Read Online Catch Me When I Fall by Westerhof Patricia - Free Book Online Page B

then, we can’t—you’re not—we can’t welcome you anymore.” Ruthie’s eyes, round with shock, met his. Klaas’s chest hurt, and he kept his arms firmly crossed in front of it. Love the sinner; hate the sin, he told himself. “We just can’t condone the lifestyle you’re choosing. We’re not comfortable with those ideas around here.”
    â€œWhat about your nieces?” Alida put in. “Stephanie and Jenna look up to you. Little Madison and Lexi adore you. What kind of example are you setting?”
    â€œAn example of a different way we can love each other?” Ruthie said. Her tone was defiant, but her shoulders drooped.
    â€œThat’s disgusting,” said Alida. “I don’t think you’re really one of them.”
    â€œOne of who, Mom? Can’t you even say the word?
    â€œI shouldn’t have to. This is not how I raised you.” Tears filled Alida’s eyes and she stumbled from the room down the hallway to their bedroom. Klaas glared at Ruthie.
    â€œSee what you’ve done?”
    â€¢Â Â â€¢Â Â â€¢
    For a few months, at least they knew where she was—finishing up her zoology degree in Calgary. Alida sent Ruthie the church bulletin every week and occasionally scribbled a sentence or two about the grandkids or how the crops were doing. At the annual church picnic, Alida’s friend Marisa DenZeldon told Alida and Klaas about an organization called Go Straight. Alida called the toll-free number they found on the Internet and obtained a pamphlet. Is it time to rid yourself of sinful desires? We can help. Alida enclosed the pamphlet in an envelope along with a short note about Stephanie and Jenna’s parts in the school play and Madison’s chicken pox.
    Ruthie hadn’t written back. The envelope containing the July 1 bulletin and a pamphlet titled Yes You Can Change from another organization was returned marked “not at this address.” “Well, that makes sense,” Alida said, shuffling the envelope from one hand to the other. “She was renting that house with a whole group of students. They’ve probably gone their separate ways.” But which way did Ruthie go?
    No card came at Christmas. Or the next Christmas. Not even to let them know she was safe.
    Alida did her crying alone, in the late afternoons when Klaas was milking. Dinners were strained on those days. Alida served the roast, beans, and potatoes, and their forks clinked uneasily. Klaas tried to think of some news from the barn to tell her—a cow ready to calf, something the milkman said. She responded with trivia about their granddaughters—there were five of them now. The talking eased the pain, but it didn’t cancel Ruthie’s silence.
    Tonight Alida said, “Madison starts figure skating lessons on Saturday.”
    â€œOh. Nice. Which arena?” He didn’t care much for figure skating. The women looked graceful and lovely, and it probably took a lot of training to manage those jumps. But watching it bored him. Madison’s interests tended to be fleeting—maybe she’d quit figure skating before Alida dragged him to her programs.
    â€œThat one near Sylvain Lake. Early morning practices. The hockey players get the good ice time.”
    Ruthie had played hockey. He still hoped one of his granddaughters would take up the sport. He’d cheer at all her games. But it didn’t look likely. The girls now ranged in age from two to ten and a half, and they resembled the girls their mothers had been—beautiful, long-haired creatures who liked dolls and crafts and made him put the worms on the hooks when he took them fishing. Even Sarah, the most daring of the bunch, made disgusted “ewwww”s and plugged her nose when he cleaned the fish.
    â€œMadison gets up early anyway.”
    â€œIt’s not Madison I’m worried about. It’s Elizabeth who has to drive