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Authors: Rosalind Lauer
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prodded.
Annie shook her head. “No. Honestly, there’s no one who sparks my heart.” None of
the young men even came close. “For me, the right man isn’t just looking for a wife.
He’s looking to fall in love.” That was the thing holding Annie back from young fellas
like Ruben Zook or David Fisher. She wouldn’t settle for just a man.
She was waiting to fall in love.
Hannah turned to face her sister, her round face pale as a moon. “Ach! I just got
goose bumps. You make it sound so wonderful good. I want to fall in love, too.” Hannah
looped an arm through Annie’s. “Help me find a beau, Annie. You know so much about
how to talk to a fella and I don’t know where to start. Won’t you help me?”
Annie smiled. “It’s not like learning to bake a pie.”
“But you’re a good teacher.” Hannah’s features still seemed childlike though she was
only two years younger than Annie. “You taught me how to make the best piecrust in
the world.”
Annie watched the road, moved by the sweet girl gripping her arm. How she would love
to help her sister. “It’s not like learning to bake a piecrust. But it wouldn’t hurt
for you to hone your kitchen skills. Dat always says that Mamm melted his heart with
her venison stew, and I almost won Adam with my flaky piecrust.”
“I’ll be having lots of chances to cook once Sarah is gone,”Hannah said. “And I promise, I’ll do whatever you say. Will you help me, Annie?” Hannah’s
hopeful eyes made her shine like an angel in the darkness.
At that moment Annie decided to do everything she could to help Hannah find her way
to love. It would be an act of goodwill. Besides, it would help take her mind off
her own worries.
“If you want to find a beau, there are three things to remember. Good cooking. Good
humor. And enough conversation to make a young fella feel comfortable.”
“I never know what to say to a boy,” Hannah told her.
“That’s the thing. The small talk has to flow, smooth as cake batter.” Annie had no
problem talking to young men. She flitted from one group to another, chatting with
everyone. But Hannah was shy. She hung in the corner of a room, quiet as a moth.
“Then you’ll help me?” Hannah’s voice soared with hope.
“I’ll do my best. I can help smooth out your social skills. And I’ll even keep my
eyes open for a good match for you.” None of the young men in the district appealed
to Annie, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t find someone for Hannah.
“Oh, sister Annie! Denki!” Hannah gave her a quick hug, mindful of the horse’s reins.
Annie patted her sister’s arm, feeling a sense of satisfaction for the first time
in months. She was going to be a matchmaker. She was going to help two people find
love and happiness. And what was it Mamm always said?
Happiness was like jam. You couldn’t spread it without getting some on yourself.
TEN
E mma pulled her sweater tight around her and jogged in place to ward off the cool night.
A coat would have served her better than a sweater, but who would think to bring out
a coat this early in September? Hers was tucked into a cedar chest in Dat and her
stepmother Fanny’s room.
Out here on the roadside, deep black night surrounded her. The croak of frogs rose
from the field behind her, a chorus of song to rival the singing her group had just
done in the Eichers’ barn. Emma had been careful to keep to the roadside and move
out of the way of passing buggies and any cars that might happen this way on a Sunday
night, but the ruts and lumps and thistles on the ground made for bumpy walking in
the dark.
Where was Gabe? She had seen him talking with his cousins when she headed out. He
couldn’t be far behind.
She pursed her lips, then smiled. No need to worry. Gabe was a strong, capable young
man, and she felt perfectly safe here in the inky darkness at the edge of the Eichers’
mowed fields. Emma liked
Annie shook her head. “No. Honestly, there’s no one who sparks my heart.” None of
the young men even came close. “For me, the right man isn’t just looking for a wife.
He’s looking to fall in love.” That was the thing holding Annie back from young fellas
like Ruben Zook or David Fisher. She wouldn’t settle for just a man.
She was waiting to fall in love.
Hannah turned to face her sister, her round face pale as a moon. “Ach! I just got
goose bumps. You make it sound so wonderful good. I want to fall in love, too.” Hannah
looped an arm through Annie’s. “Help me find a beau, Annie. You know so much about
how to talk to a fella and I don’t know where to start. Won’t you help me?”
Annie smiled. “It’s not like learning to bake a pie.”
“But you’re a good teacher.” Hannah’s features still seemed childlike though she was
only two years younger than Annie. “You taught me how to make the best piecrust in
the world.”
Annie watched the road, moved by the sweet girl gripping her arm. How she would love
to help her sister. “It’s not like learning to bake a piecrust. But it wouldn’t hurt
for you to hone your kitchen skills. Dat always says that Mamm melted his heart with
her venison stew, and I almost won Adam with my flaky piecrust.”
“I’ll be having lots of chances to cook once Sarah is gone,”Hannah said. “And I promise, I’ll do whatever you say. Will you help me, Annie?” Hannah’s
hopeful eyes made her shine like an angel in the darkness.
At that moment Annie decided to do everything she could to help Hannah find her way
to love. It would be an act of goodwill. Besides, it would help take her mind off
her own worries.
“If you want to find a beau, there are three things to remember. Good cooking. Good
humor. And enough conversation to make a young fella feel comfortable.”
“I never know what to say to a boy,” Hannah told her.
“That’s the thing. The small talk has to flow, smooth as cake batter.” Annie had no
problem talking to young men. She flitted from one group to another, chatting with
everyone. But Hannah was shy. She hung in the corner of a room, quiet as a moth.
“Then you’ll help me?” Hannah’s voice soared with hope.
“I’ll do my best. I can help smooth out your social skills. And I’ll even keep my
eyes open for a good match for you.” None of the young men in the district appealed
to Annie, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t find someone for Hannah.
“Oh, sister Annie! Denki!” Hannah gave her a quick hug, mindful of the horse’s reins.
Annie patted her sister’s arm, feeling a sense of satisfaction for the first time
in months. She was going to be a matchmaker. She was going to help two people find
love and happiness. And what was it Mamm always said?
Happiness was like jam. You couldn’t spread it without getting some on yourself.
TEN
E mma pulled her sweater tight around her and jogged in place to ward off the cool night.
A coat would have served her better than a sweater, but who would think to bring out
a coat this early in September? Hers was tucked into a cedar chest in Dat and her
stepmother Fanny’s room.
Out here on the roadside, deep black night surrounded her. The croak of frogs rose
from the field behind her, a chorus of song to rival the singing her group had just
done in the Eichers’ barn. Emma had been careful to keep to the roadside and move
out of the way of passing buggies and any cars that might happen this way on a Sunday
night, but the ruts and lumps and thistles on the ground made for bumpy walking in
the dark.
Where was Gabe? She had seen him talking with his cousins when she headed out. He
couldn’t be far behind.
She pursed her lips, then smiled. No need to worry. Gabe was a strong, capable young
man, and she felt perfectly safe here in the inky darkness at the edge of the Eichers’
mowed fields. Emma liked
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