Plain and Fancy (7 page)

It was only the first week of December, but Lancaster County had been hit with a heavy blanket of snow. Laura figured it would mean the end of her enjoyable rides with Eli ... at least until spring. She would be going home for Christmas soon, so that would put an end to their times, anyway.

Leaving Eli, even for a few weeks, wasn’t going to be easy. However, she had promised her parents and friends that she’d be coming home for the holidays, and she didn’t want to disappoint them. Besides, even if she stayed in Pennsylvania, Eli would spend Christmas with his family, and she, the fancy English woman, would not be included in their plans.

Laura stared out her dorm-room window at the falling snow. If only she had some way to get in touch with Eli. If they could just meet somewhere for lunch before she had to leave.

She finally curled up on her bed with a romance novel, surrendered to the fact that this Saturday would be spent indoors without Eli.

Laura had only gotten to the second page when a loud knock drove her to her feet. “Who’s there?”

“Darla. Are you busy?”

Laura opened the door. “What’s up?”

Darla was dressed in a pair of designer jeans and a pink sweater. A brown leather coat was slung over one arm, and a furry little cap was perched on top of her short, blond curls. “I thought I’d drive into Philadelphia. I still have some Christmas shopping to do, and only the big stores will have what I want.”

“You’re going shopping today?”

Darla nodded. “I was hoping you’d come along.”

“In this weather?” Laura gestured toward the window. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a foot of snow on the ground.”

Darla shrugged. “I’m sure most of the main roads have been cleared.” She nudged Laura’s arm. “I’ll treat you to lunch.”

“I’m on a diet.”

“So, order a salad.”

Laura released a sigh. “Oh, all right.” It wasn’t the way she wanted to spend the day, but she figured it would be better than being cooped up in her room all day.

“I’m going out for a while,” Eli said, as he left the kitchen table and slipped into his heavy woolen jacket.

“Where you heading?” Lewis called to him.

“I’ve got some errands to run ... not that it’s any of your business,
schnuppich
brother.” Eli plopped his black felt hat on his head and closed the door, curtailing more comments from his snoopy sibling.

Mary Ellen clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and turned to face Johnny. “Seems like our oldest boy is hardly ever home anymore.”

Johnny shrugged. “Guess that’s his choice.”

“I’ll bet he’s sneakin’ off to see that English woman again,” Jonas said as he grabbed a hunk of shoofly pie.

“Don’t you ever fill up?” Johnny’s eyebrows drew together. “That’s your third piece now, isn’t it?”

“He’s probably lost count,” Lewis said with a chuckle.

Jonas smacked his lips. “Shoofly is my favorite breakfast pie. Never have been able to get enough of it.”

“No, but you sure have tried.” Mary Ellen pushed her chair away from the table and gathered up some of the dishes. As she placed them in the sink, she glanced out the window and caught sight of Eli hitching his horse to the sleigh. She couldn’t help but wonder if Jonas was right about Eli meeting Laura today. He hadn’t said much about her lately, but Mary Ellen knew from her last conversation with Selma Hostetler that Eli sure wasn’t courting Pauline.

On more than one occasion, Mary Ellen had tried putting in a good word for Pauline, and from what she’d heard, Pauline had made several attempts at getting Eli to invite her somewhere. So far all efforts had failed, and Mary Ellen knew all she could do was pray—and she’d been doing a lot of that lately. If enough prayers went up on Eli’s behalf, he might see the light and quit spending time with Laura. Or she might get bored with him and find a nice English man to take her places. Better yet, maybe the fancy English woman would leave Lancaster County and never return.

The ride to Philadelphia went well. They took the main highway, and just as Darla had predicted, it had been plowed and treated. The bad weather hadn’t kept many people home, for the stores were crowded with holiday shoppers.

Laura and Darla pushed their way through the crush of people and fumbled through the racks of clothes and stacks of gift items until they’d both purchased enough Christmas presents for everyone on their lists. Everyone except for Eli. Laura wanted to get him something special, but since he lived a much simpler life than she did and was opposed to most worldly things, she couldn’t find anything that might be suitable.

They had a late lunch and left the city around four o’clock, and by the time they reached the turnpike, it was snowing again.

“I know it’s a little out of the way, but would you mind stopping at the variety store in Paradise on our way home?” Laura asked Darla.

“What for?”

“I want to get a Christmas present for Eli. I couldn’t find anything appropriate in Philadelphia, but I’m sure I can find something there.”

Darla squinted. “I don’t mind stopping, but I do mind what you’re doing.”

Laura looked away. “What are you talking about?”

“I can see that no matter how much I’ve warned you about this, you’ve decided to jump into the deep end of the pool without even looking.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t be coy, Laura. I’ve warned you about getting involved with that Amish man, and you’ve forged ahead anyway. It doesn’t take a genius to realize you’re head over heels in love with this Eli fellow.”

“In love? Don’t be ridiculous! Eli and I are just friends.”

Darla gave the steering wheel a few taps with her gloved fingers. “Sure ... whatever you say.”

When they arrived at the store in Paradise, no cars or buggies were in the parking lot, and it appeared to be deserted. However, the sign in the window said they were open, so Darla parked her car, and Laura went inside.

She soon realized that choosing a gift for an Amish man, even in a Plain store, wasn’t going to be easy. Shelves were full of men’s black felt hats, suspenders in all sizes, and a large assortment of white handkerchiefs. Laura wanted something more special than any of these things. It had to be a gift that would cause Eli to remember her whenever he looked at it.

She was about to give up, when she spotted a beautiful set of carving tools she was sure Eli could use. She paid for them and left the store feeling satisfied with her purchase. Now if she could only get the gift to Eli before she went home for Christmas.

As Laura returned to Darla’s car, her foot slipped on the walkway, and she realized the snow had begun to freeze.

“This isn’t good,” Darla complained as they pulled out of the parking lot a few minutes later. “I should have gone directly back to Lancaster and stayed on the main roads.”

Laura grunted. “I’m sure we’ll get back to the school in time for your favorite TV show.”

“I wasn’t thinking about TV. I’m concerned about staying on the road and keeping my car intact.”

No sooner had she spoken the words than they hit a patch of ice. The car slid off the road, coming to a stop in the middle of a snowbank.

“Oh, great!” Darla put the car in REVERSE and tried to back up. The wheels spun, but the car didn’t budge. She tried several more times, but it was no use. They were stuck, and it was obvious that there was nothing either of them could do about it.

“Maybe I should get out and push,” Laura suggested with a weak smile.

“I’d better make a call for help.” Darla reached into her purse for the cell phone and started to dial but dropped it to the seat with a moan.

“What’s wrong?”

“The battery’s dead. I forgot to charge it last night.” Darla opened the car door and got out. Laura did the same.

“Now we’re really in a fix.” Darla kicked at the front tire with the toe of her boot. “I should have checked my phone before we left Lancaster this morning.”

“I guess it’s my fault. If I hadn’t asked you to go to the variety store—”

Laura stopped speaking when she heard the
clip-clop
of horse’s hooves approaching. “Do you need some help?” a man’s voice called out.

She whirled around, and her heartbeat quickened as Eli stepped down from an open sleigh. “Are we ever glad to see you!”

Eli joined them right away, and Laura introduced Darla. Then, offering Eli a wide smile, she asked, “Would it be possible for you to give us a ride to the nearest town? We need to call a tow truck to get Darla’s car out of that snowbank.”

Eli surveyed the situation. “I think I can pull you out with my horse.”

Darla shook her head. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“My horse is strong as an ox.”

“Okay,” Darla said with a shrug. “You may as well give it a try.”

Laura and Darla stepped aside as Eli unhitched the horse and hooked a rope around the animal’s neck, then fastened the rope to the back bumper of Darla’s car. He said a few words in Pennsylvania Dutch, and the gelding moved forward. The car lurched and was pulled free on the first try.

“Hooray!” Laura shouted with her hands raised.

Darla just stood with her mouth hanging open.

“Why don’t I follow you back to the main road where it’s cleared?” Eli suggested. “That way I can be sure you don’t run into any more snowbanks.”

“Thank you,” Darla murmured, as though she could hardly believe her car had been freed by a horse.

Laura turned to Eli. “Would it be okay if I rode in your sleigh for a while? I’ve always wanted to ride in one.” She touched his arm. “Besides, I have something for you.”

His brows arched upward. “You do?”

She nodded. “I’ll get it from Darla’s car and be right back.” Laura raced off before Eli had a chance to reply. When she grabbed Eli’s gift from the car, Darla, already in the driver’s seat, gave her a disgruntled look but said nothing.

Laura made her way back to where Eli waited beside the sleigh. After he helped her up, she pulled the collar of her coat tightly around her neck. “Brr ... It’s sure nippy out.”

Eli reached under the seat and retrieved a quilt. He placed it across her lap, and she huddled beneath its warmth, feeling like a princess on her way to the ball.

As they followed behind Darla’s car, Laura snuggled closer to Eli and said, “I’m glad you came along when you did. I’m leaving for Minneapolis in a few days, and I didn’t think I’d get the chance to see you before I left.”

“I went to the variety store in Paradise this morning,” Eli said. “You weren’t there, so I thought maybe you’d already gone home for the holidays.”

Laura frowned. If she’d had any idea Eli was going to venture out in the snow just to see her, she would have moved heaven and earth to get to Paradise this morning. “I guess fate must have wanted us to meet today after all.”

Eli raised one eyebrow. “Fate? You think fate brought us together?”

She nodded. “Don’t you?”

He shook his head. “If anyone brought us together today, it was God.”

“I have something for you,” Laura said, feeling a bit flustered and needing to change the subject. She lifted the paper bag in her hands, and her stomach lurched with nervous anticipation. “Merry Christmas, Eli.”

“You bought me a gift?”

She nodded and smiled.

“But, I—I don’t have anything to give you.”

“That’s okay. I didn’t buy you a present so I would get one in return.”

Eli’s eyebrows lifted and almost disappeared under the brim of his black hat. “What is it?”

“Why don’t you open it and find out?”

“If it’s a Christmas present, shouldn’t I wait ’til Christmas to open it?”

She shook her head. “I’d like you to open it now, so I can see if you like it or not.”

“All right then, but let’s wait ’til we get to the main road and have stopped so you can get back in your friend’s car again.”

Laura felt a bit disappointed, but she didn’t want to start an argument, so she merely shrugged and said, “Okay.”

They rode in silence until Darla’s car slowed and came to a parking lot. Eli guided his horse and sleigh in behind her.

“Here you go.” Laura handed the sack to him.

Eli opened it and pulled out the carving set. He studied it a few seconds before he spoke. “It’s a nice gift—much better than the carving set I use now.” He fidgeted kind of nervously, and Laura was afraid he was going to hand it back to her.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

“It’s very nice
,
but I’m not sure I should accept such a gift.”

“Why not?” she asked, looking deeply into Eli’s searching blue eyes.

“It doesn’t seem right, since I have nothing to give you in return.”

Laura reached for his hand and closed her fingers around his. “Your friendship is the only present I need this Christmas. Please say I’m one of your special friends.”

Eli swallowed so hard she saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down. Several seconds went by; then he finally nodded and offered her a smile that calmed her fears and warmed every inch of her heart.

Laura’s first few days at home were spent visiting with her parents and thinking about Eli. When she closed her eyes, she could visualize his friendly smile, little chin dimple, and those clear blue eyes calling her to him.

Ever since Laura had returned, her mother had been trying to keep her occupied. “Why not join me for lunch at Ethel Scott’s this afternoon?” she suggested one morning.

Laura was lying on the couch in the living room, trying to read a novel she had started the day before. She set it aside and sat up. “I need to get my Christmas presents wrapped.”

Mom took a seat next to Laura. Her green eyes, mirroring Laura’s, showed obvious concern. “I’m worried about you, dear. You haven’t been yourself since you came home for the holidays.” She touched Laura’s forehead. “Are you feeling ill?”

Laura shook her head. “I’m fine. Just a bit bored. I’m used to being in class every weekday.”

“That’s precisely why you need to get out of the house and do something fun while you’re here.” Mom tipped her head, causing her shoulder-length auburn hair to fall across one rosy cheek. Even at forty-five, she was still lovely and youthful looking.

“Ethel’s daughter, Gail, is home from college, and I’m sure she would be thrilled to see you,” Mom continued. “In fact, she’d probably enjoy hearing about that boring little town you’re living in now.”

Laura moaned. “Lancaster isn’t little, and it sure isn’t boring.”

“The point is you’ve been cooped up in this house ever since you got home. Won’t you please join me today? It will be better than being home by yourself.”

“I won’t be alone,” Laura argued. “Foosie is here, and she’s all the company I need.” She glanced at her fluffy, ivory-colored cat sleeping contentedly in front of the fireplace. “After I’m done wrapping gifts, I thought I might try to call Shannon again.”

Mom stood. “I would think it would be Dean Carlson you’d be calling.” She shook her finger at Laura. “Dean’s called at least four times in the past two days, and you always find some excuse not to speak with him.”

Laura drew in her bottom lip. How could she explain her reluctance to talk to Dean? She sure couldn’t tell her mother that she had been comparing Dean to Eli. “I’ll be seeing him on Christmas Day. That’s soon enough.”

Mom finally shrugged and left the room.

Laura puckered her lips and made a kissing sound. “Here, Foosie, Foosie. Come, pretty lady.”

The ball of fur uncurled, stretched lazily, and plodded across the room. Laura scooped Foosie into her lap and was rewarded with soft purring when the cat snuggled against her. “I’ve missed you. Too bad cats aren’t allowed in the dorm rooms at school. If they were, I would take you back with me.”

The telephone rang and Laura frowned. “Just when we were getting all cozy.” She placed the cat on the floor and headed for the phone that was sitting on a table near the door. “Meade residence.”

“Laura, is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me, Shannon.”

“When did you get home?”

“Last Saturday. I’ve tried to call you a couple of times, but you’re never home.”

“I’ve been busy planning my preschoolers’ Christmas party and the program they’ll put on for their parents. My answering machine isn’t working right now, either, so I’m sorry you couldn’t leave a message.”

“That’s okay. I’ve been busy, too.”
Busy thinking about Eli and wishing I could spend the holidays with him.

“Is it all right if I come over?”

“Sure, I’d like that.”

After Laura hung up the phone, she headed for the kitchen. She had two cups of hot chocolate ready by the time her friend arrived.

“Have a seat, and let’s get caught up,” Laura said, handing Shannon a mug.

Shannon sniffed her drink appreciatively. “Do you have any marshmallows?”

Laura went to the cupboard to look, while her friend placed her mug on the table, then took off her coat.

“I think it’s going to be a white Christmas,” Shannon commented. “We usually have some snow by now, but I’m sure it’s not far off, because I think I can actually smell snowflakes in the air.”

Laura tossed a bag of marshmallows on the table and took the seat across from Shannon. “We’ve already had a good snowstorm in Lancaster.”

“Really? Were you able to get around okay?”

“Oh, sure. In fact, I—”

“Say, you haven’t said a word about my new hairstyle.” Shannon pulled her fingers through her bluntly cut, straight black hair. “Do you like it?”

Laura feigned a smile as she searched for the right words. “You ... uh ... look different with short hair.”

Shannon blew on her hot chocolate, then reached inside the plastic bag and withdrew two marshmallows. She dropped them into the mug and grinned. “I like my new look, and so do my preschool kids.”

“I’m surprised you cut your hair. I thought you would always keep it long.”

Shannon shrugged, then took a sip of her drink. “Long hair is too much work, and it takes forever to dry.” She set the cup down and snapped her fingers. “Why don’t you get your hair cut and styled while you’re home for Christmas?”

“I don’t think I could ever cut my hair. It took me too long to grow it.”

Shannon poked at the marshmallows with the tip of her finger. “Have you met any cute guys out there in Lancaster County?”

“Eli Yoder. I sent you an e-mail about him.”

“You mean that Amish fellow?”

“He’s the one.”

“I thought that was just a passing fancy. Surely you’re not seriously interested in this guy.”

Laura felt the heat of a blush creep up the back of her neck and spread quickly to her face. “I’ve been fighting my attraction to Eli, but I’m afraid it’s a losing battle.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “To tell you the truth—and I can’t believe I’m actually saying this out loud—I think I might be in love with him.”

Shannon nearly choked on her hot chocolate. “You can’t be serious!”

“I am.”

“Does he know how you feel?”

“I don’t think so. We’ve agreed only to be friends, and I don’t see how it could work for us to have a romantic relationship.”

Shannon nodded. “Makes sense to me.”

“Eli’s family is really religious, and we’re worlds apart, with him being a plain kind of guy and me being a fancy English woman.” Laura laughed dryly. “At least that’s how Eli sees me.”

Shannon drummed her fingers along the edge of the table. “Hmm...”

“What?”

“Maybe he will leave the Amish faith and become fancy.”

“I’ve thought about that—even hoped for it,” Laura admitted. “Eli’s religion and his plain lifestyle seem very important to him. I doubt he would be willing to give it up, though I might ask—when I get up the nerve.”

Shannon reached across the table and patted Laura’s hand in a motherly fashion. “This is a fine fix you’ve gotten yourself into. Maybe you’ll end up going over to the other side before it’s all said and done.”

Laura’s eyebrows furrowed. “Other side? What are you talking about?”

“I was thinking you might join the Amish faith. People have done a lot stranger things in the name of love.”

Laura’s frown deepened. “I don’t think I could do that, Shannon. It would be hard to give up everything I’ve become used to, and—”

The kitchen door opened just then, and Laura’s father entered the room, carrying an overstuffed briefcase. From the way his shoulders sagged and the grim look he wore, Laura figured he must either be exhausted or agitated about something.

Her father was a small, thin man, with dark brown hair and a matching mustache. His mahogany eyes looked unusually doleful as he shuffled across the room and collapsed into a chair.

“Dad, is something wrong?” Laura asked, feeling concern. “You look so tired.”

“It’s just this fast-paced world we’re living in,” he answered, lowering his briefcase to the table. “On days like today, I wish I could pull a magic handle and make everything slow down. Maybe the pioneer days weren’t so bad. Life in the fast lane is pretty hectic, but I suppose I’ll survive.” His forehead wrinkled as he looked at Laura. “Whatever you do, young lady, never let ‘all work and no play’ become your motto.”

“I’ll try not to, Dad.”

“By the way, your mother mentioned that you’ve become friendly with an Amish man, and I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it.”

Laura nodded and swallowed hard. Was her father going to give her a lecture about Eli in front of Shannon?

Dad smiled. “Well, if you ever see that fellow again, be sure to tell him that I envy his simple lifestyle.” He glanced over at Shannon then. “Nice to see you.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Mr. Meade.”

He turned his attention back to Laura. “Where’s your mother?”

“She was supposed to have lunch with her friend Ethel today, and I think they planned to do some shopping afterward.” Laura released a sigh of relief. Maybe Dad wasn’t opposed to her seeing Eli. Maybe there would be no lecture.

“I can only imagine what kind of unnecessary things she’ll bring home this time.” He shook his head. “Your mother spends more time shopping than any other woman I know.”

Laura nodded. “She does like to shop—when she’s not busy with all her charity functions.”

“There’s nothing wrong with helping out, but the kinds of things she does make me wonder if she’s more interested in making herself look good rather than helping others.” He grunted. “I doubt that your mother knows how to relax anymore, she’s so busy flitting from one charity benefit to another. What we both really need is a vacation from the rat race of city life.”

“Maybe you should take a trip to Hawaii or go on a cruise to the Bahamas,” Laura suggested.

“Maybe so.” He moved across the room toward the door leading to the hallway. “Guess I’ll head out to the living room and unwind a bit before your mother gets home.”

“Okay.”

“Your dad seemed pretty uptight, didn’t he?” Shannon said after Laura’s father had left the room.

“Yes, he did, and I was surprised he didn’t lecture me about seeing Eli.”

Shannon laughed. “Parents. Who can figure them out?”

“Not me.” Laura took a drink of her hot chocolate as she reflected on her father’s words. The things he’d said about wanting to slow down had made her think of Eli and his Amish family. They worked hard, but they weren’t really a part of the fast-paced world. From all Eli had told her, she knew that he and his family took time out for fun and relaxation. She wondered if Dad were given the chance, whether he might trade in his briefcase for a hoe and the quiet life among the Plain People. She chuckled softly.
No, that could never happen.

Wesley wandered into the living room, leaving his briefcase in the kitchen, along with his cares of the day. He had a splitting headache and wanted to spend the rest of his day relaxing and not thinking about anything that pertained to his latest court case.

Wesley discovered Laura’s lazy cat lying in front of the fireplace, but the minute he took a seat in his recliner, the cat was in his lap.

“You’ve got life made, you know that, Foosie?”

The cat responded with a quiet
meow.

He reclined the chair and closed his eyes as he allowed his mind to wander back to the days when he’d been a boy growing up on his dad’s farm in Montana. Life had been so much simpler then. They had worked plenty hard on the farm, but they’d always taken the time to enjoy the simple things in life, and their focus had been on family and friends, not “things.”

Wesley had given up that life to please Irene, and now he felt as if he were caught in a trap from which there was no escape. Someday when he retired, maybe he would sell this place and move to the country again, where he could raise some chickens, a few pigs, and some cats ... lots of cats.

Eli meandered toward his woodworking shop at one end of the barn. He didn’t know why, but he wasn’t in the mood to carve or build a single thing.

When he reached his workbench, he looked down at the woodworking set Laura had given him and groaned. He wished she hadn’t presented him with such a fine, expensive gift. In fact, he wished she hadn’t bought him anything. He’d given her nothing in return, and accepting Laura’s present only made it that much harder to distance himself from her, which he knew he must do if he was ever going to join the church.

He thought about Pauline and wondered if he could have been content to court her if Laura hadn’t come along when she did. It was hard to explain, but being with her made him feel alive and whole.

Eli sank to the metal folding chair by his workbench and leaned forward until his head rested in the palms of his hands. “If only I hadn’t started seeing her. If I could just stop the feelings I have whenever we’re together. It just isn’t right.”

“What isn’t right?”

Eli jerked upright at the sound of his younger brother’s voice. “Jonas, what do you think you’re doing, sneakin’ up on me that way?”

Jonas chuckled and sauntered over to the workbench. “I thought you came out here to work on a Christmas present, not talk to yourself.” He gave Eli’s shoulder a couple of thumps.

Eli frowned. “I was planning to finish up the planter box I’m making for Martha Rose, but I can’t seem to get in the mood to work on it right now.”

Jonas pushed a bale of straw over to the bench and plopped down on it. “Christmas is only a few days away. How do ya think our big sister will feel about not gettin’ a gift from you?”

Eli grabbed the planter in question, along with a strip of sandpaper, and began sanding it with a vengeance. “It’ll be done on time.”

Jonas touched Eli’s arm. “Take it easy. Now you’re gettin’ all worked up.”

“I’m not worked up,” Eli snapped, as he continued to run the coarse paper over the edges of the wooden box.

Jonas eyed him intently. “Is that so? Well, ya sure could’ve fooled me.”

“Quit your staring.”

“I was just checkin’ to see if my big brother is in lieb.”

Eli slapped the sandpaper down on the bench and stood, nearly knocking over his wooden stool. “I’m not in love! Now, if you don’t have anything sensible to say, why don’t you go bother someone else?”