Chapter 1.
The morning after Hope’s wedding, everyone in the Baker/Bruner household woke up to a loud banging noise.
Then Wilma’s shrill voice started. “Wake up, everyone! We’re having an early start. Come to the kitchen now!”
Cherish sat up in bed yawning. How could her mother exist on such little sleep? The sun was barely up, and last night Mamm had gone to bed after her.
Then all was quiet again. If only she could fall back into her bed under the warm covers. That wouldn’t do. Mamm was in a cleaning mood, and would probably burst into her room and yell at her.
Cherish tried her best to ignore the bitterly cold winter morning as she sprang out of bed and exchanged her nightdress for her day clothes. There was little time to braid her hair, so she tied two ponytails and fastened them on her head. Her mother wouldn’t approve of such untidiness, but it was hidden under her kapp so her mother would never see.
When Cherish heard footsteps on the stairs, she knew it was Favor. Favor was always quick to get ready. Cherish didn’t want to be last so she opened her door and headed out. When she got to the kitchen, though, she saw she was still the last one to arrive. Sigh.
Debbie was there with the baby, sitting at the breakfast table. Even Levi was there and he normally slept in.
“Did you wake the baby, Mamm? That noise was loud.” Cherish sat down next to Favor.
“He’s been awake for a while,” Debbie said. “He did get frightened by the noise, but he didn’t cry.”
“I banged a wooden spoon on a saucepan to get you all to wake up.” Mamm laughed as she stood over the oven, stirring scrambled eggs.
Favor yawned loudly and covered her mouth at the end.
“Keeping you awake are we?” Levi asked her with a smile to soften his words.
“It’s way too early. It’s still dark outside. Couldn’t we have slept longer?” Favor asked.
“No. You know there’s always a big clean up after a wedding. This is what we did after Joy’s wedding too so it’s hardly a surprise.”
Levi told Favor, “I heard your mudder tell you that it would be an early start today for the cleaning. She shouldn’t have had to wake you up.”
Favor just looked away.
Wilma said, “Not only do we have to clean this place from top to bottom, we’ve got to clean the living room in a hurry because Debbie’s parents are coming.”
“I’m so sorry about that,” Debbie said. “They didn’t even ask. They just told me they’d be here.”
Levi said, “That’s my brother for you. He never thinks things through. Never gives a thought to the plight of others. I shouldn’t say so, but I do.”
“I’m so sorry,” Debbie said again.
“Don’t apologize, Debbie, there's no need. You’re not responsible for them.” Levi picked up his coffee and had a mouthful.
“Dat, it’s not that bad. They’re only coming here to talk with Debbie,” Bliss said. “It’s not putting anyone out. Maybe a little bit, but we can cope. They haven’t seen much of the baby.”
Levi smiled at his daughter. “You always see the good in people.”
Bliss smiled back. “I learned that from you, Dat.”
Levi raised his eyebrows. “Thanks for reminding me. I guess it’s not so bad having them here. It’ll only be one day.”
“Jah, the one day when we’re trying to get things back to normal,” Mamm snapped.
“It’s going to be strange without Hope here,” Favor said. “She’ll never be living with us ever again. She’s abandoned us.”
Mamm took the eggs off the stove and got the plates ready. “She’ll be here soon. She’s coming to help clean and I told her to make sure she’s early. It was her wedding, after all.”
“We know that, but she won’t be here every day like she was before.” Cherish put her elbows on the table. “I hate change.”
“You shouldn’t say hate,” Bliss told her.
“That’s how I feel,” Cherish said.
“Just don’t say it.”
Wilma placed a large plate of buttered toast in the middle of the table and then she served up Debbie’s scrambled eggs, and Levi’s, before she served Favor, Bliss and Cherish. Then lastly, Wilma sat down to her own plate of eggs. “Everyone’s so quiet today,” Mamm said.
Cherish was quick to tell her why. “We’re still half asleep. It’s way too early. Especially after we had such a late night.”
“Don’t be lazy,” Mamm told Cherish.
“It’s okay for you. Old people don’t need as much sleep as young people.”
Mamm shook her fork at her. “I keep telling you, I’m not old, I’m middle-aged.”
Cherish took up her knife and fork. “Same thing.”
“Just eat, Cherish,” Mamm groused.
Cherish looked down at her food. She wasn’t even hungry. Mamm didn’t even mix the eggs properly when she scrambled them. The white marbled streaks running through the scramble was most unappealing. Cherish liked the scramble to be one color. Then she looked up to see if anyone else might be thinking the same thing. That’s when she saw Levi was the only one with coffee. She could do with a coffee right now. “Who else wants kaffe?”
“I do,” said Favor.
Bliss looked up. “I’ll have some if you’re making it.”
Cherish got to her feet and was pleased when she saw the carafe was already filled with coffee.
“Ada should be here soon,” Mamm said. “We need a lot of help today to get this haus back to normal.”
Favor sniggered. “Normal. This place will never be normal.”
Mamm glared at her. “What do you mean by that?”
Favor sat straighter in her chair. “Nothing, Mamm. It was meant to be a joke.”
“It wasn’t funny.”
“I know that now.” Favor hung her head and pushed the egg around her plate with her fork.
Mamm wasn’t about to let Favor’s comment slide. “You know I keep a clean and tidy haus and just because we have one less person to help, doesn’t mean we’re going to let our standards slip.”
Then they all heard a horse and buggy. Cherish got up and raced to the window. “It’s Ada, and Matthew is driving her.”
“I just told you they were coming. Did you expect someone else?” Mamm asked.
“No. I was just telling you who it was.” Cherish sat back down. “They’re so early.”
“It’s not that early, Cherish,” Levi said. “Many people are working by this time.”
A few minutes later, Ada and her houseguest and nephew, Matthew, were sitting at the long table, waiting until everyone had finished breakfast. Cherish made Ada a cup of hot tea to keep her happy. Today, she was determined to stay on Ada’s good side. Then Cherish got Matthew a cup of coffee. Just as Cherish sat down, Hope burst through the back door.
Everyone looked up at Hope. There was something different about her. She was smiling widely, and her eyebrows were raised as though she was delighted about something.
“I have the most wunderbaar news! I don’t even know where to start. I have so many things to tell you. Oh, kaffe. Can I have some?” Hope asked.
“Of course. I’ll get it.” Cherish jumped up, wondering what news Hope could have. She was already married and she was acting just as excited as when Fairfax had proposed.
Hope sat between her mother and Levi and then Cherish placed a cup of coffee in front of her. Hope took a mouthful. “You won’t believe this. Fairfax got the job as manager, and we’re moving into the big house soon. Can you believe it?”
Favor clapped her hands, which annoyed Cherish. Why did she have to do that whenever she was pleased about something?
Hope continued, “We’re having dinner with his parents tonight before they go home. And then Fairfax had another surprise. You’ll never guess. He’s hired a car and we’re going to see Mercy and Honor. We’re leaving early tomorrow morning.”
“You’ll see where I live,” Matthew said.
“Oh, I’m so jealous.” Favor said. “Can I go with them, Mamm?”
“No. Of course not. This is the time for Fairfax and Hope to get to know each other.”
“They already know each other. Please can I go?”
“No. Absolutely not, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.” Mamm turned to Hope. “I’m so excited for you. Fairfax kept this quiet from all of us. We had no idea. You’ll have a wunderbaar time up there with them.”
“Yes, a wunderbaar time,” Ada echoed.
“I know. I can’t wait.” Hope turned to Favor. “I’m sorry, Favor, it’s just going to be the two of us going. If we go up again, we will take you.”
Ada glared at Favor. “Don’t cast a shadow on Hope’s happiness.”
Favor’s lips turned down at the corners. “I wasn’t casting shadows.”
Ada smiled at Hope. “We’re greatly happy for you. You haven’t seen your sisters for years.”
“I know and none of us have seen their babies.” Hope looked around. “Where is Samuel today?”
“He’s coming here soon with Debbie’s parents. They’re spending the day with Debbie and Jared. Matthew brought me here.”
Matthew looked up from his cup of coffee. “Yes, I did.”
Favor giggled. “Your first good deed for the day, Matthew?”
He gave an embarrassed chuckle. “I don’t see that as a good deed. I just did it because it needed doing.”
Wilma sighed. “Debbie said her parents didn’t ask if they could spend the day here. They just said that’s what they’re doing.”
Ada added, “And we have the job of cleaning up the whole house. I guess we’ll have to clean up around them.”
“Wait! That’s not the only surprise I’ve got,” Hope told them. “Fairfax’s parents bought us a houseful of furniture.”
Mamm gasped. “They did?”
Levi stopped eating and raised his eyebrows.
“What did you do with the old furniture?” Ada asked.
“I don’t know. It was gone when I got to the cottage and I didn’t think to ask. I have no idea what Fairfax did with it.”
Wilma leaned over and hugged Hope. “I’m pleased to see you so happy. And you should be happy.”
Cherish asked, “What did you and Levi give Hope and Fairfax, Mamm?”
“Levi and I gave them some money so they could do what they wanted with it. A little something to help them on their way.”
“Oh, it wasn’t little, Mamm.” Hope hugged her mother. “We do appreciate it. It’ll help out with the traveling costs.”
“How much was it?” Cherish asked.
Everyone stared at Cherish.
Ada was the first to speak. “That’s not an appropriate question to ask. It’s quite rude.”
“Even I know that,” Favor commented.
Cherish shrugged her shoulders. “It was just a question. No one had to answer it.”
“And I won’t be answering it. It’s between Hope, Fairfax, me and Levi.” Mamm gave a nod.
Cherish didn’t know what the fuss was about. If they’d given Hope and Fairfax a present then everyone would know what it was. “Sorry.”
Mamm glared at Cherish. “You spend a lot of time apologizing.”
“Don’t pay her any mind. It’ll take away from Hope’s astounding news.” Ada picked up her cup of hot tea and took a sip.
Cherish thought she should say something nice. “I’m happy for you, Hope. I’d love to see Mercy and Honor.”
Favor pouted. “I don’t see why I can’t go.”
Ada stood up and clapped her hands. “Okay. Everyone should finish up your breakfast and get to work now.”
“Where do you want me to start?” Matthew asked.
“Finish your coffee and then Levi can give you a job,” Wilma suggested.
Cherish walked over and uncovered Timmy and Tommy’s cage. Even with all the noise they were still asleep, huddled together with their heads tucked in their feathers. It was so cute to see. Then they slowly opened their eyes and started moving.
While Mamm and Ada worked out what to do with all the leftover food, the girls were sent to the living room. Hope helped Levi and Matthew move the couches back into place in front of the fire. Then they started moving some of the benches out of the house. When they were halfway through that task, the wagon arrived to transport the benches and tables that had been used for the wedding.
