how to read, jah?”

Rebekah nodded. “It’s English that throws me.”

“It’s not easy learnin’ English when Deitsch is your first language. I can understand that.”

Rebekah smiled now. “Teachin’ must run in your family.”

“Well, I learned everything from Mamma.” Lena glanced across the kitchen at the children. “And I believe I can help ya.”

“How . . . where would we go ’bout this?” Rebekah asked. “It’d be embarrassing if my grandchildren knew. . . .”

“Maybe Mimi wouldn’t mind if you came by once a week over there—maybe on a Friday afternoon, once I’m done sewin’. But I’ll check with her first.”

Rebekah’s face lit up. “Jah, that’d be perfect. Cora Ruth can manage without me for an hour or so.”

Lena hoped this might be a way to make a difference for Rebekah, given that she seemed bereft of friends.

When Cousin Harley came for Lena, he offered his arm, as the weather had gotten even worse. She wondered how slowgoing it might be for Cora Ruth as she returned from the doctor’s, and mentioned this to Harley.

“Well, I saw her and the horse and carriage headed this way,” he replied.

“Maybe we should help her inside.”

“I thought of that,” Harley said, getting into the carriage warmed by hot bricks. They waited until they spotted Cora Ruth make the turn into the lane.

When Cora Ruth brought the horse and buggy to a stop, Harley walked gingerly over to help her down from the carriage and lead her inside. Then he returned to Cora Ruth’s horse and carriage and began to unhitch the mare while Lena remained in the Stoltzfus buggy under the heavy woolen blanket.

Harley made quick work of it and soon was guiding the horse to the stable, then parked the buggy in the carriage shed.

By the time they arrived home, Uncle Solomon and Eli were already eating with Mimi, who looked relieved when she saw Lena Rose. “Harley’s out getting unhitched,” Lena told her.

Eli jumped right up from the table. “I’ll go out an’ help.”

“We were prayin’ for yous to get home safely,” Solomon said, his right hand shaking as he reached for his water glass.

“Indeed we were,” Mimi admitted, still looking pleased they were home safely.

“We sure needed it.” Lena went on to say that Harley had seen to it that Cora Ruth also got into the house safe and sound. “And he took care of her horse, too.”

“That’s my Harley, always lookin’ out for others.” Mimi smiled.

“How we treat folk matters,” Dat always said, Lena thought, going back to the utility room to hang up her black bonnet and coat before making a beeline to the sink to wash her hands.

Mimi went to the table and poured hot coffee for both Lena Rose and Harley, topping off Solomon’s mug as well.

Solomon thanked Mimi and glanced toward the back door as it opened and in walked Harley and Eli. Solomon waved them over. “Kumme esse while it’s still hot.”

Harley removed his hat and his boots, dropping them to the utility room floor. Then he wandered into the kitchen. “The mules are real jumpy,” he said, pulling pieces of ice out of his beard. “Must be more bad weather comin’.”

Lena looked out the window before she took her seat at the table, observing thousands of giant flakes. “Looks like we might get snowed in,” she said.

“If so, we could definitely catch up on all the mending and whatnot,” Mimi suggested as she waited for her husband to go and wash up in the utility room.

“No matter how severe the weather,” Eli said, “the cows still have to be milked.”

Soon, Harley returned and joined them, bowing his head for the mealtime prayer.

Given what she’d experienced at the Ebersols’ today, Lena felt compelled to add another thank-you heavenward, and not just for the delicious spread before them—buttered noodles, fried chicken, and green beans with onion and ham bits—but for the amazing opportunity to assist a woman up in years with her reading.

Hans will be interested to hear about this, she thought later while serving dessert with Mimi.

But it was the recent memory of her and Arden Mast riding home from Singing with Eli and Lydia that made Lena Rose resist the smile that threatened as they all enjoyed Mimi’s pumpkin pie. No sense in drawing attention to myself over that!

CHAPTER

12

That evening alone with Mimi, while they washed the supper dishes, Lena shared about Rebekah’s difficulty reading English. “Would ya mind if she came over once a week for a while . . . so we can work together without her grandchildren around?”

“That’s fine—and what a kind gesture, I daresay.” Mimi was nodding, her expression thoughtful. “I had no idea Cora Ruth’s Mamm struggled thataway.”

“Prob’ly doesn’t want it known.”

“Nee . . . the poor woman’s been through enough here lately. Through the wringer and then some.” Mimi stopped right there, saying no more about Rebekah, which made Lena all the more curious yet again. What does Mimi know?

The very next afternoon, Lena Rose headed out to Gordonville Book Store in the carriage with Mimi at the reins. Lena talked about the kind of book she wanted to get for the first session with Rebekah Petersheim tomorrow, during the Ebersol twins’ nap time.

Mimi said very little as they rode along, the roadways mercifully mostly clear of snow. The prediction of being snowed in had never come to pass.

“Truth be told, I tried to put myself in Rebekah’s shoes. And I couldn’t stop thinkin’ how it would be if I was her age and my granddaughter asked to be read to,” Lena said. “I’d feel so frustrated . . . probably a little embarrassed, too.”

Mimi slowly bobbed her head. “Never thought of it thataway.” She looked at Lena, giving her a kindly smile. “It’s hard to understand how it could happen, really. Of course, Rebekah went to school back when we were all attending public schools along with Englischers. Maybe she got lost in the shuffle somehow.” Hands still on the driving lines, Mimi glanced over at Lena. “But since your Mamma was a schoolteacher, I’m sure

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