The Heart's Journey: Stitches in Time Series #2 (21 page)

“How?”

Sighing, she leaned her elbows on the edge of the sink and met his concerned gaze—so concerned that he deserved to know.

“I’m breaking up with John, if you must know,” she said quietly.

“Good. Mary Katherine has told me she’s been uncomfortable around him for some time. But she didn’t suspect that he’d hurt you.”

He picked up a dish towel and began drying the dishes that were draining in a rack.

It did her heart good to see how easily he shifted into helping mode. It wasn’t easy to run a farm, and yet he obviously helped Mary Katherine inside the home, just as she tried when she could to help outside with his chores. And his help would be needed so much when she delivered their second child.

“When are you doing it?”

“Today. Right after work.”

“Where?”

“What do you mean where? Are you going to check up on me?”

Her breath hitched and she heard the edge in her voice. Then she felt contrite. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little tense about it.”

“If you’re afraid he’s going to get angry and hurt you—”

She bit her lip and finally nodded. “I’d be stupid if I didn’t think it could happen.”

Chris threw down the dish towel and walked over to close the door. “You know I used to be in the military. C’mere, I’m going to show you a little self-defense. Just in case.”

Naomi dried her hands on the towel and walked over to him.

The door opened.

“Oh, my!” Hannah cried out.

Chris pulled his arm from around Naomi’s neck. “It’s not what you think! I can explain!”

Hannah was jostled aside by Kate, who raised her gun and held it pointed at Chris.

“What’s going on?”

“Easy, Kate, easy,” Chris said, holding up his hands.

“He’s just showing me some self-defense moves,” Naomi rushed to tell them. “Really, everything’s okay.”

Kate lowered her gun and holstered it. “Any reason for you to need self-defense lessons?” she asked Naomi.

Naomi saw the woman’s sharp eyes take in the bruise on her forearm as she started rolling down her sleeves.

Hannah wavered on her feet and Chris reached out and grabbed her. “Dizzy,” she said as he lowered her into a chair. “I’m okay,” she said as he bent over her. “Just a little too much excitement.”

“Now you know how I felt when your brother found me in your hayloft,” he said, patting her back. “Let me get you some water.”

He straightened and turned to Kate. “Was it necessary to flash your gun? You knew it was just Naomi and me back here.”

“The shop has a back door just like most of them do. I didn’t know what I’d find when your wife cried out.”

Mary Katherine and Anna filled the doorway, their eyes wide.

“What’s going on?” Leah called behind them.

Kate sighed. “I’ll go out and explain,” she said, glancing back briefly at Chris. “You stay with Hannah and take care of her. No delivering early again,” she told Hannah sternly. “That was a little too much excitement for me, helping Malcolm deliver your last kid.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hannah said with a faint smile as she rubbed her abdomen.

Anna followed Kate, eager to find out what had happened. Mary Katherine hesitated, then, when Naomi nodded, left them.

Chris straightened. “I’m going to see if our driver is here.”

“Self-defense?” said Hannah, studying Naomi. “What’s going on?”

When Naomi didn’t answer, Hannah’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh no, is John hurting you? Is that why Chris was teaching you self-defense?”

She got to her feet awkwardly and winced, but shook her head when Naomi tried to help her. Naomi went to the door to
watch to make sure that Hannah made it safely to Chris’s side. They held a whispered conversation she couldn’t hear.

Hannah glanced back at Naomi, looked doubtful, but then left the shop.

Kate approached. “Naomi? I’d like to talk to you.”

Naomi moved about in a daze the rest of the day.

She helped customers, rang up sales, swept the floor, and gave the shelves one last straightening.

Mary Katherine watched her, looking worried. Anna tried asking questions a couple of times, but after a stern look from their grandmother she subsided.

“Should I lock up now?” Naomi asked as she glanced at the clock.

Her grandmother nodded and gathered the day’s receipts. “Naomi, I’d like you to help me with the deposit.”

“But Mary Katherine and I’ve been doing it,” Anna protested.

“Then all the more reason Naomi should be helping now,” Leah said calmly. “If you could finish taking care of those mail orders, I would appreciate it, Anna.”

Anna didn’t look happy about it but she did as she was asked.

“
Grossmudder
, I just don’t think I can talk about it anymore,” Naomi said as she sat down at the table in the back room.

Leah gave her a gentle smile. “I know.” She set the receipts aside and grasped Naomi’s hand in hers. “I’m not going to tell you what you need to do. You know. And I believe you’ll do it.”

The tears came then, surprising Naomi. “Oh,
Grossmudder
, I loved him.”

“I know. You still love him.”

Naomi nodded, sobbing now. She reached for a tissue in her pocket.

“If you didn’t, you could have walked away easily. You have a generous heart. A forgiving one. But that’s not enough sometimes.”

“I don’t know what happened. He changed.”

“Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t. He may have always been like this but he just knew how to hide it from you.” She was silent for a moment, looking at Naomi with damp eyes. “Let’s pray.”

They sat there, hands clasped, and prayed, and then her grandmother took a fresh tissue from a little pack she carried in her pocket and wiped Naomi’s eyes.

“Why don’t you go wash your face and then we’ll take you by the restaurant on our way home.”

Naomi nodded. She got up, then bent down and hugged her grandmother. “Thank you.”

Leah patted her cheek.

Nick parked a short distance from the restaurant and walked around to open her door. Naomi pretended that she was meeting John for a welcome-home dinner, but her cousins were so quiet she didn’t think she was fooling anyone.

“I’ll be back in an hour and I’ll wait outside for you,” Nick told her quietly. He slid a cell phone into her hand. “Put this in your purse.”

“I can’t take your phone.”

“It’s an extra one I keep for emergencies. Take it so you can call me if you need me sooner.”

Naomi tucked it into her purse, then waved to her grandmother and her cousins. “Okay, have a good night, everyone. See you tomorrow.”

She walked into the restaurant, trying not to drag her feet. The sooner she got it over with, the sooner she’d be home.

The hostess led Naomi to John’s table. He was already there, drumming his fingers impatiently. “You’re late.”

She wasn’t, but what was the point of arguing?

A waitress came with menus and John ordered supper, but when Naomi only ordered coffee, his eyebrows went up. “Did you eat before you came here tonight?”

“Of course not. There wasn’t time after we closed the shop.”

She stared down at the cup of coffee when it arrived, wishing she could figure out what to say.

“Did you enjoy your vacation?” he asked abruptly as he waited for his food.

“It was very nice.”

John fiddled with his silverware, arranging it to his satisfaction. “I was quite disappointed that you weren’t more appreciative of the trouble I went to in coming to see you.”

“It was unexpected, John. I was there to be with my grandmother.” She sighed. “We’ve already discussed that.”

“You weren’t there just to be with her,” he said, frowning. “You were there to spend time with Nick.”

“He’s a family friend and driver,” she told him. “That’s all. You have nothing to be jealous of.”

The minute the word
jealous
slipped out of her mouth, she was sorry. His expression darkened and he set his fork down with a clatter.

“That’s not what I hear.”

She’d wondered but hadn’t been suspicious up until now. “I saw you talking with a man before you got on the bus,” she said slowly.

“I—”

“And I saw him sitting in restaurants and such when
Grossmudder
and Nick and I sometimes went somewhere together,” she continued.

She held her breath and waited for him to tell her that she’d been seen kissing Nick. If he did, she had no defense. She’d kissed him. It hadn’t been intended, of course, but when it happened, she’d responded to Nick.

Which told her that even if she hadn’t been sure she should break off her engagement with John, she knew she had to do so now.

Apparently John didn’t know, because the accusation never came. He said nothing more about Nick.

The sense of relief was massive. That combined with the dread of coming here to talk to him and all the drama at the shop made her realize she felt drained.

“You didn’t trust me,” she said flatly.

“You can’t blame me. If you hadn’t—”

“Stop,” she told him, holding up her hand. “Don’t try to turn this back on me!”

His eyes widened. She’d never talked to him like that. “I’m not blaming you,” he said in a cajoling tone.

When he reached for her hand, she drew it back. “Don’t touch me! I won’t let you hurt me again.”

“I’ve never hurt you!” He took on an injured air.

“You know you have.” She met his eyes. “You’ve manipulated me and intimidated me and been rough enough with me to hurt me. I’ve had the bruises on my arms to prove it.”

He stared at her. “Where is all this coming from? Has Nick been feeding you some
Englisch
nonsense that you’re being abused? Are you sure he doesn’t want you for himself?”

“He’s a family friend. He’s our driver,” she repeated.

She hoped she sounded convincing. She hadn’t been so sure that was all Nick was since they’d visited Florida. But it didn’t matter.

It was time to speak up for herself. She took a deep breath.

14

N
ick felt his heart stop then start again when he pulled up outside the restaurant and saw a police officer talking with Naomi, who was sitting on a bench.

He slammed the car into park and killed the engine, then sprinted across the road.

“Naomi!” he called.

A horn honked and a car screeched to a stop just a few feet from him.

“What’re you, an idiot?” the driver called. “Get outta the road!”

The officer turned, but before she could speak the driver was speeding off.

Now Nick’s heart was pounding as he ran toward the sidewalk. “Is she all right?” he asked the officer. “Did that jerk hurt her?”

“She’s fine,” the woman said. “What’s with you trying to get yourself killed? Maybe I need to write you a jaywalking ticket for not using the crosswalk.”

“Please, don’t,” Naomi said tiredly. “Enough people have gotten into trouble over me today.”

“You arrested John?” Nick asked the officer. “Can I shake your hand?”

Kate looked at him. “I didn’t trust him. And you are?”

“Nick Talbot. You’re not really going to give me a ticket for jaywalking, are you?”

“I’m thinking about it.” Her stare was unblinking, her tone stern.

She turned back to Naomi. “Can I give you a ride home?”

“That’s why Nick’s here,” Naomi said, standing. “He drives my grandmother and cousin and me to and from work. He came to get me after I met with John.”

“I see.”

“May I ask a question?”

“Sure.” Kate put her hands on her equipment belt.

“Is there some reason you were here tonight?”

“I can’t take a dinner break like everyone else?” Kate asked. “Food’s really good here.”

Nick watched tears well up in Naomi’s eyes. “
Ya
, right,” she said, surprising the officer with a hug. “I could tell John wanted to give me a hard time, but just after I told him I wouldn’t be seeing him anymore he looked over and saw you a few tables away and changed his mind.”

Kate’s smile faded. “The first week or so is the most dangerous if an ex-boyfriend or husband is going to give you trouble,” she told Naomi.

She pulled out a business card and pressed it into her hand. “You call 911 if there’s any problem and give them my name. Now get out of here before I give your friend a ticket. I’ve had a long day. I didn’t need to almost have someone splattered on the road right in front of me.”