The Hawaiian Quilt (15 page)

Middlebury

Gideon whistled as he headed for the phone shack to call Mandy. He’d gone by her folks’ house after work today and finally gotten the number where she and Ellen were staying. It seemed like forever since they’d been together. He could hardly wait to hear her voice. Even more, he couldn’t wait for Mandy to come home.

When Gideon stepped into the small, chilly building, he took a seat on the wooden stool and quickly made the call. A woman’s voice came on a few seconds later. “The Palms Bed-and-Breakfast.”

“Is Mandy Frey there?” he asked.

“Gideon, is that you?”

“Sure is. Who am I speaking to?”

“It’s Ellen. Mandy’s upstairs, making one of the guest beds. Hang on. I’ll get her.”

Gideon doodled on the notepad next to the phone while he waited. It seemed strange Mandy would be making a guest bed.
Maybe Ellen meant she’s making the bed she slept in last night. But if that’s so, shouldn’t the hired help do it?

Finally, Mandy came on the phone. “Hello, Gideon. How are you?”

“I’m fine. More to the point, how are you? I heard from your daed that you and Ellen missed the boat.”

“We did. The ship moved on, which left us stranded.” She cleared her throat. “We’re thankful to be staying at a bed-and-breakfast with a nice Hawaiian couple who are Christians.”

“So how come you didn’t call me?” Gideon wrote Mandy’s name on the notepad in front of him. “I had to get this number from your mamm.”

“Things have been a bit hectic on our end.” She paused. “But it’s no excuse. I’m sorry, Gideon. I should have called you.”

He leaned his head against his hand, releasing a soft breath. “It’s fine. I’m relieved to hear your voice.” Gideon’s face felt uncomfortably warm. He liked hearing the sound of her voice, even if it wasn’t as clear over the phone. “When are you coming home, Mandy?”

“Not for a while.”

“I’d be happy to pay part of your passage.”

“It’s nice of you, Gideon, but we can’t go anywhere right now.”

“Why not?”

“The man who owns the B&B fell off the roof and broke his leg, which means he won’t be able to help his wife manage the place. So Ellen and I volunteered to help out until he’s back on his feet.”

“It was kind of you to offer, but can’t they find someone else?” Gideon gripped the receiver. This phone call was not going well at all.

“We’re working for room and board, because they can’t afford to hire anyone right now. Sorry, Gideon, but I need to go. Someone is knocking on the back door, and since I’m the only one in the kitchen, I need to answer it.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you again soon, Mandy. Take care.”

Gideon hung up but remained in the phone shack, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he reflected on their conversation. It was just like sweet Mandy to do a charitable deed, but now he had no idea when she’d be home. How were they supposed to keep their relationship going when she was thousands of miles away?

Kapaa

Ken pulled his motorbike up to the B&B, anxious to find out how Makaio was doing. When he stepped onto the lanai, where Mandy and Ellen sat snapping green beans, he smiled. “Looks like Luana put you to work. Is she here?”

“No. She got up early this morning and went to the hospital to see Makaio.” Mandy motioned to the chair across from them. “You’re welcome to sit and visit while we snap beans.”

“If you have an extra bowl, I’d be more than happy to help with that.” He seated himself near Mandy and began rocking.

“I’ll get one.” Ellen rose from her seat and returned with a plastic bowl and more beans, which she handed to Ken. “Here you go.”

He took the bowl and placed it in his lap. “Thanks, I think.” He chuckled then reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “On a more serious note, if you two need anything while you’re here, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. Here’s my phone number in case you need to call.”

“Actually, there is something,” Ellen said as Mandy took the card. “We’d like to make a trip to a fabric store. Would you be able to give us a ride—maybe later, after Luana gets back?”

“I’d be glad to take you, but I don’t have time today. Would tomorrow be soon enough? I’ll have the day off.”

Mandy nodded. “Of course. We can work it in around your schedule.”

“How long do you plan to be here?” Ken asked as he began snapping the beans in half. He didn’t work as quickly as she or Ellen, but Mandy figured Ken hadn’t had as much practice.

“We’ll stay for as long as we’re needed,” she replied. “I’m sure we won’t be working all the time, though, so it will give us a chance to see more of this beautiful island during our free time.”

“I’m glad you’ll be staying longer.” He rocked too far back, and when he let go of the bowl, his hands went for the arms of the chair. The plastic bowl slid off his lap and bounced on the tile floor. “Oh no! I’m sorry.” He jumped up and crouched by the rocking chair, grabbing for the beans. Some had even gone under the rocker.

“It’s okay.” Ellen dropped down beside him and started picking up beans. Once they had them all, she stood and took the bowl inside to wash them.

Ken smiled at Mandy. “Well, that was sure an icebreaker. Now we can get better acquainted. As I mentioned yesterday, I’d like to show you some special places. We can go to the beach, and if you like flowers, there are some really nice tropical gardens.”

“I would enjoy either of those places. This island feels like paradise to me.” Mandy stretched her arms out wide. “I wish there was an Amish community on Kauai. I could get used to living here.”

T
he following day while Ellen walked through the fabric store to look at material and patterns, Mandy stood near the front door with Ken. “It was nice of you to take time out to bring us here. I’m sure you had other things to do on your day off.”

“I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing than helping two friends.” Grinning, he winked at Mandy. “One of these days, I’ll take you and Ellen for a tour of our farm and to meet my folks. Oh, just a second. My phone is buzzing.” Ken pulled it out of his pocket. “Yep. My friend Taavi is trying to call me.” He stepped aside. “Hey, buddy. What’s up? That sounds like fun, but I’m in the middle of something right now. I’ll call ya back later.” He hung up and moved closer to Mandy again. “Sorry for the interruption. Taavi’s one of my friends. He’s a good surfer and was letting me know there’s gonna be some prime wave action today. But I’d rather be here right now, getting to know you better.”

Mandy felt the heat of a blush spread like fire across her cheeks. It was nice Ken wanted to know her better. Even though she’d known him less than a week, Mandy felt as though they were kindred spirits.
Maybe it’s because he likes gardening and enjoys the beauty of God’s creation
, she told herself. Of course, Gideon appreciated many things God created, but he had no interest in flowers, trees, or vegetable gardens. Whenever they were together, he talked more about his horse than anything. She shifted her purse to the other shoulder.
I shouldn’t be comparing the two men
.

“Aren’t you going to browse through the material?” Ken asked, pulling out a pack of gum.

“No, I’m not planning to make a dress.” Mandy looked down at the green muumuu she’d bought with her own money yesterday. “I have two Hawaiian dresses now, and they work fine for me. I only came to the fabric store in case Ellen needs my opinion on anything.”

Ken stared at her strangely, but made no comment. Several seconds passed before he spoke again. “Would you like a piece of gum?”

“No, thank you.”

“Who’s keeping an eye on the B&B this morning?”

“Ailani is there, but only to answer the phone. She won’t be doing any physical work.”

“Good to hear. What about Luana? Is she at the hospital with Makaio?”

“Yes. She left soon after we served our B&B guests their breakfast.”

With wrinkled brows, Ken folded his arms and leaned against the wall. “Sure hope he won’t have to be in the hospital too long. It will be better for Makaio and Luana once he’s home. He’ll be more comfortable in his own surroundings, and she won’t have to run back and forth to the hospital.”

Mandy shifted her weight to the other foot. “When my younger brother, Milo, got hit in the head with a baseball last year, he had a pretty severe concussion. Our folks had to hire a driver to take them to and from the hospital every day for a week.”

“Is your brother okay now?”

“He’s doing fine. No repercussions from the accident, and I’m grateful.”

“Accidents happen so quickly.” Ken sighed. “One minute, everything is fine, and the next minute something unexpected occurs. A person can become severely injured. I like to surf, and it can be dangerous, too.”

Mandy winced, fiddling with the straps on her purse.
Why would anyone choose to take part in a dangerous sport?

“You need to know how to swim if you’re gonna surf—or at least know how to tread water real well. It helps going to a beach that’s patrolled by lifeguards. That’s a stipulation my parents drummed into my brother and me.” His mouth twisted grimly. “Another thing is watching out for other surfers in the water and trying not to get hit by someone or even by your own board. I’ve seen it happen many times.”

“Surfing sounds exciting but also frightening.”

Ken shifted his gaze away from her a few seconds, then looked back, clasping his chin with his fingers. “It can be, but the fun outweighs my fears.” He took a step closer. “Say, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“I thought Amish people traveled by horse and buggy.”

“We do.” Mandy rested her hand on her hip. “Why do you ask?”

“When your brother got hurt, how come your parents hired a driver to take them to the hospital?”

“We usually only take the horse and buggies ten miles or so from our home. Farther away, and especially into the bigger cities, means we need to hire a driver.”

“Interesting.” He rubbed his chin.

She grew quiet as their conversation came to a lull. Ken kept looking at Mandy though, causing her face to warm. It was almost as though nothing existed except the two of them standing by the door. Even the sounds inside the store seemed to cease. Her throat constricted. For some reason, she couldn’t look away.

It appeared as if Ken might be about to say something, but Ellen walked toward them with a bolt of beige material. “I found the color I want, but I need your opinion on a pattern.”

“Okay.” Mandy wiped moisture from her face.

“Think I’ll wait outside in my rig while you two finish shopping.” Ken looked toward the parking lot. “Take your time, though. I’m in no rush.”

Mandy glanced over her shoulder, watching Ken go out the door.
He’s such a nice person. I only wish …
She turned and followed Ellen to the back of the store, refusing to let her thoughts get carried away.
It must be the heat
, Mandy told herself.
I’m not thinking clearly today
.

“This is a nice enough hospital, but I’m anxious to go home.” Luana’s husband frowned. “I’ll sleep a lot better in our own bed, too.”

“It shouldn’t be too much longer.” Luana placed her hand on Makaio’s arm. “You ought to enjoy all the attention you’re getting here while you can, and don’t forget all the good food they’ve been feeding you.”

“Your cooking is much better than hospital food. Guess I shouldn’t complain though. I’m happy to be alive.” Makaio closed his eyes a few seconds, before opening them again. “How are we going to manage the B&B with me unable to walk right now?” He winced as he gripped the bedsheets and tried to sit up. “We’re starting into our busiest time of the year. You’ll need my help more than ever.”

“What’s done is done, so there’s no need to fret.” Luana asked him to lean forward a bit and plumped up his pillows. Then she took a seat in the chair beside his bed and reached out to clasp his hand. “I have some good news.”

“Please share it with me. I’ve had enough negative news since I fell off the roof.”

“Mandy and Ellen have agreed to help out in exchange for their room and board.” She gave his fingers a reassuring squeeze. “You need to quit worrying and relax so you can get better. You’re not doing yourself any good by getting upset.”