“Such a difference ’tween her and Joey at that age,” Polly said.

“Well, wasn’t he nine pounds at birth?”

Polly nodded and began to set out the ingredients for pizza toppings. “Junior was a gut size, too.”

“Is he still doin’ all right in school?” Susie asked as she stroked Nellie Ann’s soft cheek.

“Jah, but he’s a rutchey one. We’ve been workin’ closely with his teacher, who’s just twenty but real bright and so helpful.” Polly came over and kissed tiny Nellie Ann’s forehead, then lifted her out of Susie’s arms to nurse her.

Susie went over to sit on the floor and play with Joey, who seemed to delight in knocking down each of the structures she made. And as she did his repeated bidding—“Again, Aendi!”—she realized how very happy her sister was as a wife and mother.

Will I ever have such a happy future?

After supper back in Hickory Hollow, Susie hitched Brambles to the family carriage and prepared to head over to David Beiler’s to deliver the beautifully framed family tree to Mattie. Britta had already gone on foot to babysit the neighbors’ two youngest children for the evening, so Susie invited Mamma to come along. “Maybe you’ll have a chance to visit with Ella Mae, too,” she suggested.

“Well, she might be havin’ tea with someone. You just never know.”

“Oh, I would think she expects to see ya. After I called over there, Mattie surely told her I was comin’.”

Mamma got up from her chair at the table to get some water at the sink. “I believe I can see right through ya, dear.”

Susie couldn’t hide her smile. “Wouldn’t want ya to feel left out.”

Mamma’s expression grew thoughtful. “You really don’t wanna leave me here alone, do ya?”

“So, you’ll come?”

Mamma drank half the water in her glass and set the tumbler on the counter. “All right, then.”

“Since they’re ready, you can bring the pretty embroidered pillowcases along, too,” Susie suggested.

“Jah, gut idea.” Mamma went to find them, then wrapped them in some plastic for protection before she and Susie made their way outdoors to the carriage together.

A bird was singing stridently in the large tree behind the Beilers’ farmhouse as Susie and her mother carried in the neatly packaged family tree and the wrapped pillowcases. They walked to the back door and knocked, and Susie glanced down at her package, glad Henry had framed it with pine wood and a dark stain, ideal for the thread colors she’d chosen.

“Kumme in.” Mattie opened the door and ushered them inside. “I’m so eager to see how the finished tree looks.”