Return to Paradise. Barbara Cameron

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      Leah handed her the shopping bag. “Maybe someone should let David know about his father.”

      “I don’t know anyone who knows where he moved.”

      “There must be a way.” Leah reached inside the cash register for a list. “Can you and your schwesders handle a few more orders before Christmas?”

      “Schur. We appreciate the work, you know that.”

      Leah patted her hand. “I appreciate what you do for us. We can’t possibly handle all the demand for quilts with just Naomi sewing them.”

      Lavina tucked the check in her purse and picked up her shopping bag. “Have a gut day!”

      “You, too,” Leah said. “And think about what I said.”

      She waved at Naomi as she left the shop. The temperature had gotten a little bit cooler, but the sun felt warm on her shoulders as she stepped outside. She stopped to look in the display window—she hadn’t taken the time when she was carrying in the boxes of quilts to deliver—and smiled when she saw that one of her quilts was displayed next to Naomi’s. Little leaves cut from fabric scattered on the floor of the window announced the season. Anna’s hand-knit baby caps covered the heads of little dolls seated on one of Mary Katherine’s beautiful woven throws. Leah’s little cloth Amish dolls rode in a hand-carved buggy carved by Ben and Mark, twin cousins of the three Stoltzfus bruders.

      The wind picked up, swirling her skirt. She hurried to her buggy parked behind the shop and began the ride home. She felt tired from the last-minute rush the past week, finishing the quilt order, but happy with the check tucked in her purse. And how nice to have new fabric to work with. A quilter always loved having a big stash of fabric waiting to be worked into a quilt. Her dat pretended to complain about how much fabric the women in his house accumulated but he’d converted the den in the house into their sewing room and lined the walls with shelves for fabric and supplies.

      Her stomach growled. She’d left in a hurry that morning, taking time for only a cup of coffee. Up ahead was a restaurant/bakery that was a favorite of locals. She glanced at her purse and debated treating herself to a sandwich and taking home some baked goodies for her schweschders. The three of them deserved something special after their long hours.

      She parked, entered the restaurant, and inhaled the delicious aromas. The door opened behind her as she stood waiting to be shown to a table.

      “Lavina! I’ve been hoping to talk to you!”

      She turned and found herself staring at Officer Kate Kraft. “Oh, did I do something wrong? Did I park in the handicapped spot or something?” The parking lot had been crowded and she’d been a little close to a pickup truck, but she thought she’d parked the buggy legally.

      The other woman laughed. “Not at all. I’m looking for some fellow quilters to help me with a project. Are you having lunch? Maybe we could talk about it.”

      “Sure.” Everyone liked Officer Kate. She had earned the respect of the Amish community by being deferential to their beliefs.

      Here in Lancaster, the Amish and Englisch associated with each other more than they did in other areas. Lavina supposed that was because Lancaster Amish were involved in business and commerce more than farming because land had become so expensive. Tourism had changed Lancaster County, but so far both groups had made it work.

      They settled into a booth, and the server handed them menus then left to get their drinks.

      “No need for me to look at the menu,” Kate said without opening it. “I know it by heart. I try to pack a healthy lunch, but I don’t always have time before I leave the house in the morning.”

      Lavina smiled. “It never changes. I want a cheeseburger and French fries. That’s not something we cook often at home.”

      Her soft drink and Kate’s coffee came. They gave their orders and then Kate leaned forward. “So, I wanted to ask you if you’d be interested in helping teach quilting in a program we’ve started at a domestic abuse shelter in town. It’s based on a program a friend of mine started at a prison in Ohio.”

      “She teaches quilting in a prison?”

      Kate nodded enthusiastically, barely noticing when their server put her lunch down in front of her. “Quilting changes lives, Lavina. We teach the women life skills while we’re teaching how to put together a quilt. Some of the women have such low self-esteem. They’ve been involved in relationships with husbands, boyfriends, family that have made them feel like they can’t do anything. They learn how to sew, learn how to feel pride in accomplishment, learn life skills that help them get jobs and help support themselves—and their children if they have them.”

      Kate paused to take a breath. “Sorry, I’m pretty passionate about what we’re doing.” She picked up her sandwich and began eating. “Leah has given us material and supplies. And I’ve gotten donations from the community. We teach the class from noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays. Do you think you’d be interested in stopping by this week to see if you’d like to volunteer?”

      Lavina nodded. “I’ll come and see if it’s something I can help with.” She sipped her drink. “I have a question for you.”

      “Sure.” Kate smiled and watched the server refill her coffee cup. “What’s your question?”

      “If I wanted to find someone—someone who’s moved away from here—how would I go about it?”

      “There are a lot of things you can do,” Kate said. “Do you know how to use a computer?”

      “Not very well,” Lavina admitted. “I’ve done some work on the ones in the library, but I’m not the best.”

      “Where do you think this person moved to?”

      “He’s still in the county.”

      “Hmm. It might not be that hard. Start with directory assistance first. You know, information on the phone. Here, let me give you some paper to write on.” She pulled out a slim notepad and began ripping out a few sheets.

      Lavina lifted her soft drink and glanced idly at a man passing their table on the way to the cashier at the front of the restaurant. Was she seeing a ghost? Her eyes widened, and her fingers went numb on the glass. It slipped from her grasp and shattered on the tile floor. “David!”

      The man stopped and stared at her. “Lavina!”

      Chapter 2

      2

      David couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d wondered if he’d ever run into her, and now here she was as he stood, tongue-tied, not knowing what to say.

      “So, is this the man you were looking for?” asked the police officer Lavina was sitting with.

      “Er, yes,” Lavina stammered, blushing.

      David tore his eyes from Lavina and noticed that the woman was a police officer. He frowned. “What, am I in trouble for something?”

      “Nope,” the officer said. “Well, that was fast work,” she told Lavina with a smile. “I wish everything a citizen СКАЧАТЬ