The Bridge of Peace by Cindy Woodsmall Page B

As they passed the Graber house, she saw Grey just inside the barn, unfettering his horse. Elsie was walking up the sidewalk toward their home, looking every bit as unhappy as when she’d arrived at the service.
    Jonathan took a deep breath. “This year the first of October is as beautiful as I’ve ever seen.”
    She didn’t say anything, and he nudged her. “Do you live in Hope Crossing most of the time or inside your own thoughts?”
    Deborah shrugged, trying to snap out of her reclusive mood.
    Jonathan matched her shrug with a smile that said he was teasing. “Ever get tired of thinking about him?”
    She bristled. “Actually, I wasn’t thinking of him at all.”
    The surprise on Jonathan’s face was sincere. “Oh … well … you are now.”
    She chuckled. “Not really. I want to make a success of Ada’s House so badly I can’t think of much else, except …”
    “Except?”
    “Elsie and Grey. I wonder about them.”
    Jonathan nodded. “There’s a story between those two, a sad one seems like. And here I was hoping you were thinking about how to fill a huge order of baked goods for me.”
    It bothered her for a woman to be as unhappy as Elsie seemed. Grey was harder to read. He always had a little humor or a kind word to add to every conversation. “Do you ever watch married couples and wonder if they’re happy?”
    He looked from the road to her. “This is odd—I know it is—but I’ve been watching pairs since I was a kid. From the time they start seeing each other and on through years of being married. It’s like a game of sorts. I pick who I think would make a good pair. Or when two people are seeing each other, I think, are they an okay, good, or great couple? Unfortunately, once I grew up, I had to add a group to my list called the fed-up couples.”

    “Wow, you’re deeper and weirder than I thought.”
    “I agree, but it came natural. I must’ve been five when I started couple watching.”
    “So what’d you think of Grey and Elsie before they married?”
    He slowed the rig as they came to a yield sign. “My observations are private. I’ve never told anyone what I think of a couple.”
    “Not even Lena?”
    “Nope.”
    “Then it’ll be our secret.”
    Jonathan studied her for a moment, as if deciding something. He nodded. “I hate to admit it, hated to feel it, but I thought Grey was making a poor choice. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what bothered me about her then, but now I’d say that Elsie’s chronically unhappy. Aren’t there too many spells of sadness in life for a person to be unhappy before the bad days even arrive?”
    “Ephraim and Anna Mary?”
    “Both great people. Could have been moderately happy at least half of the time, in my opinion.”
    “Half of the time?”
    “She’s a little needy—nothing ridiculous, mind you—but Ephraim is a little leave-me-alone-ish. Not the best union but better than lots.”
    “Okay, what about Emma and Levi Riehl?”
    “They’re almost old enough to be my parents, so I wasn’t around when they started seeing each other. But I think they fit like most solid couples do. They know how to help each other enjoy the good times and get through the tough ones.”
    “I can agree with that. What about Ephraim and Cara?”
    Jonathan chuckled. “Now there is an odd, odd pair. And I think they’ll always have some difficulty fitting in with the community as a couple, but within their home, within the relationship with just each other, I bet they’ll be happier than any couple I’ve ever known.”

    “Actually, you’re very good at this. I’ve thought similar things to everything you just said. So what did you think of me and Mahlon?”
    “Not going there, Little Debbie.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I think you are really peculiar. You’re just not the kind of girl I’d ever talk to or share a buggy with,” Jonathan teased. “And if I tell you all that, you’ll get out of my buggy, and then you won’t be