slow burn that was growing inside her. Equal parts fear and resentment scalded her throat, forcing words to her lips she tried hard not to speak. She knew the Ordnung was wrong this time—the bishop was wrong. Even her parents were wrong. It was wrong to keep her from a Bible study. It was.
She clamped her mouth shut until Daet finally calmed down.
He walked to the back door, pausing before he went out. “Okay. I’ve said enough. I’ll need your help in the shop today, so go and get your chores finished. This is the last time we’ll discuss any of this.”
His tone was dismissive, as though he spoke to a child and not a young lady. She clenched her fists at her sides, pressing them against her skirt, knowing this wasn’t the time to fight back.
She glanced at Maem as she left the kitchen, but her mother kept her head down, refusing to look at her.
Leah hurried to her bedroom and set about her mundane tasks. She wanted to do as she was told with no back talk or sass, but the burgeoning feeling grew: she had to find freedom. Freedom to learn about what the Bible really said.
Leah sensed she would soon be forced to make a decision about her faith, something she’d never imagined she’d have to do. And considering leaving Maem, Daet , Benny, Daniel, and Ada was hard to imagine; her heart ached at the thought. Surely, she wouldn’t have to go away like the others who were at the Schrocks’ Bible study. Her parents were more reasonable than that. More concerned about the truth. She prayed the choice would never come.
When she came downstairs, Leah overheard her parents talking in the kitchen. She knew she shouldn’t, but she slipped quietly to the door so she could hear what they were saying, certain the discussion centered on her.
“I’m nearly finished with the Schrock bedroom suite; I’ll tell him today that I can’t do any more work for him.” Daet ’s deep voice sounded frustrated.
“I hate to see you take such a strong stand against an Englisher , especially Matthew Schrock, but I know it should be done,” Maem answered. “I’m disappointed Leah snuck off to the Bible study. What do you suppose has gotten into her, John?”
“She’s going through the years of rebellion, Rachel. With Daniel being so eager to join the church, I didn’t think we’d have trouble with our daughters; it’s usually the sons who are the ones trying and testing and sowing wild oats. I just didn’t expect this from Leah. And Martha sure doesn’t help.”
“I’m still hoping she’ll be fine, John. We’ll have to pray for her all the harder yet.”
Leah heard her father sigh as he pushed the kitchen chair out from the table. “I’d best get back to work. Schrock is coming at 10:30 to pick up the first part of his furniture order. Tell Leah to come on out as soon as she can.”
The back door creaked open and then slammed shut, while Maem ’s steps approached the living room. Leah hurried to the bottom of the staircase, her heavy shoes making extra-loud thumps down the wooden treads.
“Oh, there you are, Leah. Daet ’s ready for you in the shop if you have your chores finished.”
“I do, Maem . I’ll go now.”
As she passed her, Maem put out her hand. “Try not to test your Daet anymore today. Please?”
Leah nodded, then forged ahead with what she knew must be said. “I am sorry I lied to you.”
Maem patted her on the arm. “And about the Bible study?”
Leah dropped her gaze and hurried to the pegs behind the door where her shawl was hanging, afraid to look back at her maem ’s face, afraid the disappointment would make her determination crumble.
Heading quickly out into the morning sunshine, she adjusted the shawl to completely cover her shoulders and arms—the days were getting nippy. Today would be a tough day, but she resolved to keep her thoughts to herself no matter how she felt.
As Leah entered the shop, her father was walking from the pallets of lumber to his workbench. His
She clamped her mouth shut until Daet finally calmed down.
He walked to the back door, pausing before he went out. “Okay. I’ve said enough. I’ll need your help in the shop today, so go and get your chores finished. This is the last time we’ll discuss any of this.”
His tone was dismissive, as though he spoke to a child and not a young lady. She clenched her fists at her sides, pressing them against her skirt, knowing this wasn’t the time to fight back.
She glanced at Maem as she left the kitchen, but her mother kept her head down, refusing to look at her.
Leah hurried to her bedroom and set about her mundane tasks. She wanted to do as she was told with no back talk or sass, but the burgeoning feeling grew: she had to find freedom. Freedom to learn about what the Bible really said.
Leah sensed she would soon be forced to make a decision about her faith, something she’d never imagined she’d have to do. And considering leaving Maem, Daet , Benny, Daniel, and Ada was hard to imagine; her heart ached at the thought. Surely, she wouldn’t have to go away like the others who were at the Schrocks’ Bible study. Her parents were more reasonable than that. More concerned about the truth. She prayed the choice would never come.
When she came downstairs, Leah overheard her parents talking in the kitchen. She knew she shouldn’t, but she slipped quietly to the door so she could hear what they were saying, certain the discussion centered on her.
“I’m nearly finished with the Schrock bedroom suite; I’ll tell him today that I can’t do any more work for him.” Daet ’s deep voice sounded frustrated.
“I hate to see you take such a strong stand against an Englisher , especially Matthew Schrock, but I know it should be done,” Maem answered. “I’m disappointed Leah snuck off to the Bible study. What do you suppose has gotten into her, John?”
“She’s going through the years of rebellion, Rachel. With Daniel being so eager to join the church, I didn’t think we’d have trouble with our daughters; it’s usually the sons who are the ones trying and testing and sowing wild oats. I just didn’t expect this from Leah. And Martha sure doesn’t help.”
“I’m still hoping she’ll be fine, John. We’ll have to pray for her all the harder yet.”
Leah heard her father sigh as he pushed the kitchen chair out from the table. “I’d best get back to work. Schrock is coming at 10:30 to pick up the first part of his furniture order. Tell Leah to come on out as soon as she can.”
The back door creaked open and then slammed shut, while Maem ’s steps approached the living room. Leah hurried to the bottom of the staircase, her heavy shoes making extra-loud thumps down the wooden treads.
“Oh, there you are, Leah. Daet ’s ready for you in the shop if you have your chores finished.”
“I do, Maem . I’ll go now.”
As she passed her, Maem put out her hand. “Try not to test your Daet anymore today. Please?”
Leah nodded, then forged ahead with what she knew must be said. “I am sorry I lied to you.”
Maem patted her on the arm. “And about the Bible study?”
Leah dropped her gaze and hurried to the pegs behind the door where her shawl was hanging, afraid to look back at her maem ’s face, afraid the disappointment would make her determination crumble.
Heading quickly out into the morning sunshine, she adjusted the shawl to completely cover her shoulders and arms—the days were getting nippy. Today would be a tough day, but she resolved to keep her thoughts to herself no matter how she felt.
As Leah entered the shop, her father was walking from the pallets of lumber to his workbench. His
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