Susie, Britta, and Mamma stepped out of the schoolhouse and made their way down the walkway just as their driver pulled up. Appreciating the warmth as they settled in, Susie was grateful Mamma had suggested this means of transportation. Mamma sat up front with Rachelle Good at the wheel, and Susie and Britta slid in right behind them in the middle bench seat.

Britta leaned close. “Hazel said a bunch of the youth are goin’ caroling on Christmas Eve. But I wonder if I’m old enough.”

“Oh, you can go, if ya want to,” Susie assured her. “Will Hazel?”

“I think so.” Britta glanced at her. “Would you wanna go, too?”

Susie wasn’t willing to leave Mamma alone if Britta was going. “I’ll just have to see.”

Britta nodded. “Remember how we went caroling one year with Henry and Polly around their neighborhood?”

“Jah, and it was such a perty night,” Susie said. “All snowy and bright.”

“Sounds like the start of a poem,” Britta said, smiling.

“I’m anything but a poet,” Susie said and laughed softly, happy to have spent the afternoon this way with Mamma and Britta.

By evening, more heavy, wet snow had fallen. And by the time Susie had a chance to finally sit down and open Obie’s beautiful Christmas card, the trees and bushes were bowed low to the ground with the tremendous weight of the snow. She went to stand at the window in her long robe, staring out at the countryside, silvery under a three-quarter moon.

Obie asked if I’m going sledding on Saturday, she thought, smiling at what he’d written. He’d said he hoped to see her there, but he had also been clear he was asking simply as a friend.

“He must not know I’m not seein’ Del anymore,” she murmured as she placed the colorful card beside the pinecone on her dresser. Then, pulling down the window shades, she headed to bed to read the Good Book.

Later, while nestled beneath the warm blankets and quilts, she tried to convince herself that Obie was just abiding by what they’d established during their months of letter writing. He still only wants friendship, she told herself, though she couldn’t help being a little confused by the way he’d smiled at her so endearingly during the Christmas program.

The next day was an off-Sunday from Preaching, and following a haystack supper with a variety of tasty toppings for the rice and ground beef, Susie told Mamma and Britta about the latest news while they lingered at the table. According to an Englischer neighbor, many homes all over the county, as well as corncribs and other outbuildings, had suffered roof damage from the snow over the weekend. Power lines were also down in Bird-in-Hand, the village of Intercourse, and surrounding areas.

“I didn’t see much damage here when I went out to feed and water the livestock,” Britta spoke up.