stories.”
The compliment, unexpected and, in Anna’s eyes, unwarranted, brought a flush to her
cheeks. “I dare say that I don’t have any stories, and if I did, I certainly wouldn’t
know if they were clever or not!” But she joined the older woman, pleased for the
joyful reception from the Musser family.
“The boys are keeping you busy, then?”
Anna nodded. “The boys are a refreshing change from the everyday, ja ? I’m not certain
which one makes me laugh more! Little Cris with his mischief or Walter with his ability
to attract dirt to his face, even just after he’s had his bath!”
“Bless him, that child!” Salome said, a smile on her lips but some pain showing in
her eyes. She lifted her hand to her cheek, gently touching her own skin as if to
remember the soft touch of another, from years long gone. “Surely he reminds me so
much of my dear Rodney.”
A moment of silence blanketed the room at the mention of her deceased son who, almost
ten years ago, had been called home to walk with Jesus. Anna remembered the news
of Rodney’s passing. What had started out as a severe headache quickly escalated
into something much worse: a malignant brain tumor. He had only been twenty when
he died.
Clearing her throat, Salome lowered her hand and took a deep breath. As she exhaled,
she looked at Anna, studying her for a long moment. Finally, she asked, “You are
faring well at Mary’s, then?”
The shift in conversation, while welcomed by all, startled Anna, mostly because
of the curious tone of the question which hinted at more than just polite inquisitiveness.
“Quite well, danke ,” she responded.
“Your calming nature must be a pleasant addition to the household,” Hannah quipped.
“For sure and certain, ja ?”
“Perhaps it will linger after you have left,” Leah was quick to add, to which Salome
cast a stern look in the direction of her daughters.
Anna laughed, uncomfortable with the hidden complaint in the compliment. “One sure
does learn to appreciate moments of quiet, that’s for sure and certain. But I wouldn’t
change it for anything in the world. I enjoy those kinner so much, I’m afraid I’ll
be hesitant to leave.”
Salome nodded her head, approving of Anna’s tact in responding.
“You must miss your daed and schwester , ja ?” Without waiting for Anna to answer,
she caught her breath and leaned forward, another thought having just occurred to
her. “Have you been to meet George and Sara Coblentz yet?”
“ Nee ,” Anna confessed. “I have not.”
Salome smiled, understanding written on her face. “In due time, I reckon. That must
be a disconcerting feeling, to move from your daed ’s haus !”
With all of her being, Anna wished she could speak her mind and tell them that it
wasn’t a disconcerting feeling to leave her father’s house; that she could bear just
fine, danke . And it didn’t bother her that someone else enjoyed it now. Nee , neither
of those two reasons struck her as remotely troublesome. What created unease for
Anna was the idea that, should she call upon the Coblentz family, she might run into
her past. Instead of speaking, Anna merely lowered her eyes.
Salome hesitated, after glancing at Leah and Hannah, then spoke once again: “We would
have come to visit you yesterday, Anna. But we went to welcome them with Bishop Troyer’s fraa .”
This news brightened Anna’s mood: a welcome diversion from her thoughts of Freman.
Looking up, she smiled. “ Ja ? And how did you find them, then? Were they to your liking?
Are they godly people?”
“Oh, heavens!” Salome clapped her hands together and laughed. “Godly? Why, I’ve never
met such a fine woman! That Sara . . . why! . . . she’ll be the perfect caretaker
of your daed ’s haus ! She’s quite fastidious, you see. Everything is so clean that
it shines!”
Hannah dried her hands on a towel and walked over to the sitting area. “They have
a visitor coming next week,” she said, a light
The compliment, unexpected and, in Anna’s eyes, unwarranted, brought a flush to her
cheeks. “I dare say that I don’t have any stories, and if I did, I certainly wouldn’t
know if they were clever or not!” But she joined the older woman, pleased for the
joyful reception from the Musser family.
“The boys are keeping you busy, then?”
Anna nodded. “The boys are a refreshing change from the everyday, ja ? I’m not certain
which one makes me laugh more! Little Cris with his mischief or Walter with his ability
to attract dirt to his face, even just after he’s had his bath!”
“Bless him, that child!” Salome said, a smile on her lips but some pain showing in
her eyes. She lifted her hand to her cheek, gently touching her own skin as if to
remember the soft touch of another, from years long gone. “Surely he reminds me so
much of my dear Rodney.”
A moment of silence blanketed the room at the mention of her deceased son who, almost
ten years ago, had been called home to walk with Jesus. Anna remembered the news
of Rodney’s passing. What had started out as a severe headache quickly escalated
into something much worse: a malignant brain tumor. He had only been twenty when
he died.
Clearing her throat, Salome lowered her hand and took a deep breath. As she exhaled,
she looked at Anna, studying her for a long moment. Finally, she asked, “You are
faring well at Mary’s, then?”
The shift in conversation, while welcomed by all, startled Anna, mostly because
of the curious tone of the question which hinted at more than just polite inquisitiveness.
“Quite well, danke ,” she responded.
“Your calming nature must be a pleasant addition to the household,” Hannah quipped.
“For sure and certain, ja ?”
“Perhaps it will linger after you have left,” Leah was quick to add, to which Salome
cast a stern look in the direction of her daughters.
Anna laughed, uncomfortable with the hidden complaint in the compliment. “One sure
does learn to appreciate moments of quiet, that’s for sure and certain. But I wouldn’t
change it for anything in the world. I enjoy those kinner so much, I’m afraid I’ll
be hesitant to leave.”
Salome nodded her head, approving of Anna’s tact in responding.
“You must miss your daed and schwester , ja ?” Without waiting for Anna to answer,
she caught her breath and leaned forward, another thought having just occurred to
her. “Have you been to meet George and Sara Coblentz yet?”
“ Nee ,” Anna confessed. “I have not.”
Salome smiled, understanding written on her face. “In due time, I reckon. That must
be a disconcerting feeling, to move from your daed ’s haus !”
With all of her being, Anna wished she could speak her mind and tell them that it
wasn’t a disconcerting feeling to leave her father’s house; that she could bear just
fine, danke . And it didn’t bother her that someone else enjoyed it now. Nee , neither
of those two reasons struck her as remotely troublesome. What created unease for
Anna was the idea that, should she call upon the Coblentz family, she might run into
her past. Instead of speaking, Anna merely lowered her eyes.
Salome hesitated, after glancing at Leah and Hannah, then spoke once again: “We would
have come to visit you yesterday, Anna. But we went to welcome them with Bishop Troyer’s fraa .”
This news brightened Anna’s mood: a welcome diversion from her thoughts of Freman.
Looking up, she smiled. “ Ja ? And how did you find them, then? Were they to your liking?
Are they godly people?”
“Oh, heavens!” Salome clapped her hands together and laughed. “Godly? Why, I’ve never
met such a fine woman! That Sara . . . why! . . . she’ll be the perfect caretaker
of your daed ’s haus ! She’s quite fastidious, you see. Everything is so clean that
it shines!”
Hannah dried her hands on a towel and walked over to the sitting area. “They have
a visitor coming next week,” she said, a light
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