“If this keeps up, it’ll stick to the road like whipped cream.” Lena’s mind was hundreds of miles away, in her beloved Centreville. Was snow falling there, too? She recalled one very gray December sky on her way home from Murk’s Village Store with Mamma. She’d watched the white flakes flutter down against a backdrop of stark tree trunks along the road. In just a short time, the snow had thickened so much that the trees were nearly invisible. Mamma had not fretted, though, only gone silent, and Lena had known she was praying.
Little Chris had stayed home with Dat that particular day, Lena recalled, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Chris might not be staring out the schoolhouse windows this very minute, thinking how easy it would be to catch snowflakes on his tongue at morning recess. Lena had saved the drawing he’d made for her after their phone conversation—a wonderful little pencil drawing of two pumpkins, one of them partially colored in with an orange crayon. Mammi had written For Lena near the bottom of the page. He’d printed his full name below it, the letters sloping downhill to the right. Everything about the drawing made Lena smile and miss her little brother.
She let herself daydream of Hans, too, thinking fondly of his occasional letters, and especially his latest, in yesterday afternoon’s mail. Oh, to have had the time to sit down immediately and write back, but Cousin Mimi’s orders were accumulating—perhaps because winter was upon them and customers were in need of coats and some mending of outer garments, too. There had been a surge of new requests in just the past few days.
I’ll stay up late tonight, Lena Rose mused, wishing she dared tell Hans of her deepest, most cherished hopes and dreams. Dreams of their life together as husband and wife. How soon before he’ll hint at marriage? she wondered.
She chided herself to be content—a mere two months had passed since her coming to Leacock Township, although it seemed longer.
She thought back to former Thanksgiving Days, recalling all the wondrous aromas of baking foods—turkey and stuffing and fresh rolls. And oh, the pies—mincemeat, pecan, and pumpkin!
Still musing, Lena spotted a gray enclosed carriage turn onto the lane. Recognizing Eli’s sweetheart-girl and her mother, Fannie, Lena snapped out of her daydream. “We have company,” she told Mimi, who’d already sat down and returned to work without Lena’s realizing it.
“Might be more customers,” Mimi said, sounding hopeful.
“Looks like it’s Fannie and Lydia Smucker,” Lena replied. “I’ll get the door.”
“Invite them in out of the cold, won’t ya?” Mimi’s voice was sweet.
Lena waited till the two women were coming up the back porch steps to greet them, both of them wearing royal blue dresses with matching blue capes and aprons beneath their short black coats, as well as for-good black shoes. They must be going somewhere in town, Lena thought as she opened the door and welcomed them in as Mimi had urged. “Willkumm. Your order is ready,” she said graciously. “Please follow me.”
“You sound so professional,” Lydia teased, giving her a smile. “Remember, we’re your friends, jah?”
“Of course,” Lena said, laughing softly as she motioned to them. “Won’t yous come with me? How’s that?”
“Much better.” Lydia grinned as they walked through the utility room into the kitchen, then on toward the sewing room.
Lydia’s way of teasing reminded Lena of Emma, but she brushed that aside and ushered them into the large room. There, Mimi looked up and stopped her work at the treadle machine.
“Nice surprise, seein’ yous,” Mimi said, getting up immediately and offering to take Fannie’s and Lydia’s coats.
“Ach, we can’t stay this time,” Fannie said, round roses on her cheeks. “ ’Tis real cold out, and who knows how much snow we’ll get. We’d best not tarry.”
Lydia looked more than a little disappointed as she followed Lena Rose over to the small counter, where she removed her wallet from her coat pocket. She waited till Lena tallied up the amount due and gave her cash for the full payment.
“I’ll write up your receipt,” Lena said, reaching for the pad.
“Ain’t necessary,” Lydia said with a glance over her shoulder. Then, in a rather conspiratorial manner, she lowered her voice and said, “You must know by now that I wish you’d come to the youth activities. Why not try the Singing after Thanksgiving?”
At the thought of going, Lena felt stressed. But looking into Lydia’s eyes just now, she had a strong feeling that Lydia would understand her reasons for staying away, yet Lena Rose was nearly tempted to agree, if only for the sake of friendship.
“I can’t thank you enough for askin’,” Lena said. “But . . .”
Lydia touched Lena’s hand. “Then why not join in the fun?” Lydia glanced her mother’s way, her expression indicating that she didn’t want anyone to wonder what they were discussing. “Won’t ya at least think ’bout it?”
As of yet, Lena really hadn’t contemplated mingling with the youth there, not when she was grieving. Even so, she was wondering what the months ahead were going to look like if she didn’t get to return home soon. Despite Uncle Noah’s assurance that she would be gone for but a few months, there had been no word about anything more than a Christmas visit. “It’s nice to be invited, but I shouldn’t go.” She almost added this time but thought better of it. “It’s just too soon.”
Lydia nodded sympathetically. “I’m here for you if ya want to talk,” she said as her mother called to her. “Everyone needs a friend.”
Because Lena was so surprised, even impressed, by Lydia’s keen interest in befriending her, she felt a little melancholy when Lydia and Fannie said their good-byes and headed back outdoors to their waiting horse and carriage.
CHAPTER
6
The morning before Thanksgiving, the muffled sound of hunters’ guns echoed in the distance and awakened Lena Rose. She rolled over and switched on the flashlight on the lamp table next to the bed and
