He asked his father, who was sitting on the glider, to crank for a while, then headed over to Evan. “Did ya forget Lydia and her family are comin’ over?”

Evan rubbed his chin. “That’s tonight? I already made plans,” he said right quick. “I’ll have to see Lydia another time . . . and Titus’ll be workin’ with me in the orchard tomorrow, so . . .”

“This is family time, son.” Lyle’s words flew out faster than he could stop them.

Evan bobbed his head. “I’ll make it up to them.” Then he stepped toward the stable, no doubt to get Cupcake.

He’s going to celebrate the Fourth somewhere else, Lyle assumed, walking back to where Daed was steadily cranking.

His father frowned. “Your face is mighty red.”

Lyle ignored the comment. “I’ll take it from here,” he said, and his father went back up to the glider and sat with a groan.

“Evan has developed a mind of his own, Lyle,” Daed said from where he was rocking now.

Lyle glanced at him. “Seems that way.”

“The harder ya question and push, the worse it’ll get.”

Lyle shook his head. “I hate to see Evan ruin his life. And his future.” He thought how, during World War I, his father had endured so much to preserve his pacifist values by refusing all forms of service. And now, here was his grandson, willing to set that aside and act as if he was an Englischer. Truth be known, Lyle was furious. Yet he was also worried for Evan, who didn’t have any idea what he was getting into. He could end up dead.

“Remember, we rely on Gott to keep goin’ no matter what’s happening round us,” Daed said. “’Tis hard to stand back and watch, I know,” he added. “But we’ll keep Evan in our prayers.”

Daed was right . . . and wise. Lyle turned the crank all the faster as he watched Evan hitch Cupcake to the courting carriage. He offered a silent prayer for divine protection over his unbaptized son.

Ellie stepped out the side door to greet Lydia and her family while Titus tied their horse to the hitching post near the carriage shed. The evening was beginning to cool, not nearly as hot and muggy as it had been all day. Twelve-year-old Pete and nine-year-old Sammy followed Dawdi and Dat out to the barn, while Ida, eight, Verna, seven, and five-year-old Alma scurried into the house to greet Mamm.

Once Ellie was in the kitchen as well, towheaded Alma hugged her tightly around her waist and grinned up at her, revealing a missing front tooth. “I couldn’t wait to see you, Aendi,” she said in Deitsch.

“I’m glad yous came for ice cream,” Ellie said, heading to the sink to show Alma the hand-crank ice cream maker.

“Dat has one like this, too. I help him turn the handle sometimes.”

“Your Mamma says you’re a gut helper.”