She told him how much she appreciated his kindness and consideration, but still she held back.

He smiled thoughtfully. “I’ll wait for your answer and not bring it up again.”

She was touched deeply by his considerate way with her. Gabe wants to court me, she thought.

“I’ll walk ya to your car,” he said, going to open the door to his shop.

Across the yard, Emmie was sitting where she always sat on Friday mornings when Anna arrived, on the back steps with her tomcat, Bootsie. Emmie waved, then returned to playing with her cat.

Anna wondered if Emmie could sense something between them. Likely not, she’s so young . . .

Gabe opened the car door and waited till Anna was inside, then closed it, standing near with a look of expectation on his handsome face.

“So long,” she mouthed.

And while driving back to Flauds’, tears of happiness—and confusion—welled up.

That evening, after supper with Glen and Sadie, Anna went to her room and spent time reading her Bible, searching the Scriptures and her own heart, too. “Not my will, but Thine be done,” she prayed, her heart ever so tender toward God.

Upon pulling in to the information center’s parking lot after her last tour Wednesday afternoon, Anna listened to a voice message on her phone from Wanita, left at two o’clock. Three hours ago, she thought, sitting in her car in the parking lot.

She called her back, they exchanged greetings, and Wanita jumped right in, saying, “I didn’t want to leave a sad message on your phone.”

Anna braced herself. “I hope it’s not any worse than just sad news.”

There was a pause, and her sister said, “I hate to be the one to tell ya, but Mamm said it should be me.” Wanita sighed into the phone. “Mammi Eliza passed away during her nap this morning.”

“Ooh . . .” Anna hadn’t expected this, not yet.

“The funeral will be this Saturday morning.”

“I’ll leave for home tomorrow evening after work,” Anna said, suddenly not feeling up to talking any longer. “Thank you for caring for her so well, Wanita. . . . I love you. See you soon.”

“I’m very sorry, Anna,” Wanita said. “She loved ya so.”

They said a tearful good-bye, and Anna put away her phone.

“Dear Lord Jesus, be ever near my family,” Anna whispered before starting the car and leaving the parking lot. It wouldn’t be easy to go to work tomorrow, but she would be home again soon. Saying my last farewells to dearest Mammi.

Later, while turning in to the Flauds’ treed lane, Anna noticed how pretty the leaves looked with the afternoon sun low in the sky, casting a certain special glow.

Like Mammi’s own beautiful spirit, she thought.