now, and Esther was late, I wonder what Samuel would think about that. Was she ever late before we came to live here? Should he really be thinking of making her his wife?
“For goodness’ sake,” she said aloud. “I don’t even know what I think anymore. It wasn’t long ago that I didn’t want Esther here at all. Now I’m complaining that she’s not here to help me.”
Hannah got up from the table and moved over to the window, letting her thoughts focus on yesterday and the close friendship she’d noticed between Suzanne and Esther. It seemed like they had their heads together, laughing and talking, most of the day. Again, she found herself wishing for a friend—someone with whom she could share her deepest feelings and who wouldn’t criticize her for the things she said or did—someone she could be close to the way she had been with Mom.
Oh, how she wished her folks could have joined them for Thanksgiving, but maybe they could come for Christmas. She hoped she, Timothy, and Mindy would be living in their own place by then. The house Allen had mentioned to Timothy might be the one. Hannah hoped they could look at it soon, because she really wanted to be moved out of Samuel’s house before Christmas.
C HAPTER 15
W hat time will Allen be here?” Hannah asked as she, Timothy, and Samuel sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee on Saturday morning.
“Said he’d be here by nine o’clock.” Timothy glanced at the clock. “So we have about ten more minutes to wait.”
Hannah rose from her chair. “I’d better get Mindy’s coat on so we can be ready to go as soon as he arrives.”
Timothy shook his head. “I don’t think taking Mindy with us to look at the house is a good idea.”
Hannah quirked an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“We need to concentrate on checking out the house that Allen’s found, and having Mindy along would be a distraction. You know how active she can be sometimes.”
Hannah pursed her lips. “We can’t expect Samuel to watch her. He’ll have enough on his hands watching his own kinner today.”
“I don’t mind,” Samuel spoke up. “Penny and Marla will keep Mindy entertained, and she shouldn’t be a problem at all. The kids are all playing upstairs right now, so they’ll probably keep right on playing till they’re called down for lunch.”
Hannah tapped her foot as she contemplated what Samuel had said. He was pretty good with his children, so maybe Mindy would be okay left in his care. “Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind …”
Samuel shook his head. “Don’t mind a bit.”
“Okay, we’ll leave Mindy here.” Hannah glanced at the clock again. It was almost nine, and still no Allen. She really wished he’d show up so they could be on their way. And oh how she hoped the house he’d be taking them to see was the right one for them.
“Take a seat and have some more coffee,” Timothy said, motioning to her empty chair. “Allen’s probably running a little late this morning. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”
With a sigh, Hannah reluctantly sat down. She’d only taken a few sips of coffee when she heard Allen’s truck pull in. “Oh good, he’s here,” she said, jumping up and peeking out the kitchen window. “I’ll get my shawl.”
“Guess I’d better wear a jacket,” Timothy said, rising from his seat. “When I went out before breakfast to help Samuel and Leon with the chores, I realized just how cold it is out there.”
“Jah,” Samuel said with a nod. “Wouldn’t surprise me if we got some snow pretty soon.”
Hannah wrinkled her nose. “I hope not. I’m not ready for snow.”
“Well, the kinner might not agree with you on that.” Samuel chuckled. “I think they’d be happy if we had snow on the ground all year long.”
Hannah wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, set her black outer bonnet on her head, and hurried outside without saying another word. She had thought about going upstairs to tell Mindy good-bye but
“For goodness’ sake,” she said aloud. “I don’t even know what I think anymore. It wasn’t long ago that I didn’t want Esther here at all. Now I’m complaining that she’s not here to help me.”
Hannah got up from the table and moved over to the window, letting her thoughts focus on yesterday and the close friendship she’d noticed between Suzanne and Esther. It seemed like they had their heads together, laughing and talking, most of the day. Again, she found herself wishing for a friend—someone with whom she could share her deepest feelings and who wouldn’t criticize her for the things she said or did—someone she could be close to the way she had been with Mom.
Oh, how she wished her folks could have joined them for Thanksgiving, but maybe they could come for Christmas. She hoped she, Timothy, and Mindy would be living in their own place by then. The house Allen had mentioned to Timothy might be the one. Hannah hoped they could look at it soon, because she really wanted to be moved out of Samuel’s house before Christmas.
C HAPTER 15
W hat time will Allen be here?” Hannah asked as she, Timothy, and Samuel sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee on Saturday morning.
“Said he’d be here by nine o’clock.” Timothy glanced at the clock. “So we have about ten more minutes to wait.”
Hannah rose from her chair. “I’d better get Mindy’s coat on so we can be ready to go as soon as he arrives.”
Timothy shook his head. “I don’t think taking Mindy with us to look at the house is a good idea.”
Hannah quirked an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“We need to concentrate on checking out the house that Allen’s found, and having Mindy along would be a distraction. You know how active she can be sometimes.”
Hannah pursed her lips. “We can’t expect Samuel to watch her. He’ll have enough on his hands watching his own kinner today.”
“I don’t mind,” Samuel spoke up. “Penny and Marla will keep Mindy entertained, and she shouldn’t be a problem at all. The kids are all playing upstairs right now, so they’ll probably keep right on playing till they’re called down for lunch.”
Hannah tapped her foot as she contemplated what Samuel had said. He was pretty good with his children, so maybe Mindy would be okay left in his care. “Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind …”
Samuel shook his head. “Don’t mind a bit.”
“Okay, we’ll leave Mindy here.” Hannah glanced at the clock again. It was almost nine, and still no Allen. She really wished he’d show up so they could be on their way. And oh how she hoped the house he’d be taking them to see was the right one for them.
“Take a seat and have some more coffee,” Timothy said, motioning to her empty chair. “Allen’s probably running a little late this morning. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”
With a sigh, Hannah reluctantly sat down. She’d only taken a few sips of coffee when she heard Allen’s truck pull in. “Oh good, he’s here,” she said, jumping up and peeking out the kitchen window. “I’ll get my shawl.”
“Guess I’d better wear a jacket,” Timothy said, rising from his seat. “When I went out before breakfast to help Samuel and Leon with the chores, I realized just how cold it is out there.”
“Jah,” Samuel said with a nod. “Wouldn’t surprise me if we got some snow pretty soon.”
Hannah wrinkled her nose. “I hope not. I’m not ready for snow.”
“Well, the kinner might not agree with you on that.” Samuel chuckled. “I think they’d be happy if we had snow on the ground all year long.”
Hannah wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, set her black outer bonnet on her head, and hurried outside without saying another word. She had thought about going upstairs to tell Mindy good-bye but
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