The Guardian by Beverly Lewis Page B

replied while Benny fidgeted. “I wouldn’t mind a pet or two myself.”
    “He has an indoor cat now, too?” Maryanna sighed loudly and waved her hand in exasperation.
    Jodi’s antenna shot up. It was evident Toby had tremendous affection for Joshua, and Maryanna did not.
    “Doesn’t he know cats are meant to be mouse catchers?” Maryanna continued.
    “I don’t know.” Toby shook his head fast, his hair flying.
    “Maybe he cooks for his pets, ” Bertie said, leaning forward on the table to peer down at Toby. “Animals need to eat, too, ya know.”
    “But what do indoor rabbits eat?” Benny asked rambunctiously. “Same as outdoor ones, ain’t?”
    Toby frowned. “Why are ya pickin’ on our nice neighbor?” He appeared ready to say more when his mother nipped it in the bud and asked him to leave the table.
    Toby hung his head. “Sorry, Mamm.”
    Maryanna apologized to everyone for her son’s outburst. “Don’t know what’s got into him.”
    Mollie and Emmie looked at each other, then resumed eating.
    What’s going on? Jodi wondered as the table fell silent, except for the clink of utensils on plates and the occasional burp from Benny. Why is Maryanna so rattled?

    Joshua was a bit surprised to see Preacher Ephraim Yoder cutting through his field, coming this way again, carrying what looked like a loaf of bread.
    “Bishop John just told me the wonderful- gut news of Maryanna’s daughter’s safe return,” Ephraim said, handing him the bread. “My wife sent me back over here … guessin’ she’s worried ‘bout you.”
    “No need, but mighty kind of her. Denki.” Joshua motioned for the minister to follow him to the house, where he deposited the loaf on the counter and offered Ephraim some ice water. “Heard your daughter Rosaleen’s all done teaching.”
    Preacher nodded and bowed his head a bit. “Not sure I oughta say anything.”
    “Go right ahead.” Joshua was a firm believer in giving folk plenty of leeway. Some folk might call it rope.
    Preacher glanced at him and let out a guffaw. “That’s what I like ‘bout you, Josh.”
    “ Joshua, ” he said quietly, wishing the reminder would stick. Counting Maryanna, Preacher Yoder was the second person today who’d slipped up and called him by his childhood nickname.
    Preacher tugged on his beard, then continued. “Well, I rode over and gave my daughter’s beau an earful last week.”
    “Oh?”
    “Decided it was time he made up his mind to marry Rosaleen. The boy’s been seein’ her for two long years now. So I upped and told him right to his face: ‘Are ya gonna dilly-dally through life or make something of yourself?’ “
    Joshua’s ears pricked. “How’d he take it?”
    “Must’ve needed the nudge, ‘cause he proposed to her the very next day.”
    “Ah, so you’re the reason the school board’s frettin’ over who to choose for a teacher this fall?”
    “You heard this?” Preacher removed his straw hat and fanned himself.
    “Sure. The grapevine’s got your daughter hitched come November wedding season.”
    “At long last.”
    “Word’s out that there aren’t any scholarly girls suitable to take Rosaleen’s place teachin’.”
    “Is that right?”
    “The only graduate in last year’s crop was a poor pupil, is what I heard. Not qualified to take on the task.”
    There was a long and awkward silence, and the longer he waited, the more Joshua wondered what the preacher was thinking.
    “You’re a rather young man yourself, Joshua,” the preacher began slowly. “Why don’t ya think of settling down with one of the younger widows in the district? Remarry?”
    Joshua shook his head.
    “Widow Ida’s real nice—God-fearing, too. What are you waitin’ for?”
    He sighed, mulling that over. At last, he said, “If the woman you’ve got your eye on won’t have you, what should ya do?”
    “I’d say to set your sights on another.”
    Joshua pondered that. “But what if you don’t care for anyone