“Yes, and the children are so dear. Many of them don’t say much, but they still appear to take joy from their riding experience.”

Inside, Mamm had set out fruit for the table—oranges, apples, and bananas—even though Anna had said she wasn’t hungry. Just like Mamm to do that, Anna thought as she went to sit at the table with her while Dat carried her bag upstairs.

“Surely you have room to nibble on an orange or apple,” Mamm said, moving the fruit bowl closer to her.

“It would make you happy, right?” Anna laughed, reached for a banana, and began to remove the peel. “It won’t be too much longer, and we’ll be sitting down to supper.” Anna sniffed the air, glad to be back. “You must be baking my favorite meatloaf.”

Mamm nodded, grinning. “I put it in the oven before you came.” She glanced at her wristwatch. “Your father wanted to eat earlier than usual, so we’ll all be ready again for dessert. We’re having peanut-butter dream bars when your eldest brother arrives.”

“Wayne’s coming over?” It had been a while since Anna had seen him, his wife, Cindy, and their three younger children, all school age now.

“And Cindy’s bringing the dessert,” Mamm said, eyes shining.

“Oh, this will be so nice!” A little like Christmas, Anna thought.

———

In her old room, Anna unpacked for the night, leaving some things in her small suitcase. Looking around, she was reminded of the contrast between this very familiar room and the one where she was staying at Glen and Sadie’s. Her bedroom here was about the same size, but since so many of her personal items had been moved to Strasburg, it felt deserted and lifeless.

She looked out the window and took in the large backyard and the long rope swing on the tree nearest the house. Dat had put it up for Wayne and the other boys long before Wanita and Anna were born. Her gaze traveled to the clearing just before the woods that she loved so, its path nearly grown over with grass and weeds now.

Sighing, she went to sit in her cozy tan chair with its matching hassock and put up her feet, continuing to make comparisons as she looked around the room. I’ve managed to make the adjustment to living without electricity in a fairly short time, she realized with a glance at the pretty electric lamp on the dresser and the reading lamp on the small table near her bed.

To think I expected it to be so hard . . .

Chapter 26