sun shimmered over black asphalt and reflected off metal hoods and trunks, and Leah wiped beads of perspiration from her neck and forehead. Sparky shook his mane free of flies, his haunches quivering from gnat attacks. Leah smoothed his neck, whispering into his ear as he rolled brown eyes toward her voice. “We won’t be long, friend.” He stamped a time or two, signaling his impatience, as she walked into the building.
The cool air of the store immediately brought relief. Not for the first time, Leah longed for respite such as this at home. Wondered how it would feel driving along on a steamy summer day, passing farm and field, with sweet cool air keeping the journey pleasant. Wondered how it would feel to sleep without her sweat-drenched gown and sheet. Her upstairs bedroom, situated at the back of the house above the woodstove-heated kitchen, was sultry and stagnant by the end of a summer’s day.
She glanced at a group of girls who looked to be her age. They wore shorts and sleeveless T-shirts, their hair pulled off their necks and secured with bright ponytail bands, their feet protected only by flimsy sandals that slapped the floor as they strolled. They looked refreshingly comfortable.
She pondered why the Amish insisted on stifling dark fabrics and long cumbersome dresses weighted down by aprons and thick-soled black shoes. They dressed not for season but for modesty, and often, at the end of a blistering summer day, her skin was chafed raw from sweating. She swished her skirt back and forth to cool her legs and blew a puff of air up over her forehead as she pushed damp strands of hair back under the kapp.
Lost in thought and eyeing the store aisles for signs of Sara, she was startled when a man spoke to her.
“Hello, Leah. Wie gehts? ”
She glanced around and met the kind eyes of Matthew Schrock.
“Oh! Hello, I’m sorry I didn’t see you. I’m fine, thanks.”
Matthew pointed to a petite, attractive woman walking toward him. “I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Naomi.”
Naomi Schrock reached out her hand to greet Leah, smiling shyly. “Nice to meet you, Leah.”
“You, also.”
“I’ve heard from Matthew about the wonderful work your daet ’s doing on our bedroom suite. I can’t wait to see it.”
Leah noticed Naomi’s Amish accent. Were the rumors true? Were they both former Amish?
“Thank you. He’s skilled at his job.”
After chatting about the weather for a couple of minutes, Leah decided that talking too long with them could be construed as a bad thing, if they were the kind of people the bishop insisted they were. As she nodded good-bye to the Schrocks, Matthew stopped her.
“Before you go, would you mind if I give you a brochure of our life story?”
Leah hesitated, not sure how to respond. “Uh … I suppose it would be okay.”
“It’s not a very long brochure, but it will let you know, if you’re curious, about our ministry.”
Matthew offered a steady gaze. “I’m aware there are many rumors about us, and I thought it might help to explain what we do.”
She realized he must know about the bishop’s opinion.
“Thank you. I appreciate the information.” She took the brochure and hurried to find Sara. Accepting the pamphlet from Matthew felt dangerous. But she was anxious to read about this man and his wife, and perhaps solve the mystery of who they were and what they did with wayward Amish. They seemed so kind and so sure of their decision to leave.
The girls finished their shopping and were soon on their way home. The weight of the brochure filled her apron pocket, but Leah stifled her curiosity long enough to drop off Sara before pulling the buggy to the side of the road to read the material.
The Schrocks had been born and raised Old Order Amish. They had married and joined the church, but a former Amish friend had introduced Matthew to the “life-giving grace of Jesus Christ,” and after reading the Bible and learning more about Christ, Matthew
The cool air of the store immediately brought relief. Not for the first time, Leah longed for respite such as this at home. Wondered how it would feel driving along on a steamy summer day, passing farm and field, with sweet cool air keeping the journey pleasant. Wondered how it would feel to sleep without her sweat-drenched gown and sheet. Her upstairs bedroom, situated at the back of the house above the woodstove-heated kitchen, was sultry and stagnant by the end of a summer’s day.
She glanced at a group of girls who looked to be her age. They wore shorts and sleeveless T-shirts, their hair pulled off their necks and secured with bright ponytail bands, their feet protected only by flimsy sandals that slapped the floor as they strolled. They looked refreshingly comfortable.
She pondered why the Amish insisted on stifling dark fabrics and long cumbersome dresses weighted down by aprons and thick-soled black shoes. They dressed not for season but for modesty, and often, at the end of a blistering summer day, her skin was chafed raw from sweating. She swished her skirt back and forth to cool her legs and blew a puff of air up over her forehead as she pushed damp strands of hair back under the kapp.
Lost in thought and eyeing the store aisles for signs of Sara, she was startled when a man spoke to her.
“Hello, Leah. Wie gehts? ”
She glanced around and met the kind eyes of Matthew Schrock.
“Oh! Hello, I’m sorry I didn’t see you. I’m fine, thanks.”
Matthew pointed to a petite, attractive woman walking toward him. “I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Naomi.”
Naomi Schrock reached out her hand to greet Leah, smiling shyly. “Nice to meet you, Leah.”
“You, also.”
“I’ve heard from Matthew about the wonderful work your daet ’s doing on our bedroom suite. I can’t wait to see it.”
Leah noticed Naomi’s Amish accent. Were the rumors true? Were they both former Amish?
“Thank you. He’s skilled at his job.”
After chatting about the weather for a couple of minutes, Leah decided that talking too long with them could be construed as a bad thing, if they were the kind of people the bishop insisted they were. As she nodded good-bye to the Schrocks, Matthew stopped her.
“Before you go, would you mind if I give you a brochure of our life story?”
Leah hesitated, not sure how to respond. “Uh … I suppose it would be okay.”
“It’s not a very long brochure, but it will let you know, if you’re curious, about our ministry.”
Matthew offered a steady gaze. “I’m aware there are many rumors about us, and I thought it might help to explain what we do.”
She realized he must know about the bishop’s opinion.
“Thank you. I appreciate the information.” She took the brochure and hurried to find Sara. Accepting the pamphlet from Matthew felt dangerous. But she was anxious to read about this man and his wife, and perhaps solve the mystery of who they were and what they did with wayward Amish. They seemed so kind and so sure of their decision to leave.
The girls finished their shopping and were soon on their way home. The weight of the brochure filled her apron pocket, but Leah stifled her curiosity long enough to drop off Sara before pulling the buggy to the side of the road to read the material.
The Schrocks had been born and raised Old Order Amish. They had married and joined the church, but a former Amish friend had introduced Matthew to the “life-giving grace of Jesus Christ,” and after reading the Bible and learning more about Christ, Matthew
Similar Books
Freedom Does Matter (Mercenaries Book 2)
Tony Lavely
Keeping Blossom
C. M. Steele
Crooked Little Vein
Warren Ellis
Dark Woods
Steve Voake
Book of Revenge
Abra Ebner
Sixty Days and Counting
Kim Stanley Robinson
The Paris Enigma
Pablo De Santis
Death Dines Out
Claudia Bishop