He glanced at his watch and rose from the bench. Sally’s train would be arriving any minute if it was on schedule. He began pacing the lobby, trying to determine what exactly he would say to her.
A loud horn drew his attention to the tracks. Sally’s train had arrived.
<><><>
Saloma looked out the window as the train rolled into the station. Will had written in his letter that his uncle would be picking her up, but she didn’t see him anywhere. She hoped she wouldn’t be left stranded.
“Well, looks like this is our stop,” Pam said. Saloma had enjoyed a pleasant conversation with the woman, who was traveling with her two children. “I don’t know about you, but we’re ready to get out and walk a bit.”
Sally smiled in response.
“It was nice to meet you, Saloma. I hope you have a nice Thanksgiving with your family.”
“Denki. You, too.”
As the train car came to a complete stop, Sally clutched her travel bag to her chest. Slowly, she followed Pam and the other passengers to the unloading zone. She looked around the platform, but didn’t see Will’s uncle anywhere.
“Hey, beautiful,” a voice from behind her called.
She quickly spun around. “Will?”
Will’s handsome smile greeted her.
Maybe this was a bad idea. Seeing Will just made her fall in love with him all over again. “Hello, brother,” she said, mostly to remind herself.
Will frowned, then reached for her bag. “Here. Let me carry that.”
“Where are you parked?”
He tilted his head as they walk out of the station. “This way.”
They remained silent as they walked to his Jeep. He opened the door for her and a wash of memories came back. Yes, being with Will was a bad idea. Why had he picked her up instead of his uncle?
“Your uncle couldn’t come?” she vocalized her thoughts.
“Don’t want to ride with me, huh?” His words sounded like he was teasing her, but his tone did not. “He had to work,” he said flatly.
What was wrong with him?
“Denki for picking me up.”
He nodded without a verbal reply.
They rode in silence for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. “What’s wrong, Will?”
He stared at her. “You’re asking me what’s wrong? I think you know.”
Did he mean what she thought he meant or was there another issue?
She swallowed. “Are you upset with me?”
“How was Kentucky?” He raised a brow.
“Was that a yes or a no?”
Will remained silent. He was clearly avoiding her question.
He is mad at me!
She stared at him. “I don’t understand.”
“Yeah, well, that makes two of us.”
He pulled up to the farm and came to an abrupt stop.
She opened the Jeep’s door. “Why did you ask me to come home if you don’t want me here?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.” She slammed the door. “Kentucky was great, by the way. In fact, I wish I was there right now.” Saloma stormed to the house and hurried to her room.
As soon as she heard Will’s Jeep peel out of the driveway, she broke down in tears.
<><><>
“Well?”
Will met Uncle George’s gaze across the table. “Well, what?”
“Did you talk to her?”
“Is that why you wanted me to pick her up? So we could talk?”
“That was part of it.”
“Yes and no. We didn’t get anywhere, if that’s what you mean.”
“You did invite her to come home for Thanksgiving, remember?”
“I know. I know. I guess I just envisioned things differently.”
“We can cancel, but that would be rude.”
“No, I don’t want to cancel. I just need to figure what on earth I’m going to say to her.”
“How about the truth?”
He patted his uncle on the back. “Now that is a novel idea, Uncle George.”
Chapter 27
Will paced the floor. Sally and her family would be arriving any minute with Uncle George.
He surveyed the perfectly set table. His mother’s china set was rarely in use, and he was pleased to have it for this special occasion.
“Marita, are you sure you don’t need help with anything?”
“You just asked that five minutes ago, Mr. Griffith. And, no, I don’t require your assistance.” She studied him briefly. “Why don’t you take a walk out in the garden to try to relieve some of that anxiety?”
“Great idea.”
Will quickly exited the house and walked out into his uncle’s stunning backyard. Leaves of red, yellow, and brown now covered the landscape that had just been cleared yesterday. A slight breeze blew. He noted the crisp fall air and the changing of seasons.
Will inhaled deeply and offered thanksgiving to his Creator for his many blessings, several of whom would be arriving in just a short time. God, my life is in Your hands.
Another gust caused more leaves to tremble and cascade to the ground. Out of his peripheral vision, he caught sight of the swaying swing. The swing where he and Sally had shared their first kiss.
“William, your guests have arrived,” Marita’s voice called from the sunroom door.
Will nodded and followed after Marita. “Coming.”
The brief walk had somewhat quelled his nervousness, but his anxiousness over seeing Sally had not dispelled.
Will greeted each of his family members upon his entrance. All received a proper greeting, except for Sally, who he simply nodded to. He’d have a private discussion with her later.
His uncle announced, “I’d love to give you all a tour of my home, but Marita has informed me that dinner is ready, so the tour will have to wait. Everyone, please take your seats.”
Will noticed the place cards Marita had set out, a lovely addition to the already-elegant table.
“Rosemary,” Uncle George pulled out the chair for Will’s stepmother.
Will followed suit and pulled out a chair for one of his sisters, and they continued to do so until all their guests were seated.
His uncle nodded and reached for the hands of those beside him. “I’d like to say the blessing,” Uncle George informed them, “but, before I do, I’d like to offer you all an apology. Especially you, Saloma.”
Sally briefly glanced at Will then nodded to his uncle.
Uncle George continued, “I’ve judged you all and your people unfairly. When Elam left, we had a falling out of sorts, and it tainted my view of all the Amish people. I believe that Bishop Mast was wrong in advising him to leave my sister. Nevertheless, I believe that God works out things for the best, even when we get in the way of His plan for our lives.
“You all have been nothing but gracious to William and me, and we appreciate the wonderful hospitality you have so unselfishly lavished upon us. So, please, accept my most humble apologies.”
Each member of the Troyer family smiled and nodded their acceptance.
“Let us give thanks now,” Uncle George said.
Will’s pleased smile reached his uncle, and they all bowed their heads.
“Please join hands,” Uncle George requested.
Will held his hands out to those at his side, Sally and Clara. Clara happily took her half-brother’s hand, but Sally stared at Will hesitantly. He nodded, giving permission, and she reluctantly placed her hand in his. He gently closed his fingers around hers.
<><><>
Saloma pried her eyes open just a little, as Will’s uncle said the blessing. Will’s eyes were closed, so she took the opportunity to stare at her hand in Will’s. His behavior lately had been strange, to say the least. But, now, as she held his hand, it felt like the world was right again – at least, between the two of them.
As everyone opened their eyes
and the food was passed around, Sally kept replaying the scene at the train station. Or on their way home from the station, more accurately. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why Will was upset with her.
Elam. Yes, that had to be it. One of her sisters must’ve mentioned she’d been seeing Elam. But why would that matter to her brother? Maybe he was hoping it would take her longer to get over him. If he only knew her heart on the matter. Perhaps they could have a heart-to-heart conversation later and discuss their feelings and expectations. Whatever the matter was, they needed to get it out in the open so they could put this all behind them and move on with their lives.
<><><>
Sally’s mother and sisters insisted on helping Marita with the putting away of the meal and dish washing. Will took this opportunity to speak to his uncle about the remainder of the afternoon. Uncle George agreed to give Will’s Amish family a tour of the house and the grounds, while Will and Sally went for a walk.
“Sally,” Will called her from the kitchen’s entrance. “Come.”
Saloma did as bidden, and she and Will stepped out into the backyard.
He reached for her hand but she shook her head. “No, Will.”
He began walking down one of the treed paths with Sally at his side. The leaves crunched beneath their feet, but he paid them no mind. “Fine. Have it your way.”
She stopped and turned to him. “Will, what’s going on with you? Why have you been acting so strange lately? Why are you behaving like you’re still in love with me?”
“Maybe I am still in love with you, Sally. Maybe I’m not about to lose you to someone else.”
“No! Don’t do this.” Tears pricked her eyes. “We can’t be together, Will. You know that.”
Will’s jaw clenched. She was a better actress than he’d thought.
He raised a brow. “Do I really? Or is there something you know that you aren’t telling me?”
“What are you talking about, Will?”
“The one little secret you conveniently ‘forgot’ to tell me about? You know, if you didn’t want to be with me in the first place, you could have just said so.” He frowned. “It would have been much easier if you would have just come out with the truth instead of living a lie. Here you had me believing that a relationship between us is impossible. But maybe it is, huh? Maybe it’s impossible because you want it to be.”
“What do you mean? What secret?”
Will stepped close and caressed her face.
“Will, I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. And I wish you would stop this! It’s not right and it’s not fair.” She pushed his hand away.
“I know the truth, Sally.”
“What truth?”
“That you’re adopted.”
Saloma gasped and stepped backward. “That’s absolutely ridiculous! Why would you make up something so…so…preposterous? Are you really that desperate, Will?” She scowled.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his father’s letter. “No, Sally. I’m not the desperate one in this equation. You can’t pretend anymore. It’s all right here.”
She stared at Will as though searching for answers in the depths of his soul. “What is this?”
Will watched as she took the letter from his hand and read it aloud.
“Sandra,
Greetings in the name of the Lord.
Thought I’d write you a letter after I saw you at the store the other day. I saw you before you turned my way and you seemed to be content. That is, until you saw me and my fraa.
I want you to know that I’m not happy about what I’d done to you. My heart hurts too. I ’spect it’s something neither of us will get over too soon. Tell your brother George that I’m sorry too. I know I messed up a lot of things when I left my Amish roots and jumped the fence.
Thank you for not saying anything at the store. My fraa, Rosemary, she don’t know about us. I haven’t had a heart to tell her. Our boppli that you saw, that was little Saloma. A special blessing she was to us. I was for sure and certain God had been angry with me after I left you. Rosemary and me couldn’t have no kinner, or that’s what we thought. So we adopted little Saloma.
I hope you’ll forgive me for what I done to you. I know I did you wrong in a big way and God weren’t pleased.
I hope you’re happy with your new life. I see you got you a boy, so I’m guessing you’re hitched again. That’s good. That’s real good. He seemed like a fine boy. It got me wondering what a boy of our making would have looked like. But I shouldn’t be thinking on those things. It ain’t right.
Anyway, that’s all I got to say, I reckon.
Goodbye, Sandra.
Elam”
Sally’s mouth hung open. “This letter was from my father?”
Will nodded. “To my mother.”
She stared at Will. “He…he said I was adopted. I don’t believe it.” She shook her head.
“What? Are you saying you didn’t know?” Will couldn’t help the skepticism in his voice. “You’re nearly twenty and you didn’t know you were adopted?”
Tears surfaced in her eyes. “No! I didn’t know. This is the first I’ve heard anything about it.”
His arms crossed his chest. “Why would your parents not have told you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand this.” She brushed away a tear.
He frowned.
She looked into Will’s eyes, a disappointed expression on her face. “So, you thought that I knew all this and I was keeping it from you? How and why do you think I would do that, Will? When we had to break up, it hurt me just as much as it hurt you, if not more.”
“Yeah. That’s why you ran to that Amish guy, right? You began courting before I could even breathe again, Sally!”
“Do you mean Elam? I was trying to get over you. I was trying to get my brother out of my head. You even told me to start courting again! Besides, Elam and I are just friends.”
“He hasn’t kissed you?” His gaze pierced hers.
Sally’s cheeks darkened. “That’s not fair, Will. You said–”
“You said you were just friends.”
“Yes, we’ve kissed.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets. “So, now, what? Where does that leave us?”
She shrugged. “Well…maybe we should have never been seeing each other in the first place. You are Englisch, after all.”
“So, that’s it? We’re done?” Will couldn’t help the moisture that began to gather in his eyes. He swallowed hard.
Will wanted to protest. In his pocket, his finger brushed the ring he’d purchased for Sally before she’d gone to Kentucky. How many times had he dreamed of giving it to her since he’d found out the truth? But now she was no longer interested?
Saloma stared off into the distance. “I don’t know. I need to think about it, Will.”
He pulled the ring from his pocket and placed it into her hand. “You do that.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek and quickly disappeared into his uncle’s house. He’d hoped to someday build a home together with Sally, but it seemed the only thing they’d managed to build together was a house of cards.
Chapter 28
Will felt a rocking sensation, like he was out on a fishing boat in the deep sea.
“William, get up. You’re going to be late for church,” Uncle George urged.
Will rolled over and grasped his comforter. “I’m not going.”
His uncle frowned. “I’d hoped to go with you today.”
Will raised his head. “You did?”
Uncle George nodded.
“Okay,” he groaned. “I’ll go.”
“What’s wrong, William?”
Will threw his blankets off. “I’d rather not talk about it now.”
“Are you upset that Saloma returned to Kentucky?”
Will lifted his hand, indicating the discussion was over.
“I understand.” Uncle George walked to the door. “Listen, William. If yo
u need me, I’m here to talk. Anytime.”
“I appreciate that.” Will walked to his closet and pulled out a pair of khakis and a long- sleeved button-down.
If Uncle George was finally going to attend church with him, Will decided even the deepest depression wouldn’t keep him away. He’d been praying for his uncle for years now, and to finally see his prayer answered gave Will a much-needed spark of hope.
Perhaps he and Sally could somehow make it work between them. The fact that it hadn’t worked out between his parents worried Will even further. Was he kidding himself thinking that he and Sally could make it? After all, they had even more obstacles than his parents had.
He hadn’t heard from Sally since she’d gone back to Kentucky two weeks ago. The silence was driving him mad. Had he been a fool to hope for the impossible? Perhaps their romantic relationship wasn’t part of God’s will. When he’d found out that Sally had been adopted, he’d thought that was a sure sign that God was in this. Had he been wrong?
<><><>
Saloma’s back began aching as she waited for Minister Swartz to finish his sermon. She bowed her head and fingered Will’s ring in her pocket. Oh, how she missed him. Even with all his craziness. A life with Will sounded so good, but it also frightened her.
She wasn’t accustomed to the Englisch ways. What if she became homesick, like her father had, and wanted to return home? She could never see herself divorcing for any reason, but what if her father had thought the same way? Was an honest love enough to stand the trials life would bring?
There was one thing, though, that gave her an advantage over her father. She hadn’t been baptized yet. If she left the church now, her family wouldn’t be required to shun her outright. If there ever was a decision to make, it was now.
Dear Gott, please guide me. Please show me what your will is for my life.
Saloma raised her head and discovered the service was almost over. Elam’s gaze caught hers and she lifted a brief smile. If only he knew the turmoil churning in her soul. She was certain sure poor Elam’s kind heart would not escape unscathed.
An Undeniable Secret (Amish Secrets--Book 4) Page 13