He never came around when Katie worked in the garden.
Rosie popped a strawberry into her mouth and savored the sweetness. “I know, I know, I have to stop eating them. But they’re so gut.”
She found a few she’d missed and tossed them into the bucket. “Well, I’d like to stay and chat some more, but I have to get going. Some of us have to work you know.”
When she climbed the steps to the porch she saw that Katie had set a tray with a pitcher of lemonade and a glass on the table between two rocking chairs. She dropped into one of the chairs and sighed, then poured herself a glass of lemonade and drank it thirstily. A light breeze ruffled the ribbons of her kapp and cooled her a little. This was a busy time, but she loved it. She and Katie had been picking and canning and cooking for weeks, and they were almost done with the summer fruits and vegetables.
Katie came out of the house and sat in the rocking chair next to her. Rosie studied her twin and knew at that moment that it was not like looking in a mirror—Katie sat there looking so cool and collected, and she was sitting here sweaty and grubby, dirt under her fingernails.
“You found one more bucket of strawberries?”
Rosie nodded and swallowed the last of her lemonade.
“I finished the preserves. That’s not enough to make another batch.”
“So we’ll have strawberry shortcake for dessert after supper tonight.”
Katie laughed. “Your favorite. Then again, anything strawberry is.” She studied Rosie. “Didn’t eat any while you were picking, did you?”
“’Course not.”
“Uh-huh. Pass me a glass of lemonade and go get yourself a shower. Our driver will be here in half an hour to take us to work.”
“We’ve already put in a long morning,” She poured her sister a glass of lemonade and handed it to her.
Katie nodded and sipped lemonade as she rocked. “Let’s not debate whose job was harder—or hotter this morning.”
“You know, if we keep going the way we are, one day soon we’re going to have to talk about not working at Saul and Elizabeth’s store several afternoons a week.”
“I know. I like our business, but I like working for Saul and Elizabeth.”
“I’m going to go shower. I’ll be quick.”
“I laid out your dress.”
Rosie grinned. It would be the same color as Katie’s. Her schweschder loved it when they dressed alike. She stopped in the kitchen to set the bucket of strawberries on a counter. Dozens of jars of strawberry preserves, lined up there, attested to Katie’s work that morning. Rosie picked up one of the jars and ran a fingertip over the label. Katie had come up with the idea of calling their business Two Peas in a Pod, because for years people had been telling them that they looked so alike they were like two peas in a pod.
She loved being a twin—not that there was anything she could do about it if she didn’t. But sometimes she wondered what it would be like to not be a twin and not be considered part of a unit. What was it like to have someone look at you, recognize you, and not wonder if you were the other schweschder? To be really unique—not one of two?
When she passed by the dresser in her room she stopped and chuckled when she saw her reflection. No wonder Katie had known she’d been sampling strawberries in the garden—red juice covered her chin. She stripped off her clothes and took a quick shower, all the while knowing Katie had probably added some time onto the expected arrival of their driver. Rosie didn’t know why, but she’d struggled with being on time all her life. Katie loved to tell everyone she was the oldest (by a whole five minutes) and had always arrived ahead of Rosie.
Older siblings could be so annoying.
Thank goodness their older bruder, ten years their senior, could give Katie her due when she became too . . . overbearing.
She’d just finished dressing and pinning on her kapp—in record time—when Katie called up the stairs, warning her that she had ten minutes. Rosie rolled her eyes and started down the stairs.
“You’re nagging,” she told her mildly.
Katie lined up their insulated totes on the kitchen table. “I packed some snacks—half a chicken salad sandwich for each of us, an apple butter bar, and some iced tea.”
Her favorites, mused Rosie. Her sister’s smug smile told her she knew what she was thinking.
“I stacked the boxes on the front porch,” Katie told her as she gave a last glance around the kitchen.
“You should have waited for me to help.”
“It’s allrecht. I’m going to go wait on the porch.”
Lock up, Rosie thought.
“Lock up,” Katie said as she plucked up the lunch totes and sailed from the kitchen.
Their driver showed up ten minutes later and helped load the boxes into the van. “Looks like you two ladies are having a good harvest.”
“Very good,” Katie said. “I made up a box for you and your wife since you’re always so good about helping carry boxes for us. It’s got your name on it.”
He grinned as he shut the van door. “You didn’t have to do that. But thank you very much.”
“Beautiful day,” Katie said as she settled back into her seat and turned to Mary Rose, a fellow passenger.
Rosie smiled as she listened with half an ear while she watched the passing scenery. Sometimes she wondered if Katie would ever run down. Rosie considered herself to be pretty energetic, but her sister could run rings around her.
Charlie pulled up in front of Saul Miller’s store. Rosie frowned as she found herself wishing she could have stayed home in her garden today. As much as she enjoyed working here several afternoons a week, she wasn’t as outgoing as Katie and preferred being a homebody.
“Rosie?”
“Hmm? Oh, I’m coming.” She stepped out of the van, took a box from Charlie, and started into the store.
A man she’d never seen before hurried up to her—a very handsome Amish man with chestnut brown hair. She found herself staring into his dark blue eyes and smiling shyly as he grinned at her.
“Let me take that for you,” he said. “Saul? Where do you want this?” he asked, not taking his eyes from her.
“Hi, Rosie. I see you’ve met Jacob,” Saul said as he came to her side. “You can put that in the storeroom for me, Jacob.”
“I’ll do that.” But Jacob didn’t move. Only when Saul cleared his throat did Jacob tear his gaze from Rosie’s, and he turned to take the box into the storeroom at the back of the store.
He emerged just as Katie walked in carrying a box. “Well, well, there are two of you,” Jacob said, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. He looked at Rosie, then Katie. “Here,
