Read Online A Sister's Secret by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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standing.”
“Okay then.” Cleon smiled at Judith. “I’ll have your daughter home in plenty of time for supper.”
Judith’s eyes twinkled. “You’re welcome to stay and eat with us if you like.”
“I might take you up on that offer.” Cleon lifted his hand in a wave and hurried down the steps after Grace.
***
“I can’t believe how well this weather is holding out,” Ruth commented as she and Sadie turned off the main road and headed onto a wide path into the woods not far from the pond where they’d had a picnic with Luke and Toby the week before.
“Winter will be here soon, which is why we need to do some fun things before it gets too cold.”
Ruth poked Sadie gently on the arm. “There are plenty of fun things you can do in the cold, you know.”
“Right. Sledding, ice skating, and snowball fights.” Sadie swung her arms as they clipped along at a steady pace. “Too bad Toby and Luke weren’t free to join us today.”
“My daed has a backload of work right now, and he needed Luke’s help today.”
Sadie nodded. “Since tomorrow’s church service will be held at Toby’s house, he had to help his brothers get the benches they’ll need.”
Ruth stopped walking and pointed to a shiny black pickup parked behind a clump of bushes. “I wonder whose truck that is. I don’t recall seeing it before, do you?”
Sadie shook her head. “No, but the last time we came to the pond, we never walked back into the woods.”
“You’re right.” Ruth squinted as they moved closer to the truck. “It’s empty, and I don’t see anyone else around but us.”
“Maybe it’s abandoned.”
“Or maybe someone hid it here.”
“Why would anybody do that?”
Ruth’s hands went straight to her hips. “Some fellows going through rumschpringe have vehicles they don’t want anyone to know about. You ought to know that.”
Sadie’s blue eyes widened. “You think some Amish fellow owns this truck?”
“Maybe so.”
“It’s not a new vehicle, but it’s clean and polished.” Sadie touched the chrome mirror. “I’d say whoever owns it feels a bit of hochmut and takes pleasure in keeping it nice.”
“If it belongs to an Amish fellow, then he’s not supposed to feel pride.” Ruth pursed her lips. “I hope he doesn’t like having a truck so much that he decides to leave the faith so he can continue to drive it.”
***
Grace’s legs were about to give out, and she was on the verge of asking Cleon to stop so she could rest when he pulled his bike to the side of the road and signaled her to do the same. “This hilly road is starting to get to me, and I’m feeling kind of tired,” he huffed. “Why don’t we push our bicycles awhile? That will make it easier for us to talk, too.”
She smiled in appreciation and climbed off her bike.
“I’m glad you were free to spend the afternoon with me, since this is the last chance we’ll have to be together for a week or so.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“Didn’t I tell you that my family and I are leaving for Rexford, Montana, on Monday morning to attend my cousin Sarah’s wedding? We’ll be gone a week.”
She shook her head. “I don’t remember you saying that.” Of course, lately, she hadn’t paid much attention to anything that had been said to her. All she could think about was Gary showing up in town, and whether she should tell Cleon the truth about her past. After another restless night of tossing, turning, and mulling things over, Grace had concluded that it might be best if she revealed her secret now before Gary had a chance to say anything. If Cleon was as understanding as she hoped he would be, then maybe it would give her the courage she needed to tell her folks about it, too.
They walked in silence for a while as Grace tried to decide the best way to broach the subject of her rumschpringe days. Maybe it would be good if she led into it slowly, to see how he felt about things.
“Let’s get off the main road and head
“Okay then.” Cleon smiled at Judith. “I’ll have your daughter home in plenty of time for supper.”
Judith’s eyes twinkled. “You’re welcome to stay and eat with us if you like.”
“I might take you up on that offer.” Cleon lifted his hand in a wave and hurried down the steps after Grace.
***
“I can’t believe how well this weather is holding out,” Ruth commented as she and Sadie turned off the main road and headed onto a wide path into the woods not far from the pond where they’d had a picnic with Luke and Toby the week before.
“Winter will be here soon, which is why we need to do some fun things before it gets too cold.”
Ruth poked Sadie gently on the arm. “There are plenty of fun things you can do in the cold, you know.”
“Right. Sledding, ice skating, and snowball fights.” Sadie swung her arms as they clipped along at a steady pace. “Too bad Toby and Luke weren’t free to join us today.”
“My daed has a backload of work right now, and he needed Luke’s help today.”
Sadie nodded. “Since tomorrow’s church service will be held at Toby’s house, he had to help his brothers get the benches they’ll need.”
Ruth stopped walking and pointed to a shiny black pickup parked behind a clump of bushes. “I wonder whose truck that is. I don’t recall seeing it before, do you?”
Sadie shook her head. “No, but the last time we came to the pond, we never walked back into the woods.”
“You’re right.” Ruth squinted as they moved closer to the truck. “It’s empty, and I don’t see anyone else around but us.”
“Maybe it’s abandoned.”
“Or maybe someone hid it here.”
“Why would anybody do that?”
Ruth’s hands went straight to her hips. “Some fellows going through rumschpringe have vehicles they don’t want anyone to know about. You ought to know that.”
Sadie’s blue eyes widened. “You think some Amish fellow owns this truck?”
“Maybe so.”
“It’s not a new vehicle, but it’s clean and polished.” Sadie touched the chrome mirror. “I’d say whoever owns it feels a bit of hochmut and takes pleasure in keeping it nice.”
“If it belongs to an Amish fellow, then he’s not supposed to feel pride.” Ruth pursed her lips. “I hope he doesn’t like having a truck so much that he decides to leave the faith so he can continue to drive it.”
***
Grace’s legs were about to give out, and she was on the verge of asking Cleon to stop so she could rest when he pulled his bike to the side of the road and signaled her to do the same. “This hilly road is starting to get to me, and I’m feeling kind of tired,” he huffed. “Why don’t we push our bicycles awhile? That will make it easier for us to talk, too.”
She smiled in appreciation and climbed off her bike.
“I’m glad you were free to spend the afternoon with me, since this is the last chance we’ll have to be together for a week or so.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“Didn’t I tell you that my family and I are leaving for Rexford, Montana, on Monday morning to attend my cousin Sarah’s wedding? We’ll be gone a week.”
She shook her head. “I don’t remember you saying that.” Of course, lately, she hadn’t paid much attention to anything that had been said to her. All she could think about was Gary showing up in town, and whether she should tell Cleon the truth about her past. After another restless night of tossing, turning, and mulling things over, Grace had concluded that it might be best if she revealed her secret now before Gary had a chance to say anything. If Cleon was as understanding as she hoped he would be, then maybe it would give her the courage she needed to tell her folks about it, too.
They walked in silence for a while as Grace tried to decide the best way to broach the subject of her rumschpringe days. Maybe it would be good if she led into it slowly, to see how he felt about things.
“Let’s get off the main road and head
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