by Sarah Price
Rachel tried to enjoy just being seated next to Jeremiah and listening to the horse’s hooves clomping against the road, a musical song accompanied by the gentle rumbling of the metal buggy wheels against the macadam. If only she could think of something to say to Jeremiah! The silence was causing her anxiety.
“How far is the Otzes’ farm?”
“Not too far now,” he said. “Another five miles, I reckon.”
Rachel thought for a moment. He barely had the horse trotting. If he had let the horse run faster, they’d have been there already. “You might ask the horse to go faster, I suppose.”
He turned to look at her as if curious about what she’d just said.
“I mean, we’d get there faster that way.”
Jeremiah shrugged. “I don’t like to push my horse when we’re going for a long distance.” He paused as if reflecting on the words he’d just said. “Actually, I don’t think I ever push my horse. Even on short distances. I’d hate for my horse to go lame.”
“I reckon you have a point,” she replied, settling back against the seat. “That’d be quite an inconvenience.”
He gave her another curious look. “For whom? Me or the horse?”
“Well, you, for sure. How’d you get to work if your horse couldn’t work?”
“I see.”
For the rest of the ride, they rode in silence.
The Otz family lived on a street near the Esh farm. When Jeremiah pulled down the driveway, Rachel saw at least a dozen buggies already parked on the grass, the horses unhitched and tied to a long rope that was strung between two trees. He parked the buggy at the end and got out, efficiently unhitching his horse. Then, with the harness still on, he led it to the rope. Only after Jeremiah secured the horse did he turn toward Rachel. She’d already gotten down from the buggy without his help, but she waited patiently next to it.
“Ready?”
Together, they crossed the dirt driveway toward the yard next to the house. The volleyball net was already set up, and a group of young Amish men and women were actively engaged in a game. Rachel felt the sense of anxiety return, and her feet seemed to stop moving. Apparently sensing her apprehension, Jeremiah placed his hand gently on her back and guided her toward the gathering.
“Breathe,” he whispered, his tone light and teasing.
She clucked her tongue and made a face at him, faking her own inner strength in the hopes of masking her tension. “I’m fine, Jeremiah.”
The hint of a smile touched his lips. She suspected he saw through her false bravado, but he said nothing, merely gesturing for her to walk beside him as he headed toward the area where the other Amish youth were gathered.
“Jeremiah!”
A young man walked up to them and clapped Jeremiah on the back. “And without your shadow?” He grinned as he cast a curious glance in Rachel’s direction. “Haven’t seen you ’round here before,” he said, clearly asking for an introduction.
Apparently, others had also noticed that Jeremiah Esh had arrived, and not with Jonas but with a young woman. Rachel felt a tightness form in her chest. It was as if she were on display for everyone to stare at.
“Rachel Schwartz,” Jeremiah said. “She’s working at my maem’s lunch business.”
That was it: the only introduction he offered. From the curious looks tossed in her direction, Rachel knew that it had not satisfied the group’s unasked questions. A few heads turned and whispered to the person standing next to them. Her discomfort increased, but she forced herself to ignore the attention.
Touching her elbow, he guided her toward the refreshment table.
“You know anyone here?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“They’re friendly enough,” he said. “But I won’t leave you alone much, Rachel. No fun in standing by yourself in a place where you don’t know anyone.”
A wave of relief washed over her. She knew that, at most gatherings, when a man and woman arrived together, they didn’t usually stay together. That would cause tongues to wag. While it was understood that they’d leave together, their courtship would not take place in public. That was the beauty of getting to know someone during rumschpringe. The veil of secrecy that covered courtship protected the young adults from any external pressure.
As Jeremiah handed her a cup of lemonade, Rachel glanced around at the different groups of people. Just as it was at her district’s youth gatherings, the women tended to cluster together, while the men stood on the fringe, laughing and joking with one another. She noticed a group of young Amish girls, not even eighteen years old by the looks of them, whispering and staring in their direction. Rachel couldn’t help but wonder if Jeremiah had ever courted one of them.
“Alvin!”
Her thoughts were interrupted as Jeremiah reached out to grab the arm of a man walking by them.
“When did you get back from your trip?” Jeremiah asked, a big smile on his face.
The young man gave Jeremiah a firm handshake. “Just a week or so ago. But I was too busy with family things to come to the gathering last week.” He looked at Rachel and nodded his head as a way of saying hello.
“So, how was Sugar Creek?”
Alvin returned his attention to Jeremiah. “Charm. We were in Charm, Ohio, not Sugar Creek.” He glanced at Rachel. “Went there with my older bruders to help my daed’s family build a new barn.”
She feigned interest and smiled. Something about Charm sounded familiar. She thought, maybe, that the woman who put together all of Edna’s tourist lunches came from there. Destination Amish? Yes, that sounded about right.
“It’s different out thatta way, let me tell you. Much more liberal Amish youth for sure and certain.” He rolled his eyes. “Was glad to come home.”
Jeremiah frowned. “I take it Charm’s nothing like home, eh?”
Alvin nodded, a look of relief on his face. “You bet. Shipshewana’s definitely the place for me. Wouldn’t like raising my family in such a permissive community.”
Permissive? Rachel wondered what he meant. She’d often heard that the Amish who lived in Holmes County, Ohio, were less traditional than those who lived in LaGrange County, Indiana. Some might even call their youth “wild.” If Ella Mae had been standing beside her, Rachel would’ve felt emboldened to inquire for details.
Jeremiah interrupted her thoughts again. Gesturing toward the volleyball net, he motioned for her to follow him. “Looks like they’re wrapping up that game if you want to get into the next round.”
Stepping onto the grassy area by the net, Rachel felt nervous. Despite not liking volleyball, she had played often enough with the young people in her own youth group. These people, however, were complete strangers. Still, with Jeremiah taking his place beside her, she knew that she had to push aside her discomfort. If only she had thought to invite Ella Mae with her, she’d have felt more secure.
Someone on the other side served the ball, and it sailed across the net. The person in front of Rachel hit it back over, and suddenly the two teams were in a decent volley, the ball being hit back and forth for a good minute before it came directly to Rachel.
“Get it, Rachel!” Jeremiah called out.
She made a fist and lifted her arm, her eyes never leaving the ball as it approached her, seeming to move in slow motion. Flinging her arm forward, she made contact, and after hearing a loud thunk, she watched as the ball flew forward in a straight line. Immediately, her hand stung, and she cringed at the stinging pain. She started to shake her hand, but stopped when she saw the ball slam into the cheek of the person standing before her.
“Oh!” Quickly, she hurried to the person. “I’m so sorry!”
The person—a young man—clutched his face. “I think I broke a tooth,” he mumbled.
Horrified, Rachel backed away. “I didn’t mean it.”
She felt two strong hands on her shoulders. Twisting her head around, she saw Jeremiah standing there.
“It was an accident,” she ma
naged to say, her voice barely a whisper.
“We know that.” He glanced over at the injured man, who was just getting to his feet. “It happens, Rachel. Don’t worry.”
Still, Rachel felt horrible.
At least one tooth appeared to be loose, and the young man’s face was swelling from the force of the ball. He sat out the rest of the game and, mortified that she’d accidentally injured someone when she’d only been trying to impress Jeremiah, Rachel begged out of the game. She sat by herself on a hay bale, feeling completely miserable as she watched Jeremiah play volleyball with his friends. Why on earth had she said she would come here with him?
ELLA MAE
CHAPTER 18
“Whatever is wrong with you today, Rachel?”
As they walked home from worship, Ella Mae couldn’t contain her irritation at her sister for one more minute. All day, she’d been walking around with her head in a cloud, and that was not like Rachel. She had to be reminded to kneel for the kneeling prayer during the service, and she forgot to pour the water into the cups during the first seating of fellowship. When it came time to clean up, Rachel kept washing the same plate over and over again.
Yes, something was definitely bothering her.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Rachel answered.
Ella Mae narrowed her eyes. “Oh, I think you do.”
Rachel stared off to the side of the road, her gaze distant and unfocused.
“What happened last night?”
“Nothing happened.” But the way the words slipped through her lips made Ella Mae realize that her sister wasn’t telling the truth.
Ella Mae turned around so that she was walking backward in order to face Rachel. She wagged her finger in the air. “Oh no. You aren’t getting off that easily. I know you far too well for you to get away with that.”
Rachel rolled her eyes.
“You’re acting beyond ferhoodled, Rachel Schwartz!”
“Trust me,” she mumbled. “I’m not ferhoodled.”
“I think you are.” Ella Mae rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue. It was the only explanation for how her sister was behaving. The idea of Rachel falling for Jeremiah was not something Ella Mae particularly cared for, especially after she’d learned firsthand what a scoundrel Jonas was. Those brothers were thick as thieves, and birds of a feather always flocked together. “It hasn’t even been a week! You best be careful. You know how those Esh boys are regarded.”
Rachel glared at her. It was the first reaction Ella Mae had gotten from her all day. “Oh, hush you! If everyone listened to such gossip—why!—half of Shipshewana wouldn’t be married!”
“Hmph.”
Ella Mae quickened her pace. The last thing she needed was to be scolded by her sister, especially about love—an emotion in which neither one of them had any experience. One buggy ride with Jeremiah did not an expert make, Ella Mae told herself.
“Besides,” Rachel said, lifting her chin and squaring her shoulders, “I’m not certain that it went very well.”
She stopped dead in her tracks. What could have happened to have made her sister say such a thing? “Rachel, you can’t do that to me,” Ella Mae called out, for Rachel was a good twenty feet in front of her. “That’s not fair.”
Rachel spun around and faced her. “What’s not fair?”
“If something happened, you have to tell me.” After all, they always confided in each other. Why would her sister hide this from her? Quickly, Ella Mae closed the distance between them. “Tell me, Rachel. That’s what schwesters are for: sharing secrets and listening to woes.”
At first, Rachel shook her head, but as she did so, tears welled in her eyes, threatening to trickle down her cheeks. She lifted her hands and covered her face, her shoulders drooping just enough to indicate her shame.
“Oh, Ella Mae, it was awful,” she whispered, choking back her tears.
Ella Mae placed her hands on Rachel’s arms. “There now, take a deep breath. Surely it can’t be that bad.” For the life of her, Ella Mae couldn’t imagine what might have taken place to upset her sister so much. Her imagination went wild, and she found herself getting angry. Had Jeremiah moved too fast? Had he tried to hold Rachel’s hand or, heaven forbid, kiss her? If he was anything like that Jonas, Ella Mae wouldn’t put it past him. “What did he do?”
But Rachel shook her head. “It wasn’t him,” she managed to say. “It was me.”
“You?” Ella Mae’s eyes widened.
“Ja, me.” She dropped her hands and lifted her eyes to look at her sister. “On Friday, I went to Yoders’ Store and ran into Jeremiah.”
Frowning, Ella Mae tried to understand what that meant. She remembered that her sister had disappeared on Friday afternoon. She hadn’t asked her sister where she’d gone. Clearly Rachel hadn’t gone far, because her bicycle had been left behind. “So?”
She swallowed, the color draining from her face. “On purpose.”
Ella Mae caught her breath. “Oh.”
“And he knew. He brought me home in his buggy, and it was so awkward, Ella Mae.” A tear fell from her eye. “I was embarrassed and had no idea what to talk about. We rode in silence.” She blinked, the color draining from her face. “Silence.”
The pain in her sister’s expression hurt Ella Mae’s heart. She’d never seen Rachel in such emotional turmoil. Still, she couldn’t understand why. “There’s nothing wrong with silence, I suppose. He still asked you to go with him last night, so he must not have thought anything of it, either.”
“That’s not all, though.” Rachel began to slowly walk again. “When Maem asked me to go into town yesterday, Jeremiah saw me and—” She swallowed. “Surely he thought I’d done it again. I was so humiliated, Ella Mae. I should never have gone to that volleyball game with him.”
Ah! Ella Mae thought. So she had gone to Martin Otz’s house. “Volleyball? You hate volleyball.”
“I know!” Rachel shut her eyes and shook her head. “But I didn’t tell him that. In fact—” She glanced at Ella Mae. “—I told him the opposite.”
Suddenly everything made sense. Ella Mae took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Oh dear,” she muttered. “What did you do?”
For a moment, Rachel pressed her lips together and stared straight ahead as they walked. The gravel under their shoes made soft crunching noises, the only sound besides the birds chirping in the trees along the road. The quiet only added to the suspense of waiting for Rachel’s response.
Finally, she cleared her throat, an indicator that she was ready to speak. Ella Mae braced herself for whatever Rachel was going to say.
“I played,” Rachel whispered. “I played volleyball.”
Ella Mae groaned. “Oh help!”
“And I hit the ball.”
Ella Mae winced. “No!”
“Ja! I hit the ball, Ella Mae, and it slammed into someone. A boy. Right into his face. He broke a tooth!”
Ella Mae gasped. In their own youth groups, it was a well-known fact that Rachel never played volleyball. It wasn’t just that she didn’t like volleyball; she was also the worst volleyball player. Ella Mae couldn’t imagine why her sister would have thought it a good idea to step into a game. Had she been trying that hard to impress Jeremiah? “Oh, Rachel! How could you?”
“I suppose it was lucky it was only a tooth. The ball could’ve broken his nose.” She sighed. “Surely Jeremiah will never ask me to go anywhere with him again.” Rachel shook her head, clearly berating herself.
Somehow Ella Mae managed to keep her thoughts to herself. She knew that telling Rachel what she truly thought would only put salt on an already gaping wound. There was no sense in making her feel worse than she already did. Besides, Ella Mae felt a touch of pity for her sister. Neither one of them had courted before. To criticize Rachel’s actions when she herself knew nothing about going somewhere with a young man just didn’t seem right.
Instead, Ella Mae reached over and caressed her sister’s arm in a tender g
esture of support. “You don’t know that, Rachel. Certainly everyone realized it was not intentional, don’t you think? No one can fault you for an accident.”
Rachel exhaled. “I suppose.”
“How did the rest of the night go?” Ella Mae inquired, searching to find a morsel of hope for her sister. Even though she couldn’t see Rachel with Jeremiah, she didn’t want her to be in such pain.
Shrugging her shoulders, Rachel made a face. “He played volleyball and I sat by myself. Then, when the game was over, he talked with some of his friends for a while.”
“Did you talk to anyone?”
“A few girls, I suppose.” She wrung her hands. “I never should’ve gone. Why did I say yes?”
Ella Mae wondered the same thing. Was her sister so enamored of Jeremiah that she’d thought it a good idea to put herself in such a vulnerable position? Certainly Rachel was no wallflower, but Ella Mae also knew that they’d never gone anywhere without each other. She thought back to what Edna had said to her just the previous day, how it was good for her to do something without Rachel always at her side. Perhaps the close bond of the two sisters and their habit of doing everything together had done more to hurt them socially than to help them.
“I’m sure everything will be just fine,” Ella Mae said, even though she wasn’t certain she spoke the truth. “Just put it out of your mind, if you can. We have our own singing tonight, and surely that will cheer you up some.”
Rachel gave an unconvincing nod.
“Besides, Jeremiah Esh isn’t really worth your worry. You barely know him, and chances are, he’s just like that Jonas.” Ella Mae hooked her arm into her sister’s and smiled as she leaned her cheek against Rachel’s shoulder. “You can find a better special friend than that. We both can.”
Rachel managed a smile. “I suppose you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right!” Ella Mae tightened her hold on Rachel’s arm. “Now, forget about last night. Put it out of your mind and focus on the good things. It’s springtime and beautiful out. There’s no place for doom and gloom today. Let’s enjoy this wunderbarr afternoon!” She quickened her pace, dragging her sister along with her. There was no way Ella Mae was going to let something as insignificant as a volleyball game ruin the rest of their day.