An Amish Gift by Cynthia Keller Read Free Book Online Page B

tomatoes, and squash. Oh yes, peas and eggplant. We grow about twenty-five different things.”
    “It’s beautiful. I’d love to watch when you plant something, maybe learn how to do it.”
    Mattie smiled. “I would be very glad to show you.”
    Jennie looked around at the barn and fields beyond. “It’s so lovely here. Peaceful.”
    “Thank you.”
    “I wish …” Jennie fell silent. Mattie looked at her, kindness in her eyes, but said nothing. “Time to get going.” Jennie straightened up as if bracing for the return home. “I’m so glad I got to see your family.”
    “This was just a few of them. You must meet the rest. They are busy with chores. We do a lot of cleaning on Saturday because tomorrow we go to worship.”
    Jennie nodded as they went toward the road. “I can fit all ofmy family into one quick introduction. But I hope you’ll meet them soon.”
    “It will be good to have a chance.”
    They reached the front of the house, exchanging good-byes before Mattie went inside. Feeling buoyed by the visit, Jennie was determined to go home and turn things around somehow. Could she get the kids to play a board game? She would make popcorn or drive somewhere to pick up ice cream. They weren’t little anymore, but surely they could come up with something to do that didn’t involve sitting in front of the television or a computer screen. All she knew was that this was going to be a fun-filled Saturday night at her house if it killed her.

Chapter 5

    The market was busy on this Saturday morning, but far less than it would be in the warmer months, when crowds of tourists came to shop. Jennie meandered up and down the wide aisles, enjoying the sights and colors of the virtual sea of homemade and local goods. She loved the sheer variety of things for sale, from candles, quilts, and baskets to meats, herbs, and funnel cakes. At some point she hoped to be able to buy one of the Amish-made glider rocking chairs. She spent at least twenty minutes examining a selection of preserves and pickled foods, finally deciding to buy sauerkraut to serve with hot dogs later in the week. After paying, she realized she was right near one of her favorite booths and veered in another direction, hoping to resist the lure of fudge and soft pretzels. Getting down to the reason she had come today, she stopped to select potatoes and other ingredients to make a salad for supper.
    Some of the vendors behind the stalls were Amish, but many were not. Everyone was friendly, and shopping here made for a much more personal and entertaining experience than at the huge supermarket. This was one aspect of their life in Pennsylvania that was special—having this unusual old marketplace right nearby. Unfortunately, she was the only one in her family who cared. Shep was too consumed with the store even to come by, and when she had dragged the kids with her one Saturday, they had busied themselves on their cell phones and shown no interest at all
    On the way to the exit, Jennie passed some wooden mailboxes for sale and thought how nice it would be to replace the old one in front of their house. She had to smile, thinking how very far down on the list that item would fall.
    The beautiful weather on the drive home was a welcome distraction from her thoughts, an unusually warm November day allowing her to open the car window and enjoy a pleasant breeze. As she approached the turn onto her street, she was surprised to see her husband and children standing by the side of the road with Abraham Fisher and his son Peter. Shep’s truck was parked, and they were all gathered by the Fishers’ buggy, Willa petting the horse as the men talked, their sons standing a little way off, engrossed in their own conversation. As far as Jennie knew, Shep had never met the Fishers, so she wondered what had brought about this little conference. The cars behind her made her less inclined to stop and interfere, so she drove past with a honk and a wave but saw in the