Sisters by the Sea, page 13
“That was fun.” She wiped her forehead, then retrieved the toy.
“Let’s play a little more,” he called.
They kept going for a while and then decided to watch the sunset. It was beautiful as the sky’s colors shifted from orange to pink hues. Violet and Dan sat on the sand, watching the sun descending on the horizon.
He pulled out his phone and took a few photos of the sunset. “Would you mind if I took a few pictures of us?”
Violet smiled, bringing out her cell phone. “Not at all. I’d like to do the same with my phone.”
Dan leaned closer to her, and they took turns taking photos. Then they continued to watch the sun disappear. It’s so nice spending time with Dan. I don’t want the day to end. Violet peeked over at him. I wonder if he is enjoying our time together like I am.
Armand Circle
After Dan had parked the car, they headed for the Crab and Fin restaurant, a nice seafood place with outdoor and indoor seating. They chose to eat outside and were seated at one of the tables. Soon a waitress came over, gave them menus, and took their drink orders. It was a pleasantly warm evening, and the restaurant bustled with activity.
Dan sat back, looking over his menu. “How would you like to work here close by the beach?”
“It’s nice, but it’s a ways from home. I think I’d rather stay where I’m at for now.” She browsed the menu to see what the eatery offered.
“Where I’m working, I don’t have to drive far to get to the shop. But depending on where the customer lives, it can dictate how much driving I need to do.”
“What kind of work do you do, Dan?” Violet asked.
“I’m an electrician.”
“Do you like that kind of work?”
“It’s a good-paying trade, and I get to do commercial work sometimes, but usually residential. Most of our customers are nice, and a few have even fed us on the job.” He paused. “And in my kind of work, I’m up and down ladders most days. So I get plenty of exercise.”
Violet nodded. I don’t know much about electrical work, but he seems to enjoy what he does for a living.
As Dan drove Violet back to her sister and brother-in-law’s place, he sneaked glances at her. He couldn’t resist his attraction to her. She had pretty, long brown hair and the deepest brown eyes he’d ever seen. He also liked the sound of her laughter. Dan had definitely enjoyed their time together and hoped she’d had a good time being with him. He wanted to go out with Violet again and get to know her better.
There’s something genuine about her. Maybe it’s … He put on the blinker and made the turn onto Violet’s street. She said she lived in Indiana. I wonder if she knew any Amish while living there. Dan pulled near the driveway, and as they remained in his convertible, they talked about their time together on the beach and the fun they’d had with the beach ball. Dan was caught off guard when a bellowing motorcycle drove up behind them.
The guy riding it propped his bike and stood up. “Hey Violet, would you like to go for a ride with your boyfriend?”
Dan looked at Violet. “Boyfriend?”
“I broke up with Levi. He is not my boyfriend anymore, and I have no idea why he’s here.”
Dan’s stomach tightened as he sat staring at her in disbelief. This was not a good way to end the evening.
Chapter 7
Violet hadn’t been in this kind of situation before, and it frustrated her. Those she’d dated in the past had moved on after breaking up. But Levi was back and intruding on her new relationship with Dan.
Despite Levi showing up, Dan had politely sat and listened to Violet explain that she’d broken up with the man.
“Well, if he isn’t your boyfriend, I’d like to go out with you again.” Dan’s blue eyes seemed to twinkle under the moonlight.
Violet reached for the door handle and grinned back at him. “I would like that. I had a nice time this evening on our date.” She climbed out of the convertible and grabbed her things, walking toward the house.
Levi shut off his bike and rushed over to Violet’s side. As he followed her, he wrapped his arm around Violet’s waist and drew her in close. “I’ve missed seeing my girl. I’ve bet you missed me too.”
“What are you doing?” She attempted to push Levi away.
Dan drove away from the parking strip, squealing his tires, without even a wave goodbye. Violet was shocked and couldn’t believe Levi’s actions, and she pulled away from him. “You need to leave. We are not going out together anymore!”
Levi laughed. “You’re not really interested in that guy in the fancy car, I hope. I’ll come by again when you have had time to cool off.”
Not saying anything in response, Violet rushed into the house and slammed the door behind her.
Once inside, she set her things down and took a seat on the couch. Leora came over and sat next to her.
“What’s going on, Violet? I heard a motorcycle pull in. Was that Levi?”
Violet grimaced. “Yep, showing up unannounced right after my date with Dan.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” She patted her arm. “I also heard squealing of tires out there.”
“That was Dan leaving after Levi put his grubby arm around my waist.”
“That wasn’t right of Levi,” Leora replied. “Dan should be able to figure out what Levi is trying to do.”
“What is Levi’s problem?” Violet shook her head. “Why can’t he take no for an answer?”
“He must be hoping you’ll change your mind and choose him.”
“Not happening. I’ve moved on, and Dan is far nicer and much more polite to me.” She looked at her sister. “I’m worried though. I can’t help wondering if Dan thinks Levi is back in my life. I told him I’d broken up with Levi, but with the way Dan left here, he might think I’m lying to him.”
John came in from the garage. “Hello, ladies. What was all that ruckus outside?”
“Levi was here.” Leora shifted her feet.
“I thought Violet was done dating him.” John went to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of water.
Violet fixed her gaze on him. “I did break things off with Levi, but he doesn’t seem to care about that.”
He took a sip of his water. “He must be hoping to win you back.”
“That’s what I’m thinking too,” her sister chimed in. “How about a change in topics, and tell me how your date with Dan went this evening.”
“I’ll let you two visit while I go back out to the garage to do some work.” He yanked on the strap of his suspenders and walked out of the room.
“A change in topics would be nice right now.” Violet slid a decorative throw pillow behind her back and nestled into it. “To start with, Dan and I rode from here down to Lido Beach. It was sure fun riding in his red convertible. That was something I’d never done before, and it was thrilling.”
“Kind of like riding in an open buggy back home, except a lot faster and minus the horse.” Leora laughed.
Violet continued to tell Leora about her date. At least that was a way to end the evening on a pleasant note.
Levi dropped by Leora’s house after work two days later. Violet was in her room sitting on the bed when there was a knock on the guest bedroom door.
“Come in.” Violet smiled at her sister.
“Levi’s outside waiting to talk to you.” Leora came over by the bed.
Violet grimaced. “Not again. It’s only been a couple of days since he came by here and messed things up between me and Dan. I don’t want to visit with him. You could’ve told him that I was too busy to talk with him.” Violet released a lingering sigh. “But it’s not your place to lie for me or to get involved in this mess.”
“I’m sorry Levi is putting you through this. It’s tempting for me to go outside and say something to him, but you’re right—it’s not my place.” She patted Violet’s arm and left the bedroom.
Violet leaned back on her pillow and mumbled, “If I don’t go speak to him, he’ll probably just come back later.”
Violet hadn’t heard from Dan so far, and she’d checked her phone several times. She longed to talk to Dan but didn’t want to call him since he’d been pretty upset after Levi had shown up the other night.
Despite Levi’s bad habits, he had mentioned on their first date that when he returned home in the spring, he would go to work for his dad. He’d also said that he’d be joining the church sometime that same year. Guess I’ll go out and see what Levi wants this time. She rose from the bed, grabbed her phone, and headed to the front door.
In the living room, Leora got Violet’s attention. “You’re going to have to hold your ground with him. Don’t allow Levi to wear you down.”
Violet tapped her chin. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of changing my mind.”
Though in a way, it was kind of flattering to have a young man that determined to hold on to a relationship with her. But the reality was that she didn’t want to stay Amish, nor did she want an immature boyfriend. If she were to cave into Levi’s wishes, she would be miserable, and sooner or later, Levi would be unhappy with their relationship too. Since Violet would have regrets about not following through on her desire to be more independent, she had to stand her ground no matter what. She had no choice at this point, even if it meant she would end up losing both young men.
As she stepped outside, Levi looked up from his phone. He flashed her a deceptively charming smile. Violet figured this guy was hoping to wear her down. If I were weak, that could happen, but I am holding my ground.
“Violet, I was wondering if you’d like to hang out with me this evening.”
She shook her head.
“Oh, come on…please. You know you want to.”
Violet couldn’t believe how hard Levi tried to persuade her to be with him. He seemed bound and determined to get what he wanted. She didn’t want it at all, though. The thought of whether Levi was still smoking and drinking with his roommates also crossed her mind. It was funny how being around Levi a few minutes brought back her concern for him. But this fellow wasn’t her problem anymore. He needed to figure things out on his own and grow up, like Violet had been doing lately.
“Look, I’m not interested in—” Her phone vibrated, so she checked the screen. It was Dan calling her. Violet was overjoyed and answered it immediately. “Hello.”
“Hi, Violet. I was hoping to talk to you.” The inflection of Dan’s voice reassured her.
“You’re talking to that guy from the other night, aren’t you?” Levi scoffed and pointed to her phone.
Violet turned her back on Levi. “It’s good to hear your voice, Dan, but now’s not a good time for me to talk.”
“Violet and I are going out on a date!” Levi shouted.
Violet’s face grew hot like a boiler in flames. “Levi is lying. He dropped by unexpectedly.”
Levi grabbed her phone. “Hey, Dan. I’m in love with Violet, so don’t bother calling her again.” And then he ended the call.
Violet stood, stunned. “What have you done?”
Levi handed Violet her phone. “See, Violet? I’ve fixed the problem. Now you’re free to go out with me.”
“You need to go!” She was furious, and her jaw ached from clenching her teeth. “I can’t believe you did that! I’ve told you before—several times in fact—that I am not going out with you anymore.”
“He’s not your type. You and I are both Amish, and you oughta see that we are better suited. If you give it more thought, I’m sure you’ll see things my way, Violet.” He winked, flashed her a smile, got on his bike, and drove off.
Dan blinked rapidly, holding his phone tightly in his grasp. “I can’t believe this.”
He was both shocked and hurt by this turn of events, as well as quite upset. Levi had made it clear about his feelings for Violet. The question was, did she feel the same way about him?
He set his phone down and walked over to the couch, taking a seat. The family dog, Sassy, came up to him and planted herself against his knee.
“You are looking for some attention, aren’t you, girl?” He scratched the dog behind her ears. Sassy leaned in, seeming to enjoy it.
Dan hoped to do a little catching up to see how Violet was doing. He’d come home from work, had a shower, and changed into some clean clothes. He had been feeling optimistic, but after that phone call, he was at a loss for words.
While sitting there on the couch, his mind went back to Violet. I was hoping to ask her out again, but I’m going to hold off. I need some time to process all of this.
He rose and headed for the kitchen. “Come on, Sassy, it’s time for your food.”
The dog followed on his heels as though she understood what he’d said. She looked up at him and wagged her tail.
Dan turned on the oven and then opened the dog’s food, pouring it into the dish on the floor. It felt nice to have at least the dog’s company.
“How was your day, girl?” He crouched by her, giving the dog a few gentle pats. “I’ve had a long day, and I can’t wait to have my food when it’s cooked.” Dan went to the freezer and pulled out some frozen fries and chicken strips.
He lived at home with his parents, and it was nice and convenient for him. Being twenty and having a full-time job as an apprentice electrician was great. Some of his acquaintances were out living with friends, being more independent, but Dan liked being around his family, and he wanted to leave when the time was right.
While working, he had been setting money aside for his future. His parents were good people and had a love for the Lord. His background was Mennonite, and he liked attending church. Living at home with his folks had been a blessing, especially during the time he was with the last girl he’d gone out with. She was into herself and controlling, and that had been hard for him to deal with. Dan could remember seeing her perfectly combed hair and made-up face frowning at him when she said, “Why don’t you move out and live on your own?” He was happy with his family and appreciated their help. Religion didn’t appeal to the girl either, which was another downside to their relationship.
Thankfully, things ended with her not long after that evening when she’d suggested he leave his family. Dan wanted a girlfriend who was a believer in the Lord. His parents had a genuine bond that was strong, and he longed for such a thing. Being with Violet had struck an inner chord with him. Something about her seemed to keep his interest going.
He checked the oven and noticed that the light had gone off. It was time to get his supper going, so Dan got out a baking sheet and dumped some fries and chicken strips on it. Afterward, he placed the remaining food back into the freezer. Dan then put his meal in the oven and set the timer. Glancing up at the clock, he was tempted to give Steve a call. He would be home by now and might have time to talk. But then he figured maybe he could wait for his folks to get back from visiting with their friends. Sara, his sister, could show up at any time. She also lived at home, but unlike Dan, she’d found someone and had become engaged a few months ago. Even though Sara was two years older than him, they both looked the same age. His brother, Paul, was married and lived close to St. Petersburg, near his wife’s family. Dan and Paul didn’t see each other as often as they used to because his brother was married, working, and living a distance away.
Dan got out a plate and fork and set them on the kitchen table. He heard the familiar sound of the front door opening and closing.
“Hello, I’m home!” Sara’s tone sounded cheery.
“Hi,” he called, taking a seat at the table.
She stepped in with two bags of groceries. “I made a side trip to the store on my way home from work. I bought some things for me and a few to help out around here—a bottle of laundry soap, a case of water that is out in my car, and these cereals we like.” She set the bags on the counter and looked back at her brother. “You look pretty bummed out. What’s up?”
“After I got home from work today, I hoped to talk to Violet and catch up with her.”
“You weren’t able to reach her?” Sara’s brows knitted together.
“Yes, I did reach her…” Dan told his sister all about the call and how he felt about the whole thing. Sara was sympathetic and offered her thoughts. But Dan wasn’t sure if Levi could sway Violet back to him. If he could, what was the use of pursuing a relationship with Violet?
Chapter 8
Violet woke up from a good night’s sleep. She glanced at the battery-operated clock on the nightstand.
Normally I’d have to get up and get ready for work, she mused.
But today was different, because Anne had asked Violet if she could trade days off so that she could get a necessary dental procedure. Violet had taken Anne’s shift earlier in the week, and Anne was now working her shift that morning. She was glad to come to Anne’s aid.
While lounging in the guest room, she heard Leora and John getting ready for work. The smell of breakfast food and their muffled voices carried through the house.
Violet stretched, then closed her eyes with a yawn. It was nice being able to stay in her pajamas considering how she would spend her day off.
Yesterday had been the church’s off Sunday, so they’d attended the Mennonite service. Afterward, Violet had driven John and Leora to a Mennonite friend’s home to visit. They planned to have lunch there too, but instead of joining them, Violet chose to come back home and fend for herself. It had given her some time alone to do what she wanted in the quiet house.
After returning to Leora’s home and changing out of her church clothes, Violet had reflected on the sermon on Paul’s letter to the church of the Thessalonians. Paul had mentioned to the people, in 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12, not only to show love for one another but to live quietly and to mind their own business, because by doing so their everyday lives could win the respect of outsiders.
I really liked that advice the pastor preached yesterday, but can I apply it to my own life? Violet wondered. It would be great if Levi took that advice.
