Chapter 23

Melonie had a pretty good idea that she was going to regret her decision, but it couldn't be helped. Not only was her brother's devastated expression playing over and over in her head, she was concerned about Tabitha. Melonie had never had the connection with their former schoolteacher that Seth had, though she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she'd been only a child when Tabitha had taught in their schoolhouse.

Back then, she'd been focused on her friends and playing with her dolls. She vaguely remembered when their teacher had left in the middle of the school year to get married, but it hadn't made much of an impression on her. One week Tabitha had been their teacher, and the week after that Rachel had taken her place.

She'd had no idea that her older brother had been disturbed about Tabitha's marriage. Or that Leon Yoder was considered a difficult man. Melonie had only been focused on herself. On her friends, her schoolwork, and whether or not she would get along with the new schoolteacher. Perhaps she'd also been caught up in the idea of Tabitha leaving in the middle of the school year because her husband couldn't wait to marry her. It had sounded romantic.

Years later, right about the time Tabitha had been beaten so badly that the ambulance came, Melonie ended up embroiled in her own painful drama. Seth had been arrested, and then he went to trial and was imprisoned. Her days had been filled with her parents' grief, the endless rumors surrounding Peter Miller's death, Bethanne's assertions about what had happened, and the way almost everyone in the community had taken a side.

Even after Tabitha had returned home a year after Leon was arrested, she hadn't occupied Melonie's thoughts all that much. Tabitha was no longer part of the Amish community, and Melonie had been so focused on Seth's return.

Now she regretted being so self-absorbed. Tabitha obviously needed some friends, and Seth had told her all about how long it had taken Tabitha to even open the door to him. That had been hard to come to terms with. She might not have been attached to their former teacher, but Melonie definitely remembered her being full of smiles when she'd stood at the front of their classroom.

Melonie hoped this visit would be the first of many, especially because she was sure Seth wasn't going to stay away from Tabitha very long at all.

Walking up the driveway, she noticed that while the surrounding yard and field were far from groomed and neat, they did look cared for. The closer she got to the house, the more picturesque it looked. It was white like most other Amish-owned homes in the area, but instead of having a plain white or black door, it was bright yellow. Like the colors of sunflowers in mid-July.

It was pleasing, and Melonie thought it gave her some insight to the woman Tabitha Yoder was. As if there had always been a hidden spark of spunk but she was only lately giving that bit of boldness the opportunity to shine.

Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, it opened.

Tabitha was wearing jeans and a loose fisherman's sweater. Her long, brown hair was contained in a high ponytail. If Melonie hadn't known better, she would have guessed they were close in age.

"Melonie, right?"

"Jah. I'm Seth's sister."

Tabitha blinked. "It's been a long time since I've seen you up close."

"Jah. I guess it has."

She smiled softly. "You turned into a lovely woman."

The compliment was unexpected. Probably as unexpected as her appearance on Tabitha's doorstep.

"Is something wrong with Seth?" Looking stricken, Tabitha inhaled. "Oh no. Did he not make it home last night?"

"He did. I mean, we don't live together. I live at home with our parents. But I was by his haus this morning. He was there." And ... she had now made her visit sound even more mysterious.

"Oh."

Tabitha looked more confused, and Melonie couldn't say that she blamed her. "I know it might be rude of me to stop by uninvited, but I wondered if we could talk?"

"Of course." She stepped back so Melonie could enter, though her hesitation proved that she did so with reluctance.

"Danke." The first thing she noticed inside the home was the array of beautiful woven baskets in an assortment of vivid shades. Blues, reds, and yellows. Unable to resist, she walked over to the collection arranged neatly on a small table. "These are beautiful."

"Thank you."

"May I pick one up?"

"Of course."

Holding an indigo-hued square basket in her hands, she said, "I've never seen a basket like this. Not only are the sides a little longer than usual, the colors are amazing." She touched one of the slats. "Look how the light and dark shades alternate. It makes the piece seem almost alive." She smiled at her. "These would be perfect gifts."

Tabitha's brown eyes warmed. "I've thought that too."

"Where did you get them?"

"I made them."

"Truly?" Melonie looked at them more closely. Such skilled craftsmanship.

Tabitha nodded, looking a little bashful. "I purchase the wood from a supplier near Hart County and then dye the slats and finally weave them into baskets."

"That's a lot of work." Flipping over the basket, she noticed a handful of carefully crafted details. Nothing about the basket had been done hurriedly. "You should sell them, Tabitha."

"I do. It's how I make my living."

"I had no idea. I haven't seen these in any shops in Marion."

"Oh, I don't sell them in Marion. My sister comes over to pick up baskets once a month and in turn gives them to a broker. He then sells them in St. Louis and Louisville."

"How come you send them so far away?"

Tabitha peered down at the basket Melonie held. "Well, they aren't all that special. A lot of folks around here dye fabric and stain wood and turn them into handicrafts."

"A lot of women are talented at crafts, but these are special. I've never seen anything like these."

"You're sweet to say so."

"I'm being honest."

Tabitha shrugged, seeming a bit embarrassed. "Anyway, we get pretty gut prices in the big cities. It helps me since I have to pay the broker a percentage of the selling price."

"Do you ever take orders from around here?" It was all Melonie could do to not ask her about prices.

Tabitha's eyes widened before her expression turned blank again. "I ... nee."

"Why not?"

"I never thought about doing that."

"I think you should." When Tabitha shrugged, Melonie knew that she wasn't telling her the truth. Was it because she now lived apart from the rest of their church community?

Or maybe it was something else?

She knew right then and there that it was time to talk to her about Seth. "May I sit down?"

"Of course." Tabitha perched on the edge of the couch and waited expectantly.

After she returned the basket, Melonie sat down on the edge of a chair. "I saw Seth this morning. He told me about what happened."

Wariness entered her eyes. "What did he tell you?"

"That he tried to spend the night here and you asked him to leave."

Tabitha averted her eyes. "That is true, though I'm surprised he told you."

"I'm not. Seth was pretty upset."

"I'm sure you understand my reasons," she said. "A single woman canna be having a man over for sleepovers, no matter how innocent or well-intentioned they might be."

"No one would have had to know. No matter what you think about Seth, you've got to believe that he's a private person. He would never go out and do anything that might hurt you in any way."

"I don't think he would." Looking even more uncomfortable, she added, "But still, someone would find out, and then he or she would tell someone else. Then the rumor mill would start up and everything would get tarnished and twisted." Tabitha sounded so bitter.

"Maybe not."

"I appreciate you saying that, but things do happen. Secrets always get revealed." She waved a hand. "Just look at how you came over, and nothing even happened."

She couldn't argue that point. But Tabitha did need to know that Melonie's reason for visiting wasn't to find fault with anyone. "I didn't come over because I'm mad about Seth's relationship with you. I came over because I care."

"All right." Tabitha's tone sounded as though she doubted her sincerity, making Melonie realize that she was going to have to say more. Not just words but speaking from her heart.

"Listen, everyone knows what you've been through. I feel terrible for the way you've been treated. I'm sorry that some folks think you should have stayed with your husband no matter what he did." She took a deep breath. "But I also love my brother. I promise, despite the fact that he's been in prison, he's a very good person. He really cares for you. And I think that maybe you should consider his feelings."

"I already have."

"Then why won't you give him a chance?"

Tabitha stiffened. "Did Seth send you over here?"

"Nee."

"Does he know you're here?"

"I didn't tell him ... but I think he had an idea that I was going to come over."

"So you're here to badger me with his blessing."

"Nee. I didn't come to badger you, and Seth didn't give me his blessing. I came over because I wanted to. It was my idea."

"After all this time?" she asked sarcastically. Looking contrite, Tabitha took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for sounding so spiteful. I'm not at my best today." She sighed. "Listen, I know you mean well, but there are things that are going on with me that you don't know about."

When Melonie tried to interrupt, Tabitha held up a hand. "While I appreciate your words about my marriage, I fear that, also, is something we shouldn't discuss. You are a young woman. My past is nothing that you should concern yourself with."

"I'm not that young."

"You're right. But sometimes it's not an age gap that separates us from each other, it's the experiences. In that sense, we're complete opposites. I think it's time you left."

Frustrated with the awful spiral the conversation had taken, Melonie got to her feet. "Is this what you meant about twisting and turning information? Because that's what you're doing right now."

Tabitha stood slowly. "All I'm doing is sharing how I feel. It's not my fault that you feel differently than I do."

"You're right. You're entitled to how you feel. You're right that I haven't been married and I probably have no idea about everything you've experienced. But that doesn't mean I don't care."

"Melonie."

She shook her head. "Tabitha, I'm sorry, but one day you're going to have to trust other people. To accept that some people really are worthy of your time. I hope and pray that one of those people is my brother."

With that said, she turned and walked out the door. And almost stepped on the bouquet of flowers and card on the doormat.

Holding the door open, she scooped up the card so it wouldn't get dirty, then called out, "Tabitha, someone brought you flowers."

"What?" She hurried to the door and stared at them like they were about to turn into a mass of slithering snakes. "Oh nee."

"Do you want me to bring them in?"

"Nee. Don't touch them!"

Alarms were going off in her head, but she didn't know why. She stepped away from the flowers, then realized the card they came with was in her hand. "Um, there's a note." She handed it to Tabitha. "Sorry. I picked it up without thinking."

Tabitha grabbed the card with one hand and Melonie's hand with her other. After pulling her inside, she slammed the door and clicked the deadbolt. "I'm sorry, but you can't leave just yet."

"Why not?"

"It's not safe. I need to call Sheriff Johnson."

Melonie whispered, "You're serious, aren't you? You really think there's something wrong with these flowers."

"I think whoever dropped them off is nearby watching."

A chill went through Melonie. Maybe she should have listened to her brother and not gotten involved.

It was too late now.