Read Online Be Still My Soul: The Cadence of Grace, Book 1 by Joanne Bischof - Free Book Online
Authors: Joanne Bischof
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bacon grease all over it?”
Lonnie’s breath caught. She looked to Gideon in time to see him take a slow breath. Mae pursed her lips. Ruth puffed her chest and glanced away.
“Well,” Lonnie stammered. “I just thought I would make myself useful.”
“You can put your things in here.” Mae spoke up, her voice tender. She stepped toward a door and waved for Lonnie to follow. “I put hot water in the washbasin when I got home.” The door creaked as she pulled it nearly closed. “It might be cold now, but—”
“It’s perfect.” Lonnie yanked her striped apron from the rough sack and did her best to shake out the wrinkles. The worn-out fabric felt good as she secured it around her waist.
Mae cracked the door just far enough to squeeze through, then closed it behind her. In no hurry to leave the solitary room, Lonnie removed the shawl from her shoulders. She folded it gently before setting it on a chair.
Her wedding ring glinted. Lonnie turned the ring around on her finger. She held it up to the window, studying it in the dusky light of evening. It was only made of tin, but it was pretty all the same.
The air was warmer when she stepped from the bedroom and accepted the stack of plates Mae handed her. The littlest childrenwatched in silence as Lonnie set the table around their poky elbows and curious stares.
Lonnie saw little of Ruth other than her slumped shoulders and wrinkled mouth pasted in a frown, but Mae was always quick to answer Lonnie’s questions and even offered her a cup of tea from the steaming kettle on the back of the stove. When Ruth called everyone to the table, Lonnie sat beside Gideon, his arm pressed to hers on the crowded bench. She wanted to slide away, but with the youngest children on her other side, she was smashed into place.
Bill bowed his head for prayer, and the family clasped hands. Bill eyed Gideon, who hesitated before cupping Lonnie’s fingers in his wide palm. He held them loosely.
She tried to swallow a swell of emotions.
When Bill finished, Ruth scooped food onto each tin plate, finishing with Lonnie. Her lips taut, Ruth glanced to her son. “Y’all will be on your own soon, I reckon.”
Gideon cleared his throat. “Yes ma’am.” He failed to mask the surprise in his voice.
“Well”—Ruth sweetened her tone as the wooden spoon
thunked
inside the empty pot—“I know you will.” She waved a hand in the air. “Not like you had much time to plan.”
Lonnie glanced down at her portion, and guilt soured her appetite. She couldn’t look at Gideon’s ma for the rest of the meal, and when she finally managed to finish her supper, Charlie and John had already complained about still being hungry.
When dishwater littered the yard and a stack of scrubbed plates was tucked away, the family sat around the fire and Bill read a chapter from the Bible. His voice echoed off the walls, strong and clear. Never once did he stumble over the easy words as her pa would have done. Lonniesat in the rocking chair, her feet firmly planted on the floor, determined to keep the squeaky wood from drawing attention to her. Despite her efforts, she felt Gideon watching her.
When the coals in the fire were all that remained, Bill stretched and yawned. “Well, that’s that.” He stood, beat the back of his tobacco pipe against his palm, and set it on the mantle. “Time to turn in.” He nodded his good-night to the others and disappeared into his bedroom. Ruth ordered Mae to tuck the little ones in before she followed her husband. A sleeping baby Sue nestled in her arms.
Mae drew her siblings over to the washbasin, where they each stood on tiptoe to rinse their hands and faces.
“Well, good night,” John mumbled to no one in particular. He stood and stretched thin arms overhead.
Lonnie’s heart leaped into her throat.
Stay. Please stay
. She watched as John blew out all but one of the few remaining candles. The room dimmed.
Don’t leave me alone
.
But Lonnie held her
Lonnie’s breath caught. She looked to Gideon in time to see him take a slow breath. Mae pursed her lips. Ruth puffed her chest and glanced away.
“Well,” Lonnie stammered. “I just thought I would make myself useful.”
“You can put your things in here.” Mae spoke up, her voice tender. She stepped toward a door and waved for Lonnie to follow. “I put hot water in the washbasin when I got home.” The door creaked as she pulled it nearly closed. “It might be cold now, but—”
“It’s perfect.” Lonnie yanked her striped apron from the rough sack and did her best to shake out the wrinkles. The worn-out fabric felt good as she secured it around her waist.
Mae cracked the door just far enough to squeeze through, then closed it behind her. In no hurry to leave the solitary room, Lonnie removed the shawl from her shoulders. She folded it gently before setting it on a chair.
Her wedding ring glinted. Lonnie turned the ring around on her finger. She held it up to the window, studying it in the dusky light of evening. It was only made of tin, but it was pretty all the same.
The air was warmer when she stepped from the bedroom and accepted the stack of plates Mae handed her. The littlest childrenwatched in silence as Lonnie set the table around their poky elbows and curious stares.
Lonnie saw little of Ruth other than her slumped shoulders and wrinkled mouth pasted in a frown, but Mae was always quick to answer Lonnie’s questions and even offered her a cup of tea from the steaming kettle on the back of the stove. When Ruth called everyone to the table, Lonnie sat beside Gideon, his arm pressed to hers on the crowded bench. She wanted to slide away, but with the youngest children on her other side, she was smashed into place.
Bill bowed his head for prayer, and the family clasped hands. Bill eyed Gideon, who hesitated before cupping Lonnie’s fingers in his wide palm. He held them loosely.
She tried to swallow a swell of emotions.
When Bill finished, Ruth scooped food onto each tin plate, finishing with Lonnie. Her lips taut, Ruth glanced to her son. “Y’all will be on your own soon, I reckon.”
Gideon cleared his throat. “Yes ma’am.” He failed to mask the surprise in his voice.
“Well”—Ruth sweetened her tone as the wooden spoon
thunked
inside the empty pot—“I know you will.” She waved a hand in the air. “Not like you had much time to plan.”
Lonnie glanced down at her portion, and guilt soured her appetite. She couldn’t look at Gideon’s ma for the rest of the meal, and when she finally managed to finish her supper, Charlie and John had already complained about still being hungry.
When dishwater littered the yard and a stack of scrubbed plates was tucked away, the family sat around the fire and Bill read a chapter from the Bible. His voice echoed off the walls, strong and clear. Never once did he stumble over the easy words as her pa would have done. Lonniesat in the rocking chair, her feet firmly planted on the floor, determined to keep the squeaky wood from drawing attention to her. Despite her efforts, she felt Gideon watching her.
When the coals in the fire were all that remained, Bill stretched and yawned. “Well, that’s that.” He stood, beat the back of his tobacco pipe against his palm, and set it on the mantle. “Time to turn in.” He nodded his good-night to the others and disappeared into his bedroom. Ruth ordered Mae to tuck the little ones in before she followed her husband. A sleeping baby Sue nestled in her arms.
Mae drew her siblings over to the washbasin, where they each stood on tiptoe to rinse their hands and faces.
“Well, good night,” John mumbled to no one in particular. He stood and stretched thin arms overhead.
Lonnie’s heart leaped into her throat.
Stay. Please stay
. She watched as John blew out all but one of the few remaining candles. The room dimmed.
Don’t leave me alone
.
But Lonnie held her
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