Free The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher Page A

the sheep out in the pasture. The minister was preaching now of how persecuted the Israelites had been as slaves to the Egyptians, how many hardships they suffered. The familiar words rose and fell, rose and fell, like gusts of wind. This was the first of two sermons preached, testimony given, prayers and Scripture read, more ancient hymns sung—and the whole of it would last for over three hours.
    Plenty of time to ponder how to face Katie Zook’s blinking eyes and let her down easy, so gently she’d think it was her own idea. Plenty of time to ponder how to capture and hold Bethany Schrock’s interest.

    Bethany had perfected the art of appearing deeply attentive during church while her mind drifted off in a thousand directions, especially during the long and silent moments between sermons and testimony and Scripture reading. The only part she could say she enjoyed was the last five minutes. If therewas any exciting news, that’s when it would be announced. The grim and somber hymns that told the stories of the martyrs through the ages were her least favorite part of the service. Most of these hymns were written in dark and damp prison cells, four hundred years ago, and while she did have a healthy respect for what her ancestors had endured—what Plain person wouldn’t?—it was hard to fully appreciate it all on a beautiful summer day.
    After the benediction, the church sat and waited. Bishop Elmo rose to his feet in the middle of the barn, straightening his hunched back. He raised his head and his gentle gaze moved slowly, carefully, over each man, woman and child. First he faced the women; slowly he turned to face the men. Then he began to speak. “Two of our young people want to get married.”
    Instantly, Bethany came back to the world. Among the Lancaster Amish, weddings didn’t usually happen until the fall when the harvest was in. She wondered which couple might be getting engaged. This was the most exciting moment in a woman’s life. She searched the rows of prayer caps, trying to see which of the girls might be blushing—giving away the secret. She wasn’t alone in her curiosity. All the women were looking up and down the rows. All but one.
    Mary Kate Lapp had her head bowed, chin tucked against her chest.
    Bishop Elmo cleared his throat. “The couple is Mary Kate Lapp and Chris Yoder. The wedding will take place in late August so they can move out to Ohio. The church there is in dire need of a buggy shop and Chris Yoder has been asked to come.” Then Bishop Elmo sat down and the song leader announced the last song. Everyone reached for their hymnbook and opened it to the page, singing a mournful hymn as if nothing unusual or thrilling had just happened.
    As soon as the song ended, Mary Kate and Chris rose and walked outside. By the time church was dismissed, they had driven away in Chris’s buggy. They were off to address invitations to their wedding.
    Bethany felt a combination of delight for her friend, sorrow that M.K. was moving away, and, if she were truly honest, jealousy. M.K. and Chris seemed to have it so easy. They met, fell in love, were getting married, and would live happily ever after. End of story.
    That’s what Bethany had wanted too. But she had the bad luck of falling for that crooked lowlife Jake Hertzler, who had everybody fooled with his easy charm and winning smile. She shuddered. She would never let herself fall in love with anyone, not ever again.
    As she put the hymnal back under the bench, her sister Mim slipped over and stood in front of her, her face filled with worry. “Who is going to teach school next term? When Teacher M.K. gets married, who will take her place?”
    Bethany lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “I don’t know, Mim. But they’ll find someone. They always do. Some poor unsuspecting soul who has no idea what’s about to hit her.”

    On Sunday afternoon, Mim suggested a picnic out at Blue Lake Pond to escape the stuffy house, and Mim’s mother was