Prologue

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Elisabeth Schrock yawned as Minister Fisher’s voice droned on and on about how he deemed it necessary for their Amish youth to flee from things of the world. You’ve got to be kidding right? His boys are some of the most unruly in our district. He must be preaching to his own kinner. It took everything she had to not snicker and roll her eyes. Of course, his twins were in Rumspringa just as she was. I’ve heard all this before. It’s always the same old thing. The world is wicked; we must live by the rules of the Ordnung…blah, blah, blah. Her discontentment and restlessness had been growing daily, along with her rebellious attitude. She was sure that if she had to sit through this for another Sunday, she would burst.
 

She reached inside her hidden apron pocket and clutched the letter she’d received from her best friend Mattie Riehl. Mattie left her Plain Mennonite community a year earlier and now worked in a fancy skyscraper in New York City. She said she’d met a wonderful Englisch beau and is happier now than she’d ever been. Mattie encouraged Elisabeth to come visit and even offered to share her apartment if she decided to stay long term. Oh how she longed for freedom! She was aching to escape the monotony and endless rules and restrictions of the church. I’m going to do it! She decided resolutely.
 

A cough drew her attention to the men’s side of the room. She glanced up to see her handsome beau, Luke Beiler, looking at her curiously. He must’ve sensed her wandering and raised his eyebrows in question. How am I going to leave Luke? He’s ready to join the church and be baptized, but I just can’t do it right now. There’s too much out there that I haven’t seen and experienced. I know that if I agree to be baptized this fall with Luke he’ll ask me to marry him. Elisabeth hung her head. Indeed, leaving would be the most difficult decision of her life. Nevertheless, she was determined to do it. Today.

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Leaving his hot coffee, Luke stood up from the breakfast table when Jacob Schrock beckoned him to the porch outside. It was indeed strange for Elisabeth’s brother to be visiting on a Monday morning with all his chores to tend to and what not. But Jacob’s sober countenance gave pause for concern. His friend held out an envelope to him. It was Elisabeth’s handwriting. For Luke. He searched Jacob’s face for a sign of what the contents might be, but he kept his gaze on the wooden boards beneath his feet. Without a word, Luke opened the letter that would forever change his life.
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   Luke,

I’m sorry. I just don’t feel like I belong here with the Plain people in Paradise anymore. Whether I will come back or not, I do not know. Please do not try to find me.
                                                                                                                                         Elisabeth

Heartbroken. It was the only word that could describe Luke Beiler as he let Elisabeth’s letter slip through his fingers onto the hard wooden floor. All his hopes and dreams for the future dashed into a million pieces with just a smidgen of ink on plain white paper.
 

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Chapter 1

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Two years later…
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“Please listen to me, Brianna. This is important,” Carson urged.
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Brianna Mitchell looked down at their intertwined hands, and then glanced at her watch. “Carson, we’ve been over this before. I’m happy that you found religion, really I am. I can see that it’s helped you and made you a better person. But I’m just not ready for anything like that. Besides, I really have to go. My plane leaves at four and Heidi will be expecting me.”
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Something inside Carson told him to push the subject, so he continued. “Won’t you just listen for a few minutes? God wants to share His amazing love with you.”
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Brianna abruptly held up her hand to silence him. “I love you, Carson. But I really do need to go. Maybe we’ll talk about this some other time, okay?” She leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek, hoping to distract him. He acquiesced and pulled her into his arms for a warm embrace then gently brushed his lips to hers.
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“I’ll miss you. Have a nice trip.” As Brianna walked out the door, an uneasy feeling surged in the pit of Carson’s stomach. “May God be with you, Brianna,” he whispered softly.

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***

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Brianna frantically searched through her purse one more time, a helpless look etched across her face. No, it has to be here!​
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“I’m really sorry, Miss. But we can’t let you board without your passport.” The ticket agent stomped her foot impatiently, eyeing the long line of travelers behind Brianna. “Next!”
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Brianna sighed. I’ll take that as my cue to leave.​
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Realization suddenly dawned on her. She’d forgotten that she switched out handbags when packing up her clothing for the trip. Without thinking, she’d grabbed her usual purse, forgetting that she packed the one for the trip in her carry-on bag. Her identification, passport, tickets, and everything important was in her other purse – the one sitting in her bedroom at present. I can’t believe I left my luggage at home. How could I be so stupid! I guess that’s what I get for leaving in such a rush. Now, I’ll have to go back home and rebook my flight. She knew Heidi would be disappointed; they’d been planning this trip for two years. Her friend had come to the United States as a foreign exchange student her senior year of high school and they instantly became close friends. They were both excited Brianna would be visiting Heidi in Germany, her home country.
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She walked out of the airport and hailed the first taxi she saw; thankful she still had some money in the purse she carried.
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“Where to, Lady?” the cab driver called over his shoulder.
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Brianna quickly gave him the address and he set the meter. She looked out the window watching the tall buildings pass by. People dashed to and fro, everyone seemingly in their own little world. A hot dog vendor handed a small boy a foot-long frank and she smiled as his eyes lit up with sheer delight. She enjoyed the distractions. They helped to take her mind off of other things that pressed for her attention. Like her missed flight. Or worse yet, Carson’s new found fascination with religion.
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“I’m Jimmy,” the driver introduced himself, glancing at Brianna in his rearview mirror. She nodded politely, not wanting to engage in conversation. “Hey, anyone ever told you about the Lord?”
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Oh no, not this again. “I really don’t want to talk about it right now, so if you could please just get me where I need to go.” She regretted her rudeness, but she was not in the mood to discuss spiritual things with a perfect stranger.
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“Thought I’d try.” The cabbie shrugged. “Do you mind?” he asked as he pointed to the radio.
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Brianna shook her head. Anything would be better than discussing religion.​
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“Hey, listen to this!” He turned up the volume and a newswoman’s voice sounded over the airwaves.
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“Preliminary reports are now coming in for Flight 245 from JFK International en route to Paris. As we have just confirmed with the FAA, American Airlines Flight 245 has gone down over the Atlantic Ocean just ten minutes ago. Reports are still coming in, but it appears there are no survivors. I repeat: American Airlines Flight 245 to Paris has gone down over the Atlantic Ocean…” the news report continued.
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“My flight! That was my flight! I was supposed to be on that plane.” No survivors. Brianna’s hands shook as she came to grips with reality. Her head started spinning and she began hyperventilating.
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“Hey, calm down, Lady. Are you alright?” Jimmy turned to look at her in the back seat.
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“Watch out!” she screamed, as their taxi veered into oncoming traffic. Brianna panicked as a huge red semi-truck headed straight toward them.

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Everything suddenly went black.
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***