LITMIR.BIZ

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      Mrs. Morgan looked around fearfully and moved closer to Bethany. “Are you saying that the boys played hooky today?”

      “I don’t know that word.”

      “Hooky? It means they skipped school without permission.”

      “Then ja, they played hooky.”

      Mrs. Morgan looked toward the house at the sound of the front door opening. Mr. Morgan stepped out. Jeffrey’s mother leaned closer. “Don’t tell my husband about this. I will speak to Jeffrey.”

      Puzzled by her fearful reaction, Bethany nodded. “Please send Ivan home if you see him.”

      “I will.”

      Bethany waved to Mr. Morgan. He didn’t return the gesture. She got in her buggy and left. Where were those boys and what were they up to?

      Bethany arrived home just after noon. She parked the buggy by the barn and stabled her horse. She wasn’t any closer to finding her brother or figuring out what he was up to. As she came out of the barn, a car horn sounded. She glanced toward the county road that ran past her lane. Frank Pearson’s long white passenger van turned off the blacktop and into her drive. Frank was the pastor of a Mennonite congregation a few miles away. He and her grandfather had become good friends. Frank used to visit weekly for a game of chess and to swap fishing stories.

      Frank pulled up beside her and rolled down his window. “Good day, Bethany.”

      “Hello, Frank. Would you like to come in for some coffee?”

      “I’m afraid I don’t have time today. I have my bereavement support group meeting in twenty minutes. I just stopped in to see how you’re getting along and to invite you and your family to attend one of our meetings when you are ready. It doesn’t matter what faith you belong to or even if you are a nonbeliever. We all grieve when we lose loved ones.”

      “Danki, Frank. I don’t think it’s for me.”

      “If you change your mind, you’re always welcome to join us. Please let me know if you need help with anything. I miss Elijah, but I know my grief is nothing compared to yours. I promised him I’d check in on you.”

      “Our congregation here is small, but we have been well looked after.”

      “I’m glad to hear it. I’ll stop by again in a few days and stay awhile.”

      Maybe Frank could reach Ivan. “Why don’t you come to dinner on Sunday? I know Ivan and Jenny would enjoy seeing you again. Maybe you can interest Ivan in learning to play chess.”

      “You know, I believe I will. Your cooking is too good to resist. Thanks for the invite.”

      “You are always welcome here.”

      After Frank drove away, Bethany headed for her front door. The smell of warm yeasty dough rising greeted her as she entered the house. Gemma was busy kneading dough at the table. Bethany pulled off her coat and straightened her prayer kapp. “What are you doing here again so soon? I thought you said tomorrow?”

      “What does it look like I’m doing?”

      “It looks like you are making a mess in my kitchen.”

      Gemma giggled as she surveyed the stack of bowls, pans and the flour-covered table. “It does, doesn’t it?” She punched down the dough in a second bowl and dumped it onto a floured tabletop.

      “Why are you baking bread in my kitchen?”

      “Because you didn’t have any. I realized on my way home this morning that the least I could do for a friend was to remedy that.”

      “I appreciate the gesture but why not bake it at your home and bring the loaves here.”

      “I didn’t want to mess up my kitchen. I just finished washing the floor.” Gemma looked at her and winked. “Where have you been, anyway?”

      Should she confide in Gemma about Ivan’s recent actions and Jedidiah’s accusations? Once more Bethany wished her grandfather were still alive. He would know what to do with the boy. She hung her coat on one of the pegs by the kitchen door. “It’s a long story.”

      Gemma looked up. “Oh?”

      Bethany went to the far cabinet and pulled out a cup and saucer. She felt the need of some bracing hot tea. “Jedidiah came by earlier. He accused Ivan of stealing two bags of potatoes and a bag of beans from his cellar.”

      Gemma spun around, outrage written across her face. “He did what?”

      “He said Ivan stole those items and he had proof because Ivan sold some of the potatoes to the grocer this morning.”

      “I don’t believe it. I know Ivan has been difficult at times, but he is not a thief.”

      Bethany filled her cup with hot water from the teakettle on the back of the stove. “That’s what I said. I went to the school to hear Ivan’s side of the story.”

      “And?”

      “And he wasn’t at school. He hasn’t been to school all week. He forged a letter from me telling the teacher that he is out sick.” Bethany opened a tea bag, added it to her cup and carried it to the kitchen table, where she sat down.

      After a long moment of stunned silence, Gemma came to sit across from her. “You poor thing. Still, that doesn’t mean he stole from Jedidiah.”

      “It doesn’t prove he didn’t. And it certainly doesn’t speak well of his character. Jedidiah went straight to Bishop Schultz with the story. I had hoped to speak with the bishop, too, but he is gone to Unity until Wednesday. I don’t know how I’ll ever convince him to let Ivan remain with us now. What is wrong with my brother? How have I failed him?”

      Had Ivan inherited his father’s restlessness and his refusal to shoulder his responsibilities? She prayed that wasn’t the case.

      Gemma reached across the table and laid a comforting hand on Bethany’s arm. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea things had progressed to this degree of seriousness. He’s always been a little willful, but this is unacceptable behavior and it is his own doing. Bethany, you did not fail him.”

      “Danki.” Bethany appreciated Gemma’s attempt to comfort her.

      Gemma returned to the other end of the table and began dividing the dough into bread pans. “You’ll simply have to talk to the boy and tell him what the bishop has planned. Perhaps that will convince him to mend his ways.”

      “I hope you are right. Christmas is only five weeks away. I don’t know if a change in Ivan’s behavior now will be enough to convince Onkel Harvey and the bishop that he should stay with us. Stealing is a serious offense.”

      Bethany had lost so many people in her family. She couldn’t bear the thought of sending her brother away. She had promised to look after her brother and sister and to keep the family together. It felt like she was breaking that promise and it was tearing her heart to pieces.

      “You still have the option to marry. I think Jesse would jump at the chance if you gave him any encouragement.”

      “I saw him this morning and he didn’t appear love-struck to me.”

      Gemma laughed. “Did you honestly go see him with marriage in mind?”

      “Of course not. I took a stranger to see the bishop at his workplace. The bishop wasn’t there but Jesse was.”

      “What stranger?” Gemma looked intrigued.

      “His name is Michael Shetler. He claims my grandfather offered him a job and a place to stay.”

      “Did he?”

      Bethany shrugged. “I never heard Grandfather mention it.”

      “What’s he like? Is he single?”

      “He’s

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