A Simple Faith: A Lancaster Crossroads Novel (25 page)

At home, Haley had made peace with her parents, whose patience had worn thin with their daughter’s pattern of switching from one interest to another since high school.

“I’m really proud of the way you took care of those people in the van accident,” her father told her one evening. “From the way everyone’s talking about it, it sounds like triage, like they do on the battlefield in the army.”

Haley shrugged. “It wasn’t quite that intense.”

“But you’re a hero, honey. Way to go.”

Haley looked over at her mother, who nodded over the steaming pot of potatoes she was mashing. “That’s right.”

“Thanks. It’s nice to be appreciated. Seems like I’ve been persona non grata around here for the past few years.”

“I’m sorry if we haven’t given you the support you needed with nursing school,” her dad said, “but really, Haley, we’ve been behind you on so many things that you ended up walking away from. First, you wanted to be a veterinarian. Then there was the cleaning service. And after that, the cooking school, which cost us a lot of money.”

“And don’t forget the wedding,” Mom said. “I know you’re sick of hearing it, but we really did like Graham.”

“Wendy, stop.” Patrick Donovan held a hand up to his wife. “You’re a broken record. Did you like Graham more than you love your own daughter?”

“No, but there was the wedding that we put money—”

“ ’Nuff said about that. The thing is, honey, we want you to succeed like your older sisters. But right now we’re not going to get too excited about any one thing until we can be sure it’s gonna stick. You know what I mean?”

“I get it, Dad. But this is different. It’s where I’m meant to be. You’ll see.”

Her father slid his shoulders back and straightened to his full height. “Honey, I’m seeing it already, and I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.”

The conversation stayed with her for a few days.

I’m proud of you
, Dad had said.

The words resonated in her mind as she drove from class to the hospital, or to Halfway for group sessions led by Dylan. In her dealings with the Amish, she had learned that they believed pride was a bad thing—in the same vein as vanity. Still, she understood her father’s message, but at the same time she realized how her sense of people and culture was expanding through her new bonds with the Amish community.

There was a light dusting of snow on the ground as Haley headed off for group therapy. “Take it slow out there,” her father had advised, and although the dry flakes didn’t seem to be sticking, Haley proceeded with caution. The accident had made her a much more careful driver.

Her radio was tuned in to a popular station, and the deejays kept making jokes about the worst dates they had ever had. In the next
segment they interviewed the winners of their Sweetheart Sweepstakes, and Haley realized that it was Valentine’s Day. January had flown by quickly, and now here she was on the most romantic day of the year, and without a sweetheart.

You could have had one. You could have had Graham
, she reminded herself, glad that she’d dodged that bullet. What would she be doing now if she had gone through with the wedding? Maybe sitting in a bathrobe and staring at the snow and trying to decide what to make for dinner? Or maybe she would have been sitting in a nail salon, waiting for her pedicure to dry while wondering if she could squeeze a matinee in before Graham got home.

Tall, handsome Graham. That killer smile used to make her go weak in the knees. After the attraction had faded, she had to stop herself from wincing when he smiled. Now … she didn’t think it would bother her anymore, because Graham no longer had power over her.

And life was too short to waste energy on old issues.

Dylan was walking down Halfway’s Main Street as she pulled into the library parking lot. Now there was a man who was attractive, inside and out. Wispy snowflakes clung to the broad shoulders of his jacket and his cheeks were bright from the cold.

In his down jacket and boots, he could have stepped right out of the LL Bean catalog. At the hospital, his good looks still stirred many a heart. Last week, one patient in the ER asked what sort of ailment she had to have to be treated by
that
doctor.

He paused in front of her car, waiting as she popped open the door. “Hey, you.”

“I just found out that it’s Valentine’s Day,” Haley told him. In their time spent together in group sessions, they had developed an easy banter, but nothing too deep. Whenever she pushed for more information, Dylan had a gentle way of pushing back. “Did you know that?”

“I do have a calendar.” He fished his keys out and opened the back entrance to the library that was used for private sessions. “How could a woman your age not be aware of every girl’s favorite holiday?”

“That’s what happens when it’s all work and no play.” She unzipped her jacket. “But it’s not just a
girl’s
holiday.”

“As a therapist, I don’t like the emphasis on romance. Valentine’s Day makes people feel like losers if they’re not hooked up with someone.”

“Really?” She considered that as she circled around the big round table to the coffeemaker. “I never felt like a loser. I’m always just … hopeful.”

Dylan nodded. “That’s because you’re a glass-half-full kind of girl.”

She smiled, wondering if that glint in his blue eyes was just the library lights or his version of flirting. “Do you think the Amish celebrate it?”

“I hear that they do, complete with homemade valentines and boxes of chocolates.”

Haley smiled at the thought of a young Amish woman like Rachel gluing a red fabric heart onto a card. “And how about you? Did you send someone a valentine?” She tossed off the question in a cavalier manner, though so much hinged on his response.

“Of course.”

The pace of her heartbeat quickened, until he added, “I mailed one to my mother.”

She grinned and started to measure coffee grounds into the basket. “That’s sweet.” She was tempted to tell him that he was the subject of speculation and longing among the majority of the female staff at work. He probably knew already. But that was the sort of thing a buddy would say, and she didn’t want to be his “buddy.” She wasn’t ready to rule out other levels of attraction
between them, although he wasn’t exactly sending out signals that he was into her.

Their conversation shifted when George Dornbecker entered with a silent nod. In private, Elsie had confided that George normally had a very outgoing personality with a great sense of humor. But since the accident, he’d become quiet and withdrawn.

“At least he’s coming to the sessions,” Dylan had said. “That’s a start.”

Today would be their fourth session together as a group, and in some ways it seemed like a miracle that they’d made it through that long.

The first two sessions had been fraught with emotion. Haley’s eyes misted over when she thought of those early meetings. Dylan had guided them each to talk through their memories of the accident, and the anguish had been difficult to take. Still, it had helped to talk through the horrible details. It was similar to Haley’s experience with the light box; every time the awful story was told, it seemed more distant. It had lost the power to overwhelm them.

In their last session, Dylan had asked them to talk about anything but the accident. That had changed the tone of things, making it more positive when people in the group began looking toward the future. Haley had joined the group out of curiosity and a desire to spend some time with the people she had bonded with, but now she found that she looked forward to these meetings.

By the time Haley had coffee dripping into the pot, Ruben and Elsie had arrived. This location was a quick walk from the Country Store, where they were both working now. Seeing them together, Haley found it hard to believe that they hadn’t been friends all their lives. Ruben was very protective of Elsie, and she obviously respected his opinion and valued his friendship.

“Did you see the snow?” Elsie asked, her face awash in delight.

Of all the passengers in the van, Elsie had earned a special place in Haley’s heart. She was a generous, upbeat young woman with an indomitable spirit ten times the size of her small body. The accident and the death of her father had thrown her into post-traumatic stress, but thank goodness Dylan had helped her find relief in private counseling. Of course, Dylan never mentioned his sessions with individuals, but whenever Haley came to town, she spent an hour or so hanging out in the Country Store, catching up with Elsie and Ruben. In some ways, those two had become her new best friends—she trusted them so completely. She had begun to see that the clothing and cultural differences that separated them were easy to surmount, now that she was getting to know them better.

“I’ve been waiting all winter for a big snowstorm,” Elsie said. “I love the way snow covers everything with a pure coat of white.”

“Is it supposed to stick?” Dylan asked.

“I heard that we might get an inch or two,” George said. “You have to be careful out there. The roads get slippery.”

“How’s the van shopping going?” Dylan asked. “Is your business back on the road?”

“Not yet. Can’t find a vehicle that works for me. But then I’m not too eager to get back out there.”

Haley didn’t want to stare, but she’d noticed that George’s hands were still shaking when he went to pour coffee. She wished he would take Dylan up on his offer for private therapy sessions. The man was obviously still suffering emotional pain.

While they were talking Zed Miller slipped in and quietly took a seat. She asked Zed how his job search was going, and he said he had found some temporary work helping out at the Stoltzfus farm. He also added that he was “talking with the bishop” about joining the congregation now—which meant getting baptized. The way Haley understood it, Zed was welcome to return to the flock,
though some in the community were a bit leery of him after his long absence. “I feel like I have to earn my way back,” he’d told the group.

Haley poured herself a cup of hot water for tea and took a seat, studying the faces of the people who had become like a second family to her. These sessions weren’t always lighthearted, but they had become the highlight of her week.

The door opened wide and Rachel King came in with her father.

“Good afternoon.” Nate King took off his hat. “Dr. Monroe, can I have a word with you?”

Dylan was on his feet immediately. “Of course, Nate.”

The others continued talking as Nate asked Dylan if he knew anyone with a truck or van. Haley listened in, hearing something about the rising medical costs for James Lapp. “Getting an ambulance to take him home would cost hundreds of dollars.”

“I have a friend with a van,” Dylan said. “He’d loan it to us for a day or two. Let me know when James needs it, okay?”

Soon after Nate left, everyone took a seat around the table and Dylan got things started. “I’m glad you all came back. I guess last week wasn’t too painful.”

“I thought the part at the end was good,” Ruben said. “That part when you did all the talking, nice and calm.”

“The guided imagery.” Dylan checked the faces of the others. “What was the general feeling about that?”

There were murmurs of approval.

“I think it got everyone thinking more positive thoughts,” Elsie said.

“Good. We’ll do that again at the end of our session. Does anyone have progress they want to report?”

“I’ve got some progress to share.” Elsie folded her hands under her chin. “Remember I told you about those bad feelings I got
every day at sundown? And Dylan thought that I was connecting it to the time of day when the accident happened. Well, yesterday, I went outside the shop just before closing and I found a spot facing the west and I stood there, real stern. Like I wasn’t going to back down. And when the sky got all rosy and pink and then purple, I was still standing there and I was smiling. I made myself smile at the sunset. And you know what? It didn’t get me down at all.”

Ruben smiled. “Ya. You came back inside to close the store, and it was like a normal day.”

“Except that a few customers saw me out in the cold without my coat, glaring off at nothing. They must think I’m verhuddelt.” Elsie grinned.

Haley smiled, and some of the men chuckled.

“What does ‘verhuddelt’ mean?” Dylan asked.

“Crazy,” Zed offered. “But not in a good way, like Englishers think.”

“Well, I don’t think you’re crazy, Elsie, but that’s a wonderful story.” Dylan’s lips curved in a rare smile. “Good work.”

“I got some news about James,” Rachel said. “You know already,” she told Dylan, “because you’ve been visiting him at the rehab center. But the doctors are sending him home. He’ll have to keep doing his exercises and all, but he’s a strong man and he’s learned a lot really fast. He can get himself out of bed and all dressed, and he can move himself from the bed to the wheelchair.”

Haley gave her a thumbs-up.

“That’s wonderful good news,” Elsie said. “James must be excited to be coming home.”

Rachel’s lips puckered as sadness clouded her face. “James isn’t excited about anything these days. He’s downright mad. Like a bull that’s been teased.”