Alma smiled, seeming to take it all in. “When I’m all grown up like you, I want to make lots of ice cream.”

Ellie cupped her niece’s little chin with her hand. “I’m sure you will.”

“And have lots of children,” Alma added.

Ellie grinned. “You and your future husband will have as many as God gives ya.”

She and Alma stepped back outside to walk barefoot through the rows of tall sweet corn, as the little girl liked to do this time of year.

Later, when the sun was lower in the sky, they all assembled indoors while Ellie and Mamm dished up the vanilla ice cream in bowls and placed the sprinkles and chocolate syrup on the counter so everyone could help themselves. Mamm had also laid out thinly sliced canned peaches and peach preserves for toppings. Dat bowed his head in a silent prayer over the dessert, and everyone else did the same.

After the prayer, while most of the family stayed inside, Ellie headed to the porch steps to sit with Lydia for a few minutes. Mamm’s spider plant dangled nearby nestled in macramé, moving slightly in the breeze across from the long flypaper.

“Where’s Evan tonight?” Lydia asked, dipping her spoon into her ice cream.

“Wish I knew.”

Lydia’s eyes searched hers. “Everything all right?”

Ellie simply shook her head, too emotional to say.

“Is it the draft? Jonah told Titus about it, and he told me.”

“That, and other things.” She didn’t know for sure, but she wondered if Evan had gone to spend the evening with Cheryl Herr again.

“Mamm does seem a bit worried,” Lydia replied.

Ellie nodded. “But she has a way of putting on a gut face . . . most times.”

Lydia scooped up another spoonful of her ice cream, not saying more about that. After a time, she said more softly, “I hate the thought of Evan spendin’ all his time with Englischers like he does.”

So Lydia knew about that, too. “Well, he’s been minglin’ with them plenty while still livin’ at home,” Ellie said glumly. Seems like we’re spinning our wheels about Evan. He’s all anyone wants to talk about.

After eating their ice cream, all the adults visited on the porch while the children took turns sitting on the glider, then played hide-and-seek. After a while, they played catch with a large ball Dat had purchased for gatherings like this.

Later, Ellie and little Alma walked hand in hand out to see Nelly and Captain in the stable.

“I miss Onkel Evan,” the little girl said. “Where is he?”

It was so unlike Evan to slip out of a family get-together. “Don’t worry, honey. I’m sure you’ll see him again soon.”

“I hope so,” Alma said in her adorable little voice. “He makes me giggle, like Dawdi Hezekiah does.”

“Dawdi does have a gut sense of humor.”