Rebekah’s African violet starts had been sold and many of the cut flowers, as well. It was the first time she’d ever made so much money in such a short time, and she was pleased that she had finally done something that might prove to be financially productive if she had more plants to sell and could come to the market more often.
“How’s business?” Mary Ellen asked as she stepped up to the table Rebekah shared with her two siblings.
Rebekah grinned. “Much better than I’d ever imagined it would be. I only wish I had more plants and flowers to sell. If the market was open six days a week, I believe I could actually make enough money to be self-sufficient.”
Mary Ellen nodded. “That would be
wunderbaar,
all right.”
“Even if it was open all week, I couldn’t afford to hire a driver that often.” Rebekah shrugged. “Oh, well. It was a nice thought, anyway.”
“You really do like flowers and plants, don’t you?”
Rebekah’s head bobbed up and down. “Jah. Ever so much.”
“And as you’ve said, you’ve discovered today that they sell quite well.”
“Indeed! I’ve done real well.”
Mary Ellen leaned close to Rebekah’s ear. “Can you take a little break? I’d like to talk with you—in private.”
“About what?”
“I think I might have a great plan for you.”
“What is it? Can’t you tell me now?”
“We’d probably be interrupted by a customer if we tried to talk about it here.”
Rebekah nodded. “Okay. It’s time for lunch anyway, so I’ll ask Nadine to watch my end of the table, and then I’ll get the box lunch my mamm prepared this morning. We were planning to eat in shifts, so I’m sure Mom won’t mind if I take my lunch break with you.”
Mary Ellen grinned. “Sounds good to me. We can eat under the shade of that old maple tree out behind the building.”
***
Soon after Rebekah wheeled away from their table, Nadine spotted her friend Carolyn Weaver heading her way. A freckle-faced Amish boy who looked to be about Nadine’s age walked beside Carolyn. Nadine didn’t think she had ever seen him before, but she thought he was awfully cute.
When Carolyn and the boy reached the end of the table where Nadine sat babysitting Rebekah’s plants, they came to a halt.
“Didn’t expect to see you here today,” Carolyn said, offering Nadine a wide smile.
“Didn’t expect to be here, neither.” Nadine’s gaze went to the dark-haired boy who stood beside her friend. Wasn’t Carolyn going to introduce him?
As if she could read Nadine’s mind, Carolyn nodded at the boy and said, “Nadine, this is my cousin Melvin. He and his family live in Missouri, and they’ve come to Lancaster County to visit for a couple of weeks.”
Nadine put on what she hoped was her best smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Melvin.” She glanced over to see what her folks were doing and was pleased to see that they were both busy with customers at the moment.
“Nice to meet you, too,” he said with a friendly grin.
Nadine leaned her elbows on the table and stared up at him. “I’ve never been to Missouri before. What’s it like?”
Melvin shrugged his broad shoulders. “The weather’s not much different than it is here, but the community we live in is a whole lot smaller.” He scrunched up his nose. “Not much to do around there—that’s for certain sure.”
“No big towns nearby?”
“Nope. Just Seymour, and that’s a pretty small place. The closest big town is Springfield, but of course, I don’t get to go there so often.”
“Is there a farmers’ market in Seymour?”
“Just during the summer, and it’s nothing at all like this place.” He made a sweeping gesture to the tables nearby. “Ours is held outside in a vacant lot across the street from the hamburger place, not in a big building such as this.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Have you had your lunch yet?” Carolyn asked, breaking into their conversation.
Nadine shook her head.
“Want to get a hot
“How’s business?” Mary Ellen asked as she stepped up to the table Rebekah shared with her two siblings.
Rebekah grinned. “Much better than I’d ever imagined it would be. I only wish I had more plants and flowers to sell. If the market was open six days a week, I believe I could actually make enough money to be self-sufficient.”
Mary Ellen nodded. “That would be
wunderbaar,
all right.”
“Even if it was open all week, I couldn’t afford to hire a driver that often.” Rebekah shrugged. “Oh, well. It was a nice thought, anyway.”
“You really do like flowers and plants, don’t you?”
Rebekah’s head bobbed up and down. “Jah. Ever so much.”
“And as you’ve said, you’ve discovered today that they sell quite well.”
“Indeed! I’ve done real well.”
Mary Ellen leaned close to Rebekah’s ear. “Can you take a little break? I’d like to talk with you—in private.”
“About what?”
“I think I might have a great plan for you.”
“What is it? Can’t you tell me now?”
“We’d probably be interrupted by a customer if we tried to talk about it here.”
Rebekah nodded. “Okay. It’s time for lunch anyway, so I’ll ask Nadine to watch my end of the table, and then I’ll get the box lunch my mamm prepared this morning. We were planning to eat in shifts, so I’m sure Mom won’t mind if I take my lunch break with you.”
Mary Ellen grinned. “Sounds good to me. We can eat under the shade of that old maple tree out behind the building.”
***
Soon after Rebekah wheeled away from their table, Nadine spotted her friend Carolyn Weaver heading her way. A freckle-faced Amish boy who looked to be about Nadine’s age walked beside Carolyn. Nadine didn’t think she had ever seen him before, but she thought he was awfully cute.
When Carolyn and the boy reached the end of the table where Nadine sat babysitting Rebekah’s plants, they came to a halt.
“Didn’t expect to see you here today,” Carolyn said, offering Nadine a wide smile.
“Didn’t expect to be here, neither.” Nadine’s gaze went to the dark-haired boy who stood beside her friend. Wasn’t Carolyn going to introduce him?
As if she could read Nadine’s mind, Carolyn nodded at the boy and said, “Nadine, this is my cousin Melvin. He and his family live in Missouri, and they’ve come to Lancaster County to visit for a couple of weeks.”
Nadine put on what she hoped was her best smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Melvin.” She glanced over to see what her folks were doing and was pleased to see that they were both busy with customers at the moment.
“Nice to meet you, too,” he said with a friendly grin.
Nadine leaned her elbows on the table and stared up at him. “I’ve never been to Missouri before. What’s it like?”
Melvin shrugged his broad shoulders. “The weather’s not much different than it is here, but the community we live in is a whole lot smaller.” He scrunched up his nose. “Not much to do around there—that’s for certain sure.”
“No big towns nearby?”
“Nope. Just Seymour, and that’s a pretty small place. The closest big town is Springfield, but of course, I don’t get to go there so often.”
“Is there a farmers’ market in Seymour?”
“Just during the summer, and it’s nothing at all like this place.” He made a sweeping gesture to the tables nearby. “Ours is held outside in a vacant lot across the street from the hamburger place, not in a big building such as this.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Have you had your lunch yet?” Carolyn asked, breaking into their conversation.
Nadine shook her head.
“Want to get a hot
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