All Sylvia could manage was another slow nod.
“All right then, let’s get out the pies and try to be happy for the rest of the day. Everyone has moved into the dining room, and they’re waiting for dessert.”
Mom rose from her chair, and Sylvia followed suit. For her children’s sake, she would put a smile on her face and try to enjoy the rest of the day, even if her heart was not in it.
“Who made the pumpkin pies?” Amy’s boyfriend, Jared, asked as they all sat around the dining-room table.
“She did.” Amy pointed at Mom, and then she gestured to Sylvia. “My sister and I are responsible for the apple and chocolate cream pies.”
Jared smacked his lips. “Since I had a small slice of each one, I can honestly say they’re all delicious. Truthfully, though, pumpkin’s my favorite.”
Amy looked over at him and smiled. “Guess after we’re married I’ll be making lots of pumpkin pies.”
“I look forward to that.” Jared grinned back at her, before lifting his coffee mug to his lips.
A stab of envy pierced Sylvia’s heart, seeing the happiness on her sister’s glowing face. She remembered the joy bubbling in her soul when she’d first realized she had fallen in love with Toby. Their courting days were such happy ones, and being married to him made Sylvia feel complete in every way. She’d been convinced that they were meant to be together and felt sure they would have many years of marital bliss. Sylvia had looked forward to raising a family with Toby and growing old together. How could God have taken her hopes and dreams away?
She looked down at the napkin in her lap and blinked against the tears threatening to spill over. I’ve got to quit feeling sorry for myself. It’s not doing me or the rest of my family any good. For the sake of everyone at this table, I will try to act cheerful during the remainder of this day.
Sylvia lifted her head, put a slice of apple pie on her plate, and then passed the chocolate cream pie to Ezekiel. “Here you go, Brother. I know this is one of your favorites.”
He gave her a wide grin and nodded. “You bet. Whenever my fraa asks what kind of pie I would like, I always pick chocolate cream.” Ezekiel’s smile grew wider as he looked at his wife.
A tinge of pink spread across Michelle’s cheeks. “I do try to keep my husband happy.” She poked Ezekiel’s stomach. “Especially when it comes to his requests for certain foods.”
Ezekiel chuckled. “I’ll admit it—I’m spoiled.”
Sylvia forced herself to laugh along with most of the people at the table. Her children, as well as Ezekiel and Michelle’s daughter, Angela Mary, were focused on eating their pie and wouldn’t have understood what was so funny anyhow.
Sylvia glanced at her nephew, Vernon, asleep in the playpen that had been set up across the room. It was hard to believe he was five months old already. The little guy was such a good baby—hardly fussed at all unless his diapers were wet or he’d become hungry.
I wonder if Michelle knows how lucky she is to be married to my brother and able to have more children. Sylvia blotted her lips with the napkin. Guess I should be grateful for the two kinner I have, because they will never have any more siblings. The idea of getting married again was so foreign to her that she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. No man could ever replace Toby.
Needing to focus on something else, Sylvia’s ears perked up when Ezekiel began a conversation with her brother who had recently turned sixteen.
“Say, Henry, I haven’t had a chance to ask—how are things going with you these days?”
“Okay, I guess,” Henry mumbled around a slice of pumpkin pie.
“Is that crow you showed me when we visited this fall still hanging around the place?”
Henry shook his head. “Haven’t seen Charlie since the weather turned cold. Guess he left the area for someplace warmer—probably flew off with a flock of other crows.” He tapped his chin. “I have heard of some crows that don’t migrate in the winter. Guess my crow wasn’t one of ’em though.”
Maybe the bird is dead. Someone could have shot him, or he might have died of old age. Sylvia didn’t voice her thoughts. No point in upsetting her temperamental brother. Although Henry seemed a bit more subdued now that the greenhouse was closed for the winter, leaving him with fewer chores to do, the chip on his shoulder had not fallen off.
“That’s too bad,” Ezekiel said. “I was hoping for another look at that noisy bird.”
Henry shrugged his shoulders. “It don’t matter; I’ve been watchin’ other veggel that come into our yard, and I look for them whenever I go for long walks.”
“Are you birding?” The question came from Michelle.
“Jah. Watching for different birds and writing down what I notice about them has become a new hobby for me.”
Mom’s brows lifted high. “Really, Son? Why haven’t you mentioned this before?”
“I did. Guess you weren’t listening.”
“Bird-watching is a great hobby,” Jared interjected. “I’d do it myself if I wasn’t so busy with my roofing business and some other projects I’ve been helping my daed with.”
Henry didn’t respond as he poured himself another glass of milk. Sylvia figured he was probably upset because Mom hadn’t listened when he’d talked to her about bird-watching before. Sylvia did recall him having mentioned it, and it really was no surprise, what with the interest he’d taken in the crow.
It’s good that my brother has found something positive to keep him occupied and out of trouble, she thought. Being on the lookout for certain birds, and jotting down information about them is a lot better than Henry hanging out with his friend Seth. From what I can tell, that young man has been a bad influence on my impressionable brother. Henry was not like that when Dad and Abe were alive.
A knock on the front door pulled Sylvia’s thoughts aside once more.
“Would you like me to see who it is?” Ezekiel looked at Mom.
She gave a quick nod.
Ezekiel rose from his seat and left the room. When he returned a few minutes later, blinking rapidly, he looked at Mom and said, “There’s a clean-shaven Amish man in the living room who says he came to see you. He even has a gift.”
Sylvia clutched her napkin with such force that it tore. I bet it’s Monroe Esh. I wonder what he’s doing here. I hope Mom doesn’t invite him to join us at the table.
Sylvia watched as Mom left the table and headed for the living room. In an effort to be positive, she thought that maybe their visitor wasn’t Monroe.
Michelle gave Sylvia’s arm a light bump. “When you get the chance, I’d like to have your chocolate cream pie recipe. I believe it might be better than the one I’ve made before.”
“No problem. I’ll make sure to do that before you and your family head back to Clymer in a few days.”
A few minutes went by, and then Mom returned to the dining room with her old boyfriend at her side.
All smiles, Monroe held a basket of fruit in his hands. “Merry Christmas everyone. I brought a gift that the whole family could enjoy.”
Sylvia forced herself to smile and say, “Danki, that was kind of you.” While the fruit basket was nice, she’d hoped they could slide by this holiday without him coming by.