Rebecca's Bouquet

by Lisa Jones Baker

  “‘Dear Sam, I hope you’re doing well and that you’re not working too hard. I wanted you to know that I love the hope chest you made me and that I look at it every night before going to bed. It’s a treasure. I’m doing okay in Indiana. But I miss coming over to talk to you. I’m dealing with an issue that requires your expertise. That’s why I’m writing this letter.’”

  She glanced away a moment and took a deep breath. “‘William is becoming comfortable with the English. Actually, he loves their ways more than I ever anticipated. I’m so afraid I’m losing William, Sam. He loves me. That I’m sure of. But I don’t know that he’ll want to return to Arthur when his father recovers from his heart attack.’”

  For a moment, Rebecca looked away from her neat printing and bit her lip. With a frown, she returned her attention to the letter. “‘Sam, I long to marry William. But I want to go home and raise our children Amish. For me, life wouldn’t be the same anywhere but Arthur. It’s my greatest fear that I’m losing him. Is it selfish of me to expect him to join the church if he decides not to? I know what’s in my heart; at the same time, I have an obligation to respect his wishes, too. I’m sure you’ll know what to tell me. Right now, I’m uneasy. I can’t wait to hear from you. Love, Rebecca.’”

  With newfound confidence, she refolded the letter and sealed it in the envelope. She shoved it into the mailbox and pulled up the red flag.

  She smiled. Soon she would hear from Sam. It was just a matter of time until she would know what to do about the different directions she and William were headed. With a deep sigh of relief, she made her way to the house. As she approached the front patio, Beth pushed the front door open and waved.

  “Rebecca! Your mother’s on the phone.”

  Excited, Rebecca rushed to the house. She couldn’t wait to talk to her mamma. Everything would be okay.

  *

  That afternoon, Rebecca squinted as the bright sun illuminated the light blue sky. She looked down at her flower garden. Her geraniums boasted bright, beautiful colors. The hot pink petals were her favorites.

  As she admired her work, she thought of her mamma’s disturbing call. The words weighed heavily on Rebecca’s mind as she rolled up her sleeves to her elbows and put her hands on her hips. Flowers grew fast. So did weeds. And so did the weeds of life.

  Rebecca wrinkled her nose. Her parents were concerned about her longer-than-intended stay in Indiana. They wanted her home. People were talking. Rumor had it that Rebecca and William would leave the Amish community, just like Daniel, and that Rebecca’s parents were at fault for allowing their daughter to go out of state. To Rebecca’s chagrin, her poor parents were taking the flack for her absence.

  She gave a sad, frustrated shake of her head, adjusted her work apron, and squatted to pull butter-print from the soil. One by one, she tossed the thick green stems into a plastic bag.

  As Rebecca continued removing the unwanted plants, she tried to focus on the positive: Daniel’s business was back on track. She’d already decided on one goal for the bishop. She had a new friend, Katie. Beth had been wonderful to Rebecca. Soon Rebecca would be back in Arthur.

  But would William be with her? She considered that ominous question. At the same time, she thought of her parents. A dull ache formed in her chest.

  There weren’t many phones in the Amish community, but it didn’t matter. Rebecca knew all too well that once gossip started, it spread like wildfire.

  Facing the truth was difficult because she truly believed she was making the right choice by extending her stay. How could she leave when Daniel’s condition was touch and go? In spite of the turmoil at home, she believed with all of her heart that God wanted her here until Daniel was on his feet again.

  Besides, William needed help with the shop while Beth counted on her for moral support. More importantly, Rebecca could influence William to make the most important decision of his life. Whether or not to join the Amish church. How could she go home when so much was at stake?

  She considered William. Usually, he was decisive. But right now, he was as fragile as a feather in the wind. He hadn’t hesitated to express his love for the English ways. Right now, he could go either Amish or English.

  Rebecca’s presence could influence him to make the right choice. A decision that would affect the future. For both of them.

  She looked inside her bag of weeds and raised a thoughtful brow. To remove unwanted plants, she merely yanked them out of the ground. She smiled a little. If only getting rid of life’s problems were that simple.

  But how could she possibly destroy the verbal weeds bothering her folks? Could she stop rumors? If only there was a way.

  Rebecca yearned to end the gossip. How could she justify staying in Indiana when her mother was paying the price?

  In the small, tight-knit community, approval was important. Rebecca bit her tongue as she thought of others judging her. If only everyone would mind their own business. But they didn’t. And Mamma didn’t deserve this stress.

  She needed to come up with two more goals. She couldn’t leave without carrying them out. She had taken that instruction to heart. And she would be a better person after she left here.

  At the same time, William was still the reason she was in Indiana. If she returned to Illinois before Daniel recovered, what would happen to William?

  He was her true love. And she had no intention of bailing on him, even if they weren’t married. How could she leave him when he needed her most?

  Rebecca stood and rubbed her hands together to rid them of dirt. Catching her breath, she focused on her task at hand and bent to lift her heavy metal watering can. Slow, steady steps took her to the end of the row, watering each flower, one at a time.

  As soon as the liquid touched the plants, the green leaves became more alive. The stems took on a darker, more vibrant shade. Rebecca recalled the scriptures her mother had sent with her and realized that water to the plants was similar to scripture to the soul.

  She stopped a moment, watching the moisture glisten as it clung to the soft, velvety-looking petals of the pink petunias. Turning, she made her way down the next row.

  She returned to the spigot on the side of the house to refill her watering can, still worrying about her parents. And about William. About their future together. Would she lose him? For a moment, the dreaded problems flitted through her mind until she shook her head to rid herself of them.

  She recalled the story of Adam and Eve. Of course, weeds were a part of life. And she knew from a long-ago sermon that a person’s success was dependent on how he or she dealt with obstacles. For every problem, there was a solution. She couldn’t let negative issues get the best of her. She must pray for a way to remove the sinful plants.

  And if she couldn’t rid herself of them?

  She would work around them.

  The lesson about measuring success stuck with her. She had listened with interest when the preacher explained how trials made us stronger and that challenges force us to grow as human beings. In a deep, low voice, he’d explained to the small, attentive congregation that without pain, a person’s faith isn’t tested.

  Therefore, it is impossible to know what we could overcome. When obstacles are thrown at us, our personal success is measured by how we cope with them. When all is said and done, facing battles strengthens our faith.

  Rebecca enjoyed her life without obstacles. But she definitely had taken the first step by addressing whether or not to give William her blessing to become Daniel’s business partner.

  She prayed about what to do. She thought about her future with William twenty-four-seven. Salty tears stung her eyes at the thought of telling Mamma she must leave them for good.

  She remembered her special scripture book and yearned for home. That would have to wait. But how long? In the meantime, what would Rebecca tell William? Should she give him her blessing to partner with his father and forfeit everything so dear to her?

  She let out a faint moan of distress and
came to a decision. She wouldn’t do anything until she was confident of her choice. Either way, she would suffer a huge loss.

  She robbed William of his opportunity to go into business with his father, or she abandoned her family. Which was worse?

  As Rebecca stopped a moment to look up at the large white clouds in the light blue sky, she thought of Mamma’s advice to deal with the negative and focus on the positive. Rebecca sighed contentment as she took the advice to heart. Even with weeds, there was still much to be thankful for.

  Family. William. Her newfound friend, Katie. Her health. Faith. And her dream.

  Other enjoyable things that made her life special. Being outside. The warm sun shining down on her back. Birds chirping. Horse-and-buggy rides. Old Sam. She grinned.

  She stopped to study a tiny hummingbird as it hovered over the cannas. If only her decisions were as simple as the bird’s.

  But human life involved complex issues like beliefs, religion, pleasing others, making difficult choices, and living with those decisions.

  It was amazing how these beautiful, fragile-looking plants survived and grew under the hot sun as well as occasional downpours. If God watched over her plants, He would certainly protect her. And William.

  Surely, he would guide her down the right path. He was omniscient. There was nothing God couldn’t deal with. Was there a way to make everyone happy? She thought hard.

  Rebecca dreamed of her flower shop and lifted her chin in determination. The thought prompted a big grin. It was a wonderful, happy dream.

  She imagined arranging flowers and watching people smile when she delivered them. She pictured herself in a room filled with exotic plants. She envisioned herself clipping long, green stems and arranging them in terra-cotta bowls and crystal vases.

  She imagined smelling sweet scents all day. Of setting deep green leafy plants into earthy-looking bowls of different shapes and sizes.

  At least she had a dream. Even if her flower shop never materialized, the very thought brought happiness. A bright spot in her life.

  She thought of Katie’s ambition to run a day-care center and smiled. In more ways than one, she was a lot like her new Amish friend. Both had big dreams. At the same time, they faced obstacles.

  As Rebecca pulled another weed from the moist earth, she thought of her conversation with Beth and realized she was passionate enough about plants to make selling them a career. She’d read books on different species. She was aware of which genera required little water and those that needed a lot. She could mix compatible plants into the same pots. She remembered the terrarium of cacti she’d done for her brother for a school project and the bouquet she’d put together for Mamma’s birthday.

  As a breeze feathered her face, she planted a satisfied hand on her hip. The sun hit the blossoms of her bright red geraniums, making them appear unusually bright.

  William’s voice made her turn.

  “Hey.”

  She jumped.

  He smiled a little. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “It’s okay.” In the same breath, she motioned to her work. “What do you think?”

  He furrowed his brows as he appeared to study the garden. Several heartbeats later, he nodded. When his gaze met Rebecca’s, he grinned mischievously. “On a scale of one to ten?”

  Anxious for his approval, she gave a quick, eager nod.

  “Definitely a ten plus.”

  Rebecca curtsied. “Thank you.”

  “I don’t know what you feed your plants, but they’d win a race. Heck, it’s just been little more than a week since they were tiny. This will be great for Dad, Rebecca. How do you always come up with the best ideas?”

  She gave a happy shrug.

  “I’ll never forget when you made Aenti Sarah chicken and dumplings after she pulled a shoulder muscle.”

  Rebecca laughed. “I’d forgotten that.”

  William’s face turned serious. “Too bad Dad’s condition isn’t as simple as a pulled muscle. I wish he was healthy and happy again. It would be nice to have an easy fix.”

  “Yes.” Rebecca considered his statement. It would be wonderful to have an easy fix for many things. The partnership, for instance.

  She said in a low, confidential tone, “You know my thoughts.”

  “About something good coming out of something bad?”

  She gave a confident nod. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll tell you again. I truly believe that Daniel’s heart condition is God’s way of bringing you together.”

  William stepped forward and stared down at the ground. When he finally raised his gaze, he regarded her with curiosity. “Maybe.”

  Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Of course it is. If it weren’t for the heart attack, we wouldn’t be here … which means you wouldn’t have spent time with him … which means he wouldn’t have offered you a partnership. That’s a good thing, William. Don’t you see? Obviously, he wants to play a larger role in your life.”

  The serious look on William’s face was so attractive. His eyes took on that intriguing appearance. The small groove in his chin intensified. He was positively handsome.

  William stepped closer. The vulnerable expression on his face made Rebecca’s heart pick up speed. Their gazes locked.

  “I owe you an apology.”

  Her eyes didn’t leave his as she raised a curious brow. “For what?”

  “Oh, gee. It’s about our conversation about Dad and Beth … I’ve been thinking, and I was totally selfish.”

  Rebecca squared her shoulders. “What?”

  He shrugged disappointedly. “I don’t know what got into me. I can’t believe I was so wrapped up in resentment when Dad was in a hospital struggling to live. My mother would be disappointed in me. I was thinking of myself when I should’ve been focused on him.”

  With a comforting hand, she patted his shoulder. “It’s okay, William. Talking things out always helps.”

  He nodded and smiled a little. “What’s happened to me, Rebecca? Why was I so self-centered?”

  She moved her hand to his neck and caressed the tight knot there. She watched him close his lids.

  “You’re far from selfish, William.” She paused. “In fact, you’re the most generous person I know.”

  When he opened his eyes, his expression lightened with hope. “Really?”

  “Jah.”

  “Remember when we used to go to the singings?”

  Rebecca grinned. “Those were the good old days. I’m glad we have nice memories. And we’ll make more. But right now, it’s our responsibility to deal with these issues and get past them. Just think of all you’ve faced.”

  He gave a mischievous roll of his eyes. “I guess this is payback for all of those stress-free years.”

  “Maybe. But we can’t let pressure get the best of us. I’ve read that stress makes a person’s mind fuzzy. It wears you out so you can’t think straight.”

  “So how do I clear my head of the fuzz?”

  “Good question. I think that if we focus on the positive, getting through this ordeal with Daniel will be easier to cope with.”

  He looked at her to continue.

  She raised her voice for emphasis. “We completed that entire Kreggs order. That’s amazing! William Conrad, you’ve done a marvelous job.”

  “I certainly didn’t do it alone.”

  “I’m glad I could help.”

  William smiled a little and touched her shoulder. “I’m going back to the shop to tidy up. Are you coming?”

  “In a few minutes.”

  As Rebecca watched William walk away, a nice feeling filled her chest. She was proud of him. William was a good, honest man.

  On that thought, she hoisted her bag of weeds over her shoulder and picked up the watering can. After giving her garden a satisfied glance, she dropped off her gardening things inside of the garage and washed her hands in the work sink.

  As she made her way to the entrance of the woodworking shop, the dream
of a floral shop still lingered like the sweet taste of homemade chocolate. But that glimmer of happiness quickly evaporated as she noticed the couple waiting at the cash register. It was Henry Kreggs. And Natalie.

  Chapter Nine

  It was five o’clock. As William moved the broom over the concrete floor, sawdust floated in the air. The clinking sound of tools filled the building as workers cleaned up. William was pleased about the completion of Henry Kreggs’s order.

  His dad’s business was thriving. Even so, an uncertain ache filled William’s chest as he thought of his father. When would his dad be well enough to resume his role at the shop? Would he even work again? If not, William would be forced to decide whether or not to stay and run the company.

  Right now, his future with Rebecca seemed dependent on his dad’s heart condition. William pushed out a sigh of frustration. He had never been so confused. He was pulled in two different directions.

  He’d promised Rebecca their stay here was temporary. At the same time, he felt a tremendous obligation to his dad, even though his father had left him. And then, there was the partnership offer …

  Aenti Sarah, Uncle John, and members of the church had raised him to be responsible. But what about his commitment to Rebecca? How could he do what was best for her and his dad?

  Rebecca’s voice brought him back to reality. Several feet away, she ran a cleaning rag over a workbench.

  “What did the Kreggses want?”

  Continuing his task, he glanced at her. “They stopped by to thank us for a lovely job.”

  As Rebecca made small talk, William’s instincts told him that the crux of her interest was Henry’s daughter. At the thought of Natalie, William frowned. This afternoon, he’d been attuned to her special attention to him. Rebecca was right.

  But William didn’t care for Natalie’s aggressive nature. She was much more forward than the Amish girls he’d grown up with.

  He preferred polite, conservative Rebecca by a long shot. To William, flirting was superficial. He wasn’t comfortable with the way Natalie flashed her pretty smile and asked questions about things she surely wasn’t interested in.