AR01 - A Road Unknow Read online

  She paused and stared at him. “I—guess.”

  “You don’t have to feel like it’s a date,” he rushed to say as silence stretched between them. “Just friends.”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “How long do you think you’ll be here?”

  “I don’t know.” She looked away from him, folding down the top of the bag.

  He frowned, hearing a curious mix of sadness and indecision in her voice. What was it about? he wondered. Was this really a visit or had she left her home in Indiana for some reason?

  “How much longer will it be before we get to Paradise?” she asked him.

  Saul glanced out the window and calculated. “About a half hour,” he told her.

  Elizabeth sat up straighter and her eyes sparkled. “I can’t wait.”

  There it was again, he thought. The mix of emotions. She looked excited, sounded excited. But her hands shook as she put her pad of paper back in her purse.

  As much as Saul was ready to get off the bus, inhale some good fresh air, and climb into his own bed, he wanted more time to figure this woman out. She was a mystery he wanted to solve.

  “Where will you be staying?” he asked, trying to sound cool and polite since she’d been wary of him asking personal questions earlier. “I need to know where to call for you. When we go for that Big Mac.”

  “Maybe you could give me your number,” she said.

  He nodded. “Good idea.” He pulled a business card from his jacket. “May I?” he asked, gesturing to the pencil behind her ear.

  She looked surprised it was still there and handed it to him. He wrote his cell phone number on the back of the card with the store address and phone number on it. He gave it to her, she looked at it for a moment, and tucked it safely into her purse.

  “So tomorrow you have to work?”

  Startled she had initiated conversation, he nodded.

  “A job’s a good thing.”

  “True.” He inclined his head and studied her. There was a wistful note in her voice. “What did you say you did in Goshen?”

  She smiled. “I didn’t.” After a moment, she said, “I worked in a fabric store.”

  Too bad she was just visiting, Saul thought. They could use someone like her since Miriam was taking maternity leave soon. Then he realized what she’d just said.

  “Worked? Does that mean you left your job?”

  She touched her mouth with her fingers and looked chagrined. Then she nodded. “I needed a break.”

  “I guess so,” he said gravely. “I mean, you must have been there forever.”

  “You’re laughing at me.” But she said it tentatively, as if she was unsure if he was teasing.

  “No. You just make it sound like you’ve been doing it for so long you had to retire or something.”

  “I just need a break. Vacation. Whatever you call it.” She frowned. “Rumschpringe.” She paused and glanced around. “I hate to use the word. Englischers seem to think we turn into wild things and run around getting drunk.”

  He winced. “Well, some guys I was friends with did, but I know what you mean.”

  The bus slowed and moved into the lane to the exit ramp. Passengers who were getting off at the next stop began shifting in their seats, looking out the windows.

  Saul watched Elizabeth pull on her jacket and loop the strap of her purse over her shoulder. He’d seen her tucking her purse on one side of her between her body and the bus wall, guarding it carefully. She lifted her tote bag and put it on her lap.

  “Thanks again for the sandwich and the coffee.”

  “Thank you for the Big Mac.”

  They were turning into strangers again now the enforced intimacy of the bus ride was nearly over.

  “Don’t forget we’re meeting for another once you get settled.”

  She nodded but her attention was riveted on the front of the bus as it came to a stop.

  Saul remembered his mother once complaining his father, anxious to be on his way for a hunting trip, had already left them before he walked out the door. Now he knew what she meant; he felt the same way about Elizabeth. She was already mentally out the bus door, so eager to be at her destination.

  He stood and gestured for her to precede him, and they joined passengers in the line to disembark from the bus.

  “Who’s meeting you?” he asked her when they were standing by the side of the bus where the driver was getting their luggage.

  “My new roommate.” She scanned the crowd of those waiting for bus passengers. “Oh, there she is!”

  “I’ll see you soon, Elizabeth No Last Name.”

  She smiled at him. “Yes, Saul Miller. Have a good night.”

  He watched her wend her way to a woman her age waiting for her and then turned to look for the driver who waited for him.

  “Good trip?” Phil asked, as he loaded Saul’s suitcase into the van.

  “It was okay,” Saul said. “What’s been happening here?” he asked, knowing the man would fill the drive with chatter about the latest goings-on and he wouldn’t have to contribute anything.

  He didn’t feel much like talking now that Elizabeth wasn’t near. He wondered if he’d see her again or if she’d forget about him once she was settled.

  And he wondered why he was thinking about her instead of Lavina . . .

  Elizabeth held onto the armrest on the passenger side of the car and prayed as she caught a glimpse of the speedometer while Paula chattered a mile a minute.

  “Did you have a good trip? I got a little worried when the bus ran a half an hour late.”

  “I’m sorry if you had to wait—”

  “Didn’t! I checked before I drove to the bus station.”

  “Oh. That’s good.”

  Elizabeth studied Paula. They were so different in looks and personality: Paula’s chin-length blond hair curled madly all over her head, she wore bright lipstick and jeans with holes at the knee and a big blue men’s chambray shirt. They’d met when Paula’s family had visited Goshen earlier in the year. They’d written dozens of letters since then—Paula had once called them pen pals. Elizabeth had grown to feel safe enough to feel she could talk about her frustrations and dreams, and when she had, Paula had invited her to visit.

  She’d accepted the offer immediately, hoping Paula was sincere. Paula had written back and invited her to come as soon as she wanted. Elizabeth was on a bus to Paradise a month later.

  “You’re sure it’s not a problem to stay with you for a while?”

  “I told you it isn’t! My parents wanted me to get a roommate.”

  “I don’t know how long I need to stay.”

  Paula reached over and patted her hand. “Don’t worry about it. When you decide, I’ll just advertise at the college for a roommate.”

  They couldn’t have been more different: Elizabeth was Amish, Paula was Englisch. Elizabeth had dark hair. Paula’s hair was a streaky blond mass that made Elizabeth think the sun had run its rays through it. Paula had laughed and said the streaks came from a bottle.

  It was another way they were so different. Elizabeth was shy and quiet. Paula fairly bubbled with exuberance.

  “You’re being quiet.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “That’s me. Quiet.”

  “The deep ones are always quiet.”

  A laugh escaped before Elizabeth could stop it. “I’m not deep. You’re the one who’s going to college.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not doing so well,” Paula said.

  It suddenly got very quiet in the car.

  “Why?”

  Paula shrugged. “I’m having trouble with my English class. Math, no problem. But if I have to do any writing like I have to do in English and history, I’m in trouble. College is harder than high school. A lot harder than I thought it would be.”

  Elizabeth bit her lip. “English was my best subject in school. I’d love to help you, but we only go to school to the eighth grade and then we go to work.”

  “I appreciat
e the offer.” Paula sighed. “I just have to buckle down and work harder. Maybe go to the tutoring center at school.”

  Back home, Elizabeth had often helped the teacher with the younger students. Later, she helped her brothers and sisters with their homework while their mother cooked supper. But it wasn’t going to help Paula.

  “It doesn’t sound easy but you’ll be glad you did it. There aren’t many jobs for people without a college education. Not in your world and not even in mine.” She smoothed her skirt. “Several people in the shop I worked in had college educations. I’d never be promoted to senior clerk or manager there no matter how long I stayed.”

  “But I thought most Amish women worked at home.”

  “After they’re married.”

  “You’re too young to get married,” Paula said firmly. “Women shouldn’t get married until they’re at least in their middle twenties. You’re only twenty, right?”

  “Yes.”

  Paula pulled into the drive of an apartment building. “We’re here. Welcome home!”

  They got out of the car and Paula got Elizabeth’s suitcase out of the trunk. “I’ve got it,” she told Elizabeth. “You look tired.”

  “I shouldn’t be. All I did was sit on the bus.”

  “Traveling is tiring.”

  Elizabeth doubted Paula had ever traveled on a bus. When she and her family had visited Goshen, they’d come in an expensive looking SUV.

  “Hungry?”

  “I have a sandwich left,” Elizabeth said, holding up her tote.

  “I’m not sure it’s safe to eat anything you’ve been carrying around your whole trip.”

  “It’s insulated.”

  Paula reached for the bag. “C’mon, I’ll make us some soup and sandwiches.”

  “I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”

  “No trouble. My mom brought some stuff over as a welcome present. Does a turkey sandwich and homemade vegetable soup sound okay?”

  “Sounds great.”

  Paula warmed the soup in the microwave while she made them sandwiches. They sat at the kitchen island and ate while she peppered Elizabeth with questions.

  “Who was the cute Amish guy who got off with you? Do you know him?”

  Elizabeth nearly choked on her soup. She’d seen Saul?

  “He was just someone who was on the bus.”

  “Oh, so you didn’t know him? Seemed like you two knew each other when you were talking.”

  “We talked on the ride. He’s from here.”

  “Are you going to see him again?”

  Elizabeth felt her cheeks warming. “We might. It’s not a date or anything.”

  “Sounds promising, though,” Paula said. She spooned up some soup.

  “What about you?” Elizabeth asked shyly. “Are you dating?”

  “I’ve been going with Jason since we graduated from high school. But he wanted to serve in the military. He got shipped to Afghanistan and I have no idea if he’s signing up for another stint, when he’s coming home . . .”

  She sighed. “Everyone tells me I should look for another guy. But he’s the guy I love. We’ve been staying in touch by e-mail but it hasn’t been easy with Internet connections where he is. Besides, I don’t think anyone realizes there aren’t many guys like Jason. This guy in my Algebra class asked me out for coffee and I thought, hey, it’s just coffee. Turned out he just wanted me to let him cheat on the next test.”

  “Oh, my! How wrong!” Aghast, Elizabeth stared at her.

  Then, just as suddenly, it occurred to her she shouldn’t have said anything. What if Paula felt it was okay to let the man cheat from her test? What if she felt judged? What if she kicked her out? Would she tell her to get back on a bus and go back to Goshen? She couldn’t do that, she—

  “Well, of course, I told him to stuff it!” Paula said, sounding disgusted. “How dare he even ask such a thing. What kind of a person does he think I am, anyway?”

  Relieved, Elizabeth spooned up more soup. Why had she been worried? she chided herself. Paula had seemed to her to be a good person and she was seldom wrong about this sort of thing. Jumping to conclusions Paula would order her out . . . well, she was just plain silly. She was letting her fears get to her.

  It was a big step to leave her home, her life back in Goshen. She’d been so scared. But she’d packed her suitcase, walked on shaking legs out of the only home she’d ever known, and climbed aboard the bus to bring her here to a new life—for however long she stayed.

  She could do this with some faith and confidence or she could do it in fear. Warmed by the welcome she’d received from Paula, the soup she’d reheated, and now eager for the comfort of some rest in bed after trying to catch some sleep on the moving bus, Elizabeth stood. She gathered up her empty dishes and those in front of Paula.

  “This was so good,” she said. “I’ll wash up.”

  Paula got up and walked over to the kitchen counter. “Let me introduce you to my dishwasher,” she said, grinning. “I think you’re going to like it as much as I do.”

  She showed her how to load the dishes and where to pour the dishwashing powder in the receptacle in the door. Then she closed the door, pressed a button, and the machine began making a swishing sound.

  “That’s it?”

  “That’s it. Let me show you your room.”

  The room looked huge and even had a bathroom attached. Elizabeth set her suitcase on a padded bench and let out a sigh. The bed had a brass rail headboard and a thick, soft mattress. Elizabeth sat on the bed and bounced.

  “It’s beautiful!” she breathed as she glanced around the room.

  “I’m glad you like it,” Paula said with a grin. “Mom helped me decorate. You probably have better quilts back home. This is the one she bought me for college.”

  She yawned. “I better get to bed. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  Elizabeth looked up at her. “I don’t need a thing. Thank you for making me feel welcome.”

  “You’re welcome. I think we’ll have fun, roomie. ’Night.”

  Elizabeth got up and wandered around the room, touching the carved wooden bedside table, the little scented soaps in a dish on the bathroom vanity sink, the crisp white pillowcase. A big yawn overcame her, but she was too excited to sleep. She opened her suitcase thinking she’d hang her few clothes in the closet—no pegs like at home!—and then she saw what lay atop her two dresses.

  A worn brown teddy bear stared up at her with his one good eye.

  “Oh, Brownie!” she cried, picking him up and clutching him to her chest. “Why did Sadie put you in here? She can’t sleep without you!”

  She felt tears slipping down her cheeks at the thought of her youngest sister—just four—slipping her favorite toy into her big sister’s suitcase, so she’d have something of home with her.

  Curling up on the bed, Elizabeth pushed her face into her pillow, trying to cry quietly so she didn’t wake Paula. It was hours before she slept.

  3

  Elizabeth woke to sunlight streaming in through the window.

  She yawned, stretched and opened her eyes and gasped. This wasn’t her bedroom. Her heart pounded for a moment until she remembered where she was. And bolted upright. The sunlight was so strong. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and winced. Eight a.m.! She hadn’t ever slept so late.

  Quickly she made up her bed, then she dashed into the bathroom. It took a few minutes to figure out the fancy-looking shower handles, finally producing a stream of warm water. She stood under it, thoroughly enjoying the feel of the water pouring from the showerhead.

  It was so quiet here. She’d never had the bathroom to herself before. Back home there’d been just two bathrooms for the family so her sisters had wandered in and out as they needed, even occasionally climbed into the tub to take a shower while chatting with her as she brushed her teeth or her hair. Her mother would be calling up the stairs, urging everyone to get downstairs for breakfast before school. T
he day never started without being confronted by a lot of noise and hustle and bustle.

  There was no noise from family here but it wasn’t quiet outside. As she pulled on her clothes, Elizabeth could hear a garbage truck picking up trash. Someone honked a horn in the parking lot down below. She heard water trickling, checked the bathroom and realized the sound came from the apartment upstairs.

  When she opened the bedroom door, she surprised Paula with her hand raised ready to knock on it.

  “Good morning.”

  “’Morning,” Paula mumbled, blinking drowsily.

  She pushed a hand through her uncombed hair that fell messily to her shoulders. “Coffee,” she mumbled. “Need coffee.”

  Elizabeth followed her into the kitchen and took a seat on a stool at the island. She watched Paula fill her coffeemaker with water, stick a little container in it, then place a coffee cup below. In what seemed like seconds, coffee began dripping into the cup.

  When it was filled, she removed it and set it before Elizabeth.

  “It only makes one cup?” Elizabeth asked and realized how stupid she sounded. She’d just watched the machine make one cup, so yes, it just made one cup at a time. “Here, you should have the first cup,” she offered, but Paula had already turned away to repeat the process.

  When the second cup finished brewing, Paula drew in a deep breath of the steam rising from it and climbed onto the stool next to Elizabeth. She dumped a packet of artificial sweetener and a spoonful of powdered creamer in her cup and blew on the coffee to cool it faster.

  When it was finally cool enough to drink, she sipped and then sighed. She turned to Elizabeth. “Did I say good morning?”

  Elizabeth smiled. “Yes, you did.”

  “I hate mornings.” She sat with her elbows on the counter, her shoulders slumped. The belt on her chenille robe dangled onto the floor. “Thank goodness my mother insisted I not take early morning classes.”

  “Really?” Elizabeth was so used to rising early this was a surprise to her.

  “Yeah, I flunked one class freshman year just because I couldn’t get there for eight a.m. classes. I had a nursing instructor tell me if I didn’t like mornings, maybe I shouldn’t be a nurse, but there are two other shifts for goodness sakes. Anyway, I have classes four afternoons a week.”