Annie looked at Sarah with sorrow. “Oh,” she said softly. “I see.”
“Jah. Great, isn’t it? I’m supposed to be here for months, and they don’t want me here.”
“Nee, I’m sure that’s not true,” Annie interjected.
“Save your reassurances,” Sarah said. “I get it. They don’t want me poisoning their daughters’ minds.”
“Ach, Sarah. How you phrase things. I’m sure it’s not true.”
“It is too, Annie, and you know it. Why Dat thought this would work out is beyond me.”
A look of fear covered Annie’s face. “But it will work out. Everything’s going to be fine. You’ll see.”
Sarah studied her sister. Annie wanted her baby badly. So whether Annie was concerned for her right then or only for the baby was anyone’s guess.
Sarah figured Annie’s concern was mainly about the baby. Getting it born safely and back to Hollybrook where Annie would set up a nursery in the daadi haus. And then, for the rest of time, Annie and Amos could fuss over the baby like it was theirs.
Which it would be, according to Dat. A wave of determination surged through Sarah. The sooner she called Eric the better.
“Come on,” Sarah said. “Let’s go on that walk.”
“Pin your hair back up first, Sarah.”
With a sigh, Sarah twisted her curls back into a tight bun and pinned her kapp in place. Annie followed her out of the bedroom and back downstairs. Neither of them mentioned taking the girls with them. Isabel waved them off, assuring them that the next day was soon enough to start helping with the chores.
The air was crisp, and Sarah pulled her cape around herself more tightly. Annie wore a black coat and a scarf. Sarah was glad to see it as she knew Annie chilled more easily than most; she always had.
“Do you want my scarf?” Annie asked her.
“Nee. You need it more than I do.”
“But I don’t want you taking cold.” Annie shivered. “I didn’t realize it was so bitter, or I might not have suggested a walk.”
“It’s gut to get out,” Sarah insisted. She scanned the fallow fields, searching for a phone shanty. Nothing so far, but there was a bend in the road ahead. Perhaps, she’d see one tucked around the corner.
She kicked a stone on the road, and it skittered ahead of them. She continued to kick it until they rounded the curve. And there, standing like an open invitation, was a phone shanty. Sarah bit her lip to contain her excitement. It wasn’t even that far from her cousin’s house. She glanced around. There were two farmhouses within sight, but both were somewhat obscured by large trees in their yards. Sarah smiled. It wasn’t going to be hard at all to make a call to Eric.
“Shall we head back?” she suggested.
Annie blew out her breath, making a puff of white mist. “Jah, let’s. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Sarah laughed, her mood immeasurably lifted. “Maybe it won’t be so bad here after all.”
Annie glanced at her. “Really? I’m glad to hear you say that. And being with Isabel’s whole family will be wonderful gut.”
Sarah hadn’t thought beyond Isabel, her husband, or their four girls. For some reason, she forgot other relatives were living in Acre’s Corner. There were other cousins, her aunt and uncle, plus, her uncle’s younger brother. She supposed they all knew her sordid story.
“If we hurry, we can help Isabel prepare supper.”
“She told us not to worry about chores today,” Sarah said. “Slow down, Annie. We don’t need to run.”
Truth be told, Sarah felt like running herself. The sooner she could get rid of Annie, the sooner she could sneak back and use the phone. She wasn’t foolish, though. She knew that two Amish strangers running down the road would call attention faster than standing atop a chair at a preaching service.
She grabbed Annie’s arm to slow her down, and the two of them walked with perfect decorum back to Isabel’s house.
Chapter Two
Sarah bided her time until the entire family had retired to the front room to play board games. Of course, the little ones played their own version on the floor, which basically meant Isabel fussing at the girls to keep them from chewing or even eating any of the checkers.
“You’ll join us?” Annie asked Sarah, getting up from the couch and coming to her.
“Nee. I think I might take a rest.”
Annie immediately looked concerned, but Sarah reassured her. “Quit fretting, Annie. I just want to lie down a bit.”
Annie gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I can’t help but fret, but I’ll do better at controlling myself. You’ll see. I promise. Have a good rest then.”
Annie went back in to rejoin the family. Sarah hung about a minute, making sure everyone was involved and well settled. Then she crept to the side washroom and slipped on her cape. She saw a flashlight hanging on a peg and grabbed it. With cat-like movements, she opened the side door and tiptoed outside. She shut the door behind her carefully and headed down the gravel path to the street. She didn’t dare turn on the flashlight until she was well on her way. The last thing she wanted was someone in the house to notice her light bobbing its way down the road.
Once out of sight of the house, she increased her pace, flipping on the light and staying to the edge of the road. There were no cars about, and even better, no buggies. She wasn’t keen on answering anyone’s questions that evening. It took her fifteen minutes to arrive at the shanty. She looked furtively around but saw no one.
The wooden door creaked as she opened it and stepped inside. The small space was cold and still and gave her an empty feeling. She shuddered and scolded herself for being silly. Why should a person feel lonesome just because they were standing in a phone shanty?
But Sarah knew the shanty had nothing to do with it. She was in Ohio with relatives who didn’t want her there. She was carrying the child of the boy she loved with all her heart. She was being forced to give her baby away. An overwhelming feeling of sadness enveloped her, and she sucked in air, leaning hard against the back wall of the shanty. She allowed herself a minute to despair and then she straightened her shoulders and shined the flashlight on the phone.
It was a regular telephone, no coins required. She wondered whether she should leave some money on the small wooden shelf after she made her call. She wasn’t of the mind to use the phone and create a long distance charge without paying for it. But if she left money there, it would be found, and the questions would start. It wouldn’t be long before it was discovered that she was the one who had used the phone.
Leaving money was out of the question. Feeling beholden to the neighbors who provided the phone, she picked up the receiver. She knew Eric’s cell number by heart, and he’d told her to be sure to include the first three numbers of his area code and to press the number one first. Which she did. In seconds, his phone was ringing.
“Hello?”
“Eric!”
There was a shuffling noise. “Sarah? Is that you?”
“It’s me.” Tears filled her eyes as she heard his warm, deep voice.
“Where are you? Did you get to Ohio?”
She clasped the phone, cupping the speaking end around her mouth like a hug. “I’m in Ohio.”
“But whose phone are you using?”
“I’m in a phone shanty not far from my cousin’s house. It didn’t take me long at all to get here.”
“Does your sister know you’re calling?”
“Nee! Of course not! She’d be upset.”
“Give me a sec…”
Sarah heard more shuffling and a door slam.
“Okay. I’m in my room now.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. More important, how are you?”
Tears slid down her cheeks when she heard the concern and love in his voice.
“I’m okay. Did you tell your parents?”
“No way. Not until it’s done.”
“But how can we do it? I thought you
said it wasn’t legal.”
“We’ll lie, that’s how.”
Sarah gripped the phone more tightly. “But … lying? I don’t know…” Sarah gulped past the lump in her throat. Why was she so worried about lying when she’d already broken the biggest rule of all? It made no sense. Yet in her mind, she saw her dat’s censuring eye.
“It’s the only way,” Eric continued. “And I’m eighteen.”
“But I’m not.”
“I know.” Eric was silent for a moment before continuing. “But you’re seventeen, so I think we’ll be okay. Did you know a person in Indiana can get married at fifteen?”
“How do you even know that?”
“I looked it up on the Internet.” He paused. “But you need your parents’ consent.”
Sarah blew out her breath. “Then, it’s impossible.”
“Nothing’s impossible, Sarah. Nothing. Don’t you forget that.”
“But they’ll never sign.”
“Then we’ll forge their names.”
“Eric—”
“You want to be with me, don’t you?”
“More than anything,” she answered in a whisper. Her fingers were clammy around the phone.
“Then trust me. I’ll figure it all out. We’ll be married, and then we’ll tell my folks. They’ll come around. They’re nice people, Sarah.”
Sarah’s stomach gurgled, and she felt a tightness move through her. Lying and now forging her parents’ names? She would be rejected forever. Forever.
Is that what she wanted? She couldn’t be shunned since she hadn’t yet joined church. But this would be the same thing without the label. For sure and for certain. Forging ahead would cut her off from her family for all time.
“You still there?” came Eric’s voice.
“Jah,” she murmured. Her mind spun with the ramifications.
“Tell me exactly where you are.”
She looked around the dark fields and then peered upward through the shanty’s window into the clear night sky. It was odd to think that she was gazing at the same stars that were shining down on her home in Hollybrook at the very same moment. “I’ll get you the street address tomorrow,” she said. “I’ll look on the mailbox. Or Annie has Isabel’s address written down. I saw her show the paper to the driver.”
“Okay. You might have to give me till the weekend, but I’ll come for you, okay?”
She nodded, crying again, but unsure why. Eric was coming for her. Isn’t that what she wanted? He’d take care of her. They could keep their baby and raise it together.
“You’ll call me tomorrow then?”
“Jah, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“I love you, Sarah.”
Her breath went jagged as she closed her eyes and let his words wash over her. “I love you, too,” she choked out.
She hung up the phone, placing the receiver slowly back in its cradle. She shifted her weight and the flashlight slipped off the shelf and clunked to the floor. She bent down, her hand shaking as she retrieved it. She pushed out from the shanty and hurried back to the road. She prayed Annie hadn’t discovered her absence. If she found out, it would make everything so much harder.
She walked quickly, her heavy black shoes beating out a muffled rhythm on the asphalt road. With every step she took, she saw the image of her dat staring at her with infinite sadness in his eyes.
Sarah slipped in the side door, rehung the flashlight, and shed her cape, placing it firmly on the waiting peg. She took a few tentative steps through the kitchen, pausing in the doorframe. She heard laughter and animated chatting coming from the front room. She let out her breath. Good. They were still in there, and hopefully none the wiser that she had sneaked out.
She continued through the dining area and was about to head up the stairs when Annie called out from the front room.
“Sarah? Is that you? Are you up?”
Sarah stopped, her heart pounding. She took a slow, deep breath and walked into the front room. “Jah, it’s me.”
“Did you have a good rest? Do you need anything?”
Sarah shook her head.
“Were you in the kitchen? Are you hungry?”
She shook her head again. “Just thirsty. I wanted a drink of water.”
“All right. Do you want to join us?”
Sarah gave a weak smile. Was she to become a habitual liar now? How easily the false words slithered from her lips. “Nee. But thanks.”
Annie’s head lowered a moment before she put on a cheery expression. “Okay. Do you want me to check in on you before I go to bed?”
Sarah’s lips puckered with annoyance. She hardly needed a babysitter. “I’m fine,” she said, more harshly than she intended.
Both Isabel and Andrew shifted in their chairs. Sarah saw the look of judgement on their faces as they glanced at each other and then at her. She widened her eyes and her lips curled into a tight smile. You can do this, Sarah.
“Ach, that sounded rude,” she said, injecting warmth into her tone. “I’m a bit tired. I’ll see all of you in the morning.”
Annie visibly relaxed. “Sleep well, our Sarah.”
Sarah nodded, her feet itching to get out of there. She turned and fled up the stairs. In her room, she unpacked a few items of clothing. It wouldn’t do for her to keep everything packed—Annie would wonder. So she set some of her things conspicuously on the top of the dresser and hung others on the pegs. Of course, she left her Englisch clothes hidden in the bottom of her bag.
She changed into her nightgown, aware of each creaking board as she moved about the room. At least she hadn’t lied about being tired. She was so exhausted that her nerves throbbed. Within moments, she’d snuffed out the lantern and snuggled deeply into bed. She and Eric would have to make detailed plans. He couldn’t just drive up to the porch and pick her up.
Eric. Eric. Eric. She couldn’t wait to see him again. She thought of his deep gray eyes and the way his lips quivered before turning up in a smile. She thought of the way he said her name, as if it were a caress. She thought of… She couldn’t go on, her mind had become fuzzy and sleep couldn’t be denied any longer.
"Sarah?" Annie stood over her bed and said her name gently.
Sarah stirred and then bolted into a sitting position. “What? What’s happened?”
Annie touched her shoulder. “Nothing. Everything’s fine.”
“Then what are you doing in here?” Sarah pressed her hands to her chest. Her heart was racing as if she’d been pulled from a runaway horse.
“Ach, I’m sorry to startle you, but it’s time to rise. Isabel’s been up for a while, and we need to go help her.”
Sarah worked to slow her breathing. “I thought something had happened,” she muttered.
“Nee. But we have to earn our keep here, Sarah.”
Sarah shoved the covers off her legs. “I know that.”
“So, you’ll be down soon?” Annie asked.
Sarah looked at her sister in the dim morning light. “I’ll be down.”
Annie left the room. Sarah stared at the closed door and blew out her breath. She’d been in a deep sleep and now felt disoriented. Hanging her legs over the side of the bed, she felt the cold floor with her feet. She ran her toes over the smooth wood until she felt steady enough to get up. She shook her head. She’d never been one to sleep in, so it was odd that Annie had been forced to awaken her. Was sleeping too long a symptom of pregnancy?
She stood and thrust her shoulders back in a stiff stance. When did pregnancy begin to show? She looked down at her shadowy silhouette. Her stomach was still mostly flat. It was hard to believe that inside there was a child growing. A child who would arrive in mere months. A child who would need love and care and safety.
Sarah ran her hands over her stomach. “I’m going to take care of you, little one. You’ll see. I’ll be the best mama you could ever have. Me and Eric. We’ll take care of you,” she whispered.
As she spoke to her baby, she was aware
that right downstairs was her sister Annie, probably bustling about the kitchen helping Isabel. Annie—who thought she was going to raise the baby. Annie—who thought she was going to be the baby’s mama.
A twinge of regret yanked at Sarah’s conscience. She hated to take the baby from her sister, she truly did. But it wasn’t Annie’s baby. It was hers. Still, the regret remained. She knew how badly Annie wanted a boppli. How odd that God had given one to her instead.
She shuddered. Had God given her this baby? Or had sin given her this baby? She frowned. Sometimes, she didn’t know what to think.
She looked down at her stomach. “Either way, it’s not your fault, is it?” she asked. She stood still for a long moment, as if expecting the baby to answer.
Sarah watched all day, waiting for a chance to sneak off to the phone shanty, but it seemed that every time she turned around, Annie was there. Not exactly hovering, but there all the same.
“I may take a walk later,” Sarah said during the late afternoon.
“I’ll be happy to come with you,” Annie offered.
“It’s cold out. I know how you get.” Sarah smiled. “I’ll go by myself.”
Annie grimaced. “It’s not that cold. I’d like to come. I don’t think you should be walking around by yourself.”
“Why ever not? I’m perfectly capable of taking a walk without your help.”
“I know that. I just … well, I told Mamm that I would—”
“What?” Sarah interrupted. “That you wouldn’t let me out of your sight? Is that what you told her?”
“Of course not,” Annie said, sounding annoyed. “I just told her I’d watch out for you. And how can I watch out for you if you’re not in my sight?”
Sarah plopped down onto a dining room chair. “So you’re planning to watch me for the next six months? I won’t be able to do anything without you?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Annie said, looking deflated. “I just want to make sure you’re all right.”
“You mean you want to be sure the baby’s all right? Isn’t that the real truth?” Sarah knew she’d gone too far the instant the words were out of her mouth.
Amish Romance: Annie's Story: Three Book Box Set Page 7
