Luke muttered. “Or maybe he’s deceitful and can’t be trusted to do the right thing. Either way, I intend to find out.”
Inside the restaurant, the aroma of frying chicken, sizzling steaks, and onions on the grill would’ve made Emma’s stomach rumble if it weren’t already tied up in knots about what would happen next. She tried to keep up as Luke dodged a waitress with a heavy tray laden with steaming chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Luke wouldn’t make a scene. It wasn’t their way. But this was new territory for Luke. Thrust into the position of leading their household.
Shaking her head at the waitress who wanted to seat them, Emma threaded her way through the packed tables, nodding at several familiar faces.
Please, God, don’t let this blow up into a big scene. Please help Luke find his way. Help Josiah find his way. Let us find it together. Please
.
“Josiah.” Luke could pack so much disapproval into three syllables. “What are you doing?”
Josiah looked up. He and Sarah were seated on the same side of a scarred vinyl booth, sharing a menu. Sarah’s smile froze. She leaned away from Josiah. He grabbed her hand and held it on the table. “What are you doing in town?”
“That’s it, isn’t it?” Luke eased into the seat across from them. “You figured I wouldn’t come into town so I’d never know about these dates.”
Emma debated. Should she and Catherine keep standing or sit? It would be more obvious if they continued to stand. She slid in next to Luke and lifted her eyebrows at Catherine, who immediately sat down beside her.
Josiah shrugged. “Plain people always court privately. No one is to know until it’s time to announce the nuptials. It’s tradition.”
Emma gripped her hands together, trying to keep her temper in check. Josiah was baiting Luke. She waded into the foray in hopes offinding a way to mediate that didn’t end badly for anyone. “Sarah’s not Plain. And since you haven’t been baptized, neither are you.”
Sarah’s cheeks stained red. “I’m sorry—”
“Don’t, Sarah. Don’t apologize. You’re not sorry.” Josiah glared at Emma. “No kidding, Emma. Glad you straightened that out.”
“There’s no need to be disrespectful to your sister.” Luke’s voice was low, but Emma heard the steel in it. “Have you made a decision about your baptism?”
Josiah studied the menu for several seconds. Emma couldn’t breathe. Finally, he raised his head. “Yes. It’s not for me.”
“You’re only seventeen years old. You still have time to change your mind. Until then, at the end of the day, I expect you home to do your chores.”
Emma breathed. Luke hadn’t moved into the realm of ultimatums, and he hadn’t raised his voice.
“I plan to be there.” Josiah’s knuckles whitened as he gripped Sarah’s hand. The girl winced, and Josiah’s fingers uncurled a little. “I’m sorry, Luke. I’m not doing this to make you mad. I’m just trying to figure out how to be happy.”
“What about Miriam’s happiness? You led her to believe—”
“I led her to believe nothing. We sang. We laughed. We’re friends.”
“I don’t believe she saw it that way. She forsakes others to wait for you.”
“I’ve spoken with her. She understands.”
“I doubt she understands anything.” Luke moved a salt shaker to the corner of the table. “I want what is best for you and that’s to be with your own kind. To be baptized in your faith.”
A tear trailed down Sarah’s face. “How can that be the only way when we—”
Josiah shook his head. “There’s no point in arguing with him. Luke is even more conservative than my parents.”
“I’m sorry for you, Josiah. You wouldn’t be in this predicament if they had been stricter with you.” Luke’s voice cracked a little. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I don’t mean to speak ill of them, but they shouldn’t have allowed you to go to Wichita.”
His eyes shiny with tears, Josiah
Inside the restaurant, the aroma of frying chicken, sizzling steaks, and onions on the grill would’ve made Emma’s stomach rumble if it weren’t already tied up in knots about what would happen next. She tried to keep up as Luke dodged a waitress with a heavy tray laden with steaming chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Luke wouldn’t make a scene. It wasn’t their way. But this was new territory for Luke. Thrust into the position of leading their household.
Shaking her head at the waitress who wanted to seat them, Emma threaded her way through the packed tables, nodding at several familiar faces.
Please, God, don’t let this blow up into a big scene. Please help Luke find his way. Help Josiah find his way. Let us find it together. Please
.
“Josiah.” Luke could pack so much disapproval into three syllables. “What are you doing?”
Josiah looked up. He and Sarah were seated on the same side of a scarred vinyl booth, sharing a menu. Sarah’s smile froze. She leaned away from Josiah. He grabbed her hand and held it on the table. “What are you doing in town?”
“That’s it, isn’t it?” Luke eased into the seat across from them. “You figured I wouldn’t come into town so I’d never know about these dates.”
Emma debated. Should she and Catherine keep standing or sit? It would be more obvious if they continued to stand. She slid in next to Luke and lifted her eyebrows at Catherine, who immediately sat down beside her.
Josiah shrugged. “Plain people always court privately. No one is to know until it’s time to announce the nuptials. It’s tradition.”
Emma gripped her hands together, trying to keep her temper in check. Josiah was baiting Luke. She waded into the foray in hopes offinding a way to mediate that didn’t end badly for anyone. “Sarah’s not Plain. And since you haven’t been baptized, neither are you.”
Sarah’s cheeks stained red. “I’m sorry—”
“Don’t, Sarah. Don’t apologize. You’re not sorry.” Josiah glared at Emma. “No kidding, Emma. Glad you straightened that out.”
“There’s no need to be disrespectful to your sister.” Luke’s voice was low, but Emma heard the steel in it. “Have you made a decision about your baptism?”
Josiah studied the menu for several seconds. Emma couldn’t breathe. Finally, he raised his head. “Yes. It’s not for me.”
“You’re only seventeen years old. You still have time to change your mind. Until then, at the end of the day, I expect you home to do your chores.”
Emma breathed. Luke hadn’t moved into the realm of ultimatums, and he hadn’t raised his voice.
“I plan to be there.” Josiah’s knuckles whitened as he gripped Sarah’s hand. The girl winced, and Josiah’s fingers uncurled a little. “I’m sorry, Luke. I’m not doing this to make you mad. I’m just trying to figure out how to be happy.”
“What about Miriam’s happiness? You led her to believe—”
“I led her to believe nothing. We sang. We laughed. We’re friends.”
“I don’t believe she saw it that way. She forsakes others to wait for you.”
“I’ve spoken with her. She understands.”
“I doubt she understands anything.” Luke moved a salt shaker to the corner of the table. “I want what is best for you and that’s to be with your own kind. To be baptized in your faith.”
A tear trailed down Sarah’s face. “How can that be the only way when we—”
Josiah shook his head. “There’s no point in arguing with him. Luke is even more conservative than my parents.”
“I’m sorry for you, Josiah. You wouldn’t be in this predicament if they had been stricter with you.” Luke’s voice cracked a little. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I don’t mean to speak ill of them, but they shouldn’t have allowed you to go to Wichita.”
His eyes shiny with tears, Josiah
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