Rebecca's Bouquet

by Lisa Jones Baker

  Rebecca softened her voice. “William, coming here isn’t the problem.”

  “Of course it is.”

  She shook her head. “It’s what I told you earlier. Ignorance is bliss. But it doesn’t make us grow.”

  A skeptical look swept across his face.

  “These changes force us to think.”

  They regarded each other in silence. Rebecca went on. “If God hadn’t planted us in another environment, we wouldn’t have come across new knowledge. Our belief wasn’t tested because we hadn’t been challenged.”

  He gave a sad shake of his head. “Just look at all of the temptations God has shown us. Giving them up won’t be easy.”

  *

  In the shop the following morning, William went through paperwork and crossed off four more orders. There was good and bad news. His father’s business was on track. Revenues were coming in for the deliveries. And new orders were constantly placed.

  The bad news was just how serious he was about living like the English. Permanently. As he contemplated his situation, the whirling ceiling fans made a light whistling sound. The strong odor of varnish filled the air. In the distance, a worker swept a pile of sawdust and scooped it into a plastic bag.

  William would never forget the uncertainty he’d felt before coming to Indiana. At that time, he couldn’t wait for his stint at the Conrad business to be finished. He’d never dreamed how tempted he’d be to leave the Amish faith.

  He was comfortable with his new lifestyle. In fact, he really didn’t want to return to the old. He bit his lip at that thought. He should be ashamed of himself. And he was.

  Yet he could no longer deny a longing so deep inside of him. He wanted his children to have what he should have had growing up. He’d been raised to believe that the Amish life was simple. But he knew of an easier life. The English way. In fact, there was nothing difficult about it. At the tips of his fingers lay so many amenities, they became nothing more than a blur. In frustration, he tried to focus on the papers in front of him. His father would be proud of the accomplishments that had been thought impossible when William and Rebecca had first arrived in Indiana over a month ago.

  The grinding of saw blades interrupted his thoughts. He reached for the handheld calculator and added the numbers in the right-hand column. Closing the cover on the paperwork, he let out a low whistle. His father would be darn proud of him and Rebecca.

  The business was making a grand profit. He should be happy. William stood and frowned. Hooking his fingers over his pockets, he stared down at the tips of his black shoes.

  His inner turmoil wasn’t about money. Nor was it about his relationship with his father. An even deeper issue stirred within him. He loved Rebecca. At the same time, he wanted to live like the English. But he knew that convincing her to leave the faith that was so dear to her was impossible.

  William had changed. Could his relationship with Rebecca survive?

  *

  With a happy sigh, Rebecca ran a dishrag across the sparkling granite. The kitchen smelled of cleaning agents. Beth was in the basement getting peaches from the freezer. Time to go outside. Rebecca stepped to the front hall. But as soon as she opened the door, she stopped.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the note sticking out from under the mat. Tears stung her eyes as she tried to stay calm. But composure was out of the question when she recognized the neat printing with her name on it. With shaky hands, she pulled the note from the envelope.

  She wasn’t surprised at the message because she’d seen it before. Go home.

  But there was an additional threat. A hand-drawn picture of an old-fashioned coffin. On the side were two letters. R. S.

  *

  In tears, Rebecca nearly stumbled as she ran to the shop.

  Inside, she spotted William and rushed to him. She handed him the note. In silence, he looked at it and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  As she regarded him in silence, his eyes filled with a combination of concern and anger. “Another warning.”

  She nodded.

  “Where did you find this?”

  She spilled her story as tears slid down her cheeks. The drawing stepped up the seriousness of the threat to a much higher level.

  “Why is this happening to me? Why does someone want me to leave? And who?”

  She caught her breath and explained what had happened. “It was at the door.”

  He motioned. “Show me where.”

  Without waiting, she led him to the front entrance of the home where they stopped at the steps and turned when they heard a voice.

  Beth’s jaw dropped as she looked at Rebecca. “What on earth is wrong?”

  Rebecca related the news and showed her the note and the drawing. She didn’t want to concern Beth, but had no choice. Rebecca’s life was in jeopardy.

  “I’m calling the police.”

  Within twenty minutes, the cops arrived. Outside, an officer asked questions while the other filled out a report.

  “Do you have any idea who would do this?” Beth’s voice was edged with concern as she directed her attention to the uniformed men.

  “No. Any idea when this was left?”

  Beth thought a moment. “Within the past few hours.”

  The officer clipped his pen to the report and looked at Rebecca with a skeptical brow. “Did you tick someone off?”

  Rebecca shook her head. She wanted to tell him about Natalie, but didn’t. Because Natalie hadn’t done anything to her that could be considered a threat, and it wasn’t right to bring her name into the ugly story unless Rebecca could prove that Natalie was behind it.

  The officer nodded. “It could be someone playing a sick joke. On the other hand, maybe it’s for real. In either case, be careful.”

  “We will,” William promised. Beth nodded in agreement.

  After the officers left, Beth put a reassuring arm around Rebecca. “Only an unstable person would leave a drawing of a coffin at our door.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Beth and William looked at Rebecca in surprise. “For what?”

  “For causing you to worry. I hope Daniel didn’t see the cop car. I couldn’t bear for him to suffer another heart attack because of me.”

  “Don’t blame yourself, dear.”

  Rebecca watched the police vehicle disappear. When she thought of the coffin, a cold, eerie chill crept up her spine and landed at the base of her neck. She rolled her shoulders, but the feeling remained.

  William frowned. “I can’t imagine who would do something like this.” He raised an inquisitive brow at Rebecca. “Remember what you told me about Natalie?”

  Rebecca gave a quick nod.

  William turned to Beth. “You know her better than we do. Would she do something like this?”

  When Beth’s jaw dropped in surprise, Rebecca related the conversation she’d had with Henry’s daughter. “It sounds trivial, doesn’t it?”

  “You’ve met other people since you’ve been here. Like the workers in Daniel’s shop. Have you argued with anyone?”

  “I had a small disagreement with the girl named Janet over something small.”

  “What was it?”

  “Whether or not to add more stain to a cabinet. I’ve also asked her to keep her station cleaner.”

  William sighed. “That’s certainly no reason to threaten you.”

  “No.”

  “I can’t imagine Natalie would be so jealous as to do something like this.” Beth’s voice was thoughtful as she waved a hand to shoo a gnat that flew around her ear.

  William took Rebecca’s hand. “Let’s go inside. We’re taking the rest of the day off.”

  As soon as they turned, Daniel stood in front of them. “What’s going on?”

  *

  In her room, Rebecca collected a small coin purse. As she gathered her belongings, she thought of the coffin drawing she’d found just awhile ago, and worried about William and his parents.

&
nbsp; Although the warning had been addressed to her, it wasn’t just about her. She didn’t want anything to threaten their security. Daniel had seen the police, and Beth had explained what had happened. Of course, the incident had upset him.

  She stepped down the stairs where William waited.

  She forced a smile. “I’m glad we’re spending the afternoon together. Are you sure the shop can do without us?”

  He held up a confident hand. “It will have to.” He looked at her hands and frowned. “You’re shaking.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “I’m still in shock.”

  “That’s exactly why we’re spending time together, Rebecca. What would you like to do?” He reworded the question. “What would help you relax?”

  She shrugged. “I’d love to forget about the threat.”

  “Me too. But we can’t ignore what happened.” He paused. “How ’bout we discuss it later?”

  She nodded in agreement.

  “It’s a nice day. And it’s ours. Now …”

  Rebecca raised a quizzical brow. “I have something in mind. But I’m afraid it’s not your cup of tea.”

  *

  Outside, as William proceeded to Beth’s car, he came face-to-face with his father. Before William could even say hi, his dad took him by the shoulders. “Son, we’ve got to get Rebecca out of here.”

  William caught his breath. “You mean, send her back to Arthur?”

  Daniel nodded. “ASAP.”

  “Why? She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

  Daniel shook his head. “We can’t have this kind of thing going on at our house. It puts us all in jeopardy.”

  Heat rushed to William’s face. He raised his voice a notch. “It’s not her fault. Why should she be punished?”

  Daniel released his hold on William. “It’s for her own good, son. We’ve got to protect her. Isn’t it obvious that it’s too dangerous for her to stay? As much as we’d like to, we can’t watch over her twenty-four-seven. And we certainly wouldn’t want anything to happen.”

  William crossed his hands over his chest. “No, but do you really care if she’s safe?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be concerned about her? She’s the woman you plan to marry. Of course I want her to be okay.”

  William swallowed. “But do you really, truly care about her? Rebecca’s a wonderful woman. She didn’t have to leave her family to help you, but she did. And she came with the genuine hope of saving your business.”

  Daniel nodded. “I know.”

  William’s voice cracked with emotion. “You’ve never loved me, Dad. But I want you to care about Rebecca. It’s important to me that you treat her like a daughter. And I think sending her home is too harsh. Instead, why don’t you press to find out who’s threatening her? Offer a reward or something. Don’t you want to know who’s responsible?”

  Daniel let out a frustrated sigh. “Of course. But in the meantime, what if something happens to her? Can Rebecca be happy living here, knowing that someone wants her dead?”

  *

  Not long after the conversation with his dad, William watched in amusement as Rebecca shopped in It Can Be Arranged in Evansville. Beth seemed quite fond of the place as she’d gone on about its arrangements and items that were unique to this particular floral shop.

  When they stepped inside, William took in the vast array of arrangements. There were live plants. Dried and silk flowers. Balloons. But there were also specialties that Beth had commented on. Gifts from all over the United States. Pottery. Metalware. Printed umbrellas. Displays.

  It hadn’t taken William long to figure out to leave Rebecca alone to look around. For something to do, he stepped inside of the cooler room and took in the arrangements as well as the single flowers. He looked around and nodded satisfaction.

  “Brr.” He wrapped his hands around his waist.

  As he breathed in sweet, fresh fragrances, he closed his eyes in pleasure for a moment. Rebecca was right. There was something calming and reassuring about plants.

  Maybe that’s why Rebecca loved growing them. Perhaps that’s why his father enjoyed the garden from his bedroom window. William remembered how Aenti Sarah liked to pamper the deep red roses in her backyard.

  William stepped back into the main area and closed the door behind him.

  “Can I help you?”

  “No, thanks.” William motioned with his hand. “I’m waiting on the ladies.”

  The worker offered a nod and proceeded to inventory flowers.

  For something to do, William glanced at the small cards attached to vases that were obviously ready for delivery.

  They were for weddings. Funerals. Baby congratulations. Get-well bouquets. He took in the combination of bright and subtle petals, glancing with curiosity at some dried roses while he recalled a conversation he’d had once with Rebecca. She dried her flowers upside down, and she’d commented that the hotter the place, the quicker the dry and the more beautiful the hues.

  He noticed Beth talking with a clerk who was transplanting a green palm. It hadn’t taken much to convince her to drive them into town.

  A lady scurried to the register to ring up an order for a customer. But William’s attention stayed on Beth. He regarded her thoughtfully.

  She appeared to be well-respected by others. Several people in the shop had greeted her and had inquired about his father. William had caught bits and pieces of her explanation of his dad’s struggle to get well.

  Before he’d come to Indiana, he’d barely known Beth. Worse, he’d hardly known his father. But he remembered his mom. He wished he owned just one picture of the woman who’d been everything to him. Of course, as an Amish woman, she would never have allowed her photograph to be taken. The only images he would ever have of her were in his mind.

  As he drifted back in time, he could hear the upbeat tone in her voice. When William had complained about small things, she’d always pointed out the positive and had told him to make the best of what he had. That things could be worse. Her reassurance had always made things okay.

  He stood very still and frowned at the tightness in his chest. He finally understood why his dad loved Beth. She, too, had a positive outlook. She also smiled a lot. He liked her laugh.

  But she’d never, ever replace his mother. Besides, Beth had caused William to miss out on a life with his father. How could he be close to her?

  William bit his lip as he silently chastised himself for thinking negative thoughts. Aenti Sarah would be disappointed in him. So would his mom. But William knew she’d also be disappointed in the man who had deserted William.

  A loud noise made him jump. He turned to two women laughing as they pumped air into decorative balloons. The red one had popped.

  William’s heart beat at a faster pace because of his concern that something could happen to Rebecca. He stuck his hands deep into his pockets. As he glanced at Rebecca, he realized why his mother’s death suddenly haunted him.

  He was worried about losing Rebecca. He’d always expected her to be there for him and had taken her love for granted. But what would he do without her?

  There was only one solution to the threat on her life. To send Rebecca home.

  Chapter Eleven

  While Beth and Daniel were at the doctor, Rebecca took advantage of the time alone to create another arrangement. She smiled as she breathed in the sweet, fresh fragrance of the light green eucalyptus branches and stuck them into the sky-blue glass vase. The soft colors blended well with the small cream-colored petals of the baby’s breath.

  She smiled in satisfaction. Not only because her new project was exciting, but because she’d finally decided on her third goal. It was to bond William and his father. She’d known all along that she’d wanted this; however, the stakes were higher now because she’d set out to mend their relationship, even if it meant losing William. Risking their future made this objective the most difficult of the three.

  It was an ambitious goal and difficult to accomplish,
but the bishop’s request hadn’t been intended for easy tasks. By undertaking such an endeavor, she would be reaching for the clouds. But she prayed for help. With God, anything was possible. With Him on her side, she had no doubt that she could move the world.

  She heard William’s voice and turned. With a nod of approval, he glanced at her project. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re amazing.” He whistled. “You made this out of those flowers from the shop?”

  She nodded. “I’ve had a little practice.”

  He arched a curious brow.

  “In Old Sam’s barn.”

  “Oh. So that’s what you do while he works on his hope chests.”

  Rebecca nodded with a smile.

  He touched a finger to one of the leaves. “Who’s it for?”

  “Beth.”

  “Really?”

  Rebecca kept her attention on the stems in front of her. She played with them until they looked just right. “This is to encourage and cheer her. She’s gone through such a difficult time. The uncertainty of Daniel’s condition has been tough. I just want Beth to keep her faith.”

  Rebecca glanced up at him and smiled. “Hopefully, this will be the right medicine.”

  William came around to stand opposite her. His smile faltered. The expression in his eyes turned serious.

  Rebecca stopped what she was doing. “What’s wrong?”

  William hesitated and looked down at his shoes as if studying them.

  Rebecca waited for an answer. But she suspected what he was about to say was something she didn’t want to hear.

  “I’ve been thinking about yesterday’s threat. And the other warning.”

  She grimaced. A sour feeling filled her stomach until it ached. She’d struggled to put the unpleasant messages out of her mind and concentrate on the good in her life. But as much as she tried to ignore them, they were there.

  He took her hands in his. They were cold. The chill spread up her arms and landed in her shoulders. She tensed.

  “I’m worried about you, Rebecca. So is Beth. Daniel, too. What happened kept him up the entire night.”