by Tricia Goyer
Caleb ran a finger down her cheek. “Of course, Rebecca. You’re not going to get rid of me that easily.”
Their last dinner together wasn’t anything special, but Rebecca realized it was right. It was comfortable. And wasn’t that how all good friendships—good relationships—should be?
They ate dinner at Young Gun’s Pizza. Then, with Caleb in the backseat, Marianna drove her back to her parents’ motel room. Her parents were still waiting up, and after she briefly introduced them to Caleb, they whisked her inside the hotel room door as if they were protecting her from an unseen foe. Caleb was still Amish, and Marianna had grown up Amish, yet they treated them as if they had tainted Rebecca. As if her being around them had changed her—something she couldn’t deny.
Her last look at Caleb was a brief glance over her shoulder. He mouthed something, but she couldn’t tell what. “I care” or “I’ll call.” Either way, she had hopes that he would still be in her life for a very long time.
Sometime in the night, Rebecca woke to a noise and a stuffy room. She could hear her father’s snores in the next bed over and her mother’s heavy breathing. The red, glowing numbers of the alarm clock read 2:32. It was dark outside and the wind had picked up.
It was only as the drone of low thunder rumbled again that she realized that’s what had woken her from her dream. She’d been dreaming that she was already on the train and it was pulling out from the train station. The thought of it nearly broke her heart in two.
Her fingers touched her lips where Caleb had softly kissed her. Was it just yesterday? Grayish light filtered through the hotel room curtains, and she hoped the rain would stay away. She snuggled farther down into the sheets and blankets of the hotel room bed, wondering what it would be like to wake up and look into the face of someone you loved. Did Caleb wonder the same?
She wondered if they’d ever get the chance to find out.
CHAPTER
26
At nine o’clock there came a knock on the door. Rebecca and her parents had just gotten back from breakfast. Rebecca’s heart leapt. Was it Caleb coming to say one last good-bye? She tried not to act disappointed when she saw that it was Marianna and Ben.
“Hi, what’s happening? Is everything all right?” Rebecca asked.
“Ja, we just remembered something: you didn’t make it to Kootenai Falls and the swinging bridge. It seems a shame that you went the whole way on the wagon trail and missed that.”
“What about the others? Are they going?” Her heart skipped a beat.
Ben and Marianna exchanged looks. “They’re already headed there in the wagons but won’t be there for a few hours yet,” Marianna explained. “We couldn’t fit everyone in the truck, and, well . . . I suppose we could have brought Caleb, but I was being a little selfish and wanted this time just with you. Who knows when I’ll see you again?”
Rebecca nodded, disappointment filling her. “Ja, that makes sense.”
Ben and Marianna also invited her parents to join them on their short trip, but they both declined. Even though Rebecca and Marianna had grown up as friends—and it was impossible to count how many times Marianna had slept over at her house as a girl—Rebecca’s mother treated her like a stranger.
Rebecca cast her parents a parting smile, thankful to be free of the tension that filled the hotel room. “I’ll see you later, at the train station, for one last good-bye before the train ride. Are you sure you can get there okay?”
“Ja, we found the taxi ride here to the hotel, didn’t we?” Dat said with an edginess to his voice.
“Have a nice time,” Mem said with no emotion.
She had hurt them. But hopefully it was a hurt that time would heal.
Ben drove a ways out of town, and then he parked just off the highway near a small sign that read Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge. There were restrooms and a hiking trail with a sign that pointed the direction to the falls. Rebecca tried to listen for the falling water, but all she heard was the roaring of the passing trucks.
“Do you think our stuff will be okay here?” she asked as she climbed out of the truck. “That suitcase has everything I own in it.” She tossed Millie’s jacket haphazardly over the case so that it didn’t look like anything important.
“Are you kidding? This is Montana,” Ben said. “Most people don’t lock their car doors, and I even have friends who don’t put locks on the doors to their houses.”
“Ja, vell, it’s pretty safe back in LaGrange County, too, but things still happen.”
“It’s fine,” Marianna commented, patting Rebecca’s arm. “It’s a quick hike there and back. We can’t take too long. We need to make sure you get lunch before you catch your afternoon train.”
Rebecca nodded and followed them down the trail. It was well worn, and a few other tourists were coming and going. A man walking a dog offered her a hello as they passed and she smiled back. Ahead of her, Marianna slipped her small hand into Ben’s larger one, and Rebecca’s heart ached.
Even though she’d never seriously dated before, and even though she’d only known Caleb for a week, it seemed wrong to Rebecca that she was walking alone. She felt empty and anxious. It just didn’t seem right not to have him by her side, and that worried her. How was she going to handle being in Portland alone? How was she going to get through it?
They walked through the woods and then found themselves at a large crossing that took them over railroad tracks. They climbed a set of steps, crossed over the tracks on a metal bridge, and then climbed back down again.
It was as they reached the other side that Rebecca heard the roaring of the falls. She thought of the waterfall she’d found with Caleb, and she was reminded of the way she’d tossed pinecones into the water, watching them swirl and tumble. She felt like that now, moving down a path that was going to wash her away, taking her from those she cared about.
As they entered the woods again, the walking trail teed. They went to the right first, and she noticed the falls. It wasn’t a large, tall falls like she’d expected, but rather a series of wide steps that moved downward. The steps were so even and well designed they looked man-made. An older lady and man were sitting on the rocks on the side, enjoying the view. Marianna approached them.
“You wouldn’t mind taking a photo of the three of us, would you?” she asked.
“Not at all.” The man jumped to his feet and took the camera from Marianna’s hands. Marianna motioned to Rebecca. “Kumme.”
Rebecca hurried to her side with the falls at their back. Ben walked over and stood behind them both, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. She forced a smile as she looked at the camera, guessing it was one of only a dozen photographs that had been taken of her over the years.
It’s a new life, she thought to herself, unsure if that was a good thing.
When the picture was taken, they sat down on the rocks, and she let herself focus on the falls. They were there to remind her that if God created this place, He had a good plan for her life too.
“So, are we going to go to the swinging bridge?” Ben asked.
Marianna rubbed her stomach. “To tell you the truth, I’ve been laying around that house all week, and I’m feeling a little lazy. You don’t mind taking Rebecca down to the bridge while I wait here, do you?”
“No. Wait.” Rebecca rose and motioned for Ben to stay seated. “I don’t mind going by myself. That sign said it’s only a quarter mile down the river, along the trail, right?”
Ben nodded. “Yeah, something like that.”
She took a few steps toward the trail “Yes, see. That’ll only take me fifteen minutes there and back. You two just stay here, watch the falls. Or, better yet, stare into each other’s eyes.” Rebecca turned and headed to the trail before they could argue.
“Are you sure?” Marianna called to her.
“I’m fine!” Rebecca replied without looking back. She needed this. She needed time to think, time to pray, before she got on that train.
Rebecca was the only one traveling down the trail. She could still hear the falls, and she could also make out the river through the trees every now and then. She walked around trees and up small rises and down again, and just when she thought she’d somehow missed the bridge, there it was.
It was a narrow hanging bridge, made of planks and rope. It was wide enough for only one person at a time to walk on, and it swooped down in the middle as it crossed the water. As she climbed up the stairs to get to it, she couldn’t help but remember what Millie had said about Jesus being the bridge.
As she got closer, she noticed it was three planks wide, and a metal fence had been run down both sides and set onto posts. Rebecca took the first step and was amazed how shaky it was—not a firm foundation at all.
She walked to the middle of the bridge and couldn’t help but think of the covered bridges back in Indiana—kissing bridges, as they were called. She’d always imagined herself growing up there, getting married there, growing old there. She’d imagined kissing her beau every time they passed under a kissing bridge. She had imagined living in the same church community as her parents and aentis. But life had a way of changing the rules. God had a way of changing one’s plans.
She walked all the way across the bridge to the wooded area along the side. She took in the scent of pine and tried to remember how fresh the air could be—and how it filled her soul as well as her lungs.
She turned to head back across the bridge, picturing Caleb walking through those woods and greeting her. She held her breath, almost wishing it was so. But he wasn’t there.
Yet God was.
A warm breeze hit her face, and even as she stood there, she knew that things would be all right.
Trust me, she felt God saying. I will always be with you.
Peace settled over her, and she felt braver about riding on the train, about heading to Portland. God had brought her this far. He’d done so much. Surely He wouldn’t leave her now.
Her steps felt lighter as she exited the bridge and made her way back down the trail. By the time she got back to the falls, Ben and Marianna were already standing.
“There you are!” Ben called. “I was just going to come and check on you.”
“I’m fine. Good, even.” Rebecca smiled. “I was just back there on that bridge getting a pep talk from God.”
Marianna came and wrapped her arm around Rebecca’s shoulders. “I’m glad. And I’m thankful we had some time together. I know it’s been a challenge, as we’re both growing and changing, but I want you to know I consider you my forever friend.”
“I feel the same.” Rebecca thought about mentioning coming back for Thanksgiving, but it seemed foolish to try to plan for something so far away. The best way to follow God, she was discovering, was to focus ahead on where you hoped to be, but to be willing to make adjustments to those plans.
They exited the woods and then climbed up the metal stairs, crossing over the train bridge once again. A siren blared from somewhere, carrying through the trees.
When they got closer to the parking lot, Ben stopped short. “It sounds like somebody’s car alarm is going off.”
“I thought you said there isn’t any crime in Montana.” Rebecca smirked.
He shrugged and resumed his pace again. “I bet somebody set off their car alarm accidentally.”
“It’s not your truck, is it?” Rebecca asked.
Marianna shook her head. “I don’t even think our truck has an alarm. Does it, Ben?”
“I think it does.” He pulled out his keys from his pocket. “I’m not sure.”
The alarm stopped.
“Did you push a button?” Marianna asked him.
“I didn’t push anything. It must have been someone else’s vehicle.”
“Either someone turned off their alarm or its two minutes were up,” Rebecca said.
Ben turned her direction. “What do you mean?”
“Those alarms—they only sound for two minutes. Then they turn off on their own. It saves the battery.”
“And how do you know this? Aren’t you Amish?” he chuckled.
“Ja, but I worked at a restaurant most of my teen years. I used to page many customers about their car alarms, until I learned they eventually turn off. In Shipshe, most of the time the car just got bumped. Of course, there were times when the cars had been broken into and things were stolen . . .” She let her voice trail off. “People loved taking items from tourists . . .”
My suitcase. What if someone broke in and took it? Worried thoughts pounded her, breaking through the peace she’d felt just a moment before.
Even though Ben didn’t seem concerned, Rebecca quickened her pace. What if that had been Ben’s truck’s alarm? Her heart started pounding, and she told herself it was nothing. But the truth was that if anything happened to that suitcase, she was in trouble.
Rebecca went from walking to running. As she rounded the corner to the parking lot, she stopped short. Ben’s truck was just where they left it, but another car was parked next to it, and two women were peering into a broken window on Ben’s truck.
“Stop! What are you doing?” she called to them, running up. She could hear Ben’s footsteps pounding behind her.
“Is this your truck, sweetie? The alarm was going off when we parked and the window was broken. We thought we’d watch it until the owner arrived.”
Rebecca nodded and moved past them, reaching for the door handle. “It’s not my truck, but my things were inside!” Rebecca swung the passenger’s-side door open and looked behind the seat. Tears immediately sprang to her eyes, and her knees softened.
Ben stopped in his tracks near the back of the truck. “I don’t believe it.” The tarp had been pulled off their camping items and was lying on the ground.
“They didn’t get into the cab, did they?” Marianna hurried up. “My purse is in there. I tucked it under the front seat.”
Rebecca clung to the truck’s backseat, feeling as if her whole world was caving in. “My suitcase. It was in the backseat. It’s gone.” As she said those words the world around her turned to shades of gray. “Can you call the cops? We need to tell them—” she hurriedly asked.
“My purse is here!” Marianna’s words interrupted her own. “For the first time I won’t complain about all the junk Ben keeps in this rig. They didn’t even see it.”
“But my suitcase.” Rebecca squatted to the ground and covered her face with her hands.
“I’m not sure what the cops can do.” Ben approached. “This is a highway. Who knows who did this and where they are now.”
Marianna came to her, placing her hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I know your suitcase had your clothes . . . all your things that you were taking to Portland.”
“It was more than that. It had everything I needed to live on!”
“There are a few shops in Libby, if you need clothes or other items.” Marianna leaned down, trying to be supportive. “I know it’ll be hard not to have your things, but Portland is big. I’m sure you can find whatever you need there. If you need to borrow some money to replace your things . . .” Marianna turned to Ben. “I’m sure we can help.”
“Ten thousand dollars.” Rebecca’s tears came then. “My grandma had been saving it most of her life. One dollar from her eggs, here and there. Five dollars from pretty aprons she sewed. She worked so hard . . . and that’s what I was going to live on. My scholarship only covered school. I have to pay for my apartment—my living expenses. What am I going to do? I can’t get a job. I was worried about keeping up as it is just with schooling. The studies are going to take everything out of me. How am I going to be able to work? I—I can’t do that.” She sank all the way to the ground, sitting on her bottom, not caring that the ground was damp. Not caring about anything.
Is this what I get for walking away? I thought I was trying to do a good thing, God. Those people need help. So many need help . . . Why are You punishing me like this?
The s
ilent prayer ripped through her soul, and she thought about Caleb. Was God going to take everything away from her? Wasn’t it hard enough to leave all she knew? To try to make it in an Englisch world?
“Wait? Are you saying that you had ten thousand dollars in your suitcase?” Marianna looked down at her.
“Ja.”
Ben shook his head in disbelief. “Well, you should have said that before we left the truck.”
She looked up at him. “I asked you if my things were going to be all right . . .”
“Yes, Rebecca, but I thought you meant your aprons and bonnets. I had no idea . . .”
From the corner of her eye, Rebecca noticed Marianna typing in something on her phone. Ben noticed it too.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m calling the police department. We have to report this.”
“But what about making the train?” Ben asked.
“Without that money there’s no use.” Rebecca released a shuddering breath. “Without that money I’ll have no choice but to return home to Indiana.”
CHAPTER
27
Rebecca’s fingers drummed on the desk, wanting to hide from the intense gaze of the officer’s eyes.
“Are you telling me that you sewed ten thousand dollars into the lining of an old suitcase that you picked up at a thrift store? Haven’t you ever heard of a bank account, miss? Are you trying to tell me you’re Amish?”
Rebecca shrank back from the man’s disbelieving stare.
“Sir, yes, I grew up Amish, and I was still wearing my Amish clothes up to a day ago. If you find my suitcase you’ll discover the truth—all my Amish clothes are inside.”
“Mm-hmm.” He jotted down notes.
Was he going to do anything about it? Would he tell her that she was out of luck and usher her out?
She cocked her chin, feeling it was worthless talking to him, knowing all that she had was gone. “Sir, don’t you know how we Amish do things? My mem saves all her money in jelly jars in the basement, ja? And all of that money came from my grandmother. From her chickens, actually. She sold their eggs and saved all the coins for years. She didn’t trust banks, but if she was alive, I’d tell her that hiding money isn’t so safe either.”
