The Photograph (19 page)

He reddened. “I found this photo on the train,” he said, looking at the picture before reluctantly offering it to her.

Tears sprang to Eva's eyes as she gazed upon the face of the last person she would have expected to see.
Lily.
“It's my dear missing sister.”

After a moment, she raised her gaze to his own befuddled expression.

“Did
you
take this picture?” she asked at last.

“Of course not,” he stammered. “Like I said
 . . .
I found it
 
on the train.” He frowned. “But wait
 . . .
did you say
Lily
?”

“
Jah
, this is a photo of my sister.” She stared at him, still wondering why this photo was in his possession but now equally perplexed by his present confusion.

He must not have
known it was Lily. . . .

And then it came to her: Jed had thought
she
was the girl in the picture.

“Go ahead and keep it,” Jed said, attempting a smile.

“Lily and I do look quite a bit alike,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Or at least people say we do.”

Jed removed his straw hat and stared down at it. “I don't know what to say.
 . . .
I honestly thought
 . . .”

That I was the girl,
Eva thought again, stunned. “I don't know anything 'bout this photo or where it was taken. What could have prompted Lily to do this?” She slid it into one of the cubbyholes beneath her cash register, wishing it might vanish just as her sister had.

It was evident now why Jed had looked so inquisitively at her when they'd first met at the auction.
Like he'd seen me before.

The awkwardness was strewn before them like broken glass, and every bit as painful to step on.
Was he looking to
meet Lily?
she wondered.
Is
that
why we met?

“I hope I haven't offended you, Eva.” Jed stepped toward her, then, as if out of bounds, he inched back.

Her head was spinning.

“Listen, I don't care about the photograph,” he began again before hesitating, but the way he said it wasn't very convincing.

I feel
like crying.
How on earth had everything gone so wrong so suddenly?

“Eva
 . . .
I thought about telling you, but then I wasn't sure what you'd think.”

They heard the sound of the doorknob turning and the door whisking open. Eva spotted Bishop Isaac smiling at them beneath his formidable-looking black hat. Except for his long-sleeved white shirt, he was dressed all in black.

“I'd best be goin',” Jed said abruptly. “You have another customer.”

“Ain't necessary to go,” she heard herself say. But it was apparently pointless for him to remain to pursue the young woman he'd assumed Eva to be. She managed to nod her head. “
Jah
, maybe 'tis best.” She sighed. “So long, Jed.”

He turned slowly and then glanced back at her, as if still trying to reconcile her face with the photograph. He reached for the door as the bishop stepped up to the counter. Once again, Jed looked back at her and nodded politely.

The worst timing!
she thought.

“
Willkumm
, Bishop,” she said. “What sweets might ya be interested in?”

Her heart sank anew as through the window she saw Jed hurrying to his buggy.

“Nothing today.” The bishop kept on his black felt hat. “But I'd like you to follow me into the main house, where Frona's waiting.”

What else can go wrong?

“Let me just hang up my Closed sign,” she said, thankful now that she and Jed hadn't set out for a walk. But then Lily's forbidden photo might still be safely tucked away in Jed's wallet.

All this
time, Jed thought I was the girl in the photograph.

E
VA
SAT
RESPECTFULLY
AT
THE
TABLE
while Frona informed the bishop that Menno had stopped by earlier. It was surprising to hear that Menno had contacted their cousin Jeptha King in Apple Creek, Ohio. “Jeptha's agreed to nose around some of the surrounding towns . . . see what he can find out about Lily,” Frona said with a glance at Eva.

After what had just transpired in the candy shop, it was hard to keep her mind on what the bishop was saying in response. Eva was still so baffled Lily had dared to have a picture made of herself
 . . .
and that Jed had found it on the very train he'd taken here. The whole thing was mind-boggling.

“Menno's a conscientious farmer,” Bishop Isaac was telling Frona. “I understand why he can't just up and leave, 'specially with cultivating filling his hours.”

“I'm doin' my part to help,” Frona chimed in, explaining she'd written to some Ohio relatives. “It shouldn't take long to find out something, I wouldn't think.”

“But what will happen if Lily refuses to come home?” Eva asked softly.

Bishop Isaac folded his big, callused hands on the table where their father had always sat. “
Gott
has a sovereign plan for your sister, and I believe it's right here with the People. No doubt in my mind.”

Eva hoped with all of her heart he was right. After all, he was the man chosen by God to shepherd the flock here.

“In the long run, though, it'll be up to Lily to surrender her prideful independence,” Bishop Isaac said.

All the same, Eva fought against the idea of someone forcing Lily to return against her will.
If she's even still single
,
she thought. That was the only way it could possibly work, because if Lily had already eloped
 . . .
Oh, she didn't want to think about that. They must find her, and soon!

“We'll put our complete trust in our heavenly Father.” The bishop rose and made his way toward the door. “I'll leave you sisters to your work now.”

“
Denki
for comin', bishop,” Frona said right quick.

But Eva said nothing.

Jed tortured himself on the ride to Quarryville, where he was scheduled to meet the van driver for the trip home. “How could I have made such a fool of myself?” He could not escape the memory of Eva's utter disappointment. And the way she'd wanted him to stay, then changed her mind and agreed he should take his leave.
What a time for the bishop to
appear. . . .

Lily certainly resembled Eva. But now Jed's disappointment was less over the girl in the photo than the realization that Eva wasn't the author of the notes in the book's margins. To think he didn't know her as well as he'd imagined! That was the most disappointing fact of all.

“Just when I was beginning to think God had brought us together in the most unlikely way,” he muttered miserably.

Eva waited until the bishop backed out of the driveway before she dashed over to the candy shop. There, she found Lily's picture and brought it into the kitchen to show Frona, who was busy slicing the fresh bread.

“Where do ya think Lily had this taken?” She pushed it in front of Frona, who leaned forward for a better look.

“Where'd ya get this?” she demanded.

Eva hesitated, unwilling to say. “I just came across it
 . . .
and want to know what you think.”

“I think you'd better burn it, that's what.”

Eva nodded and studied it again. “
Ach
, I wonder if Fannie has an opinion 'bout it. She seems to know more than I would've guessed 'bout our sister.”

“True. You could ask her.” Frona glanced out the window. “Right now, though, it looks like you're getting a customer.”

Eva could see the carriage pulling in. “Come to think of it, maybe this photo might help Cousin Jeptha locate Lily.”

“Well now, ain't that a thought?”

“It would help a lot if they could narrow things down—Ohio's an awful big state,” Eva said, picking up the photograph. “Cousin Jeptha can't just run around all over, ya know.”

“
Nee
, that's for certain.” Frona bobbed her head toward the shop. “Hurry up, now.”

“I'm goin',” Eva exclaimed, leaving Lily's photo there on the counter.

Jed loaded his tools into the back of the van to make room for five other paying passengers. The driver, Arnie Strout, informed
him it wasn't necessary to skimp on space since none of the other passengers had much luggage.

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Jed was plagued by Eva's disillusionment.
What a mess,
he thought.
It was
ridiculous of me to carry that photo around in the
first place!

And he had made a terrible mistake in assuming Eva was the girl in the picture.
I should
have known she wouldn't do such a thing.

Jed recalled everything Eva had said about her younger sister. She had been pretty tight-lipped, perhaps to protect Lily. He didn't know and wasn't sure he was supposed to know.

Now he felt convinced that finding the book on the train had been purely coincidental.
Anyone could've picked
it up. . . .

“Was there a crowd at the auction?” Arnie asked, interrupting Jed's thoughts.

“It was well attended.”

“I wonder if the sellers will spend winters in Florida like other Amish retirees are starting to do.”

“Is that so?” Jed hadn't heard this.

“Oh yes, and Pinecraft's the place for Plain snowbirds. At least that's what I'm told.”

“I don't know of any Amish who go there.” Jed was truly interested. “Is it a set-apart community?”

“I guess it's somewhat isolated from the more modern surrounding neighborhoods. Some of the cottages have electricity, though, but since these are mostly rentals and most folks are only there for a few months out of the year, the bishops are looking the other way.” Arnie added, “Once a person experiences the warmer temperatures, it's doubly hard to endure another Pennsylvania winter.”

The conversation lulled, and Jed found himself contemplating the way he'd left things with Orpha Byler. Had she finally accepted the fact that Jed was only interested in a casual friendship and
nothing more? Indeed, yesterday he'd almost thought Orpha and her family might come again for dessert after supper, but he was relieved when the meal rolled around and it was just him and his hosts seated at the table.

He hoped his uncle wouldn't be frustrated to learn that things had gone nowhere with Jonas's granddaughters. Jed simply hadn't been able to think of anyone but Eva once he'd encountered her at the auction.

And now I've
ruined that.