At last, Mammi spoke again. “He wanted to meet me there.”

Anna was taken aback. Who does she mean?

“And there was a lone tree . . . the tallest ever.”

Questions raced through Anna’s mind. Where had Mammi’s great-aunt lived? But of course, the biggest question was who he was. Did Mammi have a beau before marrying Dawdi?

“I’m tired,” Mammi said softly, and the line went quiet.

Wanita returned to the phone. “Is everything okay? She seems weary all of a sudden.”

“I think so,” Anna said. “She was trying to tell me more about her months here. Poor Mammi . . . she probably won’t even remember this conversation.”

“I hope you won’t be disappointed if she doesn’t,” Wanita said.

“It’s all right. She can’t help it.”

Wanita kept talking. “Did I overhear her saying something about meeting someone?”

“She didn’t say who. It was decades ago, and as you know, her memory’s not reliable.”

Wanita agreed. “Well, time to get the family some breakfast. Have a gut Sunday, Anna. I’ll talk to you again.”

“Okay. Hatyee! So long!” Anna replied and they hung up.

Returning inside, she continued to puzzle over Mammi’s words. Is knowing that I’m here in Strasburg somehow triggering these memories? Anna wondered. Or is her mind playing tricks on her?

Anna found it hard to stay focused during the sermon later that morning. She recalled the phone conversation with Mammi Eliza, which still seemed so strange—Mammi had been too frightened to talk on the phone for years now. But the way she’d mentioned someone wanting to meet her at a mysterious stone wall had certainly stirred up Anna’s curiosity.

The Sunday evening service at Anna’s new church was well attended, and afterward she enjoyed eating popcorn and ice cream and meeting more people her age at the monthly youth event. Heidi and Eleanor took it upon themselves to introduce her to their longtime church friends, as well as to their courting-age brother, Lester. When Anna casually asked if he’d ever heard of Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, she was surprised that he knew of an Amish family whose son had been going a couple summers. “His nickname is Freckles,” Lester said, pointing to his own face. “Like these.” He chuckled.

“Freckles? I helped him groom his horse last session!” she said, surprised at this connection.

Heidi’s eyes widened. “Didja really? How about that.”

Anna told about her experience there and that she hoped to be approved as a regular volunteer. “Oh, you will . . . you will,” Heidi said as Eleanor, more shy, nodded her agreement.

“Freckles’ mother says they always need volunteers,” Lester said.

“And you’re so even-tempered,” Heidi added.

“Jah,” agreed Eleanor, smiling now.

“I really want to help if I can,” Anna said, embarrassed at Heidi’s compliment.