Rebecca's Bouquet (22 page)

They hugged. As Rebecca closed her eyes, the reassuring feel of his arms around her was all she needed to be happy forever. She couldn't believe her dream had come true. But it hadn't happened by chance. Her prayers had been answered. God had made sure that she and William would raise their family in Arthur, Illinois. What more could she want?

A voice startled them. They broke their embrace as Daniel stood in front of them. The swing slowed. There was a certain glow about him. Even a rosy color in his cheeks.

“Dad . . .”

A smile tugged at Daniel's lips. Without a doubt, it was the best he'd looked since her arrival. God certainly had been busy answering prayers.

“Son, it's a very good day. And I plan to take advantage of it.” Daniel stretched his arms and let out a deep, satisfied sigh. “I've got a list a mile long to start on. But”—he paused—“before I begin, I need to talk to both of you. Together.”

* * *

In the living room, William and Rebecca sat opposite Daniel and looked around. This was the last time she'd be in the Conrad home. At least, for a while.

Her conversation with William played over and over in her mind. Each time she thought of what he'd told her, she wanted to jump up and down.

Now, Daniel was about to say something. She couldn't imagine what it was. Did he know William had decided to turn down his offer? Trying to calm herself, she pulled in a deep, steady breath, swallowed, and considered how she had changed since coming here. She was excited, but also sad.

Soon, she would be home. And William would join her shortly. She imagined her family running to greet her. She looked forward to talking to Mamma. And Old Sam. Only this time, it wouldn't be by phone or letter. She'd see them in person. And there was so much to say, she wasn't sure where to start.

She stretched her legs and glanced out of the window to the road. That blacktop would lead her back to Arthur, Illinois.

The three goals: Amazingly, she had achieved more than she'd thought possible.

She would carry out her dream of owning a floral shop. Old Sam would surely let her use his old barn to get started. When she and William got their own place, she could work out of her home.

She broke the silence. “I want to remember this room exactly like it looks right now.”

She glanced up at the beautiful white fan hanging from the high ceiling. The breeze created by its slow circles caressed Rebecca's face.

A large gold-framed painting of a huge flower garden decorated the cream-colored wall. She took in the ornate gold doorknob. The large oval oil painting of Beth and Daniel.

Daniel stepped into the room and lifted his coffee cup in the air. “Anything to drink for you two?”

“No, thanks.”

Beth joined Daniel on the love seat.

Daniel leaned forward and rested his hands between his legs. His gaze drifted from Rebecca to William. “There's so much to say, it's hard to know where to start.”

Rebecca and William silently waited for Daniel to continue. William's foot tapped to a nervous beat. Rebecca sat up straighter. Her hands gripped the edge of the seat cushion.

“First of all, I want you kids to know that I'm fully aware of what you sacrificed to come here. And believe me, I'm the last person who deserves your help.”

Rebecca leaned forward. “It was my pleasure.”

“Mine too, Dad.”

Daniel nodded and focused his attention on William. Beside him, Beth sat very still. “Son, I realize more than ever how much I'd love you to be my partner. Maybe it's selfish on my part.”

“What do you mean?”

“I feel as if I'm compensating for the pain I've caused you. Trust me, I'd make sure you never wanted for anything.”

Rebecca bit her lip.
Oh no. He thinks William's going to accept his offer.
Her grip on the cushion tightened.

Daniel put his cup on the lamp stand and stood. Looking down at the floor, he paced to the television and back, stopping in front of William. “Son, I've learned a very important lesson by watching you and Rebecca.”

Rebecca tensed. Why was he taking so long to convey his message? She clasped her hands in her lap and waited for him to continue.

“After seeing how unselfish you are and how very generous your love for each other is, I've decided to show my love the best way I know how.”

As Rebecca's heart rate picked up, Daniel sat down next to Beth and pressed his palms against his thighs. “I'm selling my business.”

Rebecca's jaw dropped while she digested his statement. She sat very still.

William inhaled a deep breath, exhaled, and leaned forward. “You're what?”

Daniel nodded with a wide grin. “You heard me. That way, you and Rebecca can raise your family in Illinois.”

Rebecca tried to figure out what selling his business had to do with her and William raising their family.

“Beth and I have regrouped. We love both of you.” He winked at Rebecca. “We couldn't ask for a better daughter.”

Beth directed her attention to William. “And you're the best son we could ever have.”

Daniel nodded. “That's why we want to move near you to help raise our grandchildren.” He hesitated. “I'll have to learn to deal with the shunning. But it will be worth it to be close. Will you let us do that?”

Rebecca and William glanced at each other. At the same time, they stood and hugged each other. Rebecca's breath caught in her throat. When William released his hold on her, his eyes glistened with moisture.

They turned to Daniel and Beth.

The Conrads stood and faced them. “I wasn't there for you, son. But it's never too late to start. Isn't what they say? Maybe God will grant me a second chance with my grandkids.”

“Dad . . .”

Rebecca cleared her throat. “Oh, Daniel. I don't know what to say. I can't believe you're making such a sacrifice for us.”

William gave his father a long hug. As Rebecca watched them, she said a prayer of thanks to God.

When William broke the long embrace, Daniel raised a hand. His voice hinted at mischief. “There's only one favor I'd like to ask.”

They waited for an answer.
There's more?

“I'd like to use some of the profits from the shop's sale to help you build a house.”

Rebecca closed her eyes in happiness. She was afraid to open them for fear of having heard him incorrectly. When she did, she saw tears in Beth's eyes.

Beth hugged William. Then Rebecca. At last, the four of them embraced.

Rebecca's heart danced with a newfound joy. The blissful feeling of unity was overwhelming. Who would have dreamed that God would answer so many prayers at once?

When they broke away, William took Rebecca's hand. His eyes held an excited, hopeful gleam. The look on his face was of pure satisfaction.

Rebecca knew that this was a new beginning for all of them. And life would only get better. She'd never lost faith.

The price of love had been paid with love. God had blessed her with everything important. And she would spend the rest of her life thanking Him.

Up next in the Hope Chest of Dreams series . . .

 

Annie Mast and Levi Miller were best friends until his father was shunned by the church. Now, ten years later, Levi has returned to Arthur, Illinois, for a brief visit, and he and Annie discover their bond is as strong as ever. Spending as much time together as possible, Annie finds herself dreaming of a future with Levi. And Levi is soon dreaming of building a home on a beautiful local hillside—to live in with Annie. Yet their longings are unlikely to become reality . . .

 

Levi is part of the English world, and while Annie cannot see herself there, she knows she must reveal her heart's truth to him. And Levi, strongly reminded of his Amish roots, knows he must heal the bitterness of the past. And together, with love on their side, they just may find their way to an answered prayer . . .

Also available . . .

 

by Kelly Long, Jennifer Beckstrand,
and Lisa Jones Baker

 

Something's always baking in an Amish oven, and at Christmastime,
all the ingredients for joy are at hand. Wrap yourself in the warmth
of the Amish home— and the Plain peace of hearts joined by love.
Each story includes a recipe from the author!

 

 

Keep reading for a sneak peek!

 

 

 

Emma drew a star at the top of Amos's English homework page and wrapped an affectionate arm around him. “Excellent work! You got every answer right!”

The corners of Amos's lips drew up into a huge grin that showed a row of straight teeth. The child had a kind face. And an even warmer heart. Every time Emma looked at him, the small boy's innocence tugged at her emotions.

As the first December snowfall touched the bare, frozen ground of Arthur, Illinois, the flame in the fireplace at the two-story Troyer home popped. Amos and Emma jumped at the same time. Laughter followed.

Automatically, Emma didn't waste time pulling the front of his black hand-knit sweater together. She tried to avoid mentioning Amos's unusual heart defect, but it was more important than ever to make sure he stayed warm. At the young age of six, Amos hadn't known any other way of life.

But good news had broken a year ago when he had visited a doctor at the Mayo Clinic who could fix it. Because they were Amish, they had no insurance, but thanks to the news reaching the media, there was huge support for an upcoming auction in their community to raise money for the unique procedure to take place in Rochester, Minnesota.

The smell of lemon-scented furniture polish loomed in the air. It was no secret that Amos's mother, Esther, kept the cleanest house in town when she was well. But unfortunately, she was forced to spend bouts of time in bed when the Epstein-Barr virus set her back. But even then, her sisters made sure the Troyer house stayed well kept!

As Emma regarded Amos, he turned to face her. The unexpected seriousness in his deep brown eyes took her by surprise.

When he tugged at her arm, his small white hand remained on her wrist. “Emmie, does this mean I get a cookie with icing?”

Emma broke out in laughter. For some reason, that was the last question she'd expected. He was referring to the star she'd drawn. Honored that her only student considered her Christmas cookies the best he'd ever tasted, Emma stood and proceeded to the thin red plastic platter she'd brought to his house that morning. Amos knew he had earned a cookie. And she loved making him happy. “Which one do you want?”

He quickly and eagerly joined her, pointing to the edible with peppermint icing. She plucked the chosen treat between two fingers, grabbed a napkin with her free hand, and laid both on the table.

While chewing the buttery dessert, he glanced back at her and grinned. “I like this better than the one you drew.”

Emma sat next to him. “I'll bet you do.”

He lifted a skeptical brow. “In my opinion, this is my favorite.”

She gave an appreciative nod. “That's good to hear.” Amos was fully aware that Emma changed her recipe a tad each time for Amos to decide which batch was the tastiest. When she altered the mixture, sometimes adding more butter, or vanilla, or flour, she documented her adjustments so when Amos decided which cookie won, she would use that formula for the auction, to take place in less than two weeks.

As she put his schoolbooks in a neat pile, his soft voice made her look up. “Emmie, when I have the operation, I won't have to wear this anymore, will I?” He looked down at his heavy knit sweater, and the corners of his lips dropped.

Contemplating an answer, she shoved her chair closer to the table. The quick motion made a light squeaking sound on the tiled floor.

While he chewed the morsel, Emma pressed her lips together thoughtfully. Somehow she knew that being positive would play a very important role in the outcome of the operation.

“You won't have to wear it in the summer. But in the winter?” She lifted a brow. “It's pretty cold. You'll probably want it on.”

Her answer seemed to satisfy him. After gobbling down the snack, he wrote out the answers she'd asked him to do on the paper in front of him. She watched his feet, which almost touched the floor, swing back and forth while he concentrated.

A bright beam of sunlight swept through the kitchen window and landed on his beautiful thick mass of hair, lightening it to a softer shade of reddish blond.

Finally, the six-year-old dropped his pencil on the table and handed the paper to Emma while displaying a proud look on his face. “That was easy, Emmie. What next?”

The adultlike way he spoke at times prompted a smile. If only every child liked homework as much as Amos did. She tried not to overreact to the high academic level he'd achieved at his age; she never wanted it to go to his head.

She quickly put another project in front of him. “Here. Read it to yourself, then see how many answers you can get.” She followed the order with a wink.

Without wasting a second, he started the new project as if he was playing with a toy. Emma already knew that Amos would get every answer correct. She wasn't sure whether his reading ability was related to his inability to play outside with other children, but whatever the case, his level in English skills was heads above kids his age.

After he glanced at the page, he surprised her by dropping his pen next to the paper and looking straight ahead. Emma lifted a curious brow. Her instincts told her that some of his interest in completing his schoolwork was to please his tutor. He loved spending time with her. And vice versa.

He turned and crossed one leg under the other while getting comfortable on his chair. The serious look in his eyes hinted that he wanted to talk about something.

She hesitated. “Amos, is something wrong?”

He glanced down at the table and frowned. She tried for a positive thought to make him smile again. “Just think, Amos, it's only a matter of time before the surgery takes place. And you'll be as good as new!”

When he looked up, his expression was uncertain. He lowered the pitch of his voice until it was barely more than a whisper. “What if there aren't enough cookies?”

“You mean donations?”

He offered a slow, sad nod.

She reached across the table and used her pointer finger to lift his chin a notch. Their gazes locked. “Amos, I have every bit of faith that God will help us get enough money.”

She used her most confident voice. The last thing she wanted was for him to lose hope. “I have a list of cookie donations that would reach all the way to the North Pole!”

He laughed.

She went on to explain. “The cookies will help, that's for sure. But as I've told you, most of the revenue will come from more expensive items. Tables, chairs, and furniture that men in our community are working very hard to make.”

When he didn't say anything, she proceeded in her most reassuring tone. “Other donations will help, too. From what I've heard, one of the farmers in our community will even auction off some of his land to go to your fund.”

Amos pulled in a deep breath and rolled his eyes in disbelief.

“That goes to show just how special you are.”

His pupils got larger.

“Because so many people across the state are aware of this surgery . . . and of you . . . folks have committed out of the goodness of their hearts.”

He frowned and scratched his nose. “You mean they're giving money without getting anything back?”

She smiled at the way he worded the question. His thoughts were so straightforward. Honest. There was never a guess where he was coming from.

The mooing noises from the cattle lightened the silence.

“You know that people all over are rooting for you to get your surgery. Even the doctor who will perform the procedure is forfeiting what he would make.”

An emotional breath escaped her. She blinked when salty tears stung her eyes. She leaned closer to Amos and whispered, “Do you know just how special that makes you?”

To her surprise, he didn't grin. The expression in his large, hopeful eyes was unusually serious. “Do you know what I'm gonna do first thing after I get my heart fixed, Emmie?”

She looked at him for an answer.

“Play tag with Jake and Daniel. And nobody's gonna catch me!”

The admissions tugged at Emma's heartstrings until her chest ached. Automatically, she rested her hands below her neck and closed her eyes a moment. His wants were so simple. She knew of healthy kids with much stronger desires, but this little guy only wanted to run and play outside.

To Emma, raising sufficient funds for the operation would be one of God's greatest gifts. When Amos had asked her about it, she had stood firm that the funds would come in. But she was saying double prayers for it to actually happen.

How could any child be more precious than Amos? Emma was sure it wasn't possible, as she took in the small boy's endearing features and swallowed an emotional knot. Amos's thick mass of unruly hair fell lazily over his forehead and caressed the tops of his brows.

The child's deep brown eyes reminded her of autumn. Of pumpkin pie–colored leaves falling from tall trees. Tiny freckles on the bridge of his nose matched his pupils. And a narrow set of shoulders was the reason his suspenders continuously slipped down his arms.

Amos's wide smile was full of hope. Filled with an innocence that made Emma want to do everything she could to see him run around and have fun with kids his age.

And soon, he would get the long-awaited surgery that would allow him to have a normal life. The upcoming auction would be the ultimate blessing.

She'd been asking God for this miracle. Her faith was strong. And she knew her Lord and Savior wouldn't let her down.

* * *

The end of the school week was here. After Emma hugged Amos good-bye, she watched him tote his books to his room. That was the normal routine. Because the youngster was incredibly studious and also because she knew him so well, she didn't have to guess what he would do the rest of the evening.

As happy steps took him to his room on the ground floor, Emma took in the stairway that glistened with furniture polish. Before slipping inside of his door, he looked back at her and grinned. She offered a quick wave.

She had no doubt that he wouldn't waste time before checking out the story she'd just given him. She always took great care when selecting his material. This particular library book was about a child who had undergone surgery to correct his foot from turning inward. When she'd told Amos the theme, he'd immediately flipped open the cover.

As the fire crackled, Emma ran her hands up and down her sleeved arms. The unusually cold winds competed boldly with the gas heat, as well as the warmth from the fireplace.

As she considered the twenty-minute walk home, she pressed her lips together in a dread-filled sigh. She made her way to the dining room table to slip her teaching materials into the oversized bag her mamma had given her.

As soon as the books were tucked neatly inside the vinyl holder with extra-strong handles, Emma slipped her arms through her heavy wool coat and proceeded toward the door. As she passed the gas heater, she stopped and smiled a little, trying to savor the moment; she knew what to expect when she opened the front door.

As soon as her fingers touched the brass knob on the inside of the door, a stern voice stopped her. Automatically, she turned to face Amos's older brother, Jonathan, who regarded her with skepticism.

She forced a polite smile. “Jonathan.”

His face still held a slight tan from the summer. In his coat, he looked unusually large. It was common knowledge in their community that he was easily one of the strongest men around.

“You surprised me. I thought you were out feeding the cattle.”

“I finished.” He hesitated, and a set of dark brows drew together into a frown. “You got a moment?”

Before she could answer, she took in the dissatisfied look on his face that told her something was awry. But she wasn't surprised. It seemed as though nothing could please Amos's older brother these days.

She offered a slight shrug. “Sure. What's up?”

He motioned to the back door. “Let's talk while I drive you home.” For a moment, Emma drew in a grateful breath. At the same time, she wondered if it was proper to accept a ride from a single Amish man. She quickly decided that it was. The weather was dangerously cold, and this was common courtesy on Jonathan's part.