Free Like a Bee to Honey by Jennifer Beckstrand

under no circumstances was Josiah to get near that toilet. “We should see to the kinner first,” she said.
    He looked at her as if she were a gift left on his doorstep.
    Rose eyed Aaron and Alvin, who were wrestling on the sofa. In an attempt to get on top of his brother, Alvin kicked his foot and made a nice black smudge on the wall. “Do you know how to change a diaper?”
    Josiah nodded. “ Jah. I change Aaron’s diaper all the time. I’ve just never had to babysit all three of them at once. It’s hard.”
    â€œOf course,” Rose said to reassure him. “You’re doing a fine job.” Surely a little white lie was harmless. She would never want to hurt his feelings.
    He chuckled. “ Nae. I’m not. But you are very kind to pretend.”
    Arie had found her thumb and made loud slurping noises between her upset hiccups. She was a chubby baby with kissable cheeks and peach fuzz on top of her head. The peach fuzz was a lighter version of Josiah’s auburn hair, and she was adorable, even with a bright red face and a runny nose. Rose took Arie from Josiah’s arms. “Is there a bottle?”
    â€œSuvie said she wouldn’t be hungry.”
    â€œShe’s definitely hungry,” Rose said.
    Josiah smoothed his hand along Arie’s soft head. “There’s formula, but Suvie has never been able to get her to take a bottle.”
    Rose gave him a warm smile. He was doing his best. “We’ll have to try.” A bottle and a can of formula sat on the counter, as if Suvie had expected Josiah might need it even though she’d said otherwise. Rose picked up the formula and handed the bottle to Josiah. “Fill it with four ounces of water. Warm water but not too hot.”
    Josiah turned on the water. “How do I know if it’s too hot?”
    â€œTest it with your elbow.”
    His face was a mask of concentration as he examined the bottle to find the four-ounce line and filled it with water. He tried to stick his elbow into the bottle. When he realized it wouldn’t fit, he groaned and shoved his hand against his forehead.
    Rose couldn’t help herself. Josiah was so earnest and so eager to do a gute job. He hadn’t counted on his elbow getting in the way. Arie was crying, Aaron stunk like a manure truck, dinner was a glob of mushy macaroni and cheese, and Josiah was trying to stick his elbow into a hole the diameter of a silver dollar. He had obviously had a very hard afternoon.
    Rose started to giggle.
    He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat. The chuckle became gut-splitting laughter. Aaron and Alvin stopped wrestling and looked at their onkel as if he were doing tricks for their entertainment.
    He laughed until tears sprang to his eyes. “I’m sorry, Rose. For sure and certain, Gotte brought you here to save my niece and nephews from their onkel Josiah.”
    Rose laughed. “Maybe I came to save you from them.”
    He smiled with a soft light in his eyes. “I’ve never heard you laugh before.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œ Jah. This is the first time.”
    She was probably blushing all the way to her toes. He acted as if her laughing was the greatest thing to happen to him all week. Surely she was imagining things. She lowered her eyes and studied the words on the formula can. She didn’t even know what she was reading. “Do you want to try the elbow thing again?” she said.
    â€œWhat should I do?”
    â€œStick your elbow under the running water, then, when it’s the right temperature, fill the bottle.”
    He grinned. “Seems so simple.”
    He emptied the bottle, turned the water on again, and stuck his elbow under the stream of water. He filled the bottle and studied it very carefully to make sure he’d gotten just the right amount.
    â€œPut two scoops of formula in with the water and shake it,” Rose said,