Read Online The Healing Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Ads: Link
room, Emma said a silent prayer for both young women, asking God to show them the path He wanted them to take. She felt certain that each of these young women had a special purpose in life.
C HAPTER 9
E rika knew it was rude, but she couldn’t help staring at Anna. Not only was she dressed in Amish clothes, like Emma, but she was young and had two good legs. As far as Erika could tell, Anna might be a little older than her, but not by much.
Anna didn’t know how lucky she was. Erika envied people, especially those who were close to her age and weren’t bound to a wheelchair. They didn’t have to worry about the rest of their lives; they still had dreams they could live out, that would hopefully come true. Erika wondered, in her condition, if she was destined to be alone for the rest of her life. Who would want to be strapped down by someone in a wheelchair? And what would she do if she did fall in love with a man someday? Could she expect him to commit to a relationship, knowing he would always have to do certain things for her? That was the burden she’d placed on her dad, as well as the woman he’d hired as Erika’s caregiver.
The silence in the room was thick, as neither Erika nor Anna spoke to each other, while waiting on Emma’s return.
A short time later, Emma came back with glasses of lemonade for them. She placed them on the table and was about to sit down, when Anna suddenly stood, gave Emma a hug, and said she needed to go.
Is Anna as uncomfortable around me as I am her?
Erika wondered.
Does she feel sorry for me, sitting here in my wheelchair, not saying a word?
She grasped the armrests on her chair tightly and clenched her teeth.
Well, I don’t need her pity
.
Anna started for the door, hesitated, then glanced quickly at Erika. “It was nice meeting you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the quilting classes, ’cause Emma and Lamar are good teachers.” Then she turned and rushed out the door.
Emma stood several seconds, watching out the window as Anna made her way out of the yard. Then she turned to Erika and said, “How was your week?”
Erika shrugged, running her finger down the side of the wet, cold glass of lemonade. “Same as usual. I wake up in the morning, and whether I’m at school or home, I sit in my wheelchair the rest of the day. Dad and my caregiver, Mrs. Drew, take care of most of my needs, so I’ve pretty much got it made, wouldn’t you say?”
Emma, as though sensing Erika’s frustration, gently touched her shoulders and said, “I’m sure it must be hard for you, and I’m hoping that by taking this class…”
“As I’ve said before, I really don’t care about learning how to quilt. I’m only here because my dad insisted I come.” Erika gulped down some of her drink, thinking how good the lemonade tasted.
I bet Emma made this herself. It sure doesn’t taste like the store-bought kind
.
“You know,” Emma said, motioning to the front door, “when Anna took my class up in Shipshewana last year, she didn’t want to learn how to quilt, either.”
“Then why’d she come?” Erika asked, after taking another swallow of lemonade
“Her mother signed her up for the class.” Emma’s glasses slipped to the end of her nose, and she paused to push them in place. “Anna wasn’t interested in sewing at home, and her mother hoped I could teach her.”
“That’s interesting, but what’s that got to do with me?”
“Take this napkin and wrap it around your glass. It will soak up some of the moisture.” Emma smiled and then continued. “Even though Anna didn’t want to come to the class at first, eventually she liked it, and she learned to quilt.”
Erika didn’t respond, just wrapped the napkin around the glass and finished her drink. She hoped the others would get here soon so they could get on with the class, because the sooner it was done, the sooner she could go home to the solitude of her room, which was fast becoming her only safe place.
Maybe I’ve
C HAPTER 9
E rika knew it was rude, but she couldn’t help staring at Anna. Not only was she dressed in Amish clothes, like Emma, but she was young and had two good legs. As far as Erika could tell, Anna might be a little older than her, but not by much.
Anna didn’t know how lucky she was. Erika envied people, especially those who were close to her age and weren’t bound to a wheelchair. They didn’t have to worry about the rest of their lives; they still had dreams they could live out, that would hopefully come true. Erika wondered, in her condition, if she was destined to be alone for the rest of her life. Who would want to be strapped down by someone in a wheelchair? And what would she do if she did fall in love with a man someday? Could she expect him to commit to a relationship, knowing he would always have to do certain things for her? That was the burden she’d placed on her dad, as well as the woman he’d hired as Erika’s caregiver.
The silence in the room was thick, as neither Erika nor Anna spoke to each other, while waiting on Emma’s return.
A short time later, Emma came back with glasses of lemonade for them. She placed them on the table and was about to sit down, when Anna suddenly stood, gave Emma a hug, and said she needed to go.
Is Anna as uncomfortable around me as I am her?
Erika wondered.
Does she feel sorry for me, sitting here in my wheelchair, not saying a word?
She grasped the armrests on her chair tightly and clenched her teeth.
Well, I don’t need her pity
.
Anna started for the door, hesitated, then glanced quickly at Erika. “It was nice meeting you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the quilting classes, ’cause Emma and Lamar are good teachers.” Then she turned and rushed out the door.
Emma stood several seconds, watching out the window as Anna made her way out of the yard. Then she turned to Erika and said, “How was your week?”
Erika shrugged, running her finger down the side of the wet, cold glass of lemonade. “Same as usual. I wake up in the morning, and whether I’m at school or home, I sit in my wheelchair the rest of the day. Dad and my caregiver, Mrs. Drew, take care of most of my needs, so I’ve pretty much got it made, wouldn’t you say?”
Emma, as though sensing Erika’s frustration, gently touched her shoulders and said, “I’m sure it must be hard for you, and I’m hoping that by taking this class…”
“As I’ve said before, I really don’t care about learning how to quilt. I’m only here because my dad insisted I come.” Erika gulped down some of her drink, thinking how good the lemonade tasted.
I bet Emma made this herself. It sure doesn’t taste like the store-bought kind
.
“You know,” Emma said, motioning to the front door, “when Anna took my class up in Shipshewana last year, she didn’t want to learn how to quilt, either.”
“Then why’d she come?” Erika asked, after taking another swallow of lemonade
“Her mother signed her up for the class.” Emma’s glasses slipped to the end of her nose, and she paused to push them in place. “Anna wasn’t interested in sewing at home, and her mother hoped I could teach her.”
“That’s interesting, but what’s that got to do with me?”
“Take this napkin and wrap it around your glass. It will soak up some of the moisture.” Emma smiled and then continued. “Even though Anna didn’t want to come to the class at first, eventually she liked it, and she learned to quilt.”
Erika didn’t respond, just wrapped the napkin around the glass and finished her drink. She hoped the others would get here soon so they could get on with the class, because the sooner it was done, the sooner she could go home to the solitude of her room, which was fast becoming her only safe place.
Maybe I’ve
Similar Books
