house.”
“No! You can’t take me home.”
“Of course I’m taking you home.” He frowned. “Where else did you think I was taking you?”
“I don’t care. Anywhere else.” Her voice broke, and her whisper was raw. “Just not home. Please, Micah. Don’t take me home.”
He didn’t bother to hide his shock. What had happened to her? He’d never heard her beg anyone for anything.
“You need to go home, Katie Kay. Your family has been beside themselves with worry about you. I’m taking you home.”
“No, you’re not!” She grabbed the passenger side door. “If you think I won’t jump out of this buggy, then you’re wrong.”
“Don’t be silly. You could hurt yourself.”
“I didn’t before,” he thought he heard her mutter, but before he could ask if he’d heard her correctly, she said, “If you’re going to be like that, Micah, stop and let me out.”
“I’m not leaving you out here in the middle of a stormy night.”
“And you’re not taking me home.” Again her voice broke. “I’m not ready to face them. Not yet.”
Hardening his heart to her was impossible. They’d known each other all their lives. He’d counted her among his gut friends before he’d fallen for her. Her daed was marrying his mamm in a month.
Was that why Katie Kay had returned? For the wedding? If so, Reuben and Mamm would be overjoyed to see her. But why didn’t she want to relieve her daed’s fears? Too much didn’t make sense.
“Micah,” she said softly, “please take me somewhere else.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you have any money? One of the hotels out on Route 30 might not be completely booked on a weeknight.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t have enough to pay for a room.” Opening her soaked purse that sat in a damp spot on the seat, she gasped.
“What’s wrong?”
“He took my money! I thought he was just taking my cell phone.”
Micah’s hands tightened on the reins. “He? Were you robbed?”
“Not exactly.”
If she was trying to be baffling tonight, she was succeeding. Maybe if he tried a different approach...
“Katie Kay, I don’t want to have to lie to Reuben when he talks about wondering where you are.”
“I’m not asking you to lie. I’m asking you not to say anything about seeing me.”
“That’s splitting hairs.”
“Maybe it is.” Again she looked away. “But I can’t face my family right now.”
It was the second time she’d said those words. He wanted to ask why she intended to avoid her family, but she looked dejected and lost, so unlike the girl he’d known. He pushed aside his objections. The Bible taught that they were supposed to help one another. Yet it also was at the very heart of God’s commandments that the duty to honor one’s parents must never be set aside for any reason.
He drew in the horse and sat with his elbows on his knees as the buggy slowed to a stop by the side of the road. He knew what he should do. He should haul her at top speed to her family’s house. But that might do more damage than gut. She obviously needed time to prepare herself before she spoke to Reuben. Letting her have a day or two wouldn’t make a big difference, and granting her a favor might be the very thing that kept her from jumping the fence again. At least until after she and Reuben had a chance to meet. Not knowing where she was had been hardest on the bishop. If they could reconcile, perhaps it would smooth over the situation, even if she chose to leave again.
“All right,” he said, hoping he wasn’t making a complete mess of everything and praying both Reuben and God would understand. “I may know someone who can put you up for tonight.”
“Not among the Leit. The news would reach my family before dawn.”
That was true. The Amish didn’t use phones or email except for business, but nothing stayed a secret long in their tight-knit community. Jokingly referred to as the Amish grapevine, gossip and rumors flew faster than anything in cyberspace.
“These people are Englischers.” He glanced at her clothing. “I’m sure you’re accustomed to folks who aren’t Amish. I’ll ask my friends Sean and Gemma Donnelly to let you stay with them tonight.”
“Danki, Micah!” Her frown eased for the first time since she’d gotten into the buggy, and his heart did a crazy little flip as it always did when she smiled at him. But, this time, he ignored it. He wouldn’t make the same mistake of thinking she cared for him as much as he’d cared for her. He wouldn’t make that mistake ever again!
“Don’t thank me yet. I’m not helping you unless you agree to do what I ask.”
At his stern tone, her smile faltered.
Micah plunged forward with what he knew he had to get her to agree to do. “I will help you find a place for tonight and won’t mention to anyone you’re here, but only if you agree to speak with your daed. Not tonight,” he added when she started to protest. “Within a week.”
“That’s too soon.”
“Then tell me how long you need.”
“I don’t know.”
“I told you what I think is long enough. Tell me what you think is long enough before you speak with Reuben.” He couldn’t relent on this, though he wasn’t sure she’d honor any agreement. The Katie Kay he used to know would have, but the one sitting beside him was a stranger.
“A month.”
He sat straighter. “What? A whole month? Why do you need a month?”
“You don’t need to know why. I need time to be sure about things. A lot of things.” She raised her face toward him, and he could see the glitter in her eyes. Determination to get her way or tears or both? “If you’ll find me a place to stay, Micah, I’ll talk to my daed before a month’s gone by. Agreed?”
He considered her words. If he said no, that wouldn’t change anything. She wasn’t going to talk to her daed. If he said ja, there was a chance she might do as she said. He owed Reuben that much.
Turning the horse’s head back in the direction they’d come, he said, “Agreed.”
She thanked him, but he paid no attention as he stared out into the darkness. He’d made the best decision he could have under the circumstances or the worst. He wasn’t sure which.
