Anna's Healing (20 page)

Erin cocked an eyebrow and said, “She's ready.”

Chloe walked into the sitting room and tried not to wince. The sight of Anna in a wheelchair still came as a shock, even after so many months. She'd been so vibrant and full of life when Chloe had first met her. Now she seemed like a mere shadow of her former self. Everyone said to give her time and Anna would find her way back to them, back to the person they knew and loved. But Chloe was beginning to worry that might never happen.

“Tell me you are not in a complaining mood today, Anna Schwartz. I've been looking forward to this trip for a week.”

Anna stared at her and attempted to frown, but when Chloe stuck out her tongue, she laughed. “You look like a child when you do that.”

“And you sound like one, which is why we make perfect friends.”

It was true. They'd become fast friends over the last eight, no nearly nine, months. Chloe realized with a start that in many ways Anna was the little sister she'd never had.

“I'm so glad you're finally going to meet my mom.”

“I thought I met her in the hospital.”

“She met you. You were rather out of it.”

“
Ya
, so you tell me.”

“The van will be here any minute,” Erin said. “You girls had best hurry outside.”

Chloe moved behind the chair and released the brake. “Do you have everything you need?”

“What do I need?”

“I don't know. Your purse? Maybe a pillow or…”

“I wasn't planning on sleeping.”

“For your back! Weren't you complaining about your back last week when we were on the porch looking through magazines?”

“Maybe, but I'm not going to look through magazines today.”

Chloe rolled her eyes, and Anna said, “I saw that. Well, I didn't see it, but I know you either rolled your eyes or made a face.”

“She's feisty today.” Chloe stopped in front of
Mammi
's chair. “Can you explain that to me?”

Chloe had been teasing, but
Mammi
answered seriously. “Anna had a difficult morning because of the dreams, but I know she is looking forward to spending time with you.”
Mammi
patted Anna's hand and squeezed Chloe's arm. “You two have a
gut
day.”

Erin returned with Anna's purse. “Here you go. Be careful, girls.”

By the time Chloe pushed Anna outside and down the wheelchair ramp, they could see the van turning into the lane.

“What nightmares? You didn't tell me about those.”

“Nothing to tell. I'm moody. Didn't you hear?” Anna plucked at the fabric of her dark blue sleeve as she added, “I suppose I thought you might cancel.”

Chloe moved in front of the chair and squatted down in front of her so that they were eye to eye. “I'm not going to cancel. I've looked forward to this as much as you have.”

“Why? Why would you want to spend the day with someone like me who can't… can't do much of anything?”

Anna looked so vulnerable that Chloe longed to enfold her in a hug. Instead, she pulled a
kapp
string to the front that had caught behind her shoulder.

“I don't know. Maybe I'm the crazy one, but I actually like spending a day with my friend instead of working.”

“We don't have to work?” The teasing note was back in Anna's voice.

“I thought about having you fold newspapers for me.”

“Next you'll have me deliver them from my wheelchair.”

“Not a bad idea if you were in town where there are sidewalks.”

The van pulled to a stop and a black man jumped out. “Hello, ladies.”

“
Gudemariye
.”

Chloe was relieved to see it was Clarence driving. She understood full well how much Anna disliked riding in the van, though it was sometimes necessary in order to make one of her doctor appointments in Cody's Creek. Many of the appointments were in Tulsa. For those trips, Erin and Samuel paid a neighbor with a vehicle that was equipped for wheelchairs.

Anna had complained about the van on more than one occasion after a doctor's appointment or trip to the therapist. Chloe thought the problem was that Anna felt vulnerable in the van, especially when the driver was a stranger, but she had mentioned Clarence before. There was a smile on her face as she held a palm up and high-fived him.

“Morning, Anna.” Clarence's voice was soft and Southern, reminding Chloe of molasses.

He lowered the lift with a button inside the door. Chloe pushed the chair onto the lift and Clarence locked the chair into place with clamps on the floor. “Don't want you flying about,” he said and offered a toothy grin.

When Chloe climbed into the van beside her, Anna turned to her in surprise. “I thought you'd take your own car.”

“Nope. When we come back, I'm staying for dinner. Your
aenti
already asked and I agreed. I hear that
Mammi
is making a buttermilk pie.”

“
Ya
. Very fattening.”

“Are you saying I'm fat?”

“I'm saying we'll need to go light on your mother's lunch if we're planning on
Mammi
's pie.”

“No worries. Mom always makes salads for lunch.”

After watching Chloe buckle up, Clarence slammed the van door
shut. He jumped into the driver's seat, put on his own seat belt, and started the engine.

Butterflies fluttered in Chloe's stomach. What was that about?

Ever since she was a small girl, she'd had quirky, butterfly-like feelings when something good was about to happen. Maybe it was excitement about an unusual day, or maybe some part of her could actually tell when life was about to take a big turn.

CHAPTER 30

C
hloe's mom lived on the eastern edge of Tulsa, not far from the farm. When she opened the door to her home, Anna almost giggled. Looking at Chloe's mom was like seeing a mirror image of Chloe.

They both had bouncy black curls, slim figures, and a no-nonsense attitude. Chloe's mom introduced herself as Teri, wore small reader glasses, and had soft lines around her eyes. Anna guessed she was probably in her mid-fifties.

Anna noticed that when Chloe and her mom hugged, something passed between them. What? It was almost as if they were tentative around each other, unsure how to act or what to say. Now that she thought about it, Chloe had not talked much about her mom other than to reveal that she was a quilter.

“It's about time I met you, Anna.” She bent down and enfolded Anna in a hug. “I've been praying for you, child.”

“
Danki
.”

“And I would have visited, but Chloe tells me you're still adjusting to all the therapy sessions and doctor appointments.”

“
Ya
, it is a lot of coming and going.” She motioned toward her legs, and then she remembered her manners, which did not include keeping the conversation on herself. “It's nice to have a day away from the house.”

“Understandable. I was on bed rest when I was pregnant with Chloe. At the time I thought I might lose my mind being confined to one spot
for so long. Once she was born and consuming all my time, I wished for a day in bed.”

“Are you saying I was a lot of trouble?”

“I would never say that, darling.” Teri smiled and motioned toward the living room. “I've set out some iced tea. It's sweetened with fresh raspberries and oranges. Of course, if you'd like something different…”

“The tea sounds
gut
.” Anna's eyes widened as Chloe pushed her chair into the sitting room. Unlike Amish homes, Teri's was decorated with a soft mocha color on the walls. Large bay windows sported sheer curtains to soften the morning sun, and dark green curtains across the top and sides complemented the earth tones nicely.

Anna had only been in a few
Englisch
houses. Many of them were overdecorated, in her opinion. Not Teri's. The room was open, airy, and held enough color to brighten but not overwhelm.

The tea was fresh, and the fruit added a lovely flavor. Anna's shoulders relaxed, and she temporarily forgot to worry about the many problems in her life.

They talked about the wet summer they'd had and changes in Cody's Creek, which included a remodel of the public library and the building of a new strip mall.

“Mom's particularly interested in the shopping center because it's going to include a quilt shop.”

“
Ya
? I hadn't heard—”

“I only know because my daughter interviewed the man who manages and leases the shops.” Teri smiled at Chloe. “I get inside information.”

“Everyone will know Friday when the paper comes out,” Chloe reminded her. Turning her attention to Anna, she added, “The other businesses will include a yogurt shop, an optometrist, and a nail salon.”

“Can't say I'll use the nail salon,” Teri studied her nails, which she kept neat and filed but unadorned by polish. “The quilt shop will be a huge blessing.”

“Wouldn't you rather go to a store in Tulsa?” Anna asked.

Teri tilted her head as if considering. “There are several fabric stores
in the city, but I'd prefer to drive to Cody's Creek. It's the same distance and a much pleasanter trip.”

Anna said, “We buy our fabric at Bylers' Dry Goods.”

“I've been there a few times, but never to purchase fabric.”

“Rebecca carries mostly solid colors because that's what we use in our clothing and our quilts.”

“Do you quilt, Anna?”

Chloe and Anna shared a smile.

“I quilt a little.” Anna hesitated, sipped her tea, and finally continued. “My
mamm
taught me. All Amish girls learn to quilt, but I was never very good at it. I quickly grow bored using the same colors and patterns. When I came here, I was happy to help with the produce booth rather than spend my time with fabric.”

Teri nodded as if she understood, and maybe she did. Anna thought she was an intriguing woman.

Chloe had mentioned during one of their porch talks that her father had died a few years before after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis. When Anna had asked questions, Chloe changed the subject. She'd noticed that Chloe did that when asked any questions about her family—she clammed up or responded with a question about something else.

Teri seemed to have recovered completely from the shock of becoming a rather young widow. There wasn't even a hint of bitterness in her demeanor. Was it because of her faith? The cross and a framed Bible verse on the wall behind them indicated she was a Christian. Had that helped her? Or did her personality allow her to accept trouble more easily than others, more easily than Anna?

“I'm pleased you wanted to come see my little operation. I don't consider myself a master quilter, but I'm proud of what we've been able to do.”

Anna glanced at Chloe, uncertain how to respond. They had an operation? Who was the
we
she referred to?

“Mom, I think you're baffling Anna. Why don't we show her what you're talking about?”

“Absolutely, and then we'll have lunch. I've made a cranberry walnut salad.”

Chloe once again pushed Anna's chair. The house was on a single level with a somewhat open floor plan. Anna could see the dining room and the kitchen from where she sat, but Chloe turned her in the opposite direction.

“This was originally a den when Chloe's father was alive. I've been quilting in a casual way for about ten years. When I first started, I used a small bedroom at the back of the house. After I opted for early retirement from teaching, quilting became more than a hobby. Then Gus died two years ago, and I decided to convert the den into a quilting room.”

It had only been two years since Chloe's father passed? Anna turned to look at her friend, but she was quietly studying her nails.

“The light is good in this room.” Teri added, “Gus always teased that I had my eye on his space.”

Chloe walked back behind Anna's chair and pushed her through a wide double doorway into a room that literally took Anna's breath away. Stunned, she put her hand on the top of the wheel to stop the chair.

“I've got it now, Chloe.”

The room was beautiful—wide windows on one side and double doors that led out to a veranda on the other. There was certainly a lot of light. A sewing machine sat on an L-shaped table in one corner of the room. A third wall was covered with felt, and that seemed to be where Teri placed her quilts as she sewed them. A countertop had been built along the fourth wall. This was where she cut her fabric. Under the countertop were dozens of clear plastic bins filled with supplies.

All of those details passed through Anna's mind quickly. The quilts, on the other hand, amazed her. She slowly rolled her chair from one to another, drinking in the sight of them.