As I followed her, we both stopped short at the sight of Bill Hastings. He was examining a small azalea bush, its pink buds ready to bloom. Heath’s hackles raised, and his ears drew back.
“What are you doing in here?” My voice came out with force and authority. “The nursery isn’t open yet.” I wanted to tell him he was not welcome in any case.
“I wish to buy these for my wife. I wasn’t planning to steal them, I promise.” He set the pot back down on the ground amid the other plants. “Will the Yoders not take my money anymore?” He extracted a wallet from his pocket and brought out two twenty-dollar bills. “Is this enough?” He handed the money to me.
I checked the price of the azalea. “This should more than cover it. But I don’t have change.”
“Keep the change after all the trouble we’ve caused you.” He glanced at Heath, who’d gone back to sniffing around the plants. Yet the dog’s presence gave me a feeling of assurance.
“Go ahead and take the azalea with you,” Beatrice said. “I’ll leave the money at the front cash register later. Better get out of here before Stephen arrives.”
“Actually, I spoke to Stephen when he stopped by our house yesterday. At first I thought he was coming to get on my case, but believe it or not, he said he wanted to apologize, that he’d acted badly and wished he could take back his words and actions.” Bill slipped his wallet into his jeans pocket. “I was totally blown away, but I found myself apologizing to him too. And we shook hands. After that, he shared some of his own story, and it seems we have a lot in common.”
I thought Bill had treated Stephen brutally, not to mention making false accusations against Heath and demanding the dog be shot. But both Beatrice and I listened, absorbing his story and trying to visualize the scene.
“And about Ralph’s burning down the barn?” Bill said. “When we were kids, we never played with matches. I can’t believe Ralph did it. Not on purpose anyway. His drinking dominates his life and makes him act like an idiot. He has blackouts, when he can’t remember anything. If I could only get him to go to AA. That’s something else Stephen and I spoke about. Stephen assured me there’s hope for Ralph, and he even promised to pray for him. Can you believe it? I thought Stephen would despise me forever.” He picked up the pot. “I wonder how a man ever gets past his childhood disappointments.”
“It sounds as if you’ve made a good first step.” Beatrice spoke as if she bore no grudge toward him, as if Bill were any old customer. “We all have a heavenly Father watching over us.”
“I don’t buy into all that religious rigmarole.”
“Oh, I see.” She ran her tongue across her upper lip. “Say, not that you’ve asked for my suggestions, but there’s a group called Al-Anon for people whose lives are affected by someone else’s drinking. An Al-Anon group uses one of our church’s meeting rooms a couple of times a week, but you don’t need to be Catholic or any religion to attend it. They meet all over the place.”
“Anyone I might know go to them?”
“All is kept strictly confidential, so I have no idea.” She deadheaded a flower in his pot and flicked it aside. “Take those flowers home, and tell your woman you love her. You’ll find her sweeter too.”
I was impressed with Beatrice’s forthrightness. And Stephen’s brave and generous act made me appreciate him all the more. No wonder Glenn trusted him with his business. It seemed I was the only one in a whirlpool of indecision.
Watching Bill leave, thoughts ping-ponged in my brain. If I married Jake in the near future, I’d have to quit this job and move into his parents’ home, leaving the café without a manager. If I married Stephen, I could continue to work here, but I’d live as an Englischer, apart from my parents and extended family.
As Beatrice and I exited the greenhouse, I heard a melodious, “Yoo-hoo, Bea, over here.” The Englisch woman wore a quaint little hat that matched her yellow flowered scarf and beige suit.
“Did you forget about me?” She scuffled over to us wearing high heels. “I called and called, but when you didn’t answer, I was worried.”
Beatrice’s hands cupped her cheeks. “I forgot. Oh dear, I’m sorry.” She turned to include me. “Viola, I’d like you to meet Eva, who manages the café here.” Beatrice took Viola’s hand and put it in mine. Her nails were polished mauve.
“I’ve made you late for Mass,” Beatrice said.
Viola squinted down at her diminutive wristwatch. “Only a few minutes. Grab a coat and let’s be on our way. Otherwise, you’ll have to go to confession before you can take communion again.”
Beatrice turned to me. “I haven’t even fed the dogs yet.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I’ll take care of everything if you leave the back door unlocked.”
Beatrice passed me a key. “Better take this.” She went into the house and then reemerged wearing a long jacket. Her girlish grin made her look younger. A minute later, Beatrice eased into Viola’s aged boat of a sedan, and they puttered out of the parking lot.
FORTY-NINE
After feeding the ravenous dogs, I left them in the main house. Enjoying my solitude, I skirted the house and the café and made my way to the barn to say hello to Autumn. When she noticed me, her ears stood up tall as a welcome. She bent
