want .
‘‘I’ve gotta get going,’’ said Louisa. ‘‘If I don’t see you before you leave, have a smooth flight. I know how bumpy things can get near Denver.’’
‘‘Hey, that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me the whole visit.’’
Yeah, maybe so . Louisa hesitated, realizing she was probably right. ‘‘Well, then, good-bye.’’
With that Louisa hurried through the store toward the exit. Now, to call a cab and catch up with my real friend .
But before Louisa reached the door, a chenille sweater caught her eye. Christmas red. Do I dare try it on? Still upset over Courtney, she pulled it off the rack, removed it from the hanger, and went to find a mirror. Before coming to visit Annie, shopping often had a way of numbing life’s disappointments for her. Maybe she needed a good dose of splurging right now.
Holding the sweater beneath her chin, she saw how perfect it was with her coloring. Mother always said I looked splendid in red, she thought, wondering why that memory had surfaced now.
Oh, why not. I’ll try it on . But she wouldn’t wear a red sweater here. Not after having dressed Plain for this long. She didn’t want to offend Annie and her family.
Even so, she was mesmerized by the soft feel, the alluring color. What would it be like to wear normal, modern clothing again? she thought while heading to the dressing area. Would I begin to crave more fancy attire? The finest clothes money can buy? She sighed, feeling the old pull.
Returning to the back of the store, she saw Courtney standing in front of the three-way mirror, checking out her reflection in a pair of flared jeans and a plum leather jacket, price tags dangling. Courtney looked up and was obviously surprised to see her still there, let alone carrying the red sweater.
‘‘Well, look at you,’’ she scoffed. ‘‘Change your mind about being Amish?’’
Louisa’s cheeks suddenly felt warm.
‘‘I thought you were heading out.’’
Louisa nodded. ‘‘I was.’’
‘‘Hey, that would look chic over the cape part of your dress,’’ Courtney taunted.
‘‘Wouldn’t it?’’ Louisa held it up for effect, feeling a bit catty herself.
A clerk appeared, looked her over—up and down—and frowned. ‘‘May I help you, miss?’’
‘‘Jah,’’ Louisa said, then groaned.
Courtney rolled her eyes and wiggled her fingers in a mocking wave. ‘‘See you in the next life.’’
‘‘Whatever that means.’’
Over her shoulder, Courtney called, ‘‘It means, plain Jane, that you’re coming back as a full-fledged Englisher next time. I hope .’’
Louisa felt lousy. This visit was a bomb from the get-go .
‘‘Bye,’’ she whispered, watching Courtney hurry back to 109 her dressing booth.
Turning, Louisa spotted a mannequin with a lovely tan moleskin skirt and cream-colored blouse. ‘‘Nice,’’ she said, hurrying to inspect it. My suede boots would look so great with this!
The same dumbfounded clerk asked if she needed assistance, and Louisa thought again of Courtney, still fuming. ‘‘I’ll try on this outfit,’’ she said. ‘‘Size two, please.’’
The clerk found the items and led Louisa back to the dressing rooms. Stopping outside the booth where Courtney’s bare feet and hot pink toenails were now visible, Louisa paused, gathered her resolve, and said, ‘‘Hey, Court, I really want to apologize.’’ She felt weird talking to the door.
The door opened and her friend grimaced.
‘‘Look, I’m sorry,’’ Louisa said. ‘‘Okay?’’
‘‘What for?’’ Courtney shrugged coolly. ‘‘You’re following your heart, right?’’
‘‘But I hate this tension between us.’’
‘‘So return to Denver with me. Make everyone happy.’’
‘‘I can’t do that.’’
Courtney scratched her head dramatically, then looked up. ‘‘Michael didn’t want me to say anything . . . but since you’re so stubborn, I guess I will anyway.’’
Louisa wasn’t sure she
‘‘I’ve gotta get going,’’ said Louisa. ‘‘If I don’t see you before you leave, have a smooth flight. I know how bumpy things can get near Denver.’’
‘‘Hey, that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me the whole visit.’’
Yeah, maybe so . Louisa hesitated, realizing she was probably right. ‘‘Well, then, good-bye.’’
With that Louisa hurried through the store toward the exit. Now, to call a cab and catch up with my real friend .
But before Louisa reached the door, a chenille sweater caught her eye. Christmas red. Do I dare try it on? Still upset over Courtney, she pulled it off the rack, removed it from the hanger, and went to find a mirror. Before coming to visit Annie, shopping often had a way of numbing life’s disappointments for her. Maybe she needed a good dose of splurging right now.
Holding the sweater beneath her chin, she saw how perfect it was with her coloring. Mother always said I looked splendid in red, she thought, wondering why that memory had surfaced now.
Oh, why not. I’ll try it on . But she wouldn’t wear a red sweater here. Not after having dressed Plain for this long. She didn’t want to offend Annie and her family.
Even so, she was mesmerized by the soft feel, the alluring color. What would it be like to wear normal, modern clothing again? she thought while heading to the dressing area. Would I begin to crave more fancy attire? The finest clothes money can buy? She sighed, feeling the old pull.
Returning to the back of the store, she saw Courtney standing in front of the three-way mirror, checking out her reflection in a pair of flared jeans and a plum leather jacket, price tags dangling. Courtney looked up and was obviously surprised to see her still there, let alone carrying the red sweater.
‘‘Well, look at you,’’ she scoffed. ‘‘Change your mind about being Amish?’’
Louisa’s cheeks suddenly felt warm.
‘‘I thought you were heading out.’’
Louisa nodded. ‘‘I was.’’
‘‘Hey, that would look chic over the cape part of your dress,’’ Courtney taunted.
‘‘Wouldn’t it?’’ Louisa held it up for effect, feeling a bit catty herself.
A clerk appeared, looked her over—up and down—and frowned. ‘‘May I help you, miss?’’
‘‘Jah,’’ Louisa said, then groaned.
Courtney rolled her eyes and wiggled her fingers in a mocking wave. ‘‘See you in the next life.’’
‘‘Whatever that means.’’
Over her shoulder, Courtney called, ‘‘It means, plain Jane, that you’re coming back as a full-fledged Englisher next time. I hope .’’
Louisa felt lousy. This visit was a bomb from the get-go .
‘‘Bye,’’ she whispered, watching Courtney hurry back to 109 her dressing booth.
Turning, Louisa spotted a mannequin with a lovely tan moleskin skirt and cream-colored blouse. ‘‘Nice,’’ she said, hurrying to inspect it. My suede boots would look so great with this!
The same dumbfounded clerk asked if she needed assistance, and Louisa thought again of Courtney, still fuming. ‘‘I’ll try on this outfit,’’ she said. ‘‘Size two, please.’’
The clerk found the items and led Louisa back to the dressing rooms. Stopping outside the booth where Courtney’s bare feet and hot pink toenails were now visible, Louisa paused, gathered her resolve, and said, ‘‘Hey, Court, I really want to apologize.’’ She felt weird talking to the door.
The door opened and her friend grimaced.
‘‘Look, I’m sorry,’’ Louisa said. ‘‘Okay?’’
‘‘What for?’’ Courtney shrugged coolly. ‘‘You’re following your heart, right?’’
‘‘But I hate this tension between us.’’
‘‘So return to Denver with me. Make everyone happy.’’
‘‘I can’t do that.’’
Courtney scratched her head dramatically, then looked up. ‘‘Michael didn’t want me to say anything . . . but since you’re so stubborn, I guess I will anyway.’’
Louisa wasn’t sure she
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