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water.
    Surely, there was a place for her baking in Pinecraft, too. Of course, some likely thought her prideful. No, she knew it was a certainty, not something she supposed.
    But then, no one would go into business if they didn’t think they could do a good job and provide something a customer wanted. Such as her Oncle Thomas and his cabinet shop he and her father had run for decades and employed at least twenty people from their local community.
    Betsy picked up a trio of pies in a clear plastic clamshell container. No, she wasn’t prideful. Confident would be a better word. She needed to keep it in mind and let the critics say what they may. Aenti Chelle, too, had said she had confidence in Betsy.
    “Ready, Bets?” Her aenti had stopped at the register with her basket, Aenti Sarah behind her.
    “I’m ready.” She should have budgeted to bring a little extra cash with her as well, to purchase a few items for the home. Another day she’d shop, when she was less tired.
    They paid for their purchases and Chelle drove them home in the van, first stopping at Aenti Sarah’s home, part of the legacy of the Yoder family. No, they weren’t related to the Yoder’s restaurant folks, although if they all sat down and showed their family trees, Betsy wouldn’t be surprised if there was a family connection somewhere.
    “Good night, Aenti Sarah,” Betsy said as the older woman opened the front passenger door and left the vehicle.
    “I’ll see you in the morning. We have much work to do. Be here by six.”
    “Six?” Rarely did she go to her cleaning clients’ homes before eight in the morning, waiting until they were gone to their jobs. She never admitted her learned habit to sleep until the last possible moment, but it would have never happened in Ohio.
    “All right, then. Eight. Bring your folder and we’ll get your plans in order straightaway.”
    Aenti Chelle snickered from where she sat in the driver’s seat.
    Betsy left the middle seat of the van and wrangled herself into the passenger seat where Aenti Sarah had just sat.
    “I don’t think it’s funny.”
    “You know, I’m going to miss having you work for me.” Aenti Chelle pulled away from the side of the street and headed for home.
    “Me, too. Working for you never involved me being anywhere at six a.m. I must admit, I’m a bit spoiled.”
    “You should be happy she’s compromising with you to meet up at eight a.m.”
    “Oh, I am. Believe me.”
    “She does mean well.”
    “I know.” Betsy watched the neatly trimmed yards glide slowly by as they headed in a zigzag route through the village streets. “I’m nervous about this. I don’t want to let anyone down.”
    “You won’t. It won’t always be easy, but if God’s hand is on this, you will do well in the end.”
    “I hope so.” She’d thought Gotte was on her side before, about Jacob Miller. How could she have misunderstood? So many questions she had about where she’d misjudged things with Jacob. How could she know she wasn’t making another mistake?
    Others seemed so sure of what they were doing, or at least they were good at pretending. If God’s will was to be done, how did she know if she was going against it?
    In business, in matters of the heart, she’d try to be like Aenti Chelle, who seemed just fine on her own all these years. If it wasn’t God’s will for her to find a husband, she’d do well with the idea. Or, at least convince herself she would be. God would reward her long-suffering and patience, surely.

Chapter 5
    5
    T had woke to a soft rap on the door. “Supper’s on the stove, Thaddeus.”
    He gave an involuntary jerk, then remembered where he was. Pinecraft, in his mammi’s haus . The sun had swung around to the other side of the house and light no longer blazed through the window as brightly.
    “ Danke , Mammi . I’ll be right out.” He yawned, stretched, and listened. No more voices from the front. The aroma of supper cooking drifted under the door and