Almost Amish (31 page)

“Shoot.”

“Don’t tell anyone about this. I’m not asking you to lie. If someone asks, tell them the truth, but if it doesn’t get brought up, will you please help keep it quiet?”

“I’ll help in any way I can.”

Susan stumbled down to the kitchen the next morning and immediately lit the wood in the stove. Today’s coffee would have to be extra strong, considering the fact that she and Angie had been up until well past midnight. But, in the end, the talk had been good . . . perhaps even better than that. There were many issues that had been needing a good discussion.

Susan poured the water into the percolator, then added extra grounds into the top basket. She sank down at the kitchen table, knowing it would be awhile before everything heated sufficiently. It was mornings like these that she most missed the modern conveniences like automatic-grind coffeepots with automatic brew settings.

“Knock, knock.”

Kendra walked in the door, looking every bit as fresh at 5:00
a.m.
as she usually did at her normal arrival time of nine or so.

“What are you doing here so early?”

“I understand we had some excitement last night.” Her smile was huge, her blue eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

Susan, quite suddenly, felt a deep sense of dread push down on her with a force hard enough that she couldn’t even force a smile. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come now. Let’s not pretend that we both don’t know the obvious. But I’ve got to tell you, I’m bringing the best news I’ve brought since you’ve been here.”

“Really? What’s that?”

“Two things, really. First of all, Chris will not be returning to work today. It has become more than apparent that his staying here is not going to work.”

“But, wait—”

“Just like you wanted before, right? Second, and best of all, this whole episode is exactly what we needed to happen for all of America to see you at your best. The conversation you had with your daughter last night, it was . . . compelling, amazing, heartwarming. All of America is going to love you. We’ve already got the snippets ready to start running today. I expect the highest ratings we’ve ever had on this Friday’s show.”

“The conversation I had with my daughter last night?” How had she been so stupid? She’d been so caught up in the moment, the cameras had never entered her mind.

Kendra nodded. “The one at this very table.” She stroked her hand across the oak top as if petting a dog.

“How do you even know about that?” The cameras were there all the time, but for someone to have already seen the footage of last night, to have even checked the footage for the middle of the night, someone must have known to look. There could be only one way. Gary must have come right home and called Kendra, told her to get the cameras going because this was going to make for some good stuff. The sense of betrayal she felt went clear through to her spine.

“Come now, I told you on that very first day that there are hidden cameras all around the public portions of the farmhouse. You’ve always known they were there. They’re on 24/7. I was very upfront about that.”

“You can’t use that footage. That was highly personal.”

“Of course we can, and emotional, authentic footage is the best possible kind of footage. The viewers will eat it up. When one of the night crew noticed late-night lights and went to the monitor, that was the best thing that ever happened to your career, because I have to tell you, it was looking iffy at best until just now.”

Susan put her hands on each side of her head and leaned against the table. “No.”

“I probably shouldn’t have come in here so early in the morning before you’re awake enough to see this for the gift that it is. It’s just that I was in the editing trailer and I saw the lamps come on in the kitchen, and I just had to come and tell you. You know what? You come talk to me after you’ve had your coffee. I’ll even break the rules just this once and show you the clip.” She stood from the kitchen table and walked out the back door, humming the Lisa Lee theme song under her breath.

Julie tiptoed down the stairs. She got up a little early, thinking she would make some coffee for Susan, and hopefully get a chance to talk to her about how things went last night with Angie.

As she neared the kitchen, she felt the heat from the stove and smelled the coffee. She entered the room to find Susan with her head resting on her arms on the kitchen table. Asleep?

Julie didn’t want to wake her, so she stopped walking, considering her next move. The coffee was percolating on the stove, and given the strong smell, it likely had been for a while. She quietly poured two cups, then went to sit across the table from Susan.

“Good morning.” Susan said the words without lifting her head.

“Is it?” Julie slid one of the mugs across the table. “Your coffee’s ready.”

“Thanks.” She still didn’t lift her head.

“Susan, why don’t you go back to bed? I can handle what needs doing around here today.”

Susan sat up then, rubbed her forehead with her left hand, and shook her head. “No. That’s okay. Thank you, though.” She took a sip of her coffee. “And thank you for last night. For figuring out what was going on, I mean.”

Julie reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “How are things?”

“Dandy. Just dandy.” She gestured toward the walls. “I feel the need for a walk.”

“What?”

“Join me?” She stood up, coffee cup in hand, and started toward the back porch without waiting for an answer.

Julie grabbed her own mug and followed Susan out to the screened-in porch. They both sat on the bench and began lacing up their work boots. “We’re going to be quite the stylish ladies, walking through the place in our boots and pj’s.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Susan stood and walked out the door. Julie rushed after her, but didn’t say anything, choosing to wait instead for Susan to speak when she was ready. She waited until they were past the barn. “They caught it all on film.”

Julie thought about the events of last night. “All . . . as in escape, search, everything? How is that possible?”

“Well, most everything. It seems that they noticed lights on in the kitchen really late last night, so they pulled up those monitors, just in time to realize that Angie and I were having a serious talk. They recorded the whole thing.”

“I thought Kendra didn’t want any of this to accidentally end up on the show.”

“She didn’t.” Susan took a sip of her coffee. “Until now. She says it is the most compelling footage they’ve gotten all season.”

“Oh, Susan. Surely you told her she can’t use it?”

“I told her. She reminded me about a little thing called the contract. They can use whatever they darn well want to.”

“Oh, sweetie.” Julie put her arm around Susan’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

They walked in silence for some time, until they reached the observatory. Susan stopped and turned back toward the house. “The thing is, it was the best talk we’ve had in a long time. Since the divorce really. But we talked about some really personal things—about James, about Chris. For them to air it for all of America to see . . . you know how shy she is . . . this will be humiliating for her.”

“Then you’ve got to stop them.”

“I just told you, there is a contract. I can’t.”

“Maybe not, but don’t you let it happen without putting every single ounce of your being against it. At least Angie will know that you gave everything you had.”

“I never thought I’d hear these words come out of my mouth, but I don’t know what else to do.”

“You walk out, if that’s what it takes.”

“My contract forbids that, too.”

“Susan, you’re in a battle for your daughter’s well-being. This is one of those times when you give up everything if that’s what it takes.”

“But what kind of example would I be setting? Walking away from a project I promised to see through to the end?”

“You’d be setting the best possible example. Showing her there are some areas where you won’t compromise, no matter what it costs you.”

“I don’t know.” Susan was wiping tears from her eyes. “I’m going to sit by the creek for a while. Think. Pray. Will you cover for me?”

“Take as long as you need.” Julie walked toward the house, her heart heavy. Everything had gone so wrong.

Susan sat just above the creek bank. Dew on the early-morning grass soaked through her pajamas, but what did it matter? She extended her legs in front of her, knees slightly bent so she could rest her elbows on them when she leaned forward, then put a hand over each ear.

It was ruined. Everything was ruined.

God, I just don’t get it. I was certain You had called me here to this. It seemed to be a clear answer to prayers. This job was giving me the means to provide for Angie and me, plus the opportunity to expand Lydia’s Legacy to even more women. But everything is wrong. I’m going to lose this job, go home in disgrace as a complete failure, and my daughter will still have to suffer the consequences. Why didn’t I think about those cameras last night? What kind of an idiot am I?

As much as she tried to shut them out, the memories of two years ago joined in the fray of her swirling thoughts. The nights that James worked late. She hadn’t thought a thing about it initially. Of course he worked late—he was an engineer in the aerospace industry, and there were things that needed to be done. All that talk about the big project they were working on.

She remembered walking down the aisle of the grocery store, her neatly printed grocery list in one hand while she squeezed an apricot with the other. One of the store employees was cutting up peaches and handing out slices for people to try, causing the area to have a fresh, fruity smell.

“Susan, how are you doing?” Annamarie Rickman, wife of one of James’s colleagues, appeared, picking up a peach sample and waving it at Susan in greeting before she popped it in her mouth.

“I’m well. Busy as usual.” Susan twisted the bag of apricots closed, set it in her cart, and prepared to move on.

“I hate to admit it, but I’m almost glad the AmTex contract fell through. It’s been awfully nice having Jerry home for dinner these past couple of weeks, and Tommy’s had him out throwing the football every single night.”

Susan’s foot stopped moving midstep. The AmTex deal had fallen through? The same deal that had kept James working late, even on weekends? She gripped her cart a little tighter and looked at Annamarie. “Yes, it’s always nice having them home, isn’t it?”

That single moment, eating a slice of peach sample, had started the slow demolition of the perfect little life Susan had always imagined she was living. But at least then she’d still had herself to depend on, as well as the deep-rooted belief that she was strong enough to make it through this and come out the other end better and stronger. Now there was a different truth staring her in the face.

Little by little, the realization began to creep in.

Everything Susan had been so confident about, all those things she’d done so much better than other people, were all illusions. All it had accomplished was building a bigger platform for her failure.

They would need to put the house on the market right away after returning home. In spite of the sluggish economy and real estate market, she felt sure it’d sell. Their neighborhood was in the best school district. Young parents paid extra to live in that area so their kids could start getting ahead early. It was the same reason she and James had chosen it all those years ago filled with dreams of what a wonderful life they would all have. How had it all fallen apart?

“Hello, there. Okay if I join you?”

Susan barely glanced over her shoulder to see Gary walking toward her. He was wearing his usual jeans and dark T-shirt. He came to sit beside her on the grass. “I saw Julie. She didn’t tell me much, but she told me you were up here and that you are very upset. What can I do to help you?”

Susan shook her head. “There’s nothing. At this point, it’s all over.” She turned to look at him now, realizing what she must look like—very little sleep, no makeup; she hadn’t even brushed her hair. Not that it mattered anyway. “I want to ask you a question, and I want the absolute truth.”

“You got it.”

“Did you say or do anything so that Kendra, or any of the crew, would know what happened last night?”

“Of course not.”

“Kendra said someone saw the lights on. I just wanted to make sure. . . . ”

“All I can tell you is that after I drove you two back to my cabin, I didn’t see or talk with anyone until I spoke to Julie a few minutes ago.” He reached down and plucked a blade of grass, twirling it between his thumb and middle finger with enough speed to make the end whip out helicopter style. “Well, that’s not technically true, I suppose.” He dropped the grass blade, then turned his full gaze directly on Susan. “I saw you and Angie after, because I followed you.”

“Followed us?”

“I walked far enough behind the two of you that you could talk without me overhearing, but close enough that I could see you reach the farmhouse safely. I know there are security guards around, but I thought it was better to play it safe.”