Chapter 44

SEVERAL NEW HOSPICE PATIENTS had arrived since last Monday afternoon, the day of Dorothea Holtz’s passing. Lucy missed seeing her pretty name posted on the door—gift of God, she remembered.

She also remembered how Dorothea loved hearing God’s Word read aloud, so today Lucy had brought her own King James Bible, choosing several uplifting psalms to share with her assigned patients. Life-giving words.

Whenever she relived yesterday’s celebration of unity with the People, Lucy felt peaceful, and she did her best to spread the same soothing balm to everyone she encountered today.

At the end of her shift, on the way through the soaring atrium, Lucy stopped suddenly at the sight of Dale. She smiled as she greeted him. “Are ya signin’ up to volunteer, maybe?”

He chuckled. “I stopped by to see you, Lucy.” They walked to the front entrance, where he held the door for her. “Do you have time for ice cream?”

“Sounds wunnerbaar-gut, ’cept I rode my push scooter.”

He grinned. “One of the benefits of owning a pickup is being able to transport a pretty girl and her scooter.”

Blushing, she wondered why he’d really come.

“We missed seeing you at grief group.” Dale opened the passenger door and waited until she was settled inside.

Lucy waited for him to load her scooter in back, then watched him hasten to the driver’s side and slide behind the steering wheel.

“I took time to read the study pages for that lesson,” she said, without explaining her absence. “The theme grabbed my attention. That and some specific things you said last week, Dale.”

“Well, I hope whatever it was made sense.” They moved out of the parking spot and onto the road.

“Jah, things about faith which really got me thinkin’.”

They drove through Bird-in-Hand and farther east to the Kitchen Kettle Village, Dale suggesting a stop at the Lapp Valley Farm Dairy and Ice Cream Stand. The day was perfect, the afternoon temperature still warm despite the position of the sun.

There, Lucy ordered peach ice cream; Dale chose pistachio. The quaint shops and cobblestone walkways were appealing, and she hoped they might stroll about for a while. Almost immediately, Dale proposed doing so.

The bold-colored foliage and eye-catching window displays made her look twice. Dale pointed out the fake black crows scattered around the area, some perched on baled hay. Lucy liked the harvest-themed decorations on store stoops—large block candles, gourds and pumpkins, and cute jack-o’-lanterns.

“I realize we haven’t known each other very long,” Dale said as he finished his ice cream cone. “But now that we’re past the initial sizing-up stage, we’ve really clicked . . . become friends.”

Lucy was quick to agree. “Your attention to Kiana and her son was a big part of it, ain’t so?”

He shrugged, as if assuming anyone would have cared enough to help. “And you, Lucy . . . what a caring young woman you are.” He smiled at her.

She shrugged, feeling a bit timid.

They spotted a scarecrow wearing an Amish hat, and Lucy went over to look at it more closely. “You dressed like this once for a few hours, remember?”

Dale chuckled. “But I never wore the hat.” He went on to recount how kind her Amish neighbors had been that terrible day, and how calm Lucy had seemed following the accident.

Calmer than I feel now, she thought. “You should try on the hat.” She forced a smile. “See if it fits.”

So he did, tilting his head comically. “What do you think?”

Their eyes met, and that quick, Dale was grinning. He looked out of place, and they both knew it.

He removed the hat. “I’m afraid this is the closest I’ll ever get to being Amish.” Placing it back on the scarecrow, he adjusted the hat carefully.

She was glad when they resumed their stroll. Goodness, but they’d gotten nearly too close to something, talking all around it.

“I wanted to see you today, Lucy . . . because I wish things could have been different for us.” He paused. “You see, I would have liked to move past our friendship to dating and really get to know you. But I would never tamper with your church membership.” Somehow, he knew about her baptism and their strict Ordnung.

Dale’s words played over in her mind. He’s saying good-bye….

They walked without speaking for a time, heading toward the exit and seeing a young Amish couple laughing and talking, apparently in love.

“Tell me about Tobe,” Dale said unexpectedly.

She wondered how he knew, then quickly put it together. Dear Dat, looking out for me. Lucy smiled and began to tell about her childhood friend, sharing happy memories of school days and of having grown up with Tobe. She also mentioned his fine reputation amongst the People. “He wanted to court me, but his family’s movin’ out west.”

“Tobe’s leaving, too?”

She nodded.

“So you aren’t interested—”

“It’s hard to explain, really.”

Dale stopped walking. “I wish you could see your face.”

“Why?”

“Well, your eyes light up when you say his name.”

“It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head sadly. “Not anymore.”

“Listen, maybe it’s not my place to say this, but we’ve shared some things. Mostly spiritual.”

Nodding, she wondered what was coming.

“You once admitted to keeping God at a distance.” His voice grew softer. “Like we all do at times.”

She lowered her head. “I haven’t given Him a chance. I know that.”

Dale was slow to continue. “I guess I’m wondering if you’ve given Tobe a chance.”

Lucy felt immediately annoyed. It wasn’t his place to pry, to peel away at her private life.

And Dale seemed to realize that, too, his gaze turning apologetic. He raised his hands as if conceding. “Okay, okay. None of my business, right?”

She smiled. “It’s gut we’re heading home, jah?”

They walked toward the parking lot in silence, and in her heart, Lucy knew this was the last she and Dale would spend any time together. It was for the best, too, especially after coming so close to abandoning her Plain life to marry a worldly Englischer. Her parents were right; she really ought to be more careful.

Above all—and Lucy felt this strongly as she picked up her pace toward Dale’s truck—she was actually fine with being single, if that was God’s will. Even so, getting acquainted with Dale Wyeth had been an added surprise. And a blessing.

“Thanks for your helpful tips on simple living,” he said as they drove back toward East Lampeter. “I’m ready to install my wood-burning stove next week.”

“Congratulations,” Lucy said, happy to hear it. “And thank you for helpin’ me find my way back to grace.”

He frowned slightly, but there was no need for her to explain. To think the Lord had used an outsider to point her in the right direction.

Her visit to see Kiana and Van was enjoyable, and Van made a point of telling her that all the barn kitties were coming to their back door, meowing and wanting more treats.

“Bud and Gracie warned us about that,” Kiana said, referring to their sudden congregation of cats. “And also that the mice population will explode in their barn if we make a habit of feeding the cats.”

“Well, I guess spoilin’ the kitties for a little while won’t hurt,” Lucy said, ruffling Van’s hair.

“Van is learning so much about nature . . . and God,” Kiana told her during the horse-and-buggy ride as Van sat on Lucy’s lap. She let him put his hands over hers while she held the driving lines.

Kiana looked rested, the dark circles under her eyes already scarcely visible. There was a new peachy hue to her cheeks. “Things are working out for me here.” She told about neighbors donating small pieces of furniture, including a chest of drawers and table and chairs. And Bud had brought down the double bed from their guest room for Kiana to borrow, for the time being.

Later, after returning to the farm, Kiana invited Lucy inside to sit at the table, where she had sugar cookies on a plate and brought out some fresh milk. Lucy joked that she was fitting right in, showing such Plain hospitality. She asked what type of used car Kiana was considering and learned that Bud and Gracie had taken her over to the car lot to decide.

After the treat, Lucy wrote out a check in Kiana’s name for a generous down payment, and Kiana wept at the amount. She got up right quick and opened a drawer near the sink and produced a homemade card. “Van liked the idea of red and pink hearts all along the border, so we alternated making them.”

Van came over and pointed out the hearts he’d drawn and colored in. “Miss Lucy, Mommy’s bestest friend.”

“That’s so dear,” Lucy said. “And you must call me Aendi Lucy, like my nieces and nephews do.”

“What’s Aendi?” Van asked, his head tilted to one side.

“It means Auntie Lucy, sweetie,” Kiana told him.

Lucy smiled as the little fellow ran back to his toys. “Is there anything else yous need?” Lucy asked.

“A hug before you leave would be nice,” Kiana said. “I get at least two a day from Gracie, and, oh, the family devotional times Bud and Gracie have invited us to are just what my heart has been longing for.” She lowered her eyes for a moment. “I’ve started drafting a letter to my father, by the way, hoping to share some of the things I’ve learned lately from the Bible.” Here, Kiana paused, her lower lip trembling. Then, struggling with emotion, she continued, “Gracie tells me nearly every day, ‘If it matters to you, Kiana, it matters to the Lord Jesus.’”

Lucy nodded. This sounded like something Dawdi Flaud used to say. Or Clinton Holtz.

“When ya get your car, bring Van over, and I’ll introduce ya to my twin sisters and show you around our big farm,” Lucy offered. “Maybe we’ll take the pony wagon out on the field lanes, too. How’s that?”

Van enthusiastically bobbed his head.

Before she left, Lucy opened her arms to Kiana, and Van squeezed in, too. The laughter in the little guesthouse brought grateful tears to her eyes, and a thrill of joy rippled all the way down to Lucy’s toes.