sisters, except for her twin sisters, KatieAnn and Susan, who were still too young to be much fun, was depressing indeed. But this was a day of happiness, of joy and celebration, so Lizzie put aside all thoughts of losing Mandy to John and his dairy farm. There was no sense in becoming absolutely morose on Mandy’s special day, so she did her level best to smile brightly, talking and laughing happily with all the guests after the service was over.
But once the buses and vans motored out the drive, and the tired aunts and uncles finished washing dishes and putting benches and chairs away, and she could finally collapse into bed, she cried great tears of genuine self-pity. She wallowed in her sad feelings like a pig in its mudhole, actually enjoying the fact that she could release her pent-up emotions after spending all day with that artificial smile pasted on.
She wished with all her heart that Mandy wouldn’t have married so young. Now she’d never be the same. She’d turn into this proper walking stick who didn’t laugh hilariously and kick Lizzie out of bed or do other unladylike things that were so … so sisterly and had long ago secured a bond between them that no proper Lamton family could even touch.
Oh, she could just see it. Now, when she’d go visiting Mandy on the dairy farm, she’d open the door, her hair combed sleek and smooth, not even a trace of any stray hairs, her covering ironed to perfection, and she’d inquire with genuine warmth about her trip. And Lizzie would stand on her doorstep and feel like a genuine hillbilly, fat, with her hair going in every direction and her covering crooked, and say, “Fine, thank you. Isn’t it a beautiful day?”
They would never again, not once, throw back their heads and laugh uproariously or go swimming in the creek or drive Billy. Mandy was married . A great wave of regret and nostalgia carried Lizzie along until she thought she would just stop breathing with the awful pain in her chest.
And another thing. Stephen hadn’t even been very romantic at the supper table. He was having too much fun with Marvin and Aaron, who sat across the table. He was having a great time, laughing and teasing poor Sara Ruth until Lizzie was embarrassed. He could at least act as if he planned to grow up someday and seriously ask her to be his wife.
Well, I’m not going to live here alone without Mandy, she decided. If he doesn’t ask me to marry him, I’ll have to ask him myself. It had been hard when Emma left home to live in Allen County, but Mandy getting married was even worse.
Why hadn’t Stephen tried to give her some special attention and hint about it being her turn to be the next bride? Not a word, not a serious look, nothing.
She punched her pillow, flipped on her side, and groped for the box of Kleenex in her nightstand drawer. Blowing her nose loudly, she wiped her eyes, rolled over, and resumed pitying herself. The next morning, when Mam asked her what was wrong with her eyes, Lizzie glared at her and told her she had eaten too much wedding cake.
Chapter 5
J OHN AND MANDY MOVED 10 miles away to their dairy farm soon after they were married. Lizzie went back to school where she was quickly swept up in her teacher’s duties again. The easy routine of teaching made it easier for her to accept the fact that Mandy was married and that she had gone to live with John.
It wasn’t that she didn’t miss her; there was just nothing else to do about it. Life went on as usual, the sun rose and set in the same sky, and Mandy lived under the same sky with the same sun and moon, except now she was 10 miles away. Emma was even farther away, and Lizzie had soon become accustomed to that, so she would survive.
Dat’s health seemed fairly stable in the spring. He loved the challenge of building. Mam said that his giving up farming was one of the best things that could have happened. He was always eager to go to work, he was happy while he was there, and he had only
But once the buses and vans motored out the drive, and the tired aunts and uncles finished washing dishes and putting benches and chairs away, and she could finally collapse into bed, she cried great tears of genuine self-pity. She wallowed in her sad feelings like a pig in its mudhole, actually enjoying the fact that she could release her pent-up emotions after spending all day with that artificial smile pasted on.
She wished with all her heart that Mandy wouldn’t have married so young. Now she’d never be the same. She’d turn into this proper walking stick who didn’t laugh hilariously and kick Lizzie out of bed or do other unladylike things that were so … so sisterly and had long ago secured a bond between them that no proper Lamton family could even touch.
Oh, she could just see it. Now, when she’d go visiting Mandy on the dairy farm, she’d open the door, her hair combed sleek and smooth, not even a trace of any stray hairs, her covering ironed to perfection, and she’d inquire with genuine warmth about her trip. And Lizzie would stand on her doorstep and feel like a genuine hillbilly, fat, with her hair going in every direction and her covering crooked, and say, “Fine, thank you. Isn’t it a beautiful day?”
They would never again, not once, throw back their heads and laugh uproariously or go swimming in the creek or drive Billy. Mandy was married . A great wave of regret and nostalgia carried Lizzie along until she thought she would just stop breathing with the awful pain in her chest.
And another thing. Stephen hadn’t even been very romantic at the supper table. He was having too much fun with Marvin and Aaron, who sat across the table. He was having a great time, laughing and teasing poor Sara Ruth until Lizzie was embarrassed. He could at least act as if he planned to grow up someday and seriously ask her to be his wife.
Well, I’m not going to live here alone without Mandy, she decided. If he doesn’t ask me to marry him, I’ll have to ask him myself. It had been hard when Emma left home to live in Allen County, but Mandy getting married was even worse.
Why hadn’t Stephen tried to give her some special attention and hint about it being her turn to be the next bride? Not a word, not a serious look, nothing.
She punched her pillow, flipped on her side, and groped for the box of Kleenex in her nightstand drawer. Blowing her nose loudly, she wiped her eyes, rolled over, and resumed pitying herself. The next morning, when Mam asked her what was wrong with her eyes, Lizzie glared at her and told her she had eaten too much wedding cake.
Chapter 5
J OHN AND MANDY MOVED 10 miles away to their dairy farm soon after they were married. Lizzie went back to school where she was quickly swept up in her teacher’s duties again. The easy routine of teaching made it easier for her to accept the fact that Mandy was married and that she had gone to live with John.
It wasn’t that she didn’t miss her; there was just nothing else to do about it. Life went on as usual, the sun rose and set in the same sky, and Mandy lived under the same sky with the same sun and moon, except now she was 10 miles away. Emma was even farther away, and Lizzie had soon become accustomed to that, so she would survive.
Dat’s health seemed fairly stable in the spring. He loved the challenge of building. Mam said that his giving up farming was one of the best things that could have happened. He was always eager to go to work, he was happy while he was there, and he had only
Similar Books
