Chapter 1.
It was an unseasonably warm October morning at the Baker Apple Orchard. A breeze blew on the trees while the rising sun warmed the earth.
Cherish admired the scene from the kitchen window while waiting for the water to boil for her morning coffee. It was only herself and her mother that were awake.
"I've already milked the cow and the goat," Wilma said.
Cherish swung around to face her mother. "Oh, Mamm, do you need extra things to do? Perhaps we can find another home for them."
"No. It would disappoint Jared. I'm always up early anyway, and I like to keep busy."
"Okay."
"I'm sad that Mercy and Honor and their families have gone," Mamm said.
"I know. It was so nice to have them here. And don't worry, Mercy and Honor said they'd be back in plenty of time for the wedding." Cherish smiled as she reached for the coffee mugs.
It was odd to hear herself talk about 'her' wedding. At one point, she'd doubted that she'd get married at all. Just days ago, she and Malachi had announced they would be getting married in one month.
Even though it was only a few days after Levi's funeral, Mamm had insisted that she needed a wedding now rather than wait for some time in the future.
"I'm pleased they'll be back. I want all of my family back here again. I'm so happy that Favor persuaded Harriet and Melvin to stay for a few more days."
"Me too. I'm also grateful that Malachi met Levi. If Malachi had never come here to surprise me, he never would've met him."
Wilma took a seat at the kitchen table. "Indeed. We're all happy about that. More important is that Levi liked Malachi, and I'm certain he felt the two of you were right for one another."
Cherish sat next to her mother. "I'm still upset about Levi."
"Me too, but he's gone home now, and he's happy where he is. We shouldn't be sad. We'll miss him, that's all." Wilma sniffed. "Life has to keep moving."
"I guess so."
"I'm sorry if you felt I was keeping you here all these years, Cherish. It wasn't right. Levi realized that, but I failed to see it at the time."
"That's okay. Someone had to work here."
"Fairfax is the orchard manager now. He'll find a way to replace you in the orchard, and in the house, we'll manage. Krystal and Debbie will be living here for a while."
Cherish placed her head on her mother's shoulder. "Denke, Mamm." When the teakettle whistled, Cherish jumped. "Coffee, Mamm?"
"Yes, I'll have one. Then I'll cook breakfast."
"I'll do that. I'll call Fenella first. She hasn't answered my last few letters, and I want her to be at the wedding. I'm going to make sure she has plenty of notice."
"Okay. If you call four weeks plenty of notice."
"I guess it's not, but I'm hoping she can come." Cherish made the coffee in the plunger. "I'll take my coffee with me." Cherish placed a mug of coffee on the table for her mother and headed to the barn.
Cherish wanted to make sure that everyone she loved was there to witness her get married, including her long-distance best friend, Fenella. Even though they hadn't seen each other in years, it didn't matter. She was still her best friend.
The phone in the barn was covered with the dust from the straw and the hay. Cherish set her coffee next to the phone before blowing the dust in the other direction. She dialed Fenella's number and twirled the phone line around her fingers while waiting for her to pick up. When there was no answer, she drank some coffee and dialed again.
"Hello?" It sounded like it was Fenella's little brother who answered the phone. She couldn’t remember his name.
"Hi, it's Cherish. Is Fenella there?"
"No."
"Oh, well… when will she be back?" All was silent. Cherish frowned. "Hello?"
"Dunno."
"Can you give her a message from me?" Cherish asked.
"No."
Cherish rolled her eyes. If this is what younger siblings were like, she was relieved she didn't have any. "Why not?"
"Dunno."
"Please tell her I'm getting married in a month, at the orchard. I'd love for her to be here."
"I'll think about it."
Cherish wondered if she'd heard right. "You'll think about it?"
"Yep."
"You'll think about what?"
"Tellin' her."
Cherish remembered him as a sweet little boy with a tortoise for a pet. "Do you remember me? We met at my brother's wedding. He's Earl Baker, and he goes to your meetings, and his wife, Miriam."
"I know who you are."
"Okay, just tell her I called, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again."
"We'll see." He hung up the phone.
Cherish lay the phone down, feeling like she'd gotten nowhere. Fenella had told her how cheeky her little brother was becoming, but cheeky wasn't quite the word Cherish would've used for him. She hoped Fenella would at least get her letter in time.
As Cherish walked up to the house, she took a moment and looked around at the beauty surrounding her. She saw it every day, but she wanted to appreciate where she'd grown up. Now that she was faced with leaving, she tried to enjoy the days she had left.
She was still coming to terms with her mother allowing her to move away. Would Mamm be okay when everyone was gone? Only time would tell.
As she got closer to the house, she saw Ada and Samuel coming up the long driveway in their buggy.
She stood next to the house and waited for them. Samuel parked the horse and buggy in the shade. Cherish squinted to see if anyone was in the back seat, silently hoping Harriet wasn't with them. She was relieved when only Ada got out.
"Morning." Cherish walked over to them.
"Morning, Cherish." Samuel gave her a nod.
"Ah, Cherish. Good to see you up this early." Ada stood staring at her. "The Koppels will be coming in about an hour or so. Favor is still asleep, and they all want to wait for Favor. They have this thing where they all must go everywhere together. I told them to leave Simon and Favor behind and come with us, but they wouldn't leave them behind."
"Great. Can we have a quick word?" Cherish asked Ada.
"Of course we can." Ada looked at Samuel and nodded for him to go inside. Then both Cherish and Ada walked up the porch's steps and sat on the chairs. Cherish put her coffee on the small table between them.
"It's a beautiful day. Not a cloud in sight." Ada looked out across the orchard to the horizon.
"Jah. I'm going to miss it here."
"And we will miss you, too." Ada winked at her.
"Is Mamm okay with me getting married so soon?"
"She is."
"Is she thinking clearly?"
Ada turned to face her more fully. "It's done. The date is set, and the bishop has approved everything."
"I know."
"Wilma has done nothing but think about your wedding for the last few years."
"She has?" Cherish was more than a little surprised about that.
"Jah. And more so after Favor's wedding. She hoped you'd marry someone from around here, but that wasn't to be. Unless you could persuade Malachi to move here, hmm?"
"We'll be living on the farm. That's always been my plan."
Ada took a deep breath, her chest visibly rising up and down. "All of us have our own heart's desires we must follow. You needn't worry about Wilma anymore, Cherish. You've done that for too long. Samuel and I will always be here, and I'll call you every other week and let you know how she's doing."
Cherish was relieved that Ada was onboard with the speedy wedding. She leaned forward and squeezed Ada's hand. "Thank you."
Suddenly, the front door opened. Ada and Cherish turned to see Malachi walking toward them.
Ada looked at Cherish and patted her hand. "It's time for you to start your life. We can talk more later." Ada pushed herself out of the chair and nodded at Malachi as she walked past him into the house.
Malachi stopped when he reached Cherish. "Sorry, did I interrupt something?"
"No. It's fine."
He sat down in the chair that Ada had just left. "After breakfast, Wilma wants us to tell Florence and Carter we have set a date for the wedding."
"Good idea. There are so many things to arrange. Florence will need to know so she can make the dresses in time."
Malachi looked at the mug on the table. "Ah, coffee." He picked it up and took a mouthful.
"You're welcome," Cherish said.
He made a face. "It's cold."
"I'll make you another one. Your own this time."
He laughed. "What's mine will soon be yours and the other way around. That'll include coffee. You'll have to get used to it."
Krystal opened the front door and leaned around the doorway. "Good morning, love birds. I've been told to let you know that breakfast is ready."
Malachi chuckled. “Good morning.”
"I was going to make the breakfast,” Cherish said.
"Too late. Wilma's already done it."
"Shall we?" Malachi jumped up and put his arm out towards Cherish. She held onto it, and they walked into the house.
