Free The Brethren by Beverly Lewis

I’m staring at the foreground of a canvas, trying to pull my thoughts into one cohesive idea.” Louisa shook her head. “It’s not the easiest
    thing in the world to create day in, day out.”
    “Okay, so you boil your head,” Courtney said. “How’s that supposed to help?”
    “It gets the blood flowing to the brain.”
    Courtney hooted. “And this is a good thing?”
    “Wunderbaar-gut, as the Amish say.” Louisa reached down for Muffin, lugging him up onto her lap. “I’ll have to
    69 tell Annie about it, won’t I, boy?”
    Courtney’s expression became serious. “You ever going to get all that Plain nonsense out of your system?”
    “Maybe. Haven’t decided yet.”
    “Well, whatever you do, make sure you say yes when Michael calls.”
    “We’re back to this?”
    “Full circle, baby. That’s why I’m here, you know. I’m your guardian angel, English style.”
    To that, Louisa laughed. “You’re a dreamer.”
    “What, and you aren’t?”
    Louisa stroked her pretty kitty, whispering in his ear, “Tell Court to go soak her head.”
    70 At breakfast on Friday, Annie helped little John by cutting his sausage into small bites. Then she poured some more fresh milk for Zach. Both boys were exceptionally quiet this morning, and she wondered if they’d heard something of their father’s plight.
    Esther talked about having seen Julia again. “Your cousin’s inviting us to attend prayer meeting sometime.”
    The brethren weren’t so much opposed to prayer gatherings as they were to Bible studies, Annie knew. She had never understood why the Amish ministers were outspokenly opposed to the study of Scripture. “I could baby-sit while you go,” Annie said.
    Essie looked at her. “You’re not much interested, then?”
    “Oh, I don’t know, really.”
    “I do wish you’d go with me.” There was pleading in Essie’s voice. “I wish …” She stopped abruptly.
    “You wish I’d accept your faith?” Annie finished for her.
    Essie smiled, nodding her head. “You know me well, and jah, I surely do.”
    ” Ach, I’m already beginning to feel a bit cut off from the
    71 People,” Annie confessed. She lowered her voice so as not to involve the children, “Livin’ here … since you’re under the shun and all.”
    “I wondered if that was goin’ to be a struggle.” Annie reached over and clasped her friend’s hand. “You know I’d do most anything for ya, don’t you, Essie?”
    Essie smiled. “It must be hard, you stayin’ here … being the preacher’s daughter, too. That can’t help things. Folk expect more from you.”
    Annie couldn’t disagree with that. “I see changes in you, Essie. When you speak of you-know-who, well, I don’t notice as much bitterness anymore.” She was careful not to spell it out too directly in case Laura and Zach should under’ stand she was speaking of their Dat.
    “God is giving me the ability to endure this hard trial day by day.” Essie paused to drink her coffee, then slowly she began again. “Without His love, I could not be so calm … or forgiving.”
    Annie shook her head. “You mean you honestly forgive him?”
    “Yes. Forgiveness is proof of love.”
    Annie was stunned. Zeke had treated Essie and the children horribly and now claimed to be a murderer. Could Essie simply overlook that? “Well, your God must be different than mine.” At least, the Jehovah God I grew up knowing.
    “He’s filled me up with His loving’kindness,” Essie said. “And that’s all I can tell you.”
    Never before had she seen the likes of Essie’s attitude. She supposed that if Zeke ever got out of jail, his wife would ;
    72
    as H as
    take him back with open arms. The thought made her worry all the more.
    “Oh, you would not believe the changes happening in the Amish world,” Louisa told Michael by cell phone. She was driving to the studio, having left the house a bit early, as she wanted to work on her own project before her students arrived.