Ada’s lively voice annoyed her sleepy ears. She talked about school, her friends, the coming wedding of their brother, and anything and everything else that popped into her head. Her tactic worked.
Leah struggled up from the covers and moaned, “Please! Stop, Ada. I’ll get up, I promise. Just go away. Please. ”
The girl laughed and pulled the covers off on her way out the door. “Come down for breakfast soon. Maem ’s making waffles. You know Benny will eat all of them if we don’t hurry.”
Her sister’s shoes clattered loudly on the wooden steps as she hurried down to breakfast. Leah wearily wiped her eyes, and sat up.
As she put her feet on the cold floor, she thought of Martha once again. She decided to never tell another soul the secret entrusted to her. She prayed Maem and Daet wouldn’t mention it, either, or maybe the bishop wouldn’t have time to listen to them.
Maybe she could get away to a Bible study, too.
She felt a little guilty for thinking of her own desires in the wake of Martha’s problems, but it appeared nothing could stop the deep yearning to know more about God’s Word. Whatever happened, she was glad she’d found the little New Testament. She carefully tucked it back into the box of discarded papers and planned to read more of it that night … in secret.
C HAPTER F IVE
L eah, what do you have planned for today?” Maem asked as they were finishing their last bite of breakfast.
“Nothing special, Maem .”
“Would you be willing to take Ada into town? She needs to get tablets, pencils, and a folder for school.”
“Sure.” She looked across the table at her sister. “You almost ready?”
“I want to taste this last bite of waffle.” Ada squeezed her eyes shut as she savored the tasty morsel. “Yum. Maem , you make the best waffles in the world.” After Ada drank her milk and wiped her mouth, she pronounced herself ready and hurried off to grab her purse.
“ Maem , about Martha,” Leah said, taking advantage of the private moment.
Her mother reached a tentative hand to Leah’s shoulder. “It’s okay. The bishop said he will check into it soon. I think he is planning to head that way tomorrow.”
Too late. The bishop is involved.
Leah walked to the barn with shaky knees. Readying the horse for the trip to town gave her time to think and calm her whirling thoughts.
It couldn’t be bad for Martha to get help, could it? That should bring only good for her. Please , Gott, please let things go well for Martha.
Sparky was feisty on the way in to Ashfield. Every time a car passed, he skipped to the right a little, and Leah had a difficult time managing him. He also wanted to trot faster than she was comfortable allowing, so she ended up pulling and tugging the reins more than usual. By the time the sisters got to town, Leah’s arms ached from fatigue. She guided the horse to a hitching post and looped the reins.
Ada and Leah walked leisurely to the discount store and strolled among the aisles. It was good to be doing something with Ada. They giggled at a pair of silly-looking pens. Wispy hair glued to the top made the pens resemble wild people, and below the hair, googly eyes rolled around and around. It’d be fun to write with these, but the schoolteacher would never allow such worldly items in class.
After Ada chose her supplies, they headed to the checkout, pausing to choose a few candy bars for themselves and Benny.
As they walked back to the buggy, Leah spotted Naomi Schrock getting into her car across the street at the hardware store.
“Wait here, Ada. I’ll be right back.” Leah made her way through traffic easing past the stores and called to Naomi.
“Naomi! Hi—I have a quick question.”
Naomi paused, turning to greet Leah. “Hello. How are you?”
“Good.” Leah took a deep breath. “I was wondering about the Bible study. Is it at your house? And what time does it start?”
“Yes—it’s at our house. It starts at 6:30. Are you
Leah struggled up from the covers and moaned, “Please! Stop, Ada. I’ll get up, I promise. Just go away. Please. ”
The girl laughed and pulled the covers off on her way out the door. “Come down for breakfast soon. Maem ’s making waffles. You know Benny will eat all of them if we don’t hurry.”
Her sister’s shoes clattered loudly on the wooden steps as she hurried down to breakfast. Leah wearily wiped her eyes, and sat up.
As she put her feet on the cold floor, she thought of Martha once again. She decided to never tell another soul the secret entrusted to her. She prayed Maem and Daet wouldn’t mention it, either, or maybe the bishop wouldn’t have time to listen to them.
Maybe she could get away to a Bible study, too.
She felt a little guilty for thinking of her own desires in the wake of Martha’s problems, but it appeared nothing could stop the deep yearning to know more about God’s Word. Whatever happened, she was glad she’d found the little New Testament. She carefully tucked it back into the box of discarded papers and planned to read more of it that night … in secret.
C HAPTER F IVE
L eah, what do you have planned for today?” Maem asked as they were finishing their last bite of breakfast.
“Nothing special, Maem .”
“Would you be willing to take Ada into town? She needs to get tablets, pencils, and a folder for school.”
“Sure.” She looked across the table at her sister. “You almost ready?”
“I want to taste this last bite of waffle.” Ada squeezed her eyes shut as she savored the tasty morsel. “Yum. Maem , you make the best waffles in the world.” After Ada drank her milk and wiped her mouth, she pronounced herself ready and hurried off to grab her purse.
“ Maem , about Martha,” Leah said, taking advantage of the private moment.
Her mother reached a tentative hand to Leah’s shoulder. “It’s okay. The bishop said he will check into it soon. I think he is planning to head that way tomorrow.”
Too late. The bishop is involved.
Leah walked to the barn with shaky knees. Readying the horse for the trip to town gave her time to think and calm her whirling thoughts.
It couldn’t be bad for Martha to get help, could it? That should bring only good for her. Please , Gott, please let things go well for Martha.
Sparky was feisty on the way in to Ashfield. Every time a car passed, he skipped to the right a little, and Leah had a difficult time managing him. He also wanted to trot faster than she was comfortable allowing, so she ended up pulling and tugging the reins more than usual. By the time the sisters got to town, Leah’s arms ached from fatigue. She guided the horse to a hitching post and looped the reins.
Ada and Leah walked leisurely to the discount store and strolled among the aisles. It was good to be doing something with Ada. They giggled at a pair of silly-looking pens. Wispy hair glued to the top made the pens resemble wild people, and below the hair, googly eyes rolled around and around. It’d be fun to write with these, but the schoolteacher would never allow such worldly items in class.
After Ada chose her supplies, they headed to the checkout, pausing to choose a few candy bars for themselves and Benny.
As they walked back to the buggy, Leah spotted Naomi Schrock getting into her car across the street at the hardware store.
“Wait here, Ada. I’ll be right back.” Leah made her way through traffic easing past the stores and called to Naomi.
“Naomi! Hi—I have a quick question.”
Naomi paused, turning to greet Leah. “Hello. How are you?”
“Good.” Leah took a deep breath. “I was wondering about the Bible study. Is it at your house? And what time does it start?”
“Yes—it’s at our house. It starts at 6:30. Are you
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