we end up with, you know it won’t be enough. Dat drinks a cup every day.” Ellie eyed the bowl. A few more inches, and it would be full enough to start the first batch of juice. She was glad that even though Lovina lived several miles away she was still willing to help with this chore every year. The two sisters had made the family supply of rhubarb juice for as long as she could remember—ever since they were the same ages as Mandy and Rebecca, for sure.
“The plants at our place aren’t growing as well this year. Noah says it’s a sign we’re in for another bad year.”
“And Noah is always right, of course.” Ellie looked sideways at Lovina. Even after four years of marriage, that telltale blush crept up her neck at the mention of Noah’s name. Lovina still thought her husband was the next thing to perfect.
“Ja, of course.” Lovina grinned at her, then went back to her cutting. “I do hope he’s wrong this time, though. Another year with no rain will be hard.”
Ellie’s thoughts went to the field of young strawberry plants. There had to be enough rain to keep them alive. She forced her mind in a different direction.
“What does Noah think about the new baby?”
“He’s on top of the world with this one. It was a long time to wait after Rachel before we knew this one was coming.”
“Not so long. Rachel is only three.”
“Ja.” Lovina paused.
Ellie glanced over to see a distant look on her sister’s face. Ach, she should never have mentioned it. Now Lovina was thinking about the one they had lost after Rachel. She always knew what Lovina was thinking, even though they weren’t as close as they had been as girls.
Lovina dumped another pile of cut pieces into the bowl. Ellie added her rhubarb and gave the bowl a shake to even it out.
“Looks like it’s time to start cooking the first batch.”
“Ja. I forgot to ask earlier. Do you have enough sugar?”
“Mam said to use sorghum. Sugar is too dear.” Ellie added water to the big kettle on her stove and then poured in a pint of the thick, sticky syrup.
“Not too sweet, remember.”
“Ja, I remember. You say that every year.”
“If I didn’t say it, it wouldn’t be right.”
Ellie stirred the mixture and smiled at her sister. She was right. They had to do the same things the same way every year. It was tradition. “Do you think Susan and Rachel will make rhubarb juice together when they’re grown?”
“That would be sweet, wouldn’t it?” Lovina smiled at the thought, then went back to cutting more rhubarb. “How are the strawberries doing?”
Ellie stirred the rhubarb. Dat wouldn’t let them hear the end of it if she let them scorch. “Truth to tell, I’m awfully worried about them. It’s been so dry.”
“Do you think they’ll last long enough for you to get berries from them next year?”
“I hope so. I can’t bear to think what might happen if they don’t....”
“What do you mean?”
Ellie looked at Lovina. She could always share everything with her sister, but should she share this problem now?
“Come on, Ellie. I know when you’re worried.” Lovina gave her a sudden, piercing look. “You spent all of your money on those plants, didn’t you?”
Ellie nodded and went back to stirring the rhubarb.
“You’re not in danger of losing your farm, are you?”
“Ach, ne. As long as the Brennemans continue to pay their rent, I’ll be able to keep up on the taxes. It will just delay moving back there. If the plants don’t make it, I’ll lose the money I spent on them plus next year’s income from selling the berries.”
“And the year after...”
“I hoped by that time we’d be back home.”
Lovina was silent as she sliced rhubarb.
“Ellie, I haven’t said anything before...”
Ellie looked at Lovina. “What is it?”
“It’s been almost two years...”
“Not yet. It’s been only a year.”
Lovina’s mouth was a firm line as she turned to her. “It’s been longer than that. It will be two years in September. You keep talking about moving home as if you think that will make everything the same as it was.”
Ellie turned back to the stewing rhubarb. “I just want to give the children what Daniel wanted for them.”
“And what is that?”
“You know, we’ve talked about it before.” Ellie turned to Lovina again and gestured with the spoon. “It’s what you and Noah have. Daniel never had a home. He was moved around between relatives until he came to Indiana to live with Hezekiah and Miriam. When he bought our farm, he was determined to give his children what he never had.”
“Ellie.” Lovina’s voice was quiet. “You don’t have to do it. Things are different now. Daniel is—”
“Daniel is gone. I know.” Ellie turned back to the rhubarb. She didn’t want Lovina to see the tears that threatened. “But I’m not, and his children aren’t. It’s up to me to see that his wishes are carried out.”
“Have you thought about what he’d want now?”
“What’s that?”
“I think he’d want something more important for his children than a farm. Remember, something else he never had was a father. Don’t neglect that, Ellie.”
Ellie kept her eyes on the pot of rhubarb. She couldn’t marry again. How could she bear to risk that again? Besides, her children had a father, didn’t they? She’d never let them forget Daniel.
Silence filled the kitchen, along with the sour-sweet fragrance of cooking rhubarb.
“I hear there’s a new man in the area.” Lovina kept her eyes on her knife as she said this.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Mam. Does he have a family?”
“Ne, he’s single.” Mam would have told her that, too. She knew what was on Lovina’s mind.
“Oh.” Lovina put a long lilt on that one word.
Ellie groaned to herself. What else could she talk about?
“Have you met him?” Lovina asked before Ellie could think of anything.
“Ja, I have.”
