by Claire Adams
Adam leaned in and kissed me again, this time lingering as he flicked my lower lip with his tongue and then gently bit down sending a wave of warmth coursing through my veins. I returned the kiss, but my brain was somewhere far away thinking about how to parlay the turbines into income that would support my brother and sisters so that I wouldn't have to gut my retirement savings to ensure that they were okay. Adam kissed me more insistently.
"Can we do this later?" I asked as I rolled out of his arms and grabbed my nightclothes off the floor. "I need to take care of a few things."
"Yeah, sure," he said. I could tell by the tone of his voice that my rejection had hurt his feelings.
"I'm not done with you, Mr. Wallace," I said as I leaned down to kiss his lips. He turned his face away and my lips missed their mark.
"Yeah, whatever," he shrugged as he rolled off the bed, grabbed his boxers and yanked them on as he avoided my eyes.
"Fine, be that way," I said as I turned and marched out of the room and up the stairs. He could be as mad as he wanted, but once I'd figured out a way to sell the turbines to the rest of the Corner Grove Amish community, he'd understand and be grateful that I'd kept my wits about me.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Adam
Grace's abrupt shift hours earlier had caught me off guard and left me struggling to bury the feelings of frustration and confusion. I had quickly donned the black pants and white shirt, and headed out to the barn hoping to work off my frustration by cleaning stalls. I'd gone over the entire morning in my mind several times, but couldn't figure out what had happened that had caused her to pull away so fast. I'd finally given up and lost myself in the task of sweeping stalls and then refilling them with the bales that were stacked out behind the barn.
I had just pulled out my phone and deleted three more messages from my mother while wondering why I still hadn't been able to get a hold of Bugsy, when two buggies pull into the drive. I pocketed the phone and hollered, "Grace! You've got visitors!"
I recognized the first buggy as belonging to the Miller family. It took a moment for the second driver to come into view, but when he did, I knew there was going to be trouble. Perched on the seat holding the reins was Bishop Miller accompanied by his wife and two sons, and none of them looked happy.
Verity pulled the buggy up to the barn, casting a nervous glance toward the house as she swung down from the driver's seat and said something to Danny and Honor. They both quickly began unhooking Titan from the buggy and then led him into the barn as their sister approached the Bishop's buggy.
Grace appeared in the doorway a few seconds later, smoothing her dress and checking to make sure her hair was tucked into the white cap on her head. She gave me a nervous smile as she stepped out and called, "Uncle, it's so good of you to stop by!"
"Grace Miller, what have you done?" Bishop Miller boomed as he swung himself down off to the buggy and swiftly crossed the drive.
"What do you mean?" she asked as she descended the steps and met him halfway.
"You know perfectly well what I mean," he said casting a glance in my direction. "You've brought this English into your house. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that he'd been injured in an accident and that we're doing the Lord's work," she said in a voice that I could see belied her nervousness. "It's what Mamm and Dat would have done."
"Your parents would be ashamed of you!" Bishop Miller scolded. "This man does not belong here!"
"I'm not doing anything wrong!" I shouted. "You're just mad because—"
"Silence!" the bishop roared. "You are not part of this conversation!"
"The hell I'm not!" I yelled back.
"Adam..." Grace said giving me a look that could only be described as beseeching. "Let us talk. Please?"
"Fine," I grumbled stepping back, but staying within earshot.
"Uncle, we're not doing anything wrong," Grace said calmly. "Mr. Wallace is staying in the guest room while his injuries heal and he waits for his car to be fixed."
"This is unacceptable, Grace," the bishop replied. His face was barely masking the fury that vibrated under the surface. "We are an upstanding community and we do not condone this kind of impropriety. You are bringing shame on your family with this impulsive act, and there will be consequences."
"What are you talking about?" Grace asked genuinely surprised. "Are you threatening me and my family?"
"No, of course not," he said unconvincingly. "But you need to understand that you cannot behave this way and expect that there will be no consequences for your actions."
Grace stared up into her uncle's stony face until suddenly she burst out laughing. The bishop's expression went from angry to surprise and then confused as Grace laughed loudly. I turned and looked at her, perplexed by her reaction to the situation, but said nothing.
"Oh, I get it," she said as she unsuccessfully tried to control her laughter. "You're still mad at Dat for marrying Mamm and for becoming more successful than you in business."
"What is this nonsense?" Bishop Miller said, narrowing his eyes.
"You know, Dat always joked about how you were the angry brother, but I always thought he was doing it in good humor," Grace said chuckling. "I thought since we were all close and could tease each other, Dat must have learned this growing up with you."
Bishop Miller's face began to turn red as he listened to Grace recount the various stories she'd heard about how he and her father had competed for Rebekah's affections and how Eli had finally won.
"You see, I thought it was simply a mythic tale that Dat had woven to entertain us as children," Grace said as her voice took on a hard edge. "Little did I know there was truth in it, and that you would end up being so petty once he was gone."
"Young lady, I think your time away from Corner Grove has turned your mind toward things that are incredibly un-Christian," the bishop hissed.
"No, that would be you," she spat back. "You're a small, petty man who rules with an iron fist and a hardened heart, and I won't have it."
"GRACE MILLER!" the bishop roared. "You have been welcomed here as a guest in our community and tolerated because your parents pleaded your case, but this is beyond the pale, young lady. You are no longer welcome here. You will pack your things and return to the city of sin you call home or I will have you forcibly removed."
"You can't do that, Uncle," Grace smiled. "This home was left to me and my brother and sisters; it's private property, not community assets. I'll stay here if I need to in order to make sure that my family is taken care of."
"Ah, yes," the bishop said as a sinister smile spread across his lips. "But I'm sure you understand that your family is still part of the community, therefore subject to the rules of the community."
"They have nothing to do with my choices," Grace said defiantly.
"That may well be, but they will suffer the consequences of your impulsive acts," the bishop said, pulling himself up to his full height as he tugged on his long scraggy beard before leaning in toward Grace as he spoke. "You are a disrespectful young woman and if you do not leave the community, your entire family will be shunned as punishment for your impulsive acts."
"You can't do that!" Grace protested.
"Oh, but I can," the bishop smiled. "And I will."
He stared at her for a few moments before turning on his heel and striding back toward his buggy where his wife and sons sat staring at Grace with disgust. The bishop swung himself up into the driver's seat, grabbed the reins, and turned the buggy toward the road.
"You know, for someone who claims to be a man of God, you sure are acting in an un-Christian manner!" I shouted before Grace grabbed my arm and shook her head. I looked down at her and said, "What did he mean when he said you have to return to the city of sin?"
"Just don't, Adam," Grace said as she let go of my arm and ran inside the house.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Grace
I stood in the kitchen trying to control the panic th
at was rising in my chest as I replayed the scene in my head. My uncle had threatened not just me, but my family, and I knew that it was about more than my presence in Corner Grove.
"Grace? Grace, are you okay?" Verity asked as she entered the kitchen with a worried look on her face. I nodded without saying anything, knowing that if I opened my mouth, I'd scream. "What's going on, Grace?"
I stood at the kitchen sink staring out the window watching Adam talk with Honor and Danny. I could see that Danny was asking all kinds of questions, and that Adam was doing his best to smile and keep it light. I was going to have to come clean with Adam about my life.
"Verity, do you trust me?" I asked without looking at her.
"Of course, I do, Grace," she said moving closer. "You're my sister."
"But I mean, do you really trust me to do what's right and good for this family," I continued. "Even if it might feel wrong or scare you?"
"I do," Verity said as she took my hand and squeezed it tightly. "I know you'd never intentionally hurt us."
"I wouldn't," I said turning to look at her. "But what I'm going to do is probably going to create waves in the community and will change a lot of things. Are you sure that you and Levi are solid?"
"Levi loves me, and I love him," she said smiling. "We're solid in that respect, and we will withstand whatever waves you make. What are you going to do, Grace?"
"It's probably best that you don't know too much right now," I said thinking ahead to what would happen when I stirred up the nest of hornets that Uncle Amos was leading. "Just trust me. Less is better for you and for Levi. I'll tell you everything when the time is right."
"Okay, I'll trust you," she said solemnly. "In the meantime, what can I do to help?"
"You take care of Honor and Danny," I said as I turned my attention back to the trio standing in the drive. "And make sure the celery is healthy!"
"Oh, Grace, I don't know what you're doing, but I'm going to pray that you succeed," Verity said wrapping an arm around my waist and resting her head on my shoulder.
"That's perfect," I said slipping an arm around her waist and kissing the top of her head. "Because we're going not need all the prayers we can get."
Chapter Thirty
Adam
"Grace, what's going on?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen. Honor and Danny had explained the relationship between the bishop and their family, and I'd realized that whatever Grace had done was something major, but neither Honor nor Danny would tell me what it was. "Grace! Just tell me!"
"Fine," she sighed as Verity cast a nervous glance my way before leaving the room. "I'll tell you."
"What was your uncle going on about out there?" I asked.
"It's a long story, but it basically boils down to the fact that I'm what they call a jerked-over Amish person," she said.
"And that means what?"
"It means that I don't belong to this community," she replied. "I moved to Chicago to go to college ten years ago, and I haven't been a part of this community since then, so he's angry that I'm back and taking care of the business and family without actually being a part of the rest of the community."
"Wait, you live in Chicago?" I asked completely confused by her revelation. "But you're..."
"Plain and simple?" she said dryly.
"No, I wasn't going to say that."
"Yes, you were. You've been saying it since the night you came into the grocery store," she said. "You thought I was a simple country girl who'd never been outside of Corner Grove."
"But you didn't say anything!" I protested.
"I was too mad at you for making assumptions about things you knew nothing about," she said. "You were arrogant and kind of a jerk, and I didn't feel it necessary to tell you my entire life history."
"But what about when you took me in?" I asked as shock of discovery began to wear off and the realization that she wasn't a simple, country girl set in. I was embarrassed to admit that she was right, but I was also mad that she'd kept the information from me.
"I didn't take you in," she said. She stared at me with a stubborn look on her face as she said, "My family did. I just went along with what they felt was the right thing to do. If I'd had my way that day, I'd have shipped you off to the nearest hospital and washed my hands of you."
"But you didn't," I said as the image of her soft, warm body under mine flashed in my memory.
"No, you were pretty bad off," she said then added, "And rather charming."
"I am that," I grinned as I moved toward her.
"Don't," she said as she held up a hand and stopped me. "I'm trying to figure out a way out of this mess, and the only way I see this working is if you and I clear out of Corner Grove and leave this situation alone."
"You can't leave your family!" I said.
"Adam, you heard my uncle. He's going to shun my family if I stay," she said. "Do you have any idea what shunning means?"
"They just kind of ignore them, right?" I said. I based my understanding on nothing more than the definition of the word, but was fairly sure that it was, as usual, woefully inadequate.
"You have no idea what it means," Grace said shaking her head. "He will cut them off from everything. Honor and Danny will not be allowed to attend services or be baptized, and Verity won't be allowed to marry Levi this fall or settle in the community. It'll be as if they don't exist."
"Okay, so what if they just keep going to service and Verity and Levi still get married," I asked. "I mean, your uncle can regulate lots of things, but he can't stop people from caring about one another, can he?"
"You have no idea," she repeated. "It's also that everyone will stop shopping at the grocery store and buying our produce, eggs, and milk. It will be as if our family no longer exists."
"So, what if they move?" I asked realizing the implausibility of that as soon as the idea left my mouth.
"This is not an apartment complex where you can just pick up and relocate at the drop of a hat, Adam," she shouted. I could feel her frustration.
"I know that," I said. "I'm just trying to help."
"Well, try harder," she snapped before slapping her hand across her mouth and turning away. I could see her shoulders trembling as she fought to maintain control.
"What do you want to do, Grace?" I asked as I crossed the room and touched her shoulder. She shrugged my hand off and moved just out of reach.
"I don't know," she whispered. "Adam, I have to go back to the city."
"You're leaving?"
"I have to or I'm going to lose my job," she choked out as the tears began to fall. "And I can't lose my job. I just can't!"
I reached out and took her arm pulling her to me. She resisted only for a moment and then let herself sink into my arms. Her tears fell hot and heavy, soaking the front of my shirt as I held her tightly and tried to reassure her that everything would be all right.
Meanwhile, in the pit of my stomach the knot of fear tightened. I had a week to secure the twenty turbine leases and so far, I had leased exactly zero. I had no idea how I was going to pull this off, and more than anything, I wanted to get back to Chicago, but I couldn't let Bugsy down and I didn't want to lose face in front of my father.
"Grace? How can I help you?" I asked not quite believing the words I heard leaving my mouth.
"You can't," she whispered. "There's no way to win. I have to leave in order for them to stay in the community, but if I do leave, my uncle is most likely going to try to take over the store and the farm before we can sign the turbine lease."
"But what about Verity and Levi? I thought they’d be here.”
“They will be, but they’re part of the community,” I explained. “If they go against my uncle’s Ordung, they’ll be shunned, but if I got against him, there’s nothing he can do to me. I’m the legal guardian of the farm, but if I leave…”
“What if I stay?"
"Why would you want to stay here?" she asked looking up at me with teary, blue eyes.
"I don't know
, I kind of like it here," I shrugged. "Besides, I have nowhere else to go, really."
"What about your turbines?" she asked.
"True, I do need to sell those, but maybe I can go to the farmer's outside of the Amish community and ask if they want to take a chance?" I said as I wondered how many non-Amish farmers were in this community.
"Adam, the next non-Amish community is a good thirty miles away," Grace said answering my question. "This is the perfect place to set up your turbines, and you should. I've been trying to figure out how to make it work on our farm since this morning, but the most we can take on is eight and you need to set up at least twenty, don't you?"
"Yes, twenty is an ideal start to get a return on the investment," I said wondering what she was getting at.
"Then put up eight on our farmland and you only have to find room for twelve more," she said.
"But Grace, the bishop said absolutely not," I reminded her. "If you defy him, it won't matter where you live."
"Yes, but the income from the turbines will keep the store and the farm going, and the rest won't have to worry about money," she said.
"But what about being shunned?" I asked.
"We don't care about being shunned," Honor said through the screen door. "Danny and I talked about it and we agree."
"What are you talking about?" Grace said stepping away from me as she wiped her eyes. "You have no idea what you're saying, Honor."
"Of course, I do," Honor replied stubbornly. She yanked open the screen door and marched into the kitchen followed by her brother who looked like a very determined second-in-command. "You think we're stupid or backward or something, but we're not, Grace. We know what's going on and we know what it takes to run a farm."
"But if you're shunned, then you have no one in the community to...how will you survive?" Grace asked then shook her head and said, "No, no that's not happening! I won't allow it!"
"You can't make that decision for us, Grace! It's not fair!" Honor shouted. "No one ever asks us what we want!"