Englisch on Purpose (Prequel to Amish by Accident)

by J. E. B. Spredemann

  Matthew grimaced and offered an apologetic glance at his wife. “That has nothing to do with this.”

  “Doesn’t it? Train up a child in the way he should go.”

  “Mattie was raised in a good Mennonite home. As much as you may disagree, we are not heathens. We have taught our children right from wrong,” Matthew asserted.

  “If this is true, why did Matilda recently go to jail?”

  Matthew sighed. “Mattie is old enough to make her own decisions. Sometimes she makes the wrong decisions, just as we all do.”

  “You have proven my point, Matthew.”

  Matthew stood up. “I think it’s time for us to leave now. Goodbye, Father.”

  <><><>

  Maryanna had been unusually silent the entire evening since the visit with his folks. Matthew intended to talk to her as soon as the children retired for the evening. Now that supper was over and the house was quiet, the opportunity finally presented itself.

  “Want to talk?” Matthew closed the door to their bedroom and turned the lock.

  Maryanna shrugged and sat on the bed.

  Matthew interpreted her body language to mean that she did want to talk, but she wasn’t quite ready yet. He sat behind her and began gently rubbing her shoulders. After a few moments of silence, he stopped and sat beside her.

  He took her hand in his. “Was it something my father said?”

  Her bottom lip trembled and he knew he’d found his answer. “What if he’s right? What if I’ve ruined your life? What if I am the reason Mattie left?”

  Matthew shook his head. “Maryanna, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, after salvation. Don’t ever think that you’ve ruined my life.”

  “But it’s true, Matthew. If you’d stayed Amish–”

  “Then I’d be miserable.” He reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. “I chose you. I love you, Maryanna. I don’t regret leaving the Amish for one minute. I wouldn’t want my life any other way.”

  “But Mattie’s gone!”

  “That was her choice. We just have to pray that God will watch over her. Maryanna, God loves Mattie even more than we do. I think we can leave her in His hands.”

  She nodded, and Matthew drew her into his arms and held her close.

  “Let’s pray and just trust Him, okay?” He pressed his lips to his wife’s cheek. “I love you, Maryanna.”

  Chapter 9

  Mattie glanced down at the newspaper in her hand. She crossed off another ad. Are there any decent apartments that aren’t already taken? Her eyes roamed to the last one on the list. Where is this? She punched the address into the GPS and followed the voice commands.

  The car rolled to a stop in front of a multi-level, brick apartment complex. She glanced out the window and sighed. This is not what I had in mind. Three children, a boy and two girls, maybe six to ten years of age, played a game of jump rope on the sidewalk. Mattie walk past them and they immediately halted their game and stared.

  “Wonder what she wants,” the boy said to the girl next to him, most likely his sister.

  “Hello. Do you live here?” Mattie smiled.

  “What’s it to you, lady?” The boy’s suspicious stare felt unwelcoming.

  “I’m looking for the apartment manager,” she said.

  “Fred said he already paid the water bill.”

  “Oh, I’m not here for that. I was looking to rent an apartment.”

  “You, lady?” The boy shook his head.

  “Will you tell me which apartment the manager is in?”

  “Up the steps, down the hallway, second door on the right.” Mattie turned at the sound of a man’s voice. He sat on the steps with a small twisted cigarette in his hand; his thick curly black hair that stuck out from his old baseball cap, looked matted.

  “Thank you.” She hurried up the steps, past the man, and walked into the dimly-lit hallway. Strange sounds emanated from above and brought goose bumps to Mattie’s arms. She quickened her step and noticed a door that had an ‘office’ sign on it. She knocked on the manager’s door.

  “Enter,” a gruff voice from the other side of the door called.

  Mattie took a deep breath and stepped into the manager’s office. She briefly glanced around and noticed untidy stacks of papers and manila folders on the manager’s desk, and on all of the seats but one.

  The man cleared his throat. “Yes?”

  “I wanted–”

  “Look, I just sent off the payment for the water bill yesterday. As soon as these renters pay me, I’ll be sending off the electric bill, so please don’t cut if off again.”

  “I’m not here from the electric company or about the water bill.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Social Services? Not again. I think you know where the Jackson family lives.”

  “No, I’m not here from Social Services. I was interested in an apartment.”

  His eyes widened. “Oh, you are?” He rolled his eyes again. “By all means, why didn’t you say so?”

  Mattie smiled.

  “I’ve got two units available. These aren’t the nicest apartments, but we’ve got great prices. “We require a month’s rent in advance along with the security deposit, which is a thousand dollars. So, your total will be four grand.”

  “Four thousand dollars?”

  He took a puff of his cigarette and placed it in an ashtray. “That’s right. No pets allowed, and if you’re going to smoke, we prefer you do that outside. I’ll show you what’s available.”

  Mattie was still reeling from the price when she heard the shriek of a siren.

  “Oh, no.” The manager continued talking, using words Mattie had never heard before. She guessed that they weren’t good words.

  “Here are the papers. Just fill them out.” He jumped out of his chair and dashed out into the hallway. “This might take a while, miss.”

  She watched as four police officers rushed through the hallway asking the manager for apartment twelve.

  “Third floor. What’s going on?” the manager asked.

  “We received a domestic violence call.” One of the officers placed a hand on his gun holster. “Do you know anything about it?”

  “No, sir,” the manager responded.

  Mattie watched as the officers headed through a doorway. She thought she saw stairs on the other side. The manager hurried after them. She didn’t know what they meant by domestic violence, but it didn’t sound good.

  She glanced down at the papers and shook her head. I can’t live here.

  Mattie left the manager’s office and quickly walked back to her car. A bright orange-colored envelope was folded over on her windshield, and she removed it. She looked down at the paper inside and read The City of New York Notice of Parking Violation.

  “Oh, no.”

  She looked around and noticed the children were now gone. The man on the stairs had relocated to the steps of another apartment building a few doors down.

  Mattie set her GPS to the address of the motel she’d been staying in, and decided to stay there until she could find a decent place to stay, although she had no idea how she would find such a place. All she knew was that her money was dwindling fast. And even if she wanted to live at the apartment complex she’d just left, she wouldn’t have had enough for the outrageous down payment.

  <><><>

  Mattie hurried past the bustling crowd blocking her way. If she didn’t get to her interview on time, there would be no chance of securing this job. She’d thought she knew exactly where the building was, but she’d been proven wrong. How was it that, when you’re in the midst of them, most skyscrapers look alike?

  She paused for a moment, looked up, and glanced around. For an instant, she felt dizzy and quickly closed her eyes. When she felt her equilibrium stabilize, she reopened her eyes. She took a deep breath and told herself not to do that again.

  “Excuse me, miss. Are you okay?”

  She turned at the male voice and found kind eyes staring back a
t her. Heat rose in her cheeks. “Um, I, uh, I’m lost,” she admitted.

  “Where are you trying to get to?”

  She studied the young man in the fancy suit for a moment and decided she’d have to trust him. He seemed nice, but one could never know. She lifted the paper she’d written the address on and showed the man.

  He nodded and smiled. “You’re almost there. It’s just on the next block.”

  “Oh, thank you. I was beginning to think I’d never find it.”

  “Yes, it would be very easy for one to get lost in this city.” He glanced up ahead. “I can walk you there, if you’d like.”

  “Oh, no, that’s not necessary. But thank you.”

  “No problem.” He smiled.

  Mattie watched the man disappear into the building they were standing in front of, and briefly wondered if he worked there. When she began walking again, she realized the crowd she’d passed earlier had now passed her by. Oh well. She sighed and decided not to pass them again. It wasn’t worth the effort.

  She tried to walk as quickly as she could. It wouldn’t do if she was late for this interview.

  “Hey!”

  As soon as she turned her head to see what the disturbance was about, she suddenly lost her footing. When she realized what was happening, she attempted to cry out. Searing pain burned her legs as they scraped along the surface of the alleyway. Mattie tried to pull loose from the strong man, who pulled her mercilessly down the frightening darkened corridor.

  Her heart beat rapidly. “Please! Let me go,” she cried.

  “Not a chance,” the ruthless perpetrator mumbled.

  Her body suddenly dropped to the ground and she winced in pain. It was then she realized the man in the suit had returned and was currently slamming her assailant into a concrete wall. She gasped when the attacker lunged toward the man in the suit at full force and they tussled on the ground beside her.

  She momentarily pondered whether she should flee or stay to be sure her rescuer made it out alive. Her instincts told her to do the former, but she didn’t have the heart to leave him there alone to fight this monster.

  “Run!” the man in the suit commanded.

  She briefly hesitated, then did as bidden. Her body ached with each step, but she continued until she reached the sidewalk near the busy street. Mattie looked back, relieved that her attacker fled in the opposite direction. Her rescuer hastened toward her.

  “Are you all right, miss?”

  She observed his busted lip and the blood that trickled from his hairline. Was he oblivious to his own injuries? Surely he’d sustained more physical damage than she had.

  “I think so.”

  “Your leg looks pretty bad. You really need to get it cleaned up.”

  She looked down at her leg and discovered a tear in her knee-length skirt; it revealed part of her thigh. She felt heat rising in her cheeks and quickly moved to cover her bare skin.

  “I meant your injuries,” he chuckled lightly. The man glanced down the street. “My office isn’t too far from here. I have some first aid supplies. Come.”

  Mattie was too weary to argue with him, and, at present, she didn’t feel like walking all the way back to her car. She reluctantly nodded.

  “Oh, no. My bag!” She looked around frantically. “My papers, my keys, everything’s in there.”

  “Wait here.”

  She watched the man enter the alley they’d just escaped from. A moment later he returned with her handbag.

  “Is this it?”

  “Yes, thank you.” She looked inside, pleased and amazed all its contents seemed to be accounted for.

  “Ready now?”

  She smiled and nodded.

  A short, but painful, walk led them to a tall skyscraper. Prior to arriving in New York, Mattie had never been inside one. The luxuriousness of their interiors never ceased to amaze her. She wondered how much money it took to build one of these giant workplaces.

  “Beautiful fountain, huh?”

  Mattie hadn’t realized she’d stopped walking, mesmerized by the building’s beauty. “Uh, yes. It’s very nice.”

  The man pointed to the elevator. “My office is on the fifteenth floor.”

  Mattie followed him to a pair of steel doors and waited.

  He turned to her. “By the way, my name is Richard Greene.”

  “Mattie. Mattie Riehl.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mattie.” He held out his hand for her to shake.

  Ding. The elevator doors opened in front of them and he gestured for her to step inside. A few moments later, Richard unlocked the door to his office and invited Mattie in.

  He gestured to a black leather sofa. “Feel free to take a seat. My secretary’s not here today. May I get you something to drink?” He walked over to a small refrigerator.

  “Water?”

  He nodded. “Sure thing.” He removed two bottles of water, handed one to Mattie, and sat on the couch beside her.

  “Thank you,” – she took a sip – “I needed that.”

  He smiled. “The restroom is behind that door. You’ll find medical supplies and bandages in the cabinet. Use whatever you need.”

  “Okay.”

  His brow lowered. “Do you need help?”

  “No, I think I can handle it. But thanks for offering.” Mattie slipped inside the bathroom, found the hydrogen peroxide, ointment and bandages, and began dressing her wounds. As soon as she poured the hydrogen peroxide over her wounds, they stung, and she let out a subdued cry.

  “Are you all right, Mattie?” A gentle knock on the door accompanied the compassionate voice.

  “Uh, yeah. It just stings a little.” She winced again as she poured more onto her wounds, but took comfort in the fact that it was working, as evidenced by the foaming and bubbling action that removed the debris from her legs.

  “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  She chided herself for acting like a baby. “I’ll be out in just a little bit. I’m fine.”

  “All right, then. I’ll just take a seat on the couch over here and pretend you’re not torturing yourself in there.” He chuckled.

  Mattie smiled. “You do that.”

  She didn’t know much about Richard, but, so far, he seemed like a nice guy. She briefly wondered if he was single – not that she was looking for a romantic relationship.

  After a few more minutes, she emerged from the bathroom. “You wouldn’t happen to have any extra skirts lying around, would you?” She held her torn skirt together with one hand, to avoid exposing her thigh.

  Richard chuckled. “Sorry, fresh out of skirts.”

  “A sewing kit?”

  He grimaced. “Afraid not.”

  “Didn’t think so.”

  Richard patted the couch next to where he sat. “Come, tell me about yourself.”

  “Don’t you want to put a bandage on your forehead?” It had stopped bleeding, but it looked terrible.

  “Nah, I’m fine.”

  She realized it was just the two of them in the office, and suddenly felt awkward. “I should probably go now.”

  “Please don’t. I…I’d like to walk you back to your car. Where did you park?”

  “At a parking garage a few blocks down.”

  He nodded. “Are you new to New York?”

  “How can you tell?”

  “Well, you parked further than necessary. And you didn’t know where that address was.”

  “Yes.” She frowned. “I was supposed to go for a job interview there. I don’t think I’ll be getting the job now. They said they were pretty strict about keeping appointments and punctuality.”

  “What position were you applying for?”

  “Receptionist, but I can do just about any office work.” She finally sank down into the sofa.

  His lips pressed together. “If I didn’t already have a secretary, I’d consider hiring you.”

  “That’s kind of you.”

  “Where you from?”

  �
�Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.”

  “Ah, Amish Country. Do you have any Amish relatives?”

  “My father was Amish.”

  His brow rose. “Was?”

  “Yeah. He left to marry my mother. They’re Mennonite now.”

  “How about you?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know what I am. Nothing, I guess.”

  “I grew up Catholic, but I’m Baptist now.”

  “From Catholic to Baptist? That’s a pretty big jump.”

  “Yeah, a funny thing happened when I started reading and understanding my Bible. Just call me Martin.”

  “Martin? I thought your name was Richard.”

  He chuckled. “I meant Martin, as in Martin Luther, the Reformer. That’s kind of what happened to him. He began reading his Bible and discovered that many things required by the Catholic Church were unbiblical. When he came across the verse that said ‘the just shall live by faith’, he struggled with whether he would follow the Catholic Church or follow what he believed to be Truth. If he went against the church’s teachings, he risked his very life. However, if he went against his conscience, he’d be risking his soul. I admire him for his courage. It took a lot of guts to do what he did.”

  “Amish use the Bible he translated.”

  “That’s right. The German Luther Bible, right?”

  Mattie nodded.

  Richard’s fingers steepled in front of his chin. “Mattie, would you be interested in attending church with me?”

  “When?”

  “This Sunday?”

  Mattie grimaced. “I don’t know if I’m ready to go back to church yet. I kind of need a break.”

  He nodded. “Well, when you are, my offer will still stand.”

  “I appreciate that.” Mattie was thankful that Richard didn’t argue with her or tell her that she really should go.