“S’posin’ it should be good-bye.” She opened the door and stepped inside.

———

Upstairs in her room, Ellie lit the lantern, took down her hair, and brushed it thoroughly, jittery with anger. “Calm down,” she whispered to herself as she put on her white flannel nightgown.

She slipped into bed and pulled up the blankets and quilts, then stared at where the faintest light from the moon crept around the edge of a window shade. She yawned and reached over to outen the lantern, surprised she wasn’t sorry her relationship with Menno had come to an end.

After a time, she got up and raised the shade on one of the dormer windows, then looked fondly at the expanse of orchard. Sighing with relief, she felt a surge of warmth, even contentment. “I’ll get to stay round here for longer,” she whispered.

Ellie worked alongside Dat all week, helping load the spring wagon with pruned branches on the ground beneath the apple trees. She was thankful for Evan’s old work gloves, which were a little big for her but did the job.

She didn’t tell anyone about the breakup with Menno, and she didn’t say a word to Sol about Leah’s recent letter about Reuben Miller, either. She had hoped Sol might hear about Reuben from Leah directly, considering how it could affect him and his family if she were to become serious with him. But if she had told Sol, it was a bit odd he didn’t mention it.

Ellie contemplated the fact that she was now without a boyfriend—what an odd way to start the new year! Yet there was no second-guessing that. Menno’s critical words still repeated in her memory, and she would tell Ruthann about it at some point—maybe even Sol, if he asked. After all, the grapevine would get out the news soon enough.

21

Ellie wasn’t surprised when Ruthann dropped by Friday evening, a two-layer chocolate fudge cake in hand. And when she asked to go upstairs to talk “privately,” Ellie knew what was coming.

Ruthann sat on the edge of Ellie’s bed and removed her headscarf. “I heard from Menno’s older sister that he’s no longer seein’ you. You must be upset.”

“Nee.” Ellie leaned back against the headboard. “’Tween you and me, I was the one who suggested we go our separate ways.”

Ruthann glanced toward the window. “Well, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I am. And it’s nice of ya to ask.”

“I care, ya know.” Ruthann then told her she was going to Somerset for the rest of the winter. “Mamm’s youngest cousin needs a live-in helper during and after her upcoming back surgery. They have two children under the age of two.”

“You do love takin’ care of little ones.”