“Jah. I knew him well. In fact, we considered him part of our family.” After an emotional breath, he added, “I wish you could have met him.”
She quickly nodded in agreement. “Me too, Eli.” She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “Suddenly, everything’s starting to sink in. His death … this house … all he left me. I apologize if I’ve been brusque. It’s just that I’ve been a little stressed. And like I told you, I’m out of my comfort zone. But I’m starting to come to my senses. Now that I’ve met you and we’ve discussed the fix-ups, I feel like I’m carrying a lighter load. I want to know everything there is to know about Uncle Sam Beachy. Would you tell me something about him?”
“Now?”
“Maybe a story?”
In the entryway, Wayne motioned with a hand. “Ready.”
Eli nodded at his sibling. “Go ahead. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
Wayne nodded farewell to Jessica. Eli smiled and relaxed against the back of the chair. Old Sam would have loved this girl. I know it. And she would have loved him. He cleared his throat and lifted his chin a notch with determination. “Which one? There are so many.” He breathed in. “Your great-uncle was one of the most incredible men I’ve ever met. And I say that with affection. There was something so …”
She sat very still with her palms pressed against her thighs.
“By now, I’m sure you’re aware of his love for animals.”
She nodded.
“He was wise. In fact, people who knew him went to him for advice. And trust me, they paid close attention to what he said.”
“Really?”
“Jah. They always respected his opinion.”
Eli interlaced his fingers and released them. “He made elaborate hope chests. Lots of them, in fact. It’s hard to explain. When you think of a hope chest, you probably think of a plain chest made to hold special things. But your great-uncle … as you could see from what he’d started in the barn, he had this unusual talent for etching beautiful designs into the lids.”
Eli crossed his legs at the ankles and scooted his chair back a couple inches for more room. He took another swig of tea and slowly returned his glass to the table. “To him, it was all about the story that went into each lid. People would ask him to make special designs for them. Just like the one you saw in the barn.”
She strummed her fingers against the table.
He thought about how to better answer her question. There was a lot to do. Wayne was waiting outside; yet, it was important to him that this Englisch woman knew just what a special soul her great-uncle was. It would have meant a lot to Old Sam. And to Eli, too. Because he considered it his responsibility to keep Old Sam’s memory alive.
“Things that represented something significant in their lives.” He paused to try for the best words to offer an accurate picture of the man he’d loved and respected.
“He accommodated so many people, Jessica. When Maemm used to keep him company while he carved wood, he taught her a lot.”
When Jessica’s eyes lit up with surprise, a chuckle escaped him and he continued. “Maybe that’s why she’s so wise. She made him sponge cakes after his wife, Esther, went to the Lord. Of course, that was years ago.”
“So they were close? Your mom and my great-uncle?”
He nodded. While he contemplated the past week and the grief his familie had experienced at the loss of his mother’s beloved mentor, he blinked at the sting of salty tears before taking a determined breath to maintain his composure. Old Sam’s death was so recent, and Eli was still grieving.
“I apologize, Eli. I can tell that you loved my great-uncle. I hear it in your voice. Maybe it’s too soon to open up about him. Especially if he was like family to you. Let’s wait …”
As he watched the curious expression that crossed her face, he knew at that moment that it was more important than ever for him to let her know how very much Old Sam Beachy had meant to the community.
“It’s my privilege to share things with you, Jessica. And even more special to have been close to him.”
Eli stopped to clear an emotional knot that obstructed his throat. Salty tears stung his eyes. Tearing up wouldn’t help him do justice to Old Sam. And the man’s legacy was too special to botch up.
He drew in a determined breath and faced Jessica. “When I think of the number of hope chests he made …” Eli let out a low whistle. “From all over the United States, folks requested special lids, and interestingly, each person wanted their lid to represent a story. And some—” He shook his head and a smile curved his lips in amusement and fondness. “They would touch your heart, Jessica.”
“Did he ever make one for his wife, Esther? I mean, before she died?”
Finally, Eli shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ll ask Maemm.”
As Eli looked around, he spotted what appeared to be nice clothes laid over a suitcase just inside of the bedroom.
Her gaze followed his, and he lifted an inquisitive brow.
As if reading his thoughts, she smiled a little. “I love dressing up on my time off. At the hotel I work at, I wear a uniform.” She grinned. “There wasn’t a place for everything in the bedroom. Apparently, Old Sam didn’t have a lot of clothes, and what he had, he hung on a peg.”
She sat up straighter and pressed her lips together in a firm line. “But back to Old Sam and Esther.” Jessica laughed. “Did you hear that?” Before Eli could answer, she went on with excitement. “I’m already calling him Old Sam!”
Eli quickly scanned his list and smiled. “And it looks like you’ll be needing a clothes rod, too.”
She grimaced. “Please. And if you don’t mind, the sooner the better.”
He eyed the pile of dresses and jackets.
She pointed to the paper he held. “Maybe you can help me decide if anything else needs to be done to help sell this home.”
Eli’s smile slipped at that last statement. He didn’t try to hide his disappointment.
“Something’s wrong?”
As she eyed him, the expression that crossed her face was a combination of astonishment and concern. A surprised breath escaped her. “You must have cared for my uncle very much.”
She went on, leaning forward. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Those large jade-green eyes … they compelled him. Drew him in.
Her voice brought him back to reality, and he straightened.
“I think it’s really sweet.”
When he waited for her to go on, she fidgeted with her hands. But she didn’t continue. A long, uncertain silence ensued, until Eli smiled a little and adjusted to a more comfortable position.
“It’s not just the house, it’s the entire Pebble Creek.” To emphasize his point, he lifted his palms. Her last statement made him truly realize how very little she knew about her great-uncle and his place. But I have to tell her.
The corners of his lips lifted another notch. “When my folks were kids, they used to throw pebbles into the creek to see who could make the bigger splash.”
Several heartbeats later, her jaw dropped in surprise. “I’m sorry; I think I get how much this place means to you and your parents. But Eli … surely you understand why I couldn’t just leave my life and start a new one here in the Midwest.”
She paused to spread her arms apart. “And I don’t really see a problem with my plan to sell. I mean, even if it has a new owner, what’s here can’t simply just get up and walk away, right?”
He gave a slow shake of his head.
“The land is here to stay. You can look at it the rest of your life, no matter whose name it’s in.”
Suddenly, he felt ridiculous for trying to explain Pebble Creek’s sentimental worth. How could the woman across from him ever understand, when she hadn’t even met the kind, gentle man who’d lived here for so many years?
“I think it’s really endearing that you have such a big heart, Eli. But as far as such a strong attachment to a place …” She sighed and shrugged. “I woul
dn’t know about that. I’ve never had one.”
Surprise edged his voice. “You’ve never been attached to a home? To a place?”
After pushing out a small sigh, she shrugged again. “No.”
In the background, the sound of chirping came from the sill of the open screened window.
Eli gave a wry grin. “The birds are expecting to be fed.”
“What?” She turned to follow his gaze to the kitchen window.
He chuckled. “Old Sam fed them. Even after he came down with pneumonia.”
“Oh!” She threw her hands in the air and smiled. “I’ve only been here a short while, but I can see that I have some big shoes to fill!”
The corners of Eli’s mouth dropped into a frown. While she’s here. He knew next to nothing about Sam Beachy’s great-niece, but what he was sure of was how very different she was from him. He loved Pebble Creek and all his memories of this beautiful spot.
But it wasn’t just the property that was an emotional magnet. It was his family and Old Sam. They were connected to this parcel, and he couldn’t look at the land without seeing everyone who loved it, and who had grown up here.
He leaned forward and rested his elbows against the table. He held his chin up with his palms and used the most logical tone he could. “This is how I see it. When you were a kid, did you ever play connect the dots?”
He straightened and tapped the toe of his boot against the floor while he awaited a response.
She nodded and smiled. “But what does connecting dots have to do with selling Pebble Creek?”
Several heartbeats later, Eli knew how to explain his sentiment for this beautiful property. “When you connect the dots, you don’t just see one, right?”
She shrugged. “I suppose not. What are you trying to say?”
He thought a moment about how to make his concept clear to her. “You see all the dots. And that’s how it is with Old Sam’s house and Pebble Creek. I don’t view this property as one dot. On the contrary, I can’t think of this memorable home and the land that goes with it without seeing all the other dots.” Realizing he’d said it as best he could, he gently lifted his palms and eyed her to make sure she’d understood.
“What other dots?”
“Old Sam, Maemm, Daed, my brothers and sisters, familie. Because we’ve all created memories on Pebble Creek. It’s easy to understand, really. Part of us belongs here.”
He noted how the corners of her lips fell before she finally pursed them in doubt.
“You want to know something, Eli? I’m not privy to the history that you and your family have, and I won’t pretend to be. And obviously, I’m probably not going to see this the way you do.” She hesitated before smiling a little. “But that’s not all bad, Eli. I try not to dwell on the past. Trust me, it’s not a good place to be. I always try to look forward. Change isn’t a bad thing. All I know is how beautiful this place will be when you finish with it.”
He could feel his cheeks warm. His heart beat a tad too quickly, and his lungs pumped with great difficulty. Looking down, he forced himself to stop his silly reactions. She seemed to have great faith in him. And he hadn’t even begun remodeling. What if she was disappointed?
Of course, he shouldn’t worry. The city girl opposite him held a far different view than his. Their upbringings hadn’t been similar. The environments in which they’d grown up had obviously been different. Still, his strong, loyal connection to Old Sam and the fact that he was speaking to Sam’s heir made him care what she knew and how she felt.
And as far as fixing this place up, she obviously had high expectations. Taking credit for something he’d not yet done was jumping the gun. He hadn’t even started.
Jessica Beachy might say kind things to him, and she certainly seemed nice enough, but she definitely didn’t understand his emotional attachment to Pebble Creek. But why would she? His memories weren’t hers.
Jessica Beachy certainly was direct. She’d been upfront about her plans. And she had asked Eli straight out how he knew God existed.
The sale of Pebble Creek and knowing someone who didn’t believe in God prompted the corners of Eli’s lips to turn down. Sam Beachy’s great-niece says she’s out of her comfort zone. What she doesn’t realize is how she’s put me out of mine.
Chapter Three
Two hours later, a knock on the door prompted Jessica to look up. She added her last set of shoes to her queue against the bedroom wall and quickly stepped to the front door.
The moment she opened the door, she faced Eli.
Holding a huge battery, he said hello before making his way to the fan. After setting the battery down, he offered a reassuring smile to Jessica. “Now all I have to do is put it in.”
Jessica could hear his horse whinny. She glanced out the window to see the beautiful animal tied to a post.
“How ’bout an iced tea, Eli?” She grinned.
He shook his head. “No thanks.” He smiled. “But I’ll take a rain check.” Jessica watched as he pushed a button. The fan blades began to circle, and a few seconds later, their whirl made a light noise. Jessica moved closer to the coolness and turned to Eli.
Without saying anything, he adjusted the air so that it hit her.
“Thank you, Eli.”
“My pleasure.”
He snapped his fingers as if remembering something. “Oh, there’s good news. A lot has happened since I left a couple of hours ago. I spoke with William Conrad, and he’s going to put you at the top of his list for the cabinets.”
She drew in an appreciative breath as she crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s wonderful.”
“Jah. It is. He’s got a list a mile long to fill, but I’m not surprised he’s giving you special accommodation.”
She waited for him to continue.
“He thought the world of your great-uncle, too. And his wife, Rebecca, was especially fond of Old Sam. For years, she had a special spot in his barn to dry her plants. And she’d talk to him for hours. ’Course, Maemm and her friend Rachel … she’s married to a vet … did, too. They were like granddaughters to him.”
Eli walked toward the door. Jessica followed him. She wished she could keep him around for a while to talk. Everything he said seemed to have a comforting effect on her. At the same time, she supposed it wasn’t proper for him to be alone with a single girl, most especially one who wasn’t a member of his faith.
At the entrance, he laid his hand on the handle. Before he turned it, he stopped and turned to face her. “I made another call. First thing tomorrow morning, we’re getting the oak tree removed.”
Jessica smiled a little. “Good.”
“That way, I don’t have to worry about it caving in through the roof.” He winked. “I don’t think Old Sam would want that to happen.”
“Thanks so much, Eli.”
“See you tomorrow.”
After the door clicked shut behind him, she went to the window to glimpse him untying his horse and hitching it to the buggy. The uneven clomp-clomping of the horse’s hooves got softer until the sound eventually evaporated. She continued to watch him as his buggy picked up speed.
When he was out of sight, she looked out the back window. As she took in Pebble Creek, her shoulders relaxed. And she imagined Eli’s parents walking up the hill and looking down at the water.
She could almost see a young girl with her long dress and kapp. She wondered what his mother and father had talked about as they’d made their way up the hill. The romantic side of her imagined them sharing a kiss.
As Pebble Creek loomed in front of her, she pictured herself in Eli’s mother’s shoes. She wondered what it would feel like to walk hand in hand with a man, next to the creek.
Suddenly, she blinked at the sting of salty tears as her mind drifted to her youth. Her father’s loud swear words echoed through her head. She could almost hear him yell. She could nearly see herself running into her bedroom to dodge a beer can thrown at her.
No mat
ter how peaceful-looking Pebble Creek was, she’d never be able to forget the chaos she’d grown up in. She wished she could have assured her mother that everything would be okay. How she yearned to redo her past without an alcoholic father who had repeatedly told her she’d never amount to anything. If only every sound didn’t remind her of beer bottles hitting the wall. Of the slapping sound of his palm against her cheek.
As her heart pumped to an uncomfortable speed, she closed her lids and coached herself to think positive thoughts. That’s what she’d gotten from the counselor she’d seen for stress issues.
She breathed in slowly, then breathed out. Her vision of Pebble Creek blurred as tears filled her eyes. Her counselor’s words replayed in her head.
Jessica, you can’t change what came before today. No matter how hard you try, what’s happened already is final. Only you can stop it from making you unhappy. A whole new chapter in your life is waiting. And you can write it. Use the bad experience to help you be a stronger, better person. That’s the good thing about the past; whatever it is, you can always learn from it. Use it to your benefit. Focus on the future, Jessica. On everything good. On what you really want out of life. Only then will you find true contentment.
She breathed in and leaned forward with her arms crossed on the windowsill. Pebble Creek inspired her. When she took in the beautiful property, she wanted to create that new chapter that her counselor had encouraged. As the fan made its light whirl, she knew more than ever that she wanted a happy, safe life.
Like Eli Miller had. Of course, he hadn’t told her that his life was good, but he didn’t have to. She could see it in his eyes. Hear it in his voice. She sensed it in his comforting, reassuring manner.
A loan would cover his services until she paid it off with the money from the sale of the property. But already Eli offered much more than the opportunity to remodel the kitchen. He provided her with hope. When she looked into his eyes, she saw everything good. And in her heart, she wanted a future with someone who loved her and cherished her. A man just like Eli Miller.
Secret at Pebble Creek Page 5
