Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"S o the quilt is done then?"

Kayla nodded in answer to Lucas's question. "It is done. I've never seen so many women working all at once. Most quilts take days, weeks, even months, but this one was put together with an assembly line, and it's finished. Just a little trim here and there and then it will be displayed in the library along with the famous King sister quilts. Hopefully in time for our big events."

They were sitting in the library now, so Lucas pulled her close, the sweet scent of vanilla and lavender wafting up from her hair. "Do you think our stubborn elders will see the point?"

She started giggling and he looked over at her. "Points," she explained. "I learned all about connecting the points on this quilt. I'm guessing the ladies in charge used that word over and over and made points on this quilt to make a point to both of our grossdaddis ."

"So will they see the point," he repeated, "or is this whole thing pointless?"

"We will find out tomorrow," she said, smiling up at him. Then they looked out at the white satin snow gleaming in the night. "Snow everywhere. A real blizzard."

"But this forced togetherness will bring the feud to an end, either way."

"I'm praying for the best possible outcome," she said. "If your grandfather could just see that he won, and let this go—"

"And if your grandfather could remember the woman he was married to, and not that he lost my grandmother."

Kayla pulled back. "He does remember Grossmammi Ethel, Lucas. You haven't been around him a lot. He's still mourning her death, but he can't let go of this grudge because of pride."

Lucas could see the aggravation in her frown but he couldn't stop defending his family. "And my grossdaddi can't help it if he won the woman he loves. The woman who loved him more than she loved your grossdaddi ."

"How can you be sure of that?" Kayla asked, her expression filled with doubt, her eyes bright with questions. "Maybe Berneta still has feelings for Claude. They've never really discussed that because of the constant fighting."

Lucas didn't like the tone of that suggestion. " Neh , she loves Tobias, my grossdaddi ."

Kayla remembered what Berneta had said earlier in this very room. It wasn't her story to explain to Lucas, however. "Have you asked her about it? I believe she loves Tobias, but what if he thinks she doesn't? That might be the reason he is still angry at Daddi Claude."

"It's not my place to question my grandmother, Kayla."

"But you are questioning my grandfather, assuming he didn't love Ethel. You're wrong, Lucas."

She stood, her chin jutting out, her usually sweet face twisted in a disapproving frown. "You see, it's happening. This long-standing feud feeds itself and keeps growing. Now we are fighting about this situation. This is what I've feared, Lucas." She pivoted and started pacing. "This is why I've held back. We tried not to get involved, but we are involved because we tried to fix things that can't be fixed."

"Is one of the things that can't be fixed us ?"

She looked at him, her eyes full of dread and defeat. "Maybe there never was an us ."

He followed her to the double doors. "We don't have to fight, Kayla. We decided not to fight, remember? If you could trust me, and trust that our elders married the ones Gott picked for them, we would be able to work through anything. I never wanted to hurt you."

"But this is hurtful, Lucas. You're accusing my grossdaddi of not loving my grossmammi . That is hurtful."

"I wasn't accusing. I was speculating in the same way you were just speculating." Frustration overcame him. "We've never asked either of them, any of them, how they really feel. And now, we're fighting over something I said."

"Something you implied," she corrected. She couldn't tell him she'd heard some of the truth from Berneta.

"I never figured you for stubborn, Kayla," he blurted, then instantly regretted his words.

"And I never thought you'd say something so mean about my grossdaddi . I'm going upstairs. Tomorrow will kumm soon enough."

"It can't come soon enough for me," he said to her back. "I want this over with so I can go back home."

"I feel the same." With that, she was gone, practically running up the stairs to get away from him.

Lucas stood watching her, wishing he hadn't said those things, wishing she didn't fear their future. But at least now, he knew she did have doubts. Big doubts. And he wasn't sure how to overcome her feelings and still remain loyal to his family.

"What a mess I've made," he said to no one.

"Sure looks that way."

Lucas glanced up to see Tobias standing a few feet away in the kitchen hallway.

"How much did you hear, Grossdaddi?" he asked, wishing he could fall through the floor.

Tobias motioned to the sofa in the library. "Enough to know you and I need to have a long talk," he said.

* * *

Lucas followed his grandfather into the library. Tobias sank onto a side chair while Lucas took the small sofa by the window. "Talk to me, please," he said.

Tobias studied the new quilt on display and then glanced out at the snow. "I am sorry," he said, his words trembling. "We've made a big mess of this whole week, a mess that needs to be cleared up before we all go our separate ways again."

"I couldn't agree more," Lucas replied, "but you're too late. Kayla is angry at me and I'm not too happy about all of this myself."

"Kayla is upset and irritated, and I can't blame her," Tobias replied. "Your grossmammi has been upset with me most of this week."

"Why?" Lucas asked. "Why has this gone on for so long?"

"Because we are human and we let pride and past misunderstandings get the best of us," Tobias replied. "But I want you to know, Abe has helped me see how wrong I am. He brought me here earlier and showed me this quilt and made me see the meaning of this work."

"I'm glad to hear that," Lucas told him. "But I've lost Kayla, so where does that leave me?"

"You don't let her go," Tobias replied. "You fight for her, but not in the way I fought for your grossmammi . You fight with a reckless love that will show her you care. Don't give up and don't let the mistakes we've made slow you down. You both proved your worth this week, trying with all your might to make us see the error of our ways. And look, it worked. Maybe you and she had to clear the air a bit, too, before you could truly commit to each other."

"So you're telling me you'll reach out to Claude and his family?" Lucas asked, a glimmer of hope giving him strength.

"I will, tomorrow," Tobias said as he pushed himself off the chair and struggled to stand. "I'm tired. So tired of this long-held grudge."

Lucas helped Tobias to the stairs. "Will you be all right?"

Tobias turned and put his hands on Lucas's shoulders. "I will now. I know you will carry on and keep our family strong and on the right path, even after I'm gone."

Lucas felt the weight of that statement. "You'll be around for a long time, Grossdaddi."

Tobias sent him a lingering smile. "I'll be around until Gott calls me home. And I need to mend these fences before that time kumms ."

Lucas stood there in the dark, watching the last embers of the fire.

He'd won the battle, but he'd lost someone he had come to love and cherish. He said a silent prayer, hoping Kayla would forgive him. Tomorrow would be their last day together.

He'd find her and make her see how much he loved her.

* * *

Kayla didn't sleep. She tossed and turned while Becky snored softly without a care in the world. After going back over her fight with Lucas, Kayla knew in her heart why she'd been so hesitant all week.

If their grandparents couldn't straighten things out, how could they ever be free to love each other? Her fears and doubts came from a deep place that she'd tried so hard to hide—that spot in her heart where she would always be second, would always be the plain sister, would always wonder if the man she'd fall for could truly love her back.

She'd been afraid to let go and enjoy her feelings for Lucas, such new and fresh feelings that they had overwhelmed her and left her confused and unsure. But now she could see—Berneta had told the quilters she loved Tobias, and that Ethel and Claude had loved each other. Thinking back, Kayla could now see how her grossdaddi had showered Ethel with love by working hard, by bringing her freshly cut wildflowers, by making sure she had a nice home and good food, and by laughing with her every day.

Why hadn't she remembered the gut between them, rather than assuming her sweet grandmother had been slighted. Yes, Ethel held doubts, but she and Claude had made a gut life together. The best life. Because of the one thing Berneta had said the other day.

Ethel had waited for Claude to come to her. She hadn't forced him. He'd come to her and he'd fallen in love with her. The plain one.

Had Lucas fallen for Kayla in the same way? Had her own doubts brought about their fight?

Pondering how she'd handle seeing him today, she got up and dressed in the small washroom between her room and the one where her parents were sleeping. When she returned, Becky was sitting up in bed waiting for her.

"Are you all right?" Becky asked. "I thought I heard you crying last night."

"You did," Kayla said. "Lucas and I had a fight."

Becky gave her a sympathetic stare. "Will this feud continue then?"

"Not if I can help it," Kayla replied. "I'm going after the man I want to marry, same as our grossmammi did. She did it the right way, and so will I. But I don't have to wait to find out if Lucas loves me. I'm going to show him that I love him, then let him decide."

Becky yawned and then she grinned. "The snow has stopped and it's my wedding day, so whatever plan you have, please don't let it involve a food fight."

Kayla shook her head. "There will be no fighting today, Sister. Not if I can help it."

Now she just had to find Lucas and make him see how much she loved him. Then a thought popped into her head. She knew the perfect way to calm everyone in both families. She just prayed it would work.