The Trespasser (Amish Country Brides)

by J. E. B. Spredemann

  “Ach, I had heard of a split in the past, but I never heard the details. That is terrible.”

  “Jah, it was. And that is why I do not think the leaders would approve.”

  Oh, no. He’d feared this could happen but didn’t think it actually would. “I’d hoped to marry this woman. Her dochder is my best friend’s child. He passed away when we were in Rumspringa.” Silas went on to share the verses he’d read with Jerry Bontrager and explained what he’d believed Der Herr had called him to.

  “Rumspringa? So, this woman and your friend, they were not married?”

  “Nee. But I am sure he would have married her if he’d known about the boppli.”

  “This will be yet another obstacle before the leaders. Even more than the fact that she’s Englisch.” The bishop frowned. “I am sorry, Silas. But I don’t think this is going to work out.”

  This was not what he’d wanted to hear. What would he tell Kayla? He couldn’t let her down. He wouldn’t. Not after he’d already made a pledge to oversee her welfare.

  Nee, he had to try harder. “What if I jumped the fence for a time and married in the Englisch world?”

  The bishop’s mouth hung open, and he shook his head. “Ach, Silas! You would consider such a thing? I have never known you to be one to question the ways of our people.” Disappointment laced his words.

  But there were more important matters at stake. “I would. Der Herr has asked me to care for them. It is my duty.”

  “Der Herr guides through your leaders, Silas.”

  “Jah, but He also guides through His Word, ain’t so? And the leaders are not always right.”

  “No, we are not.” The bishop frowned. “You are willing to be shunned because of this Englisch woman and her child?”

  “Jah, I am. I do not wish to be shunned, but if that is what is necessary, then I would have no choice.”

  Jerry Bontrager sighed. “I do not want that for you or your folks. Let me pray about this to see if Gott will guide us to a better solution. I will advise you not to mention this to the other leaders just yet.”

  Silas nodded. “Denki, Bishop. I will certainly pray too.”

  ~

  Silas hadn’t wanted to say anything to Kayla about his conversation with the bishop until he had something concrete to go on. Right now, they would simply continue with life as usual. Not that life had been usual since Kayla and Bailey arrived. Nee, the past few weeks had been anything but. Despite that fact, Silas developed a new routine that included Kayla and Bailey in his daily life. Since he had taken the responsibility of their care upon his shoulders, he made sure to spend an hour or two with them each day, at the very least.

  He’d come to enjoy their time together even more than in the beginning. They would usually eat supper together, have a small Bible study, then spend time outdoors. Occasionally, their time would include a movie or a trip to the store or library or park. Silas had pondered a camping trip with just the three of them, as there were two beautiful state parks nearby, but he decided against it to prevent tongues from wagging. Not that they weren’t already. But he had no desire to fuel the fires of gossip.

  Meanwhile, he waited for the bishop to come up with some sort of solution or suggestion about what steps to take next. Jerry knew Silas was serious about his relationship with Kayla, and if there was a way to prevent him from leaving the church, Jerry would try to find a resolution. He’d been surprised he hadn’t received a visit from the deacon yet. That was a gut thing. He guessed that the bishop may have had something to do with that.

  He brought Emily by a couple of times to play with Bailey, but hesitated to take Kayla and Bailey back to his folks’ home. After Mamm’s reprimand, he didn’t want to subject Kayla to any more discouraging words. He’d been a little surprised at his mother because she usually wasn’t one to stir the pot. Of course, he’d never been involved with an Englischer before either. She was worried, and Silas didn’t blame her. She had much to be worried about, as far as Silas and Kayla’s relationship went. Because, if they couldn’t find a solution within the Amish church, Silas was willing to seek one elsewhere. But for now, he’d be patient and wait for Jerry Bontrager to get back to him.

  Love was longsuffering. He could wait. Although the thought of being married to Kayla did excite him, he wasn’t in a rush to remarry. He attributed that to abstaining from most physical contact. It was a boundary he realized he needed to set up in order to protect their relationship. They’d moved a little too fast at first, so Silas took a step back. No more prolonged embraces or cuddling on the couch. Contact, except for brief instances, would have to be postponed until they moved closer to their wedding date. And right now, Silas had no idea when that might be.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Kayla had known the Amish were different from the rest of society, but she never realized how different. It seemed absurd, to her thinking, that two fully grown adults would need permission to pursue a relationship. But she was determined to be patient.

  Silas had explained many things about the Plain culture to her. She found most of it fascinating, like community support, keeping the old ways, and living off the land. Some things, though, didn’t make much sense. Like the use of cars, for example. In their district, they weren’t allowed to own a motor vehicle. In the next district over, though, they could own cars for business, but they had to hire someone Englisch to drive them. He’d said that some Amish groups even had a designated Amish person from the community who was the driver for that particular district. Then there were some who had permission to drive tractors. And then other more conservative groups who only allowed car travel in case of emergency. And then there were some who could own fancy carriages and others who could only have open-top buggies. Then he explained how the area he was from in Pennsylvania drove gray buggies, but there were also black, white, brown, and yellow carriages too. How was one supposed to keep all that straight? Talk about confusion.

  One thing was certain, her perception of the Amish had changed. While they might seem similar from the outside looking in, that was not the case in reality. There seemed to be no two Amish districts alike. Each district’s rules were determined by past traditions and changes the leadership agreed to.

  Truth be told, she was a little nervous about joining Silas’s faith. Not only would it be challenging to adhere to all the rules, but would she fit in? Would she be welcomed by the other women in the community? Silas assured her that she would, once she was baptized, but she still had misgivings. However, she was willing to try for Silas’s sake. He would be her support.

  After all the time they’d spent together and the relationship they’d been building on daily, she couldn’t imagine him not being a part of her and Bailey’s lives. She’d be devastated if his Amish group forbid them to marry and build a family together.

  She’d expressed her concerns to Silas, and he always came back with the same answer. “Pray. If it is God’s will, He will make a way for us.”

  So, that’s what they’d been doing. When all the answers depended on God’s guidance, it was hard not to pray. It had been foreign to her at first because she hadn’t grown up knowing much about God, but now she’d become comfortable talking to Someone she couldn’t see with her eyes. She no longer denied that it was God’s hand that led her to Silas. That was one fact she was now certain of. And if God had brought her this far, she was confident that He would continue to guide her path.

  Which reminded her of a verse she’d committed to memory since Silas first showed it to her. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

  ~

  Silas had been keeping himself busy working with his father in construction. If he were going to be providing for a family, he’d need to save up as much money as possible. For the past two months, he’d been sending money to Dan Yoder for the rent of his home. That had been his way to provide for Kayla and Bailey for
the time being. Although Kayla thought she’d been paying rent the past two months, Silas had actually been putting it away to return to her later. Because, if his plan didn’t work out somehow, she’d need money. But he was determined to make it work. And if it was indeed Der Herr who had called him to this life, He would see that everything worked out. Still, Silas didn’t plan on having Kayla pay for rent. Nee, that was the man’s job as the provider.

  The moment he realized Jerry Bontrager had arrived, he dropped his sander and went to meet him. He wiped his hands on his work pants and offered his hand to the bishop to shake. “Guten tag, Jerry.”

  The bishop chuckled. “You look like a snowman.”

  Silas rubbed some of the dust from his face and grinned. “Jah, I imagine I probably do.”

  “Would you like to take a short walk?”

  “Sure. Let me tell Daed where I’ll be.”

  Silas notified his father, then went to meet the bishop. They walked down the country lane of the property he’d been working for the last few weeks.

  The bishop finally spoke. “I have contacted a friend of mine, who is a bishop too. We’ve discussed your situation at length, and I think we have come up with a solution.”

  A solution. That sounded promising, didn’t it?

  “I will send you with a letter to my friend, Judah Hostettler. He is a bishop in Pennsylvania. His district is a bit more lax than our own, and I am confident they will allow this thing. He has had successful results in this area in the past. You and your Englisch family will move there for a time while she learns what is necessary to become Amish, goes through instruction, and joins the church. Then, if you wish, I hope you’d move back and join our flock again. The little one could attend our Amish school.” He rubbed his white beard. “I’m thinking you’d be willing to do this rather than the alternative you mentioned. Am I correct?”

  Ach, he’d need to talk to Kayla. This would be a surprise, for sure and certain. “Jah.”

  But…move away? What about Dan Yoder’s home? What about his dreams of owning it? What if he sold it during the time they were in Pennsylvania? He’d have to speak with Brother Yoder as soon as possible. Because, if he was indeed getting married, he’d need a home for his new family. And the Yoders’ place would be perfect. For now, though, he could ask Daed or one of his brothers to take care of the place while he was gone. Dan Yoder wouldn’t have any qualms about that, would he? He surely hoped not.

  “And Judah has agreed to house you while you’re there, so you needn’t worry about a place to rent. I’m sure he’ll put you to work to earn your keep.”

  Silas sighed in relief. Now, he’d just have to pray that Dan Yoder’s home didn’t sell while they were away. Perhaps Brother Yoder would be willing to hold it for them.

  ~

  “Mommy, can I call Mr. Silas my daddy yet?” Bailey looked up from the table where she’d been doing her homework.

  “It’s ‘may I,’ sweetheart. And, no, you may not call Mr. Silas your daddy yet because he isn’t.” Kayla sighed. If, for some reason, things didn’t work out with Silas, Bailey would be devastated. Although Kayla was hopeful for their future, nothing had been set in stone yet. And, as it was, they seemed to be in limbo at the moment. They were at the mercy of his bishop and the Amish church. She didn’t understand a lot of it, but she respected their ways and trusted Silas to have their best interests in mind. She hoped she hadn’t made a mistake in getting Bailey’s hopes up. Or getting her own hopes up.

  “But I want him to be.”

  “I know you do, sweetheart. But he isn’t your daddy yet.”

  “Are you and Mr. Silas going to get married?”

  “We will see.”

  “What happened to my other daddy?” Bailey frowned.

  Kayla blew out a breath. She knew the question would eventually come, but she still didn’t feel prepared to offer an adequate answer. “Your daddy is in Heaven.” At least, she hoped he was.

  “With Jesus? Like Mr. Silas read to us about?

  “Uh-huh.”

  “I like Jesus. Where is Heaven?”

  “I guess it’s way up in the sky.”

  “You mean, past the clouds?”

  “Past the clouds, the stars, the sun, and the moon. It’s too far away to see.”

  “How did my daddy get way up there?”

  Kayla shrugged. “Well, I guess the angels came and got him and took him up there.”

  “Really? Real angels?”

  “Yep. Real angels.” She hoped Bailey didn’t have too many questions because she was not equipped to answer queries of a spiritual nature. Silas was much more adept at that sort of thing. Although, she’d been learning a lot about the ways of God, she still had a long way to go in her personal understanding of the holy.

  Bailey’s head shot up. “Mr. Silas is here!” She jumped from the table and ran to the door.

  The two of them met him outside. He secured Strider to the hitching post.

  Excitement sparkled in his eyes, and she knew something was up. Had he finally heard back from the bishop? Did he have good news?

  He bounced on his heels, then leaned close, and whispered in her ear, “Let’s talk?”

  He crouched down and embraced Bailey. “How was your day?”

  “Gut!” Bailey kissed his cheek.

  Kayla turned to Bailey. “Sweetheart, why don’t you go find Sandy? I’m sure Mr. Silas would like to see him.”

  “Okay.” She skipped off around the side of the house.

  “Let’s sit on the porch swing,” Silas suggested.

  Kayla led the way and they sat hand-in-hand. “What’s going on? You have something to say.”

  “I do.” He smiled. “How do you feel about moving to Pennsylvania for a while?”

  Okay, so now she was confused. The only thing she knew about Pennsylvania was that Josiah’s family lived there. “Pennsylvania? Why?”

  “There is an Amish district there, and the bishop has agreed to instruct you in the ways of our people. He will allow you to be baptized into the Amish church.” He rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb. “And he has agreed to marry us after you join the church.”

  Kayla’s heart soared. “Really?”

  “Yep.”

  “So, they want me to move over there? For how long?”

  “Not you. Us.” He pointed back and forth between them. “Our family.”

  It felt so good to hear those words.

  “I’m not quite sure of all the details yet, but you and Bailey will live with the bishop’s family, and I will stay in their dawdi haus.”

  “For how long?” she asked again.

  “The baptism ceremony will be in the spring, so hopefully that will be enough time for you to learn our ways and go through the classes. Judah Hostettler also wants to counsel us concerning marriage.” Excitement bubbled over in his voice. “We will be married next fall, Gott willing.”

  “Next fall? I was hoping not to have to wait that long.”

  “Ach, it’s a little over a year. It will pass quickly.”

  “Is…is this the district Josiah was from?”

  “Nee. Different part of the state. But being closer might give us an opportunity to visit them. Or for them to visit us.” He briefly squeezed her hand. “I have a very gut feeling about this district. The people there sound wunderbaar.”

  “Well, then what are we waiting for? Let’s start packing.”

  “Next week. You will need to sell your car and give away your Englisch trappings in the meantime.”

  Wow. This was all so sudden. She’d already known to expect that, but the reality of it all upon her now caused a slight panic. “There’s so much to do.”

  “Is there something I can help with?”

  And there was the Silas she’d come to know and love. Always thoughtful. Always helpful. Always kind. It would be wonderful being married to this man. There was nothing she wouldn’t give up to be with him. Letting go of her worldly possessions wou
ld be a small sacrifice in comparison to the joy of having Silas in her life. A husband to love. A father for Bailey. A dream come true.

  “Yes.” She smiled. “I’ll need a kiss.”

  His grin widened and he leaned forward. “I believe I can help with that.”

  ~

  The week following their conversation flew by in a flurry and, before they knew it, they were on their way to Pennsylvania. In just a few more minutes, they’d be arriving in their temporary home town. Butterflies seemed to occupy Kayla’s stomach more often than not lately, with all the changes that had been taking place. But they were good changes. She couldn’t wait to begin this family with Silas. She couldn’t wait for Bailey to be able to officially call Silas “Daddy.” She couldn’t wait for the three of them to be settled in their own home. But all those things would have to wait at least a little while, until she became Amish.

  Upon arriving, they met Bishop Judah Hostettler and his wife, Lydia. They were also introduced to Luke and Brianna Beiler, who would serve as mentors. Brianna had also once been Englisch and assimilated into the Amish way of life. She seemed quite happy with her choice, by the look of it. No doubt, Kayla would have a plethora of questions for her.

  Kayla had been informed that she’d be attending her first Amish church meeting tomorrow. She had yet to attend a meeting in their Indiana district because Silas had thought it would be better to wait until she was a member. She now wondered how much different the church meetings would be here compared to their own. Silas could fill her in on the details.

  While in Indiana, she’d received a visit from Jerry Bontrager, who had asked about her intentions concerning the church. He explained their Ordnung and what would be expected of her as an Amish woman, including her duties as a wife and mother. She had agreed to the church’s requirements, and he’d seemed satisfied with her response. He’d been understanding and kind, but astute as well, she’d thought.