29

Ellie had always enjoyed the process of thinning out the apples once they were about the size of a dime, which they were now that it was May. She reached to cut off all but one tiny fruitlet in each cluster, taking note of the amount of space this created for the remaining apples to grow larger. More air flow and sunlight for each branch, she thought, appreciating how this process also made the tree healthier.

Nearly every afternoon, rain showers came for an hour or so. Heaven’s blessings. Sometimes Ellie continued working through them under the tree canopy, wearing the raincoat and rain hat Dat had purchased for her several years ago. But whenever lightning appeared, she and the other workers immediately headed into the barn, staying till the storm blew over.

Evan loves thunderstorms, she recalled, wondering how he was. If only someone would hear from him.

The Saturday nearly three weeks after his attack, Sol showed up at work wearing a splint, his right hand still wrapped. Dat greeted him, shaking his left hand, and so did everyone else. Ellie hung back a little even though she and Dat, and sometimes Mamm, had visited him every few days during his recuperation. Somehow, each time they’d been able to talk alone for a while.

Still, Sol seemed a little bashful around her, like he sometimes was whenever they were around others. So she simply said, “Willkumm back, Sol,” and he smiled.

Having visited Sol with Dat a couple of days ago, she knew Sol was still struggling with his hearing loss and doing everything with his left hand. But he’d also told them he was sleeping through the night, at last, which was making a big difference in his overall health.

Dat urged Sol not to use a ladder to thin apples just yet, and Ellie was glad of that. Dat really is fond of him, she thought, trying not to think too far ahead. We must court first! She wondered if Sol would attend Sunday Singing on the twenty-third.

That evening, Ellie slipped away to her room and wrote to Evan yet again.

It’s a little complicated, but you might be happy to know that Sol wants to court me. I didn’t tell you that Menno and I broke up back in January, but it was definitely for the best. Sol and I have been good friends for a long time, so I’m curious how it will be as we move into a serious relationship.

After she signed off, she searched both the newspaper ads and Lancaster Farming ads for land sales, her pen, as always, poised to mark one or two that stood out. So far, nothing had seemed quite right.

Setting the paper aside on her desk, Ellie thought of writing to Leah, but she decided to wait so she could tell her about the next Singing. Leah will understand—and be excited—once she reads what I’ll be telling her.

The next morning after breakfast, Dat asked Ellie if she’d seen yesterday’s paper.

“It’s up in my room,” she replied, setting down the tea towel. “Should I run an’ get it?”

Dat waved it off. “It can wait.”

But he looked puzzled, so she went ahead and told him her dream. “Been hopin’ we might buy land somewhere nearby, so I’ve been readin’ the land-sale ads.”

Dat straightened, eyebrows raised. “Is that right? You’ve been a-hankerin’ for cherries and plums?” he asked, running his hand through his beard.

Ellie nodded.

Dat glanced at Mamm as she offered him coffee in a thermos. “What do ya think, Elisabeth? Do we need more fruit trees, maybe?”

“Well, that’s up to yous to decide.” Mamm smiled.

“So there ya have it, Ellie. Keep on lookin’ and let me know what ya find.”

Ellie said she would, then picked up the towel to continue wiping the dishes, delighted that her father was on board.

The following Saturday afternoon, Ellie helped Dat wash down the family carriage and all its windows, too. She curried Captain, and Dat cleaned and oiled the horse’s feet. When the harness was clean, Dawdi Hezekiah checked the battery for the lights and the fluid for the brakes—all this before suppertime.

Ellie could scarcely think of anything but seeing Sol at Singing tomorrow evening. She didn’t want to hold her breath, but they had talked quite a few times in the orchard during his first week back. Sol was still favoring his wounded ear and right hand, but he was able to do a few things with one hand—especially thinning apples, one at a time. It was apparent he was determined to do whatever he could, and Dat had noticed his perseverance, too.

She was sure Sol was feeling better as each day passed, and when he and Ellie were alone in the orchard, he’d mentioned that he no longer wanted to double-date—something he’d said with a twinkle in his eyes. Ellie had nodded her agreement, thinking how much she looked forward to their first real date.

Ellie was pleased that Mamm had invited Jonah, Rudy, Lydia, and their families over for homemade ice cream after Preaching and the fellowship meal the next day. It had been a while since they’d all come at once for a visit. She’d sensed that her mother missed Evan and needed the comfort of spending time with her family. Jonah must have picked up on it, too, because he volunteered to come directly rather than following their usual routine—heading home to get their younger children down for naps after the long morning of sermons.

The day was lovely, in the mid-seventies with a light breeze and partly cloudy—only one week till June. Rudy had suggested they all sit out on the back lawn, so he and the other men had brought out lawn chairs from the barn, and Ellie and Mamm gathered some old quilts to spread on the grass for the smallest children.

Dat and Dawdi had made several batches of strawberry ice cream on Friday, so it was ready to serve. Ellie and her sisters-in-law helped dish it up so Mamm could sit outside enjoying the grandchildren. Lydia stayed out there, too, getting help with the little ones from her own daughters, Ida, now nine, and Verna, eight, as well as Jonah’s oldest child, nine-year-old Lucy.

While the three younger women worked together in the kitchen, Lovina asked, “Is Mamm under the weather?”

“I think she’s mostly missin’ Evan,” Ellie replied.

Lovina sighed. “Ach, no wonder.”

Ellie handed the next bowl to Priscilla as she dug the serving spoon into the ice cream.

“We pray for Evan every day,” Lovina told her. “Caleb and little Mary don’t understand where he is, but they bow their heads and fold their hands. It’s the most precious thing.”

Ellie could imagine tiny Mary mimicking her older brother during prayer. She glanced out the window and spotted Rudy holding the drowsy child while he sat talking with Jonah. She smiled at the endearing sight and told Lovina, who seemed relieved.

“That’s gut,” she said. “Mary was awful fussy earlier because of teething, but she did nap a while in the buggy on the way over here.” Ellie handed Lovina the next bowl, and after counting the bowls that were already full, she said, “We’re getting close to enough now.”

Priscilla found three trays in one of Mamm’s cupboards and began placing some bowls on one of them. Lovina put the rest of the bowls on the other two trays, and Ellie held the side door open for all of them as they made their way out.

Ellie returned to the kitchen and found enough spoons in the utensil drawer for everyone, including the toddlers. Then she hurried back outside, carrying the spoons in her long white apron.

She sat in the only vacant chair left, next to Mamm, who thanked her for the help. Soon, Alma came over to sit in the grass near Ellie’s bare feet.

“Was hopin’ I could be near ya,” Alma said, grinning.

“What ya been up to?”

“Mamm learned me how to do some stitchin’.”

“For quilting?”

Alma nodded, big-eyed. “Gonna try an’ make my first patchwork square.”

“That’ll be fun!”

“Jah, an’ I’ll show ya when it’s done, okay?”

“You’d better.” Ellie smiled, always enjoying how expressive Alma was. She reminded her of Cousin Ruthann.

Then while Alma dipped her spoon into her ice cream and continued eating, Ellie thought ahead to tonight’s Singing, wondering again how the other youth would react when they saw her with Sol. It was hard not to break into a big smile.