The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club - 02 - The Tattered Quilt (35 page)

Anna thought once again about the best way to tell her folks that she’d be leaving the first week of December. She knew they wouldn’t be in favor of her going to Florida with Mandy, but she was old enough now to make her own decisions.

When Lamar turned their horse and buggy onto the driveway, he handed Emma the reins and said, “Think I’ll hop out and check the mail. It’ll save me a trip walking out after I put the horse and buggy away.”

“Would you rather I get the mail?” Emma asked.

He shook his head. “That’s okay, I’ll do it. No need for you to get out.”

Emma smiled as she watched Lamar climb down from the buggy and walk to the mailbox by the side of the road. He was always so thoughtful and considerate.

When Lamar returned to the buggy, he handed Emma a stack of mail and took up the reins.

As they headed up the driveway toward the barn, Emma thumbed through the mail. She smiled when she saw a letter from her sister Rachel, who lived in Middlefield, Ohio. Tearing open the envelope and quickly reading Rachel’s note, Emma’s smile widened.

“What’s that big grin about?” Lamar asked. “I’m guessing whatever you opened is not a bill.”

“No, it’s not. It’s a letter from my sister Rachel, and she’s coming for a visit.”

“How nice. When will she arrive?”

“In two weeks. It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen her, so I’m looking forward to her visit.” Emma placed Rachel’s letter in with the rest of the mail and sighed. “The only thing that concerns me is that there are still two more quilting classes to go, and the quilt for Cheryl’s grandmother isn’t done yet. So I may not have enough time to clean house and get things ready for Rachel’s visit.”

Lamar reached over and patted Emma’s hand. “Not to worry; I’ll help as much as I can. I’m sure Mary and your granddaughters will, too.”

Selma stood at the door, looking out and calling for Scruffy. She hadn’t seen any sign of the cat since early this morning and was beginning to worry.
Could he have returned to wherever he came from?
she wondered.
Maybe he wasn’t really looking for a new home. It could be that he was lost and just needed someplace to get in out of the cold
. Selma hated to admit it, but she missed the pesky cat. His gray-colored coat had looked better after she’d combed out the mats, and she had even given him a collar with a small bell so she could tell where he was in the house.

“Guess that’s what I get for letting the critter worm his way into my house and heart,” Selma muttered, closing the door. It seemed like she was destined to lose everyone she cared about—even a pet. It was as if the cat had deliberately forced his way into Selma’s life, only to desert her once she’d begun to care.

“Just like Cora,” Selma grumbled, shuffling into the living room and collapsing on the sofa. She remembered how Terry had mentioned Cora’s picture today and how just talking about her had been painful. Yet in some ways, telling Terry about Cora had given Selma a small measure of peace, because he seemed to understand.

Selma picked up the remote and turned on the TV. She scanned the list of shows that were on but didn’t see anything that really interested her as she continued to hit the Channel button. She glanced toward the bookcase where the framed photo of Cora always sat. No wonder Terry thought it was her in the photo. It was like looking at herself when she was sixteen years old. Selma and her husband, John, had all but given up hope of ever having any children, but then, when Selma was in her late thirties, they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl.

The photo had been taken more than fifteen years ago, but Selma remembered it as if it were yesterday. John, Cora, and Selma had gone on a picnic, and after they’d eaten their lunch, Cora had sat on a fallen tree, gazing at a field of wildflowers.

Selma closed her eyes to relish the memory. She and John had cleaned up everything and were discussing some colleges Cora might attend in the not-too-distant future. Suddenly, John nudged Selma’s arm and pointed at their daughter sitting on the log as though in deep thought. Wanting to capture the moment, Selma picked up her camera, zoomed in on Cora, and snapped the look of contentment on the young woman’s face. Of all the pictures Selma had of her daughter, this one was her favorite. Everything about that special day had been perfect, even the glow on Cora’s face. Looking back, it was hard to think that Cora was now thirty years old. Since Cora had not married, Selma was sure she’d never be a grandmother.

Not wanting to get depressed like she normally did when thinking too deeply about the past, Selma picked an old rerun she’d seen many times before, but at least it was a humorous show and one she wouldn’t have to think too hard about. “Mindless entertainment” was what Selma called it.

After a few minutes, when a commercial came on, Selma got up to make a cup of hot tea. Walking past the bookcase, she glanced once more at Cora’s photo.

When Selma stepped into the kitchen, she looked out the window, but there was no sign of Scruffy.
Guess the cat hasn’t been gone all that long. Maybe I’m overreacting. He’ll probably be back, meowing at my door before it’s time for bed
.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m sure hungry,” Paul said to Carmen as they entered the Blue Gate Restaurant in Shipshewana.

“I’m hungry, too,” she admitted. “And anxious to try some of the Amish-style meals they serve at this restaurant.”

“Have you eaten here before?” Paul questioned as they approached the hostess to request a table for two.

Carmen shook her head. “No, but I’ve heard about it. Judging by all the people I see, I’m guessing the food here must be good.”

Paul placed his hand in the small of Carmen’s back as they followed the hostess to their table. Once they were seated and had placed their orders, he smiled at Carmen and said, “You look nice tonight. I like the pretty turquoise barrette in your hair.”

Carmen smiled. “Thank you, Paul. It was a birthday present from my dad.”

Paul cleared his throat a couple of times. “I’ve been wondering about something.”

“What’s that?”

“Are you seeing anyone? I—I mean, do you have a steady boyfriend?”

She shook her head. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, just curious. I figured a beautiful woman like you would have at least one guy who was serious about her.”

“No, not really,” she said.

Paul couldn’t explain it, but he felt relieved knowing Carmen wasn’t dating anyone.

His thoughts were interrupted when their waitress returned with two plates of turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
I wonder how Carmen would respond if I asked her to stay in Indiana?
Shaking the notion aside, Paul picked up his fork and started eating. No matter how much he wished it wasn’t so, Carmen’s job and her home were in California. He needed to keep his focus on something else and quit wishing for the impossible.

C
HAPTER
31

Goshen

F
or the beginning of a workweek, traffic was light. In Cheryl’s eyes this was always a good thing, aside from the fact that her job was only a fifteen-minute drive from where she lived. Following two days off, Monday mornings were hard enough, especially when it had been a good weekend, like the past one was.

As Cheryl headed to work, all she could think about was how the weekend had gone, and how much she’d enjoyed being with Terry again. They’d stopped at a café on the way back from Winona Lake, but since Cheryl was still full from the lunch she’d had earlier, she’d sipped iced tea and visited with Terry while he ate a burger and fries. She’d enjoyed listening as he told her about some of his biking trips and was pleased when he asked her some questions about growing up near the Oregon coast. Not like Blaine, who hadn’t asked Cheryl anything about her past or personal life. In fact, her conversations with Blaine in no way compared to her time spent with Terry. The two men were as different as day and night.

Cheryl was fairly sure Mom and Dad wouldn’t approve of Terry because he was such a free spirit, but that was what intrigued her the most. She knew, too, that Dad wouldn’t like Terry’s long hair. Cheryl couldn’t really explain it, but she felt more comfortable with Terry than any other man she’d dated. When she’d first met him, a few things about him irritated her, but the more time she spent with Terry, the more he seemed to be growing on her.

On Sunday, Terry had come to church again. This time, he’d seemed more relaxed and had even taken part in the singing. Ruby Lee had led the music and chosen several lively choruses. Cheryl had snuck a peek at Terry during the praise-and-worship time and was happy to see him clapping along and grinning as they worshiped the Lord. After church, Cheryl and Terry had gone out for lunch and ended the day with another ride on his Harley. Only this time, Jan and his daughter, Star, joined them—for church, as well as lunch and the three-hour road trip. Cheryl had been exhausted when she went home that evening but had felt exhilarated at the same time. She’d never imagined riding on the back of a motorcycle could be so much fun.

Having Star along had put Cheryl more at ease on the bike, but she didn’t think she’d ever want to ride a motorcycle by herself the way Star did—not even if it had a fancy custom paint job. Cheryl had to admit, the starbursts in bright neon colors fit Star’s personality, as well as her name.