The Cherished Quilt

by Amy Clipston

  Dat blew out a trembling breath as renewed regret glimmered in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Christopher. Why didn’t you tell me how you felt sooner?” He huffed out a sigh. “I know the answer to that question. I’m not very easy to talk to. I hope you can forgive me.”

  “Of course I can. You’re still mei dat.”

  An easy silence fell over them. Chris marveled at how wonderful it was to sit with his father and feel comfortable.

  “Who is Emily? How did you meet her?”

  Chris hesitated for a moment, unused to sharing with his father. “She lives next door to Onkel Hank. Her dat is part owner of the harness shop.”

  “Oh ya? She’s one of Leroy Fisher’s dochdern?”

  Chris blew out a breath. “Ya.”

  “Is she schee?”

  Chris grinned. He and Dat had reached a new beginning in their relationship. They were actually talking and listening to each other. His shoulders relaxed, and for the first time in his adult life, he began to speak to his father without hesitation, trusting him with personal details. “Ya, she’s really schee. I actually think I’ve fallen in love with her.”

  When Chris finished telling his story, Dat pressed his lips together and nodded.

  “Emily sounds like a special maedel,” Dat said with a faraway look in his eyes. “Your mamm changed my life when I met her nearly thirty years ago.”

  “Really?” Chris rested his elbows on his thighs.

  Dat dropped his arm onto his desk. “Do you know the story of how your mamm and your aenti Ida came to Ohio to visit a cousin, and they both wound up staying here?”

  “Ya, I’ve heard that story. And Onkel Hank was the only sibling from their family left in Pennsylvania. Well, except for Onkel Naaman, who didn’t join the Amish church.”

  “That’s right. I met your mamm at a youth gathering. I was sort of a loner, and I thought I would wind up a bachelor for the rest of my life. I didn’t think any maedel in her right mind would take a chance on me. I was so headstrong and set in my ways, even as a young man.”

  Chris’s eyes widened. Before this day, he’d never heard his father use such self-deprecating words to describe himself.

  “But your mamm took a chance on me, and here we are so many years later.” Dat leaned forward in his chair. “Emily sounds just as special as your mamm. If you feel she’s the one, you should consider your relationship with God and where you stand with the church.” He touched his chest again above his heart.

  Chris swallowed a gasp. Why hadn’t Dat ever shared this tender side of himself? “Danki for the advice, Dat.”

  “Danki for giving me another chance, son.”

  Chris nodded as affection for his family bubbled up in his soul. He said a silent prayer, asking God for the opportunity for him and Emily to somehow make their relationship work.

  CHAPTER 26

  EMILY YAWNED AS SHE STARED DOWN AT THE FINISHED quilt. After the guests had left the wedding reception and the mess had been cleaned up, she worked on the quilt until late into the night. She grabbed a few hours of sleep and then started on the quilt again early that morning, only stopping to quickly eat.

  She glanced at the clock on the sewing table. It was almost four o’clock in the afternoon. Urgency shot through her. She had to write a letter and find a box, and then she could ask Dat to take her to the post office before it closed.

  If she got the box in the mail today, maybe, just maybe, she’d hear from Chris early next week. Her insides fluttered. She couldn’t wait to hear his voice over the phone. Would the quilt mean so much to him that he’d long to call her? She hoped it would.

  Emily popped up from the chair, grabbed a notepad and pen, and began to write.

  Dear Chris,

  I hope you and your family are doing well. I started this lap quilt the day I made you breakfast and you told me you missed the quilt your mammi made for you. I had hoped to give this to you in person, but I didn’t have a chance to finish it before you left. I was so wrapped up in Rachel’s wedding that I ran out of time. And then I didn’t know you were going to leave. Anyway, I want you to have it.

  I thought I should explain the significance of the log cabin quilt pattern. This block pattern is very old and is symbolic of life itself. The center square used to be red to represent the heart or hearth of the home. The strips around the center are said to represent the logs of the cabin. The light side of the block represents the sun in front of the cabin, such as babies, weddings, family, and friends. The dark side represents the shadow behind the cabin, such as death or disaster. The dark moments are supposed to remind us how wonderful the light moments really are. I hope you remember your time in Bird-in-Hand as a light time in your life.

  The quilt is made with special material that belonged to mei mammi. I hope you like the colors. The blues and greens remind me of your eyes and how they change color depending upon the light reflected off them.

  Rachel’s wedding was lovely. It’s a shame you weren’t here to see it. I had hoped you’d be here to celebrate with us.

  I’m sorry for arguing with you before you left. You said you didn’t know where you belonged, and that upset me because in my heart I thought you belonged in my community. I never meant to push you away.

  I keep replaying our last conversation in my mind and I think of things I should have said. I’m sorry if I hurt you. I pray you understand how much your friendship means to me. I miss our talks. I felt as if you and I shared a special bond and connection. I hope you felt that too.

  Mamm gave me a devotional book that belonged to mei mammi, and the verses Mammi underlined really speak to my heart. I want to share one with you that has really helped me lately. Psalm 59, verse 16: “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”

  May this quilt keep you warm when you ride in your buggy on cold Ohio nights.

  I miss you, Chris.

  All my best,

  Emily

  She reread the letter and then rushed downstairs to find a box. She was thankful she got Chris’s address from Tillie yesterday.

  “Mamm!” Emily called as she headed toward the kitchen.

  “Emily?” Mamm met her at the doorway. “Is everything all right?” She spotted the quilt in Emily’s hand and gasped. “Oh, that is lovely.” She ran her fingers over the stitching. “I think this is your best quilt yet.”

  “You think so?” Emily gnawed her lower lip. “I hope he likes it.”

  “Ach, mei liewe.” Mamm touched her cheek. “He will love it. I’m certain he will.” She pointed toward the mudroom. “I have the perfect box.”

  “Danki. I want to get it to the post office before it closes.” Emily placed the quilt and the letter on the table.

  “You tape it up, and I’ll call our driver. We’ll get you there in time.” Mamm winked at her. “I’m certain you will hear from Chris next week.”

  Emily blew out a shaky breath and hoped her mother was right.

  CHRIS EXITED THE BARN AND WALKED WITH PAUL AND DAT toward the house at suppertime Tuesday evening. Although his whole body ached after another long day of working on Paul’s house, he smiled as he thought about the past few days.

  For the first time in years, he felt like a true part of his family and of the community as he worked alongside his brother and father, as well as some other men, installing cabinets and painting the rebuilt kitchen in Paul’s house. It was beginning to resemble a home again.

  They entered the mudroom, and when the aroma of stew filled his nostrils, his stomach growled. He’d worked up a good appetite. He shucked his coat, hung up his hat, and pulled off his boots.

  Chris tapped his right front trouser pocket, confirming that Gabriel’s knife was still secure. He started carrying the knife after Mamm told him he could keep it. Although it was only an inexpensive pocketknife, it was as if he were carrying a piece of Gabriel with him.

  He had awoken this morning
with a sense of peace settling over his soul instead of the usual bitter, raging guilt that had plagued him since the accident. He had finally forgiven himself and accepted that the accident wasn’t his fault, though certainly he and his father had both made mistakes. His nightly prayers had warmed his soul, just as Emily promised they would.

  Rosanna was still setting the table as Mamm carried a bowl of green beans over. Betsy sat in a high chair and Mamie was perched on a booster seat.

  “Hi.” Rosanna beamed at Paul. “How was your day?”

  “It was gut.” Paul kissed her cheek before turning his attention to his daughters.

  “How was your day?” Mamm looked up at Dat.

  “It was gut, Agnes.” Dat hugged her, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle.

  Chris grinned. He’d never seen his parents show any affection in public, but Dat seemed to have changed in the past few days. It was as if his heart had softened after he and Chris had their emotional conversation. Chris felt different inside too.

  “Let’s eat. Everything is ready.” Mamm waved a hand toward the table.

  Chris sat across from Rosanna and Paul and bowed his head. After a silent prayer, they filled their plates, and the scraping of utensils and murmur of conversation filled the large kitchen.

  “How’s the work coming along at the haus?” Rosanna asked Paul as she handed a bowl of mashed potatoes to Chris.

  “It’s going well,” Paul said. “We’re almost done installing the cabinets, and the upstairs is repainted. I think we’re right on schedule.”

  “Ya, I think so too,” Chris agreed. “I went upstairs and I was impressed by the painting. The haus looks brand new, and the smoke odor is almost gone.”

  “Oh good.” Rosanna blew out a sigh. “What a relief.”

  “Christopher,” Mamm said. “A package arrived for you today.”

  “A package for me?” he asked.

  “Ya. It’s over there.” Mamm nodded toward the counter across the room.

  Chris spotted the large cardboard box. Who would send him a package?

  “Go on.” Mamm grinned. “Open it.”

  He took in his mother’s smile with suspicion. She looked as if she had a secret.

  “Just go open it, Chris,” Rosanna said. “If you don’t open it, I will.”

  Were the women conspiring? He stood and crossed the room. His name was written in familiar penmanship on the box. When he read the return address, hope sparked through him—E. Fisher. The package was from Emily! What would she send him?

  He fetched a steak knife and cut through the copious amount of packing tape. He pulled the box flaps apart and searched through the pool of tissue paper until his fingers found an envelope and a quilt.

  Chris pulled out the quilt. It featured blue and green material shaped like boxes. He held the quilt to his chest and inhaled, finding a faint scent of strawberries. He closed his eyes, imagining Emily’s beautiful face as she looked at him.

  Mamm and Rosanna gasped in unison as they rushed over to him.

  “Look at that quilt.” Rosanna smoothed her hand over the material. “Look at that stitching, Mamm! I can’t imagine how long that took to make. She did it by hand.”

  “Oh, that is fantastic. That is the most schee log cabin design I have ever seen.” Mamm clicked her tongue. “I could never stitch like that.”

  Chris handed the quilt to his mother, and she and Rosanna continued to cluck over it as he opened and read the letter.

  His eyes stung as he took in Emily’s sweet words. She’d started creating the quilt the day he mentioned the quilt his grandmother had made. That was the first day he was nice to her. They weren’t even close yet, but she had started to make him a quilt out of precious material from her own grandmother.

  She missed him, and she seemed to blame herself for their argument, apologizing for pushing him away. Why would she think she pushed him away when he had left her without even saying good-bye?

  Chris absorbed the Scripture verse. Yes, God was his refuge in times of trouble. He’d begun praying every night, and his soul was refreshed. He was whole once again.

  Chris remembered a conversation he had with Mike the night John invited Chris to come over to Emily’s for supper. Mike explained he didn’t think he’d met Rachel at the right time since his father was so gravely ill. But then Mike said he met Rachel at the perfect time because it was when he’d needed her most. “It’s funny how God works. As Rachel once told me, we think we know God’s plan for us, but we don’t know what his plan is until he reveals it to us.”

  Chris belonged with Emily. Excitement and exhilaration exploded through him, and he could feel it all the way to his bones. He needed to go to Emily. He had to join the church and marry Emily.

  God had sent him to Bird-in-Hand to find his future, and Emily was that future.

  “Christopher?” Mamm’s hand was gentle on his bicep. “Are you all right?”

  “Ya.” Chris grinned down at his mother. “I’ve never been better.”

  Mamm’s eyebrows knitted together.

  “How would you feel about me moving to Bird-in-Hand permanently?” Chris looked from his mother to his father, who sat at the table looking at him with his eyebrows careening toward his hairline. “I’d miss you all terribly, but I want to join the church there and be a part of that community. I want to work at Onkel Hank’s harness shop. I’ve realized leatherworking is my future. I never loved horse training the way you and Paul do, Dat. I’m better at working with my hands.”

  Dat nodded slowly. “If you feel in your heart that you belong in Bird-in-Hand, then I will support you. Leatherworking is a fine profession.”

  Chris looked down at his mother again. “Mamm? I won’t go without your blessing.”

  Mamm sniffed and touched Chris’s chest. “Are you going for Emily?”

  “Ya, I am, but I don’t want to hurt you again. I want you to be honest with me.” He held his breath as a tear sprinkled down his mother’s pink cheek.

  “I will give you my blessing if you make me one promise,” Mamm began.

  “All right.”

  “You have to promise you and Emily will come and visit us at least once a year.”

  “That is a promise!” Chris laughed and then picked up his mom and spun her around.

  His mother laughed and Dat, Paul, and Rosanna joined in. Betsy and Mamie clapped and giggled too.

  Chris began ticking off a list on his fingers. “I need to call Onkel Hank. And I need to pack, and I need to call the bus station.” He looked at his brother. “I should wait until your haus is done. I’ll go after Christmas.”

  Paul waved off the comment. “Go, Chris. The haus is almost done. You’ve helped so much already. Go start your new life.”

  “Absolutely,” Rosanna agreed as she sat down next to Paul. “Danki for all you’ve done for us. We’ll come visit you next year, right, Mamie?”

  “Ya,” Mamie agreed with another clap. “I want to see your haus.”

  “I’d like that.” Chris rubbed his chin. “I have so much to do. I have to figure out when I can leave. I should call Onkel Hank now.”

  “Slow down,” Mamm said. “Take your time.”

  Chris grinned down at his mother. “Ya, you’re right. Emily and I have the rest of our lives.”

  He turned and bolted for the door, rushing out to the phone shanty. He couldn’t wait to begin the rest of his life with Emily Fisher.

  EMILY HANDED A CUSTOMER HIS CHANGE AND PUT THE WALLET and coin purse in a brown paper bag. They were the last wallet and coin purse Chris had made. She bit back the urge to tell the man he couldn’t buy them for his daughter because she wanted to cherish them forever.

  “Thank you for coming to see us.” She forced a smile. “Come back again soon.”

  Once the customer was gone, Emily slumped on the stool and blew out a deep sigh. If the postal clerk was correct in her calculations, Chris had received the package on Tuesday. It was now Friday af
ternoon, and Emily still hadn’t heard from him. She’d checked with Tillie every morning and afternoon since Tuesday to see if Chris had left a message on her phone. Every time Emily asked, Tillie frowned and shook her head, and sadness radiated through every pore of Emily’s body.

  Emily couldn’t understand why she hadn’t heard from Chris. Had her letter come on too strong? Had she been too honest? Maybe he didn’t like the quilt or considered the gift too extravagant for their friendship.

  And her worst fear of all—had Emily become just a memory from his past, an old friend who no longer held any significance for him?

  She leaned forward on the counter and stared down at the accounting books she’d tried to complete all week. She couldn’t concentrate long enough to make sense of the numbers. She had tried to work on the receipts, but her mind kept wandering back to all the time she and Chris had spent together. He was at the forefront of her mind, and nothing else seemed to matter except hearing from him.

  The hum of an engine drew her attention to the three parking spaces in front of the store. A yellow taxi parked in the middle space, and Emily turned and looked toward the work area.

  “Dat? Hank? Are you expecting someone to come in a taxi today?”

  “Nope.” Dat looked up from the table. “Are you, Hank?”

  “I’m not sure.” Hank shrugged and then smiled. “Would you please go see who it is, Emily?”

  She paused. “All right. Please answer the phone if it rings. I’ll be right back.”

  Hank muttered something in response, but she couldn’t comprehend the words from the front of the store. She hopped down from the stool, pulled her sweater tighter, and opened the door, then stepped out onto the sidewalk.

  An Amish man leaned in the driver side window paying for the ride. The man stood. When she took in his handsome profile, her heart fluttered like a hummingbird and then her pulse soared.

  Chris!

  Was Chris truly standing in front of her, or was she dreaming?

  Chris looked over at her and his lips quirked up in a smile. “Hi, Em.”