Sadie hadn’t really thought about it. “I feel like that when I’m sewing or quilting, or pinning the washing to the clothesline . . . doin’ what I’m called to.”
Anna glanced at her and leaned back, her face tilted up again. “Just listen.”
Sadie closed her eyes, enjoying this moment with Anna. But the only sounds she heard were birds and insects, and after a time, the distant sound of a train whistle, likely the Strasburg Railroad, heading toward its short run to Paradise Township. But she didn’t mind sitting there with Anna, who seemed in need of this respite.
“Do you hear it?” Anna asked softly at last.
“The forest sounds?”
“Jah . . . the tranquility.”
Sadie agreed. “’Tis mighty nice, jah.”
Anna glanced over her shoulder. “By the way, why did Luke and Glen decide to have this tree house built here?”
“No particular reason.” Sadie shrugged. “Maybe Gabe Allgyer thought it made sense for it to be away from the house, yet protected from the harsh sun . . . ideal for Luke’s boys, ’specially, who like to be rowdy and a bit noisy,” she said. “We really enjoyed havin’ Gabe round here while he worked on it. All of us got better acquainted with him.”
Anna smiled. “He’s so comfortable around children, as you know.”
“That he is,” Sadie said, wondering what else Anna had discovered about the wonderful young man.
“Would you like to come up with me?” Anna rose and started climbing the steps to the first level of the tree house.
Just then, Sadie heard the rustle of quick footsteps and looked over to see Marcus and Eddy running this way, down the most challenging path, with their large German shepherd, Brownie. Their faces were red and sweaty.
“Mammi!” Eddy called, grinning from ear to ear. “You came!”
Sadie rose slowly from the step, pleased how happy they were to see her there. She followed Eddy and lively Brownie up the wooden steps, Marcus trailing behind.
On the first level, they found Anna peering at a bird’s nest, and the boys hurried over, not touching.
“The baby birds all flew away,” Marcus told them.
Sadie crept closer to the nest. Sure enough, it was empty. “Remember that sometimes a nest is used a second time for the base of a new one,” she said, glancing at Anna, hoping she wasn’t being too obvious.
Anna looked Sadie’s way and held her gaze.
She understands, thought Sadie happily.
Chapter 29
After Anna returned from her morning tour on Wednesday, Mart entered the break room where she sat, making a beeline for the coffee. He greeted her, then poured himself a cup and took his time to look at the tour guide schedule near the coffee pot.
Coming over to where she was sitting, he pulled out a chair at the small table, and it was then that she realized for the first time that Mart took his coffee black. She also realized that the two of them were alone.
Leaning forward, Mart asked, “I was thinking . . . would you like to go on a picnic with me this Saturday?” He paused. “After you’re finished volunteering at Peaceful Meadows.”
Pleased, Anna agreed.
“I thought we could drive out to Long’s Park. Have you been there?”
She shook her head.
“Well then, I’ll have the pleasure of introducing you to one of the prettiest places in Lancaster County.” He grinned.
“What can I bring?”
“Thanks, but my mom’s got that covered.”
Anna was touched that he’d already put so much thought into this. “How kind.” His mom knows about me, she thought, suppressing her smile. And since Mart hadn’t brought up Charlotte and Austin or any of the other youth this time, she was fairly sure it would just be the two of them.
They continued to sip their coffee, discussing their morning tours.
Anna asked if he’d ever had a client who wanted to learn Pennsylvania Dutch.
“No, have you?”
“Just this morning, in fact—a Texas college professor and his wife. They were quite curious about it, asking lots of questions about how different it is from standard German. I was able to find a Pennsylvania German to English dictionary for them to purchase at the Gordonville Book Store, where we stopped during the tour. Should be a fun souvenir for them.”
“I’m not certain I would have thought of that,” he said, his attention wholly on her. “Good thinking, Anna.” Then he asked about her trip home. “Did you get to see the grandmother you told me about?”
Anna nodded. “We had a precious time together, and I even happened across an old diary she kept the summer she was here as a teen.”
Mart seemed interested.
“I’ve already read snippets of it,” she told him, adding how pleased she was that her mother and sister didn’t mind her bringing it back to Strasburg. “It’s comforting, in a way . . . makes me feel close to Mammi Eliza.”
“My mom likes old things, too, especially memoirs,” he said, glancing at his watch. “I really hate to end our conversation, but I need to meet my next clients.”
“Of course,” she said, smiling back at him and looking forward to their picnic.
The following Saturday, Anna talked with Dottie Stoltzfus and Katie Blank in the tack room at Peaceful Meadows, both young women in pale green dresses and matching cape aprons. Anna again noticed that most of the other volunteers were young women, although there were several teenage boys, too. Likely most married couples were too busy working the fields or at home tending to their families—the only married people here accompanied their child.
Later, when she saw little Emmie arrive in the passenger van, Anna hoped she might be assigned again as her side walker. She wondered once more why the little girl did not speak. Was it that she couldn’t, or was something else keeping her from doing so? Gabe had once mentioned she’d stopped talking when her mother died. Emmie moved normally and seemed to understand everything that was spoken to her, with eyes that were bright and focused and even an occasional faint smile.
It turned out that Dottie asked if Anna would like to help Emmie groom Promise again, and Anna jumped at the chance. At one point while she and Emmie moved their brushes over the pony, Emmie leaned her head against his flank.
“Aw, you like him, don’t ya,” Anna said in Deitsch, and Emmie turned to look unwaveringly at her. “He’s so gentle and sweet . . . like you.”
Then Anna began to talk softly to Promise, as she liked to do, and Emmie resumed brushing, her attention back on the shining black pony.
After the session, Anna helped get Emmie’s right foot out of the stirrup and waited for Katie to help her on the left. Then, reaching to lift Emmie out of the saddle, Katie set her down. The girl stood back from the pony, as all the riders had been taught, waiting patiently for whoever was in charge of picking her up and taking her home.
Eventually, Emmie approached the front of the pony and stood practically nose to nose with him, patting him gently. “I think Promise likes that,” Anna said softly, only observing and not moving toward Emmie.
The pony dipped his head at Emmie just then, and she broke into a big smile.
“See? And Promise likes you.”
After Emmie and the other children left in the passenger van, Gabe came over to help Anna remove the bridle and saddle. “I couldn’t help noticing you with Emmie,” he said.
“She seems really taken with Promise.” Anna ran her hand through the pony’s thick, dark mane.
“Well, I think Emmie likes you, too,” he said more quietly, lifting the saddle off the pony. “She’s very fond of you, Anna.”
“And I love being her side walker,” Anna replied. “I was glad to get the chance again today. She’s such a sweet child.”
“Would you consider being one of Emmie’s permanent side walkers?” he asked, his eyes searching hers, his smile warm. “For the rest of this season, that is?” he added as he walked with her to the tack room.
“Sure,” she said, surprised by his lingering gaze. “Denki.”
He hung up the saddle. Then, turning to her, he added, “I hope we’ll have the opportunity to talk again.”
Later, while driving home, Anna realized she hadn’t looked even once today at the stone wall. Her mind had been completely preoccupied with Gabe’s remark about talking with her again.
And she wondered why she felt so happy about that.
Anna was met by Sadie at the back door as Anna returned from Peaceful Meadows.
“Your church friend Heidi Denlinger dropped by a little bit ago,” Sadie told her.
“Ach, sorry I missed her.” Anna set her purse on the wood bench by the table. “Did she come by just to visit?”
“Well, she was hopin’ you’d go swimming with her and some of the other young women from church.”
“I wish I’d known they were planning something,” Anna said, thinking about the upcoming picnic with Mart. “Maybe next time. Also, don’t forget that I won’t be here for the noon meal.”
“Oh, I remembered,” Sadie replied with a knowing smile.
Anna grinned and headed to her room to go over her notebook tallying tours and tips, as Mart had suggested. I’ll see him soon! she thought, taking time to freshen up.
Long’s Park was an eighty-acre haven of beauty on the northwest side of Lancaster. Anna was happy to be there with Mart, wanting to get better acquainted with him, one to one. Besides a large cooler and Thermos from his mother, he had brought along tennis balls and two racquets.
“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve played,” Anna admitted when they were settled at a pavilion picnic table.
“I’m out of practice, too,” Mart said. “So, we’ll play just for fun. No keeping score.” He removed the lid on the cooler and set out an array of food—chicken salad sandwiches on homemade hamburger buns, a pea salad with diced cheese and chopped sweet pickles, and potato salad made with mustard and eggs.
Anna eyed the food. “Your mother outdid herself,” she said, also noticing the chocolate glaze on the individually wrapped cookies. “Please thank her for me.”
“Mom loves to cook.” Mart handed a paper plate and plastic utensils across the wooden table to Anna.
“My Mamm does, too.” She felt silly saying it, since all the Plain mothers she knew seemed so inclined. “My sister and I used to cook together all the time before she left home to start her new life with her husband, Conrad. I miss those days.”
He nodded. “My married sisters like to come over and help Mom make jam and put up vegetables and dried meats. They always have a great time together,” he said, folding his hands just then. “Shall I ask the blessing?”
She bowed her head, touched again by the picnic lunch Mart’s mother had taken time to make for someone she didn’t even know.
I should do something for her in return. . . .
Anna was grateful for the clouds that moved in after lunch, making it less hot for playing tennis. Mart had been modest in saying he was out of practice, but it was obvious he was holding back on the court, hitting the balls directly to her, not making her run back and forth to return his plays.
After an hour of hitting the ball around, they put the racquets away and took a walk over to a bridge and around the banks of the water, where they enjoyed watching the ducks and swans. Mart was a good conversationalist, she realized once again. He politely asked about her family and her interests, showing special concern for her grandmother Eliza.
“You haven’t told me much about your married sisters,” Anna mentioned.
“Well, Sharilyn and Cordelia are both busy wives and mothers, but they like to have fun in their free time baking specialty cupcakes to sell at their bakery. It’s in the historic section of downtown Strasburg,” he told her. “You should see their elaborately decorated cupcakes. I almost hate to bite into them.”
“Funny . . . I don’t think I’d have a problem with it.” Anna laughed. “Have they always enjoyed making such creative baked goods?”
He smiled. “Far as I know. Ever since my seventh birthday, when they began helping Mom decorate my brothers’ and my birthday cakes. Each year they tried to outdo themselves.”
“What a great family tradition.”
“Mom has a whole album of photos of all their cakes through the years,” Mart said.
Soon, they were talking about his involvement with the youth volleyball teams, and she shared about her church youth group, too, especially her friendship with the Denlinger sisters.
All the while, Anna wondered if this might be the first of more solo dates with Mart, even though she had enjoyed interacting with his church friends, too. Is this the beginning of something special?
Later that afternoon, when Anna returned to the Flauds’, she helped Sadie peel the apples that Glen had picked while Anna was out with Mart. Sadie was all abuzz about making two large pans of apple crisp for tomorrow.
“I’ll take one next door to Marianna, and some over to Molly and Eva, too,” Sadie told Anna.
Anna thought it was kind of Glen to pick the apples—in addition to her bad knee, Sadie had been having some balance issues in the past months. As Anna and Sadie worked side by side, Anna asked what she knew about Gabe Allgyer.
Sadie set down the apple she had just finished peeling and reached for another. “Well, I’m sure ya know he’s a young widower.”
Anna nodded. “His little girl, Emmie, is one of the children I’ve worked with at Peaceful Meadows.” She paused. “It’s awful sad that she doesn’t speak.”
“Nee, not since she was three, when her Mamma died,” Sadie replied. “Gabe and his bride had the dearest love story,” she went on, revealing that his wife, Emily, had fallen gravely ill with a rare form of leukemia while they were courting. “But that didn’t keep him from marryin’ her and lovin’ her right up to the very end.” Sadie explained. “She was the only girl he ever courted.”
Now Anna had a lump in her throat. She pressed her lips together, shaking her head at this news. “Gabe knew she might not live long?”
“That’s what Luke told Glen and me—Luke knows Gabe especially well, though Glen and I’ve known Gabe and his family since he was an infant.”
Anna was struck by the heartbreaking account. Sacrificial love, she thought, deeply touched.
“Gabe and Emily had a couple of difficult years with her health, but then suddenly her cancer went into remission, and the doctors were encouraged. When their baby was born, Gabe wanted to name her Emily for his wife.”
“Emmie’s the perfect nickname,” Anna murmured, putting it together.
Sadie placed a large bowl in front of her and began to slice the peeled apples straight into it, an apple in one hand and a paring knife in the other. “Mind you, I wouldn’t have shared this, but you asked.”
“Isn’t it commonly known?”
Sadie said she didn’t know how widely known the specifics were. “But Emily was well loved—more than five hundred people attended her funeral, Amish and English alike.”
“She must’ve been very special,” Anna said softly.
“I didn’t know Emily quite as well, but you might ask Gabe ’bout her sometime, if the time is right.”
“Oh, I don’t see how it would ever come up.” Anna would never think of pressing him on it, but she found it amazing such a robust and energetic man would choose to marry a woman who was so terribly ill.
Chapter 30
The following Monday evening, after another busy day of tours, Anna asked Sadie if she might have some leftover fabric. “I’d like to make a special thank-you card for Mart’s mother,” Anna said, describing the delicious picnic lunch she and Mart had enjoyed.
Sadie hurried off to her sewing room, and Anna began to sketch a rectangular picnic basket like the one Mammi Eliza had used years ago. “It’s a bit old-fashioned looking,” she told Sadie when she returned, “but I like it.”
“You’re right . . . and it’s a gu
t idea.” Sadie went to the fridge and began to dish up some ice cream for Glen.
Later, when Anna filled the basket shape with batting, she decided to dismiss any further notions she had about locating Mammi Eliza’s stone wall.
I’ve done all I can, she thought, realizing it was taking up too much of her time and attention.
Before leaving the parking lot of the information center the next afternoon, Anna called her father to thank him for helping with the first weeks of room and board at Flauds’. “I’m ready to take that up now,” she said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, and I’m helping around the house here as much as I can, too.” She also described the imaginative cards Sadie made, many of which Anna had helped to design and create. “Her sister-in-law Lillian is selling them at Saturday market, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets orders for more. Maybe even custom orders. Who knows?”
“Now that you say this, your mother mentioned that Mammi received one from you. She has it out on her bedside table.”
“I’m glad she’s enjoying it.”
“She talks about you often. We all do, Anna.”
“I miss you, too, Dat.”
“Any idea when you might come visit again?” he asked.
“It won’t be for a while yet.”
“Well, don’t be a stranger, okay?”
She promised she would be in touch, and they said good-bye and hung up.
He sounds a little glum, she thought while driving back to Flauds’.
When she arrived, she headed right into the house to help Sadie with supper, feeling good about being able to pull her weight now with the room and board. It wasn’t nearly what an apartment rent would cost, and anyway, living on her own was the last thing she wanted. Being a part of Glen and Sadie’s family was ideal, even though Anna still missed air-conditioning, electric fans, and power for her phone.
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