throat. “I only treat you like a person.”
He shook his head. “Joy and Elam,” he slowly started. “They coddle me. They won’t let me do for myself.”
“They love you very much.”
“I know.”
“They are only trying to protect you.”
“I don’t want to be protected. I want to live.”
Emily fell silent. She supposed a nearly fatal accident would do that to a person. It would definitely make her want to make the most of the life she had left.
“James.” Joy approached, her expression unreadable. “You have kept Emily to yourself for too long now. Are you ready to go home?”
“Can we stay just a little longer please? I haven’t had dessert yet.”
Joy’s brow puckered into a frown, but otherwise her expression remained unreadable. “It’s time for your pain medication.”
“I would rather have a piece of Esther Lapp’s banana cream pie.”
“Esther Fitch,” Emily corrected. “She got married, you know.”
James tilted his head at a thoughtful angle, like a pup deciphering a sound. “She got married?”
“To Abe Fitch.”
He turned his eyes to his wife. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Joy shrugged. “It didn’t seem important.”
“It is very important,” he insisted.
If the pitch of his tone was any indication, he was about to have a meltdown. As a former schoolteacher, she had seen it too many times to count.
Emily laid a comforting hand on James’s sleeve. “What Joy means to say is, in light of your injury and healing, the news about the wedding had to be prioritized.”
A frown wrinkled his strong brow, almost hiding the scar that ran from one temple and disappeared under the brim of his hat. “I don’t know what that word means now.”
“It means things are placed in order of importance,” Emily explained. “The wedding wasn’t as important as allowing you time to heal.”
“Bet it was to Esther and Abe.”
She couldn’t stop the bark of laughter from escaping. “I’m sure you are right about that, James Riehl.”
“Emily, will you help me get him up?”
She stood, even though she knew James did not want to go just yet. She had pushed the boundaries with his family enough for one day.
“I want dessert.” James stuck out his bottom lip, but allowed them to hoist him to his feet.
“How about I get you a piece of pie to take home with you?”
James smiled, the look full of sheer ecstasy. “That would be gut, jah .”
Emily was getting her own slice of pie when Becky hustled over. “You’re going to be here tonight for the singing, jah? ”
She hadn’t really thought much about it. She had long since passed her days of youth groups and singings after church. “If you want me to be.”
Becky nodded. “ Jah . Of course.”
She ran her arm through Emily’s and pulled her along toward the barn.
Everyone had eaten, and the cleanup was nearly complete. Some families with smaller children had already begun to pack up for home.
“There is one other thing,” Becky said.
“ Jah? ”
“You need to talk Elam into staying.”
Emily’s feet stuck to the ground as if they had been nailed there. “Why do I need to do that?”
“So he can get to know Billy Beiler a bit more.”
“Are you sure that is all?”
Becky sighed. “All he does is work and take care of the farm. He is doing the job of two men. I’m afraid he’s going to be old before his time.”
“And attending the singing will help?”
“ Jah .” Becky nodded so vigorously her prayer kapp nearly flew off her head.
Yet Emily knew there was more to it than Becky was letting on.
“If you ask him, I am sure he will stay.”
“I would not count on that.” All he had for her these days was a scowl, a frown, or a moody look. Sometimes all three.
“It’s because he likes you, you know?”
“What?” Emily must have heard her wrong.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Becky said. “My bruder is smitten.”
Chapter Ten
Becky’s words echoed through her head as Emily
He shook his head. “Joy and Elam,” he slowly started. “They coddle me. They won’t let me do for myself.”
“They love you very much.”
“I know.”
“They are only trying to protect you.”
“I don’t want to be protected. I want to live.”
Emily fell silent. She supposed a nearly fatal accident would do that to a person. It would definitely make her want to make the most of the life she had left.
“James.” Joy approached, her expression unreadable. “You have kept Emily to yourself for too long now. Are you ready to go home?”
“Can we stay just a little longer please? I haven’t had dessert yet.”
Joy’s brow puckered into a frown, but otherwise her expression remained unreadable. “It’s time for your pain medication.”
“I would rather have a piece of Esther Lapp’s banana cream pie.”
“Esther Fitch,” Emily corrected. “She got married, you know.”
James tilted his head at a thoughtful angle, like a pup deciphering a sound. “She got married?”
“To Abe Fitch.”
He turned his eyes to his wife. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Joy shrugged. “It didn’t seem important.”
“It is very important,” he insisted.
If the pitch of his tone was any indication, he was about to have a meltdown. As a former schoolteacher, she had seen it too many times to count.
Emily laid a comforting hand on James’s sleeve. “What Joy means to say is, in light of your injury and healing, the news about the wedding had to be prioritized.”
A frown wrinkled his strong brow, almost hiding the scar that ran from one temple and disappeared under the brim of his hat. “I don’t know what that word means now.”
“It means things are placed in order of importance,” Emily explained. “The wedding wasn’t as important as allowing you time to heal.”
“Bet it was to Esther and Abe.”
She couldn’t stop the bark of laughter from escaping. “I’m sure you are right about that, James Riehl.”
“Emily, will you help me get him up?”
She stood, even though she knew James did not want to go just yet. She had pushed the boundaries with his family enough for one day.
“I want dessert.” James stuck out his bottom lip, but allowed them to hoist him to his feet.
“How about I get you a piece of pie to take home with you?”
James smiled, the look full of sheer ecstasy. “That would be gut, jah .”
Emily was getting her own slice of pie when Becky hustled over. “You’re going to be here tonight for the singing, jah? ”
She hadn’t really thought much about it. She had long since passed her days of youth groups and singings after church. “If you want me to be.”
Becky nodded. “ Jah . Of course.”
She ran her arm through Emily’s and pulled her along toward the barn.
Everyone had eaten, and the cleanup was nearly complete. Some families with smaller children had already begun to pack up for home.
“There is one other thing,” Becky said.
“ Jah? ”
“You need to talk Elam into staying.”
Emily’s feet stuck to the ground as if they had been nailed there. “Why do I need to do that?”
“So he can get to know Billy Beiler a bit more.”
“Are you sure that is all?”
Becky sighed. “All he does is work and take care of the farm. He is doing the job of two men. I’m afraid he’s going to be old before his time.”
“And attending the singing will help?”
“ Jah .” Becky nodded so vigorously her prayer kapp nearly flew off her head.
Yet Emily knew there was more to it than Becky was letting on.
“If you ask him, I am sure he will stay.”
“I would not count on that.” All he had for her these days was a scowl, a frown, or a moody look. Sometimes all three.
“It’s because he likes you, you know?”
“What?” Emily must have heard her wrong.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Becky said. “My bruder is smitten.”
Chapter Ten
Becky’s words echoed through her head as Emily
Similar Books
