hunt.”
Martha’s defenses rose. Even though she’d never shot a gun, she didn’t think it would be too hard to learn. She couldn’t help but wonder if Dad was disappointed because he’d never had a son. Maybe that was why Dad and Cleon got along so well.
“If Cleon doesn’t want to hunt, I could see if Abe would like to go,” Dad continued. “Might do Abe some good to get out in the fields and away from his harness shop awhile.”
“Ruth mentioned that Abe’s been sleeping a lot. Do you think it’s to avoid thinking about his loss?”
Dad nodded. “Everyone deals with grief in their own way, but it’s my job as Abe’s friend to help him.” He took a seat on a bale of straw, and Martha did the same.
“That’s what friends are for,” she agreed. “To encourage each other and help during times of need.”
Dad pulled a piece of straw from the bale he was sitting on and slipped it between his teeth. “Between your job at Irene’s and raising your dogs, I guess you’ll be plenty busy all summer.”
“Jah.”
“Doesn’t leave much time for socializing.”
Martha merely shrugged in reply.
“A woman your age ought to be courting by now.” He eyed her curiously. “Have you got your sights set on any particular fellow?”
Martha cringed. She did have an interest in someone, but she didn’t dare say so. Dad would have a conniption if he knew she’d come to care for Luke Friesen. Especially since he thought Luke might be the one responsible for the attacks against them.
Dad nudged Martha’s arm. “Is there someone you’re interested in?”
“I’m too busy with other things to be worried about having a boy-friend,” she said, carefully choosing her words.
“Guess there’s still time for you to find the right man.”
“Jah.”
When Martha heard the rumble of buggy wheels outside, she stood. “Do you suppose that’s Mom and Grace back from town? If so, they didn’t stay very long. I figured they wouldn’t be back until this afternoon.”
“Only one way to find out,” Dad said, rising to his feet. “Let’s go have a look-see.”
As Grace climbed out of the buggy, her legs shook so hard she could barely stand. All the way home, she couldn’t stop thinking about Gary showing up in town. When he’d left a few months ago, she had hoped they’d seen the last of him. Her plans to treat Mom to lunch at the Farmstead Restaurant had been forgotten when Gary came into the bakeshop. All she’d wanted to do was go home.
“I didn’t think you’d be back so early,” Martha said as she and Dad stepped out of the barn. “Figured you’d have lunch after you finished shopping.”
“We ran into that reporter fellow at the bakeshop.” Mom took hold of Grace’s arm. “After that, Grace didn’t feel like eating.”
Dad’s lips compressed into a thin line. “What’s that guy doing back in town? I thought he’d left Holmes County for good.”
“He said he’s decided to do a few more stories on the Amish in our area.” Grace’s voice trembled as she spoke. It was all she could do to keep from crying. She’d been especially emotional lately and figured it had to do with her changing hormones. The distress she was dealing with right now, however, had nothing to do with her pregnancy. She was worried that Gary had come back to the area to fulfill his promise to get even with her for breaking up with him after they’d dated awhile during her rumschpringe years. Grace’s life was just getting back to normal, and she didn’t think she could deal with more attacks on her family.
Dad looked at Martha, and they exchanged worried glances. “Maybe you should get Anna so Grace can go home and rest,” he said.
Martha nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“Where is Anna?” Grace asked. “Is she in the barn?”
“She’s at the woodworking shop with Cleon,” Dad said.
“What’s she doing there? I’ve told her not to bother Cleon when he’s working.”
Dad rocked back
Martha’s defenses rose. Even though she’d never shot a gun, she didn’t think it would be too hard to learn. She couldn’t help but wonder if Dad was disappointed because he’d never had a son. Maybe that was why Dad and Cleon got along so well.
“If Cleon doesn’t want to hunt, I could see if Abe would like to go,” Dad continued. “Might do Abe some good to get out in the fields and away from his harness shop awhile.”
“Ruth mentioned that Abe’s been sleeping a lot. Do you think it’s to avoid thinking about his loss?”
Dad nodded. “Everyone deals with grief in their own way, but it’s my job as Abe’s friend to help him.” He took a seat on a bale of straw, and Martha did the same.
“That’s what friends are for,” she agreed. “To encourage each other and help during times of need.”
Dad pulled a piece of straw from the bale he was sitting on and slipped it between his teeth. “Between your job at Irene’s and raising your dogs, I guess you’ll be plenty busy all summer.”
“Jah.”
“Doesn’t leave much time for socializing.”
Martha merely shrugged in reply.
“A woman your age ought to be courting by now.” He eyed her curiously. “Have you got your sights set on any particular fellow?”
Martha cringed. She did have an interest in someone, but she didn’t dare say so. Dad would have a conniption if he knew she’d come to care for Luke Friesen. Especially since he thought Luke might be the one responsible for the attacks against them.
Dad nudged Martha’s arm. “Is there someone you’re interested in?”
“I’m too busy with other things to be worried about having a boy-friend,” she said, carefully choosing her words.
“Guess there’s still time for you to find the right man.”
“Jah.”
When Martha heard the rumble of buggy wheels outside, she stood. “Do you suppose that’s Mom and Grace back from town? If so, they didn’t stay very long. I figured they wouldn’t be back until this afternoon.”
“Only one way to find out,” Dad said, rising to his feet. “Let’s go have a look-see.”
As Grace climbed out of the buggy, her legs shook so hard she could barely stand. All the way home, she couldn’t stop thinking about Gary showing up in town. When he’d left a few months ago, she had hoped they’d seen the last of him. Her plans to treat Mom to lunch at the Farmstead Restaurant had been forgotten when Gary came into the bakeshop. All she’d wanted to do was go home.
“I didn’t think you’d be back so early,” Martha said as she and Dad stepped out of the barn. “Figured you’d have lunch after you finished shopping.”
“We ran into that reporter fellow at the bakeshop.” Mom took hold of Grace’s arm. “After that, Grace didn’t feel like eating.”
Dad’s lips compressed into a thin line. “What’s that guy doing back in town? I thought he’d left Holmes County for good.”
“He said he’s decided to do a few more stories on the Amish in our area.” Grace’s voice trembled as she spoke. It was all she could do to keep from crying. She’d been especially emotional lately and figured it had to do with her changing hormones. The distress she was dealing with right now, however, had nothing to do with her pregnancy. She was worried that Gary had come back to the area to fulfill his promise to get even with her for breaking up with him after they’d dated awhile during her rumschpringe years. Grace’s life was just getting back to normal, and she didn’t think she could deal with more attacks on her family.
Dad looked at Martha, and they exchanged worried glances. “Maybe you should get Anna so Grace can go home and rest,” he said.
Martha nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“Where is Anna?” Grace asked. “Is she in the barn?”
“She’s at the woodworking shop with Cleon,” Dad said.
“What’s she doing there? I’ve told her not to bother Cleon when he’s working.”
Dad rocked back
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