Fraying at the Edge by Cindy Woodsmall Page A

traitor. What was she doing with a license? On the other hand, she had something that was frowned on but allowed during one’s
rumschpringe.
Very few Amish girls got one, but a lot of the guys did.
    As polluted as she felt, she also had a few niggling moments of something she couldn’t define. She felt…good about herself. Even so, the new things she’d gotten today weren’t worth chasing after. But was there any harm in letting herself enjoy the victory?
    Nicholas was leaning against his car, talking on the phone. When he spotted her, he ended his call and stood up straight, grinning. “Let’s see it.”
    She held it out, unsure if she felt like a dying cow caught in the mire or a new calf in springtime.
    “I’m proud of you, Ariana.”
    Remorse crept up her spine. If he was proud of her, then she’d crossed a line to feel good about getting her license.
    He dangled the keys in front of her. “Care to drive?”
    She shook her head. “Not if I’m given a choice.”
    Disappointment showed in his green eyes. “Why?”
    “I’d just rather not, okay?”
    “Yeah, it’s fine. It’s just not the typical response when people get their license. That’s all.” He withdrew the keys and got behind the wheel.
    She went to the passenger’s side and got in. Was Skylar struggling to adjust to her surroundings as much as Ariana was? No one seemed willing to talk about Skylar, not even Brandi. “Can I ask you something?”
    “Sure.”
    “How’s Skylar?”
    His face became taut. “I don’t know.”
    “Why?”
    “We’re trying to abide by the same guidelines we’ve given Isaac and Lovina—no contact.”
    “If I were Skylar, I would feel abandoned.”
    “Abandoned?” He glanced at her. “Why?”
    “If my parents had the power to reach out to me and didn’t, my feelings would be hurt.”
    “Yeah, well, it’s different with Skylar. She’s not emotional like that, and I think she needs this time away from us. If Brandi or I reached out, she would use every trick in the book to get us to rescue her. If her friends knew where she was, we’d probably be looking at the same scenario.”
    Ariana couldn’t imagine wanting to be rescued from her home. They rode in silence until they were almost back to his house. “Am I staying here tonight?”
    “You’re welcome to, but I brought you here because I wanted to give you a few things, and we need to talk.” He pulled into the driveway and shut off the car.
    “Give me a few things? All you’ve done today is buy me stuff.”
    “Indulge me. I’ve missed twenty years of your life. Besides, my dad’s dad invested two grand in The Gap for me in 1980, and that gives me a little more spending money. All of that aside, I have a used car that’s yours for as long as you want it.” He gestured toward a white car parked by the curb.
    “A car?” She sounded offended. She hadn’t meant to. But a car? Why would he do that?
    “I guess hoping for you to feel any excitement about it is asking a bit much.” He pursed his lips, a faint smile shining through. “The plan was that you’d be so thrilled about having a car you wouldn’t mind the next part.” He shrugged. “We have a ways to go before we understand each other.” He pulled out the large, thick manila envelope that held all the papers he’d needed to prove her identity. “Still, I have some goals for you, a sort of bucket list.” He handed her a small stack of papers that were stapled together.
    “Bucket list?”
    “Yeah, it’s usually a list of things people want to do before they die. In this case it’s a list of items you need to accomplish before you return to Summer Grove.”
    She skimmed it. He wanted her to get ten manicures and pedicures and five massages. She thumped the paper. “Manicures? Pedicures? Massages?”
    “They’re an indulgence that most women I know enjoy, and I want you to see that there isn’t anything evil about them.”
    “Ten?”
    “I thought it might take you a