Jonah?”
Charity stopped mixing the cookie dough. “I have ridden home from Sunday singing in his buggy many times.”
“How about in his car?”
Color flooded Charity’s face. “Do not tell anyone, please.”
Taken aback by Charity’s reaction, Leah said, “I won’t. But what’s the big deal? Buggy, car—it’s still the same thing: You like Jonah.”
“The buggy is acceptable. The car is not.”
“You rode in my car.”
“Cars are not approved by Papa, but it is better with you than with Jonah.”
“He’s never … you know … tried anything with you, has he?”
Charity turned wide, innocent eyes on Leah. “Do you mean, does he get fresh?”
“I guess that’s what I mean.”
“Jonah respects me. He would not shame me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. It’s just that he’s acting English and you’re still being Amish, so there’s a gap between the two of you. I can tell he likes you, but I wondered how you felt. And I know how guys can be. I just don’t want to see him take advantage of you.” Leah didn’t add that she didn’t trust him.
“I have not had many experiences with boys, Leah, but Jonah is the boy I care for the most. We meet, but very carefully because my papa doesn’t approve. Once Jonah is finished with his fling and returns to Amish life, then Papa will have no problem with our dating.”
“When do you see him?”
“He comes to my house late at night when all are asleep. He shines a flashlight on my window.I make certain not to disturb Rebekah, and I go downstairs and meet with him. In the winter, we stay in the kitchen. In the summer, on the porch.”
Leah stared openmouthed, unable to imagine sweet, dear Charity sneaking around behind her parents’ backs. It seemed so out of character. “Then you’ve been seeing him for a long time?”
“Over a year.”
“Wow, Charity. I never thought … I mean, I had no idea.”
“We are special to each other. But it is a secret because we don’t want to be teased, and because he is not ready yet to join the church.”
“Are you telling me that he’s the guy you want to marry?”
Charity squared her chin. “I am sixteen now and I want very much to be married. I want to have my own house, like my sister Sarah. Jonah is a good choice. Once he is baptized, he will ask Papa if he can marry me.”
“I had no idea things were that serious between you two.” Leah vowed to be nicer to Jonah. “Is this going to happen any time soon?”
Charity laughed. “It may be years before I marry. You must promise to come to my wedding.”
“I’ll try.” Leah thought about her own future—where she was headed and what might be in store for her. Marriage seemed a scary choice. Until now, it hadn’t worked for her mother. Leah certainly didn’t want five passes at it to get it right for herself.
Charity broke into Leah’s thoughts. “Let the bread rise again and help me with the cookies.”
The bread looked thoroughly beaten, so Leah wrestled the globby mass into a couple of bread pans and covered it with a cloth as Charity directed. They set it aside again, scooped spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto cookie sheets and set the sheets in the oven. Soon the apartment was filled with the aroma of buttery chocolate.
When it was time to bake the bread, Leah removed the cloth. “Yikes! Look how fat it’s gotten. Is it safe?”
“It is perfect. You are a good baker, Leah.”
Leah’s only memory of baking was from when she was a small child. She and her grandmother Hall had baked and decorated Christmas cookies one rainy afternoon.
The bread was tucked into the oven and the two of them had collapsed on the sofa to chow down on cookies and milk when Ethan returned.“Smells good,” he said, glancing from one to the other.
“Want one? Plate’s on the counter.” Leah pointed.
He stood looking at the mound of dirty bowls, utensils and cookie sheets and at the sticky, floury countertops. He
Charity stopped mixing the cookie dough. “I have ridden home from Sunday singing in his buggy many times.”
“How about in his car?”
Color flooded Charity’s face. “Do not tell anyone, please.”
Taken aback by Charity’s reaction, Leah said, “I won’t. But what’s the big deal? Buggy, car—it’s still the same thing: You like Jonah.”
“The buggy is acceptable. The car is not.”
“You rode in my car.”
“Cars are not approved by Papa, but it is better with you than with Jonah.”
“He’s never … you know … tried anything with you, has he?”
Charity turned wide, innocent eyes on Leah. “Do you mean, does he get fresh?”
“I guess that’s what I mean.”
“Jonah respects me. He would not shame me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. It’s just that he’s acting English and you’re still being Amish, so there’s a gap between the two of you. I can tell he likes you, but I wondered how you felt. And I know how guys can be. I just don’t want to see him take advantage of you.” Leah didn’t add that she didn’t trust him.
“I have not had many experiences with boys, Leah, but Jonah is the boy I care for the most. We meet, but very carefully because my papa doesn’t approve. Once Jonah is finished with his fling and returns to Amish life, then Papa will have no problem with our dating.”
“When do you see him?”
“He comes to my house late at night when all are asleep. He shines a flashlight on my window.I make certain not to disturb Rebekah, and I go downstairs and meet with him. In the winter, we stay in the kitchen. In the summer, on the porch.”
Leah stared openmouthed, unable to imagine sweet, dear Charity sneaking around behind her parents’ backs. It seemed so out of character. “Then you’ve been seeing him for a long time?”
“Over a year.”
“Wow, Charity. I never thought … I mean, I had no idea.”
“We are special to each other. But it is a secret because we don’t want to be teased, and because he is not ready yet to join the church.”
“Are you telling me that he’s the guy you want to marry?”
Charity squared her chin. “I am sixteen now and I want very much to be married. I want to have my own house, like my sister Sarah. Jonah is a good choice. Once he is baptized, he will ask Papa if he can marry me.”
“I had no idea things were that serious between you two.” Leah vowed to be nicer to Jonah. “Is this going to happen any time soon?”
Charity laughed. “It may be years before I marry. You must promise to come to my wedding.”
“I’ll try.” Leah thought about her own future—where she was headed and what might be in store for her. Marriage seemed a scary choice. Until now, it hadn’t worked for her mother. Leah certainly didn’t want five passes at it to get it right for herself.
Charity broke into Leah’s thoughts. “Let the bread rise again and help me with the cookies.”
The bread looked thoroughly beaten, so Leah wrestled the globby mass into a couple of bread pans and covered it with a cloth as Charity directed. They set it aside again, scooped spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto cookie sheets and set the sheets in the oven. Soon the apartment was filled with the aroma of buttery chocolate.
When it was time to bake the bread, Leah removed the cloth. “Yikes! Look how fat it’s gotten. Is it safe?”
“It is perfect. You are a good baker, Leah.”
Leah’s only memory of baking was from when she was a small child. She and her grandmother Hall had baked and decorated Christmas cookies one rainy afternoon.
The bread was tucked into the oven and the two of them had collapsed on the sofa to chow down on cookies and milk when Ethan returned.“Smells good,” he said, glancing from one to the other.
“Want one? Plate’s on the counter.” Leah pointed.
He stood looking at the mound of dirty bowls, utensils and cookie sheets and at the sticky, floury countertops. He
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