Plain City Bridesmaids

by Dianne Christner

  Everyone inside the barn was paired off, and some were even engaged to be married. Most of the girls were older than Katy and had never been as close to her as Lil and Megan, yet they were more than casual acquaintances. There were few strangers and even fewer secrets within the farming community of Plain City, Ohio, especially for those worshipping together in Katy’s small Conservative congregation.

  Her hands involuntarily worked tiny bits of prickly chaff from the bale of straw as she watched the guys pound the floor and dart from one end of the barn court to the other. The basketball bounced and flung at various levels of skill. A calico cat suddenly sprang onto her bale and looked at her as if the act surprised the creature, too. Katy rubbed its head, and it tentatively climbed onto her lap.

  She wasn’t fond of cat hair, and this one had a thick, partly matted coat, but the creature’s need drew her and provided a pleasant distraction from the true object of her heart. She quietly stroked the cat’s head, and when she eased off, he nudged her hand. Maybe she needed a cat at the doddy house. Lil adored animals, had always taken in strays at the farm. Vernon Yoder hadn’t allowed cats at their place because their hair was a nuisance in the woodworking shop, hard to remove from a wet, stained surface.

  “What happened to Jake’s eye?”

  Katy had arrived at the game after it had started and hadn’t talked to Jake alone yet. She shrugged, “Probably a construction accident.”

  Jake commanded her attention with a flamboyant dunk. When he landed, the women heard a loud ripping sound. Katy’s hand flew to her mouth in amusement, sure he was in trouble. He made the timeout sign with his hands and backed over to the far side of the barn. When he entered the court again, he had a shirt tied around his waist.

  With a giggle, Mandy said, “Serves him right.”

  “I know.” So Mandy had noticed that he wore his pants too tight. Unexpectedly, her jealousy swung to its opposite extreme, where she no longer wanted to flee but wanted to stake her claim before somebody else did. As David had implied, there were plenty of available girls willing to be sweet. But Katy wasn’t playing a game, at least that had never been her intention.

  The cat leapt down and rubbed its matted fur along the bales. She watched it go and brushed hair off her skirt, realizing the little creature had used her for warmth and affection and moved on.

  Later at the bonfire, Katy watched Jake poke a roasting stick into the crackling flames. Their shoulders touching, she asked, “What happened to your eye?”

  “Pillow fight.”

  She grinned. A fleeting picture of the church construction site, however, brought several real possibilities to her mind. Softly, she said, “Now that I’ve decided to tolerate you, I want you to take care of yourself.”

  His eyes caressed her. “I like that.”

  She dropped her gaze, then noticed the fire lapping at the hot dogs and pushed his arm. “Look out.”

  He jerked the stick from the fire and stared at the charred meat. “Guess these are ready. Let’s go fix them.” She followed him back inside the barn to a long, metal folding table laid out with buns, hot dog relishes, and paper products. As they fixed their plates, he said, “Hey, about that nanny job you lost? I found another job for you. If you’re interested. It’s one that might help us both.”

  Turning back toward the barn door, she replied, “No. I’m not cleaning your room.”

  He followed her with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t want you to. And I’m not joking. It’s a real job.”

  “Oh yeah? What is it?”

  They sat on a bale to eat their dinner. “With my gram’s Alzheimer’s, she can’t be left alone anymore. My mom just needs a break. Would you be interesting in sitting with her sometimes? For pay, of course.”

  “I’d be happy to help for free. I can organize some others to help, too. I’m sorry the church hasn’t recognized the need before now.”

  “That would be too confusing for Gram. Mom mentioned hiring someone. I don’t think she’d feel free to go out, otherwise. I’m sure she can find someone else, if you don’t want to do it.”

  It would be good to work for someone within the church; that was what she’d been hoping for. This wasn’t a housekeeping offer, but maybe it was God’s provision until she found another job. She didn’t miss the irony of moving from babysitting kids to babysitting grandmas. “Why don’t I give it a try and see how it goes?”

  “Great. I know Mom won’t have any qualms about leaving Gram with you.”

  “I’ve always liked your grandmother. She was one of my favorite Sunday school teachers. Such a great storyteller, and she had so much energy, keeping the boys in line.” Katy watched the cat return and rub against Jake’s jeans. “Will she know me?”

  “Probably not. But sometimes she remembers more than other times. We can’t figure out why. The good thing is, she’s usually happy.”

  “I’m sorry she has the disease.”

  He shrugged, obviously unable to express his grief. He dropped the mewing creature bits of his hot dog, and it ate greedily. “Are you getting a phone soon?”

  The question startled her, and she worked it out in her mind as she spoke. “Lil doesn’t need one with her cell phone, so I’d probably have to pay for it. As you know, we didn’t put in a phone line.”

  “I meant a cell phone.”

  Instantly, Katy’s spirit rose up in resistance against the unnecessary technology. “I don’t think so.”

  “It might come in handy with work. Or for emergencies.”

  She nibbled at her lip, her mind conjuring up possible emergencies. “We’ll see.” Then she thought of the perfect solution. “You can always call the Millers if you can’t get a hold of me through Lil.”

  His expression was clearly frustrated, yet he didn’t argue.

  Katy’s hands grew sweaty. It was the third week into the relationship and marriage sermons, and Brother Troyer had finally broached the topic of the prayer covering. He now directed them to open their Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11:3–16. Only the sound of ruffling pages broke the awesome silence pervading the sanctuary. The pages of Katy’s Bible wanted to stick, but she finally found the passage where the apostle Paul clearly stated that a man should worship with his head uncovered and a woman with her head covered.

  As Katy followed along, she realized the passage was not as clear as she had remembered it. The verses contained riddle-like prose, and to her great dissatisfaction, the preacher zeroed in on its most troubling portions. Was a woman’s hair her covering? Next he touched on what the bonnet symbolized. Even at that point, he had more than one opinion. By the time she rose for the benediction, she felt angry that he hadn’t given the congregation clear direction. Instead he had debated the meaning of the passage, playing both advocate and challenger, and had left the matter open-ended. His parting remark admonished them to consider and pray over God’s intention. She thought a preacher was supposed to shepherd his flock. Surely the sheep didn’t know where to go on their own.

  With frustration, she moved into the foyer where another kind of confusion took precedence. Folks were fumbling with babies and umbrellas. Some women waited while their men hunkered down and made a run through the downpour to bring their cars around. Katy’s focus on the sermon had been so intense she hadn’t even realized it had started raining. She gazed out and sighed. Her umbrella was useless from its location on the rear floorboards of her car.

  Just as she was mustering up the courage to make a dash for her car and comforting herself with visions of Lil’s bean soup simmering back at the doddy house, the back of a young man’s perfectly combed brown hair caught her attention. A tincture of mixed emotions drew her to a halt. She froze.

  She had hoped to put off her first meeting with David since his humiliating set down, but the tiny room was too crowded for her to shrink back. She watched him determinedly weave through the foyer toward the door. When a family blocked his path, he glanced up and around. When his unfortunate gaze met Katy’s, he f
linched. Quite abruptly, he turned and shot through the first opening that led him out into the storm.

  Katy gave a gasp. His brief shunning didn’t trouble her as much as what she had just glimpsed. David’s face was no longer perfect. Battered, with swollen lips, his face bore an ugly bruise on his cheek where his dimple normally played. With a sinking heart, she knew it was no coincidence that both her pursuers sported facial contusions. Why hadn’t Jake told her the truth about his black eye? Mennonites didn’t fight or brawl.

  Already emotional over the sermon, this new revelation fed her churning stomach. Jake hadn’t been at church so she couldn’t question him. She had seen Ann Byler, so most likely his grandmother was having an off day and he’d stayed home with her.

  Sucking in her lower lip, she nodded thanks to a considerate door tender and sprinted for her car. The rain streamed down her face in blinding torrents. The storm pelted her covering. The wind tore it loose. Her hand flew up to catch it. Rain drenched her hair, but she hardly cared. Emotionally, she was drowning. From her first job with the outsiders, she’d started sinking. In every direction, waves swelled. Wind clawed. Decisions loomed. Everyone tossed life preservers at her, but she didn’t know which one to grab. If she chose wrong, she was going to drown.

  CHAPTER 23

  Some smart person started the saying that time heals. Or was that in the Bible some place? Katy didn’t know, but she supposed it was true because even an hour had done wonders for her emotional state. So had the heat that flowed through the doddy house, carrying with it the welcoming aroma of Lil’s hearty bean soup. Dry clothing and a securely pinned covering also contributed to a better perspective.

  After church, Megan had flitted in with her cheery countenance, joining Katy and Lil for Sunday lunch. Their blond friend had chatted about her summer missions options, then flown off to spend the afternoon with her folks before heading back to Rosedale College.

  Now Katy lined up her dominoes. Across the table, Lil did the same. As they played, they could look out the kitchen window and watch the steady rain turn the ground into tiny rivulets.

  “I didn’t see Jake at church, did you?” Lil asked.

  “No, but I saw his mom. He probably stayed home with his grandma.” Just remembering something he’d mentioned at the basketball game, she added, “He has to bid some blueprints this afternoon.” They exchanged a disapproving look, for even Lil knew they shouldn’t work on Sundays. “Last night he asked me if I’d like to work for his mom, watching Minnie.”

  Lil’s gaze softened with fondness at the mention of her grandmother. “Mom and I have watched her before. She’s a handful, but I love her.”

  “I’d like to try it and see how it goes. It will be a challenge, but I’ve always loved her.”

  “You going to clean their place, too?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll do whatever Ann wants. If it works out, the extra income should help us scrape by. Think Megan will ever settle down with a job?”

  Lil matched a yellow domino to another yellow domino. “Hard to tell. Jobs can be disappointing. I need to find something better. Nobody ever sees me back in the kitchen, and the restaurant’s not big enough to move to a higher position. No prestige. No extra money. Dead-end job.” She glanced out at the rain. “I should drive into Plain City and buy a newspaper.”

  Trailing her friend’s gaze to the dreary weather and back, Katy offered, “I’ll go with you, if you’d like.”

  “Okay. Let’s finish this game first. Maybe the rain will ease up by then.” They both glanced out the window again, sharing skepticism. Several plays passed without conversing as Katy thought about Lil not liking her job. Her friend had high expectations and the grit to fulfill them. Maybe that was part of her own despair. She didn’t have any goals. Just then a shiny black car turned into the Millers’ driveway.

  “Oh great,” Katy said sarcastically. The image of David’s bruised face flashed across her mind. Who needed goals when it was hard just to survive each day’s handouts? “David won’t be coming here.”

  They both leaned toward the window and watched, but the car disappeared in front of Ivan and Elizabeth’s house.

  Lil looked over with amusement. “Did you see him today?”

  Katy rapped her dominos on the table in disgust. “Yes! How could they? What does fighting solve? Do they think I’m going to throw myself into the winner’s arms?”

  “I wonder who started it? Jake’s been real jealous, but I never heard of him fighting before.”

  “Probably David. He was quietly furious the other night when we talked. It shocked me.” She told Lil about his cutting remark.

  “Whoa! Maybe we need to sic Megan on them. Remind them of their Anabaptist upbringing.”

  “They both know better. It’s humiliating. And Jake is going to get an earful the next time I see him, too. When I asked him what happened, he said he’d been in a pillow fight.”

  Lil giggled. Then she asked, “Is it really humiliating? Or is it a little gratifying?” She slid another ivory rectangle into place. “I’d like that kind of embarrassment—having two guys fight over me.” Involuntarily, she waved a domino. “Maybe the blond waiter and that one guy from culinary school that who wouldn’t give me the time of day. Yeah, that’d be something. I’d want the waiter to win. The other guy was smug.”

  “Two things to keep in mind. First, you may be saying good-bye to your blond waiter if you find another job. And second, they aren’t really available if they aren’t Mennonite men, are they?”

  Glancing up, Lil said, “Oh, there’s the Katy I remember. Thought we weren’t going to get preachy. Especially since you have it all with your dark, smoldering beauty.” Lil shook her head. “Pass.”

  “Don’t forget my lovely smooth hands and preachy mouth,” Katy reminded her. Then she cocked an eyebrow. “You can’t move?”

  “Nope.”

  Making a dramatic gesture with her occupationally chafed hands, she made a winning move. Lil let out a moan and paused to write down her points. Then they turned all the colored dots over until the pile was plain ivory and worked to shuffle the pieces. “What number are we on?” Lil asked.

  “Three. I’ve got it.” They kept their peace while lining up their dominos, and then Katy gave Lil a wry grin. “You’re right. It’s really hard for me not to preach. But you set me up with such lovely opportunities all the time. Speaking of, what did you think of Brother Troyer’s sermon? Are you going to be submissive when you get married?”

  “Ah, the awful S word. You did hear him say that men and women are equal? One’s not superior over the other?”

  Katy nodded. “He was talking out of both sides of his mouth, ’cause in the next breath, he implied that the husband was in charge.” She knew that her own mom showed deference to her dad in a lot of ways and that Lil’s folks had modeled the same type of marriage, but she couldn’t picture Lil settling for that type of arrangement. And to be honest, she had to wonder if she could settle for it, either.

  Lil thoughtfully tapped a domino on the table. “I like what he said about it being purely an order issue. Adam was made first to reflect God’s glory. Then woman next, to reflect man’s glory.”

  “Glorious man,” Katy taunted, and Lil burst into giggles. Then Katy pushed back from the table and stared out the window. “Seriously, I don’t get the glory thing.”

  Lil glanced out the window and back. “You agree that God’s creation shows His greatness?”

  “Sure. Nature draws me to God.”

  Lil explained, “Man’s the highest of his creation. When a man shows honor to somebody, he removes his hat. So Adam worships with his head uncovered. But mankind sinned. When Adam and Eve sinned, what did they do?”

  Katy shrugged. “Hid and covered themselves with fig leaves.”

  Lil pointed to her own covering. “So when woman wears a head covering, it’s a symbol of mankind’s fall.”

  Inadvertently, Katy touched her own covering. “Wow. Wha
t a spiritual picture.”

  “For the angels to witness.”

  Katy felt drawn to Lil’s depiction of equality. “So what about the angels?”

  Lil shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t know. I’m not that smart.”

  Katy would have laughed if it wasn’t such a crucial topic. “So it’s not just about the woman submitting to her husband?”

  “If it were, only married women would wear it.”

  Katy demanded, “How do you know all this?”

  “Duh? Brother Troyer preached it today. Weren’t you even listening? Sometimes I get the impression you think I’m totally lost and going to hell or something.”

  “Lil! Don’t say that. Of course I don’t think that.” Katy felt contrite. “But I did think you’d be happy to ditch the covering.”

  “Not really. At work, but not at church. The important thing is that the church doesn’t split apart over it.”

  Katy hoped for more than peace. She hoped nothing would change. Since their big argument, Lil had seemed softer, more sensitive toward spiritual things than Katy had given her credit for, and yet she couldn’t picture Lil taking a submissive role. “So back to the S word. You going to submit to your husband?”

  “I’m hoping to find a man who’ll welcome my opinions, but right now I can’t even find a man.” She pushed back her chair. “I think we need a hot chocolate perk or we’re never going to finish this game. And I need that newspaper.” She started the teakettle, then returned to the table. “Since you’ve got two guys fighting over you, the S word seems to be more your problem than mine.”

  Katy cringed. She didn’t like the idea of submission. Thunder cracked, and she glanced out the window at the dark sky, considering God.

  When Lil returned to the table with two steaming cups, she placed one in front of Katy. “Just take your time with Jake. I don’t want to lose you as a roommate.”

  After the game was finished, they left to get Lil’s newspaper. While they drove, they discussed the benefits of Katy getting a cell phone versus a landline. Lil finally persuaded her that just because cell phones were more modern didn’t make then any worldlier than landlines. A phone was a phone, and it was a safety precaution to have while driving.