grass gazing at that beautiful rainbow. Biggest I’ve ever
seen.”
“Do you think it really was? That big, I mean?”
Nellie pointed to the patch that was one of the larger blocks. “It’s a double rainbow.
See the second arc outside the primary one?”
“How do you know this?” And then Lucy remembered the times she was with Nellie and
how she lingered when she saw a rainbow stretching across the horizon.
Nellie folded her arms as if to protect the precious moment. “The light reflects
twice inside the water droplets.” She smiled at Lucy. “We saw a two-arced rainbow
that day, and I’ve never seen another like it.”
“That’s sad.” Lucy’s heart went out to her, although Nellie didn’t seem bitter or
callous in any way, so why should she pity her? “Did you ever see him again?”
“I left soon after we parted. I spent all the time I had quilting and working in
town. I became lost in it to forget about him.” Her face pinched for a moment and
then relaxed again. “When I heard he was courting someone else, I left to start my
own shop, knowing I wouldn’t get married.” She pursed her lips for a second and placed
her hands on the quilt. “And I never looked back.”
Nellie’s success turned the sorrow into happiness, both with her shop and, more important,
her precious quilts, which were not just quilts but life stories.
“That’s an incredible gift you give to people, Nellie.”
“It’s been more fulfilling than anything else I could have done.” She paused. “I
do keep a piece of me in every quilt I make.” Nellie pushed the fabric inside out
to show her initials. “I sew it up so they can’t see, but I know it’s there.” She
chucked Lucy under the chin. “You can do anything you set your mind to.” She put
a hand to Lucy’s stomach. “You’re going to be a good mamm to that baby.”
Just as Lucy was about to complain about her situation, Nellie put up a finger.
“Don’t talk of the troubles. No matter what Sam does or doesn’t do, you and your
baby will have each other.”
With no daed .
Nellie was right. And she would be a good mother, no matter what Sam said. After
hearing Nellie’s story, Lucy seemed to sense inward resources she hadn’t been aware of before. Instead of feeling helpless with what the future held, she felt strengthened
to take on whatever came her way. This baby would have the best mamm she could possibly
be. She didn’t need anyone—not Sam or someone like Manny—to make her life complete.
A soft knock at the door drew their attention. “I’ll get it.” Nellie stood, and when
she got to the door and looked at the side window, she grinned. “It’s Manny.”
Lucy frowned. “Nellie, stop.”
Nellie opened the door wide and let him in. “Good to see you, Manny.” She pointed
to an envelope he held. “Are you the new mailman now?”
“For the time being. Abner’s not been feeling well, so I thought I’d help him out.”
“No one needs to bring us the mail. Sam can fetch it.” Lucy stood, more clumsily
than she would have liked, especially while making a stand to be more self-sufficient.
Manny walked quickly over to help her, but she found her balance and stood tall.
“You all right?” Manny’s blue eye caught the sun, making her think of the little
lesson Nellie had just shared with her about colors in the sky.
“I’m fine, danke .” There was no good reason to look into a man’s eyes, knowing what
she knew. Her life was here at Sam’s farm with their new child. Manny was a neighbor,
but not one she’d known until recently. Going to two different churches on Sunday
had kept them from getting to know each other. Maybe there was a reason for that
too.
“How’s Abner getting on?” Nellie smiled at Manny and glanced at Lucy.
As Nellie watched Manny talking, with his one blue and one brown eye and messy blond
hair, she pressed herself away, and when he smiled at her, she pushed farther still.
L ucy stood on the
seen.”
“Do you think it really was? That big, I mean?”
Nellie pointed to the patch that was one of the larger blocks. “It’s a double rainbow.
See the second arc outside the primary one?”
“How do you know this?” And then Lucy remembered the times she was with Nellie and
how she lingered when she saw a rainbow stretching across the horizon.
Nellie folded her arms as if to protect the precious moment. “The light reflects
twice inside the water droplets.” She smiled at Lucy. “We saw a two-arced rainbow
that day, and I’ve never seen another like it.”
“That’s sad.” Lucy’s heart went out to her, although Nellie didn’t seem bitter or
callous in any way, so why should she pity her? “Did you ever see him again?”
“I left soon after we parted. I spent all the time I had quilting and working in
town. I became lost in it to forget about him.” Her face pinched for a moment and
then relaxed again. “When I heard he was courting someone else, I left to start my
own shop, knowing I wouldn’t get married.” She pursed her lips for a second and placed
her hands on the quilt. “And I never looked back.”
Nellie’s success turned the sorrow into happiness, both with her shop and, more important,
her precious quilts, which were not just quilts but life stories.
“That’s an incredible gift you give to people, Nellie.”
“It’s been more fulfilling than anything else I could have done.” She paused. “I
do keep a piece of me in every quilt I make.” Nellie pushed the fabric inside out
to show her initials. “I sew it up so they can’t see, but I know it’s there.” She
chucked Lucy under the chin. “You can do anything you set your mind to.” She put
a hand to Lucy’s stomach. “You’re going to be a good mamm to that baby.”
Just as Lucy was about to complain about her situation, Nellie put up a finger.
“Don’t talk of the troubles. No matter what Sam does or doesn’t do, you and your
baby will have each other.”
With no daed .
Nellie was right. And she would be a good mother, no matter what Sam said. After
hearing Nellie’s story, Lucy seemed to sense inward resources she hadn’t been aware of before. Instead of feeling helpless with what the future held, she felt strengthened
to take on whatever came her way. This baby would have the best mamm she could possibly
be. She didn’t need anyone—not Sam or someone like Manny—to make her life complete.
A soft knock at the door drew their attention. “I’ll get it.” Nellie stood, and when
she got to the door and looked at the side window, she grinned. “It’s Manny.”
Lucy frowned. “Nellie, stop.”
Nellie opened the door wide and let him in. “Good to see you, Manny.” She pointed
to an envelope he held. “Are you the new mailman now?”
“For the time being. Abner’s not been feeling well, so I thought I’d help him out.”
“No one needs to bring us the mail. Sam can fetch it.” Lucy stood, more clumsily
than she would have liked, especially while making a stand to be more self-sufficient.
Manny walked quickly over to help her, but she found her balance and stood tall.
“You all right?” Manny’s blue eye caught the sun, making her think of the little
lesson Nellie had just shared with her about colors in the sky.
“I’m fine, danke .” There was no good reason to look into a man’s eyes, knowing what
she knew. Her life was here at Sam’s farm with their new child. Manny was a neighbor,
but not one she’d known until recently. Going to two different churches on Sunday
had kept them from getting to know each other. Maybe there was a reason for that
too.
“How’s Abner getting on?” Nellie smiled at Manny and glanced at Lucy.
As Nellie watched Manny talking, with his one blue and one brown eye and messy blond
hair, she pressed herself away, and when he smiled at her, she pushed farther still.
L ucy stood on the
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