Free A Promise for Ellie by Lauraine Snelling

there beyond the farm.”
    “I’ve been up in the grain elevator. That’s tall enough for me.”
    “Thank you.” Ellie took her dish of ice cream and spoon and, after savoring her first spoonful, smiled in bliss. “I don’t think anything tastes better than ice cream.”
    “Mor’s apple pie is better.”
    “Andrew Bjorklund, if I said the sun was shining, you’d say the moon was. What is the matter with you?”
    “Why would I say that?”
    “I think I’ll take a dish of ice cream back to my wife.” Thorliff winked at Ellie. Good luck, he mouthed before he turned and left.
    Ellie looked up to see Andrew staring at something. She followed his gaze and saw why his jaw was tight.
    Grace was still with Toby, and they were laughing about something.
    “Hey, Andrew!” Pastor Solberg called. “Bring Ellie and all the others. The man is here to take the graduation pictures.”
    Andrew waved in acknowledgment. “We will.” He glanced around to find the others. “Come on. You find Deborah.”
    “Of course.” Ellie finished her ice cream as she crossed the grass. While some of the people had already left, most were still visiting in groups in the shade of the schoolhouse and church. Some of the younger mothers sat with the babies and very small children, many asleep on blankets under the growing cottonwood trees. So much had changed in the years they’d been gone. She and Deborah had been good friends all through school, ever since Deborah and her sister, Manda, arrived in Blessing with Zeb MacCallister. He’d found them in a dugout, alone since their mother died and their father disappeared. Deborah had been living with the Solbergs, who took over the MacCallister ranch when Zeb moved west.
    After Toby fell in step beside her, Ellie asked, “Did you go on to college with your gift from Mr. Gould, Toby?”
    “Nope. I never cared much for school. Never graduated.”
    “What are you going to do?”
    “My pa said I should go to work for the railroad, laying track, but I don’t know. If there was a war still going on, I’d go fight.”
    “Oh, how awful. Look what happened to your brother.”
    “You better quit talking to me. Here comes almighty Prince Andrew.”
    Ellie made a face. “Toby!”
    He arched his eyebrows at her and, hands in his back pockets, strolled off.
    “All right, let’s get started here.” The photographer pointed his camera, already set up on a tripod. “Line up there on the steps. You boys in the back, young ladies in front.”
    Andrew stood behind Ellie. She could feel the brush of his jacket through her dress and knew if she leaned her head back, she could touch him. Why all of a sudden did she have this need to touch him? Ever since that kiss on the palm of her hand, she’d wanted to be as near him as possible. Thoughts of the way he was acting flew off like a bird winging away, leaving only sensations. The touch of his hand on her shoulder, the sound of his voice, his smile, the love light in his eyes.
    “All right now, everyone look right here, and when I say ‘hold it,’ don’t breathe, don’t move.” The man ducked back under his black drape and raised a hand. “Look here. Now hold it.”
    Ellie had the most necessary urge to rub the itch on her nose, but she held her pose.
    “Okay, you can breathe now.”
    They all sucked in breaths along with nervous giggles. Ellie looked beyond the photographer to see Rachel making faces at her.
    She shook her head and shot her cousin a warning look. Laughing, Rachel ran off with two other little girls, and those on the steps settled in for another picture. Andrew tapped her shoulder when the man ordered them to not move again. She felt a giggle rising and ordered her lips to remain at the half smile. Ellie Peterson Wold, you will do as you are told. You will not giggle or move or breathe .
    “Good. You can breathe now.” The man popped out from behind the camera. “I’ll move this inside now, and we’ll take the individual