Arms of Mercy

by Ruth Reid

  She directed her attention to the officer and first responder assisting the man with the shoulder injury. Even looking away from Elijah, she sensed him studying her with a puzzled expression. But one sideways glance at him told her otherwise. Elijah was grinning, obviously amused by her sheer embarrassment. The words tumbled out to wipe that smile off his face. “I won’t allow myself to get . . . close to you again.”

  She won’t allow herself. Catherine sounded too determined. Elijah raised a brow. “You still don’t trust me?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “It’s nett something—”

  More sirens shrilled through the air as multiple ambulances arrived, cutting off the rest of whatever Catherine had been about to say. The man with the neck and back injury was taken off the bus first, followed by the person who complained of not being able to move his shoulder.

  Worried that Catherine’s resoluteness had something to do with her pledge to Zach, Elijah decided not to revisit the subject of her trusting him, nor did he tease her anymore about using his shoulder as a pillow.

  The police officer took the microphone. “Does anyone else need medical attention?” Even though plenty of people were groaning, no one spoke up. “Your driver has been taken to the hospital, although I’m unable to share details regarding his condition. We’ve informed Budget Bus of what happened, and they have a representative en route. Until then, I ask that you remain in your seats.”

  Catherine leaned forward and held her hand over her lower back.

  “Are you sure you’re nett hurt? Should I flag the policeman?”

  “Nay, I’m only stretching.” She flopped back against the seat. “I wonder if anyone knows what time it is.”

  Elijah leaned toward the man seated on the opposite side of the aisle. “Excuse me. Do you have the time?”

  The man glanced at his phone. “Two thirty-five.”

  No wonder he was starting to feel stiff. It had been hours since their last stop. He thanked the traveler, then turned his attention to Catherine. “Did you hear that?”

  “Jah.” She pinched the bridge of her nose.

  “Do you have a headache?”

  “Jah, it’s horrible.”

  Lights from the emergency vehicles flashed in a nauseating rhythm that churned his own stomach. Elijah fought the urge to place his arm around her shoulders and encourage her to lean into him. They still had a long way to go on this trip, and these bright, rotating lights would be brutal for someone with a headache. “I have some water left in mei bottle. Would it help to take a drink?”

  “Maybe.” She accepted the container, removed the cap, and took a long drink. “Danki.” She handed him back the bottle, then rested her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes.

  Facing her, he rested his cheek against the seat cushion a few inches from hers. “I did write you letters. After Edwina passed away.”

  She kept her eyes closed. “I didn’t receive anything from you.”

  “I never mailed them,” he admitted regretfully. When she didn’t say anything, he continued. “After I wrote the first one, I, ah . . . I didn’t think it was right to start a correspondence with you so soon after Edwina’s death—while living with her parents.” The corner of her mouth twitched, and he cringed. He’d hurt her again. Lord, will her heart ever mend enough to forgive me—completely?

  A female voice came over the loudspeaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Budget Bus, I would like to thank you for your patience.” The woman didn’t look much older than him. Her rumpled blonde hair flopped in front of her face, and she pushed her bangs aside. She apologized for the unforeseen circumstances surrounding their delay, then she broke the news that the bus they were on was out of commission and that arrangements had already been made for new transportation.

  “I assure you, we’re doing everything we can to get you to your destinations.” The representative spoke into the microphone over the crowd’s murmurs. “I’ve arranged for a local van service to transport you to a nearby twenty-four-hour diner. Your meals will be provided by Budget Bus.” The idea of receiving a free meal didn’t seem to calm anyone, as passengers continued to complain about the delay.

  “Please take any personal items with you when you leave. You will not be returning to this bus.”

  “What about our luggage in storage?” a person from the back shouted.

  “You do not have to worry about your checked bags. Someone from Budget Bus will transfer the luggage and see that it reaches your final destination. To repeat,” she said when the volume of chatter rose, “please take your personal items with you. As you leave, I will issue a reboarding pass that you will need to give to the next bus driver. Do not lose your reboarding pass, as another one will not be reissued . . .”

  Catherine checked her tote for her original packet of tickets. “Do you have yours?”

  “Jah.” He tapped his coat pocket and yawned. The initial jolt of the bus hitting the guardrail had awakened him, but now he needed coffee to stay awake. The spokeswoman’s instructions droned on until the first transport van arrived. “Again, I appreciate your continued patience as we work to rectify this situation.” She handed out passes to the passengers who had been seated in the first few rows as they left the bus.

  Catherine reached for her tote bag on the floor and set it on her lap. “Don’t forget your duffel bag in the overhead compartment, Elijah.”

  “I’ll grab it when it’s our turn to leave.”

  The shuttle process began, taking the front rows to the new location first. Several minutes later, it was Catherine and Elijah’s turn. He stood aside to make room for Catherine to exit. Outside the flares and emergency vehicles illuminated the front of the bus, which was embedded in the crumpled guardrail. Engine fluids puddled on the pavement. The engine no longer steamed, but the sweet scent of radiator fluid still lingered.

  Elijah managed to snag a window seat for Catherine in the cramped ten-passenger van. Most people opted to hold their personal items on their laps. The dashboard compass indicated they were traveling northeast. The clock read 5:00 a.m., about the time he usually headed to the sawmill. They hadn’t been driving long before it started to sleet. Someone asked the driver if the road was slippery. Elijah was much more concerned about Catherine.

  She watched the scenery outside in the blue-black haze of predawn as they drove into town. “The buildings have bars on the windows.”

  Detecting a hint of fear in her statement, he would keep to himself how bars on the windows usually meant a high-crime area. He gazed over her shoulder at the run-down buildings. This area wasn’t anything like their little Posen village. He doubted the spokeswoman had researched the area where the diner was located. Something told him it would have been safer to stay on the bus.

  If the bulbs all worked properly, the sign would read Jake’s Diner. Catherine found the old brick building not only uninviting but eerie because of the way the overhead sign creaked, swaying in the rainy morning breeze.

  As the van driver pulled away from the curb, Elijah took her cold hand with a firm grip. “Stay close.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m nett leaving your side.” They fell in line behind the other van passengers about to go inside. If Elijah hadn’t accompanied her on this trip, she would have been stranded— alone. She tightened her grip on his hand.

  Concern etched Elijah’s face. “We’ll be back on another bus soon.”

  She nodded.

  “You hungry?”

  She shrugged. “I suppose I oughta be. It’s free.” Catherine spotted a scrawny calico cat licking itself near the entrance of the building and frowned. Not begging for food, the cat probably just ate a rat.

  Walking inside, they met the familiar faces of fellow Budget Bus travelers. Some already dug into their breakfast while others were looking at menus.

  “Sit wherever you like,” a pudgy man wearing a white T-shirt under a stained apron said from behind the service counter.

  Elijah sca
nned the room, then headed to a small table for four close to the door. “How’s this?”

  “Gut.” Catherine set her tote bag on the chair, then removed her cloak. Sitting next to the door might get drafty, but for now she’d leave it off. Ohio wasn’t nearly as cold as Michigan.

  A waitress handed them each a menu. “What can I get you to drink?”

  Catherine smiled at the woman. “Coffee, please.”

  “I’ll take the same,” Elijah said, opening the menu.

  “If you’re unsure what to order,” she said, “I suggest the hungry man’s omelet.” She leaned over his shoulder and pointed her pen at the menu.

  “Sounds gut to me.” He closed the menu and handed it back to the waitress.

  The woman jotted his selection on her notepad, then turned to Catherine. “And for you, hon?”

  “I’ll have eggs over medium, sausage, and home fries, please.”

  “You got it.” The waitress left the table long enough to give the cook the order, then returned with their coffees. Despite the sudden surge of unexpected customers, it didn’t take long for their food to arrive.

  The last vanload of travel-worn passengers entered the diner and filled the empty tables. A few minutes later the spokeswoman entered the building and sat on a stool at the counter.

  The waitress buzzed around handling the flow. Catherine recalled how The Amish Table had filled to capacity and even had several names on a waiting list after the food critic’s review appeared in the Detroit News. She had never cooked so fast for so many that season. But things settled back down to a more manageable pace. Now The Amish Table was closed until spring. That worked out perfectly. Otherwise she wouldn’t have gone on this journey—this new adventure.

  “Don’t you like the food?” Elijah said.

  “Jah, it’s gut.” She set her fork down and leaned forward. “Danki.”

  Elijah peered up and smiled. “For what?”

  “For being here.” Her eyes began to water, thinking about what had happened over the last few hours. The commotion on the bus, being shuttled to this dingy diner, and how difficult it would have been without him. She cleared her throat. “When I bought mei ticket, I was feeling brave. Leaving town, going all the way to Florida was a new adventure.” She paused to collect her thoughts, and Elijah must have sensed her needing a moment to think, because he remained silent.

  His kind eyes probed hers, and she continued. “Leaving town was something I was sure I could do alone. I thought I would get on the bus in Rogers City and get off in Sarasota. But nothing has been as simple as that. And though I was prepared to sit for long hours, I wasn’t prepared to change buses in the middle of the nacht. I was wrong to think I could make this trip alone. Narrish for sure and for certain. If you hadn’t kumm along, I’d be hiding in some corner, shaking in mei shoes.”

  “You’re nett crazy.” His eyes twinkled when he twisted his lips and pretended to rethink his statement. “Well, maybe a smidgen narrish.” He winked. “But I like that you’re brave and somewhat foolishly independent.”

  “Somewhat?” She cracked a smile. He always had a way of cheering her up.

  “Mostly I like that we’re on this new adventure together.”

  Catherine picked up the paper napkin and used it to dab the corners of her eyes. “Me too.”

  For the few seconds he held her gaze, something flickered in his eyes. He picked up his fork. “How else would I have had the opportunity to eat an omelet at Jake’s Diner?” He leaned forward. “And, by the way, they’re nett using farm-fresh eggs. I can taste the difference.”

  “Jah.” She chuckled. “But I wasn’t going to complain about free food.”

  “Oh, I’m nett complaining.” He jabbed his fork into his runny omelet. “Eating here is certainly an adventure.”

  “Sure is.” Catherine sipped her coffee.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention?” the spokeswoman announced from the front counter. “I’ve just received confirmation that a southbound bus with several empty seats is due to arrive in a few minutes. For those of you still eating, another bus is scheduled to pick up the remaining passengers within the hour. On behalf of Budget Bus, I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to get you to your final destination within the shortest time possible. However”— she paused for emphasis—“these buses will reroute you.”

  The crowd of weary travelers bombarded the spokeswoman with questions. “What type of compensation is Budget Bus offering? What about our checked baggage?” The questions continued.

  The woman raised her hands to calm the people. “If you’ll allow me to address the questions raised.” She waited for the commotion to settle. “I’m not the person who decides compensation. My goal is to assist you in reaching your destination. As for your checked baggage, it’s being expedited to its final terminal and will be kept secure until you arrive to claim it.”

  Several more people voiced complaints, and the spokeswoman did her best to address their concerns.

  “Let’s try and get on the first bus,” Elijah said. “This area of town seems a little shady. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone off the street came in with a gun.”

  Just the mention of someone having a weapon made Catherine’s heart pound harder. She didn’t want anyone to experience what Faith had at The Amish Table last year. An image of a masked man holding a gun against Faith’s head flashed through her mind. The robbery took place in the blink of an eye.

  Catherine’s face must have blanched, because he immediately apologized for upsetting her. She rolled her uneaten sausage links in her napkin, knowing full well his gaze was on her.

  “If you’re nett done eating—”

  “I am. This is for the cat.” She glanced at the handful of people heading toward the exit, then looked out the window at the people hunched over under the diner sign being pelted with sleet. “I think several of the other passengers would agree with your observation and appear as anxious to get back on the bus as we are. They’re already lining up on the curb.”

  “So I see.” He pushed away from the table and stood. “Hopefully we won’t have to wait outside long for the bus.” He slung his duffel bag over his shoulder.

  She put on her cloak, grabbed her tote bag and the napkin full of sausages, then followed Elijah out of the building. Sleet hitting her face was bad enough, but the freezing air sent shivers down to her toes. Catherine looked around for the cat. “Here, kitty-kitty.”

  A soft meow coaxed her to the side of the building. Spotting the cat taking shelter next to a Dumpster at the front of the alley alongside the diner, she walked a few steps over, then knelt. “There you are.” The cat meowed. If this was Posen, she’d be tempted to take it home.

  “Catherine!”

  Elijah’s tone was sharp, and his irritation was as plain as daybreak. “I’m giving the sausage to the cat.”

  “You wandered off into an alley—alone.” His bark made the cat puff up and hiss as he loomed next to her.

  “It’s okay, kitty.” She left the meat for the cat. As she started to stand, someone ran up from behind and pushed her over, then raced away. Stunned by the abruptness, it took her mind a few seconds to register that the man had stolen her tote bag. She pointed at the disappearing figure. “He—he—”

  Elijah shoved his duffel bag into her arms. “Get on the bus,” he instructed as he took off running after the fleeing thief.

  “No! Elijah,” she called in a frantic voice, but he failed to respond. Catherine rounded the corner of the building. The bus had arrived and was accepting passengers. She rose to her tiptoes and craned to look down the city block. Elijah, come back. She let a man and woman go ahead of her, disregarding Elijah’s instruction. Still searching for him, she inched closer to the bus door.

  “Last call for boarding,” the driver announced, agitation in his tone. “Miss. If you’re getting on, I need you to do so now. I have a schedule to keep.”

  No, she wouldn’t leave with
out Elijah.

  “Miss?”

  Catherine shook her head as she stepped backward from the curb. She made it back inside the warmth of the diner and returned to their once-occupied table, from which the dishes had been cleared. She glanced out the window just as the bus was pulling away from the curb, and someone running alongside it hit his fist against the side.

  Air left Catherine’s lungs in a whoosh. The man the bus driver had stopped for and was now allowing to board was Elijah.

  Chapter 14

  Winded from running to catch the bus, Elijah paused at the head of the aisle. He needed to find Catherine, fall into the empty seat beside her, and sleep for a few hours. He scanned each passenger’s face as he made his way down the aisle. After not finding her in the front of the bus or the middle, panic infused his veins. He rushed to the back of the bus, apologizing as he bumped into people’s shoulders along the way.

  Where was she? He never should have left her alone in the alley. “Catherine?”

  Wary travelers peered up at him with puzzled expressions.

  “Did you see an Amish woman get on the bus? She’s wearing a blue dress.” He made a motion with his hand to his head. “She’s wearing a kapp—a head covering.”

  Several passengers shook their heads, while others just looked away, indifferent to the growing panic ripping his heart. He turned and made his way to the front of the bus as the driver pulled away from the curb. “Stop the bus. Please. I have to get off.”

  “Sir, I don’t make unscheduled stops.” The driver scowled at him and gestured toward the seats. “You need to sit down.”

  His heart pounding, Elijah hung on the railing. He had to convince the driver to stop. Maybe if he explained. The words rushed out: he’d been a fool to leave Catherine alone in the alley, and someone as naive as Cat shouldn’t be traveling by herself, but he didn’t realize he was speaking in Pennsylvania Deitsch.

  The driver peered at him in the rearview mirror with narrowed eyes. “If you’re not going to sit down, I’ll have to throw you off this bus,” he barked.