A Place of Peace by Amy Clipston Page A

to take the conversation away from her father.
    Hannah sighed. “It’s hard to say. She has good and bad days. Some days she’s completely exhausted, but other days she’s full of energy. We’re praying that she’ll get a liver soon.”
    “Do you know why she got sick?” Miriam asked, plucking another cookie from the plate. “What causes the disease?”
    “The doctor says it’s genetic.” Hannah broke a cookie in half while she spoke. “He said that since we’re carriers for the disease, there was a one-in-four chance our
kinner
could get it, and she was the only one who did. It’s a miracle the other two didn’t. It’s all biology.”
    Miriam nodded, chewing another cookie. “These didn’t turn out half bad.”
    “I told you they were delicious.” A smile crept across Hannah’s lips. “I saw you chatting with Zach Fisher at the gathering after the funeral. He’s still a bachelor.”
    Miriam rolled her eyes. “Please don’t try to play matchmaker with me. I’m not interested.”
    “Why not? He owns a successful saddle shop, and he’s handsome and sweet. He’d be good for you.”
    Miriam shook her head. “We’re friends, and that’s all.”
    “Friendship is a great way to start courting.” Hannah wagged a finger at her. “If you’re friends first, then you really know each other.”
    “I’m sure that’s true. I’m just not looking.” Miriam made an attempt to change the subject. “The funeral was nice, wasn’t it? It was good to see some old friends.” She bit into a cookie.
    “Did you see Timothy?”
    Miriam nearly choked on the cookie. She sputtered and then took a long drink.
    “I’ll take that as a yes,” Hannah muttered. “Did you speak to him?”
    Miriam shook her head. “I only saw him across the room. We stared at each other and then I left as fast as I could, like the chicken I am.”
    “Why didn’t you talk to him?”
    “I have nothing to say to him.”
    Hannah’s stare was accusing. “Then why did you almost choke when I asked about him?”
    Miriam glared at her. “I have nothing to say to him, and that’s that.”
    Hannah shrugged. “Suit yourself. Go on wondering why things turned out the way they did instead of asking him. He’s not married, so something held him back from moving on.”
    “Maybe the
maedel
he was seeing behind my back left him too. It would serve him right for what he did to me. Nevertheless, that’s really none of my concern. He made his decision by not marrying me. End of story.”
    Hannah nodded. “I guess you have a point.”
    Miriam stood. “Let’s go see what the children are doing. I haven’t had a chance to catch up with Lena Joy.” Miriam followed Hannah out the back door to the small porch. She called the children over and they sat on the porch together.
    Miriam listened while Ian and Mary shared school stories about their friends and teacher. When they ran out to the field to play with a ball, Miriam turned to Lena Joy and asked about her friends. They talked until it was close to suppertime and Hannah had to get home to cook for her family. Miriam walked Hannah and her children out to the buggy, and she hugged each of them before they climbed into it, promising to visit them soon.
    As they drove off, Miriam smiled and sent up a silent prayer thanking God for Hannah and her nieces and nephew. She also said a prayer that she too would someday have a family.

8
    T hese are
wunderbaar,”
Beth Anne said, studying the half-dozen desserts Miriam had waiting for her Monday morning. “They’re so
gut
that I have a question for you.”
    “What?” Miriam asked, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
    “Would you consider coming to work for us at the bakery full-time?”
    Miriam blanched. “Are you serious?”
    “Ya.”
Beth Anne laughed. “Why would I ask if I weren’t serious?”
    “You should do it,” Edna said from her favorite chair. “You shouldn’t mope around here all day.”
    “I don’t mope,” Miriam said,