Free Allison's Journey by Wanda E. Brunstetter Page B

nodded.
    “Tell your mamm to ring the supper bell when it’s time to eat.”
    “Jah, okay.” Aaron opened the door and stepped outside. “I’m not a baby,” he muttered under his breath, “and I wish he’d quit treating me like one.”

    Allison entered the house and was pleased to discover Katie Esh sitting at the kitchen table, talking with Aunt Mary. “I’m sorry about bringing Dan home soaking wet,” Allison apologized.
    “It’s not the first time he’s fallen into the pond, and it probably won’t be the last.” Aunt Mary smiled. “He’s in the bathroom, taking a warm bath.”
    Allison looked down at the muddy footprints leading from the kitchen door to the hallway. “Since I’m the one who took Dan fishing, I’d better mop up the mess he left behind.”
    “Nonsense,” her aunt said, pushing away from the table. “You sit with Katie and visit. I’ll see to the floor.”
    Allison was amazed at her aunt’s generosity. If this had happened in Aunt Catherine’s kitchen, the woman would have been grumpier than an old goat.
    Katie smiled and motioned to the chair beside her. “How about a glass of cold milk to go with the carrot cake I brought over?”
    Allison glanced at Aunt Mary, who was at the sink, dampening the mop. “When are you planning to serve supper?”
    “Not for an hour or so. Ben, Harvey, and Walter will probably work in the fields until it’s nearly dark, so feel free to eat some of Katie’s cake.”
    A hunk of moist carrot cake did sound appealing, so Allison poured a glass of milk and helped herself to a slice of cake.
    “I came by to visit with you, but your aunt said you and Dan had gone fishing. How’d it go?” Katie asked.
    “Not so good. We didn’t catch a single fish.”
    Katie snickered. “From the looks of Dan when he came through the door, I’d say the fish caught him.”
    Allison laughed, too. “Aaron and I rescued my waterlogged cousin before the fish could reel him in too far.”
    Katie’s pale eyebrows lifted in obvious surprise. “Aaron Zook?”
    “Jah.”
    “I didn’t realize you were meeting him at the pond,” Aunt Mary said.
    “Oh, I wasn’t,” Allison was quick to say. “He and his collie showed up. It was shortly after they arrived that Dan fell in the water.” She leaned closer to Katie. “Do you know if Aaron has a girlfriend?”
    “Nope, he sure doesn’t.” Katie blinked a couple of times. “Why, are you interested in Aaron?”
    “No, of course not. I barely know him.” Allison quickly forked a piece of cake into her mouth. “ Umm . . . This is sure good.”
    “I’m glad you like it.”
    “Next to chocolate, carrot’s my favorite kind of cake.”
    “What kind of pie do you like?” Katie asked.
    “Most any except for mincemeat.”
    Katie wrinkled her nose. “Me, neither. I never have understood why my mamm likes mincemeat pie so well.”
    Aunt Mary swished the mop past the table and stopped long enough to grab a sliver of cake. “My favorite pie is strawberry.”
    Allison’s mouth watered at the mention of sweet, juicy strawberries, so ripe the juice ran down your chin.
    As if she could read Allison’s mind, Katie leaned over and said, “We’ve got a big strawberry patch. Why don’t you plan tocome over some Saturday toward the end of the month and help me pick some? They should be ripe by then.”
    “That sounds like fun.”
    Katie smiled. “In the meantime, let’s set this Thursday evening aside, and the two of us can go on a picnic in the woods near my house. I’ll furnish the meal,” she quickly added.
    Allison glanced at Aunt Mary, who had finished mopping and was now peeling potatoes. “Would that be all right with you?”
    “I have no problem with it.”
    Allison smiled. She could hardly believe how agreeable her mother’s twin sister seemed to be. She hated to keep comparing Aunt Mary to Aunt Catherine, but they were as different as winter and summer. What made the difference? What was the reason for