She didn’t want to feel blue, but she did, and then she recalled Cheryl’s truly painful words about her brother Jack.

“What’re ya thinkin’?” Sol asked, reaching for her hand.

“Oh, somethin’ Evan’s girlfriend told me that day I visited her a couple of months ago.” Then she finally shared what Cheryl said, that Jack had first been declared MIA.

“I’m aware that sometimes MIA soldiers don’t return home,” he said gently. “There’s a lot we don’t know, but remember, these are the times we must have faith in our Sovereign Lord. Do we believe He’s with us, even when we don’t perceive His presence?” Sol asked, sounding so like Dawdi.

Off and on the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, Ellie thought about Sol’s wise remark. And when she was snug next to him that night, she thanked God for such a loving and empathetic husband.

Ellie had started to wonder if George Stewart would ever bother to reply when, two weeks later, Sol came into the barn office with an envelope addressed to her.

“Postmarked Florida,” he said with a smile. “Might be from that snowbird landowner ya wrote to.”

Surprised, Ellie tore open the envelope and began to read as Sol leaned over her shoulder.

“Goodness,” she said. “He wants to meet with us when he returns home in mid-April.” She handed the letter to Sol. “See for yourself.”

Sol scanned the letter. “That’s two months away. What’s he waitin’ for?”

“Maybe for someone to accept the price he wants ’tween now and then.”

Sol returned the letter. “Guess ya’d better tell your Dat what ya did.”

Ellie agreed. “I never really thought anything would come of my letter.” She stood and looked out the window. “Have ya seen Dat around lately?”

“He was out in the orchard earlier with Titus and me.”

Ellie stared at the letter. “I don’t want to get my hopes up,” she murmured. O Lord, I trust Thee to open the door if it’s Thy will.

38

During peach tree pruning toward the middle of March, Ellie slipped off to market with Mamm for some loose-leaf black tea and needed food items. When they went their separate ways after Mamm spotted Aendi Cora, Ellie noticed Cheryl Herr holding hands with a young man. He was definitely an Englischer, wearing pressed brown pants flared at the ankles, a long-sleeved shirt with rust-colored designs, and a tan sweater vest.

In one way, Ellie was stunned that Cheryl had moved on from Evan so quickly, yet in another, relieved. But really, after Cheryl had taken the news so hard that Evan was missing three months ago, what was she doing already seeing someone else?