“I think I liked them even better than your sugar cookies.”
She waited for him to give her his usual smile, but he only straightened a set of place mats.
“Then it’s decided. I’ll make them for Monday, and I’ll save some for you to take home. How many would you like?”
“Two . . . no, three. I know I’m going to eat one on the way home.” He pulled on his gloves. “I need to get going or Mamm will worry.”
“I’m glad you don’t have to ride your bicycle. It’s cold out there tonight.”
“I’m thankful to have Nellie Belle for the winter. I appreciate your Dat thinking of us.” He started for the door. “I’ll see you at church tomorrow.”
He had just closed the door to the workshop when Rose giggled. “I told you the two of you are friends.”
“All right, maybe we’re becoming friends. But I don’t want to encourage anything more. That would ruin my chances with Amos.”
Rose bent her head over the day’s furniture orders. It wasn’t like her to stay silent.
“What is it?”
“I think you need to forget about Amos.”
Ada’s fingers grew cold. “What do you mean?”
“Amos was here this afternoon.” Rose still didn’t look at her.
“I know. He came in while you were at lunch.”
“He had a girl with him.”
“I saw her. I figured she must be his sister or a cousin. . . .” Ada let her voice trail off as Rose shook her head.
“They were much too friendly. They were very friendly.”
Ada’s stomach turned. “What do you mean?”
Rose put her pen down. “They were choosing furniture to furnish their home. Amos bought a bedroom set.”
Ada’s eyes blurred, but she kept her hands moving, straightening the place mats again, as if Rose’s words didn’t change anything.
Rose walked over and pulled Ada into a close hug. “I think the Great Cookie Campaign is over.”
CHAPTER SIX
The next Tuesday morning was Christmas Eve day. Matthias brushed Nellie Belle, getting her ready to drive to work. On Sunday, he had ended up staying home rather than going to the church meeting. Mamm had refused to ride in the buggy, and the day had been much too cold for her to walk the two miles to the Planks’ house, where the G’may met.
Leroy had noticed his absence and talked to him about it at work yesterday. When Matthias had explained the situation, Leroy had told him he would talk to Mamm. Leroy and his wife had visited yesterday evening, talking in the kitchen until after Matthias had gone upstairs to his room.
This morning, Matthias took his time in the barn, delaying having to deal with Mamm’s reaction to their visit until he couldn’t put it off any longer.
He picked up the morning milk pail steaming in the frosty air as he crossed the drive, and he opened the kitchen door with caution. Mamm’s moods had been mercurial over the last couple weeks. He couldn’t tell what he would meet when he opened the door.
This morning, Mamm sat at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in front of her. Yesterday, she had been banging pans on the counter. On Saturday morning, she had been in the living room, moving the furniture around. Today, her peaceful expression and the quiet house made Matthias uneasy. What was going on?
As he moved into the kitchen, she smiled. “Your breakfast is almost ready. I made an egg casserole last night and put it in the oven this morning.”
Matthias set the milk pail on the kitchen counter. “Are you feeling all right?”
She snorted. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“It’s just that ever since Leroy brought the horse and buggy, you’ve been upset.”
Mamm nodded. “You’re right.”
She got up and poured another cup of coffee for him, then checked the casserole before sitting down again. He joined her.
“It’s hard to say this, but I was wrong.”
Matthias spooned sugar in his coffee. “About the horse and buggy?”
“About you.” She sighed. “When your Dat passed on, I didn’t realize how much it affected me.”
“It was very sudden.” Matthias poured a bit of cream in his cup and watched the white and black blend into a warm brown as he stirred it. “Making the adjustment was hard on both of us.”
“That isn’t an excuse.” She pressed her lips together, then went on. “I guess I wanted things to stay the same. I didn’t want anything to change, but everything was out of my control. Selling the farm, giving up on our dream, moving back here to this house . . .” She looked at him. “Do you think this house is too small?”
Matthias nodded. “It is, but I don’t want to complain.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to have to sleep in the attic. It must get cold up there.”
He grinned. “As cold as it can be. But I have enough blankets to keep warm.”
Mamm shook her head, her eyes closed. “I can’t believe that I’ve been treating you like a little boy. You’re a grown man. Franny was right.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“Something Franny said yesterday when she and Leroy came by to visit. She was talking about her daughters, Rose and Ada. She said she thought Rose would be getting married soon, but she was glad that Ada would always be with her. I pointed out that Ada might very well marry one day, too, and we both had the same thought at once. It was clear to me that she wasn’t giving Ada the freedom to grow, and she saw that I was doing the same with you.” She took a sip of her coffee. “We cried about it at first, and then we laughed at what silly women we are.”
Matthias’s face warmed when Mamm mentioned Ada, then realized that she had said something about him. “What was that?”
“I said I’ve been thinking about it. I was wrong to let Simon take charge when your Dat passed on. You are nearly twenty now—”
“Mamm, I’m twenty-one.”
She smiled at him, her old mischievous look back. “I know that. I was
