her four girls, Hannah had no morning
sickness when she was having her twins, one boy and one girl.
“I was worried when I saw how sick Esther was
when she was expecting with Isabel,” Martha said, “but I’ve been
fine too.”
Sarah bounced Isabel on her knee, thinking
how lovely it would be to have her own boppli and have her
own husband, preferably Benjamin Shetler. Perhaps their boppli would have sandy colored hair, all messy like
Benjamin’s, and have his big brown eyes. They would have several kinner , all of whom would grow up tall like their vadder , and be tender and compassionate and lovable.
“Are you all right, Sarah?” Mrs. Miller said.
“Your eyes have gone somewhat glazed. You don’t feel sick again, do
you?”
“Oh, just daydreaming.” Sarah was embarrassed
to be caught out. She hoped Mrs. Miller wouldn’t ask her what she
had been daydreaming about.
“Will Datt be in soon?” Hannah asked
her mudder , and Sarah shot Hannah a grateful look.
“I hope so,” Mrs. Miller said. “He said he’d
be in as soon as he finishes showing Benjamin around the
workshop.”
“Benjamin?” Sarah shrieked and then everyone
turned to look at her.
“Oh, didn’t I mention that Benjamin is coming
to dinner too?” Mrs. Miller’s eyes opened wide in innocence, and
then she hurried into the kitchen.
“I told you Mamm was a very keen
matchmaker,” Martha said, and her three schweschders nodded.
“There’s just no stopping her,” Hannah said,
“I could tell you stories.”
“You might as well marry him now. There’s no
fighting Mamm ,” Rebecca added.
“Mrs. Miller wants me and Benjamin to marry?”
Sarah asked in a small voice.
The four schweschders nodded.
Sarah chewed the edge of her thumb. “But I
don’t think he likes me.”
“ Mamm won’t let a little thing like
that get in the way,” Rebecca said, but was soon hushed by her
three schweschders .
“Of course he likes you,” Martha said. “I’ve
seen the way he looks at you.”
“But we had a fight. I accused him of telling
Nash that I was, well, that I was your cousin.”
“Did he?” Rebecca asked.
“I don’t know, but I doubt it.” Sarah
absently rubbed her forehead.
“It’s nothing that can’t be sorted out,”
Martha said, but they all stopped speaking as soon as Mrs. Miller
returned.
Mrs. Miller deposited a large pot of
vegetable soup on the table. “That’s right, stop speaking as soon
as I come in the room. I know nothing; I’m just a silly old woman.”
Mrs. Miller stormed out of the room and presently the sound of pots
and pans banging emanated from the kitchen.
The schweschders chuckled softly.
Martha opened her mouth to say something, but Mr. Miller came
through the door, followed by Benjamin.
Sarah didn’t know where to look. She stole a
glance at Benjamin and noted that he didn’t look his usual,
confident self.
Mrs. Miller emerged from the kitchen.
“Rebecca, Martha, you come and help me with the schnitz und
knepp ,” she ordered. Sarah stood up to help too, but Mrs.
Miller fixed her with a steely gaze. “You stay there, Sarah, and
talk to our guest.”
Sarah was embarrassed by Mrs. Miller’s overt
matchmaking attempts, and saw that the Miller schweschders were all exchanging amused glances.
Mr. Miller went over to talk to his
sons-in-law, the Hostetler bruders , in the other room, while
Benjamin sat opposite Sarah.
“ Hiya , Sarah.”
“ Hiya , Benjamin,” Sarah said
shyly.
“ Err , congratulations,” Benjamin
said.
Sarah was puzzled. “Congratulations for
what?’
“ Err , for being a Miller,” Benjamin
said, and then his face turned beet red.
Sarah’s heart went out to him. Clearly he was
nervous and didn’t know what to say. “ Denki ,” she said
brightly.
Mrs. Miller summoned everyone to the table.
Along with the vegetable soup, she, Martha, and Rebecca had
deposited plates piled high with schnitz und knepp , and the
mouth-watering scent of smoked ham, apples, and
Carly Fall, Allison Itterly