Josiah pointed to the maze of butterfly bushes. “The bushes are overgrown now, but if you look close, you'll see they're planted in the shape of letters. Do you see?”
He lightly rested his hand on her back as she concentrated on the bushes. She didn't mind. He didn't want her to fall over. “A-N-D,” she recited. “Kâ”
“It's an R,” he said, winking at her. “One bush died.”
“R-E-W. Andrew?”
“It was right after they got married, and Suvie was madly in love.”
Rose giggled. “It's a very nice tribute to her husband.”
Josiah stared at her for way too long.
“What?” she said, feeling more than a little uncomfortable. What did he want from her?
“I love it when you laugh,” he said.
“Oh,” she said. A pleasant shiver traveled from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. There was no other way to respond.
“Would you like to see the roses?”
“Roses too?”
Josiah jumped off the stump and helped Rose down. Honey ran circles and figure eights around them while Josiah led her to another clearing behind the butterfly garden where all sorts of roses bloomed in a variety of colors. Josiah stood back, letting Rose move among the bushes and breathe in the sweet aroma of the flowers.
“My
mamm
planted these before I was born. Roses were her favorite,” he said. “And mine.” He acted as if he wanted her to like them very much.
How could she not like them? Roses were the perfect flower. “I love them,” she finally said when she realized he wanted her to say something. “It is one thing I remember about my
mamm
. The summer before she died, she would cut flowers from our garden every week and put them in a vase by the kitchen sink so she could smell them while she worked.”
Josiah stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked at his feet. “I put roses on Mamm and Dat's graves every Sunday night. Do you think that's wrong?”
She laid a hand on his arm. The pain of losing his
mamm
still must be very fresh. It wasn't the Amish custom to decorate graves or funerals with flowers. “Of course not, if it helps you remember them.”
The lines around his eyes softened. “I wish you had something to remember your parents by.”
“I have my sisters and Aunt Bitsy. I don't know what I would do without them.”
He studied her face. “Are you worried you'll feel alone when they marry?”
She pressed her lips together and looked at her hands. “I try not to worry about it.”
“I wouldn't want you to worry.”
Rose wandered among the rosebushes, and Josiah followed her wherever she went. His presence proved a greater comfort than it was a concern. She knew she wouldn't come to harm as long as he was close by.
She visited all the rosebushes, sniffing at the blooms, taking in the beauty of the flowers. “I can feel your mother here,” she said.
Josiah was quiet for a few seconds. “Me too.”
She bent over and let one of the velvet-soft petals of a red rose caress her face. Josiah looked as if he were trying to drink her in with his eyes.
She tried not to let his look make her uneasy. “It's a beautiful garden, Josiah. My bees would love it here.”
“Do you want to see my pumpkin patch?” He looked away again, as if trying not to care too much if she wanted to or not. “Or if you don't have time, it's okay.”
She couldn't bear to say no to that earnest face. “
Jah
, I want to make sure my bees will have a
gute
home next spring.”
They walked back to the butterfly garden, then along the path to Suvie's yard. He held her hand again, but this time, she allowed herself to savor the feel of it without worrying about his expectations or her own overwhelming fears.
When they came through the trees to Suvie's white picket fence, Suvie was out in her yard taking laundry off the line. Baby Arie lay on a blanket at her mother's feet while Alvin and Aaron chased each other around the yard. As soon as the boys saw Josiah, they bolted in his direction. He growled and hollered like a bear, scooped Alvin into his arms, and threw him into the air as Alvin squealed his delight. Rose caught her breath as the little boy flew impossibly high before Josiah caught him and deposited him safely on the ground. Josiah did the same with Aaron, except he didn't toss Aaron quite so high. Josiah put Aaron on his feet, and the boys begged to be thrown again.
“That's enough,” Suvie called from her backyard. “You'll wear your uncle out.”
“I'm not tired,” Josiah said, grinning wide and showing off his white teeth.
“Well, I am,” Suvie said. “You give me a fright when you throw them up so far. I like it better when my children are on solid ground.” She waved to Rose. “So glad to see you, Rose. I was afraid you'd never come again after what Josiah put you through the other night.”
“Your children are darling,” Rose said. “And I could hold that baby all day long.”
Suvie smiled and took a pair of trousers off the line. “I might take you up on that in the middle of the night. Aaron, stay out of the flowers.”
Aaron pumped his little legs and ran to Rose. “I wanna dee,” he said, pointing to Rose's water bottle.
She smiled, scooped him into her arms, and took the lid off the water bottle Josiah had given her. Aaron took a hearty drink, spilling half the water down his shirt, and handed her the bottle back. Not wanting to be left out, Alvin hiked across the lawn and reached up to Rose. “Can I have a drink too?”
“Of course,” Rose said.
“I want to take the lid off by myself.”
She handed him the bottle, and he unscrewed the lid and took a drink. When he'd had his fill, he turned the bottle upside down and dumped the rest of the water in the grass.
“Alvin Roy Nelson,” his mother said. “Don't be naughty.”
Rose giggled. “It's okay. The grass was looking a little dry right there.”
Alvin stretched out his arms to Josiah. “Hold me.”
Josiah picked up his nephew and put him on his shoulders. Alvin squealed again and clamped his hands around Josiah's neck.
“Josiah, so help me, if you drop him . . .” Suvie said as she pulled the line through the pulley, moving the dry clothes to within her reach.
Josiah and his sister had the same grin. “He loves it.”
“
Jah
, until he falls backward and cracks his head.” Suvie folded the trousers as her gaze darted from Josiah to Rose and back again. “Will you stay and eat, Rose? It's Josiah's birthday, you know, and we have a special birthday dinner planned.”
Still holding Aaron in her arms, Rose snapped her head around to look at Josiah. “
Ach
. I interrupted your birthday celebration?”
He shook his head. “Interrupted? I wasn't doing anything but chores. You brought a cake and petted my dog and toured the butterfly garden. It's the best birthday I've ever had.”
Josiah was unfailingly kind. He wouldn't tell her that she was a nuisance, even on his birthday. But the light behind his eyes made her think that he wasn't just being kind. She looked away and tried to stifle the smile that threatened to break out on her face. She could do nothing about the warmth traveling up her neck.
Josiah took hold of both of Alvin's hands and bent forward. Alvin did a backflip over Josiah's head, and Josiah caught him around the waist and lowered him safely to the ground. He snatched Aaron from Rose's arms, flipped him upside down and back, and set him on the ground too.
Suvie clutched her heart. “Josiah Reuben Yoder, you are going to give me a seizure. Stop throwing my children around like bags of flour. Twenty-three years old today and you still act like one of the
kinner
.”
Josiah grinned at Rose and patted Alvin on the head. “Sorry, Suvie. I'm just trying to keep up my reputation as the fun uncle.”
“You'll be the uncle who isn't allowed in the house for his own birthday party if you keep this up.”
Josiah pointed at Rose. “She made me a pineapple coconut cake.”
“It's bound to be better than the cake I made,” Suvie said, folding a sheet as she took it off the line. “Alvin, don't push your brother.”
Rose's stomach fell to her toes. How could she have made a cake today of all days? Suvie would think Rose was trying to outdo her. “Oh no. It couldn't possibly be better.”
Suvie curled her lips upward. “Don't worry, Rose. Mine is from a box, and I don't feel at all threatened by your cake. If I got jealous every time the Honeybee sisters made a better dessert than I did, I'd have turned green by now. Josiah deserves something very special for his birthday yet. I'm glad you showed up. Aaron, don't pull Honey's ears.”
“Me too,” Josiah said. How was it possible that his smile melted her heart and made her nervous at the same time?
“So,” Suvie said, propping her fist on her hip, “can you stay for dinner?”
Rose's face got warmer and warmer. “
Ach, vell
, I promised Aunt Bitsy I would bake bread.”
“The bread can wait, can't it?” Suvie said. “Or you can always buy it at the store. That's what I do. I can't spare the time to make bread.”
Josiah arched an eyebrow. “Rose will never want to come over again if you're pushy.”
Suvie smirked, but there was amusement in her eyes.
Josiah placed a gentle hand on Rose's back and nudged her in the direction of his house. “I'm going to show Rose the pumpkin patch, and then I'll be over for dinner.”
“Bring that cake with you,” Suvie said. “We'll let the boys eat the other one. They won't know the difference.”
Josiah grinned at Rose and made her feel sort of light-headed. “You'll have to imagine what it tastes like, Suvie. I'm eating it all by myself.”
Alvin grabbed onto Josiah's hand. “Can I come with you?”
“Me too,” Aaron said. He wrapped himself around Josiah's leg like a tendril of bindweed.
Suvie dropped the last pair of trousers into her laundry basket. “
Nae,
Alvin, Aaron. Let Josiah and Rose to themselves yet.” She nodded at Rose as if she were in on a secret.
Rose's lungs tightened, and she hoped Josiah wasn't thinking the same thing Suvie was obviously thinking.
“But, Mama,” Alvin whined. “I wanna see the punkins.”
“
Nae
, Alvin. Not now.” Suvie picked up Arie in one arm and her laundry basket in the other. “Besides, I fear for your life in Onkel Josiah's hands.”
Josiah's mouth dropped open in mock indignation. “I am a very
gute
babysitter. With Rose's help.”
“Okay,” Suvie said. “I admit it. You are, when you're not tossing my boys like hay bales. And the boys love you. Your one mistake was leaving Aaron alone with a toy and the toilet.”
“I've learned my lesson.”
“
Cum
, boys,” Suvie said, as she kicked the back door open and strolled inside with her baby and her basket. Alvin and Aaron obediently followed their mother into the house, running and skipping as if just the ability to move was a joy in itself.
“They're very sweet,” Rose said as she and Josiah ambled in the direction of his house.
Josiah nodded. “I meant what I said. I am only a
gute
babysitter with your help.”
Rose couldn't look at him. “Aside from the flood and the fire, you were doing okay when I got there.”
He chuckled. “It was very bad.” He pointed to the field of soybeans behind his house up ahead. “The back way isn't as smooth as the road, but I can show you the fields better if we go this way. Are you tired? Would you rather go back to the house? Do you need another drink? Alvin dumped most of your water.”
Rose couldn't ignore Josiah's thoughtfulness, even though it made her uncomfortable. He was being exceptionally kind to someone he'd made his project. “I'm not tired. I would be wonderful happy to see your fields. And your pumpkins.”
She could tell he was trying to subdue a smile as he nodded, put his hands behind his back, and kept walking, being careful not to leave Rose behind with his long stride. Honey wagged her tail and followed along as if they were embarking on another adventure. “How many acres do you have?”
“Two hundred. When Mamm died, I took a hundred and Andrew took a hundred, but we work it like it was one farm. I have the barn and silo on my side and Andrew has the warehouse and shed on his side. I suppose it's been that way since Dat died. I was seventeen, and me and Mamm and Andrew and Suvie worked the farm together.”
“You've been doing a man's work for a very long time.”
He smiled sadly. “My
dat
bought this land from his
fater
. He wanted his children to work it. Andrew and I planted grass waterways and buffer strips and rotated crops. We doubled our harvest last year from the year Dat died.”
“For sure and certain, he is pleased with what you've done.”
Josiah lowered his head. “I give all the praise to
Gotte
. I can do nothing of myself.”
“Your
mater
was a wonderful-
gute
quilter. She and Aunt Bitsy traded patterns more than once,” Rose said. “Suvie seems to be much like her.”
His lips curved upward. “Mamm and Suvie are almost the same person. Mamm always said what she thought and never minded meddling in someone else's business. My
mamm
never gave an inch when she thought she was right. My
dat
loved her for it.”