The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unattached Neighbor (The Amish Quiltmaker #6)

Chapter 3

A da usually enjoyed church. She loved when all the voices combined in songs of worship. The sermons grounded and inspired her and always strengthened her resolve to be a better person.

But not today.

Today she had no desire whatsoever to be a better person. And it was all Enos Hoover’s fault.

All she could think about was how angry she was with him, even though Jesus said not to be angry and not to call your neighbor nasty names, even in your head. Unfortunately the gute Lord had taught, quite inconveniently, that if someone asked for your cloak, you should give them your coat also. Did that mean she was supposed to give Enos her six acres and the water shares? It didn’t help matters that Enos was sitting on the end of the row opposite Ada and she had a full view of him while the minister preached about love and kindness and all that other stuff that Ada didn’t want to hear.

It was very irritating that even though she wanted to dislike Enos completely, he sang “Das Loblied” with the appropriate solemnity and restraint, and he had a beautiful bass voice that resonated clear through the Sensenigs’ basement. Though few people would say Ada had any soft spots, she had a weakness for good tone and in-tune singing. She narrowed her eyes. If he wasn’t sitting there so smugly, singing the hymns on pitch and acting as if he belonged here, she might be able to dislike him less.

The man had no shame. He had shown up for gmay today as if he was completely innocent of any wrongdoing. As if he wasn’t trying to steal a piece of Ada’s farm. Ach , vell , it wasn’t technically Ada’s farm, but Dat wasn’t going to be much help.

When she’d told Dat about the letters and Enos and the six acres, Dat had straightened himself to his full height and declared that Enos Hoover wasn’t going to get an inch of their farm, but then he’d backed away and said that maybe Gotte wouldn’t let them into heaven if they didn’t give Enos their land.

“It’s Enos who needs to worry about heaven,” Ada had said. “‘Thou shalt not steal.’”

But Dat hadn’t been quite so determined after that. He was very concerned about getting into heaven. When Ada had suggested they go see the county recorder, Dat had hemmed and hawed and said that Gotte’s will would be done and that the whole thing would work itself out in the end. What he really meant was that Ada would work things out because Dat was just too tired and too busy to deal with it. Ada was the problem solver. Ada was the one Dat depended on. Ada was the one who would have to save the farm.

At times like this, she wished Dat didn’t need her so much.

But it was nice to be needed.

Ada sat toward the front of the room with the other unmarried girls. Her lack of a husband was only embarrassing on church days when she had to file into the room with all the married women watching her. But Ada had never been one to feel sorry for herself. If Gotte didn’t want her to have a husband, then she would not question Gotte’s will. Her judgmental neighbors could take it up with Gotte and leave Ada out of it. She refused to base her worth on her marital status. It was a sure road to heartache.

Beth and her best friend, Sadie, sat next to Ada, making Ada feel that much older than everyone in her row. Sadie was a sweet girl. A little too talkative, but always willing to do anything for anybody. She had gone all the way to Idaho to convince Menno to come back and marry Joanna. Ada liked Sadie even more than she liked Beth. Sadie had a cell phone, but she also had a job and calluses on her hands from working the farm.

Both Mary and Joanna were absent because they were both expecting babies and feeling poorly. Mary threw up almost every morning, and Joanna felt like she was going to throw up all the time. Ada hadn’t talked to either of them since her unpleasant encounter with Enos Hoover. Ach , she could surely use their advice now. But she hated to burden either of them with her problems, especially now that she had their health to consider.

During the final hymn, Ada stole a glance at Enos’s mater who was sitting on a folding chair on the back row to Ada’s left. Enos and his mater had arrived at gmay in a brand-new buggy pulled by a beautiful black horse. Enos walked with a limp, and his mater walked with a cane, but she didn’t look exceptionally old or feeble. She had a pinched, snippy little mouth, as if she was ready to scold anyone who might dare sin in her presence, and her expression was one of superiority, her gaze looking to find fault with everyone and everything.

Ada turned her face back to the front and tried to concentrate on the song. She knew better than to judge someone by their appearance. All three of her schwesteren were much prettier than she was, and boys had always passed Ada over in favor of one of her younger, more appealing siblings. She took a deep breath and tried not to judge Enos’s mater harshly, even though her son wanted to steal Ada’s water rights. Ada knew next to nothing about the woman, except that Cathy Larsen said that the mater was “a piece of work,” whatever that meant. Cathy had certainly been afraid that Ada would marry Enos and be stuck with his mater for the rest of her life.

The discussion they’d had about Ada’s Bachelor’s Puzzle quilt blocks was ridiculous. Cathy had spent the next hour trying to convince Ada to choose a different pattern and resew all her quilt blocks, but to Cathy, every block seemed rife with peril. Cathy feared the Log Cabin block would have Ada living in the wilderness with a mountain man. Wild Goose Chase evoked sirens and police cars. Double Wedding Ring meant Ada’s husband would die young and she’d have to find another one. Cathy had clutched her heart at the thought of Old Maid’s Puzzle, and Broken Dishes did not bode well for Ada and her future husband’s relationship. “Surely you’ll be throwing plates at each other before the honeymoon’s even over,” Cathy had said. Shoo Fly meant insect infestations, and Fox Paws indicated certain death. The three of them, even Cathy, had ended up laughing hysterically, though Cathy’s way of laughing was to stretch her lips across her teeth and grimace painfully.

Cathy had finally found an acceptable block toward the back of her book called Good Fortune. “Nothing wrong with good fortune, as far as I can see,” she had said.

Esther had seemed reluctant to say it, but she had anyway. “The Amish don’t believe in luck.”

Cathy had thrown up her hands. “Well, then. I’ve done all I can. Ada, I hope you have a nice life with your crosspatch mother-in-law.”

Ada vacillated between curiosity and hesitation about Enos’s mater . She wasn’t sure she wanted to meet such a sour-looking woman, but she was quite curious about a person who could fluster Cathy Larsen. It was almost impossible to knock Cathy Larsen off-kilter.

Dat had agreed to talk to Enos Hoover after services and get more details about the land and Enos’s supposed claim to it. Ada didn’t want to be within a country mile of Enos, but they needed more information before they could make a battle plan. As a last resort, they might need to appeal to the bishop, but Ada wanted to avoid that. If she didn’t like the bishop’s final decision, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

After the prayer, Enos’s mater sat resolutely on her chair until Enos went to her, helped her stand, and led her to a sofa, which had been pushed against the wall to make room for the benches. He sat down next to her and fussed and simpered, patting her hand, whispering soft words, and overall looking deeply concerned. Ada was a little surprised. She wouldn’t have guessed that Enos had one sympathetic bone in his body. His mater frowned and grimaced and pressed her hand to her forehead, acting as if she was the most ill-treated woman in the world. Enos’s ministrations didn’t seem to do anything to make her feel better.

It was warm enough outside that the elders had decided to set up tables in the backyard for fellowship supper where there was a sweeping view of David Sensenig’s beautifully tilled field, ready for planting potatoes. Men and boys carried benches out of the house while the women prepared bread and spreads, chow-chow, and pickles in the Sensenigs’ spacious kitchen.

Beth grabbed Ada’s hand as they both stood up. “I’ve got your back. If you need me to give that Enos person a gute scolding, just let me know.”

“I’ve got your back” was an Englisch term meaning that Beth thought she could protect Ada from Enos Hoover, as if Ada needed protection in the first place. Beth was very sweet, but she was incapable of protecting Ada from anything. Beth was the one who always needed looking after.

Ada didn’t want to hurt Beth’s feelings. “I will let you know if I need your help, but I’m sure I’ll be just fine. Denki .”

Beth seemed relieved that Ada didn’t really need her to do anything courageous or daring. But that was always the way with Beth. She had gute intentions with no determination behind them.

Ada went upstairs to the kitchen and sliced a loaf of bread. She put it in a basket, then took it outside and set it on one of the tables. The women had a system for serving supper as efficiently as possible. Ada didn’t see Enos again until the men were done eating and the women sat down. He led his mater up the outside basement steps and to the nearest table where he helped her get some food and put some church spread on a slice of bread.

Ada sat down next to Esther Kiem and her two little ones. Esther’s husband, Levi, was walking the baby around the yard so Esther could eat. With a sly look on her face, Esther nudged Ada with her elbow. “Enos Hoover is staring at you.”

Ada nudged Esther back and refused to look. “Of course he is. I’m probably the first woman he’s ever met who didn’t swoon at his feet when he walked by.”

Esther tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow. “You think women swoon at his feet?”

“Well, of course they do. He’s got a strong jaw, nice eyebrows, and very broad shoulders, but under all that manliness is a heart of stone. I like to think I chipped away at his confidence a bit.”

Esther’s lips twitched. “I’m sure you did.” She handed Junior a pinch of bread with jam on it. “Did you see how he stayed right by his mater ’s side and buttered her bread and poured her some water? I find it hard to believe he has a heart of stone.”

Ada scrunched her lips together. “For all his flaws, Enos Hoover seems to be a gute son, but while his kindness doesn’t discourage me from fighting for my farm, it does make me want to be more civil about it.”

“Hmm,” Esther said. “What do you know about his flaws? Maybe he doesn’t have any.”

Ada knew exactly what Esther was trying to do. Cathy had warned her that Esther wanted Ada and Enos to marry. “He’s trying to steal six of my acres, Pepper doesn’t like him, and he spies on people.” Ada counted on her fingers. “He says women are too emotional, he thinks he’s entitled to my water rights, and he pranced over here today in a brand-new buggy. What else is he doing but flaunting his money? And those are just the flaws I know about. I’m sure he has thousands of others.”

Esther scoffed. “Well, of course he has a new buggy. No doubt it was cheaper to sell his old buggy in Pennsylvania and buy a new one here rather than pay to transport the old one clear across the country.”

Ada shut her mouth and thought about it. “I guess that was a little judgmental of me.”

Esther giggled. “I love watching you try to convince yourself that you’re not interested in Enos Hoover.”

Ada growled. “Of course I’m not interested. What is it with you married Amish women? You see two people and decide they’re perfect for each other simply because they’re both single.”

Esther shrugged, a twinkle in her eye. “He’s rich.”

Ada cuffed Esther on the shoulder. “You just said he wasn’t.”

Esther laughed. “Well, make up your mind. Would you be more interested in a rich Enos Hoover or a poor Enos Hoover?”

Ada scrunched her lips together. “Neither, and you can just get whatever notions you have about the two of us out of your head. Enos is a menace to the community, and I’m going to put him in his place.”

“Well, now you have your chance, because he’s coming this way.”

Ada looked up, and her heart leaped into her throat. Enos Hoover was indeed headed toward her, his strides resolute, his limp barely noticeable. It wasn’t very nice of him to just leave his mater sitting there all by herself. Ada held her breath. Did he actually mean to talk to her? Hadn’t he been adamant that he wanted to talk to her dat instead of to her? She couldn’t very well avoid him unless she jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could in the other direction.

Just in time she remembered that she didn’t want to avoid him. She relished a battle with Enos Hoover because he underestimated her. She would meet her adversary head-on and put up a fight he’d never forget.

“Enos,” Esther said, when he got closer. “It’s nice to see you again. How is your mater ?”

Enos glanced back at his mater sitting all by herself, picking at her food as if she feared it might make her sick. The tiny lines around his eyes deepened. “She’s having a little trouble adjusting to the elevation.”

Esther clicked her tongue in sympathy. “ Ach , I had the same problem when I moved here. Tell her to drink plenty of water and take garlic and cloves. For sure and certain she’ll feel right as rain soon enough.” She grinned and draped her arm around Ada’s shoulder. “Have you met your neighbor Ada Yoder?”

“ Jah , we’ve met,” Enos said, as if he was talking about contracting the flu.

Ada resisted the urge to glare at her very bad friend and instead looked Enos squarely in the eye and tried to appear as resolute as possible.

Enos returned her gaze with an even more determined look of his own. “I can’t find your fater. Has he read my letters? I would like to talk to him about moving the fence this week.”

Ada gazed around the Sensenigs’ yard. Where was Dat? “Anything you can say to my dat , you can say to me.”

“I’d prefer to talk to your dat .”

Of course he would.

Esther popped from her seat as if she’d been sitting on a tight spring. “ Ach , look at the time. I must get die kinner home for naps.” She motioned to the bench. “Take my seat, Enos.”

“I’m fine standing.”

Enos caught a glimpse of Esther’s legendary temper when she huffed out a breath and slammed her cup on the table. “Don’t be stubborn, Enos. Sit or you’ll get bunions.”

The movement was almost imperceptible, but Enos’s eyebrow rose a fraction of an inch.

Esther coughed self-consciously and lifted Junior from the bench. “Bunion. You’ll get a bunion.” Keeping her eyes down, she set Junior on the ground, took Winnie’s hand, and walked away.

It wasn’t until Esther was halfway to the house before Ada realized why Esther seemed so embarrassed. Enos only had one foot. Bunion . He wasn’t capable of getting more than one. For some reason, Esther’s mistake made Ada want to laugh, but she bit down hard on her tongue. Enos would probably think she was making fun of him.

Enos watched Esther walk into the house. “I’m not going to sit down.”

“ Gute .” She could barely stand Enos Hoover at arm’s length.

“I want to apologize for my behavior the other day.”

Ada kept any surprise from her expression. Enos wanted to apologize? That was unexpected. Who knew someone so single-minded could have an emotion like regret?

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said. “I was taking some measurements, and I saw you climbing that sprinkler, and I was concerned for your safety. You fell because I caught you off guard. I take full responsibility.”

He was as stiff as ever, and he didn’t seem especially remorseful, but Ada dug deep and tried to give him a little grace. Just because he wasn’t inclined to show emotions didn’t mean he didn’t have any. “No harm done,” she murmured.

“I was cross that your fater hadn’t answered my letters, and then I was puzzled and irritated that you wouldn’t let me help you down. I feared you would hurt yourself.”

For a man who didn’t show emotions, he certainly knew how to describe them.

He folded his arms across his chest. “I may only have one foot, but I’m far from helpless, even if you think I am.”

Ada blew a puff of air from between her lips. “That is a simply ridiculous thing to say.”

A spark of genuine indignation flashed in his eyes. “What is so ridiculous about it? I get along very well with only one foot.”

Ada stood up so he wasn’t looking down on her. “That’s not what I meant. There is no way I could have known you were missing a foot when we first met. I don’t care one bit about your foot. That’s not why I wouldn’t let you help me down. You created the problem and then you wanted me to congratulate you when you swooped in to fix it.”

He drew his perfect eyebrows together. “I shouldn’t have assumed you treated me that way because of my foot. In Pennsylvania, often it was the only thing people saw about me.”

“Nobody in Colorado even knows.” Ada leaned against the table behind her. “ Ach , vell , I know. Esther knows, and Cathy knows, but no one cares. You’re too tightly wrapped up in yourself to see that mostly no one thinks about you at all.”

She hadn’t meant to inflict pain, but that was exactly what she saw in his eyes—an intensely deep emotion she never would have expected from him. “That’s the truth. No one thinks about me at all.” The pain was gone almost before she could give it a name, and he pasted a pleasantly bland look on his face. “A man wrapped up in himself makes a small package.”

In a different conversation, Ada might have used that proverb as ammunition against him, but he’d shown unexpected vulnerability, and Ada wasn’t about to do anything to crush it. “That’s right,” she said. “And don’t you forget it. You are not your foot.”

The ghost of a smile played at his lips. “Very wise words.” He glanced in his mamm ’s direction, then his gaze roamed around the Sensenigs’ yard. “People are staring at us.”

Ada didn’t move, but she observed her neighbors out of the corner of her eye. Mattie Sensenig and Linda Kiem stood apart whispering into their hands and looking triumphantly at Ada and Enos as if a wedding was close at hand. Schwesteren Edna and Mayne Miller smiled smugly in Ada’s direction. “Oh, sis yuscht . You’re new, and I’m an old maedel . They’re all hoping we’re a couple. If only they knew nothing could be further from the truth. We hate each other’s guts.”

He seemed surprised and a little offended. “I don’t hate you.”

Ada cleared her throat. “Um, I suppose hate is against the commandments.” Did she hate Enos Hoover? Nae , but she certainly didn’t like him, and she refused to let him disarm her with a little honesty. “I’m going to the county recorder’s office tomorrow. You’d be smart to leave the fence where it is until I get this mess sorted out.”

His eyebrows loomed over his chocolate-brown eyes. “The mess is already sorted out. I start moving the fence tomorrow.”

“If you know what’s good for you, you won’t touch a foot of that fence.” Ada cringed. That sounded a little peevish, even to her.

“The fence is mine,” he said. “It’s one hundred percent on my property. I can do anything I want with it.”

“You’ve got forty acres of your own. Why do you want to take more of ours?”

“Six acres is a lot of land, Ada, and I paid for it, fair and square.”

Ada tried to tamp down the rising anger. She would not give Enos any excuse to accuse her of being too emotional. “Even if you get the land, we own the water rights, and without the water, the land is useless to you.”

He narrowed his eyes. “The seller told me the two shares of water came with the six acres.”

“He was lying to you, Enos. We own the water.”

He reacted as if she’d slapped him across the face. “I thought . . . but . . . I trusted him.”

The despair in his voice shut Ada right up. She didn’t like Enos, but she wouldn’t rub salt in his wounds. She was a better person than that. Maybe she had learned something from the sermons after all.

“Enos, get me out of this sun right now.”

Ada turned. Enos’s mater hobbled up behind her, leaning heavily on her cane. Ada determined to be friendly and nonjudgmental. Enos’s mater shouldn’t be punished for Enos’s bad behavior. “ Hallo ,” Ada said, sticking out her hand. “You must be Enos’s mater .”

The woman looked at Ada’s hand as if Ada had offered her a slab of raw meat. “Shaking hands is quite familiar, don’t you think?”

Because of Cathy’s warning, Ada had been ready for anything, and Enos’s mater did not disappoint her. Maybe she’d set out to give Ada a shock, but his mater didn’t know that Ada, like Cathy, was pretty unruffle-able. “Not familiar at all,” Ada said, stretching a smile across her face. “I’ve never been snobby about such things.”

His mater closed one eye and glared at Ada with the other. “ Jah , I’m sure. I don’t see a speck of Amish dignity in this place.”

Amish dignity? Cathy was right. Enos’s mater was a piece of work.

A slight flush of red crawled up Enos’s neck. “Mamm, this is Ada Yoder. She is our neighbor to the west. Ada, this is my mater , Tabitha Hoover.”

Tabitha pounded her cane on the ground. “Why do you insist I meet all these new people, Enos? I won’t be staying here long enough to make friends.”

Enos’s gaze flicked in Ada’s direction. “It doesn’t hurt to get to know people.”

“I don’t want to get to know people. I miss my Pennsylvania friends. Every friend I’ll ever need is in Pennsylvania.” She raised her cane and pointed it at Ada. “This whole lot are vulgar and undisciplined. None of die kinner sat still in church, and their ministers are the most boring sermonizers I’ve ever heard. My ten-year-old grandson could do better than that.”

Ada was struck dumb. Tabitha was without a doubt the most abrasive person Ada had ever met. Enos Hoover was nothing compared to his mater. Ada had no idea what to say, even if she had been able to speak. It wouldn’t have done any gute to defend the gmayna . Tabitha was altogether too hateful and opinionated to be convinced otherwise.

Understandably embarrassed, Enos lowered his eyes and slid his arm around Tabitha’s shoulders. “ Cum , Mamm. Let’s get you out of the sun and home to rest.”

“That shack isn’t my home. My home is in Pennsylvania, and I want to go back.” Tabitha looked at Ada. “Do you see what a stubborn, ungrateful son I have? He made me move to Colorado when everything I know and everyone I care about is in Pennsylvania. He hates me.” She held up five fingers in Ada’s face. “My two honorable sons are in Pennsylvania, and they’ve given me twelve grandchildren and one on the way. I could have been a big help to Ardy when the baby came, but nae , Enos dragged me out here. He said it would be an adventure, but the farms are run-down, there are sinful solar panels everywhere, and there’s hardly a tree in sight. I can’t live like this.”

Enos seemed to retreat into himself, even though he hadn’t moved a muscle. Ada felt deeply sorry for him, and the six acres didn’t feel nearly as important as this scene of family tragedy playing out before Ada’s eyes. Enos cupped his hand around Tabitha’s elbow. “ Cum , Mamm, let’s go.”

Tabitha snatched her arm from Enos’s grasp and glared at Ada. “What did you say her name was?”

“Ada, Mamm,” Enos said.

“Well, Ada, you tell the fraaen in the district that they’re not doing fellowship supper right. The old ladies should eat first. The bread was stale, the church spread was too runny, and whoever made the pickles used too much garlic. It was a disaster. Be sure to tell them.” She tapped her cane to Enos’s leg. “Drive me back to the house. I want to take a nap while you think on your sins. ‘Honor your fater and your mater that your days may be long upon the land.’”

Without looking back, Enos led Tabitha away, and she was still complaining when they disappeared around the corner of the house.

A shard of glass lodged at the base of Ada’s throat. Enos was stubborn and arrogant and as stiff as a flagpole, but he didn’t deserve to be treated like that, especially not by his mater . Ada had nothing but fond, loving memories of her mater. Everyone should have such memories, even Enos Hoover.

From out of nowhere, Esther slid next to Ada. Beth and Sadie were close behind. “You’re white as a sheet,” Esther said.

Beth seemed unusually worried, as if she were the eldest schwester instead of the baby. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t you think he’s handsome?” Sadie said. “Kind of old, but also handsome.”

Beth made a face. “Too old. He’s thirty-five. I heard him tell David Sensenig.”

Esther steered Ada back to the bench and sat next to her. Sadie and Beth sat across the table. “What did he say to you?” Esther said. “I’m sorry I ever thought he’d make a gute husband.”

Ada growled. “So you did want me to marry him.”

Esther pressed her lips together as if making sure nothing else incriminating would escape her mouth.

Beth studied Ada’s face. “Was he rude? Is he going to take our six acres?”

Ada swallowed past the sharpness in her throat. “It wasn’t him. It was her.”

Esther’s gaze turned in the direction Enos had taken Tabitha. “His mater ? Did she hurt your feelings?”

“ Ach , Esther, you know better than to think I could get my feelings hurt.”

Beth snorted. “That’s the truth. Ada doesn’t get offended by anything.”

“Then what?” Esther said.

“I never thought I’d say this in a million years, but I feel sorry for Enos Hoover.”

Sadie leaned closer and whispered, “Because he only has one foot?” She glanced at Beth who was giving her the stink eye. “What? Was I not supposed to say anything?”

“I told you not to tell.”

Esther’s mouth curled into a reluctant smile. “It’s not a secret.”

Ada reached across the table and laid her hand over Beth’s. “I was just thinking about Mamm and how kind and brave and steady she was.”

Beth’s eyes pooled with tears. “Like you.”

Ada shook her head. “I’m not anything like Mamm. She was sweet.”

“You’re sweet,” Beth said. “Think of all the children who adore you, think of all the people who depend on you to take care of them.”

Ada was nothing like Mamm, but she didn’t want to argue. “Mamm was sweet and kind. She could be firm when she needed to be, but we never doubted she loved us. Never.”

Beth wiped her eyes. “Like I said, you’re just like her.”

Esther slid her arm around Ada’s shoulder. “What did Enos’s mamm say to you? You might not have been offended, but she made you very unhappy.”

Ada’s heart twisted into a tight knot. “I don’t like Enos, but no one deserves to be treated the way his mater treats him.”

Esther slumped her shoulders. “I saw as much. I was hoping she was just tired from her long trip. Cathy knew better.”

“How did she treat him?” Sadie asked.

“As if she can barely stand him. She berated him and shamed him and called him a bad son, and he responded with nothing but respect and kindness. I was stunned. Nobody should be treated that way.”

“Of course not,” Sadie said. “Not even your worst enemy.”

Was Enos Ada’s worst enemy? He had certainly thrown her well-ordered life into turmoil, but she couldn’t rejoice that his mater caused him so much suffering. She glanced at Esther. Tabitha had unknowingly insulted Esther’s fater -in-law because he had given one of the sermons. Ada swallowed Tabitha’s disrespect. There was no use inflicting pain when Ada could absorb the hurtful words and make sure they didn’t hurt anyone else.

Beth laced her fingers together and propped her elbows on the table. “It’s really too bad about Enos’s mamm , but did you talk to him about our six acres?”

Ada sighed. “He says he’s going to start moving the fence this week so the six acres will be on his side.”

Beth made a face. “I don’t know how he thinks he’s going to do that. The fence is too sturdy to be picked up and moved. He’d be smarter just to chop it down.”

Ada shot Beth a warning look. “Don’t tell him that.”

“What are you going to do?”

Ada pressed her hand to her forehead. “I don’t know.”

Beth’s eyes lit up, as if she’d just had a wunderbarr idea. “I want to help. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

“There’s nothing you can do, Beth.”

Beth deflated slightly. “Don’t you want my help?”

Ada smiled reassuringly, even though she didn’t feel like it. “It’s not that. I don’t even know what I’m going to do.” Ada didn’t say what they both knew. Beth couldn’t even make her own bed in the mornings. She dragged her feet with every chore and turned up her nose at hard work. She thought she wanted to help, but she’d back away if Ada actually asked her to do something.

Sadie’s mouth formed into an O. “Beth says you have a rifle.”

Ada huffed out a breath. “I’m not going to shoot him, Sadie.”

Sadie scrunched her lips together. “You could scare him.”

It was a horrible idea, but Ada didn’t have anything else. “I scared off a coyote once.”

Beth nodded enthusiastically. “You were very brave, especially since the rifle didn’t have any bullets in it.”

“I’m froh the coyote didn’t know that.”

Beth squared her shoulders and pulled her cell phone out of her apron pocket. “I’m going to think of something.”

“Beth!” Ada hissed. “You know you’re not supposed to bring your cell phone to gmay .”

Beth didn’t look the least bit ashamed as she tapped on the screen. “I’m in rumschpringe . I can do what I want.”

“That’s not true.”

“I know. I’m teasing. I love seeing you get mad about it.”

Esther hooked her arm around Ada’s elbow. “Don’t do anything rash, like shoot Enos in his good foot.”

“I won’t. I’m not that desperate. Yet.”

“I’m froh you’re always so sensible.” Esther gave Ada a hug. “Don’t you think my fater- in-law gave an inspiring sermon this morning?”