A Bee in Her Bonnet (27 page)

Paul probably could have breathed fire out of his flaring nostrils. “Fine. I will pay you for it, but I'm not going to eat it. I'm saving room for my
mamm
's rolls. How much?”

“Three dollars.”

“Three dollars? For a donut?” Paul said.

Dinah frowned and handed Hannah two one-dollar bills and four quarters. She glared at Poppy, lifted her nose in the air, and flounced away with her mouth full of donut and powdered sugar clinging to her bottom lip.

Paul shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out some bills. “Three dollars? We charge a dollar a roll at the restaurant.”

Hannah's cheeks had to be aching from all that fake smiling. “Prices are going up.”

Paul handed her the money and turned his attention back to Poppy and her sisters. Shaking his donut in their direction, he said, “Let this be a warning. Don't be surprised if the deacon pays you a visit.” He turned on his heels and marched away without another word.

Lily handed her donut to Rose and dug into the canvas bag where they kept their tomato money. “Have you got change for a twenty, Hannah?”

Hannah reached out and tapped Lily on the arm. “The Honeybee Sisters never pay at Yutzys. You are like family to us.”

“I insist,” Lily said, holding out the twenty-dollar bill. “We feel guilty taking your donuts for free.”

“Don't feel guilty,” Hannah said, glancing behind her and making an attempt to stifle a loud giggle. “Paul Glick paid for yours.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Poppy was so unhappy, Luke could have cut it with a knife. Two days ago she had gifted him with that irresistible smile. She had laughed at his jokes and seemed devastated when Kyle Simons had socked him. She had invited him to come over and make bread any time he wanted. Luke thought he was making real progress. Tonight she could barely stand to look at him.

The Honeybee Sisters had invited him to dinner, probably because he'd made a point to show up at their house right before dinnertime with Dan Kanagy. They couldn't very well invite Dan without inviting Luke. Mamm was starting to wonder if she should be offended that Luke seldom ate at home anymore. In truth, Lily had invited him to dinner while Poppy had stood in the background trying to slice tomatoes with her left hand. She didn't even say hello, didn't even acknowledge when Luke walked into their house. It was as if she didn't want him there.

Trying to make sense of Poppy's dark mood left Luke with little appetite. He wracked his brain, trying to remember if he'd said something that had offended her. Stupid things flew out of his mouth all the time, but he usually didn't realize they were stupid until hours or days afterward. It made it kind of hard to pinpoint just what he'd said that had made Poppy act as cold as a frosty night in January.

The bruises on her cheek looked worse than they had two days ago. Had they X-rayed her face when they X-rayed her hand? He should have suggested that. She could very well have a fractured cheekbone or something.

Her cast went almost to her elbow, and her fingers were swollen and a light purplish color. She had paid a steep price for hitting Griff so hard. Luke shuddered at the thought of what could have happened. Poppy really had no choice but to hit Griff with all her might. A softer blow might have saved her hand, but might not have stopped Griff in his tracks.

When the pork chops were ready, Bitsy called for everyone to sit. Poppy set a bowl of buttered corn on the table and sat next to Luke, but he might as well have been invisible. She didn't look, didn't smile, didn't send so much as a glance in his direction.

His heart sank. What was wrong, and how could he fix it? He cleared his throat. “How does your cheek feel, Poppy?”

She instinctively touched her hand to her face. “Still a little swollen.”

Luke swallowed hard. “Did they X-ray your cheekbone at the hospital? There might be a fracture.”

She didn't even bristle at the idea that he might be trying to boss her around. Her green eyes showed him nothing except defeat and sorrow, and his heart ached for her without even knowing what was wrong.

Billy Idol stationed himself at Luke's feet and hissed to get Luke's attention. “Not now, cat,” Luke said, more harshly than he meant. Billy Idol was a nuisance, for sure and certain, but in his own way, he had tried to protect Joann. Luke would be very ungrateful if he didn't at least acknowledge Billy Idol's kindness. He reached down and scratched behind Billy Idol's half ear. “I'll pick you up later,” he said. “But not while I'm eating.”

Billy Idol meowed and twitched his ears, which was probably as good a reply as Luke would get. He looked up to see Poppy staring at him. He smiled sheepishly. “He likes me.”

“I've never been able to figure out why,” Poppy said, as if she truly meant it. Why didn't she just go ahead and take a hammer to his face?

Dan was blissfully unaware of anything going on between Luke and Poppy. Usually Dan was blissfully unaware of anyone but Lily. “You don't even have a black eye, Luke. I'm disappointed.”

Luke pretended to be cheerful. “Dat says my nose isn't broken. I got off easy.”

“I can't believe you let him hit you,” Rose said. “It was very brave.”

Luke bowed his head. “
Nae
. Poppy was the brave one.”

Rose choked on her words. “
Jah
. She saved us.”

“Let's talk after the prayer,” Bitsy said. “The pork chops are getting cold.”

At least he would be able to have some sort of connection with Poppy during the prayer. He reached out his hand to her, and she hesitated only briefly before placing her hand in his. It was the hand without the cast. The hand with the black thumbnail.
Ach
, Poppy was beat up something wonderful. The thought made him feel even lower.

But he loved the feel of her skin.

“Dear Heavenly Father,” Bitsy said, without waiting to see if everyone was ready. “We are grateful that Rose got some new paints today and that Lily is engaged to Dan—not that I'm all that thrilled with Dan, but at least he's not Paul Glick. We ask You to heal Poppy's hand and face and Luke Bontrager's nose, and give him the wisdom to see past it.”

Past what? His nose? Luke nearly opened his eyes. What was Bitsy talking about?

Bitsy pitched her voice a little louder. “Keep evil, Griff Simons, and Dinah Eicher from our door. Amen.”

Dinah Eicher? How had she made it into Bitsy's prayer?

Bitsy looked up, scowled, and bowed her head again. “And, dear Lord, bless the food.”

Reluctantly, Luke let go of Poppy's hand as he bowed his head for the silent prayer.
Dear Father in heaven, will You show me the way with Poppy?

Was it selfish to pray for himself? If
Gotte
didn't help him, no one would.

Luke opened his eyes. Dan's smile could have illuminated the road all the way to Luke's house. “Aunt Bitsy,” he said, “you've never thanked
Gotte
for me before.”

Bitsy smirked. “Don't get cocky. It's only because Paul Glick is such a chucklehead.”

Chucklehead? Luke couldn't begin to guess what that meant.

Lily frowned. “I can't believe I nearly married him.”

Dan took a shuddering breath. “Don't even mention it, Lily. I still have nightmares.” He leaned over and gave Lily a kiss on the forehead. “I am the happiest man on earth.”

“No kissing,” Bitsy said as she scooped a helping of cheesy potatoes onto her plate.

Dan merely grinned. He could get away with just about anything with Bitsy. He'd saved her niece from making a terrible mistake.

Dan passed the potatoes to Luke, who took more than he wanted to eat—not because they didn't look delicious, but because his insides were tied up in knots about Poppy and he could barely bring himself to eat anything.

“Why all this talk about Paul Glick, anyway?” Dan said. “It will give me indigestion.”

The look Lily gave Poppy didn't escape Luke. Was Poppy worried about Paul's threat to have them shunned? Maybe her unhappiness had nothing to do with Luke. He didn't like the thought of Paul upsetting Poppy, but he'd feel a whole lot better if he knew Poppy's distress hadn't been his fault.

Luke passed Poppy the potatoes but held on to the serving spoon until she made eye contact with him. “Poppy, did something happen with Paul?”

She pressed her lips together and took the spoon from his hand. “We can take care of ourselves.”

That short answer said more than a whole day's worth of talking. The thought of Paul Glick was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Did Luke need to pay a friendly visit to Glick's Market? Nobody would be allowed to upset his Poppy while he had something to say about it.

Luke clenched his teeth. Poppy didn't need him to defend her against anybody, least of all Paul Glick. Judging by the look on her face, she didn't even want him to. Poppy fought her own battles, no matter how much Luke would have liked to fight them for her.

A familiar longing grew in his chest until it threatened to suffocate him. Poppy didn't need him, but he would be worthless without her.

He couldn't speak. He couldn't even eat. He just sat there mutely staring at his pork chops and cheesy potatoes. He had never felt like more of an outsider. Poppy wouldn't let him in.

A line appeared between Dan's brows. “What happened with Paul Glick? Did something happen?”

Lily poured Dan a glass of milk. “Poppy's muffins are delicious with raspberry jam. You should try one.”

The line between Dan's eyebrows got longer. “Lily, did something happen today when you went to town?”

Rose, the quiet one, seemed eager to talk where her sisters weren't. “Paul Glick said he is going to talk to the elders about having Poppy shunned.”

“Poppy?” Luke said. “Why Poppy?”

As soon as it came out of his mouth, he realized what a dumb question it was. Poppy had broken her vow of nonviolence when she socked Griff Simons—at least Paul Glick thought so.

“Paul Glick is blowing hot air, like he always does,” Dan said, flashing Poppy a half smile. Luke knew Dan well enough to recognize the anger behind the casual expression. Dan would probably volunteer to do all the dishes. He cleaned like an Amish
fraa
when he got angry. “They won't shun Poppy for protecting Rose and Luke's sisters. They didn't even put Jethro Schwartz under the ban when he bought a car.”

“Only because he sold it,” Poppy said as if she'd rather not talk about it.

“We should tell them that Luke took a punch from Griff's father,” Dan said.

A shadow traveled across Poppy's already sad face as she pushed a kernel of corn around her plate with her fork. “
Jah
. Luke fixed it.”

What had he done? She acted as if he'd thrown a kitten into the ditch.

Rose gazed pointedly at Luke. “Dinah Eicher accused Poppy of trying to be like the boys. She said Poppy needs a husband to be respectable.”

Poppy smiled a painful, flippant smile. “Apparently, I'm nobody without a husband.”

Time stood still as every person at the table, including Poppy, turned to Luke and stared at him as if they expected him to say something. Was it a subtle hint for Luke to ask Poppy to marry him? His heart beat double time as hope flooded through his veins. They didn't even have to make the suggestion. He'd jump at the chance to marry Poppy.

Wait. What about Dinah Eicher?

His heart plummeted to the floor. Dinah Eicher had told Poppy what? Luke had heard the word
husband
and disregarded everything else—he was stupid like that sometimes. Dinah Eicher told Poppy she needed a husband to be respectable? Poppy didn't need anyone to make her respectable. She was brave and strong and
wunderbarr
all on her own. Dinah Eicher knew nothing.

One look at Poppy's stricken face and it became obvious that Dinah's words had stung worse than a whole nest of angry wasps. But how? How could Poppy ever believe such things about herself?

Maybe because at one time, he had told her the very same things.

The pain of guilt was so raw, he couldn't draw a breath.

Poppy folded her arms, which wasn't easy with a bulky cast. “I don't care what Dinah Eicher says,” she lied.

They were all still staring at Luke as if they weren't quite sure they liked him. “Luke,” Rose said. “What has Dinah told you? Does she think Poppy should be shunned?”

“How should I know what Dinah thinks?”

Poor Rose widened her eyes and pursed her lips together as if she would never speak again. Oh,
sis yuscht
, he had never spoken to Rose that way before. There was no excuse for it, except that he was feeling as low as a cockroach in a cellar.

“I'm sorry, Rose,” he said. “I guess I just don't understand.”

Lily nodded her head and held his gaze as if willing him to say the right thing. “Dinah said some very cruel things about Poppy. You don't agree with her, do you?”

Realization hit him upside the head, and he couldn't even see straight. They thought he and Dinah were still seeing each other. But how could they? Hadn't he spent every spare minute on the Honeybee Farm?

He slapped his palm against his forehead. “Didn't you tell them, Dan?”

Dan frowned. “Tell them what?”

Bitsy stood up so fast her chair toppled over behind her. “Do you smell that?”

Luke sniffed the air and caught the unmistakable smell of smoke. He sprang to his feet, being careful not to step on Billy Idol. Soon everybody was on their feet. They'd all smelled the smoke.

It seemed like a race to the door. Dan opened it while Bitsy grabbed her shotgun. Luke was the first out on the porch. A plume of smoke rose above the honey house. With his heart already halfway down the lane, Luke leapt from the porch and ran for the honey house. Dan and the Honeybee Schwesters were close behind. “Dan, get the hose,” Luke yelled.

“There are buckets in the barn,” Poppy called, already headed there with her sisters.

Luke nearly yelled for her to stay in the house. She had one good arm, an injured face, and a freshly healed shoulder. She shouldn't be fighting a fire. He thought better of calling her back and growled in frustration. He'd put the fire out himself before Poppy lifted a bucket.

A hose and attachment abutted the barn near the chicken coop, but there was also one behind the honey house near the windmill. Luke raced to the back to turn on the hose.

Black smoke billowed from a smoldering pile of boxes and garbage that had been pushed up against the honey house. Flames were already lapping against the back window. The honey house was constructed completely of wood. It was only a matter of seconds before the wall would catch fire.

Rose and Lily ran toward him with buckets, and he turned the water on full blast to fill them. Dan raced around the side of the building with a bucket and a rake. He handed his bucket to Lily and took a rake to the fire, doing his best to pull the debris away from the building without setting the surrounding weeds or himself on fire.