The Secret of the Medaillon

by Rebecca Byler

  “I still miss my chores,” I said. “Do you want to see the quilt I am making, Mrs. Miller?” I asked her, trying to divert her attention.

  “Jah, my dear,” she said. “I’d like to ask if there’s anything I could do to help you? I am aware that it's not an easy task, and you have other more important chores to do. So, honey, don't hesitate to ask for my help.”

  “That's very nice of you Mrs. Miller,” I said sincerely. “But for now, I think I can handle it. Besides, you need to prepare for the service tomorrow.”

  “Ach! You're right! I forgot about that. It's been a while since I hosted the Sunday service, you know. I wonder if there are new faces in the congregation,” she uttered.

  “Well, I'm not sure yet. But Joshua might be there,” I mentioned, remembering his plan to go to the church with me.

  “Joshua? The veterinarian?” she asked, rather surprised.

  “Jah,” I answered.

  “He is an Englischer, isn't he? Who invited him?” my old neighbor wondered.

  “Well, no one. It's just, we are dating, and he is interested in converting and being baptized in our church,” I said, blushing vehemently.

  Mrs. Miller smiled widely, and she seemed very pleased with the idea. “That's what I'm talking about,” she uttered. “He finally introduced himself to you.”

  Her words got me confused a little. “What do you mean, Mrs. Miller?”

  My sweet neighbor shrugged, but her smile didn't fade away. Surely, there was something about her expression that was embarrassing me.

  “When my dog was sick, he saw you reading a book in the yard. Since then, he kept on asking things about you. So, I told him why not step into your haus, and try to introduce himself to meet you personally,” she explained, laughing.

  “Really? So, he already knew me all along,” I exclaimed, like a teenager fighting the urge to squeal my feelings in front of her.

  “Sort of, honey,” she answered. “Anyway, how did you two meet?”

  So, we ended up telling each other a story, while she helped me out finishing the quilt for Sarah, and her future husband. It was quite simple, but sure enough, they were going to love it. I can see how Mrs. Miller was putting a lot of love and effort into the materials, and for me, that was all that really mattered.

  “I think, that will be all for now, Leah. I don’t want to stress you out and bother you too much,” Mrs. Miller uttered after a few hours.

  “Ach, that’s alright. You were not bothering me,” I answered sincerely.

  “Danke, it really means a lot to me, lieb maedel,” she continued, then gathered the materials and put them back into the storage box next to my chair.

  When my dear neighbor left me all alone again, I headed straight to my bedroom to take a nap. It’s half past four in the afternoon already. I needed to grab some sleep to regain my stamina, instead of preparing something for dinner. I was not really hungry.

  Anyway, I will drop by Joshua’s clinic tomorrow, to pick up Samson. I didn’t realize seeing his bed empty like this would make me feel lonely.

  Taking off my dress, I searched for my favorite pajamas that keep me comfortable through the night. I had no idea if I would sleep straight through the night, or if I will get up later in the evening to read my book. I hoped I might find some useful tips from the story I could carry out in search of Oliver. But for now, no matter how I wanted to solve the mystery of the medaillon, I needed time off from my detective spirit. I felt like this day had been the longest day of my life. My whole body was aching as if begging me to lay down on the bed and close my eyes for a while.

  I opened my eyes to see Samson by my side. Certainly, he missed me a lot, the same way I had missed his company.

  “Hey, buddy. Where have you been? How did you get in?” I asked him sleepily and gave him a rub on his head.

  Someone was downstairs. I could clearly hear the footsteps around the living room, and kitchen.

  Is that Joshua? I wondered.

  I climbed out of bed immediately and changed from my night clothes to my day dress. Meanwhile, Samson rolled over on his bed, while following me with a very interrogating gaze, as if telling me that he didn’t agree with the idea of being left behind.

  “Sorry,” I said. “I just needed to attend to something important, boy,” I explained, trying to make him feel better. “Next time, I’ll bring you along with me, okay?” I added.

  And with that promise, Samson got on his feet and joyfully circled around while wagging his tail. Ach, I’m glad he’s back! Indeed, he was in better shape now. Thanks to Joshua, who did his best to take care of him.

  Cautiously, I stepped out of the bedroom and went downstairs. No one was in the living room, so I immediately surveyed the kitchen area. Joshua was busy frying some eggs.

  “Good morning, Honey,” he greeted me.

  “Hey, Guder Mariye. How did you get in?” I asked, wondering.

  Joshua approached me, planted a soft kiss on my forehead, and held me tight. “You left the door unlocked, my love,” he replied, and playfully pinched my nose.

  “Ach! I must have been so tired yesterday,” I commented, yawning. “Shall I help you?” I said, looking for something to do. But it seemed like, everything had been taken care of while I was asleep.

  “Don’t bother, I can handle this,” Joshua bragged. He escorted me to one of the dining chairs and went back to the stove. Skillfully he put the fried eggs on the plates, and placed them on the table, with a cup of kaffee and bread. “Here you go. You must be hungry,” he said.

  “Wow, you really know how to cook,” I commented in awe. I had never seen a man from the community who takes an effort in preparing a meal for his girlfriend. This time, he would be the first, and surely, the last one on my list.

  “Of course! As long as it’s always fried eggs!” he chuckled.

  “I can live with that,” I answered, and smirked. “Please, join me, and let’s pray for the grace,” I invited him.

  Delighted, Joshua pulled the nearby chair and took a seat beside me. Then, we prayed together for the meal.

  “I was looking for you yesterday. Where have you been?” I asked after a while.

  “I went to Third Street to visit one of the local’s pet,” he answered shortly.

  “I see,” I agreed.

  “How was your trip to the city? You came home so soon,” Joshua inquired, all of a sudden.

  “Jah,” I said. “We were lucky and we found the residence of the kid right away,” I added, very excited to spill the news.

  “Really? That's great, then,” he said. “Did you return the medaillon?”

  “No, not yet. It's still in my possession,” I answered. “The kid was missing, and his grossmammi didn’t want to speak with us.”

  Joshua became quiet, and I didn’t know if he was upset or not. Should I ask about the backpack? I studied his mood for a while. Well, I should probably delay my talk with him. I think, this was not the best time to talk about it.

  “Are you coming to the Sunday service later?” I asked him. “Mrs. Miller is very excited to see you.”

  “Jah, I'm coming,” he replied, his enthusiasm was gone.

  What was wrong with him? He still couldn’t understand my side. This was nothing but a simple task of finding the real owner of the medaillon. It wasn’t like I was going to die or something. It’s been my interest even before he met me. What else could I do to convince him?

  “Great,” I said, with my shoulders dropping. I don’t know how to bring back his mood. “We’ll have our dinner in her haus after the service.”

  “That’s lovely,” he answered, smiling a bit. “But can we have a walk after that? And maybe, grab a cup of kaffee like we always used to?” he requested, his eyes were searching mine. Unexpectedly, my heart twinged, as if it was melting.

  I stared at him, mesmerized by his sudden appeal. “Jah, of course,” I replied, and blushed a little.

  He was like a young suitor, trying to get my
attention. So, he was not mad at me, was he? I would try to make it up to him, as I wait for the perfect time to ask for Oliver’s backpack. I believed that sooner or later, he would understand. He would decide to help me, instead of making this investigation even more difficult for both of us.

  After the good meal, Joshua excused himself for a minute to visit some of his patients around the community. He promised to return before four o'clock, and together, we would go to attend the church service.

  So, to make the rest of the day productive, I offered some help to my neighbor, Mrs. Miller.

  She was alone in her haus, and she couldn’t complete the preparations on time all by herself. Furthermore, she had to prepare some food for the guests after the pastor's teaching. To be honest, I wondered why she even agreed to host the church service.

  Meanwhile, Mrs. Miller was delighted to see me, even if some of our neighbors had already extended their help. Indeed, she was a very lovely old woman, who knew how to be friends with people. I didn't expect I would find her in the circle of young wives in the area.

  So, right after I finished slicing the onions for the soup, I went back to my haus to wait for any possible visitors: Rebecca, John or Joshua.

  But none of the three had plans to arrive on time because the Sunday service was about to begin at any moment now.

  Where was Joshua? He had never been late in any of his appointments before. I guess, Samson was looking for him too. He looked quite impatient and agitated. He kept looking at the window to check if his buggy was already there. But still, he was nowhere to be seen.

  It didn’t take long when Rebecca and her familye were at my doorstep. Her husband and children were dressed formally, just like her.

  “Where is your friend?” Rebecca said, wonder all over her face. “I thought he was coming with us?”

  “He may be on his way back, honey,” I answered, as their sohn and dochder reached for me, and kissed my cheek as a sign of their greeting.

  “Guder Daag, Aent Leah, how are you?” Jacob and Hannah uttered together as if they had practiced it.

  “Ach, dear twins,” I uttered, amused on how fast they grew up. “Look at the both of you! It felt like only yesterday when you were still babies and we used to cuddle,” I commented. The two young kids giggled, and then rushed toward the yard to look for Samson.

  “You see, time goes so fast, Leah,” Arthur interrupted, grinning. “Rebecca said you finally have a boyfriend! You should get married, and have your own kinner too. You and Joshua are not getting any younger.”

  I laughed hysterically. That was the most uncomfortable notion I had heard all day!

  Joshua arrived in the middle of the sermon. He looked tired, but still he managed to pull himself together. Anyway, he knew the majority of the guests already. In fact, during the dinner, almost half of the visitors said that he cured their pets very well. They were even surprised to learn that we were dating.

  “That’s gut!” exclaimed Mr. Yoder, an old man, who was sitting on the couch. “Don’t hesitate to give me an invitation when you two have finally decided to settle down.”

  “Ach, Mr. Yoder! It’s too early to talk about the wedding,” I answered, blushing.

  “Why not? You are already at the right age.”

  Chapter 9

  "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

  It was nearly eight o’clock in the evening when the gathering ended. As promised, Joshua and I went out for a walk, until we ended up under the shade of the oak tree in my back yard. He placed a thick blanket on the ground and brought a lamp to light the dark that surrounded us.

  Sometimes, it was good to spend some quality time with your love without doing anything at all, aside from lying next to each other and appreciating the beauty of the night sky, of course.

  “Leah,” Joshua uttered. He got up and took a seat beside me.

  “What is it?” I asked, still watching the evening sky.

  “Do you love me?” he wondered.

  “What kind of query is that? Of course, Ich lieb Dich,” I answered, completely taken aback now.

  “Do I matter to you?” he asked again, his face was gloomy and serious.

  “Jah, definitely, Joshua. Why do you ask?” I wondered.

  Ach nee, I thought I knew where this conversation would take us! I decided to take a seat on the ground, to talk with him at eye level.

  “Then, please, stop doing this.”

  “Doing… what?” I asked him, completely confused and disoriented.

  “You know what I mean. Stop searching for the real owner of that medaillon. It may cost not only your time but even your life. Don’t be too involved with that thing. Please, my love. I’m begging you,” he pleaded.

  “Joshua,” I said. “Please, you must understand. I’d like you to help me, but I will never ever force you to do it because I love you. So please, if you love me too, you could, at least, try to accept what my passion is all about. That’s all I am asking,” I added.

  “Just do whatever you want, except this. This is not safe for you, Leah.”

  “How can you tell?” I said, feeling a bit irritated now. “How many times do we need to discuss this matter?”

  “I won't stop trying until you listen to me. I am just concerned about you,” he said, trying to explain himself. However, my mood started to change.

  “Then, don't be,” I answered coldly. “I've been doing this since before I met you. And if you can't handle it, it is better to put an end to our relationship. I am not a foolish little girl who will put myself in danger. I can take care of myself. I don't need you!” I informed him and got up to walk away.

  “Leah, don't do this!” he called out.

  But instead of turning back, I decided to head straight to the haus and leave him.

  “Fine! Do whatever you want now. I don’t even matter to you anyway,” he shouted.

  Samson stared at me curiously. I was in the bedroom, gazing at the medaillon on the table with tears in my eyes.

  I didn't expect that walking away like that would hurt me so much. It felt like I had lost someone again, and it was quite unbearable.

  My intuition was telling me not to give up the search. Oliver must be in trouble, so I should not stop tracking his whereabouts. I believed he was innocent, and he was forced to hide and run away to protect his life. Those men, who were searching for him, seemed completely up to no good. If I could surrender right now, everything would be left unanswered, and the young boy had no other option but to hide forever.

  So, instead of focusing on how I felt so utterly and completely miserable tonight, I decided to scribble down my notes. I wrote down all the necessary information I had recently gathered from my journey while I was hoping Joshua would calm down, and would knock on my door tomorrow to reconcile with me.

  He said he loves me, and so do I. But I just couldn’t let it pass. Maybe, love wasn’t really enough in a relationship. Just like what happened between Amos and me. We loved each other, but it was not enough to keep us together. Not even enough to give us a happy ending.

  Or maybe, I was never really meant to have a happy ending. I was never meant to have my other half. So, I guess this is what I could do for the rest of my days--- find the answers, solve the mysteries, and bring the pieces of the puzzle together to help the others. Jah! Maybe this is what Gott wanted me to do, the very real purpose of my existence.

  Samson yelped in satisfaction as if he agreed with my thoughts. After all, it was only me and him before. At least, he was still alive, and he was willing to join me anytime if I wanted him to.

  Contrary to what I had exp
ected, I had not seen nor heard anything from Joshua. Indeed, he was very upset, and I wondered if he really didn’t want to see me anymore.

  “Have you mentioned the backpack to Joshua?” Rebecca asked while helping me in the garden.

  “Nee,” I said, sadly.

  She immediately noticed my mood, so she asked, “What’s wrong, Leah? You seem very depressed.”

  “I think we broke up last night,” I blurted out.

  “What?” she exclaimed, bewildered. “Why?”

  “I’m not sure,” I said. “But I think it’s all about the whole Oliver Kinsley search. He doesn’t want me to continue anymore.”

  “Ach, Leah,” Rebecca sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Is this wrong, Rebecca? I mean, it’s my passion to solve something unexplained. Why can’t he understand?”

  “He’s just worried you may put yourself in harm’s way,” my friend defended.

  “That’s what he said,” I muttered while cutting off the dried leaves of the roses.

  “Listen, honey. I am not against your detective passion, but sometimes, it’s best to stay out of other people’s business. You’d better spend your time and effort on the people who matter to you the most. In a relationship, your goal should be making your loved ones happy and at peace,” she stated.

  “Exactly. He should know what makes me happy. If he loves me, he will support me, right?” I insisted, trying to explain my principle.

  “But Leah, that’s not how love is supposed to work. It’s not about how he should make you happy, but rather, how far your sacrifices can go just to make him happy. Love is something you should give away, without expecting anything in return. So, receiving the same favor is just a bonus. The true essence of loving someone is to make his life worth living for, and not yours,” she said.

  I remained quiet, as I tried to absorb what she was trying to convey.

  “Someday, when you finally have your own familye, you will understand what I mean,” my friend continued, tapping my shoulder a little to cheer me up. “So, stop being so childish, honey. The world can’t give you everything. So, learn how to adjust to the things it offers, and not on things it can’t.”