head. She wanted to help now. But where had she been the past year?
He tamped down the memories of her bringing by casseroles and pies those first couple of months.
If he could admit the truth to himself, then he needed to stay a little angry at her. Otherwise he might find himself head over heels for her once again.
The three-hour service seemed to fly by for Emily. Maybe it was because James found such joy in the Word. He kept his glasses on during the service to help with the glare streaming in from the large windows, but she could tell. He only took his gaze from the speaker when the congregation was asked to kneel and pray.
His happiness was nearly tangible like the heat rising off the pavement in August. She could feel the elation he had for being out, being in church, and just being.
At the end of the service, the benches were flipped over and pushed together to make tables for the food service. Both Joy and Elam tried to take over the care of James, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He looped his arm through Emily’s for balance and did his best to talk to everyone he saw.
Emily could tell it was both fun and hard for him. Some people he remembered right off, while others had names that eluded him. In the end, she would allow him a chance to remember, then she’d whisper the name as to not allow him to get frustrated.
“Will you eat with me?” James asked as the women began serving the meal.
Emily hesitated. The men were served first, then the women and children. As in church, the males and females separated from each other, sometimes even sitting across the yard from one another.
“I know that it’s not . . . not . . .”
“Customary?” she supplied.
James smiled. “ Jah, but I want to talk with you more.”
“Okay,” she said, unable to refuse him. He was such a kind soul. His family had been through so much. If he wanted to talk while they ate, then that was what they would do. If the church elders had a problem with it, then she would deal with it later. “I will find us some place shady to eat.”
James gave a small nod. He looked tired, as if the morning had been too much for him.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go home and rest?”
“ Nay, ” he said. “I can rest next Sunday.”
She made them both a plate and together they walked to the shade of the large maple tree. Already the leaves had begun to change, turning a brilliant orange against the clear blue sky.
They garnered a few looks as they settled down together under the branches, but no one said a word. Among those looks was the hard stare of Elam Riehl. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or thoughtful.
“My son is jealous,” James said as if he could read her thoughts.
“W-what?” she stammered.
James took a bite of the cheese and cracker stacks she had made for him. She had purposefully chosen food he could eat with his fingers, things he wouldn’t spill with his unsteady hands. “I think he would rather be over here eating with a pretty maedel instead of with the men.”
Emily laughed. “Did you do this on purpose?”
James dropped his chin to his chest, but not before she caught the quick flash of his grin. “ Jah . A man must seize his opportunities.”
“Is that what you call it?”
“For sure and for certain.”
They ate in a comfortable silence while everyone around them chatted amongst themselves. James seemed to be content to just be outside, be among the others, even if he couldn’t participate as he had before the accident.
“I am different now than I was before,” he said, startling her out of her own thoughts. Could he read her mind? “I know this.”
“It does not mean the change is bad.”
“I know I’m not as quick-minded as I used to be.”
She didn’t know how to respond, so she kept quiet and let him continue.
“ Danki, Emily Ebersol, for treating me like I am.”
Emily swallowed hard, unable to get the last bite of her biscuit past the lump of emotion in her
He tamped down the memories of her bringing by casseroles and pies those first couple of months.
If he could admit the truth to himself, then he needed to stay a little angry at her. Otherwise he might find himself head over heels for her once again.
The three-hour service seemed to fly by for Emily. Maybe it was because James found such joy in the Word. He kept his glasses on during the service to help with the glare streaming in from the large windows, but she could tell. He only took his gaze from the speaker when the congregation was asked to kneel and pray.
His happiness was nearly tangible like the heat rising off the pavement in August. She could feel the elation he had for being out, being in church, and just being.
At the end of the service, the benches were flipped over and pushed together to make tables for the food service. Both Joy and Elam tried to take over the care of James, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He looped his arm through Emily’s for balance and did his best to talk to everyone he saw.
Emily could tell it was both fun and hard for him. Some people he remembered right off, while others had names that eluded him. In the end, she would allow him a chance to remember, then she’d whisper the name as to not allow him to get frustrated.
“Will you eat with me?” James asked as the women began serving the meal.
Emily hesitated. The men were served first, then the women and children. As in church, the males and females separated from each other, sometimes even sitting across the yard from one another.
“I know that it’s not . . . not . . .”
“Customary?” she supplied.
James smiled. “ Jah, but I want to talk with you more.”
“Okay,” she said, unable to refuse him. He was such a kind soul. His family had been through so much. If he wanted to talk while they ate, then that was what they would do. If the church elders had a problem with it, then she would deal with it later. “I will find us some place shady to eat.”
James gave a small nod. He looked tired, as if the morning had been too much for him.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go home and rest?”
“ Nay, ” he said. “I can rest next Sunday.”
She made them both a plate and together they walked to the shade of the large maple tree. Already the leaves had begun to change, turning a brilliant orange against the clear blue sky.
They garnered a few looks as they settled down together under the branches, but no one said a word. Among those looks was the hard stare of Elam Riehl. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or thoughtful.
“My son is jealous,” James said as if he could read her thoughts.
“W-what?” she stammered.
James took a bite of the cheese and cracker stacks she had made for him. She had purposefully chosen food he could eat with his fingers, things he wouldn’t spill with his unsteady hands. “I think he would rather be over here eating with a pretty maedel instead of with the men.”
Emily laughed. “Did you do this on purpose?”
James dropped his chin to his chest, but not before she caught the quick flash of his grin. “ Jah . A man must seize his opportunities.”
“Is that what you call it?”
“For sure and for certain.”
They ate in a comfortable silence while everyone around them chatted amongst themselves. James seemed to be content to just be outside, be among the others, even if he couldn’t participate as he had before the accident.
“I am different now than I was before,” he said, startling her out of her own thoughts. Could he read her mind? “I know this.”
“It does not mean the change is bad.”
“I know I’m not as quick-minded as I used to be.”
She didn’t know how to respond, so she kept quiet and let him continue.
“ Danki, Emily Ebersol, for treating me like I am.”
Emily swallowed hard, unable to get the last bite of her biscuit past the lump of emotion in her
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