An Amish Blessing

by J. E. B. Spredemann

  Uncle Jim shook his head. “He just said that he’d talk to you when you got home.”

  That was the last place she was looking forward to going to today.

  I’m sorry, Mahlon.

  TEN

  “Did you see my daughter today?” Ruthie’s father stood in front of Mahlon, demanding an answer. He’d shown up shortly after Mahlon returned from town.

  “Jah, at the furniture shop when I dropped off the rocking chairs.”

  “And you also had lunch together, am I correct?” The red in Ruthie’s daed’s face clearly revealed his lividity to Mahlon.

  Mahlon nodded. His goose was cooked. How had he found them out? Had Ruthie’s father been stalking him?

  “Did you have any physical contact with my daughter?”

  “Physical contact?” Mahlon swallowed.

  “Let me be specific.” He didn’t mince his words. “Did you hold her hand, hug her, kiss her, or anything else that would encompass touching my daughter?”

  He’d done all three. “Jah.” He nodded.

  “Where are your parents?” The man requested. No, demanded.

  “Dat is in the barn and Mamm is cooking supper.”

  “I’d like to speak with both of them.”

  Oh, no. This wasn’t gut at all.

  “I will get Dat.” He left Ruthie’s father standing in the driveway and slowly made his way into the darkened barn. Dat was mending a harness. His father detested being interrupted while he was working, but this situation was beyond his control.

  “Ruthie’s father would like to talk to you and Mamm.” Mahlon released a heavy sigh. This would not turn out well for him.

  “What’s this about, sohn?” Dat frowned and his eyes bored into Mahlon’s. How was it that his father could sense when trouble was brewing?

  “Her vatter doesn’t want us to see each other.”

  “Jah, I know that much.”

  He couldn’t bring himself to lift his eyes to his father’s. “We did.”

  His father nodded, and disappointment marked his face. Mahlon hated that look. He brushed past Mahlon with a heavy sigh and marched out of the barn without a word.

  Mahlon walked out behind him, knowing he’d need to be present for the reprimand as well.

  Ruthie’s father nodded to Dat. “I apologize for distracting you from your work, but this can’t wait. Is your wife here? I’d like her to hear what I have to say as well.”

  “Jah. We can go inside.” Dat suggested and led the way.

  Mahlon fell in line behind Ruthie’s father, dread filling his gut.

  Dat called Mamm into the sitting area and the four of them stood there in awkward silence before Ruthie’s father spoke up. “A few weeks ago, I came by and asked Mahlon to discontinue his relationship with my daughter. He assured me that he would.”

  Mahlon wanted to object. He wanted to speak up and say that he never agreed to it. He’d never been given a choice. But interrupting his elders would be frowned upon and he couldn’t afford for Dat’s anger to kindle more than it already had.

  “I think you can agree that a relationship between the two of them would never work.”

  Ruthie’s father waited for his folks to agree.

  He continued. “If Mahlon continues to disrespect me by disregarding my wishes, I will have no choice but to file a restraining order against him.”

  “What does this mean?” Dat asked Ruthie’s father.

  “It is a legal document that would forbid Mahlon to come into contact with my daughter. If he violates the edict and comes near Ruthie, he will be arrested and go to jail.”

  “You would have Mahlon arrested for speaking to Ruthie?” Mahlon heard the anguish in his mother’s voice.

  “This is just a warning. It’s Mahlon’s second chance. I’m not filing the restraining order yet. But if I see or hear or find out that they continue to have contact, then yes, I will file the restraining order. A father has a right to protect his daughter.”

  Pain clenched Mahlon’s heart. He could hold his silence no longer. “Ruthie doesn’t need to be protected from me. I would never hurt her!”

  “Mahlon, nee.” His father warned. Dat turned to Ruthie’s father. “He will do as you say.”

  Mahlon turned around and stomped off in search of Timber. He needed to ride right now. He had to get away from there—away from the ones trying to sabotage his life, away from the ones attempting to destroy his future, away from the ones ruining his chance at happiness.

  What would he do without Ruthie in his life? She’d become his everything.

  He thought he’d missed her before, but after holding her in his arms today, he knew there was no way he could stay away from her. He had to find a way. They loved each other. No one should have a right to interfere with that. Not his parents, not her parents, and certainly not the law. No one.

  He didn’t know what his next course of action would be, but he had to do something.

  ELEVEN

  If this plan didn’t work, he’d be in deep trouble of the worst kind. If this plan didn’t work, it could be the last time he ever saw his beloved. If this plan didn’t work, he could very well find himself sitting in a jail cell.

  There was much at stake, and Mahlon hadn’t failed to realize that. But he couldn’t just cut ties with Ruthie without saying goodbye. She needed to know how he felt about her.

  He’d have to be careful, but she was worth the risk. He could only hope Ruthie’s family weren’t light sleepers.

  He’d waited until the house had been quiet for some time before executing his plan. Ruthie’s light was still on so he knew she’d be awake.

  Praise God her family didn’t own a dog.

  He blew out an anxious breath and tossed the tiny pebble, then hid behind a bush. It barely clinked against her window, so he was unsure if she’d heard it. He waited in silence.

  Something suddenly brushed up against his leg and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He bit his tongue to keep from expressing his startlement. It was only a cat, he realized with a relieved breath.

  Ruthie’s light went out and he quickly peeked from behind the bush. He saw her squinting through the window, searching the yard, and he waved. She slowly pushed the window up.

  Mahlon put a finger to his lips so she wouldn’t speak. He held up a scrap of paper to show her, crumpled it up, and then placed it inside one of the bushes in her yard.

  Ruthie nodded and a sad smile lifted at one corner of her mouth. Oh, how he longed to make her happy!

  He placed his hand over his mouth and blew her a kiss. She did the same. He gazed at her momentarily, cementing her image in his mind, before he disappeared into the night.

  ~

  As soon as Ruth had a free moment when she wasn’t being watched like a hawk, she went outside pretending to be searching for the cat. She called out to Snuggles several times once she came near the bush Mahlon had hid behind the prior evening. She moved around the bush, retrieved his note and subtly stuffed it into her pocket. She picked up Snuggles, petted him for a few moments, then hurried to her room to read what Mahlon had written.

  It wasn’t a note at all, she discovered, but some kind of code. She guessed he was trying to be vague in case her father or someone else found the note. Anyone would have thought it was just a piece of trash by looking at it. Mahlon was clever. She could only hope she fully understood the note’s meaning.

  She examined the letters on the crumpled note: TH5RIV. Was it a license plate number? No. The five rivers? Or was the five an S? No, she studied it again. Mahlon, what does this mean? She whispered internally, as though she could summon his thoughts. Wait. TH-Thursday? 5-at five o’clock. RIV-by the river. Yes, that had to be it! He wanted her to meet him on Thursday, at five, by the river.

  Thursday was tomorrow. It was just after work, so Dad wouldn’t call during lunch time, and if he did, she’d be there. It was perfect. No one would suspect a thing.

  ~

  Mahlon sat on
a bench, looking out at the Ohio River. Would this be the last time he and Ruthie saw each other? He couldn’t abide the thought.

  This wasn’t fair. None of it. Why couldn’t they just love each other without other people interfering? They were adults and plenty smart enough to make their own decisions. At least, to Mahlon’s thinking.

  He understood that their parents had concerns, and there was nothing wrong with that. But instead of forcing their will upon them, why couldn’t they voice their concerns and let Mahlon and Ruthie make the final decision? After all, it was their lives. Their future.

  Wouldn’t Gott’s will be done anyway? He thought about that for a moment. No, Gott’s will wasn’t always done. Sometimes, many times, people did things contrary to Gott’s will. And Gott, unlike Ruthie’s father, didn’t force His will on others. He delineated His will in His Word, and allowed His children to choose whether they would follow it or not. But He never forced them to obey.

  He recalled one time when he’d been riding in an Englischer’s car. The man had been listening to some type of sermon, it seemed. At the time, he hadn’t been paying much attention, but now one phrase floated back to his mind. You can choose to go to Hell, if you want to. The thought had seemed absurd to him, but the truth of it remained. Heaven was available for all. God gave each person a choice.

  That’s all he wanted from their folks – the chance to choose their own path.

  He bowed his head. Gott, if it is Your will that Ruthie and I be together, please make a way. I know her father doesn’t like me and I don’t know why. You know that I love her. I would like to have her as my wife. I will do my best to lead her in the way You have shown me according to Your Word. Please guide me and show me a clear path. Amen.

  Just as he lifted his head, he saw Ruthie’s vehicle pull into one of the parking places. He went to meet her.

  “Hop in. Let’s talk in my car.”

  He did as she suggested.

  “Hi.” He wanted to lean over and give her a kiss, but he refrained.

  "Mahlon, my parents keep talking about sending me off to a university." Tears pricked her eyes. “I don’t want to be away from you.”

  "What can we do?"

  “I don’t know.” She sniffled and he reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. How he hated to see her cry.

  “I want to marry you, Ruthie, I’m sure of it. But I’m afraid our folks are not going to approve. Ever.”

  “I had a feeling your parents didn’t really like me either.” She touched his hand.

  “Nee, that’s not it. I think they do like you. It’s just because I’m Amish and you’re not. They want me to marry a Plain girl.”

  “I know. My parents feel the same way.”

  “Your father told me as much.”

  “What did he say?” She grimaced.

  “To stay away from you. Basically, because I’m Amish and you’re Englisch, it would never work between us.” He shrugged. “But I think it can work. I love you, Ruthie, and I want to marry you someday. Do you feel the same way?”

  “Yes, of course. I just wish we had more time to spend together getting to know each other. It’s not fair that our parents won’t let us date anymore.”

  “Your father said he would send me to jail if he finds out we’ve been seeing each other.”

  “What? He can’t send you to jail, can he?”

  “He said something about an order. I’m not sure what it’s called.”

  Ruthie shook her head. “A restraining order. I cannot believe it! He threatened you with a restraining order? Oh, that makes me mad.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  “We could always elope.”

  “I don’t know what that is.”

  “We’re both over eighteen, which means we’re adults. We can go get married in a private ceremony and no one can say anything. Once it’s done, it’s done.”

  “You… you would want to do this?”

  “Not really.” She frowned. “I’ve always dreamed of having a big wedding and wearing a beautiful white wedding dress. But if this is the only way I can marry you, then I’d be happy to do it. I love you, Mahlon, and I can’t imagine being married to anybody else.”

  Mahlon swallowed and wiped his sweaty hands on his trousers. “I’ll buy you a fancy dress. I want you to at least have that.”

  She reached over and squeezed his hand, excitement shining in her eyes. His heart was surely beating double-time. Were they really contemplating this?

  “Okay, let’s think about this a minute.” She whipped out her phone and looked up ‘Marriage License in Indiana.’ She read the list. “We’ll need IDs. I have my driver’s license. Do you have any type of ID?”

  “I can sneak my birth certificate from Dat’s file.”

  “That should work.” She nodded.

  “Do you have a piece of mail addressed to you? A bank statement or something?”

  He thought for a moment of the drawer in his bureau where he kept his important mail. “Jah, I think so.”

  “Okay, bring that. We’ll need money too. I have a little.”

  “I have plenty. Don’t worry about that.” He rubbed the top her hand with his thumb.

  “We might be gone for a few days.”

  “A few days?” Confusion splashed across his face.

  “I think I read somewhere that a contract can be contested for up to three days. In case our parents try to force us to get an annulment, I think it would be best if we left town for a few days.” She smiled. “It could be our honeymoon.”

  His eyes met hers. Could she read the apprehension in them? And the excitement? “Jah, that sounds gut.”

  “I’m nervous.” She laughed.

  “Jah, me too. When do you want to do this?”

  “Soon, or I might lose my nerve.”

  “Are you for sure you want to do this?”

  She nodded. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life. And Mahlon?” She kissed him. “I don’t need a fancy dress. Just marrying you will be enough.”

  “Okay, when?”

  “Tomorrow. I’ll leave for work in the morning like I always do. You can meet me at the end of your driveway. Be sure you have your birth certificate and bank statement and some extra clothes. Remember, we’ll be gone a few days at least.” She blew out a breath. “We can leave a note for our parents so they won’t worry too much. We’ll be vague about it. I’d rather not tell them about the wedding until we return. That way, my dad won’t know where to track us down. They won’t be happy about it at all, but at least they won’t think we’re dead or that we’ve been kidnapped.” She chuckled nervously.

  “Tomorrow, then. What time?”

  “I’ll pick you up about eight thirty. The clerk’s office should be open by the time we get there, but I don’t know how long it will take for them to marry us. I’m glad they don’t have a waiting period.”

  “What about your car? Won’t your folks be able to find us? What if they call the police?”

  “My car is registered in my own name, so I don’t think that will be a problem. The note should be enough to tell the police that we left together voluntarily. If we get stopped, I think the police will be on our side since we are both adults.” She lifted a nervous smile. “Where would you like to go for our honeymoon?”

  “I haven’t thought about that. I’ve never been to Niagara Falls, have you?”

  “No. I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

  “Or maybe we could go to the ocean? I’ve never been there either.”

  “That sounds nice too.” She smiled. “I’m getting excited.”

  “Jah. Me too. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

  “Neither do I. Okay, then tomorrow it is.”

  “Jah, tomorrow I make you my wife. Gott willing.” Mahlon smiled.

  This was it. This was his answer from Der Herr. He bowed his head for a moment and thanked God for His clarity and provision.

/>   TWELVE

  Ruth forced her clothes down and zipped up her travel bag. How on earth was she going to sneak out of the house with this undetected? If she got caught, it would ruin everything. No, I can’t take this.

  But she needed clothes. What am I going to do? She took the purse she was currently using and changed it out for her larger one, emptying out everything she didn’t need. She then rolled up a couple of tops, a skirt, and a pair of capri pants as tightly as she could. Somehow, she was able to stuff them inside. Where would she fit her undergarments? Nothing else was going to be squeezed into her purse, no matter how hard she tried.

  Her lunch bag! She hurried to the kitchen, careful not to seem conspicuous, and calmly walked back to her room with it. She took the remainder of her needed items and managed to get them inside.

  She was going to be with Mahlon for three days. Her stomach did a little flip-flop at the thought of her and Mahlon getting married and spending the next few days as newlyweds. Was Mahlon as nervous as she was right now?

  She looked at her cell phone and realized it was time. Time to pretend she was leaving for work, as though she weren’t defying her parents and betraying their trust. Time to walk out of the house, as though she would be returning tonight, knowing she would probably never sleep in this home again. Time to remain calm, as though her life wasn’t about to change forever.

  I can do this.

  “Goodbye, Ruthie, have a nice day at work,” Mom called.

  Her face heated and she suddenly felt like she had a big sign stamped on her forehead that revealed all of her and Mahlon’s plans. Did Mom have any idea? Didn’t mothers have some type of intuition that told them when their children were doing something they shouldn’t?

  You’re being paranoid. Act natural.

  Should she give her mother a hug? Tell her that she loved her, no matter that she was about to turn her world upside down? No, she had to remain inconspicuous, as though it were just like any other day. She couldn’t set off any alarms. Even the slightest hint could derail their plans. “Bye, Mom.”