Gideon braced himself to hear what he feared most.
The doctor steepled his fingers together. “The blow to Rebecca’s head doesn’t seem to be serious. I can’t find a physical reason for her blindness. I see no signs of hemorrhage in her eyes, no evidence of detached retina. Frankly, I’m stumped.”
Rebecca said, “I have a bad migraine right now.”
The weight of worry made it hard for Gideon to draw a breath. “Is this permanent?”
Dr. White met Gideon’s gaze. “I can’t say for sure. In light of her recent surgery, I put a call in to Dr. Eriksson. She’s concerned there may be a complication from the surgery that is unrelated to this bump on the head. She feels it’s imperative that she see Rebecca as soon as possible.”
Puzzled, Gideon said, “I thought she was leaving the country?”
“She is. Tomorrow morning. She wants to see Rebecca today. She suggested she be flown via an air ambulance to New York this afternoon.”
Gideon glanced from Rebecca’s stoic face to Dr. White’s concerned one. “Why do I hear a ‘but’ coming?”
“Rebecca’s condition doesn’t meet the urgent care criteria for an air ambulance.”
Gideon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’ve got to be kidding! She struck her head and went blind. That’s not urgent?”
“We’re not sending her to a hospital for intensive care. We’re sending her to an eye surgeon for an examination. It’s a big difference to the air transport companies.”
Gideon nodded. “What are our other options?”
“We can contact a private air ambulance company, but it will be very costly, and they may not be available on such short notice.”
“Can we get a commercial flight from Akron or Cleveland?” Gideon wasn’t going to sit still and do nothing.
“I may have a better option. I’ve contacted a friend of mine who owns a small plane. He’s in L.A. on business, but his wife has agreed to let us use the plane. I understand you’re a pilot, Mr. Troyer. Can you fly a Piper Cub?”
Finally, a solution. “Yes.”
“No,” Rebecca said just as quickly.
Gideon glanced at her face and felt his blood turning to sludge that barely moved through his veins. “You don’t mean that.”
“You told me that Booker is gone. You promised me. You are an Amish handyman, Gideon Troyer. You cannot fly a plane. I cannot ride in a plane. It is against the Ordnung of our church.”
Dr. White said gently, “Rebecca, you can fly if Bishop Zook gives you permission. It will only take a few minutes for Amber to fetch him from his farm.”
“But he cannot give Gideon permission to pilot the plane.”
The doctor said, “This may be a case where it is better to ask forgiveness than permission.”
Gideon swallowed hard. He had the knowledge and the power that might save Rebecca’s sight. If he used that knowledge and went against the teachings of their church, he would lose her love.
He slipped from his chair to kneel beside her and took her hand between his own. “I love you with all my heart, Rebecca. If it is God’s will that you never see again, it changes nothing. But, I beg you, don’t make me stand by helplessly when I can save you.”
She stared straight ahead as a single tear rolled down her cheek. “A vow cannot be discarded because it is inconvenient, my love.”
“Please, Rebecca.” His voice broke as his heart shattered into tiny bits.
“You promised. Did you mean it?” she whispered.
That he held true to his vow meant more to her than her sight. He would never disappoint her again. “I did.”
He laid his head in her lap. A sob broke free from him and then another. He barely felt the comfort of her hand stroking his hair.
Chapter Sixteen
After a few minutes, Gideon stood and wiped the tears from his face with the back of his sleeve. “I will not break my vows again, but I can’t stand by and do nothing.”
Rebecca said, “We must leave this in God’s hands.”
“If I can be the instrument of your blindness, I can be the instrument He uses to heal you—within the rules of the Ordnung. I’m not the only one who can fly a plane. Dr. White, may I use your phone?”
“Certainly.” The doctor handed him the receiver.
Gideon dialed the number of his old business. He felt his spirits rise when Roseanne answered the phone. He said, “Roseanne, it’s Gideon.”
“It’s about time you called. We’ve been feeling neglected.”
“I’m sorry. I’d love to chat but I need to speak to Craig. It’s important.”
“He’s on the runway with the young couple who are about to take a sightseeing tour of the lakes for their honeymoon. I can patch him through to you if you would like.”
“That would be great.” Gideon waited impatiently until Craig came on the line.
“Booker, is that you? How’s the Amish life treating you?”
“Let’s just say it has its challenges as well as its rewards.” Gideon squeezed Rebecca’s hand. She gripped his fingers tightly in return.
“What can I do for you?”
“I need you to fly someone from Hope Springs to New York today.”
“Seriously?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life. She’s very important to me, and she needs to see an eye specialist as soon as possible. I need your help, buddy.”
“Okay. Hang on just a second. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver, I’m sorry but I’m going to have to cancel your tour today. I’m having some technical difficulties. Don’t worry, you’ll get a full refund and we can reschedule any time that is convenient for you at a ten-percent discount.”
The sound of the plane powering down was followed by a rapid exchange of words Gideon couldn’t understand. He heard the plane doors open and slam shut again. After a few minutes, Craig came back on the phone. “Okay, where’s the closest airport?”
Gideon said, “Craig, you didn’t have to lie for me.”
His friend chuckled. “Booker, I didn’t lie. It would be technically difficult to come get your friend with these people on board. Think of the fuel consumption.”
“I’ll never be able to repay you for this.”
“Just tell me where to land.”
Gideon gave the phone to Dr. White. He, in turn, gave Craig the location of the private airstrip. When he was done relaying the information, Dr. White handed the phone back to Gideon.
“Thanks, Craig. You’re the best.” Gideon knew words could not convey his gratitude.
“I know it. See you in a little over an hour.”
After hanging up the phone, Gideon looked to Dr. White. “We should get Bishop Zook here. Rebecca won’t go, I won’t take her, unless he gives his permission.”
“I understand.” The doctor left the room.
Gideon took a seat beside Rebecca again. He grasped her cold hands. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
She didn’t speak. Not when the bishop arrived and gave his blessing for the trip. Not when Amber drove them to the airfield, not even when Gideon helped her into the plane and snapped her seat belt closed.
She had retreated to somewhere he couldn’t follow. He wasn’t sure she would ever come back to him.
Rebecca blinked as the drops hit her eyes. She hated this part. The drops always burned. Her headache was unbearable. Her stomach churned with nausea.
“Try to relax,” the nurse said. “Dr. Eriksson will be in soon. Call if you need anything.” She pressed a buzzer into Rebecca’s hand. The sound of the door closing signaled that she had left the room.
“How are you feeling?” Gideon asked, his voice thick with emotion.
She couldn’t believe she hadn’t realized who Booker really was. She had been blind in more ways than one. “My head is splitting.”
“I wish I could help.”
“I know you do. I have only myself to blame. Pride sent me running away from you.”
He too
k her hand and she squeezed his fingers. He said, “We are a well-matched pair, then. It was pride that sent me running away years ago. It was stubbornness and pride that kept me away.”
“Bishop Zook says all men must battle false pride. He says none of us are truly humble before God, but that we must strive always for that humility. It is only by being humble that we can hear God’s voice.”
“I need you to help keep me on the right path.”
“As I need you. Don’t think this is your fault.”
“How can I not?”
“You don’t have the power to take away my sight any more than you have the power to restore it. There is a lesson for us in this. We must seek God’s help to understand what He wishes us to learn.”
“I’ve learned I will never keep a secret from you again.”
“If we can’t trust each other, we have nothing together.”
“God has shown me the error of my ways. From this day forward I will never keep anything from you.”
The door opened and Dr. Eriksson said, “Tell me what’s going on. Rebecca, what kind of pain are you having?”
“I have a bad headache. I can’t see anything.”
“Is it like a migraine?”
“Ja.”
“I want you to sit still. Mr. Troyer, help move her chair up to the table.” Gideon did as the doctor asked.
“Good. Now, Rebecca, there is a chin rest in front of you. Can you feel it?”
“I do.”
“Good. Put your chin on the rest and hold still. Try not to move your eyes. Stare straight ahead. I’m going to look into them and take some pictures.”
Rebecca heard the sound of the shutter clicking. She followed the doctor’s instructions. Once, she thought she caught a flicker of light, but it was gone so quickly she thought she had imagined it.
“You may sit back now,” the doctor said.
“Can you tell us what’s wrong?” Gideon asked.
“The surgical site looks fine. I’m happy to say there’s no sign of infection or other serious medical complications.”
“But she’s blind.”
“I saw several cases like this when I was in Australia. Rebecca, are you prone to car sickness or motion sickness?”
“I have been all my life.”
“There is a rare syndrome called Footballer’s Migraine. It’s a severe migraine headache and visual impairment triggered by a blow to the head such as soccer players get when they head the ball. It’s thought that dilation of the blood vessels in the brain puts pressure on the optic nerves.”
“Is there a treatment?” Hope began to uncurl inside Rebecca.
“There is. I’m going to have the nurse give you an injection of sumatriptan. It should take care of the headache and visual impairment in an hour or two.”
“Will it happen again?” Gideon asked.
“Avoiding blows to the head should keep it from reoccurring, but if it does, Dr. White will be able to administer the drug at his office.”
A huge weight lifted from Gideon’s chest. He squeezed Rebecca’s hand. “That’s wonderful news.”
“If it doesn’t work, I suggest Rebecca enter the hospital and undergo a CT and MRI of the head to rule out other causes as soon as possible.”
“I’ll see that she does,” Gideon promised.
“I know this has given you both a fright, but I’m thankful that I’m not seeing any complications from the surgery. The nurse will be in a few minutes. Try to relax, Rebecca. It’s going to be fine. I’m going to cover your eyes with gauze pads just to keep the light out of them. Leave them on until your headache is completely gone.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” she muttered.
Once Dr. Eriksson was out of the room, Gideon cupped Rebecca’s face in his hands and kissed her cheeks. “Did you hear? You’re going to be fine.”
“Maybe.” Her voice was weak.
He knew better than to ask if she loved him. She was in pain. All he wanted was for her to feel better. The future would take care of itself.
The nurse came in and gave Rebecca a shot in her arm. After that, they were free to go. He led her out of the eye clinic and onto the crowded sidewalk. Christmas shoppers were out in droves this final day before the holiday.
Rebecca pressed close to his side. She didn’t like crowds, didn’t like to be jostled. He managed to flag down a taxi and gave the address of the airport where Craig was waiting for them. Christmas music blared from the car’s radio.
Gideon spoke to the driver. “Could you turn the music down, please?”
Annoyed, the fellow said, “What? You Amish don’t celebrate Christmas?”
“We do, but this young woman has a bad headache and loud sounds make it worse.”
“Oh, sure. Sorry.” The driver snapped the radio off.
“Danki,” Rebecca murmured.
“What’s that?” the cabbie asked as he pulled away.
“It means ‘thank you,’” Gideon replied.
“You folks speak Dutch, don’t you? My grandmother came from Holland.”
“People call it Pennsylvania Dutch, but it’s really Pennsylvania Deitsch, a German dialect,” Gideon explained.
“Huh. I learn something new every day.”
Thankfully, the man fell silent and Gideon was able to concentrate on Rebecca. Quietly, he asked, “Is the medicine helping?”
“Nee. Not yet.”
“It will.” It had to. It broke his heart to see her suffering.
When they reached the small airport at the outskirts of the city, Gideon paid the taxi driver and helped Rebecca to the plane where Craig was waiting for them.
“What’s the verdict?” he asked.
Gideon said, “The doctor thinks it’s temporary.”
“Hey, that’s great news.”
It was great news if it were true. Gideon clung to his faith and prayed God would grant her a complete recovery as he helped her into the plane.
They had been in the air for nearly an hour when Rebecca’s headache lessened and she noticed a faint crescent of light at the edge of the bandages over her eyes. Was her sight coming back?
Joy skipped across the surface of her heart the way a stone skips over the surface of a still pond and then settles into the depths. Carefully, she pushed the edge of the gauze pad upward.
The light increased. She closed her eyes tight and pulled the dressings off. If she opened her eyes would everything go dark again?
Have faith. Have faith, for God has chosen you to be one of His own.
Drawing a calming breath, she slowly opened her eyes. The tan leather grain of the seat in front of her came into focus. Above the seat, she saw the back of a man’s head. His hair was short and blond. She was tempted to reach out and touch it just to assure herself that he was real.
She looked down at her hands clenched tightly together. Her vision suddenly blurred and fear shot through her until she realized it was her own tears making the world watery. Blinking them away, she glanced to the left.
Gideon sat beside her. His gaze was focused out the window beside him. He looked so tired. There were lines on his forehead and around his eyes that hadn’t been there this morning. Had it only been this morning when she found the quilt? A lifetime had passed.
As she gazed at Gideon she wondered why she didn’t recognize that Booker and he were the same person. His kindness, his sense of humor, the way his touch made her heart race, only one man could make her feel this way—as happy as thistledown on the wind.
They had faced a great test of their love and their faith and passed it. She had no idea what God had in store for her life, but each moment she had with Gideon would be a moment to treasure.
As though he sensed her eyes upon him, he looked in her direction. She smiled and said, “You look tired.”
The range of emotions that crossed his face was priceless. It went from shock to hope to utter joy in the blink of an eye.
“You can see?” he whispered.
/> She could barely hear him over the drone of the airplane engine. “I can see how much you love me.”
The relief on his face changed to deep thankfulness. “You don’t need eyes for that. I promise you will always know how much I love you whether you can see me or not.”
He leaned toward her until his lips brushed hers. Heady excitement rushed through her blood, leaving her dizzy. Her hands cupped his face as she deepened the kiss. How was it possible to love someone so much?
“You two are steaming up the windows!” Craig’s voice penetrated Rebecca’s haze of happiness.
“Mind your own business and keep your eyes toward the front, Law.” Gideon smiled at Rebecca tenderly.
“You have such a beautiful smile.” She would never grow tired of seeing it.
“I’m glad you like what you see.”
How could she not? “I like the color of your eyes. I like the way your hair wants to curl over your ears. I love the way you look so Plain in those clothes. I could go on looking at you forever, Gideon Troyer.”
Gideon gazed into her eyes. “That’s what I had in mind. I love you, Rebecca, with all my heart and soul.”
Craig said, “He’s not much of a prize, Rebecca. You could do better.”
Rebecca liked this English friend of Gideon’s. She raised her voice so he could hear her. “I’m not so sure I could. He is a fine Amish man.”
He glanced back at them and grinned. “I hope you know what you’re getting into.”
Gideon leaned over and kissed her. “Pay no attention to him.”
She squeezed Gideon’s hand, thankful and content to be near him, to see his face and read the love in his eyes. “So this is flying. I can see why you love it.” Peering past him, she gasped at the sight. “The earth is so far away. Surely it would take us a day to fall so far.”
Craig and Gideon laughed out loud. She blushed, knowing how foolish she must sound to these men of the air.
Gideon kissed her hand. “Let’s hope we don’t find out how long it takes, but with Murphy’s Law at the controls, odds are anything can happen.”
“Hey, I’ve only crashed one plane,” Craig shot back.
Gideon brushed a wisp of hair back from Rebecca’s face. “If I died today I would still be the happiest man on God’s earth.”
The Christmas Quilt Page 18
