28

Not only was Maggie pleased to be back at Singing that Sunday evening, but she was delighted when Jimmy walked across the freshly swept haymow to her during the refreshments of cold root beer and peanut butter cookies. As was their way, he was still wearing his Sunday clothes, looking more handsome than Maggie had ever seen him.

There they talked, with the earthy smell of farm animals below and the sweet scent of the neatly stacked hay above. Never once did he mention Maggie’s missing cane, or that she typically just sat with other girls during this halfway point in the gathering. Rather, Jimmy asked about her week and what she had been doing. He also seemed eager to mention that he’d seen her walking back from the mill with her father. “It made me smile to see the two of you together, out for a walk.” That was the closest he came to mentioning her renewed vitality.

The thought crossed her mind that the fact she looked as strong as the other young women present likely played no small part in how they were standing there, talking so animatedly. And so, while she hadn’t planned to bring it up today, she felt now might be a good time. “I really appreciate you telling me about those pills, Jimmy.”

His eyes lit up. “You’re still taking them, then. Have they been helpful?”

“So far, yes,” she said shyly. “And I have you to thank.”

He waved it off. “Any gut friend would’ve done the same thing.”

Jimmy’s smile warmed her heart. And later, when everyone resumed singing, she couldn’t recall ever seeing him smile at her quite like that—with his eyes, too. It gave her such joy, she found herself singing all the more energetically. So much so that Grace glanced at her several times, grinning as if she sensed what Maggie was feeling.

Afterward, quite a few of the youth milled about for more than an hour, fellowshipping with the cordial couple who’d hosted the barn gathering. And, perhaps because it had gotten quite late, Jimmy headed for his courting buggy without asking Maggie or anyone else out riding. She wondered at that when he’d been so attentive to her during refreshments, but it could be he had an early start tomorrow morning at the smithy’s. It’s all right, she told herself. Another time, maybe.

Though a little disappointed by the evening’s end, she was grateful for a ride home with Grace and her well-mannered beau. Still, the truth remained: Jimmy’s endearing smile surely meant something. How could it not?

At the end of the walkway to the side door, she thanked Grace and Martin for the lift, then walked to the porch and stood there, thinking she might just stroll around the backyard a bit, since she was still feeling good and the moonlight was so bright. Oh, the simple joy of walking without pain!

There had been moments since Rachel’s marriage to Joseph when she had to stop and pinch herself. One of those had taken place on this first day of August, a very busy Wednesday. She’d turned around from beating the rag rugs on the clothesline, and there was Leroy, carrying the kitchen scraps in a trash bag, heading for the compost pile. He didn’t say a word, just whistled a tune she didn’t recognize. Like Joseph does, she thought. If she hadn’t witnessed it herself, she might have thought she was dreaming. And when he returned, she thanked him wholeheartedly, though Leroy simply nodded and tapped his straw hat in return.

Then later, without being told, he hooked up the hose to the outside spigot and began watering the flower beds along the house. Again, Leroy said nothing.

Did Joseph encourage him to do this? Rachel wondered.

She stood there, observing Leroy from afar as he moved toward the other side of the house. What’s come over him?

At the dinner table that noon, Rachel casually mentioned that she wanted to deliver a dried beef and noodle casserole to Joseph’s elderly great-uncle Paul, who lived several miles away.

Right then, Joseph volunteered Leroy to drive her.

Goodness. Rachel nearly dropped her fork. This won’t go over well.

Andy and Stephen exchanged glances, eyebrows raised.

With a delayed nod, Leroy agreed.

Scarcely knowing how to respond, Rachel just sat there eating, wondering how she and Leroy would manage such a journey. She was actually on the verge of tears, something that seemed to be the case much too often here lately.

It was after a dessert of sliced peaches and vanilla ice cream that Joseph caught her eye and gave her a reassuring wink.

My husband’s up to something. . . .

Following the meal, while the girls cleaned up the kitchen, Rachel got in the family carriage, Leroy in the driver’s seat.

He mentioned how smoothly everything had gone in erecting the new stable. “With so many pitchin’ in to help.”

Glad that he was making an effort to be friendly, she enthusiastically agreed. “Plenty-a teamwork.”

A few seconds passed, followed by more silence, and then Leroy spoke once more. “I’d like to be on a crew to raise a barn sometime.”

Even though it was a small admission, she felt pleased that he felt up to sharing it with her. “I think you’d be gut at it,” she replied.

And then it was as if he remembered where he was and who he was riding with, and the conversation turned awkward, more like usual. Rachel asked him a few questions, but the answers were shorter and less candid now, and nothing seemed to really interest him.

All the same, the fact that Leroy had actually talked to her—and with more than the usual one-word responses and assorted grunts and mumbles—was curious. He wasn’t overly friendly, but he wasn’t rude, either.

Eventually, Rachel simply stopped pressing him and appreciated the progress they’d made. Inch by inch, she reminded herself.

After Rachel and Leroy made the delivery to Great-uncle Paul, Leroy unexpectedly pulled into the parking area for Betsy’s shop. A number of cars were parked there, as well as a motorbike. He got out and tied Buster to the hitching post, then walked around to Rachel like a young gentleman before accompanying her inside, where customers sat at tables along the open windows.

“Dat gave me some money for a treat,” Leroy said quietly as they waited in line to place their order.

“He did?” Her Joseph was a man of surprises!

Rachel chose a cinnamon twist and encouraged Leroy to select something, too, but he said he was only thirsty, and Betsy gave him some cold water in a cup. Rachel, however, persisted, and finally he agreed to order a giant chocolate chip cookie, as large as three regular-sized cookies combined.

They talked with Betsy at the counter for a while, and then an Amishwoman with five children in tow came into the shop. Suddenly, Leroy stood taller, even ran his hand through his hair, glancing now and then at the family.

Curious, Rachel looked their way again and noticed the oldest of the children, a slender blond girl about Leroy’s age, who smiled discreetly at him. When Rachel glanced back at Leroy, his face was all lit up. They must know each other, she decided.

Leroy’s mood seemed to improve considerably as a result of the brief encounter; he even hummed a bit as he and Rachel rode toward home, and she had to cover a smile. Compared to the previous months, it was as if a shadow had lifted from Leroy—just the fact that he’d spoken to her respectfully was a step forward.

Rachel hardly knew what to make of it and looked forward to sharing all this with Joseph. Tonight, she thought, when we’re alone. And I want to tell him something else, too. . . .

Later that afternoon, Maggie and Miriam spent some time weeding and hoeing the large family vegetable garden while Rachel took a nap. There on the high ridge overlooking the wooded area near the road, Maggie felt at peace. Expending her energy like this had always given her a sense of satisfaction, and today it meant so much more to her, because she’d missed working the soil like this, doing her part for the family.

When the work in the vegetable garden was done, and while Grace and Miriam were indoors planning supper, Maggie took on the rose bushes, paying close attention to mixing the right amount of fertilizer with water. Mamm had always doted on her roses. Nearly like they were her children, Maggie thought, smiling at the memory.

Despite the heat of the afternoon, Maggie felt renewed. And as she worked, she prayed silently, not wanting anyone to think she was talking to herself, like Great-aunt Lettie did sometimes.

It had been an effort not to think too often of Jimmy. She still found him more appealing than any other young man she’d met, but she just wanted to be thankful for his friendliness toward her. His seeking me out in conversation at the last Singing doesn’t need to mean anything more than that.

Tonight, she and Grace planned to go for a walk after the supper dishes were done, and tomorrow, Rachel wanted all of them to pick white peaches at a nearby orchard. Maggie would definitely go and help. For once in the longest time, she could pull her weight and do many of the chores expected of a young woman her age.

My life has returned to near normal, she thought, breathing a thanks to her heavenly Father.