hadn’t meant now, and she suspected Daad knew it. Still, if she must do it, it was better done now. And the same held true about making decisions for the future.
Daniel glanced up from the low shelf he was arranging at the sound of the bell and started to rise. He stopped for an instant before completing the movement. It wasn’t his imagination. It was Beth.
He headed for her, relieved to think she was doing better. She must be, since she was here. Another step brought him close enough to chase that idea away. If anything, Beth looked even worse than she had the day he’d stopped by to see her. Strain had drawn her skin tautly against the bones of her face, and her cheeks seemed hollow. It was like seeing her when she was very old, and he could hardly keep from exclaiming at the sight.
For a moment he couldn’t speak. Realizing that every customer in the store seemed similarly affected, he forced himself to say her name. “Beth, wilkom. I’m wonderful glad you came by today.”
With a quick movement, Beth thrust the basket she carried at him. “Honeycrisp apples,” she said, as if that was an explanation for her presence.
He saw the movement of her neck when she swallowed, and then she went on.
“We’re going to do the first picking of the early apples tomorrow. Do you want a few baskets to sell? If you think anyone will want them, I mean.”
“I’m certain folks will—”
An Englisch customer moved closer to peer at the basket. “Honeycrisp, did you say? I can hardly ever find them. I’ll stop by on Friday morning. Hold a peck for me, will you?”
“Yah, I’ll be glad to, Mrs. Warren.”
“Good.” She darted a curious glance at Beth before moving on to look at the bread case.
“There’s your answer, ain’t so?” Daniel smiled. “If you need any more help to pick, I can send my nephew over.”
“Denke, but my daad is coming with some of the young ones.”
“Your daad will get the job done fast. I remember what he was like when we all helped your onkel to do it. He’s not one to take excuses.”
She actually tried to smile at that. “He’s still the same. He’s watching Benjy right now so I could come over.”
“Whether you wanted to or not,” he finished for her.
“You did say we needed to talk about the store, ain’t so?”
He touched her arm lightly and gestured. “Let’s go to the back room. There should be coffee on.” He raised his voice. “Anna?”
Anna Fisher, their sixteen-year-old clerk, sidled in from the storeroom and stopped. Shy, he supposed, at the sight of the new widow. Like everyone, she’d been shocked by James’s death.
“Take charge for a few minutes. We’ll be in the back, talking.”
She nodded, moving behind the counter without wasting a word. He’d been doubtful at first that someone so shy would be successful as a clerk, but she’d surprised him. He was thankful for her now, with James no longer here to help.
Leading the way, he took Beth to the room that served as a combination office and break room. Sure enough, there was coffee staying warm on the small gas stove. While he got out cups and spoons, his mind worked busily, trying to figure out the best approach to this conversation. If he had his way, Beth would come in as a partner, and together they’d keep the store going as it was. But that might not be Beth’s idea of a future.
He turned to the table, sitting down across from her as he put the coffee mugs in place. “How are you, Bethy?” The childhood nickname had come up without his thinking about it, but it actually made her face lighten a little.
“All right, I guess.” But then her expression closed down again, negating her words. It made him want to grasp her hand, the way he’d have done when they were children and something had frightened her.
But he couldn’t, of course. They were grown-ups now, and Beth was the widow of his best friend. He would help her in any way he could while still respecting her position.
Daniel cleared his throat, trying to find the way forward. “I... I hoped you might have made some decision about the store.”
“Daadi said something about that, too.” Beth ran her hand across her forehead, as if brushing away cobwebs. “I’m being stupid, I guess. James never talked about business with me. I don’t even know how I stand and whether I have enough to support my son.”
The thread of what might be anger in her voice startled him. He’d never heard her say anything critical about James. He must be mistaken. Beth had always adored James.
He’d have to assure her as best he could. “You needn’t worry about supporting Benjy. You own half the business now, and we’re doing pretty well. And you own the house and the orchard free and clear, ain’t so?”
She nodded, her expression easing. “Yah, you’re right. Onkel Isaac made it easy for us to buy. He was wonderful gut to me.”
“Your uncle was a fine man, and a gut neighbor, as well.” Little Beth had been his favorite among his many nieces and nephews, so it wasn’t surprising that he’d wanted to protect her. “You want to stay where you are, then?”
“Yah, for sure. I never thought of anything else.” She glanced up at him, a question in her green eyes. “As for the store...well, what else can we do but carry on as we are?”
It was tempting just to agree, but Beth ought to consider her options before she came to a decision.
“You do have other choices. If we go ahead as we are, we might have to hire another helper. Or you could come in and help. Even a few hours a week might be enough.” He took a breath. “Or you might want to sell your share of the store.”
There, it was out. If she did want to sell, he’d have no choice but to make the best of it.
“Sell?” She’d obviously never considered it. “Do you mean you want to buy my share?”
“No.” Daniel couldn’t get the word out fast enough, and it startled him. He hadn’t realized he felt so strongly about it. “I mean, I’m afraid I couldn’t afford it, not yet, anyway. But even if I could...” He struggled to articulate what he felt about the store.
“James and I took a risk when we started this place, but it’s paid off. We liked working together. I guess now I’d like to think of Benjy growing up and becoming my partner, working beside me.” He seemed to see the boy grown up, with his mother’s sweetness and loving heart as well as his father’s laughter and charm. “The store is his legacy from his father, ain’t so?”
At his words, an expression he couldn’t begin to interpret crossed Beth’s face. He’d known her most of their lives, but he’d never seen her look like that before.
It was gone again, leaving him feeling disturbed without knowing why. “What do you think?”
Beth
