A Bee in Her Bonnet (21 page)

“Did you have a scripture you wanted to share with me?”

He seemed to snap out of whatever daze he was in. “The truth is, I can't get enough of your eyes.”

She moved back a little so he wouldn't hear her heart beating against her chest or feel the heat from her face. It had surely turned bright red. Luke had noticed her eyes? They weren't anything special—not interesting half blue, half green like Lily's or clear sky blue like Rose's—just green, like the weeds that grew in every pasture in Bienenstock.

He smiled and fingered the scar on his lip. “And I was hoping to find some money.” He turned pages until he found what he wanted on the same page as a twenty-dollar bill. He pointed to a verse. “Bitsy showed me this. Did you know we need to feed and clothe people to get into the kingdom of heaven? I used to think it was women's work. Now it's just the work of
Gotte
.”

She squinted as if to get a better look at him. “You
have
changed. Or are you Luke's secret twin brother who doesn't get out much?”

Luke chuckled. “Only if you think you might like my twin brother.”

She smirked. “Maybe. Is he arrogant and stubborn?”

Poppy tapped her finger to her lips. “I'll think about it.”

A shadow passed across his face, and he leaned over and cupped her cheek in his hand. “
Ach
, Poppy. Do you know how much I regret hurting you?”

She felt as wobbly and soft as a tower of Jell-O. “I don't know.”

“Boys aren't better than girls, and girls aren't better than boys.
Gotte
loves us all.”

Poppy took a shuddering breath, as if she'd spent the last hour crying, and pulled herself away from Luke's touch. “Tell that to my
dawdi
or Urius Beachy.”

“Urius Beachy? The goat farmer?”

Poppy nodded. Urius Beachy lived outside of Bonduel with his wife and two daughters on a modest farm where he raised a herd of goats. An unpleasant odor always wafted from his place, and Poppy sort of felt sorry for his nearest neighbors. She also felt sorry for his daughters. If they ever heard a
gute
or loving word from their
dat
, Poppy would be surprised.

“What about Urius Beachy?” Luke said.

Poppy shrugged. “After my parents died, my sisters and I lived with Mammi and Dawdi Kiem before Aunt B took us. I was only seven and Urius was ten, but he worked for my
dawdi
, doing odd jobs around the yard, mucking out the barn, tormenting me. I tagged after Urius every morning and tried to help him with his chores. Every day he told me that
Gotte
loved boys better than girls and that I was nothing. I don't know why I kept coming back for more. I suppose I hated to be cooped up indoors. My
dawdi
scolded me for not acting like a girl and said I'd never get a husband if I insisted on being so stubborn.”

“Maybe he's sorry for that now.”

“I wanted his approval. I didn't realize I would never get it. One day I found some new wood and rebuilt the three toolshed stairs that had been squeaking and tilting for months. I used a handsaw and the hammer all by myself.”

Luke widened his eyes. “You were seven.”

“I know, but I wanted to impress my
dawdi
and prove to Urius that I was just as
gute
as any boy. I guess I hoped to win both Dawdi's approval and
Gotte
's love.” Her throat felt thick, as if she might choke.

Luke took hold of her hand as if to keep her from falling. “You always had
Gotte
's love.”

She cleared her throat. The memory was fourteen years old, but today it felt fresh. She'd never forget the look on Dawdi's face. “I was excited to show Dawdi what I had done. I took him by the hand and led him to the toolshed, even though he was none too happy about the interruption. Urius was sitting on my new steps when Dawdi and I got there. Urius lied to Dawdi and told him that he had repaired the stairs. When I insisted that I had done it, Dawdi called me a liar. ‘A girl could never do such a fine job,' he said. Urius stuck to his story and lied right to Dawdi's face. Dawdi dragged me up my new stairs to the toolshed and gave me a whipping, but I wouldn't budge. I kept insisting I had repaired the stairs, and Dawdi kept hitting me.” She flinched at the memory of Dawdi striking her again and again with the stinging leather strap. She didn't realize she'd been squeezing Luke's hand until her fingers cramped up. Sheepishly, she pulled out of his grasp. “I never gave in. Dawdi still thinks I'm a liar, and Urius still knows the truth. After that, Dawdi didn't allow me outside and made certain that Mammi taught me everything I needed to know to be a
gute fraa
. He said I was wicked for wanting to use a hammer instead of a needle.”

Luke frowned, his eyes lumps of cold, hard coal. “No one should hit a child. I hate to think he could have broken your spirit.”

“I won't back down if I think I'm right. I told Dawdi I didn't care if I ever got a husband.” She smiled weakly. “Actually, I yelled it at him, more than once.”

He hooked his index finger around hers. “I hate it that you got hurt, but I love that you don't back down.”

Love that she didn't back down?
She didn't know what to say when he teased her like that. “You didn't used to like that about me.”

He winced. “What did I know? I was a
dumkoff
with no sense and no brains.”

She propped her chin in her hand and gave him a teasing smile. “Was? Like you mean a week ago?”

“I've come a long way in a short time.”

She felt her face get warm. Why did he have to look at her like that? “
Jah
, you have.”

He stared at her for too long. Embarrassed, she curled her lips and averted her eyes.

He cleared his throat. “To prove my sincerity, I'd like to help you weed the garden.”

“I won't be much help. I've only got one hand.”

He winked at her. She stopped breathing. “Don't worry. If you think I'm a fast cherry picker, you should see the way I weed.”

“Do you know the difference between a weed and a tomato plant?”

“I think so.”

She shook her head. “Not good enough. I'll do it myself.”

“I really want to help you weed.”

“Why?”

He glanced at her and then back down at Aunt B's Bible. “I like being with you. You're not boring like all those other girls.”

Like Dinah Eicher?

“Because you like being yelled at?” she said.

“I like the way your eyes sparkle when you're mad at me.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I have a lot to be mad at you about.”

“
Jah
, I deserve your irritation, but I shouldn't enjoy it so much.”

Rose walked in the door and set her canvas bag on the table. Her expression was stormy, as if there were permanent cloud cover across her face.

“Rose,” Poppy said, feeling like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't have been doing. Did being mushy around Luke count? “How was the animal shelter?”

Rose sat on the window seat and picked up Farrah Fawcett, who had been lounging there since Luke had come in. She snuggled her cheek against Farrah Fawcett's snowy white fur, closed her eyes, and frowned. “Such a pretty kitty. I love you, pretty kitty,” she said. Her voice cracked in about three places, and it sounded as if she were about to burst into tears.

Poppy furrowed her brow and glanced at Luke. He returned her gaze with a worried expression of his own. “Did everything go okay today at the animal shelter?” he said. “Did Dorothy and Joann have a
gute
time?”

Rose pressed her lips together and forced a smile. “They have a pretty black dog that Norma at the shelter says will probably be adopted soon. Joann and I cleaned out the cages while Dorothy played with the puppies.”

“Is everything okay?” Poppy said, knowing full well it wasn't. Maybe Rose was still stewing about Queenie's tail.

Rose deposited Farrah Fawcett back on the window seat, went to the sink, and washed her hands. With Rose's back to both of them, Poppy couldn't see her face. “I've been thinking, Poppy. I should spend more time at home. Lily is getting married, and our family needs me more than they do at the animal shelter. I don't think I'll go back.”

Poppy's chest tightened. That didn't sound like an explanation. It sounded like a carefully prepared speech. “But, Rose, you love the animal shelter.”

“I should be with my family.”

Even though she felt puzzled and a little irritated that Rose wouldn't give her a straight answer, Poppy tried to speak with a mild tone of voice. Rose's feeling were so easily hurt. She took hold of one of Rose's shoulders and turned her around. “Look me in the eye and tell me why you're not going back to the animal shelter.”

Rose met Poppy's eye briefly before she sighed and dropped her gaze to the floor. “I told you. With Lily getting married, we need each other more than ever.”

Luke had the sense to keep his face expressionless and his tone light. “What about Dorothy and Joann?”

“They're not going back either.”

“Why?” he said.

“They want to spend more time with the kittens.”

Poppy pulled her sister in for a one-armed hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She wanted to fix whatever made Rose unhappy, but she had to know what it was first. “Rose, you know me too well to think I'll settle for that excuse.”

Rose kept her eyes downturned, and her lips began to quiver.

Luke stood up straight and took two steps around the island as if Rose's distress had moved him toward her.

“Please don't cry, Rose,” Poppy said, squeezing her sister's shoulder tighter. “Tell me what's wrong, and we can solve it together. Me, you, and Luke.” She glanced in Luke's direction and gave him a half smile. He nodded back, his eyes alight with gratitude and determination. Her heartbeat surged like waves crashing against the shore. She'd never seen a more captivating expression.

Rose nudged herself away from Poppy and drew her hands across her eyes, wiping away any hint of moisture. “I'm not crying. I promise. I'm too old for that nonsense yet.”

Poppy nodded. “Okay. But you're still upset. Did something bad happen at the animal shelter?”

Rose ran her hand along the kitchen counter and plopped herself down at the table. Poppy pulled out a chair next to her. She looked at Luke, giving him permission to sit as well. He took a chair next to Poppy. Billy Idol, who had been lurking underfoot, immediately jumped into Luke's lap. Under the circumstances, Luke didn't even protest.

“I don't want you to get mad. Promise me you won't get mad,” Rose said.

Poppy propped her elbow on the table. “I'm not going to make a promise I might break.”

“I don't want you to get into a fight.”

“With whom?” Poppy said. Luke was the only one she had fought with recently. Did Rose expect a fight between them?

“Please, Poppy,” Rose said. “No fighting.”

Poppy shook her head. “
Ach
, little sister, you know you're going to grow old waiting for that promise.”

Rose's eyes got moist again. “That's why I'm not going to tell you.”

Poppy leaned back in her chair and growled. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Luke took her hand underneath the table and squeezed it.

“If she promises to do her best, is that good enough?” Luke said.

“Will you keep Poppy from fighting?” Rose said.

Luke frowned. “I always try to.” He released Poppy's hand, leaving her breathless and a little woozy.

Rose nodded and fidgeted with a strand of hair at the nape of her neck. “Griff Simons met us on the road today coming home from the bus stop.”

“Griff Simons?” Poppy said.

“And he's older and bigger and meaner.”

She felt Luke tense beside her. “You, Dorothy, and Joann?”

Rose nodded. “We saw him come out of his garage and walked past as fast as we could. We should have run, but we didn't want him to think we were running away from him. He would have liked that. He called to us and asked Dorothy and Joann about the kittens and laughed when Dorothy scolded him for trying to drown them. He put himself directly in our path and told us we couldn't pass until I gave him a kiss. I grabbed Dorothy's hand and the three of us ran away as fast as we could.”

Luke's calm demeanor grew into something more intense. He leaned forward, his eyes flashing with anger. “Did he touch you or hurt you in any way?”

Rose shook her head.

“What about my sisters?”

“He didn't touch us. He laughed when we ran away.”

“I'm sorry he's back,” Luke said. “His father never stirs up trouble.”

Poppy reached out and took Rose's hand, as if the simple touch would keep her sister safe. “Why would anyone take pleasure in scaring three Amish girls?”

Rose sniffed back a tear. “So now you understand why we're not going back.”

Fire pulsed through Poppy's veins. “So we have to huddle in our house because we're afraid of Griff Simons? It's not just the animal shelter. We walk down that road all the time. Are we confined to the farm because we don't dare pass Griff's place? It's not right.”

“I wish I could take the buggy,” Rose said. “That would solve all our problems.”