Rebecca Kertz - Jedidiah's Bride

“Looks like this will be a fine gathering,” Samuel said as Jed noted the line of buggies parked on the grass and the folks in the yard. There were eight buggies. Theirs made nine. Nine families with numerous children. Plenty to play catch with or toss yard darts or any other game someone wanted to play, Jed thought.

“Look, there’s Mae!” Katie said. “Jacob, would you please help her with the food? Take the cake and salad from her. It looks like she has enough to carry inside.”

The King buggy was parked two vehicles down the row from them. Mae and Amos had gotten out of the carriage, followed by their sons John and young Joshua, who spied the Lapps and waved at them with excitement. Mae waved and grinned at Katie. Mae was Katie’s closest friend and lived on the other side of the road from the Lapp farm.

“I’ll go, Mam,” Eli offered. He got out of the buggy and headed toward Mae.

“Me, too,” Jacob said as he followed closely on his brother’s heels.

“Why don’t you both go?” Jed suggested loudly with barely concealed amusement. There were no girls in the King family buggy. Why the hurry to help out?

Jed climbed down from the front seat and took Hannah from his mother. Dat got out after him and then assisted his wife.

“Jed-ah,” Hannah said as she patted Jed’s cheeks.

“Ja, Hannah banana?”

She laughed, a babylike chuckle that warmed his insides and made him smile. “I’m not Hannah-nana. I’m Hannah Yapp.”

Jed kissed her baby-smooth cheek. “That you are, little one. Let’s go, shall we? And see if we can find one of your little friends for you to play with.”

“Morning, Jed, Samuel,” Amos King greeted, and Jed saw that Samuel had caught up with him.

“Perfect day for a picnic,” Jed said, smiling at his father’s closest friend.

“Mae brought her famous sweet-and-vinegar green beans.”

The Lapp men grinned in appreciation. “Katie made chocolate upside-down cake and ambrosia salad with extra coconut and marshmallows,” Samuel said.

All three exclaimed with delight and then laughed. “You’d think we didn’t often get such gut food, but we do all the time,” Amos said. “Mae and Katie are the best cooks.”

“Josie is a great cook, too,” Samuel said. “I wonder what she’s made for us today.” The three men chuckled and continued on.

* * *

“Timothy, Thomas, I want you to behave today, do you hear?” Sarah stood over her young brothers, examining them with a critical eye. “We’ve only arrived at cousins Josie and William’s two days ago. Don’t make them sorry that we’ve come.”

“We won’t, Sissy,” Thomas promised, and Timothy nodded in solemn agreement.

“Where are Will and Elam?” she asked, referring to Josie’s six-and seven-year-old sons.

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