day was a miracle.
“I know Samuel well,” Rebekah continued. “He was able to accept what happened to Mary and Hannah, but over the years it seems he’s simply forgotten how to act around others. He tended to his farm and cared for the medical needs of others, and somehow life slipped past him. Make no mistake, Annie—Samuel’s a lonely man. But he’s like a cat who wants to be petted, then when you do, he swipes at your hand.”
Annie smiled at the image.
A cat described Samuel perfectly, and she had the scratch marks to prove it.
“It all happened so long ago, though. I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but what does it have to do with me?” She sighed, stood, and walked to the porch railing. “I don’t know how to act around him.”
The low-lying clouds had begun to drop their burden of snow in giant fluffy flakes, though they melted when they hit the still-warm ground.
“Maybe it doesn’t matter,” Annie continued. “It’s not as if we need to see each other very often.”
“You’re the only two people within our community of Amish folk with any medical training. I’d say that alone is enough reason for you to learn to tolerate one another.” Rebekah joined her at the railing, rubbed her back in small circles, then kissed her on the cheek. “And there is His admonition to do unto others as you’d wish—”
“I know the Scripture, Mamm .”
“I expect you do. Most of us know it. The knowing is easy. It’s the doing that gives us trouble.”
10
S amuel had seen the process a hundred times—probably more.
Water ladled from a bucket, poured out into Bishop Levi’s hands.
The bishop sprinkling the petitioner once, twice, three times.
It was the holiest of occasions.
Annie sat there with one hand covering her face—indicating her submission and humility to the church—the other hand calmly holding a handkerchief in her lap.
The bishop spoke openly of Annie’s time with the Englisch , of her pursuit of additional education, of her nursing degree. Since she hadn’t been a member of the church at the time, he was not requiring a confession from her, but he encouraged the members to pray for her‖that she would find humility, find a way to use what she had learned during her time of rumschpringe , and find her place among the community.
Samuel thought of the young lady who had stood up to his rudeness out on the front porch, the young woman who had met his gaze across the café table, and he felt a lump rise in histhroat. This was like watching the birth of something special, which indeed it was.
He committed himself to praying for her, as even now they all prayed for her.
Sitting straighter on the backless wooden bench, he focused on the final hour of instruction and hymns, and wondered if he should have a talk with Jacob about young David Hostetler. Samuel’s skin prickled at the thought of the boy courting Annie, not that it was any of his business. Still, her dat should know it could be happening in the near future, especially given the circumstances of David’s working on the farm every day.
Wasn’t it his place as a family friend to at least broach the subject?
Certainly David was a fine young man, though awfully young now that Samuel thought of it.
He brought his mind back to the sermon and pushed thoughts of Annie away. He’d talk to Jacob later. It would be the neighborly thing to do.
After the baptism, Annie returned to her seat with her schweschders and mamm .
The entire baptism process had brought to mind one of her earliest memories, being wrapped in one of her grossmammi’s quilts and carried out to the buggy for the trip home. Her grandparents had lived only a little way down the road and the ride had been short, but the evening had been a very cold one. She’d awaken, seen the familiar stitching of the quilt, and felt warm and safe.
God’s mercy, Bishop Levi’s words, the water cascading down her face, and the murmured prayers of her
“I know Samuel well,” Rebekah continued. “He was able to accept what happened to Mary and Hannah, but over the years it seems he’s simply forgotten how to act around others. He tended to his farm and cared for the medical needs of others, and somehow life slipped past him. Make no mistake, Annie—Samuel’s a lonely man. But he’s like a cat who wants to be petted, then when you do, he swipes at your hand.”
Annie smiled at the image.
A cat described Samuel perfectly, and she had the scratch marks to prove it.
“It all happened so long ago, though. I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but what does it have to do with me?” She sighed, stood, and walked to the porch railing. “I don’t know how to act around him.”
The low-lying clouds had begun to drop their burden of snow in giant fluffy flakes, though they melted when they hit the still-warm ground.
“Maybe it doesn’t matter,” Annie continued. “It’s not as if we need to see each other very often.”
“You’re the only two people within our community of Amish folk with any medical training. I’d say that alone is enough reason for you to learn to tolerate one another.” Rebekah joined her at the railing, rubbed her back in small circles, then kissed her on the cheek. “And there is His admonition to do unto others as you’d wish—”
“I know the Scripture, Mamm .”
“I expect you do. Most of us know it. The knowing is easy. It’s the doing that gives us trouble.”
10
S amuel had seen the process a hundred times—probably more.
Water ladled from a bucket, poured out into Bishop Levi’s hands.
The bishop sprinkling the petitioner once, twice, three times.
It was the holiest of occasions.
Annie sat there with one hand covering her face—indicating her submission and humility to the church—the other hand calmly holding a handkerchief in her lap.
The bishop spoke openly of Annie’s time with the Englisch , of her pursuit of additional education, of her nursing degree. Since she hadn’t been a member of the church at the time, he was not requiring a confession from her, but he encouraged the members to pray for her‖that she would find humility, find a way to use what she had learned during her time of rumschpringe , and find her place among the community.
Samuel thought of the young lady who had stood up to his rudeness out on the front porch, the young woman who had met his gaze across the café table, and he felt a lump rise in histhroat. This was like watching the birth of something special, which indeed it was.
He committed himself to praying for her, as even now they all prayed for her.
Sitting straighter on the backless wooden bench, he focused on the final hour of instruction and hymns, and wondered if he should have a talk with Jacob about young David Hostetler. Samuel’s skin prickled at the thought of the boy courting Annie, not that it was any of his business. Still, her dat should know it could be happening in the near future, especially given the circumstances of David’s working on the farm every day.
Wasn’t it his place as a family friend to at least broach the subject?
Certainly David was a fine young man, though awfully young now that Samuel thought of it.
He brought his mind back to the sermon and pushed thoughts of Annie away. He’d talk to Jacob later. It would be the neighborly thing to do.
After the baptism, Annie returned to her seat with her schweschders and mamm .
The entire baptism process had brought to mind one of her earliest memories, being wrapped in one of her grossmammi’s quilts and carried out to the buggy for the trip home. Her grandparents had lived only a little way down the road and the ride had been short, but the evening had been a very cold one. She’d awaken, seen the familiar stitching of the quilt, and felt warm and safe.
God’s mercy, Bishop Levi’s words, the water cascading down her face, and the murmured prayers of her
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