The Cherished Quilt

by Amy Clipston

  Emily couldn’t speak as a tear sprinkled down her cheek.

  Chris set his duffel bag on the sidewalk. The taxi backed out of the parking space and disappeared down the street.

  Chris took a step toward her and she breathed in his familiar scent. He’d come back!

  “You’re really here. I can’t believe it.” She croaked the words with thick emotion, and for a moment she stared into his chest. “When I didn’t hear from you, I-I was afraid you didn’t like the quilt or were offended by my letter.”

  His grin faded. “You could never offend me. I came to thank you in person for the beautiful quilt and letter. And to say you were right about everything.”

  She looked up into his blue-green eyes.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You were right when you said I had to open my heart to God and let him make me whole.” He touched her arm. “I prayed and gave my burdens to him, and he put me back together. I worked things out with mei dat, and I made things right with mei bruder and mamm. I also came to terms with Gabriel’s death. It wasn’t my fault, despite the mistakes I made, and I learned I had to stop blaming myself. That burden was tearing me apart.”

  “I’m so froh for you.” Emily pressed her hands together as if in prayer. “That’s wunderbaar news.”

  “Now I need to make things right with you, Em.” He took a deep breath, and emotion shimmered in his eyes. “I’m so sorry for leaving without saying good-bye. I was a coward. In fact, I’ve been a coward most of my life, running away from my problems instead of facing them and fixing them. I never wanted to hurt you, and I hope you can forgive me.”

  “Of course I can.” Her voice shook with tenderness. “You’re forgiven.”

  “In your letter, you said you hoped I remember my time in Bird-in-Hand as a light time in my life. But my time here hasn’t been just light; it’s been the most brilliant, most wonderful time of my life. I guess you could say it’s the lightest.”

  Emily sniffed as tears of joy filled her eyes. She tried to speak, but a rush of emotion blocked her words.

  “I have a gift for you, but I couldn’t figure out how to wrap it.” He smiled as he brushed his finger down her cheek, sending shivers of electricity dancing down her spine. “I couldn’t figure out how to wrap my heart.”

  Emily closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Oh, how she’d missed him.

  Wait. What did he say?

  She opened her eyes. “Your heart?”

  “You’ve had my heart since the day you made breakfast for me at your parents’ haus. You’re my best freind. You’re my first thought in the morning and my last thought before I go to sleep at night. You’ve helped me work through all my messy family issues, and you made me realize I am worthy of the church and the community. I believe God sent me to Bird-in-Hand to find you. I’m certain to the depth of my soul that you and I belong together.”

  He rested both of his hands on her cheeks, and she drew in a deep breath as her body trembled with excitement.

  “What I’m trying to say is I love you, Emily Fisher.” His eyes searched hers. “I want to join the church and then I want to be with you. I don’t have much, but I’ll find a way to build you a haus. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to have a family with you.”

  Emily sniffed as tears rolled down her cheeks. She had to be dreaming. This seemed too good to be true! But it was real.

  “What do you think?”

  “I love you too,” she whispered. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment, and I can’t believe it’s actually coming true.”

  Chris’s eyes softened. He leaned down, and Emily’s breath hitched in her lungs. He brushed his lips across hers, sending her stomach into a wild swirl. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of his mouth against hers. Her most fervent prayers had been answered.

  After their lips parted, Chris rested his forehead against hers and he smiled. Emily beamed and silently thanked God for sending Chris back to her.

  EPILOGUE

  “MAMM!” EMILY CALLED AS SHE RACED DOWN THE STAIRS. “Mamm!”

  She went into the kitchen, and when she didn’t see her mother there, she stepped out onto the porch and shivered against the bitter December wind. Her mother had said she was going over to the harness shop, but she should have been back by now.

  Hugging her arms to her chest, Emily moved back into the mudroom and then headed through the family room toward her parents’ bedroom.

  She’d been working feverishly on quilts that would be Christmas gifts for Mike and John, and she still had to make one for Jason. But with Christmas only two weeks away, she was quickly running out of time, and now she’d run out of material. She wanted to ask her mother’s permission to look for more material in her hope chest, and if she couldn’t find what she needed there, then in her closet.

  When Chris showed his quilt to them at a recent family dinner, Mike and Jason raved about it. Emily would make lap quilts for them as a simple but personal gift from both her and Chris.

  Chris and I are now a couple! Her cheeks heated. Although they couldn’t officially date, they were enjoying each other’s company and taking their time getting to know each other better. She looked forward to his baptism next fall so they could make their relationship official.

  Chris continued to live with Hank and Tillie and work in the harness shop full-time. His wallets and coin purses had quickly become two of the most popular items they had to sell, and both Chris and Emily were saving money to build a house at the back of his uncle’s property. Chris’s parents had also offered to help, contributing a generous sum of money to Chris’s savings account. Emily’s chest fluttered as she imagined what it would be like to live together as husband and wife. She couldn’t wait for their future together to begin.

  Emily stood in the doorway to her parents’ bedroom and stared at the hope chest. Would Mamm mind if she looked in it without asking? Mamm kept it locked, and she probably locked it for a reason.

  She worried her bottom lip and looked at her mother’s dresser, recalling where Mamm had found the key the last time she’d unlocked it. Would Mamm be upset if she opened the chest herself?

  Emily approached the dresser and lifted the top to the small box. She spotted the key and swallowed a groan. What was she doing? Mamm might be very upset with her if she opened the chest without checking with her first. But she wanted to take full advantage of the time she had to work on the quilts this afternoon.

  Emily swallowed her guilt, took the key, and knelt in front of the hope chest. She slipped the key into the lock and turned it, then lifted the lid and breathed in the sweet scent of cedar as she rummaged through the linens and small boxes. She sifted through to the bottom and found a large envelope.

  She lifted the envelope and turned it over in her hands. On the front, she read “Leroy and Martha Fisher” written in neat handwriting. Martha was her mother’s given name. She opened it, and an official government document fell out. It said “Certificate of Death,” and the name on it was Jacob Petersheim Fisher. She also found a lock of blond hair in a small zippered storage bag, parchment paper with tiny footprints and handprints, and a birth certificate.

  Questions swirled through Emily’s mind. Who was Jacob Petersheim Fisher? Was he a cousin or a friend?

  She looked closer at the death certificate. Her parents’ names were listed as the infant’s parents. A gasp escaped her with a whoosh. Jacob had been born more than a year before Veronica!

  I had an older bruder? Was he stillborn? And why was his middle name Petersheim?

  “What are you looking at?”

  Emily’s eyes were wide as she turned toward Mamm watching her from the doorway. She held up the birth and death certificates. “I had a bruder?”

  Mamm’s face contorted with pain and shock.

  “Why didn’t you tell us?” Emily stood. “I don’t understand.”

  Mamm sank onto the corner of the bed and rubbed her temple. “I never felt
the need to tell you or your schweschdere.”

  “Please tell me. I need to know.”

  Mamm heaved a heavy sigh and reached for the documents in Emily’s hand. Emily released them and Mamm examined them for a long moment.

  “I will tell this story only once,” Mamm whispered. “Call Veronica and Rachel and ask them to come over tomorrow for a sisters’ day. I’ll share the story then.”

  “Okay.” Emily started for the door and then stopped, guilt pricking at the back of her neck. “Mamm, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snoop. I was looking for material so I could make Jason’s quilt.”

  Mamm nodded with a bleak smile. “It’s all right. It’s time for you and your schweschdere to learn the truth.”

  Emily blinked. She couldn’t imagine what tomorrow would bring.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  AS ALWAYS, I’M THANKFUL FOR MY LOVING FAMILY, INCLUD ing my mother, Lola Goebelbecker; my husband, Joe; and my sons, Zac and Matt. I’m blessed to have such an awesome and amazing family that puts up with me when I’m stressed out about a book deadline. Thank you to my sons, who don’t mind having cookies for lunch on Saturdays when I’m too focused on my book to stop and make a sandwich. Special thanks to Matt, a.k.a. Mr. Thesaurus, for helping me find synonyms. I couldn’t ask for a more adorable wordsmith!

  I’m more grateful than words can express to Janet Pecorella and my mother for proofreading for me. I truly appreciate the time you take out of your busy lives to help me polish my books. I’m also grateful to my special Amish friends, who patiently answer my endless stream of questions. Thank you also to Karla Hanns for her quilting expertise and to Jason Clipston for his firefighting information. Thank you also to Jessica Miller, RN, for her medical research for this book.

  Thank you to my wonderful church family at Morning Star Lutheran in Matthews, North Carolina, for your encouragement, prayers, love, and friendship. You all mean so much to my family and me. Special thanks to Pastor John Mouritsen, who inspired the faith message in this book. You are a blessing to our congregation!

  Thank you to Jamie Mendoza and the fabulous members of my Bakery Bunch! I’m so thankful for your friendship and your excitement about my books. You all are amazing!

  To my agent, Natasha Kern—I can’t thank you enough for your guidance, advice, and friendship. You are a tremendous blessing in my life.

  Thank you to my amazing editor, Becky Philpott, for your friendship and guidance. Love you, girl!

  Thank you also to Julee Schwarzburg for her guidance with the story. I always learn quite a bit about writing and polishing when we work together. Thank you for pushing me to become a better writer. I hope we can work together again in the future!

  I’m grateful to Jean Bloom, who helped me polish and refine the story. Jean, you are a master at connecting the dots and filling in the gaps. I’m so thankful that we can continue to work together!

  I also would like to thank Samantha Buck and Kristen Golden for tirelessly working to promote my books. I’m grateful to each and every person at HarperCollins Christian Publishing who helped make this book a reality.

  To my readers—thank you for choosing my novels. My books are a blessing in my life for many reasons, including the special friendships I’ve formed with my readers. Thank you for your e-mail messages, Facebook notes, and letters.

  Thank you most of all to God—for giving me the inspiration and the words to glorify you. I’m grateful and humbled you’ve chosen this path for me.

  Special thanks to Cathy and Dennis Zimmermann for their hospitality and research assistance in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

  Cathy & Dennis Zimmermann, Innkeepers

  The Creekside Inn

  44 Leacock Road, PO Box 435

  Paradise, PA 17562

  Toll Free: (866) 604-2574

  Local Phone: (717) 687-0333

  The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the following resource used to research information for this book:

  C. Richard Beam, Revised Pennsylvania German Dictionary (Lancaster, PA: Brookshire Publications, Inc., 1991).

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Chris is devastated after his younger brother is killed in an accident. Have you faced a difficult loss? What Bible verses helped you? Share these with the group.

  2. What role did the quilt play in Emily and Chris’s relationship? Can you relate the quilt to an object that was pivotal in a relationship you’ve experienced in your life?

  3. Emily feels guilty for being jealous of her sisters’ happiness and the events going on in their lives. Have you ever been in a similar situation? If so, how did it turn out? Share your experience with the group.

  4. Emily pours herself into Rachel’s wedding plans as a way to deal with her grief after Chris returns to Ohio. She also finds solace in her grandmother’s devotion book. Think of a time when you felt hurt or betrayed. Where did you find your strength? What Bible verses would help with this?

  5. Near the end of the novel, Chris finally finds the courage to confront his father about his feelings, and he’s surprised by the outcome of the conversation. What do you think Chris learned about his father during the course of their discussion? What do you think Chris learned about himself? How did this conversation change Chris’s feelings regarding his family and his place in the community?

  6. Chris feels lost at the beginning of the book. He is convinced he isn’t worthy enough to join the Amish church through baptism, and he is also afraid of opening his heart to Emily. By the end of the story, he realizes he’s ready to be baptized and pursue a relationship with Emily. What do you think caused him to change his point of view throughout the story?

  7. Wilmer (Chris’s father) is cold and distant when Chris first arrives home in Ohio. His demeanor toward Chris changes after Chris finally confronts him. What do you think caused Wilmer to change near the end of the book?

  8. Which character can you identify with the most? Which character seemed to carry the most emotional stake in the story? Was it Chris, Emily, Wilmer (Chris’s father), or someone else?

  9. What role did John play in Chris’s introduction to the Bird-in-Hand community and also the Fisher family? How did John affect Chris’s feelings about his own self-worth?

  10. What did you know about the Amish before reading this book? What did you learn?

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo by Dan Davis Photography

  AMY CLIPSTON IS THE AWARD-WINNING AND BESTSELLING author of more than a dozen novels, including the Kauffman Amish Bakery series and the Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series. Her novels have hit multiple bestseller lists, including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, North Carolina. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and three spoiled rotten cats.

  Visit her website: amyclipston.com

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  Twitter: @AmyClipston

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