MENDING FENCES by Brooke Williams

chair.  It hadn’t been what she expected to hear.  Cooper had an Amish background, but he wasn’t from the community.  Surely he would understand love a lot better than he would loyalty to the community.  She expected him to tell her to follow her heart, wherever it was leading.
                “Your family is back there, right?” he asked.
                “Yes,” Maria said.  “All of them.”
                Cooper nodded.  “Then you need to go home.”
                “And just leave Eldon here?” she asked.  “Break his heart?  Along with my own?”  She felt a sob work its way through her body, but she stifled it so she could continue the conversation.
                “Now who said anything about leaving Eldon behind?” Cooper asked.
                Maria felt her heart instantly lighten.  Perhaps Cooper had advice that could solve her dilemma.  Maybe God sent her to his store that day for that very reason.  He might be leading her to the right path…one that would allow her to love Eldon and be a part of the community she adored.
                “I think you need to go home,” Cooper continued, “because your community obviously means a lot to you.”  Maria felt him glance up at her bonnet.  She knew some of the teens used Rumspringa as a chance to dress in clothing from the outside world, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to even try anything on, much less convert to it, even if only for a few days.  “You need to go home and talk with your family.  Tell them how you feel.  Tell them what you learned while you were here.  Seek their advice.  If you don’t feel that you have an answer from God about what you should do yet, you’ll get an answer from them.”
                Maria felt her spirits lift.  Of course.  Her father was the wisest person she knew.  He would understand her situation and he would know just what she should do.  All she had to do was ask.  It would mean leaving town and going back to the community, but at that point, she would do whatever it took.
                “Thank you so much,” Maria gushed, feeling as if Cooper had done a lot more for her than give her simple advice.  “I’ll be sure to tell my parents how much you helped me.”
                Cooper stood and waved his hand in front of her.  “Aw, it was nothing, dear.  It was my pleasure to be there for you.”
                “I’ll be sure to get word to you,” she said, “about how it all turns out.”
                Maria already had an image in her mind.  She would go to her parents and tell them about her experiences in the outside world, nearly all of which revolved around Eldon.  She would tell them about her love for him and his for her.  She would describe what kind of a man he was and she would tell them he wanted to return to the community.  Perhaps her father could speak with the elders and even lead the cause to allow Eldon to come back.  It would just be a matter of time before Eldon was in the shop on community land, where he belonged.
                As Maria left Cooper’s store after asking him to send word that she was ready to go home and needed a ride, she felt like her steps were a million times lighter.  God was giving her an answer.  With a little help from Him, she could have everything she ever wanted…true love and a simple life.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
     
                The next morning, Maria packed her few belongings along with one of the bags from the bakery.  The smell of the items she took to Eldon each morning reminded her of him and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to leave in good conscious without taking a small part of him with her, no matter how miniscule.
                As Maria checked out of the hotel, her heart heavy in her chest.  It was already later