The Wings of Morning by Murray Pura Page A

Glancing back once, he saw she was still standing, watching him go. He gave a small wave and she waved back. As he continued on he saw the Kurtz home far to the east and a stab went through him. Slowing his pace, he gazed at it and wondered if he might catch a glimpse of Lyyndaya. Her hair would give her away. But he only noticed two children playing with a dog.
    All sorts of feelings streamed through him. Emma’s eyes, Lyyndaya’s face, the note he’d written to Lyyndaya, the words he’d spoken to Emma. He shook his head to clear it, but that didn’t help much. He’d as much as told Lyyndaya that he loved her. And he did. But he doubted her parents would ever change their minds. Whereas Emma had a way of getting into his thoughts and sticking there, like a rose’s thorn, and Emma’s parents believed in him and what he was doing with his aeroplane. It was as if a new path had suddenly opened for him in the forest and the way forward was obvious.
    He put his hands in his pockets. The old path had looked so good too…until it had become blocked by vines and brambles and deadfall.

S IX
     
    L yyndaya was milking Vivianne as she listened to the sound of the aeroplane passing by the house for the third time. The cow began to fidget and moan and Lyyndaya leaned her head against the Holstein’s flank and closed her eyes.
    “Yes, go ahead, Viv, kick up a fuss,” she murmured in a weary voice. “I don’t mind. I feel the same way.”
    For a few minutes it was quiet, though Lyyndaya was certain she could hear the Curtiss Jenny’s engine higher up and farther east. Then the drone came back, growing louder and louder, until it snarled over their rooftop once again. A streak of pain shot through her. A week ago she would have been running to the field where Jude was landing. Now she wanted to avoid him at all costs.
    “Are you not finished yet?”
    Ruth stood in the doorway.
    Lyyndaya quickly brushed the back of her hand against both cheeks. “I’m just done.” But she did not stand up.
    Ruth waited a moment and then picked up a milk stool and came over and sat beside her sister. Then she took one of Lyyndaya’s hands and held it tightly.
    “Listen,” she said in a quiet voice, “you and I and Mother and Sarah are in charge of slicing and serving the pies in an hour. Father and the boys are helping with the games. Everyone in our family is at the Stoltzfus meadow already. As we planned, I have come back for you. The table of pies is under a big tree and far from the Stoltzfus hay field, where Jude is taking off and landing. You will not see him very much.”
    “How do you not see an aeroplane buzzing over your head?”
    “By keeping your head down—and praying.”
    “Where is Emma Zook?”
    “She’ll be helping people line up for the plane rides. So she is also far away.”
    “What happens when she comes for her piece of pie?”
    “I will serve her.”
    “
Ja
? You will serve her? Will it be strawberry pie?”
    Ruth sighed and closed her eyes a moment. Then she kissed her sister on the head and pulled her against her side.
    “Is it that again? People exaggerate. Emma gave Jude one strawberry and Jude gave Emma one strawberry. That was it. No one fed anyone a bowlful of strawberries and there certainly wasn’t any sugar or cream. Emma’s little sister, Annie, told Sarah that her mother would have thrown a fit if Emma hadn’t brought all the strawberries they’d picked into the house.”
    “No doubt,” responded Lyyndaya, biting out each word. “After all, Mrs. Zook had
two
suppers to prepare for.”
    Ruth exhaled a long and noisy rush of air. “Oh, my dear, what do you expect? If Mama and Papa felt all right about flying then we’d be the ones having Jude and his father in. You can’t ask Jude to become a hermit.”
    “I thought he loved me.”
    “So that means he should be rude to Emma and her parents?”
    “He doesn’t—” Lyyndaya took in a sharp breath and struggled not to begin crying