Jeremiah came down sullen and scowling. He did not speak to either Richard or his mother. He went out silently and did his chores and then came in to wash his hands and sit at the table.
Richard asked a blessing with Jeremiah staring wide- eyed at him. Charity leaned over to kiss Jeremiah’s cheek, but he ducked from her. With tearful eyes she tried to smile. Alicia smiled at her in encouragement.
“Good morning my son. I hope you had a good night and are ready for a wonderful day. I will be anxious to hear what you will study today in school.” Jeremiah still said nothing. Richard tried to talk to him but he only glared at Richard and would not say a word.
While they were eating oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pancakes, apple butter, coffee or milk, a car was heard in the driveway. Charity got up to see who could be coming at that hour of the morning driving a car. She was pleasantly surprised to welcome Dr. Yoder. She introduced him to Richard and invited him to sit and have breakfast with them.
Charity told Richard of her trip to Shipshewanna and the men who attacked her. She explained that Dr. Yoder was the physician who took care of her in the hospital there and why he was now here in Shickshinny.
Jeremiah, still not speaking, stomped up to brush his teeth and get his material for school for the day. He went out the back door without speaking and got in the carriage with Marilyn.
Isaac Yoder noticed Jeremiah’s behavior, but wisely said nothing. He and Richard exchanged a knowing look. “Forgive me for just dropping in, Charity. I heard about the trouble in town and came to see for myself how you are getting along. Where in the world is your guardian angel? Too much unpleasantness is happing to you.” He smiled.
“Would you like some breakfast? It would be no trouble at all.”
“No, thank you. I’ve eaten and need to cut back anyway. I’m getting too portly around the middle,” he laughed.
They talked a few minutes then Richard took his cell phone and called his partner, Derek Echohawk. Derek promised to fly out ASAP and help Richard escort the prisoners back to the west where they were wanted for multi crimes.
Richard stood and smiled. “Thank you, Charity, for your delicious food, the feather bed on which I was so comfortable and for allowing me to be part of your family for a short time. I must get to town and talk to the sheriff about our prisoners.” He turned to Isaac. “It’s a pleasure to meet you and know Charity has a wonderful friend near. Take good care of her and that troubled son of hers.”
“Charity,” Isaac said, “I’m going to give Richard a ride to town. May I come back later today and talk to you about something very important?”
“Ja. You are welcome any time. I will be home today for Rosemary and the girls will handle the store.”
Richard and Isaac left. As Charity was cleaning the kitchen she prayed for Jeremiah and for her to be a better mother. “Got, please show me the way to help my son. He truly is troubled and I do not know what to do about it.”
Isaac was kept with an emergency at the hospital and was not able to get back to Charity until the evening. He felt it was too late to bother her, besides, he wanted to talk to her when Jeremiah was in school.
Charity was glad to see Jeremiah coming home from school. She determined to not question him or cause any unpleasantness today. She had one of his favorite snacks ready for dinner would be a little late. Jacob, Joshua, Michael and Lawrence were coming over to try to talk to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah didn’t even thank her, as he usually did, for the snack, a Popeye.
This was a thick slice of bread with a hole pulled in the middle. An egg was broken into this hole and the whole thing was fried in hot butter. She had no idea where he had heard of the food, but thought it must have come from one of his English friends. She did so wish he would talk and tell her what was bothering him.
He at his Popeye and drank a mug of hot chocolate. He sat at the kitchen table and started his homework while his mother prepared supper. She had fixed chicken and dumplings, green beans, hot apple slices, hominy and coffee or cider. Milk for Jeremiah and sometimes Lawrence,
Jeremiah had just finished his school work when his grandfather and uncles came in. He didn’t run to greet them as he used to do. He didn’t even acknowledge them and had been silent with his mother. They looked at each other, but said nothing. They all sat down and had their silent prayer. Jacob looked up and noticed that Jeremiah had not bowed his head, but was instead looking around. He was upset, but still said nothing.
They talked with Charity about her store and the news of the town. When one of them would speak to Jeremiah, he would just glare at them and shrug his shoulder.
When everyone had finished and still sat at the table with a cup of coffee, Charity got up and washed the dishes quickly and wiped the counter off. She sat at the table with a cup of coffee.
Jacob clear his throat, “Grandson, I have come to talk to you.” Jeremiah just stared at his with his upper lip curled in one corner. “The whole church is praying for you. We are all disturbed because you have not been the kind, mannerly young man that you have been trained to be.” Jeremiah still didn’t say anything, just looked at Jacob. “We love you and want to help. Can you tell me why you are so unhappy?”
Jeremiah said nothing. He stood so quickly that his chair fell over and glaring at his grandfather walked out of the room and went upstairs.
Charity was crying so hard that her dad got up and came around to hold her on his lap and hug as he did when she was little. Michael and Lawrence both looked as if they would like to cry. They were all heartsick.
After praying with Charity, the men decided to leave and allow Charity to try to calm down.
Lawrence came running back in. “Charity, I know it is not the Amish way, but maybe it would help to take him to a child psychiatrist.”
She was so hurt and now shocked that she didn’t know what to say. “I would like to talk to Isaac Yoder and see what he can recommend. I am not against the help of a psychiatrist if it will do any good for Jeremiah.” He hugged her again and left.
Weeks went by with no change in Jeremiah’s attitude. Everyone noticed that Charity was losing weight and had dark circles under her eyes. Her family and friends became afraid for her health.
One day, after work, Michael rushed into Charity’s house. He noticed Jeremiah pausing before he went upstairs. “Charity, please put on a coat and come outside.” Puzzled she got her coat and bonnet and followed him outside. They walked over to the fence away from the house. Michael looked up and saw Jeremiah watching them from a window.
“What did you want , Michael? Why all the secrecy”?
“I did not want Jeremiah to over hear what I am going to tell you. Deputy Glenn Harrison saw me in town today and gave me some distressing news. He saw a group of teenagers, English, standing on a corner and smoking. They were laughing and talking loudly and acting as if they were on drugs. He was shocked to see Jeremiah with them and he, too, was smoking.”
Charity’s hand flew to her mouth to cover a sound she did not want to make. “Is he sure? It was my Jeremiah?”
“Oh, yes. Everyone in town knows Jeremiah. Several people have told me they do not like the looks of the boys he is associating with. We will have to be calm about this and decide the best plan to take. I will talk to daed and Joshua and we will get back with you.” He hugged her and left. She stayed out a little longer not realizing that Jeremiah was watching her.
It was very hard for Charity to go back in the house and be calm. She wanted to call Jeremiah down and question him, but she knew it would just make things worse. She was startled to see him standing in the kitchen glaring at her as she came in the door. She tried to smile. “Are you as hungry as I am? If you will give me a little time I will heat something or we can have cornbread and milk with the banana cream pie I made today.”
“I’m not hungry,” he snarled and stamped up the stairs and slammed the door to his room. She was so upset, she did not notice he answered her as an English boy would and not as an Amish.
She sat for a long time reading her Bible and praying. Finally she went up to bed without eating.