Obie removed his hat and coat and went around the corner to hang them up. “It’s a wunnerbaar Haus,” he said, returning to the kitchen. “Who wouldn’t want to live here?”

I poured milk into the saucepan for the cocoa. “Hopefully, whoever rents it will be a young couple with a family to fill up the rooms,” I said, wondering how Obie even knew.

He wandered over to stand near the stove, watching me stir the milk. “Say, I was thinkin’ . . .”

I caught his expression, a whimsical smile on his lips. “Jah?”

“How would you an’ Britta feel ’bout stayin’ on here?”

“But how?”

His face broke into an even bigger smile, and he looked down as he shuffled his feet. “Well . . .”

“Ach, did you rent it from Allen?”

Obie nodded. “With the option to buy . . . once we’re wed.”

My heart soared at his words.

“Ach, but I’m getting ahead of myself,” he said, slipping his arm around me. “So . . . will ya marry me, Susie, and make me a very happy man?”

Overwhelmed, I nodded my answer, looking into his handsome face.

“I want to take care of you for the rest of my life, Susie. And I want to do it here.”

“Obie . . .” I moved into his arms, unable to hold back the tears.

“Better stir the milk again, so it won’t scald,” he said, releasing me.

We laughed together, and later, when we were seated at the table, sipping our hot cocoa and eating frosted sugar cookies, I joked, “Are ya sure you’re not marryin’ me just to live here?”

He chuckled. “Well, it has been like a second home.”

“You’re right.” I nodded, remembering all the times he came to visit us as a schoolboy and beyond.

Later, he brought up the idea of Britta staying with us, after we were husband and wife. “Far as I’m concerned, she’d be welcome here for as long as need be.”

Deeply moved by his kindness, I thanked him. “You have no idea what this means to me. And Britta will be so happy.” Then I added, “I ’spect Roy Lantz may be interested in dating her once she starts attending Singings and all in July.”

He reached for my hand, looking at me with the bluest eyes. “Whatever I can do to lessen your burden, Susie. You’ve worked too hard for too long.”

“Ach, I’m just glad to help.”

“Well, come fall, we’ll be partners in every way, sharin’ life’s journey, with the strength of the Lord.”

I appreciated that more than I could put into words and wondered about his agreement on the house. “Since Allen’s consented to rent the house to you, surely Mamma knows, too.”

Obie nodded. “In fact, Allen said she wanted me to be the one to tell ya.”