“Not recently, but we would love to see them. Sure seems like we’re missin’ out on their lives, ’specially the children’s. Not sure I’ll even recognize them when I see ’em next.”

They continued sharing news about each other’s families, and Susie recalled the many times they’d played games and gone ice-skating on the pond. Memories all bundled up with the joy that had colored everything those years, at least when Obie was around.

There was the Christmas he had helped Susie string popcorn to decorate over the windows. Mamma had cheerfully let them have their fun; even she was in a better mood with Obie around.

Another year, Mamma let Obie and Susie clean out the big bowl with their fingers when she’d made chocolate pudding. Obie had ended up with a chocolatey nose and lips and afterward had looked around, asking if there just might be another bowl to clean out, too.

“Do you remember makin’ taffy one Christmas?” Obie asked unexpectedly. “It was peppermint, I think.”

“You’re right!” She laughed. “That was, what, back when we were eleven, maybe?”

Britta glanced at Susie, clearly enjoying the banter.

“We should make some again,” Obie said.

“Mamma surely has the recipe.” Susie wondered why he’d mentioned it and found it interesting that they both were reminiscing. “Remember when we built that strange-looking snowman?”

“The Christmas after Eli died,” Obie said. “We were so young.”

Susie nodded, wishing he hadn’t mentioned Eli. “I was eight, and you were nine.”

Jerome spoke up just then. “Why wasn’t I ever invited over for all this Christmas fun?” He tried to sound dramatic but ended up laughing.

“Oh, you were busy with other things,” Obie replied.

“And I wasn’t even born yet,” Britta said. “Not the Christmas ya built the snowman.”

“But once you were around, Obie made over you—you used to squeeze his finger ever so tight when you were a baby,” Susie told her.

“That’s the first I ever heard of it.” Britta beamed.

“You had a mighty grip,” Obie said, pausing. “And ya made your sister smile again.”

“Mamma too,” Susie added, enjoying the back-and-forth chumminess, feeling like she and Obie were the old pals they had always been, yet unable to deny the tug of attraction she felt toward him. Even so, she braced her heart, knowing he’d be off again in no time.

Sugar Valley is his home now. Susie felt a wave of regret—she had missed her chance to share how she truly felt about his going that long-ago day when he’d asked her opinion about the move. Why didn’t I foresee how much I’d miss his friendship . . . and speak up when I had the chance?

Part 2

CHAPTER
22

WINTER, A YEAR LATER