Sarasota Dreams (21 page)

“No, thank you, ma’am. I just want to take a look at the box and let them know what I see.”

Mary led the way, with the officer and Grandma bringing up the rear. She knew her grandmother was there to protect her from whatever she might have to deal with.

When they got to her room, Mary pointed to the dresser. “There’s the box.” She moved her finger to the right, where the kapp lay on top of the note. “And that’s what was in it.”

He crossed the room and lifted the box. After he turned it upside down and thoroughly inspected it, he focused his attention on the kapp and note. “Mind if I read this?” he asked.

Mary’s breath caught in her throat. As difficult as it was, she nodded. “That’s fine.” She had to turn away to keep from breaking down.

The room grew quiet as the officer read the letter. When he finished, he returned the paper to her dresser and gently placed the kapp back on top of it. “Ms. Penner,” he said softly. “I am so sorry about all this. I’ll let them know it was only a couple of personal items and nothing of interest that would affect the drug ring case.”

Mary had to fight the tears as she nodded her thanks. Grandma put her arm around Mary and pulled her close.

The ride back to the restaurant was as silent as the ride to the house. But when they pulled up at the curb, the officer turned to Mary and handed her a card. “Take care of yourself, Ms. Penner. If anyone ever tries to bother you again, call me.”

“I will,” she said as she opened her door. “Thank you for being so understanding.”

Mary walked back into the restaurant and into Grandpa’s arms. “Do you feel like working, Granddaughter? If you need—”

“I need to work. This is where I belong.”

He let go and gestured toward the kitchen. “Then go get your apron on and get to work.”

Mary did as he said. It was already early afternoon, so most of the lunch crowd had left. A few people lingered, and occasionally a group would enter for a late lunch or dessert. Mary was glad for the distraction of work.

She’d finally finished serving the last person on her shift, hung up her apron, and started talking to Shelley when she heard loud voices in the dining room. “I wonder what that’s all about?” Shelley asked.

Mary rolled her eyes. “No telling, but after today I think I can handle anything.”

Grandpa rushed into the kitchen. “There’s been an accident on the Glick farm!”

Her ears rang. With all the turmoil of the day, she’d managed to push Abe to the back of her mind.

Grandpa motioned wildly. “I tried to call Abe’s cell phone, and he didn’t answer. We need to go see about him.”

Mary nodded as her heart raced. “I’m coming with you.”

One of Grandpa’s regular Yankee customers, Phillip, offered to drive them to the farm. On the way, Grandpa kept asking, “Can’t you go faster?”

Mary was glad Phillip remained steady. “No, sir. I’m going the speed limit.”

When they pulled onto the road leading to Abe’s house, they saw the ambulance. Mary’s heart raced even faster. Grandpa took her hand and bowed his head.
Lord, I pray for Your mercy on Abe
.

Phillip pulled the car to a stop beside the ambulance. Mary hopped out and ran to see if Abe was in it.

“Mary,” she heard from behind. When she turned around and saw Abe standing there, her knees started to give way. Abe reached out to steady her. “Are you okay?”

She gulped and nodded. “What happened? I thought you were hurt.”

“Neh, it was Jonathan Polk’s son. He came to help out for a few days, and I hadn’t given him the safety talk yet. He went to the old barn and tried to move something. One of the rafters fell down on him, but it looks like he’ll be fine. They’re taking him to the hospital for x-rays, but they don’t think anything is broken.”

Abe started to let go of Mary, but she pulled him closer. “Please don’t let go. I was so worried something terrible had happened to you, and it scared me, so when Grandpa said he was coming out to check on you, I wanted to come with him, and now I’m—”

“Whoa, Mary, slow down.” Abe held her at arm’s length and looked in her eyes. “So you were worried about me, huh?”

She nodded and opened her mouth, but nothing would come out.

Abe broke into a grin. “This might sound strange, but I’m glad to know you were worried about me.”

Mary pulled back and scowled. “What? You like to worry me?”

“Now that’s my Mary. Feisty and direct.”

“Why would you want to worry me?”

He caught her off balance as he pulled her back to his chest. “I don’t want to worry you, but I’m happy you care enough to check on me.”

Mary finally sighed as she thought about how her mother’s pride created regrets that could never be overcome. She couldn’t make the same mistakes. “Abe?” She looked up into his eyes.

As their gazes locked, her knees went all wobbly again. He steadied her.

“Now I’m worried about you,” he whispered. “Would you like to come inside and get something to drink? I’m thinking the heat might be getting to you.”

“No, Abe, it’s not the heat,” she whispered. “It’s you.”

A grin continued to play at the corners of Abe’s lips, but his eyes showed concern. “Are you sure, Mary? I don’t want you to get sick.”

She closed her eyes and prayed that she wouldn’t regret what she was about to say. Then she sucked in a breath and blurted, “Abe Glick, I love you. I’ve shut you out for so long, I don’t know why you even bothered with me.”

“You have been a bother,” Abe teased. His expression quickly became serious. “But I see something in you, Mary—something that let me know that beneath your shield is a loving, spirited woman.”

“So what now?” she asked.

Abe glanced around then took her by the hand. “There are too many people here. Let’s go find a private spot so I can show you what now.”

Mary’s heart raced as she followed Abe to the back of his house. As soon as they were out of sight, he spun her around to face him.

“I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember—even when we were kids,” he said. “I wanted to protect you from everything that might ever hurt you. When I went away to college, thoughts of you helped me through the most difficult times, so the first thing I wanted to do when I returned and saw you again was to make you love me, too.”

“Why did you wait a whole year?”

“I didn’t want to be in too big of a hurry, and I wanted to make sure everything was just right for us.”

“Why did the Lord let me continue being so stubborn?”

“I don’t know,” Abe replied.

“So what now?”

He let go of her and shoved his hands in his pockets. “The very thing that attracted me to you also scared me. It still scares me. Sometimes you’re not easy to approach.”

Mary laughed. “So I’ve heard.”

“I wanted everything to be perfect—” Abe glanced around then settled his gaze on her. “But nothing we do can ever be perfect, so …”

The look in Abe’s eyes melted Mary’s heart. When he gently took her hand and tenderly kissed the back of it, her knees turned to jelly. She grabbed hold of Abe’s shoulders to keep from falling.

Concern again flickered across his face. “Let’s go inside.”

“No,” she said as she steadied herself. “I like how this is going. I wanna stay and see what happens next.”

Abe’s laughter was delightful—a sound she knew she’d never get tired of hearing. “Mary Penner, you are so full of surprises.”

She jammed the fist of her free hand on her hip and widened her eyes. “So are you, Abe Glick.” Then she gestured for him to continue. “Okay, keep going.”

He again kissed the back of her hand, never taking his gaze off hers. “Mary, how would you like to live on a farm?”

Mary contorted her mouth and narrowed her eyes. “All depends on what farm we’re talking about.”

“This farm. With me.”

“Hmm.” She tapped her chin with her index finger.

Abe placed his hands on her shoulders, his face inches from hers. “Mary Penner, will you make me the happiest man in Florida and be my wife?” She offered him a teasing look. “Just Florida?”

He grinned as he lifted his arms and gestured wide. “If you say yes, I’ll be the happiest man in the world!”

She forced herself not to smile or jump up and down with joy. Instead, she leveled him with as stern a look as she could manage. “What took you so long to ask? Of course I’ll be your wife.”

“Abe? Mary?”

They glanced up toward the voice. “Grandpa!” Mary gave Abe a quick wink then ran over to her grandfather. “You’ll never guess what just happened!”

Grandpa smiled. “Oh, I think I can.”

Abe joined them. “I’m sorry, Mr. Penner, I should have spoken to you about this first. With your permission, I would like to marry your granddaughter.”

“I’m speaking for Sarah and myself,” Grandpa said as he hugged Abe. “You have our full blessing.” He turned around to face Mary. “But now we need to get back to town. We have work to do.”

Abe waited until Grandpa turned his back before he leaned over for a kiss. “I love you, Mary. You’ve just made me a very happy man.”

“I love you, too, Abe.” Mary couldn’t believe how easily those words rolled off her tongue.

As the car rolled away from the farm, Mary looked around and thought about how this would soon be her home. Grandpa winked at her and squeezed her hand. The joy between them was so powerful, neither of them had to say a word.

Shades of the Past
is set in the Pinecraft community of Sarasota, Florida, a beach town south of Tampa Bay. Most of the Pinecraft homes are rented by Mennonite and Amish families who have decided to settle in Florida to enjoy the mild winters and white sandy beaches. The houses are small, but they are wired for electricity, which many of the inhabitants enjoy, even if they come from a sect that doesn’t typically use electricity.

With Sarasota being a busy beach town, it’s difficult to care for large animals, so instead of the traditional horse-and-buggy transportation, most of the Mennonite and Amish residents get around on adult-sized tricycles called bikes or three-wheelers—some motorized and some pedal powered. They attach baskets and boxes to haul larger loads for errands and short trips around the neighborhood, and they use city buses and independent drivers for longer distances.

Some visitors may have a difficult time telling the difference between Amish and the most conservative Mennonites. Most of the Amish women wear kapps with strings, while Mennonite women have a wider variety of head coverings, including crocheted pieces. Mennonite men may have mustaches, while Amish men are likely to only have beards.

Sarasota hosts a variety of Mennonite and Amish orders from other areas, creating a blend of old and new traditions that have evolved during the years. The language tends to be more contemporary than that of some Conservative Mennonite groups.

A few Mennonite and Amish farms still thrive on the outskirts of Sarasota. On most Saturdays, Pinecraft hosts a farmer’s market, and roadside stands dot the area on weekdays, with local citrus being the most common produce available.

T
RUSTING
H
ER
H
EART

Dedication

In loving memory of my mother-in-law, Bobbie Mayne, who exemplified Christian love every day of her life.

This book is dedicated to Mary Crawford, a kind, generous, and sweet-spirited friend of the Mayne family.

M
ary Penner Glick’s gaze darted to something behind Shelley, and a grin twitched the corners of her lips. “Guess who’s walking in the door now.”

Shelley Burkholder spun around as Jeremiah Yoder scanned the near-empty restaurant. The breakfast crowd at the small diner had dwindled, and the lunch crowd hadn’t arrived yet. Her pulse quickened at the sight of Jeremiah, but she froze in place.

“Want me to seat him and take his order?” Mary offered.

“No, that’s not necessary. You need to run along. I’m sure Abe doesn’t want to be kept waiting.”

The sound of Mary’s laughter rang as she firmly placed her hand on Shelley’s shoulder. “I miss working here, so it’s my pleasure. Take a minute to gather your thoughts, and I’ll make sure everyone is taken care of.”

Ever since Peter had surprised Shelley with an announcement that he was engaged to someone else, she knew better than to let any man have even a sliver of her heart. Besides the hurt, the emotional investment took more time and energy than she had, so she saw this as a sign from God that she had no business falling in love anyway.

“Shelley, would you mind getting another pot of coffee brewing?” Joseph Penner called out, interrupting her thoughts.

“Sure, Mr. Penner.” She scurried toward the beverage station.

Mary joined her as she poured the water into the coffeemaker well. “I just put Jeremiah’s order in. Want me to stick around and deliver it when it’s done, or can you handle him?” She reached up and adjusted her kapp, making Shelley smile. Mary had always had a difficult time keeping her kapp on her head.

“No, no, run along. You’ve already done more than you should around here.”

“If you’re sure …” Mary took a step toward the door. “I’ll check on you later to see how things go with Jeremiah.”

Shelley forced a smile. “Stop worrying about me. I’ll be fine. Jeremiah is the least of my concerns.”

With a teasing glance, Mary chuckled. “Okay, if you say so.”

Shelley waited until Mary left the restaurant before sighing. If Jeremiah hadn’t been such a rebel, she might be flattered by his advances, which had started right after Mary and her husband, Abe, got married. But Jeremiah had left the Conservative Mennonite church once, and she wasn’t sure he wouldn’t do it again. Her childhood crush on Jeremiah Yoder was part of her past and needed to stay that way—out of her present and future—if she wanted a peaceful life. Between her mother’s recent mood dips and trying to help out with her younger brother, William, who had Down syndrome and a penchant for running away when he was upset, Shelley had little time for matters of the heart. Perhaps the Lord wanted her to stay single. It certainly seemed that way.