Katie eyed her and grinned mischievously. “Funny you should ask. I’ve given serious thought to running my own business.”
“Really?”
Katie nodded with confidence. “Right now, I help my parents with their shop.” She shrugged. “By no means am I unhappy. They have a fairly large clientele, and the business pays the bills and then some. And I have to admit that I enjoy making quilts, sweaters, and other knickknacks for the shelves. In fact, right now I’m working on the biggest project I’ve ever done.”
“What is it?”
Katie’s eyes widened with excitement. “A quilt.”
“Hmm. I bet it will be beautiful.”
“Beautiful, yes. But this is a particularly special quilt, Rebecca.”
They glanced at each other.
“I’m making it out of handkerchiefs that belonged to my grandmothers and great-grandmothers.”
“Wow. That’s going to be one special piece. When you finish, will you give it to your mother?”
Katie hesitated. “I would love to. I’ve given that a lot of thought. But I’ve decided to contribute it to the auction in September to raise money for the new schoolhouse.”
“That’s certainly a generous contribution.”
“I’m happy to do it. Everyone who wants to contribute will offer something unique to bring in a good donation. Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, we’ll be able to afford the materials. Of course, the work will be contributed by everyone as time permits.”
“You must be pretty proud of what you’re doing. What a great cause. The new school will be around for years to come.”
“That’s why I’m investing more time and care in this quilt than I’ve ever put into any project. As I cut and sew, I think of my grandmothers and wonder if they’d enjoy watching me create something that really belongs to them.”
She hunched her shoulders. “Sometimes it gives me the chills because I feel such a connection with them. I wish they could see the end result. My grandmothers were strong women, Rebecca. I wish I could be everything they were. As far as the quilt, I would hope they’d love it.”
“I’m sure they would.”
“If you want the truth, it will be difficult to let go of the work.”
“Of course. Because when it’s finished, it will be much more than just a beautiful piece of art. It will be a part of your family heritage. An heirloom, really. Maybe someone in your family will buy it.”
“We’ll see.” Katie let out a contented sigh. “I wonder what my grandmothers would say if they knew I dream of running a day-care center.”
Rebecca smiled a little. “I’m sure they’d give you the thumbs-up.”
“You think so?”
“Of course. Caring for children is part of God’s plan for all of us. What would we be like if we hadn’t experienced the love of our parents and teachers? Just imagine trying to raise a plant without water.”
Katie grinned. “That’s a nice analogy.”
“You must really love children.”
“I teach them. Watching them is so fun. Most of all, I love telling them stories. They hear the same story over and over, and every time I tell it, it’s like they’re hearing it for the first time.”
“Isn’t it wonderful to be young and innocent?”
Katie gave a firm nod. “There’s nothing like glimpsing the excitement on their faces.” She frowned.
“Is something wrong?”
“My day-care center won’t materialize. There are too many obstacles standing in my way.” She paused. “But it’s okay to dream, right?”
“It will happen if you make it happen. It doesn’t have to be just a thought.”
Rebecca considered her own advice. What she’d just said applied to her own dream to run a floral shop, didn’t it?
She touched Katie’s arm in a reassuring gesture. “Katie, your day-care center doesn’t have to stay in your imagination. I’ll bet you could thrive in that field. These days, there are so many single parents who look for responsible, caring adults to watch their youngsters. I would think there’d be a high demand for quality child care.”
Katie let out a hopeful sigh. “I’m aware that there’s a demand for it.” Several moments later, she shook her head sadly. “But I don’t think God planned for me to run a center.”
“Why not?”
“Because carrying out my wishes would interfere with what my parents have in store for me. I can’t let them down.”
“You think they’d be disappointed in a career that could help so many children and mothers?”
“It’s not that. It has to do with their business. All my life, I’ve listened to how they’ve arranged for me to carry on in their footsteps. How I’ll have a steady income. I’m an only child. I don’t have brothers and sisters who can take over their shop. It’s mostly for coffee, but there are knickknacks, too. There’s only one candidate for the job, and like it or not, it’s me.”
Rebecca laughed.
“What?”
“I’m sorry. But the way you said it was so funny.” Rebecca cleared her throat and approached the subject with a more serious tone. The expression on Katie’s face told Rebecca that she was concerned. “I can see where you’re put on the spot. What I can’t believe is that you’re the only person to carry on their trade. There must be someone else. Cousins?”
“Maybe. But my parents established The Coffee Place for me. And they’ve done it with so much love, Rebecca. They’re so dear. Surely you can understand that as much as I’d like to pursue my own dream, I can’t spoil theirs.”
Rebecca thought a moment. She crossed her hands over her lap. “Of course, I understand your obligation and your fear of letting them down.” In an excited tone, she added, “But maybe there’s away to do both?”
“How?”
Rebecca shrugged. “I’m not sure. Pray about it, Katie. Dreams are precious. If you want something that much, and it’s within your reach, you should go for it. Especially if it will benefit others. There’s nothing in the world more important than caring for children.”
“We’ll see. I do pray about it. But I’m sure you know as well as I do that God doesn’t always give us the answers we want. And I’m wise enough to understand that sometimes He has His own plan for us. We have to trust Him because only He knows what’s best.”
Rebecca considered the statement and realized the truth behind it. Her mind drifted to her imaginary floral shop. But she had an even bigger dream. And that was a life with William. And children. At the same time, she wanted desperately to be with her family and loved ones.
Like Katie, she faced obstacles. If William became Daniel’s business partner, Rebecca would be forced to make a choice. She couldn’t have both worlds. In this way, she and Katie were in the same boat. She felt an unbreakable bond with her friend and touched Katie’s hand.
“It will be okay, Katie.” Rebecca squeezed Katie’s wrist and smiled. “I’ll pray for you.”
“Thanks.”
Soon, the Conrad home came into view. The ride with Katie was at an end, but the time spent with her had given Rebecca important issues to think about.
As Katie’s horse snorted, Rebecca inhaled a satisfied breath. “Thank you, Katie.”
“My pleasure. I’m glad you enjoyed the ride.”
“I mean, for the talk. It’s nice to have a friend with the same interests. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.”
“What a sweet thing to say.”
“I mean it. My stay here has presented challenges. But I’ve also reaped tremendous blessings.” She winked. “You’re one of them.”
Katie’s eyes glistened with moisture. “I’ll see you next Tuesday. And as far as you and William?”
Rebecca waited for an answer.
“Everything will work out.” Katie cleared her throat. “And by the way, you should try out a pair of blue jeans. That’s what’s Rumspringa’s for.”
With renewed faith and energy, Rebe
cca lifted the bottom of her skirt and carefully stepped down from the carriage. The horse gave an impatient whinny as Katie waved good-bye. Rebecca watched the buggy disappear down the road.
She hadn’t disclosed her dream of owning a floral shop to Katie for fear of losing the magic of the mere thought. Rebecca had surprised herself by opening up about it to Beth. Even though Rebecca wasn’t in a position to create her business, the fictitious store in her imagination was a wonderful place to visit. She always wanted to have the opportunity to go there.
But what about the advice she’d offered Katie? Rebecca had assured Katie that she needed to make sure her wishes materialize. Shouldn’t Rebecca heed her own words?
She made her way up the front steps and frowned as she recalled Katie’s thoughts on William. But Rebecca agreed: The longer William enjoyed the English life, the more difficult it would be to tear him from it.
She wanted with all of her heart to marry her childhood sweetheart and live forever in her beloved Amish town. But would that desire become reality? Or would it merely stay a dream like her imaginary flower shop?
*
It was already mid-July. William had postponed telling Rebecca about his dad’s offer long enough. While he finished paperwork in the shop office, William considered how best to broach her with the subject. As he added a column of numbers, he thought of last night’s walk. He recalled their kiss. For several blissful moments, he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he let out a small sigh.
He had been leading up to the subject of the partnership by talking to her about becoming English. But the moment Rebecca had made it clear that she could never be anything but Amish, he’d stopped. There would be another opportunity, wouldn’t there?
He wrote in the total in the bottom right-hand corner and raised a brow. Would there ever be a good time to tell her? While he considered the question, he shook his head slowly. Even the noise from the electric saws couldn’t stop the probing question from repeating itself in his mind.
Pursing his lips, he tapped the pencil point against the ledger and stared straight ahead. The sound of the door opening interrupted his thoughts.
Rebecca smiled. “Thought I’d better check on you. You’ve been in here quite a while.”
He nodded. They were alone. He took a deep, decisive breath and motioned to the small bench in back of the shop.
She put a hand on her hip. “Something wrong?”
“There’s something I need to share with you.”
In silence, they sat next to each other. Long moments passed while he noted the puzzled expression on Rebecca’s face. How could he explain the offer?
She leaned toward him. “What’s going on? Is it Daniel?”
William shook his head. “No. But we had a conversation.” He sat up straighter and faced her. “While you were planting flowers the other day, I had a heart-to-heart conversation with my dad.”
Her lips lifted into a beautiful smile. “That’s wonderful, William. You’ve got to tell me all about it.”
“I was honest, Rebecca. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but I told him how I had always wanted a father.”
Rebecca paused. “What did he say?”
“That I had one.”
“Oh.”
“But I responded that he hadn’t been there for me.” William lowered his head. When he raised it, he shrugged. “And it’s the truth.” He pulled in a deep breath. “Oh, Rebecca. I wonder now if I should have kept my mouth shut.”
“Why?”
“Because of his heart condition. The last thing I want is to make things worse. He’s struggling to survive as it is.”
“Did you argue?”
“No. In fact, I went on to say how I wanted to stay a part of his life.”
Rebecca sighed in relief. “Good. Then you shouldn’t be on a guilt trip. He must have been happy to hear that you wanted a relationship with him.”
“But I regret my comment about not having a dad. It was thoughtless, especially under the circumstances.”
Rebecca thought a moment. “William, I really don’t believe you were out of line. Life isn’t perfect, and you certainly can’t pretend it is. While your aunt and uncle raised you, Daniel didn’t even try to be your father. In fact, you can count his visits on both hands. You barely know him. But I believe the two of you will become close.”
William raised a doubtful brow.
“I really do. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. To develop a relationship with him, you have to start somewhere. That means talking and being upfront about your feelings. Obviously, it’s impossible to pretend everything’s normal when it’s not.”
“I know.”
“As long as you spoke without malice and from your heart, you surely can’t hold yourself responsible for what happened. I hesitate to give advice on something I’ve never dealt with, but it would seem to me that if Daniel wants to be close to you, he has to accept responsibility for leaving when you were young. I’ve never worn your shoes, but I’m sure many others in your situation wouldn’t give him that opportunity.”
She put a hand to her hip and posed another question. “What was Daniel’s reaction when you told him you wanted to stay in his life?”
William bit his lip. As Rebecca regarded him, he stared straight ahead. The pulse on his neck picked up speed.
He watched Rebecca clench her hands together on her lap and interlace her fingers.
Tell her. An inner voice prompted him to go on. Why was relating this so difficult? He knew the answer. He wanted to partner with his dad. And he wanted Rebecca. Was it possible to have both? He was about to find out.
An uncomfortable tingle floated down his arms and landed in his fingertips. He flexed them to rid himself of the strange sensation.
“William?”
He cleared his throat.
She patted his arm in reassurance. “Talk to me. We’ve always been honest with each other. Just because we’re not in Arthur doesn’t mean that changes.” She paused. “How did he respond? He surely didn’t tell you he didn’t want to be with you.”
William’s voice suddenly took on a very serious tone. “No.”
Rebecca let out a small, nervous laugh. “That’s a relief. So what’s the problem?”
“I asked him to move back to Arthur where he belongs. To bring Beth.”
“And?”
William shrugged. “He said it wouldn’t work.”
“Oh.”
Several heartbeats later, William said enthusiastically, “He invited me to become his business partner. In Indiana.”
*
The rumor had come true. As the words rang through her mind, Rebecca found it difficult to remain calm.
While William looked at her for a reaction, she stared straight ahead. An uncomfortable sensation made her shoulders tense, like when she was young and had done something wrong that she hadn’t wanted to tell her parents about. That ache she’d experienced before standing in front of her classmates and presenting her assignment on the large green chalkboard.
Time seemed to stand still while she sat and digested the statements. As she thought, William continued.
“So what do you think?”
As her pulse accelerated to the speed of a race horse at the finish line, she silently ordered herself to stay calm. Mamma had always told her to consider things carefully before responding. That even though she would face difficult issues, there was nothing she couldn’t handle. Because God was her protector.
There was no sound of saws. No voices. The room became unusually quiet. Rebecca knew she could have heard a pin drop. For the first time in her life, she questioned her mother’s advice.
William stood and paced to the door and back. But Rebecca barely noticed the movement while she considered all that was at stake. She contemplated Daniel asking William to move to Indiana to become his business partner. She wanted William and his dad to be close. But a partnership was complicated.
Deciding to do that wou
ld mean that if Rebecca wanted to marry William, she would need to leave her family. Daniel’s business was in Indiana. Not in Arthur, Illinois. And she treasured her Amish world more than anything.
Of course, there were Amish communities nearby. She thought of Katie. But it wouldn’t be the same because Rebecca’s family was in Illinois. And right now, she missed them more than ever.
She’d never planned on being without them permanently. She couldn’t fathom seeing them only on holidays. She missed talking to her mother every day. Rebecca frowned.
William stepped in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest. When he spoke, his voice was soft and apologetic. “Rebecca, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to say anything.”
She looked up at him and tried to control the shakiness in her voice. “You had to tell me. I’m going to be your wife, William. We need to think about this. Ignoring it will get us nowhere.”
“Trust me, Rebecca. It was the last thing I expected him to say. I know it isn’t what you wanted to hear, but you’ve always told me to be straightforward.”
She took a deep breath to calm herself. “I expect honesty from you, William. Nothing less. I have a question.” She paused. “How did you respond?”
William’s cheeks took on a light shade of pink like they always did when he confronted something he didn’t want to discuss.
“I told him I was flattered.” William raised a hand. “But I didn’t commit. You know I’d never make a big decision like that without consulting you.”
What had happened to her simple life? What Rebecca had just learned was not like anything she’d ever had to deal with. She had mixed feelings. She was sure she should be happy Daniel had offered William a partnership. And she’d been warned that this was coming. Katie had mentioned it. So had Natalie.
Finally, William had an opportunity to build a relationship with his dad. After all these years, Daniel was making an effort to be close to his son. And winning Daniel’s approval and attention was William’s dream. How could she deny him that?
On the other hand, granting him that opportunity forced a huge sacrifice on her part. One that would affect the rest of her life and the lives of her beloved family. How could she live away from them on a permanent basis?
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