Chapter 12: Atonement

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Sunday afternoon, Kaybri drove the truck to pick up Frank, Dorothy, and Noah. When Kaybri knocked at their door, Dorothy pulled her enthusiastically into the house and then into her bedroom. She eyed Kaybri's uniform of jeans, t-shirt, and flannels, and spoke frankly, “You need to change. You can’t wear that to dinner at the Stoltzfus Farm.”  

     “I’m not changing the way I dress for Thomas Stoltzfus. The man runs a puppy mill.” 

     “Yes, you are. Your parents, if they were here, would tell you the same thing. It’s a great honor to be invited to their home for dinner. The Amish almost never invite outsiders. Furthermore, these are your boyfriend’s parents. You need to make a good impression.” 

     “How do you know about us?” 

     “Do you think I’m an idiot? I’ve never seen Noah so happy.” 

     “I didn’t bring anything to change into,” Kaybri said, as she nervously eyed the bags on Dorothy’s bed. 

     “I picked up some things for you.”  

     “What did you get me?” 

     “I went to the consignment shop.” 

     “Please, no.” 

     “Stop your whining. I think you’ll like what I got you.”  

     Dorothy dumped two bags of clothing on the bed and began to sort the skirts from the blouses. A third bag contained a half-dozen pairs of sensible shoes. 

     “I haven’t worn a skirt since I graduated high school.” 

     “Then I guess you’re overdue. I picked modest long-sleeved blouses and long skirts.” 

     Kaybri stood as far as she could from Dorothy with her arms crossed over her chest. 

     “Stop your pouting and get dressed. People might think you’re fourteen by the way you’re acting.” 

     “What if I can’t find something?” 

     “Then you’ll embarrass Frank and me, Noah, and yourself. Now get changed.” 

     Dorothy turned and closed the bedroom door behind her. Eventually, Kaybri began to poke at the piles of clothing. She was thankful that Dorothy had chosen almost nothing with floral designs or ruffled hems. Eventually, she settled on a blue ankle-length cotton skirt, a white long-sleeve knit top, and a light-blue woven vest.  

     Dorothy knocked on the door and entered the bedroom. “You look nice. What about shoes?” 

     “I think these loafers will work.” 

     “Good choice.” 

     “One more thing,” Dorothy began. 

     “I’m not putting on makeup.” 

     “You’re lucky. You don’t need it.” Dorothy handed Kaybri a pile of hair ties and bobby pins. “Put your pretty blond hair up in a bun. That shouldn’t be a problem. That’s how you wear it when you’re at work.” 

     “But it’s my choice when I do that.” 

     “I’m sick of how you and others your age use the word choice to justify everything you do and don’t do. Create whatever story you want in your head. Tell yourself that this was also your choice. We need to leave in five minutes.” 

     Dorothy was about to leave the bedroom, when Kaybri said, “Thank you.” 

     “You’re welcome.” 

     “Could you please ask Noah and Frank to keep their comments to themselves when they see me?” 

      “Noah will be considerate. I can’t control Frank. You’ll just have to take it. He’s the obnoxious uncle you never had.” 

     When Kaybri emerged from the bedroom, Frank nodded approvingly and appeared to be suppressing a smirk. When the smirk didn’t disappear after a few minutes, she saw Dorothy go over to Frank, whisper something in his ear, and swat him gently on the shoulder. The smirk finally went away, and Frank matter-of-factly said, “Are we ready to go?” 

     “Do you want to drive?” Kaybri asked Noah. 

     “That’s not a great idea,” Frank added with a laugh. “He doesn’t have a license.” 

     “You borrowed my truck a few days ago.” 

     “I’ve been driving since my Rumspringa.” 

     “What if you had been pulled over?” 

     Noah began speaking in the Amish dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch. It sounded to Kaybri like a combination of German and English. She had never heard him use his original tongue. Although she couldn’t make out exactly what he was saying, it sounded like he was pretending to talk a police officer out of a ticket. He played both parts, the funnier of the two being the officer’s frustration at not being able to understand the dialect. Everyone chuckled. 

     Kaybri sighed. “Get in the truck. All of you. Noah, you’ll need to sit in the bed with Clarence.” 

     A half hour later, Kaybri drove the truck into the Stoltzfus driveway. As it was still light, she could admire the beauty of the newly harvested fields, the livestock, and the precision with which the Amish constructed everything from the joints on the eaves on the barn to the railings on the porch of the house. 

     Mr. Stoltzfus introduced his wife, Elizabeth, who struck Kaybri as confident and gracious as well as pretty. Kaybri could now see where Noah had gotten his curly eyelashes.  

     The other members of the family came out of the door one by one. It seemed they had invited the entire Stoltzfus family. Noah was taken aback and excited to introduce his five brothers and three sisters and their husbands and wives, at least the ones that he knew. He had to be introduced to most of their children. There were so many nieces and nephews that Kaybri couldn’t determine how many there were or remember their names.  

     They all seemed happy to see Noah and his friends and were especially thrilled when Clarence jumped out from the back of the truck. He barked a few times, and then Angel came running from the barn. Kaybri appreciated everyone’s excitement but was distressed that the still-wounded dog was exerting himself so vigorously.  

     Noah winked at Kaybri and then headed toward his father to whisper in his ear. The older man nodded. In the same deep bellow Kaybri had heard a few nights earlier, he commanded both dogs to come to his side. Without hesitation, one dog lay down to his left and the other to the right. Then Mr. Stoltzfus stepped forward with his wife and spoke directly to Kaybri. 

     “Dr. Lynn, thank you for saving Clarence. Is there anything we need to do to aid his recovery?” 

     “Please keep him calm for a few more weeks. I’d like to check on him once more,” Kaybri responded. 

     “Will you need to remove his stitches?” 

     “No. The stitches we used dissolve by themselves.” 

     Mr. Stoltzfus knelt next to Clarence and inspected the closed wound. “Remarkable. After dinner, you’ll have to tell me more about the thread you use.” 

     Mr. Stoltzfus invited all the guests to tour the farm. Dorothy declined and went with Elizabeth into the house. Mr. Stoltzfus, Noah, Frank, and Kaybri were followed by a gaggle of Stoltzfus children and grandchildren, the boys all wearing white shirts, dark pants, and suspenders like their father. The young girls wore long full dresses, black shoes, and stockings, with black cops holding their never-been-cut hair. Kaybri watched as Noah lagged behind with his siblings, each one fighting for a few seconds to talk to their brother.  

     The tour consisted of a walk around the backyard to inspect the pens holding pigs, two donkeys, five horses, and too many goats to count. There was also a chicken coop. A few hens as well as white geese roamed the yard and began squawking when the children chased them.  

     Even with the pandemonium of nearly forty people touring the farm, Kaybri couldn’t help but notice how close they all seemed. She’d never had brothers, sisters, or cousins to interact with. At this moment, she was keenly aware of what she had missed growing up as an only child and then being moved from one foster home to another. 

     To make the children laugh, Kaybri pretended she didn’t know one end from the other when she inspected the animals, which she punctuated by looking at Noah with crossed eyes and calling herself a doplich. All of the family laughed hysterically, none louder than Noah. 

     When they reached the barn, however, her gay mood completely changed. The large doors were closed, and Kaybri could hear the muffled sounds of the breeding dogs and their puppies. These were the dogs she had hoped to learn more about with her robot. They were right there, and she so much wanted to go in to see them, to rescue them, to show them love and caring.  

     Kaybri instinctively took a step toward the sounds. But Mr. Stoltzfus moved in front of the doors to block her. 

     “I want to go in,” she asserted. 

     “I would rather that you didn’t.” 

     “I would think you would be proud of your operation. Why aren’t you…?” Kaybri stopped herself. “Once again, I apologize…” 

     Mr. Stoltzfus interrupted her. “What we have been doing is an abomination and an affront to God. I should be apologizing to all of you and to my son.”