my horse and take a ride over to Meredith’s house. I haven’t
seen her for a few days, and I’d like to know how she’s doing and see if she needs
my help with anything else.”
Dad tapped his foot as he stared at Jonah. “You’ve been goin’ over there a lot lately.
Aren’t ya worried about what others will say?”
Jonah tipped his head. “What is it you think they might say?”
Dad cleared his throat real loud. “Do I need to remind you that Meredith’s a young
widow, and she’s expecting a boppli besides?”
A rush of heat spread across Jonah’s face. “Exactly what are you saying, Dad?” he
asked.
“I just feel you oughta be concerned about what others may think. Some folks could
get the idea that you have it in mind to make Meredith your wife.”
Oh, great
, Jonah thought.
Now I’m in for one of Dad’s long lectures. I’d better put an end to this before it
gets started.
“Look, Dad,” Jonah said, talking slowly and deliberately, “I’m helping Meredith because
she’s a friend, and after seeing what Jean went through when she lost Abe, I want
to do whatever I can to help Meredith during this difficult time. That’s all there
is to it, and I don’t care what anyone thinks.” Before Dad could say anything more,
Jonah slapped his straw hat on his head and rushed out the door.
A short time later, after he’d washed up and changed his clothes, Jonah headed down
the road with his horse and buggy. He didn’t know if it was because Socks was getting
used to him, or just pure luck, but for the first time since he’d acquired the horse,
Socks was actually behaving himself.
Jonah looked out at the freshly planted fields and figured as long as they didn’t
get any flooding, the corn and other crops would do well with the spring rain they’d
been having. The last couple of days had been rainy and raw, but the sun had come
out around noon today, causing everything to smell clean and fresh. The harsh winds
had finally died down, making room for milder days. Seeing the grass green up and
the trees and flowers bloom, gave Jonah a sense of joy and anticipation for the future.
He hoped Meredith sensed that, too, for she certainly needed the hope of spring—something
positive to look forward to.
As Jonah approached Meredith’s house, Socks picked up speed, and when he turned the
horse up the driveway, Socks ran all the way to the barn.
Jonah chuckled. “This is home to you, isn’t it, boy?”
Socks whinnied as if in response.
Woof! Woof!
Fritz barked out a greeting from his kennel. As soon as Jonah had the horse secured
to the hitching rail, he strode across the yard to greet the dog.
“You’re smart, just like Herbie, aren’t ya, boy?” Jonah reached his hand through the
wire fencing and stroked Fritz’s silky head.
Plink! Plink!
A few drops of water landed on his hand. He looked up and noticed that the canvas
tarp, held up by four poles over part of Fritz’s dog run, was full of rainwater.
“All that water needs to come off,” Jonah said, giving Fritz another pat. “Otherwise
the tarp might break, and you’ll end up with a bath you probably don’t want.”
Fritz looked up at Jonah and whined. Did the animal understand what he’d said?
Jonah unlatched the gate and let Fritz out. “Go on now, boy! Go up to the house.”
Fritz hesitated a minute, then tore across the yard and leaped onto the porch.
Jonah looked around for something he could use to drain the water from the tarp. He
spotted a broken tree limb lying just outside the kennel, so he picked it up. Standing
directly under the tarp, he gave it a good push. A quick burst of water rolled off
one end, but most of it remained in the middle.
Jonah pushed against the tarp once more, this time jiggling the limb around a bit.
R-r-i-i-p! W-o-o-sh!
The canvas tore down the middle, and a blast of chilling water poured out on Jonah’s
head, drenching his shirt and
seen her for a few days, and I’d like to know how she’s doing and see if she needs
my help with anything else.”
Dad tapped his foot as he stared at Jonah. “You’ve been goin’ over there a lot lately.
Aren’t ya worried about what others will say?”
Jonah tipped his head. “What is it you think they might say?”
Dad cleared his throat real loud. “Do I need to remind you that Meredith’s a young
widow, and she’s expecting a boppli besides?”
A rush of heat spread across Jonah’s face. “Exactly what are you saying, Dad?” he
asked.
“I just feel you oughta be concerned about what others may think. Some folks could
get the idea that you have it in mind to make Meredith your wife.”
Oh, great
, Jonah thought.
Now I’m in for one of Dad’s long lectures. I’d better put an end to this before it
gets started.
“Look, Dad,” Jonah said, talking slowly and deliberately, “I’m helping Meredith because
she’s a friend, and after seeing what Jean went through when she lost Abe, I want
to do whatever I can to help Meredith during this difficult time. That’s all there
is to it, and I don’t care what anyone thinks.” Before Dad could say anything more,
Jonah slapped his straw hat on his head and rushed out the door.
A short time later, after he’d washed up and changed his clothes, Jonah headed down
the road with his horse and buggy. He didn’t know if it was because Socks was getting
used to him, or just pure luck, but for the first time since he’d acquired the horse,
Socks was actually behaving himself.
Jonah looked out at the freshly planted fields and figured as long as they didn’t
get any flooding, the corn and other crops would do well with the spring rain they’d
been having. The last couple of days had been rainy and raw, but the sun had come
out around noon today, causing everything to smell clean and fresh. The harsh winds
had finally died down, making room for milder days. Seeing the grass green up and
the trees and flowers bloom, gave Jonah a sense of joy and anticipation for the future.
He hoped Meredith sensed that, too, for she certainly needed the hope of spring—something
positive to look forward to.
As Jonah approached Meredith’s house, Socks picked up speed, and when he turned the
horse up the driveway, Socks ran all the way to the barn.
Jonah chuckled. “This is home to you, isn’t it, boy?”
Socks whinnied as if in response.
Woof! Woof!
Fritz barked out a greeting from his kennel. As soon as Jonah had the horse secured
to the hitching rail, he strode across the yard to greet the dog.
“You’re smart, just like Herbie, aren’t ya, boy?” Jonah reached his hand through the
wire fencing and stroked Fritz’s silky head.
Plink! Plink!
A few drops of water landed on his hand. He looked up and noticed that the canvas
tarp, held up by four poles over part of Fritz’s dog run, was full of rainwater.
“All that water needs to come off,” Jonah said, giving Fritz another pat. “Otherwise
the tarp might break, and you’ll end up with a bath you probably don’t want.”
Fritz looked up at Jonah and whined. Did the animal understand what he’d said?
Jonah unlatched the gate and let Fritz out. “Go on now, boy! Go up to the house.”
Fritz hesitated a minute, then tore across the yard and leaped onto the porch.
Jonah looked around for something he could use to drain the water from the tarp. He
spotted a broken tree limb lying just outside the kennel, so he picked it up. Standing
directly under the tarp, he gave it a good push. A quick burst of water rolled off
one end, but most of it remained in the middle.
Jonah pushed against the tarp once more, this time jiggling the limb around a bit.
R-r-i-i-p! W-o-o-sh!
The canvas tore down the middle, and a blast of chilling water poured out on Jonah’s
head, drenching his shirt and
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