Lavina nodded. “I know you do. I know you.”
“There’s a singing Sunday evening. I thought I’d go to it.”
“You’re going to the singing?” Rose Anna asked as she walked into the room. “We can go together!”
“That’s right.” Mary Elizabeth realized she was stabbing her needle into the fabric and relaxed her fingers. She was going to the singing, and she was going to have fun. She’d meet someone and forget all about Sam.
Why, she had put him totally out of her mind. Totally.
Sam who?
Chapter 5
5
Mary Elizabeth looked around at the group of young people at the singing. It was the second one she’d attended with Rose Anna and while she was having fun, she hadn’t met anyone new.
And it felt like Noah’s Ark tonight. So many people had paired up with someone or come with them. Although couples who dated kept their relationship secret, it didn’t take a genius to figure out who had already decided who they wanted to spend the evening with. Some had already left early, deciding it would be more fun to go for a long buggy ride home.
While everyone took a break and enjoyed snacks, Mary Elizabeth took a careful inventory of the available single men. She knew all of them. Had grown up with them, attended schul with them. None of them had attracted her then. None did now.
Like Lavina and Rose Anna, she’d fallen in love with a Stoltzfus man and couldn’t seem to find anyone else she liked.
“Stop frowning, you’ll scare men away,” Rose Anna hissed.
Mary Elizabeth shrugged. “It’s not like there’s anyone here this evening that I’m interested in.”
“I know what you mean, but you have to give it a chance.”
“I saw you talking to Mark Troyer.”
Rose Anna grinned. “He’s sweet. And fun. But he’s no John Stoltzfus.”
“So you’re just flirting?”
“Schur. Why not? John’s off enjoying himself in the Englisch world. He may never come back the way David did. So I may as well keep my eyes open, enjoy someone interested in me.” She glanced over at the refreshment table, met the gaze of Mark. He grinned at her. “Gotta go,” she said and headed over to the table.
Mary Elizabeth shook her head. Rose Anna had been moping around about John just weeks ago, but now she was flirting with Mark.
“Gut-n-owed.”
She turned and stared into the face of a man she’d seen earlier that day in the church service but hadn’t met.
“I’m Ben Miller,” he said. “I just moved here from Indiana.”
“Mary Elizabeth Zook. Nice to meet you.”
She stared up at him. He was at least six inches taller than her, and she was the tallest girl in her family. It was kind of nice, she thought. And he had the bluest eyes and nicest smile. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Sam smile.
“I moved here a week ago from Indiana. Luke Miller is my cousin.”
“Luke mentioned you were moving here last time we spoke,” she told him. “You’ll be joining him and his dat making furniture.”
“Ya, I’m looking forward to it.” He took a deep breath and glanced around. “I smell honeysuckle. It’s already summer here.”
“We have ridiculously short spring seasons in Paradise,” she said. “They’re over in a blink.”
“Want something to drink?”
“Schur.” They walked over to the refreshment table. There was still a little time before the singing began again.
“You sing many of the same hymns I grew up with. Not everything’s the same in this community, though.”
“Sometimes the Englisch think the Amish are all alike no matter what state we live in.” She picked up a plate of brownies and offered it to him.
He took one and bit into it. “Gut.”
“Danki,” she said with a smile.
“You made these? They’re great. I think I’ll have another.”
She held out the plate just as Anna called everyone back to the singing.
Ben grabbed a paper napkin, wrapped the brownie in it, and stuck it in a pocket. “Talk to you after? Maybe give you a ride home?”
“I can’t tonight,” she said. “I came with my schweschder.” When she saw his disappointment, she felt her spirits lift. “But we could take a ride tomorrow if you like.”
“Ya, I’d like.”
Rose Anna lifted her eyebrows in question as Mary Elizabeth joined the others to sing, but she could hardly talk to her now.
The minute the singing was over, Rose Anna made her way to her side. “So, tell me about the new guy.”
She didn’t have much to tell. They hadn’t had long enough to talk. But her mood was light as they rode home.
The next day Mary Elizabeth knocked at the back door of Lavina and David’s house, then walked inside.
Waneta turned from the stove where she was cooking breakfast. “Well, guder mariye. What brings you here this morning?”
“I thought I’d help Lavina in the garden before it gets too warm.”
“I’ve been helping her some since she’s not feeling gut in the morning,” Waneta said. She turned off the flame under the frying pan. “I’ll go get her.”
“I’ll be outside.”
Lavina came out a little while later. Her face had that same faint greenish tinge like yesterday. “You didn’t have to come.”
“I want to help. Mornings are rough for you, and since it’s getting so warm, I know gardening has to be quite a chore.”
Lavina sighed. “Spring in Lancaster County seems shorter and shorter each year.”
“I can’t agree with you more.” She glanced around. “Shall I do some weeding first?”
“That would be wunderbaar.”
Waneta came out and the three of them got to work, and soon there was a pile of weeds at their sides. David walked over from his work in the fields and looked closely at his wife.
“I’m fine,” she told him. “Don’t fuss.”
He scanned her face, his forehead puckered in concern. “You look warm.”
“As long as you don’t tell me I look green,” she said tartly. She stood, dusting her hands. “I think we’ve done all we need to this morning. Let’s dump the weeds, go inside, and get something to drink.”
“Sounds gut to me,” Waneta said. “My knees are telling me they’ve had enough.”
David hurried over to hold out a hand and she took it gratefully. “You’re not old enough to complain about aging,” he told her, his eyes twinkling.
“I’m old enough.” She glanced around. “Where’s your dat?”
“Arguing with Sam.”
Waneta shook her head. “Those two. Sam’s kind enough to come here on Saturdays and help with the farm. Amos should be nicer to him.”
“They’ll work it out,” David assured her. “Dat and I did.”
“Do you think they ever will?” Mary Elizabeth asked Lavina