I’m already praying for your safe trip home . . . and a joyful reunion with your siblings. They’ll be so happy to have you near them again! To be honest, I can’t say I blame them.
May God keep you and your Michigan family in His care always.
I’m so glad I met you, Lena Rose! My only regret is that we didn’t have more time together.
Sincerely yours,
Arden Mast
“I’m glad, too, Arden,” she whispered. “Ever so glad.” Reluctantly, she placed the note back in its envelope and put it in the drawer with his other occasional cards.
She continued reading the other farewell greetings, trying not to think too much about Arden. Even so, considering the fact that he had been so eager to court her and keep her right there in his beloved Leacock Township, she could not get over the fact that he’d not only come for the picnic, taking time off from his booming business, but had written such a nice send-off.
If only she could thank him in person . . . but she didn’t dare.
CHAPTER
34
After supper the following Monday, Lena wandered down the driveway and headed for the road, anxious to walk off some tension from packing. Tomorrow, she would at last depart for home.
She heard someone whistling a tune and turned to see Arden, his fishing pole slung over his shoulder. “Hullo,” Lena said when he spotted her. “Catch anything?”
“A few, but I tossed ’em back.”
“Oh?”
“Jah. Dat’s been fishin’ a lot lately, so Mamm’s plumb tired of cleaning and cookin’ fish.”
“So ya went just for the fun of it?”
He nodded. “Perty much.” Smiling, he stopped near the old tree that grew near the road, a shady spot where Lena had sometimes paused to read letters from home when she was too eager to wait till she got in the house. “But to tell the truth, I was hopin’ to see you one last time, Lena Rose.”
She didn’t let on that she’d hoped so, too. “Well, I’m all packed up and ready to go,” she said, trying for his sake not to sound too excited.
“Sure wish I could be a frog in the bog out there, observing your reunion with your siblings. ’Specially little Chris.”
She nodded. “It’s been such a long time. I can hardly wait now.”
“Well, I’ll be cheerin’ you on from here,” Arden said, and with a wink, he headed up the road.
She watched him go, and something inside her longed to run after him. Instead, she called, “Denki for bein’ such a gut friend!”
“It was easy, Lena Rose,” he said, turning to wave. “You made it easy.”
“Hatyee,” she whispered, scarcely able to speak and wishing they didn’t have to part. She couldn’t imagine not ever seeing him again. “So long, Arden.”
“Remember how we felt the day she came to us?” Harley asked Mimi as they stood at the end of the driveway, watching the taxicab take Lena Rose down the road.
“She was heartbroken, poor thing, yet she smiled for us,” Mimi said softly; then her hand was over her mouth.
“Lena Rose is always thinkin’ of others,” Harley murmured as he walked with Mimi toward the front porch, where they sat, nearly dazed. He hadn’t thought he’d be shedding tears over seeing the young woman off. But there he was, pulling his blue-and-white kerchief out of his trousers pocket.
“Aren’t we a sight?” Mimi said, patting his knee.
“She filled up the house with joy in spite of her own sadness.”
“I’ll say.” Mimi smiled at him. “Let’s think on that, jah?”
“It’s obvious she’s excited to go home,” Harley added. “Heard from Eli that Arden Mast encouraged her to go ahead with the teachin’ position out there.”
“Makes ya wonder.”
Harley nodded, agreeing with Mimi. How would Lena’s leaving affect what had seemed like a budding relationship between her and Arden?
Harley closed his eyes, taking this moment away from his field work to reminisce and to comfort Mimi. He imagined Lena Rose arriving in Centreville, running to meet that little brother of hers. He still could kick himself for never really knowing Jacob’s Elizabeth and their brood. But he’d been fortunate to know Lena Rose, and if she was any indication of who the rest of them were . . . well, Jacob had been a blessed man.
“You all right, love?” Mimi asked. “You’re awful quiet.”
“Just thinkin’, is all. You?”
Mimi patted his hand. “Manny and Tessa are bringin’ supper over tonight. Ain’t that nice?”
“Bringing the boy, too?” Harley chuckled.
“Oh, you—’course they are.”
Harley would have liked to stay put right there, but that would have to wait till someday when he could sit with this sweet woman of his for as long as he wished. “Time to finish plantin’ corn,” he said, rising with a grunt.
“I have work to do, too,” Mimi said.
“Why don’t ya leave redding up Lena Rose’s room for another day,” he suggested, thinking how hard it might be to do today.
“Ada’s comin’ tomorrow to help with that,” Mimi said as she walked into the house by way of the front door.
Harley headed back around the side, out to catch up with Eli and the field workers. O Lord in heaven, go with Lena Rose this day . . . and for all the days of her life, he prayed. Bless her with Thy loving-kindness and grace.
Glad for every stop during the long overnight bus trip, Lena stretched her legs as they finally pulled into the Elkhart, Indiana, station. She hoped the driver she’d lined up to get her to Centreville would be on time. Preacher Yoder’s farmhouse was close to her grandparents’ Dawdi Haus, as well as to where Emma, Verena, and Liz were living . . . none of them far from the schoolhouse, either. Lena Rose would be walking quite a lot to visit them, and happily so. After all the sitting and sewing, she thought with a smile, wondering how Mimi was doing now that she was gone. And Harley, too. Her last week there had been a whirlwind as she prepared to leave.
She smiled at the memory of the
