A VOW for ALWAYS Page 6

  Jonah gave a nod.

  “Are you naerfich?” Dad asked.

  “No. Well, I guess maybe I am,” Jonah admitted. “I want everything to be perfect, but more than that, I hope I can be the kind of husband Meredith needs and a good daed to Levi.”

  Mom patted his hand affectionately. “You will be, Son. I have no doubt of that.”

  Darby

  “What’s in there?” Grandpa asked when Susan took her seat at the breakfast table beside Luke.

  She smiled, placing a small box on the extra chair in the corner behind her. “It’s a present for one of my patients.”

  “Which patient is that?” Grandma asked, sipping her tea.

  “A five-year-old girl named Elsie. She and her parents were in a car accident.” Susan took a piece of toast and slathered it with Grandma’s homemade apple butter. “The poor little thing has a broken arm, several nasty cuts and bruises, and she suffered a severe blow to her head.”

  “That’s a shame,” said Anne. “Is she in stable condition?”

  “She’s getting better,” Susan replied. “But she doesn’t say much, and I thought it might cheer her up if she had a doll to cuddle. So I decided to give her the little faceless doll I bought at the farmers’ market last year.” She leaned her chair back and pulled the doll out of the box.

  “That’s what I’ve been seeing in these dreams I keep having,” Luke said. “At first I thought it was faceless people, but I think it’s a doll like this one.” He touched the doll where it’s face would have been, staring at it as though in disbelief. “Someone I know had a doll like this.”

  “Who was it, Luke?” Grandpa asked, leaning close to Luke.

  Luke made little circles across his forehead with his fingertips. “I think her name was Laura. No, maybe not. It started with an L, though; I’m pretty sure of that.”

  “Think of some L names,” Grandma said, coaxing Luke.

  He studied the faceless doll. “Laurie! Her name was Laurie, and she had a doll like this. No, not one doll, but several.”

  “Susan, wasn’t that young woman at the farmers’ market who sold you the doll named Laurie?” Anne spoke up.

  “Yes, I think it was.” Susan turned to face Luke. “Have you ever been to the farmers’ market in Bird-in-Hand?”

  His eyes widened. “I believe I have.”

  Grandpa reached over and clasped Luke’s arm. “I wonder if you might be Amish.”

  The look of astonishment on Luke’s face told Susan the answer.

  CHAPTER 9

  The following evening, Luke watched nervously as Anne and Susan searched the Internet, looking for Amish last names. He had never heard the word “Google” before and quickly learned it meant doing a search for information on the computer. He sipped at his hot tea, watching in amazement at what the computer could do.

  Susan glanced over at him and smiled. “I’m sure this is all new to you, Luke, but we use computers for just about everything these days. Especially at the hospital.”

  Luke shook his head, still dumfounded as Susan added, “Just about anything you want to know can be accessed by the click of a button, as long as you know the right words to search for.”

  After checking out several websites that didn’t help much, they finally found one that listed Amish last names. They started reading the long list out loud. When they got to “Stoltzfus,” Luke immediately knew who he was. His name was Luke Stoltzfus, and he was Amish!

  His hand went to his forehead, as more memories came flooding back. “I have a wife, and her name is Merrie. We have a home somewhere in Lancaster County, but I’m not sure where.” It made no sense that Luke could remember some things and not others.

  “So if I live in Lancaster, how and why did I end up in Philadelphia?” he asked Susan, who sat quietly by his side at the kitchen table. “Why was I at that bus station?”

  He and Susan had gone there several weeks ago, but it had done nothing to spark any memories.

  “I don’t know,” she said, slowly shaking her head. “But with your memory coming back this quickly, I’m sure that information will come to you eventually, too.”

  “My name is Luke Stoltzfus,” he repeated over and over. It was like music to his ears. He felt like a real person; he was somebody, at last!

  He looked back at Susan and noticed that her shoulders were slumped as she took their empty teacups to the sink. Wasn’t she happy his memory was coming back?

  “It’s getting late,” Anne said, turning off the computer. “I think we should all go to bed and continue with this in the morning.”

  “My sister’s right,” Susan was quick to say. “After a good night’s sleep, your brain will be rested, and it’ll help you remember more.”

  Luke nodded. “Jah, maybe so.”

  “Jah?” Susan asked, looking at him curiously.

  He grinned. “It’s the way the Amish say yes. It’s funny I’ve never said it till now, though. If I’m Amish, wouldn’t you think I’d have been speaking Pennsylvania-Dutch?”

  “Not when you had amnesia,” Anne said. “Until recently, it was as though your past had been completely erased from your brain.”

  “Tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll remember my phone number—if I have one that is,” Luke quickly added. He pushed away from the table and left the room, feeling tired yet exhilarated. He could hardly believe he’d remembered so much of his past in one evening. He was ever so anxious to get back to Meredith. Now all he needed to do was remember his phone number and address.

  “Whew!” Anne blew out her breath. “Can you believe how quickly things started coming together for Luke once he saw your Amish doll?”

  “I know.” Susan stared at a stain on the tablecloth as a lump formed in her throat. She’d known from the beginning that Luke’s time with them had been uncertain and that his memory could come back at any moment. She just hadn’t been prepared to fall in love with him; and learning that he had a wife had been a harsh blow.

  So much for my fantasies about building a life together with Luke, she thought. Tears welled in Susan’s eyes and ran down her cheeks. I’m being selfish, she chastised herself. I should be happy that Luke will be getting his life back with the woman he married, but I know I’ll miss the “Eddie” I once knew.

  Ronks

  After another restless night, Luann got up before anyone else in order to get a few things done. With just one day before Meredith’s wedding, she still had a lot to do.

  Her gaze came to rest on the tablecloth waiting to be wrapped. It had been a wedding gift she and Philip had received from his folks. Luann wished her father and Philip’s parents were still alive. They’d all loved being included in family gatherings.

  Pulling her thoughts back to the issue at hand, Luann quickly wrapped the present so that Meredith wouldn’t see it when she got up. She reviewed the menu for the wedding meal: roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, a fruit salad, creamed celery, cheese, bologna, bread, butter, honey, jelly, fruits, pudding, cakes, and pies—plenty of good food for all their guests.

  Her thoughts returned to Meredith. She’d chosen a dark green fabric for her wedding dress and had made it in a day. Of course, she was an excellent seamstress and had caught on to sewing at an early age. It was no wonder she was able to sew women’s prayer coverings with such ease. Unfortunately, it hadn’t given Meredith enough income, and she’d had to rent out her home.

  Luann had told only Philip that she was concerned Meredith might be marrying Jonah, at least in part, for financial reasons. She knew Meredith felt like a burden for having to move in with her family. Luann’s biggest concern, however, was that Meredith might not be over the pain of losing Luke, and if that was the case, it could affect her marriage to Jonah.

  At least Luke’s parents had accepted the idea of Meredith getting married again. Even so, it would be hard for them to attend the wedding and see their daughter-in-law marry another man.

  Luann glanced out the window. The sky was g
ray, threatening to unleash the drizzle that had been predicted. She hoped the weather would clear by Thursday.

  “I just need to relax and stop fretting about things,” she murmured. “Meredith’s life is in God’s hands, and so is the weather. May His will be done.”

  Darby

  Luke sat up in bed with a start. He remembered his phone number. After quickly writing it down, he hurried to get dressed, anxious to tell the Baileys this good news.

  “Guess what?” he shouted, sliding across the kitchen floor in his stocking feet a short time later.

  “What’s up?” Henry asked from his place at the table, where he sat drinking coffee. “You look like George when he’s swiped some seed from one of our birdfeeders.”

  “I remember my phone number,” Luke said excitedly.

  “That’s wonderful, Luke,” Norma said, joining them at the table.

  “Are you going to call your wife or just surprise her by showing up?” Anne asked, placing a cup of coffee in front of Luke.

  “I don’t know. What do you think I should do?” Luke didn’t know why he felt so confused. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, and yet he still couldn’t quite remember some details—like how long he’d been gone or what he’d been doing at the bus station in Philadelphia. Maybe it wasn’t important. Maybe he should just find a way home to Meredith as quickly as possible. But he couldn’t really do that until he remembered exactly where he lived. All he knew was that he lived in Lancaster County, and he wasn’t even sure what town.

  “I think you should call your wife right away,” Susan said, entering the room. Her eyes were red and swollen. Luke wondered if she might have been crying.

  “Are you all right, dear?” Norma asked. “You look as if you’ve been—”

  “I’m fine.” Susan moved over to the desk, picked up the cordless phone, and handed it to Luke. “You’d better make that call now, don’t you think?”

  Luke slowly nodded. A chill of nervous anticipation ran through him as he quickly entered the number. It rang several times, then a recorded message came on, saying the number had been disconnected. He hung up, feeling defeated. He’d thought sure the phone number had to be his, but his memory was still sketchy about certain things, so maybe he’d been wrong. “All I got was a recording,” he mumbled. “The number’s been disconnected.”

  “Maybe you dialed incorrectly or had the wrong number in the first place,” Henry spoke up. “Why don’t you try again?”

  Luke dialed the number once more and got the same message. “It’s no use,” he said with a groan. “It can’t be my phone number.”

  Norma stood in front of Luke and put her hands on his shoulders. “Don’t worry, Luke. Once you remember your address, you can surprise your wife in person. It might be better that way.”

  “Let’s have breakfast first,” Henry said. “Then we’ll get things figured out. You’ll be home before you know it.”

  The Baileys’ optimism gave Luke a sense of hope. Maybe by this time tomorrow, he and Meredith would be reunited. Of course, he first had to remember exactly where he lived in Lancaster County.

  CHAPTER 10

  Bird-in-Hand

  As Jonah prepared for bed the night before his wedding, he prayed that all would go well and that the weather would turn sunny. It could rain all it wanted tonight, but hopefully by morning it would clear out and start to dry things off so that his and Meredith’s wedding would be perfect. Of course once tomorrow arrived, he probably wouldn’t care what it was like outside.

  All Jonah wanted was to begin a new life with Meredith and Levi, and even though the house he’d wanted to buy had suddenly been taken off the market, he’d be content to live with his folks a bit longer until he found another place. Meredith got along well with his parents, so he didn’t think she’d mind living here awhile either. They could move into the house Meredith had shared with her first husband, but that wouldn’t seem right—at least not to Jonah. He didn’t think Meredith needed the reminders from her past, and living in the home she’d shared with Luke might come between them. Maybe after he and Meredith were married she would decide to sell the house. After all, there wasn’t much point in keeping it. She’d probably make more in the long run by selling the place than if she kept renting it out.

  That can all be worked out down the road, Jonah told himself as he climbed into bed. What I need now is a good night’s sleep so I’ll be well rested in the morning. He turned down the gas lamp and closed his eyes. The last thing he remembered before drifting off to sleep was a vision of Meredith standing beside him, responding to her wedding vows.

  Darby

  Luke had spent most of the day trying to remember his address. He’d almost given up when, shortly before bedtime, it came to him. “I know where I live!” he shouted, dashing into the living room, where the Baileys sat, drinking hot chocolate.

  “You do? Where?” Henry asked, rising to his feet.

  “It’s crazy how it all of a sudden came to me,” Luke said in amazement. “I was flipping through the pages of a tree magazine you got the other day. You know—the one that also has flowers and vegetables you can send off for.”

  “Yes, I’ve ordered a few things from that catalog over the years,” Norma said. “But tell us, Luke, how did that help you remember your address?”

  “Well, I was reading about a beech tree, and I suddenly remembered the name of the road where my wife and I lived. We live on a farm on Beechdale Road in Bird-in-Hand, just off Route 340.” He started pacing the floor, nervously running his fingers through his hair. “I need to go home now. Would it be possible for me to borrow enough money from you for a bus ticket to Lancaster?” he asked, looking at Henry. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”

  Henry shook his head. “No way, Luke. We’ll drive you home; we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

  “Really? When?” Even though Luke was excited to get home, he felt a touch of sorrow in his heart that he would be leaving these wonderful people who had opened their arms and shared a piece of their life with him.

  “Let’s go tonight,” Susan said. “I don’t have to work tomorrow, so I can take you there now.”

  “You would do that for me?” Luke could hardly believe Susan would offer to drive him home. They were a good hour and a half from Lancaster, and by the time they got there, it would be midnight or later.

  “Of course I’ll do it. That’s what friends are for,” she replied.

  Luke noticed tears in Susan’s eyes. Could it be that she would miss him? Had she been experiencing the same feelings for him as he had for her?

  Good grief, Luke thought, rubbing his forehead. I’m a married man in love with my wife, yet I almost allowed myself to fall in love with Susan. What would have happened if I had? What if I’d made a commitment to her?

  “I start work early in the morning, so I can’t go along,” Anne said. “But I want you to know that it’s been a pleasure to know you, and I wish you all the best.”

  “Thanks. It’s been my pleasure knowing all of you.” After returning Anne’s hug, he looked at each of them and knew this goodbye wasn’t going to be easy. The Baileys were the “salt of the earth,” and even though he’d had a rough road for all these months, Luke had been blessed with the friendship he’d found with the Baileys.

  “I appreciate all of you and everything you’ve done for me these past several months,” he said. “You’ll never know how much it’s meant to me. You’ve been the family I needed all this time.”

  Luke could see the gloom in everyone’s eyes and noticed how tenderly Henry took Norma’s hand when her chin began to quiver. It seemed as though their feelings matched the cold rain falling outside.

  “Look,” Anne said, as if trying to lighten things up, “this isn’t going to be goodbye, you know.”

  “That’s true,” Norma said, wiping her nose with a hankie. “We won’t be living that far apart. We can visit whenever we want, because Lancaster is only about seven
ty miles from here and not even a two-hour drive.”

  “Yeah,” Luke chimed in. “It’s not like I’m goin’ across the country. There’s a lot to see in Lancaster County, too, so you might enjoy visiting sometime.” His eyes stung with tears as he looked at everyone and said, “I have a home that I can share with you now, and boy, does it ever feel good to say that.” A lump formed in Luke’s throat, and he bowed his head as he tried to find his voice. Looking up, all Luke could do was swallow and whisper, “Thank you, everyone. Thanks a lot.”

  Philadelphia

  The rain had stopped, and the roads were drying off. In less than two hours, Luke would be in Lancaster. Although time seemed to drag, waiting these couple of hours didn’t compare to the months he’d been away, trying to remember who he was.

  Luke looked down at his jeans, along with the flannel shirt and his red baseball cap. That hat had become part of his daily attire since he’d seen it hanging on the closet door of his room when he’d first arrived in Darby. Luke had gotten used to the English clothing that had been uncomfortable to him at first, but he couldn’t wait to get back into his own Plain clothing. He realized that was why these other clothes had never felt quite right.

  Luke leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he remembered that he’d been on the bus over a year ago because he’d been heading to Indiana to learn a new trade from his uncle. By now Uncle Amos must have sold the headstone engraving business to someone else.

  I’ll worry later about how I’m going to support Meredith, he thought. Right now I just want to get home to her.

  Another thought popped into his head. Will Meredith be happy to see me? Will she even recognize me in these clothes, with no beard?

  “I’d better pull in here and gas up,” Susan said, directing her car into a gas station. “If anyone needs the restroom, now’s a good time.”

  Norma and Luke stepped out of the car, but Henry had his eyes closed and appeared to be asleep.