mother had made her views on Joel quite clear. She didn’t approve of Kristi’s boyfriend and thought she spent too much time with him.
Kristi’s throat felt dry as she swallowed. “I’m going in for a drink; my throat’s parched. Want me to bring you something when I come back out?”
“I wouldn’t mind a glass of lemonade. Help yourself to some. I made it fresh this morning.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’ll check on Dad while I’m in there.”
When Kristi entered the house, she picked up her cell phone, which she’d left on the kitchen counter, and glanced at the message icon to see if Joel may have called or sent a text. No messages showed, so apparently he hadn’t tried to get in touch with her.
He’s probably not back yet. Or he might have gotten busy with something and forgotten to call. Maybe I should call him.
After checking on her father, Kristi went back outside with the lemonade and her cell phone. “Here you go, Mom.”
Mom smiled and reached for the glass.
Kristi took a gulp of the cold liquid. “This sure tastes good. Do you want to take a break while we cool off?”
“You go ahead if you want to. I’m going to keep working.” Mom tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll join you after I pull a couple of these more stubborn weeds. Some of them feel like their roots go all the way to China.”
Kristi smiled as Mom set her glass down to play tug-of-war with a weed. Mom could also be stubborn, so those weeds didn’t have a chance.
Taking a seat on the grass, Kristi punched in Joel’s number. When it went to his voice mail, she left a message. “Hi, Joel, it’s me. Just wondered if you’re still out of town or back home by now. I’m at my mom’s, helping in the garden, but I’ll be home sometime this afternoon. So give me a call when you can and we’ll make plans for later.”
For the next few hours, Kristi kept busy pulling weeds and then picking green beans and cucumbers. Mom’s garden had done quite well this year, even with the weeds threatening to take over. Kristi wished she could have a garden of her own, but living in a condo with only a deck didn’t allow for growing much of anything. Kristi had managed to squeeze in a few pots of flowers on the deck, but a barbecue grill, small table, and two chairs took up the rest of the space.
Someday when she and Joel got married, she would have plenty of space for gardening. Joel had two acres of land. Even with his single-wide mobile home, garage, and shop, his yard had plenty of room for a garden as well as fruit trees. She was glad he’d chosen to live outside of town and not in the city like she did.
Of course, being in the city had some advantages. In addition to being closer to stores for shopping, Kristi worked at a nursing home not far from her condo. She’d have to commute once she and Joel were married, but it was a small trade-off. Having grown up in the suburbs of Akron, where Mom and Dad still lived, she had always longed to live in the country.
Kristi reflected on the trip she and Mom had taken nearly a month ago to Holmes County. The best part of the weekend had been seeing all the Amish buggies, homes, and farms in the area. She’d heard that Holmes County had the largest population of Amish in America, and tourism was on the rise every year. If Kristi had her way, she would live among the Amish, but moving there would be too far from her job. Besides, Joel had shown no interest in even visiting Amish country, so she was sure he’d never agree to move there.
Kristi brushed the dirt from her gloves and stood. “It’s almost noon, Mom. Should we stop and have lunch? I’d like to try calling Joel again, too.”
Mom wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “Stopping’s a good idea. We’ve done enough work for one day.” She rose to her feet. “I’ll go in and start lunch while you make your call.”
After Mom went inside, Kristi called Joel again. Still no answer, so she left another
Kristi’s throat felt dry as she swallowed. “I’m going in for a drink; my throat’s parched. Want me to bring you something when I come back out?”
“I wouldn’t mind a glass of lemonade. Help yourself to some. I made it fresh this morning.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’ll check on Dad while I’m in there.”
When Kristi entered the house, she picked up her cell phone, which she’d left on the kitchen counter, and glanced at the message icon to see if Joel may have called or sent a text. No messages showed, so apparently he hadn’t tried to get in touch with her.
He’s probably not back yet. Or he might have gotten busy with something and forgotten to call. Maybe I should call him.
After checking on her father, Kristi went back outside with the lemonade and her cell phone. “Here you go, Mom.”
Mom smiled and reached for the glass.
Kristi took a gulp of the cold liquid. “This sure tastes good. Do you want to take a break while we cool off?”
“You go ahead if you want to. I’m going to keep working.” Mom tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll join you after I pull a couple of these more stubborn weeds. Some of them feel like their roots go all the way to China.”
Kristi smiled as Mom set her glass down to play tug-of-war with a weed. Mom could also be stubborn, so those weeds didn’t have a chance.
Taking a seat on the grass, Kristi punched in Joel’s number. When it went to his voice mail, she left a message. “Hi, Joel, it’s me. Just wondered if you’re still out of town or back home by now. I’m at my mom’s, helping in the garden, but I’ll be home sometime this afternoon. So give me a call when you can and we’ll make plans for later.”
For the next few hours, Kristi kept busy pulling weeds and then picking green beans and cucumbers. Mom’s garden had done quite well this year, even with the weeds threatening to take over. Kristi wished she could have a garden of her own, but living in a condo with only a deck didn’t allow for growing much of anything. Kristi had managed to squeeze in a few pots of flowers on the deck, but a barbecue grill, small table, and two chairs took up the rest of the space.
Someday when she and Joel got married, she would have plenty of space for gardening. Joel had two acres of land. Even with his single-wide mobile home, garage, and shop, his yard had plenty of room for a garden as well as fruit trees. She was glad he’d chosen to live outside of town and not in the city like she did.
Of course, being in the city had some advantages. In addition to being closer to stores for shopping, Kristi worked at a nursing home not far from her condo. She’d have to commute once she and Joel were married, but it was a small trade-off. Having grown up in the suburbs of Akron, where Mom and Dad still lived, she had always longed to live in the country.
Kristi reflected on the trip she and Mom had taken nearly a month ago to Holmes County. The best part of the weekend had been seeing all the Amish buggies, homes, and farms in the area. She’d heard that Holmes County had the largest population of Amish in America, and tourism was on the rise every year. If Kristi had her way, she would live among the Amish, but moving there would be too far from her job. Besides, Joel had shown no interest in even visiting Amish country, so she was sure he’d never agree to move there.
Kristi brushed the dirt from her gloves and stood. “It’s almost noon, Mom. Should we stop and have lunch? I’d like to try calling Joel again, too.”
Mom wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “Stopping’s a good idea. We’ve done enough work for one day.” She rose to her feet. “I’ll go in and start lunch while you make your call.”
After Mom went inside, Kristi called Joel again. Still no answer, so she left another
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