Ray of Light by Shelley Shepard Gray Page A

them, too.”
    Mommi folded her arms over her chest and peered at Viola through her bifocals. “Are you scared, child?” she asked at last. “Because it would be understandable if you were.”
    â€œI am scared. I mean, I am, a little bit.” She wanted to pretend she wasn’t worried about flying alone on an airplane, or visiting a foreign country. But she was. “I’m trying not to be. I don’t want Edward to think I can’t handle this.”
    â€œHe seems like the kind of man who only cares about you being happy, Viola.”
    â€œHe is that kind of man. But I want him to feel proud of me, too.”
    Her grandmother peered at her some more, then finally handed over the pair of pot holders. “I thought you might like to give these to the folks at the mission.”
    â€œThey’re beautiful.”
    â€œOh, they’re just from scraps I had lying around. But the folks down in Belize might like them.”
    â€œI’m sure they will, Mommi. Danke .” Carefully, Viola set them at the bottom of her suitcase.
    After a moment, her grandmother reached out a hand again. But this time, it was to enclose Viola’s in hers. “There’s no shame in being afraid of something that’s unfamiliar. It’s to be expected.”
    â€œYou truly believe that?”
    â€œI do,” her grandmother said with a small smile. “After all, I’ve been in your shoes a time or two, you know.”
    Never had Viola recalled her grandmother speaking so cryptically. “Are you speaking of when you became Amish?” she asked.
    After a pause, her grandmother nodded. “I suppose I am.” Her eyes widened, and then, to Viola’s astonishment, she chuckled. “After all these many years of keeping my past a secret, I now have the strangest urge to talk about that time. It’s like I just let the genie out of the bottle.”
    Viola didn’t know what she meant by that, but she let it pass, eager to get more information before her grandmother changed her mind. Her grandmother was one of the most private people she’d ever known. “Why did you leave your English life and become Amish, Mommi? Was it because you fell in love with Grandfather? What did you miss? What did your parents say?”
    â€œOne question at a time, Viola!”
    â€œWell then, tell me why you became Amish.”
    â€œIt was because of Aaron.” She bit her lip, then added, “At least a big part of the reason was because of him.”
    â€œWhat were your other reasons?”
    Mommi looked around the neat room, then finally smoothed a hand along the intricate quilt on Viola’s bed. “Before I met your grandfather, I made some mistakes in judgment. I, um, had gotten my heart broken.”
    â€œYou did?”
    â€œVery much so. This boy, well, he upset me.” She opened her mouth, looked like she was going to continue, then pursed her lips instead. “It was a long time ago, of course.”
    â€œWas this boy an Englischer ?”
    â€œDon’t act so surprised, Viola. Englischers fall in love, too.” With a wince, she added, “And fall out of love, as well.”
    â€œIt must have been mighty exciting.”
    â€œIt didn’t feel like that at the time. It, ah, was a dark time for me.”
    â€œI’m sorry. That was rude.”
    â€œ Nee , you are only being honest. Believe me, I’d rather us be honest with each other than not. Keeping secrets and spouting lies didn’t serve me well.”
    Seeing the faraway expression in her grandmother’s eyes, Viola forgot all about her own problems. “So, who did you love, Mommi? Was he handsome?”
    Mommi chuckled. “He was handsome, indeed.” Her grandmother’s expression softened. “At least, I thought so.”
    â€œThen how—”
    â€œQuiet, child. This is my story, and it happened quite a long time ago. Let me tell it my