A Baby for Hannah (Hannah's Heart 3) Read online

  Mose wrapped up his thoughts and sat down.

  “Now let us pray,” Bishop John said and a rustling of sound spread through the house. Closing with the Lord’s prayer, Bishop John rose to his feet, and everyone remained standing while he read Scripture. A few of the younger boys shuffled sideways through the tight aisle between the benches to go outside for a short break.

  Bishop John closed the Bible, and with the sound of the people seating themselves, Jake walked slowly forward to where Mose had been standing. He took a deep breath and began.

  “May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with us today. We are all unworthy servants at best, who seek to follow in the footsteps of One who has gone before us. The writer to the Hebrews said that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, and we are. Many have gone before us in this journey to heaven and have left us with great examples to follow.

  “I am reminded this morning of our forefathers who now more than five hundred years ago endured fire, sword, drowning, hunger, separation from their families—all to leave us a heritage worthy of the name of the Lord. They did not think of themselves as better than others nor did they hold themselves up as worthy of the high calling of the gospel.

  “Yet in their humility Da Hah chose to use them to raise the standard of Christianity higher than it had been for many generations. They were the ones who were willing to sacrifice all so that the true gospel of the apostles and prophets could be restored.”

  Jake clasped his hands, and paced slowly back and forth. Bishop John was nodding his head. Mose wasn’t looking at him, but it didn’t really matter as long as Bishop John was happy.

  He paused in the silence and then paced again as he spoke again. “Our forefathers were reformers in their day. They followed in the footsteps of men like Martin Luther and Zwingli, but they wanted to go further than those men desired to go. Our fathers believed that the church should take no part in the state government and that oaths should not be taken in loyalty to anything. That no man needed to swear to make his word believable. That instead our words ought to be believed by virtue of the manner in which we live our lives.

  “And they believed that Luther and Zwingli went too far in correcting the doctrines of the Catholic Church. That, yes, faith was necessary, and Abraham, as the apostle Paul said in Romans, was justified without the works of the law. Yet this is not the same as saying that Abraham was justified by faith alone.

  “The apostle James writing his own letter says clearly that a man is not justified by faith alone, but that faith without works is dead. So our forefathers spoke out against the ungodly lives of the church people around them. They believed that infant baptism was not enough to save a person, but that men needed to repent of their sins, that they needed to live holy lives, and walk in the fear of Da Hah. For this they were persecuted, pursued across most of Europe, and called rebaptizers, and every other evil name their accusers could think of.

  “Finally God opened a way for them to come to this country and to live in peace from those who so hated them. Today it is our calling and duty to uphold the great traditions we have received from these men and to be thankful that we are even counted worthy of the task.”

  Jake slowed down, taking a deep breath. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Bishop John was still nodding. So he must not have said anything out of order. Emboldened, he continued for another thirty minutes, adding to what he had already said and quoting what related Scriptures he could remember.

  For a moment he caught sight of Hannah’s worried face. Oh, if he could only stop and speak with her, but that was not allowed.

  Eventually, Jake said, “I will now close. And I ask for testimony on what has been said. Will Bishop John, Mose, and Menno express themselves? And may God’s blessing be on what they say.”

  Jake sat down, and waited for Bishop John to begin.

  Thirty-Five

  Hannah searched through the stack of bonnets on the table. Jake would soon be waiting for her. He had left the house with his head bowed a few minutes earlier. It was all so confusing. What had happened? Had there been a confrontation between him and Bishop John? Was that why there had been no vote on excommunication? Sure, Bishop John had been firm enough with his warnings, but that was to be expected. And now where was her bonnet?

  “I’ve been waiting for a chance to speak with you,” Betty said, bustling out of the kitchen doorway. “You still look so worried, and nothing bad happened today, so I can’t figure it out.”

  “I guess I just thought something bad was going to happen…but it didn’t,” Hannah said, continuing her search.

  “Well, that just shows how wrong a person can be,” Betty said. “You ought to hear Steve when he starts reminding me of all the times I’m wrong on my predictions. I suppose Jake will have the same story for you this afternoon.”

  “I don’t think so,” Hannah said. “He was the one who told me.”

  “Jake?” Betty asked. “That’s hard to believe, but I guess men can be wrong too. It’s hard to imagine Jake being wrong though, what with the sermon he gave today. In all my life, I must say, I haven’t heard such preaching, and from such a young man. I know Bishop John was just sitting there happy right down to the bottom of his Sunday shoes. He must be so glad to have such a gut minister who can help him so handily.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Hannah said. “But Jake will be waiting for me. He left the house awhile ago, and I can’t find my bonnet.”

  “Oh,” Betty said, reaching into the pile. “Well, here it is. You must be really distracted today.”

  “I guess I am,” Hannah said, trying to smile.

  “It’s the baby, isn’t it?” Betty said, taking Hannah’s arm. “Is it serious? You’re surely not going to lose the bobli again? Have you been to see the doctor lately?”

  “I’m going this week,” Hannah said. “But I don’t think that’s the problem.”

  “Trouble comes when we least expect it. You shouldn’t let down your guard, Hannah, even when the doctors tell us everything is going well.”

  “I’m going more by what I feel, even if the doctor tells me everything’s okay. I haven’t forgotten the last time.”

  “Why don’t you stop by this week on your way to the doctor’s?” Betty asked, her face brightening. “It would be so great to see you, and we could talk for longer without being interrupted.”

  “I’d like that,” Hannah said, slipping her bonnet over her head, and moving toward the door. “But I really have to be going. Jake’s waiting.”

  “Remember that I don’t approve of Miriam’s doings tonight, but I’m turning a blind eye,” Betty said, following Hannah through the washroom. “You take care now.”

  “I’ll tell her,” Hannah said, laughing softly. “But I don’t think she will listen.”

  “I don’t think so either,” Betty said. “So I guess we have to live with the girl, even if she messes up her life. What a shame that will be, and what is an even greater shame is that it will happen in Montana under my roof. Your mom will never forgive me.”

  “We made it through my problems,” Hannah said over her shoulder.

  Betty smiled and waved.

  When Hannah came around the corner of the house, Jake was already waiting at the end of the walks. Mosey’s head was hanging down almost to the ground. Hannah pulled herself up the buggy step and settled in beside Jake. It was so gut to sit beside him again, and she pulled his arm tightly against her side.

  “I won’t be able to drive like that,” he said, slapping the reins with his free arm.

  “What happened, Jake? Please tell me before I pass out. It’s only been Betty’s wild chatter that’s been keeping my mind off you.”

  “I guess Da Hah chose to have mercy on me,” Jake said, turning Mosey left onto the blacktop road.

  “You’ll have to tell me more than that.”

  “Old Menno Troyer visited Mose late last night. He had apparently heard about the upcomin
g vote and objected to it. Bishop John didn’t want to proceed with him opposed.”

  “Just like that and it was over?”

  “Not really,” Jake said, urging Mosey on. “It’s never over that easily, but I think Bishop John liked my sermon today, so that’s gut.”

  “Who wouldn’t?” Hannah said, pulling on his arm again. Jake laughed and put his arm around her shoulder.

  “Mose wanted to know if I was only staying Amish because you were opposed to us joining the Mennonites,” Jake said, glancing sideways at her.

  “Surely you straightened him out on that,” Hannah said, nestling against him.

  “I tried but there’s only so much a person can do. I don’t think good sermons are helping much either.”

  “Then preach bad ones. I don’t care. Maybe Betty would stop gushing about them.”

  Jake laughed again, the sound filling the buggy.

  “It’s gut to hear you laugh,” Hannah said, looking up at Jake’s face. “I thought we’d never laugh again.”

  “I know. Even I was afraid this time. I suppose troubles will come back again, like they always do, but they seem gone for right now.”

  “I know,” Hannah said, taking a deep breath. “I think we need to enjoy ourselves a little. Do you want to go back for the hymn sing tonight?”

  Jake looked at her. “You must think we’re still young.”

  “Well, we are. We don’t even have our first bobli yet.”

  “It won’t be long now,” Jake said, as he turned into their lane. “You’ve started to show.”

  “I know. I’ve stopped serving tables on Sundays. It doesn’t seem in order.”

  “But you look okay,” Jake said, pulling up to the barn.

  Hannah smiled as she climbed down and helped him unhitch. She waited by the buggy while he led Mosey into the barn. Taking his hand when he returned, she walked with him toward the cabin.

  “My, my,” Jake said. “You really must think we’re still young. Holding hands and all.”

  “Well, it’s about time we held hands again, don’t you think? And what about going to the hymn singing tonight? Will you take me?”

  “Why not!” Jake exclaimed, holding the cabin door open for her. “And what about popcorn this afternoon like the old folks do? And then we’ll go to the hymn sing.”

  “I have the food made for tonight, so that’s not a problem.”

  “Food made? What’s going on tonight that requires food?” Jake asked, sitting on the couch with a long sigh. “Visitors?”

  “Miriam’s coming over with Dennis for her date.”

  “Oh yes, I forgot about that.”

  “We’ll patch things up with Betty later. What’s important now is that Miriam has a decent, relaxed place to have her dates.”

  Jake sighed. “I’ll leave such things to you. I have enough troubles without worrying about dates. Just bring me the popcorn, and I’ll be happy.”

  “You could help me. It’s not easy making popcorn on a woodstove.”

  Jake jumped up from the couch and followed Hannah into the kitchen. “For a woman who once blew up her kitchen, you’ve come a long way,” Jake said.

  “You shouldn’t bring up my past. It’s not nice. Even Betty knows that.”

  “I know.” Jake struck a match and lit the kindling in the firebox. “And it’s high time I build that new cabin and get a gas stove for you—and a refrigerator. I think we can afford it now.”

  “I see you still know how to light a fire.”

  “So you think I’ve forgotten? That would be really nasty—making my wife work with a woodstove I didn’t know how to light.”

  “I like my woodstove, and the new cabin can wait until after the baby comes. Really it can, Jake.”

  “I’m at least getting the foundation in this fall yet,” Jake said, adding more wood to the fire. “I’m determined. That way the new home might get done by early next summer, since we don’t have as many nice days to work with around here like they do in the East.”

  “It’s okay with me,” Hannah said, pouring a cup of popcorn into the popcorn maker. “What will it be like?”

  “It’ll be really nice,” Jake said, waving his hands around in description. “I don’t know exactly how big, but there’s a dealer up near Kalispell. I might write to him for plans. Do you have any suggestions on what you want?”

  “Kalispell,” Hannah said, shivering. “Isn’t that where the Mennonite church is that Ben and Sylvia Stoll attend?”

  “Jah, but let’s not think about church things today, even if it’s Sunday. I feel like I’ve been doing church work all week.”

  “But the tent meetings are going on all week yet, aren’t they?”

  “Jah, but I don’t want to think about that either.”

  “Do you think we’ll lose more people—other than Will and Rebecca and Mary?”

  “I hope not, but can we talk about something else? Please?”

  “Jah, of course,” Hannah said, smiling gently. “I guess I’m still a little strung out. My nerves will settle down before long.”

  Hannah moved the popcorn maker over the glowing oven lid.

  “Think about our cabin,” Jake whispered in her ear, holding his hands over hers on the handle.

  “I’ll blow up my kitchen again with you helping this way,” she said, laughing softly.

  “Only the popcorn maker will blow up, and then we’ll have soft white kernels all over the place. How bad can that be?”

  “So which one of us is going to turn the handle?”

  “I think I will,” Jake said, pushing her fingers out of the way. “Maybe the kitchen won’t blow up that way.”

  “You’re awfully full of yourself,” she said into his beard.

  “So tell me about the cabin,” he whispered back, slowly turning the handle.

  “I want the cabin to be big,” she said. “Full and roomy on the inside, with great soaring cathedral ceilings in the main room.”

  “That doesn’t sound very Amish.”

  “I know. That’s why it’s going to be big but decent. There’s going to be lots of room for our children. And an upstairs loft with bedrooms and a bath.”

  “That sounds plain to me.”

  “Isn’t that what we are?”

  “Jah, but I want something nice for you.”

  “A refrigerator and a gas stove will be plenty, Jake. And really we don’t have to do anything. I’m happy here. Perfectly happy here. Don’t I have you?”

  “And soon our bobli.”

  “Jah, and isn’t that enough?”

  “I’m still building the cabin. This one is way too small.”

  “Maybe Bishop John was right?”

  “Bishop John?” he said as the popcorn began pinging against the metal popper.

  “He said you are very stubborn.”

  Thirty-Six

  Hannah hitched Mosey to the buggy, pausing as the sound of Mr. Brunson’s truck came down the graveled lane. She waited, wondering if Mr. Brunson would stop in and speak with her—or was he uncomfortable now that his relationship with Mary had turned serious?

  As Mr. Brunson came into view, Hannah waved. Mr. Brunson waved back, slowing down a little. Hannah caught sight of his face. He looked happy, but he didn’t stop.

  Climbing into the buggy, Hannah guided Mosey down the lane and turned toward Libby at the blacktop road. Great fluffy clouds filled the skyline above the mountain range, diluting the raggedness of the peaks. The clouds were moving slowly to the south. They glided along as if pushed by the hand of Da Hah, although the science book in school had said wind currents were responsible for cloud movements. Was Da Hah perhaps like that? Hiding His hand behind the natural things of the world?

  Hannah sighed. Was He trying to move Jake and her in some direction with the events of the past weeks? If He was, they didn’t seem to be moving much. Trying to survive was more like it. If old Menno Troyer hadn’t spoken up, who knows what action Bishop John might have taken
against Jake. Yet Bishop John had a kind heart, didn’t he? Maybe he would have come to the same conclusion on his own.

  Mosey shook his head, as the tugs tightened on the slight uphill climb past Betty’s place. Hannah almost pulled back on the lines. No one was working at the barn, but it was still early. Should she stop in? But the conversation might take longer than she had time for. The questions would have to wait until after the appointment with Dr. Lisa. Had any new people from the community been attending the tent meetings this week? Jake hadn’t been told of any, but that didn’t mean anything. Betty likely would hear of it first.

  Hannah drove on thinking how Jake had been burdened all week, even with the gut news from Sunday. Hannah tightened the reins as the tent came into view, its canvas sides moving slowly in the wind. Did Da Hah also move with His hand behind those flimsy walls? Had Mary done the right thing in agreeing to join the Mennonites, even if she was in love with Mr. Brunson?

  Perhaps things looked differently once one was older, but still that would be an awful big change to make. Mosey turned his head to look at the tent, staring for long moments.

  “They’ll be gone soon,” Hannah said out loud. “Really soon, and I can’t wait. Jake has already suffered enough.”

  Mosey shook his head, turning to look at the other side of the road.

  “I know,” Hannah said. “I can’t stand the sight of the tent either. I wish they had never come here, but they did, and now we all have to deal with the mess.”

  Hannah jumped at the loud honking of an automobile horn behind her buggy and jerked back on the reins. Mosey slowed down, but didn’t come to a stop. With a loud roar of the engine, a dark blue pickup swung around the buggy, the young teenage boy who was driving waving wildly. He turned around briefly to look back, a big smirk on his face. Hannah took a deep breath as she turned into Dr. Lisa’s parking lot and pulled her horse to a stop. She sat for a long moment in the buggy without moving. Was it true what her people said? That the Mennonites were simply a step out into the world? Would Mary Keim and Will and Rebecca Riley end up among the Englisha? Were their young folks slated for the fate of the rude young boy who roared past buggies and considered it a great joke?