The Protective One

by Shelley Shepard Gray

  While they struggled Will helped E.A. lower Marta to the ground. She was ashen and looked about to faint. Tears were also in her eyes.

  Will prayed again, asking for His help.

  Just then, Marta seemed to settle down a tiny bit. He noticed then that the woman was clinging to E.A. with her good hand. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Will knelt on one knee. “Marta, our friend went to get the sheriff. You do want our help, right? You do want the police to get involved?”

  “Oh, yes,” she whispered just as Marie, the sheriff, and two other police officers hurried over.

  Two of them strode toward the group surrounding Marta’s husband. A female officer moved toward Marta. Her eyes were sharp as she inspected her. Will could tell that the officer was taking in every bit of Marta, from the unnatural way she was holding her arm against her body to the bright red mark on her cheek.

  “Oh my stars, Marta. I am so sorry,” the officer said as she knelt down next to Will. “I turned around and you were gone.”

  “It’s okay,” Marta said in a low tone. “The little boy was sick.”

  “He was. But I feel horrible. I let you down.”

  “I was afraid, but it’s okay now,” Marta replied.

  “It’s going to be all right now,” the officer murmured. “I promise.” Looking up at Marie, she smiled. “Thank goodness your friends made sure we dropped everything and ran over here.”

  “They wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Will said.

  Marta stared at Marie in confusion. “You argued with the police officers? But we don’t even know each other.”

  “I’m friends with Elizabeth Anne,” Marie said simply as she, too, knelt on the ground. “When she said you needed help, all of us”—she looked at Will and smiled—“well, we wanted to help as best we could.”

  “I’ve called for an ambulance and more help,” the sheriff said as he walked over to join them.

  Looking worried, Marta sat up. “An ambulance? Oh, no. I don’t need that. I can walk.”

  “I’ll help you stand up, Marta, but I think getting in would be a good idea,” the officer said. “You need to get checked out. I’m afraid your arm might be broken.”

  Marta shivered as she stared down at her arm. “Oh. Yes. I think you might be right.” She darted a worried look over at her husband, who was now standing handcuffed and silently glaring over at them. “What about Alan?”

  “We’re getting a squad car for him,” the sheriff answered with a satisfied expression. “He’ll go to the station for questioning.”

  E.A. spoke. “Will Marta have to worry about him coming over to the hospital?”

  “I think we’re going to have plenty of reasons for him to cool his heels in our jail for a while.” The officer who had knelt by Marta smiled grimly. “Look at all these witnesses. Why, I think it’s going to take several hours to get all of their statements.”

  Will stood up and hugged both John and Marie when he joined him. As more officers came and they heard the faint sirens of an approaching ambulance, John watched, heart in his throat, as E.A. whispered something to Marta and gently hugged her before walking over to the group.

  “Don’t go anywhere,” the officer warned. “I’m going to need to talk to all of you.”

  “We won’t,” said Marie before hugging E.A. tightly.

  As the crowd around them began to disperse, Will felt like he was finally getting his bearings. “That was incredible,” he said to their group.

  Marie looked exuberant. “E.A., I’m so proud of you!” she whispered. “You got your friend to safety! She’s going to be okay now because of you.”

  E.A. shook her head. “No, it was because of all of us. You, Will, John, those strangers. Even Marta herself!” She smiled. “I think the Lord was on our side, too. We all protected Marta. And while we did that, our amazing Lord protected us.”

  Will kissed her forehead. “Amen to that. Amen to that.”

  THIRTY−FIVE

  “I don’t think John lied,” she told the crowd. “We’re an imperfect bunch, you see. We make mistakes and do stupid things and, um, often our best ideas don’t always turn out that good.”

  It was dark out. Riding home in the backseat of Marie and John’s SUV, E.A. didn’t know if she’d ever felt so tired yet so exhilarated at the same time.

  After the female police officer—Officer Fuller—helped Marta get loaded into the ambulance, she’d taken E.A., John, Will, and Marie to a small office at the front of the fairgrounds.

  Minutes later another police officer joined them. Then, with notebooks out, they asked the four of them an exhausting set of questions.

  After they all recounted their run from the base of the Ferris wheel to Marta’s side, John, Marie, and Will were escorted to a waiting room while E.A. was kept back for even more questioning.

  E.A. had known the reason: she was the one who knew Marta the best, and she’d also had that one previous interaction with the man she now knew for sure was Alan Miner.

  She’d answered each question as thoroughly as she could, concentrating only on the facts of what happened and her instinctive need to help. She knew if she started imagining what could have happened if they hadn’t been successful, she would break down into tears.

  She still couldn’t believe all that had transpired. Of how they’d been able to help Marta!

  After E.A. had finished, she was led back to her friends. Then the sheriff asked a few more questions about what they saw Alan do to Marta, or how each of them had tried to help. Though each added what they could, E.A. found herself saying the most yet again. However, this time she had Will’s hand wrapped around her own. He nodded encouragement when she paused in her story and added details whenever E.A. hesitated or faltered.

  Finally, after giving the sheriff their contact information, they were free to go.

  E.A. had no idea where Marta was or if she’d ever see her again. The sheriff didn’t share anything with the group other than that Marta was “safe” and her needs “were being seen to.”

  It was hard for E.A. to realize that was all the information they were going to get, but in some ways, the respect for Marta’s privacy seemed fitting. Marta had many secrets—and had obviously been holding a lot of pain and hurt close to her chest.

  Riding home in Marie’s Escalade, E.A. figured the four of them looked like they’d been put through the wringer. Each of them was rattled by what had just happened.

  “Who should I drop off first?” Marie asked when they reached the outskirts of Walnut Creek.

  “You have to pass my house first. You might as well drop me off then,” Will said. “Is that fine with you, E.A.?”

  “Hmm? Oh, sure. Whatever is easiest.”

  Five minutes later, Marie pulled into Will’s drive. By mutual agreement, she stopped the car and they all got out.

  Marie hugged Will goodbye and John slapped him on the shoulder. “Will, buddy, next time you ask us to come to the fair with you …”

  “Yes?”

  He grinned. “Remind me to tell ya that I have other plans.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not eager to go back again.”

  Turning to Elizabeth Anne, John said, “You know I’m joking, right? I’m glad we were there to help Marta.”

  E.A. knew John was being sincere, but she also knew that the whole experience had been traumatic for all of them. “Truly?” she teased. “Even though you had to spend the last two hours in a sheriff’s office?”

  He shrugged. “That was a new thing for me, for sure. But it doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it.”

  Marie walked to his side. “I can’t even joke about it, you guys. I can’t believe that Marta’s husband kicked her right in front of the whole crowd! He looked so mean, and she looked just like a cornered animal. Scared to death.” She shuddered. “I would never want someone to think they had no choice in how to live.”

  John wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “She has help now
.”

  “I know, and I’m so glad.” After giving John a sweet smile, Marie walked over to E.A. and pressed her hands on either side of her cheeks. “I hope you know how proud I am of you, E.A.,” she whispered. “I’ll never forget how brave you were today. I want to be more like you.”

  The praise was very sweet, but undeserved. “I wasn’t brave. And it wasn’t just me.”

  “No, it was,” Will said. Looking at her intently, he said, “It’s so easy to see something happening and say that it isn’t our problem. Maybe it’s even too easy for a man like me, who grew up Amish. If you weren’t with me, I might have watched Marta and her husband and thought it was a sad situation but not done anything about it. Helping them? Putting Marta’s needs in front of my own? It’s made me stronger. Better, even. Never again will I be afraid to help a woman or child in need.”

  “They’re right,” John said. “You did good today, E.A.”

  “Thank you,” E.A. said at last.

  After Marie and John said they’d wait for her in the car, E.A. turned to Will. “I guess there isn’t anything else to say.”

  “Nothing except that I’ll see you tomorrow, and that I love you, E.A,” he whispered.

  “I love you back,” she replied with a smile. When he pulled her into his arms, she relaxed against him, enjoying how cherished and secure he made her feel.

  After kissing her lightly on the lips, he stepped away. “Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then he headed into his house.

  Feeling like she was in a daze, E.A. returned to the car and got in the backseat, resting her head against the cushion as Marie backed onto the road.

  Ten minutes later, when Marie pulled into Elizabeth Anne’s driveway, both of her parents walked out to greet them. E.A. had called them from the sheriff’s office and filled them in on the bare facts of what had happened.

  Seeing their looks of concern, E.A. braced herself. She knew they wanted to be filled in on everything. And when she did that, she was going to have to admit that she’d been harboring some worries about Marta for some time.

  “Good night, E.A.,” Marie said as E.A. unbuckled her seat belt. “I don’t think I’ll get out again, since your parents are here.”

  “I understand. Thank you for driving. And, well, for everything.” Including John in her gaze, she said, “I owe you both so much.”

  “You take care, E.A.,” John said. “I’ll reach out to everyone about what happened. I think it would be a good idea if all of us got together.”

  Marie smiled at her softly. “We’ll have quite a story to tell, won’t we? Who would have ever guessed that my John knew how to tackle grown men so easily?”

  Smiling at them both, E.A. climbed out of the backseat and turned to face her parents.

  “Hi.”

  Her mother walked forward. “You okay?”

  Maybe it was her mother’s gentle question. Maybe it was the way her father was looking at her with a new warmth in his gaze that she recognized as pride.

  But whatever the reason, she released a ragged sigh she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding and answered completely honestly.

  “You know what? I just don’t know.”

  “Come on in and have some peppermint tea,” her mother murmured as she led the way inside.

  “Danke, Mamm,” she whispered, just as the tears began to fall. Tears for Marta and her fear, and maybe for the whole situation, a situation she wished had never happened in the first place.

  But right as she sat down on the sofa, E.A. remembered one other thing. Just as Marta was walking away, her chin lifted. Her student, her friend, had been triumphant.

  Now, that was something to savor, indeed.

  THIRTY−SIX

  “But I reckon what is important is that no matter what happens, we all have each other’s backs.”

  It had been a long night, and it was made even longer when Jake, Nan, and his parents shuttled Will into the family room and insisted he tell them all what happened.

  So, after getting a fortifying cup of coffee dosed with plenty of cream and sugar, Will had done just that. But, of course, because it was his family—and because Nan could pull information out of a turnip—he wasn’t allowed to skim over one bit of the event.

  Though Will wasn’t exactly fond of retelling the whole story close to midnight, he couldn’t deny that being able to add his own feelings and commentary had felt cathartic. He hadn’t realized until then just how conflicted he had felt about the whole event.

  His mother noticed first. “What’s going on, boo? You don’t seem as pleased as I thought you would be.”

  He leaned back in his chair. “I am pleased—and proud of our efforts. Marta needed someone to help her, and I feel blessed that God gave me the opportunity to help as much as I could.” Looking straight at his father, he said, “Daed, I believed all the stories you told us growing up—about how it is better to turn the other cheek. To be honest, I never thought I could be the kind of man who would enter into a conflict.”

  Jake grunted. “Well, I should hope you would be. You couldn’t have just stood by and watched. Someone had to help that woman out.”

  “Nee, of course not,” he said slowly. “But, for a moment there, I think I wanted that man to hurt. Nee, that’s not right. What I’m trying to say is that I wanted to be the one to hurt him. He was hurting his wife so much, something inside of me wanted to put a stop to it right then and there.”

  His mother looked surprised. “My word, Will.”

  “I know.” Looking at his father again, he murmured, “I’m sorry, Daed.”

  “Son, just because you used violence with good reason doesn’t mean that you’ve become a violent sort. I think it just means that when your back is against the wall and you feel you have no choice, well, you are going to help as much as you can. And that’s what you did. You helped E.A., and most of all, that poor woman.”

  Nan shivered dramatically. “I can’t imagine being so afraid of my husband that I had to run away from him.”

  Jake folded his arms across his chest. “That’s something to be thankful for. I hope you never have anyone treat you like that.”

  Nan smiled softly at him. “Thank you, Jake.” She turned to Will. “Hey, Will?”

  “Jah?”

  “What do you think is going to happen to that woman now?”

  “We learned that she was released from the hospital and taken to a women’s shelter. I guess she’ll meet with people there about pressing charges against her husband.”

  Nan’s expression darkened. “I hope she can get a divorce, too.”

  Will nodded. He didn’t believe in divorce, but there were times for exceptions.

  “After she gets her bearings, I guess she’ll have to start over,” Mamm said.

  Will nodded. “The whole way home, Marie, John, E.A., and I talked about everything. But to be honest, I don’t think we ever really talked about how Marta is going to feel tomorrow morning, or even when she wakes up a month from now. I bet she’s going to feel a little bewildered. Her life is going to be so different now.”

  “But she’ll feel proud of herself, too,” Daed said, surprising Will. “She must have been mighty desperate.” He pursed his lips. “I don’t hold with a man hurting his wife. What he did was wrong.”

  “I hope she knows she will still have a friend in Elizabeth Anne and all of you who helped,” Mamm said.

  Will liked the sound of that. He hadn’t imagined he’d ever see the woman again. But if he did? Well, he would like to think that he could be her friend, or at least someone she could depend on.

  “What are you and E.A. going to do now that you are a couple?” Nan asked.

  Startled by the switch in topics, Will shrugged. “Hmm? I don’t know.”

  His sister rolled her eyes. “Really? That’s all you have to say?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Come on, brother,” Jake said. “You’ve been seeing E.A., you’ve
been helping her rescue women in jeopardy … you’ve been friends with her forever. And … well, you’ve been seen kissing her, too.”

  “More than once,” Nan said.

  He was beyond embarrassed. “I can’t believe you brought that up.”

  “It’s kind of hard not to mention it,” Jake said. “I mean, it’s true.”

  Nan smirked. “Oh, Will. Don’t look so surprised. It’s been mighty obvious what’s been going on.”

  “Oh?”

  “Oh, please,” she coaxed. “I don’t think it’s that hard to say the words. Come on,” she singsonged. “Say ‘I have strong feelings for Elizabeth Anne Schmidt.’ I know you do.”

  He felt as cornered as a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Looking at his parents helplessly, he waited for one of them to intervene. Weren’t they going to step in here?

  Instead, his mother only looked amused, and his father? His father looked directly at him like he expected an answer.

  “Daed, what are you thinking?” he asked.

  “What I’m thinking hardly matters.”

  “I think it does.”

  “Well, then. I’m thinking that it’s all been decided. If E.A. is depending on you to help her and you like her well enough to be spending so much time together, then all that you need to do is make it official.”

  His mother stood up. “Not that you need to make anything official right away, dear.”

  “She’s Mennonite and I’ve already been baptized.” That meant she was going to have to become Amish, too. For most people, that would be a jarring thing—something that might take weeks or months to consider. But he knew E.A. had likely already thought about that.

  “Perhaps we could worry about this another time?” Mamm asked gently.

  “Jah,” Daed said with a nod. “I think it’s time we all went to bed. It’s after midnight.”

  Happy to go upstairs, take a shower, and finally be alone with his thoughts, Will hugged his parents good night, then followed Jake and Nan upstairs.