Free A Love Made New by Kathleen Fuller Page A

knowing when he would return, waking up every morning wondering if this was the day she would see her husband again, only to go to bed that night alone once again. “I’m sorry,” she said, her heart going out to her friend who was no doubt suffering the same way.
    “ Nee need to be sorry.” Rhoda took a drink from her coffee as if they were talking about the weather instead of her absent husband. Determination replaced the sadness in her eyes. “ Mei Emmanuel will return.”
    Naomi wasn’t sure what to say. She looked at Rhoda with concern. Her brown hair had gotten grayer the past few months, and more lines creased her forehead. There was always a strain tugging at her mouth and melancholy in her eyes. For Rhoda’s sake she hoped Emmanuel would return soon. But other than his family, he had little reason to come back to Birch Creek. He was in the bann for several reasons—hiding funds from the community, leaving his wife, abandoning his bishop duties. If—when—he returned, he would have to confess. He would be forgiven, of course. But in the back of her mind she wondered if Emmanuel Troyer would ever face what he had done. They had been fortunate the community hadn’t split when he left.
    “Have you heard from him?” Naomi asked. Normally she wouldn’t pry like this, but Rhoda’s confident stance made her wonder if Emmanuel had been in contact with her.
    Rhoda lifted her chin, but Naomi saw her bottom lip tremble slightly. “ Nee. I have not.”
    Naomi pressed her lips together and picked up her mug. While she didn’t have Bartholomew’s physical presence, he was still very much a part of her life. She didn’t know what she’d do if they hadn’t remained in contact through letters over the years, even though he wasn’t supposed to make contact with her or his family. He had agreed to forge a new life, to leave his old one behind. But he hadn’t. Not really. Like her, he had faith that one day he would see his family again. And it hadn’t been long after he left and she and the children moved to Birch Creek that she received his first letter, with instructions on how they could communicate in the future. She at least had something tangible to hang her hope on. But Rhoda . . . she’d received only silence from her husband. Yet she still held on to hope.
    The kitchen door opened and Sol came in. There was a mudroom off the Troyers’ kitchen, so he had already taken off his coat, hat, and boots. “Hi, Naomi,” he said, then blew on his hands, which were red from the cold.
    “Hello, Solomon.”
    “Snow’s getting heavy.” Sol went to a cabinet and removed a mug, then hesitated before pouring coffee. “You might want to head for home soon. I can bring yer buggy around for you if you want.”
    “ Danki .” She had parked her horse and buggy near the Troyers’ barn. “I appreciate it.” She turned to his mother. “But Rhoda, are you sure you don’t need help with anything else?”
    She nodded. “ Ya. Danki for coming over.”
    Sol set his empty mug on the countertop and left the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.”
    A couple of minutes later, Naomi went to the mudroom and slipped on her boots, then her navy blue coat and scarf and black bonnet. She tied the bonnet around her neck and pinned her cape over her coat.
    “Here.” Rhoda came into the mudroom. She handed Naomi a thermos. “Hot coffee. For the drive home.”
    Naomi smiled, touched by the thoughtful gesture. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
    Through the small window of the mudroom Naomi saw Sol bring around her horse and buggy. Outside, she thanked him again, climbed into the buggy, and left, praying for Rhoda, Sol—and, of course, Bartholomew—as she made her way home.

    Bartholomew Beiler opened the door to his apartment, shut and locked it behind him, and tossed his keys on a small table. He pulled off his work boots and left them by the door, then went to the recliner and plopped down. Fatigue washed through him. He had