Amish by Accident

by J. E. B. Spredemann

  “Thank you for saying that. My wife really is wonderful.” He smiled. “We just need to find out who she actually is. I pray we can find her.”

  “I’ll pray too,” Elisabeth said, and then walked off in the direction of her parents’ home.

  As Luke set the buggy in motion, he called out to God. Lord, please help me find my wife. I don’t know what I’d do without her. Apart from salvation, she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I know I don’t deserve her, but I love her, Lord. I can’t lose her. Tears clouded Luke’s eyes, so that he couldn’t see the road ahead. Thankfully, his horse knew the way. Please don’t let me lose her…he couldn’t continue his prayer. The thought of losing her was too overwhelming.

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  Chapter 21

  The driver Brianna hired had dropped her off in Lancaster as requested. She now waited for the taxi she had called and was relieved when it showed up before anyone else from the Amish community did. The last thing she needed was another person coming to accuse her of fraud. Who knows, maybe Elisabeth decided to call the police to have her arrested. All Brianna knew is that she had to flee as soon as possible. Because the police were probably as likely to believe her story as Elisabeth was.

  Now that she knew she wasn’t Elisabeth Schrock, she presumed that the chances of her roots being Amish were highly unlikely. Since she had met Rachel at the hospital in New York, she guessed she was probably from New York. While there were some Amish in the state, there weren’t many. So she figured she must be an Englischer.

  When she stepped into the taxi cab, a strangely familiar feeling came over her, sending chills up her spine. Had she been here before?

  “Where to, Miss?” The driver looked back at her over his shoulder and immediately she pictured another man. It was only a split second, but the sudden image that flashed in her mind kindled familiarity. Was it the man that had perished in the accident? Could it be that her memory was returning? Or was her mind just playing tricks on her?

  “Saint Luke’s Hospital, New York City,” How ironic, she thought wryly. Saint Luke. That was exactly how she’d felt about Luke. He’d been such a good husband. Oh, how she missed him already! But no, he had rejected her. Luke didn’t want her anymore. Only one person held a place in his heart. Elisabeth.

  She must find out who she really is. Only then, could she attempt to find her real family and the life that was truly hers.

  “Do you mind if I turn on the radio?” the driver asked.

  A sudden wash of memories came over Brianna at his words, but in bits and pieces…plane crash…Heidi…passport…God. What did it all mean? She hit the side of her head with her palm, attempting to jar her memory.

  Plane crash…plane crash…plane crash. Why did the phrase stick out in her mind? It must mean something. Was someone on a plane that crashed? Heidi, maybe? She didn’t know for sure, but at least she was beginning to remember something.

  The ride to the hospital seemed a lot shorter than it actually was. She had been lost in her own thoughts. She tried to force the memories of Luke and the Amish community out of her head, but it hadn’t worked.

  She stepped out of the car and glanced up at the large sign bearing the hospital’s, and her husband’s, name. The aching that gripped her heart overwhelmed her. She arrived at the nurses’ station and immediately recognized some of the women behind the counter. Her hands began trembling and she suddenly felt weak and lightheaded.

  “Hello, may I help you?” a voice called from behind a window.

  Brianna didn’t know how or if she responded, but she woke up in a hospital bed. As she blinked her eyes, she tried to figure out what had happened. She coughed, automatically bringing her hand to her mouth, and that’s when she noticed the IV needle in her hand. A nurse walked in bearing a tray of food. Just then, she remembered she hadn’t eaten since…since when? It must’ve been the early morning breakfast with Luke, but even then she didn’t eat much because she hadn’t been very hungry.

  “Let’s get some food into you, shall we?” The nurse set the tray on the bedside table and wheeled it to Brianna.

  “What happened? Why am I here?” Brianna asked.

  “You came up to the nurses’ station, and then you passed out cold. We’re not exactly sure why, so the doc ordered some tests. I’m suspecting it’s a lack of food, though. Do you know if you’re anemic or hypoglycemic?” She lifted her brow.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Well, I guess they’ll figure all that out when they receive your test results.” The nurse checked the contents of the IV bag that hung from a mobile a metal stand.

  “Could I get some sleeping pills?” Brianna blurted out.

  “Sleeping pills? Are you having trouble sleeping?” The nurse threw her a skeptical look.

  “Uh…yeah,” she lied.

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Before the nurse walked out of the room, she called over her shoulder, “I’ll bring some paperwork by when I come back in.”

  Brianna took a deep breath, and then lay back against the hospital bed. I can’t believe I’m here again. She picked up the sandwich on the plate in front of her and took a bite. She chewed, but tasted nothing.

  Where am I going to go from here? She’d hoped that more of her memory would return, but it hadn’t. Lord, it would be nice to at least know who I am, she silently pleaded. It was then that she realized that she still had God. He was the only one who hadn’t left her. He knew who she was, even if she didn’t. A single tear formed in the corner of her eye as she thanked God for not abandoning her—especially when she needed Him most.

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  Carson’s platinum Volvo S80 pulled up to a large white clapboard farmhouse with green shutters. He looked around the quaint setting before sliding out of the car. He had seen photos of Amish farms before, but had never visited one personally. The massive barn was overwhelming and he couldn’t help but imagine how dangerous it must’ve been to build. Had Elisabeth’s community built this gigantic barn for her family at a barn raising? Or had it been in the family for generations, possibly built by a great grandfather? One wouldn’t be able to tell by just looking because it appeared to have a fresh coat of paint and they’d kept the same style of barn for centuries.

  A large snow-covered pasture stood empty and Carson surmised, had it been spring time, cattle and horses would be happily grazing in the now-barren field. Had Elisabeth worked on this farm with her seven siblings, from sunup to sundown? Did she run and play in this pasture as a child? A smile tugged at his lips as he pictured her as a little Amish girl with braids, so cute.

  He walked up the porch steps to the front door and knocked. It had taken a few minutes, but an Amishman near his own age gingerly answered the door. Carson assumed he was newly married because he wore a barely noticeable beard.

  The young man nodded a greeting. “Do you need something?”

  Carson guessed that they didn’t receive many Englisch callers. He moved his sunglasses to the top of his head. “Yes, actually. I’m looking for Elisabeth Schrock.”

  “Who are you?” the suspender-clad man asked cautiously.

  “I’m sorry, my name is Carson. Carson Welch. I’m a friend of Elisabeth’s.” He held out his hand and the young Amishman offered a firm handshake.

  “Kumm.” He turned and led the way through the house. Carson noticed that, except for a calendar from the local hardware store, a handmade shelf, and a clock, the walls were plain and bare. He remembered how Elisabeth told him the Amish did not approve of photographs of themselves, equating them to graven images. The furnishings in the spacious living room were simple, with a couch, a rocking chair, and a straight-back oak chair. A small handcrafted table inhabited the space between the two chairs and a hand-crocheted rag rug lay on the floor between the couch and chairs. With the fireplace ablaze, a cozy feeling came over him as he pictured a family gathered together in the room.

  They passed through a doorway and came into another room. Elisab
eth sat at long table near the kitchen with another woman and young Amishman.

  Elisabeth looked up in surprise. “Carson?”

  “I’m sorry that I didn’t let you know I was coming. I guess your cell phone is off and I don’t have a number for here. Samantha gave me the address,” he explained.

  She looked up at him with questioning eyes. “Why are you here?” He caught the hopefulness in her eye.

  Carson gulped. He really didn’t want to discuss something so personal in front of a bunch of strangers. “May we talk? Alone, I mean.” He briefly glanced around.

  “Actually, we were just discussing something really important.” Elisabeth must’ve noticed his discomfort, because she stood up and went to his side. “Let me introduce you to everyone. This is my brother, Jacob.” She pointed to the man who’d opened the door. “This is his wife, Rachel. And Luke, a friend of the family.”

  Carson immediately frowned. He knew the name, and wasn’t thrilled that she’d been sitting next to him at the table. Nevertheless, he did manage to nod politely.

  “Have a seat. Would you like some coffee?” Elisabeth offered as she went to the stove.

  He nodded and then took a seat near Luke, who seemed distraught. It was then Carson noticed faint blond whiskers on Luke’s face. Was he married?

  When Elisabeth returned to the table, she eyed Luke. “Do you mind if I tell him?”

  Luke shook his head.

  She focused on Carson. “It’s kind of a long story. You see, back in July, Rachel met a woman at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York who looked just like me. So much so, that she thought she actually was me. But the woman had been in a car accident and couldn’t remember who she was. Rachel, thinking the woman was me, brought her home to my family. Nobody realized that it wasn’t me. I mean, she did seem a little different but they assumed that it was because I’d been out in the world for over two years and because she had amnesia. Luke and she married a little over a month ago. When I came home, I thought she was an imposter, someone trying to steal my identity. And then she—”

  Carson placed his hands on the table and abruptly stood up. “It’s Brianna, I’m sure of it.”

  “Brianna?” Luke’s eyes lifted.

  “But I thought Brianna was dead? I thought she died in a plane crash,” Elisabeth asked, confusion marking her face.

  “So did I. And her parents did too. See, her mother hadn’t gone into her room since before the crash. I guess she just didn’t want to deal with the painful memories. When she finally did, she discovered Brianna’s passport and identification in her bedroom. She called the airlines and they confirmed her theory that Brianna would not have been allowed to board the airplane without her passport, so we figured something else must’ve happened to her. This makes perfect sense.”

  Rachel spoke up, “She said she had been in a terrible accident and couldn’t remember who she was when she woke up from her coma. The nurses informed her that the taxi cab driver had died, but since she had no identification on her, they simply called her Jane Doe. They attempted to locate the address she’d been headed to from the taxi’s GPS, but it had been destroyed in the crash. They reviewed missing persons reports, trying to locate someone who might have known her. It seems like they made every effort.” She shrugged.

  “So, where is she now?” Carson asked.

  “We don’t know.” Luke’s countenance fell and his eyes misted. It was clear that he loved his wife and missed her. “We’ve searched all around Paradise, but have come up with nothing. None of our friends and neighbors have seen or heard from her.” Desperation was evident in Luke’s shaky voice.

  “She didn’t know anybody else. The only placed she’d been other than here, was the hospital,” Rachel commented. “Do you think maybe she might have gone back there?”

  “That’d be our best bet,” Carson agreed. “I’ll call her parents and suggest they go there immediately.”

  Luke spoke, holding up a trembling hand. “Before we do anything, can we pray?” Everybody agreed and they all bowed their heads in silent prayer.

  Carson silently thanked God that Brianna was alive and had a husband who turned to God in time of need. Had Brianna finally learned to trust in God? Carson prayed it was so.

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  Chapter 22

  Brianna sat up in her hospital bed, attempting to fill in the form the nurse had brought. She looked down at the paper on the clipboard. Name. Address. Date of birth. Phone number. She sighed. Should she put down Elisabeth Beiler? No, that was not her name. Should she write Luke’s address and the telephone number for the phone shanty? Another tear formed in her eye then slid down her cheek. This was all so frustrating. She just didn’t know what to write.

  Maybe she would write Mrs. Beiler. After all, she was still Luke’s wife. But would he still want her? She knew she wasn’t Elisabeth, but perhaps Luke could learn to love her. If she did decide to return home, would he take her back and allow her to be his wife once again? Bishop Hostettler did say that the bonds of marriage could only be broken by death. But what if you married somebody by accident? What if you married someone thinking they were somebody else? Did the rules still apply then? Deep inside, she hoped they did.

  She was afraid to go back home, though. Afraid of Luke’s rejection. Fearful of her—or Elisabeth’s—family’s rejection. Did they all now believe she was a liar, some con artist trying to steal their fortune, as Elisabeth implied?

  As she struggled with her thoughts, the door to her room opened. But instead of the nurse entering, two Englisch women with surprised and hopeful expressions came to her bedside. One woman was older, about the age of Mamm Schrock, and the other was around her own age. Both women looked familiar. So familiar. Did she know them?

  “Brianna!” The older woman flew to her bedside and engulfed her in a hug.

  “Are you my…Mom?” She wasn’t sure why she said the name, but she sensed it might be true.

  “Yes!” Tears flowed from her mother’s eyes. “Yes. Do you remember me?”

  “I’m not sure,” Brianna answered hesitantly. “I’ve had amnesia. You both look so familiar to me, though.”

  “Hello, Brianna.” The other woman gingerly came forward. “I’m Ashley, your older sister.”

  “Brianna? My name is Brianna?” The name held a familiar ring, more so than ‘Elisabeth’ had. She liked it.

  “Yes, Brianna Mitchell,” her mother informed her.

  “That would be Brianna Beiler now,” she informed them. “I’m married.”

  Her mother looked at her sister and gasped in surprise. “Married? How could that be?”

  “It’s a really long story. How did you find me here?”

  “Oh, Honey! We’d thought you died in a plane crash. You were supposed to be on your way to Germany to visit Heidi and when we heard the plane had gone down, we were devastated.” Her mother brushed away tears. “You see, I couldn’t bear the thought of entering your room to sort through your belongings. We just recently discovered that you’d left your passport and identification in your room at home. That’s when we learned you were never on that plane and that something else must’ve happened to you.”

  “Now it all makes sense.” Brianna rubbed her head.

  “We told Carson about it too. He’s in Pennsylvania. He called and informed us that you might be here so we came immediately,” her mother said.

  “Carson?” The name did sound vaguely familiar.

  “He was your boyfriend before the plane crash,” Ashley informed her sister.

  “Oh, no.”

  “He’s engaged now,” she added quickly, “supposedly to someone who looks just like you.”

  “Elisabeth Schrock?” Brianna’s eyes widened.

  “Yes, how did you know?” Her mother’s expression was just as bewildering as her own must be.

  “This is so strange. Oh, wow. I can’t believe this.” Brianna’s head spun. “Elisabeth was Luke’s girlfriend before she left the Amish. Luke
Beiler is my husband. It’s almost as if we switched places.”

  “That is simply amazing, unbelievable really,” Ashley said with eyes wide.

  “How did you meet your husband?” her mother asked.

  “Rachel, a young Amish woman and good friend of mine now, saw me here at the hospital and thought I was Elisabeth Schrock. She brought me home to Pennsylvania and Luke and I fell in love. Well, I thought he fell in love with me,” she said, sniffling, “but I don’t know now. Everything is so confusing.”

  Her mother patted her arm, reassuringly. “I’m sure it will all work out. You don’t need to talk about all this now. Would you like to come home with us? I think seeing some of your old familiar surroundings may help you remember. I’ve already spoken to the nurse and she said you’re ready to discharge.”

  “I’d love to come home with you, Mom.” She gave her mother a hug and smiled. It felt like such a relief to finally learn her true identity. “Thank you. Now that I know who I am, I think I might be able to fill out these forms better.”

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  “I have to go to New York. I need to bring my wife—Brianna—back home,” Luke insisted, rising from the table.

  “I’ll take you there. My car is just outside,” Carson suggested.

  Luke nodded and grabbed his coat and black woolen felt hat off the rack, placing it on his head.

  “Elisabeth, why don’t you come with us?” Carson suggested. “We still need to talk. And it will be interesting to see you and Brianna side by side to see how much you actually look alike.”

  “I was hoping to see my parents,” she said reluctantly.

  “You can see them when we bring Luke and Brianna back home. Would that suit you?” Carson asked, and then longingly gazed into her eyes. “I’d hoped to speak with you now, but it can wait until we find some time alone.”

  “Yes, I’ll come. Jacob, tell Mamm and Dat I’ll be back,” Elisabeth said.

  Jacob nodded and then watched the three of them walk out the door.