling an apple for me. I sat at the kitchen table as she washed her hands, then reached for a paring knife from the wooden knife rack. Why did it always seem as though she needed to talk things out but couldn’t? Every time we got the slightest bit close to whatever was bugging her, she’d clam up. It reminded me of Chelsea and the way she shut me out the minute I mentioned God or the Bible.

  I ended up eating my apple quarters alone in the kitchen. Well, alone if you didn’t count the cats. I guess they assumed that if someone was snacking, they should be, too.

  Mom excused herself to go upstairs, and I figured it probably had something to do with choosing baby clothes for little Rebekah. Knowing the way Mom usually avoided the attic, I decided to stay out of her way. There was absolutely nothing I could do to help her now. Not unless she opened up and stopped playing these games. Nearly nine years had passed since Faithie’s death. Why couldn’t Mom talk with me about it?

  In between bites of apple, I recited the babies’ probable nicknames out loud. “Benny and Becky.” Cute names, I thought. Alliterated, too.

  And for the first time in two weeks, I didn’t feel wiped out about the Alliteration Wizard and his recent alliance with Lissa.

  Chapter

  19

  I nearly swallowed my tonsils when Jon Klein called later that evening. “Mistress Merry,” he said when I answered the phone.

  “Jon?”

  “A bunch of us are going to help serve at the senior banquet tonight at church. Want to come?”

  “Oh…I didn’t know,” I said, floundering for the right words.

  “Well, I thought you might want to help.”

  “Uh…thanks.”

  I thought the conversation was over when he said, “Oh, Merry, what about the picnic tomorrow? You’ll be there, won’t you?”

  “Haven’t decided yet.” And after I said that, I wished I hadn’t. Now he knew I didn’t have a date.

  “You really oughta come, Mer, since we’re all graduating from ninth grade together.” It was very thoughtful of him to call. But why now?

  All of us kids from church, and several others like Chelsea Davis, had gone through most of grade school and all of junior high together. Except Lissa. She’d moved here toward the end of eighth grade.

  “So, what do you say?” he asked again.

  “I’m, uh…I might be busy.”

  For a long, unbearable moment he didn’t say anything. Then at last, “Well, I hope to see you.”

  We both said good-bye, and I placed the receiver in its cradle as though it were my only link to him.

  That’s when I remembered we hadn’t played the Alliteration Game just now. And I felt a twinge of sadness.

  After supper, Dad decided he wanted some soft ice cream, so the three of us hopped into the car and headed for the Dairy Queen. Since Skip was busy with Nikki Klein and his graduation banquet, it was nice to get out with Mom and Dad by myself.

  When we drove past our church, I thought about Jon’s invitation. There had been that same friendly ring to his voice. Bu
t I wondered why he’d called, really. Especially since he and Lissa were together.

  Mom started discussing the new babies, and I eased back into the soft padding of the booth, waiting for our ice-cream orders. Dad came up with the bright idea for Mom to go to New Jersey and help Aunt Teri with the twins.

  “Why don’t you go tomorrow?” he suggested.

  Mom protested a bit. “But it’s Memorial Day weekend.”

  Dad glanced at me. “We can manage for a few days. Can’t we, Mer?”

  I nodded my consent. “Besides, it’ll be fun for you to help with the babies.” I caught myself before saying that it would be like old times. Even so, I couldn’t help but think it would be good for Mom to be around newborn twins again.

  Dad put his arm around Mom. “What do you think, hon?”

  “Well, I know Teri will need an extra pair of hands.”

  “Then it’s settled,” Dad said as his hot-fudge sundae came.

  Mom’s eyebrows shot up when she saw her banana split. “Are you sure you’re not trying to get rid of me?”

  “Oh, Mom, really.” I picked up a spoon and dipped into the rich, creamy goo on top of my peanut butter sundae.

  She studied me for a moment. “You won’t be going off and marrying Levi Zook while I’m gone, will you?”

  “Right,” I said. “It’s not like you don’t have to notify the Amish bishop ahead of time and everything. Besides, the Amish around here get married in November.”

  Dad grinned at Mom. “Sounds as though she’s thought this through, wouldn’t you say?”

  “Dad!”

  Mom frowned, looking far too serious. “Merry, promise me you won’t go riding in his buggy again.”

  “Levi and I aren’t going out in his buggy,” I assured her. I could’ve saved her a lot of concern by telling her I hadn’t agreed to go anywhere with him.

  Saturday dawned long before I chose to crawl out of bed. Mom had other plans for me. She had an agenda, all right, and barged into my room to inform me of it. “You’ll be the only female around here while I’m gone,” she stated.