At that moment, her phone rang. “Please excuse me.” She rose from the table to answer it, her pulse speeding up as she retrieved the phone from her purse.

Is this Evelyn?

Quickly, Anna opened her purse and removed her phone, seeing on the ID that it was her mother. “Hullo, Mamm.”

“Your Dat and I are just sitting here, wondering how your interview went.”

“And holding your breath?” Anna asked.

“Jah, s’pose we are,” Mamm said, sounding serious.

“To be honest, I am, too.” She filled her mother in, then promised, “I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something, okay?”

They talked a bit longer, and then Mamm said, “Wanita called to say Mammi Eliza’s been asking about you and your trip to Strasburg. Can you imagine?”

Anna was indeed amazed. “Well, when I mentioned to Mammi that I was coming here, she seemed more lucid than she has for years. I’m shocked she remembered that conversation, though.”

“Did she say anything else when you mentioned Strasburg?” Mamm asked. “Anything ’bout her time there with her Old Order great-aunt?”

“She didn’t say much, really, but she seemed like her old self for a moment. She also said something about waiting for someone . . . ‘by the light of the moon.’”

“That’s odd.” Her mother fell quiet for a moment.

“Maybe she was just mixed up,” Anna suggested.

“Well, call me when you hear about the job, okay? Love you!”

“You too.” Anna said good-bye and clicked off.

She returned to offer help with the dishes, but Sadie shooed her out the door with Glen, insisting that she could help at suppertime. “Go an’ explore the woods . . . see that big tree house,” Sadie urged her.

“Okay, but first I must charge my phone,” Anna said.

“That’s right. Don’t miss your important call.”

Anna went to her car and started it, then plugged in her phone. While it charged, she went over to join Glen in the side yard where the footpaths started. Nearby was the birdbath, where abundant flowers made a brilliant perfumed tapestry, and several wisteria vines climbed up the side of the house. From down toward the road came the clip-clop of a horse pulling a carriage.

“Which path would ya like to take: leicht, middelmaessich, or hatt?” Glen said, his straw hat on his head and his black work boots on his feet. He had grabbed a sturdy walking stick, as well, one that looked like it had been rubbed smooth.

“Easy, medium, and hard,” Anna repeated in English. “Well, they all lead to the same place, right?”

“True, but the hard one is longer and takes unexpected turns along the way,” Glen told her. “Just like life does sometimes.”

Anna laughed at his analogy. “Then let’s take the most challenging path.”

Glen slapped his leg. “I like your Schpank, Anna.”

Spunk, she thought with a smile.