Leaving Home — June Bryan Belfie

Martha Troyer leaves her comfortable Amish family to try her wings before settling down and becoming baptized. After a family secret is divulged, there is distrust between Martha and her parents. The strain leads her to a decision to move away temporarily -- if not permanently. She and a close friend, Naomi Shoemaker, who is seriously considering ‘jumping the fence,' share an apartment close to an hour's drive from their homes. The girls each find jobs, which allow them to be financially independent. It's a time of reflection. Martha finds herself falling in love with one of her young beaus, but a serious health issue turns all her plans upside down. How will this news affect her future plans? Will Martha and her parents reconcile their differences?