Chapter Three

Since I was now awake again, I might as well hurry and help with supper.

“Mom,” I said rushing headlong into the kitchen, where I was greeted with my whole family sitting at the table eating.  "Why, I thought it wasn’t even suppertime yet!” I said confusedly, "I was out in the swing reading my book when I fell asleep. I’m sorry that I couldn’t help you prepare supper and that I lost track of the time.”

“That’s alright, Anne. When you didn't come in to help me yet, I called Daniel outside to see if you were alright. He came back inside the house telling me that you had fallen asleep. Knowing how tired you were today, I just decided to let you continue to sleep,” smiled Mother.

I beamed gratefully at her for she knew how tiresome I sometimes got.

Father laughed a bit. “We were wondering if you’d ever get hungry! Did you dream that you ate something mouthwatering?” he teased.

I sobered. “N-no.”

“Well, seeing that you are late for dinner, why don’t you “Grace” silently by yourself. We all already prayed,” Father suggested.

 “Alright.”

After a quick prayer, I listened in on my family’s conversation. For my family, mealtimes were one of the most interesting parts of the day. Our family would sometimes joke that if someone wanted to know the latest news in the community, all they had to do was to listen in at our family’s meal table. I smiled at the thought, knowing that this was not entirely true but it was also true in a way.

My father was a carpenter and his shop was on our property. Saying so, that meant that he was able to eat with us at every meal. This was considered a privilege because a few friends of mine parents’ were not able to sit down with their family every mealtime.

Recently, I had mentioned that I had ten siblings. Now let me list them from the oldest to the youngest. Peter, 29, Jessa, 27, Elizabeth,22, Jonathan,21, Samuel,18, the twins; Jana and Samuel, 17,Daniel, 16, me, turning 15, Eve, 13, and last of all, Gideon who was 10. My oldest brother Peter was still living at home but was leaving the house in November because he was getting married to Adriana Esh. Jessa and Elizabeth were living in America and were working in Harrisburg, Virginia with Christian Light Publications.

The conversation at the dinner table was as lively and interesting as usual.

“Mom, did you know that the chicken eggs hatched?” Gideon piped up with his usual ten-year-old spirit.

“Already?” asked Mom amazed, “When did they hatch?”

“They hatched this morning. It was really neat because I watched them come out of their shell!” Gideon replied.

“Don’t forget,” interrupted thirteen-year-old Eve,” that it was I who had woke you up from your sleep in the first place!”

Gideon smiled sheepishly as he recalled his morning’s events.

FLASHBACK

“Gideon! Gideon! Wake up!” Eve said shaking him furiously.

“Wha-“Gideon began in a tone that you could tell that he was not happy to be awakened in such a rude manner. ”Why--what are you doing in the boy’s room? You’re not allowed in here Eve Yoder and you know that! I’m going tell dad!”

“Fine, tell him, but you’ll have to tell him that you weren’t excited to watch the chicken eggs hatch!” Eve said smugly crossing her arms.

The next thing Eve knew was that she was rushing out the door trying to keep up with Gideon who was in the lead.

END OF FLASHBACK

After a bit, Mother announced some exciting news:

“Jessa and Elizabeth called this morning,” began Mother.

“How are they?” we asked in one voice.

“Well, Elizabeth is recovering from her bronchitis—“

“Praise the Lord!” Father interjected.

“And now she is back on her feet working again.”

“Did they say anything else?” Samuel asked.

Mother’s eyes twinkled. “I think I did hear that they might come…”

Cheers and exclamations of joy erupted in the room.

“Let me finish!” Mother exclaimed. “They might come down here next year.”

“Hooray!” Daniel cried. “Wait,” he stopped, “they’re coming when? Next year?!”

Groans were heard around the table.

After we had all “visited” for a time, we continued on to finish our chores. My chore was to feed the chickens right after supper, then hurry back into the house to help wash, dry, and put away the dishes with Eve. When that was all done, my whole family gathered outside to weed and water our garden while the sun was still in the sky. We had two gardens--a flower garden surrounding our home, and our huge vegetable garden behind our home. With our garden abundantly consisting of celery, carrots, cabbage, onions, garlics, tomatoes, potatoes, pickles, cucumbers, and some other delicious vegetables, it was satisfying when the winter came and it was time to eat them!

But of course, first, we needed to do the tiresome work of planting and weeding the garden.

My oldest brother Peter was working alongside me in the potato patch.

I asked him,” Since you’ve finally decided to get married this November, did you and your fiancée decide where you two are going for your honeymoon?” I knew that they were still thinking about it and I was just trying to bug my brother as much as I could before he left.

 “Actually, we have,” my brother laughed as he saw the shocked look on my face. ”We have decided to visit America. We are going to stay in Virginia for two weeks and stop by to see Jessa and Elizabeth and visit some other places,” my brother finished and smiled at the look on my face.

“Aww, nice, Pete!” I exclaimed clasping my hands together. ”You are going to see Jessa and Elizabeth again! I wish I could go to America!” I whispered this last sentence, sadly.

Peter gave me a sympathetic look; He knew how much I wanted to go to America. A few pictures from friends were not enough. If I could only see my two older siblings who were there in America! But hopefully, next year would come soon enough!

Time passed quickly, and soon it was time to go to bed. I hurriedly changed, combed my hair, and then fell into a peaceful sleep.

But no one, no one on this earth, besides God, would ever imagine the turn of events that would happen tomorrow that would change my life—forever.