Mamm continued to study her. “Thinking ’bout Sol?”

Sighing, Ellie pulled out the wood bench and sat down, leaning her elbows on the table much as she had last night while talking so comfortably with Sol. “Honestly—and I don’t know when it happened—but I think I might like Sol as more than a friend.”

Mamm pursed her lips. “He is rather wunnerbaar.”

Ellie was surprised at how quickly her mother spoke. “You think so?”

“Dawdi seems to, also. And we all know Dawdi’s a gut barometer of many things.”

Ellie smiled. “I’ll say.” She sighed. “Guess I’ll just have to sort out my feelings,” she said before Mamm could ask more.

She rose and headed into the front room with the family Bible, turning to the next chapter Dat would be reading and happy to wait for the rest of her family to arrive for their nightly routine.

At market the next day, Ellie happened to see Ruthann and Menno ordering peanut brittle together. It was obvious how very attentive Menno was, which was a good sign. The two of them hadn’t even seemed to notice her, which was fine—and besides, she was carrying two tall lemonades back to their market stand, where Mamm was selling an excess of asparagus.

I couldn’t be happier for Menno and Ruthann, she thought as she set the drinks on the table.

That Saturday, the first of May, dawned sunny, and Ellie continued to work extra hours in the orchard, checking trees to see if their pest management practices were working and reducing the need for pesticides.

More tired than usual at the end of the day, she took time to finally write to Leah nevertheless. She mentioned helping Dawdi look after Sol and how thankful she was to have been out walking in the orchard right when Sol needed assistance. She also shared that Ruthann was seeing Menno. They’re a good match, she wrote.

She also made time to write to Evan earlier that week, afraid he’d wonder if she’d forgotten him, considering all the time she was putting in out in the orchard. But then he hadn’t written in some weeks, either.

Ellie told him she had started to see some of the first benefits from the time she’d put in recruiting local restaurants and bakeries, many of which were signed up for the upcoming peach and apple season. Our fruit will be everywhere, she joked. Dat had taken notice, as well, which pleased Ellie no end.

The Lord’s Day brought an early rain before dawn, “a gut soaker makin’ plenty-a mud” as Lyle described it to his father as they sat at the table waiting for Elisabeth’s hearty homemade granola and the fresh goat’s milk purchased yesterday from Rudy’s farm.