Englisch on Purpose (Prequel to Amish by Accident)

by J. E. B. Spredemann

  Mattie smiled, envisioning her Amish grandfather in Englisch clothing and driving a car.

  “Whatever you choose, Mattie, choose wisely.” He patted her hand. “Come now, let’s go try some of that homemade ice cream your grossmudder made.”

  Chapter 5

  “I know I’m never going to get out of here, Lis!” Sometimes Mattie felt sorry for her friend always having to hear her vent. She felt like breaking down and sobbing.

  “Maybe you should stop trying.”

  “I hope you’re joking.” Mattie sighed. “I’m going to lose my mind soon. I know I will.”

  “No, you won’t.” Elisabeth smiled. “I think the best way for you to be able to go to New York is for you to stop stressing out about it so much. Enjoy where God has you right now. What if you don’t ever go to New York? Then your whole life will be wasted on a dream that was never fulfilled.”

  “Please don’t say that, Lis. I can’t give up my dream.”

  “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that I think you should stop trying so hard. Mattie, all you ever talk about is New York. You still have a life here. Now. Cherish what you’ve been given every moment of your life. You never know when those things might be snatched away from you. I think we often take our blessings for granted.”

  “Okay, I think I understand what you’re saying.”

  “Enjoy life now. And when the time is right for you to go to New York, the doors will open wide for you and you will walk through them.”

  “Do you think so?”

  “I know so.” Elisabeth smiled. “Come to the singing with me.”

  “Okay.”

  “Really? You will?”

  “Did you just squeal? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you do that.”

  Elisabeth shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Are you and Luke Beiler going to make goo-goo eyes at each other all night?”

  “Goo-goo eyes?” Elisabeth giggled. “I think Luke would laugh at that.”

  “You’re not going to try to fix me up with anyone, right? Because I do not want a relationship right now. And it would be unfair to him. You know I would never become Amish.”

  “Of course not. I just want you to have a good time. You like to play volleyball and baseball, don’t you?”

  “You know I do.”

  <><><>

  “Mattie, are your things packed? We need to load everything in the car,” Maryanna called from the bottom of the stairs.

  “No. I’m not going.”

  “What do you mean, you’re not going?” Maryanna sighed and frowned at Matthew as he walked in.

  “What’s wrong? Why the long face? We’re going camping. You should be excited.” Matthew smiled and kissed her cheek.

  If only she could share his enthusiasm. If only she didn’t have to ruin his happy moment. It seemed when he and Mattie were near each other, those moments were few and far between.

  “Mattie says she’s not going,” she said flatly.

  “Mattie needs to realize that she’s not the one in charge. Don’t worry about it, schatzi. We’re going to have a great, relaxing time. I’ll talk to her.” Matthew walked to the stairs and hollered, “Mattie, get your stuff ready and put it in the van.”

  “I’m not going. I have to work,” she called.

  Matthew looked at Maryanna. “Where’s her boss’ phone number?”

  “On the fridge.”

  He walked to the fridge with his cell phone in hand. “Hello, Mr. Watson, this Mattie Riehl’s father. She’ll be out of town this weekend, beginning today, so you’ll have to find a replacement for her. I’m sorry about the inconvenience. Thank you; I appreciate it. Goodbye.”

  Matthew walked back to the stairs. “Let’s go, Mattie. You’re not working this weekend after all.”

  “What?” Mattie’s tone was sharp.

  “You heard me. No work this weekend. Get ready to go.”

  “But I asked Mr. Watson for more hours.”

  “He’s finding someone else to work your shifts. Hurry up. We’re leaving in fifteen minutes.”

  “I don’t want to go.”

  “Too bad. You’re going whether you want to or not. Now, if you don’t want to spend the entire weekend in the outfit you’re wearing, I suggest you pack quickly.”

  Maryanna heard Mattie sigh in protest. A moment later, activity upstairs suggested Mattie had begun packing her things for the trip. Perhaps this would be a pleasant vacation after all.

  <><><>

  Matthew pounded a tent stake into the ground and glanced up to see Mattie walking toward the Fishers’ campsite. “Mattie, I don’t want you going anywhere until all the tents are set up. If your girls’ tent is finished, please help the boys with theirs.”

  Mattie clenched her hands then began walking back to her younger siblings’ tent.

  “Matthew, will you build a fire in the pit?” Maryanna asked, holding sticks the children had gathered earlier for roasting marshmallows and hotdogs. “We should probably sharpen these too.”

  “In just a little bit, schatzi. I’ve gotta get this tent up.” Matthew smiled.

  Jonathan Fisher approached. “Yep, then you two can do some smoochin’.”

  “Wanna give me a hand with this?” Matthew raised a brow to Jonathan.

  “Sure. Josh, come help us out!” Jonathan hollered.

  Joshua Hostettler walked into their camping space. “Do you have another hammer or a hatchet?”

  “Over by that stack of firewood.” Matthew pointed in the direction of the fire pit.

  Joshua promptly began pounding one of the tent stakes with the blunt end of the hatchet. “We should really do this more often.”

  “We should. The children love it,” Jonathan agreed.

  All three of the men looked up when Mattie hollered, “Thomas, get over here and help me with your tent!”

  “Well, most of them do,” Matthew said.

  “Mattie will have a great time too; you’ll see. She just doesn’t know it yet,” Joshua encouraged.

  “I hope so. And I pray she doesn’t drive her mother and me crazy.” Matthew sighed.

  “I’ve certainly driven my mother crazy a time or two.” Jonathan grinned.

  “A time or two? Jonathan, you still drive your mother crazy. And probably poor Susie too.” Matthew stood up and attempted to piece together the tent poles.

  “Ach, who wants a boring life? Fun people are the ones who are remembered the most,” Jonathan asserted.

  “Yeah, well, I’d like to be remembered for the good things I’ve done,” Joshua added.

  “All done!” Matthew proclaimed. “Do you guys have your tents set up already?”

  “Yep!” Jonathan said.

  “Sure do.” Joshua smiled.

  “Great! Let’s do some fishing.” Matthew beamed.

  <><><>

  Mattie walked alongside Johnny and Judah as they rode their scooters through the campground. “I wish I’d brought my bike with me.”

  “You can ride my scooter,” Judah offered.

  “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind walking too much. I’m just glad the lake’s not very far.”

  “The water’s gonna feel great!” Johnny proclaimed.

  Mattie moved to the side when she heard a vehicle approaching, and alerted JJ.

  “Hey, Mattie.”

  Mattie’s jaw dropped. “Lis? What are you doing here?”

  Her friend glanced to the driver’s seat and smiled. “Luke wanted to go for a drive. I suggested we come here.”

  “Great! You’re just in time to go swimming with us,” Judah invited.

  “Sounds like fun.” Luke smiled.

  “Oh.” Elisabeth snapped her fingers. “I didn’t bring anything to swim in.”

  “I’ve got some extra culottes in the tent. If you wanna drive back there, just ask my mom and she’ll show you,” Mattie said.

  “Alright.” Elisabeth smiled. “If Luke doesn’t mind.”

  Luke ra
ised a brow. “Anything for you, Elisabeth.”

  “We’ll meet you guys at the lake in a little bit,” Elisabeth said.

  Mattie watched Elisabeth and her beau drive off. “Do you know if Luke has his driver’s license?”

  Both Johnny and Judah shook their heads.

  “Do you guys have a license for your motorcycles?” Mattie smiled.

  “Jah. Had to get one,” Johnny said.

  “Do you think the water will be cold?” Mattie changed the subject.

  “I hope so,” Judah said.

  Mattie’s eyes widened. “You do?”

  “Yep. I love swimming in cold water!” Judah grinned.

  “You’re weird,” Mattie teased.

  He shrugged. “Get it from Daed, I guess.”

  Mattie laughed. “That, you do.”

  <><><>

  “Where’s Mattie? She should have been back by now.” Maryanna looked toward the darkening sky.

  Matthew lifted his marshmallow stick from the flames. “I haven’t seen her. Where did she say she was going?”

  “Swimming with JJ, Elisabeth, and Luke.”

  “I thought they came back already.”

  “Luke and Elisabeth left, and I think JJ are at their campsite, but I don’t remember seeing Mattie.”

  Matthew frowned. “Do you think she’s with the Fishers?”

  “We should probably check. I’ll go over to Josh and Annie’s; you check Jonathan and Susie’s.” Maryanna looked at Rebekah. “Stay here and make sure the younger ones don’t get too close to the fire.”

  “Okay, Mamm,” Rebekah replied.

  Matthew hurried to Jonathan’s campsite. “Have any of you seen Mattie?”

  Jonathan, Susie, and their children all sat around the fire. Judah looked at Johnny then spoke up, “Last we saw her, she was with that guy.” He looked at his brother. “What was his name?”

  Johnny squinted. “Um…Darren? No, it was Derrick, I think.”

  “Derrick who?” Matthew asked. “Do we know him?”

  JJ shook their heads. “Met him today down at the lake. Mattie went on his boat.”

  “And you left her there alone with him?” Matthew’s heart began to pound.

  Jonathan jumped up. “I’ll help you look for her.”

  “Where did you see her last?” Matthew quizzed the boys.

  “She said they were goin’ for a walk,” Judah said.

  “Let’s go,” Jonathan suggested.

  “We can help,” Johnny offered. “I’ll get our flashlights.”

  “Let’s split up. Johnny, you come with me. Judah, stay with your dad. We’ll head out toward the lake. Jonathan, do you and Judah want to scour the campground?” Matthew looked toward his family’s campsite. “I’m gonna go let Maryanna know what’s going on.”

  “We can ask Josh to help. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,” Jonathan said. “I’ll walk over and ask him to join us.”

  Matthew agreed and glanced at the time on his cell phone. “Okay. Let’s meet back in a half hour.”

  “We can text you if we find her,” one of the twins said.

  Matthew nodded. “I’ll do the same.”

  <><><>

  Mattie laid back on the quilt and stared up at the stars. “I’ve always been fascinated with the sky at night. Aren’t all those stars amazing?” She smiled at the handsome young man next to her, his sandy blond hair glistening in the moonlight.

  “Sure.” He rubbed the sand from his tanned torso and swim trunks and took a drink from the bottle he held.

  “Derrick, what’s it like on the West Coast? I mean, do the stars look the same there?”

  “I can’t say I’ve noticed. I don’t usually surf at night, you know. But I sure noticed you.” He moved closer and wove his fingers through her hair. “I had a great time with you today, Mattie.”

  “Yeah, me too. You’ll probably forget all about me when you go back home.”

  “Never,” Derrick whispered. As their lips met for the countless time today, his breath smelled of the beer he’d just finished. “Mm…you could come back with me, you know. I’ve got a place not too far from the beach.”

  “The beach? I’ve always wanted to visit the ocean.”

  “Come with me, babe.” He kissed her lips again. “I bet you’d look hot in a bikini.”

  Mattie laughed. “A bikini? I don’t think so.”

  “Oh, I know so.” His hands caressed her back and drew her even closer. “Let’s go back to my tent. I think there’s room in my sleeping bag for both of us.”

  “I don’t know, Derrick. We just met.”

  “So. There’s no reason why that should stop us. We’re both old enough to know what we want.” His bangs fell over his eyes.

  “I’m not ready for that sort of thing.”

  His warm hand trailed her arm and his breath felt hot on her neck. “Come with me, Mattie. I’ll show you a good time.”

  <><><>

  Matthew thought he’d heard Mattie’s voice along with a young man’s. He signaled to Johnny to keep silent, and they both quietly approached the lake’s edge.

  What on earth? He shook his head as he briefly listened in on their conversation. Right about now, he felt he could wring Mattie’s neck. What was she thinking?

  He flicked on the flashlight and shined the bright light in their eyes. “Oh, no you won’t, buddy! Take your hands off my daughter.”

  Mattie’s eyes widened. “Dad?”

  “What do you think you’re doing? Mattie, you know our dating standards.” How many times had he and her mother gone over this with her? He glared at the young man next to her. “Absolutely no touching.”

  Mattie’s friend’s confused expression wasn’t unexpected. “No touching? Like, at all? That’s harsh, man.”

  “Back to the campsite, Mattie. Now!” Matthew demanded. He looked at the unscrupulous young man. “Where are your parents?”

  “Dude, I’m here with my buddies. The old man’s at home.”

  “Get lost before I do something that’ll land you in the hospital and me in jail. And don’t come near my daughter again.”

  “Chill out, man. We were just havin’ a good time. I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.” The young man reached for his shirt, but left his empty bottles on the quilt. Matthew frowned as he walked off unfazed.

  “This is why dads with daughters should never carry loaded guns,” Matthew mumbled under his breath. He turned to Johnny. “Text your dad and let him know we found Mattie.”

  <><><>

  “I just don’t know what to do with her,” Matthew vented in frustration. “I leave her alone for a few hours and then I find her with a total stranger, and he...he...” He covered his eyes with his hand. “I don’t even want to think about it. If I had come at a later time, if I hadn’t arrived at that exact moment...” Matthew shook his head.

  “Der Herr was watching out for her, for certain sure,” Jonathan stated.

  Joshua nodded in silent agreement.

  “I’m just…” Matthew swallowed hard, “at a loss of what to do.”

  “Do what you have been doing,” Joshua advised. “Discipline her. She needs to understand that negative consequences follow negative actions. It will teach her responsibility. But do it in the right spirit. Do it because you love her and want what’s best for her, not because you’re angry.”

  “I do love her and want what’s best for her,” Matthew protested somewhat defensively.

  “We know you do, Matt,” Jonathan agreed, “but does Mattie know that? Sure, she and you get upset at each other, but does she know you love her, even though she’s being punished?”

  Matthew sighed. “I don’t know. I think so.”

  “I’m not saying she shouldn’t be chastised. Just be certain you do it in the right spirit. Make sure she knows you love her. That’s important in a girl’s life.” Joshua nodded toward their camp. “My fraa can verify that. Her daed wasn’t one for showing much affection.”

  Matth
ew digested the advice, then turned to Jonathan. “Anything you would like to add to that, Minister Fisher?”

  Jonathan chuckled. “I wonder if this was what my vadder thought when dealing with me.”

  “If so, I most sincerely empathize.”

  “Hey!” Jonathan exclaimed in feigned offense. “Seriously, though, our children belong to Der Herr, Matt. They’re not ours, they’re His. Just do your best, pray for her, and leave her in God’s hands.”

  Chapter 6

  “Mattie? Is that you?”

  Mattie had hoped her sisters were asleep. She settled down into her sleeping bag. “Yes, it’s me, Ellie. Go to sleep.”

  “Where were you?”

  Mattie sighed. If it wasn’t a lecture from her father, it was endless questions from her little sister. “Somewhere else, and it’s none of your business.”

  “I don’t think you were supposed to go off. Mom–”

  “Go to sleep, Ellie, or I’ll tell Dad.”

  Her young sister huffed and rolled over, away from Mattie. Good. Ellie had probably decided not to speak to her now.

  Mattie stared at the ceiling of the tent that she shared with her sisters and reminisced about her day with Derrick. Why did her father have to show up and ruin everything? It wasn’t every day she had the opportunity to meet a handsome surfer from California. They’d been having a good time. And it wasn’t like she was actually going to join him in his tent. She knew better than that. If only her father would back off. She was nearly an adult. Surely she should be allowed some freedom. What was he going to do, follow her around forever?

  Mattie turned on her side, unable to rest. Her phone vibrated against her leg and she shrunk down into her sleeping bag to pull it out. A text from Judah. She read it in the privacy of her sleeping bag. Come outside. She wondered what mischief her cousins had planned now. She quietly got out of her sleeping bag and started for the tent exit.