permit you to attend the singing tonight?" Samuel asked hopefully.
" Ja , he will," she happily answered. "He said he felt the switching was ample punishment for my wrongs, especially since I apologized to him and to Mama, and he could see I really did understand why he was upset with me. He and Mama forgave me and nothing more has been said."
"I am pleased. The last two weeks have been long, and you have no idea how I longed to come and see you to make sure you were faring well after such a firm punishment. I wanted to come and see you at work, but told myself that I would deserve a switching for doing what I'd just punished you for doing." He smiled wryly. "It was not easy to keep my word to your Dat , but I did, and I am thankful you are now fully recovered."
"Oh, I am thankful for that, too," she said impishly. "I do not ever wish to earn another switching, Samuel. It was awful," she admitted.
"It was meant to be awful and not something you would want to experience again."
"Do not worry; I intend to be very obedient in the future."
"Oh, I am sure your intentions are sincere, and I am equally sure that I will find reason to swat your bottom again," he teased, then ducked when she playfully made to smack him.
"Will you allow me to drive you home from the singing tonight, Sadie," he asked.
" Ja . Of course I will."
"I know I am supposed to wait until tonight to ask you that, but I'm afraid someone else will ask before I do," he confessed.
"I would tell them 'no'," she admitted, blushing. "You are the only one I wish to have bringing me home."
" Danki, Sadie. You make me feel special."
"You are special."
"So are you," he answered, longing to kiss her, and knowing it wasn't the time or place for such actions. Perhaps tonight, on the way home in the buggy. At least it would be a very long ride home, and he looked forward to every minute.
* * *
"Atlee, you have been frowning ever since worship service this morning. Is something wrong?" Martha asked her son as they sat down to a light supper. It would soon be time for her three eldest to go to the singing, but she wanted to make sure her eldest wasn't feeling ill before she allowed him to go.
"Nothing is wrong, Mamm ," he replied, then changed the subject by telling her how good her chicken salad was.
" Danki ," Martha automatically replied, but when she started to open her mouth to question him further, Levi caught her eye and gave her a silent 'no' with his eyes. She didn't ask, certain that her husband knew best. Perhaps he already knew why their son was unhappy, and perhaps he was aware it was something that shouldn't be discussed in front of the other kinner . She urged them to eat so the older ones could be on their way.
" Dat , I think you should forbid Sadie to ride home with that awful Samuel Hilty!" Mary spoke up, her voice full of anger. "He would not make a good husband."
"And you have proof of this, daughter?" Levi asked quietly.
"The proof was given when he striped her with a switch. Sadie was welted and sore as could be for several days. It pained her to sit down for meals, and even her legs were sore and itchy."
"Mary, I believe there has been enough discussion on this subject." Levi was not happy with her and she was about to find herself in some serious trouble of her own.
" Dat , may I say something?" Sadie asked quietly. When he nodded his permission, she said, "Mary, I know you love me and you are concerned that Samuel could be an abuser. He isn't. He felt bad that he caused me pain. He felt even worse because he couldn't break trust with Dat to find out how I was doing after the switching. He suffered, too. But, don't you see, a bletching is an expression of love, too. It is not the same as hitting someone, or punching them. Samuel cares enough about me to take me to task when I am wrong... And, Sadie, I was wrong to break trust with Dat . Please accept my word on this. I would not allow anyone to beat on me... ever!"
"I think that
" Ja , he will," she happily answered. "He said he felt the switching was ample punishment for my wrongs, especially since I apologized to him and to Mama, and he could see I really did understand why he was upset with me. He and Mama forgave me and nothing more has been said."
"I am pleased. The last two weeks have been long, and you have no idea how I longed to come and see you to make sure you were faring well after such a firm punishment. I wanted to come and see you at work, but told myself that I would deserve a switching for doing what I'd just punished you for doing." He smiled wryly. "It was not easy to keep my word to your Dat , but I did, and I am thankful you are now fully recovered."
"Oh, I am thankful for that, too," she said impishly. "I do not ever wish to earn another switching, Samuel. It was awful," she admitted.
"It was meant to be awful and not something you would want to experience again."
"Do not worry; I intend to be very obedient in the future."
"Oh, I am sure your intentions are sincere, and I am equally sure that I will find reason to swat your bottom again," he teased, then ducked when she playfully made to smack him.
"Will you allow me to drive you home from the singing tonight, Sadie," he asked.
" Ja . Of course I will."
"I know I am supposed to wait until tonight to ask you that, but I'm afraid someone else will ask before I do," he confessed.
"I would tell them 'no'," she admitted, blushing. "You are the only one I wish to have bringing me home."
" Danki, Sadie. You make me feel special."
"You are special."
"So are you," he answered, longing to kiss her, and knowing it wasn't the time or place for such actions. Perhaps tonight, on the way home in the buggy. At least it would be a very long ride home, and he looked forward to every minute.
* * *
"Atlee, you have been frowning ever since worship service this morning. Is something wrong?" Martha asked her son as they sat down to a light supper. It would soon be time for her three eldest to go to the singing, but she wanted to make sure her eldest wasn't feeling ill before she allowed him to go.
"Nothing is wrong, Mamm ," he replied, then changed the subject by telling her how good her chicken salad was.
" Danki ," Martha automatically replied, but when she started to open her mouth to question him further, Levi caught her eye and gave her a silent 'no' with his eyes. She didn't ask, certain that her husband knew best. Perhaps he already knew why their son was unhappy, and perhaps he was aware it was something that shouldn't be discussed in front of the other kinner . She urged them to eat so the older ones could be on their way.
" Dat , I think you should forbid Sadie to ride home with that awful Samuel Hilty!" Mary spoke up, her voice full of anger. "He would not make a good husband."
"And you have proof of this, daughter?" Levi asked quietly.
"The proof was given when he striped her with a switch. Sadie was welted and sore as could be for several days. It pained her to sit down for meals, and even her legs were sore and itchy."
"Mary, I believe there has been enough discussion on this subject." Levi was not happy with her and she was about to find herself in some serious trouble of her own.
" Dat , may I say something?" Sadie asked quietly. When he nodded his permission, she said, "Mary, I know you love me and you are concerned that Samuel could be an abuser. He isn't. He felt bad that he caused me pain. He felt even worse because he couldn't break trust with Dat to find out how I was doing after the switching. He suffered, too. But, don't you see, a bletching is an expression of love, too. It is not the same as hitting someone, or punching them. Samuel cares enough about me to take me to task when I am wrong... And, Sadie, I was wrong to break trust with Dat . Please accept my word on this. I would not allow anyone to beat on me... ever!"
"I think that
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