tomorrow,” she said with a wink and a smile. “But you can’t work and catch up with Mattie at the same time. Tonight will be a time to talk and enjoy each other’s company, jah ?”
“Jah,” Mattie said instantly. “I must admit that I’m terribly interested in all that you’ve been doing.”
Before Lucy could utter a word, Aunt Jenna nodded her approval. “That’s settled, then. While you two catch up, I’ll bring you some snacks. Are you hungry, Lucy?”
“I am.” Then, noticing her wrinkled dress with some dismay, she murmured, “But soon, I’m afraid, I’m going to need to take a hot shower and get to bed.”
“We can offer you a bed and shower,” Mattie replied with a smile, “but not yet. First, let’s go to my sitting room and visit. I’m in no mood to let you out of my sight.”
They walked through the entryway, past the quiet family room. After crossing another threshold, they entered a beautiful room, lit with two kerosene lamps. One whole side was composed of sparkling clean glass, while another had windows that were open. The warm spring breeze fluttered through the screens, filling the room with the blissful aroma of fresh flowers and cut grass.
Even after they took a seat, Mattie still held her arm. Lucy used the opportunity to take another look at her cousin.
Careful inspection revealed faint smudges under her eyes. She also seemed to hold herself stiffly, as if she was in pain. And underneath her cousin’s bright smile and positive attitude lay something that Lucy could sense . . . a wealth of worries.
It was recognizable. Lucy herself had practiced that smile a lot during her marriage with Paul.
Mattie was not all right at all.
Moments later, Aunt Jenna carried in a finely crafted wooden tray loaded with a bowl of berries and two plates of zucchini bread. “Here you two girls go,” she said. “You enjoy, and relax. I’ll go put your bag in your bedroom, Lucy.”
Lucy stood. “Aunt Jenna, I’ll do that.”
“ Nee . I will,” she said airily as she left the room.
“Tell me about your trip,” Mattie said when they were alone again. “What, exactly, caused your train to stop running?”
“I’m not precisely sure. It had an electrical problem or some such thing.” Lucy paused to sip her delicious tea. “At first, I was scared. The rain was pouring, and thunder and lightning ran across the sky. The lights in our car kept going off.”
“Lucy! And with you traveling alone, too!” Mattie set a thick slice of the moist bread on her plate and pushed it her way. “I bet you were terribly afraid.”
After taking a bite, Lucy spoke. “I was, at first. But then I soon realized that the only thing to do was make the best of it. Panicking and fretting didn’t solve any problems.”
“So what did you do? Crochet?”
“Nee!” Lucy replied with a laugh. “At first it was too dark to do much, and then I started talking to an Amish man and his sister.”
“Truly?” Her cousin mused. “I’m surprised about that, I must say. I didn’t think you ever spoke to men, especially to strange ones.”
“I usually don’t, but he was friendly . . . and then it turned out that we had something in common.”
“Oh?”
“He was from right here in Jacob’s Crossing.”
Mattie’s look of surprise mirrored the feelings Lucy had fostered. “Who is it?”
“Calvin Weaver.”
“Oh my word.” Mattie leaned forward, her eyes bright. “Lucy, our families have lived next to each other for years.”
“That’s what he said. I still can’t believe the coincidence.”
Looking at Lucy closely, Mattie said, “So tell me. How did you two get along?”
“At first, things were a little uncomfortable. He’s kind of a gregarious sort, and as you know, I am not.”
“All the boys in his family are,” Mattie said. “Though I would have to say that Calvin is the most outgoing. Loyal is slightly more serious; and Graham, well, Graham is a more introspective sort of
“Jah,” Mattie said instantly. “I must admit that I’m terribly interested in all that you’ve been doing.”
Before Lucy could utter a word, Aunt Jenna nodded her approval. “That’s settled, then. While you two catch up, I’ll bring you some snacks. Are you hungry, Lucy?”
“I am.” Then, noticing her wrinkled dress with some dismay, she murmured, “But soon, I’m afraid, I’m going to need to take a hot shower and get to bed.”
“We can offer you a bed and shower,” Mattie replied with a smile, “but not yet. First, let’s go to my sitting room and visit. I’m in no mood to let you out of my sight.”
They walked through the entryway, past the quiet family room. After crossing another threshold, they entered a beautiful room, lit with two kerosene lamps. One whole side was composed of sparkling clean glass, while another had windows that were open. The warm spring breeze fluttered through the screens, filling the room with the blissful aroma of fresh flowers and cut grass.
Even after they took a seat, Mattie still held her arm. Lucy used the opportunity to take another look at her cousin.
Careful inspection revealed faint smudges under her eyes. She also seemed to hold herself stiffly, as if she was in pain. And underneath her cousin’s bright smile and positive attitude lay something that Lucy could sense . . . a wealth of worries.
It was recognizable. Lucy herself had practiced that smile a lot during her marriage with Paul.
Mattie was not all right at all.
Moments later, Aunt Jenna carried in a finely crafted wooden tray loaded with a bowl of berries and two plates of zucchini bread. “Here you two girls go,” she said. “You enjoy, and relax. I’ll go put your bag in your bedroom, Lucy.”
Lucy stood. “Aunt Jenna, I’ll do that.”
“ Nee . I will,” she said airily as she left the room.
“Tell me about your trip,” Mattie said when they were alone again. “What, exactly, caused your train to stop running?”
“I’m not precisely sure. It had an electrical problem or some such thing.” Lucy paused to sip her delicious tea. “At first, I was scared. The rain was pouring, and thunder and lightning ran across the sky. The lights in our car kept going off.”
“Lucy! And with you traveling alone, too!” Mattie set a thick slice of the moist bread on her plate and pushed it her way. “I bet you were terribly afraid.”
After taking a bite, Lucy spoke. “I was, at first. But then I soon realized that the only thing to do was make the best of it. Panicking and fretting didn’t solve any problems.”
“So what did you do? Crochet?”
“Nee!” Lucy replied with a laugh. “At first it was too dark to do much, and then I started talking to an Amish man and his sister.”
“Truly?” Her cousin mused. “I’m surprised about that, I must say. I didn’t think you ever spoke to men, especially to strange ones.”
“I usually don’t, but he was friendly . . . and then it turned out that we had something in common.”
“Oh?”
“He was from right here in Jacob’s Crossing.”
Mattie’s look of surprise mirrored the feelings Lucy had fostered. “Who is it?”
“Calvin Weaver.”
“Oh my word.” Mattie leaned forward, her eyes bright. “Lucy, our families have lived next to each other for years.”
“That’s what he said. I still can’t believe the coincidence.”
Looking at Lucy closely, Mattie said, “So tell me. How did you two get along?”
“At first, things were a little uncomfortable. He’s kind of a gregarious sort, and as you know, I am not.”
“All the boys in his family are,” Mattie said. “Though I would have to say that Calvin is the most outgoing. Loyal is slightly more serious; and Graham, well, Graham is a more introspective sort of
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