Anna texted back that he was right. Now that harvest was in full swing, out-of-towners were eager to see mule teams out working in the fields and wanted to visit roadside stands where jams, jellies, and homemade Amish root beer were available. Several families had also requested a stop at Kauffman’s Fruit Farm and Market to sample the many varieties of apples, or at Stoltzfus Gourd and Pumpkin Farm, where they could purchase decorative gourds and pumpkins of all sizes. Between her job and volunteering at Peaceful Meadows, Anna had felt like she was living the good life, and she was going to miss the latter now that horse-therapy sessions had ended for the season. Of course, being around little Emmie on Fridays was still one of the high points of the week, as well as seeing Mart now and then.

So, why am I not more content? She tried to dismiss her mother’s phone call as she turned in to Aden and Barbara Mast’s driveway that Friday with Gabe and Emmie along. This time Anna felt more at ease going to Barbara’s home, having talked with her for a number of months now whenever the woman brought Emmie for horse riding therapy.

On their walk up toward the back door, Anna pointed out to Emmie two robins tugging at earthworms in the surrounding grass.

“We’ve got grasshoppers tryin’ to escape from the birds over at our place,” Gabe said, chuckling as he walked with them. “Extra protein, jah?”

Anna wondered if Emmie was understanding any of this. “Hungerich, Emmie?” she asked, not expecting an answer.

Emmie nodded, once more surprising Anna, who was glad Gabe was there to witness it. “I’m hungry, too,” Anna told her, glancing at Gabe, who beamed at them both.

At Barbara’s table, Gabe placed Emmie atop an old dictionary on a chair between Barbara and Anna. Gabe then took the chair up near the head of the table, to Aden’s left. After the silent blessing, Barbara served a generous dish of lazy day lasagna, saying it was a dish her boys especially liked. “One of their favorites, really.”

Anna remembered that the Amish one-room schools had started more than a month ago now. She hadn’t met Aden and Barbara’s two sons, but Emmie brightened at Barbara’s comment about the lasagna being her cousins’ favorite.

Gabe must have picked up on that, as well, because he asked his daughter, “Did ya hear that? Jesse and Chris like this meal, too.”

Emmie turned to look at Anna, still smiling.

“I daresay that’s a jah,” Barbara said, reaching now to pass the buttered pole beans and then the cucumber salad.

Aden and Gabe began to talk about the tree house construction business and how much more time Gabe had for his primary work since the horse-therapy sessions were done for the season.