Looking for a Miracle (11 page)

“Have you gotten any starts from your aunt’s rose garden?” Daniel asked, taking their conversation in a different direction.

She shook her head. “I’ve never thought to ask.”

“Mim seems to like you a lot. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind sharing some of them with you.”

“Maybe I’ll talk to her about it.”

“I was surprised when I showed up here and found you sitting all alone. I figured you’d be up on the lawn, joining in the young people’s celebration.”

“Mary Ellen and Johnny’s betrothal?”

He nodded, and Rebekah was sure that same look she’d seen on his face a few times before had cast a shadow of sadness on it now. The bishop’s announcement must have jolted Daniel like it had her. He was probably hurting every bit as much as she, only for a different reason. She was jealous because she would never have the kind of happiness Mary Ellen was experiencing. Daniel probably wished it had been him, not Johnny, who had won Mary Ellen’s heart.

Rebekah swallowed hard, struggling for words that wouldn’t be a lie. “Celebrations are for those who can run and play games. I’d much rather be enjoying these
lieblich
flowers.”

“They are lovely,” Daniel said. “But don’t tell my daed I said so ’cause he might think I was
ab im kopp
for caring so much about flowers and plants.” He grunted. “All Pop ever thinks about is those cantankerous dairy cows of his.”

Again, Rebekah didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t think Daniel was off in the head, but she certainly didn’t want to criticize his father so she sat there quietly, drinking in the delicious aroma of Aunt Mim’s flowers and enjoying this special time alone with Daniel.

Daniel stood and moved toward her like he might be about to say something. Then he stared down at his boots a few seconds and slowly raised his gaze to meet hers. “Would ya like me to push your wheelchair? We can walk around the rest of your aunt’s garden if you like.”

Rebekah’s first thought was to decline. She didn’t need anyone’s help pushing her wheelchair, and she certainly didn’t need Daniel’s pity. She hesitated only a moment as pride took a backseat and a desire to spend more time with Daniel took the front seat. “Danki, I’d like that,” she finally murmured.

Daniel smiled and stepped behind her wheelchair. “You’d better hang on tight, Rebekah Stoltzfus, because I’ve been known to be a reckless driver!”

The days sped by with a delicate shifting of summer to fall. A few tourists still visited Rebekah’s greenhouse, but most of her customers now were Amish or English people who lived in the area.

Rebekah began to fret over the possibility that her business might fail and had to remind herself frequently to pray, trust God, and search the scriptures for more of His promises. Her faith was still weak, and she knew it.

One Friday since she had no customers at the moment, she decided to lie down on the cot in the back of her store to rest awhile and seek God’s will.
Heavenly Father,
she prayed,
I’m still looking for a miracle. I really need to be able to support myself because I don’t want to be a burden to others. Please bring in more customers, and show me what to do to make the business more successful.

The sharp ringing of the bell outside the greenhouse pulled Rebekah from her prayer. “Come in!” she called.

As she struggled to a sitting position, she heard the door creak open. “Rebekah? Are ya here?”

Rebekah recognized the familiar male voice, and she had to take several deep breaths in order to quiet her pounding heart. Why did Daniel make her feel so giddy? She knew he only cared for her as a friend, but she couldn’t seem to stop thinking about him and wishing for more. Daniel’s kind face flashed before her eyes as she remembered that Sunday afternoon at the Hiltys’ when he’d pushed her wheelchair through Aunt Mim’s garden. They’d laughed and talked so easily then, and he had actually made her forget the pain over hearing the news about Mary Ellen’s plans to be married.

Rebekah forced all thoughts to the back of her mind as she called, “I’m back here, Daniel. Just trying to get my crutches strapped to my arms.”

Daniel poked his head around the partition, and his wrinkled forehead let her know he felt concern. “Are you all right? Why aren’t you in your wheelchair? Were you lyin’ down?”

Rebekah laughed. “So many questions, Daniel. And don’t look so poker-faced. I’m wearing my leg braces today and using the metal crutches that help me stay upright.” She dropped one stiff leg to the floor. “Mom hollers at me if I spend too much time in the wheelchair, so I’m trying to humor her today.” The other leg followed the first, landing on the floor with a thud. “I was only lying down to rest awhile, but sometimes getting up again isn’t so easy.”

Daniel moved closer to the cot. “Need some help?”

Rebekah swallowed hard. There it was again. That “I feel sorry for you” look on Daniel’s face. She winced, wishing he could see her as a woman and not some
elendich
—pitiful—handicapped girl. She didn’t need his pity.

“Are you hurting?” he asked, dropping to his knees in front of her.

She drew in a deep breath. “I’m fine, really.” Her crutches were propped against the wheelchair, next to the cot. She reached for one and bumped the other, sending it crashing to the floor. “Always trouble somewhere,” she muttered.

Without waiting to be asked, Daniel lunged for the crutch. “Trouble usually has an answer, though,” he said, handing it to her with one of his heart-melting smiles.

Rebekah’s eyes misted. She hated to be dependent on others, but receiving help from someone as thoughtful as Daniel made it almost a pleasure. “You always seem to be around whenever I need something,” she murmured.

“Jah, well, that’s what friends are for.” Daniel looked Rebekah right in the eye. “I only wish we could be more than friends.”

More than friends? What was Daniel saying? Did he actually see her in some other light—something that would involve more than friendship? Rebekah wasn’t sure what to say or do next. “You ... you want to be more than friends?”

He nodded.

“What are you really saying, Daniel?”

He adjusted his weight from one foot to the other. “I’m sayin’ that if it were possible, I’d like to be your partner.”

“Partner?” Rebekah could barely get the word out.

To her surprise, he touched her arm, sending a jolt of electricity all the way up to her neck. “Jah. I’d like to be your business partner.”

Business partner.
The words echoed in Rebekah’s head like a woodpecker thumping on the side of Dad’s barn. She drew in a long, steady breath, hoping to calm her nerves. She should have known Daniel wasn’t asking her to be his marriage partner. What a dunce she was for even letting such a ridiculous notion pop into her head. She and Daniel weren’t courting, and he’d never shown the slightest interest in her in a romantic sort of way. In fact, she was still sure he was in love with Mary Ellen. How could she have been so stupid as to misread his intentions?

With the aid of her crutches, now strapped to her arms, Rebekah pulled herself to a standing position. “Why would you want to be my business partner?” she asked, once she had found her voice.

Daniel frowned, looking as though it almost pained him to say the words. “I’ve told you before that I have a love for flowers. Running a greenhouse would be the most exciting thing I could imagine. I envy you, Rebekah.”

“Envy me? How could anyone envy a woman with a handicap such as mine?” Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and she squinted, hoping to keep them there.

“I–I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Daniel sputtered.

With both crutches securely in place, Rebekah plodded across the room. When she stepped into the area where the plants and flowers were kept, she came to an abrupt stop, turned, and almost bumped into Daniel. “Oh, I didn’t know you were there.”

“Followed you out,” he mumbled.

Rebekah glanced around the room, feeling suddenly self-conscious. “I love these green-leafed, blossomed creations God made, so I do understand why you’d want to run a greenhouse.” She clicked her tongue. “There are two small problems, though.”

He scrunched his forehead until it wrinkled. “Two problems? What would they be?”

“First of all, my greenhouse is a new business. I’ve been open only a few months, and it’s not showing enough profit to support two people. I’m not even sure if it’s going to support me.”

“And the second problem?”

“Probably the most obvious problem is my parents. They’d never allow such a thing.”

“Why not?”

“We’d be spending many long hours together—alone—with no chaperones.”

“We’re both adults, Rebekah.” A slight smile tugged at the corner of Daniel’s lips, and a twinkle danced in his usually serious brown eyes. “Of course, my daed don’t always see me that way.”

Why must Daniel look at me like that? Especially when he sees me as nothing more than a possible business partner?
“If we were both the same sex, then maybe it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“I see what you mean.” Daniel shrugged. “Besides, I doubt my daed would want me to quit helping with the dairy business.”

“If it were possible,” she said with feeling, “I’d actually consider becoming partners. You know a lot about flowers, and you’ve proved to be pretty handy to have around.”

Her words brought a smile to Daniel’s face, and when he gave her a surprising wink, her heart fluttered so much she had to will it to stop. “So, what brings you here today? I’m sure it was for something more than to retrieve my crutch.”

He chuckled. “I’m here to buy a plant for my mamm. Her birthday’s tomorrow, and I want to give her a gift that will last awhile.”

“How about a purple African violet?” Rebekah suggested, moving over to the area where all the violets were kept. “I have a beautiful one that came from a start off one of Grandma Stoltzfus’s plants.”

Daniel bent over and scrutinized the plant in question. “I’ll take it.”

She giggled. “You haven’t even asked the price.”

He shrugged. “Well, what does it matter? I like the plants, my mamm needs a gift, and you probably can use the money.”

Rebekah gave him a mock frown. What should she do with the likes of Daniel Beachy?

A few days later, Daniel decided to pay Rebekah another visit. “Back so soon?” she asked as he stepped inside her greenhouse. “Did your mamm not like the plant you bought her? I can exchange it for something else, if you like.”

Daniel shook his head. “She liked it just fine.” He glanced around the room, feeling kind of nervous and wondering how Rebekah would take to the idea he hoped to present.

Rebekah turned her wheelchair toward him. “Then what can I help you with?”

Daniel nodded in her direction as he gathered up his courage. “I was hoping I could help us both.”

She lifted her chin to stare up at him. “What are you talking about?”

He shuffled his feet a few times while sticking his thumbs under the edge of his suspenders. “I know I can’t work with you here every day, but I think I’ve come up with a way we can make some extra money, and we’ll be doin’ exactly what we both enjoy.” He wiggled his eyebrows, hoping the playful act might give him an edge the way it seemed to do for Johnny whenever he wanted Mary Ellen to agree with him on something.

Rebekah tipped her head as though she was studying him. Did she think he was joking with her?

“I really do have a good idea,” he said, moving closer to her. “Can I tell you about it?”

“If you like,” she responded with a shrug.

“All right then. I’ll be right back.” Daniel spun on his heels and rushed out the front door. A few minutes later, he returned with a large cardboard box. He placed it on the floor, dropped to his knees, and lifted the flaps.

Rebekah wheeled her chair closer as he pulled out several wooden bird feeders, a few whirligigs for the lawn, and some homemade flowerpots.

“Daniel, those are so nice,” she exclaimed. “Did you make them yourself?”

He grinned up at her. “In my free time, I like to do a bit of woodworking.”

“You do a fine job. However, I don’t see what it has to do with—”

“You can try to sell these things here in your greenhouse. I could leave ’em on consignment, and we’d each get a percentage of the profit when they sell.”

Rebekah clicked her fingernails against the armrest of her wheelchair. “Do you think folks coming here would buy items like these?”

“I’m sure they would. My uncle in Ohio sells all kinds of things in his greenhouse. It helps bring in more customers—especially the tourists. They all seem to want something that’s been made by one of us Plain People, you know.” Daniel paused and moistened his lips. “So, what do you say, Rebekah? Shall we give ’em what they want and make a profit for both of us, as well?”

“It might work. Jah, I suppose it’s worth a try.”

Daniel grinned, as a new sense of hope welled in his chest. “Silent partners then?”

She nodded. “Jah, silent partners.”

Daniel made two more trips over to the greenhouse that day bringing several more boxes filled with bird feeders, birdhouses, flowerpots, and lawn ornaments. With Rebekah’s permission, he placed them around the greenhouse in various locations. He also put a few outside the building, saying he hoped to entice more customers into the store. After setting the prices for each item, he and Rebekah reached an agreement that she would get 25 percent of all the money collected from Daniel’s handiwork.

“I need to get home now,” Daniel said later that afternoon, “but I wanted to make a suggestion before I go.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“I was thinking maybe you could also stock vegetable and flower seeds, potting soil, and fertilizers to sell. Since winter will be coming soon, I thought maybe you should get some small holly bushes and several poinsettia plants, too.”

Rebekah nodded and followed him to the door in her wheelchair. “You sure do have some good ideas, Daniel.”

His smile stretched from ear to ear. “Here’s another one of my ideas. What would you think about taking out an ad in
The Budget,
as well as in our local Amish paper,
Die Botschaft?
”

She tipped her head in contemplation. “Hmm...”

“I think it would help get things going here even more, and I’d be happy to put up several flyers around town to advertise Grandma’s Place.”

“Jah, okay. I’ll put the add in
The Budget
the next time I send in some information for my column, and I’ll do the one for
Die Botschaft
tomorrow morning.” Rebekah smiled. Things were looking more hopeful for her business, and she was gaining a kind of self-confidence she had never known before. Having to deal with customers helped her feel less self-conscious, and opening the greenhouse seemed like an answer to prayer. It just might be that miracle she had been looking for.