The Mending Page 10

  In another week, Malinda would be joining the church. Next fall they could be published. Maybe before then. Not everyone waited until the official wedding season. Some couples married at different times. Marriage? He was really jumping ahead! But he was ready, and he wanted to marry Malinda. She had been his choice for ever so long. He wanted to share his life with her and raise kinner with her, but he couldn’t move too fast. Somehow he had to slow down and give Malinda whatever time she needed. “Please, Gott, let her feel the same way I do. I’ve waited so long.”

  As the whispered prayer died on his lips, Timothy turned to throw one final glance at the Stauffer house. There! He saw it! In a flicker of lamplight he saw Malinda at her bedroom window. He raised a hand to wave. She pumped her hand up and down in response. Timothy chuckled aloud. She did care! He would have turned a cartwheel if he could do so without pulling every single muscle in his body.

  Chapter Fourteen

  A flock of butterflies, if that’s what you called a huge group of them, flapped wildly inside Malinda’s stomach. She feared her nerves would cause a flare-up of her Crohn’s disease. She’d toyed with her supper, half afraid to introduce any food to her already misbehaving intestines. Mamm had watched with a concerned expression but had held her tongue. Malinda gulped in several deep, calming breaths. She really had no cause to be so nervous. She would be meeting with the same ministers and bishop she’d met with for all nine baptismal classes. But this was the final meeting. Tomorrow was Baptismal Sunday. Malinda’s nerves were taut. She had no doubts about her own decision, but some little concern wagged a finger in her mind. Were the other candidates as sure as she was? She prayed nothing would go wrong.

  Malinda dressed carefully and made sure every unruly wisp of hair behaved. She’d do the exact same thing before heading to church tomorrow morning. They were meeting at Bishop Menno Lapp’s house this evening. She decided to take the buggy rather than walk so her dress wouldn’t become saturated with perspiration and cling to her body. Daed had hitched Chestnut for her. He squeezed her arm as she prepared to climb inside. “I’ll be home soon,” she assured him.

  Rufus simply nodded and offered an encouraging smile.

  Other baptismal candidates arrived at the bishop’s house at the same time as Malinda. She took some small comfort in the obvious jitteriness of the other young people. Apparently they were all in the same boat. She hoped no one would cause the boat to tip. She wanted all of them to join their community of faith tomorrow.

  Bishop Menno, a tall, wiry, usually stern-faced man, invited them all into his home. A thin smile above his salt-and-pepper beard softened his expression a bit. Martha, the bishop’s fraa, couldn’t be more opposite from her husband. She was short and round and always had a ready smile. Her light brown hair showed no hint of gray, though she and the bishop were probably in their late fifties.

  “Kumm in. Kumm in. I have lemonade and cookies.” Martha bustled about trying to put the young folks at ease.

  The candidates solemnly filed into the living room to perch on the straight-backed wooden chairs set up there. The girls sat on one side, and the buwe on the other. An empty chair on each side caused them all to exchange nervous glances. Malinda mentally ticked off the attendees to determine who would dare to arrive late to this highly important meeting. The missing candidates happened to be the same two people who’d been reprimanded previously for their tardiness. Surely Isaac and Rebecca hadn’t changed their minds about joining the church. Even if they had, wouldn’t they at least show up to tell the bishop their decision?

  “We will wait just a few more minutes,” Bishop Menno mumbled to the other ministers, who nodded in agreement.

  Malinda’s heart pounded so hard she feared it would burst through her chest. Those butterflies churned her meager stomach contents and threatened to send everything straight up her esophagus. She forced herself to take slow breaths. One of the other girls fidgeted in her chair until Bishop Menno shot her a stern look. Although there was no clock in the room, Malinda imagined a ticking sound that grew louder and faster in her head.

  Just as Bishop Menno roughly cleared his throat, the door flew open. All heads turned to watch Isaac and Becky rush into the Lapps’ living room. Malinda hazarded a glance in the bishop’s direction in time to note his deeply furrowed brow. Personally, she would not want to cross the man. The Isaac she knew—or thought she knew—would not have been so blatantly disrespectful. She hoped he and Becky had a plausible excuse this evening.

  “Well?” Bishop Menno scowled at first one and then the other of the latecomers, who slid into the two vacant chairs.

  “I—We’re sorry,” Rebecca sang out sweetly without a trace of remorse in her voice or demeanor.

  Isaac coughed. “Uh, jah. We’re sorry.” He at least had the decency to look ashamed as he hung his head, probably to avoid the bishop’s glare, which could easily melt a foot of snow on the Lapps’ pond in the middle of a February blizzard.

  “And?” After a brief pause with only silence as an answer, the bishop continued. “What was more important than this meeting?”

  “I, uh . . .” Isaac looked toward Becky. Malinda shifted slightly so she could observe Becky. Apparently Becky was going to let Isaac handle the whole excuse business. Becky daintily arranged her dark purple dress and pushed a tendril of pale blonde hair beneath her kapp. Her pale lashes fluttered, but she did not lift her green eyes in Isaac’s direction. Her focus remained on some spot on the wall high above the bishop’s head.

  “We were, uh, visiting.” Isaac’s voice barely crossed the threshold of whispering. “We lost track of time. Then I had to race home to help with chores.”

  “I see. We’ll begin now.” Bishop Menno fixed each candidate with a solemn expression one by one, though his gaze lingered a little longer on Isaac and Rebecca. “As you all are well aware, baptism is a very serious commitment. Once you are baptized and join the church, there is no going back without serious repercussions for you and for your families.”

  Malinda’s ears picked up a slight rustling sound. She stole a quick glance sideways, allowing her to bring Becky into her peripheral vision. The girl squirmed on the wooden chair and picked at her apron. Whatever could be in her pocket to create that sound? Generally, cotton dresses did not rustle. Malinda’s eyes snapped back to the ministers, who took turns reviewing the lessons from the previous classes.

  Malinda held herself erect. Her shoulders and neck began to ache from the strain of sitting perfectly still. At least during three-hour church services she could shift positions periodically without drawing attention to herself. Here, under the scrutiny of Bishop Menno and the ministers, she felt her every breath was counted.

  “What questions do you have for us?” Bishop Menno asked when the last minister finished speaking.

  Malinda had no questions. Evidently no one else did, either. No one coughed, or even exhaled audibly.

  “All right,” the bishop continued. “Now is the time to change your mind if you have any doubts. It is better to wait and be sure of your commitment than to forge ahead only to change your mind later. This is a lifelong commitment.”

  Heads nodded, but no one spoke.

  Bishop Menno looked at each of the fellows and asked if they were ready. All answered affirmatively, though Isaac cleared his throat twice before choking out his answer. Then the bishop turned to each girl and repeated his question. Each answered without hesitation. All except one. Becky squirmed again, fidgeted with the edge of her apron, looked at the rag rug on the wooden floor, and then raised her eyes to stare at that fascinating spot over the bishop’s head.

  “Rebecca?” Bishop Menno asked again.

  “Um, jah.” She stopped fidgeting and tucked her hands beneath her legs.

  Bishop Menno kept his eyes on Becky a moment longer before surveying all the candidates. “I encourage you to spend the rest of this evening at home praying and reading the Scriptures.”

  In unison, the candidates no
dded and filed from the room. Martha gave each a smile and a package of cookies to take with them. “A little nourishment for the body as you nourish your souls.” She smiled as she held the door for the young people to depart.

  Malinda suddenly felt she could breathe again as she made her way to her buggy. She dragged in a huge gulp of fresh air. The young people remained silent as they prepared to depart, all except for one voice, which called out, “Wait, Isaac. I want to show you . . .”

  Chestnut nuzzled the hand Malinda placed on his head before climbing into the buggy. She let him set the pace for home. She nibbled at a chocolate chip cookie as the buggy rolled along. She prayed all went well tomorrow.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Darkness still swirled around the room when Malinda slipped out of bed Sunday morning. She pressed one hand to her belly and prayed it would not betray her today of all days. She carefully pulled on her crisp blue dress and smoothed every little tendril of hair beneath her precisely pinned kapp. This was the day she’d been waiting for, preparing for practically her whole life. Nervousness mingled with excitement. She whispered another prayer that the day would be a joyous, memorable one for everyone.

  The family got an early start to the Yoders’ house, where church services would be held. No doubt there would be many extra people, with families of the baptismal candidates in attendance.

  “Are you feeling all right?” Saloma turned from the front of the gray buggy to look at Malinda. “You didn’t eat enough breakfast to last you through the long morning.”

  “I’m fine, Mamm, just a little nervous. I’ll probably be starving after church.” Malinda couldn’t imagine that at the moment, though.

  Buggy after buggy rolled up the Yoders’ long, gravel driveway. Some of them Malinda didn’t recognize. Folks from neighboring districts must have already arrived. Those butterflies from last night had again taken up residence in Malinda’s stomach. Maybe she should have forced herself to eat more than three small bites of the thick, sticky oatmeal that had congealed in her intestines.

  Phoebe Yoder and Mary Stoltzfus, already church members, met Malinda and offered words of encouragement before Malinda crossed the yard to stand with the other girls in her baptismal class. Becky had arrived on time today. She looked nervous instead of prissy. A quick glance at the fellows told her Isaac had almost the same sickly pallor as Becky.

  Malinda murmured a greeting to the other girls and then stood silently wringing her clammy hands. She gulped in a last breath of fresh air before filing into the service with the other girls. They would most likely be bunched closer together because of the extra guests in attendance today, so fresh air might be in short supply.

  The ministers expounded on various Biblical stories pertaining to baptism, and Malinda kept her attention focused on them. Only once did her gaze stray briefly to the men’s side. Timothy offered her a tiny smile and nod of encouragement. Malinda was amazed at the calmness that washed over her at Tim’s simple gesture. Last to speak, Bishop Menno reviewed the story from the book of Acts about Philip baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch. Then he called the candidates forward. All seven of them knelt beside one another.

  Malinda breathed a quick sigh of relief as she knelt between two other girls. She feared her knocking knees would be heard by the whole congregation, or even worse, would refuse to hold her upright. Becky, at the end of the line of girls, still wobbled slightly, although she no longer stood. Her nervousness seemed totally out of character, but Malinda assumed they were all experiencing overwhelming emotions.

  * * *

  Timothy released his lower lip from beneath his teeth only when the metallic taste of blood invaded his preoccupied senses. He hadn’t even been aware he’d been gnawing a hole through his lip, since he’d been focused on the young people rising from the wooden benches and filing forward to where the bishop waited. Timothy’s heart pounded hard, threatening to shatter his ribs. His breath came out rapid and shallow. And he wasn’t even one of the baptismal candidates!

  Tim’s own baptism had been several years ago, but he remembered every detail. It had been the most momentous day of his life so far. It was the day that sealed his membership in the Amish community. He’d never had any desire to be otherwise. Sure, he ran around a little as a teenager, but he never smoked or drank or even drove a car. His most daring venture had been the purchase of a prepaid cell phone that had a camera in it and that he’d had no problem relinquishing when he began baptismal classes. Jah, he felt perfectly content as an Amish furniture maker and farmer. He’d, of course, feel even more content once he had a fraa by his side to share his life. He hoped that time wouldn’t be too much longer getting here.

  No amount of persuasion by his brain could calm his nerves. Timothy’s gaze flicked briefly across the three buwe standing in front of the congregation and then the four girls before coming to rest on the second girl in line, the beautiful, dark-haired one. He knew his sweaty palms and ragged breathing were because he understood her nervousness. He felt it. He shared it.

  Somehow he had taken her jitteriness upon himself. Is this what it meant to care for someone, to love someone? He forced a slow, deep breath, which instantly calmed him. As inconspicuously as possible, he wiped his hands on his gut black trousers. He willed calmness into Malinda. He prayed for her and released her to the Lord Gott’s care. He prayed nothing would mar her special day. He’d never experienced such intense feelings for another person before. This must be love.

  * * *

  After a lengthy prayer, Bishop Menno asked the candidates to kneel. Malinda had felt her body sway during the prayer and was glad she wasn’t standing. The bishop would ask each candidate the baptismal questions, one person at a time. Malinda had no qualms about her answers. She would respond with wholehearted affirmation. She believed Jesus was Gott’s Son. She recognized this as a Christian church. She renounced the world and the devil with all his subtle ways. She desired to serve only Jesus, who died on the cross for her. She would promise before Gott and His church that she would support the teachings and regulations, would attend church services, would work in the church, and would not forsake it. Jah, she was ready.

  Bishop Menno began with the buwe and asked them each question. The first bu answered flawlessly. Isaac answered the first question without hesitation. After the bishop asked the second question, a pregnant pause filled the room. Malinda held her breath. What was wrong with Isaac? She wanted to look in his direction but didn’t dare. Isaac coughed, cleared his throat, and finally offered the expected answers to the bishop’s remaining questions.

  A little gasp from Becky almost made Malinda lean around the girl between them to look at her. Becky sniffed softly and fidgeted slightly. The girl between them slid a tissue from her pocket and handed it to Becky.

  The bishop moved to Malinda. She responded to his questions with no trace of doubt in her heart or her voice. The girl beside her answered with equal assurance. Then the bishop faced Becky, the last candidate. Like Isaac, she replied quickly to the first question but stared at the floor after Bishop Menno asked her the second question. He lowered his voice. “Rebecca, did you hear the question?”

  Becky sniffed. “I heard . . . I feel sick.” Becky pushed to her feet and turned away from the other candidates. A ripple of shocked gasps washed over the congregation.

  In an instant, Becky’s mamm approached the bishop. “I’ll take her out.” She wrapped an arm around Becky’s waist and led the girl to the door. Her own sniffling mingled with Becky’s.

  “We will continue.” Silence reigned for a moment. Either the bishop needed to reorder his thoughts or he was praying for Becky. At his signal, the congregation rose, while the candidates remained kneeling for the prayer. His final words reminded them that those who believe and are baptized shall be saved.

  After everyone had resettled on the wooden benches, Bishop Menno began the baptism. He held cupped hands over each candidate’s head. One of the ministers poured water into the bi
shop’s hands three times as the bishop pronounced them baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

  Malinda’s hands trembled as Bishop Menno approached her, even though she had them clutched together so tightly her knuckles turned white. She trembled, not in fear but in anticipation. Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Tears flooded her eyes and mingled with the rivulets of water trailing down her face. A sudden joy burst into bloom in her heart and sent warmth throughout her body. She somehow felt pure and clean and determined to live up to the promises she had just made.

  Bishop Menno shook hands with all the candidates and gave the buwe the holy kiss of peace. His fraa, Martha, did the same for the three remaining girls. The bishop offered a benediction and stated the six young people before him were no longer guests and strangers but were members of the household of Gott.

  Malinda walked on marshmallow clouds as the new members filed back to their seats. She couldn’t keep the smile from her lips or contain the joy that radiated from her soul. She wondered if the others were experiencing anything similar. Now she would really be considered an adult member of the community. She would willingly accept the responsibilities that accompanied that status. She felt as bright as a brand-new shiny copper penny. She prayed Gott’s light would always shine in and through her, no matter what may happen.

  The church service concluded in normal fashion. The women hurried to bring out food, while the men arranged the wooden benches into tables for the common meal. The women whispered to one another as they headed for the kitchen, probably discussing the same thing as Malinda and her two fellow new members. What was going on with Becky?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Timothy thought Malinda looked lovelier than he’d ever seen in her crisp blue dress and her raven hair tucked neatly under her white kapp. Of course, she always looked beautiful to him, even when she was sick. Today, though, she fairly glowed. Her big brown eyes sparkled, and she walked with a spring in her step. This had been an important day in her life. Only one little blip had threatened to spoil the day, but Bishop Menno had handled the interruption well. He didn’t allow Becky’s outburst to break the mood of the service or to disrupt the baptism. What on earth had possessed Becky to run out of the service like that? She should have told the ministers of any doubts long before today.