Amos shone the light on the tray, then reached past Naomi and jiggled the doorknob. His gaze met hers as he held the flashlight at the ceiling and his jaw dropped. This is crazy. “Are they seriously not going to let us out of here?”
“Nee, not any time soon.” She pounded on the door again. “Lizzie! You open this door right now!”
Amos handed her the flashlight and leaned down to pick up the tray. “At least they left us food and coffee.” He chuckled. “Hold the light on the steps and I’ll carry this down.”
“Aren’t you upset?” she asked from behind him.
He waited until they were at the bottom of the stairs and he’d set the tray on the old desk. “A little shocked.” He grinned. “But hungry.”
“Men. Food is always the first thing you think of in any situation.” She set the flashlight on the table, lighting up the ceiling, then put her hands on her hips and eyed the items on the tray. “Lizzie knows I love her cheese spread with crackers and salami. I guess she sent mei favorites to try to make up for locking us in.” She threw her hands up. “See what I mean? Lizzie will go to any extreme she sees fit if she believes two people should be together. And it’s not just mei love life she meddles with—there are others in the community.”
Amos picked up a cracker and spread some cheese on it, topped it with salami, and handed it to her, then did the same for himself. “Are they ever successful?” he asked before he took a bite.
Naomi laughed. “Ya, actually. Believe it or not, sometimes they are.”
Amos ate another cracker before he walked over to the stacked chairs. He carried two around the desk. They sat down and he asked, “Isn’t Lizzie afraid we might freeze down here?”
Naomi pointed to her coat, then to his. “She probably saw us coming across the yard and noticed we didn’t leave our coats on the rack.” She snickered like a child with a secret, which was cute and made him smile. “But”—she picked up the flashlight and shone it on a cedar chest against the wall—“from mei last experience down here, I know there are blankets in that trunk.”
Amos grinned. “So, who was the other poor soul she forced to stay down here with you?”
She playfully slapped him on the arm. “There are worse people to be stuck with.”
He gazed into her eyes. “I’m not going to argue with that.”
If she blushed, he couldn’t tell, but she tucked her chin as she brushed strands of hair away from her face.
“It was a man staying here, but not a stranger. I don’t think Lizzie would put me in harm’s way. She’s sitting at the kitchen table right now, probably reading her book and being as quiet as a church mouse.” She reached for another cracker. “He was a close friend’s sohn, and he’d come for a wedding.”
Amos clicked his tongue and shook his head. “It’s just not safe to come here for a wedding.”
Naomi threw a hand over her mouth to avoid spewing the remains of the cracker from her mouth as she laughed.
“Don’t spit on me.” Amos put his hands up to block his face.
“Stop!” She said as she tried to swallow, her hand still hiding her mouth. “You’re making me laugh.”
Amos thought he could listen to her laugh for the rest of his life. “Okay, I’ll be quiet. Go on. Tell me about this poor fellow.”
Smiling, she shook her head. “Anyway, he was a very nice man, about five years older than me. I actually liked him, and it might not have been so terrible if he hadn’t gone completely bonkers when he realized we were locked in. I asked him if he was claustrophobic, and he said he wasn’t. He paced the entire time, screamed at Lizzie, and basically behaved like a five-year-old. All qualities I might not have seen if she hadn’t forced us to stay down here. It was still a terrible thing to do, but I knew without a doubt by the time she let us out that he was not the man for me.”
“Um, out of curiosity, exactly how long were you held prisoners?” He rubbed his chin and tilted his head, searching her eyes.
“Four hours.” She put a hand over her stomach, bent at the waist, and laughed so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. “Looking back,” she finally said, “it’s rather funny.”
Amos laughed, too, then quieted. “Naomi, it’s nice to hear you laugh. Why don’t we make the best of our imprisonment, enjoy the food, and try not to analyze anything right now.” He leaned his head back against the wall behind his chair and yawned. “It’s exhausting.”
She nodded and smiled. “Deal.”
* * *
Naomi had to give Lizzie credit for this little shenanigan. She’d seen glimpses of Amos’s sense of humor before, but nothing like this. Had she ever laughed much with Thomas? She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Amos was quick to fumble his way to the cedar chest without grabbing the flashlight.
“Ouch.” She wasn’t sure what he bumped into, but he returned a moment later with a thick blanket.
“Why didn’t you take the flashlight?” She grinned.
“I didn’t know if you were afraid of the dark.” He held up the blanket. “Please tell me this isn’t the same blanket you cuddled in with your last guy.”
She chuckled. “I assure you, there was no cuddling. He was much too frantic.”
“Stand up.”
She did and Amos slid her chair against the wall next to his, then patted the seat. “I promise. No funny stuff. Not even a kiss on the cheek.”
She shuffled to the chair and sat, thinking a kiss on the cheek didn’t sound so bad right now. Amos sat, then wrapped the blanket around both of them and pulled her a little closer.
“Strictly for body heat.” He gently poked her in the ribs and she jumped. “Ha! You’re ticklish.” He poked her again in the same place.
“Stop.” She looked up at him. “Behave.”
“Always.” He winked at her and, although they had a lot to talk about, for right now, she’d be happy in his arms. When she started yawning, he gently eased her head onto his shoulder. It couldn’t be very late, but Amos was right. All the analyzing was exhausting.
“Sweet dreams,” he whispered. “Unless you want to try to dig our way out.”
Naomi giggled. She didn’t want to go anywhere.
* * *
Esther jerked her head up from the kitchen table in total darkness. She slammed her hands around the table until she found the flashlight. Dead batteries. Lizzie was snoring on the other side of the table. Esther stood and edged over to the drawer where they kept the matches and lit the lantern on the counter.
“Lizzie, wake up.” She nudged her sister, who bolted upright.
“What? What? Where are we?” Lizzie stood and looked around the kitchen. “Ach, that’s right. You locked Amos and Naomi in the basement.” She rubbed her eyes. “What time is it?”
Esther held the lantern up to see the clock. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! It’s three in the morning! What have we done?”
“You locked them in the basement. None of this we stuff.” Lizzie puckered her lips. “Do you think they’re okay?”
“Probably freezing.” Esther eased open the door to the basement. “Naomi? Amos?” She started down the steps, slow and clutching the handrail. Lizzie was right behind her. When they were about halfway down, Esther held up the lantern. “Look, Lizzie.” She whispered and scooted to the side of the stairway so her sister could see.
“Isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen?” Esther sighed with relief.
“Look how he’s got his arm around her, and her head’s on his shoulder.” Lizzie whispered. “All cuddled up in that blanket and sleeping.” She grinned. “He’s a snorer.”
“So are you.” Esther took another step down, but Lizzie tugged on her robe.
“Let’s leave them. We can leave the door open and go to bed.” Lizzie yawned, and Esther nodded as they turned and carefully went back up the steps.
“You know in most communities, what we’ve done would be considered highly inappropriate,” Esther whispered as she raised an eyebrow at Lizzie. “Especially forcing them to be alone the way we did.”
Lizzie stepped up the last step, then waited until Esther was in the kitchen before she folded her arms across her chest. “There is no we in this situation.”
“You sat right there across from me the whole time, knowing they were down there. That makes you guilty too.” Esther set the lantern on the table and began gathering up the scattered cards. “The open door should allow some heat to flow down there.” Suddenly, she startled, gasped, and dropped some of the cards. “Someone’s coming up the steps.”
“Good morning, ladies.”
Esther twisted around and glanced at Lizzie, who was flashing a toothless smile at Amos.
“I, uh . . .” Esther searched for the words to explain herself, but there were none.
Amos had a flashlight he was pointing at the floor as he walked over to the cabinet and took out a glass. He lifted his arms, stretched, then moseyed to the refrigerator.
“Our girl is thirsty.” He set the flashlight on the counter before he took out the carton of milk and poured it in the glass. “We were wondering if breakfast might be a little later than normal?”
Esther nodded, as did Lizzie, both wide-eyed. “Ya, of course. Ya,” they answered in unison.
Amos winked. “Danki.” He put the milk away, then grabbed the flashlight and walked back to the basement door. He closed it behind him. Then they heard the deadbolt thump. Esther’s heart pounded. There was a lock on the outside of the basement door and an old deadbolt inside.
Lizzie lifted both hands to her chest. “What have you done? You practically forced them to sin, right here in our own basement.” She couldn’t have looked more indignant if she’d tried, with her bottom lip pushed out in a pout as the wrinkles on her forehead crinkled even more than normal.
Esther’s stomach twisted into a knot.
* * *
“How did Lizzie act when she saw you?” Naomi was still wrapped in the blanket when Amos handed her the glass of milk. “Danki.” She took a drink and set it on the desk. “Did you play it up good?”
He sat next to her and she offered him the other half of the blanket. She felt comfortable next to him.
“For good measure, I locked the deadbolt from the inside.” Amos chuckled.
Naomi raised her hand to her mouth to suppress her laughter. “I bet Lizzie is having a fit!”
“Actually, it was Lizzie and Esther when I walked in.” He shook his head but his eyes crinkled at the corners as one side of his mouth curled upward. “They looked a mess. Most of their hair had fallen from beneath the scarves on their heads, and they had dark circles under their eyes. Cards were spread out on the table. I think they must have fallen asleep there.” He pointed to the top of the steps. “Why is there a lock from the inside?”
“Esther said Lizzie’s husband put it in because when they were first married, they had the basement fixed up and lived here for a while as they finished building a haus. If the door was locked, everyone knew not to come down here.”
“Well, their minds are awhirl now.” Amos yawned. “But I guess we will have to emerge soon enough.” He gazed at her in the dim glow of the flashlight. Naomi wasn’t sure when they fell asleep, and she was surprised they had since they were sitting up. She recalled both of them admitting that analyzing things was exhausting. This morning, reality slapped her in the face. She would have to confront her feelings about Thomas. And Amos.
“Well, this should teach Lizzie, and apparently Esther, that they can’t force love.” Naomi thought her heart stopped for a second. “I-I didn’t mean . . .”
“I know what you meant.” He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet. This time he picked up the flashlight and took it with him to return the blanket to the chest. “For the next prisoner locked down here,” he said, grinning, when he was back in front of her.
“I doubt there will be any more hostages.” Naomi giggled, but with each step up the stairs in front of Amos, the reality of her situation became more real. They walked through the kitchen, which was empty, then tiptoed through the living room and went up the stairs.
When they reached Naomi’s bedroom door, Amos stopped beside her. “Your mind is already spinning with worry, isn’t it?”
She nodded, wondering if he would kiss her, but after a few seconds of staring into her eyes he took a step back. “Good night.” He rolled his eyes. “Or I guess, good morning. I asked if breakfast could be a little later so maybe we could get a few hours’ sleep. I know we both woke up on and off in those chairs.” Pausing, his expression sobered. “See you in a little while.”
Naomi grinned. “Let’s have some fun with Esther and Lizzie at breakfast.”
“Ya, they have that coming, I reckon.” He winked at her and walked down the hallway to his room.
Naomi snuggled into her covers, needing sleep, but knowing she had a lot to think about.
* * *
Esther and Lizzie started breakfast before Naomi joined them. Guilt was eating up Esther as she flipped the bacon. Lizzie was unusually quiet as she whisked eggs in a bowl. What if Naomi and Amos had really hit it off after spending time together? That was what they wanted, after all. But what if Amos wasn’t the wholesome fellow he appeared to be? Had he seduced Naomi? Questions raced through Esther’s mind, and she didn’t know how to get answers without embarrassing them. She couldn’t live with herself if she had coerced them into doing something reserved for married couples.
“Wie bischt.” Naomi walked into the kitchen smiling, possibly even glowing. “Danki for starting breakfast, but I can finish now.”
“Nee, dear. You just sit and rest.” Esther smiled over her shoulder as Naomi poured herself a cup of coffee. Amos walked in grinning a few minutes later, eased up next to Naomi, and got himself a cup of coffee.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said with a bounce in his step as he followed Naomi to the kitchen table and sat in the chair beside her.
Are their chairs closer together than normal? Esther couldn’t stand it anymore. She turned, twisting her hands together, and shook her head.
“We are so sorry for locking you in the basement. We heard you quarreling, and we wanted you to work things out. We never meant to fall asleep and leave you, and—”
“Stop!” Lizzie faced Esther with her palm raised. “Quit saying we.” She turned to Amos and Naomi. “I was sleeping soundly in mei room, and when I came into the kitchen, Esther said she had locked you in the basement.”
“You could have let them out,” Esther said as she faced Lizzie. “You are as guilty as I am.”
“It’s fine,” Amos said. He looked at Naomi and winked. “We’re not upset at all.”
Naomi smiled dreamily as she batted her eyes at him. “Not at all.”
Amos put his arm around Naomi, and Esther went weak in the knees. But what could she say? Glancing at Lizzie, she prayed her sister would stay quiet, but she knew better.
Lizzie walked to the table with the whisk still in her hand, drizzling the wood floor with egg. “Naomi, you are a gut girl.” She turned to Amos. “I don’t know about you anymore.”
“But, Lizzie, didn’t you lock us down there so we could sort through our feelings and realize we were in lieb?” Naomi tilted her head to the side, her expression innocent.
Lizzie jumped up and down, slinging egg everywhere. “How many times do I have to say this? Are you people hard of hearing? Esther is the one who locked you in!”
Amos leaned over and kissed Naomi on the cheek, right there in front of Esther and Lizzie, who gasped.
“And we’re glad you did,” he said with an air of pride that seemed to confirm their fears.
“Dear Lord, what have we done?” Esther hung her head, shaking it.
Lizzie stomped her foot. “We, we, we! I guess you are hard of hearing.”
“Lizzie, Esther.” Naomi spoke softly and waited until they looked at her. “Nothing happened. Nothing at all.”
Esther’s pulse started to return to normal as she took a deep breath.
“But let this be a lesson to both of you not to meddle in other people’s lives. It could have gone differently if Amos wasn’t such a gentleman.” She turned to him, and Esther saw the true admiration in her eyes. Maybe she hadn’t done such a bad thing after all. She couldn’t help but wonder if Amos and Naomi had admitted their feelings to each other. She wasn’t about to ask. Instead, she’d wait, watch, and thank God she hadn’t pushed the couple into sin.
* * *
Breakfast and dinner were uneventful, but Naomi had a hard task in front of her this evening. Supper with Thomas. He would surely ask what she’d done the night before, and she had to decide how much to tell him. She didn’t want to lie, but the full version would surely hurt him.
She still hadn’t decided what to do when he picked her up at the usual time, and her stomach was rolling with nerves.
“I got your note yesterday. Were you sick?” Thomas asked as soon as she got in the buggy. “Or you just needed a night away from me?” Grinning, he backed the horse out of the driveway and down the road.
“Nee, I wasn’t sick.” She tried to force her confused emotions into some sort of order, but her hesitation to explain further caused Thomas to pull back on the reins, slowing the horse to a walk.
“What then?” His expression grew tight with strain.
“I wanted to paint. I missed it.” She stared straight ahead and took a deep breath before she looked at him.
“Um, that’s fine.” After a few seconds, he frowned, his eyes leveling off beneath slanted eyebrows. “Did you paint with Amos?”
Facing forward again, she nodded. “Ya, I did.” Even though she hadn’t even gotten her paintbrush wet, she’d been there.
“Uh, okay.” Thomas sounded as confused as she felt. “Naomi, you’re living under the same roof with this man, sharing meals with him, and now painting with him. Should I be worried?”
The moment of truth was upon her. Why hadn’t she planned better? “Can you pull off the road, maybe up on the left, at the school?”
“I guess I should be.” There was an edge to his voice, and they were silent as he turned into the school parking lot and stopped. He twisted in his seat to face her. “What’s going on?”
“I know you think painting for pleasure is a waste of time, but it’s something I enjoy. I especially like painting the sunset. And it just so happens, Amos likes to paint too.” She shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant as she gazed into his eyes, flashes of Amos’s face obstructing her view. It was well after the fact and strange timing, but in that moment she realized that when she’d kissed Amos, she hadn’t seen Thomas’s face. She hadn’t even thought about him until afterward, when the guilt settled in.
“We didn’t need to pull over for you to tell me that, Naomi. I’m fine with you painting until we’re married. I just wanted to make sure that you hadn’t developed a romantic interest in him.” His tone held a degree of warmth and concern, but his eyes revealed his unspoken fear.
Naomi pushed Amos to the back of her mind. “What do you mean, you’re fine with mei painting ‘until we’re married’?”
He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Once you’re mei fraa, you’ll have enough to occupy your time running our household.” Smiling, he said, “And we can enjoy our free time by starting our family.”
Naomi faced forward and clenched her jaw, trying to kill the sob coming up in her throat. “I kissed Amos,” she said as her voice trembled.
Thomas let go of her hand as if her touch burned him. “What?” When she finally looked at him, his face was filled with loathing. “Last night while you were painting?”
“Ya.” Her heart ached, even though she knew this was something she had to do.
They were both silent and looking down for a while.
“Do you love him?” Thomas’s voice was shaky as he posed the question.
Naomi didn’t look up. “I barely know him.” She wasn’t answering the question, and she hoped Thomas didn’t ask her again. Was it really possible to fall in love with someone that quickly anyway? Since last night, a warmth was in her heart, and she wanted to savor it, and possibly explore it.
“Look at me, Naomi.” Thomas spoke softly, his voice still unsteady. “Did you do that . . . Did you kiss him to get back at me?” As he gazed into her eyes, she remembered the wonderful moments they’d had together. But for the first time, she was feeling a lack of emotional connection. That connection was part of what drew her to Amos. The more she compared the two men, the more confused she became.
She chose to avoid the question. “I guess the more I think about you leaving me and getting involved with someone else, the angrier I get. Do you know what I went through after you left? It wasn’t just that my heart was broken. It was the humiliation and embarrassment. And to be honest, I’m having trouble getting past it, more than I realized.”
“You have to forgive me, Naomi, because I am so sorry. You are who I want to be with. I’m not settling. I’m choosing you, always and forever. I will never, ever leave you again.” He paused, sighing. “I can understand your need to hurt me by kissing Amos. And believe me, it hurts. I know it’s not even a taste of what I put you through, but . . .”
Kissing Amos didn’t have anything to do with hurting Thomas. Amos had been right. It wasn’t a revenge kiss. But Naomi knew she had to forgive Thomas in order to move on, whichever direction that might be.
“I forgive you, Thomas. I just need a little time.”
He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “I love you.”
Her eyes watered instantly as she opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come.
“I need time,” she said again.
Thomas nodded as a tear slid down his cheek. Naomi leaned into his arms, and they clung to each other and cried.