Annie's Truth (Touch of Grace) (39 page)

Then I got your letter, and I felt new mercy. For all of these eighteen years (and yes, I’ve counted them) I recognized I’d always have a rotted piece in my heart, one that I wouldn’t let the Lord cut away. But in bringing you to me He did.

I loved hearing about your world, Annie. Since you came to see mine you know what I do and the people I see. But know there’s always a place for you here in my life, if you ever want to take it.

This has probably put you in an awkward situation with your people in the community. I’m sorry for that. But I’m sure you’re loved and accepted because of the Amish people’s way.

If only she knew. But Annie wouldn’t tell her. That would only bring more heartache, and neither of them needed that again in their lives.

Please continue to write, call if you’re allowed, and if ever possible, come to see me again. Under the circumstances I know my presence wouldn’t be understood, but know that I would come if I could.

I learned that a mother would do anything for her child once you were gone to me. Just as our heavenly Father did for us by giving His Son. I lost you once, Annie. I don’t want to lose you again.

Truly yours
,

Your Mother

The page wet with tears could not have felt more real in her hands, the words more meaningful, or the emotion so clear. She had done the right thing to seek out her mother. This union was worth the rejection, frustration, and confusion that had come of it. She would have no regrets. In finding her mother, she had found her truth.

 
Epilogue
 

A
NNIE HEARD
J
OHN’S
boots on the porch. Their new home was bare inside. No knickknacks or calendar adorned the house to give it character, but Annie would make it their own. She sat in the rocking chair Amos had made them for a wedding gift, swaying as she worked on John’s quilt. He had already given Annie her wedding present—a handmade rug with orange, yellow, and dark threads, a sunshine-and-shadow.

John took off his boots and sat next to Annie in the only chair they owned. He was hard at work to stain a table that was given to them as a gift, but the daily chores came first, and there was a lot to do for a man with no able-bodied children to help him.

“You’re so good to take off your shoes, but it will have to be walked on someday.” She put the thread she was working with between her lips and bit it in two.

John looked down at the large, colorful rug at the tip of his toes. “It reminds me of your journey and mine, finally realizing everything that happened to us was through Gott’s will. If you hadn’t left, the change in us would have never happened. He was preparing us to be together.”

Annie pulled up the quilt and laid it out for John to see. “It’s all Gott’s design.” Mamm had pieced the quilt together but left it unfinished so Annie could complete it herself.

“Look here.” She showed him the few pieces she had stitched together. “Hardships and joyful events, coming of age, our journeys and marriage. But this is what holds it together.” She pointed to the thread she was using, three pieces twined together. “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. It represents the two of us with Christ, throughout the entire quilt, even what’s not complete yet.”

His eyes softened, and he reached for her. “I thought I knew the meaning of your experience, but I understand even more. You couldn’t be as content as you are now without discovering who you were and finding peace in that.”

She stood and placed the quilt on the rocker, sat on his lap, and put her arms around his neck. “You were so good to let me go. It helped me see things so much clearer. I wasn’t trusting the Lord while I was gone. Only myself and…” She hesitated and glanced at John, unsure whether he was able to be that forgiving yet.

“Rudy. You can say his name. If it wasn’t for him, you wouldn’t have ever found Monica. You might still be wondering and waiting, and we couldn’t be happy together until that happened.” He tightened his arms around her waist to look her in the eyes.

She brought his big, rough hand to her cheek and held it there. She didn’t deserve this wonderful man, but here he was, had always been there for her. But then, she didn’t deserve the forgiveness Gott had given her either.

She glanced around the room that held so little and felt that she had so much. When she turned back to John, she could see a vision of their future, and she admired the view.

 
Glossary
 

ach — oh

bann — excommunicated

danke — thank you

dawdi — grandfather

ferhoodled — enamored

gmayna — church board

God — Gott

grumbeere — potatoes

gut — good

hallo — hello

haus — house

Ich bin anschaffe — I am working

jah — yes

kapp — hat

komm esse — come eat

mammi — grandmother

meidung — avoid

narrisch — crazy

nee — no

ordnung — order of Amish ways

puh — ugh

rumspringa — teenagers running around

shunned — disregarded

sod — in the secular world

vorsanger — hymn leader

welschkorn — corn

Welsh — Englishman

C
OMING FROM
B
ETH
S
HRIVER IN
2013

G
RACE
G
IVEN

B
OOK
2
IN THE
T
OUCH OF
G
RACE
SERIES

 Prologue 

R
IPPLES OF PINK
clouds covered the blue Texas sky. The sun slowly dipped behind a large oak tree that was almost invisible against the fading darkness. Elsie and Katie walked down a dirt road leading to their family farm after a day at a neighbor’s quilting bee.

“I like the orange with the yellow patches.” Katie flicked her thick, amber curls away from her blue eyes.

Elsie shook her head. “Not me. I like green with the yellow.”

Katie frowned and kicked a rock down the lane ahead of them.

Elsie thought of a compromise, a frequent gesture she made on her part when dealing with her sister. “What if we do all three?”

As they chatted about the patches needed to complete their quilt, an unfamiliar rumbling noise made them pause. Elsie stopped and looked behind her as a car drove up, causing a cloud of dust to fall around them. Her kapp blew off, and the driver whistled.

The three other young men in the car heckled them and laughed. “Hey sweetie, show us more.”

“How about some leg, Amish girl,” the driver called out to her.

“Hey, ladies, stop and talk to us,” another yelled over to them. “No harm in being friendly.”

Each word made Elsie feel dirty, as if the men were throwing handfuls of mud at her. The car came to a halt, and the driver got out. She sucked in a breath and took two steps backward. His dirty blond hair was slicked straight up, and his blue eyes hardened as he took her in.

The passenger door opened, and a tall, skinny young man walked around the front of the car. He looked Elsie up and down and moved toward her. She took another step backward, whirled, and took off running, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. She didn’t stop until she got to the gravel road leading to their house. Finally she leaned over, puffing and holding her side. Katie was close behind, catching her breath.

Katie turned around. “They didn’t follow us, thank God.”

Elsie glanced around. No one had seen them with those men.

“Elsie, Katie. Are you all right?” Their daed’s voice boomed from behind them. “I saw you running all the way up the drive.” His height and hefty build gave him an intimidating appearance, but his family and community knew him as a gentle man.

“Nee, we’re fine.” Katie answered before Elsie could think of what to say.