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Crystal agreed. “We need to find your mamm so we can see if she’s willing to watch the twins while we do some shopping.”
    The women headed off, and Amos, determined to get Miriam off his mind, busied himself by setting several more jugs of root beer on the table.
I
    “Amos is definitely interested in you,” Crystal whispered to Miriam as they walked away.
    “Well, I’m not interested in him,” Miriam replied with a firm nod. “Furthermore, it troubles me the way everyone keeps trying to match us up. Even his daughter is in on the plot.”
    Crystal touched Miriam’s arm. “Mary Ellen’s a sweet child. I’m sure no such ideas have entered her mind.”
    “Maybe not, but some adults, whom I won’t bother to mention, are in on the scheme to marry me off to Amos.” Miriam wrinkled her nose. “I’m afraid some of them might be using that poor child as an instrument of their devious ways.”
    Crystal laughed. “How you do exaggerate. No one’s being devious or plotting against you. We just want your happiness; surely you can see that.”
    Miriam just kept on walking.
    “Ever since we were little girls, all we talked about washow we would marry someday and have a family. We both knew how happy we’d be if God gave us good husbands and a bunch of fine kinner to raise.”
    “That’s easy enough for you to say, because you’re happily married to my brother Jonas. And you have these
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boys to fill your life,” Miriam added, pointing to her adorable nephews. She touched her chest. “I, on the other hand, am an old-maid schoolteacher, and I’ll always be one.”

T hat was a great story you did on the farmers’ market,” Pete said when Nick entered his office the next weekend.
    Nick pulled out a chair and took a seat in front of his boss’s desk. “Thanks. Glad you liked it.”
    “You must have some kind of a connection with the Amish, because the quotes you got were awesome, not to mention the pictures you included.”
    Nick nodded. “I took a few years of German, so I understand some of what they say when they speak Pennsylvania Dutch to each other, which is how I got some of the information included in my article.”
    “And the pictures? Did they willingly pose for those?”
    “Only a few of the Amish kids did. The older ones don’t like to have their pictures taken, so I had to get those on the sly.”
    Pete nodded, and a slow smile spread across his face. “You’re not only good with words and pictures, but you’re crafty, as well. I like that in my reporters. That’s how great stories are born, you know.”
    Nick lifted his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. “I do my best.”
    Pete’s balding head bobbed up and down. “And I’m sure you’ll do your best on the next piece I give you.”
    “What might that be?” Nick asked with interest.
    “Covered bridges.”
    “Covered bridges?”
    “Yep. There are a lot of them in the area, and some of the older ones are in the process of being restored. I think it would be good to do an article about the bridges so our readers will know where they are and how to find them.”
    “Do you know where they all are, Pete?”
    “Nope, but that’s your job to find out.”
    Nick felt a trickle of sweat roll down his forehead. Driving all over the countryside searching for covered bridges did not sound like an interesting assignment, and he told his boss so.
    “You don’t have to drive around aimlessly. I’m sure the Amish in the area know where the bridges are, so I would suggest that you stop by some of their farms and ask for directions.” With that, Pete stood and motioned to the door. “Your assignment begins right now, Nick.”
I
    The morning sun beating against the windows had already warmed the kitchen when Miriam came downstairs. She squinted against the harsh light and turned away from the window. Her head felt fuzzy; another pounding migraine had sent her to bed early the night before, and the unpleasant remnants of it still