Free Mother For His Children, A by Jan Drexler Page A

his courting buggy. He and Waneta would be staying at the host house until after the young folks’ Singing in the evening.
    Ruthy sat on the front seat with Levi, Sam and Nellie scrunched between them. She pressed her knees together to keep from shivering, either from the cold or from being nervous about meeting this new church community. Since last week had been an off Sunday, this would be her first church service with Levi and his family.
    â€œWhen will it be our turn to have church again, Dat? ” Sam’s words came out in puffs in the frigid air.
    â€œDon’t even mention that!” Waneta said, her teeth chattering as she sat with her other sisters and Jesse in the second seat. “It’s so much work to have church.”
    â€œNow Waneta,” Levi said, “you know you had plenty of help from the women the last time it was our turn.”
    â€œ Ja, but they talked about you the whole time. I heard Minnie Garber say you should marry one of her daughters so your house could be taken care of properly.”
    Ruthy turned around and laid her hand on Waneta’s knee. “You’ve done a wonderful job keeping house, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Some people just don’t think before they talk.”
    â€œ Ja, daughter. Ruth is right.” Levi gave her a smile that made her forget her cold toes. “Don’t let Minnie Garber’s words fester. Forget them and forgive her, and all will be well.”
    Waneta nodded. “You’re right.”
    â€œSo, when are we going to have church at home again?” Sam asked. “I want to show Johnny my calf.”
    â€œYou don’t have a calf yet,” said David from the backseat.
    â€œBut I will when spring comes, won’t I, Dat? ”
    Levi nodded. “You and Jesse will both have calves of your own to raise this spring.”
    â€œWill I have it before we have church?”
    Sam wouldn’t let go of a question until he got an answer.
    â€œ Ja, probably. It will be our turn to have church in May.”
    Satisfied, Sam settled back into his seat.
    Martha leaned forward and touched Ruthy’s shoulder. “Are you nervous about meeting all these people? They’re all strangers to you.”
    Ruthy gave Martha a smile. “I’m trying not to be. You’re right, I’ve never met them, but we’re all part of the same church, aren’t we? They’re just brothers and sisters I haven’t met yet.”
    â€œThere are a lot of nice people in our district, aren’t there, Waneta?”
    Ruthy turned around to see a blush creep up Waneta’s cheeks at her sister’s words. Could there be a special young man Waneta was anxious to see?
    Before long Levi’s buggy was just one in a long line of black buggies heading west along the road. The fields here, only a few miles from Levi Zook’s farm, were smaller, often with a creek dividing them and wooded strips following the path of the creek. Of all the things that were different between Indiana and Pennsylvania, the flat land around Levi Zook’s farm was the hardest for her to get used to. She had been missing the rolling hills of Daed’s farm, but this part of the district almost seemed like home.
    Levi pulled to a halt at the top of the farm lane, where the buggies in front of them had stopped to let out their families. Ruthy got out with the children, ignoring the curious stares of the women waiting to enter the house. She had told Waneta she wasn’t nervous, but she was glad she had the girls around her. She held Nellie’s and Nancy’s hands while Martha and Waneta stood behind her. Levi took his place in the men’s line, one hand on Jesse’s shoulder, the other holding Sam’s hand. Ruthy didn’t need to look around to know the older boys would be with their friends, being old enough to sit together on the front rows directly behind the ministers.
    The woman in line in