The Quilter's Son: Book Three: Nathan's Apprentice

by Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  Chapter 16

  Nathan sat across from Maddie studying her as she followed his instructions to the letter. The stitches were clumsy, yet surprisingly evenly spread. It was the first time that he dared to even look at her longer than a few seconds. All he could identify her with was the high ponytail that rested at her crown and cascaded in a spiral from the top of her head. That blond ponytail swung back and forth whenever she walked the halls at school and was a telltale sign that she was on the rampage about something. She’d become feared at their high school and that blond ponytail seemed to give her power.

  Now as he sat across from her, he saw vulnerability in her eyes, as though she’d let her guard down just for a minute.

  Nathan felt suddenly brave. "Why are you so mean all the time?"

  Maddie looked up, surprise in her fiery green eyes. "It's expected of me," she said casually.

  Nathan shook his head in disbelief.

  "What do you mean it's expected of you?"

  Maddie smiled. "Cheerleader equals mean girl. You do the math."

  "But we are not at school right now. You don't have to be mean to me."

  The corners of Maddie's mouth turned up in such a way that she almost looked more beautiful to him than he’d ever seen her.

  "You naïve little Amish boy. Don't you know that if I'm not mean all the time I lose my position of power as cheerleader? Because they expect it from me, I must act a certain way or the other students don't respect me."

  "I would certainly respect you more if you were nice." Nathan said.

  Maddie looked up from her stitches and gave him a funny look. "Cheerleaders are highly competitive. If we aren't mean, we lose our edge."

  Nathan snatched her sewing out of her hands and forced her to look at him. "Have you ever actually tried being nice? You might actually like it."

  Maddie’s face turned up into the meanest look he’d ever seen on her face. "Nice people are weak."

  Nathan chuckled. "Who in the world told you that?"

  Maddie tipped her head casually.

  "Cheerleading coaches tell us all the time. They tell us not to be nice because it shows weakness. If we are mean and spiteful to everyone, it gives us power; the power to win."

  Nathan couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Is it possible the coaches meant for you to apply that attitude toward the games and cheerleading competition and not toward your everyday lives? Life is not a cheerleading competition."

  Maddie leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "Life in general is a competition, Amish Boy."

  "What exactly is it that you are competing for with me?"

  The look on Maddie’s face changed. Her eyes clouded over and her expression fell.

  "I just want you to like me."

  Nathan laughed heartily. "If you want me to like you, you can start by not calling me Amish Boy anymore. I would like you a whole lot better if you would lose the attitude."

  "My attitude is expected of me. Without my attitude, I wouldn't feel like a cheerleader. I don't know how to be any other way since I've been so mean for so long. I've been mean for too long to change. I wouldn't know how to be nice."

  "Then reinvent yourself. We're about to graduate high school, and you don't have to be the mean cheerleader anymore. Move on with your life and try something new."

  “I'm supposed to be coming here on a cheerleading scholarship. Here in college I will probably have to be the meanest cheerleader in order to survive. All I ever wanted to do since I was a little girl is to be a cheerleader for the Hoosiers."

  "What do you mean in order to survive?"

  "If I'm not the meanest cheerleader, then the meanest one will overtake me. And I will never survive the squad. My goal is to be squad leader, and I can't do that by being nice."

  Nathan looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. She was far more confused than he was about life and about who she was.

  "Try being nice sometimes. You don't have to be nice during your cheerleading competitions or whatever, but try being nice as a human being to others. When you're kind to people, they are kind right back to you."

  Maddie’s eyes turned sad. "I already told you…I've been mean so long I don't know how to be nice."

  Nathan smiled. "You are being nice to me right now, and you didn't even realize it. You've gone five whole minutes without calling me Amish Boy. That's an accomplishment."

  Maddie let out a half giggle, half cry. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she smiled brightly at him.

  "You are right, Amish Boy."

  Nathan chuckled. "See? When you say it like that, it doesn't hold the same meaning."

  "I only said it because I don't really know your real name."

  "My name is Nathan."

  "It's nice to meet you, Nathan."

  Nathan smiled.

  He had won this round.

  Chapter 17

  When Maddie sat down next to him in the auditorium, Nathan actually didn't cringe.

  "Hey, Nate."

  No one had ever called him Nate before, and he kinda liked it.

  "You're late, Maddie. I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show up today."

  Maddie nudged him with her elbow. "And miss out on the chance to sit next to you all day? You can't get rid of me that easily."

  "I was afraid of that," Nathan said chuckling.

  Maddie nudged him in the arm again.

  "Don't be so mean, Amish Boy."

  "You know you're going to have to stop calling me that if we're going to be friends."

  "If people found out I was friends with an Amish boy, it would ruin me."

  Nathan smiled at her. "The only way they're going to know is if you tell them."

  Maddie smile back. "You might be onto something, Nate."

  After their lecture Maddie went to meet up with the cheerleading squad that she hoped to be a part of once she attended school here. They didn't have anything to do for a while, so he decided to go along and watch their cheering. On their last day here at the university, there was to be a special pep rally held, and Maddie was supposed to be a part of it. Now she was busy practicing for that cheer she would do with her new squad.

  None of Nathan's friends were here with him, as none of them intended to attend here. They had all been accepted to out-of-state colleges. Maddie, in all her meanness, was the closest thing he had to having a friend here with him for the duration of their trip. He wasn't sure he would classify her as a friend just yet, but if she continued to let her guard down and be nice to him, it was a possibility.

  Nathan sat on the bleachers watching Maddie interact with the other cheerleaders. Inside her element she was a whole different person, and he realized that she wasn't all that unlike him. He too was most in his element when he was quilting. She was right about one thing, cheerleaders were mean. He sat there watching them arguing back-and-forth, taking pot shots at each other. All they seemed to do was put each other down. Maddie flashed him a helpless look, and he felt sorry for her. He knew it was her dream to be a cheerleader, but she was going to have to decide if she could do that and be a nice person at the same time. He knew that wouldn't be an easy task for her, but with a little help from him, her new friend, perhaps it could be accomplished.

  Perhaps they could help each other.

  Chapter 18

  By the end of the week, they had managed to finish more than half of Maddie’s quilt. It actually turned out a lot better than he thought originally. Though they’d had to pull some of it apart and redo it because it didn't fit, in the end it all worked out. Now it was their last day at the University, and Nathan felt confident that Maddie could finish the quilt on her own without his help.

  He would almost miss her, since they had become closer over the past few days. After finally letting her guard down, they had gotten along a lot better. He wasn't sure how things would be once they returned home, but he had a feeling she might go back to her old self once they got into school and around their classmates.
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  It bothered him to think such a thing, but he also knew how hard high school could be and the pressures that the cheerleaders were under. She shared a lot more with him about what goes on behind the scenes during cheerleading practice, and he did not envy her one bit. Her pressures were a lot more in depth than his ever could be. It saddened him that others couldn't just accept people for who they are, but he feared that that was the way of the world. It was one of the reasons he preferred the Amish community.

  Nathan sat in the bleachers along with all the other students that had come for the tour and watched the pep rally giving them a send-off for the last day at the University. Nathan was sad it was his last day, but he was more than ready to go home and face whatever his future with Anna held. He’d already made up his mind before he’d even stepped foot on campus, but it wasn’t until now, on his last day, that he realized that his future never included the university. It only included Anna, and teaching his own children someday how to quilt, so that they could carry on his legacy.

  Although Nathan would be happy to go home, he would certainly miss this place. It was his only opportunity to experience college. He had enjoyed himself immensely while he was here. The freedom and the fun did not go unnoticed. But now it was time to grow up and face his future head-on. He had made a promise to Anna, and he would keep that promise because he loved her. He didn't mind sacrificing the college experience, for he got to have that for five whole days, and that was more than enough for him.

  Even after that first, day he realized he didn't really belong here. He belonged at home with Anna and his family and his quilt shop that his mamm had so lovingly given to him. He packed his bag, preparing to leave all of this behind. He would never be a college student. He would forever be a quilter’s son, and he was content with that.

  Chapter 19

  Anna prepared a light meal to take with her to the quilt shop today. She was expecting Nathan to show up around the lunch hour, and she hoped to surprise him with his favorite homemade banana bread and corned beef sandwiches with Swiss cheese. She was excited that they would share a meal together after being apart for an entire week. She was so excited to see him; she was almost nervous. It has been a long week waiting for him, and she was more than ready to have him home. She longed to hold him in her arms once again and shower him with the sweet kisses that he loved so much. She had never had the opportunity to miss him before, and this had been a new experience for her. They had talked every night on the phone, but it just wasn't the same. The first two days she hadn't spoken to him at all, and when she finally talked to him, his demeanor worried her a little bit.

  Nathan had told her all about the college campus and shared with her how excited he was about all of it, and that worried her. She knew that he was part of an Englisch world that she was not part of, and she wondered if he would rather be there than here with her.

  Anna's heart quickened at the jingle of the bells on the front door the quilt shop. In walked Nathan, looking more handsome than she'd ever seen him before, his sandy brown hair slicked back with hair gel, wearing a blue tie to complement his crisp white dress shirt. She stood abruptly, knocking the chair over behind her, but she didn't care.

  Nathan scooped her up in his arms and twirled her. He pressed his lips to hers, and he'd never tasted a kiss so sweet. His mouth swept over hers hungrily. Oh, how he'd missed her. He drank in the flowery smell of her, and it tickled his senses. Nathan couldn't get enough of her. He pulled her as close as he could and didn't want to let her go ever again.

  He’d missed her.

  He missed her smell, the way she giggled, even the way she sighed sometimes whenever they were quiet together making a quilt. If he could spend the rest of his life kissing this woman, he'd be the happiest man on earth.

  School didn't matter.

  Nothing else mattered but this moment with her. He swept his mouth across her neck and whispered in her ear quietly. “I love you, my sweet Anna. I will never leave you again. I could hardly bear to be separated from you."

  Anna breathed heavily, matching the fervor of his kisses with equal exertion. She had missed him so much, and now her hunger for him could not be satisfied. His lips were warm against hers. She felt his arm wrap around her lower back and pull her toward him. Warmth surged through her at his touch. She loved the way he held her so close, as if they were one. Being in his arms was home to her. She couldn't get enough of him, and she enjoyed his desire for her.

  “I love you, my sweet Anna,” he whispered again.

  He loved kissing her, but he was ready to be married to her so there could be more.

  Chapter 20

  Anna was so lost in Nathan's kiss, she thought she heard the bells of angels as if she’d died and gone to heaven.

  "Nate honey, you left your bag on the bus."

  Anna tore herself from Nathan's arms, whipping her head around toward the door of the quilt shop and the sound of the woman's voice. Before her, stood a beautiful young woman in a cheerleading outfit holding a white handled paper bag toward Nathan.

  Anna looked at Nathan, fire in her eyes.

  "Who is this," she said in a lowered voice. "And why is she calling you honey?"

  Maddie took a step forward, tipped her head, and flashed a mean smile at Anna. "I'm his apprentice. He's teaching me how to quilt."

  Anna looked at Nathan who was trying really hard not to look guilty.

  "Since when?" Anna said through a nervous smile.

  Maddie giggled. "Oh he didn't tell you about me?"

  Anna gritted her teeth and pasted on a fake smile. "No, he hasn't said a word."

  Anna extended a hand to Maddie as if she was afraid of catching germs. "I'm Anna. I'm engaged to be married to Nathan."

  Maddie giggle. "Aww, no you're not."

  Anna could feel her blood boiling as she turned to Nathan. "Did you tell her we are engaged?"

  Maddie interrupted. "He already told me the truth about the two of you. We talked about it while he was teaching me to make my butterfly quilt."

  Anna let out a screech and stormed off, stomping her feet against the wooden floor of the quilt shop. She ran into the bathroom and slammed the door shut and locked it. Feeling weak in the knees, Anna slid to the floor, her back against the door. She began to cry, tears choking her. All she could think about was Nathan betraying her with that pretty cheerleader.

  Nathan tapped lightly on the door of the bathroom. "Anna come out here, please. I can explain."

  Nathan could hear her muffled cries as she attempted to speak, but he couldn't understand a word she was saying.

  Anna sniffled "How could you, Nathan? How could you make a butterfly quilt with that… that cheerleader?"

  Nathan didn't want to converse with her with the door between them, and he certainly didn't want to talk to her about this when Maddie was within earshot of their conversation.

  "Anna, please come out of there and I'll explain everything to you."

  "Just go home," came her muffled sobs. "Go away and leave me alone. You have ruined everything."

  Nathan pressed his ear to the door. He hated to hear her cry, especially when it was his fault.

  "Anna, please let me explain."

  "There's nothing left to say, Nathan. Go home."

  Nathan stepped away from the door, the weight of his lies crushing his heart.

  Chapter 21

  "She won't talk to me,” Nathan complained. “It's been three days."

  Steve patted his son on the shoulder thoughtfully. "She'll come around. You just need to give her a little time."

  Nathan leaned against the fence rail, removed his hat, and tossed it on the ground.

  "She's never going to forgive me; I really screwed up."

  "I know it's too late tell you now, but you should've stayed away from that cheerleader. Those cheerleaders will get you into trouble every time."

  Nathan turned around and looked at his dad strangely. "Wasn't my birth mother a cheerleader?"
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  Steve chuckled. "Yes she was, Son. And she broke my heart."

  Nathan shook his head. "You don't have to worry about me, dad. I don't think of Maddie that way. I love Anna."

  Steve looked at his son sincerely. "I’m glad to hear that. If you sincerely love Anna, then you need to cling to her. You have to do whatever it takes to make this right. Trust me when I tell you, don't let too much time go by, or you might live to regret it. Don't repeat my mistakes, Son.

  I've had to live with a lot of regret over the years, and I'd like to spare you that. It's not a good way to live."

  "What if she'll never forgive me?"

  "That's the chance you have to take when you walk the honorable road. Pray about it, Son. God won't let you down."

  Nathan knew his dad was right. Praying was the one thing he hadn't done in this situation yet.

  ****

  Nathan set off on foot toward his Uncle Liam's farm across the 2 mile stretch of cornfield that separated their houses. He hoped he would find his grandfather at the dawdi haus so he wouldn't have to do much explaining to anyone else in the family. His Grandpa John, who had married his Grandma Nellie ten years ago, had become a great source of information regarding his birth mother. Grandpa John never judged him no matter what he said, and he was always a good listener. Grandma Nellie would make them Meadow tea during his visits, and they would often sit for hours while Nathan listened to Grandpa spout off one story after another about his birth mother.

  This time, he needed some real-life advice, and he knew Grandpa John would be there to help without judgment. Right now, he needed to spill his guts, and if anyone would understand, it would be Grandpa John.