Fast forward 3 months. Who should appear? Fern, the annoying kid sister of his ex-best friend! Fern’s there to get him to forgive John, pester him out of his pouting and help him make friends with the people in Bonduel. Mammi thinks a new love might heal his broken heart so Fern and Mammi conspire to help him meet eligible girls. They arrange a knitting circle. (The girls want everyone to get an equal crack at him, so they use an 10 minutes on the egg timer.) Reuben catches the eye of the daughter of Bonduel's bishop’s, Sadie Yoder (especially when she finds out how wealthy his family is). Will she land the big fish or will Reuben finally realize that he belongs with Fern?
Man, this one made me weep, but the ending makes it more than worth it. This book is a great illustration of real love: Fern stays in a shed and mostly starves during her time in Bonduel (she keeps it a secret from her family and friends). She does it without complaint because she wants Reuben to be happy again. She feels compassion and empathy for him and always sees beyond Reuben’s grumpiness, pride and tantrums to the good man who is hurting. She never begrudges him his hurt pride but she also freely tells him he’s prideful (never in a condemning way). She never takes him too seriously and will roll her eyes with affection when Reuben thinks too much of himself.
Reuben eventually notices how skinny Fern’s getting, but dismisses it as Fern being a picky eater. When he discovers the horrible living conditions Fern's been suffering willingly -- bathing with a hose, using an outhouse, scavenging for food because her cousin’s mentally ill wife won’t have her in the house -- he weeps, heartbroken. She's gone through all this for someone who’s been concerned more with his popularity and status than taking care of a true friend. This epiphany only comes after he makes Fern feel lower than pond slime and is awful to Mammi about knitting, which humbles him even further.
This book is never heavy handed with its lesson. You see the high opinion Reuben has of himself (and roll your eyes as you smile and shake your head). But you also see his good heart and how unintentionally oblivious he is to his own sin. Even if he’s grumpy, he isn’t belligerent or vindictive. He’s humble enough to admit he’s wrong when he finally sees it (He’s just a little blind to his shortcomings). He’s suitably horrified at his behavior. Like the prodigal son, he goes and makes amends for his sin without justifying himself or making excuses. (Although Anna & Felty are quick to forgive, Felty banishes Reuben to sleep in the barn for a night as punishment for speaking to his sweetheart that way.)
Fern is never a goody two shoes. You hurt when she does. She has genuine compassion and kindness in how she thinks about others’ shortcomings. She's never preachy or self-righteous. She appropriately wants to mush Sadie’s face in the dirt a time or 2, but instead is kind even when Sadie's obnoxious in return. She humbled me with her kindness. She is just plain likable and you can’t help but love her.
As usual, Anna and Felty drop the wisdom, Anna knits (blankets for the local children’s hospital), Felty supports his lady love, and Anna is on the money with her matchmaking.
5 stars
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