trying to remind Amos of the gravity of this matter. She could snap with very little provocation.
Amos turned to M.K. “And when you heard the police siren, you made a fast break into someone’s driveway, leaving Jimmy to get caught by the police officer.”
M.K. started to smirk, but Jimmy saw it and glowered at her. Her smile faded.
Edith drew herself up tall. “The police officer brought Jimmy home and said he would forget about a ticket if Jimmy would complete thirty-five hours of community service. One for every mile per hour, he said.” She touched the back of her bun. “Fortunate for us that policeman happens to be a regular egg customer at our hatchery.” Her glance shifted to M.K. “It only seems fair to have Mary Kate do the community service. She’s the one who tempted my Jimmy. After all, what boy can turn down a challenge?”
What?! M.K. was outraged. She wondered what would happen if she gave Edith Fisher the shock of her lifetime. For your information, Edith Fisher, your son Jimmy has a ten-speed bicycle hidden behind your stinky henhouse! He sneaks out late on Saturday nights and goes roaring around Stoney Ridge. It was a piece of valuable information M.K. had stumbled upon and tucked away, with many other Jimmy Fisher crimes and indignities and grievances, for future use.
“It’s high time Jimmy took responsibility for his actions,” Fern said. “You coddle that boy, Edith.”
Everyone whipped their heads around to face Fern, who had appeared out of nowhere like she usually did. Just as Edith was about to get up on her high horse, Amos held up a hand to stop her.
“Now, Fern,” Amos started. “We have no right to tell Edith how to raise her boy.”
Let Fern talk, Dad! M.K. started to say but thought better of it. Jimmy Fisher was coddled. She tried to hold back from shouting by conjuring up a picture of Jimmy staked out in the desert with vultures plucking at his flesh and flies swarming all over his gorgeous head. Unfortunately, she couldn’t make the image gruesome enough. Still, it was a satisfying thought.
“They should both do the community service,” Fern said. “It would do them good.”
Fern! So intrusive!
Amos nodded. “Now, that does seem only fair, Edith.”
“I know of someone who needs help,” Sadie said.
M.K. looked aghast into Sadie’s steady blue eyes. Et tu, Brutus? She would have loved to say it aloud but what was the point? Gid was the only one who understood and enjoyed her references to Shakespeare. Everyone else always looked at her as if she were speaking Polish.
Sadie ignored her silent pleas. “An older man. Someone from the Swartzentruber colony.”
“But they all left the area,” Amos said. “A few months ago, the colony up and moved to Ohio to join a larger settlement.”
“This old man must not have gone with them. He’s all alone,” Sadie said. “Maybe on Saturdays, Jimmy could do yard work and M.K. could help with the cooking and cleaning.”
M.K. envisioned months and months of Saturdays down the drain. Worse still, she would have to spend them with the likes of Jimmy Fisher. She raised a finger in the air. “Before this is a fait accompli, I’d just like to point out that—”
Cutting her off at the quick, Fern said, “Sounds like an ideal solution.”
And that was it. M.K.’s fate was sealed. Her Saturdays, for the foreseeable future, were ruined.
Even Edith Fisher looked placated. “I suppose that would suffice. I’ll go along with them on Saturday, just to make sure everything is on the up-and-up.” She arched an eyebrow in M.K.’s direction. “You’ve got no more direction than a newborn calf, and even less good judgment. Seems as if there’s enough trouble going on here at Windmill Farm. I would think you would give your poor father a break.”
“My sentiments exactly,” Sadie said, poking a finger at M.K.
Amos raised an eyebrow. “I’ll go talk to the old Swartzentruber fellow. Plan on them starting next
Amos turned to M.K. “And when you heard the police siren, you made a fast break into someone’s driveway, leaving Jimmy to get caught by the police officer.”
M.K. started to smirk, but Jimmy saw it and glowered at her. Her smile faded.
Edith drew herself up tall. “The police officer brought Jimmy home and said he would forget about a ticket if Jimmy would complete thirty-five hours of community service. One for every mile per hour, he said.” She touched the back of her bun. “Fortunate for us that policeman happens to be a regular egg customer at our hatchery.” Her glance shifted to M.K. “It only seems fair to have Mary Kate do the community service. She’s the one who tempted my Jimmy. After all, what boy can turn down a challenge?”
What?! M.K. was outraged. She wondered what would happen if she gave Edith Fisher the shock of her lifetime. For your information, Edith Fisher, your son Jimmy has a ten-speed bicycle hidden behind your stinky henhouse! He sneaks out late on Saturday nights and goes roaring around Stoney Ridge. It was a piece of valuable information M.K. had stumbled upon and tucked away, with many other Jimmy Fisher crimes and indignities and grievances, for future use.
“It’s high time Jimmy took responsibility for his actions,” Fern said. “You coddle that boy, Edith.”
Everyone whipped their heads around to face Fern, who had appeared out of nowhere like she usually did. Just as Edith was about to get up on her high horse, Amos held up a hand to stop her.
“Now, Fern,” Amos started. “We have no right to tell Edith how to raise her boy.”
Let Fern talk, Dad! M.K. started to say but thought better of it. Jimmy Fisher was coddled. She tried to hold back from shouting by conjuring up a picture of Jimmy staked out in the desert with vultures plucking at his flesh and flies swarming all over his gorgeous head. Unfortunately, she couldn’t make the image gruesome enough. Still, it was a satisfying thought.
“They should both do the community service,” Fern said. “It would do them good.”
Fern! So intrusive!
Amos nodded. “Now, that does seem only fair, Edith.”
“I know of someone who needs help,” Sadie said.
M.K. looked aghast into Sadie’s steady blue eyes. Et tu, Brutus? She would have loved to say it aloud but what was the point? Gid was the only one who understood and enjoyed her references to Shakespeare. Everyone else always looked at her as if she were speaking Polish.
Sadie ignored her silent pleas. “An older man. Someone from the Swartzentruber colony.”
“But they all left the area,” Amos said. “A few months ago, the colony up and moved to Ohio to join a larger settlement.”
“This old man must not have gone with them. He’s all alone,” Sadie said. “Maybe on Saturdays, Jimmy could do yard work and M.K. could help with the cooking and cleaning.”
M.K. envisioned months and months of Saturdays down the drain. Worse still, she would have to spend them with the likes of Jimmy Fisher. She raised a finger in the air. “Before this is a fait accompli, I’d just like to point out that—”
Cutting her off at the quick, Fern said, “Sounds like an ideal solution.”
And that was it. M.K.’s fate was sealed. Her Saturdays, for the foreseeable future, were ruined.
Even Edith Fisher looked placated. “I suppose that would suffice. I’ll go along with them on Saturday, just to make sure everything is on the up-and-up.” She arched an eyebrow in M.K.’s direction. “You’ve got no more direction than a newborn calf, and even less good judgment. Seems as if there’s enough trouble going on here at Windmill Farm. I would think you would give your poor father a break.”
“My sentiments exactly,” Sadie said, poking a finger at M.K.
Amos raised an eyebrow. “I’ll go talk to the old Swartzentruber fellow. Plan on them starting next
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