by Nancy Mehl
Oddly, the prince looked a lot like Noah. Charity loved it so much she couldn’t keep her eyes off it. There wasn’t a dresser for her yet, so we kept her clothes in the box and her toys in the chest in the living room along with the DVDs.
After tucking her in, I wandered back to the living room, feeling a sense of belonging I couldn’t remember experiencing before. Maybe my life was finally on track. Even if my father never spoke to me again, I had my mother and Cora. And Hope. It was more than I’d had in Kansas City. I was actually starting to understand my mother’s motives, and it seemed that almost everyone in Kingdom I’d thought was against me really hadn’t been. Had I been at fault in believing the town wanted nothing to do with me? Was I the one who closed doors that could have stayed open?
I was turning these questions over in my head when I drew back the drapes in the living room to see if it was still snowing.
An orange car sat parked across the street. The porch light outside the restaurant illuminated the driver’s-side window. I could see the smashed-in front bumper and the man who sat inside, wearing a red ball cap.
CHAPTER / 10
I watched the man from behind my curtain until he drove out of town. Trying to push back the terror that gripped me in its cold grasp, I was extremely thankful my car wasn’t still sitting out front. There was no way he could be sure I was in Kingdom. I was certain he hadn’t followed us here. I would have seen him at some point along the trip.
Was he really a stalker, or could he have something to do with the missing money in Kansas City? He’d shown up right about the time Reba took over her position at Harbor House. Was it possible that Reba had been planning to set me up even before I met her boyfriend? The man in the red cap certainly didn’t look like anyone in an official capacity. Frankly, he was pretty scroungy. But what other explanation could there be? Yet if he was connected to Reba, why send those terrible notes? It just didn’t fit. The idea that someone else had mailed them didn’t make much sense. It seemed like too big a coincidence.
The questions rolling around in my head were giving me a monstrous headache. What did the man want? How had he found his way to Kingdom? Only Meghan knew the name of my hometown, but she had no idea how to find it.
I thought about some of the recent changes in town. To start a school, Hope said they’d had to register with the state. That meant there was a record somewhere. Maybe information from Meghan and the records from the state could lead someone to my door. But why would Meghan tell anyone at Harbor House where I was? Had she been pressured for information?
I couldn’t stop the tears that slid down my face as I weighed my options. Actually, there weren’t any. There was really only one thing I could do. Charity and I had to leave before the man in the red cap found us. If someone from Harbor House had sent him, I could lose my daughter. And if he was here for another reason . . . Well, that outcome could be even worse.
A little after two in the morning I rolled out of bed. It only took me thirty minutes to get dressed and pack our suitcases. Focusing on the task at hand, I refused to allow myself to think about the comfortable rooms that had begun to feel like home.
I left Charity sleeping. Might as well warm up the car first instead of dragging her out into the cold. Carrying two of our suitcases out the back door in the kitchen, I trudged through the snow to the shed, where our car sat. I slid the big door open, unlocked the car, and put the suitcases in the trunk. Then I turned the key in the ignition, hoping it wouldn’t make too much noise and wake anyone up who might be nearby. Nothing. No grinding, no popping, nothing. I turned the key again, stomping on the gas pedal and commanding the car to start. No spark of life. It was completely dead, and I had no idea how to get it started. All I could do was sit in the cold, dark interior and cry.
For a split second, I wondered if I could borrow a car, but as soon as the thought popped into my mind, I dismissed it. This wasn’t Kansas City. This was Kingdom, a place where transportation options were bleak at best. There weren’t many cars in Kingdom, and all of them belonged to people who really needed them. Besides, even if I could get my hands on a car or truck, how could I ever bring it back?
“What are you doing to us?” I cried out to God, my voice echoing in the silence. “You send us here for this? You gave us a home to take it away? You know I didn’t take that money. Why don’t you help me?” My sobs made it impossible to speak for several minutes. Finally I prayed the only thing I could. “Please, God, help me. I don’t know what to do. Please show me mercy. Unless I find a way out of this mess, I could lose Charity, and she’s all I have left. You’re my only hope, God. There’s no one who can save us but you.”
When I got so cold I couldn’t feel my nose any longer, I got out of the car, grabbed our suitcases, and went upstairs. Charity was still asleep. I unpacked and climbed back into bed, lying there until the front door opened at five o’clock. I closed my eyes as Cora trudged up the stairs to wake us.
“Lizzie, honey,” she said softly, when she opened the door to my room, “time to get up.”
I mumbled something as if I’d been asleep and waited for her to leave. After the sounds of her steps faded on the stairs, I got out of bed, got dressed, and woke up Charity. We were both downstairs by five thirty. The café opened at six, so while Cora fired up the grill and mixed up the pancake batter, I turned on the lights, filled the small cream pitchers, made sure the sugar, salt, and pepper shakers were full, and then put out eating utensils, napkins, and water glasses. The sun was still an hour away from rising, and the low lights in the restaurant gave the place an eerie glow.
I couldn’t help glancing out the front windows. Would the man in the red cap walk in the door this morning? If he wanted to catch me, I was certainly making it easy for him. I’d thought about telling Cora I was sick and hiding upstairs, but I couldn’t do that to her. Besides, the situation was out of my hands. There was no way of escape that I could see. All I could do was hope that God had heard me and that somehow He would save us.
Right at six o’clock, people began filing in. Even though it was winter, farmers still had to feed their livestock and maintain their equipment. They were always our first customers. After that, other residents would filter in little by little. I got busy serving everyone while keeping my eyes on the front door. By lunch the man in the red cap still hadn’t shown up. Around two, Mother came in and I took my lunch break, leading her over to a corner table in the back. I made us both sandwiches and sat down across from her.
“Mother, I need to talk to you,” I said, keeping my voice low. There were only a couple of customers on the other side of the room, but I couldn’t take a chance that anyone would overhear us. As she listened silently, I told her everything. About the man in the red ball cap and the real reason we left Kansas City. “So we really did come here because we needed a place to stay,” I said finally, “but I’ve been a lot more concerned about losing Charity than I’ve been about losing my job.”
“And you believe this man has followed you because of the missing money?” She grasped the edge of the table like a drowning person clinging to a lifeboat.
“I don’t know. Unless he’s just some kind of crazed stalker, there’s no other reason I should be attracting his attention.” I sighed. “To be honest, I’m so confused right now. I can’t think straight. This morning I started wondering if I shouldn’t just confront him—ask him what he wants. At least that way the truth would finally be out in the open.”
Mother shook her head, her eyes frightened. “Oh no. Please do not speak to him, Daughter. He must not know for certain that you are here.” She let go of the table and held out her right hand. I grasped it in my own. “When strangers come to our town, the elders approach them to find out why they are here. Would this not be a better way to handle the situation? Your presence in town would not be uncovered this way.”
“I . . . I don’t know. You mean the current elder board? You certainly don’t mean Father. He’d sooner turn
me in than look at me.”
She let go of my hand. “Elizabeth Lynn, your father would not betray you. You two may not see eye-to-eye on everything, but he does not appreciate strangers who come to our town to cause trouble.”
“No, Mother. I don’t want Father involved. As far as the current elder board . . . Let me think about it. The problem with your suggestion is that if this man asks them if I’m here, they won’t lie. I’m afraid your plan won’t really help me much.”
“Then what can we do, Lizzie? I do not want to lose you again.”
I sighed. “I don’t know. If I had an answer, I’d tell you. I tried to leave this morning—to take Charity and get out of town, but my car wouldn’t start.”
“Oh, Daughter. Please do not go away again. I could not bear it.” Tears ran down her cheeks.
“What choice do I have, Mother? What about Charity? I can’t allow anyone to take her away, and I can’t leave her here.” I hesitated, not wanting to hurt my mother. Unfortunately, I had no choice. This was the time for honesty. “I won’t let you keep her. I’m sorry, but I won’t allow Father to treat my daughter the way he treated me.”
Mother nodded slowly as she wiped her face with her sleeve. “I understand. I really do. But would she really be better with strangers?”
I locked eyes with her. “Yes, she would be better with strangers.”
Mother made a strangling sound and stood up. “I . . . I am sorry,” she stammered. “I must go.”
I watched in shock as she turned to leave. “Mother, I didn’t mean . . .”
She turned and looked back at me, sadness in her face. “Yes, you did. You meant every word.” She tied her cape at the neck. “I will come back tomorrow, Lizzie. Please forgive me for being hurt by your comment. I am certain I deserve it, but these are not easy words to hear from your daughter.” With that she hurried out the front door.
I felt even worse than I had earlier. Besides Charity, my mother was the one person who really loved me, and I’d just caused her pain.
The rest of the day I worked quietly, shifting back and forth between fear and guilt. I kept my eyes on the front door and the street, but the man never came back. By four o’clock, I was beginning to believe he wasn’t really the stalker from Kansas City. A lot of people have orange cars and wear red baseball caps. And besides, it had been dark outside, the only illumination coming from the porch light outside the restaurant. Maybe my eyes had tricked me. Even though it made me feel better to consider that possibility, I knew in my heart that since strangers were rare in Kingdom, the chances were astronomical that the man I’d seen wasn’t the one who’d been following me.
By five thirty there were only a few customers left in the restaurant, so Cora told me to go. Since my car wasn’t running, she let me use her vehicle to drive to Ruth’s. Cora lived close by, so she told me to drive the car back to the restaurant and she’d walk in the morning unless the weather was bad. If that happened she’d call so I could pick her up. Cora’s car was much newer than mine and drove beautifully. Before turning off on the road to Ruth’s, I took a quick tour around the town, looking for the orange car. I didn’t see it anywhere. Charity and I pulled up to Ruth’s around six thirty.
“Where is this lady’s potty, Mama?” Charity asked, casting a suspicious eye toward Ruth’s small white house.
“I don’t know,” I said truthfully. Ruth used to have an outhouse, but I had no idea if she still did. “But even if it’s like Grandma’s, I want you to show good manners.”
Charity crossed her chubby little arms and scowled at me. “If it’s outside, I’m not goin’.”
“I guess that’s up to you. We’ll just have to see how long you can hold it, huh?”
She nodded solemnly. “I guess we will.”
Before we made it to the porch, Ruth opened the door and held out her arms. “My two beautiful girls are here!”
When we reached her, she hugged both of us. “Let us go inside, where it is warmer, ja?”
Charity and I followed her into her living room, where a fire blazed in the large fireplace. It was toasty in the cozy room.
“Let me take your coats,” she said with a smile. “Supper is ready. Are you hungry?”
Charity frowned as she slipped off her coat. “Are we having cheeseburgers?”
“Charity Lynn!” I said sharply. “That’s not good manners.”
Ruth laughed. “Charity, you have it right. I have made you a German cheeseburger.”
“What’s a Ger . . . Ger . . . man cheeseburger?” my daughter asked skeptically.
“I bet I know,” I said with a smile.
“Ach, I am certain you do,” Ruth said, grinning. “If you two ladies will follow me, we will start our supper.”
“Can I ask one question?” Charity’s feet were planted firmly in one place, and it was obvious she wasn’t moving until her qualms were put to rest.
“Yes, you may.” Ruth faced her, trying to match her serious expression. Even with everything weighing on my mind, I had to stifle a laugh. The sight of the silver-haired elderly Mennonite woman, dressed in black, bending down until she was almost nose to nose with my dark-haired little girl was funny and precious.
Charity put her little hands on her hips. “Just where do you keep your potty?”
Ruth straightened up, the deep laugh lines around her eyes creased with humor. “Perhaps it would be best if I showed you.”
“I think that would be best,” Charity said with a frown.
Ruth took her hand and led her to the hallway off the kitchen. Then she opened a door. Inside was a bathroom with a regular toilet.
“Does this meet with your approval?” she asked my subdued daughter.
Charity smiled up at her as if she’d just given her a new doll. “Oh yes. Thank you very much. We can eat cheeseburgers now.”
“Ach, I am so glad.” Ruth winked at me. “I hope you will follow me to the dinner table.”
“Yes, thank you.” Charity trotted past us, headed down the hall toward the kitchen, the source of the wonderful aromas that filled the house.
I started to follow her, but Ruth grabbed my arm. “My son and his wife put it in for me this spring,” she whispered. “They told me they would not allow me to use the outhouse any longer, since I fell on the ice last January.”
“Oh, Ruth. Are you okay?”
“Ja, I am fine.” She wrinkled her nose like a little girl. “But I am so glad they forced this new room upon me. I do not miss trips outside when the temperatures dip below zero.”
I smiled. “I understand.”
“Good. Now we eat, ja?”
“I’d love it. And thanks again for inviting us over.”
Ruth put her arm around me. “Ach, liebling. It is I who rejoice that God my Savior has brought you back to me. I have prayed for you every day since you left and have missed you more than I can say.”
I hugged her. “Thank you, Ruth. I’ve missed you too.”
“Are you two ever gonna come in here?” Charity called from the kitchen. “This stuff is smellin’ pretty good.”
Ruth chuckled. “I think our presence is being requested for supper.”
“I agree.”
We spent the next hour reminiscing while we ate warm bierocks straight from Ruth’s oven. Ruth sliced Charity’s meat pie open and put a slice of cheese inside along with a dab of mustard. Charity loved it and asked for another. We also had homemade applesauce and apple plum streusel for dessert. For a while I forgot about the man in the red baseball cap.
“The next time you come over, I will make you the white cookies you loved so much,” she said as she poured me a cup of coffee. “Do you remember them?”
“Of course I do. And I also remember all the wonderful Sunday afternoons we spent in this room. I can’t tell you how much they meant to me.”
Ruth opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a loud, insistent knock on the door. “Excuse me,” she said. “I am not expecting anyone
and cannot imagine who would visit me now.”
I felt my heart drop to my feet as Ruth left the kitchen. Had the man in the red cap tracked me here? I got up and grabbed Charity out of her chair, scooping her up in my arms.
“Mama, what are you doing?” she yelped. “You’re hurting me.”
“Be quiet,” I hissed. “We need to leave.” I hurried over to Ruth’s back door and grabbed the knob. Even as I said the words, I realized how futile my actions were. We wouldn’t get far in the snow. We were trapped, and I was frightening Charity. I took her back to her chair while trying to soothe her confusion. I’d just taken my own seat when I heard a male voice thunder from the next room. I held my breath as heavy footsteps headed toward Ruth’s kitchen. I could only stare at the doorway until the owner of the voice stood inside it, glowering at me.
I looked up into the angry face of my father.
CHAPTER / 11
Father and I stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. A familiar fear coursed through my body, but when I saw it mirrored in my daughter’s face, something rose up inside me.
“Hello, Father,” I said, my voice quivering. I took a deep breath and gathered up my courage. “It’s good to see you.” I sounded strong and self-assured, even though I didn’t actually feel that way.
His eyes took in my jeans and sweatshirt. I’m certain he also noticed that I wore a little makeup. The look on his face spoke volumes.
“I would have appreciated hearing you were back in Kingdom from your own lips,” he snarled, his bushy black eyebrows knit together in a tight frown. “Instead, I find out from your mother.”
I sat up straight in my chair and smiled at Charity, who looked at me with wide, frightened eyes. The tension in the room was obvious to her, and I needed to reassure her that everything was all right. When she saw me smile, her face relaxed some, but she gazed at my father’s furious expression with alarm.
