32

Since today was a no-Preaching Sunday, Lyle could linger over a second cup of morning coffee in the kitchen. Elisabeth sat next to him with warm tea and the remainder of her half of the sticky bun she’d shared earlier with Ellie. “I don’t know ’bout you, but I’ve been hopin’ for some happy news like this,” he said of Ellie’s betrothal to Sol.

“Jah, and I wonder if Ellie slept at all last night, so excited she was after Sol left for home.” Elisabeth’s eyes glistened, and she reached for Lyle’s hand. “Do ya remember how you felt back when we knew we were gonna be wed?”

Lyle nodded, squeezing her hand gently. “Young love’s a powerful force, for sure.” He looked out the window. “I believe Sol’s had his eye on Ellie much longer than any of us realized.”

“Honestly, I do, too.”

Lyle released her hand and raised his coffee mug. “Won’t Ellie be surprised to eventually take over this house—assuming Sol likes our plan, too?”

“I think she’ll be quite pleased, to say the least.”

“They’ll spend their first few months as newlyweds here with us. Considerin’ the apple harvest, there’s no spare time to complete another addition bigger than Daed’s before winter comes. But weather permitting, we can break ground and pour the foundation soon after the wedding. Most likely it will take three months to build.”

“Sol and Ellie will have all the privacy they need up on the top floor till our new place is ready,” Elisabeth replied, taking a small bite of the bun. “How soon will ya tell Sol ’bout his part in the future of the orchard?”

“Right away.”

Elisabeth nodded. “He’s the kind of man you can trust.”

“And with his persistence and Ellie’s creativity and dedication, they’ll be a gut team.”

Elisabeth broke into a grin. “I daresay you’ll make Ellie the happiest woman alive.”

Lyle chuckled. “Seems like Sol’s already done that.”

Elisabeth glanced at the calendar hanging on the cellar door and let out a long sigh. “Ach, poor Evan will be awful sorry to miss Ellie’s wedding.”

“I can only imagine how he’ll feel when he hears.”

“And I assume he would’ve been asked to be one of the wedding attendants, even though he and Sol haven’t necessarily been close friends for a while.”

Lyle wasn’t so sure. “Remember, Evan isn’t in gut standing with the church, so he couldn’t be in his sister’s wedding.”

Elisabeth grimaced, and Lyle felt like a fool mentioning what they both knew—what they both would rather not remember.

Having just returned from walking through the orchard rows, Ellie was eager to write to Leah. She got right to the point and asked Leah to be one of her wedding attendants, sharing that she also intended to ask her cousin Ruthann. Oh, Leah, I can’t imagine being happier, she wrote. I hope you’ll be able to come for Sol’s and my wedding day.

Without much pause, she also wrote a letter to Evan, sharing the happy news of her engagement. Sol and I will marry this November, she told him, wishing with all her heart that her brother could be present.

Later that afternoon, Ellie took the two-wheeled horse-drawn cart over to visit Ruthann, since her parents and grandfather had left in the family carriage to visit Dawdi’s widowed brother, Enos.

Cousin Ruthann was ecstatic about being asked to be one of the wedding attendants. “I’d love to,” she said, big-eyed as they walked together outdoors. “And do ya know who’ll be Sol’s?”

“He hasn’t said yet, but I’m guessin’ his brother Aaron might be one.”

Smiling, Ruthann nodded.

“So how are you and Menno getting along?” Ellie asked.

“I think he might be close to proposin’ marriage.”

“Bein’ in love is just wunnerbaar, ain’t?”

Ruthann grinned now. “Absolutely.” She sat on the stone springhouse steps and motioned for Ellie to join her. “Ach, I can’t believe it, Ellie, how everything’s turning out for us. And I’m so honored to be one of your weddin’ attendants.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Ellie replied.

Deciding to wait till after work the next day to talk with Sol and Ellie, Lyle had asked them to meet him in the barn office before Sol left for home. The three of them sat together now, Lyle having contemplated this moment.

“Now, then,” he said, folding his hands, “I’ve been pondering somethin’, and after praying for guidance and talking it over with Jonah, I’m ready to talk with yous.”

Ellie’s eyes were fixed on him, as she took in every word.

She might be expecting this, Lyle thought, suppressing a grin.

“I’d always intended for Evan to take over the management of the orchard, of course, but something had to be done, what with his leavin’ the Amish life behind. So if you’re interested”—he looked at Sol and then Ellie—“I’d like to train Sol to become manager in two to three years, in partnership with you, Ellie.”

Ellie looked at Sol, whose jaw had dropped. “Are ya sure, Dat?” she asked, a little breathless and eyes wide with delight.

“Wow,” Sol said. “I thought after Evan left, maybe Jonah would run things once you’re retired.”

“Well, Jonah doesn’t want to be saddled with the day-to-day responsibilities of the orchard. And he and Priscilla like where they’re living, but I want someone to live on-site. Ellie’s always shown the greatest interest in the orchard of any of our children. I intend to give ya the opportunity to buy the house as well . . . make your home here. Elisabeth and I will move into a new, larger Dawdi Haus as soon as we can get it built after your wedding.”

Tears welled in Ellie’s eyes. “Ach, Dat, I don’t know what to say.”

Bursting with happiness at the joy this news had brought to his younger daughter’s heart, Lyle looked to Sol for their answer.

“We would be honored,” Sol replied. “And Ellie and I will be ever grateful to ya.”

Lyle nodded, mighty pleased at their response—and relieved. “So Ellie’ll partner with ya where she can, Sol, considering she’ll have more household duties to attend to after Elisabeth and I move out of the main house. And eventually, Lord willin’, you’ll have a family, too.”

“Denki for entrusting the orchard to us, Dat,” Ellie said, now more sober. She frowned suddenly. “I’m wonderin’, has Evan been told?”

“Not officially. But after some of the things he told me before leavin’ for the army, I’m sure he suspects it.”

Ellie nodded, listening.

“Of course, this is all a private family matter,” Lyle added.

“We understand,” Ellie said, glancing at Sol.

“I’ll put my mind to learnin’ quickly,” Sol said, “and I’ll do everything I can to make the transition a smooth one when you’re ready to hang up your hat.”

“It’s a privilege to have ya onboard—and as a son-in-law come November.” Lyle reached over to shake Sol’s hand.

As for Ellie, she was clearly trying not to let out a whoop and a holler.

She’s earned it, Lyle thought as Ellie and Sol left his office together, his daughter smiling up at her future husband.

———

On the walk across the backyard, Ellie squeezed Sol’s hand. “Can ya believe it?”

“You’ll never have to leave the orchard,” Sol said with a grin.

She looked fondly at the main farmhouse. “We’ll get to live in my childhood home, a real blessing. And our babies will be born here, just as I was, and grow up to love the orchard, too.”

“Your father’s givin’ us a tremendous responsibility—and you’re ahead of me on a lot of the business side.” Sol chuckled.

“I’ll share with ya what I know.”

Sol slipped his arm around her waist. “We’ll be gut partners, I believe.”

“And not just for the orchard.”

The bountiful apple harvest that fall took nearly every ounce of energy and focus for Ellie and Sol, but the Saturday and Sunday evenings belonged to them.

One evening Ellie showed Sol her latest letter from Evan. “Look what he wrote,” she said, pointing to the words. “‘I’m sending my warmest and best wishes for a happy wedding day.’”

It had taken her aback, the wording Evan used. It sounded so stiff, like they didn’t really know each other.

“Evan’s on my mind more than I realize, I think,” Sol said. “I feel bad that we used to be friends but aren’t any longer.” He shook his head. “No one would expect an Amish guy to become a soldier.”

Ellie was quiet for a moment, pondering something she’d thought about but hadn’t voiced to anyone. Will Dat’s news about the orchard put a wedge between Evan and me once he finds out?