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Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
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that you’re here. And making these pies gives me a nice reason to enjoy everyone’s company. All I’ve been doing is either spring cleaning or working in the garden.”
“ Jah . Having an excuse to be in the company of other women all day is a wonderful- gut thing,” Mrs. Lapp agreed. “Mattie, are you comfortable?”
“Mighty comfortable. Danke .” Mrs. Knepp had pulled into the kitchen one of the upholstered chairs from her front room.
After carefully taking two pies out of hot oil and setting them on an old newspaper to dry, Mrs. Knepp said, “Mattie, you had a doctor’s appointment today, yes?”
Pure dismay coursed through her as she realized that all the women in the room had just perked right up. “Jah,” she said.
“Did you learn any news?”
Mattie felt her stomach sting. “It was just a checkup.”
Her mother jumped into the conversation. “Mattie’s stitches are healing nicely, though he was a bit concerned about some of her blood work. He asked you to rest as much as possible.” She nodded. “Right, Mattie?”
What could she say? Weakly, Mattie nodded—though an evil part of her wanted to glare at her mother. Really, if she was that concerned about her welfare, shouldn’t she have taken her home—instead of putting her on display in someone’s kitchen?
After the women made some clucking noises, Mrs. Knepp asked, “Mattie, won’t your cousin be here soon to help?”
“Lucy will be here this evening.”
“She’ll have to come over. I’ll introduce her to lots of people,” Gwen said.
Just as if Lucy was coming out to vacation.
Mattie fought to keep a smile on her face. Honestly, it felt like no one really understood how weak she felt. How dismayed. How worried she was about her future.
Her mother spoke. “Unfortunately, Lucy’s train broke down in Toledo, and she has to spend most of her day there.”
“Poor Lucy,” Mrs. Knepp said. “I remember meeting her years ago. I would have hoped her journey was easier.”
“I would have hoped so, too, but one must deal with what one is given,” her mother said with a meaningful look Mattie’s way. “I have faith that she’ll get through this challenge well and good, and have a story to tell.”
“At least one,” Mattie said drily.
Mrs. Knepp’s eyes twinkled. “In any case, Lucy’s arrival should cheer you up, Mattie dear. And that is the most important thing, yes? And I bet a few of these wonderful- gut pies will, too.”
“I like the lemon ones,” Hannah Kent said.
“Me too, dear,” Mrs. Kent said with a smile. Wiping her hands on her apron, she continued: “Now, let’s finish up this task so Ella can sell them at the market on Saturday.”
“I wish I could go and sell them, too,” Hannah whispered.
“Ella will see that not a one is left over,” her mother assured her. “Ella Hostetler is such a serious young woman. Always thinking about others.”
“Do you think we’ll ever sell pies again?” Hannah asked.
“I’m afraid so,” Mrs. Kent said with a grimace. “Treating cancer is an expensive undertaking.”
Her eyes full of compassion, Mrs. Knepp walked over and gently clasped Mattie’s shoulder. “We’ll do whatever it takes to help with the costs. Everyone here in Jacob’s Crossing will.”
“I appreciate that,” said Mattie’s mother gently.
And as the room quieted, Mattie felt her depression grab on to her more tightly. Not only was she terribly sick, but the illness was putting an awful burden on her family.
“Gwen, cheer us all up,” Mrs. Knepp said brightly. “Tell us what is going on between you and Will Kauffman.”
Gwen sighed, her green eyes turning dreamy. “Oh, nothing much. We are merely seeing each other.”
“Seeing each other seriously,” Gwen’s mother corrected with a smile.
Mrs. Knepp clapped her hands. “Gwen, should we be talking about wedding suppers yet?”
“Not at all,” Gwen replied, a pretty blush staining her cheeks. “Will and I are
“ Jah . Having an excuse to be in the company of other women all day is a wonderful- gut thing,” Mrs. Lapp agreed. “Mattie, are you comfortable?”
“Mighty comfortable. Danke .” Mrs. Knepp had pulled into the kitchen one of the upholstered chairs from her front room.
After carefully taking two pies out of hot oil and setting them on an old newspaper to dry, Mrs. Knepp said, “Mattie, you had a doctor’s appointment today, yes?”
Pure dismay coursed through her as she realized that all the women in the room had just perked right up. “Jah,” she said.
“Did you learn any news?”
Mattie felt her stomach sting. “It was just a checkup.”
Her mother jumped into the conversation. “Mattie’s stitches are healing nicely, though he was a bit concerned about some of her blood work. He asked you to rest as much as possible.” She nodded. “Right, Mattie?”
What could she say? Weakly, Mattie nodded—though an evil part of her wanted to glare at her mother. Really, if she was that concerned about her welfare, shouldn’t she have taken her home—instead of putting her on display in someone’s kitchen?
After the women made some clucking noises, Mrs. Knepp asked, “Mattie, won’t your cousin be here soon to help?”
“Lucy will be here this evening.”
“She’ll have to come over. I’ll introduce her to lots of people,” Gwen said.
Just as if Lucy was coming out to vacation.
Mattie fought to keep a smile on her face. Honestly, it felt like no one really understood how weak she felt. How dismayed. How worried she was about her future.
Her mother spoke. “Unfortunately, Lucy’s train broke down in Toledo, and she has to spend most of her day there.”
“Poor Lucy,” Mrs. Knepp said. “I remember meeting her years ago. I would have hoped her journey was easier.”
“I would have hoped so, too, but one must deal with what one is given,” her mother said with a meaningful look Mattie’s way. “I have faith that she’ll get through this challenge well and good, and have a story to tell.”
“At least one,” Mattie said drily.
Mrs. Knepp’s eyes twinkled. “In any case, Lucy’s arrival should cheer you up, Mattie dear. And that is the most important thing, yes? And I bet a few of these wonderful- gut pies will, too.”
“I like the lemon ones,” Hannah Kent said.
“Me too, dear,” Mrs. Kent said with a smile. Wiping her hands on her apron, she continued: “Now, let’s finish up this task so Ella can sell them at the market on Saturday.”
“I wish I could go and sell them, too,” Hannah whispered.
“Ella will see that not a one is left over,” her mother assured her. “Ella Hostetler is such a serious young woman. Always thinking about others.”
“Do you think we’ll ever sell pies again?” Hannah asked.
“I’m afraid so,” Mrs. Kent said with a grimace. “Treating cancer is an expensive undertaking.”
Her eyes full of compassion, Mrs. Knepp walked over and gently clasped Mattie’s shoulder. “We’ll do whatever it takes to help with the costs. Everyone here in Jacob’s Crossing will.”
“I appreciate that,” said Mattie’s mother gently.
And as the room quieted, Mattie felt her depression grab on to her more tightly. Not only was she terribly sick, but the illness was putting an awful burden on her family.
“Gwen, cheer us all up,” Mrs. Knepp said brightly. “Tell us what is going on between you and Will Kauffman.”
Gwen sighed, her green eyes turning dreamy. “Oh, nothing much. We are merely seeing each other.”
“Seeing each other seriously,” Gwen’s mother corrected with a smile.
Mrs. Knepp clapped her hands. “Gwen, should we be talking about wedding suppers yet?”
“Not at all,” Gwen replied, a pretty blush staining her cheeks. “Will and I are
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