Grace Given (Touch of Grace)

by Beth Shriver

  “I hope this kid figured that out when he saw the way we were treated, and that he follows through in trying to get out of it.”

  “What do you mean, trying? Can’t he just ignore them?”

  “Doesn’t sound like it.” He looked over at Elsie to see if she understood.

  She moved back in the swing. “That’s awful.” She met his stare. “As frustrated as you were about not being able to retaliate against them, this shows us exactly why we shouldn’t. Violence only leads to more violence, and hate only brings more hate.”

  Gideon’s face clouded with emotion, and he looked away. “I hope this young man finds that out. I wish I could do something to help him stay away from it.”

  She took his hand in hers and felt the blood beating in his wrist. His concern for this boy reminded her to pray for God to protect them from their adversaries. “You can. Pray.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  GIDEON NOTICED THE sign had finally been put up at the entrance of their community, Meadowlark Valley. It was meant as a pun due to Texas’s flat land, but the small hills around the outskirts of all the farms gave off the “valley” effect.

  Gideon drove his mamm to the community grocery store, not that she couldn’t drive the buggy herself, though. Living with five sons and her husband brought out both the toughness as well as the softness about her. Gideon admired both. She was stern when she had to be and was there to console and encourage when any of them needed it.

  “Looks crowded.” He brought the horse to a halt and tethered the reins on an old fashioned hitching post, much like the one that was recently put up in town specifically for the Amish. The store was a log cabin with a full porch and rocking chairs that were mostly occupied by tourists.

  “I don’t like to come on a Saturday, but I couldn’t get my tulip bulbs bundled up in time yesterday. Your brother had a young lady over last night and didn’t give me much warning.”

  Gideon tucked his chin under in surprise. “Why didn’t I know about this?”

  His mamm stopped unpacking the bulbs long enough to get his attention. “You’re busy, son.”

  They took the crates packed with her multicolored tulip bulbs until their arms were full. “That’s true, but I’d like to know about occasions like that. I would have made time.”

  “When, with all the chores you do, visits you make, and spending time with Elsie.” She wiped the dirt away as much as she could and started to walk to the store.

  Gideon pushed a chunk of dried mud off one of the bulbs and asked himself if he was using his time wisely. He’d helped a young family whose baby was born prematurely and didn’t have a favorable prognosis from the doctors. Then there was the widow who lost her husband but was doing well with the assistance of her son. He spent time with his dawdi and mammi every week. There were always the deacons who informed him of the community’s needs and his studies. And then there was Elsie.

  “Are you coming?” his mamm called as she stood by the door.

  He took quick steps until he was next to her. “Do you feel I’m neglecting my own family?”

  She reached for the door but stopped at his words. “Nee, you have a calling, son. I don’t know what for exactly, maybe not a minister or deacon, but someone who sees the needs of the community and has the compassion to act on it.” She put a hand up to his cheek. “And it will soon be time for courting. You’ll need to make time for that so you don’t have another year of being alone.”

  Gideon was taken off guard. He wasn’t one of the young men who courted his first year and married, but there were others older than he that hadn’t yet either. And Elsie was younger; this was the first season her daed considered her old enough to court. “What do you mean alone?”

  “There comes a time when family isn’t enough and you need your soul companion.” She smiled, and her dark eyes shone. “You’ve found her. Now take that same spontaneous action you do for others and do it for yourself.” She dropped her hand and opened the door, entering into the bustle of the room while Gideon stood in place taking in her thought-provoking advice.

  He walked into the small store that wasn’t big enough for the owners who ran the place. The growth kept them busy, leaving the farm pretty much up to their grown children. Annie and John Yoder’s bed-and-breakfast and the Byler’s store complemented one another in exchanging business.

  The tourists were out in droves, so he decided to go over to see if John was around. He had become somewhat of a big brother to Gideon, and since all of this business with Elsie had started up, he’d been leaning on John more than ever.

  He didn’t make it into the haus before finding John brushing down his pride and joy, a bay stud that looked to be about eighteen hands. “Good-looking horse.”

  John startled, which made the energetic equine start as well.

  “Gideon, you caught me.” He grinned, having been found out by his friend who could relate completely. The Englishers loved their cars, and the Amish felt the same about a well-bred horse. “What brings you here?”

  Gideon felt awkward but only for a second. He was assuming John knew he wanted to bend his ear about Elsie, in which case he’d be right, but he didn’t want to become an unwelcome guest.

  They walked together to a round pen. “You got Elsie on your mind?” John’s grin told Gideon he was there to listen. He took off the horse’s halter and guided him in the large area. The horse kicked up his hooves and swung his head from side to side. John hung his arms over the fence, and they both watched him in silence.

  “So what’s it like, a wife and two kids . . . ”

  “And one on the way.” John didn’t look at him, just smiled and waited for the slap on his back, which Gideon did with a chuckle.

  “Congratulations. Want a girl this time?”

  “As long as the baby’s healthy, it makes no difference to me.”

  “Well said.”

  “It’ll be you soon enough.” John turned to him. “You having some troubles?”

  “I’m ready. I just hope she is as ready as I am.” That’s what it was, what had been nagging at him. From the beginning of their relationship he was trying to make sure Jake was out of the running and he was in. It wasn’t until this moment he felt their feeling for one another could be mutual.

  John kept his focus on the horse, but Gideon knew he was processing what to say. He was never in a hurry and spoke from the heart. “I’m glad you came over, Gideon, because somebody has to get it into your thick head that it’s time to settle down.”

  Gideon’s heart jumped. “I don’t want to rush anything if she’s not ready.”

  “How do you know that?” John was bold and confident, much like Gideon but even more so. Except he was not so much when it came to Elsie.

  “Nee, I get mixed signals. I don’t know if she thinks anything more of me than a helper and someone to listen.”

  John grinned. “Well, you could come right out and ask her.”

  Gideon didn’t want to take the chance she’d say what he didn’t want to hear. It was safer leaving things be. “I suppose I will sooner or later.”

  They talked on until Gideon turned to go and John walked him out. “Sky is calm today, just a little breeze and sun to grow the crop.”

  John was like a walking weatherman, but he was usually right on the nose. “Good to know.” Gideon took the promising weather along with John’s advice to ask and not to wait. But he didn’t have John’s grit.

  As he got closer to the store, he took note of what the tourists were buying. They sold a little bit of everything but specialized in the roots market. They had basic supplies, but the tourists in town would come on the weekends for the fresh fruit and home-made cheese.

  Gideon was still in a daze when Solomon slapped him on the back. “Solomon!”

  Solomon’s eyebrows shot up. “Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you expect me to be shopping?” He belted out one of his laughs.

  Gideon snapped out of it and knew this meeti
ng wasn’t a coincidence. “Nee, but I’m not surprised to see that deer jerky in your hand.”

  Solomon glanced down at his weakness. “Don’t like to shoot ’em but do like to eat ’em.” He lifted his left cheek into a half grin. He looked around the room. “Are you here alone?”

  Why was everyone asking him about being alone? He was never by himself now that he thought about it. Except for maybe a buggy drive to make a visit or to pick someone up. But he knew exactly what his mamm and Solomon were referring to, and he needed to get past the issues involving the English boys and move on to his relationship with Elsie.

  “I’m helping my mamm.” Gideon waved over to her, and she waved back at them. This was his chance to clear the air and get the heavy load off his chest.

  Solomon nodded his acknowledgment. “I heard some Englishers were driving in the area again. What brings them here without so much as a greeting?”

  Gideon was so shocked to hear Solomon address what he was about to that he waited too long and Solomon spoke again.

  “I hope it’s just that they’re curious and not causing trouble. I can’t figure if they want to know about us or to do us harm. They seem to be curious. I wonder what they find so interesting.” Solomon pulled on his beard as he babbled on. Gideon took in every word as his mind went through what he needed to say.

  “Solomon, can we talk outside?” He turned to go before Solomon had a chance to answer. Solomon was unusually quiet as they walked down the three stairs and to the side of the store as if feeling the seriousness of the moment.

  “Gideon, I don’t know that I can stand hearing anything bad, especially about Elsie.” He paused. “She’s doing well, jah?”

  Gideon’s heart swelled with empathy for this daed, but he had to tell him. The fact that he brought up the subject told Gideon that he may already know something already. After a quick prayer Gideon was given another matter to talk with Solomon about. He thanked God for the insight.

  “Solomon, Elsie and I haven’t been honest with you.”

  Solomon tried to speak, but Gideon held up a hand as it was hard to keep this man from talking.

  “The English you were talking about have approached both Katie and Elsie.” He let that soak in before continuing, watching Solomon’s eyes grow into saucers and a reddish color seep up his chest. “They’ve continued to harass Elsie after Katie left. I’ve spoken with them and talked with Omar about the—”

  Solomon interrupted, “Were they harmed?”

  “Nee, they scared them because they are so forward and like to taunt. Bullies basically, vandals.”

  Solomon rubbed his stubbly face and let out a long breath. “Elsie shouldn’t have been alone to deal with those boys.” His voice was rising with every word he said, enough to gain the attention of a couple of tourists leaving the store.

  “We don’t know exactly what they have done or why,” Gideon said with a hushed tone, trying to quiet the conversation and bring it back into focus. “We hope they’ve stopped. But you should have been told when this first started. It put Elsie in a difficult situation.”

  Solomon stared at Gideon as his eyes glazed over. He took a long while before answering. “Elsie may have been the one who kept it a secret, but she wasn’t the one who made it so.” He took in short amounts of air through his nose and let it out as if to control himself. “Elsie wouldn’t lie to me unless she was made to.”

  Anyone who knew the two girls might come to that conclusion, but it was not for them to judge, unless Solomon knew something he wasn’t telling him. “I understand your disappointment, Solomon, but anger won’t help what’s already passed.”

  Solomon’s breathing slowed, and he lifted his eyes upward. “I hope you never have a prodigal child who doesn’t come back to you, Gideon. And unless you do, you can’t begin to understand what it does to a parent’s heart.”

  He was being corrected, rightly so. It wasn’t the first time, and he was sure he’d be told many things about parenting before he had any children of his own. But this was about Elsie. Solomon should give him credit for knowing at least one of his daughter’s ways.

  “Nee, I don’t know. I hope to never find out with my own children. But I am experiencing it through yours.”

  Solomon nodded in a conceding manner. His eyes narrowed and head lowered. “You know I give you my gratitude for all you’ve done for our family. But I expect even more.”

  Gideon examined his relationships with the Yoder family members and wondered what he was missing that Solomon wanted him to do. “What is it, Solomon?”

  He stared at Gideon long and hard, to the point Gideon thought he may have done something wrong. “Take care of my Elsie.”

  Gideon saw the opportunity to talk with him about the second matter he had on his mind. “I plan to with your permission. That is, I’d like to court her.”

  Solomon’s sensitive side revealed itself in hearing the words. He wiped his eyes and gave Gideon one of his affectionate slaps on the back. “Praise God!” was all he could say.

  Solomon turned abruptly to walk away as Gideon rubbed the sting on his back with appreciation. He felt he had been given a huge task, but it wasn’t anything he hadn’t already been willing to do. Gideon had every intention of courting Elsie if she’d let him. He hoped her feelings for Jake were honestly gone. But she seemed to be more hurt about Katie than Jake, which gave Gideon confidence.

  His mamm and Meredith came out of the store and said their good-byes. Meredith smiled at Gideon as she walked over. “I saw you talking to Solomon and then you both disappeared. Is he out here?” She looked around but didn’t see him.

  “Jah, he’s ready to go home, I think.” Gideon pointed to their large buggy, enough for the whole family to ride in. “I may have upset him. If I did, I apologize.”

  Meredith pursed her lips. “I can’t imagine you upsetting anyone, Gideon, especially Solomon.” She stopped and put a hand on his arm. “Elsie told me about the English boys.”

  Gideon felt as if he was taking his first breath. He knew Elsie wouldn’t be able to tell her daed, but he had hoped she would tell her mamm. “I’m glad she did, and I told Solomon. I hope that was all right.” Right or wrong, it was out, and the decisions were not his alone to make. He was too relieved to let the worries bother him. “You should have been told earlier.”

  Meredith shook her head. “It would just be more of us asking for them to stop and them probably ignoring us or it would entice them to do more.”

  Gideon grunted, knowing he’d missed the mark on the parallel. It was too obvious for him to live out what he’d been learning. Elsie had done better than him in applying what she internalized from the Martyrs Mirror.

  When they reached the buggy, Solomon stepped out and took the bag Meredith held and walked to the back with Gideon.

  “You have a very wise wife, Solomon. I think I’ve found one like her.” He grinned, but Solomon was in no mood after hearing both good and bad news and obviously not knowing what to do with either.

  “Jah, you already have,” he mumbled and lumbered to the front of the buggy.

  Chapter Nineteen

  RACHEL SAT IN a rocking chair next to the couch stitching patches of pastel colors together. Rachel thought they had enough, but Elsie was sure they should have added at least one more color—the one Elsie always wanted to use. “We could add yellow.”

  “Just because it’s your favorite color doesn’t mean we have to use it on every quilt we make.” Rachel stuck her finger with the needle. “Ow! That hurt.” She held the tip of her finger with another one until the bleeding stopped.

  “Are you okay?” Elsie asked, although it was a common occurrence when it came to Rachel sewing. Having all brothers gave her little time to do any more work than necessary. She could mend a sock in no time, but taking the time to sew a quilt was difficult. She was at a disadvantage with no sisters or mamm to help, but she was also stubborn about accepting assistance. She’d give, but she had a hard tim
e receiving.

  “If the thimble didn’t get sweaty, I’d use it.”

  “I thought your brother was making you a wooden one with a soft tip inside at the top.”

  “Jah, me too. He’s too busy with his girl. Every second he has is spent with her. He gets his chores done quickly and does them well so Daed can’t complain. Although I do think Daed feels they are getting serious awful early.” Rachel tested her fingertip and started in sewing. “Although courting will begin and weddings soon after in the fall.”

  While Rachel concentrated on not pricking her finger again, Elsie wondered if she and Gideon were spending too much time together. It seemed to be accepted due to the support Gideon usually gave to any needing comfort. But in Elsie’s case he singled her out and spent time almost exclusively with her.

  “Ach!” Rachel drew her eyebrows together in frustration and pain. “Can I borrow your silver thimble?”

  Elsie could tell she was on her last nerve and didn’t like giving into wearing the confining piece of metal over her finger. “Why don’t you get us some water?” Elsie offered to give her a reprieve that she knew Rachel would appreciate.

  Rachel jumped up and went into the kitchen. “Want me to make something? There’s some peanut butter cookie dough in the cooler.”

  “Jah, with some milk.” Peanuts was a crop they couldn’t grow up north, and Elsie had acquired a taste for them, especially peanut butter.

  As she sat sewing and smelling the aroma of cookies baking, the phone rang. Rachel’s daed kept the phone in a side room that was about the size of a pantry so it wasn’t a temptation for anyone to use unless absolutely necessary. Since the move from Virginia, they had become a little more relaxed about it.

  “Are you going to get the phone, Rachel?” The unfamiliar sound of the ring drew Elsie’s attention. She stood and studied the device she’d only used a few times in her life.

  Rachel walked over to the black phone and picked up the receiver. She held it to her ear and quietly listened then watched Elsie. The whites of her eyes told Elsie it was something important—not the milk truck was having mechanical problems and would be late, or the weather was going to turn bad and to protect the crop. No, this was something unusual.