AR01 - A Road Unknow

by Barbara Cameron

  She looked at Elizabeth then and her eyes widened as if she was surprised. “You’re all dressed. Are you going somewhere this morning?”

  “No. But I’m used to mornings. It’s often dark when I get up.”

  “Oh man that’s crazy.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “There’s a lot to do on a farm. Animals need to be fed, cows milked. Chores done. Brothers and sisters to get ready for breakfast and school.”

  Paula shoved her bangs out of her eyes and studied her. “So this morning must feel different.”

  “Very different.” She sipped her coffee. Really wonderful coffee. “Shall I make breakfast?”

  “I usually just have toast. Or a Pop-Tart.”

  “Pop-Tart?”

  Paula slid off her stool and started another single serving cup of coffee on her way to the kitchen cupboard. When she returned to sit next to Elizabeth, she pulled a package from the box of Pop-Tarts.

  “Here’s what I eat for breakfast most of the time,” she said, tearing open the package and showing Elizabeth a thin, pale pastry. “Sometimes I don’t even put them in the toaster.”

  Elizabeth took the pastry, bit off a corner and tried not to make a face. It tasted like cardboard.

  “You want me to put it in the toaster for you?”

  “No, thanks.” Elizabeth took another bite and this time tasted a kind of sickly sweet jam filling.

  “You’re welcome to anything in the fridge. We can sit down later and figure out how we’re going to work things and the money and stuff.”

  “Good.”

  “Want another cup of coffee?”

  “No, thanks.”

  Elizabeth looked into the refrigerator. A half a loaf of bread, a carton of eggs and a couple containers of yogurt.

  “How about I make us some scrambled eggs and toast?”

  “You know how to cook?”

  Her lips quirked in a smile. “Of course. You don’t?”

  “Not much,” Paula admitted. “Well, I could make the scrambled eggs but I don’t think you’d want to eat them.” She shoved off the stool. “I’m going to go take a quick shower.”

  Elizabeth nodded and studied the stove. Gas, just like the one back home. She found a skillet, started some butter melting in it and got the eggs out of the refrigerator. Paula had mentioned a toaster. It made sense it toasted the pieces of bread instead of having to put them in the oven. She found it on the counter, inserted two pieces of bread into it, and pushed down the lever on the side. The toast immediately popped back up as white as can be. She shoved down the lever harder and this time it stayed down.

  The skillet was ready for the eggs. She was so used to making big quantities for the family she had to think for a minute how many eggs she should make for just two people. She settled on two eggs each, cracked them into a bowl and beat them before pouring the mixture into the skillet. She stirred them and was pleased when a few minutes later she spooned them golden and fluffy onto plates.

  Something was burning. She turned her attention to the toaster and saw smoke rising from it. A loud alarm began blaring over her head.

  “Hey, I set it off whenever I cook,” Paula said cheerfully as she walked into the kitchen. She grabbed a broom from the pantry and used the end to push at a button on the round device on the ceiling. “Toaster, huh? I think it’s possessed. It pops up some times and doesn’t others.”

  She plucked the two blackened pieces from the toaster, threw them into the trash and started two new pieces. “The eggs look good. You’ll have to show me how to make them. Mine are always runny.” She glanced at the toaster, then at Elizabeth. “I’ll just stand here and grab the toast before it has a chance to get extra crispy.”

  And so started Elizabeth’s first morning away from her home.

  Elizabeth gathered up her purse as Paula drove into an empty parking place in front of a store. “Thank you for the ride.”

  “No problem. I have a study group at the college library. I’ll be back at one. Then we can have lunch.”

  “I’ll be right here,” Elizabeth said as she got out of the car and shut the door.

  Paula waved and then turned her head to check for traffic before pulling away from the curb.

  Butterflies danced with the eggs she’d eaten for breakfast, but Elizabeth wasn’t about to let Paula know she’d had trepidation about being left to herself in a strange town. She’d been complaining—silently!—about being cooped up with children at home or in the fabric store where Angela, her boss, marked it on your time card if you went into the restroom and begrudged every minute spent on a quick break or lunch. When she had some time to herself to do as she pleased and explore as she’d never been able to, well, she told herself she’d better get over this sudden anxiety about being a stranger in a new city.

  She took a deep breath and glanced around. There were people bustling about on the sidewalks, mostly tourists who were looking in shop windows or taking photos. They looked curiously at her, probably noticing she was dressed differently than the Lancaster Amish women.

  Elizabeth watched an Amish woman walk past and envied her. The kapps worn here were delicate looking and from the rear, heart-shaped. She didn’t like the stiff conical shape of the Indiana kapps but this was what she had. Besides, she hadn’t come to escape her roots, but to grow some wings, get some freedom from caretaking burdens . . .

  A thought struck her, one so huge and sudden she sank into the nearby bench. She could even dress Englisch if she wanted to—here, so far from Indiana. For once in her twenty years, she had the freedom to do as she pleased.

  “Elizabeth?”

  She dragged herself up from such radical thoughts to realize Saul was standing before her, staring at her.

  “Is it really you? I wasn’t expecting to see you here. It took a minute to realize it was you.”

  Elizabeth was surprised at how warmed she felt at the pleasure and interest she saw in his eyes. Yes, they’d made a tentative plan to have lunch, but she wasn’t really sure she’d see him again. And now here he was, looking happy to see her.

  “My roommate dropped me off. I thought I’d explore a little bit.”

  “Great idea. I was just going to run an errand. Could we have some coffee?”

  Coffee. She’d never been invited out to coffee by a man. Never been invited to a singing—well, once, but her mother had needed help and she’d had to stay home.

  “That would be nice.”

  The rich scents of coffee and baked goods hit her the minute they entered the nearby café. She breathed it all in and marveled at the huge menu behind the counter. So many choices. It seemed regular coffee was just not enough.

  “What are you getting?” she asked him.

  “Dark roast with two sugars,” he said. “I’m not into fancy coffee.”

  She bit her lip and studied the menu again. “A latte sounds good.”

  He leaned over and whispered, “Lah-tay, not ‘lat’” in her ear. “It’s strong coffee with steamed milk.”

  She blushed, feeling like country mouse come to the city.

  “I made the same mistake,” he murmured. “I’m hungry for a snack. Let’s get a pastry, too.”

  More choices. She chose a blueberry muffin—no way was she asking for something called a scone. Was it pronounced scohne or scon?

  It turned out to be scohne. She found out when Saul ordered one. Okay, so she was learning. She knew she had a lot to learn about life outside Goshen, Indiana.

  And herself.

  They took their coffee and pastries to a small table by the window and Elizabeth said a small, silent prayer of thanks for the opportunity to sit in the middle of the morning and chat with a handsome man and enjoy a fancy coffee and a muffin.

  “So, did you get settled at your friend’s place last night?”

  She nodded. “I didn’t have much to settle. Just the clothes in my suitcase.”

  “How’s the latte?”

  “Good. A little strong.”
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  “Espresso is coffee that can stand by itself. How’s the muffin?”

  She swallowed a bite. “Very good. Your scone?”

  “It’s always good here. It’s not something my mother ever made.”

  He got a smile from her. “It looks a lot like a biscuit except it has blueberries in it.”

  “It’s sweeter.” He pushed the plate toward her. “Take a taste. I think you’ll like it.”

  She hesitated then picked up her fork and did as he suggested. It was a lot like a biscuit, but sweeter, just like he’d said. The blueberries were ripe and just a bit tart. “It’s really good.”

  “Maybe you should try it next time.”

  “Maybe.” She smiled.

  “So what’s your plan for today?”

  She finished her muffin and took a sip of the latte. “I thought I’d look around while Paula’s in classes. See what places I might apply for a job.”

  “You don’t believe in wasting time.”

  She looked surprised. “I’m not here for a vacation. I like to work. And I have to support myself.”

  Saul looked at his watch. “I guess I need to be getting back to work myself.”

  “You said you worked in a fabric store,” he said after a moment. “Why don’t you stop in at Stitches in Time? It’s a shop run by Leah King and three of her granddaughters. They sell quilts, knitting supplies, all kinds of similar stuff.”

  “Do you think they need anyone?”

  “I have no idea. But it seems to me your experience would be better used there than some other jobs.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “That’s true.”

  “Unless . . .”

  “Unless?”

  “Unless you’re looking for a change in career, not just in where you live.”

  She shook her head and laughed ruefully. “I think I’ve had enough change, thank you.”

  “Are you allrecht?”

  She nodded. “Why do you ask?”

  “You looked a little sad there for a moment.”

  “I’m fine.” She stood, putting the strap of her purse on her shoulder and disposing of her coffee cup in a trash container. “Thank you for the coffee and muffin.”

  “Don’t forget I want to treat you to lunch. Maybe day after tomorrow?”

  “I’ll have to check with Paula. I haven’t worked out how to get around here yet. She dropped me off today.”

  “You have my number.”

  She nodded. “Have a good day.”

  “You, too.”

  They turned in opposite directions, he to his job, she in search of one. She found herself watching him walk away, then stop and retrace his steps. He looked up, saw her and shrugged.

  “Forget where you’re going?” she asked, grinning.

  “Just thinking about something,” he said and then he went into the store.

  “So what did you think of Paradise?” Paula asked Elizabeth as they sat eating a late lunch.

  “I didn’t get to see much yet,” Elizabeth confessed. She hesitated, unused to sharing confidences with another and then plunged in. “I ran into Saul, the man you saw getting off the bus last night.”

  Paula raised her brows. “Well, that’s interesting. You didn’t tell him you were going to be in town today, did you?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “He works at a store. They sell Amish crafts. He invited me to have coffee.”

  “Store? Say, I don’t suppose they need someone?”

  “I didn’t think to ask.”

  “Guess you were thinking about something else, huh?” Paula teased.

  “Like what?”

  Paula elbowed her. “A guy, silly!” She peered at Elizabeth. “Oh, my gosh, you’re blushing. I haven’t seen anyone blush in ages.”

  Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably. “I was kind of surprised to see him is all. Next time I see him I’ll ask him if they’re hiring at the store he works at.” She took a sip of her drink. “How was college today?”

  Paula laughed. “Changing the subject, eh? College was great. I love being on campus. Good thing, since I’m going after a bachelor’s degree in nursing.” She wiped her lips with a paper napkin and held out her hand when the waitress brought the check.

  “I want to pay,” Elizabeth told her. “You brought me into town.”

  “It was on my way. Besides, it’s custom for the new roomie to be treated to a meal the first day.”

  “It is?”

  “It is now,” Paula told her with a grin. She stood, tucked a tip under a plate. “We should probably get some groceries on the way home. I’m sure you noticed how bare my cupboard was.”

  “I think you have a container of yogurt left in the refrigerator,” Elizabeth told her dryly.

  “Funny girl. I bet it’s different from how it was at your house, huh? The Amish raise their own food and can it and everything, right?”

  “Right.” Elizabeth always loved helping tend to the vegetable garden but she was never fond of the hot, backbreaking work of canning the fruits of the harvest.

  “I have some homework to do, but afterward we can sit down and figure everything out,” Paula said as they drove to the grocery store. “We can split the groceries and cook one meal or each do our own thing and keep things separate.”

  She parked and they walked into the store. Elizabeth tugged on a shopping cart and when it wouldn’t budge from the others it had become stuck with, Paula tried to help her. Of course, it suddenly came unstuck and they had to grab onto it to keep from falling.

  “It’s possessed,” Paula said, pushing it aside and pulling out another. “Quick, let’s get away before it comes after us.”

  Elizabeth eyed it dubiously. “Possessed?”

  “Bad joke. C’mon, let’s get some food.”

  The store was much bigger than the one her family shopped in back home. Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she felt more awed by all the choices or just if she was getting to make some for the first time in her life.

  “What vegetables do you like?” Paula asked.

  “Most of them.”

  “Really? Let’s see about that.”

  They walked along the rows of vegetables and each time Paula held up a vegetable, Elizabeth nodded, and so it went into the cart. They moved through the store, stopping at the meat counter. So much of the meat and chicken was tidily packaged—the chicken skinned and boned, packages of already prepared meatloaf ready for the oven. The deli even offered already-cooked take-home meals. Elizabeth gaped at the prices.

  “People need convenience these days,” Paula told her.

  “I can cut up the chicken and fry it,” Elizabeth said, choosing a whole fresh bird. “It’s one of the things I do best. We got potatoes. Do you like mashed potatoes and gravy?”

  “Who doesn’t?”

  “What do you cook?”

  “I usually make a chicken breast and some steamed vegetables. Oh, and tacos. Do you like tacos? Do the Amish eat tacos?”

  Elizabeth laughed. “We eat tacos.”

  So Paula found the ingredients for tacos. Eggs, bread—Elizabeth had only eaten store-bought bread once when her mother had been in the hospital and Elizabeth had been too busy with taking care of the younger children to be baking.

  Back at the apartment, they quickly unloaded the groceries and put them away. Paula brought her books and laptop to the kitchen island and watched with amazement as Elizabeth cut up the chicken, coated it with flour, and started browning it in a skillet.

  Elizabeth was curious about the homework but didn’t want to distract Paula from it.

  She didn’t have to.

  “Done!” Paula said, closing the laptop and setting it and the books aside. “Never did it so fast in my life. It’s all your doing!”

  “Mine?” Elizabeth placed the last piece of chicken on the plate she’d covered with a paper towel to drain it. The potatoes she’d peeled, cut up and put on the stove to boil were done so she drained and mashed them.

  “The smells
are killing me.” Paula slid from the stool and got two plates from the cupboard. “I can’t wait to eat.”

  Elizabeth stirred a little milk into the mashed potatoes and added a pat of butter to the green beans.

  They fixed their plates at the stove and sat at the island to eat. Elizabeth was pleased to see how Paula enjoyed her cooking—she ate three pieces of chicken and went back for a second helping of mashed potatoes and gravy. Her family always did, but everyone was so hungry after chores she never knew if her cooking was good or if everyone just ate from hunger.

  With the dishwasher humming, they worked out the details of their living arrangement. Paula had written her how much her share would be, but had insisted Elizabeth could wait until she arrived to pay the first month. Paula’s eyes widened when Elizabeth handed over cash.

  “You shouldn’t be carrying around so much cash!” she exclaimed. “We’ll get you a checking account right away.”

  “I’ve never had one.”

  “How did you manage your money?”

  Elizabeth shrugged. “I gave my check to my mother.”

  Paula opened her mouth to say something and then shook her head. “Listen, I don’t want to take advantage of you, but what about if I pay for groceries and you cook a few nights a week?”

  “I will anyway,” she said. “I like cooking.”

  “I think I’m going to enjoy having you as a roommate,” Paula told her with a grin. Then her smile faded. “Are you going to be okay?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I thought I heard you crying last night.”

  4

  I thought it was my imagination at first,” Paula said. “Then when I realized it wasn’t, it stopped. But you were crying, weren’t you?”

  “You didn’t need to worry,” Elizabeth told her quietly. “I was crying over something silly. My youngest sister must have thought I needed her teddy bear to sleep. She put it in my suitcase when I wasn’t looking.”

  “Oh, how sweet. So you were missing her. Maybe even a little homesick.”

  “Missing her,” Elizabeth said firmly. “Not homesick.”