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two doin’?”
    “Real well,” the woman replied.
    The bearded Amish man who stood beside her nodded. “We were feeling kind of thirsty, so we decided to come on over and get some of your flavorsome, homemade root beer.”
    The little girl, who had returned to reading her book, looked up and grinned. “You think maybe Pappy and memight get another invite to your house for supper soon?”
    The Amish woman nodded and reached out to pat the child’s head, which was covered with a small, white cap. “We’d like that.” She smiled at the child’s father then. “What do you think, Amos? Would you be able to come over again soon?”
    He nodded with an eager expression and poured the man and woman each a glass of root beer. “If you think this is any good I’ll bring a jug whenever we do join you for supper.”
    The older man took a quick drink and licked his lips. “Umm. . .it’s
wunderbaar
.”
    “Wunderbaar. That means ‘wonderful,’ doesn’t it?” Nick asked, butting in.
    “That’s right,” the Amish man said. “Are you from a
Deitsch
background?”
    “No, but I took a few years of German in high school, so I’m able to pick up on some of your Pennsylvania Dutch lingo.”
    “The man’s a reporter for the
Daily Express
,” Amos said. “He wants to do a story about the farmers’ market and the Plain People who’ve come here today.”
    “We get too much of that already.” The older man grunted. “Curious tourists askin’ a bunch of questions is one thing, but I’ve got no time for nosy reporters.”
    “Okay, I know when to take a hint,” Nick said, slipping his notepad and pen into his pocket. “Guess I’d better find someone else to interview.”
    He had already started to walk away, when the little girl called out, “Aren’t ya gonna try some of Pappy’s root beer?”
    “Maybe some other time.”
I
    After inspecting her knees, Miriam found that only the right one was bleeding, but the cut didn’t appear to be too serious. She wet a paper towel and blotted the knee to stop the bleeding; then she tried unsuccessfully to get the blood off her dress. She was afraid of scrubbing too hard for fear of tearing it more, so she decided to wait until she got home to tend to it properly.
    Miriam was about to leave the restroom, when the door flew open and a little girl burst into the room. It was Mary Ellen Hilty. “Teacher!” she cried excitedly. “I seen your folks a bit ago, but I didn’t know you was here today.”
    “Actually, I’ve only been here a short time,” Miriam responded. She was tempted to correct the child’s English but decided not to mention it since this wasn’t a school day and she wasn’t Mary Ellen’s mother.
    “Pappy will be glad to see you.” The child’s hazel-colored eyes shone like copper pennies, and her round cheeks took on a rosy glow. “He thinks you cook real good, Teacher. He said so after we had supper at your place last time.”
    Miriam tried to force a smile, but inwardly, she was seething.
Of course he likes my cooking. He would like any woman’s cooking
.
    “Your mamm said me and Pappy could come to supper at your place again soon.” Mary Ellen twisted her body from side to side like a wiggly worm.
    Oh, great. That’s just what I need
. Miriam tried to force a smile. “Are you happy it’s almost time for school to be out forthe summer?” she asked, hoping the change in subject might get Mary Ellen’s mind on something other than their next supper invitation.
    The child offered her a wide grin. “I’ll enjoy spending more time with Pappy when he lets me come in his shop, but I’ll miss school—and you, Teacher Mim. Is it all right if I call you that?”
    “Jah, sure,” Miriam mumbled.
    “Some of the kinner don’t like you so much, but I think you’re real smart—and pretty, too.”
    “Danki.” Miriam moved toward the door. “I must be going now, Mary Ellen. I need to find my folks.”
    “They’re still talkin’ to Pappy