Arms of Mercy

by Ruth Reid

  Catherine shook her head. “I’ll make a sandwich later.”

  “Your Englisch friend stopped by the haus. He asked that I didn’t wake you when I told him you were still asleep.”

  Catherine sank into the kitchen chair. “I wanted to say goodbye.”

  Gwen brought her mug to the table and sat next to Catherine. “He’s a very nice man. He and George talked for some time.”

  “Jah, he was very kind to take me, a stranger, in. I didn’t even know mei name. I went by Julie. Apparently while I was in the hospital, the nurse overheard me talking in mei sleep and assumed mei name was Julie.”

  “I don’t know how I would have handled it.” She shook her head slowly. “It had to be difficult.” Gwen was silent a moment, probably pondering a flood of what-ifs. “Elijah kept us up-todate as much as he could. His letters always sounded so hopeful, but reading between the lines, we knew he was shattered. The authorities thought you’d gone through the ice and that you probably wouldn’t be discovered until the river thawed. Even then, Elijah refused to accept that possibility. He refused to leave Ohio. Zach couldn’t convince him either.”

  “Zach came to Hopewater?”

  “He sold one of his clocks to a furniture store and wanted to deliver it in person so he could meet the owner and set up future business with his new account. Beverly drove him down. He stayed at Bishop’s Zook’s cousin’s haus. Elijah was staying somewhere in the district, and Zach said he had tried to convince him to kumm home.”

  Danki for the confirmation, Lord. Catherine stood. “I have something I need to do.” She raced out of the house, harnessed her buggy horse, and went to find Elijah.

  Catherine stopped at his mammi’s house first, but the house windows had been boarded up. She went to his parents’ place in the next township and knocked on their door. His mother answered.

  “Catherine, it’s so gut to see you again so soon. Elijah told us all about your memory loss after the accident. It’s a miracle you both survived.”

  “God has been merciful, that is for certain. Is Elijah home?”

  His mother shook her head. “He told me last nacht he was going back to Ohio. He’s going to finally start training horses.” She sniffled. “It’s something he’s always wanted to do.”

  “He went back?” The news struck her like a hard mule kick to the stomach. Why did he leave without saying goodbye?

  “Didn’t he tell you?”

  Catherine’s throat tightened. “Nay.”

  “Oh, dear child.” His mother’s arms came around her shoulder. “Elijah said he needed to leave in order for you to have a fresh start.”

  “That’s nett true.”

  “It pains mei heart too. His father and I are to blame for pushing him to marry Edwina. We thought it was the right thing to do at the time, and . . . none of us measured the cost of what it would do to him to lose you. I shouldn’t have interfered. I was the one who had told him you and Zach were courting. I thought if he stayed in Badger Creek and helped his father-in-law that he would be better off. I was wrong.”

  Catherine swallowed down the lump in her throat. “Elijah never lost me—he’s the one who found me.”

  Catherine cried the entire ride home, flooded by the same despairing thoughts she had before she left to go to Florida. Perhaps Doc had been right. Maybe her mind had somehow buried the past because too many aspects were painful.

  Zach’s buggy was parked in the driveway when she arrived. She slipped into the house and found him sitting at the kitchen table having coffee with George.

  “Catherine.” Zach stood. “I’ve kumm by to talk with you.”

  “Oh?”

  He motioned to the door. “Can we go out on the porch?”

  “Sure.” She followed him outside. An image flashed of the expression of scorn he’d given her when she proposed. Why didn’t she see it then? Perhaps she had but disregarded it. Desperate. “Why did you kumm over?”

  “I’ve given it a lot of thought, and nau that mei business is doing well, I think we should get married. George agrees.”

  “Hmm. Do you know I’m partially blind? That I can’t see anything on mei right side? Or that I might nett get mei memory back fully? A lot of things have changed.”

  “Are you saying you don’t want to marry me?” A flicker of hope danced in his eyes.

  “You want me to decline, don’t you?” She smiled, already knowing the answer by the way he let out a long breath.

  “I heard Elijah left town again. I figured you would be devastated, and I’m nett opposed to marrying you.”

  “He left town so we could have a fresh start. Only neither one of us wants a life together.”

  “I wish you well, Catherine,” Zach said. “Are you going back to Ohio?”

  Elijah learned on the ride back to Ohio that Doc Wellington owned the cabin he’d been staying in. His wife had inherited the property from her parents years ago, but because of poor relations with her family, Doc and she had never used it, nor were they willing to sell it to an Englischer. Doc had no idea who the redheaded man was who had given Elijah the address, or how it had been stocked with canned goods and chopped wood.

  “God has a way of working all things to the good,” Doc said, signing over the deed. “Had it not been for you and Catherine coming into my life, I might have gone to my grave with unforgiveness in my heart. Now those shackles have been removed.” He looked around the area. “This place will make a nice fresh start. If Hannah were here, she would agree.”

  “Danki again.” Elijah shook Doc’s hand. “Please, stop by anytime.”

  “I’ll keep in touch.” Doc went to the door when a truck and trailer pulled into the yard. “You have a delivery.”

  “What?” Elijah followed Doc outside. “The driver must have the wrong haus. I’m nett expecting a delivery.”

  “I’m giving you Pickles. I bought the horse for Catherine. She thought he would make a good horse to pull a sleigh.”

  “I can have him pulling a sleigh by winter,” Elijah said. “I think the children on your ranch would enjoy going for a ride.”

  “Maybe so, but not this horse. This horse is Catherine’s. I’m just leaving him in your charge.”

  “But she’s—” A car pulled in the drive, and when it stopped, Catherine stepped out. Elijah stared in disbelief.

  “Go to her,” Doc said. “She’s traveled a long distance.”

  He didn’t have to be told twice. Elijah sprinted to her. “Catherine!” He swung her into his arms and twirled her around.

  “You were right about why I was going to Florida. The nacht before we left, when Zach asked me to marry him, I couldn’t say yes. I wasn’t in love with him—I was still in love with you. All this time mei heart was still searching for you.”

  “I love you, Catherine.” He leaned down and captured her mouth in a soft kiss. Then fueled by years of waiting, he pulled her in tighter and deepened the kiss. He broke the kiss, needing air, but didn’t move more than an inch. She felt too good in his arms to let her go so soon. He wanted to hold her in his arms forever.

  “Your kiss is exactly how I remembered,” she said, melting in his embrace.

  Epilogue

  Eighteen months later

  Catherine climbed onto the sleigh bench and situated the wool blanket. She smiled down at her husband, who was bent down and tying Kimberly’s scarf.

  Elijah made a brrr sound and pretended to chatter his teeth. “Are you sure you’re nett too kalt to take a ride?”

  “No,” Kimberly replied adamantly.

  “Hmm . . . Let’s see, are your ears kalt?” He touched her ears.

  “No.”

  “What about your nose?”

  The child giggled when Elijah swooped her into his arms. He placed her gently on the bench next to Catherine, then gave Catherine a wink before climbing into his spot.

  With a click of Elijah’s tongue, Pickles lunged forward. The sleigh glided over the freshly fallen snow.
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  Catherine made sure the blanket was tucked around Kimberly. She didn’t want the state authorities for the foster care system accusing her of not properly looking after their soon-to-be daughter.

  “We’re going to have lots of fun,” she told Kimberly. Catherine had checked the pond every day to see if the ice had thickened enough to skate.

  A few minutes later they arrived at the pond. Elijah stopped the horse and set the brake.

  Catherine tied the laces on Kimberly’s skates. “Remember how we practiced walking on skates?”

  “Yes. I glide.”

  Ever since she opened the package on Christmas Day, Kimberly had begged to wear them. Catherine laced them on her feet and taught her how to keep her balance with the blade protectors on, but that wasn’t on ice.

  Catherine reached for the girl’s hand, and Elijah reached for the other. Together they stepped onto the ice.

  “Glide, glide, glide,” Kimberly said, doing remarkably well. Her laughter carried over the air like sweet music to Catherine’s ears.

  All three of them were exhausted by the time they got off the ice. Kimberly fell asleep on the sleigh ride home, and Elijah had to carry her inside.

  “She’s exhausted,” he whispered.

  Catherine smiled. “She’s a happy little girl.”

  He placed Kimberly on the bed to finish her nap, then returned to the kitchen. “What about you?” He pulled her into his arms. “Are you happy?”

  “Do you have to ask?” She threaded her fingers through his hair and leaned in to give him a kiss. “I’ve never been happier.”

  A knock on the door pulled Elijah away from her. The visitor introduced himself as Alex Canter, an attorney for Rulerson, Markel, and Boyd, and when Catherine told him her name, his eyes lit. “You’re the famous Catherine Glick we’ve all been hunting for.”

  “I’m Catherine Graber nau, and I’m nett famous.”

  “She had a head injury and had lost her memory,” Elijah explained, placing his hand on her lower back. “What can we do for you?”

  Alex opened his briefcase and removed a long envelope. “I told you Rulerson, Markel, and Boyd are the best firm to hire.” He presented Elijah with an envelope.

  “What’s this?”

  “Your part of the settlement, minus our fees, of course.”

  “But I told you I didn’t want to go to court.”

  “We had a verbal agreement for representation,” he said. “Remember?”

  Elijah wasn’t sure what to believe. He had specifically told Alex he didn’t want to go to court or make a statement, and he had never seen Alex again until now. Elijah stared at the envelope, then looked over at Catherine. “I have everything I need.” All of their medical bills had been paid—his through Alex’s law firm, and Catherine’s had been paid thanks to a victims’ assistance program. He handed Alex the envelope.

  “If I take this back, the check will sit on our books until it’s sent to the state as unclaimed funds. That money is yours.”

  “To do with as I wish?”

  “Yes,” Alex said. “Don’t give it to the government.”

  “Can I give to it someone else?”

  “Sure, I can arrange it.”

  Elijah went into the kitchen and removed a pen from the top drawer, then jotted a message. This is a gift from God, so don’t thank me. He handed the envelope back to Alex with instructions for how to locate the nurse who had helped him in his time of need.

  “You don’t even want to look at the amount of the check?”

  “Nay.” He glanced at Catherine and smiled. “God blessed me with finding Catherine. I have everything I need.”

  Alex turned to Catherine. “I’m sorry you weren’t included in the settlement. Without having an agreement for representation, there wasn’t anything I could do. However, you are entitled to—”

  “I have everything I need too.” Catherine sidled up beside Elijah. “God has been gut to both of us.”

  Alex sighed. “Okay, it’s been nice working with you.” He shoved the envelope back into his briefcase and shook Elijah’s hand. “I’m glad everything worked out for you.”

  Once Alex left, Elijah brought Catherine into his arms. “I’m sorry. I should have asked you before giving that money away.”

  “Elijah,” she scolded, “when I said I have everything, I meant it. And”—she stretched to kiss his cheek—“in, I’d say about eight months, we’re going to be blessed even more.”

  “About eight months?” His jaw went slack. “We’re having a boppli?”

  She nodded.

  “We’re having a boppli!” He swooped her into his arms, carried her into the sitting room, then lowered her onto the couch. “Can I get you anything? A glass of water? Warm milk? We’re having a boppli—a baby!”

  “Hush nau before you wake Kimberly. I don’t think we want to tell her this soon she’s going to be a big schweschaler.”

  Elijah kissed her forehead. “You’ve made me the happiest man in Hopewater, Catherine Graber. Our little family is growing, jah?”

  “Faster than you think.” She patted the couch cushion. “You better have a seat. I don’t want you to faint.”

  He sat on the edge of the couch and eyed her carefully. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” Smiling up at him, her face radiating with a joyful glow, she guided his hand to her belly. “The doktah said we’re having twins.”

  “Two?” His mouth dropped open, and for a moment he just stared. “We’re going to need to put an addition on the haus.” He stood, then paced to the end of the room and back.

  Catherine chuckled. “Elijah, don’t wear out the floorboards. You’ll have plenty of time to do that eight months from nau.”

  He returned to his place beside her on the couch, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I can’t wait to see what our future holds.”

  Acknowledgments

  Thank You, Jesus, for allowing me to finish another book and for placing great people in my life to help make my dream a reality.

  I want to thank my husband, who sacrifices the most while I’m holed up in my office typing. It takes a great man to understand times when I’m lost in thought or when I’m carrying on conversations with my characters in my head.

  Thank you, Lexie, Danny, and Sarah. You three are the best kids ever! Lexie, your help with social media has been such a blessing. God has given you a talent with photography and video editing, and I’m so proud of the work you’ve done. Danny and Sarah, this is your senior year and I’m so very proud of both of you. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for you. Thank you for all the work you do around the house.

  This book would not be possible without the tremendous dedication of my publishing family at HarperCollins Christian Publishing. I wish to especially thank Becky Monds, my wonderful editor, for her encouragement, support, and God-given editing skills. You are such a blessing to me! I’m also very grateful for Julee Schwarzburg, my line editor. I am so honored to have been able to work with you! A special thanks to Kristen Golden who works hard marketing my books, to Jodi Hughes who typeset Arms of Mercy, and to my publisher, Amanda Bostic, who allows me to be part of the HCCP family.

  I want to thank my agent, Natasha Kern, for her ongoing support. I can’t thank you enough for all the help you’ve given me while writing this book. I treasure your storehouse of knowledge!

  To the folks who have so kindly agreed to be part of my Backroads Messengers street team—thank you! I so appreciate everything you do to help promote my books. God bless you all.

  I also want to thank my Scribes critique partners: Jennifer Uhlarik, Michele Morris, G. E. “Ginny” Hamlin, Sarah Hamaker, and Colleen Scott. I love that within our group we are not only authors who understand each other but prayer partners. You ladies are the best!

  Discussion Questions

  1.As an Amish woman Catherine went against the grain when she proposed to Zach. Do you think Zach should have reacted the way he d
id? Was Zach’s rejection reason enough for Catherine to leave town?

  2.It’s natural for an Amish man to want to have means to support a family before he gets married, but do you think Zach was too focused on growing his business? Was he missing out on the present by worrying about his future? How could his financial concerns be viewed as a lack of faith?

  3.Catherine’s reaction to seeing Elijah again was steeped in bitterness. Was her unwelcoming attitude justified? What reasons did Elijah have for rushing into marriage? How did his promise to Edwina and past obligations change his future? In what ways are Elijah and Zach different?

  4.In Michigan, sparrows usually migrate south for the winter, so when Catherine spots a small bird sitting on a fence post in January, she’s worried. What passage in the Bible comes to mind? Has there ever been a time in your life when your needs were supplied supernaturally? What does Matthew 6:33–34 tell us to do?

  5.The man with red hair shows up in several scenes of the book. Who does this man represent to you? How did the stranger help Catherine? How did he direct Elijah’s path? Do you see other reasons for the red-haired man’s involvement than just getting Elijah and Catherine back together?

  6.Both Catherine’s and Elijah’s nurses were inspirational in helping them while they were in and out of the hospital. Did you see the nurses’ help as God’s way of supplying Catherine’s and Elijah’s needs? Have you seen God work through one person to provide for someone else? Do you believe God blesses both people in the process?

  7.The conflict between Bishop Zook and Dr. Wellington stemmed from the loss of someone they both loved. Can you see how bitterness had taken root in their hearts? Do you think God planted Elijah and Catherine in their lives to bring the men to a point of forgiveness?

  8.Kimberly was a victim of her mother’s bad choices. What was your reaction when you read that her blindness was the result of her mother’s addiction? Can you see how Kimberly would have emotional problems associated with being abandoned?