Read Online By Way of the Rose by Cynthia Ward Weil - Free Book Online

go home. This wasn't the life for him. This wasn't what he wanted. He'd made it without fighting with Nathan. Maybe he could stand Nathan better than the loneliness and rats he'd endured these six months. The next morning, John packed his bag, picked up his pay and bought a ticket for the next train home.
    Sarah waited and watched the whole day John was due to arrive. “The train isn't due in hours,” Marion informed her. But Sarah would not stop looking toward the end of the drive for him. Finally, late that evening, there he was walking as fast as he could toward her. “John's here!” Sarah squealed. She took off running toward him.
    John lifted her up in his arms. “I missed you so much!” he cried. “Oh, how I've missed my sweet Princess and home!”
    “I missed you too... it was awful without you here! Don't ever leave me again!”
    “Well, I'm home now. It won't be awful anymore!” He smiled. Marion rushed up to him as he put Sarah down.
    “John, my boy!” She hugged him tightly. “We got your telegram... I've fixed all of your favorite food. I just can't tell you how wonderful it is to have you home again. You're too skinny!”
    “I can't wait to dive into it, Momma. I missed your cooking something fierce!”
    For a while, things were perfect, even Nathan was decent. But then it started with little things and grew. John held his temper. Anything was better than that rat infested hole in the wall. He had to make this work! He had to let Nathan's tormenting remarks go without rebuttal. He worked from early morning to late evening to prove himself. He wanted to show that he was more than books, brains and a playmate for Sarah. He could pull his weight and contribute to the household. Sarah's small footprints still tracked in his big ones. She was like a little lost puppy.
    “John, are we going to town today? You can meet Mrs. Lykes. John, can we go down by the spring to get flowers for Momma? John, will you tell me a story?”
    He wanted to pick her up and go running over the hills, go to the library and read her stories. To see her face light up as she heard the exciting tales. He wanted to hear her sweet giggle when she'd picked a beautiful bunch of flowers or caught a butterfly. Yet, with Nathan's sarcastic glares, he couldn't... that would give him ammunition for more hurtful remarks. “Not right now, sweetie. I've got work to do,” he'd answer her.
    As they all sat eating supper, John noticed Sarah having trouble so he started cutting her meat.
    “Can't she even eat on her own? She's seven years old for crying out loud!” Nathan snarled. So John let it go. He handed Sarah her fork and knife.
    “Sure she can eat on her own... she's a big girl.” John winked at her. Sarah took her knife and fork and wrapped her fists around them and started to cut her meat, but she slipped and the plate fell to the floor. Sarah started crying.
    “Uh oh... ” John smiled. “It's all right, Sarah, don't cry.”
    “No, it ain't all right! She wastes food all the time. She's stupid and careless!”
    “It was just an accident, Nathan.” John got up to clean the mess while his mother went to get Sarah another plate.
    “I'd make her eat what she wasted on the floor. Maybe she wouldn't be so careless next time!”
    “What is your problem, Nathan? You're acting like a total ass!”
    “You're my problem and so is that careless little shadow witch savage of yours!”
    “Shut up Nathan... just shut up.”
    “Why? What are you going to do about it, pansy?”
    “Boys, I want both of you to be quiet,” Daniel warned. John sat quietly but Nathan kept on goading.
    “Just like I thought... you ain't going to do anything. You're too much of a field pansy .”
    “May I be excused, Poppa? I'd like to go for a walk.” John stood from the table.
    “Can I come too?” Sarah eagerly hopped up.
    “You're still eating, sweetie. I won't be gone long.”
    “But I'm not hungry... I want to come with you.”
    “You'd better