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by dangling one leg behind her.
    “So I see.” He took Lucy by the arm to help her balance and then moved away once
she was sure-footed. “Where did you find her?”
    “Out in the backyard.”
    He untied Sweet Pea from the buggy, and she heard his voice faintly comforting the
horse.
    Lucky Sweet Pea. Lucy wished she had someone to talk to her in the same way. “She’s
a sweet horse.” Lucy stroked the horse’s side, listening to her whinny softly.
    “That’s why I gave her the name.” He glanced back to Lucy and took a moment to study
her.
    She felt her cheeks redden. Not from Manny’s scrutiny, but the fact she’d forgotten
to hide her scar. She wondered why that bothered her more than usual when she saw
Manny. Many times she would go into town and face the gawking, but for whatever reason
she didn’t want Manny to see her blemish.
    “The grass must be greener at Sam’s place.” It still sounded strange when people
called the place she lived only her husband’s, but she felt like a visitor there.
Although Sam didn’t come out and say it, she knew better than to think the haus was
anyone’s but his.
    “Would you like something to drink?” Manny offered, but seemed a bit reluctant. With
no one around but the two of them, it was a little awkward. But Sam had approved
her going, and a glass of water sounded good.
    “ Jah , I’ll wait on the porch.” She looked up to see more steps than she’d expected.
“Or maybe I’ll sit on the steps.”
    “ Nee , I’ll bring you a chair.” Manny took the stairs two at a time, grabbed a rocking
chair from the porch and set it down by the bottom stair. “There you go.” He looked
up at the nearby tree and then the ground where she sat. “You’ll have some good shade
here.”
    He was so hospitable. Unfamiliar emotions started to well up inside. She choked them
back and let out a long breath.
    “Are you all right?” He squatted down. It was nice she didn’t have to look up. But
at the moment she didn’t want him to see her face with the heat rising up her neck.
    “Just a little warm.” She rubbed her belly. “This little one creates a lot of heat.”
Then she felt embarrassed for talking about the baby. It wasn’t common to mention,
but it was so obvious, it seemed silly to ignore it.
    “I’ll get that water.” He touched her hand. “I’ll be right back.” He slowly walked
away, not looking back until he was at the door.
    She scanned his farm, which was smaller than but just as well-kept as Sam’s. It seemed
quaint and inviting, more like a home than a business. She sat up to look closer.
That was the difference. Sam ran his farm like a business. Manny’s was a home first,
then it provided a living. Sweet Pea was relaxed, with her head down and eyes closed,
unlike at Sam’s where she was jittery. The calming atmosphere seemed to affect them
in the same way, confirming that the tension was a reality at the place she called
home.
    “You two taking a nap?” Manny’s voice floated toward her as her eyelids lifted.
    “Just resting my eyes,” she said, although she might have had a wink or two.
    He handed her the water and smiled. “I have trouble with that too when I’m rocking
under that big oak tree.” He squatted down by her and looked up. “Nice day.”
    She took a moment to admire the blue sky with white clouds rolling by slowly in the
slight wind. She hadn’t felt this serene since . . . she didn’t know when. And there
was something definitely soothing about Manny . . . but maybe it just seemed that
way to her since she lived with someone so opposite.
    Lucy suddenly felt uncomfortable enjoying herself when there was dinner to make.
“ Danke for your hospitality, Manny. I should go.”
    He stood and offered his hand. She accepted with a smile of appreciation and started
for her buggy. He helped get her up and settled, as the lump in her throat swelled
again. But there was no appropriate way to express her feelings other than a simple