When the thread snapped, and Michelle paused to rethread it, her thoughts went to Brad. When he’d stopped by yesterday and she apologized for hiding the truth of her identity, he’d forgiven her. But had he really? Or did Brad only say so to make himself look good in Mary Ruth’s eyes? Since his goal was to become a preacher, how would it look if he’d refused to accept her apology?
Then there was Sara. Even though she’d been acting a little more civil lately, Michelle felt sure it was for her grandparents’ sake. Who knew what Sara really thought?
Michelle picked up the piece of material again and stitched the first seam. Why don’t things ever work out for me? Every time I’m with Ezekiel, he offers me hope. But when he isn’t around to offer reassurance and someone even looks at me with disapproval, my doubts surface. She suspected she no longer had Brad’s approval and felt sure he was disappointed in her.
Yesterday, when Michelle had rushed out to the barn, she’d gone straight to the prayer jar she previously found there, hoping for some reassurance. After reading a few verses of scripture that an unknown person had written and put in the old jar, Michelle found a measure of comfort. In particular, 2 Corinthians 5:17 spoke to her: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” It reminded her that since she had accepted Christ, she was a new person, forgiven of her sins, and could begin anew. It didn’t matter what others thought of her or how they responded. She just had to keep that verse in her heart and hold her head up high. But Michelle needed to take each day as it came and spend much time in prayer.
With Christmas coming next week, customers had flowed in and out of the floral shop all morning. Right now, however, with the noon hour approaching, there seemed to be a letup of shoppers.
Sara’s stomach growled, and she glanced at her watch. This might be a good time to get something to eat.
With food on her mind, she thought about the promise she’d made this morning to bring supper home from one of the local restaurants in town. Grandma seemed pleased, and Grandpa said it would be good for Grandma to take a night off. Since her grandparents liked chicken potpie, Sara knew the family-style restaurant that Karen Roberts had recommended would be the perfect place.
Sara was glad for the opportunity to do something nice for her grandparents. And bringing home a meal would be something Michelle hadn’t done, at least.
About to head into the back room to tell Andy and Karen she was leaving for lunch, Sara paused when the shop door opened and Brad stepped in. I wonder what he’s doing here.
As Brad approached, Sara offered him what she hoped was a pleasing smile. “I’m surprised to see you. Did you come to buy flowers for someone?”
He shook his head. “Came to see you.”
“How did you know where to find me?”
“It was mentioned yesterday that you worked at a flower shop here in Strasburg, and since this is the only one in town, I figured it had to be the right place.” He moved closer to Sara. “If you haven’t eaten yet, I’d like to take you out for lunch so we can get better acquainted.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t invite Michelle to join us. I gather the two of you are pretty good friends.” Sara hoped her sarcasm wasn’t too obvious.
Brad’s gaze flicked upward. “As you may already know, I did some work for your grandparents this summer. They also called on me to drive them some places. So Michelle and I became friends while she was living with the Lapps.”
“You mean, when you thought she was me?”
He gave a nod. “But if she hadn’t been there pretending to be Sara Murray, then it would have been you I’d have gotten to know.” His gaze was so steady, she felt as if his blue eyes were holding her captive.
Looking away, Sara mumbled, “Be that as it may, we didn’t get to know each other this summer, and I’m not sure there’s any point in us going out to lunch today.”
“Have you already eaten?”
“No.”
“I haven’t either, and if you’ll let me, I’d like to treat you to lunch. In addition to getting better acquainted, I want to ask a few questions about Michelle.”
“I doubt I’ll be able to tell you anything you don’t already know, but if you’ll wait a few minutes, I’ll tell my boss I’m taking my lunch break now.” Sara didn’t know why she’d agreed to go, but at least this would give her a chance to let Brad know what she thought of Michelle. Sara had a feeling he might be interested in Ms. Taylor, and it would be too bad for him if he got caught in her trap, the way Ezekiel had.
Brad’s lips parted slightly, as a slow smile spread across his handsome face. “I’m more than happy to wait for you.”
“Okay.” Curling her trembling fingers against her moist palms, Sara hurried toward the back room. Sure hope having lunch with him is not a mistake. What if Brad repeats everything I say to Michelle?
As Brad sat across the table from Sara at Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches, he admired her beauty. Since she’d made no mention of a husband and didn’t wear a wedding ring, he assumed the Lapps’ granddaughter must be single. But if Sara is married, then wouldn’t her husband have come with her to see Willis and Mary Ruth? Brad looked at her intently. She could be in a serious relationship or even engaged.
Don’t know why I’m even thinking such thoughts, he reprimanded himself. I’m here to talk about her situation with Michelle, not concern myself with her relationship status.
“So tell me a little about yourself.” He clasped the mug of hot chocolate he’d ordered to go with his Gooney Bird turkey sandwich on pumpernickel bread. “I’d also like to know how it is that Michelle ended up pretending to be you for so long.”
“There’s not much to tell about me. I’m single, and I grew up in Newark, New Jersey, with my mother, stepfather, and later a half-brother.” Sara pulled a napkin from the holder between them and blotted her lips. “And as far as how Michelle ended up pretending to be me … I figured you would have asked her that question.”
“I only know the little bit she told me, but nothing from your perspective.”
“What exactly do you want to know?” Sara bit into her avocado and roasted red pepper salad.
Brad scratched his head. He thought he’d just told her what he wanted to know. Maybe I didn’t explain it well enough.
“For starters … Is the story Mary Ruth and Willis told true, about not knowing they had a granddaughter named Sara until they received a letter from you in June? Or maybe it was late May,” he amended.
“It was June, and yes, the story they told is true. I wrote to them after I found a note in my mother’s Bible soon after her death. The letter didn’t give me a lot of information—only that I had grandparents living in Strasburg whom she had never told me about. It also gave their name and address.” Sara paused to take a sip of hot tea. “Mama also said she hoped I would get the chance to meet them some day.”
“Did your mother tell you that your grandparents were Amish?”
She shook her head. “I had no idea until the day I first met them in October.”
“After you found your mother’s letter, why did it take you so long to meet Willis and Mary Ruth?” Brad’s curiosity piqued.
“I wrote to Grandma and Grandpa right away, saying I wanted the chance to get to know them.” Sara set her cup down. “I explained that I would like to come sometime after I finished my summer business classes. I also mentioned that I may take the bus to Philadelphia.” She pursed her lips. “I waited to hear back from them, and when they didn’t respond, I wrote again.”
“How did Michelle come into the picture?”
“From what Grandma told me, they thought my first letter said I’d be arriving at the bus station on June fifth, and that I wanted them to pick me up.” Sara drummed her fingers on the table. “So they went there, and when they saw Michelle, they mistook her for me.”
Brad frowned. “I can’t believe she went along with it, knowing s
he wasn’t their granddaughter.”
“It was a devious thing to do. And to make things worse, once Michelle was settled in at Grandma and Grandpa’s, she intercepted all the other letters I sent them throughout the summer months.” Sara’s brows lowered. “The imposter even went so far as to write me a letter, pretending to be Grandma.”
“What did it say?” Brad felt fully drawn into the story and was eager to hear more.
“She said they were really busy and asked me to postpone my visit until fall.” Sara’s fingers trembled a bit, as she placed her hands on the table. “I thought it was kind of strange, but of course I waited, and the day I finally arrived, which wasn’t by bus after all, Michelle met me at the door. She said the Lapps weren’t home and that I should go inside and wait for them. Then, the great pretender made a run for it.” She blinked rapidly. “Of course I had no way of knowing at that point who she was or what all had transpired.”
“Whew, that’s quite a story.” Brad shook his head. “It’s hard to believe that—”
“Oh, it’s the truth all right. I have no reason to lie about it.” Sara looked at Brad with a piercing gaze. “Unlike Ms. Michelle, I am not one to make up stories.”
He held up his hand. “Never said I didn’t believe you. I’m just shocked, hearing how it went and struggling to figure out why Michelle was so deceitful.”
“It’s not hard to understand, if you think about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s trying to steal my grandparents from me.” Sara grimaced. “And I’m sure she has an ulterior motive.”
“Like what?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t figured that out yet, but I will … You can count on it.”
Brad sat quietly, trying to piece everything together. According to Michelle, she was genuinely sorry for what she’d done and had turned over a new leaf. But what if Sara was right and Michelle did have an ulterior motive for worming her way into Willis and Mary Ruth’s lives? Even though Brad wouldn’t be in the area for more than two weeks, he planned to look into this further and hopefully find out more. Maybe he’d been too quick to forgive and look the other way when Michelle asked his forgiveness. If she was using Willis and Mary Ruth for some underhanded reason, she needed to be stopped, and soon.
Chapter 16
I don’t see why you have to eat dinner at the Lapps’ today,” Ezekiel’s mother said when he slipped on his jacket and started for the back door. “Our family should be together on Christmas Day.”
Ezekiel halted and turned to look at her. “I told you a week ago that I wouldn’t be here for the afternoon meal today.”
“Jah, but I thought …”
“What?” Ezekiel’s fingers dug into his palms. “Did you think I would change my mind and stay home today?”
Her nose crinkled. “Christmas is a time to be with one’s family, and I would think you’d want to spend the holiday with us.”
“Figured you wouldn’t mind, ’cause I ate the Thanksgiving meal here. Plus, I was here last night with all of you when some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins came over. I realize that I’ve never missed a Christmas here at home, but today, I wanna be with my aldi.” Ezekiel paused for a breath. “Since we’ve been so busy in the greenhouse these past few weeks, I haven’t had the chance to see Michelle much lately.”
Mom opened her mouth in readiness to say more, but Dad cut her off.
“Let the boy alone,” he spoke from across the room, where he sat at the table with a cup of coffee. “Don’t you remember how many holiday meals I ate at your folks’ house when we were courting?”
Ezekiel’s eyes widened, waiting for his mother’s response. She remained silent. He couldn’t believe his dad had stuck up for him and seemed to understand that he wanted to spend time with his girlfriend. If Dad was okay with him courting Michelle, maybe eventually Mom would be too.
Brad was eager to get to the Lapps’ house, but he kept his speed down since there was snow and ice on the road in many places where it had not been melted by the sun.
Ned left early to be with his family, but under his little three-foot Christmas tree, Brad had found a package for him. Grinning, he reached up and touched the red woolen scarf around his neck. “That Ned—always thinking of others.”
Even though he’d dropped off a cactus the day he arrived, Brad didn’t want to go to the Lapps’ empty handed, since they’d asked him to join their Christmas gathering and meal. So yesterday he’d gone to the local bakery and bought an assortment of cookies to bring for dessert. He looked forward to the meal, not to mention seeing Sara again. He hoped he might also have a few minutes alone with Michelle so he could ask some questions and hopefully find out if she was up to anything, as Sara suspected. He had stopped by the Lapps’ two days ago, but Michelle wasn’t home. Mary Ruth said she was out, seeking a job at one of the local restaurants.
With a houseful of company today, Brad figured he may not get the chance to speak to Michelle privately, but it wouldn’t stop him from making observations.
When Brad pulled his van into the Lapps’ yard, he spotted a horse and buggy at the hitching rail. He turned off the engine and got out of his vehicle, then joined Ezekiel by the horse. “Merry Christmas.” He reached out to shake his friend’s hand. “Nice to see you. How are doing?”
“I’m doin’ well, and Merry Christmas to you too.” Ezekiel grinned, returning Brad’s firm handshake. “It’s good to have you back in the area. How long are you planning to stay?”
“Just through the holidays. I’ll be returning to the university in Clarks Summit on New Year’s Day. I have a long ways to go before my studies are done.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” Ezekiel removed the bit from his horse’s mouth. “Since I’ll be here awhile, I’m takin’ Big Red to the barn. Want to come along, or are you anxious to get up to the house?”
“Can’t say I’m not eager to get in out of the cold or enjoy the delicious aroma that’s no doubt coming from Mary Ruth’s kitchen, but I’ll take a walk to the barn with you.” Brad was glad for the opportunity to talk to Ezekiel alone. Maybe he could offer some answers concerning Michelle.
When they entered the barn, Brad breathed in the aroma of sweet hay in the air. A couple of horses were already in the stalls, munching away on their supper.
Ezekiel put Big Red in an empty stall, wiped him down, and made sure the horse had something to eat and drink. Brad pet Sadie and Rascal as he waited until Ezekiel finished, then he asked his first question.
“I heard you’ve decided to join the Amish church, and that Michelle’s planning to as well.”
“You heard right.” Leaning against the horse’s stall, Ezekiel smiled. “I had an experience up in Harrisburg when I went there looking for Michelle. It made me realize that living the English life isn’t for me.” His face sobered. “Not to say all English are bad. I just came to the conclusion that I need to appreciate my heritage and don’t have to be embarrassed about the way we Amish choose to live. My family means a lot to me too which also helped in making the decision.”
Brad’s head moved slowly up and down. “Makes sense to me. I am a little curious though why Michelle, who led us to believe her name was Sara, decided to join the Amish church.”
“You know, she’s sorry for that.” Ezekiel’s gaze dropped for a few seconds, before he looked directly at Brad. “Has she explained things to you yet?”
“Some. But I’m not sure I have all the facts.”
Ezekiel brushed some stray pieces of hay from his jacket. “What do you wanna know?”
Brad figured he may as well be direct. “Why would she have let the Lapps believe she was Sara? Has she told you that?”
Ezekiel nodded. “Michelle’s had a rough life. When she was a kid, she and her brothers were taken from their abusive parents, and she lived with foster parents until she struck out on her own when she turned eighteen. To this day, she still doesn’t know where her two brothers ended up. C
an you imagine that?”
“I’m sure it’s been tough, but what happened when she left her foster parents?”
“Michelle went from town to town and worked at whatever jobs she could find.” Ezekiel licked his lower lip. “Then she got involved with an abusive man and lost her job in Philadelphia about the same time. There was one thing Michelle was sure of—she could not tolerate his abuse. She was desperate and went to the bus station to buy a ticket so she could get away from the boyfriend and start over in some other place.”
Brad leaned against the wooden beam near him. “Is there more to the story?”
Ezekiel nodded. “While Michelle was at the station, the Lapps showed up, thinking she was their granddaughter. You have to remember, the Lapps didn’t know they had a granddaughter until Sara wrote the first letter. So when they saw a young woman with the same auburn hair as their daughter’s, they were convinced she was Sara. Then, because Michelle was desperate to get away, on impulse, she went along with it and let them believe she was Sara.”
Brad’s head tilted while he mentally weighed this information. “Didn’t she realize the truth would eventually come out?”
“Sure, but like I said, she was desperate.” Ezekiel reached across the stall gate and gave Big Red’s head a few pats. “I’m not condoning what she did, but I wanted you to understand what drove her to making a poor decision.”
“Many people make wrong choices because of their circumstances, but lying, and even telling half-truths are never right.” Brad joined Ezekiel in petting the horse. “So what is Michelle’s reason for joining the Amish church? Is it to please you? I’ve known for some time that you were interested in her.”
Ezekiel’s cheeks reddened. “I can’t deny it. Ever since the first day I met her—when I saw her fall in the mud—I was attracted. ’Course I didn’t let on right away.”
“She’s interested in you too, I presume.” Brad couldn’t help smiling.
“Yeah. In fact, we’ve begun courting.”
The Forgiving Jar Page 11