AR01 - A Road Unknow

by Barbara Cameron

  She looked at Saul. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  He nodded. “I thought we could go somewhere and get something to eat instead of staying here. Then we can talk.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  Leah looked up as she entered the room. “The bishop didn’t try to talk to you, did he?”

  “Nee.” Elizabeth couldn’t help smiling. “Danki.”

  “You’re wilkumm.” Tsk-tsking, she turned. “Mary Katherine, look who finally woke up!”

  Elizabeth surrendered the child and then, just as she started to walk toward Saul, something made her stop so abruptly a woman leaving the kitchen behind her bumped into her.

  “Sorry!” the woman apologized.

  “Nee, it was my fault.” she said.

  People who had started out as acquaintances and become friends now seemed like family, defending her when they felt she needed it, standing up to authority. And Saul—the man she’d come to feel so much for—he’d done these things as well . . .

  She’d felt she had to leave Goshen, but it didn’t mean she liked having to do it or felt good about it then or now. Especially now.

  Maybe she was growing up.

  Elizabeth found herself walking toward the bishop who was headed toward the front door.

  “Bishop, I’d like to talk to you!” she called and smiled when she saw him turn and stare at her, surprised.

  “You did what?”

  “I told the bishop to contact my grossmudder.” She put her menu down and looked at the waitress. “I’d like the chicken salad sandwich please. On a croissant.”

  Distracted, Saul shook his head. “The cheeseburger with everything.”

  “How do you want it cooked?”

  “What?” He looked up at the waitress.

  She grinned at him. “How do you want it cooked? The cheeseburger.”

  “Oh, sorry. Medium rare. And with everything. Thank you.”

  The minute the woman left, he turned back to Elizabeth. “I don’t understand. Why would you suddenly say you’ll go back home?”

  “I didn’t say home,” she said in a low voice, so low he almost couldn’t hear her. “I said Goshen.”

  “Elizabeth, why would you go there when you’ve always acted so glad to be away from it?”

  She gave him a level look. “You’re the one who thinks I shouldn’t have run away.” She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “You said you wanted to talk. But I’m not sure we can resolve the differences between us. I ran from my family. You stayed. What more is there to say?”

  “You promised we’d talk,” he said, searching for patience. “We were both upset and said things we shouldn’t.”

  After a moment, she nodded. “Ya.”

  “Let’s get the work issue out of the way first,” he said. “When do you start your new job?”

  “After the first of the year.”

  He smiled slightly. “Are you going to tell me where it is?”

  “Leah asked me to work for her at Stitches in Time since Jamie has a new job in New York City.”

  “I see.”

  “Don’t be mad at her. She didn’t come and try to hire me away while you were with your father.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not mad at her. And it’s logical. You’re good at your job and you used to work at a fabric store.”

  The waitress brought their food, but neither of them touched it.

  “So do you want to work at the store until then?”

  She nodded.

  “We can use your help. This last week before Christmas is going to be very hectic.”

  The waitress returned. “Something wrong with the food?”

  “It looks good,” Saul said. He picked up his cheeseburger and took a bite.

  Elizabeth did the same with her sandwich and the waitress nodded and left them.

  “So what’s your plan? You said you told the bishop you’d go back if your grossmudder sends the bus fare. What if she does?”

  “I’ll go visit for the holidays.”

  “Just the holidays?” He found himself holding his breath.

  “Just the holidays,” she said firmly.

  He let out the breath he’d been holding.

  “I’m sorry we argued. I care about you, Elizabeth Bontrager.”

  He watched her smile bloom slowly, like a flower coming to life after a long winter.

  “I care about you, Saul Miller.”

  They smiled at each other and then began eating. Saul told her about how his father was doing—if he continued recovering as he was doing, he’d get to come home in a day or two. Elizabeth told Saul about how Leah wanted her to think about the sewing she’d been enjoying and how she might do it at the job.

  Then Elizabeth hesitantly began telling him about some of her ideas for his store.

  “Two people came in looking for gifts last week,” she said. “But they said they couldn’t spend much. I was thinking it might be nice to sell quilt squares Barbie could make and put them in simple wooden frames by Amos and his sohns. They could sell for a reasonable price and be a wonderful gift.”

  He thought about that. “Good idea. I’ll talk to Barbie and Amos.”

  They talked about several other ideas she had, holiday shoppers, the weather, Paula and Jason’s engagement—just about everything since they’d had so little time lately with Saul spending so much time at the hospital.

  “Do you think your grossmudder will send the bus fare?”

  Elizabeth nodded. “She’ll probably tell me she shouldn’t have to do it, but I can’t afford it myself.”

  She cupped her chin in her hand and looked thoughtful. “I don’t know what to do for gifts. I don’t have time to make any and I don’t have money to buy them.”

  “I can give you an advance on your wages.”

  “Nee. Danki, but nee. It’s money I need for monthly expenses.”

  “Your being there will be gift enough,” he said and felt warmth rush into his face when she looked at him with surprise. “What?”

  “You are so sweet!”

  He shrugged and reached for the check, embarrassed. “I have my moments.”

  She laughed and patted his hand. “Ya, you do.” Her expression became serious. “I’m sure you’ll be celebrating having your dat at home for Christmas.”

  “Yes, I will.” He ran his finger up and down the condensation on the glass of water before him. “I’ll miss you.”

  “You’ll have a peaceful Christmas without me,” she said lightly. But her eyes were warm when they met his.

  Sandwiches disappeared, pie was ordered and eaten, and two cups of coffee consumed by each of them.

  They climbed into Saul’s buggy and went for a ride and talked some more. By the time he dropped Elizabeth off at her apartment, he thought they’d gotten back to where they’d been before their fight.

  He prayed so.

  The envelope postmarked Goshen arrived several days later.

  Paula handed the envelope to her as she checked the mail. “Open it! Open it!”

  Elizabeth smiled. “I will.” She accepted the envelope, ripped it open and pulled out the bus ticket she found inside. She frowned. One ticket—a one-way ticket. She sighed.

  Well, at least half of the trip was paid for. If Grossmudder thought sending a one-way ticket would make her stay in Goshen, she would be very surprised. Elizabeth didn’t want to spend the money she’d saved but she had it to buy a round-trip ticket before she left.

  “So are you going to go? Elizabeth?”

  “What?” She looked at Paula.

  “Are you going to go?”

  “I am.”

  They walked to their apartment and after she shed her jacket Elizabeth immediately began poking in the refrigerator for the makings for supper.

  “I’m going to miss you doing this.”

  Elizabeth looked over her shoulder. “I won’t be gone long.”

  “You sure?” Paula slid into a stool at the kitchen
island, put her elbows on the counter, and her face in her hands. She gave Elizabeth a hangdog expression. “I’m afraid you’ll stay.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that.”

  She pulled a package of pork chops from the refrigerator and placed them in a baking dish, then added a sauce made of cream of mushroom soup, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and chopped onion. She slid the baking dish into the oven and set the timer.

  “What do you want with the pork chops?”

  “Can we have mashed potatoes? I love the way you make them.”

  “I boil the potatoes and mash them,” Elizabeth told her dryly. “And add a little milk and butter. You can do it.”

  “No, I can’t. Mine always taste like glue.”

  Elizabeth handed her a bag of potatoes and a potato peeler. It didn’t faze Paula. She happily began peeling the potatoes.

  “I watched you make them,” Elizabeth told her. “You were using baking potatoes. That’s why they turned out gluey. And you added too much milk.”

  “I’ll never cook as good as you.”

  “I’ll write down some recipes for you.”

  “Especially the pie. Jason was nuts about it.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “Especially the pie.”

  Paula finished peeling the potatoes so Elizabeth handed her the wooden cutting board. “Aren’t you afraid they’ll pressure you to stay? Your parents, I mean.”

  “I’m expecting it.” She was also expecting her little brothers and sisters would provide their own pressure, even though they wouldn’t realize it.

  “You okay?”

  She looked up. Paula wore a concerned expression. “Yes, I’m fine. I promise you, I’ll be back. I’m not taking all my things. Don’t get a new roommate.”

  Paula laughed. “I won’t. And how can you not take all your things? You only have a few dresses. You’ll need all of them.”

  “True. But I’m leaving my little wooden sparrows I bought. And my books.” She thought about it. She didn’t actually own anything else. “I’ll leave my Bible. I would never not come back for my Bible. My other grossmudder—my father’s mother—gave it to me before she died.”

  “You promise you won’t call or write me and ask me to send it to you?”

  “Promise.”

  “Pinky swear?”

  “What?”

  “Just an expression. Here, I cut up the potatoes.”

  Elizabeth scooped them into a saucepan, rinsed them, and filled the pan with water before putting it on a burner.

  “Green beans or broccoli?”

  “Broccoli.” She slid off the stool. “I’m going to go get out of my scrubs. I’ll be back in a minute to help some more. Don’t do everything.”

  Elizabeth put the broccoli into the electric steamer Paula’s mother had given her, added water, and set the timer. “There’s nothing else to do.”

  “Cool.” She went off to change and a few minutes later, Elizabeth could hear her talking on her cell phone.

  She walked over to sit on the sofa and picked up a bride magazine. Her eyes widened at the fancy dresses, veils, and flowers Englisch brides evidently wore for their weddings. The food pictured looked fancier than the simple fare served at Amish weddings, too. There were lists of all the tasks the brides had to perform before a wedding. It looked like a lot of work to Elizabeth and that was saying a lot. Amish brides sewed their own dresses, helped cook some of the food, even helped clean up the day after the wedding. But there seemed to be so much involved in an Englisch wedding. Maybe she could help Paula with some of it when she returned.

  Paula finished her call and returned to the living room dressed in comfortable sweats. “Jason’s coming over for a little while after dinner.”

  “That’s nice. I’ll stay in my room. Give you some privacy.”

  “You don’t have to do that. I have to tell you he asked if you’d baked another pie. He loved your pie.”

  “We have some apples. I could make another one.”

  “You trying to lure away my fiancé?”

  She laughed and carried the bag of apples over to the island. “No. Here, you peel them and I’ll make the crust.”

  “What’s the latest with Saul?”

  Elizabeth got a bowl and measured flour. “Things are better. But he doesn’t want me to go to Goshen, either.”

  Paula frowned in concentration as she worked the knife under the peel of an apple. It fell in one long continuous red ribbon landing with a plop onto the counter. “I’m sure he’s worried you’re going to stay, too.”

  She started to tell Paula if he hadn’t been critical of her leaving she might not have gotten the idea to return now. But someone was knocking on the door.

  “Jason!” Paula squealed when she opened the door. “You’re early.” She threw her arms around him and they kissed.

  Elizabeth looked away and dumped the pie crust onto the counter to roll it out.

  “Look who’s here!” Paula called.

  She looked up and smiled at Jason.

  “How could he know you were making a pie?” Paula asked, trying to sound suspicious.

  “Really?” He walked over and grinned at her. “The same kind as the other day?”

  Elizabeth stopped rolling out the crust. “Oh, maybe you don’t want the same thing again.”

  “Are you kidding? I could eat it every day of the week and not get tired of it.”

  He settled onto a stool and Paula got back on hers and continued peeling apples. “She’s not the only one making it, you’ll notice.”

  Jason leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you, sweetie.”

  She grinned. “You’re forgiven. As long as you don’t kiss Elizabeth for making it.”

  Elizabeth felt her cheeks redden. She was glad when the timer on the oven went off and she could turn and get the pork chops out.

  Jason sniffed the air. “Man, you girls eat like this every night?”

  “Whenever Elizabeth cooks. She’s giving me some recipes.”

  “We have plenty, if you’d like to eat with us,” Elizabeth told him.

  “Great.”

  “I thought you were having dinner with your parents.”

  “Mom’s not a very good cook,” he confided. “We had a frozen lasagna. Trust me, I have room for a pork chop and a piece of pie.”

  So Paula finished peeling the apples and Elizabeth assembled the pie and put it into the oven and Jason set the table.

  “So, Elizabeth, are you seeing anyone?” Jason asked as they sat at the table eating. “Ouch! What’d you do that for?” he demanded of Paula.

  “You’re not supposed to ask personal questions.”

  He looked so chastened Elizabeth smiled. “It’s okay. Paula forgets how personal she gets with her questions.”

  “Well, he’s a guy. I didn’t think you’d want him asking them,” she defended herself. “Say, why don’t you invite Saul here for dinner one night this week? You said his dad’s out of the hospital.”

  “I don’t know,” she said, hesitating. “It’s your apartment.”

  “It’s ours,” Paula told her firmly. “We can have a kind of double date.”

  “Sounds like fun.” Jason speared a bite of pork chop. “You’ll make pie, right?”

  Paula laughed and ruffled his hair with her hand. “Stop with the pie.”

  “I don’t think I can,” he said. “Will it be done soon?”

  “Not for a while yet. Don’t worry, I set the timer.”

  They talked and ate and Jason not only polished off a pork chop but two helpings of mashed potatoes as well.

  The oven timer went off and Elizabeth got up to get the pie out and set it to cool on the counter.

  “It needs a few minutes to cool,” she warned Jason when he looked expectantly at her as she returned to the table.

  “Cold, hot, I’ll eat it any ole way,” he said as he cleaned his plate. “It’s some great pie.”

  18

  I appre
ciate you driving me here,” Elizabeth told Paula as they pulled into the bus station.

  “It’s no problem. I’m just sorry something happened with Saul.” Her cell phone rang and she picked it up and answered. She handed it to Elizabeth. “It’s Saul.”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m so sorry,” he said quickly. “Phil called a friend to come get me since he’s broken down and we’re on our way, but I don’t think I’m going to get there before your bus leaves.”

  “Saul, it’s okay. Really.”

  “It’s not,” he said quietly.

  “I’ll see you soon.”

  “Not soon enough. And as soon as you call me and tell me you’re on the bus coming back, I’m camping out at the bus station.”

  Tears stung her eyes. He was so sweet. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Promise me you’ll come back, Elizabeth.”

  “I promise I’m coming back.”

  She hung up and they got out to walk into the bus station. Elizabeth’s bus pulled in a few minutes later.

  Paula hugged her. “Have a wonderful Christmas.”

  “You, too.”

  “If you don’t come back, I’m getting in my car and coming up there to get you. I mean it.”

  “I’ve been warned.” Elizabeth summoned up a smile for her.

  She climbed aboard, found a seat, and settled in. It felt strange to sit with nothing to do after all the activity at the store in the days leading up to the trip. During her lunch hour and after work, she’d worked on making some presents for the family: an outfit for the teddy bear she intended to give back to Sadie, doll clothes for the other girls. She searched for inexpensive fabric at Stitches in Time and another fabric store and found muslin to make carriers for the boys to transport the little carved wooden buggies and spring wagons they so loved, then added a few of the colorful carved toys when she found some on sale at Saul’s store.

  There was no time or money to make presents for her parents. They’d have to understand. Who knew if they were even going to be very welcoming after she’d left home . . .

  Then she and Saul had tried to fit in some time together, too, even though his father was home now. Saul took over a lot of the things his mother did since she helped his father while he recuperated. Elizabeth had been pleasantly surprised to find Saul knew how to cook although he said he kept making the same couple recipes he’d mastered.