Plain Threats

by Alison Stone

  Rebecca was always worried about Samuel, but something else was pressing on her heart this morning. She looked up, met Flo’s warm gaze and smiled.

  Flo tilted her head, a pleading look in her eyes. “Dear, if you’re gonna spill it, you better do it soon before the breakfast crowd gets here. Then you’re going to have to hold your peace until midmorning.” She twirled her hand in a get-on-with-it gesture. “And you are not going to leave here today without telling me what’s on your mind.”

  Rebecca smoothed a hand across the edge of her bonnet and her mouth went dry. “The professor and I visited for a bit on the porch last night.”

  Her friend’s eyebrows shot up. “You did, did you?”

  Rebecca couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s response. Oh, how she wished it was as simple as Flo thought it was.

  Flo crossed her arms and leaned her hip on the silver counter, settling in for all the gossip. “Did something happen?” Flo had a way of pinning her with a penetrating gaze. Flo’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, something happened. Did he kiss you?”

  Rebecca had no plans to kiss and tell.

  “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, dear. You’re young and pretty and you have your life in front of you.” She leaned in close. “I say go for it.”

  Rebecca laughed. “Go for what? You know how conservative the Amish are. He’d have to become Amish for us to have a future.”

  Flo ran a finger across her bottom lip. “There is that.” Her shoulders sagged. “Poor girl, you have that handsome man paying you visits, yet you’re bound to the Amish ways.” She bit her lower lip and furrowed her brow. “Are you sure? Maybe a fresh start would be a good thing for you.”

  Rebecca knew there was no way her friend would understand. “A fresh start would mean leaving everything I’ve ever known.”

  The bell on the door jangled, indicating their first breakfast customers, a handful of retired men who stopped in five days out of the week to chat.

  “I’ll get this table.” Flo walked toward the dining room, then glanced over her shoulder. “Considering everything you’ve been through, would a fresh start be so bad?”

  * * *

  After another long day at the diner and a ride home from Flo, Rebecca hung her coat on the hook and turned to see a horse and buggy come up the driveway. She hustled to the front door and greeted her daughters. Gloria walked them to the door briskly through the steady rain while Mark waved from the buggy.

  “Thank you,” Rebecca yelled to her brother, then smiled at Gloria. “I can’t thank you enough. I appreciate you bringing them home.”

  Gloria touched each of the girls’ bonnets with a tender look on her face.

  The two girls ran into the house, shaking off their damp coats.

  “Go on up and get into your nightclothes,” Rebecca said to her daughters. She missed seeing their sweet faces all day long.

  Once the girls had pounded up the stairs, Gloria leaned in close and whispered, “It wonders me if we should let the girls stay at our house during the week. Since you have to work. We’d love to have them.”

  Rebecca frowned and she cast her glance toward the floor. “I’m their mem. They need to stay here.”

  “Yah, well, I know you’re their mem,” Gloria said, compassion in her tone. “It’s too much back and forth. The girls might feel more settled. It will be right like they’re home.”

  Rebecca wrung her hands. “Why do you think the girls aren’t settled?”

  “I can tell I’ve offended you. I know you’re doing the best you can. The girls need stability. With everything going on with Samuel, maybe it’s best if they weren’t around that.”

  “Samuel is their brother. Samuel is innocent.” Rebecca hesitated a minute. He was innocent, wasn’t he? What if he went to jail all the same? Her poor family would be the subject of more finger-pointing.

  Rebecca let out a long, slow breath and ran a hand over her face. Her eyes felt gritty from a long day at work. Another day in which she had been away from her family.

  Her little girls.

  “Maybe they could stay with us until things settle down. I’d hate for something to happen to them,” Gloria said.

  Suddenly that piece of apple pie with ice cream Rebecca had had before she’d left the diner didn’t seem like such a good idea.

  “What do you mean, ‘something happen to them’?”

  Gloria bowed her head and her cheeks turned pink. “Many evil things have surrounded your family.”

  Rebecca gasped. She struggled to find the words. “You don’t think they’re safe here?” Apprehension knotted her stomach.

  Through the open front door, Rebecca could see her brother sitting in the buggy, his broad-brimmed hat pulled down low on his forehead as he stared straight ahead, squinting against the wind and rain blowing in the open sides. Served him right for taking the coward’s way out and leaving his wife to broach this difficult subject.

  “Grace asked me if they could still visit if you married the professor.”

  “What?”

  “She’s worried that she’ll be leaving the Amish community. She’s worried she won’t get to see her cousins, but she seemed somewhat comforted by the idea she could still play with your friend Hannah’s children.”

  Rebecca blinked slowly, trying to absorb it all. She laughed, a nervous sound. “Kids get silly ideas. The professor has been helping me. There’s nothing romantic going on.” The little white lie burned on her lips.

  “Perhaps things would be less complicated for you if you spent more time with the Amish than with the English.”

  Little feet sounded on the stairs and Rebecca spun around. Grace descended the stairs with a doll under her arm. “Can I play with my doll before bed?”

  Rebecca smiled at her sweet daughter. “Of course. Let me finish talking to Aenti Gloria. I’ll be right up to hear all about your day.”

  Rebecca watched her daughter climb the stairs, then when she was satisfied the little girl was out of hearing distance, she turned to Gloria. “I was desperate when I approached the professor.”

  “Why didn’t you come to us?” The hint of accusation in her sister-in-law’s question heated Rebecca’s skin.

  “When was the last time you spent time with Samuel?”

  Gloria bristled, but didn’t say anything.

  “The professor has been meeting with the Amish youth. I thought he could provide insight into Samuel’s behavior.”

  “I’ve never liked the idea of outsiders coming into our community and studying us.”

  Rebecca laughed. “Me neither, but the professor is a good man.”

  Gloria raised a curious eyebrow.

  “His parents were Amish.”

  “Really?”

  “They left before they got married.”

  Gloria lowered her voice. “You’re not planning on leaving, are you?” There was an ominous quality to her voice.

  Rebecca slowly shook her head. “I’m not leaving. You know that. I’ve been working hard to guide Samuel on the right path. Why would you ever think I was planning on being a fence jumper?” An iciness sped through her. “Did the church elders come to you? Did they put you up to this?”

  Her dear sister-in-law nodded. “Everyone’s worried.”

  “I wish the elders had jumped in to condemn the members who have been harassing us. We’ve felt all alone.”

  “I believe those incidents were addressed. The community was devastated by your husband’s actions.”

  Tears bit at the back of Rebecca’s eyes. “They were addressed, but not with the tenacity that they have been addressing the issues with Samuel. Lester stopped by and told us the bishop wants to meet with Samuel. I’m reluctant to send him over there for fear Samuel will run away for good.”

  “You can’t ignore the request.”

  “I don’t plan to, but I do plan to go with him. The last thing I want him to feel is ganged up on.”

  Gloria gave her a sad smile. “You are
a much stronger woman than I am. Please be careful not to turn your back on the Amish way, too.”

  Rebecca furrowed her brow. “Why would you say that? I have no intention of running away. I only plan to protect my son.”

  “You are a kind and forgiving woman. Just be sure Samuel is worthy of your kindness.”

  Rebecca clamped her mouth shut, unwilling to lash out on a woman who had shown her and her daughters much kindness. She took a step toward the door. “I’ve had a long day and I’m tired. Thank you for bringing the girls home.”

  Gloria stared at her a moment, before smiling tightly and nodding. “Guten Nacht.”

  Rebecca saw her sister-in-law out the door and then dropped down in one of the rockers, her knees weak with the turn of events. Her heart might be confused over her feelings for the professor, but she was steadfast in her determination to live the Amish way. And to set her son on the right path.

  She tugged at the straps on her bonnet. She had two daughters to consider. If she had any hope of keeping them on the straight and narrow, she’d have to be stronger. She’d have to ignore the feelings she had for a man who was absolutely wrong for her and she’d have to stand strong against Samuel’s misbehavior.

  Rebecca prayed she could save her son. But she could no longer be weak. Not if she didn’t want to risk her two young daughters watching with impressionable minds and thinking that flaunting the Amish rules would get nothing but more attention and coddling.

  No more.

  ELEVEN

  A few days later, Rebecca stood by the back door—her stomach twisted in knots—and waited for Samuel to return from his morning chores. She had sent Katie and Grace out to check on the pumpkins in their small garden. Rebecca couldn’t bear to see the look of disappointment in their eyes, too.

  When Samuel appeared outside the barn, his head slightly bowed, a bead of sweat popped out on her forehead.

  Could she really do this?

  Her gaze fell to the suitcase inside the door. Samuel’s suitcase. The one she had packed for him while he was outside. Rebecca had met with the bishop without Samuel and through the professor, she had gotten approval from the courts for this next course of action. It was her hope to get Samuel away from the negative influence of his local friends while he awaited a court date.

  Rebecca glanced at the wall clock. The ride to the bus depot that she had arranged for Samuel would be here soon. The last thing she wanted was for Flo’s son to arrive before she had a chance to tell Samuel what was happening.

  When Samuel reached the back porch, he slowed and glanced up at her with a quizzical look on his face. “What’s going on?”

  “You’re going on a trip,” Rebecca said, barely able to get the words out of her parched mouth. She pushed open the screen door for her son and he stepped inside.

  Samuel’s gaze dropped to the worn suitcase on the floor. He took off his hat and tossed it on the hook. A strand of hay in his hair almost broke her heart. She had a flash of meeting Samuel for the first time. He had been a little boy who had lost his mother and had been reluctant to welcome Rebecca into his life. To welcome a second mother.

  She immediately second-guessed her bold plan. She was blindsiding him. Maybe she should have warned him.

  Samuel brushed past her and into the kitchen to wash his hands. Rebecca followed him.

  “I’ve packed your things for a trip to—”

  “You’re kicking me out?” His brow furrowed and anger flashed in his eyes. It wrecked her to hurt him like this. She grabbed the back of the chair to steady herself, fearing her weak knees would go out from under her.

  She struggled to form the words. She wanted him gone before Grace and Katie came back inside. She didn’t want them to witness her sending their big brother away. She wanted time to explain things to her daughters without adding an emotional goodbye scene.

  “I’ve made arrangements for you to stay in an Amish community in the Rochester area. Their church is in communion with ours.”

  Samuel’s brows drew together. “You’re kicking me out of my home? My home.” His jaw trembled. “You said I was your son, but now I know the truth. You’ve always considered me Willard’s son. The son of a convicted murderer. I’m no better than my father and you want me out of the house because I’m such a wicked influence.”

  “That’s not true.” Her voice came out shaky as what little resolve she had drained out of her.

  What had she done?

  Samuel kicked the small suitcase and the buckle released, scattering his plain clothing across the floor. Rebecca dropped to her knees and stuffed everything back into the suitcase, the suitcase she had used when she had been a young woman moving into Willard’s house. To take over for his dead wife.

  What a miserable job she and Willard had done.

  Had she actually fallen so far as to compare her parenting skills to her husband’s? A murderer?

  Rebecca looked up from a kneeling position on the floor.

  She had to remain strong.

  “It’s not forever,” she whispered.

  She struggled to her feet, then took a step toward Samuel. He recoiled from her, but she persisted. “I love you, but you need to get away for a little bit. Away from this mess until we figure out what’s really going on.”

  “I already confessed.” Samuel bowed his head. “You can’t lose this land for my stupidity.”

  “I don’t believe for a minute that you’re responsible for planting the marijuana plants. Your only mistake was giving your friends, Uri and Jonas, the benefit of the doubt. I talked to the sheriff. Special arrangements have been made with the courts to allow you to travel as long as we assure them you’ll come back when the trial starts.”

  An uneasy feeling roiled in her gut. Courts, lawyers, law enforcement were all contrary to the Amish culture, but there was no way she was going to let Samuel fend for himself in the English world.

  Willard would have kicked him out and not lost a night’s sleep. She wasn’t Willard. She had to protect Samuel. Save him from prison.

  A dark memory seeped into her bones.

  Willard had been killed in prison.

  Samuel’s rigid posture slackened. He lifted his hands in a supplicating gesture. “Please, Mem, don’t send me away. I need to be here. To protect you.”

  Rebecca shook her head slowly, tears forming. “Mr. Yoder has assured me he will make sure his sons stay obedient.”

  Samuel let out a heavy sigh, as if suggesting Mr. Yoder hadn’t had success controlling his sons in the past. Just then, a beeping sounded from the driveway.

  “That’s your ride. You’ve met my friend from the diner, Flo. Her son will drive you to the bus depot.”

  Samuel turned to march up the stairs and Rebecca stood in front of him. “Neh. You must leave without any of your electronic things.” She closed her eyes briefly, the hollowness expanding inside her. “Please, don’t make it harder than it has to be.”

  Samuel glared at her. He bent over at the waist and scooped up the suitcase, turned and stormed out of the house.

  With a hand to her midsection, Rebecca moved to the window and watched Samuel climb into the pickup truck. She stood at the window long after the tailgate disappeared down the country road.

  An ache twisted in her heart. She had lost Samuel. Her worst nightmare had come true.

  * * *

  After Samuel had left, the bishop saw to it that some Amish neighbors came over to help her harvest the remaining crops. Perhaps the Fisher family was one step closer to bridging the gap. Rebecca just prayed Samuel’s innocence would be proven in court.

  A few long days in the fields and they were done for another season. She was relieved they had finished when they had because a storm front moved in, leaving little Apple Creek under dark clouds and steady rain.

  And that was fine with Rebecca. It suited her mood.

  Rebecca had worked at the diner today and was happy for the distraction. Working on the farm without Samuel o
nly emphasized his absence. But now, after her diner shift, she was tired and wanted to go home and spend time with her daughters.

  But first, Rebecca had to run to the local market to grab milk and a few other basics. Groceries in one hand, she fumbled with the handle of the umbrella as the automatic doors swooshed open. The steady rain pelted her umbrella. With the handle of her tote wrapped around her wrist, she reached up and gathered the collar of her coat. She wished the rain could wash away her feelings of indecision.

  Of failure...

  The swoosh of a tire in a puddle made her instinctively move closer to the buildings. It wouldn’t be unheard of for one of the college students to make sport of splashing pedestrians.

  Score extra points for soaking the Amish.

  She shook her head and kept walking across the small parking lot toward Main Street, her mind otherwise preoccupied. She was headed back to the diner to meet her ride. Flo had offered to drive her home so she didn’t have to spend part of her paltry wages on a ride. She’d have to make some big changes soon. Under the circumstances, she didn’t know how much longer she could run the farm, hold down a job at the diner and support her daughters.

  “Rebecca.”

  She stopped in her tracks and turned slowly to face the familiar voice. The professor had pulled his truck up alongside her and had rolled down the passenger window.

  “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”

  Rebecca pointed at the diner. “Flo’s going to drive me home. Thanks anyway.” The memory of Samuel climbing into the truck and departing for Rochester amplified the emptiness inside her. All her efforts had to mean something. Now she had to do her part, too. Behave like a good Amish woman if she hoped to further patch the tear in her association with the Amish.

  “Good night.” Rebecca gave her best polite smile, hoping he’d take the hint. She had a lot on her mind, but she hadn’t yet figured out how to share it with the professor. She thought she’d have more time.

  He reached across the cab of the truck and pushed open the door. “Come in out of the rain. I’ll drive you home.”

  Rebecca slowly walked toward the door, unable to resist his friendly smile. She muttered something under her breath about his smile. This was not unfolding in the way she had intended.