Chasing Fireflies: Book Five (Jacob's Daughter, an Amish, Christian Romance)

by Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  Rose felt weak in the knees. “But how…”

  “Awhile back I had a critter getting into my garden, and I didn’t know how to defend myself against the damage it was causing. So I borrowed a pair of binoculars from mei bruder, and that’s how I saw everything…right down to the kiss he placed on your cheek.”

  Rose could feel her cheeks heat up.

  He really did kiss me! The nerve of him!

  “You know he’s here, instead of gone like everyone thinks?”

  “I saw you go over there again this morning. I’ve known he was here all this time. I’ve been waiting for something or someone to bring him out of that haus and make him want to start living again. I saw the way he looked at you this morning. You haven’t seen the last of him.”

  “What if I don’t want to see him anymore?”

  Bess placed her hands on her broadened hips. “I think it’d be a shame if you never talked to him again. He hasn’t had an interest in talking to anyone in over a year. He needs help, and it seems Gott has already placed you in Noah’s path.”

  Rose was too embarrassed to speak.

  “The job is yours if you want it. I’ll even let you take the paddle boat out anytime you like. But only on the condition that you wear the life vest I keep under the seat.”

  Rose couldn’t resist such an offer. If she’d known there was a floatation device on the boat last night, she would have used it. But maybe things were just as Bess had said, and she was meant to fall in the pond—for Noah’s sake.

  Bess gave Rose a tour of the B&B, and pointed out her duties. She would have two days off per week, which was the perfect amount of time she needed to keep up with the celery patch for Katie’s wedding.

  ****

  Noah looked around at the mess that was his yard. When he’d purchased the haus, he’d envisioned the beautiful flowers and over-sized garden Emma would have here. There would be white linen curtains flapping in the breeze from open windows, and there would be bed linens drying on the clothesline. Chickens would hover around her as she threw feed to them every morning, and even their milking cow would greet her happily for the morning milking. He would gracefully tell her to let him do the milking, and she would gently encourage him to spend his time instead on building a cradle for their firstborn. But none of that would happen now. She was gone, and there was no getting her back.

  Noah’s thoughts took a sudden turn to the young woman, whose life he’d saved. Was it possible that Gott had sent her to him for a reason? It had always come naturally for him to accept that everything happened for a reason, but now he found that he second-guessed every decision he made.

  Except for last night.

  He hadn’t thought twice about diving into the water of the pond to save her. He did what needed to be done without any consideration for his own worries. They’d been there on the surface, but he’d done what was needed to do for her sake.

  Using the sickle he’d brought from the barn, he began to clear the top layer of the thick brush that masked the property. As he made his way toward the pond, he realized that if he cleared all of it, someone might notice. Not yet ready for the community to know he was here, he stopped a few feet short of the edge of the pond.

  After working for more than an hour in the warm afternoon sun, Noah had cleared a fair portion of the thick grass and weeds to the point that he could see over the tops of them. He knew it would take several more hours of work before he would have it trimmed to a reasonable length that was suitable for a yard. He’d made some progress. Not nearly enough, but that would come in time. For now, he was satisfied with the improvement that such a seemingly insignificant change had brought.

  Knowing it was already late in the season, he decided he’d spend the day tomorrow breaking ground for a garden. With a lot of care, he would still be able to grow tomatoes, peas and potatoes. His root cellar was nearly empty, and he would need to go after food if he didn’t grow some. He’d caught a few rabbits and made stew with the root vegetables he had, but even those stores were thinning. The strawberries and raspberries that grew wild alongside the barn were blooming, and he knew that no matter what, he was resourceful enough to keep from going hungry. But would he be able to do that much longer without having to mingle among the community?

  Chapter 9

  Rose pushed her arms into the life vest and tied the straps. Some might consider her a dummkopf for going back out onto the water so soon after nearly drowning, but she had always been one to face her fears directly. Her heart raced a little at the thought of being vulnerable out on the water alone, but she would not let the fear paralyze her. With shaky hands, Rose placed the jar full of freshly-caught fireflies onto the end of the dock, and then slipped the rope off the post. Taking a deep breath, she uttered a quick prayer before stepping into the paddle boat. She sat there for several minutes working up the nerve to pedal out into the open water.

  “Are you going to just sit there, or are you planning on leaving the dock?”

  Startled by the voice, Rose looked up to see Noah standing at the end of the dock. Eyeing his bare feet let her know why she hadn’t heard him approach. His presence was enough to convince her to start pedaling.

  Noah lifted his foot and placed it against the side of the paddle boat, giving it a gentle shove.

  Rose pursed her lips as she pedaled backward until she was clear from the end of the dock. She moved the lever to turn the rudder, and began to pedal forward. She moved slowly out into the open water, moonlight illuminating the way. Though she was a little frightened, she was glad to be away from Noah, who seemed to have a way of getting under her skin with one simple question—a question she answered only by her actions.

  Resisting the urge to look back toward the dock to see if Noah was still standing there, Rose kept her eyes focused on the opposite end of the pond, which was her goal. She wasn’t sure if she thought it was odd that Noah should sneak up on her the way he did, or if he was somehow looking out for her.

  Rose forced herself to follow the same path she had the night before. She hoped that if she could get all the way across the pond and back, she would be rid of the fear that gripped her.

  Gott, please bless me with enough courage to make this journey across the pond and back without falling apart.

  ****

  Noah wasn’t sure if he should follow along the edge of the pond to keep a better eye on the young woman, or if he should stay where he was. As he watched her leave the dock, he realized she seemed to be heading straight out into the middle of the pond toward the opposite bank. If he set out on foot, he could meet her at the other end, but from this vantage point, he could more easily see her.

  Gott, please place a hedge of protection around her. Bring her back to the dock safely.

  Realizing that praying was all he could do for her frustrated him. It was hard for him to trust in Gott’s wille for himself. He’d trusted his entire life, and it seemed his biggest prayer had gone unanswered. Or had it? He’d had the opportunity to love and be loved, but he never got the chance to have a familye of his own. Could it be that Gott had other plans for his life? Plans that he’d been too consumed with grief to see? Was it time to put his past behind him and move forward in Gott’s wille for his life? He’d certainly been ignoring the gentle prompting up until last night when he’d jumped into the pond and saved the young woman.

  What was Gott trying to tell him now? And why was he following the young woman’s every move as though she was now his responsibility?

  Noah lowered himself onto the end of the dock and let his bare feet dangle over the edge, his toes lightly touching the cool water. Listening to the gentle swish of the boat as the blades pushed through the water, he looked up to see that the young woman was already pedaling back toward the dock. He lifted the jar of fireflies from beside him and examined it. The lid was screwed on tightly, and the insects inside seemed to be slowing down from lack of air. Their glowing ends began to dim, and he felt sorry for them. Th
ey no longer floated around the jar. Instead, they piled on top of each other at the bottom fighting for space.

  Noah looked out across the pond, noting how close the young woman was to the dock already. Opening the lid, he gave the jar a gentle shake, releasing the fireflies out over the water. Their tails lit up as they flew out over the expanse of open water.

  He’d freed them just in time.

  The young woman pedaled the boat up to the dock, bumping it as she tried to navigate it gracefully back into its spot. Noah stood up and took hold of the rope, tying it around the post. The young woman exited the small water craft, and then stood on the end of the dock, her fists planted firmly on her narrow hips.

  “Why did you let my fireflies go?”

  Noah took a step backward, wondering if she wanted to take a swing at him. “They were dying.”

  Rose fumed. “I was going to let them go when I got back to the dock. You could have waited five minutes longer.”

  Noah couldn’t help but smile at her fury. She was cute when she was mad.

  “I wasn’t certain they would last another second in that jar. Besides, you were close enough to the dock that you could see your way safely.”

  “And what if I hadn’t been? Are you going to follow me around making sure I don’t fall in the pond again? I wore a life vest so you can go home and stop spying on me.”

  Noah turned to go, but then turned back toward her. “Will you at least tell me your name?”

  “Nee,” she blurted out. “You have no use for knowing my name. I appreciate you being there to save me last night, but now I want you to leave me alone and stop following me.”

  She brushed past Noah, storming off the dock, and didn’t look back.

  Chapter 10

  Noah knew exactly what he was risking when he drove his buggy into town to purchase some chickens from the feed store, but he kept his hat pulled down over his face and didn’t intend on making eye contact with anyone if he could help it. It was time to start bringing his small farm back to life, and the chickens would be a nice start. Not to mention the fact that his stomach would appreciate having eggs on a regular basis, and eventually, a plateful of fried chicken.

  The last time he’d gone into town, he’d purchased several bales of hay for his horse along with enough bags of feed to get him through the winter. He knew it was time to pick up a few things for Silo, who’d been his only companion since he’d closed himself off from the community. Truth be told, he’d missed his familye and simple conversation. But he still wasn’t sure if he was ready for all of that yet. It was tough enough talking to the young woman. Getting out the few sentences he’d said to her was one of the most difficult things he’d had to do in a long time. He could only imagine how much harder it would be on the day when he finally faced his familye.

  Given the length of his hair and the trim of his whiskers, he doubted anyone would converse with him. They might assume he was a Mennonite convert, or worse, that he’d been shunned. For all he knew, he had been shunned—especially since he hadn’t attended church service for more than a year. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t thought about it; he’d wanted to go and reach out to familye and friends, but the longer he stayed away, the easier it was to remain hidden.

  After selecting a half-dozen Rhode Island Reds, Noah placed his order for chicken feed and horse chow. It would be all he would be able to carry this trip to town. Already in his head, he was planning a second trip, which really surprised him. But for some reason, Gott seemed to be pushing him to make some changes.

  As he steered his buggy away from the feed store, he thought he heard someone calling his name.

  ****

  Rose tossed the sheet over the top of the bed at the B&B, letting it rise above the mattress and fall in a puff of slow-motion freshness. She reveled in the fresh aroma of the line-dried linens, as she made the beds for the incoming guests. She’d already beaten the braided rugs and scrubbed the planked, wooden floors. A little light dusting and she would be finished with this portion of her duties. Bess had advised her that her days off would depend on the schedule of guests, rather than on specific days. She was agreeable to such a flexible schedule, knowing it would afford her the time she needed to spend with Katie and Rachel planning the wedding.

  Her thoughts drifted to Noah, and she wondered if he would show up again this evening when she took her boat ride. Part of her wanted him to be there and was even eager to see him, but another part warned her not to get too friendly with the mann, who seemed to be running from Gott. Although he’d been kind and even patient with her, he’d closed himself off from the community for a very long time. She couldn’t even be sure he was ready to reach out to anyone other than her, and that felt like a very heavy burden for her to carry.

  She’d prayed about the situation for some time before finally falling asleep last night, and she was still waiting on an answer. It concerned her that she found him attractive, especially since she did not think he would find her attractive. Katie had always been the pretty schweschder. She didn’t consider herself unattractive, but she knew she was plain in comparison to most other women. She saw herself as having no striking features or special talents that would make her a smart choice for a mann.

  Rose wasn’t especially talented in the kitchen, and her gardening skills were lacking. It surprised her when Katie had agreed to allow her to tend the celery patch. The real reason she could see was that her younger schweschder looked up to her. It made her feel better knowing that Katie trusted her with such an important task, but she couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to prepare for a wedding of her own.

  Allowing her thoughts to drift back to Noah, Rose wondered what marriage to such a handsome mann would be like. The thought of it brought heat to her cheeks. She chided herself when reality reminded her that he had loved Emma so deeply that he’d abandoned everything to mourn her. She wondered if any mann would ever love her that deeply.

  Chapter 11

  “I’m telling you, Katie, it was him. I know it was.”

  Rose sat down at the table, placing the freshly-baked biscuits in front of her. “Who are you talking about, Caleb?”

  He grabbed a biscuit and dropped it on his plate. “My cousin, Noah. I saw him in town at the feed store. When I called out to him, he took off so fast; I couldn’t catch up to him.”

  Rose didn’t know much about the mann, but she knew enough about Noah to realize he didn’t want anyone knowing he was still in the area. He’d made that very clear to her. She’d never known the depth of grief he’d experienced, so she couldn’t judge whether it was normal for him to want to be so secluded. For whatever his reasons were, she felt they should be honored until he was ready. It dawned on her that he had tried several times to reach out to her, and she’d rejected his company.

  Suddenly feeling shame for her actions, she felt the need to keep his secret. “I’m certain you think you saw him because we were talking about him yesterday. Maybe part of you wanted for it to be him. But you said yourself; no one has seen him since the funeral. Wherever he is, when he’s ready, he will come home.”

  Caleb let his face drop. “I suppose you’re right. I just wish I knew if he was alright. His daed is worried about him.”

  Rose ignored the rest of the conversation, nodding occasionally to make it look like she was participating. She finished her dinner quickly, eager to go the dock at the B&B—eager to see Noah.

  After the dishes were washed, she counted on Katie being preoccupied with Caleb. It was such a warm night; they might even take a buggy ride. With the two of them out of the way, Rose was free to go.

  ****

  Noah was unsure of himself. Unsure if he should leave the small token with a note, or if he should wait for the young woman to show up so he could give it to her in person. She’d made it clear that she wanted him to leave her alone, but he felt drawn to her in a way he could not explain. As he turned to leave, she wandered up to the dock.

&nbs
p; “Noah.”

  All she said was his name, but it was enough to make him smile. “I brought something for you.”

  He handed her the square of cheesecloth, and she looked at him with confusion.

  “If you put it on the top of the Mason jar in place of the lid, you can still twist the ring over the opening. This way, the fireflies will be able to last long enough for you to pedal the boat from one end of the pond and back again. When you return, their glow will still be very strong, and you will be able to release them unharmed.”

  Rose looked down at the cheesecloth in her hands. It was the most thoughtful gift anyone had ever given her.

  “Danki,” she said softly.

  Noah looked into her eyes and the sparkle that reflected more than just the moonlight. She had such a natural beauty to her that showed humility. He was sure he wasn’t meant to see beyond the tough exterior she tried very hard to keep up, but he could see her meek spirit in the reflection of her eyes. It drew him to her like a moth to a flame, burning brighter the closer he came. He wanted to draw her into his arms and kiss her soft cheek the way he had a few nights before, but he was sure she would reject such an advance. After all, she still hadn’t told him her name, which showed him she didn’t trust him.

  Rose walked to the end of the dock to retrieve the Mason jar so she could collect enough fireflies to make a small beacon for her safe return to the dock at the conclusion of her nightly boat ride.

  Noah sat in the grass on the embankment watching Rose chasing after the fireflies. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her frustration when she leapt for a handful, only to come up empty-handed. In a span of several minutes, she had only caught two.

  “How did you ever manage to catch an entire jar-full chasing after them like that?”

  Noah’s question surprised her.