Read Online A Hope for Hannah by Jerry S. Eicher - Free Book Online Page B

early clouds still hung around, having grown darker now.
    “Do you think it’s going to rain?” she asked in an attempt to make conversation.
    “It could.” Jake didn’t offer anything more.
    “Do you think your logging job might be available in the spring?” she asked.
    “I doubt it,” he said quietly but didn’t elaborate.
    “Why?” she asked.
    “There’s something about the business,” Jake offered. “I don’t think it’s prospering very well. Logging’s not the thing to be involved in right now.”
    She trusted Jake’s instincts in the matter and laid her hand on his arm.
    “Hannah, you still think we should move back East, don’t you?” he asked.
    Surprised that it was occurring to him now, she hesitated. “I think we need to do what’s best for all of us, including our baby.”
    “So do I,” Jake said, “but I really do think we should stick it out a little longer.”
    “I don’t doubt you,” she whispered even though her courage was weak.
    “If God wants us here, we should stay,” Jake said, apparently in an argument with himself, “no matter what.”
    Not sure how to take that—as if God came down and told people where to live—Hannah puzzled over how to answer. “I have feelings both ways,” she ventured. “Today I wanted to stay, but then I think of the money and the baby.”
    “I know,” Jake said, “me too.”
    They finished their sandwiches in silence—not an uncomfortable silence, just a troubled one. She wished it wasn’t so, but the fact that Jake would be around for the rest of the day turned out to be more of a disturbance than she had expected. He sat and read while she cleaned, and then he went out to the barn.
    She had supper ready at the regular time, but Jake ate little, silently pushing the food around on his plate.
    Later, they read by the light of the lantern, its hiss quickly drew Hannah into sleepiness and away from her troubles. She glanced at Jake and guessed he felt the same way. At her suggestion they went to bed early, and Hannah hoped the extra sleep would do them good.

     
    In the morning Jake got up first. While Hannah was still asleep, he quietly came back into the bedroom to tell her that a light dusting of snow had fallen in the night. He stayed by the bedroom window until Hannah joined him. Together they looked out at the snow—and the marks of the grizzly’s night visit.
    “I didn’t know those tracks were there,” Jake said as if he was sorry he roused her. “I didn’t hear anything in the night. Did you?”
    Hannah shook her head.
    “That might be the last of it,” Jake said and sounded as if he knew something about the habits of bears. Hannah had forgotten to tell him the news Mr. Brunson brought. At this moment she hoped both the game warden and Jake were right about the matter.

Ten
     
    The snow quickly disappeared once the sun came out. Hannah, not yet ready for winter, was glad to see it melt. The thought of a howling whiteout surrounded by mountains intimidated her.
    As they drove to church the next morning, she asked Jake, “Winter’s coming early this year, isn’t it?”
    He shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know the country well enough to tell for sure.”
    She didn’t press the subject because Jake was not in his best mood. With many of the odd jobs around the house finished, he sat around with nothing much to do most of yesterday. Thankfully, today they had someplace to go.
    Church was being held in the house, but because the other buggies had already gathered in the yard, Jake couldn’t get close enough to the walks to let Hannah out. So Jake brought Mosey to a stop in front of the barn.
    “This is as close as I can get,” he said apologetically.
    “It’s all right,” she said. A quick walk in to the house wasn’t something she found disagreeable. The knowledge she would soon see Betty quickened her step.
    Her aunt was already in the kitchen when Hannah walked in. She made her way around the circle of women,