Ella Mae was looking at her with eyes of compassion. “Frustration’s not the same as anger, now, is it?”

Britta couldn’t help but smile. “S’pose it can turn into that, if I let it.”

“An’ is that why you’re here . . . so it won’t?”

Britta reached across the table for Ella Mae’s wrinkled, bony hand and let the tears fall. “Now I know why Mamma’s so fond of you,” she whispered.

Ella Mae beamed. “Your Mamma’s real special to me, too. And never forget how much she loves you, Britta.”

Nodding, Britta released her hand and noticed tears shining on Ella Mae’s furrowed cheeks.

Susie had decided not to ask Britta where she’d hurried off to. Undoubtedly, she needed time by herself again, which was understandable. Learning that her birth mother was most likely unmarried was a lot for dear Britta to take in.

Several kinfolk dropped by the shop to check in on them that morning—Aendis Emmalyn and Lettie, and Cousin Verena, too—for which Susie was grateful. She would be sure to tell Britta when she returned home. Even Mattie Beiler stopped in for a little chat, saying if they ever needed anything at all to holler, a kind offer that others had made, as well.

The womenfolk sincerely care, Susie thought, touched even though she didn’t plan on needing help anytime soon.

Following the nightly Bible reading and prayer, Britta and Susie sat quietly in the front room. Taking time to do this as a family is the best gift Dat and Mamma ever gave us, Susie thought. Her parents’ invisible fingerprints were everywhere in their lives.

The stove was plenty warm, yet Britta had carried little Lucy into the house and had the black furry bundle all snug in her arms while she sat in Mamma’s chair. Susie stared across the room at the large gas lamp to the right of the comfortable chair, observing Britta, who appeared deep in thought.

At last Britta broke the stillness. “I’ve been thinkin’ that we could travel together to Missouri, leaving the day after Thanksgiving.”

This surprised Susie, but she contemplated it for a moment, not in favor of Allen paying their way, nor the disruption such a trip would cause to the shop and livestock.

“Maybe Mamma would travel back with us.” Britta petted Lucy as the cat slept.

“If ya go just for that reason, you might be disappointed,” Susie replied.

“Nee, ain’t the only reason.” Britta scratched under the cat’s ears. “It’d be wunnerbaar-gut just to spend time with Mamma again.”

“We’d miss having Thanksgiving dinner with them, though.”

Britta wrinkled her nose. “Maybe they would move it till after we got there.”

Susie wondered how Sarah and the children would feel about that. “I wouldn’t think of suggesting that,” she told Britta.

“But if they want us to come, they’ll be glad whenever we arrive, jah?”