The Quilter's Daughter (30 page)

“I expect you’re right about that.”

“When I shared my concerns with Edna, she came up with the idea of taking Abby with her to Montana. She said her sister-in-law has been through the fire herself, so she’s hoping Elizabeth might be able to help Abby through this difficult time.” Fannie groaned. “I sure have failed in that regard.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, my love. You’ve done your best by Abby.”

“You think so?”

Abraham nodded. “However, Edna might be right about Abby needin’ some time away.” He gave his beard another good tug. “Got any idea how long they’ll be gone?”

Fannie offered him a sheepish grin. “Edna plans to come back in a few weeks, but she’s not told my daughter that. She hopes to fix it so Abby will stay on through the rest of winter and into the spring awhile.”

He frowned. “How come so long?”

“In June there’s to be a big auction in the Rexford Amish community, and one of the main things they auction off is quilts. So Edna figures—”

“But Abby’s been sayin’ she wants nothing to do with quilts,” Abraham interrupted.

She sighed. “I know, but if she’s ever to move on with her life, then she’s got to work through her grief. I’m hoping someday she’ll enjoy quilting again, too.”

“What if that doesn’t happen?”

“Then I’ll keep praying for her.” Fannie’s voice broke. “Oh, Abraham, I can’t bear the thought of my daughter spending the rest of her life in such grief.”

Abraham’s mind drifted back in time. Back to when his first wife had been killed, and then on to when his baby boy was kidnapped. If he hadn’t finally let go of his pain, he wondered
where he might be today. Certainly not sitting here with his sweet Fannie Mae. He’d probably still be a cranky old storekeeper who felt sorry for himself and yelled at his kinner when he should have been loving on them.

He leaned over and kissed Fannie’s cheek. “We need to put Abby’s future in our heavenly Father’s hands.”

Fannie smiled through her tears. “How’d ya get to be so smart, husband?”

He chucked her under the chin. “Guess bein’ around you so much has caused some of your wisdom to rub off on me.”

She swatted him playfully on the arm. “Go on with ya now.”

A piercing wail drifted down the stairs, and Abraham tipped his head. “Sounds like the boys are awake.”

“I’d best go see to them.” Fannie started to stand, but Abraham beat her to it. “Let me get ’em while you fix yourself a cup of tea.”

She lifted her shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. “What are you tryin’ to do, Abraham, take over where Abby left off?”

He winced as though she’d wounded him, but then followed it with a quick wink. “You’re right, Fannie Mae. Far be it from me to take over your chores.”

She gave him a quick hug, then rushed out of the room. Abraham decided he would head back to the barn, because that’s where he did his best praying.

L
inda tried to relax, curling her legs underneath her and pushing against the sofa cushions. It was Saturday, and she was alone. Jimmy had gone over to Allen’s to spend the day, and as usual, Jim was working. She’d decided this was a good time to reread the verses of Scripture Rev. Deming had given her earlier in the week.

Linda opened her Bible and turned to 2 Timothy 1:7. “ ‘For God did not give us a spirit of timidity; but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline,’” she read aloud.

The reverend must have realized that I’m full of fears. Fear that Jim will leave me. Fear that I won’t be able to love him as I should. Fear that he will never find the Lord as his personal Savior
.

Linda turned to the next verse of scripture, which was found in Galatians 5:22.

“ ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.’” She squeezed her eyes shut.
Lord, I need the fruits of the Spirit—especially peace and patience. In my frustration over our relationship, I’ve often become impatient and said things to Jim out of anger. Help me become the kind of wife he needs, and help him see You living in me
.

The telephone rang, and Linda jumped. She hurried across the room and grabbed the receiver, hoping it might be Jim. “Hello, Scott residence.”

“Linda, this is Marian. Is my son at home? I need to speak with him.”

Linda frowned. Couldn’t Jim’s mother have asked how she
and Jimmy were doing before demanding to speak with her son? “Jim’s working today, Marian. May I take a message?”

“I have something important to tell him, and I’d rather he hear it from me.”

“I suppose you could call his cell phone. Do you have that number?”

“I thought Jim had given it to me, but I can’t seem to find it.”

Linda gave her mother-in-law the phone number slowly, then repeated it.

“All right, thanks. Be sure to give Jimmy a hug from his grandma and grandpa Scott.”

“Yes, I will. Good-bye, Marian.”

Linda hung up the phone, wondering what Jim’s mother wanted to tell him that she couldn’t have said to her. She hoped it wasn’t bad news, but if it was anything serious, she felt sure Jim would call and let her know.

“Fannie is really missing Abby,” Naomi told Caleb as the two of them set out some rubber stamps that had been delivered to the store a short time ago. “I hope she and Edna won’t be gone too long.”

Caleb grunted. “I would think Fannie might be glad to have her house back. Abby pretty much took over after the twins were born.”

Naomi nodded. “That’s true, but she was only trying to help. After Lester died, the poor thing needed something to keep herself busy.”

“Let’s hope that when Abby returns to Pennsylvania she’ll feel better about things and will be willing to work at the quilt shop again.” Caleb motioned toward the adjoining store. “We can’t keep buying quilts from the Amish and Mennonite ladies in our community to sell in the shop and expect Matthew to work there. He’s trying to get his woodworking shop going, you know.”

“I’ve not heard him complain.”

“Men don’t complain, Naomi.”

She slapped him playfully on the arm. “Is that so?”

“Hey, quit that!”

She snickered. “See, you’re complaining now.”

He chuckled and pushed the last box of stamps over to her. “Here you go. Someone just came into the store, so I’d better go see who it is.”

“Okay, you wait on the customer, and when I get done with these stamps, I’ll go to the back room and check on our sleeping girls.”

Caleb gave her a peck on the cheek and headed up front.

As Naomi set the last of the stamps in place, she thought about Ginny Meyers and how she used to come into the store to buy rubber stamps for her scrapbooking projects. It had been some time since Naomi had heard anything from Ginny, and she wondered how her old friend was doing. Ginny had only come home once since she’d headed west with Naomi, and that was just for a short visit with her folks one Christmas. To Naomi’s knowledge, Ginny’s family had never even met Ginny’s husband.

How sad
, she thought,
that some families rarely see each other and live so far away. If I had stayed out west, I would have surely missed my family
.

“Got any new stamps?”

Naomi jumped at the sound of a woman’s voice. She turned her head while rising to her feet. “Ginny?”

“Yep, it’s me.”

“Ach, I was just thinkin’ about you.” Naomi gave her friend a hug. “How are you? What brings you to town? How long are you here for?”

Ginny laughed. “Slow down, Naomi. I’m only good for one question at a time.”

“Jah, okay. I’m just so surprised to see you. Did your folks know you were coming?”

“No. Today’s Mom’s fiftieth birthday, so Chad and I flew in for the surprise party my brother and his wife are putting on.” Ginny smiled. “I decided to stop by and see you first. Thought maybe there might be something in your store I could buy for Mom.”

Naomi nodded toward the adjoining room. “How about a nice quilt from my stepmother’s quilt shop?”

Ginny shook her head. “That won’t work. Mom already has an Amish quilt.”

“Maybe a wall hanging or pillow then?”

“She might like a couple of throw pillows.”

“Follow me and I’ll see what’s available.”

A few seconds later, they were inside the quilt shop. Ginny wandered around the room, commenting on how beautiful the quilted pieces were, as Naomi pointed out various pillows she thought Ginny’s mother might like.

“You mentioned your stepmother’s shop in one of your letters, but I had no idea it was so big,” Ginny commented.

“Papa added onto the store shortly after he and Fannie were married.”

“So where is Fannie? Doesn’t she work here?”

“She does all her quilting at home these days, because she’s got her hands full takin’ care of the babies.”

Ginny ran her fingers over a beige and green pillow with the Lone Star pattern. “Ah, yes, that’s right. Your dad and Fannie have twins; isn’t that what you told me in one of the letters?”

“Jah. Timothy and Titus, and they’re identical.” Naomi grinned. “Took us the longest time to tell ’em apart, but we finally figured out who was who.”

“So now you have two little brothers.”

“And two little girls of my own.” Naomi nodded toward the back room. “They’re both down for naps at the moment.”

Ginny’s auburn eyebrows drew together. “I remember when Zach used to sleep in that room.”

Naomi stared at the floor as memories cascaded over her like a broken dam. Even though it had been almost six years, she could still picture her baby brother’s sweet face. He was such an agreeable child, always giggling and making everyone laugh.

“Sorry if I upset you by bringing up Zach.” Ginny touched Naomi’s shoulder. “I don’t imagine you’ve heard anything more since his disappearance?”

Naomi shook her head. “Not since we saw that ad in
The
Budget
letting us know he was all right. I doubt we’ll ever see my little bother again, but I still pray for him and trust that whoever took Zach is taking good care of him.”

“I think about the little guy sometimes, too.”

“You do?”

Ginny nodded. “One day a couple of women came into the fitness center, and one of them had a little boy who made me think of Samuel when he was that age. I’m guessing he’s exactly how Zach would look about now.”

“In what way?”

Ginny shrugged. “He had Samuel and Zach’s same dark chocolate eyes and golden brown hair. And the boy was about the age Zach would be these days, too.”

“Did you happen to look behind his right ear?” Naomi didn’t know why she was asking such a silly question. The idea that the boy Ginny saw could be Zach was ridiculous, despite his familial resemblance to her brothers.

“I never got close enough to see behind the kid’s ear. Why do you ask?”

Naomi shook her head. “Never mind. It was only a silly notion that popped into my head.”

“As I recall, you always were one for silly ideas.” Ginny picked up the Lone Star pillow. “I think I’ll take this one, and maybe I’ll get a wall hanging for Mom, too.”

“Jah, okay.” Naomi led Ginny to the wall hangings on the other side of the room. She was glad to see her old friend again but wished the subject of Zach had never come up. He was gone, and no amount of wishful thinking could bring him back.