In Plain Sight

It started with the crop circles followed by the disappearance of cattle. Then he appeared. He was obviously Old Order Amish. He did and said everything right but no one knew what family or farm he belonged to. He worked in the fields and barn raisings like everyone else and was in every respect just like one of them except for his silver eyes. Despite his quiet and respectful demeanor the community of Bird-in-Hand was leery of him. Every-one avoided him; except for Rebecca Esh...two star-crossed lovers whose romance not only endangers the Amish family who takes him in but puts the world he and his brother come from in great peril.

Weird lights, crop circles and disappearing livestock are worrying the Amish of Lancaster, PA. Then two brothers (who at first glance appear to be old order Amish) show up at a barn-raising. When the community gets a closer look and sees their strange eyes they are asked to leave only to found later hiding in the barn of the Esh family. They claim to be visiting from another world and ask to come live and work for the Esh family in exchange for food and board until their ship can be repaired and they return home. The father agrees on the basis that they show him proof; never expecting them to be able to and then has to abide by his promise when they do. One of the brothers, Seth, has already fallen for Leroy’s oldest daughter, Rebecca, believing he has found his soul mate and despite her misgivings; she is irresistibly drawn to him as well. There are three ongoing conflicts: 1) the conflict within their Amish community to accept the brothers because of the weird things they do; 2) the conflict with the outside world in the form of a female reporter who is investigating her leads in the belief that aliens are hiding “in plain sight” in the Amish community and brings unwanted attention from the 'Englisch' press to Bird-in-Hand, and 3) the conflict between Rebecca and Seth when she discovers too late that he and his brother have no real concept or “need” for a savior where they come from and are not really “Christian”. As the story progresses, Seth’s overwhelming feelings for Rebecca put at risk his entire world for if he chooses love for her over his obedience to their king; he will be the first to “fall”. As the eyes of the world are drawn by the strange phenomenon, the peacefulness of the Amish community is threatened by the queries of a reporter, Jessica Lynch, who believes she has stumbled upon the "scoop" of the century. As Jessica continues in hot pursuit on the brother's trail, Seth comes dangerously close to endangering his world for the love of Rebecca.

Marlayne Giron is a Messianic Jew, wife and mother living in Orange County, California. She has been married to her husband Michael since 1986 and is the mom of a lovely daughter.