Community

Chapter 1

"Levi?" Rebecca softly asks as I hold her right hand in my left hand; while I walk her, Sarah and Seth to their classroom.

"Yes, Rebecca?" I respond as we reach the room and the three of them hang their coats on the hooks under their names.

"I love you," she mumbles; picking at the hem of her shirt sleeve.

"I love you, too," I respond; pecking her on the forehead under the rim of her black bonnet with a soft smile.

Rebecca is special, not that we all are not in our own way as God has made us that way; Rebecca is special in the sense that she is autistic. Of all of us children, Elijah, Samuel and I are her favorites and respond the best to the three of us; along with our parents and grandparents.

Turning my attention to my siblings, saying; "Have a good morning, I'll see you at lunch; I love you all."

"Love you, too," the respond; almost at the same time.

Elijah makes sure Samuel arrives at his room, while Ezekiel does the same with Noah and Isaiah before the three of us meet in our classroom. Arriving at my room, I find Elijah and Ezekiel already there talking to their friends so I find mine; Eli Zook, Daniel Youder and Amos Smoker.

"Levi, hello," Daniel greets when he notices my approach.

"Hello Daniel, Amos and Eli," I greet warmly back as I place my books on my desk.

"What are you doing after school?" Amos asks the three of us.

"I have to stop at Daniel's to pick supplies up for da," I say smiling. "How are you getting home, Daniel?"

"Walking home, why?" he responds curiously.

"Would you like a ride; I drove the wagon today?"

He smiles brightly at me as he sheepishly nods his head, he's very shy and soft spoken of the four of us; "Yes please, thank you, Levi."

"You're welcome, Daniel," I respond as Mrs. Sherk calls for us to sit in our seats; so she can start the lessons.

Three hours later, lunch finally arrives and I can feed the horses before having my own with my siblings and friends. Before exiting the school with a few others who have to do the same, Rebecca joins me to help.

"I feed Silver Blossom?" she asks as I grab the feed from the wagon where da placed it this morning.

"Yes, here you go," I tell her as I hand her a feed bag.

I'll have to help her but that's fine as she wants to help; "Levi, when will mama have Leah?"

"In two months, why?" I ask her as I finish with Walnut and help her.

"Just want to meet her is all," she responds with while she pets Silver Blossom.

Once the horses have finished, Rebecca and I head inside with our lunches we brought out us; sitting with our siblings and our friends, we eat our lunch. We have only two more hours of school left for the day; as our schooling is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily; except for Saturday and Sunday.

I spend my weekends and after school time, doing chores and learning from da and papa about the family business; while Elijah and Ezekiel have become apprentices for Doctor Glick, to take over his practice since both of his children passed away in farming accidents. Everyone loads into the wagon with Elijah and Ezekiel sit in the wagon, allowing Daniel to sit with me on the bench; giving us time to talk privately.

"I'm thinking of courting Tabitha Lantz but I'm scared her parents won't approve of me," Daniel murmurs, his voice shaky.

"I'm sure they will, why wouldn't they? You're kind, caring, strong, you're taking over your family business along with a family farm," I say trying to reassure him.