It was still light as Eliza made her way to the stone wall that evening. Thankfully, she hadn’t needed to say that she was leaving to meet a friend, since Aunt Joanna had fallen asleep in her rocking chair there in the kitchen. If the pattern was the same as usual, her aunt would wake up in about forty minutes and then head off to her room for the night, never aware that Eliza wasn’t in her own room reading the Good Book, as was her pattern this time of the evening.

When Eb saw her coming, he climbed over from his side of the stone wall and walked toward her, carrying a paper bag. “Hullo, Eliza . . . you’re right on time.”

“I am,” she replied, ever so glad to be with him again, though she never would have thought so a week ago.

He asked if she’d like to sit with him in the grass and have some cookies he’d brought from home, and she agreed. “Did ya have a gut day?” he asked once they were seated near the tall oak tree.

“Since ya saw me last, ya mean?” She smiled.

“There’s that spunk again.” He winked at her. “So, what did ya do this afternoon?” He seemed eager to know as he opened the sack and offered her some sugar cookies, still warm.

“Well, I helped mend and sew, since it’s Wednesday, ya know. Does your Mamma mend midweek, too?”

“Jah. Does your Mamm back home?”

“Her daily chores are similar to my aunt’s, jah.” She took a bite of the moist cookie. “Ooh, are these ever delicious. How’d ya get them out of the house without bein’ seen?”

“I asked if I could have some extras is all,” he told her, a grin on his handsome face.

“Some extras.” She stifled a giggle. “Ain’t you a case!”

“Well, I figured you’d want some, and I was right.”

She looked away; his gaze had become too intense. Clearly, he was attracted to her, and there was no doubt how she felt, either.

Eb mentioned that his family was having a special birthday celebration for him next week. “I’m turnin’ eighteen and wish you could be there, but I know it ain’t possible because you ain’t traditional Amish,” he said quietly.

“Jah, our church broke away from the Old Order, my Dawdi told me.”

“Well, let’s not talk ’bout that,” he said, looking at her with soft eyes. “I just wanted you to know that my birthday wish would come true, Eliza, if we could celebrate together.”

She thought carefully before replying. “Well, I’m sorry I can’t be there, and it would be nice to get to know your family. But like ya said . . .” Suddenly, as she was speaking, she felt terribly sad that their friendship could never move forward.