Read Online Courting Emily (A Wells Landing Book 2) by Amy Lillard - Free Book Online Page B

his tone. He spoke in low volumes so others wouldn’t hear, but anger came off him like rippling waves of summer heat. “I didn’t bring him out here on my own. Your mother and sister were with me. He was never in any danger of falling.”
    “He is always in danger of falling.” His green eyes glittered accusingly.
    “But he wanted to come out. How long has it been, Elam? Since he’s been outside?”
    “That is not what we are talking about.”
    His tone raised her hackles, but something deep inside her wanted to help this family that was held together by a thread and a prayer. “Maybe it is what we should be talking about.” She braced her hands on her hips and stiffened her spine. “I think being outside will do your father some gut .”
    “You don’t get to make the decisions for this family.”
    She wasn’t going to get anywhere with him like this. She softened her tone, hoping to reason with him. His father needed to be outside, prone to dizzy spells or not. He needed his family and the love of those around him, not to be locked in a dark room and allowed to waste away. “I’m only trying to help.”
    “You are disrupting everything.”
    “Elam, your father wanted to come outside. He asked for us to bring him out in the sun.”
    “He doesn’t know what he wants.” Elam crossed his arms and stared down at her. His mouth was still set in a stern line, but at least he didn’t vibrate with anger.
    “You have to stop protecting him so much,” she said, extending a hand toward him.
    He jerked out of her reach. “And you have to stop . . . stop . . .” He obviously couldn’t find the words. “Stay away from my family, Emily Ebersol.” Then he stalked away, leaving Emily to go back to the blanket under the big oak tree on very shaky legs.
    James shot her a sweet smile as she sat back down on the quilt next to him. Johanna had tired of their game and crawled into his lap. The sight of her curled up with her thumb in her mouth and her head on his shoulder was enough to warrant putting up with Elam’s foul mood.
    Honestly, she didn’t know why he was so cranky with her. Couldn’t he see that his father needed this attention? That James needed to be out among people again?
    “Don’t mind him,” James said, rocking Johanna back and forth. His voice was so quiet she thought for a minute she might have imagined it. “He was always too serious.”
    Emily studied the man’s face, so like his son’s except for the dark beard. Their eyes were the same, though where Elam’s were clouded, James’s were clear with a newborn innocence.
    “I know this has to be hard on him.” James’s words came out in short spurts, as if he had to search through files before he could find the right ones to say, even in Deutsch .
    “Elam?”
    “ Jah .” He leaned back against the tree to brace himself as his daughter fell asleep in his arms. “I know I’m not the same as I was before. It must be hard for someone you depend on to get hurt.”
    “They love you very much.”
    “I know.” He closed his eyes, and his hat pitched forward as he rested his head against the trunk.
    Emily plucked it from its precarious position, laying it on the blanket between them. “Are you ready to go back in the house?”
    “ Nay .” He smiled, though his eyes remained closed.
    “Is your head hurting?” Emily asked. The last thing she wanted was for James to overdo it. Having Elam even madder at her resided at the bottom of her wish list.
    “Not so bad right now. Joy will be by in a while to make me take pills again.” He made a face as if he didn’t like to take the pills.
    Should she ask him why? Was it too personal? Would he even understand?
    “Will you come back over next week?” he asked.
    “Of course I will.” The words automatically fell from her lips. So what if Elam had told her to stay away? His father wanted her close. That was all that mattered to her.
    “Will you wear your purple dress?”
    She smiled at his