by Dalia Wright
Guilt tugged at Ruby. This is what she’d be doing to everyone. Would her family really be okay without her? Would they worry? Would they try to search for her?
It didn’t matter. She’d take a bus far away. She’d make sure they couldn’t find her.
They sat down, and Luke placed the basket in between them. Ruby and Luke each pulled out a sandwich to eat, and said nothing as they enjoyed their meal.
The breeze blew through Ruby’s hair as she sat quietly, hoping that she’d be able to trust the man who now knew her darkest secret. He said she could trust him, but for all she knew he was lying to her.
“You know,” Luke stared off into the distance, breaking the silence, “when I wanted to leave my home, it was because of the way things were. It was all too strict. No one was allowed to do what would be best for them and everyone was getting shunned. I hated it there. I hated them. The community I was raised in… it was… strict to say the least. It was frowned upon to even trade with Englishers, but we had to make money somehow, right?” Luke paused.
“When all was said and down, my friend wanted to marry an English man… the community I was from is so strict that they didn’t even want that. She was harshly judged. Wven though they allowed her to marry him and allowed him to join the community, the people were harsh. Shunning her would have been better.”
Ruby’s brow furrowed. That wasn’t how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to be accepting of people who wanted to join the community. They were supposed to be accepting of those who wanted to find Gott.
“And that’s why you left?”
“Jah. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be welcomed back to be honest, but that doesn’t matter because I know that wasn’t my place.”
“But… what about your shtamm?”
“They may come visit some time. My parents tried to raise me as best they could, but they couldn’t leave their parents there alone. They felt obligated to stay but they understood when I wanted to leave.”
“Won’t you miss them?”
“Of course. But I will write them, and they will write back.” He smiled, as if that did actually comfort him. He turned to her, looking her over. “You have a gut shtamm here.”
“I do.” Ruby knew it was true. Her father was hard on her and her sister but he loved them. He would never shun them for wanting to marry an English man. I don’t think. He’d never allow her to leave, but he wouldn’t shun her if she’d fallen in love with an English man who had come to the community.
“Ruby,” Luke’s cheeks flushed. “I’ve never told anyone that. I’ve never told anyone how I felt about the community I grew up in.”
Ruby reached out, touching his fingers softly. “I’m glad you told me.”
“I was just thinking, it’s a shame that you have to leave.”
“It is, but I will make things work. I will survive, and maybe in time I will feel like I’m able to come back.” She knew that those words were the only thing keeping her strong.
His fingers tanged into hers. “I’ll miss you.” He whispered.
Ruby’s heart skipped a beat. “I’ll miss you, too.”
And the sad part is, she knew it was true. Why did I have to do that? She’d been stupid to go out with Emma. She knew that if she had just stayed home none of this would be happening to her right now. She knew that she would be able to take joy in Luke’s company, but right now she just felt sad knowing that she would have to leave him, just like everyone else here.
She took a deep breath and forced a smile over her lips. I’ll make the most of it. That’s all I can do.
Turning to Luke her smile widened. “Do you like staying here?”
“I do, very much. I think I might ask to stay her, forever I mean.”
Ruby’s heart skipped a beat. If he stayed here and she did come back they would be able to see each other again. That made her smile widen.
“I don’t see why anyone would say nee. You’re a gut man, and I think a lot of the girls would love to have a new boy here.” Ruby laughed softly.
“I’m sure many girls are looking for a potential husband. Back home it was all the girls cared much about.”
“The girls care about other stuff here, but they want to be sure they find a gut husband.” Otherwise they would not be sure if someone could provide for them well enough, and for many girls that meant their child’s future. Ruby’s hand touched her stomach. I will have to provide for my own kinder…. But I’ll to the best I can for them. That was a promise.
Chapter Five
Gott, please help me. I’m scared and I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want to have to leave home, but I don’t think there are any other options for me, are there? Please, I need guidenece. I know I’ve sinned, I know I should be ashamed of myself and I should confess my sins but I do not how I can confess to my own father and still expect for things to be okay. I need a sign. Please, help me.
“Did you and Luke have a nice time?”
Sarah’s voice interrupted Ruby’s prayer as her younger sister came into the room after helping their mother do the dishes.
“We did, I guess.” Ruby shrugged. She wasn’t sure what else to say. Of course they had a very nice time, but they’d talked about a lot of things that Ruby would never be able to tell her sister. She wouldn’t give away Luke’s secrets, and it’s not like she could tell her sister anything about what they’d talked about when it came to herself.
“That’s it? I want details! Did he confess his love for you?”
Ruby choked on air. “W-what?”
“I mean, you two did go on a date, didn’t you?” Sarah sat down, staring at her sister intently.
“We… went for a walk.” Ruby shrugged.
She stood up and changed out of her dress quickly, slipping into her night gown and robe to help keep herself covered, and warm. Sarah still stared at her, waiting for details.
“There’s nothing to say, I’m sorry but it was just lunch. We talked about life, and that was it. We came home. No he didn’t confess his love for me- which would have just been silly.” She added the last part after a second’s thought. Her sister needed to have a clear understanding of love, and life. If she thought some boy was just going to confess his love she was sorely mistaken.
Ruby looked up as someone knocked on her door. “Are you awake?” Luke asked.
“Jah,” Ruby straightened. Sarah stared with wide eyes as Luke stepped into their room.
“I… I’ve got to…” Sarah jumped to her feet and without saying a word rushed out of the room.
Ruby raised an eyebrow. “I think you scared my shveshtah away.”
Luke laughed softly closing the distance between them. “Gut, I’d been hoping we could have a moment to speak to each other alone.”
Ruby’s mouth fell open, forming a small o. What could he want to talk to her about that they would need to be alone for? Except… Her stomach did a backflip as he sat down beside her.
“Ruby, I’d like to ask your father for your hand in marriage.”
“W-what?” Ruby stammered, trying to process his words.
“I know we don’t know each other very well… but the idea of losing you… the idea that you will have to give up a life you always knew you would want… I just can’t live with it knowing that I could have done something. If we marry, we can say the child is ours. We can raise him as our own.”
Ruby stared at Luke as he sat down beside her. He reached out and took her hand.
“But… you don’t love me.”
Why would he give up his chance at love? Why would he risk marrying her? He hardly knew her.
“But I know I could grow to love you. I know I care about you.”
He cares about me? His words shocked Ruby. She was processing. She tried to take everything in but struggled to figure out what she should say. She took a deep breath.
“I know it is a lot to take in. Think about it as long as you like.” Luke gave her a soft smile, leaning towa
rds his. His lips touched her cheek, blazing hot against her skin. He stood up without another word and walked towards the door, leaving her there alone.
Ruby hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what he had said. She hadn’t been able to stop feeling his lips against her cheek. Gott, what am I supposed to do? She prayed, trying to ask for advice, for hours that night.
No matter how tight she shut her eyes she couldn’t sleep. So, even though the house was dark, Ruby pushed the blankets off her and padded into the kitchen.
She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw someone at the counter. The shape turned. “Ruby, what are you doing up so late?” Her mother asked.
“I… I couldn’t sleep.” Ruby admitted.
She saw the dark shape of her mother step towards the table. She tilted her head to the left. “Come, sit.”
Ruby did as she was told, sitting down across from her mother.
“What is wrong?”
“I…” Ruby took a deep breath. She wanted to tell her mother everything, but she knew she couldn’t.
“Is it Luke? Or is it the bobli?”
Ruby’s mouth fell open. Had her mother just said what she thought she said? She knows? How?!
Her mother lit one of the small oil lamps, the light blinding Ruby for a fraction of a second. Concern covered her mother’s face.
“Is the bobli okay?”
“I… how did you…”
Her mother gave a soft smile. “Your deatt may not be the kind of man that notices everything, but I would like to think I’m an observant woman. You’ve been sick often. You’ve been tired, and I’ve noticed how much you’re in the bathroom. I’m sorry, the women on my side are cursed with bad sicknesses, and it gets worse as the time goes on.”
Ruby remembered when her mother was pregnant with Sarah. She hadn’t even been able to get out of bed some days, but more often than not the only thing Ruby really remembered was her mother having to rush somewhere to throw up.
Ruby felt tears prick the corner of her eyes.
“So, what is keeping you up so late?”
“I…” Ruby knew there was no point in trying to lie. Her mother knew the truth. And knowing that she could talk to someone about it felt like the world was lifted off her shoulders.
“It’s Luke… he knows. He found me in the bathroom one day and figured it out. It was yesterday, when you and deatt and Sarah were out on your picnic. He… he asked what I was going to do.” Her mother raised an eyebrow waiting. “I told him I was going to leave, because I didn’t know what else I could do. I can’t bring shame to the shtamm. But tonight….” Ruby trailed off. She had to collect herself to say the words she was about to say.
“What happened tonight?” Her other asked after 20 seconds.
“Luke told me he wanted to ask for my hand in marriage. He told me he would raise the kinder as his own, that he… he would miss me and he didn’t want me to leave.”
Her mother studied her carefully. “What did you say?”
“Nothing. I had no clue what to say.”
The two women fell silent. Ruby’s heart raced, waiting to see what her mother would say.
“We don’t want to lose you, Ruby. But I cannot stop you if you will leave. Luke is a kind boy, with a good head on his shoulders, and he would make a forgiving husband.”
Tears rolled down Ruby’s cheeks. Half sadness and half frustration. She had no clue what she was supposed to do. She wanted her mother to tell her.
“Do you believe you could grow to love Luke?” Her mother asked.
“Jah, I do. But what of him? It’s not fair if he must live his life with my-”
“Does he care?” Her mother didn’t even wait for her to finish her sentence.
“I…”
“Do you think he would have asked for your hand if he cared?”
Ruby stared at her mother. She made a good point, but Ruby still wasn’t sure she could bring herself to ask so much of Luke.
Their engagement was announced the next week after church. Everyone clapped, and congratulated them both. Emma smiled widely as she rushed over to Ruby and pulled her into a hug.
“This is so exciting!” she beamed, then looked around. “Colin will be so excited to see a wedding within his first year. But it’s so rushed, are you two that in love?”
Ruby had to process her best friend’s words a little. “You mean, you’ve decided to stay?”
“Jah, I mean… I love Colin, but I can’t leave home. I love it here too much, so he’s going to join the community.” Her eyes sparkled.
Ruby’s heart raced with excitement. Everything was going to work out. She couldn’t believe it. She would have her best friend back and she would soon be married.
Ruby hugged her friend tightly before Emma pulled away.
“This is wonderful. I can’t wait to help with all the prep. You’re rushing it, though. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to wait a little longer?”
Autumn weddings were normal, after all the crops would be done and everyone would have a little time to relax before bunkering down for winter. But Ruby’s mother said that would be too long. Ruby should be showing by then. So the wedding would be next month.
“We can’t bring ourselves to wait any longer than we have to.” Ruby lied. She couldn’t bring herself to tell her best friend the truth, not yet at least.
But it didn’t matter. Emma beamed widely, her eyes sparkling and Ruby couldn’t help let that happiness infect her as well. Her hand touched her stomach gently and for the first time in over a month she felt like everything was going to be okay.
A warm hand touched the small of her back. A gesture Luke often did. Ruby turned to face him, giving him a soft smile. His eyes sparkled as his lips lowered to her cheek.
The End
A Taboo Billionaire Love
By: Elaine Young
CHAPTER ONE:
“Only twelve more hours till freedom, Chels!” The whispered comment floated into the darkness, vibrating with barely repressed excitement.
“You’re supposed to be sleeping, Agnes,” Chelsea Adler said with mock sternness. The two friends were spending the night together to make it easier to leave the next day.
“I can’t sleep, I’m so excited. I can’t wait to get out of here – I’m never coming back to this life again Chels, not if I can help it.”
“Come on Agnes, you make it sound like we’re living a prison sentence.”
“And aren’t we?” was the quick rejoinder. “Our way of living is hardly the ideal. I can’t wait to experience the real world, imagine cars, pretty dresses, shoes, jewellery, music, dancing!… And best of all, MEN!”
Chelsea held back a sigh and didn’t bother answering. It was a repetitive argument, one that neither would ever agree on. Chelsea loved her life and didn’t understand how her best friend could fail to see the beauty in the simplicity of their Amish life, while Agnes found it inconceivable that Chelsea could want so little out of life.
But tomorrow they would be leaving for San Francisco, California to get a taste of the real in Rumspringa. Most of their friends had gone through the rite a few years ago when they turned sixteen, but Chelsea hadn’t been interested and Agnes had refused to do it without her best friend at her side. But now they were both eighteen and the elders in the community were pressuring both girls to get married and settle down, which Agnes refused to do until they had both experienced Rumspringa. After months of begging, pleading, pushing and even blackmailing, Chelsea had finally agreed. Wow as Agnes had pointed out, they were just a mere twelve hours away from the drive to Dayton International Airport, where they would be catching a noon flight to San Francisco.
Chelsea had given in to the pressure from Agnes, but she was finding it very difficult to summon any enthusiasm for their trip. They had heard the stories from the teens who had come back from their own trips. Some had headed to New York while others had gone to Los Angeles, Vegas or New Mexico. Each of those places sounded terrifyin
g, and Chelsea couldn’t imagine anything worse than trying to navigate through crowded streets, honking cars, tall buildings, and technology. Her mother had always made the English world sound like a Godless one where girls paraded around half-naked and allowed men to do whatever they wanted to them. Just thinking of all that bare skin made Chelsea feel ashamed. Wow would they face judgement day? She was hoping once Agnes got her wild side out of her system, she would feel happier about their life and even learn to appreciate the teachings of the Church more.
“Chels?” Agnes’ finger poking her gently brought Chelsea back to the present moment.
“Hmm? What?”
“The men, aren’t you looking forward to seeing what the men are like?”
“What’s wrong with the boys here?”
“That’s just it,” Agnes snorted in disgust. “They’re boys playing at being grown-up. I want a man! A real man who knows what to do with a woman!”
When Chelsea didn’t answer right away, Agnes – who always loved getting in the last word – added somewhat smugly,
“I guess we’ll know in twelve hours which way of life is better.”
“We’ll see. Now can we please get some sleep?”
Both girls fell silent but neither slept a wink. While Agnes daydreamed about wonderland, Chelsea pictured all the horrors that awaited her.
CHAPTER TWO:
The sleepless night worked well in Chelsea’s favour; she slept through the entire five-hour flight and didn’t have time to dwell on the concept of being suspended thousands of feet in the air. She had never flown on a plane before and had found the prospect terrifying. While Chelsea slept, Agnes used the opportunity to indulge in a glass of champagne and devour the celebrity gossip and fashion magazines she had bought at the airport. When they landed in San Francisco, a pre-arranged car took them to their hotel where Chelsea was hoping to catch up on some more sleep. Agnes, however, had other plans.
