Rebecca's Bouquet (4 page)

“We stick to our beliefs. No matter where we are.”

Natalie smiled mischievously. The look forced an uneasy trickle up Rebecca's spine. “You think William will always stick to those ridiculous Amish rules?” She shook her head with certainty. The sparkle in her beautiful blue eyes wasn't kind. “Rebecca, can't you see the light? I overheard that William wants to get a driver's license. And can you blame him?”

Before Rebecca could get a word in, Natalie went on. “The grapevine also says Daniel wants him to stay here and become his business partner.”

Rebecca's jaw dropped. Of all that Natalie had blurted, the last statement was the most potent. The force of its significance nearly knocked Rebecca to the ground. She considered the source of the information. She probably shouldn't believe anything this girl said. But this was the second time she'd heard mention of a partnership. Was it true?

* * *

That night, a noise awakened her. Startled, Rebecca lay very still, listening. A breeze whistled through the window screen. She could hear Daniel snoring in the room down the hall.

The cool breeze made shivers dance up her arms and legs. To keep warm, she pulled the covers closer to her body. A storm brewed. Thunder rumbled.

Lightning bolts brightened the sky. She heard the noise again, but couldn't identify it. What she did know was that there had been a considerable drop in temperature since she'd gone to bed.

She decided to close the window. But before leaving her soft blankets, she enjoyed the warmth a little longer. Her thoughts drifted to her simple home, her comfy bed, and the beautiful quilt her mother had spent months making for her. Although she enjoyed this house and what it offered, it didn't measure up to those all-too-familiar comforts of the place she'd lived her entire life.

As her heart pumped to a lonely beat, she considered Katie and their buggy ride. She'd loved meeting someone of her own faith. Rebecca looked forward to next Tuesday when Katie would stop again. She was a much-needed blessing God had sent her way.

The unidentified sound interrupted her thoughts, and Rebecca focused her attention on the open window. More alert, she sat up. The room was dark except for the small area under the skylight where the moonlight slipped inside. She breathed in the scent of newly mowed grass.

When the soft fluttering began again, she quietly tiptoed to the screened window. It was then that she glimpsed an envelope. The corner was wedged into the space where the screen slightly separated from the sill.

The breeze lifted the other corner to create a flapping sound. With great hesitation, Rebecca slowly plucked the envelope.

As she closed the screen, the sun began to rise, providing enough light to see her first name handwritten in black ink. Her pulse zoomed into fast gear. For long, uncertain moments, she stared at the envelope. Finally, she inhaled a shaky breath and tore it open.

Two questions nagged at her. First of all, what was the letter doing in her window? It wouldn't have been difficult to place it there, since Rebecca's room was on the ground floor. Secondly, who had placed it there?

An unsettling sensation filled her chest as she removed a piece of cream-colored stationery. She pulled out the small paper and regarded the contents with keen interest.

As she read the short, direct message, her heart nearly stopped. She caught her breath and froze in place.

 

Chapter Three

The following morning, Rebecca related to William what had happened as they stepped from the house to the woodworking shop that was some distance away. Above, the sun illuminated the sky. Not a cloud in sight. It was the perfect day for a picnic, a wedding, or anything.

Under normal circumstances, Rebecca would enjoy the beautiful weather. But not today. She stopped and turned to William. Without replying, his lips curved downward. His jaw tensed.

As their gazes locked, she handed him the simple message. In silence, he stared at the paper. As she waited for a response, her hands shook and she clasped them together.

As he regarded the two words, his brows furrowed in concern. Tiny creases made their way under his eyes. The last thing Rebecca wanted was to worry him. He already had enough on his plate, but she couldn't keep the words a secret. Long moments later, he met her gaze and returned the paper.

“What do you think?”

“It's hard to say.” He shrugged. “This has to be a sick joke.”

“I've never had anything like this happen.”

He raised his voice a notch. “Why didn't you come wake me up?”

“That would have been selfish. Besides, I wasn't in harm's way. It's not as though someone was trying to break in.”

“That's my Rebecca. Always thinking of everyone but herself. But you should have awakened me right away. That's what I'm here for.”

For several blissful moments, Rebecca thought of only William and how he looked out for her. She remembered the time he had rescued her in a winter blizzard. There were other memories, too.

She'd never forget how he had walked her home from school and carried her books. Each afternoon as she stepped inside her house, he had proudly dipped the brim of his hat while saying good-bye.

William was strong. He was her shield. God had given him to her. But right now, Rebecca wondered what he would do about the note. The situation was real. Rebecca hadn't dreamed the message.

She gazed into his eyes. Her heart melted when she noted their warmth and concern. “William—obviously, I must have offended someone.”

His fierce expression told her that he would be at her side. As the intriguing metallic-gray flecks danced in his blue depths, she was reminded that there was nothing they couldn't overcome together. She smiled a little and let out a breath of relief.

“I'm better already. I'm so glad I shared this with you.”

His voice took on a firm tone. “Rebecca, I want you to make me a promise.”

“What?”

“That you'll never keep anything from me.”

She nodded. “Deal.”

He gave a doubtful shake of his head and rolled his eyes. “The note baffles me.” He threw up his hands in a frustrated gesture. “I can't imagine who would want you to leave. It's troubling. I'd like to handle this and be done with it. But how can I? We don't know who sent it.”

A tense silence went by. Finally, William cleared his throat.

“When I think of someone at your window during the night, it sends chills up and down my spine. Just think, someone was here, and we didn't know it. That's almost as disturbing as the note.”

Rebecca considered the warning. “The message is plain and simple. Someone doesn't want me here.”

“Who?”

As soon as he asked the question, Rebecca recalled her recent conversation with Natalie. Rebecca pressed her lips together in deep deliberation. She certainly didn't want to accuse the girl if she was innocent.

At the same time, Rebecca had promised William to never keep anything from him. Relief swept through her as she decided on a direct approach. Besides, Mamma had always told her that hiding things got a person nowhere. The only way to solve problems was to talk honestly. “It could be Natalie.”

William frowned. “Henry's daughter?”

Rebecca gave a firm nod.

“Why do you say that?”

“She likes you, William.”

He grinned. His cheeks reddened a bit, making him appear younger than his age. “For heaven's sake, I just met the girl.” He raised a curious brow. “You must know something I don't.”

Rebecca folded her arms over her chest. “I caught the way she stared at you.”

“Maybe she was interested in my suspenders.” He touched the brown strap.

Again, Rebecca shook her head.

“How can you be sure?”

“Because her eyes . . . sparkled. Not only that, she made it clear she disapproves of me. Well, the way I dress, anyway. She was interested in my kapp and asked if it was the same headwear that Muslim women wear.”

He laughed. “You're joking.”

“No, William. You have to trust me on this one. I'm not delusional.”

She yearned to broach William about becoming Daniel's business partner. She decided to wait until there was more time to discuss it.

William looked up at the sky, tapping the front of his shoe against the ground. As Rebecca thought about what she'd just disclosed, she wrung her hands. It was amazing they were having this conversation. Even more interesting was that every word she'd said was true.

Never had she dealt with anything like this. In Arthur, her world had been a safe haven. She'd been secure and protected in her tightly knit Amish community. But this was the real world. And things were different. God must have surely planted her at the Conrads' home to educate her. But she was learning more than she wanted to.

“So you think Natalie left this?” He pulled the note from Rebecca's pocket and held it in front of them.

As Rebecca took in his curious expression, she shrugged. “I certainly can't rule her out.” She hesitated. “William, we haven't been here long, and during this brief time frame, I've met only a handful of people. Unless the sender is someone who hasn't even met me, there's a very short list of people who could have done this.”

She ran her hands down the front of her dress and looked down at the ground. When she looked up, she said, “I suppose it could be one of the shop workers. Who knows? Maybe someone didn't like me stepping in.” She hesitated. “To be honest, Natalie's the only person who has made her dislike obvious. She wrinkled her nose at me.”

“Wrinkled her nose?”

Rebecca nodded and squared her shoulders. She stepped forward so her face nearly touched William's chin. “I told you that she doesn't care for the way I dress.”

William grinned. “You know what?”

They were so close, she smelled the woodsy scent of his clothing. She loved the way his eyes lit up when he smiled. She couldn't believe that later this year, she would be his wife.

She remembered his question and blushed a little. Her voice softened. “What?”

“
I
like the way you dress.” As he eyed her up and down, heat rushed to her cheeks. William always made her feel good about herself. “In fact, there's not one thing I'd change about you, Miss Rebecca.” He put a hand on his hip. “No one looks as good as you.” He winked. “And there's absolutely no one in the world with more beautiful chestnut-colored hair.”

Rebecca sometimes wished that she could wear her hair down. She recalled Natalie's comment and lowered her gaze a bit. “But . . . but do I look plain?”

He closed his lids. When he opened them, moisture glistened like morning dew on a leaf. As they looked at each other, her heart sang a happy little tune.

“There's something, Rebecca, that makes you stand out from the rest. And it has nothing to do with what you wear.”

“What is it?”

He thought a moment. “A lot of things. Your logic. The way you look at things. And your smile. I remember learning in church school that a person's smile helps us see into his soul. And when you smile at me, I see everything that's good and honest.”

“Thanks, William.”

His voice took on a firm tone. “And Natalie?”

Rebecca raised a curious brow and waited for William to continue.

“She doesn't hold a candle to you.”

She loved William. There was something about him that made her feel safe and secure. Somehow, she'd always known that they would marry. They had never discussed it until recently, but all along, it had been sort of an unwritten thing.

Couples in her Amish world didn't really have what the English referred to as an “engagement.” But taking wedding vows was a different story. Amish weddings were a huge affair with feasts of fried chicken, dumplings, and delicious homemade dishes.

Everyone in the community participated. Usually, the celebrations took place in the home of a family member. Or under a large tent. In fact, the last wedding she'd attended had been held at the house of the groom's best friend and had lasted over half a day.

As sweet memories filled Rebecca's thoughts, a breeze pushed a loose tendril of hair from her bun. Blissful moments passed while she looked into his dark depths where she saw pure contentment.

Outside of the shop, the intimate moment was quickly shattered by a scream that seemed to come from the home. At the same time, she and William startled. Without hesitation, they turned and retraced the path back to the house.

Inside, Beth was touching her husband. Rebecca gasped in shock as she glimpsed Daniel on the living room floor. His eyes were closed.

“I called for help.”

The moment Rebecca and William began to shake Daniel, two paramedics bounded inside of the front entrance, shouting their arrival. William quickly went for them.

Automatically, they stepped aside for the ETs to do their jobs. Rebecca's frightened heart pounded hard. As one uniformed worker shook Daniel, the other checked his pulse. Rebecca grabbed Beth's hand and squeezed it for reassurance.

Beth's desperate voice cracked with emotion as she related what had happened. “He complained of pain in his left arm. Then he collapsed. Oh, please help him. You've got to save him.”

Rebecca blinked back tears and said a quick prayer. Daniel couldn't die. “Please, God. Let him live. William needs to know his father.”

The older tech motioned for Beth, Rebecca, and William to step back. They complied. Rebecca's heartbeat catapulted to an uncomfortable pace as they continued unsuccessfully to revive Daniel.

Rebecca's gaze shifted back and forth from Beth to William. Beth's eyes had doubled in size. William's jaw was set. His face was filled with horror and disbelief. In silence, they watched the crew work on Daniel.

As soon as a technician announced that he'd found a pulse, Rebecca and William let out deep, drawn-out sighs of relief. Beth cried, “Thank you, God.”

While the rescue crew lifted Daniel onto a stretcher, Beth exclaimed, “I'm coming with you.”

The younger tech responded with a quick nod. “Take the front seat.” At Daniel's side, she walked to the passenger door. Beth's eyes never left Daniel until the workers shoved the stretcher into the back of the emergency van. In a split second, the men jumped inside and the double doors were pulled closed.

“Call when you know something!” William's words were silenced by the loud bang of the heavy metal slamming shut. When the vehicle pulled away, red lights flashed. Not long after, a loud siren whistled. Ironically, the bright sun slipped behind a cloud. The brightness disappeared, and the sky turned several shades darker.

Rebecca and William stood in silence as the ambulance disappeared. The dramatic scene that had just taken place would stay with her forever. She wished she had the power to save Daniel. But only God could do that. She breathed another quick prayer.

Then she glanced at William. “He'll be okay. God will watch over him.”

She said the words with conviction. Because she believed them. She couldn't bear the thought of William losing his dad. They didn't even know each other. God had finally put them together. Surely the Lord would give them enough time to bond.

William's chest rose and fell at a quick pace. Concern covered his face like a white sheet. When the dust from the ambulance settled, Rebecca motioned him back inside, where they sat on the living room couch. The cream-colored leather felt cool against Rebecca's palms. The air-conditioning was a sharp contrast to the warmth of the outdoors.

William extended his long legs and leaned back onto one of the cushions. He spoke in a shaky voice, “As I watched Dad on the floor, I felt totally helpless. He could have died, and there wasn't anything I could do for him. There's got to be a way for me to help. Otherwise, I'm not much of a man.”

She leaned toward him so that their elbows touched. “William, you
are
a man in every sense of the word. Don't ever underestimate your self-worth. You're doing so much.”

“You mean by running his business?”

She nodded. “As soon as you heard Daniel needed you, you were on your way to help. You came unselfishly and without hesitation. Think of all you've accomplished! Without you, he'd be in trouble.”

William rolled his eyes in frustration. “Your glass is always half full, Rebecca. And I adore that about you. But making cabinets won't keep him alive.”

“You can't save him. Neither can Beth. Keeping him alive is up to the doctors. And God.”

She paused and took a deep breath. “You must realize how fortunate we are to have been raised by such strong, Christian people. Remember all we've learned at church. Now we're being tested. Have faith. And pray. It's only through prayers that we communicate with God.”

He leaned back and reached his arms behind his head. His knuckles made an imprint in the leather when he clasped his hands together. Rebecca watched him squeeze his eyes closed, revealing tiny worry lines.