––––––––
The next day, Samuel and John were finishing their work in the fields. They paused to take long gulps of cool water and pour it over their heads and necks. Shortly after they had resumed working, Samuel looked up in puzzlement. He saw Esther Zook as she approached the farm.
Esther sat straight in the buggy, maintaining a cool, sober expression. Stopping the horse, she gave John a sweet, shy smile as he continued pulling weeds out of the earth.
John stopped his weed-pulling, confused and more than a little upset – he and Samuel were on a tight schedule for finishing the weeding. As he looked at Esther, he saw her wearing her meeting dress and newest prayer kapp. As she approached him with several questions, he closed his eyes and groaned inwardly, remembering that his parents would expect him to treat her politely.
Esther smiled a lot as she talked to John. It was annoying the fact that she seemed to either not know or not care that he and Miriam were courting with each other.
“John, what’s your favorite childhood memory? What were you doing? Who were you with?” she asked him, one right after the other.
Putting one gloved hand up to stop Esther, John shook his head.
“Wait a minute. I think you’re confused here – I’m courting Miriam Beiler, and I have been for several months. I am not available to spend time with any other young women. Nor do I want to,” John said firmly.
Esther stopped cold. Her face grew hot, and she lowered her eyes. “Do you . . . do you like me?” she asked.
John, blindsided by the unexpected question, answered, but not in a way she expected or liked.
“I cannot answer that question because I am courting Miriam Beiler,” he said through clenched teeth.
Twenty minutes later, Miriam responded to several sharp raps on the front door. She had just finished piecing the quilt pieces together for the primary colors quilt for the little Englischer boy. Along with that day’s work and the instruction she had given to Esther Zook, she felt she had done a good day’s work.
“Esther! Do you want some more . . .”
“You aren’t being fair! I like John Fisher and I want to get to know him better! Let him spend time with me!” Esther shrieked.
Miriam, not expecting this, took several seconds to respond.
“Esther, yes, we are courting. We have been for several months. Beyond that, I cannot say anything. You know what the Ordung allows to courting couples. We are able to meet and visit under supervision; at singings, we spend time with each other in accordance with what the Ordnung allows us to . . .”
“You’re not being fair! All I want is to be friends with John Fisher!” Miriam screamed.
“Esther, when we were kids . . . before we became teenagers, we could spend time with boys in the district.” Miriam spoke quickly so she could get her words out before Esther’s next outburst. “When we became courting age, that had to stop, as it should. Beyond courting, male-female friendships are no longer allowed, and you know this!”
“Even the Englischers allow teens and young people to have opposite-sex friendships with each other!” Esther shouted.
Sarah, passing by, stopped at the front door.
“Esther, unless you want to find yourself in trouble with the deacons and bishop, you’ll follow the Ordnung,” she said sternly. “John cannot interact with you now that he is of courting age –and courting Miriam.”
“You refuse to listen to me, Miriam. I am not coming back for any more quilting lessons,” she said quietly. As she finished speaking, she turned around and stalked away and down the porch back to her buggy.
“Mamm?” she asked in confusion. “What just happened?”
“She does not like the restrictions the Ordnung imposes upon her. Come daughter, let us get supper ready,” Sarah said, turning and walking into the kitchen.
After supper, John came to the house. Again, because of the heat outdoors, they chose to visit inside the living room.
“John, Esther Zook came by today, very upset – because of you. She seems to think that, despite our courting, she can have a friendship with you – or expect you to court her.”
“Ya,” John said with a troubled sigh. “My daed and I were weeding in the fields when she drove up. She was wearing her meeting dress and prayer kapp. She started asking me ‘getting to know you’ questions and I told her that I can’t spend time with her. I am very confused about this. I reminded her that we are courting.”
“I didn’t say anything about our being engaged because we haven’t published it yet,” Miriam said as she looked at John with worry.
“Nee, I didn’t either. I wonder if we should tell her privately so she understands just what she is doing . . .” John broke off and ran his hand through his dark hair, frustrated.
“Nee, I don’t think that’s necessary, John. I don’t want to violate any of the Ordnung . . .” Miriam broke off as Sarah walked past.
“Is this about Esther Zook? She came by here, screaming at Miriam about you, John,” Sarah said as she shook her head. “She refused to accept the fact that someone she likes is committed to somebody else.”
John and Miriam gazed at each other. Miriam’s confusion was reflected in John’s eyes. Miriam felt a shiver of apprehension slide over her body – she wondered if Esther Zook would be the Amish equivalent of Lance Newman.