“But they liked to have their fun,” Bram put in as he grinned at his wife. “And they were so irresistibly cute that Nate and I fell for them hook, line, and sinker—even though we knew they wouldn’t become wives who agreed to do everything a typical Amish husband would expect of them.”
Jude laughed softly. “Jah, from what I’ve observed, you two couples are anything but typical—and I’m seriously impressed with the life you’ve made for yourselves at such a young age,” he added. “You give me hope that Alice and Adeline can turn themselves around and someday become responsible adults and gut wives.”
“Don’t give up on them,” Martha said softly. “And don’t forget to tell them when they do things right.”
“Jah, they need you more than they know,” Mary added solemnly.
* * *
When Jude steered the rig into the lane midmorning on Friday, his heart felt lighter—renewed by the love he’d shared with Leah in the company of the Kanagy family. “Look at this,” he said to Leah as Stevie raced out of the house, running toward them full-tilt. “I think our boy missed us.”
“Dat! Leah!” Stevie hollered. “I’ve been waitin’ and watchin’ for ya to come home!”
Jude stopped the rig and hopped out its door to catch Stevie, who rushed into his arms. He hoisted the laughing boy above his head, twirling him in the air just to hear the joyful sound of his laughter and to share his son’s unabashed love and excitement. Jude lowered Stevie to his shoulder, hugging him hard. “So how’d it go with Uncle Jeremiah and your two mammis?” he asked. He figured his boy’s account might be more accurate than the story the twins told him.
Leah had joined them, happily wrapping her arms around Jude and Stevie so the three of them formed an affectionate huddle. “It’s gut to see you, Stevie,” she said as she rumpled his thick brown hair. “We stayed in a nice inn, but it was very quiet there without you—and without any goats or ducks or cattle or chickens to tend.”
Stevie beamed at them. “Me and Uncle Jeremiah took real gut care of the animals,” he said, nodding vigorously. “I showed him how to feed ’em their rations, and he took me out every afternoon on his big ole horse—to get away from the girls and have some man time, ya know.”
Jude laughed as the three of them climbed into the rig. Jeremiah’s dappled gray Percheron was an impressive animal—he stood several hands higher than the bishop—so Stevie had no doubt been delighted to sit atop the huge horse with his uncle.
“Did Mammi Lenore and Mammi Margaret spoil you by cooking all your favorite meals and treats?” Leah asked, smiling as Stevie perched between her and Jude on the seat. “And how did little Betsy do?”
Jude noticed that Leah had asked about everyone except the twins, perhaps trying to extend their peaceful getaway for as long as possible—and he couldn’t blame her. He had vowed to return to the Kanagy place with her every now and again because the placid inn in the countryside had restored their souls. And Mary’s and Martha’s remarks about dealing with teenagers had also convinced him to remain firm in his convictions about how to raise his rebellious daughters.
“They made us chocolate chip cookies and nanner cream pie—and ’sketti with cheese on top!” Stevie crowed. “It was awesome! Betsy’s doin’ real gut, too—and Alice and Adeline even like her now, maybe coz both mammis thought they should be payin’ more attention to her.”
Jude glanced at Leah over the top of Stevie’s rumpled hair. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask, Do we dare hope this improvement will continue? Leah shrugged, her expression hopeful. It was indeed good news that the twins were finally spending time with the baby . . . because maybe if they paid more sisterly attention to Betsy, they wouldn’t feel the need to sneak away from home with those English boys.
Jude steered Rusty into the stable, thinking of one more subject to discuss with his son before they entered the house. “Did your sisters stay home while we were gone?” he asked as he set the buggy’s brake. “Did they rifle through any more rooms looking for the cell phone?”
Stevie smiled knowingly. “They still haven’t found it. And they think Dexter and Phil are probably ready to throw them under the bus,” he replied.
“Throw them under the bus?” Leah asked. “What bus runs out here in the country?”
“Dexter and Phil?” Jude queried. His heart pounded with the thought that more of Alice and Adeline’s secrets might’ve just been revealed.
“That’s the two English guys they’ve been chasin’ after,” Stevie confirmed. He shrugged as he looked at Leah. “I dunno about the bus thing. Do ya think they’re gonna take a trip or somethin’? I haven’t heard ’em say no more about that.”
Jude climbed out of the buggy and let his son jump down onto the floor. If he’d chastised Alice and Adeline for listening through the walls, he should be consistent with Stevie—even if his son often provided pertinent information. “You know it’s wrong to listen to the girls with your ear to their bedroom wall—or at the space under their door—jah?” he asked sternly.
Stevie raised his arms in an exaggerated shrug. “When they start squabblin’ about how ticked off Dexter and Phil must be, coz of the cell phone thing, ya can’t help but hear what they say, Dat,” he protested. “Sometimes I’m just goin’ down the hall to my room, mindin’ my own business.”
Jude bit back a smile. Stevie ran ahead of them to the house, and when they entered the kitchen the aromas of roasting chicken and vegetables made his stomach rumble. His mother and Leah’s were rolling out piecrust at one end of the kitchen table while Jeremiah sat at the other end with a mug of coffee, reading the latest issue of The Budget. The three of them confirmed Stevie’s assessment
