Holding a Tender Heart by Jerry S. Eicher Page A

Verna, but since you’re seeing the boy, I thought you should know.”
    â€œBut, Daett , Joe already told me”.
    Bishop Beiler raised his eyebrows. “You knew of this?”
    Verna clutched the side of the couch until her fingers hurt. “Joe told me in confidence as a confession, and it was intended to go no further.”
    Bishop Beiler sighed. “I told you to stay away from the boy, Verna. Nothing gut is coming out of any of this. Perhaps you see now why Rosy dropped him. She probably found this out herself and had the gut sense to get out of the relationship. I wish I could say the same thing for you.” Bishop Beiler looked at Verna for a moment. “Or have you cut off the relationship and haven’t told us?”
    Verna struggled to find her voice. “No, I haven’t…and I’m not going to. Something is going on here that’s not right. Driving an Englisha vehicle isn’t such a serious transgression of the Ordnung .”
    â€œIt’s serious enough, Verna,” Mamm interrupted. “Were you not concerned when Joe told you?”
    Verna winced. “Of course I was. But he’s sorry, Daett . And he confessed on his own. Doesn’t that mean anything?”
    â€œThen he can say he’s sorry to everyone,” Bishop Beiler told her. “Now I’ve said enough on the matter. Tomorrow when you see Joe, you can tell him what’s coming. If he’s really sorry, he can make his way over to Deacon Mast and save the poor man a trip on Saturday. Da Hah knows this church work wears us all down to the bone.”
    Verna got to her feet and steadied herself with one hand on the couch. Her daett didn’t seem to notice her discomfort.
    â€œOne thing more, Verna. There is a bit of gut news to come out of the day, I suppose. Debbie, your friend who wishes to board here and perhaps join the community later—I’ve decided to allow it. You can tell her whenever you wish. My house and heart are open to her request.”
    You’re trying to throw my boyfriend out of the house, but you’rewelcoming in an Englisha girl? Verna wanted to say. Instead, she whispered, “That is gut news indeed, Daett .”
    â€œ Yah , it is.” Bishop Beiler settled back into his rocker. “You know I work hard to keep my own family in Da Hah ’s will. But with Lois I seem to have failed completely. Perhaps we can do some gut to someone who sees value in our faith and, at the same time, maybe Debbie can help us with Lois.”
    Right after noticing Mamm ’s sympathetic glance, Verna fled toward the stairs. At least someone was concerned about how she felt about Joe! And Daett hadn’t demanded she cut off her friendship with Joe and send him down the road like Rosy had. So was Daett trying to understand? And she must likewise try to understand where he was coming from. In the church world certain things must be done, and her daett was only doing his duty.
    Why hadn’t she been born the daughter of an ordinary man? To some daett who sat on the church benches each Sunday, farmed during the week, and gave no thought to how people watched and criticized every move he made. How peaceful that life would be. But it was sinful to wish one were in a different place from what Da Hah had willed. That much she knew. “Please forgive me, dear Hah ,” Verna whispered as she rushed into her room. “I’m trying to be content, but it’s so hard. What if I lose Joe through this? It can’t happen! It just can’t!” She threw herself on the bed and buried her face in her pillow. She had to gain control of her emotions, but how? This was her first serious chance at love, and her heart would surely break if she had to stop seeing Joe. Should she tell Joe on Sunday night about the problem? Maybe that was the way out of this situation. She could act innocent and allow Deacon Mast to arrive the following Saturday afternoon