The Rebel by Marta Perry

Author:Marta Perry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-03-22T11:14:53+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lancaster County, Spring 1960

Reuben sat next to his brother in the buggy, trying to clear his mind for the zoning meeting ahead of them. He glanced back. Theirs was only one of a long line of Amish carriages moving along the two-lane township road toward the fire hall where the meeting would be held.

“Looks almost like a church Sunday, ain’t so?” Isaac said, jerking his head toward the lineup behind them. “Hope nobody’s in a hurry this evening.”

“You did a fine job of passing the word about the meeting and getting the Leit to show up.”

Isaac had worked hard. Reuben just wished he could believe it was going to make a difference to the outcome.

“Denke.” Isaac looked almost surprised.

Was it that rare for him to say something positive to his little brother? He’d been so preoccupied with his own worries that he hadn’t spared much thought for other people, it seemed. He’d have to do better.

He glanced at his brother, but Isaac seemed preoccupied, frowning at the horse in front of him as if he didn’t see it. Was he worrying about the outcome of the meeting? Or maybe he was afraid he’d be called upon to speak. None of them wanted to push themselves forward or draw attention to themselves, but there was little point in going to the meeting if they didn’t make their concerns known.

Isaac cleared his throat. “Is . . . um, is Elizabeth feeling any better?”

“She’s all right.” The words came out too sharply for anyone to believe them, including him. Elizabeth wasn’t all right. She was upset and struggling.

That was part of the problem with so many adults living in the same house. Everybody knew what was going on. He and Elizabeth would be better off on their own. And the least he could do was keep from snapping at his brother.

“You know she doesn’t want to move away.” It was his turn to stare straight ahead, reluctant to see his brother’s face. “It’s hard for her to accept the idea that we might have to.”

Isaac nodded. “Kind of makes me feel bad that Becky and I get to stay on the farm.”

“No need for you to feel that way,” Reuben said quickly. “It’s the sensible thing to do. Daad will want to keep working for a few more years anyway. You know it as well as I do.”

A grin split Isaac’s ruddy face. “The problem will be to get him to slow down when he needs to.”

Reuben couldn’t help smiling at that idea. “Daad and Mamm both. Somehow I don’t see them retiring to a grossdaadi haus any time soon.”

“No. Well, I wouldn’t want them to, and neither does Becky. She always says she’ll be wonderful glad to have Mamm there when babies start coming along.”

Reuben felt himself tensing at the mention of babies. The whole subject had become like a sore tooth—just made worse by poking at it.

“So what do you think will happen at the zoning board meeting?” It was an abrupt change of subject, but he couldn’t go on talking about something so sensitive.

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