“It wasn’t quite like that, but we’re all happier. Oh, and Menno and Ruthann are getting married this fall.”

Evan glanced out the window, his lips pressed together. “I missed your wedding, Ellie. Wanted to be there so bad.”

She could hardly eat her cookie for wanting to look at him. He’s aged, she thought, but maybe it was the unfamiliar uniform and the scars on his face. “I thought of you every day, and I prayed all the time, too. But the important thing is that you’re here now, alive.”

“The Lord heard your prayers . . . and got me this far,” he said, sounding almost sad.

Ellie offered him coffee or milk, and he chose the milk.

“While I was at boot camp, I quickly learned it wasn’t the smartest thing to drink too much coffee.” He seemed to force a chuckle, and there was a quiver in his lower lip.

Ellie was filled with so many thoughts and emotions. She appreciated this time with Evan. But she also wondered how long she should wait before bringing up Cheryl Herr—and her new boyfriend. Certainly not today.

She heard the screen door open, and Mamm soon appeared in the kitchen, wearing her pretty green dress and black cape and apron. Dat stood close behind. “I heard my boy was home.” Mamm rushed over to throw her arms around his neck. “It’s wunnerbaar-gut to see ya, Evan.”

Ellie could tell that Mamm was trying to keep her composure, yet her face absolutely shone. Dat must’ve warned her. . . .

Her brother rose, wrapped his arm around Mamm, and told her how happy he was to be home. “Come, sit with us. Have some pie,” he said as Dat patted him on the back.

“Dawdi and Sol are out runnin’ errands together, or they’d be here, too,” Dat said. “They’d hoped to return before you arrived.”

Ellie slipped into the chair where Mamm had always sat, to the right of the head of the table. Now, though, Mamm sat next to Evan, her gaze fixed on him.

“I sure missed getting your cookies after I went overseas,” Evan told their mother as tears sprang to his eyes. “To be honest, I missed everything.”

Mamm reached up to pat his cheek, the room ever so still.

Evan broke the silence. “You’re sitting on the wrong side of me,” he joked.

“Aw, now,” Mamm said, shaking her head and looking downright ferhoodled for a moment.

“I can still shave my face and brush my teeth,” Evan told her. “It’ll be nice to have some hair back on my head, though. You can trim it up once it’s long enough for a respectable Amish cut.”

Mamm’s eyes brightened.

“I’m home where God meant me to be,” Evan added, looking at each one of them.