Evan gave me a look that suggested I was ferhoodled. “Do ya realize how many of these trees’ll be gone and new ones planted by the time I’m as old as Dawdi is now? The smaller trees bear fruit only up to twenty-five years, ya know.”

“Well, since Dat’s handin’ these acres over to your care when he retires, it’ll be up to you to see to all that someday.” I didn’t need to remind Evan that being the youngest son was a truly special blessing when it came to taking over the land—and in our case, an orchard, too. A blessing for sure, I thought, envying my brother a little. If I’d been born the younger twin and a boy, I’d have been chosen to run the orchard in the future. But alas, women didn’t have much say in those matters. It had always been that way amongst the People.

We walked for a while, and Evan kept glancing at the sky, now brushed with golden streaks. Something had to be on his mind for him to come out here before breakfast.

At last he said, “I’m plannin’ to go to Jack Herr’s burial service tomorrow afternoon in Carlisle, at the Ashland Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot.”

I had known who Jack was—our farm neighbor’s son—but hearing Evan talk like this confirmed what I’d long suspected. He and Jack had become friends. “I’m surprised, I guess . . . ya wanting to go . . . since that would be frowned on, jah?” We both knew that anything related to the military was forbidden.

Evan halted between the rows of new apple trees. “And for that reason, you must keep mum.”

“I won’t say anything, but are ya sure you oughta go?” I’d heard of Jack’s death from Mamm several days earlier, but I hadn’t read his obituary for myself. Too many young men were dying in Vietnam. It was heartbreaking.

Evan frowned and nodded. “Well, Jack was my best English friend, so I wanna be there.” He sighed loudly, walking a bit farther without saying more. Then when he spoke again, it was nearly in a whisper. “I still can’t believe he’s gone.” He glanced toward the road beyond the orchard. “Jack gave up his life for our country—for people like you and me—so I’m gonna pay my respects,” he said flatly.