Read Online Annie's Truth (Touch of Grace) by Beth Shriver - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beth Shriver
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to join together make the entire pattern strong enough to form a whole.”
He seemed to concede and was quiet for a while. “Did I speak too candidly?”
“Nee,” she assured him, although in her heart she felt he had. His words concerning excommunication addressed exactly what was on her mind, and she didn’t need a reminder of it. But she wasn’t there to be friends with these people. She needed to stay focused and find what she’d come for. She sighed inwardly. It might not be as easy as she’d thought.
They drove through an older neighborhood with small houses sitting on tiny lots. Rudy parked by a home with a huge oak tree in front. Its leaves of red, orange, and yellow reminded her of home.
Rudy noticed her admiring the tree and walked over to it.
“Enjoy it. It’s the only one on the place.”
Annie pointed. “These are your initials.”
“My first crush.”
“So you cut into trees to show your affection?”
“You probably have too much sense to do something like that.” He took her suitcase, and they walked through the garage.
“No one knows who they will end up with, and it’s all kept secret until an engagement is announced.”
“How do you keep it a secret?”
“We’re a little more discreet than carving our initials into places where everyone can see.”
“So, do you have a guy back home?” He stopped at the door to the house.
“Not really.” She didn’t know if she was lying or telling the truth. She didn’t know whether John would wait for her or accept her back after leaving. Maybe none of them would.
“Aren’t you at the age everyone marries?”
“Jah, but some wait.”
He turned to her before opening the door. “I guess your business here is more important.” He paused and studied her. “Or maybe you’re one of those who wait?”
She didn’t feel that deliberate about anything in her life right now, not until she found out about the missing part of her. But Rudy Glick seemed to be an intelligent young man, and the last thing she’d let him do was outsmart her. “Jah, I s’pose I am. And I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t important.”
He paused, taking in her comment before opening the door.
The television was blaring in one room, music roared from upstairs, a dog bounded toward her, barking, and above it all Rudy yelled out, “She’s here.”
Chapter Eight
S LITS OF SUNLIGHT inched over the hills as John made his way to the house for breakfast.
The animals had been fed and the cows milked, and the processed milk was in cans ready for the truck to pick up to take to the local dairy. Any other day Annie would be just a pasture away. She’d have helped with the milking and prepared breakfast with her mamm and then gotten the children off to school. It was Monday, so she’d do the laundry, and there was always the cooking and washing dishes. And, due to the season, she would work in the garden to gather the last of the herbs and vegetables before the first freeze. Since it was the beginning of fall harvest, Annie would be in the fields tending to the barley crop, just as he would be doing.
It had always been comforting knowing she was just a field or two away doing the same chores he was, almost in sync, as if they were one. Just the way he imaged them once they were married. He chuckled that he’d fallen for an oldest girl. They were almost like second mothers helping their mamms raise their siblings and skillful at the duties to run a home.
John stopped and looked across the way toward the Beiler acreage. Although it hadn’t changed in the few short days since Annie had left, it seemed lonely and cold. He shoved his hands in his pockets as the chill and wind made him shiver. He planned to keep himself busier than usual over the next few weeks or however long it would be until she returned. He tried to keep from being impatient or judging her, but it was difficult sometimes, especially when he was alone.
As soon as he walked in the door,
He seemed to concede and was quiet for a while. “Did I speak too candidly?”
“Nee,” she assured him, although in her heart she felt he had. His words concerning excommunication addressed exactly what was on her mind, and she didn’t need a reminder of it. But she wasn’t there to be friends with these people. She needed to stay focused and find what she’d come for. She sighed inwardly. It might not be as easy as she’d thought.
They drove through an older neighborhood with small houses sitting on tiny lots. Rudy parked by a home with a huge oak tree in front. Its leaves of red, orange, and yellow reminded her of home.
Rudy noticed her admiring the tree and walked over to it.
“Enjoy it. It’s the only one on the place.”
Annie pointed. “These are your initials.”
“My first crush.”
“So you cut into trees to show your affection?”
“You probably have too much sense to do something like that.” He took her suitcase, and they walked through the garage.
“No one knows who they will end up with, and it’s all kept secret until an engagement is announced.”
“How do you keep it a secret?”
“We’re a little more discreet than carving our initials into places where everyone can see.”
“So, do you have a guy back home?” He stopped at the door to the house.
“Not really.” She didn’t know if she was lying or telling the truth. She didn’t know whether John would wait for her or accept her back after leaving. Maybe none of them would.
“Aren’t you at the age everyone marries?”
“Jah, but some wait.”
He turned to her before opening the door. “I guess your business here is more important.” He paused and studied her. “Or maybe you’re one of those who wait?”
She didn’t feel that deliberate about anything in her life right now, not until she found out about the missing part of her. But Rudy Glick seemed to be an intelligent young man, and the last thing she’d let him do was outsmart her. “Jah, I s’pose I am. And I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t important.”
He paused, taking in her comment before opening the door.
The television was blaring in one room, music roared from upstairs, a dog bounded toward her, barking, and above it all Rudy yelled out, “She’s here.”
Chapter Eight
S LITS OF SUNLIGHT inched over the hills as John made his way to the house for breakfast.
The animals had been fed and the cows milked, and the processed milk was in cans ready for the truck to pick up to take to the local dairy. Any other day Annie would be just a pasture away. She’d have helped with the milking and prepared breakfast with her mamm and then gotten the children off to school. It was Monday, so she’d do the laundry, and there was always the cooking and washing dishes. And, due to the season, she would work in the garden to gather the last of the herbs and vegetables before the first freeze. Since it was the beginning of fall harvest, Annie would be in the fields tending to the barley crop, just as he would be doing.
It had always been comforting knowing she was just a field or two away doing the same chores he was, almost in sync, as if they were one. Just the way he imaged them once they were married. He chuckled that he’d fallen for an oldest girl. They were almost like second mothers helping their mamms raise their siblings and skillful at the duties to run a home.
John stopped and looked across the way toward the Beiler acreage. Although it hadn’t changed in the few short days since Annie had left, it seemed lonely and cold. He shoved his hands in his pockets as the chill and wind made him shiver. He planned to keep himself busier than usual over the next few weeks or however long it would be until she returned. He tried to keep from being impatient or judging her, but it was difficult sometimes, especially when he was alone.
As soon as he walked in the door,
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