“We’re having tacos from sunny Mexico.”
“Sunny like your hair,” Lily said.
Aunt Bitsy grunted her displeasure. “Bitsy Kiem and her urine-colored hair. It sounds like a grunge band. Or a Broadway musical.”
Chapter Ten
Rose felt like a raccoon trying to sneak into the henhouse. With her heart beating a thousand miles a minute, she peeked around the aisle to spy on Paul Glick. He stood at the counter helping a customer, oblivious to the fact that Rose was trying to work up the courage to go over there and give him a piece of her mind.
Well, not exactly give him a piece of her mind.
After several Saturdays of being lectured to by her grandparents, Rose couldn’t bear to hear Mammi and Dawdi sing Paul Glick’s praises one more time. How could she stand by while they wounded Lily’s feelings with their harsh words?
She had driven the buggy to the Glick Family Amish Market with every intention of going right up to Paul and giving him a talking-to about kindness and revenge and bearing false witness against his neighbors. He must be told that he had no chance to win Lily back and that he must stop trying to convince her grandparents otherwise.
Rose was determined to talk to Paul for Lily’s sake—to put his vindictive lies to rest forever. If that wasn’t bravery, she didn’t know what was. But the minute she had climbed out of her buggy, she had reconsidered. She wasn’t brave enough to give Paul a lecture.
She sidled down the aisle and tried to spy him in the cracks between the shelves. Maybe she could buy a tub of licorice and nicely ask Paul to please stop harassing her family and find another girl to marry.
Rose picked up two tubs of licorice and took two steps toward the end of the aisle before she realized her knees were practically knocking together. Maybe she would simply give Paul a kindly smile and apologize to him for the bad feelings she’d been harboring toward him these last few weeks. Or months. In truth, she’d been harboring bad feelings for Paul for years. Should she apologize for everything? Should she tell him she just wanted him to be happy?
She turned around and tiptoed back to the middle of the aisle, where she returned the licorice to the shelf. She didn’t like licorice. Why had she even thought of licorice? Biting her bottom lip and trying to keep from shaking, she picked up a tub of pretty, pastel-colored mints. Mints were nonthreatening. Who didn’t feel kindly toward their fellow men when they ate pink and yellow mints?
She tiptoed back down the aisle and let out a tiny squeak. Paul Glick was standing at the counter staring in her direction and frowning so hard Rose wondered if he had a stomachache. He’d seen her. There was no turning back. Her throat constricted. She wasn’t going to be able to talk to him, even if she’d wanted to, which she didn’t. All she had to do was buy her cute, friendly mints and go away. It was a start. Aunt Bitsy would be proud of her courage.
Well, not really courage.
Aunt Bitsy would be proud that Rose hadn’t fainted at Glick’s Market—unless of course, Rose did happen to faint. At the moment, that was a very real possibility. Paul glared at her as she took halting steps to the counter. She didn’t have to say a word, just show Paul her mints and give him her money.
She laid the mints on the counter and reached into her apron pocket for the five-dollar bill she knew was there. Paul narrowed his eyes as if she had dumped a handful of fresh manure in front of him. “I can’t take your money,” he said.
She wanted to ask why not, but she couldn’t manage a sound. Her fist tightened around the bill in her pocket.
Paul picked up the friendly mints and shoved them toward her. There was nothing else to do but take them from his hand. “You Honeybee sisters earn money by cheating people. We don’t take dirty money here at Glick’s Family Market.”
Rose should have known she’d be no match for Paul’s nastiness. Her legs suddenly felt too weak to stand on, and even though it moved her a few inches closer to Paul, she clutched the counter to keep from collapsing into a heap. Every muscle in her body trembled, and an invisible hand seemed to clamp around her throat, cutting off whatever air might have squeezed through.
There was nothing to do but leave the mints and get out, if she could make it to the door without disintegrating into a puddle of tears and humiliation. She slid the mints onto the counter and turned to go.
“You can’t just leave them here,” Paul said, as if she’d committed a crime. “It makes extra work for me if I have to reshelf them. Put them back yourself.”
With her stomach clenched in mortification, Rose picked up the mints. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Is everything okay?”
She didn’t think her stomach could sink any lower. If there was one person she didn’t want to witness her humiliation, it was Josiah Yoder. She opted not to turn around. Maybe he didn’t know it was her from the back.
Paul was suddenly all smiles. “Josiah Yoder. I can ring those purchases up for you right now.”
“Rose was here first.”
Her stomach fell to the floor. It had been silly to think he didn’t know it was her. Ach, du lieva. Why, oh why had she come? Paul’s disdain was bad enough, but to be humiliated in front of Josiah Yoder was unbearable.
Paul pressed his lips together, lifted his chin, and didn’t even glance at her. “She was just leaving.”
Although she couldn’t bear the contempt or the pity or whatever it was she was going to see on his face, Rose turned around. Josiah looked as if he were made out of stone as he stared at Paul with intense blue eyes. His face was a mask of calmness, but his eyes flashed with a hint of profound anger. She caught her breath. She’d never seen Josiah angry before.
He had a bag of chicken feed slung over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing at all, though Rose knew it had to be at least eighty pounds. In his other hand, he held a five-gallon jug and the very expensive quilt that, until one minute ago, had hung on the far wall of the store, clenching it in his fist as if he’d hurriedly snatched it off the wall. He was carrying at least six hundred dollars’ worth of merchandise. “Is your cash register broken?” Josiah said.
Paul glanced at Rose. “It works fine. Rose will buy her mints at another store.”
Josiah’s eyes turned wintery, like ice so cold it burned to the touch. “You are a Christian, Paul Glick, and nothing in our faith justifies you treating Rose like this.”
Paul glanced at the five-hundred-dollar quilt in Josiah’s fist. “I think you misunderstand this situation. Let me ring up your purchases, and then we can talk about it in private. Rose and her schwesters don’t have the understanding and wisdom we men do.”
Josiah’s expression was righteous and terrible at the same time. He’d never looked so handsome. “Rose is smarter and kinder than the two of us put together. There is nothing you can say to me that you can’t say to her.”
In spite of her distress, Rose’s heart skipped. Josiah thought she was smart?
Paul folded his arms across his chest and stood with his feet firmly planted on the floor. “It is because I am a Christian that I’ll not do business with her. Gotte commanded us not to steal. I don’t sell to liars or cheaters.”
Josiah laid his purchases on the counter. When Paul reached out for them, Josiah grabbed Paul’s hand as if he were shaking it. Paul tried to pull away, but Josiah held fast.
Rose flinched. She would hate herself if this turned into a fight.
Josiah grasped Paul’s hand with the grip of a farmer and eyed him seriously. “I know that Lily broke your heart.”
“She didn’t break anything,” Paul muttered.
“If I lost a girl like that, I would never be whole again. But that is no reason to be cruel.”
“It’s not cruelty,” Paul said. “It’s justice. The Honeybee sisters must suffer the wrath of Gotte.”
“And you are not Him,” Josiah said.
Paul’s nostrils flared. “I am His servant.”
Josiah released Paul�
��s hand, lowered his eyes, and shook his head. “Then perhaps you don’t know the Master you serve.”
“Is there a problem?”
Rose didn’t think her throat could get any tighter. Paul’s brother, Perry, came up menacingly close behind Josiah, looking as if he’d just as soon hit somebody as shake hands. Perry was not tall, but he was twice as thick as Josiah and probably a hundred pounds heavier.
Rose nearly lost what fragile composure she had left. This was why she didn’t want anyone to protect her or make her a project. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if Josiah got hurt.
Her legs shook so hard she could barely stand, but she found the strength to step between Josiah and Perry. If Perry wanted to hit someone, let it be her.
Surprise popped onto Perry’s face, and he took a step back.
“Rose,” Josiah said, in a voice that came from deep within his throat. “Rose, it’s okay. No one is going to hurt me.” He laid his warm hands gently on her shoulders.
She looked up at him, and his icy-blue gaze nearly made her melt. His fierce expression was a mixture of astonishment, pride, and determination. There was something else there too, but she didn’t dare guess the secret behind his eyes.
Perry frowned. “What’s going on, Paul?”
“Nothing,” Paul said, dismissing his brother with a wave of his hand. “Josiah is buying this quilt.”
A confused smile crept onto Perry’s face. “That’s nice. It’s been up there for almost a year.”
Josiah took Rose’s hand right there in front of Paul and Perry and tugged her toward the door. “Cum, Rose. I know a driver who can take us to Wal-Mart.”
“What about the quilt?” Paul sputtered, the panic flickering in his eyes. He obviously saw his profits walking out the door with Rose Christner.
“It’s very beautiful,” Josiah said. “I hope you can sell it.”
Complete silence.
As soon as they emerged into the daylight, Rose pulled her hand from his and walked as quickly as she could down the street. It was a silly thing to do. She couldn’t outrun Josiah, and he certainly wasn’t going to just let her go like that. The tears were already trickling down her face. Oh sis yuscht, along with everything else, she hated for him to see her like this.
As she’d expected, he couldn’t just let her go. “Rose, wait,” he said, catching up to her before she’d even gone five feet.
She stopped, because it was pointless to run, and dangerous when she could barely see the sidewalk past the tears.
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, and the tenderness in his eyes nearly knocked her over. “Are you okay?”
A fresh wave of tears hijacked her. Josiah was so wunderbarr, and he had witnessed her mute humiliation. He’d seen how weak and helpless and foolish she was, and she couldn’t bear it.
“It was my own fault. I never should have tried to—”
“Of course it wasn’t your fault. No one deserves to be treated that way, especially not you.” The anger in his voice sounded like a barely controlled fire.
“I went in there because I wanted to prove to myself I could be brave, but I should have known that Paul isn’t ready to forgive yet. I’m so ashamed.”
Oh, how she loved that piercing gaze, and oh, how she hated it.
“Rose, you thought Perry was going to hurt me, and you got between us. That’s the bravest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do.”
“That wasn’t brave. If you were hurt for my sake, I’d never forgive myself.”
“And I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t step in to help you,” he said. “Would you have wanted me to stand aside and do nothing?”
She bowed her head. “Nae, but I wish you hadn’t seen me humiliate myself.”
“I came for that very reason,” he said.
She snapped her head up to look at him. “You came to see me be humiliated?”
He plastered a silly grin on his face and coaxed a reluctant smile from her. “I stopped by your house to see if Bitsy needed any repairs done, and she told me you were on your way to the market. I don’t trust any of the Glicks to be nice to you, so I drove over just to be sure you were okay.”
“Were you really going to buy that quilt? It costs five hundred dollars.”
He shook his head. “I came in, saw you standing at the counter, and grabbed the most expensive things I could find in a hurry. I wanted Paul to see that he’ll lose money if he mistreats his customers, especially the Honeybee sisters.” He studied her face and lost any hint of a smile. “Was that dishonest? I hope you don’t think it was dishonest.”
She lowered her eyes to the pavement. “I think it was very kind of you to stand up for me like that, but I wish I was brave enough that you didn’t have to.” To her frustration, the tears began to flow again.
He took a tissue from his pocket and handed it to her, then nudged her chin with his finger. “You never have to be brave when I’m around. I’ll protect you.”
“I hate thinking that you pity me and you’re only my friend out of the goodness of your heart.”
“We’ve talked about this before, Rose. You know I don’t pity you.”
She walked to her buggy. He followed. “You wouldn’t like it if someone treated you like a baby.”
He gave her a small smile. “Suvie treats me like a baby.”
Rose couldn’t help but smile back. “She treats you like a younger brother. If she treated you like a baby, you’d move to Indiana.”
“Florida. Indiana is too cold.”
She curled one side of her mouth.
He rested his chin in his hand and gazed at the sky, tapping his index finger against his cheek. “So I have to prove to you that I don’t pity you or think you’re a baby?”
“Even though I am.”
“You aren’t.”
Rose dabbed at her eyes. “You just saw me fall apart over a tub of mini mints.”
He shrugged. “Who can resist the little white sprinkles?” He leaned against her buggy. “If you want to prove your bravery, come with me and we’ll do something dangerous.”
Rose’s heart skipped a beat. Just one more reason to be ashamed. She had told Josiah that she didn’t want his pity, but she couldn’t bring herself to agree to anything dangerous, not even to prove herself.
Maybe he saw the doubt—or more likely, abject fear—in her expression. He reached out and took one of her kapp strings in his fingers. “There is an Amish market in Bonduel that sells those mini mints. I’ll take you there, if you dare.”
“That . . . that doesn’t seem very dangerous.”
“It does to someone who gets bullied at Amish markets.”
“But I don’t want you to feel obligated to buy anything for me,” she said.
“Who said anything about buying something for you? You’ll have to pay for your own mints.” He winked at her. “After the market, we could take your mints to the lake and stick our toes in the water.”
“That doesn’t seem very dangerous either.”
He grinned. “You never know what creatures are lurking in the lake. Maybe a fisherman will row by and give us a ride in his boat. Would that be dangerous enough?”
The way he was looking at her made her warm yet shivery all over. She could maybe do a boat, if it was small and wasn’t a motorboat. And if they didn’t go too fast. If Josiah knew how to swim so he could rescue her if she fell in. Or maybe they could stay very close to the shore so that if the boat tipped, she wouldn’t go in over her head.
She nodded. “Okay.”
He bloomed into a smile. “Okay?”
She nodded again, hoping to reassure herself more than him. She hadn’t done so well at Glick’s Family Market, but at least she’d tried. Josiah would be with her if she needed him, and his presence would lend her courage. She might even get in that boat.
As long as she had a life jacket.
Chapter Eleven
Josiah couldn’t stop whistling. He whistled while he gathere
d eggs and made breakfast. He whistled while he mucked out the barn and milked the cow. He whistled as he hitched up Max to the courting buggy, and he whistled on the road to Rose’s house. He would have to stop whistling once he got to the Honeybee Farm. He couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, and he might very well scare Rose away with his sour notes.
For the first time ever, he had allowed his hopes to run wild. Monday had quite possibly been the best day of his life. It hadn’t started out that way. When he had walked into Glick’s Market and seen how Paul was treating Rose, he had almost lost his composure. The temptation to chastise Paul Glick, angrily and righteously, was almost overpowering.
Thank the gute Lord he had kept his temper, but his instinct to protect Rose had almost made him irrational. Her tears were the sight he hated most in the whole world.
Rose had dropped her buggy off at home, and they had taken his courting buggy to the Lark Country Store in Bonduel, where the owners were much friendlier than Paul and Perry Glick. They had bought a tub of mini mints for Rose and a tub of licorice for Josiah. He liked the colorful licorice with black and yellow stripes and pink circles. Rose had crinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue when he let her taste a piece.
They had spent over an hour in the Lark Country Store, looking at books and clocks, trying on hats and aprons, and making each other laugh. Rose’s laugh was probably his favorite thing in the whole world. Her laughter meant she wasn’t afraid or worried. It meant she was happy. Rose deserved to be happy.
Along with their mints and licorice, they had bought graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows and driven to one of the camping spots near the lake. Josiah had built a fire and whittled some roasting sticks with his pocketknife. Then they had roasted marshmallows for s’mores. With Rose sitting next to him and gifting him with her smile, the s’mores were quite possibly the best thing he had ever eaten.
When they were done, Rose had made him stamp out the fire and then pour water onto the smoking coals. They didn’t have a bucket for water, so Josiah had emptied all his licorice into his pockets and used the empty licorice tub to scoop water from the lake and douse the fire.
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