Her voice was trapped in her throat as she slowed her pace and stopped walking, suddenly worried she was making a dreadful mistake.

Chapter 20

The first thing Anna noticed upon returning to the Flauds’ was Glen and Sadie’s blond grandsons, Marcus and Eddy, sitting along the porch railing, legs dangling as they chewed on red licorice sticks. She hurried to get out of the car, looking forward to renewing her acquaintance with them.

“Hullo, Cousin Anna,” Marcus, the older one, said, looking her way. “Mammi invited us over to have dinner with ya.”

“I was hoping to see you again.” Anna went up the porch steps and stood there smiling at the two of them in their white short-sleeved shirts and black trousers. “You look schee!”

“Dawdi Flaud said to spruce up for ya,” young Eddy explained.

“Well, that was thoughtful.” Anna glanced down at her old sneakers. “I best be doin’ the same for you.”

Marcus gave her a grin. “Were ya out with the horses over at Peaceful Meadows?”

“Jah.”

“Was Gabe there?” Eddy asked.

“How do you know him?” she asked, curious.

“He goes to our church,” Eddy said, big blue eyes shining.

“And he builds the best tree houses,” Marcus announced, unexpectedly turning around and leaping off the railing onto the porch.

“And he calls me Ready-Eddy, like Dat and Mamma,” said Eddy.

Anna laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

Eddy looked over his shoulder at his brother. “Marcus doesn’t rhyme with anything, so he’s just plain Marcus.”

“Nothin’ wrong with that.” Anna remembered telling Martin Nolt that she was just plain Anna. “Sounds like something a brother might say, and with six older brothers, I should know.”

Marcus and Eddy exchanged grins.

Anna walked toward the back door. “Let’s see what your Mammi’s up to, okay?”

“I’ll open the door for ya,” Eddy said, running ahead of her and turning the knob on the screen door. “Dat says a gut man likes to help out the womenfolk.”

“Denki,” Anna said and walked inside. This will be fun, she thought of the upcoming noon meal.

———

Sadie stirred in the sour cream to complete the dill vegetable dip, knowing how much Marcus and Eddy enjoyed eating their raw veggies that way. She could hear Anna just outside talking to them, glad Anna was back in time for all of them to sit down together.

Hopefully Glen will return from the turkey house soon, Sadie thought as she placed the clear glass bowl of dip on a tray with the carrots, celery, and sliced green peppers fanned around it.