Emma was amazed at Jacob’s insight. “Come sit with me.” When Jacob joined her, she carefully turned so she was facing him. “When you asked that question, you made me remember a few occasions when we were young girls. I was big then, too, you remember. But she refused to allow me to get any attention from our friends at school. Even during my rumspringe, when I would be with my friends, she would crash our group and do everything she could to make herself the center of attention.”
“Wasn’t she married by then?”
“Engaged. All I could do was talk to her in private. She would apologize, telling me that she just had to tell one of my friends something. I would be listening in and it was nothing that couldn’t wait for the next day.”
“Then, that makes me even more certain. She fears you losing the weight. She’s afraid you’ll be prettier than she is, and that others will notice.”
“Is there anyone we can tell? Because she’s just going to keep trying to slow my weight loss down and I don’t want to get that sick ever again! I also don’t want the doctors thinking that I’m not committed to getting healthy again.”
“Gut question. I think we should talk to both of our parents. My mam has noticed it as well. And she doesn’t like it one bit. If you’d like, we can be with you when you tell your mam and dat.”
“Ja, because they try so hard to be fair to all of us.”
“Nee. This goes beyond just being fair. She’s actively trying to keep you overweight. That angers me, Emma. I don’t want to see you have a heart attack, a stroke or a fatal asthma attack. I... I love you, and I want us to have a long, happy future together.”
Emma was stunned. Her jaw dropped as she stared at Jacob. “You...? Oh, Jacob!” She fanned her face with her hands as she struggled not to cry. “This makes me...happy...love you, too!”
Coming down the stairs, Ann overheard the couple talking. When she heard Jacob declare his love for Emma, she put her hand to her heart and sent a quiet prayer to Gott. Turning back around, she moved slowly back upstairs, wanting to give them their privacy.
“Ja? You do?” Jacob grabbed one of Emma’s hands. “Then it’s even more important that we talk to everyone and let them know what we are thinking. From there, we can decide if anyone else needs to know—like the elders. What did your dat say about what happened today?”
“He is so angry. It reflects badly on our family, but he’s more worried about whether I was alone with Ben on purpose.”
Jacob wanted to move carefully on his next question. “Would you mind telling me what happened? I believe you. You respect your sister and brother-in-law, and I can’t see you trying to break up their marriage.”
“Not to mention, I don’t like his attitude toward his family and even his livestock.”
Jacob nodded, waiting.
Emma sighed. “Barbara took me to the barn, saying that Deborah had some barn kittens. She knows I’ve wanted one. She took me in and she said she had to go and get Michael. She left and I was alone in the barn, I thought. I looked everywhere for those kittens and didn’t find them. Then, as I was leaving, I bumped into Ben.”
“How?”
“Barbara took me to a darker part of the barn. She told me the kittens were in a wooden box in there somewhere. I gave up and was just going to the entrance and praying I wouldn’t hurt myself again—” Emma drew in a breath to continue speaking when Jacob broke in.
“You mean she left you alone in there, knowing you could have gotten hurt again?”
Emma was quiet for a few seconds. “Ja.” Her voice was quiet and communicated a soul full of hurt.
“Call your parents, please. I want to talk to them.”
Standing, Emma went to the staircase. “Mam! Dat! Jacob and I need to talk to you!”
A few minutes later, Ann and John came downstairs. “Daughter, what is it?” Ann was eager, hoping she’d hear news of an engagement.
“Mister and Missus Lapp, Emma and I have been talking. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but Barbara left Emma alone in that barn, saying something about one of the kinder. After finding no box of kittens, she—Emma—was trying to leave the barn without falling and getting hurt again. Ben was also leaving the barn after discussing business with Zeke. He bumped into Emma and led her outside so she wouldn’t be hurt again. That’s when we all saw them leaving the barn.
“Now, I think that Barbara set this up on purpose. I have a reason for this, if you’ll listen.” Speaking fast and raising his hands to continue speaking, Jacob pressed on. “Do you remember when Emma and Barbara were still teen girls? Emma would have been in her rumspringe...”
Ann nodded vaguely. “Ja, some.”
Jacob sighed. He didn’t want to get up—Emma needed his nearness. “Okay, Emma and I were just talking about this. When she was a teen in her running-around time, hanging out with her friends, Barbara would break up the group and get everyone’s attention. She would say that she needed to take care of something with one of the group. But Emma says that, most of the time, the question was something that could have waited for another time. Now, this connects to what is happening now. Emma is working hard on losing weight. And she is looking wunderbaar. Barbara has been pushing back as hard as she can, trying to keep Emma from losing the excess weight. Even knowing that if she doesn’t lose the weight, Emma could become seriously ill.”
John was confused. “Jacob, you have me completely ferhoodled. What is this about?”
“Okay. I’m sorry, Mister Lapp. I believe that Barbara is jealous of the new attention Emma is getting. Emma’s weight loss is obvious and people are excited, supporting her. Today’s barn incident happened because Barbara is trying to discredit Emma. She wants to make her look bad, as if Emma is deliberately doing bad things.” Jacob flushed, feeling frustrated. He was making such a mess of this explanation! “I wish I could explain better! I am so sorry.”
“Nee, no worries, Jacob.” Ann’s voice was vague as she was thinking back. So many memories were coming back now that Jacob had brought up Emma’s running-around time. “I remember things, Jacob. Ja. But before I say anything else, I need to think about them. Husband, do you remember things Barbara did to Emma that hurt her?”
John had a faraway look on his face. “Ja. I do. I remember just before Barbara’s wedding. She had given Emma one set of errands to complete. Two or three days later, she came home and asked if Emma had another set of chores done. Emma looked at her and told Barbara she’d told her to do other work. This was just a few days before the wedding, so Barbara was nervous. She was about to leave. I was in a corner of the kitchen, so she didn’t see me there. She saw Abby come into the kitchen and started yelling at Emma that Emma was trying to ruin her day. I was shocked! I stopped Barbara and told her to sit right down. Then I asked Emma what tasks she’d been given. Sure enough, Barbara had told her to make sure there was enough celery and that we had enough chickens for the dinner. She was also told to keep track of the gifts that came in. All of this kept Emma busy and she also had her job at the bakery. Barbara couldn’t get out of that lie.”
Ann’s face had paled. “I remember that!” Ann launched into two of her own memories.
This led to Emma remembering painful events. “Mam. Dat. I think Jacob has figured things out. I didn’t even know Ben was in the barn today or I would have refused to go in after Barbara. I know the Ordnung and I know why we have those rules. All along, since I got serious about losing my weight, she has pushed back, Mam! Dat, do you remember that big sandwich she gave me a few weeks ago?” At her dat’s nod, Emma continued. “Do you remember how sick I got?”
“Ja, I do. I thought we’d have to take you to the hospital. So, she is trying to keep you fat?”
“Ja, Dat, she is!”
“But why? She knows it’s a health issue for you, not an issue of vanity!” Ann spoke up.
“Mam, she is a pretty woman. There is no denying that. But, as pretty as she is, and no matter that she’s already married, she is afraid that, if I lose all my excess weight, that people will think I am prettier than she is. She is already jealous of the attention I’m getting because of my current weight loss.”
“My Gott, Emma, be careful what you say! If this is true, she is sinning.” John had paled.
Ann spoke up. “She’s becoming vain and prideful. Ja, she is pretty. But she also needs to lose a considerable amount of weight.”
Emma had a thought. “Dat, Mam, is Barbara going to be here later today?”
“Nee. She said she couldn’t be around you at this time.”
Emma didn’t care what Barbara’s reasons were. “Gut. Because I want to figure this out before she does start coming here again.”
Jacob broke in. “Mister and Missus Lapp—”
John waved his hand. “Jacob, it seems to me that if you love my Emma, you can call us by our first names.” With a big grin, he let Jacob and Emma know that he thought their theories were realistic.
Jacob, whooshed out a sigh. “John, do you think it’s best to let this investigation go forward? Or should we go to the elders with what we have learned today?”
“Gut question. If the investigation goes forward, there’s a chance that the elders would learn about Barbara’s lies. But there’s also a chance they wouldn’t. I am more inclined to go see them and let them know what we have been remembering and discussing.”
Jacob’s eyes swung over to the wall clock. “If we leave now, we can go talk to the deacon and be back here so you can make a light supper.”
“Let’s go. Emma, have you had a snack?”
“Ja, Jacob made me eat.”
“Gut. Let’s go.” Everyone put their jackets and coats on. Fifteen minutes later, they were at the deacon’s house.
“Millie, we need to speak with Joe. It’s really important.” John was the spokesperson.
“Okay.” Millie’s gaze swung over to Emma and her face hardened just slightly. “Come in.”
The four visitors sat around the kitchen table, waiting for Joe to come in from the barn. “John, Ann, Millie tells me you need to speak... Ach! I see. I take it this is about what happened in the barn today, ja?”
John responded, “Ja. Or more to the matter, what didn’t happen in the barn. Jacob came over and he was working on this with Emma. We remembered some things that have taken place over the years. When you hear them, you’ll see how Barbara has ferhoodled everyone in making Emma look like the wrongdoer.”
“You know I don’t normally immediately decide on someone’s guilt. Today, it looked pretty solid to me. I want to be fair to you, Emma. Please tell me what you have.”
The group explained their recollections, then their theory. “Barbara has always wanted to be the center of attention. She did something to Emma right before she got married,” John told Joe, and then he and Emma explained the events in question. “Joe, she has never wanted Emma to lose her weight.”
“Why? It’s a health issue, or so I’m told.”
“Ja, it is a health issue. Obviously, Emma is succeeding. And this angers Barbara because Emma is getting congratulations and attention that Barbara wants.”
“Deacon Joe, a few weeks ago, Barbara brought over a plate of meatloaf. I tried to tell her I couldn’t have it because it would make me sick. I had already eaten supper, but she insisted I take it. I took a few bites, just to show her what would happen. Sure enough, the extra food, and the heaviness of it, made me grievously sick. I thought I would either end up in the hospital or dead,” Emma explained.
“Does she want you to die?” Joe was disgusted.
“Nee. At least I hope not.” Emma licked her lips, feeling nervous. “Deacon, I—we—believe that she is doing all of this to keep me from losing weight. Because, in her mind, once I do, I’ll be more attractive than she is.”
Deacon Joe sent a searching look toward Emma. He looked closely at her face, seeing the new, slimmer lines beginning to develop.
“We don’t focus on appearance, normally. In this case, I’m going to dispense with that. Looking at your face now, as before, you’re a pretty woman. And her actions and beliefs are clearly a sin against Gott and our Ordnung. I need you to be available for a meeting with all of us. Depending on what we uncover, we may want to go and talk with Missus Anderson about her actions. And Emma, if you, your young man, and parents are telling the truth, you won’t have to face the community.”
Emma’s eyes closed and she held onto the table fiercely as her wave of relief nearly overwhelmed her.
***
For the next few days, Emma tried not to think about the accusations against her. Instead, she focused as hard as she could on continuing to lose weight and working on her therapy exercises. On Tuesday, Ann and Emma drove to the bakery, where Emma met with her boss.
“Elizabeth! How are you?” Emma gave her boss a heartfelt hug.
“I am fine, how about you? You look wunderbaar!” Elizabeth’s eyes roamed over Emma’s new shape.
“Gut!” Emma held back the truth about what she was facing.
“Emma. Come into my back room. Ann, you, too. I have hot water and teabags. I’ll have the others stay out of there because we need to talk about what’s happening.”
Emma’s heart fell. “You know?”
“I heard. And I don’t believe one word of it. That is not the sweet, loving Emma that I know. Now, sit down and we’ll talk.” Seeing the tears on Emma’s cheeks, Elizabeth gave Ann a box of facial tissues. “The news is all over. But I know you. You wouldn’t try to destroy Barbara’s marriage. Besides, I know that you really like Jacob.”
Emma blushed, wiping the tears away. “Ja. I do. We aren’t saying anything, at least not until now. He...we love each other and he wants to see me. I want to wait until I am more normal-sized, so he doesn’t get teased. He has agreed to that.” Emma sighed. “This Sunday...” She told Elizabeth everything that had happened that day. “So, that’s it. I may be facing the community.”
“Which elder did you see?”
“Deacon Joe. He’s talking to the other elders.”
“Okay. After work, I am going to stop by his house. It’s on my way, anyway. I’m going to give them more of an idea of who you really are. Ann, I hope this doesn’t hurt you. But I have always gotten an odd...sense...from Barbara. As if she has to be the focus of everyone’s attention or she isn’t happy. And with Emma losing all this weight...that would be harder for her.”
Ann nodded, sighing. “Ja, I agree.”