Gathering the Threads

by Cindy Woodsmall

  Isaac nodded. “I’m aware.”

  “Are you? When Quill learned she might not be our biological child, he said nothing to her about it, but he did reach out to her to help her buy the café. I’ve pondered this, and I’m convinced that his goal was twofold: to give her a constant source of encouragement when she was on the outside and to give her an anchor to this community. And you’ve taken it.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “How do you not?”

  “What happened to our family, Lovina? Last summer Ariana loved me. She went out of her way to talk with me, and what I said and wanted mattered.”

  “That’s gone, Isaac, just as her loving me as her only Mamm is gone. But we don’t have to lose her more than we already have. There’s still time to change the direction things are going in. Let her go to her café. Help her get approval to use the phone as part of her business. The ministers aren’t likely to give it, but your word matters in our community. You have the power to help her regain her reputation as an obedient, sweet girl before more damage is done than can be undone.”

  “How can I? The phone was a symptom of a greater issue. I knew it was. It’s why I did everything in my power to get her to let it go. As you said, she met with Quill in secret, and then he came here and refused to leave until I let him talk to her. She’d turned her phone off for about a week, but yesterday I stumbled on her in the barn with the phone in her hand. She looked right at me, said she was texting Nicholas, and then she tucked the phone in her coat pocket.”

  Someone knocked on the door. “Kumm,” Isaac said.

  Ariana poked her head in. “I need to tell you something.”

  “Tomorrow night, okay?” Isaac asked.

  Lovina couldn’t believe Isaac was shutting the door on Ariana’s offer to talk. Was he that wrung out and tired?

  “I won’t be here tomorrow night.”

  Lovina’s heart pounded. “Why?”

  Ariana stepped inside, closed the door, and began talking about helping Quill get a woman and her children to safety. Lovina tried to follow what she was saying, but alarms were ringing in her head.

  “You will not leave this house tomorrow.” Isaac pointed at her, talking in a way he’d never done before.

  “A woman needs help, and Quill needs help. If I stay here, she could be killed by someone I could help her get away from.”

  Isaac pressed his index finger on the Bible. “It is forbidden for anyone in good standing with the church to accept a ride from someone who’s left.”

  Lovina cringed as memories of their being in the car with Quill returned, and their hypocrisy reared its ugly head again.

  “Daed, that’s not in the Bible. Nothing even close to that is in the Bible. That’s from the Ordnung. Man decided that was important because it helps hold our society together. What is in the Word is not to withhold good from those to whom it is due if it is in your power to do it.” She glanced at his Bible. “I believe this woman is past due for someone to do good for her, and I also believe it is in my hand to help.”

  “You believe it? Why? Is it in the Bible?”

  “More so than the belief that I’m forbidden to ride in a vehicle with someone who’s left the Amish. The Bible says the same anointing that was in Christ is in you and teaches you all things about truth and it is no lie.”

  “Ariana,” Isaac gasped, “that is the bishop’s place.”

  “And yours and Mamm’s and mine. I believe I’m supposed to be there. Maybe I’m wrong. But it’ll be a fresh wrong from trying to follow God’s leading, not a stale wrong from old lines held up as if they were God’s Word. That’s all I know.”

  “Do you realize the bridges you’re burning?”

  “None, I hope.” Ariana’s face seemed to reflect that she understood the gravity of her plans. “It would be helpful and possibly safer if this news didn’t leave this room. Rudy knows and now you.”

  Lovina had known for weeks that something was up. “Ari, honey, why even tell us?”

  “I know I could have told you I was spending the night with one of my siblings and asked them to cover for me, but I don’t want to deceive you. It’s not my intention to disrespect you in any way. What I’m doing may be against the Ordnung, but it’s not against God. I see no justification for me needing to tell the bishop, but you will have to follow your conscience on the matter. I’ll leave here tomorrow around ten, and I’ll be back Sunday morning before church.”

  Isaac got out of bed and put on his housecoat. “You can’t stay out all night with any man, especially Quill.”

  “I won’t. I’ll drop off him, the woman, and her children at an airport, and I’ll drive back to Nicholas’s.”

  Isaac looked frozen, as if he weren’t even breathing.

  “Daed, it’s a good thing to help this woman. My plans are not against God’s Word. If I need to go against my conscience in order to be in good standing with the church, something is wrong.” Ariana blew them kisses, the way she used to do when she was a little girl. Then she left.

  Lovina went to her husband and shook his shoulder. “Breathe.”

  He inhaled sharply. “I…I was so sure she was infected with the ways of the world. What are we doing, Lovina? Me? The ministers? Her unbelieving Englisch dad will help her follow what she believes is God’s leading while we fight her over disobediences that aren’t mentioned in the Word?”

  Her husband had a good point, maybe the most important point. But it was often odd what two people in the same room heard. Lovina’s heart trembled at the thought of Ariana and Quill working together, being alone together, and aiming for a common goal.

  Quill waited for Ariana in his car behind an abandoned building several miles from Summer Grove. There was no good place for them to meet. Anywhere they went, they could be seen, but at least it wasn’t likely they’d be seen here. Was he right to let her go with him?

  He saw her round a corner, bundled in her coat and a winter bonnet, walking fast and toting a box. Could she stick out any more to passersby? If she’d worn something of Skylar’s, like a hoodie and jeans, no Amish person would think anything about her getting into a car. Fortunately there weren’t any Amish rigs in sight right now.

  He started the car and eased across the broken concrete lot.

  She waved and picked up her pace. When she reached the car, she hopped in and settled the box on her lap. “Guder Marye.”

  “Hey.” His car filled with her scent and her bubbly energy. “Here.” He held out a baseball cap. “Remove the bonnet. If you can tuck enough of the prayer Kapp under the cap, you can keep it on.”

  “No thanks.”

  “Ari, please.” He shook the ball cap gently in front of her. “Just until we’re out of Amish country.”

  “Fine.” She did as he asked. “Sorry I’m late. After pulling everything together, I had my overnight bag in hand and told Salome I was going to your Mamm’s, which was true. She didn’t believe that was the full plan, but I told her to stick to the story, and she agreed.” Ariana lifted the box and got on her knees facing the backseat. She put the box down but got a leather satchel and a brown grocery bag out of it. She turned around and fastened the seat belt. “I told my parents the truth about where I was going, so I fibbed as little as possible. It’s really hard to want to be honest and up-front but know you can’t be. Your Mamm drove me most of the way here because if someone in the district saw me walking, they’d stop and offer me a ride. Plus she drove me because I had a lot to carry.” Ariana reached into her leather satchel and pulled out the puppy.

  Did she understand the gravity of what they were doing? “Why did you bring that?”

  “She’s not a that, although she is still nameless.”

  “Ari, today is a serious situation. I need you to have your head on straight and your thinking cap on.”

  “Are you going to speak in idioms the whole time?”

  Quill brought the car to a standstill at a four-way stop. “You’re not hear
ing me.”

  “Quill.” She startled him when she cupped his chin and turned his face toward her. “Today will go as smooth as us skating on the back pond. Okay?”

  A decade of memories washed over him. No one was supposed to skate there, but they did and never got caught. He cherished those memories. Stress drained from him—most of it anyway. “Promise?”

  “I promise. Now relax. And drive.” She nodded at a car approaching the four-way.

  He pressed the accelerator.

  She pulled her phone out and plugged it in to charge and turned on music. “It will be our last great adventure together, and what was it you used to tell me?”

  He remembered it well. “You can’t soak in the good if you’re dreading the what-ifs.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Ya, but when I used to say that, you were anxious that everything was crossing a boundary.”

  “And you liked attaching rockets to your foot scooter and sailing right past all boundaries as if they didn’t exist.”

  He chuckled, feeling better by the minute. His interest hadn’t been in going outside the boundaries. He’d just thirsted for boyish adventures. And he’d liked impressing Ariana with his daring ways. “The crazy thing is, after us being that opposite, we’re both inside this car, working as a team, and you’re the calm one.”

  “Wonders never cease.” Ariana brought the puppy’s nose to her own. “You’re just too sweet.”

  “Thank you.”

  Ariana lowered the pup to her lap. “Not you.” She elongated the word and pulled something out of the brown bag. “Food, because of all the things I know about today, one is that you haven’t eaten yet.”

  “True.”

  She opened the cloth napkin, revealing a thick sandwich cut in half. “I also brought coffee and cupcakes.”

  “Should we stop and spread a blanket on the snow for a picnic?” He picked up half of the sandwich and took a bite. He didn’t know what was in it, but it was really good.

  “Go ahead. I’ll wait inside the warm car.” She opened the thermos. “Did sneaking in and out of your Mamm’s place all those years bother you?”

  “Sometimes. Today has me more addled than usual.”

  “Because I’m involved.” It wasn’t a question. She knew him. After pouring the liquid into a to-go cup, she put the lid back on it.

  He turned down the heat. “Since, if Gia leaves, she’ll have only the clothes on her back, I put some outfits for her in the trunk. I think we should go to a rest stop so you can change out of your Amish clothing.”

  “Nee. I’m good. It’s who I am.” She jiggled the bill of her cap. “I mean, I understand about needing a little bit of disguise until we’re in the city, for my parents’ and Berta’s sakes. I have absolutely no desire to get anyone else in trouble. But, Quill, my clothing goes with my angelic face and will help Gia trust me.” She held out her arms. “Ta-da.”

  Some of her fast talk and vigor was Ariana in determination mode. Some of it was nerves, probably from disobeying her parents’ wishes. He sighed. “High energy, clumsy, and becoming fearlessly headstrong.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “That last description is worrisome. Amish and Englisch alike seem to have too many who are headstrong.”

  “It’s impossible to hold on to a way of life without being headstrong.” He took another bite of his sandwich. He didn’t like that she wouldn’t change her clothes, but she’d been on a long journey to become her own person, and he would respect it. “How did your parents take the news?”

  “Shocked. Hurt. Disappointed.” She passed the cup to him. “But they remained calm, and there were no threats.” She wiped one cheek. “I never expected to hurt them or disappoint them like this.”

  Was she crying?

  She put the puppy on the floorboard and slid out of her coat. “You’ve got clothes for the whole family?”

  “Yeah.” He took a swig of coffee. “In suitcases in the trunk.”

  “What are the chances she’ll have the necessary ID with her to board the plane?”

  “Good, I think. If not, I’ll take them by car. But she shouldn’t need any ID for the children, just herself.”

  “Minors don’t need an ID to fly?”

  “Not domestically.”

  “I didn’t know that. I just assumed they’d need it too. Ever been on a plane?”

  “No.” He turned on a blinker and merged onto a ramp, and soon they were on the turnpike. “As it turns out, you’ve traveled a lot more than me.”

  “Years ago who could’ve guessed that one?”

  “God?” he asked. “Certainly not either one of us.”

  “It’s been a year of upheavals and surprises.” The puppy whined, and she picked it back up. “This little nameless one is my secret clout. I have a picture of her on my phone, and I’ll show it to Gia first, and if she approves, we’ll share it with the children and tell them she needs food, cuddling, and a name.”

  Snow began to fall, swirling gently. Quill had hoped the snow would hold off until tomorrow, but maybe they would only have flurries, as the weatherman had said. “What’s the clout when it comes to Gia?”

  “Woman-to-woman honesty. Offering her safe passage to a new life, and assuring her you are the most trustworthy man she’ll ever meet.”

  “I thought you just said you were going to be honest.”

  “I am. Let’s just hope she doesn’t question whether I also consider you difficult, secretive, and bossy.” She leaned against the headrest and closed her eyes.

  “Well,”—Quill turned on the wipers—“we can’t all be as easy to work with as you.”

  Her whispery laugh filled him in ways no one else could. “Touché, my friend.”

  While he finished his sandwich and coffee, she rode with her eyes closed and began softly singing along with the music. He loved listening to her sing. Was there anything about her he didn’t love? For five years, when he was waiting in a shed or the barn to visit his Mamm, he would hear her singing as she hung or gathered his Mamm’s laundry or worked in her garden. It didn’t matter how bad times were, when she sang, he felt renewed.

  “Any chance you’d sing ‘Amazing Grace’ for me?”

  She stopped the songs on her playlist. “If you’ll sing the chorus with me.”

  That caught him off guard. He wasn’t thrilled at the prospect, but he nodded. And once they sang the song, he thought they sounded really good together. They sang several more songs where he joined in on the chorus. Between songs, they reminisced and laughed about dozens of little things. She did the same as always—worked her way deeper into his heart without knowing it.

  There was no way to ignore what she did to him. All he could do was cope with it. Maybe talking about Rudy would help him keep his subconscious rooted in reality. It was worth a shot. “Was it fun being the dating queen of numerous districts far and wide for a while?”

  “It was necessary. I blame you.”

  He wasn’t expecting that answer. “Me?”

  “You’d been gone two years, and I was sick of thinking about you, so I began searching for a distraction.” She raised both brows and nibbled on her bottom lip, looking far too charming for her own good. “I found distractions. The problem was each guy had only so much ability to distract me before it was time to date someone else. But in my quest I found one guy from another state who lasted a few months, and then at a singing in Summer Grove, there was this new guy from another state, and when my eyes met his,”—her balled fists slowly opened and expanded outward—“boom! Fireworks.”

  “What attracted you to him?”

  “I just told you—chemistry. It could be felt across the barn at first glance.”

  He laughed. “Okay, but after that.”

  “He seemed to think I was amazing.”

  “There’s no way that was a first.”

  “But the real me, the one who takes on debt to buy a café when all the other single young women are earning money to fill the
ir hope chests. He was witty, and from the start he was supportive of my goals. Not many Amish men would get behind a young single woman with dreams that could interrupt the traditional stance of not working outside the home for the first few years of marriage.”

  “All sounds very…something. I’m not sure what the word is I’m looking for.”

  “Romantic?”

  “Dull.”

  She laughed. “Thanks.”

  “But clearly you and Rudy have more than the thrill of romantic fireworks and his being supportive of your dreams. You have unity on all the major aspects of life?”

  She started to nod as if agreeing, but the merriment slowly dimmed from her eyes. She turned to look out the window. “We used to agree on everything about life, love, and faith.”

  Quill’s insides knotted, and he was sorry he’d begun this conversation. “I read a quote one time by Ruth Bell Graham. It was something along the lines of ‘If two people agree on everything, one of them is unnecessary.’ ”

  The nuances on her beautiful face hinted at thoughts he wasn’t privy to. She shifted. “How about you? Date much?”

  “I don’t answer personal questions. You know that.” Would teasing bring back the sense of adventure he’d managed to douse? Despite his teasing remark, they both knew it was basically true. But he kept precious little from her these days.

  “So twenty girls—less or more?”

  “Less.”

  “Ten?”

  “I don’t like this game.”

  “Less than ten? Okay, how about five?”

  “Let’s just get this over with already. I’ve dated one person.”

  “One person is enough.”

  “I agree. Fully.”

  “Still seeing her?”

  “I thought we just agreed that one date was enough.”

  She laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t realize that’s what we were agreeing to. When this thing with Gia is over, Frieda needs to work on fixing you up.”