Ray of Light by Shelley Shepard Gray

confusion. “Roman, what are you doing?”
    â€œFully intending to enjoy your company, that’s what.” He peeked at her through one eye. “Is that a problem?”
    After a moment, she shook her head. “ Nee . Not at all.”
    â€œ Gut . See, Amanda, all we have to do right now is take things one step at a time. The Lord will guide us from there.”
    To his amusement, she copied his position. “Roman, being around you makes me happy. I’m going to miss you.”
    Gazing over at her pretty face, seeing the vulnerability and strength that made her who she was, he said, “I’m going to miss you, too, Amanda. Very much.”
    Already he was missing her. And already he was wondering when they could see each other again.

Chapter Ten
    Viola had just set her suitcase on her bed when her grandmother wandered into the room and sat down on the window seat. In her hands were a pair of quilted pot holders. The front of each was decorated with a beautiful star pattern. Viola recognized much of the fabric—it looked as if her grandmother had been putting the scraps of fabric from the dresses for Lorene’s wedding to good use.
    â€œHi, Mommi,” she said politely. “I was just getting ready to pack.”
    â€œElsie told me. I thought I’d come upstairs and see for myself.” Glaring at the open suitcase, she said, “Our haus suddenly feels like a turnstile, the way you and Roman keep coming and going. Why, practically every time I turn around, it looks like one of you has a suitcase out.”
    Viola shook her head. Her grandmother was either exaggerating for no reason at all . . . or she was feeling a little left out.
    â€œMommi, we all know that I’ve never left Berlin and Holmes County before. It’s time, don’tcha think?”
    â€œMaybe. Maybe not.” She looked at the pot holders in her hands, but said nothing about them.
    The lackluster agreement inspired Viola to now stick up for her brother. “And Roman—he is only returning from his first vacation.”
    But instead of sounding more understanding, Mommi scrunched her brows together, making the lines in between her eyebrows deepen. “That is true.”
    Viola sighed. Her grandmother could be such a stickler sometimes. “There’s nothing wrong with taking days off. Even God took time to rest, jah ?”
    â€œI suppose.”
    She decided her grandmother needed a change in subject. She thought about the phone call she’d received from her cousin Beth. It seemed Roman had developed quite a friendship with the woman staying in the condominium next door. Far closer than what he’d led them to believe in his letters.
    Viola couldn’t wait for his bus to arrive in Berlin so that she could talk to him about it. “I’m just glad Roman enjoyed himself. Beth said he had a good time, Mommi,” she said almost patiently. “We all need good times in our lives, jah ?”
    â€œWell, of course,” her grandmother grumbled. After a pause, she said, “What did he do with all his time?”
    â€œBeth said he played shuffleboard and walked on the beach. Slept late. Ate at restaurants.”
    â€œHmmph.” She paused, then said, “It’s sure to be different where you’re going. Have you thought of that?”
    â€œ Jah .”
    â€œBelize sounds like a dangerous place,” she said a little more softly. ”I hope you’ll be all right there.”
    Finally, Viola understood her grandmother’s motivation for the visit. She was worried about her. “It sounds beautiful. I can’t wait to go,” she said firmly. So far, she’d pushed all of her worries about being in a strange country like Belize far out of her mind. All she was focused on was seeing Edward.
    â€œYou’re the first person I’ve heard of to get a passport.”
    â€œEd got one. All the folks at the mission have