Free Plain Fame by Sarah Price

emerged. The man wore simple black slacks and a white shirt, a straw hat on his head. He had a long white beard that hung down to the center of his chest. The woman wore a plain green dress with a black apron tied around her waist. She wore the same white prayer kapp on her head, covering her neatly combed hair, which was pulled back from her face. Amish, Alejandro thought, highly curious and feeling a bit anxious in these new surroundings.
    The driver opened the car door and bent down, reaching inside to help Alejandro get out of the car. Once outside, he stretched his back, then pulled gently on his beige jacket. His white pants were creased from having been in the car for so long, but he felt ready to meet her parents.
    “ Ach vell now,” the father said as he approached, a smile on his face and his eyes shining. “That’s some car you have there, young man!”
    Alejandro reached out to shake the man’s hand. “Alejandro Diaz, sir. We spoke on the phone.”
    “Ja, ja,” the man said. “That we did.” He glanced down into the open door of the car. “My little girl somewhere in there, or is she lost in that fancy car?”
    “I’m here, Daed,” she said, peeking out as best she could.
    “I have a wheelchair for her, sir. Might be easier to move around since the cast is up to her thigh.”
    “‘ Sir, ’ eh? ” He pulled at his beard and stared at Alejandro. “That’s a bit formal, don’t you think? You can call me Elias, and this here is my wife, Lizzie.” The woman at his side nodded her head but didn’t speak. “We want to thank you for taking such good care of our Amanda. God has a way of providing in times of need, ja ?”
    Alejandro crossed his hands in front of him, his feet planted apart as he stood before this man. “Well, I felt a little responsible, to be truthful. It was my driver that hit her.”
    “That it was,” Elias said, nodding his head. But he kept smiling. If Alejandro had expected the parents to be angry with him, he was pleased to be surprised. Again, he thought. That’s twice in less than ten minutes. Elias rubbed his hands together and bent down, looking into the car again. “Let’s see about getting her out of this fancy house on wheels, then.”
    It took a few minutes to get Amanda out of the limousine. Her leg felt heavy and awkward. When it was clear that she couldn’t do it on her own, Alejandro gestured to her father to step back. “¿Permiso?” he asked but didn’t wait for a response as he knelt on the floor of the limousine and lifted her into his arms. “Easy now,” he murmured, his one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back. “ Hold on to me, Princesa.”
    “Oh,” she gasped, color flooding her cheeks. But she put her arms around his neck, avoiding the stunned gaze of her parents.
    Carefully, Alejandro backed out of the limousine, and then even more carefully, he carried Amanda over to the waiting wheelchair. Gently, he set her down and started to stand up. But she was still clinging to his neck. He smiled to himself and reached up to touch her hands. “You can let go now,” he whispered softly, his breath brushing against her ear.
    Embarrassed, she looked away, her cheeks still crimson.
    Her mother was quick to cover her legs with a small quilt that she had been holding in her arms. “ You poor dear girl, ” her mother said, tucking the quilt around Amanda. “I never should have let you come home without your sister. Traveling alone through that big city? Terrible mistake! You must have been petrified!”
    Recovering from her discomfort, Amanda turned toward her mother and reached for her hand. “Oh no, Mamm. Everyone was so kind and took such wonderful care of me! The nurses and doctors were very attentive.” She glanced over at Alejandro, her eyes sparkling. “And Alejandro was there every day, talking to the doctors and making certain I was doing just fine. If it weren’t for the pain and this lumpy thing on my leg that I’ll