Seasons of Sugarcreek 02. Spring's Renewal by Shelley Shepard Gray

Gretta were sitting. They were surrounded by the other children. Gretta was holding Maggie and looked like she’d been a part of the family for years.
    A new look of contentment rested on her features. Clara fought back a twinge of jealously. She was certainly happy for Gretta, but would be lying to herself if she pretended she didn’t want to be in the same kind of position.
    Then she finally caught sight of the one person she’d most wanted to see…Timothy. He was sitting with them all, too. But didn’t look quite as comfortable as the rest of them.
    When their eyes met, he smiled warmly…which in turn made her pulse race a bit faster.
    “We’re so glad you came over,” Judith said when there was a break in the conversation. “We never get much of a chance to visit with each other after church.”
    Joshua looked at his siblings with something that looked very much like exasperation. “It’s a wonder anyone ever gets to talk about anything around us. We haven’t yet mastered the art of taking turns when speaking.”
    “I have,” Carrie interjected. “We have to be quiet at school when others are talking.”
    Clara chuckled. “That is true. I’m doing my best to teach taking turns.”
    Gretta leaned forward. “Tell us how your school year is going.”
    “It is fine. Your brothers and sisters keep me on my toes.”
    “I don’t remember being too much of a handful,” Caleb said with a grin.
    “Though I only taught you last year, I must agree. You weren’t too much of a handful at all.” After waiting a beat or two, she grinned. “In fact, you could be far worse.”
    Laughter rang out as more and more Grabers entered the conversation. Before long, they were all called to supper and walked to the kitchen with plates. “It’s easier to feed our group buffet style,” Elsa explained. “Otherwise, the bowls of food get a little too heavy to pass.”
    “I like this way,” Clara said when she found herself at the head of the line. “And everything looks wunderbaar ,” she added as she looked at the array of baked chicken, pasta salad, relish trays, and spring peas. There at the end was her blueberry pie, right next to a cherry cake.
    Her mother said nothing, but Clara did notice that she took generous helpings of everything.
    After everyone was served and seated around an enormous oval oak table, they all bowed their heads and gave thanks.
    To her surprise, Tim chose the chair next to her.
    “I’m glad you came,” he said quietly. “I was looking forward to seeing you again.”
    “You were?”
    He smiled. “I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family. But I’ve also been blessed with fine hearing. Sometimes I yearn to sit near someone who isn’t quite as loud.”
    She felt her cheeks heating. Tim was acting as if his feelings toward her were special. The idea made her flustered, and hope burnished long-ago dreams put to rest.
    But she couldn’t let him know that. “Now you make me wonder if I should talk at all,” she teased.
    “If you get too loud, I’ll let you know.”
    She chuckled, then, to her surprise, realized that their exchange had been watched by the rest of the group. Gretta eyed them with speculation. Her students were staring at her with a new awareness.
    And her mother looked irritated.
    “What will you do when summer comes?” Judith asked.
    “All sorts of things. I enjoy my break just like the children do. I try to go on a walk every day and read as much as I can.”
    “She becomes far too lazy,” her mother added with a bit of sharpness in her tone. “I’ve been telling her to tutor or look for another job.”
    Judith’s eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed slightly. “I doubt Clara will become lazy.”
    “Yes, all of us need a day of rest,” Elsa said before turning the conversation to more general topics.
    When Mr. Graber stood up and her mother and Elsa followed, Clara stayed behind to help Judith and Gretta carry the dishes to the kitchen.
    “We