A Heart Once Broken Read Online Free

assignments on where to help with lunch.
    Sandra slipped up to Bishop Henry’s frau , Lena, and whispered, “I’ll take the unmarried men’s table.”
    Lena smiled but didn’t object. She handed Sandra two peanut butter bowls. “That should get you started.”
    â€œThanks.” Sandra gave Lena a quick smile.
    Her interest in Ezra wasn’t shameful, Sandra assured herself. Nor was her offer to serve the unmarried men’s table. This would give her a chance to speak with Ezra—and the other unmarried men. It couldn’t hurt if Ezra was reminded that she had other chances, even if she didn’t take them. The newcomer, Clyde from Holmes County, was handsome enough. His daett was a widower and had recently moved into the community. Clyde had sent glances her way several times already—glances she had ignored.
    Sandra held the peanut butter bowls high as several smaller children looked up hungrily.
    â€œGo find where your daett ’s sitting.” Sandra paused long enough to whisper to them. “He might take you with him to the first table.” Several of them scurried off to follow Sandra’s suggestion.
    The unmarried men’s table was set up in the back bedroom, andSandra paused near the door when Bishop Henry’s voice called for the first prayer. She bowed her head along with everyone else. When the “Amen” came, Sandra bounced into the room. Several of the men looked up, and one hollered out, “Howdy there, Sandra. At least we have a server today. I thought they’d forgotten about us.”
    â€œYou know no one forgets about you, James,” Sandra teased back. “And they wouldn’t leave a table full of such handsome young men to suffer hunger.”
    Laughter filled the table, and Ezra looked up with a twinkle in his eye. “And to think that we have one of the prettiest girls to serve our table. What an honor.”
    â€œThat’s sweet of you to say.” Sandra beamed in Ezra’s direction.
    Loud throat-clearing came from several of the men, and protests of, “Please do your courting tonight after the hymn singing.”
    Sandra joined in the laughter. “Don’t eat too much while I’m gone,” she chided. “I’ll be right back.”
    Two other girls came into the bedroom when Sandra stepped through the doorway. Thankfully Lydia wasn’t among them. Lydia wasn’t bold like Sandra was, but Lydia had other charms that she had no compunction to deploy. Likely Lydia would try to sneak out early once Ezra went out to hitch up his horse and engage him in conversation—all under some innocent pretext, of course. They both had their different ways to attract Ezra’s attentions. But surely Ezra would soon see that Sandra’s way was the best. She would make the man happy as his frau . And even before that, she was sure they would be the bubbliest couple in the community—if only Ezra could be brought to his senses. Surely he enjoyed her conversation and light banter. Wasn’t that a goot enough reason to see more of each other? What better way to spend this winter’s cold Sunday evenings than to gather around the pot-bellied stove in the living room of their place on Madrid Road and play backgammon andMonopoly? Ezra was goot at all those board games. She had played with him often enough at the youth gatherings to know. And once married they could laugh and tell each other stories as their kinner grew up around them.
    Sandra hurried past the married men’s table on her way back to the kitchen, but a low whisper stopped her. Sandra turned to see her daett motioning for her to come closer. As she approached and bent over with a warm smile, he whispered, “Get your mamm. Tell her I have to leave for home right now.”
    Sandra stood up and stared at daett . His face appeared pale under his lengthy beard and his hands were shaking. “ Daett , what’s