first page, struggling to keep her voice from cracking.
Rose Ann perused the fine china and other housewares at the Kings’ Saturday moving sale. A half dozen tables were set up to display the many lovely items, some clearly antiques. Several cousins waved to her from the other side of the porch, where teacups and saucers and other pretty, colorful for- gut dishes were laid out. Enjoying herself, Rose wished Hen might’ve come today, too. Rose had even said something to Dat about inviting her. But Dat had felt it best for Hen to be with Brandon, particularly since Saturday was the only day Brandon stayed around much anymore. By that, Rose assumed Dat was concerned about the amount of time they were spending apart. She had noticed Brandon’s business partner coming and going more often here lately, even on Sundays.
“Hullo, Rose Ann,” a cheery voice called to her.
She turned to see Rebekah Bontrager smiling broadly, wearing a plum-colored dress and matching apron. The color made her cheeks look peachier than usual. Rebekah had obviously sewn several new dresses for herself since she’d returned to be a mother’s helper to Annie Mast and her identical twin babies, Mary and Anna. Anymore it felt as though Rebekah had never moved away to Indiana in the first place.
“ Wie bischt? ” Rebekah asked.
“Just fine . . . you?”
“Busier than ever. The babies are more wakeful now.” Rebekah pushed one Kapp string back over her shoulder. “Annie and I really have our hands full.”
“Does Annie’s mother help some?”
Rebekah nodded. “And Annie’s sisters come over quite often, too.”
Rose wondered how long Rebekah would stay at Masts’. Would she remain there until her wedding to Silas next wedding season?
“Have ya seen any nice dishes—a service for, say, twenty or more?” asked Rebekah, changing the subject.
“Sure, there’s plenty over there.” Rose had contemplated two such patterns for the longest time but wasn’t sure it was a good idea to stock up on a bunch of dishes when she might end up single. However, with the prospect of something happening tomorrow at Mose’s, she wondered if she should’ve purchased the dainty blue, yellow, and green floral service for twenty-five that she’d admired. It was a pattern she had rarely seen and really liked. But purchasing it would be making a real leap of faith, for sure and for certain.
“Denki, Rose . . . I’ll see ya later.” Rebekah meandered past the glass saltshakers and candy dishes, the hem of her dress swishing as she went.
Returning to her browsing, Rose caught sight of a set of eight beautiful teacups and saucers. The bright red roses looked hand painted, which made her heart skip a beat. How she loved dishes, especially ones with brilliant hues. It occurred to her that these might cheer Mamm’s heart after her surgery—plus her birthday was near Valentine’s Day, a day Englischers celebrated with chocolates, fancy cards, and roses.
Rose opened her purse to see if she’d brought enough money. I’ll surprise Mamm, she thought, picking up one of the dainty cups and carrying it to the youngest King girl, Martha King Esh. “Can you tell me anything about these?”
Though Martha had been married for two years, she was close to Rose’s age. “They’re awful perty, ain’t so?” She smiled cheerfully.
“I’ve never seen anything quite like them.”
“Can ya guess where this set came from?” asked Martha.
Rose shook her head.
“They were passed down in the family from the early settlement here—belonged to a distant cousin who left the Big Valley area. I’m sure you’ve heard of Yost Kauffman—maybe your own great- Grossvadder. Look on the back, and you’ll see a date.”
“Yost Kauffman was my great-uncle,” Rose said. So Martha and I are related in some distant way. She looked on the underside of the cup and saw a faded date she couldn’t make out: 1800-something. “Why would ya want to sell them?”
Rose Ann perused the fine china and other housewares at the Kings’ Saturday moving sale. A half dozen tables were set up to display the many lovely items, some clearly antiques. Several cousins waved to her from the other side of the porch, where teacups and saucers and other pretty, colorful for- gut dishes were laid out. Enjoying herself, Rose wished Hen might’ve come today, too. Rose had even said something to Dat about inviting her. But Dat had felt it best for Hen to be with Brandon, particularly since Saturday was the only day Brandon stayed around much anymore. By that, Rose assumed Dat was concerned about the amount of time they were spending apart. She had noticed Brandon’s business partner coming and going more often here lately, even on Sundays.
“Hullo, Rose Ann,” a cheery voice called to her.
She turned to see Rebekah Bontrager smiling broadly, wearing a plum-colored dress and matching apron. The color made her cheeks look peachier than usual. Rebekah had obviously sewn several new dresses for herself since she’d returned to be a mother’s helper to Annie Mast and her identical twin babies, Mary and Anna. Anymore it felt as though Rebekah had never moved away to Indiana in the first place.
“ Wie bischt? ” Rebekah asked.
“Just fine . . . you?”
“Busier than ever. The babies are more wakeful now.” Rebekah pushed one Kapp string back over her shoulder. “Annie and I really have our hands full.”
“Does Annie’s mother help some?”
Rebekah nodded. “And Annie’s sisters come over quite often, too.”
Rose wondered how long Rebekah would stay at Masts’. Would she remain there until her wedding to Silas next wedding season?
“Have ya seen any nice dishes—a service for, say, twenty or more?” asked Rebekah, changing the subject.
“Sure, there’s plenty over there.” Rose had contemplated two such patterns for the longest time but wasn’t sure it was a good idea to stock up on a bunch of dishes when she might end up single. However, with the prospect of something happening tomorrow at Mose’s, she wondered if she should’ve purchased the dainty blue, yellow, and green floral service for twenty-five that she’d admired. It was a pattern she had rarely seen and really liked. But purchasing it would be making a real leap of faith, for sure and for certain.
“Denki, Rose . . . I’ll see ya later.” Rebekah meandered past the glass saltshakers and candy dishes, the hem of her dress swishing as she went.
Returning to her browsing, Rose caught sight of a set of eight beautiful teacups and saucers. The bright red roses looked hand painted, which made her heart skip a beat. How she loved dishes, especially ones with brilliant hues. It occurred to her that these might cheer Mamm’s heart after her surgery—plus her birthday was near Valentine’s Day, a day Englischers celebrated with chocolates, fancy cards, and roses.
Rose opened her purse to see if she’d brought enough money. I’ll surprise Mamm, she thought, picking up one of the dainty cups and carrying it to the youngest King girl, Martha King Esh. “Can you tell me anything about these?”
Though Martha had been married for two years, she was close to Rose’s age. “They’re awful perty, ain’t so?” She smiled cheerfully.
“I’ve never seen anything quite like them.”
“Can ya guess where this set came from?” asked Martha.
Rose shook her head.
“They were passed down in the family from the early settlement here—belonged to a distant cousin who left the Big Valley area. I’m sure you’ve heard of Yost Kauffman—maybe your own great- Grossvadder. Look on the back, and you’ll see a date.”
“Yost Kauffman was my great-uncle,” Rose said. So Martha and I are related in some distant way. She looked on the underside of the cup and saw a faded date she couldn’t make out: 1800-something. “Why would ya want to sell them?”
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