Meg shrugged. “Just ’cause he keeps his distance doesn’t mean he’s not annoying,” she said stiffly.
Martha stifled a smile. Meg always reacted strongly whenever Peter Zook’s name was mentioned, a strange thing considering her claims that she harbored no feelings for him.
“Reuben’s probably busy with farmwork,” Meg offered.
“Ja, most likely,” Charlie said softly as she leaned in her seat to be closer to Meg. “I only want you to be happy, Meg. I hope Reuben visits you soon since you like him so much.”
Meg rewarded her with a smile. “I know you want me to be happy, Charlie. I want the same for you.” She stayed silent a moment. “What if Reuben thinks I’m not interested in him? Maybe that’s why he’s stayed away.”
Martha doubted it but kept her thoughts silent. “The Kinzer Fire Company Mud Sale is in June. So is the Lancaster County Carriage and Antique Auction. Maybe you’ll see Reuben at those events.”
Mud sales were fundraising events exclusive to Lancaster County, where the Amish community helped to raise money for local fire departments. Each Saturday throughout the spring, members of their Happiness community donated craft and other items to be auctioned off to the highest bidder as well as food for sale for those attending the event. Mud sales got their name because typically the ground was muddy in the aftermath of spring rain showers when these sales or events took place. Those who attended mud sales frequently knew enough to bring their rain boots.
During the winter months, she and Meg had crocheted pot holders, sewn aprons and made other craft items for local mud sales. Most of their items would go to the two sales she had mentioned to Meg—the Kinzer Fire Company Mud Sale and the Lancaster County Carriage Auction—because they benefited the fire companies closest to their Happiness community. Every weekend through late winter and early spring there’d be other mud sales at different locations. There were also one or two that took place during August.
“He did tell me he’d worked as auctioneer at the Kinzer Mud Sale two years ago,” Meg said brightly.
Martha smiled as she continued to follow Arlin’s vehicle as it turned onto the dirt road to the Samuel Lapp farm. “Then there’s a gut chance you’ll see him there.”
“Look! There’s Annie!” Charlie exclaimed as Martha parked her buggy in the side yard next to Arlin’s vehicle. The girl waved vigorously through the side window. “Annie!”
Annie Lapp grinned as she saw them. Arlin and the rest of Meg’s family got out of their vehicle, the girls quickly following their mother toward the house.
Martha caught sight of Eli Lapp surrounded by a laughing group of community girls. Clearly he was a favorite with them. Martha sighed. Had she been that carefree at their age?
She climbed down from her buggy, retrieved the chocolate cake from the back floor and followed Meg and Charlie to Annie’s side. “Hallo, Annie,” she said after the Stoltzfus sisters had greeted her good friend and moved on. “I’m glad you came.”
“I’m feeling great today.” Her friend lowered her voice. “EJ has been taking long naps, and I’ve been able to get some rest.” The fact that the boy remained quiet and content within his mother’s arms confirmed it. Annie’s gaze settled on Martha’s plastic cake tote. “Is that chocolate cake?”
“Ja, with dark fudge frosting.”
“You better hide it from Noah. He loves anything chocolate.” Annie smiled fondly at the mention of her brother-in-law’s enthusiasm for chocolate. “He’s liable to eat several slices before it’s time to eat.”
Martha chuckled at the idea of hiding her cake. “Is he that bad?”
“He doesn’t just enjoy it,” Annie told her. “He’s obsessed with it.”
Martha laughed outright. “Consider myself warned.”
Rachel Lapp waved at them as her husband, Noah, drove past and parked in the line of vehicles. Meg and Charlie met the young couple, hoping to hold their baby daughter.
“Rachel is looking well,” Martha commented as she watched Meg reach for baby Katherine. “Being a mother must agree with her.” She smiled at Annie. “I know it does you.”
“I’m feeling well and I’m happy. Jacob is excited about being a vadder again.” Her friend’s expression softened. “I’m afraid he expects us to have eight children like his mudder,” she whispered with a laugh. “As if two kinner aren’t enough to handle at the moment. He forgets that I’m not as young as his mam was when she had Jedidiah.”
Martha eyed her friend warmly. “You want them, too.” How she wished she could have had a family, but it wasn’t meant to be.
“Ja, I do,” Annie admitted with a chuckle. “We’ll see what the Lord has in store for us.”
A burst of laughter drew Martha’s gaze once again toward Eli. The girls surrounding him were giggling at something he said, as he was grinning, obviously pleased with his audience.
“I wonder if Eli will ever settle down,” Annie said.
Martha studied the young man objectively. “Those girls like him.”
“And he enjoys their company, but never once has he shown serious interest in any one of them. Jacob says it’s because Eli is determined to open his own business first. He’s been working and saving for it for years.”
“What kind of business?” Martha asked, more curious than she should be.
“A carriage shop.”
“Here in Happiness?”
Annie shifted her son onto her other hip. “Ja. Says he wants to provide a service to our community.”
Which said a lot about Eli Lapp, Martha thought as she watched him break from the group and head toward Noah and Jacob, who had stopped to talk near the barn.
Rachel approached with Meg and Charlie, who was now holding the baby. As they joined them, talk became centered on the infant.
“She’s the sweetest baby,” Charlie said as she studied the child in her arms, drawing a smile from little Katy’s mother.
“She’s growing too quickly,” Rachel said.
“Ja, it can seem that way,” Annie agreed. Her son wiggled within her arms, and she set him on his feet. “Stay here, EJ.” She kept a firm eye on him. “Every time I see him it seems as if he’s grown another half inch.”
The women laughed. “Do you know how much a half inch is?” Meg Stoltzfus said. She showed the group with the space between her two fingers. “I wonder how you can tell EJ’s size, as active as he is. He barely stays still.”
“Except when he’s asleep,” Annie pointed out. She reached to grab hold of her son’s hand to keep him close.
“A mudder can see the changes,” Missy Stoltzfus said, joining the women in time to overhear her daughter and Annie’s conversation. She had returned from inside the house.
“I’m glad you agree.” She flashed Meg a teasing look.
Katie exited the house and approached. “What a lovely day! Do you think the boys will want to play ball?” She reached down to run her fingers through her grandson’s baby-fine blond hair.
“Peter will.” Annie smiled at her mother-in-law. “Ach, and here he comes now with my mudder and vadder.” Horseshoe Joe had pulled his buggy into the yard and parked it next to Noah’s.
“Your dat has been doing well since his accident,” Martha said.
Annie