CHAPTER
twenty-four

Sylvia was happy to read about Adeline’s college activities, but there was no mention of her fiancé. Hopefully, she’s not reluctant to talk about Brendon now that Titus and I aren’t together, she thought, sorry that Adeline lived so far away. Georgia might as well be on the other side of the world!

Getting up and heading for the house, Sylvia walked barefoot through the thick grass, almost compelled to write a prompt reply to assure Adeline that she could share anything she cared to in future letters.

The next day, Sylvia walked with her mother over to Mamie Zook’s to deliver a dried beef and noodle casserole so that Mamie wouldn’t have to bother cooking that weekend. As before Mahlon’s passing, Mamma continued to be involved in the grieving widow’s life.

Upon their arrival, Sylvia noticed Mamie’s youngest son, Benuel, and her grandsons Andy and Michael weeding the vegetable garden. Such a devoted family, Sylvia thought, glad for the dear woman’s sake.

Indoors, Mamie smiled as she accepted the casserole dish and set it down on the counter. She mentioned all the extra help she was getting with the farmwork and around the yard, too. “No more push mowin’ for me,” she said with a little laugh. “My family’s adamant that I’m no longer a spring chicken. Ach, I can see that by lookin’ in the mirror!” Another chuckle. “But if I just sit around the house, I’ll give up the ghost.”

“We all care ’bout ya, Mamie,” said Mamma. “And if you ever need anything, just ring your dinner bell four times, and we’ll come runnin’.”

“Yous are the best neighbors.” Mamie wiped her face with a hankie she pulled from beneath her sleeve. “You know I’m stayin’ put here, don’t ya? Just a simple move next door to the Dawdi Haus. Andy’s offered to supervise the move toward the end of next month, once the menfolk help fill silo.”

Feeling a little awkward at the gleam in Mamie’s pretty eyes when she mentioned Andy, Sylvia wondered if word had already spread that she and Titus were no longer together. Must have, she thought.

They stayed for a while to visit over cold lemonade and some red grapes and pineapple chunks Mamie insisted on serving. There were orange raisin bars, too. And it was noteworthy to Sylvia how many more times Andy’s name crept into the conversation.

Later, on the way down the porch steps as she and Mamma were leaving, Andy himself glanced up from his weeding to wave to Sylvia, offering a charming smile.

She waved back and wondered why he felt at liberty to be so friendly. Doesn’t he know about my flawed family?

That evening after supper, while Earnest sat outdoors with Rhoda, they discussed Adeline’s letter. “How would you like to respond?” he asked as they relaxed on the back porch.

Rhoda looked surprised. “Well, dear, as I recall, her questions are addressed to you.”

He waved that off. “Oh, but you’re much better at letter writing.” He mentioned all the practice she had, writing circle letters to cousins and to four other Amishwomen also named Rhoda who happened to share the same autumn birthday.

Rhoda frowned a little, as though she sensed he was looking for an excuse. “Here’s an idea . . . what if I simply write down what you’d like to tell her?”

The old feelings of inadequacy badgered him and, not knowing how to respond, he looked out at the pasture he so loved. The truth was, he had a lot of growing to do spiritually if he was ever going to help Adeline.

Rhoda reached for his hand, and he held on, gazing at her with all the love in his heart.

“You know how lacking I am, don’t you, dear?”

She paused a moment, then said, “Are ya seein’ yourself in Adeline, maybe? In her searching?”

“The fact is, I don’t have a deep faith like yours.” After all they’d endured together, it was easy now to admit this. “Though I’ve tried, I can’t hide my shortcomings or fix them.”

“That’s not something you can do on your own, Earnest—the Lord is here for you, and I am, too,” she said seriously. “But Adeline’s reachin’ out to you, Earnest, and I believe you can make a difference in her life.”

He nodded. “If I can just get over the hurdles.”

“It would be worth the effort for health and for peace of mind. And most of all, for the soul,” she said, tears welling up.

He looked at her, his precious wife who’d somehow persisted through the immense pain he alone had caused her. He squeezed her hand and felt incredibly blessed.

Later, after family prayers, Earnest and Rhoda sat together in their room, where Rhoda began to pen his letter to Adeline, sharing about his own difficult journey. “I’ll be honest, Adeline,” he dictated, “I put on a ‘flawless’ exterior for twenty long years, living as an Amishman in name only. I didn’t take God’s purpose for my life to completion, truly embracing the faith that went along with that. I hope you understand what I’m trying to say here.”

Rhoda nodded. “That’s a gut start, love,” she encouraged.

“It’s strange, but I seem to have a natural connection with Adeline,” he admitted. “Not that I don’t have it with my other children. It was just a surprise to discover I had it with Adeline, too.”

Rhoda listened, pen poised over the stationery.

“So, back to the letter,” he said, “let’s get to the point, in case this is the only one we write.”

“Oh, I think there will be more letters from her.”

“I hope so.”

Rhoda nodded. “I saw how she began to warm up to us, even though it was hard for her the first few days.”

They discussed the visit, reliving the way things started and ended, and Rhoda recommended that Earnest suggest to Adeline that she read the Gospel of John. “What do ya think?”

“Well then, I should probably read it, too.”

She smiled. “And if you do, you’ll be able to write the next letter to her yourself, maybe?”

Earnest saw the wisdom in Rhoda’s remark. “Will you be reading it, as well? The three of us together?”

“Jah,” she said, reaching for her Bible. “Why not start now?”

Earnest leaned back in his comfortable chair and listened closely as Rhoda began, her soft voice sweet to his ears. “‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’”

A week after Adeline had mailed her letters to the Millers, she received two back—one from Earnest, and another from Sylvia. Settling in for the evening, she sipped her can of lemon sparkling water, thankful for the very honest letter Rhoda had penned for Earnest. Whatever works for him, she thought, giving him that latitude. The fact that he and Sylvia had replied at all, and so quickly, did her heart good.

Adeline walked over to the sliding door and stood on the small balcony attached to her apartment, where she looked out on a sea of brick and mortar, apartment complexes in every direction. I was spoiled by the views of Amish farmland, she thought.

Thinking of Sylvia’s letter, she was a little perplexed by it, because Sylvia seemed too cheerful and practically anesthetized, as if the reality of her breakup with Titus still hadn’t sunk in. Kind of like I was after Mom died, Adeline thought. It took weeks. . . .

Standing there at the railing after a hectic day of classes and before Brendon was to arrive with takeout—spicy Korean pork tacos—Adeline considered writing back to Sylvia. It was hard to know what to say when she still felt responsible for the way things had gone downhill. But surely Sylvie and Titus would realize soon how much they missed each other. If they’re in love, they will, she thought, unable to imagine splitting up with Brendon.

She decided to take Earnest up on his suggestion to read through the Gospel of John—if she could locate her mom’s Bible.