began frying a pound of bacon and chopping peppers, onions, and tomatoes for the eggs. She mixed orange juice; peeled, diced, and boiled potatoes for hash browns; and toasted half a loaf of the whole wheat bread she’d baked yesterday. By the time she heard the screen door slam, signaling Daniel’s arrival, cheese was melting over the omelet while crisp bacon drained on paper towels. Catherine dumped the seasoned potatoes into a sizzling skillet.
Daniel shrugged out of his chore coat and toed off his boots in the back hall. “Something smells good,” he said, entering the kitchen.
She buttered another slice of toast, adding it the stack already on the table. “Laura, please get your bruder from the front room. It’s time to eat.” She turned to Daniel. “I got them up twenty minutes ago.”
Daniel poured himself coffee and topped off her mug. “Those two would sleep till noon if you’d let them,” he said. His eyes widened as she set the platter of bacon and bowl of eggs on the table and nearly bugged from his head when she carried over the hash browns. “Good grief, Catherine. This is a lot of food for an ordinary Wednesday,” he said. “Bacon and eggs or toast and oatmeal will suffice in the future.”
“Good to know,” she murmured as they bowed their heads in prayer.
Once the Graber family began eating, Catherine surreptitiously glanced out the window to the back porch. “It looks like rain. Do you think we should invite Isaiah inside for breakfast? We don’t want him or his food getting wet.” She concentrated on pouring milk for the youngsters.
“Nice of you to worry, but that porch has a roof. His food will stay perfectly dry until he comes up to eat.” He scooped a hearty portion of fried potatoes. “I don’t think Abigail has ever made spuds like these. They’re very good,” he said after sampling a forkful. He preferred his eggs without all the peppers, onions, and who-knew-what-else, but he remembered Abby’s request for patience and kindness toward her sister. He took five strips of bacon, just to be polite.
“Danki. A little bacon grease adds plenty of flavor.” She ate almost twice her usual amount just to keep herself from asking questions about Daniel’s shy cousin. Laura ate some eggs but spent most of her time pushing onion and peppers to the side of her plate. Jake played with his bacon strips, trying to stand them on end.
“Jake usually eats corn flakes, Aunt Catherine,” said Laura. “Is it all right if I pour him a bowl?” She looked from one adult to the other. Catherine also glanced at Daniel, uncertain of the correct reply.
“Jah, go ahead,” Daniel said to his daughter. Then to his son he said, “Stop playing and eat your bacon, Jake. You always eat mamm’s. And drink your milk and juice.” He returned to his own breakfast as though competing in a race. “If you should need me today, I’ll be out in the east fields spreading manure.”
She knew what manure-spreading days smelled like, so barring an emergency she planned to stay indoors with the east-facing windows closed. “I’ll catch up on laundry in the morning and save ironing for the afternoon. By three o’clock a breeze usually picks up from the south, cooling off the front room. Let me fill your thermos with coffee.” She rose from the table as he walked into the hallway.
“Put a couple extra sandwiches in Isaiah’s cooler for my lunch too. That’ll save me from coming to the house and interrupting my work.”
Catherine followed him to the door, carrying the thermos. “I’ll put plenty in the cooler bag.” She watched him pull on boots and grab his hat.
“Before I forget, your sister sends her regards and thanks you for filling in for her. She will write another letter soon.”
Her chest tightened around her heart until it became painful to breathe. “Does she look well?”
“Like I told you last night, she looks as well as can be expected.” He opened the door and peered up. “There’s barely a cloud in the sky. I think you’re mistaken about your forecast of rain.” He reached for his thermos and hurried down the steps.
Actually, he’d told her little since his return from visiting Abby in Wooster. He’d rambled on about the charges being more serious than they had thought, and that he needed to talk to her father after Sunday’s preaching service—updates about the unfortunate circumstances, but not much about her beloved sister. Yet Catherine